Let's be at least as optimistic as Joel Klatt (Michigan in Top 3 for next year)
For whatever reason, talk like this often gets smacked down as overly optimistic homerism that is guilty of participating in a perpetual "wait-til-next-year" mantra that will never ever ever come true.
But, as a Michigan fan, for me hope springs eternal--especially with the instant, palpable culture change since Harbaugh arrived.
Can't we be at least as optimistic for our own team as Joel Klatt is for them?
https://www.facebook.com/JoelKlatt1/videos/801366656714123/
I'm hoping that accolades like this stack up. I think Coach has our men in a place where they are going to hit the work hard, and strive to improve every day, regardless of what people are saying.
More than ever, it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine [fan]!
December 21st, 2017 at 10:21 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 10:52 PM ^
I mean, in the Harbaugh era, it has been kind of luck hasn't it?
2015 you could only describe as luck. There is no other way to describe how MSU won that game.
2017 you could knock Harbaugh's game plan in the first half or point out that John O'Korn never should have been playing over Brandon Peters, but at the same time, Michigan lost the turnover battle 5-0, including fumbling on two promising drives in the first half.
It is a fluke of all flukes that Michigan is not 2-1 against MSU in the Harbaugh era and a play or two different this year away from being 3-0.
December 21st, 2017 at 11:20 PM ^
2015: Don't send out a regular punt protection when they're sending every guy to block it
2017: Don't send out a QB who's clearly not good enough to be playing in this game. It's not luck. It's not luck that O'Korn threw it 3 times to the other team and that we weren't good at protecting the ball. MSU did fine at not fumbling or throwing picks.
December 22nd, 2017 at 7:47 AM ^
by calling three straight running plays to get a first down against a team that's stuffed your running game all afternoon. Don't forget to tell your punter that if there's a problem with the snap, just fall on the ball.
Dantonio had his team fighting right down to the last play in 2015. Harbaugh didn't. That's why we lost.
December 22nd, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^
PSA that AA Forever, Go Blue Forever, and after the Toomer post, I'd wager Michigan Forever are troll accounts from a Sparty fan.
December 22nd, 2017 at 10:17 AM ^
2015: All that mattered was O'Neill catching the ball. Punt protection had nothing to do with it. Trying in any way to ascribe that as a fault of Harbaugh's is madness at its highest order. You're as bad as the people who thought he should have snapped it to Peppers and had him run backwards.
2017: Yeah, so exactly what I said. Should be 2-1, could be 3-0, mainly down to luck with some blame on Harbaugh for 2017.
December 22nd, 2017 at 10:44 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 10:06 PM ^
December 27th, 2017 at 8:11 AM ^
December 27th, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 12:09 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:58 AM ^
and you were a wide receiver? You must have used telepathy instead of vision. Then we get some guy talking about the most freakish punt attempt in history like bringing in your gunners would have resulted in the punter hanging onto the ball and somehow having another qb he could have snared out of thin air to play OSU this year. Strange people calling themselves Michigan fans.
I'm not one of those that keep yelling "next year" because No.1, I think it sounds pathetic and No.2 I realize, without more than a reasonable amont of luck. it takes a few years to build a program that is set up to win at a very high and consistent basis. So i'm calling this season. I called it before Patterson, and I expect Peters to lead us, but i don't think he was set to lead us this season. Notwithstanding the above, and we'll never know, but that damn injury to Speight in 2016 might have made this season look just terrible with anything above 2 losses. My goodness, to think we were 6 pts from winning 13 and losing 0, minus the cfb playoffs, of course, is fricking incredible. And anyone willing to quickly shout out the names and numbers of the starters Harbaugh recruited on that team.HINT: There was one starter on the OL after the midway pt of the season. So yeah, much like Urban and Nick, he enjoyed an abuncance of highly skilled upperclassmen to call on. My friends, just like with the Ruddock qb coaching job in 2015, that was an incredible coaching job.
But I heard so much last season after those losses and the same this season even with two qbs going down. I really don't mind fans questioning the coach - part of the game and lord knows I've done enough of it on my own in the past. However, the thing I'm pissed about is i was agreeing with many of those on this site making remarks like the above. Let's say those not really thinking things through. I either forgot just how small our margin for error was,all the inexeperience, praying we were going to get a good game from the qb because we sure in hell could not write it down, that despite all the bitching about recruiting, that's the only reason we won a few of our games beause we had more talent. I actually forgot how good our coach is. So yeah, I'm going with 2018 as the year it all comes together. i just know this is our man. I know a lot about the game and I know 2018 is the year Michigan won't have to offer excuses any longer. GO BLUE!!!
December 22nd, 2017 at 2:55 AM ^
Oh yeah, this is a Sparty troll account
December 21st, 2017 at 9:06 PM ^
I am with you on this one. Not that I want to give credit to MSU, but they play us with 120% while we only save the plays for OSU. Our mantality needs to be changed from fan base, media (Sam Webb, etc. ) to player and coach. It's always uphil battle to play MSU+ref. Even our talent is supposed to be better on paper, the coach still need to bring the team to be at least 100% for MSU game to be able to win.
December 21st, 2017 at 8:44 PM ^
I think the OL will be a strength next year, finally. That's off-season optimism, but it's already good on the ground. Yes we lose Cole. It's college football, everybody loses someone.
Bredeson, Ruiz, Onwenu, and JBB are all effectively starters and return. Someone will be below average but not disastrous at LT. This blog downs JBB and he's been terrible at times in pass pro. But he kills it on the ground. I think he works and improves this off-season.
If the QB is right, everything on the offense is all systems go.
December 21st, 2017 at 9:08 PM ^
He is not expected to be starter if we have other options. However, Kulger has not beeb effective until his 5th year, so it may change.
