Honest and mostly Objective assessment of this Team

Submitted by Duval Wolverine on November 24th, 2018 at 6:40 PM

Coaching:

We need an offensive coordinator, and Jim needs to go out a find the best available OC this offseason.  I think its time to part ways with Pep Hamilton.  There is a lack of creativity in play calling and play design.  We need more passing spread and overall more modern offensive game plan which would maximize Patterson's skill set.  Our recruiting is headed in the right direction, but we lack explosive athletes in the slot as of right now.  I think Ronnie Bell can be that guy next year (hoping).

As far as Game planning, that was a terrible job both offensively and defensively.  On offensive, we did not use nearly enough motioning and shifting which OSU defense has struggled with this year in the run game.  Also we failed to put their linebackers out in space covering our players outside of that TD pass to Evans.

I would love for us to stop forcing Wide receiver screens to 6'4 receivers that are not really shifty or able to break tackles.  Also speaking of screens, why do we throw more TE screens than we do screens to our running backs who can be explosive in the open field.

On defense, I LOVE Don Brown but he needs to adjust to what the team does before the game starts not after giving up 21 points.  Everyone knew coming in that this would be the Best QB we would face so far and the best and fastest receivers, but we continued to go man to man against there crossing routes and could not get home with the rush.  I may be wrong but I did not see any hands up with our D Line against there quick passing game.  We need to be more multiple and flexible on defense especially when that team has 11 games of film to game plan against our defense.

Offense:

First off all, I think we will have Patterson coming back and he will be more comfortable in the offense.  The offensive line will return 4 players that will continue to get better.  I think our running game could be even more explosive with a better OC.  What we need is better TE play, McKeon has been a disappointment all year and Gentry was surprisingly bad today dropping two catchable balls, one that could have been a TD.  We also need more explosiveness in our receivers after the catch.  The receivers are rarely are wide open or breaking tackles after the catch.  

Defense:

We need better play at the Safety position.  Muetellus is getting better, but Kinnel as been a liability all season, and is always late to the ball in passing situations.  I doubt both of our corners come back next year but this was the first time they were really tested and they immediately went after Watson all game.  I think both Hill and Long played ok today from what I saw, and hope at least one of them comes back next year.  Hudson made no impact plays today, and that Viper position has not looked all that special at all these season, and honestly has not looked special since Peppers (for obvious reasons).  More rangy explosive Linebackers like Bush in the front seven will be needed going forward.  Teams continue to put our linebackers in space against running backs and the only one that could handle that responsibility recently has been Bush.

 

In final, I think Jim Harbaugh has done a hell of job getting our team out of the pathetic abyss that struggled against teams like Akron, Rutgers, and Toledo; he will need to improve the offense to become championship level in the future.  By improving that offense, I mean (1). An actually OC that is not Pep. (2). More modern offense that puts our athletes into space. (3). More explosive WRs, especially in the slot. (4). Better play calling and play design in the pass game.

That is my two cents.   

Catchafire

November 24th, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^

We need a truly elite o line is d line.  We can't have an elite d line that can't pressure OSU QBs. We can't have a solid pass/run game with weak o line play...

 

This was a solid opportunity squandered...

Northfielder

November 24th, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^

Nope...just one of many contributors here who are sick of your multiple accounts.

You are all in love with the squad...until they lose a game, then you (and again your multiple accounts) post your hawt takes on how bad the team is. The best was when you had a couple accounts arguing with each other.

Seek psychological help.

 

 

Diagonal Blue

November 24th, 2018 at 8:12 PM ^

I don't have multiple accounts and I'm not maizen. Although I do find it funny the amount of energy people spend on a guy who hasn't posted anything in over a year.

Instead of being mad at me maybe direct your energy towards the coaching staff that gave up 62 points today. If that's too much to ask of you, then, uh, fuck off.

Northfielder

November 24th, 2018 at 8:19 PM ^

Says the guy(s) who is the recruiting genius!

Where did you coach? Your nephew's Pop Warner team doesn't count.

I will trust the judgement of the staff we have over your analysis of the recruiting services.

Fire up another account and have a meaningful discussion of the merits of the 5 star from Timbuktu we should be going after.

NotADuck

November 24th, 2018 at 8:13 PM ^

Recruiting rankings do matter but only so far as they give us an idea as to what we MIGHT be able to expect from them down the road.  They are not ironclad.  To suggest otherwise is foolish.

When considering offensive line recruiting, one only needs to look across the pond at Wisconsin to find proof that stars don't matter as much when it comes to the offensive line.  They regularly turn 3 and 4 star recruits into high draft picks and always have at least a solid offensive line every year.  Are 5 star offensive lineman more reliably good?  Sure.  Does that mean we should ONLY recruit them?  Hell no.  There are plenty of other great offensive lines around the country that don't have a single 5 star lineman.  Don't forget our two best lineman in recent memory were low-rated 4 stars as well (Taylor Lewan, Jake Long).

To summarize, stars matter but everyone needs to find diamonds in the rough when it comes to recruiting.  Even Alabama.  They're good enough at it that it is one of the many reasons why they're a contender every year.

FLwolvfan22

November 24th, 2018 at 8:04 PM ^

Come with a game plan, come out with fire, don't let a douche reporter force one of your players into making a supposed "guarantee" . This stuff matters, you want to beat them at their place for the first time in 18 years? Come out with a plan and breathing fire, set them up for the failure the week before by downplaying your team, instead, just the opposite occurred, here. Lou Holtz was a master at this and these days most who don't know football just think he's a stuttering idiot.

