Way Too Early 2016 Football Snowflake Thread
It's snowing in May. The season is still 112 days away, but it seems like we're starting to get a feel for the direction/composition of the team. It would be interesting to hear other views on what condition our condition is in. I titled this as a snowflake thread because I'm expressing my thoughts in absentia of statistical analysis. It's more of a "how do you feel about the program" post, but I welcome any analysis that supports or refutes the opinions below. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. GO BLUE
1. The Offense has a bevy of talented RBs and an experienced OL that should be able to open holes large enough to ensure no 27/27 performances. The WR/TE combinations pose nightmarish matchups for any Defense unfortunate enough to draw the assignment. Many opposing LB and CB bodies will litter the field when MICHIGAN launches its aerial assault. The QB situation is promising, yet unresolved: Harbaugh + O'Korn, Speight, Morris, Peters = UberRudock 2.0.
2. The Defense is good. Scary Good. The DL will be stout against the run and QB pressures, hits and sacks should be plentiful when opponents foolishly choose to pass. Doc Brown will transform a talent-rich LB corps into a bunch of marauding, ball hawking guys and dudes. The MICHIGAN DBs are prison guards, opposing WRs the inmates after behaving badly.
Saturday Side Note Moment of Zen: Checking BTN for softball game start time and saw "Classic Minnesota Football" broadcast listing. It was the 2015 Bowl game against CMU.
I question the "Talent-rich LB corps" premise and I don't know if I am as positive about our RB situations as you, but our D alone should win us almost every game except the MSU and OSU games. I am hoping to soak this all up, because the next year will contain many, many more unknowns.
Go Blue
Yeah not a lot of known talent in LB's (waiting for MM to stay healthy cuz that dude has talent), but solid guys playing in between the nations best DL and best secondary will make them look better than they are.
Also, I expect to win by 17+ points in EL this year. They have lost so much and Jimmy won't take the foot off the gas in the 4th quarter after last year's debacle.
If we have the chance to blow out MSU in EL this year (which I doubt, by the way), I hope Harbaugh does everything in his power to do so. If we are up 28 in the fourth quarter, I want him to go for it on 4th down from our own end, then go for two if we get in the endzone. Then, I want him to pluck Dantoni in the throat during the handshake.
I see the potential for Iowa being tougher than Sparty, but until October arrives with evidence one way or the other, I'm assuming Sparty >> Iowa simply because of Ferentz and each team's performance over the last 10 years.
Also, Sparty hates us with the fire of ten thousand suns.
Even if they are having a relatively so-so year, they will play their best game of the season against us. Same for OSU.
I hope we can finally start matching our rivals' mental edge in both games.
Well that was riddled with spelling errors.
My only concern on this team, out of 24 starting positions, is one - at LT. Either Newsome needs to grow up really quick between camp and the first 3 games, or Cole needs to move back and Kugler needs to become the man at C. If our OL can go from solid 4/5 to solid 5/5 by week 4 we are a conference champion/playoff team. JOK will be great. McCray will be great. Taco will be great. Everyone you already know is great will remain great or become greaterer.
You mean Speight?
That could have something to do with the fact that his O line didn't hold up and he was pressured heavily on every passing snap. One could view it positively that he didn't take a sack, force a bad throw and took the the defense gave him. It's not like he ran from clean pockets and missed wide open throws. I think Speight looked good, but I think he had a little more time. It's too early make a call but I think O Korn still has a slight edge due to atheletic and arm talent. We still have all of Fall practice to go.
You mean when he had walk on OL and receivers and led his team to touchdowns the only two drives he played? Okay.
It is clear tht the staff likes Newsome a lot. Why else did they burn his redshirt halfway through the season?
Wasn't Harbaugh often yelling at him to run? I wouldn't read that much into a spring game.
....and if Morris wins the starting job, what will you abstain from for a whole year???
Fixed. Thanks for pointing those out. Finger failure + eye sight + mobile device = spellageddon.
I've got sausage fingers, I feel your touch screen keyboard pain.
I'd put money on Cole sliding back outside and Kugler coming in at C by the MSU game.
The defense needs to learn how to stop the spread. Period.
thisx1000. So tired of always being at a disadvantage/unprepared vs osu
He just hired a guy known for stopping the spread and signed a couple of new recruits that Brown targeted for his scheme. I'm not sure how much more we could expect him to do.
You can't stop the spread, you can only try and make the pain manageable.
accurate (mostly at least). a dominant DL and talented overall unit that creates turnovers will still struggle from time to time when forced to defend elite athletes properly executing a pick your poison type O
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will have the younger guys ready to play in 2017! There will no longer be these youth excuses we've heard from the previous two coaches. The defense will not be as good as the 2016 unit but the offense will be great in 2017. In 2017, we will just be out scoring our opponents instead of shutting them out! I think Harbaugh will only lose 1 to 2 games in 2017 and be in the hunt for the BIG east division winner. I'm not too worried about 2017. In 2018 and season to follow both the offense and defense will be excellent under Harbaugh!