General Excitement Thread - Specific Examples for the Upcoming Season

If out defense is great. We will win 9-10 games easy. Maybe 11. I think the Oline will be better than last year, because they have to. They were atrocious last year. They still have two weeks and a test run against appy state to get ready for an overrated ND team we are going to beat by 15+ points. Other than RR years when was the last time we has back to back under 7 or less win seasons?

Peppers housing the oppening kickoff

the Solo personnel group once Butt returns! Should be fun to watch AJ smash people and Wyatt catch passes from the backfield and rumble down the field. Smith/Green and Funchess as the other skill positions. Probably see it a lot in the red zone. Should be an exciting new formation/personnel group.

See them bouncing as the defense goes apeshit on behalf of the o-line.

To see halftime adjustments on offense. Play calling that will try to focus on matchups more than scheme. Funchess will be the man this year. Peppers getting his first pick. JMFR causing havok all over the field. Frank Clark with a strip/sack. DeVeon and Derrick getting TD's in the same game. Canteen wide open on a double move. Gardner with another play action TD run. (Too many things to mention them all). Go Blue!!

I'm hoping to see us run the ball. If we just run the ball effectively then everything else will take care of itself people. Think about this for a minute.

If we ran the ball good last year, then we are looking at a 10-2 9-3 type season.

The O line would be talked about as the strength of this team instead of a weakness.

The pressure from some burying Hoke wouldn't be there.

The D would of had ample rest and not been to bad. And won us at least 1 game by themselves.

Hand, Campbell, Harrison, Crawford, and a few others would all be BLUE!

Back to Back top 5 recruiting classes.

OSU looking up to us instead of vice versa.

Gardner actually having time to throw against a honest D and make some serious plays while cutting down on the mistakes.

I've been waiting since last year to see AD in action.  It'll be fun to see him catching passes in the middle of the field then running over some undersized safety.  With those extra muscles in his arms, if the ball is in his grasp, it's a catch!  Go Blue!

Captains. I want good captains.

I'm most excited about Nuss allowing the QB's to audible at the LOS.  Being able to audible out of a play sure to fail and into a higher percentage call will eliminate a ton of the negative yardage plays from happening this year.  

 

Runner up for me would have to be the corners no longer giving any cushion to the opposing WR's.  I was driven mad many times last year when in 3rd and short, Michigan elected to line the CB's up 7-10 yards off the ball, allowing the simplest of passes to keep the chains moving.  NOT THIS YEARRRRRRRRRR

Just happy the season is here, happy for so many things. Can't pick just one but I'll try to pick a few.

1. Depth. I am so excited for quality depth and competition. It is incredible to see the possibility that a number of starters on the defense last year might not start. (Morgan, Countess, Taylor.) But even if they don't, last year's starters are still solid. To have a highly skilled two deep on defense with little to know dropoff in ability is pretty incredible. We're not as deep on offense, but it is getting there. The depth means more and better competition in practice. They can practice much harder when the coaches aren't afraid of knocking out a starter. And the depth means the offense and defense can push each other much more in practice.
2. Special teams. For the first time in many years, I see the possibility that special teams will be a strength. Hagerup booming punts, solid returns, solid coverage. Special teams gets too little attention, but is a third of the game, and is very important.
3. OL Development. I am one of those guys who is frosted with the negativity and the trolling by so many so called Michigan fans. If there ever was a time when I wanted a unit to prove naysayers wrong, this is it. Maybe the only silver lining is that I could see these guys playing very angry and really coming out with a controlled, vicious, mean streak. I'm particularly tired of all the trash that Glasgow gets.
4. Manball. I am ready for smash mouth football. I am ready for the DL & LB and Peppers and the OL to take no prisoners and to inflict pain. I am especially ready for Michigan to inflict some serious pain on MSU and OSU.

1) love love love that gift in the original post!

2) Freddy Canteen

10+ wins likely with a worst case of 9. Our defense will be better and probably significantly so. If DG minimizes the mistakes that gave up points and the OL is only slightly better, that's three more wins. Short of nine I'll be on the negative train but I think this year karma will right itself and shape the future.

I'm excited for an offense that might make sense, especially in big moments.

Turnover margin and increased sacks.

These are two things I'm almost certain will improve and add a couple wins to our plate. I know everyone is going crazy about how the o-line might be another failure, but I have a feeling our defense is going to put us in good field position often, and we will probably have more 3rd and manageable with 2 and 3 yard runs consistently. I think our increased blitzes and speed in the middle, and better coverage on the backend will lead to more turnovers and sacks, which will ultimately get us better field position. This team does not even need a good offense to be a really good team come season's end with the potential we have defensively. I see this year being a poor man's 2011 LSU squad or last year's msu squad.

Turnover margin and increased sacks.

These are two things I'm almost certain will improve and add a couple wins to our plate. I know everyone is going crazy about how the o-line might be another failure, but I have a feeling our defense is going to put us in good field position often, and we will probably have more 3rd and manageable with 2 and 3 yard runs consistently. I think our increased blitzes and speed in the middle, and better coverage on the backend will lead to more turnovers and sacks, which will ultimately get us better field position. This team does not even need a good offense to be a really good team come season's end with the potential we have defensively. I see this year being a poor man's 2011 LSU squad or last year's msu squad.

The d-line! I want to see sacks, sacks and more sacks!

It's got to be watching Coach Mattison since Spring ball...he seems to have a spring in his step, a gleam in his eye and a nastiness to his attitude.  Hell, i think he enjoyed Saturday's scrimage more than anyone.  He knows something's up and it's something good.  Keep up that cheshire grin GMatt and we are going to have one hell of a ride in 2014.