Why does the football program underachieve so much?

Submitted by UMxWolverines on
This isn't a new thing. 3 and 4 loss seasons were the norm under Carr. We never won a national title under Bo, we have been witnessing head scratching losses for decades. Nobody in this fanbase expects national titles every year, hell obviously not since we have 1 since the 1940s. But we have most definitely had national championship caliber teams only to fall short. Does the program lack a killer instinct? The want to win every game? I remember a while ago an anonymous Wisconsin player mentioned the difference between Michigan and OSU, and his response was "Michigan players take plays off, OSU players don't." You can't tell me we don't have the talent. We had the highest number of draft picks in school history, and the country this year and lost 3 games. I just don't get it. What I saw out there today was the same thing I saw against MSU and OSU, something bad happened and the body language and facial expressions just did a total 180. Where is the passion, the drive to come back harder the next time?
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WeimyWoodson

January 1st, 2018 at 9:56 PM ^

But Harbaugh needs to adjust his offense to todays game.  That doesn't mean he needs to go spread, but we're at the point where there are athletes on the field. Get them in space and quit running a bunch of outdated crap that's not working.

Joined: 08/25/2015

MGoPoints: 14741

Nemesis

January 2nd, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^

You are crazy if you think we will get a better coach than JH.

 

I agree that JH runs an outdated scheme that he does not have the personnel for.  The scheme is also just way too complex.  Our guys are just not ATTACKING on offense.  They are struggling with the complexity of the scheme and playing slow.

 

I am trying to figure out if Drevno or Harbaugh is calling the plays.  The play calling this year has been terrible. 

Joined: 10/23/2017

MGoPoints: 399

DHughes5218

January 2nd, 2018 at 7:30 AM ^

We struggled a lot at the end of the season. When players have 9 - 10 starts under their belts, the youth excuse is no longer allowed to be used. However our QB play was horrendous. It’s amazing how a solid QB will make the line look better, make the running game more impressive, and will show we have several elite WR’s on the roster.

Joined: 10/04/2014

MGoPoints: 7288

Westside Wolverine

January 1st, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^

My opinion: there is no accountability for this coaching staff. Jim has the athletic department by the balls. Jim claims that his program is a meritocracy but there is no evidence of this when it comes to his coaching staff.

Joined: 12/24/2011

MGoPoints: 3774

Lawyer12

January 1st, 2018 at 4:52 PM ^

Because expectations are too high. Michigan is not an elite program currently. They aren’t recruiting at a championship level and they play at the level they recruit. Top 20 or so is about it.

Joined: 12/17/2012

MGoPoints: 3066

goblue16

January 1st, 2018 at 4:55 PM ^

We have an elite (supposedly) coach with elite talent elite facilities and elite spending but we’re a laughing stock. Harbaugh is overrated plain and simple we put our hope in harbaugh including me and it failed miserably that’s it

Joined: 03/28/2010

MGoPoints: 17468

Lawyer12

January 1st, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^

Elite talent? Not at the moment we don’t. Elite facilities? Not compared to top 5 teams. Also, we don’t win, so we can’t recruit. It takes a special QB in college to come along and win some games so the team can thrive for a few years with otherwise lesser talent. That’s how OSU did it, Clemson, the list goes on.

Joined: 12/17/2012

MGoPoints: 3066

Human Torpedo

January 1st, 2018 at 6:44 PM ^

I mean where's the waterfall? Where's the gigantic nutrition center? Where's the barber shop or the arcade/lounge area? If they exist for our football program at Schembechhler Hall I certainly haven't seen the pictures online of them. Heck, mediocre programs like Texas A&M destroy us in that department

Joined: 01/15/2016

MGoPoints: 2195

The Fugitive

January 1st, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^

Too many distractions like jumping into swimming pools..and I hate to say it but I feel like the players were focused on ChadTough more than the game. Noble cause for sure, but the energy wasn't there. Idk how to say that nicely.

Joined: 01/26/2016

MGoPoints: 77786

HireWayne

January 1st, 2018 at 4:57 PM ^

They recruit soft players from nice neighborhoods who win in the classroom. Loosen up admissions for tough players like every other elite program. In advance, I'm not responding to any arrogant "Where do you go to college?" or "You're a Walmart Wolverines" responses.

Joined: 09/30/2016

MGoPoints: 5111

Yeoman

January 1st, 2018 at 5:57 PM ^

And they've had it for 30+ years. They believe in it, recruit to it, coach to it, and everyone buys in--you don't hear people in Wisconsin saying they need to catch up to the modern world. They're proud of what they do and how they do it.

We used to have an identity. Then we went from Quarterback U. to SlotNinja U. to Pretending-to-be-Manball-But-We're-Really-Mad-Bombers U. to We're-Not-Kidding-About-the-Manball U. in one decade.

Joined: 06/08/2011

MGoPoints: 21390

turtleboy

January 1st, 2018 at 5:21 PM ^

The obvious answer is: because you touch yourself at night. I'm only kidding, of course. I largely feel the same way. It feels like other programs go from strength to strength and we've been treading water for decades.

Joined: 04/22/2011

MGoPoints: 35130

Wolverine in DR

January 1st, 2018 at 4:58 PM ^

The question now becomes, who gets fired after this. Definitely something is missing Passion, fire, strength to maintain it through four quarters.... I don't know, but changes need to be made

Joined: 01/05/2016

MGoPoints: 29

UM Fan from Sydney

January 1st, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^

I, too, ask myself this. I am fed up with this shit. The losses don’t even bother me like they used to. I am so used to seeing failure. The last fifteen years have not been kind. Obviously some bright spots in there, but overall it has been shit. I miss being elite.

Joined: 09/17/2015

MGoPoints: 58076

Losher

January 1st, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^

I will keep saying that the team is going to go nowhere if they can not sit back there and blow the other teams off the ball. they cant run the ball and they can barely pass protect at a level that makes a qb feel like he can stand back there and take his time and make throws and reads that need to be made to make good decisions. the offense needs to spread teams out more and that will create more running lanes and make things easier to bock when you have 6 guys to block 6 defenders. it just seems like all the teams that win lots of games do this with their offense and do it succesfully. they are then able to get the ball to their athletes in space and allow them to make plays on the move, where michigan throws the ball to recievers in good coverage or when they are standing still and that doesnt allow them to make plays when the ball is in their hands. 

Joined: 06/02/2012

MGoPoints: 827

Losher

January 1st, 2018 at 5:11 PM ^

drevno needs to go too. on oline coach clling plays when the offensive line is terrible just makes no freakin' sense. he can barely get the couple of guys hes in charge of to do the right thing let alone have run over the whole offense. it just needs to be a huge change

Joined: 06/02/2012

MGoPoints: 827

Jeep

January 1st, 2018 at 5:12 PM ^

We as fans get inundated with all the recruiting, preseason, coahing and everyday media hype so they can sell subscriptions and get tv and radio ratings.  We get hype weather we deserve it or not, because the media makes money from eyeballs and Michigan has more than just about any program. 

We as fans buy into the hype and why wouldn't we?  Who doesn't want to hear how good thier team is going to be.    

The truth is the other schools hire good coahes and have just as many scholarships as we do.  The only thing many of them don't have is the massive fan base Michigan has, so they don't get the media hype.   

So are we underachiving?  Look who is setting the standard.  The media and they just want to make money off the Michigan fan base.  An argument could be made that this team overachived.  

Joined: 11/05/2017

MGoPoints: 159