Unverified Voracity Eats At IHOP
This should make the Internet fun for a minute pic.twitter.com/YmCdTMnQm5
— Chase Parham (@RivalsChase) December 5, 2017
Shea Patterson and friends watch. It's happening? I mean. Can't throw a rock without hitting someone who says SOURCES are telling him that Shea Patterson is a lock for Michigan and possibly as soon as this weekend. Sam Webb's put in a crystal ball, which he hastens to say is not a Gut Feeling, and here's the Blade's Michigan beat writer:
Sources: Michigan is the front-runner to land Shea Patterson, and the Ole Miss QB expects to be eligible to play immediately.
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) December 6, 2017
It's happening.
Probably also happening: Van Jefferson and Deontay Anderson. Both guys are coming up this weekend. Highlights of Patterson throwing to Jefferson in 2016, when Jefferson was a redshirt freshman:
Enjoy @VanJefferson12's freshman highlights from last year. Love the way this guy plays. #12Days pic.twitter.com/FVWhGCK6vO
— Ole Miss Ink (@OleMissInk) August 21, 2017
He had 49 catches for 543 yards and was on pace to best that as a sophomore when he dislocated his elbow before the Texas A&M game.
That is likely it despite some overheated reports that up to seven Ole Miss players are interested in Michigan. Taking the three guys above already stretches Michigan's scholarships pretty thin. Anyone who doesn't play tackle is in tough for playing time, and per Rashan Gary's mom Greg Little isn't interested. Gary and Little became friends over the course of their recruitment so that's as good a source as any.
The other guys mentioned haven't set visits and it's unclear that Michigan would be interested in them.
Why wasn't it Cracker Barrel though? For some reason, Harbaugh flying down to see guys he might have on his football team caused the internet to blow up. Harbaugh claps back at Mark Dantonio? Go crazy, guys. Harbaugh does a thing literally all football coaches do dozens of times a year with high school players? Maybe let that one slide.
What do you say, internet?
Actually, it's very cool and good that Ole Miss got in trouble for loaner cars but a multi-millionaire can fly a private jet into Oxford to recruit players away from the team. Very cool. Very good. https://t.co/YS4mD9r79b
— Red Cup Cooperation (@RedCupRebellion) December 5, 2017
Ah, still internet I see.
A fairly good defense. Michigan lands four guys in the PFF All Big Ten defense, and three of them return:
The 2017 PFF All-B1G First Team Defense pic.twitter.com/L4XCrJ11TY
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) December 5, 2017
Two more guys couldn't have been far off that list given this stat:
Lowest passer rating when targeted among B1G CBs?
— PFF College Football (@PFF_College) November 30, 2017
How about Michigan's duo? pic.twitter.com/kBJsmwXOIN
Personally, I'd take the CBs who whooped up on Simmie Cobbs over the one who got whooped until he got a safety bracket, but Michigan's guys were probably hurt by a lack of volume.
Add in Rashan Gary to the five returning guys in the above tweets and you've got quite a platform to build on.
Missed tackles: nah. Josh Liskiewitz, one of PFF's Big Ten evaluators, was grilled by Iowa fans because Josey Jewell was omitted from the team above. This spawned an interesting twitter thread in which Liskiewitz defended himself with various stats he'd compiled. The most interesting from a Michigan fan's perspective:
[he == Jewell, FWIW]
This is true to an extent, but among #B1G LBs he ranked 38th in tackling efficiency, which takes into account misses per attempt. By comparison, #Boilermakers LB Ja'Whuan Bentley had more total tackles than Jewell and half the MTs. Devin Bush missed just 3 total.
— Josh Liskiewitz (@PFF_Josh) December 6, 2017
Jewell had an 86 grade—which would have made him first team All-SEC or All-Pac12, but finished 9th(!) in the Big Ten. We assume that Tegray Scales, Jason Cabinda, and Ryan Connelly are three of the five guys in front of Jewell, FWIW.
Peters cleared; Black a maybe. Brandon Peters is good to go for bowl practices and the game, per Harbaugh. I assert that he will start. Yes, I assert that. Here's a randomly depressing stat!
Prior to the injury, Peters was 37 of 64 for 486 yards passing in five games, including three starts. He's thrown a team-high four touchdowns, and no interceptions.
Sweet fancy Moses.
