Way Too Early 2016 Football Snowflake Thread
It's snowing in May. The season is still 112 days away, but it seems like we're starting to get a feel for the direction/composition of the team. It would be interesting to hear other views on what condition our condition is in. I titled this as a snowflake thread because I'm expressing my thoughts in absentia of statistical analysis. It's more of a "how do you feel about the program" post, but I welcome any analysis that supports or refutes the opinions below. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. GO BLUE
1. The Offense has a bevy of talented RBs and an experienced OL that should be able to open holes large enough to ensure no 27/27 performances. The WR/TE combinations pose nightmarish matchups for any Defense unfortunate enough to draw the assignment. Many opposing LB and CB bodies will litter the field when MICHIGAN launches its aerial assault. The QB situation is promising, yet unresolved: Harbaugh + O'Korn, Speight, Morris, Peters = UberRudock 2.0.
2. The Defense is good. Scary Good. The DL will be stout against the run and QB pressures, hits and sacks should be plentiful when opponents foolishly choose to pass. Doc Brown will transform a talent-rich LB corps into a bunch of marauding, ball hawking guys and dudes. The MICHIGAN DBs are prison guards, opposing WRs the inmates after behaving badly.
Saturday Side Note Moment of Zen: Checking BTN for softball game start time and saw "Classic Minnesota Football" broadcast listing. It was the 2015 Bowl game against CMU.
MICHIGAN WINS SUPER BOWL LI
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On offense, a solid run game is needed to take some pressure off a new QB.
On D, like others have said, stop teams on the edge, especially one JT Barrett.
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Honestly it was Elliott that broke the OSU game open. For the most part Barrett was in check untill Elliott became uncontainable. I like our chances against OSU now that he's gone unless another NFL level talented player emerges for them. I was more worried about Braxton Miller that J.T. He's good, but I haven't seen extraordinary from him and with all the talent he had with him, I could win a National Championship.
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6 TDs and. 4.2 ypc average over a 13 game season . That's less than 60 ypg, and he only had three games over a hundred yards out of 13. That's not a "monster", sorry. On an OSU, an Alabama, a Clemson, a Michigan State, that's your #2 back. He's a hard runner who gets tough yards, but a 4.2 ypc average shows that he is definitely not making up for a lack of speed with strength and determination. Bottom line, we need a better back as our #1 option if we're going to compete for championships.
After stopping the blue team on the last play of the spring game, the entire white team sideline rushed the field and started dancing and carrying on. After the "winning" spring "game". Dancing. Carrying on.
We'll be talking about the 2016 season for a long time.
Our RB's are going to be really good Imo. Deveon is going to be a beast. Kareem is going to be damn good ...& Ty will hopefully continue solid play like he did at spring game.
Looking at our offense, it is a scary unit for opposing defenses. Jehu Chesson, and Amara Darboh lead a talented WR core. All American Jake Butt leads a talented and deep group of Tight ends. All of the tight ends in our offense have different skill sets, which will give defenses absolute fits. Our offensive line is the most experienced group we have had in years. If we have a QB that can consistently get it done, the offense could be downright scary.
I don't have to say much about our defense. A deep and talented defensive line is imperative to winning championships. The 2016 Michigan defensive line is big, fast, physical, and well coached. Glasgow, Hurst, Wormley, and Charlton seem poised to have huge seasons. Bryan Mone has a chance to be special coming back from his injury. Rashan Gary is a monster. QB's will learn to hate this DL.
The secondary is talented, and very well coached. J.Lewis, Stribling, Clark, and company are aggressive, press coverage gurus. Tight coverage coupled with our pass rush should go a long way toward being the best defense in the NCAA.
Jabrill Peppers playing a bunch at the SAM linebacker spot will go a long way toward the overall success of the unit, which is by far our most under experienced position group on the defense.
My three biggest concerns for the 2016 team are:
1- Is Grant Newsome going to be able to perform at a high enough level at left tackle? His performance in the spring game and the open practices has given me cause for concern. With a new starting QB in 2016, the left tackle position is crucial to our QB feeling comfortable in the passing game.
2- Will one of our QB's be able to produce similar results to that of Jake Rudock? Based on the spring game we have a two man race that appears to be very close. Our entire team has the possibility to be very good, but without a viable QB, we won't beat the big boys. If someone is able to perform at the QB spot, this team could absolutely win the big ten and compete in the playoffs.
3- The lack of depth / experience at the linebacking group. Mike McCray looks likes beast. Ben Gedeon (sp) has shown he's not afraid of contact and he has some solid instincts. If those two are able to perform consistently, I really like the entire defense. However, should any of the starting LB's get injured or fail to perform, those behind them are extremely inexperienced.
Sorry for the long post. I love this team, it's my passion.
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Not to be that guy, but it's a "wide receiver corps," not wide receiver core."
Corps = a group of men.
Core = ??? in this context
It's a very common mistake, but for some reason it bugs me more than most common mistakes.
I've said it before and never has a member of another site questioned it. The football knowlede here is impressive. But the one thing that has always set this site apart, imo, and is something noticeable at first visit. The members here, the major contributors, are made up of some of the best individual writers, and undoubtedly the best communicators to be found on any related site.
Don't know if that was accidental, but I like the results. And that is a big turn around for me. I approached all sports blogs the same, like the majority and was wrong. Make your point, move on and revisit when you have the time. Damn, those revisits. I would write in the manner above, reckless, and when I learned that wasn't going to be accepted here, my initial reaction was, "Come on, you can't be serious." They would tear the hell out of my contributions - looking back, more correctly referred to as "attempted contributions."
It took awhile, but I learned it was not going to take that much longer to edit my work, spell check, make sure there were no obvious and glaring mistakes, the type of which would, again rightfully so, cause summary disposition on the part of the reader.
I realize there are many here that probably do make their living writing. If not, they should look into it. But when they give free advice, be man enough to accept it. Now the way you just corrected him was perfect in my opinion. Do so in a nice manner, not an arrogant one and the advice will almost always be accepted in the manner intended. And almost everyone, not just those that stand above, simply through different experiences, have something to offer in this regard as well. I do know I will never be on the level of many here, and that is not my intention, but realizing you will be ignored if you don't meet miminimum standards, has made a more careful poster and actually a much better poster.
As I said, this site stands alone for a number of reasons. This s the major reason, imo.
Personally, I am not certain you can't stop the spread. I say this because I think you can force any offense to put the hands in the ball of the player you prefer to defend a great deal of the time. This will not stop it, but if has to give you one hell of an advantage if you know who's bringing it and where he's headed with it.
I also believe to do this you will have to have great lbing play. Basically, your libing will have to be as good as their backfield and your DL can absolutely not allow an OL to break free for downfield blocking without paying for it by having someone not only fill the hole but come through and basically force a decision on the part of the qb that will alter the play, with the optimum result in this instance, blow it the fuck up.
Do we have lbers capable of doing this, and because my strategy involves the offense reacting to deception in many cases, is it even viable? Appreciate the feedback and so damn glad I got out of coaching before this offense was unleashed. Thanks.