View from the Sidelines: What could have been
ATLANTA — Sitting in the bowels of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, not even an hour after his college career ended in unceremonious fashion, Grant Perry had no interest in talking.
“How do I feel right now?” he asked sarcastically, eyes welled with tears. “How does it look like I feel?”
And, really, how else could he feel?
This was a team with so much potential. It could have shut down every rumor that Jim Harbaugh isn’t long for Michigan. It could have ended the national perception that the Wolverines aren’t near competing for a national title. It’s hard to put a ceiling on it.
[After THE JUMP: column]
And even after losing to Ohio State, Michigan still could have come out of the Peach Bowl with momentum. Next year still would have looked bright with Urban Meyer gone, Shea Patterson in year two and a New Year’s Six bowl victory to boot.
Instead, the Wolverines got ran out of the building, to the tune of 40-15. Florida out-prepared, out-executed and out-efforted Michigan — beating them up and down the field. Say the Wolverines didn’t get up for an exhibition after losing to the Buckeyes if you want, but that doesn’t change the scoreboard.
“We just gotta continue to execute and get better,” Tarik Black said. “That’s all it comes down to. Just executing the plays that are called. And doing our job. There’s maybe some missed assignments on the field that we need to correct. We gotta execute those plays. They came out and they played a better game today and that’s all it was.”
The same thing could be said about both other losses. That’s how a 10-win season — with arguably Harbaugh’s best team since he’s been in Ann Arbor — will come to be remembered for lost opportunity. Grant Perry knows it. So does the entire roster.
“I think going off last year you can say that it’s a success,” Jon Runyan Jr. said. “But for our golden standards, no, I don’t really think it was. We lost three really key games at times that we needed it.”
Even after four years of Harbaugh, two of them with the talent to win the Big Ten or more, the Wolverines still can’t get over the same hump. In the next nine months, we’ll hear some talk about who looks good in camp, how badly the team wants redemption and maybe even something about completing a revenge tour this time around.
It will be hard to buy any of it.
The answer is far from simple. This team had its flaws, and did a good job adjusting on the fly throughout the season. These weren’t three losses stemming from the same issue.
“I think they’re all different games,” Runyan said. “You can’t really lump them together. It’s not just a unit. It’s a family at a time. Whether it be Ohio State or this game, it’s the whole team.”
On Saturday, it certainly was. The defense allowed big plays at inopportune times. The run game, without Karan Higdon, failed to make headway. Shea Patterson was intercepted twice and sacked five times. The defensive line didn’t get nearly enough pressure. This loss can’t be blamed on any one person or group. Michigan didn’t play to the moment. As a group. Again.
Next year, still, could be the year. All those positive factors — Patterson returning, Meyer leaving, an elite recruiting class — are still at play.
“My feeling about the team is we’re right there at the top,” Jim Harbaugh said, “but we have to put it over the top. Especially in big games at the end of the year.”
Until the Wolverines actually do that though, it’s hard to believe they will.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^
100% agree. Well said
December 30th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^
Point of information: Coach Brown's defenses at Boston College didn't have NFL talent, but they worked pretty well. He needs to adjust, but it's incorrect to assume he needs superior talent to succeed.
The offense, on the other hand, clearly has no idea how to opperate when the opponent takes away the inside running game. There the criticism is correct.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:01 PM ^
It worked, but did it or will it work against elite talent like OSU, bama, or Clemson?
December 30th, 2018 at 4:22 PM ^
It worked pretty well against Clemson.
However, there's a huge difference when you're DC at a shitty school nobody worries about. Do you think Clemson spent 15 minutes per practice getting ready to exploit Don Brown's BC defense? Hell no! Now that he's at Michigan, his system is being analyzed by some of the best offensive minds in college football (those guys are OSU's staff and analysists). We've seen the result and it's really ugly.
So far, Brown seems incapable of doing anything about it.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^
Good post. I think Harbaugh is very willing to adapt and commented recently about taking a look in the mirror. It should not be overlooked that people were predicting a 7 or 8 win regular season. The wins against Wisconsin, PSU and MSU influenced expectations 180 degrees.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
Thank you for expounding on my original response. You nailed it to a “T”.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:11 AM ^
“There are only so many questions and so many storylines after a month without football with a fairly meaningless game as the light at the end of the tunnel”
No offense but from reading this piece it seems that this game was not as meaningless as you previously reported.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^
I agree. The trendy rhetoric that this blog has followed with the "meaningless bowl game" garbage or "exhibition" is quite foolish.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:13 AM ^
Harbaugh is clearly in denial and until he accepts that his schemes and approach are antiquated, he will never get over the top. We can't rely on a talent advantage anymore as schemes have been a great equalizer. We now have to have top talent AND a top scheme to beat better teams
December 30th, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^
That season was flat out a failure. It was the same shitty game plan and preperation as 2017 but this year we got lucky facing injuried QB’s and a little better QB. Runyon and Stueber got their asses owned all day. Tarik Black’s pouting on the sideline was so disgusting I honestly don’t care if he transfers. Boo hoo, your two TD catches were ruled incomplete, grow up and move on. We absolutely refuse to use the middle of the field in the passing game. I see teams expose us and other teams with deep digs across the middle of the defense. Safety play is so bad it hurts, Josh Ross couldn’t hold Bush’s jock strap, even Will Hart wasn’t good yesterday. As write this though, I think, why do I even bother? It’s not gonna change. Harbaugh is stubborn, Brown is overrated and it’s never going to change. We have blind faith in a bunch of Losers!