In other bowl injury news, Tarik Black is back in practice and could play in the bowl game. Harbaugh says he's "leaning towards not doing it," and, I mean... don't. Michigan's in a good spot in the bowl game without him and a potential fifth year is far more valuable than whatever marginal bonus chance at a bowl win he provides.
Good luck, whoever you are. South Carolina has axed their offensive coordinator. Er, their co-offensive coordinator Kurt Roper. The other guy, Bryan McClendon, is at least temporarily the only cook in the Gamecock kitchen. He is 33 years old and facing down Don Brown with one of the worst offenses in the country. Good luck with that, sir.
FALSE. I love Harbaugh but this is a bad take he should feel bad about:
"My reaction is that there should be more than four teams in the playoffs," Harbaugh told reporters. "Again, I want to reiterate: 8 teams, 12 teams, 16 teams. Sixteen would be ideal in the playoffs."
For one, a team that reached the finals is playing 17 games. For two, the urgency of the regular season is obliterated if last year's Michigan team finishes their season they way they did and still gets in.
Add one fan. ESPN's Sarah Spain has been on a journey across college football to find a team to root for, and she stopped by the MGoTailgate before the OSU game last week:
Saturday morning I headed out to meet one of my hosts for the day, Gordie Fall (named in honor of Gordie Howe), at the famous MGoBus. The tailgate featured craft beer from Wolverine State Brewing Company, loads of breakfast food and, of course, the maize and blue MGoBus owned by Matt and Sara Demorest. While I was there, I learned more about life on campus and the UM scene with Brian Cook and Seth Fisher, of popular Michigan sports site MGoBlog.com. I also met former Wolverines running back Vincent Smith (you may remember him from this), who's now running community gardens in Flint, Michigan, and his hometown of Pahokee, Florida, to increase access to healthy foods, reduce juvenile crime and use gardening-based intervention to curtail violence. Very cool.
Adam was also there! Adam doesn't talk much. Thanks to everyone else's contributions but certainly not ours, Michigan was the pick. Welcome, Sarah. Prepare to be called a Walmart Wolverine despite going to Cornell.
Etc.: More on Dave Brandon The Program's first press conference with chief gobbledygook purveyor Herm Edwards. A timeline of Jimbo Fisher's unprecedented move. John Beilein gets shots up. Chris Collins tells a bald-faced lie in a postgame press conference. It remains impressive how many NU internet people openly loathe the guy who got them their first NCAA tourney bid.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:06 PM ^
so he left. I would expect Peters to compete against Dylan and Patterson and may the best QB win. I still think it will be a surprise and Dylan will win the competition and will be our starter in 2018 and the next two seasons. I think Patterson and Peters will make fine backups. There is a chance Peters could transfer out if he does not make starter next season.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:11 PM ^
If McCaffrey beats out the #1 and #4 QBs in the same recruiting class and starts as a RS Fr., I can say with a fair bit of certainty that is not a good thing for next year. I'm not trying to dismiss such a hypothetical accomplishment, but it means that either mcCaffrey is an amazing outlier as a first-year starter in college football or the other two players regressed significantly from the players we've last seen. I'd like to believe the first but my guess is the second would be the case.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:37 PM ^
want to win. They bust their asses everyday trying to get better so they can hopefully win an NC. With that work means competition and brining in a better player is not going to upset the team chemistry. If so then why recruit top flight players and let great Freshman play? According to your argument a new Freshman coming in and winning a starting job will upset the team also.
Harbaugh is paid to win football games and you do that with great talent and great coaching. If he feels Patterson makes the team better and can help the team win more games then he would be foolish not to bring in the talent. If he comes here and leads this team to a B1G championship the team will be happy as hell, because that is their goal and winning will just help recruiting....
December 6th, 2017 at 2:18 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 3:11 PM ^
It will be a good competition between all 3 during summer camp and the one who performs the best will be the initial starter. So, what if Dylan wins, will Peters transfer then? That is a possibility even without Patterson.
December 6th, 2017 at 9:07 PM ^
Excellent assessment of how this works, Bronxblue!!! Brandon is in an excellent position to win/keep the starting job...if he loses it it is on him...that's how it should be. Otherwise, look what Speight and O'Korn had to do to lose their spots!
December 6th, 2017 at 1:44 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^
I'm worried that there won't even be a battle. Peters has some semi-legitimate reasons to believe the 'meritocracy' doesn't really apply to him.
December 6th, 2017 at 2:51 PM ^
No, he doesn't... Part (if not all) of the reason tha Speight is transferring is because he thought he had the job until he found hmiself sharing snaps in Spring camp. Said so himself... If the incumbent starter has to compete, what makes you think a redshirt freshman doesn't have to?
