$15 for the Ideal Michigan Team

Submitted by Zone Left on

Took the fun little exercise going around the net and applied it to Michigan football, but with a twist. The $1 items are, um, not hall of fame level options.

Categories are: coach, quarterback, offensive team (minus QB), defense, and schedule. Schedule is playing our schedule for that season with the given quality of opponent.

This is by no means an exhaustive or definitive list, but may be fun.

Coach:
$5 - Bo
$4 - Yost
$3 - Crisler
$2 - Moeller
$1 - Bump Elliot

QB:
$5 - Benny Friedman*
$4 - Rick Leach
$3 - Jim Harbaugh
$2 - Denard Robinson
$1 - David Cone

Offense:
$5 - 2000
$4 - 1985
$3 - 1971
$2 - 2010
$1 - 2008

Defense:
$5 - 1901
$4 - 1997
$3 - 1970
$2 - 2006
$1 - 2010

Schedule:
$5 - 2011
$4 - 1985
$3 - 2014
$2 - 2007
$1 - 2012

For my $15, I'll take Gary Moeller, Jim Harbaugh, 1971 offense, 1997 defense, 2014 schedule. Moeller was an excellent coach and Harbaugh an excellent QB. Combining one of Bo's best offenses with the best Michigan defense of my lifetime and I don't see a loss on the 2014 schedule.

*So I misspelled Benny Friedman's name. I'm embarrassed. I'll punch myself in the face as punishment.

[waits]

Done.

stephenrjking

June 4th, 2014 at 11:51 PM ^

I think that's a great twist, though in this and other venues maybe a mediocre option would be better than an awful one. You know, the 2001 offense instead of 2008--a unit that's groan-worthy without being so bad that to take it is to doom any combination to awfulness. If the option is awful, you can't really take it. If it's mediocre, you may find it worth the risk.

Zone Left

June 4th, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^

Dude, Bennie Friedman has more Big 10 titles, Big 10 MVPs, All-America Awards, and NFL MVPs than Denard ever will. He's considered the first great professional passer. In 1928, he led the NFL in passing touchdowns, rushing touchdowns, and extra points.

Look, the 2010 defense opposite the 2008 offense would murder the NFL champs from the 1920s. Bros didn't even lift then. Got it. Arguing Denard was one of the all-time greats is certainly doable, but arguing he's the best QB in school history? That gets really hard, really fast.

orobs

June 4th, 2014 at 8:55 PM ^

First of all, it's Benny Friedman, not Bennie.

 

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benny_Friedman

 

Maybe I'm just misinterpreting what this exercise is.  If you're just telling me to rank players in historical value, fine.

 

But to me it seems like you're telling me to assemble a team, with monetary values assigned proportionate to a players value to a team, in order to create the best team.  If that's the case then no, it's not even a discussion. A 1920's QB who probably threw under 10 passes a game has absolutely 0 value in this 

animalfarm84

June 4th, 2014 at 5:46 PM ^

I'm taking Bo, Denard, 2010 offense, 1997 defense, and 2007 schedule.  For one, I think that would be a great team.  But more importantly, the wow-factor of Denard and Woodson on the same team, being coached by Bo?  Yes, please.

cp4three2

June 4th, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^

With a dollar to spare. 

 

Then again, if Rich Rod had the 1997 defense I wouldn't have cared about what the schedule looked like. 

Wolverine Devotee

June 4th, 2014 at 5:55 PM ^

  • Yost
  • Denard Robinson
  • 2010 offense
  • 1997 defense
  • 2014 schedule

Hard to place Yost to recent Football, but you can't argue with results and his emphasis on defense. Since Michigan scored at least 80+ points in at least one game from 1901-1904, I think the 2010 offense fits.

I always maintained that if that 2010 team had a mediocre defense, they would not have been that bad of a team. 1997 defense? Uh...those numbers are incredible. 

Zone Left

June 4th, 2014 at 5:59 PM ^

I almost left all the point-a-minute teams and Yost out. The quality of competition just isn't there, you know? It's hard to separate quality from facing really crappy teams.

I almost picked 2010 offense, but with 1997 defense, I thought Denard was too turnover prone.

Ghost of BCook…

June 4th, 2014 at 6:00 PM ^

I'd feel sorry for the '97 defense for having to play in sudden change on short fields associated with the '10 offense.  Part of what made them great was a (conservative) offense that ran clock and didn't turn the ball over much...

Ghost of BCook…

June 4th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^

Give me Moeller, Harbaugh, the '97 Defense and '00 Offense for 14 bucks and I don't care about playing the hardest schedule....