December 30th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^
Urban Meyer Bane’d UofM and I bet that’s his favorite feather he’s ever added to his hat. Hopefully this staff gets its shit together in the off-season and figures out how they lost this team.
This offense needs a rebake. Defense I’ll attribute to one bad game and attrition in this game.
December 30th, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^
I'm not sure Shea coming back is a strength. He has greatly underperformed in all top ten matchups, consistently missing open receivers downfield and under throwing wide open guys who have to dive to make a catch when a decent ball they score.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:48 AM ^
Honestly, he looks like who a lot of people thought he was prior to Michigan. Often erratic in decision-making and accuracy but makes some good throws, keeps plays alive (sometimes too long, leading to sacks). Sort of a wolverine mcsorley.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:13 PM ^
He looked better at Ole Miss in a spread system.
Whether he just needs another year learning in this system to get a lot better or if he just is what he is at this stage, I don't know. He's better than what Michigan had last year, but he's not (playing like) the elite level player that Michigan needs to take the next step.
That first interception was a badly thrown ball that a good QB finds for a TD (or at least forces the CB to make a play).
December 30th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
I’m tired of hearing players and coaches saying they need to execute better and just work harder to get over the top. Sure, it’s the easy thing to say, but the real question is why isn’t it happening? Why can’t the players execute the offensive game plan better?
I love Shea yet the problem with the offensive is that it needs an elite QB to accurately throw precision routes and consistently make the right reads along with a dominant offensive line and great runninback. Problem... M has none of those. They are decent enough against less quality competition, but can not create points against equal or better athletes. It’s been proven over and over again as shown by their top ten record.
I fear they continue to think someone better execution of a dinosaur offense will somehow beat the OSUs of the world. Nope, not unless you have Andrew Luck at QB and amazing tackles and a power RB with unreal vision and speed. All things not there yet (unless you have Alabama’s offensive team, and even then Saban made changes).
I saw a Florida team with a bad QB dismantle a decent defense because the defense was always guessing. Teams play us and lick their chops knowing what is coming and how to stop it. The idea of better execution is naive and insane.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:55 AM ^
If we were 6-4 or 7-3 against top rated teams then the execution issue is plausible. 1-9 indicates there is something seriously amiss.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
Something is amiss.
"You are what your record says you are."
We are clearly not top ten.
So the question is . . . is that for now, or is that permanent?
If that's just for now, and there is a plan to get to top ten - beat Ohio State, win the Big Ten, make the CFP, win NY6 Bowl Games - then I'm patient.
The troubling thing is, I don't see a plan. It feels like more of the same.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:20 AM ^
Hey Jim, you’re not “right there at the top”. Your two best wins came against an injured Mcsorley PSU team and squeaked by NW. I’ll even give you a pass against ND. The only other two teams on your schedule with a pulse beat you by a combined 49 pts. When you lose because of one play, or a lucky break, you can make the statement that you have to get “over the top”. When your team gets annihilated in games you are favored to win, you have a problem with your program.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
MSU didn't have a pulse?
December 30th, 2018 at 4:24 PM ^
They didn't have a functional QB, that's for sure.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:20 AM ^
Michigan has become the Lions. Lose the bravado of "we're Michigan dammit" like the Lions need to lose the Fords. Things wont change until then. The excuse making has the exact same vibe as the garbage that Lions fans spew to try to make themselves feel better about next year. Permanent BPONE is becoming straight up apathy. IDGAF
December 30th, 2018 at 11:37 AM ^
The players care and work their asses off. Our play calling is often too predictable and teams are out scheming us, with the IU, OSU and UF games as prime examples as the season wore on. We have too many players leaving/transferring who should be contributors or at least giving us depth. We will out talent a lot of our competition but there is something missing to get us over the hump so that we can play with the big boys. All that being said, players do care and will make mistakes — the coaches need to do a better job of putting them in a place to succeed and motivating them. Go Blue!
December 30th, 2018 at 11:45 AM ^
What are we calling "the top" nowadays???