December 6th, 2017 at 3:14 PM ^
I meant it the oppoisite way that you are taking it. That Peters may not feel he is getting a fair shake. JOK was ahead of him on the depth chart all through fall camp and for the first 8 games of the season. Maybe you were watching a different JOK than I was, going back to Indiana last year, but that decision was not based on merit. It was pretty clear to me by the rest of the teams reaction when he finally got to play that they realized this as well. Meanwhile coach publicly put this on Peters by telling everyone he wasn't ready, conveniently ignoring that part of why he might not have been ready was because instead of getting reps he was watching JOK get them. Now, when he is finally going to get some reps to allow him to be prepared to be 'ready' his coach decides to bring in a transfer. None of this sounds like a meritocracy to me and I wouldn't blame Peters if he felt he wasn't getting a fair shot, because he wasn't.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:19 PM ^
will oppose this analysis, but their opposition will come down to simply "you are questioning Harbaugh!?!"
But the handling of the QB position has been pretty baffling, to say the least.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:22 PM ^
I've had enough of the chaos and buck passing.
December 6th, 2017 at 5:06 PM ^
I'm guessing you didn't read the Detroit News article I referenced in another comment. http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/2017/11/07/increased-opportunity-sharpened-peters-focus/107449588/
The handling of the QB position has been anything BUT baffling.
Year 1, bring in grad transfer because we have no one.
Year 2, RS Soph wins job, leads scoring offense in modern school history
Year 3, RS Junior keeps job
Idk how to explain how off Speight was from his 2016 version. The minimal decrease in OL play, the inconsistent run game, the vastly inexperienced recieving group, if he never 100% healed from the shoulder thing (physically or even mentally) all tallied up to just a bit off. Either way, he was our best option this year. And he probably even turns it around at some point if healthy.
The Detroit News article above basically stated, Peters felt he was right there out of spring. Peters started making mental errors and fell back out of the race. He says the coaches lost a little confidence, but I'd say he played himself out of the race at that point. That set him back. Lost focus. Turning the ball over, making incorrect reads, fumbling the snap, wrong play call in the huddle. He didn't pick his game up, get focused until he was 2nd string and Wilt went down. Took him 4 weeks to earn his spot from there.
December 6th, 2017 at 11:32 PM ^
December 7th, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^
I wouldn't go as far as saying Brandon not wanting it as much. Could have just been inexperience more than a character flaw.
December 6th, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
it will (hopefully) mean that Patterson is playing really well, which would indicate the potential for early entry.
Peters still has two years of eligibility left after 2018 and was expecting to compete with a guy that he lost out to this year anyway.
PLUS, we used three QBs last year and don't project to be much better at OT if any. High chance of playing time for the #2 QB next year even if he loses out.
If he is negativitely affected by losing out with so much ahead of him, then I'd say that's as much reason for Harbaugh wanting as much competition as possible. Wants to find out who is mentally tough enough to work harder in the face of competition instead of letting it impact you.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:07 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
have no doubt that Patterson is a very competitive guy, but it baffles me that one could think that, with all transfer restrictions lifted, he is going to transfer to Michigan to be in a "full out battle" for the starting position. That just doesn't add up. I can begrudgingly be sold on "Michigan is getting THE GUY for 2018 and we are now a CFP contender" despite what it clearly means for Peters, but I can't be sold that adding Patterson is a depth move. It is what it is, and it isn't that.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
I don't see Harbaugh as a "promise you the starting position" coach either.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:55 PM ^
don't see him promising anything, but I don't see him flying to IHOP with "Come up and battle it out with Brandon!" either.
December 6th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^
Harbaugh will hold an open competition between two or three quarterbacks depending on if Shea comes here. Any of them could very well win it. If you think Shea is THAT much better, that is your opinion.
I don't see it. He is a slightly more mobile O'Korn who is getting away with the Madden-like scrambles and late passes back across the field to wide open WRs against defenses that are nothing to write home about. 4-6 record in 10 games, with wins over 2017 Vanderbilt, 2016 Texas A&M, South Alabama and whatever UT Martin is. His most impressive game is a 21-point loss to Auburn in which he threw 51 passes at under 7.0 YPA.
