December 22nd, 2018 at 4:44 PM ^
Anyone a little nervous to play Army next year? They took OU to overtime and are looking to be an 11 win team.
Why do we schedule the Service Academies?
*Edit, I should read the entire OP next time.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:33 PM ^
Yep never schedule a service academy. They prove to be tough games all the time. It is a no win situation.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
Except for basketball...
December 22nd, 2018 at 10:06 PM ^
Uh... except when we win. And grow as a team. And look good doing it. We do not need to be a team that shrinks from hard things. We need to attack and conquer hard things.
That's the Harbaugh way, and I'm buying in. Fantastic season for Army. Will be all the better when we beat them now.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:39 PM ^
Jeebus.
This Houston team is bad. They do not have one "quality" win against and their record is built on cupcakes and the weak of the American conference. Further, they have given up just a ton of points to any team with a pulse they have played.
There is no advantage to scheduling service academies but, no, not even nervous at all about the first game next year. Not one bit.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^
September 7th is our 2nd game.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:47 PM ^
I'm not looking ahead of the bowl game. I'm locked in.
/s
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:10 PM ^
Facing Army with an all new DL and no Bush feels like nightmare fuel.
December 22nd, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^
Look at Houston's *fancy* spread offense, the kind of crap a lot of folks would love to see Michigan run. Getting destroyed by Army. Just proves there are no guarantees in football. Scheme, play calling, makes for good internet arguments, but in the end, the winning teams are the ones who play disciplined, mistake-free football, and who don't fold under pressure. I maintain Harbaugh's biggest failure at Michigan is not scheme or play calls, but that in the big moment, his team folds.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:07 PM ^
I like the talent on our roster over Houston's to run the spread. Worth a try.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:16 PM ^
Go ahead and run it, but how does that help Zach Gentry catch a ball, or keep our defensive ends from playing as if they had lead in their shoes? U-M didn't get out-schemed by OSU, they were out-performed. . .OSU had a chance to fold after that shocking fluke kickoff fumble got Michigan back in the game. ..but they didn't even blink, they just drove right back down the field. ..our defense couldn't stop wetting itself for even 40 seconds. . .and then the whole team fell all over itself in the 3rd Q.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:26 PM ^
Running an offense that attacks every spot on the field could change the entire storyline of that game. It's all hypothetical at this point to discuss how it might've changed things, but I'm ready for it.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:31 PM ^
So a newfangled offense would have ensured Gentry wouldn't have dropped every pass thrown to him?
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:34 PM ^
Wouldn't have needed that pass play as the play before would've been a TD to DPJ.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:43 PM ^
Oh, yes, I see that now.
December 22nd, 2018 at 9:05 PM ^
So, you're saying Gentry's performance is what cost Michigan that game? Just want to be clear before ridiculing. Gentry played one of his worst games. Not even close to costing Michigan the game.
December 23rd, 2018 at 2:15 AM ^
<<So, you're saying Gentry's performance is what cost Michigan that game?>>
Why are you asking me if that is what I said? Can't you go back and read the message and see if I said that? You should be capable of clearing this up by yourself.
December 23rd, 2018 at 9:50 AM ^
Just giving you the benefit of the doubt.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:43 PM ^
UM could take Gentry out of the equation and run Army’s offense.
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:16 PM ^
Newfangled offense probably doesn't have Gentry as someone that gets targeted frequently. Especially when you have guys like Nico, DPJ, and Black on the roster.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:11 PM ^
Disciplined, mistake-free, as in fewest penalties? None of the four playoff teams this year are ranked in the top 30 teams with the fewest penalties. Ohio State was ranked 125th -- only five teams had more penalties per game.
One half of a bowl game, in which a terrible defense (Houston), made even more terrible by the lack of their starters, does not prove anything regarding the value of a modern, college offense (that uses tempo, etc.). Watch the playoffs and see if any team huddles, goes for "body blows," and is completely unable to get a play off with any urgency, even if down by multiple scores in the second half.
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
Well put...
December 22nd, 2018 at 8:05 PM ^
Agree that we weren’t out-schemed but out-performed, like you say, but that’s complete BS that we folded in big moments: MSU gets gifted ball on our 7 after we’d dominated & suddenly looks like oh no again: no problem. NU comes out running cross to open daunting lead & looked like season headed to crapper: took over and ground out solid road win. MD gets big drive to end half and looks like a game: nope. And those were just the ones I remember off top of my head. You’ve bought the anti-Harbaugh spin that York drove him out of SF with. How’d that work out? Funny how every single team JH takes on, instantly reverses from awful & headed worse (SF, us) or never has been (Stanford) to headed in right direction and winning big games. (Wisky in 2016 for another example of big & tough play when mattered most to close out huge win.) Have a look at 247’s talent rankings by team for this 2018 season. Heck, have a look for last 16 seasons. We’re just not there. (Yet. Think we’re headed in right direction.)