TD Billy Taylor

November 24th, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^

Harbaugh has done a solid job getting our team out of the abyss, but now he needs to actually fucking build on that and do more than just reel off 9-10 win seasons that culminate in OSU losses.

Why is this fanbase so quick to acknowledge mediocrity? Maybe it's why our team is so fucking soft.

Clarence Boddicker

November 24th, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^

"Why is this fanbase so quick to acknowledge mediocrity? Maybe it's why our team is so fucking soft."

Why do people say shit like this. This board is full of posts bitching about the loss, Harbaugh and the coaches. Who is accepting it? The 'Great Season' post got slammed...

saveferris

November 24th, 2018 at 7:10 PM ^

This.  Dozens of trolls have been lying in wait for Michigan to stumble and start up with the post-ND narrative of Harbaugh being overrated, overpaid, etc.  They’re full of shit and can go fuck themselves.  This will go down as a good not great season for Michigan; another lost opportunity for sure, but Harbaugh is the right guy and has us on a good path.  Anyone who wants to disagree must name the better alternative or keep their whining to themselves.  Period.

The Fan in Fargo

November 24th, 2018 at 7:46 PM ^

Even with this loss, I was way more mad in 2016. After this I've come to expect this out of a Don Brown defense. Mattison did far better with less talent in his bend but don't break scheme. The offense will be better next year and I don't think any of them should leave early. Will miss Higdon. The defense is what needs the work now. Hell, they all better get stronger amd faster. Damn I hate talking bad about the defense and Don but I gotta do it Don. You have to put your lesser players on the field in better positions to succeed.

Crootin

November 25th, 2018 at 1:24 AM ^

Big whoop.  Twelve teams have already won ten games JUST THIS YEAR.  About a dozen more will get to ten with conference title games and bowl games.  Harbaugh has beaten very few teams that we're actually considered strong by the end of the season.  This year included.  Oooo Northwestern?  What Penn State is pretty good I guess. 

saveferris

November 25th, 2018 at 6:10 AM ^

He's won 38 games and has rebuilt Michigan into the clear #2 program in the Big Ten which is light years ahead of where we were in 2014.  I get it, we're all unhappy about getting shellacked by OSU and missing out a conference title and chance to play in the CFP, but the trajectory of his program is still trending up.  Harbaugh has had to unfuck 15 years of mismanagement and wrong turns by previous coaching staffs without the benefits of bagman and other incentives that less ethical programs can deploy to bolster their programs. 

In 2015, Michigan was a program looking to not just catch up to OSU, but to Wisconsin, MSU, Penn State, and perhaps even Iowa.  Now, it's just us and OSU, and OSU still has the upper hand for today, but do we really think we're not going to continue to make up ground?  Today sucked; it sucked bad, but it doesn't diminish the fact that Harbaugh is building a foundation and culture that will ensure we remain amongst the elite in this conference.

outsidethebox

November 25th, 2018 at 8:30 AM ^

I side with this take. I am very disappointed in many things about yesterday's game. But in the larger picture, Jim Harbaugh has Michigan football at a very good place. Here, I believe it is reasonable to expect the 2019 version to be as good or better than this year. The bottom line is that the players on this team will have great memories and will have formed wonderful lifetime friendships.

Otherwise, the fans be damned...it's not about us. 

Midukman

November 24th, 2018 at 10:22 PM ^

I’d never call for Harbaughs head but the playcalling sucks a sack of hairy balls. I don’t care if it’s pep or Harbaugh but pep needs to go and Harbaugh needs to keep his Neanderthal ass out of it. We have every bit as much skill if not more than OSU and do dick with it. Christ my 6 month old nephew could have called the next play today. 

BroadneckBlue21

November 24th, 2018 at 9:40 PM ^

If players are soft because of fans, then that’s some fucked up causation. Fan criticism doesn’t correlate to a team bombing in The Game by giving up 62 points. That loss is on the team. 

The coaches had a shitty game plan, and shittier adjustments. Don Brown stank it up. Harbaugh showed no creativity.

None of the players outside Bush and DPJ came to play. They had no god damned intensity, all season. The Revenge Tour became some gimmick. 

I want a cut-throat Harbaugh next season, starting with the bowl game. Or else he will need to go after next season. He has Shea or McCaffrey. He has Evans and who? He has three studs at WR. The defense returns most players, but lots of growth needed.

There is no way to objectively state that the worst loss in modern history of the program, to the rival, is not putting one on the hot seat. 

I know it is hard to fathom for us Harbaugh fanboys, but he’s not impenetrable after another big embarrassing loss, unless beating OSU is no longer something the university cherishes. The lore of The Game from our side is gone, for me. Harbaugh is a good college coach, and he was a better pro coach. That’s where it stands in the W-L. He’s built a contender, but he has yet to prove if he can build off of the losses and fuel his players to win the one’s that matter most. 

That’s just the sad truth of what happened today. It was not even a game in the second half.

 

ESNY

November 24th, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^

Motioning doesn’t do dick if your play calling is as predictable as ours was.  Play calling and substitutions made zero sense.  If you are going to telegraph your plays and not test LBs with misdirection, legit play action or RPOs it’s easy for them to shoot the gap.  We made their LBs life way too easy