The Talent Differential
I see how the board is full of 'how this team has underperformed yadda yadda.
Our talent differential compared to elite programs is still too wide
Consider this. Since 2013
- We have 4 recruits with 247 score above 98, OSU has 15, Alabama 26!!
- Put another way, for every Peppers we have, OSU has 4 equivalent difference makers, Alabama has 6.5 equivalent difference makers.
It doesn't get any better when we look lower down the depth chart.
- We have 21 recruits above a composite score of 95 since 2013, OSU has 44, Alabama 55
The point I'm trying to make is that unless we get an equivalent number of difference makers, having program that contends for National Championships is a pipedream. Unfortunately, all the top programs have similar high level player development and facilities. It comes down to having players with the highest ceilings and developing them to their potential.
Underperform is what OSU did (against Clemson).
Clemson had 16 recruits above a composite score of 95 ... compared to OSU - who had 33!You can tack some of that to youth but not all of it.
January 2nd, 2017 at 10:41 AM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 10:37 AM ^
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January 2nd, 2017 at 10:42 AM ^
This only makes sense if Michigan is not sending out mostly 4th and 5th year guys all over the place. The biggest talent difference I saw was on the OL where UM seemed average and lacking cohesion in the middle. They moved the pile against inferior lines and the rest of the time their liability seemed to be gameplanned around.
I would say receivers too and that is mainly because they disappeared late in the season. Some of that has to do with Speight/O'Korn and I suspect they may have been banged up. Still, any pro-style/multi offense team needs reliable receivers.
January 2nd, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
Chesson is a mystery as far as I can tell. I don't buy his lack of production being a lack of talent. He's shown he could play in the past, not an All-American level but at least at an All-B1G level. But he pretty much disappeared this year. Definitely one of the unanswered questions from this season along with what the truth is on Speight's health.
January 2nd, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
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January 2nd, 2017 at 11:22 AM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 11:17 AM ^
Not sure why everyone likes to project from such small sample sizes. We probably overachieved last year, and underachieved this year. Harbaugh maxed out the talent on the roster, and this is where we are. Our first back to back 10 win season since 2002/2003. Not too shabby.
We do have a talent differential. That's apparent. I'm not sure what the most damning piece of evidence is to be honest. Getting outplayed by Florida State. Choking on Iowa. Or Ohio State getting blown out by Clemson. The fact is we are not a top tier team yet. Top 10, yes. Top 5, nope.
The problem is that has been what we are since Bo took over. Consistently the 3rd-10th team in the land. Never THE BEST. Hell, even in 97 we split the national championship, and S&P+ rankings have us as the 6th best team. We have a precieved notion of being a National Championship contender year in and year out without ever reaching that height. Our recruiting speaks volumes towards that fact. We expect to be BAMA, while BAMA is still BAMA when no one has ever been BAMA before. That is just insane to think can be accomplished. Especially while OSU is the closest thing in the country to it. And before this past season MSU was closer to it.
The fact is, we are building something amazing here. We have two seasons to go off. I hate looking at bowls and making statements of your entire season based on the success of an exhibition played 4 weeks after your last game. So we went from 9-3 to 10-2. Disappointing in the short term, but exciting when you look at the big picture.
Keep building and maybe in four years we find that we have been at the big boy table all along. It's a fact that it won't happen overnight. Enjoy the ride, cause there is no way to catch up in 1 year. And no way to surpass what our expectations are.
January 2nd, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
The offensive line was shaky and Speight has been hurting since the Iowa game. We weren't deep enough to oversome that. Starting next year JH has his recruits more available, including at QB. The team will be more resilient.
January 2nd, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 12:46 PM ^
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January 2nd, 2017 at 6:30 PM ^
The talent coming in this year at OSU is crazy.
January 2nd, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 12:34 PM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 12:47 PM ^
He's not alking about Brady Hoke, Carr was the coach 10 years ago. He's talking about a team that was one game (one really bad personal foul and a whole bunch of politics) away from playing for the national title. Yes, I feel as if that team was pretty elite. Long, Woodley, Hart, Henne, Mannigham, Arrington, Trent, Zoltan, Jamison, Harris, Hall, Brown, Breaston, Branch and I know I'm missing a few.
January 2nd, 2017 at 12:52 PM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^
You've been an active contributor on here for two days now and have done nothing but come across as a immature child.
January 2nd, 2017 at 1:17 PM ^
January 2nd, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
Well, for 2017, as for players with a grade better than 98, Michigan only has 1 this year (and might get a 2nd or 3rd). OSU has 7 (even before picking up Holmes and/or Okudah), and Bama has 5 (with Harris).
For players with a grade better than 95, Michigan has 6, OSU has 11, Bama has 9.
OSU was also less experienced and developed than Clemson, or really anybody, this season. That's why they'll probably be ranked #1 next year.
Now, I'm no Michigan hater or cynist. I thought Michigan, with Peppers and Butt, was the 2nd best team in the country this year. I think Harbaugh, albeit unproven, is of the top 3 best coaches in both college and the NFL. What Michigan has to do is to bring in increasingly elite classes year after year, only insighted by consistent performance during the season. If Michigan maintains 10 win seasons, then the talent will come in.
But, speaking on actual performance in season, I also believe that the ratings of recruits don't necessarily guarantee they will perform at that level. It's a player-by-player thing, a team-by-team thing, a year-by-year thing. I have faith that Harbaugh will find ways to come out on top, but it's disappointing that he couldn't have this past year.
#NHtoAA #CFtoAA #TStoAA #MBtoAA Go Blue.
January 2nd, 2017 at 1:16 PM ^
The FSU game clearly showed that Michigan does not have enough explosive athletes, and lacks strength on the OL as well.
Hopefully the younger players coming up will solve those issues. However I felt that Michigan did not match up well with FSU in terms of overall athleticism and playmaking. This was a bit of a surprise but was a good learning experience. FSU had a slight edge there which must be solved in recruiting.
January 2nd, 2017 at 9:22 PM ^
Harbaugh was extremely close to closing the gap with incredibly talented 5 stars like Alex Leatherwood, Isiah Wilson, and Aubrey Solomon but somehow he let all 3 slip out of his grasps at the last second
In the future if Harbaugh were to build a program that competes for ships year in year out he'll need to land those recruits. Our skill players/recruits are fine(*COUGH* Assuming Najee Joins). Its our O and D Lines that Harbaugh will need to focus on hard in years to come in order for UM to reach that next level
Thinking back on it had Harbaugh landing those 3 recruits who were so close to going Blue, Michigan very well may have been one of these historic 300+ recruiting classes we see Georgia, OSU, and Bama having this year. Se were close but no cigar