The excuse of Age
One of the big things we have heard all year was how age would be a huge problem for this team. It's roundly said here and pretty much everywhere, and is also roundly decried by opposing fans from their coolers and farm yards. I was considering doing a breakdown on age and it's true effects, but before I wasted any of my time was curious if anyone had already done something similar. We saw a very young QB in GA and AL play in the national championship, but are those aberrations, or does age really have little to do with the outcome.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:12 AM ^
I wish some good content would come along. These posts are completely empty and redundant.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:55 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
and plug him in to a team returning with 5 AAs, one each at WR, TE and RB and all conference along the line ,chances are he's going to do pretty good. Tell him to simply turn and hand off to your AA RB who is following two of your All Conference linemen on each play. Do you think his stats will be better or worse than the jr. qb who did a decent job the year before but lost 6 or his teammates, all of them fellow starters? Relevance my good man, relevance.
Age is a factor no doubt. When youth is everywhere its going to suck for a while, longer than normal. It really didn't hurt Henne and Leach as much as it could have, although Henne was hurt by a lot more than youth. Imagine if we had a walk on qb running the show with only one starter returning. We did that didn't we. That sucked as well. My point is everything is different and in this case, if all else were equal, you'd still have two of the best young qbs we've sen in awhile.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:25 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^
while watching that National Championship Game that we had a lot of "Silver Medals in Recruiting" running around on that field. Leatherwood, Isaah Wilson, Najee Harris, Nauta... The point is, our coaches haven't closed the deal on the recruiting trail with enough high-end athletes capable of making the sort of instant impact the OP speaks of, and that is particularly true on the offensive side of the ball.
January 11th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 10:57 AM ^
Its almost like recruiting matters and you'd prefer for coaches to get their top choices rather than settling for plan b projects if you want to be elite. I.e. why a lot of people are unhappy with this years recruiting. But I guess this years recruiting class is the one year getting all plan b kids and losing out on top targets is the better way to go because reasons.
January 11th, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:20 AM ^
Not so great for recruiting
January 11th, 2018 at 10:46 AM ^
This is why I use adblock and MGo is becomming a waste of time. Brian???
January 11th, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 3:31 PM ^
bad the first couple of years.
'15 was 31.4 points/game
'16 was 40.3 points/game
This year was bad at 25.2 ppg.
Did bad things happen this year? Yes. Have mistakes been made? Yes. Is Harbaugh perfect? No. Do I like him better than Hoke or RR? Very much yes, for reasons I've stated before (development seems better prior to this year. We aren't physically manhandled by MSU, etc.)
But I'm still inclined to let him have his head with this team. Where else would we go? Who would be better?
I graduated in '96. Had season tickets every year. Our records during those years were:
|
1992 |
Gary Moeller |
9-0-3 |
6-0-2 |
1 |
Rose |
|
1993 |
Gary Moeller |
8-4-0 |
5-3-0 |
T4 |
Hall of Fame |
|
1994 |
Gary Moeller |
8-4-0 |
5-3-0 |
3 |
Holiday |
|
1995 |
Lloyd Carr |
9-4-0 |
5-3-0 |
T3 |
Alamo |
|
1996 |
Lloyd Carr |
8-4-0 |
5-3-0 |
T5 |
Outback |
And that was versus a weaker B1G.
I'm no more inclined to rip Harbaugh a new one after an 8-5 season than I was for 2 8-4's under Moeller and one under Lloyd.
January 11th, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^
I am fully convinced that if during a certain night game in early October, Michigan coughs up the ball 2 or 3 times instead of an abnormal 5 and it's a normal weather situaiton, a great many of these gripe threads would never have been created the last couple months.
And with all that random bologna happening, Michigan still damn near pulled it out at the end. With a guy under center who simply wasn't major college able.
And with the end of 2017, so ended the Hoke era of coaching malpractice quarterback recruiting and development.
You simply cannot compare Michigan's situation with any other program in the Power 5 which won more games than them. It falls apart on surface analysis in under a minute.
January 11th, 2018 at 11:07 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
All Jimmy did was win with Hoke's recruits.
