We all thought about it: What did this game make you think about our team?
I usually hate-watch national title games because they're important to a sport I love but they wind up just reminding me how disappointed I am that Michigan is not good enough to be there. And they're harder to skip now that the coaches film room is must-watch viewing every year.
But if you're like me you watch these games with one eye on the teams we all jealously wish weren't there and one eye on the strengths and particularly the weaknesses of our own team.
So let's just get right out and admit stuff that the title game highlighted for us about Michigan in the past and going forward.
What sort of things about our team came to mind when you watched the national title game?
January 9th, 2018 at 2:54 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:00 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:02 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:19 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:25 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 9:28 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:03 AM ^
Thought that would be my floor. I think if one of the young QBs can play well, this team will score some points and win some of the tougher games. I'm thinking we will end up 9-3. Just as long one our young QBs can make downfield passes.
January 9th, 2018 at 9:53 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 4:11 AM ^
UM's recruiting is not in the same timezone as the top teams. UM does nor have athletes even close to what you saw on display tonight.
Using the 247 composite scores for individual players, the difference between Ohio State's 2018 average recruit and UM's 2018 average recruit is almost exactly the same as the difference between UM's average 2018 recruit and Rutgers' average 2018 recruit.
Michigan has many very good players who will play professional football some day. Saying they have a roster that is close to comparable with Alabama or Georgia or OSU is just delusional.
January 9th, 2018 at 4:26 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 7:52 AM ^
On Field results says you're wrong. Michigan recruits a completely different type of athlete. IE. not the one we saw last night
January 9th, 2018 at 8:21 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 8:39 AM ^
I must have missed when those guys were wearing Maize and Blue this season. Fill me in. Or i can rephrase, Michigan does not get the quantity of those types of athletes to be at that level.
5 Michigan players would have contributed last night. Gary, Hurst, Bush, L. Hill, and Winovich.
Maybes: Long, Solomon, Ruiz.
Big talent gap.
January 9th, 2018 at 8:54 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
When players are getting more experienced, that means they are getting more talented?
I don't see it that way.
We have a plethura of first and second year players who ultimately could have played last night if we give them a couple more years to develop
January 9th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
When players are getting more experienced, that means they are getting more talented?
I don't see it that way.
We have a plethura of first and second year players who ultimately could have played last night if we give them a couple more years to develop
January 9th, 2018 at 8:39 AM ^
I don't see any of those names on UM's roster. Who gives a shit if a recruit fucks with us for a few months and inevitably ends up elsewhere. I didn't take any enjoyment out of seeing a half dozen names that "almost" went to UM kicking a ton of ass last night.
January 9th, 2018 at 7:57 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 2:58 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:02 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:05 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:08 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 8:54 AM ^
love it, till we lose to ND, MSU, and OSU. Then as a fan base we will say tough schedule but the next year will be our year. Every year, it will be next year.
January 9th, 2018 at 9:32 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^
holy cow I'm pumped now man, thanks!
January 9th, 2018 at 3:00 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:25 AM ^
Because if you end up being Trent Richardson then at least you can get a real job after you become the laughingstock of the sports world
January 9th, 2018 at 3:02 AM ^
You don't win championships by stockpiling them.
January 9th, 2018 at 3:03 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:09 AM ^
But alas a concussion somehow benched him for the whole remaining season.
Seriously, what’s up with that? The kid is a true vertical threat mismatch unlike Gentry and McKeon.
January 9th, 2018 at 3:27 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 5:30 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:05 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:02 AM ^
I think our defense is as good as anyone's, so I wondered why with us having seemingly quite similar rosters to these teams (great all around defenses, poor QB play, talented but inconsistent WRs, a stable of very good RBs), what is the big difference? And to me the answer is pass protection. Some of the time that these freshmen had to pass was ridiculous, against some of the toughest competition. Play calling is probably part of it as well, but the deep passes tonight were possible because of a long time to throw. We need to step the pass blocking up a lot.
January 9th, 2018 at 3:48 AM ^
The D would let teams drive on them late in the game. If we were a stellar D for 4 QTRS we would have won @ WI and @ OSU. MSU, the D did its job but the offense just could not score and turned the ball over 5 times. The PSU game was the Ds only poor showing of the year.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:32 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:04 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 3:08 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 8:22 AM ^
January 9th, 2018 at 8:45 AM ^
Nor is he some untouchable, above reproach god. That said, any idiot who dreams of replacing him is clueless. There is no one better out there for UM right now.
January 9th, 2018 at 3:20 AM ^
Michigan needs to recruit at a somewhat higher level. Saban is Saban, and Richt left a ton of talent for Smart. I think Michigan can recruit better with a couple of wins in big games. And I'm optmistic about getting those wins. Michigan is going to have to out perform more talented teams (like OSU) to do this, but Harbaugh's Stanford teams beat much more talented teams.
Michigan is going to have trouble competing year in and year out with programs that cut more corners than the Wolverines do. I'm not saying Michigan is pristine, but I'd be pretty surprised if Bama, Clemson, OSU, and Georgia hold themselves to the same standards Michigan does. I don't enjoy saying this. I'm well aware that it seems like an excuse. But I think it's a reality.
Michigan simply has to have better QB play, obvious as that is. Tonight's game turned around when the Tide's QB play turned around. Harbaugh's history gives us plenty of reason to believe Michigan's QB fortune wlll improve greatly.
You have to have some luck to win a title. These teams stayed pretty healthy all year long. Alabama won tonight in part (if I remember the play correctly) because Fromm hit Da'Shawn Hand in the head with a pass and a Tide DL happened to be there to catch the ball. Georgia had Oklahoma give them a gift field goal at the end of the first half of the Rose Bowl. OSU beat Wisconsin, which put Alabama in the playoff. People can say you make your own luck, but that's never entirely true.
January 9th, 2018 at 11:13 AM ^
They had a boatload of injuries this season.
https://247sports.com/college/alabama/Article/Alabama-Crimson-Tide-Foot…
January 9th, 2018 at 3:07 AM ^
like we use to in the 70s, 80s, 90s up to about 2006 we will be in good shape. The last 6 years we have had some top recruits on the OL but most did not turn out well, probably coaching. I hope Harbaugh and staff can coach up the younger OL and add depth over the next couple of years.
January 9th, 2018 at 8:52 AM ^
If you'd said 2004 for recruiting, I maybe would've agreed with you.
Take a look at the '05, '06, and '07 classes again. They're bad.
January 9th, 2018 at 3:23 AM ^
Isaac Nauta with Nauta single catch tonight. Gotta love teams who lie to recruits about how they'll be used just so that they can keep them away from teams who can actually use their talents and let them reach their full potential
January 9th, 2018 at 3:54 AM ^
Don't mind riding the pine for 2 to 3 years, they just want to be on a team that can win a NC. Michigan has not proven that they are even close yet. But I still think Jim will turn this program around in the next couple of seasons, then we will see more top recruits.
January 9th, 2018 at 6:39 AM ^
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January 9th, 2018 at 9:27 AM ^