Worst We'll See?

Submitted by Sten Carlson on

I am going to come right out and say that I firmly believe that the 2015 season opener vs. Utah will be the WORST game Michigan plays under Coach Harbaugh.  I don't care if he coaches Michigan for 20 years, what we saw Thurdays was as bad as it's ever going to get!

Call me overly optimistic, but to me the difference between Team 135 and Team 136 is marked.  Whenever I thought we'd seen the worst that a Hoke team could play, whenever I was sure that they'd finally start to improve, they'd deliver another shockingly bad performance against weaker and weaker opponents.

That will not happen under Harbaugh, you can bank on that.

Go Blue, beat the Beavers! (he he he!)

Mr. Yost

September 9th, 2015 at 8:49 AM ^

We actually played really well.

It's just rather than those 6 plays being indifferent, they were disasterous.

I'm not sure I get your point...we played a pretty solid game versus a now ranked opponent. We just can't have the aformentioned 6 awful plays and we'll be fine. Eliminate those and we probably win.

Usually when a team plays as bad as you've described...it takes a lot more than 6 plays to make up the difference.

 

Sten Carlson

September 9th, 2015 at 10:23 AM ^

I agree, we played well but for 6 plays. My point is that although we may well see 6 or more "bad" plays those plays will never be as devestating as they were versus Utah. As such, the overall performance will never be as bad. Yes, eliminate those and we probably win. But we didn't, and I'm saying that that won't happen again -- at least not 6. Most certainly one play will determine outcomes in the future, but not 6.

It's not a hard concept really -- it just takes letting go of pessimism and negativity. Most refuse to do so because they don't want to get burned, again. Burn me baby! I'm not scared because

HARBAUGH!

ChuckWood

September 8th, 2015 at 8:06 PM ^

I truly think this is a "Ready, Fire, Aim" approach.  It's tough to find mistakes when you play yourself.  Harbaugh sees what he has and can now adjust accordingly. 

I have a few concerns regarding players but nothing that can't be fixed.  Bolden has always had high praise in practice, starting with the All-American game he played in.  For some reason, he shys on the field.  

MichiganTeacher

September 8th, 2015 at 7:15 PM ^

Am I misunderstanding your post, or are you mad that the OP is posting his thoughts about the game and the team?

Maybe I'm misunderstanding.

But if you're complaining, why? I don't understand. This board is here to discuss UM football. Guy's discussing.

In reply to by Joseph_P_Freshwater

Sten Carlson

September 8th, 2015 at 8:23 PM ^

Thanks for clustering up the thread even more.  Just having some fun dude, being positive, and engaging my fellow Michigan fans in positive conversation.  Lighten up!

joeismyname

September 8th, 2015 at 6:47 PM ^

Sten, I have been reading your posts since the sackcarr.com days, and I must say I have always loved your optimism, even if it's a bit overstated. I hope you are right, and this time I think your optimism is much more warranted. You loved Rod, you liked Hoke, but I think third time is a charm. Harbaugh!! Go blue.

Sten Carlson

September 8th, 2015 at 7:10 PM ^

Correction, I loved Carr and supported him until 2007 and the Horror!  In fact, I joined when it was SackCarr.com to support Carr.

I felt that RR got a raw deal, that he could have been great, and I would have loved to have seen Denard in his 4th year under RR.  I liked Hoke, and thought (for a while) that he was going to be good/great.  Obviously I was wrong on Hoke, but I still think RR could have been great.

Harbaugh is a different animal all together.  He's a winner of epic proportions.

DJMich23

September 8th, 2015 at 6:56 PM ^

Michigan still has to play MSU/OSU this year. 

It's a ways away and a lot can happen between now and The Game in the 2016 season next year, but our incredibly thin linebacker depth against their speedsters in space....

Is anyone else kinda worried about the LB position next year? And by worried I mean petrified.

TheFugitive

September 8th, 2015 at 7:10 PM ^

We have been rotating between thin position groups for the last 8 years... OL with RR, WRs and now LBs. I'm ready for the depletion to be over with.

Sten Carlson

September 8th, 2015 at 7:21 PM ^

I disagree, which is why I posted my thought -- even in a loss, Michigan will never execute as poorly as they did against Utah ... ever!

That, IMO, is what Harbaugh brings to the table.  It's not that his teams win every game, nor that they won't make mistakes, it's that they learn and grow from every practice, and especially from every game. 

Wendyk5

September 8th, 2015 at 6:56 PM ^

I'm embracing your optimism. All the negativity on here, especially last night on the OSU/VT open thread, can be a drag. If we are going to lose to Ohio State, let's just do it once, in November. Let's not do it every time they have a great game. All I see is opportunity and possiblity with this team. 

