theguy49503

February 7th, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^

Build and Develop what you have, dont go 8-5, and beat your rivals and we may not winall the rucruiting battles but we will win the ones we need to..... Not shocked

Joined: 05/26/2011

MGoPoints: 2077

His Dudeness

February 7th, 2018 at 11:04 AM ^

What if I told you that the first 35 draft picks in the NFL draft all went to four or five teams and three of those teams were in the same division. If you weren't a fan of one of those teams would you even watch? If so, why would you? Michigan got two 5-stars in four years and they are like our darlings. Georgia just got SEVEN 5-stars in one class. What is the point anymore? Until the rules are fair with regards to this recruiting bullshit what's the point? And I'm not just talking about bag-men. I'm talking about academics as well. We literally can't recruit some of these kids.

Joined: 11/24/2008

MGoPoints: -973290

ih8losing

February 7th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

completely disagree. what we need is good coaching first. Focus on actually developing a halfway decent offensive line and an offense that allows this team to win big games. Our defense doesn't have eleven 5 star players yet they do pretty darn well, especially if you consider the putrid offense we've had. 

Then, and only then, will we get (more) top talent. We'll never recruit at OSU, UGA, FSU, USC, Bama level. 

I'm probably one of the more pessimistic guys around here and I honestly dont think this team wins more than 8 games this year but lets remember how close the majority of our losses have been. it's not just talent, I'm honestly more concerned with poor coaching. 

Joined: 12/29/2013

MGoPoints: 15738

btn

February 7th, 2018 at 10:48 AM ^

Why is anyone surprised by this?

The offense was terrible
Lost to our main rivals
Got embarrassed in the bowl game

The entire coaching staff needs to earn their salary next season. That is how you fix this.

Joined: 09/21/2014

MGoPoints: 5836

LickReach

February 7th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^

Drop a 14 point lead to rivals (nationally televised marquee game), drop a 16 point lead in the second half of a bowl game.  If you had massive talent would you come here or the other school you saw win on New Years.  

Joined: 09/26/2015

MGoPoints: 3878

KC Wolve

February 7th, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^

It can be turned around but man does UM need some elite talent. It was so much fun watching Peppers when he was here. Just obvious elite talent on the field compared to the rest of the players. OSU, GA, etc. have those guys all over.

Joined: 10/09/2010

MGoPoints: 12673

MW147

February 7th, 2018 at 11:13 AM ^

We have plenty of elite talent. Most of it is on the defensive side of the ball (Rashan, Chase, Solomon, Bush, Hudson, Hill, Long). But some of it is on the offensive side also (DPJ, Shea, Black, Ruiz). 

We don't have as much elite talent as OSU but we have enough to compete. It's time for the coaches to be elite and put the players in a position to succeed. 

 

Joined: 11/14/2017

MGoPoints: 434

HarBooYa

February 7th, 2018 at 12:55 PM ^

Has like five guys at or near Peppers level every season. We have 1-2. They have more talent at nearly every position than us since early 2000s. So we need to do what MSU does to us every year, out grit, out execute and out scheme OSU. We have done none of those three things under The last three coaches and have pretty much lost to everyone that counts when it matters.

I hate this and still “like” our guys better, but it’s true. In addition to just some big wins (I see you ND next year), we need a ‘ship or a playoff experience to get back into the virtuous cycle of the 80s and 90s.

Joined: 06/22/2011

MGoPoints: 3099

Soulfire21

February 7th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^

As others have said, if you can't win on the field, it's going to impact recruiting. The good news is that peoples' memories are short. If we pull off a good (10+ win) season next year, damage is mitigated (see Georgia this year).

This is the least confidence I've had in Harbaugh, but hopefully he can reverse that trend. I feel 2018 will be a telling inflection point.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

MW147

February 7th, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^

Not a good year for Harbaugh. First on the field, now off of it. 

I know it's popular to bash Drevno and Pep. But to me it all comes back to Harbaugh. The offense is his. The 2 OL coaches with differing styles is on him. The lack of a dedicated WR coach is on him. Play calling is on him. 

That all being said, I have not lost faith in Harbaugh. He may be quirky but he is not an idiot. And he has an outstanding track record as a coach. I have no doubt that he knows that things went badly and he has surely done a lot of soul searching. He is not going to just plunge ahead and keep doing the same things over and over. I am sure he has lost more sleep over this season than anyone else. I am confident he is going to change things. Didn't we read that he made a comment to a recruit about making changes? And Drevno apologized to the O line. They know. And they will change. 

Even with this less than elite recruiting class, the team for 2018 has PLENTY of talent. The D will be top 10, if not top 5. As for the O, I have to think that the competing O line coaches was the biggest reason the line was as epically bad as it was. It can and should be better in 2018. It's not going to be elite, but they can get to adequate. Add in Shea at QB and some maturation from the young receivers, and things can and should be much better. Will we win a national championship? Probably not. Can we seriously compete for the Big 10 title? I think we can compete. 