December 21st, 2017 at 9:25 PM ^
By who? You? This blog?
JBB is the starter at RT. There will be a competition he'll have to win, as with most positions, and I think he will.
But if you went to Schembechler Hall and said "It's been determined that JBB is not expected to be a starter if we have other options," I'm sure they'd laugh you out of the building.
December 21st, 2017 at 9:38 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 10:07 PM ^
That's great news, he's looked good in his limited time. But you don't dismiss a returning starter at tackle when you have no tackles.
EDIT: remember they thought Ulizio was going to be the guy last year. I hope he hasn't been abandoned. But until I see something different, I'll assume a bone crusher on the ground and a too-often liability in pass pro will keep that job. Yes I know 5th year players don't often improve, but get him in Glick working those feet all offseason.
December 21st, 2017 at 10:09 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 11:17 PM ^
Onwenu will never play T. If Spanellis can displace JBB then no need to move Bredeson. Keep the interior of the OL, upgrade on 2017 JBB at RT, and find a serviceable LT and you've got a fine OL.
December 22nd, 2017 at 7:51 AM ^
and a bunch of guys who have never played a down. Our options at LT are a guy who may never play again and a bunch more guys who have never played a snap. Nuf sed.
December 21st, 2017 at 9:03 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 9:15 PM ^
I guess we can afford to lose the ND game, although that would be an awful way to start off a hopeful playoff campaign by losing the very first game of the season. MSU and OSU are likely our two biggest competitors for the division, so don't wanna lose either of those 2 games.
December 22nd, 2017 at 8:30 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^
I actually think you could afford to lose to either MSU or ND. I expect MSU to be better, but not likely to only lose 1 or 2 games. I do not underestimate them when they play us because they have proven that they deserve to be taken seriously, but I think their performances against NW and OSU showed that they are not ready yet to win the division, and I am not sure they will be a ton better next year.
I think OSU is the only must win, with us needing to win one of the other two to be able to to make the playoffs. Obviously Wisconsin and Penn State aren't going to be picnics either, but like the teams potential. All we can do is wait and see what this team looks like come September 1.
December 22nd, 2017 at 8:40 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 10:52 PM ^
I disagree that any of them will be excellent. I think MSU will be slightly better next year compared to their average team this year. I think they were a 7-5 unit this year that got 9 wins, I think they'll be an 8-4ish team next year. I think Notre Dame will be a little worse next year. They played UGA close early in the year, but got crushed by Miami and Stanford, who I don't think are better than we are, down the stretch. I think OSU will be about the same to very slightly worse. I think they'll be a 10-2 or 11-1 team next year. They'll lose a chunk of starters on D, their two best OL, and Barrett. They'll be as beatable next year in Columbus as they were this year in Ann Arbor, in my opinion.
No team on our schedule next year makes me think that we can't go into Columbus 11-0.
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:22 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:32 AM ^
In previous years I'd agree with you, but Barrett was the best QB in the conference this year. He's also a better runner than Haskins. They'll feel his absence, at least initially.
December 22nd, 2017 at 7:16 AM ^
I feel like Barrett's best quality is his leadership. Haskins has impressive phyiscal tools but it remains to be seen whether he'll demonstrate the intangibles that Barrett has shown.
December 22nd, 2017 at 7:34 AM ^
Barrett was also a real leader for OSU. It was clear that both the coaches and the rest of the players believed in him. Replacing that level of leadership will not be easy, and that may well be where Haskins falls short.
December 22nd, 2017 at 12:58 AM ^
I don't know what games you've been watching but the offensive line isn't a concern you big dumb dipshit. Many people said the bucnuts defensive line was the best in the nation this year. The Michigan offensive line held their own all game and actually bitch slapped them many times out there. If you didn't see that, you're blind and should shut the fuck up!!
December 21st, 2017 at 8:36 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 8:36 PM ^
I cannot wait for next season.
As Frankin Hatchett would say "it finna be lit AF my dudes"
December 21st, 2017 at 9:07 PM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:19 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 2:38 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 8:41 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 8:42 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 8:42 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 10:22 PM ^
Depending on whether Shea Patterson is available, we will have either three or four 5-star recruits on the field next year. (DPJ, Gary, Solomon, Patterson.)
In contrast, OSU signed five 5-star players in their 2017 recruiting class alone. They just picked off nine top-100 signees in this year's class, while we have none signed so far. They had 11 last year.
If you were looking just at our recruiting ranks (without knowing it was Michigan), there would no reason to put us in the top 5. Alabama, OSU, Georgia, FSU, and USC would easily beat us out.
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:17 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:16 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 9:55 AM ^
Michigan had 11 players ranked in the top 138 players last year. That's essentially equivalent, because the difference between 100 and 138 is not meaningful.
M has not yet recruited as well as OSU. That doesn't dismiss the fact that they've recruited at an elite level. #5 class last year.
December 21st, 2017 at 8:45 PM ^
December 21st, 2017 at 10:14 PM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 1:14 AM ^
December 22nd, 2017 at 7:46 AM ^
Count? What's that supposed to mean?
The 2016 team was really good. They could have won every game. It didn't happen They were a few plays away from a B1G title and CFP appearance.
The 2018 team should be just as good, and probably better at the QB, RB, and LB positions. Maybe things will turn out better for the 2018 team.
Looking at the 2016 team provides some guidance as to how much better the 2018 team will need to play in order to get over the hump. They'll need to be a few plays better. Do you really not understand that, or are you just trying to antagonize?
December 21st, 2017 at 8:46 PM ^
I'm taking baby steps towards next year. First tell me Winovich is coming back. Tthen I need to see how the QB/OT position battles go. Then if those go well I will allow myself to get a little giddy.