January 11th, 2018 at 2:58 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:08 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:12 AM ^
Youth, inexperience, and a lack of 5 star level talent meant we probably weren't ever going to win a natty or even conference championship this year. And that's fine.
What's NOT fine is the level of incompetence displayed throughout the entire year. Our offensive line couldn't stop anything, nothing, there's no way out our talent is THAT bad. Our receiving core and qb play was a dumpster fire this year. I'm not talking about the line holding solid and throwing great routes, i'm talking about the uncommon well thrown balls that were almost guaranteed drops or the wide open guys who not one of 3 QB's could hit.
There was something stinky going on with the offensive coaching staff this year.
January 11th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 12:15 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
By the end of the season, we weren't that young. Those guys got a ton of experience. There is no excuse for our bowl performance.
We've had a lot of transfers since Harbaugh arrived, and we'll continue to have them going forward. There will be less serniors starting because of it.
Fuck MSU, but it's crazy that they had less upperclassmen starting than we did. I think they buck the trend and we shouldn't compare ourselves to them, they're an anomoly in terms of youth performing well, especially considering most of their guys weren't ranked as high as ours.
Bottom line is that the schedule is much hareder in 2018, but despite that we have to get it done, 2018 is the biggest year for Michigan Football I can remmebrer.
January 11th, 2018 at 3:34 PM ^
I agree, why compare ourselves to a team we can't beat (MSU) when we can compare ourselves to teams we really really can't beat (OSU)?
January 11th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^
Besides their QB, 2 OL, 1 WR, and 1 DL, UGA was true JR and older for all starters. Brandon Peters would have looked as good as Fromm with those running backs, those WR, and that OL.
January 11th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
I don't understand the idea people have on this blog that any team regardless of age / experience / talent / injuries / any other factors can achieve a near perfect season as long as they have the right coach.
Also, there's this other nearly universal idea that any team that isn't curb stomping all opponents by year 3, regardless of any of the factors listed above, is entirely because of bad coaching.
It is mind boggling to me.
January 11th, 2018 at 1:15 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 1:45 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
Youth played a part. Yes, MSU had a young squad too, but while they had a better season they were 2 games up on us, not 5. They also had a consistent starting QB all year, and (I think) an intact WR corps. If Speight stays on his feet and Black doesn't break his I think this season looks alot different.
Development played some issues. How is it that O'Korn, with 3 years in system, doesn't do well, still?!? Why is pass pro such an issue still?
To me playcalling stems from some weird coaching decisions. Harbaugh's first two years here with Drev and Fisch and we are considered a team tough to defend against due to our variability. We had good shit. This year we are considered a bad playcalling team with Pep and Drev.
Pep as the part time WR coach didn't seem to work well.
Frey coming in and our switch to partial IZ didn't seem to work well, and seemed to stunt OL development a bit.
Harbaugh seemed to step back a bit from the Offense.
The failure to grab tackles (still) is biting us in the ass.
Finally, there were injuries. Injuries to the line. Injuries to the QB corps. Injuries to Black....
Add all that stuff together and you have a toxic stew.
But... each season is a discrete event. While we have big issues its college ball. Big advances can be made in a year. Last year MSU fans were going 'We're 3-9 with off the field issues, locker room issues, and a young squad coming in next year... doom'. It worked out for them.
I submit that people see 8-5 and aren't pissed. They see 1-4 and are pissed. But they miss the point. MSU under Hoke and Rich Rod manhandled and embarrassed us. Under harbaugh they are winning but barely. Hoke had some inspired games vs. OSU, but except against Fickell always lost. He also gave us some barn burners vs. Akron (!!!).
I have faith in this team, in this staff. I don't get all the vitriol other than people like to get pissed off, and want instant fixes and changes. Okay, we get rid of Drev and Pep. Like when we got rid of Borgess for Nus it doesn't mean shit.
I'd rather have stability and planning over fake 'accountability'.
January 11th, 2018 at 3:59 PM ^
Youth is an excuse for MSU as well. It was a major reason they weren't better. It was a major reason that they beat Michigan by 4 instead of killing them. It's the same reason that they only scored over 30 points in regulation once during the regular season vs power 5 teams. It's a major reason they averaged 3.6 ypc against Rutgers in the final game of the regular season. They made out better than Michigan over the course of the season for a variety of reasons (their QB play was a big part of that, specifically, their QB's legs).