UMForLife

September 8th, 2015 at 7:01 PM ^

I hope that will be the case. I am tired of us being mediocre in B1G for the last seven years. I see that optimism in our coach. I just cannot see us not improving every week.

uminks

September 8th, 2015 at 7:02 PM ^

will improve, we could still lose some tough games and may be even get blown out when facing a top defense. It would be nice to win 10 games but realistically 8 would be the goal. Even if we only win 6, I'm still happy we have Harbaugh, since I know he will have Michigan in the playoffs sometime between 2017 through 2020!

Sten Carlson

September 8th, 2015 at 7:23 PM ^

The relative strength of the opponent is not relevent to my assertion.  Yes, OSU looks like the most talented football team I might have ever seen, and we could lose to them and still not play as poorly as we played against Utah.

MUUM79

September 8th, 2015 at 7:07 PM ^

Im pretty optimistic as well. I came out thinking we moved the ball well throughout the game. We had momentum on potential scoring drives that ended with ints, which i think are the type that can be cleaned up. Also missed open receivers for scores, it was a winnable game against a good pac-12 team that returned a lot from a 2014 team that beat ucla, stanford and usc.




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Sten Carlson

September 8th, 2015 at 7:16 PM ^

What does it say?  MOST teams improve as the tenure of a new coach continues.  Hoke, unfortunately, is a bit of an anomoly. 

Michigan fans are some of the most pessimistic people in the world.  I understand it, and have lived it right along with everyone.  But, optimism and resiliance are important character traits, and ones that I strive to cultivate continually.  If you don't, that's your choice. 

There were times when I, and others, thought Hoke's teams were improving.  We were all thrown off by 2012, I think, and before we knew it we were barely beating Akron and getting demolished by Minn and Rutgers.

Ronnie Kaye

September 8th, 2015 at 7:22 PM ^

I wouldn't say they are pessimistic on the whole. Sure, a "show me" attitude permeates today, but this is the fanbase that talked itself into a 47-50 coach to begin with. Hell, Hokeamania was running wild on nothing BUT optimism.

Sten Carlson

September 8th, 2015 at 7:37 PM ^

Michigan football has been through some dramatic and harrowing changes since 2007, the seeds of which were planted years before the Horror!  It's natural for the people who love it to be whipsawed back and forth by the regime changes.  Michigan has itself to blame.

As I said elsewhere in this thread: MOST teams improve after a few years of coaching changes.  Whether they improve fast enough for the powers that be in that particular program varies.  Michigan went wholescale change, then (because improvement wasn't fast enough), changed again.  Then, the moron in charge made a choice based upon his ego, and brought in a cuddly, loveable yes man, who was, as it turned out -- be honest and admit you thought he was "the guy" after 2012 -- woefully inept.

During this time, we've stood witness to MSU become a national contender (kinda), OSU become as dominant as ever, and even a program like Minn. become amazingly competent.  OSU is a different beast, but Minn. and MSU improved because they hired good coaches and stuck with them.  Michigan didn't stick with the good coach they hired, and then hired a bad coach.  All this was done becasue, IMO, Michigan's AD was not prepared for change -- they thought Bo's legacy was going to carry Michigan forever.

Well, now we've hired one of the best in the business, and also one of the ultimate Michigan Men.  I know that term has fallen out of favor of late, but how else would you describe Harbaugh?

Of course my OP statement is bold, and most likely delusional.  But you know what, I'll bet you coach would agree with me.

Wolvie3758

September 9th, 2015 at 11:03 AM ^

Ive read thru your posts and you bring alot of sound reasoning and knowledge. I agree with most of what youve written..So you know where Im coming from..Ive been following M fb for over 40 yrs...My first game was the M-OSU famous 10-10 tie in 72....I was not in favor of firing Carr..I said it then I thought M would rue the day they pushed him out and I still think weve been in trouble ever since....I was 50-50 on RR..wasnt my first choice but like you thought if he stayed around long enough wed be back to top 10 every year...the horrible defensive games help doom him...Hoke? LOVED him at first..thought wed hit the jackpot...Wrong on that for sure....Harbaugh..Love everything about him and am willing to be patient.

I was very dissapointed in Utah I just had this deep down hidden feeling we were going to really surprise everyone..We looked alot like last year BUT I did see enough improvement in some areas to know its just a matter of time..Im Optomistic long term and more realistic short term...8-4 would be a Big Success for year 1 and 7-5 and a bowl would be ok too..6-6 would not be a good year to me...nor should it ever be..

People bitch about Lloyd Carr going 9-4 or 8-4 sometimes, BUT we were playing in a News Year Day Bowl game every year..near the top of the conference every year including a 1997 National Title and very close again in 2006....considering where we went after that? I think that argument should be closed. Carr was a Great Coach and I miss him...now thats done and over and onto what I think is going be some glory years coming up sooner rather than later