Looking ahead to 2017
Yeah we can still play in the Rose bowl and hopefully we somehow get into the playoff but with the season moslty over, it's interesting to look at what type of team we'll have next year.
I think we'll have one of the best RB combination in the country with Chris Evans and Karan Higdon with the possibility of Najee Harris if we can pull that recruitment off.
QB will be a strength also with Wilton Speight coming back and Brandon Peters coming on to battle Speight for the spot.
At tight end, we lose Jake Butt which will be a big loss but bring back Asiasi who looks like a star in the making and also bring back Wheatley and Bunting.
Wide receiver loses Chesson and Darboh but return Grant Perry and Drake Harris and return guys like Crawford and Mcdoom get some reps there with the possibilty of adding difference maker DPJ who will probably get some snaps. Also, Nate Johnson has been talked about as a difference maker.
The offensive line will probably be very thin but we return Bredeson and Cole and hopefully Newsome. Onwenu and one of the potential 4/5 star OL recruits Wilson, Leatherwood, Ruiz etc. look to start.
The defensive line will still be very good with guys like Hurst, Gary, Mone, Winovich coming back. We will be thiner but that line will be very good.
The linebackers should hopefully take a jump forward with McCray coming back and Bush getting some minutes already this year. Mbem-Bosse and Josh Ross could also contribute.
The secondary is another position with a lot of turnover. I feel pretty confident in Tyree Kinnel but hopefully we get some good play from Watson, Hudson, Long, Lavert Hill etc. and we're due a 6th year from Jeremy Clark after Ed Davis got one.
Overall, I think this is a lot of turnover to still be in the national championship picture. I think we probably go anywhere from 9-3 to 11-1 although we have a tough schedule. I think there's numerous positions that people will worry about like TE and WR just because you're losing players but Harbaugh has good talented players that are playing right now. The more worrisome positions are the secondary and OL where we will be thin. Hopefully guys like Hudson and Lavert Hill are the real deal and Newsome is able to play again.
November 26th, 2016 at 6:49 PM ^
Today sucked, but two years ago we missed a bowl and now we are pissed that we are missing the playoff. Things are so much better and Harbaugh hasn't even had a chance to get his own kids playing yet. I hate losing but you don't wash away 10-15 years of dominance in 2 years. Today reminded me of Saban's Alabama team vs. Meyer's Florida teams from around 10 years ago with Tebow. It took some time but Saban got the better of him. You have to get the athletes on campus first to be able to do it. OSU is a juggernaut and it will take a little bit of time to get to that level. We are building in that direction.
November 26th, 2016 at 6:54 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 7:28 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 7:56 PM ^
The coaches think he is coming back next year and he has 10 months to get back.
November 26th, 2016 at 6:55 PM ^
Yeah it took Saban some time to beat Meyer and when he did, he owned him. Hopefully that happens here.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:22 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 10:35 PM ^
I was sitting at my 20th high school reunion mulling this game over, and I thought about this - I suppose if we want to point to something that is progress which was evident in this game, it would be this, in my opinion. He was most definitely not outcoached, and indeed, coached good enough to win this one, I would dare say, but execution and officiating were wirking against us here.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:09 PM ^
So, moving forward. I am really excited about the future. Steel in the spine. Tomorrow better than today. Moving forward to a dominating bowl win over some SEC team. And then, when Harbaugh gets all his men on the field the difference will be felt. Love Coach Harbaugh, Love Don Brown. Go Michigan. The Future is ours.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:24 PM ^
is absolutely 100% correct.
But the great things might have to wait until 2018. The 2017 team will be super young and thin at some position groups. Might work out fine in 2017. But it might not.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:13 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 7:21 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 7:28 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 10:04 PM ^
We don't upset anybody. What's it been? 7-8 years since we had an upset victory? That includes two years of Harbaugh.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:43 AM ^
Hard to upset teams when you're in the top 5 all year. But don't let me stop you from feeling sorry for yourself.
November 27th, 2016 at 1:04 PM ^
We've been in the top five for the last 7-8 years?
November 26th, 2016 at 7:28 PM ^
Evans
(Poggi)
Dawson
Onwenu
Cole
Bredeson
Newsome/JBB
Wheatley
Asiasi
Perry
Drake
Crawford
Gary
Mone
Hurst
Chase
McCray
Bush
???
Watson
Kinnel
Hudson
Hill/Long
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November 26th, 2016 at 7:31 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 7:46 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 8:03 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 8:21 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 8:32 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 10:06 PM ^
If not, he should have. Dude was a complete non-factor.
November 26th, 2016 at 7:51 PM ^
We need to reel in Solomon, Ruiz & Thomas.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:14 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 8:21 PM ^
We might have a shot in 2017, but we better be a legit candidate in 2018. Harbaugh doesnt' get 5 years to deliver a big-time winner and 2018 has a 3-year QB (if Peters) with a bunch of his recruits in their prime. Recruiting is everything at this stage.
JH really needs to deliver a serious contender next year in his 3rd year - maybe not able to beat Meyer's recruiting juggernaut, but year 4 is a must.
Why wait until year 5?
November 26th, 2016 at 9:40 PM ^
I think you need to work on your phrasing.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:28 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 8:33 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 8:36 PM ^
It hard to swallow from my perspective, but the balance of the 2017 class is crucial to the outlook for next year and 2018. UM is significantly behind OSU in talent for 2017 let alone the existing roster issues. JH can beat anyone with equal talent - thus the uproar by the SEC and ACC about his satellite camps and other issues.
