January 10th, 2019 at 8:29 AM ^
Your second to last paragraph is the most important one. I couldn't tell you how many times I sat in my living room yelling at my tv when Michigan is still huddled with 15 seconds on the clock. OR when they make a huge play (20+ yards) and then they don't take advantage of running tempo to catch the defense off guard. It was one of the more frustrating things to watch with Harbaugh and his offense.
Harbaugh HAS to preach to his QBs to trust their receivers. Idk how many time the ball was thrown to DPJ, Collins, and Black and they made adjustments to catch the ball that was considered to be 50/50. Our receivers are ELITE. Let them do what they do best.
The last things that NEEDS to happen is creativity. There are some plays that Michigan ran this year (and years past with Harbaugh) where you say "WOW that was a great play". Two examples that came to mind was the receivers off the snap slide twice to their left as if they were going to block for an end around and then cut in the middle for a WIDE open slant. DPJ caught the ball for that play this year. They second example is the double fake pass behind the LOS to both receivers one each side, then throwing up the middle to your TE or FB. This occurred in year one under Harbaugh and it was a great play that gained 20 yards. The third example (just came to my mind) was 3 receivers to the right, fake pass to the receiver who steps back from the LOS (while the other two pretend to block) and then one receiver releases on a go route. Shea JUST missed the receiver IIRC but that play design was great.
I know Harbaugh is capable of creating a great offense, but he needs to let loose and trust the talent that he has on this team (there is a lot that is unused). I think hiring a creative OC will help with that. I know Harbaugh won't completely give the team up to him, but having that sort of creative mind in the locker room will help push Jim towards some damn creativity.
January 10th, 2019 at 12:25 AM ^
Jesus this is the most boring of boring takes.
A football program that was the second best in the Big Ten, while winning 10 games is grossly underachieving? How do you define grossly? How about underachieving? I do not think those words mean what you think they mean.
Mildly disappointing? Absolutely. I really want to beat Ohio State and make the playoff. However, grossly underachieving is what we were under Rich Rod.
Last of all, before you continue whining, remember that many people here wanted Beilein fired a few years back as well. He couldn't adapt to the modern game you see!! Literally the exact same whiners whining about the exact same things.
January 10th, 2019 at 5:49 AM ^
After 4 years of Jim Harbaugh:
We're 1-9 against top 10 teams.
We're 0-4 against Ohio State.* (Yes, I know the refs fucked us in 2016 but officially we're 0-4.)
We're 2-7 against rivals (MSU, OSU, ND).
We have yet to play in the conference championship game.
And that's just the Harbaugh era. (That said, Harbaugh has at least put a floor on our seasons.)
But let's go back even further.
A kid in a Michigan-supporting family that started kindergarten in 2005 is now in college. That kid still hasn't seen Michigan win a conference title since he or she started school. That's 14 years and counting. Is this "mildly disappointing" to you?
We're 2-16 against the Buckeyes since Tressel became HC at OSU. Is this "mildly disappointing" to you?
No Michigan QB has ever passed for 3,000+ yards and 30+ passing TDs in the same season. A Boston College QB accomplished this feat in 1984 and was awarded the Heisman. Our highly ranked QBs become efficient game managers. OSU's QBs keep evolving and setting new records as playmakers or gamebreakers. Just look at OSU go from Troy Smith to Braxton Miller to JT Barrett to Dwayne Haskins. Is this dichotomy merely "mildly disappointing" to you?
Our bowl record since 2001 is 4-11. Is that merely "mildly disappointing" to you given all the resources available to blueblood Michigan? For comparison's sake, TCU is 11-5 in bowl games since 2001 and has come much closer to qualifying for the playoff than Michigan.
I can't wait to read your reply to my repetitive question.
If casual non-Michigan fans were to look at Michigan's accomplishments or lack thereof since 2001 and compare them to all the other available programs, they would not consider us a blueblood. Face facts.
Since the 1980s/1990s, a new class of nouveau rich emerged to challenge bluebloods. Don't think so?
- Miami has 5 National Championships since winning its first one in 1983 and played for a few more (1986, 2002).
- Florida State won 3 since the 90s and could've won a bunch more (1996, 1998, 2000).
- Florida won 3 since the 90s.
- LSU won 2 in this millennium and played for a 3rd (2011).
- Clemson has won 2 in the last 4 years and played for a 3rd. Clemson also won its first ever NC in 1981.
Meanwhile, schools like Michigan and Notre Dame and their (arrogant) fans want to yap about tradition - as if that wins ball games. Newsflash: it doesn't. The nouveau rich give no fucks about tradition because they're establishing their winning ways right now.
---
As for Beilein, I talked about him in the post above. Despite being an offensive wizard, Beilein modified his offense when his assistants (like LaVall Jordan convinced him to accept modern trends such as the emphasis on ball-screen and PnR). Furthermore, Beilein hired the right people to fix the defense because he realized he stunk at it. (His words iirc when Donlon was hired.)
Hence, I'm willing to be patient with Harbaugh but he must demonstrate tangible progress. The difference between 2017 and 2018 is largely a healthy quality QB plus a better OL coach and not because of major adjustments to philosophy.
January 10th, 2019 at 10:26 AM ^
Freakin' awesome!! That is the correct negative take. Lay out the facts without the negative hyperbole or some sort of attack on UM football or Harbaugh (whether the attack is direct, subtle, underhanded, passive aggressive, concern trolling, etc).
I like this comment so much, I think you should repackage and post it as a thread (or even a diary in June when there isn't much going on).
January 10th, 2019 at 10:06 AM ^
Preach brother, preach!!
January 9th, 2019 at 9:57 PM ^
+1 for Benny Hill gif.
??