Michigan runs a complicated pro style offense, that involves heavy decision making, which slows down a QBs instincts. Michigan played 5 games against top 20 defenses this year (Wisc, MSU, OSU, Florida, PSU). Shea has seen two in 10 games and his stat line doesn't look impressive. 1.5 games, 281 yards passing (5.4 YPA), -17 yards rushing, 0-5 INT.
I think he could be amazing. I think he would be a tremendous addition to the QB room. I think he has a heck of a shot at winning the job. But he isn't Andrew Luck or anything. I wouldn't even say he is Wilton Speight 2016 (yet).
December 6th, 2017 at 2:49 PM ^
Thank you for posting this. I want to see Brandon Peters more than anything in the bowl game. I agree with your assessment of Shea, and the comparison to O'Korn is so spot on. He played for Ole' Miss. Not Alabama. The record speaks for itself. I want personally, and I say personally because it is not my team, but I want to see coach Harbaugh develope Brandon Peters into a long term quarterback. These transfers that pan out for a year or so have only worked out once, and that was Jake Rudock. Our main issue, aside from OL play, has been we have not had consistent or talented quarterback play since, maybe Chad Henne. Denard was outstanding against mediocre defenses, but let's face it, we have not had elite or even great quarterback play for many years.
To me, that has been the difference for us. I want to see a Jim Harbaugh recruit develope and play for us for 3 or 4 years. I think it will make a huge difference. Also, great point about the team chemistry. To me, it seems the team really likes BP. Like, legit likes him. Him transferring would not be good IMO. In fact, it would be bad.
Just my .02
Go blue.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:08 PM ^
How do you think he recruited Joe Milton? I'll bet a dollar he flew to Florida and said 'you'll have the chance to battle it out'...
December 6th, 2017 at 2:20 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 2:53 PM ^
IMO I thought Speight would be the starter next year. In Harbaugh's presser, Jim said "he came in and talked to me" telling me that was Speight's decision. I'm not going to speak for Wilton on that.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:23 PM ^
I guess. I just think Speight read the tea leaves and made his decision from that, and whether or not that was informed I do think a head coach as good as Harbaugh knows what signals he is giving out to his players on such matters.
December 6th, 2017 at 11:40 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 3:13 PM ^
win the competition (either because he thinks Peters is better or he thinks he isn't getting a fair shake). Probably as simple as that.
Shea Patterson might think he can win it or might be more willing to try.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:26 PM ^
I assume Speight doesn't believe Peters is better, but I could buy he figured the team wouldn't spend another year with him as a 5th-year senior starter when they have a reasonably comparable player with more years of eligiblity. Same with Patterson coming to Michigan, which is why I worry a bit about this decision leading to a Peters transfer for what amounts to a 1-year take on Patterson. And so if Peters reads those same vibes and gets a sense that the coaches are going to favor Patterson at least at the start to win the spot, that's going to weigh on his decision making to sit on the bench another year.
I don't blame anyone for their decisions here, and I'd be happy if Michigan won with Patterson and Peters stuck around. But I think people are too quick to treat these guys as interchangeable pieces and not humans, and then are quick to question their heart or integrity when I have a very strong sense that most people here would probably respond in the same way (if not worse) if a similar situation occurred in his/her life.
December 6th, 2017 at 3:11 PM ^
I thought Speight cleared the air on that, in his interview.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
I see Peters taking this thing and running with it as just as much of a possibility if Shea comes. Third year under Harbaugh vs. 1st, and that is a tough playbook. Has Shea ever taken a snap under center? Peters has a real shot at taking a large step forward.
December 6th, 2017 at 2:03 PM ^
I think that's an interesting question. Someone posted the Ole Miss offensive plays vs Cal yesterday in a thread. I didn't watch the whole thing. I stopped early in the 3rd quarter but up to that point every snap Patterson had taken had been shotgun.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:48 PM ^
Won't be his last chance at all. He has the spring and fall to prove it too.. assuming Patterson comes and is immediately eligible. And even if Patterson doesn't come, Peters still has to fend off McCaffery. Not locked that Peters would beat him out either. Very fluid situation still.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:26 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
(unless you're in the SEC)
December 6th, 2017 at 3:21 PM ^
probably even 12 games, there would never again be another BIG OSU-Michigan game.
Anytime both teams are good, they'd both be in regardless of the result. The end of the NFL season is a joke because divisions are won and spots are locked up.
College football already has a season long playoff. Going to more than 6 would change that, and it wouldn't be good for the sport.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:27 PM ^
Calling my shot early: Michigan is going to crush South Carolina in the bowl game.