Wolv1984

June 4th, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^

Should be RR IMHO.  Leaves you with money to either go all in on offense and an easier schedule or try to balance him with tons of defense talent.  

Could do RR (2), Leach (4), 2000 Offense (5), 2014 Schedule (3), and the 2010 Defense (1) and hope to win every game 77 to 63.  

Or RR (2), Denard (2), 2000 Offense (5), 1997 Defense (4), and 2007 Schedule (2) .

If you look outside Michigan, someone like Pelini would be a great 2, he's 8 or 9 wins base and then you pick what kind of talent to buy him.  Maybe Tiller or Ferentz for that matter.  

Padog

June 4th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^

Schedule:

2011 (5)

Eight home games, the easiest schedule allows for the team to have a bad game and still come away undefeated.

Defense:

1997 (4)

I think this should have been the best defense, obvious choice.

Offense:

2010 (2)

A young Gallon with Hemingway, Stonum, Roundtree, Odoms, Koger. Plus a decent O-line.

Quarterback:

Denard Robinson (2)

Assuming this is a healthy Denard, he still has a decent arm and a good defense that can save him a little bit.

Coach:

Gary Moeller (2)

I really did not think that the coach mattered so I picked everything else first and got what was left.

Wolv1984

June 4th, 2014 at 7:35 PM ^

Yost, Denard , 1985 Offense, 1997 Defense, 2012 Schedule.

I have one of the most freakishly fast running QBs, Jamie Morris who averages 5.5 yards per carry and held records that lasted until the A-Train came along.  Morris also holds the records for receptions by a RB at Michigan.  Running all of this is Yost's physical assault and run first guru.  Coupled with a National Championship Defense.that has Woodson, Sword, etc.  

Bring on the 2012 schedule, we'll run the table.  Denard's passing issues would be mitigated due to the power run game and Yost's skills in working without the forward pass.

I would argue for Navarre as the two dollar option.  Servicable, can beat tOSU with the properly tools, but not as game breaking as Denard when paired with a coach who was not passing focused.  With the above you could also take Bo, drop one level of offense, and still be deadly.   

acnumber1

June 4th, 2014 at 7:29 PM ^

This may have been said already (too excited to read all the comments -- this is a great thread idea!)...

 

The $1 offense b/c my coach is...

Crisler  ($4) who will institute the Mad Magician offense, quarterbacked by...

Denard ($2) = the Mad Magician being run by the Maddest Magician of all?  Forget about it!

1901 D ($5) --- and we keep getting the ball backb/c nobody will EVER score against us?  I'm on board with that!

Don't really care what schedule I get.  Can I request bama at Jerry World?  

 

Again, great thread.  Any way to get EA Sports to figure out how to SIM this?

 

 

ChiCityWolverine

June 4th, 2014 at 7:37 PM ^

Coach: Yost $4

QB: Denard $2

OFF: 2010 $2

DEF: 1997 $4

Schedule: 2014 $3



Yost was an innovator, so give me the 1997 D supporting the big play 2010 Denard driven offense. I think the D blankets the whole schedule and the offense rolls over everyone but a squeaker in East Lansing.

Wolv1984

June 4th, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^

Crisler (3), 2008 Offense (1), David Cone (1), 1901 Defense (5), 2011 Schedule (5).

1901 Defense gave up exactly 0 points the entire season.  However now I have to worry about INTs returned for pick sixes but I play all the cupcakes.  Can Crisler make this team function on offense or will it be a game of if my defense can outscore their defense?  

B-Nut-GoBlue

June 4th, 2014 at 8:35 PM ^

I'll take Moeller, Denard and the remaining $1 options and then go buy a sandwich with the remaining $$$.

Not mocking this exercise, I'm just hungry.

Naked Bootlegger

June 4th, 2014 at 8:38 PM ^

Mo seems to be a popular choice.   I won't argue, especially for the price.   He had giant balls as a coach, and was the perfect segue between the Bo and post-Bo era.   

unWavering

June 4th, 2014 at 10:03 PM ^

But really though, 2006 defense for $2?  Sure, they weren't perfect but if I remember correctly they had the #1 rushing defense in the country that season with ~40 yds given per game.  That's a steal, in my book.

I'd take the 2010 offense, 2006 defense, Denard, the '85 schedule and Bo.  

joeismyname

June 4th, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^

Moeller....harbaugh.....2000 offense......2006 defense......2007 schedule. We would erase the horror, beat Oregon at home, get msu right before they get good on the road, the worst nd team ever, and osu at home with a lot more confidence than the real 2007 team had.....hopefully injuries don't take over the year again. My toss up game would be Wisconsin on the road as a trap before osu....I love make believe.