But most people on this board dismiss all that, because they watched every Michigan game and followed Michigan's struggles closely, all while watching MSU from a different perspective, if watching MSU at all.
Michigan needs to learn how to win. They need to learn to get some "steal in their spines". They need to get better. They need to do a lot of things. But it's not just one game, it's not just one season, it's a program that needs to be built. And building programs typically takes time. We ain't doing better than Harbaugh, be patient. All this throwing up our hands in fits of rage while screaming "UNACCEPTABLE" does nothing to help this program improve. All the self-loathing, while probably cathartic, doesn't help either. And I know someone will likely say "what some random person on a blog doesn't impact what the players do", it does, especially when that action becomes a growing chorus.
Many fans were way, way too quick to gloat, and weren't deserving of doing such. Now a bunch of people really need to sack up. Accept the season for what it was, the many factors that need to be improved upon, and trust that Harbaugh is the guy to appopriately address those things.
January 11th, 2018 at 8:46 PM ^
Especially this "And I know someone will likely say "what some random person on a blog doesn't impact what the players do", it does, especially when that action becomes a growing chorus."
I understand the need for the buttercups to vent and rant, but when the overwhelming tone on the most popular Michigan sports blog, perhaps the most popular college sports blog, on the internet gets this insanely negative it does have an effect on the team and the program. The vast majority of folks here credit mgoblog with taking down Dave Brandon and then in the same breath say that what is said here is "just opinion". Can't have it both ways boys and girls.
Occasionally a college program can lose 2 QBs to injury and manage to have the depth across the entire offense to win out, but that's rare, and especially rare in the 2nd full year of a coach's recruiting. The team is fine. Harbaugh will deal with whatever coaching issues may or may not exist on his staff. The ability to absorb massive losses in players,whether to injury or graduation, or the NFL draft and "just reload" is 2 two perhaps three years away. Harbaugh will get the program there, and there is exactly nothing he can do about the RIchRod or Hoke years, so stop whining about them. Suck it up and support the program.
January 11th, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^
Why is experience not respected by some? Having the depth of experience on the offensive and defensive line really elevates play at the other positions, especially skilled positions. If you put a Saquon Barkley behind a Georgia/Bama lines and you have the reincarnation of a Herchel Walker...
Besides, we just weren't that good last year due to many things mixed together:
1. Youth
2. Coaching
3. Injuries
Lets move on and Go Blue!
January 11th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^
Every 5-Star Blue Chip guy we have (spoiler alert: not many) have played under Harbaugh.
-Gary
-Solomon (borderline)
-Patterson
January 11th, 2018 at 1:54 PM ^
Looks like the youth in our RB corp may need to step up if K. Walker is out. I know some peeps yesterday were squashing the supposed rumor, but it popped back up today. I don't know if true or not but I won't be suprised is he is somewhere else next season.
January 11th, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^
Is that they had issues in areas where they are relatively more experienced, such as QB and OL. Lack of depth in those areas is a definite concern. Peters' regression in the bowl game is a definite concern. Playcalling and offensive philosophy was a definite concern. Pretty much the only area where "youth" was an apparant problem was at WR. Everything else seems more endemic.
January 11th, 2018 at 2:30 PM ^
Yeah, but Michigan lost 3 games with a senior laden team too last year... not to mention 11 NFL picks and a total of 16 that signed NFL contracts...
They didn't struggle with youth last year and still couldn't win big.
Will Michigan fans still be citing youth next year? or will it be "new coaching" or "new system" or "new QB"?
At the end of the day, its about winning...hell PSU should have all the excueses in the world and they won the B1G championship last year (Franklin's 3rd) with a brand new QB and new OC and new DC...
Look, I love and support Harbaugh as much as anyone, however, the grace period is over now that he's entering Year 4...
January 11th, 2018 at 6:17 PM ^
January 11th, 2018 at 2:55 PM ^
is not a legitimate excuse.