December 30th, 2018 at 12:19 PM ^
The top are the perennial CFP level teams - Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, OSU, Oklahoma - now let’s grade our position groups to those elite teams.
- QB <
- RB <
- OL <<
- WR =
- TE =
- FB >
- DL =
- LB <
- CBs =
- FS/SS <<
- Special Teams =
Watching Alabama last night it is just amazing the talent difference. Not many of Michigan’s starters would play any snaps at Alabama. We don’t have the same talent level as consistently as those teams which gets exposed when we play them. It is really that simple. If we can rebuild the OL group and keep attracting elite skill players we can get closer to that level. This incoming class has great potential to fill voids next year but we must use them well. But beating Alabama any time soon is dubious as their talent level is just astounding across every position group with a depth pipeline that is 2-deep with no talent drop-off.
December 30th, 2018 at 11:57 AM ^
I just realized Jim Harbaugh is the football equivalent of Tom Izzo. He recruits well but forces players into a antiquated man ball system. Doesn’t adequately use their skills, subsequently doesn’t allow them to reach their full potential. So they either transfer out or become a role player. Gains a lot of hype over the regular season but lays an egg in in the post season. Basically a tenured coach because of his stature within the university.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:57 PM ^
I can’t stand the guy and agree with the opinion that the game is passing him by, but to say that Izzo lays an egg in the postseason is pretty ridiculous; the dude has taken MSU to 7 Final Fours.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
“We just gotta continue to execute and get better,”
Yikes. That's the Brady Hoke kiss of death statement.
That's what you say when you have no idea what to do.
I could not care less about the Peach Bowl, other than as a barometer for how the team will do next year. “We just gotta continue to execute and get better,” does not instill confidence that we have figured anything out.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
"We just gotta continue to execute and get better,”
This is the distilled essence of Schembechlerism: scheme always takes a back seat to "execution."
It is true that if we have superior athletes and decent coaching, the focus on execution will enable us to win a large majority of our games at Michigan, because we're generally going to out-recruit most of our non-conference and in-conference opponents.
The problem for Bo was that he never seemed to grasp than when we played elite programs like USC, their athletes were every bit as talented as ours, if not more so. If those opposing athletes were also as well-coached as ours, it placed an even greater premium on changing things up for elite opponents, and that was something utterly foreign to Bo's thinking.
If you were able to interview all of the coaching staffs who made Michigan's life miserable in bowl games and asked what they feared most about playing Michigan, not a single one of them would ever have said that they feared Michigan would unveil something new or different from what they saw on film. That made preparing for Michigan much simpler, if you have athletes who are as physically talented as Michigan's. If you're USC with better talent, then you can just grind them down because you know what to expect.
What RR appeared to offer was the possibility of a guy who was beating Oklahoma with inferior talent using an innovative offensive scheme that emphasized speed, quickness, and greater levels of misdirection and unpredictability. The typical refrain at MGoBlog in the first year or two was "Just wait until RR takes advantage of the players he can recruit to Michigan!"
Now we're back to out-executing our opponents. Forward into the past.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
Ethan, if this game was truly as meaningless as you claimed it would be the other day, this column would’ve been far different.
The team needs work to become elite, no doubt about it. On the other hand, the sky isn’t falling. We had a ten win season, and there was significant improvement over last year. Improvement is a good trend.
After the Wiscy, MSU and PSU games, this fanbase was full of happy horseshit, and JH and especially Don Brown were geniuses. After two losses, and a 10-3 season they’re goats? Bullshit.
I don’t expect this blog to be happy about a loss, or be unrepentant homers, but for the folks who run it to be as miserably bandwagon-oriented as random internet folks is pretty damned short-sighted.
December 30th, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
Same old, same old.
Tired of hearing it and now with players sitting out, I'm sitting out in terms of financial support.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^
Sorry, but it is not arguable that this was Harbaughs best team.
The 2016 team would beat this team 31-10
December 30th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^
Recruiting-wise, our window of opportunity to land 5-stars and top 4-stars is closing, unless we turn around the narrative very soon. If we can't recruit to that level, 9 wins is the ceiling. This year, we benefitted from early signing day because we had only one, not two, embarrassing loss to explain away.
Maybe we need to get early signing day moved to the week before the annual OSU debacle?
December 30th, 2018 at 1:23 PM ^
You look at everyone who covers Michigan and they can see that we have a offense that is not going to win big games but Jim and staff cant seem to see it? Is he going to be that stubborn and try to prove everybody wrong and jeopardize the program or is he going to swallow his pride and adapt? Saban did it and I hate that guy but he was at least smart enough to adapt or wants to win at all cost that his pride doesnt get in the way of winning. Brown also needs to adapt his defense also .
