How good will this team be in Rich Rod's 4th season!?

Submitted by k06em01 on
Many reasonable and knowledgable people have been saying that RichRod's 4th season will be his make or break season. The expectation is more or less that we will be a serious contender for the Big10 title in this season. So, even though it's tough to project, let's take a look at how this team might look... Looking at this really makes you recognize just how many freshmen and sophomores we have starting/playing significant roles. I think that experience is going to pay off, big time. For the most part, I've kept the depth chart as is, even though we're all hoping/expecting some of the younger players to beat out current starters like Kovacs. Furthermore, I've also decided not to include some of the current prospects that we seem to have the inside track on, like Cullen Christian, Tony Grimes, Big Tex, and Clarence Murphy. Keep in mind that we have a good chance to land all four of those players, a safety (Rashad Knight?), a linebacker (Josh Furman?), and an entire other class. QB: Forcier (Jr.)/Gardner (So./Fr.), Robinson (Jr.) SB: Smith (Jr.), Shaw (Sr.), Toussaint (So.), White (So./Fr.) FB: Cox (Jr.), Hopkins (So./Fr.) WR: Hemingway (Sr.), Stokes (Jr.), Robinson (So./Fr.), Jackson (So./Fr.) WR: Stounum (Sr.), Gordon (So.), Miller (Sr./Fr.), Williamson (So./Fr.) SR: Odoms (Sr.), Grady (Sr.), Gallon (So.), Dileo (So./Fr.) SR: Roundtree (Jr.), Robinson (Jr.), Drake (So./Fr.) TE: Koger (Sr.), Moore (So.) LT: Lewan (So.), Schofield (So.) LG: Barnum (Jr.), Mealer (Jr.) C: Molk (Sr.), Khoury (Jr.), Pace (So./Fr.) RG: Omameh (Jr.), Washington (So.) RT: Huyge (Sr.) NT: Campbell (Jr.) DT: Martin (Sr.), Talbott (So./Fr.) DE: Van Bergen (Sr.), LaLota (So.), Paskorz (So./Fr.), Heininger (Sr.) DB: Roh (Jr.), Wilkins (So./Fr.), Kinnard (So./Fr.), Herron (Sr.), Watson (Sr.) MLB: Fitzgerald (Sr.), Demens (Jr.) WLB: Leach (Sr.), Bell (So.) SLB: Jones (Jr.)/Hawthorne (So.)/Robinson (So./Fr.), Simmons (Jr.) SS: Smith (Jr.), Gordon (So.), Jones (So./Fr.), VanSlyke (Sr.) FS: Kovacs (Jr.), Williams (Sr.), Emilien (Jr.), Johnson (So./Fr.) CB: Turner (So.), Jones (Jr.), Talbott (So./Fr.) CB: Floyd (Jr.), Avery (So./Fr.), Brown (Fr.) K: Gibbons (So.) P: Hagerup (So./Fr.) LS: Pomarico (Sr.), Glanda (Jr.), Van Bergen (Sr.) KR: Stonum (Sr.), Smith (Jr.), Grady (Sr.) PR: Hemingway (Sr.), Odoms (Sr.), Dileo? (Fr./So.)
MGoBoard

maizenblue92

November 16th, 2009 at 9:06 PM ^

I understand year 3 is going to be better. But lets worry about 4 after year 3. I mean alot can change. There can be transfers, dismissals, etc.(our defense) But I do like when fans stay positive but lets take it one year at a time. OK.

Joined: 01/01/2009

MGoPoints: 19715

Magnum P.I.

November 17th, 2009 at 12:34 AM ^

You call Kovacs, Leach, and Floyd being number one on the depth chart at their respective positions light at the end of the tunnel? Yikes. Not to be a downer, but I don't understand why people have this notion that we'll be Big Ten/national championship contenders in 2011. Personally, I need some evidence that things can start turning that way. I hope. I hope. I hope. But I'm not writing us in for a 9-3 season any time in the near future until we show signs of being that kind of team.

Joined: 07/16/2009

MGoPoints: 30660

k06em01

November 17th, 2009 at 1:51 AM ^

#1) They will all be better in two years - Leach, Kovacs, Williams, Floyd. #2) There is obviously going to be increased talent behind them. They will probably not start. I didn't feel like getting into the speculation there. If you want to, be my guest.

Joined: 10/31/2009

MGoPoints: 452

wigeon

November 16th, 2009 at 8:53 PM ^

I am tired of threads like these. Not a slam at you (good job staying optimistic), just an overall comment on the state of things. I guess it beats the "our safeties and lb's are putrid" comments. Just get this season over and let's move football off the burner for 3 months.

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 7081

Hoken's Heroes

November 16th, 2009 at 9:02 PM ^

It remains to be seen how the D will stack up next year with still a lot of young and inexperienced players on the D side of the ball. It's why getting to a bowl game was so important this year for those extra practices. I just don't see UM doing much against Ohio State. How could they when they couldn't do much in stopping Purdue and all the other teams?

