What to expect from Michigan in Peach Bowl?

Submitted by Mgoczar on December 9th, 2018 at 11:47 PM

Thoughts?

Is it possible that Michigan comes out and start passing way more in this bowl game (vs during the season) as it portends to 2019 going more air raid? I remember Rudock throwing for ~300 yards and Chesson burning their NFL corner. Basically, only way to catch up to and beat OSU would be with elite passing imho. Great back would help but elite passing from elite QB (which Shea can be I think) to elite receivers (healthy Black and seasoned Collins and DPJ). Offense taking another step in 2019 to being top 10? 

Hoping for a Clemson formula of having a great QB to equal the unfair (see numerous threads past tow days sans Hill flip) advantage other schools have.

brad

December 10th, 2018 at 12:32 AM ^

I expect our QB to stand in the pocket staring down field trying to figure out what hes looking at, until hes sacked a few times.  Other than that, the team will play really hard and keep banging on that wall.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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waliwiz1

December 10th, 2018 at 12:36 AM ^

I expect them to come out and play like Champions. I expect them to reach down and play as hard as it takes, be as tough as need be and with the heart of Bo.

I expect them to play together, as a team of brothers on the field and win the game for themselves.

If they win I expect them to celebrate together as a team just as, if they lose, they will bind together knowing they have played their absolute best for one another and celebrate that bond as true teammates should.

Joined: 11/23/2016

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JPC

December 10th, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^

Why the hell "should" he be? They looked like absolute SHIT against USC and played incredibly sloppy against FSU, which was the direct cause of losing that game. 

Really, Harbaugh "should" prepare his team to play in the bowl instead of getting them to beat the shit out of each other during the bowl practice - something that he actually acknowledged was a problem after earning one of his two bowl losses.  

To stay on topic, I expect a very ugly game if Bush, Higdon, Long, Hill, and Gary all don't play. It's going to be hard to "body blow" anyone without Higdon and I have zero faith that they will account for that using a different scheme. 

Joined: 10/13/2018

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UM Fan from Sydney

December 10th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^

Did they look like shit against SCAR? Yes. Should they have won regardless? Absolutely. They had a sizeable lead and allowed SCAR to climb back in late in the game. Yes. They should have won that game and the one against FSU.

Joined: 09/17/2015

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ShittyPlaceKicker

December 10th, 2018 at 12:51 AM ^

Honestly I think this is going to look a lot like the South Carolina game last year. We’re gonna stumble around for 4 quarters and blow it against a team we should beat in a bowl game. Fan base immediately goes nuclear.

Joined: 07/27/2016

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MgoHillbilly

December 10th, 2018 at 1:19 AM ^

Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches

Peaches come from a can They were put there by a man In a factory downtown If I had my little way I'd eat peaches every day Sun soakin' bulges in the shade

Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches Movin' to the country gonna eat a lot of peaches

I took a little nap where the roots all twist Squished a rotten peach in my fist Dreamed about you woman I poked my finger down inside Make a little room for an ant to hide Nature's candy in my hand or a can or a pie

Millions of peaches Peaches for me Millions of peaches Peaches for free Millions of peaches Peaches for me Millions of peaches Peaches for free Look out Millions of peaches Peaches for me Millions of peaches Peaches for free Millions of peaches Peaches for me Millions of peaches Peaches for free Look out

Joined: 01/04/2017

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Motives

December 10th, 2018 at 1:29 AM ^

It's hard not to fall into BPONE, I thought we were fine because Florida seemed to have a bad offense but it is ranked top 30 and so is there defense.  

Joined: 10/08/2018

MGoPoints: 184

AlbanyBlue

December 10th, 2018 at 1:40 AM ^

Warning, BPONE ahead....

I really thought we started to turn the corner when we opened the offense up a bit in mid- to late-season. But, nope, turtle city in the biggest games. The bowl game is a big game, so I fully expect a boring, ineffective offense, keeping our playmakers in neutral. Not sure why we do that to ourselves, but it is what it is.

We may win, we may lose, but it's going to be frustrating as fuck. Not sure why anyone thinks this will change. This is Harbaugh. Ten wins is the ceiling....a nice ceiling to be sure, but the ceiling. We're Iowa with better personnel.

Oh, and don't be too surprised if our playmakers entertain the idea of transferring....why the hell would a 4 or 5 star receiver come here so they can block while we throw to TEs? Why would a top ranked QB come here? I swear our QBs come here and after a year they can't throw the damn ball. My own uneducated opinion is that they have the fear of the INT drilled into them, so they can't just use the natural talent they have. Especially with our D, throw the damn ball. Whatever happens, happens.

So sad.

Joined: 09/11/2010

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BlueinLansing

December 10th, 2018 at 2:21 AM ^

Not sure I agree with your last statement on QB play.  Shea was allowed to use his natural talents at Ole Miss, the only discernable difference between his Soph year there and this past season was he cut his interceptions nearly in half under Harbaugh, same production.

 

Ruddock came to Michigan and his production stats and ratings went up.  Speight went to UCLA and his production stats and ratings went down in a "more wide open" offense.

 

Evidence doesn't support you QB theory.

 

 

Joined: 09/01/2009

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pescadero

December 10th, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^

" Shea was allowed to use his natural talents at Ole Miss, the only discernable difference between his Soph year there and this past season was he cut his interceptions nearly in half under Harbaugh, same production. "

 

Attempts per game:

2017: 37

2018: 24

 

Yards per game:

2017: 323

2018: 197

 

Interception rate went down significantly, TD rate stayed about the same... but way less attempts means almost all counting stats were WAY down.

Joined: 03/28/2013

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JPC

December 10th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^

No, it isn't. It's more than good enough. 

People who act like you need a perfectly stacked team in order not to look like shit need to get real. There are plenty of teams in this country who would kill for our roster and then light up the scoreboard with them. 

Joined: 10/13/2018

MGoPoints: 12224

Realus

December 11th, 2018 at 12:13 PM ^

Dead on.  At one point I thought that Harbaugh was one of the best coaches in college football, but given the handicaps at Michigan (MUCH less cheating here than at most schools, players actually have to go to class, etc) that he might not be able to win big.

Now, I am wondering if he's just a very good, but not elite coach who can't bring a world class offense to the fight no matter the talent level.

Joined: 01/02/2010

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ih8losing

December 10th, 2018 at 5:21 AM ^

Id love to see more passing also, but more than volume I would really like to see more quick pass plays. Ours always take an eternity to develop. Look at what IU and OSU QBs did to us with the quick passing game. I don’t think it will happen but it would be nice to see that development in the playcall.

 

oh yeah, a W would be preferred also.

Joined: 12/29/2013

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Ibow

December 10th, 2018 at 6:30 AM ^

Right now I still love M and will never stop being a fanatical fan but it’s hard for me to even imagine getting up for a bowl game. I’m very thankful for the 10-2 season but the blowout against OSU was almost too much. If we had to lose that OSU game I would have much preferred a heartbreaking loss.

Is it sarcastic to try imagining now how we are going to play ball control football (potentially without Higdon), running up the middle every stinking 1rst & 2nd down so that we end up 3rd & 8 on every single series while we are down by 184 points in the middle of the 3rd quarter?

Joined: 04/13/2018

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Caesar

December 10th, 2018 at 7:01 AM ^

Cripes, that loss followed by the Hill decommitment was backbreaking. You see a game where the defense's major weakness is exposed, you have a guy who can plug that weakness, and that guy who pledged to Michigan due in-part to academics bails without warning to an entirely inferior academic institution. 

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