Patterson coming in is going to really light Peters' hair on fire and this game is his first audition for next season. And South Carolina is going to have trouble scoring at all.
45-10
December 6th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^
45-0
Cocks won't score!
December 6th, 2017 at 1:30 PM ^
Rooting for Peters, but Mr Patterson sure would provide daily improvement of our offense. Good luck to both.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:31 PM ^
As for how many teams should be in the CFP, using how M finished the regular season in '16 as a reason against expansion hurts, man!
Last second loss on FG with starting QB injured in Iowa City; and quite probably the worst, most one-sidedly officiated game in anyone's memory in Columbus?!
To me, that supports putting in as many teams as needed to get M in the bracket!
That being said, as Hollywood once decreed - Eight is Enough!
December 6th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
It makes sense to me.
The solution to heartbreaking losses is not to dilute the regular season to the point where they don't matter.
The solution is to win those games.
When Michigan wins those games, I want the wins to be significant for us and crushing for our opponents. I want to rejoice in the triumph of our team and revel in the tears of our vanquished rivals.
I don't want a good win to be overshadowed by the fact that both Michigan and Ohio State are going to the playoff anyway. I want Ohio State to be stuck on the sidelines watching as we claim the plaudits they wish they had.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^
Or, as has been the case for most of the 21st Century, the opposite...
best 8 teams, regardless of conference titles, with strength of schedule a major factor. THAT will get teams away from scheduling Mercer in late November!
December 6th, 2017 at 3:27 PM ^
the only thing that'll change weak scheduling is to put more emphasis on SOS. The committee did the opposite which is why they got it wrong and hurt college football in the process.
They might as well have just put Bama in before the season based on having the most talent because it clearly didn't matter much what they did on the field against whom. The committee's only argument was that Bama looked like the better team based on some blowout wins against drastically inferior opponents.
Bama lost to Auburn and got to sit at home and watch Auburn play a no-win game against a tough opponent and the committee allowed that game help Bama and hurt Auburn? Terrible.
December 6th, 2017 at 9:20 PM ^
That's a cute thing for a fan to say but I will never be dissuaded from my belief that the athletic endeavor has nothing to do with the fans.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^
December 6th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
"No other sport does it this way" is as big of an endorsement for college football's way of doing it as I can imagine. College football is not, and should never be, other sports.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:41 PM ^
At least no one can refute the crowning of the champions of other sports. It's fair and clear how the winner was determined. College football is nothing but a popularity contest with some regional bias, personal vendettas, and financial interests mixed in. It's practically rigged.
December 6th, 2017 at 1:53 PM ^
Well, practically rigged with the caveat only teams with 0 or 1 losses have ever gotten in...
so that's rigging amongst a pretty select group.
December 6th, 2017 at 2:49 PM ^
You're buying into a flawed narrative.
"Count the losses" is why Washington was in the playoff last year and why Wisconsin was almost in the playoff this year. Teams control their own schedules, so they can ensure they end up with as few losing opporutnities as possible. Who wants to watch Alabama / Mercer or Washington / Idaho?
College basketball has fun early-season games for the same reason Michigan used to play Miami (YTM) or Florida State in September under Bo -- because a loss doesn't affect your chances at reaching your ultimate goal.
The playoffs should be expanded and the qualfication criteria should be objective -- or at least partially so (e.g., automatic qualification for every conference champion plus a committee selection). There are 11 conferences, so there should be a minimum of 11 playoff teams -- period. My personal favorite is 24, but I could hear arguments for 16. 8 is only possible if you arbitrary exclude half of the teams from championship qualification, which is patently unfair to them.
December 6th, 2017 at 4:34 PM ^
Bama did play Mercer - in NOVEMBER! That shouldn't happen.
But they also played the pre-season #3, and 8 SEC teams. The hindsight fact that due to their QB going out (vs bama ) fsu went down the tubes, or that the SEC wasn't as strong as usual, can hardly be layed at trying to schedule easy wins.
And Washington belonged in last year I believe, weren't they a 1-loss conference champ? Their game vs bama was certainly more compelling than osu-Clemson! Who else would have filled the 4th spot? psu lost to usc in the Rose, so not them!
I do agree that SOS has to become a major factor in deciding who gets in an 8-team playoff, or at least more major than it is. There are numerous different models to determine SOS extant as well, so that needs to be codified.
And no FCS games played after Sept. can count as a W at all.
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