Joined: 04/14/2009

MGoPoints: -97672

PurpleStuff

November 16th, 2009 at 9:00 PM ^

Every single unit on the team should be dramatically improved except maybe running back (even before you take into account the rest of this recruiting class and the next one). All you have to do is hold this depth chart up next to the current one and it should be obvious that the 2011 Wolverines will be a serious force to be reckoned with.

Joined: 04/21/2009

MGoPoints: 15969

buddha

November 16th, 2009 at 9:16 PM ^

i have a feeling that UM next year will be similar to the miami hurricanes of this year...a very young, very athletic team with huge upside...probably gonna make some bad decisions here and there, but the games should be much more fun to watch than this year.

Joined: 10/08/2009

MGoPoints: 5033

PeterKlima

November 16th, 2009 at 9:39 PM ^

I don't understand. Barring some drastic tragedy: Obama's chances at a second term are 50/50 at best. RR will be here through 4 years. His contract. The words of the UM president. And the class with which Michigan conducts itself require at least that much of a chance. So, although it is far away, it is much mroe relevant than Obama's second term because Obama isn't nearly as likely to have a second term as RR is to stay.

Joined: 08/24/2008

MGoPoints: -313

victors2000

November 16th, 2009 at 9:33 PM ^

You mentioned about not using recruits we have a good shot with this upcoming recruiting season, but also, there will probably some commits for next year or the year after that might impact the team right away as well. I will consider your diary a 'silver lining' to the team we are supporting today; they are bound to get better.

Joined: 03/21/2009

MGoPoints: 12904

clarkiefromcanada

November 16th, 2009 at 11:49 PM ^

the expectation is more or less that we will be a serious contender for the Big10 title in this season Honestly dude, the expectation is that "we will be a serious contender for the Big 10 title in EVERY season"

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 49257

k06em01

November 17th, 2009 at 1:48 AM ^

next season, I expect us to be in contention to be the third best team in the big10, behind osu and psu. i expect us to beat, or at least be competitive with, iowa, wisconsin and msu. i expect us to beat teams like purdue, illinois, northwestern, minnesota, and indiana. gotta be reasonable fellas. gotta be reasonable. gotta understand how much needed to be changed from point a to point c.

Joined: 10/31/2009

MGoPoints: 452

k06em01

November 17th, 2009 at 1:54 AM ^

I am really surprised to see that none of you are as excited as I am to see how many guys we will still have in two years that are playing significant roles THIS season...aka...THREE YEAR STARTERS! Forcier, Smith/Shaw, Hemingway, Stonum, Odoms, Roundtree, Koger, Molk, Omameh, Huyge, Campbell, Martin, Van Bergen, Roh, Fitzgerald, Leach, Smith, Kovacs, Williams, Floyd, etc...

Joined: 10/31/2009

MGoPoints: 452

Magnus

November 17th, 2009 at 1:55 AM ^

It's probably erroneous to think that Kovacs, Leach, and/or other walk-ons will still hold starting roles in Rodriguez's fourth year. Those types of players are most likely stop-gap insertions, not permanent fixes. They have physical limitations that prevented them from being recruited out of high school. Typically (although not always true), walk-ons don't become 4-year starters.

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166007

GirardiParty

November 17th, 2009 at 7:21 AM ^

OMG YEER 4? wUT ABOUT YEER THREE LOL The OP is right to look to year 4. I think the sad fact is that year three will probably be a lot like year two -- hopefully with a defense that's at least somewhat improved and an extra win or two to show for it. Year Four, though, will feature an absolute juggernaut of an offense with upperclassmen starting at basically every position and a defense three years into the GERG Era with more experience for the current players and two years of recruiting depth behind them. (You can't expect too much out of the true freshmen next year.) Of COURSE you have to assume no career-ending injuries and of course we don't know what the incoming recruiting classes will look like or how they will perform. That's why this is, to some extent, an exercise in futility. But for the purposes of what the OP was trying to prove, he was right to look ahead two years.

Joined: 09/29/2008

MGoPoints: 143

mgoblahhh

November 17th, 2009 at 11:57 AM ^

I have not been a big fan the last few weeks and have been negative in my posts , but I am trying to look for some positives. I have looked at some other programs that run the spread and have done an entire overhaul of their programs; one stood out in particular Missouri. Gary Pinkle has faced some of the same obstacles Rich Rod has. Missouri Tigers (Big 12 Conference) (2001–present) 2001 Missouri 4-7 3-5 5th (North) — — — 2002 Missouri 5-7 2-6 5th (North) — — — 2003 Missouri 8-5 4-4 3rd (North) L Independence — — 2004 Missouri 5-6 3-5 2nd (North) — — — 2005 Missouri 7-5 4-4 2nd (North) W Independence — — 2006 Missouri 8-5 4-4 2nd (North) L Sun — — 2007 Missouri 12-2 7-1 1st (North) W Cotton 5 4 2008 Missouri 10-4 5-3 1st (North) W Alamo Bowl 16 19 2009 Missouri 6-4 2-4 Missouri: 65-45-0 34-36 Total: 138-82-3 Note it took 3 years for Missouri to finish with a winning record, so let us try to give Rich Rod and the rest of the staff the benefit of the doubt and another year to get things done.

Joined: 11/20/2008

MGoPoints: 209