Importance of winning next weekend

Submitted by karpodiem on

we have to win.

Geeting the feeling that there are directional cues (for the future) baked into this game, maybe a bit more than the past two games. This will decide if we have a realistic chance at cracking the top 5 in the Big10 (at the five spot)

HAIL-YEA

October 24th, 2010 at 3:53 AM ^

is you trolling this board on a Saturday night. Shouldn't you be celibrating your teams amazing rally to beat Northwestern right now? If you're out of couches I got a few that you could have..i'm ready for new ones anyway. Our team is on a bye week and it's still more important to you then msu is. Obsessed much? Time for you to grow up little brother. the same trashy routine is getting old. 

In reply to by M-Wolverine

locd32

October 24th, 2010 at 12:26 AM ^

Too bad you are living in the past.

3-0

34-17

8-0

Dantonio BigTen wins at the big house = 2

DickRod BigTen wins at the big house = 2

Over a thousand days and counting?

lilpenny1316

October 23rd, 2010 at 9:41 PM ^

In all honesty, this is the first game of the last three that we should be expected to win, and even that's a close call.  I believe that our D puts us on the same level as this year's version NW, Illinois and PSU.  So this is a game we have to win to have a great shot at finishing in the top division and getting one of the five billion New Years games.

It's also on national TV at night when most of the high school shouldn't be in action.  So that means a live, captive audience of recruits and their coaches.

And finally, we need this so we can finally feel good.  I want to watch the Muppets play Temptation dammit!  I had a sick feeling the last two weeks seeing Sparty come back and win.  I've never felt like that towards them.  It's weird.  I need a 6 win Michigan team with lots of momentum.

lilpenny1316

October 23rd, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^

I feel what you're saying about Demens.  It seems that he will clearly be taking more snaps than Ezeh.  I think the secondary is now what holds us back from leaving the middle/low class and join the lead pack. 

Oh yeah, and the turnovers and special teams.

BlueinLansing

October 23rd, 2010 at 9:50 PM ^

be the biggest game in RR's short 3 season's.

 

Lose this one and finding a win in the last 4 seems difficult, even though we play Purdue.  A Win could give them the confidence to beat Illinois and Purdue, and give OSU/Wisky runs for their money.

MichiganFootball

October 23rd, 2010 at 9:59 PM ^

Two weeks to prepare and get healthy against a PSU team that's down, young, and potentially playing without their starting qb. Yeah I'd say I expect to see a pretty good performance by Michigan. Other than the fact that the game is at PSU, the other intangibles seem like they are in our favor. I kind of have the sense that this team is ever going to deliver/break through it's going to be against Penn State. Players keep saying this isn't last years team, this is their chance to show everyone. Not like it can really get worse but a loss will probably rachet up expectations of a late season swoon.

Muttley

October 23rd, 2010 at 10:00 PM ^

Penn State at 62 & Purdue at 65

Win, and we could be looking at 8-4 & stoked about 2011.

Lose, and Illinois & Purdue take on job security magnitude importance.

jml969

October 23rd, 2010 at 10:06 PM ^

will be pivotal. Last year we couldn't beat the teams we were supposed to beat. This year has to be different. This will show growth and some maturity for this program. If they lose... ugh-- I don't want to think about it.

a2bluefan

October 23rd, 2010 at 10:52 PM ^

Honestly, of the next 3 games, if we HAD to lose one, I'd probably rather it be at PSU. The problem with that is the timing. 3 consecutive losses sets off a 2010=2009 firestorm. Illinois has shown some signs of life... not that they're so great, but they've been putting some points on the board. And I REALLLY can't stand the thought of losing to Danny Hope again....  that game needs to be a beatdown 

Bottom line: must win next 3 at least.

dahblue

October 23rd, 2010 at 11:07 PM ^

As far as the overall success of the season (or whether RR stays or gets the boot)?  Not very.  

As far as providing a little mental pepto-bismol for the fans?  Very.

M-Wolverine

October 23rd, 2010 at 11:17 PM ^

How can you say it doesn't matter very much on whether he stays or goes? Win and 7 is probably a lock, with a good chance at 8, and a pull one out of your ass shot at 9. Lose and it may be the start of the end. So how can it not matter?

dahblue

October 23rd, 2010 at 11:57 PM ^

It's not that I think he should be gone (although that was my opinion after last season and may be again after this season).  Unless we have an epic collapse, I think he gets the full season to show what he can do. 

This one game, against Penn State on the road at night can, frankly, be rationalized just as the losses to Iowa and MSU.  It doesn't mean that I'll be anything but upset if we lose, but most people assumed we'd lose to PSU so it wouldn't be a shock (and could be explained in that manner).  Of course, my pending heart attack would greatly appreciate a victory.

NateVolk

October 23rd, 2010 at 11:35 PM ^

Lots of great positives would spring from it for the future. Those positives are all still achievable with a loss.

But we'll be healthy, rested,  and prepared against a teetering opponent on the 8 p.m. time slot.  So why wait?

Very confident in this team mostly because they care to be good as a team.

Anonymosity

October 24th, 2010 at 12:07 AM ^

In terms of the future of the program, the next three games might be the most important we've ever seen.  Why?