But UM needs talent - size, speed and skill. We will struggle with OSU as long as they have the speed advantage. So this boils down to recruiting and right now our 2017 class is well behind OSU in talent. We need top tier guys (DPJ, Ambry, Isaiah, Cesar, Baron, Falo, Filiagi, Leatherwood, Harris, Nico, Aubrey, Tufele, etc).
Meyer lands those type of guys and fits them into a very good system. JH will regularly beat Meyer with those type of guys.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:38 PM ^
If we go 9-3 or 8-4 and beat Ohio, I'm good.
November 26th, 2016 at 8:45 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 9:05 PM ^
Asiasi and Wheatley at TE
Crawford and DPJ at WR
Walker replacing Smith at RB
Speight or Peters at QB
we have a ton of good freshmen DL plus some returning depth
only concerns are OL and DB IMO
November 26th, 2016 at 9:06 PM ^
and the loss of some very good players. It is true, we will be losing a lot of talent to the NFL.
However, this will be the 3rd year of players in Harbaugh's system and there will be plenty of talent on the team.
The biggest loss, imo, will be Jourdan Lewis, as a lockdown corner is really a luxury in college football. Jabrill is a loss, but because his usage was so spread out, his impact can be made up by a few high quality players in different spots.
They keys will be the O-line improving and the linebackers getting better at sealing the edge.
Second year in Don Brown's system... I think we will be just fine on that side and the offense will be better.
OSU got lucky this year, just like MSU lucked out last year. The gap has been closed and we are on the upswing.
November 26th, 2016 at 9:11 PM ^
Florida - neutral site
Cincy & Air Force at home
at Purdue
MSU at home
at IU
at PSU
Rutgers
Minnesota
at Maryland
at Wisky
OSU
7 wins and 5 competitive games - 9 wins should be the floor and 11-12 the ceiling - could start 10-0 tbh
November 26th, 2016 at 9:17 PM ^
We were just two plays away from finishing the regular season undefeated. Harbaugh and staff did a lot to cover up our weaknesses at LB, OL and QB. We lose a lot of seniors but we have a lot of good talented young players to step in. I think next years team will have a few rmore losses thinking 2 to 4. But we could gel in time to beat a probably high ranked OSU team at home next season.
If Harbaugh is still losing to Urbz after 2019, then it will be time to worry.
November 26th, 2016 at 9:29 PM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 9:36 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 10:36 PM ^
Given what we saw today, the days of UM being OSU's bitch are gone. Any "rational buckeye" can see that, but I really don't think anyone is rational in anything anymore, sports or otherwise.
November 26th, 2016 at 11:36 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 12:54 AM ^
Where did I claim a "moral victory?" So is anything that falls short of OUTRAGE and FIRE EVERYONE and "I'M SO SICK OF LOSING TO THESE FUCKHEADS SOMEONE COMFORT ME" and "HARBAUGH WAS OUTCOACHED" constitiute the claim of a moral victory?
November 27th, 2016 at 7:14 AM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 1:23 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 9:59 AM ^
You didn't comprehend my post though. I'm not saying I think harbaugh will start 0-5, in fact I'd expect him to win at least 1 in there. "Uminks" implied that it was his expectation to not win until after 2019, and I asked if he would be content with that record.
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November 27th, 2016 at 12:22 AM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 9:38 PM ^
Sometimes you can't take advantage of situations where the ducks seemed to be lined up in your favor, and other times you are able to make unexpectedly great things out of seemingly difficult situations. This was a great year and seemed to line up with our best chance of beating OSU in a while, but it didnt' work out. Next year, looking at the two rosters doesn't look great, but you never know. At some point Harbaugh is either going to beat them or go postal, it won't be long. Look out world.
From a team perspective, we lose a lot. We are still probably an 8 or 9-win team. We do play Fla in Texas. We have to travel to Camp Randall for Wiscy, we're at PSU, then we get the two rivals at home. That should help against MSU, not sure it will mean much for OSU as they look like a juggarnaut next year, but we'll see. The QB and RBs should be good. TEs will be young, but should be good. We don't have a proven #1 WR, but should have enough weapons to win most of the games on our schedule. It would be nice to get a playmaker like DPJ, but we can't count on a kid currently in high school. The defense won't have a ton of depth, but the #1's should be good. If we get an injury at DB for example though, then what?
What remains a thorn in our side likely continues to be the o-line. Until we can get an o-line that can generate a good running game to take pressure off our QB, this offense won't quite click the way we want. I don't know how far off that is. It probably won't be there next year. The year after that doesn't seem like a great o-line either. Unfortunately I think we are looking at the current freshman and next year's freshman at our best chance to be really good on the o-line, which probably means like 3 more years before we get to where we want our o-line to be :/
November 26th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
to beat them or go postal, it won't be long" - that is one of the best quotes of the day if not year.
I agree 100% on the intent because he will not survive with these ridiculous losses to OSU with the officials playing a central role in the outcome.
Hopefully JH turns the frustration into recruiting magic and finds a way to beat Urban at the talent game. Development is great, but JH needs basically equivalent talent to Urban to beat him regularly - it's the only advantage held by Urban right now.
OSU should actually be worried that a huge gap will open from our side - then I suspect no mercy from JH. Just like MSU should immediately worry about the gap.
November 27th, 2016 at 8:23 AM ^
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November 26th, 2016 at 10:31 PM ^
November 26th, 2016 at 10:38 PM ^
to hopefully offset Speight in AA. Without Barrett, their win chances shrink next year. Urban is 100% dependent on seasoned QB play - otherwise it becomes a quagmire like post-Tebow UF. OSU has very little behind Barrett.
November 26th, 2016 at 11:34 PM ^
OSU will be damn good with whoever they line up there next year.
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