2018: I'll leave the board (not that anyone cares) if Michigan doesn't go at least 10-2 RS

Submitted by ScooterTooter on

I've had my time to vent. Now I want to bring some perspective back to the board. 

Regardless of what happened today (which was an abysmal loss), Michigan will be a more talented team next year than they were this year. 

On offense they return:

Bredeson, Onwenu, Ruiz, JBB, Gentry, McKeon, DPJ, Evans, Higdon, Black and numerous other contributors. They have three legitimate options at QB. Peters was not good today, but the offense was missing a number of players and he is only a RS Freshman. Patterson was a 5-star QB. McCaffery was also highly rated. 

On defense:

Gary, Bush, Hudson, Long, Hill, Metellus, Kinnel, Hudson, Furbush, Watson and possibly WInovich. While I think the defense was overhyped, they were certainly a very good and very young unit. They should improve despite losing Hurst and even if they lose Winovich. 

I will gladly take returning nearly the entire team + Jim Harbaugh's entire body of work and predict that this team wins at least ten regular season games. I have said I was not surprised when Michigan won 10 games in 2015 while many of you were shocked. I will make the same prediction today and to be frank, it doesn't even feel bold. 

The real question will be whether or not Michigan can take that 10 win baseline and turn it into a special season. If one of the QBs actually wins the job (and not just by default like the last couple of years) and if the offensive line can produce above average tackles among their half dozen bullets, I think its well within the realm of possibility. 

What say you? 

MGoBoard

Don

January 1st, 2018 at 7:18 PM ^

There's nothing wrong with having an optimistic opinion, but it's one that you can't back up with empirical evidence from recent history. What you have is faith and hope. 

Faith and hope don't win football games. Consistently excellent coaching and playing do, and this season hasn't provided much of either.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148411

ScooterTooter

January 1st, 2018 at 7:27 PM ^

2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016 say otherwise. 

All four of those seasons Michigan had a team returning loads of experience and had successful seasons (even if they weren't as successful as they could have been). 

I know people will think 2012 shouldn't be on there, but that team was good and was on pace for at least a division title until Denard got hurt against Nebraska. 

 

Joined: 06/01/2017

MGoPoints: 5841

ScooterTooter

January 1st, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^

Its simple man: Were you surprised that Michigan went 10-3 in 2015? 

From your posting, yeah probably. Its because you didn't buy the logic that highly ranked recruiting classes, better coaching and experience mattered. 

You're the same way now. 

Its simple. Michigan is lacking experience this year. They probably need to make a couple changes on the offensive staff. That's about it to get to 10 wins next year. To go beyond that? They'll need better than Speight 2016 at QB and at least one competent tackle. 

Joined: 06/01/2017

MGoPoints: 5841

andrewgr

January 1st, 2018 at 8:08 PM ^

Ohio State was younger then Michigan this year.  And has a much better recruiting class coming in. 

Michigan State was younger than Michigan this year.

Wisconsin is bringing back almost all of their key players.

The Wolverines may very well improve next year; it's questionable to assume they'll necessarily win more games as a result.

Joined: 11/15/2013

MGoPoints: 3059

Wolverine_for_Life

January 1st, 2018 at 7:31 PM ^

But what makes you think next year will be any better? We had a young team, sure but this offense showed no signs of improvement the entire year! Will the summer/off season magically fix everything? I’d be ok with the loses if we showed that we were making adjustments and improving along the way..next year’s schedule is no cake walk.

Joined: 12/06/2015

MGoPoints: 223

Giff4484

January 1st, 2018 at 7:10 PM ^

Look I get it but I have seen teams overcome losses of starters and not miss a beat. I mean Auburn beat Bama with guys missing. Ohio St won a national title with a 3rd string qb. Good programs just plug and play. Clemson lost their National title winning qb and starting rb and didnt really miss a beat this year. 

Michigan just isnt there yet or even close at this point. I can't even see us winning 10 games until I see our line next year. We won't beat any good to great teams next year if we run and pass block like we have been for a decade.