December 30th, 2018 at 1:31 PM ^
Truth is nothing will change unless Don Brown and Jim Harbaugh decide they're not actually the smartest guys in the room. Would it fucking Kill Brown to implement some zone for certain teams? Would it kill Harbaugh to change? It's almost like we have no two minute drill, no urgency, no ability to signal plays in quickly...
I watch a ton of football, I am a student of the game. I've been a WR coach, and an OC at the high school and mens semi pro level. I watch a ton of film from teams across all sorts of leagues. Our offense brought in some innovation this year with some RPO's and various zone read / veer reads. The offense simplified pass protections, and generally improved in all areas. I can't hate on the improvements, but I can tell you there is A LOT still to be improved and modernized.
December 30th, 2018 at 1:32 PM ^
Maybe not easy to get up for a "meaningless" game when 4 of your teammates, including 2 captains, decide not to play for their own "reasons".
December 30th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
December 30th, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^
Revenge Tour = pounding a stake at Spartan Stadium
Just another example of Michigan substituting hype for actual accomplishment. The time for Revenge Tour t-shirts is after you actually beat your main rival.
December 30th, 2018 at 4:09 PM ^
I don't know man, these are kids playing a game. I think it's easy to say, "I got a bad feeling ..." in hindsight because it didn't work. Had it worked, you'd probably have a different perspective. I am not saying that you would say, "I knew that would be great ... " or "that's a really great thing ..." but it's human nature to go back and say, "I told you so ..."
Don't misconstrue this as me calling you disingenuous or anything, we all do this to some extent. The players used it as motivation during the season, so that was a good thing for them. It wasn't Karma that caused Michigan to get whipped by OSU, it was Michigan schemes getting exploited.
December 31st, 2018 at 4:31 PM ^
Well this crappy tablet zapped out a long post about shocking attitudes and beliefs of coaches and players going into The Game that shows it's a hell of a lot more than just the scheme, as told to me by a big name player. I don't have the energy to rewrite it now. Especially knowing how it won't be believed anyway and I'm not going to name the player. ?
January 1st, 2019 at 9:48 PM ^
That's right on. I wrote about that stupid attitude a month ago. Revenge Tour is not the way to build a winning attitude.
December 30th, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^
Maybe those plays they are failing to execute aren’t good plays?
December 30th, 2018 at 2:27 PM ^
Ok, honest question.... What does everyone think of Patterson? My eval is that, yes, he's indeed solid, and reasonably good, but he is not an 'elite' QB. He makes excellent throws when he's not pressured, he gets pressured he doesn't keep his cool or make the right checks or great throws. Some yes, but not the consistency that you'd expect from a great QB. I think he has a limited ceiling because of it. I'd love to be wrong, and that next year we see him gain more composure and better & faster decisions, but not sure he'll climb to that next level. On a separate note, it would appear that Peters is odd man out, and nearly certain transfer candidate. I think his window here has passed.
December 30th, 2018 at 2:36 PM ^
He's clearly having a hard time running this offense. Is that him, or is it the offense? Who has looked good at QB since Pep has been here?
December 30th, 2018 at 7:49 PM ^
Agree on that, not a Pep fan. I think his tendencies are too strong, and opposing coaches can scheme for him.
December 30th, 2018 at 3:20 PM ^
December 30th, 2018 at 6:12 PM ^
He is what he is. A good but not great QB. I think he has more ability but it lies in the run game and throwing on the run. Very, very few college QBs are pocket passers. Just look at the draft and how many pocket QBs are drafted and how many have success. USC and Michigan are the hold outs on running QBs and where are they right now? If Shea is allowed to run more, he will be a better QB. Without that element, he is a third team Big Ten QB. Not third team All American. But he is a great guy and we are glad to have him. I just wonder what Dylan Mcafferty might bring to the table as well as the rocket armed freshman.
December 30th, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
Agreed, he's a definite improvement vs our last couple years, but compare him to all three of the QB at the Heisman ceremony or to the kid at Clemson, and he just isn't on that level. He's not going to single handedly carry the team. He seems like a great kid with all the right character traits you'd want but just doesn't seem on par to potentially get an invite to NY.
December 31st, 2018 at 10:17 AM ^
It's "McCaffrey."
December 30th, 2018 at 3:18 PM ^
Lol at Harbaugh’s comment. What a dope. He may be a worse gameday coach than Franklin.
December 30th, 2018 at 6:14 PM ^
1-9, 1-9, 1-9, 1-9, 1-9.
That says it all. Great coaches are not 1-9 against good foes. They make the difference. I think the only coach we had since Bo started that gave us an advantage when playing an equally talented opponent was Moeller quite honestly. After the FSU flogging, he adapted. Offense opened up. That's probably a stretch.
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