There is no doubt that this is a pivotal season coming up. Now the team is more or less set. It's time for him to get to work planning out how they will succeed. Go Blue! 

 

Joined: 11/14/2017

MGoPoints: 434

umchicago

February 7th, 2018 at 4:48 PM ^

i think people underestimate the loss of black to the offense this past year.  yes, the QB injuries were big factors but he was the one guy who could stretch the field and go up and make plays and make the QBs look better.

fade routes could actually work with him.

need him back to full health in 2018.

Joined: 02/05/2009

MGoPoints: 33628

B1G Winning

February 7th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^

Another day of Urban Meyer and OSU establishing dominance over Harbaugh, Michigan, and the rest of the B1G. Kinda numb to it at this point, since we haven't really been on their level since the early 2000's. Such is life as a Michigan fan.

Joined: 11/08/2013

MGoPoints: 4583

uminks

February 7th, 2018 at 12:56 PM ^

OSU wins 10 plus games per year and is in the playoff hunt every season. The top recruits want to play on teams they think will have the best chance of making the playoffs and winning the NC. Plus OSU did not have the disastrous 8 seasons of hiring two sub-par HC. If Harbaugh had come in after Carr, things would be much different now. I think Harbaugh will eventually turn our program around. It just may take longer than fans had expected.

Joined: 11/10/2009

MGoPoints: 32040

Magnus

February 7th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^

Georgia DE Jamarcus Chatman committed to Florida State.

Washington WR Tre'shaun Harrison committed to Florida State, too. Harrison in particular was a guy that I really wanted, but he never visited. His highlight film is one of the best in the country, if not the best. Not quite up there with McGuffie, but still...

Joined: 07/17/2008

MGoPoints: 166007

DMack

February 7th, 2018 at 11:37 AM ^

Well I have to say this is disappointing news. 

1. To lose our big prize LB recruit to Georgia.

2. To lose our OLine prospects to Notre Dame and Ohio State.

Urban Meyer really has it rolling and I dont see how we catch up. I know if we win games, that will help but we need the biggest, baddest, bestest recruiters to catch these guys. Now that I think about some of the guys we barely missed on, Wheatley is truly missed. I'm not sure what a couple of these million dollar coaches are here for because their work product stinks. So I can see we get beat out by those top 7 perrenial powerhouse teams like USC, Bama and maybe a few up and coming super hot teams like TCU. Our recruiting classes shouldn't rank in the 20's and 30's with the likes of Wake Forest or Vanderbilit no matter what. We're having an Austin Powers moment and we need to find our MOJO!!!!

Joined: 06/22/2015

MGoPoints: 2743

uminks

February 7th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^

But that is what will happen when going 8-4 and not winning any of your big games. I think our class is still in the top 20, so the sky is not falling. However, Harbaugh will need to win more games. I'm sure a lot of the recruits we missed were fed the same crap from other coaches that Harbaugh will be leaving for the NFL next season, and opposing coaches will say that every year and eventually the proof will be there that Harbuagh is staying but probably for the next few years this line will keep working. Overall, Harbaugh needs to win more games and to beat OSU. Most of us knew we would get nicked by the very weak recruiting classes of 2014 and 2015 which may hurt this season but I think we will be a better team even though the record may only be 8-4 or 9-3.

Joined: 11/10/2009

MGoPoints: 32040

DMack

February 7th, 2018 at 1:04 PM ^

I'm looking forward to next season being epic. We will have the talent to win a National Championship but will the development of the O line and Offensive playcalling be up to the task? IDK .

I have noticed a couple of things though . . .

It seems that the big powerhouse schools are going after Michigan in particular. Every recruit we identify first, (Reese, Petit Ferer, Friday, etc.) Bama, Ohio State, Notre Dame, etc. are going after hard. It's almost like if we keep Michigan from getting their players and we get our recruits, they wind up with a shitty recruiting class ranking (no disrespect to the guys we did get). 

Not only are they going after our targets, but they are trying to hire away our coaches as well. "It's a great plan Batman, but will it actually work????"

Joined: 06/22/2015

MGoPoints: 2743

CC

February 7th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^

UM Is recruiting some of the best players in the country.  Shianno was Petit Ferer's coach early in HS, i don't think you can call him "our" recruit.  

OSU is selling the kids on some things UM doesn't have right now.  As good as UM's NFL class was last year, OSU's was still close and better some every other year.  They sell championships, winning etc.  UM doesn't have that right now.  For UM to get to where OSU is there needs to be some urgency.  This class doesn't say urgent.

Joined: 12/03/2013

MGoPoints: 197