Joined: 08/16/2009

MGoPoints: 2628

93Grad

January 1st, 2018 at 7:12 PM ^

Same overrated and thoroughly mediocre coaching staff with zero reliable OTs nd a brutal schedule. 5 losses wouldn’t shock me at all.

Joined: 07/26/2011

MGoPoints: 13755

Tuebor

January 1st, 2018 at 7:12 PM ^

8-4 No way we win @msu and @osu. Then i see us losing two (or more) more out of psu, wisconsin, nebraska+frost, @nd, and @northwestern.

Joined: 03/14/2011

MGoPoints: 17467

Goblueman

January 1st, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^

the offense has been bad all year with 3 different QB's.The whole scheme needs to be reevaluated.How many times did we run our 2 smallish RB's between the tackles this year behind a clearly sub par O-line? 

Joined: 11/09/2009

MGoPoints: 4121

Muttley

January 1st, 2018 at 7:50 PM ^

Our offense was terrible all day long, not just in the second half.

We got to 19 mostly from gifts from SC, the FGs coming on possessions starting from

  • the SC 46 (fumbled punt)
  • the SC 31 (fumbled handoff))
  • the M 40 (kick catch interference 15 yds)
  • the SC 32 (Furbush INT, Higdon fumble, SC Punt))

A decent offense would have turned those opportunities into far more than 12 points.

Joined: 07/07/2009

MGoPoints: -73245

allintime23

January 1st, 2018 at 7:20 PM ^

Sooner or later you’ll have to realize it doesn’t matter how many starters we return. It doesn’t matter what stars they were or how many touchdowns they’ve scored. The coaches that are coaching them are the problem in the grand scheme of things. We have the players, now it’s time to coach better. To game plan. You can’t have two weeks off before a rivalry game and show up flat. You can’t have five weeks to scheme for a lower tier sec team with no offense and show up like we did today. Until we coach kids up and make good in game choices it doesn’t matter.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 15225

Jimmyisgod

January 1st, 2018 at 7:29 PM ^

8-4 next season. Lose @MSU. Vs Wisconsin and @OSU. Lose 1 of NW, PSU, and ND. 8-4, 7-5 is next most likely. 9-3 would be overachieving. 10-2 would be amazing, don't see it happening.

Joined: 01/24/2012

MGoPoints: 10342

jjelliso

January 1st, 2018 at 7:30 PM ^

What does it mean to return a bunch of starters and inept coaches from a dogshit team?  These guys couldn't get anything done this year, no reason to think they will next year either.

Joined: 10/04/2008

MGoPoints: 3558

newtopos

January 1st, 2018 at 7:42 PM ^

There was a wholesale change in coaches from 2014 to 2015 (and Rudock)!

With Pep Hamilton this year, our offense is now ranked right around where our defense was during the last year of RR's tenure.  What 2018 looks like will depend a lot on what our staff next year looks like (on offense).  (On defense, Don Brown and the rest are producing results that are keeping the team above .500.)

Joined: 09/26/2009

MGoPoints: 3434

ScooterTooter

January 1st, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^

Rudock sucked until the Rutgers game. Michigan was a total fluke against MSU away from being a one loss team at that point. So it wasn't just Rudock!

It was the team as a whole getting better + better coaching. The staff isn't bad now, the experience is just not there. However, are we maxing out potential in our staff? Probably not. 

Joined: 06/01/2017

MGoPoints: 5841

ppudge

January 1st, 2018 at 7:33 PM ^

I remember - back in the day when we were actually good in football - that a pre-season publication wrote about Indiana's typically abysmal defense: "Good news: all 11 starters are back. Bad news: all 11 starters are back."

I feel that way about our offense.

Joined: 10/19/2008

MGoPoints: 11462

UM Fan from Sydney

January 1st, 2018 at 8:13 PM ^

It truly is a mystery. Go figure we lack good players (hopefully Shea is finally the answer for a couple of seasons) at the two most important positions in football - quarterback amd offensive line.

Joined: 09/17/2015

MGoPoints: 58076