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:05 PM ^
Army is CURB STOMPING
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^
December 23rd, 2018 at 6:43 AM ^
Then why are you on this board?
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:22 PM ^
Loving the fact that Army is winning big!
December 22nd, 2018 at 5:37 PM ^
Yikes. Army looks pretty good and returns just about everybody
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
It's about to be 56-7 Army. So Army is almost inevitably a 11-2 team, though yeah, schedule.
However... Between Offense, Defense, and Special Teams, they lose 2 starters next year (Center, and Fullback). TWO STARTERS.
Even with Army blood, I definitely want Michigan to win, and win big next year, (went to Michigan rather than West Point), but Army needs to be respected next year like Northwestern had to be this year. Book it.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:08 PM ^
Man, I'm s-s-scared for Michigan! If Houston's avant-garde offense don't work against Army, what chance does Harbaugh's Model T offense have????
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:27 PM ^
Whoah, I was wondering about...losing just 2 starters?! Hope this pushups thing doesn’t live on in the Big House. I am definitely scurred now.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
Just saw a headline that a couple LSU football players were involved in a fatal shooting.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:21 PM ^
Great tailgates on campus, but Baton Rouge is not a nice place.
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:52 PM ^
Not even exaggerating, when I'm heading to West Texas for work, I schedule my trip to avoid spending too much time driving through BR. No rush hour, no peak construction times. Seriously it's a shithole but man Tiger Stadium gets rowdy.
The Big House audience could learn a thing or two about crowd noise from them.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:27 PM ^
Michigan will move the ball on Army. The issue with the service academies is always playing that flexbone offense. Too many FBS DCs don't seem to have a clue how to handle it schematically.
The other issue which is NOT Michigan's problem is that spread teams like Oklahoma and Houston have defenses that are about as physical as toilet paper. This offense requires to shed blocks, wrap up, and tackle.
I agree with most commenters though that this isn't a game Michigan should schedule. There are less worrisome but still solid Group of 5 teams to put on the schedule.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:41 PM ^
63 points.
4 completed passes.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:45 PM ^
Make that 70
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:47 PM ^
Army returns 19 starters next year! A team that took Oklahoma to OT.
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:49 PM ^
Oh, UM has only sold about 63% of their Peach Bowl tickets. Not a good look. I realize we have Florida fatigue and are coming off a huge blow out.
December 22nd, 2018 at 9:12 PM ^
I can only speak for myself, but my interest in Michigan's post season took a major nosedive after getting curb stomped by OSU. So, I guess I'm not that surprised that bowl ticket sales aren't extremely brisk. I still bet Michigan sells it's allotment.
December 22nd, 2018 at 9:22 PM ^
I bet the tv audience will be just fine. Hopefully won't have to set the alarm to watch on the west coast.
December 22nd, 2018 at 10:06 PM ^
None of that would deter me from going.
It's just a costly vacation that I can't really afford.
December 23rd, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^
I can only speak for myself but there are 10 of us U of M grads and fans in Atlanta that are going to the game but we got our tickets from StubHub. I wasn't trying to spend the kind of money on tickets through the school when I can pick my seats on the secondary market. I have a feeling it will be a good turn out, tons of U of M alumni in Atlanta, we shall see. But it does suck that the school is likely not going to sell their allotment.
December 25th, 2018 at 7:22 PM ^
Folks - Atlanta sucks as a holiday venue.
Florida - yes. Arizona - yes. Cali - Yes. Anywhere else - No.
Who wants to spend big bucks for crappy weather?
December 22nd, 2018 at 6:53 PM ^
Army loses their defensive coordinator next year, and that defense was the true secret sauce to that team's success. Make no mistake though, Jeff Monken is one of the best coaches in the country and will have them locked in when they visit the Big House. You're kidding yourself if you think it's not going to be a rough Saturday next fall against the Black Knights, especially if Michigan's defensive tackles are a weak spot again.
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:20 PM ^
Yeah, their defensive coordinator isn't the part I'm worried about.
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:58 PM ^
No doubt, add to it our lack of run stopping depth and it could be a tough outing, one that we just need to come out of with a W.
December 22nd, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
Enjoying the Buffalo v. Troy game. Buffalo changes of tempo are enjoyable to watch as a way to get the defense scrambling
December 22nd, 2018 at 9:00 PM ^
Watching the Ravens and the Chargers. Lamar Jackson is looking like he might develop into a really solid quarterback.
December 22nd, 2018 at 9:41 PM ^
Bright side. At least we didn’t schedule Army AND Troy next year.