WITHOUT hyperbole: Can we have an honest discussion on the trajectory of this football program?

we are now 3-7 in our last 10 games.

 

Those three wins were beating Indiana while giving up 47 points,  an absolute fuking miracle over Northwestern where we were outclassed for pretty much 4 quarters and Appalachian State.  Let that sink in folks.

we are now 3-7 in our last 10 games.

 

Those three wins were beating Indiana while giving up 47 points,  an absolute fuking miracle over Northwestern where we were outclassed for pretty much 4 quarters and Appalachian State.  Let that sink in folks.

 

This is worse than RR's 3-9 season

 

I just hope Virginia Tech wins.

being shutout 37-0 by Purdue in 1962

start with dave brandon -

then move on to hoke

then fire the guy who plays is in charge of the game day experience in the big house

When the UFR comes out I expect most of the offenses problems will stem from offensive line play. I have no insight as to why the defense gave up so many points. This is the first game against a real team in their third offense in four seasons. This is their second game ever playing in this offense. All the folks here with coaching experience warned us that we should be prepared for the offensive line to struggle at the beginning of this season. Nussmeier warned us that every game would be a learning experience for the offense. SC warned us that he hadn't seen as much progress as he expected by the offensive line.

I hate this loss as much as anyone but come on folks all of us should have been prepared for a bad loss. Yeah this one hurts, but the real question is what will the team look like over the next 2-3 weeks. 

As for trajectory - it's the second game this season. There is no trajectory YET. We can talk about trajectory in about 10 more games.

Shut out. In many ways.

Downward.

Its down. Simple ast that. Beating a lot of mediocre Big 10 teams doesnt change a thing. Or beating a modest amount.  Bama Oregon (and MSU) will destroy this team. 

but I'm marked in threads from the last few days predicting what happened tonight. App St 2014 is not the 07 version. In that game you could see glaring issues. The OL was no better (from an ability point), Gardner had a good day but still made some of those insane choppy/turn backward running decisions, etc. It was so easy of a game that the issues were hard to see but they were there. I watched the nd-rice game and immediately knew I'd be a shootout and I didn't think we could keep up. We didn't even take a few steps out the gate! Our defense is soft as baby shit despite two supposed "DL specialists". Age is no longer an excuse and I said that months ago. It just isn't working. We hired a CEO coach (fine when it works!) but he's turned into a glorified cheerleader. Finally, Harbaugh isn't coming. Miles isn't either. It's time to get the "Lineage guys or no support" types out of the AD and hire a sold coach. Hoke was right, This Is Michigan! It's just that it's clear Michigan deserves better. I'm not angry. This is no hyperbole. I was questioning Gmatt last year. We need a change. This isn't Michigan football and, be honest, never will be with this staff (some can stay but the main players need to go, IMO).

In an absolute sense, where are the strengths?

This was the year of the corner, of the d-line. This was the year of the ferocious linebacker, the year Frank Clark sacked QBs.

Offense looked worse. 

It's the worst I've felt about Michigan football ever, including last year. I don't mean the team or the coach. I mean Michigan football. 

I've watched a lot of Michigan football and that might be the flattest performance I've seen from them. Home is a good coach, but clearly lacking something. At least I won't have an early ND victory to fool me into giddy optimism this year. Or any other year!

I want to judge this team so harshly right now, but I honestly don't care as long as I see this team get better through the year.  If that doesn't happen then that would be pretty much the 3rd time in 3 years with little or no in season growth in skill. 

Everything is awful.

The program is falling a meteor that killed the dinasours.  There is no hope for this year and it may all start over again next year.  This is sadder than losing to App State.  Hoke quit on his team when he went for 4th and 9 instead of kicking the field goal to avoid the shut out.  He stopped coaching at that moment. 

He should be fired immediately.  Mark this down, 5-7 no boal game and Les Miles is the next head coach.  Brandon might go to.

Can you say Dumpster fire!

This is another reason I am glad I live in China. I am glad to be away from the mess.

The team will be good again someday, I'm not sure when. I've never called for a coach to be fired and I understand the impact on recruiting but there is a bunch of evidence that this current coaching staff is not good enough. I will keep supporting and pulling for the kids and the program but it is time to try a new staff.

I just don't see any improvement.  The Notre Dame players were not bigger or faster.  What they were is not confused and uncertain.  They knew exactly where to go and what to do.

We are still playing with the tentativeness that makes you look slow and weak.  And it magnifies on the road.  There is talent but no confidence. 

We are still a young team.  And I naively kling to the hope that when they are more experienced they will play to their potential.  But at this moment, it is only a blind hope.  There is nothing legitimate to base it on.

and I clicked on this one.  So here goes.

We can't fire anyone after the 2nd game of the season.  Honestly?

We were not favored to win this game.  We were underdogs. Yes, not 37-0   underdogs, the spread was more like 4 or 5.  But outside of the Michigan fandom, as extensive as we are, we were not favored to win.

We could have played better.  I don't think anyone disputes that.

Momentum.  Let's consider that for a moment.  So here we go, on the road, not favored to win, and ND gets crazy calls in their favor.  I'm an aging Baby Boomer with a Millenial son who doesn't think that any of that matters, only results.  But I have been following CFB for close to 40 decades now and I am still struck anew by how much momentum does matter.

MSU did lose today, yes I know we couldn't beat Oregon either.  Still nice :)

Finally, yes, there were mistakes but I saw a lot of bright spots.  Mostly I'm glad to be rid of ND as a series.  They were winning big and still went for Funchess' knees every chance they could.  There is no question about the advantages they got from the refs.  They can have it and good riddance.  When did they make the decision to chicken out of the series?  When their coaches saw, along with everyone else, that they could still beat us in 2014 but might have more of a problem in 2015.  Good riddance, holier-than-thou.  And please let us know if your players need some help with writing papers or taking tests.

It's only a game right?

 

with a much younger team than our own. I hate this youth excuse. I really don't see things changing much next season! Shane doesn't look that good at QB to me! Time to dump the Hoke and bring in a good coach!

playmakers. It's tougher on offense because of the line but what's the excuse on defense? In the first half they blew multiple tackles for a loss chances. Those are the plays that stuff momentum. I still think it's a lack of upperclassmen leadership. Without those few big play guys the team quickly becomes tentative and fearful of mistakes.

LINEAR trend

Hire Kirby Smart!!!!

Downward, and fast. We may go 9-3 because we play in the Big Ten, but I assure you if we played in the PAC 12 or SEC, this team would never win more than six games.

It's sad that I finally have to admit that today.