The Herd on Michigan this year
This video is from last week and I dont remember seeing if it was posted by anyone else, sorry if it was! Colin talks about how he does not agree with the USA today article about Michigan being a mystery this year and believes they will be really good again this year.
August 11th, 2017 at 8:25 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 8:28 AM ^
hmmmm, when I opened this thread, it said "one reply," but there was no reply.
August 11th, 2017 at 8:30 AM ^
for my post to load. I have the controversial opinion that Cowhered is competent, so I needed to explain it.
August 11th, 2017 at 8:40 AM ^
The OP shows up as a reply, always been that way.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:14 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 8:29 AM ^
was back in the pre-season leading up to 2006, saying that Michigan was in a downward spiral as a program. I remember hearing the word sclerotic. Outdated, slow defensively, couldn't innovate. I couldn't stand him.
In the years following 2006, as the program slowly descended into a black hole, I remembered that and had to admit he had a point. He's so obviously a troll a lot of the time, but when he gets out of that, Cowherd makes a lot of sense. Owning up to his shite Harbaugh interview showed a maturity that the Jim Rome's and Mike Valenti's have never possessed.
He's right in this clip. At worst, this is a supremely talented team in Harbaugh's image that has to adjust to youth. At best, it is cohesive from the get go and charges to the OSU with maybe one loss.
August 11th, 2017 at 11:16 AM ^
Hard to disagree. As much as I loved and respected Carr, his teams were frozen in the mid '90s. He reacted slowly to change and it eroded our ability to be an elite team in the later half of his tenure.
August 11th, 2017 at 4:06 PM ^
uhhhh with the exception of app state the downward spiral was mostly the result of Michigan trying to be more innovative. spread offense and 3-3-5
August 11th, 2017 at 8:35 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:43 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 8:35 AM ^
There is only one game on the schedule that truely worries me - OSU. I want to be worried about Floriduh - you know, the two-time reigning SEC East Champion going against a bunch of freshmen and sophomores. But I just can't... That offense! It's horrible! I can't see them sustaining drives against a Don Brown defense. And they simply don't have the players to hit enough big plays.
I also just can't get worried about Arm Punt U, led by Field Goal Franklin. White Out, or not, I think we win that convincingly...
August 11th, 2017 at 8:43 AM ^
Florida does worry me because it is a must win game as it sets the tone for the full year - doesn't decide the year but obviously sets the tone.
OSU - despite it being at home is an opportunity - one where we go out loosey goosey and play to win, not to not lose.
August 11th, 2017 at 8:48 AM ^
How is the Florida game anything close to a "must win"?
August 11th, 2017 at 8:57 AM ^
They're ALL must wins if we want to get into the National Championships. There is a chance that 12-1 wouldn't cut it.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^
A team replacing 16 starters and featuring 60 freshman and sophomores is not going to win a national championship.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
We'll see!
August 11th, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^
you are the expert.
August 11th, 2017 at 2:02 PM ^
I never claimed to be an expert. You certainly wouldn't need to be an expert to recognize after decades of watching Michigan football, or college football in general, that there is a pretty strong correlation between on-field experience/seniority and performance. The future of the program is very bright. But the combination of youth and relative inexperience/development makes this a reloading year.
I know it's neg worthy heresy during August to suggest anything but puppies, unicorns, and 15-0. I'm onboard too if you want to talk about a potential positive outcome like 11-2, a B1G championship or beating OSU. But a national championship? Throw in the B1G championship and CFP and that would meaning something like going 8-0 or 7-1 against Florida, @Wisconsin, MSU, @PSU, OSU, vs Wisconsin, vs USC and vs Alabama. But hey, 16:1 in Vegas so go for it.
August 11th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
You lost me when you included MSU with OSU and Bama.
August 11th, 2017 at 5:38 PM ^
You lost me when you included MSU with OSU and Bama.
August 11th, 2017 at 7:16 PM ^
I've seen a lot of weird shit go down against lesser MSU teams, even inferior ones, over the years. They will play their best of the year (and completely tank the week after). But yeah, that's reasonable if you wanna assume a win and I certainly expect to win that game.
The overall point still stands though even if we add that into the pile of certain wins along with the other 7 games I already assumed we were winning. Seven games remaining against S&P+ top 15 games if we assume a WI rematch in B1G championship and then the 2 CFP games.
Well, you could maybe overcome that inexperience with a dynamic game changing QB like a DeShawn Watson, Vince Young, Cam Newton, Mariotta, Winston etc but not with Speight.
August 11th, 2017 at 4:09 PM ^
child please
August 11th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
Barring 4 other undefeated teams, and unless that lone loss comes in the conference title game, a 12-1 Michigan team is making the playoffs with a chance to play for it all.