January 10th, 2019 at 5:02 AM ^
Good ol' Benny. You always knew what you'd get: a half-hour of yakety sax, scantily-clad birds, and the dustiest jokes in creation, like:
"I always take my wife with me on trips. It beats kissing her goodbye."
January 10th, 2019 at 8:36 AM ^
Yes a definite +1
January 9th, 2019 at 8:28 PM ^
It’s January 2019.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:28 PM ^
There's still plenty of time to flip him. Don't give up until he signs.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
This^. Still time to flip. Having said that, losing a recruit to Stanford is somehow less disappointing. Love, love, love Michigan, but Stanford is a step beyond...
January 10th, 2019 at 12:20 AM ^
Weather in Palo Alto: High 50s/low 60s. Weather in Ann Arbor: High 20s/mid 30s. That matters to some.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:54 PM ^
Yeah but prob ain’t happening. I feel like I’ve seen this a lot, the whole wait til he signs thing. More often than not, doesn’t happen.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:27 PM ^
He won't flip. His brother did the same thing. Committed super early and never wavered. I get the sense they are pretty no nonsense.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:28 PM ^
Ehh still a year away. We got time to work on him. OTOH im assuming the "good news" then is the RB flip from bama...
January 9th, 2019 at 8:29 PM ^
How did we blow this recruitment
January 9th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
He's been indicating for months that he's a "blaze my own trail" kind of kid. Though I'm sure his brother losing his position coach didn't help matters.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:44 PM ^
We didn't blow anything yet. Theres basically a full year until NSD. Michigan usually finishes strong at the end. Tons of time to get him to flip to us
Plus look at it this way, at least we don't have to worry about him flipping away from us for an entire year had he committed to us
January 9th, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
I guess so. Just assumed this was in the bag. But you know what they say about assumptions
January 9th, 2019 at 8:39 PM ^
lmaoooo
January 9th, 2019 at 8:45 PM ^
NO YELLING ON THE BLOG
January 9th, 2019 at 8:31 PM ^
We will be fine. Best of luck to Myles.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
Only Michigan could do this. Wonderful news keeps coming...
January 9th, 2019 at 8:34 PM ^
With the way Shaw has been running that program the last few years, I think UM is still in this race.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
Just think if we had Stanford-level fan engagement
January 9th, 2019 at 8:47 PM ^
I'm sure they schedule multiple selfie sessions with players.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:48 PM ^
Given that Stanford fans don't give a shit about football or anything but books, I don't think that's something we should aspire to emulate.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:31 PM ^
Sorry, but this is an absolutely terrible hot take. Quite embarrassing, actually. Academic and athletic excellence have been and are attainable goals . . . just like Stanford has done in recent years.
January 9th, 2019 at 10:37 PM ^
WD has been the Stanford of absolutely terrible hot takes lately
January 9th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
Not sure why anyone is surprised. This had been trending to Stanford lately.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
Lol probably didn't pass admissions for us, so he chose Stanford
January 9th, 2019 at 8:51 PM ^
+1, Underrated
January 9th, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
Didn't see that coming, I thought Myles was more pro Michigan than his brother. Recruiting is a crazy crapshoot. Go blue!
January 9th, 2019 at 8:38 PM ^
Maybe Michigan wasn't recruiting him hard enough.? Someone email Harbaugh and tell him how to do it.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:13 PM ^
Got it covered.
To: Jim Harbaugh
From: mgowill
Subject: No Subject
Dear Jim,
Please recruit harder, we have noticed Nick Saban recruits really hard. Also did you see Tarik Black liked a tweet? Lastly, if possible I’d like a cotton candy making session with the punters at the spring game.
Best,
mgowill
January 9th, 2019 at 10:02 PM ^
To: mgowill
From: Jim Harbaugh
Subject: Re: No Subject
Dear mgowill,
At your request, I looked at Nick's recruiting and feel we've been operating nearly as well, on a much more limited budget. We 'crooted better this year than we did last year, and will work hard to 'croot better next year than we did this year. Also, the engineering students on the team have created a revolutionary cotton candy maker that the kickers approve.
Go Blue
Jim Harbaugh
January 10th, 2019 at 7:03 AM ^
+1 for "on a much more limited budget"
January 9th, 2019 at 8:39 PM ^
I really thought he was a lock given how his brother has recruited for us and been all in for Michigan
January 9th, 2019 at 8:41 PM ^
Who cares. He's a 2020 commit. It doesn't matter where he commits to right now it only matters where he signs at the end of the year. Recruiting is like predicting the weather. Its a shitshow and constantly changing.
If Michigan plays good next season and Stanford plays bad then he may flip to us
January 9th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
I think verbals are very important. Look at Dax Hill, he made a verbal to us a long time ago and we ended up getting him. On the other hand, verbals are not very important. Look at Dax Hill, he made a verbal to Alabama, and we ended up getting him instead of Bama. The point is, Dax Hill.
January 9th, 2019 at 10:05 PM ^
Could you dumb this down for me?
January 9th, 2019 at 8:44 PM ^
remember the good ole days when we beat Wisconsin, MSU, and PSU all in a row? I miss those days. Everythings gone to complete shit since then.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
Some here claimed that those weren’t qualify wins because they sucked.
That was a fun run through those teams.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:08 PM ^
A win is always quality but those wins aren't as impressive now as they seemed at the time. MSU almost lost to Rutgers at home and couldn't put up a TD against Oregon. WI got blown out by Minny. They weren't the teams their rankings indicated at the time. PSU is the best win but even they didn't have their QB at full strength.
January 9th, 2019 at 8:46 PM ^
Better Stanford than OSU, PSU, Alabama, etc.
Very happy for the kid. Getting a world class education and will be able to play early at Stanford.
January 9th, 2019 at 9:40 PM ^
Man, that's some controversial shit right there.