Worst case (and ignoring the possibility that the NCAA goes way overboard with their punishment):

If Michigan misses a bowl game this year, despite what Dave Brandon says, you have to think we might see another coaching change, and then we'd have the transfers and recruits decommitting associated with that, further depleting a defense already lacking depth, and taking away the mastermind behind the offense that gives this team any chance to win.

Several losing seasons in a row would have an obvious impact on Michigan's national relevance, inevitably leading to a decline in national recruiting success, so it would be tougher to rebuild using Florida and Ohio and Texas kids.  MSU, being the dominant program in the state at the moment, already has a stranglehold on what little in-state talent there is, and this will likely only get stronger with a BCS game appearance forthcoming.  That pretty much removes the possibility of rebuilding with in-state kids.

If things break badly over the next three weeks, I think there's a very real chance we could see Michigan slip into a long-term Minnesota/Purdue/Illinois-like state of mediocrity, or worse.  Of course, the one thing Michigan has that those teams don't that could drag it out would be $$$$$$$$.

So, maybe my ramblings are insane... but the way I see it, the future of the program and the possibility of ever seeing our team compete for a championship again could depend heavily on picking up a couple wins over these next three games.

Feel free to neg!

Groan

October 24th, 2010 at 12:24 AM ^

If Rodriguez is canned, who, exactly, WOULD UM's players transfer to? Especially the defensive players. Are there some MAC teams that need these guys?

All we've been hearing for three years now is how bad the talent is at UM--yet so many chicken littles seemingly expect half the roster to follow Rodriguez out the door. I don't get it.

I'm quite sure this roster would stay intact if Rodriguez gets fired. Most of Rodriguez's recruits either love Michigan or had about ZERO offers from big time programs.

And alot of these guys would be entering their third and fourth years at Michigan. Hardly transfer material, especially when they'd have to sit out a year.

Anonymosity

October 24th, 2010 at 12:39 AM ^

I guess I was thinking more about decommits than transfers.  As we've seen, it is absolutely critical that some defense depth is obtained over these next couple recruiting classes, and that's what I'd be concerned with in that scenario.  I think you're right that most of the players would stick around because it's Michigan, regardless of who the coach is.

Let's hope we don't find out what happens if Michgian ends up stuck on five wins again.  I'm still thinking 7-5 is the most likely case, and I think they come out of Happy Valley with a W.

dahblue

October 24th, 2010 at 12:44 AM ^

Well...possible...but consider that roughly half of our commits have offers from a school with a style very different from ours (Stanford, and no, I'm not advocating for Harbaugh...but consider it as a thought of common recruits).  Many of our commits may be fine with a new head coach even if he's very different from our current coach.

It might also be (should be have a new coach) that a new coach brings with him a number of commits excited to play for that coach in A2.  Who knows?

BlueinLansing

October 24th, 2010 at 12:50 AM ^

"MSU, being the dominant program in the state at the moment, already has a stranglehold on what little in-state talent there is, and this will likely only get stronger with a BCS game appearance forthcoming.  That pretty much removes the possibility of rebuilding with in-state kids."

 

You do realize that right now UM has commitments from 4 of the top 11 kids in this here state and are most likely going to get #3 Zettel and are recruting #2 Arnett, a bit of a longshot.  If they land just Zettel that makes 3 of the top 6 and 5 of the top 11.     State currently has 2 with a max of 4 possible and thats if they somehow nab Zettel, and I don't think Arnett is all that high on Sparty.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/footballrecruiting/football/recruiting/rankings/rank-2704;_ylt=ApVU4KIXVY1ICob_CtR.1ldGPZB4

State has 2 top 11 commits from Michigan

Anonymosity

October 24th, 2010 at 1:06 AM ^

I stand corrected, for this recruiting class.  I don't really follow recruiting as it's ongoing, I really only look at how Michigan and our rivals fared around signing day, so I wasn't aware of the current instate situation compared to MSU.  Just in terms of MI recruits, I think MSU cleaned up in the last class or two, didn't they?

uminks

October 24th, 2010 at 3:50 AM ^

5-7 or 10-2, RR should be given to the end of his contract.  IMO...PSU and Purdue look to be very winnable games.  IL may be a tough one and who knows, if we are on a 3 game winning streak we could take out Whiskey!  OSU will be tough!  I'm thinking 9-3 here!

victors2000

October 24th, 2010 at 8:42 AM ^

There is not going to be an implosion. This team is over that 'hump' between a team that can't make it and a team that can. It didn't show in the win column the past two Saturdays, but this 'experiment' as some called it has officially turned into 'The Program'. From here on out, the team will enjoy success; it may be an upward trending stock market type success but the losing seasons will be behind us.

That said, yes these next three games are big, in a sense that we go up against teams that are around our caliber of talent. Winning 2 out of 3 would be good, losing 2 out of three would not be good. Let's take them one at a time and GO BLUE!!!

Princetonwolverine

October 24th, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^

We are 2-0 in away games. Unfortunately, we are not trouncing opponents at home (except maybe BGU). Being at PSU is not a big issue IMHO.