Having four undefeated teams in a season (all Power 5 teams) is near unheard of. Usually it's just one. Sometimes there is two, probably been a while since there's been three, and I don't even remember the last time there was four. I don't count Group of 5 teams either, because realistically they have no shot to play for a national title until the playoff field is expanded to 6 or 8.
August 11th, 2017 at 8:57 AM ^
All games are "must win" in my book, but from what I assume is your standpoint on this, I certainly understand that it doesn't break the season if Michigan loses. The truly " must win" games are in-conference, of course, but Florida would be a huge win for Michigan's résumé.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:08 AM ^
I'm just in a mood. Nothing personal. But you just said all games are "must win" in your book, then proceeded to explain how and why you don't consider Florida a "must win".
*rubs temples*
9 of the 12 teams that have made the CFP have had 1-loss including a 1-loss Big Ten team in each season. Florida is not a must win.
Ohio State was a must-win last season. They lost and they were gone. If they won, they were in. Everybody with me?
August 11th, 2017 at 10:27 AM ^
I think I'm starting to get the picture - "must win" means "it would be nice to win"
August 11th, 2017 at 11:12 AM ^
Florida is not must win. It would be great to have for a confidence booster and the team should go into it fighting for a win, but early out of conference losses are far from death blows. Especially if you go on a tear the rest of the season and if the team you lost to turns in a good year as well. OSU got humiliated by an unranked VaTech team at home and then went and won the national title.
OSU is must win. PSU is must win. Florida is great to have, but not necessary to acheive the goals this team has set for itself.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:24 AM ^
I'm more worried about Wiscy than I am Penn State.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:50 AM ^
I think Penn State is a little overrated, but come on. And after Cichy went down?
August 11th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
Wisconsin is less scary without Cichy
August 11th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
Wisconsin is less scary without Cichy
August 11th, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 10:39 AM ^
OSU 2016
August 11th, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 11:45 AM ^
I agree!! But over the last decade, Michigan was TERRIBLE at home, too! Sooooo... And then I remember that the coaches and players UM had over the last decade aren't playing here any longer. This is a new coaching staff, and a new group of players. And they played pretty good last year, so why can't they play pretty good this year?
And since when does what happened 7 years ago influence what happens on the field 7 years in the future?
August 12th, 2017 at 10:23 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 11:50 AM ^
on the road against teams with a minus?
August 11th, 2017 at 8:37 AM ^
Ever since he hung up on Harbaugh during that one interview, he's been outspokenly high on Michigan
August 11th, 2017 at 8:50 AM ^
think that he and Harbaugh developed a mini-bromance after that interview debacle. I remember Harbaugh was on the show again, live I believe, and they made nice and Harbaugh seemed somewhat apologetic. Look, Cowherd can be an ass-hat, but he wasn't completely to blame for that interview. Harbaugh had just taken the job and Cowherd wanted to have a soft-ball interview. He did not ask the greatest questions but there was no reason that Harbaugh could not have given him 7 minutes of serviceable answers. If he did not want to do that he could have declined the interview. Given how he has acted toward Cowherd since then I think he ever Harbaugh realizes that.
August 11th, 2017 at 8:59 AM ^
Also, Cowherd works with a bunch of slappys who are even worse than him (lookin' at you Jason Whitlock). It's funny to see him be the "sane" one in the room.
August 11th, 2017 at 10:08 AM ^
But Colin was also always a big Harbaugh fan before that first interview debacle. As another poster said it above, I guess any media pundits that were ripping Michigan in the late 2000s and early 2010's had a right when you look back at it.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:08 AM ^
August 11th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
You have obviously been watching some lousy porn.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:12 AM ^
but his segment on Harbaugh & Michigan was very sensible and free of hot takes.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:25 AM ^
I really hate how the bulk of sports media has devolved into people giving hot takes about other people's hot takes. Cowherd knows less about Michigan football than the vast majority of MGoBlog readers - why do we give a shit about his opinions?
August 11th, 2017 at 9:49 AM ^
People enjoy lining up on one side or the other (red, blue) and throwing rocks at the other side. It seems to be hard-wired.
August 11th, 2017 at 12:44 PM ^
That's a ridiculous take. People generally want to get along and work together. Your idea is flat out wrong.
August 11th, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^
Man, expressing opinions is what America is all about. If you don't like it, then move to Russia. I don't want to hear you say such ridiculous things ever again.
August 11th, 2017 at 9:29 AM ^
Cowherd has had a Harbaugh man-crush ever since that goofy interview. I can't remember him saying a bad word about the program since then. It is weird but he has nothing but high-praise for the program the last couple years.