a look back and hope for '09'

Submitted by noahtahl on
Edit Message as for last year...lets go over each game and come up with a logical reason to have hope for 2009. game 1)Utah: first game with new coach, system and a walk on freshman QB starting because rrod thought he fit the system.tough game against the true national champion. yes, michigan did get most of the breaks but the second half was more indicative of the talent comps.Final 25-23 0-1--With Forcier or more experienced Threat 1-0 game 2)Miami: still learning complex system and this time started a r/s freshman QB. lackluster performance mostly brought on by embarrassment over home opener loss to a mid major team(who knew they were that good).Final 16-6 1-1--Forcier exp. Threat 2-0 game 3)Notre Dame: a little jump in their step. finally over losing to Utah, the best team in college football;-P but 4 fumbles and 2 int. later a tough loss to swallow. outplayed Notre Dame in South Bend but the errors and hard rain took it's toll. hope abounds.Final-35-17 1-2--Forcier exp Threat and less bad luck 3-0 game 4)Wisconsin: do miracles ever cease? this game saw Mich. turn the ball over repeatedly in first half and this led to one of the greatest comebacks in Mich. history.the 4th qtr. showed the promise of the spread. Final 27-25 2-2 Forcier exp Threat 4-0 game 5)Illinois: Mich. spurred on by great comeback against Wis. comes out strong, takes an early lead and just falls apart, exposing the truth...Michigan is led by a freshman Qb running an offense not designed for him. Juice see's blood, doesn't throw a pick and....Final 45-20 2-3 Forcier exp Threat 4-1 game 6) Toledo: threat makes another freshman mistake, Toledo comes out with an offense designed by their old coach Gary Pinkel, now at Missouri, and throws over 100 times...well, at least 50 and once more plays with more passion than the Wolverines.Threat gets hurt and Michigan gives away another.Final- 13-10 2-4 Forcier exp Threat 5-1 game 7)Penn St: #3 team in happy valley.Michigan once again starts strong, leads at the half and then Threat goes down...end of story. promising but still another loss. Final 46-17 2-5 Forcier exp Threat closer but still lost 5-2 game 8)Michigan St.:same old story. come out strong, lead or tied for most of game and fold like the young and now bewildered team they've become. Final 35-21 2-6 Forcier exp Threat 6-2 game 9)Purdue:Michigan's offense scored more points against Purdue's staunch defense than both Penn St. and Ohio St. in fact , Michigan's 42 points were more than Penn St. and Ohio St.'s combined scores of 36...problem was Michigan gave up 48. Final-48-42 2-7 Forcier exp Threat 7-2 game 10)Minnesota: this game showed a complete package of what the spread can do, even with a walk-on, when playing in perfect conditions and getting most of the breaks. the defense once again made an appearance helped by the offense actually limiting their three and outs and Michigan won that juggy thing.Final 29-6 3-7 8-2 game 11)Northwestern: Michigan come out in the snow and rain runs the ball for almost 200 yards, leads at the half 14-7 and loses. other than the elements, the 88 yards in passing and the defenses year long inability to stop 3rd and 30's did the Maize and Blue in...the pain...the pain....Final 21-14 3-8 Forcier exp Threat 9-2 Game 12)Ohio St.:Terrelle Pryor pass intercepted by Stevie Brown at the OhSt 47, returned for 34 yards to the OhSt 13. MICHOHST1st and 10 at OHST 13Carlos Brown rush for 2 yards to the OhSt 11.002nd and 8 at OHST 11Nick Sheridan rush for a loss of 2 yards to the OhSt 13. 3rd and 10 at OHST 13Michigan penalty 5 yard false start accepted. 3rd and 15 at OHST 18Nick Sheridan pass incomplete. 4th and 15 at OHST 18K.C. Lopata 35 yard field goal MISSED A.J. Trapasso punt for 33 yards, returned by Martavious Odoms for no gain, fumbled, recovered by ohio st.tuos 6 plays for 318 yards michigan intercepts pryor on first drive returns to 8 and sheridan puts a dagger in the maize and blue heart. game over Final 42-7 3-9 Forcier exp Threat and a witch doctor...10-2...just kidding;-P;-P 9-3 Next year 9-11 wins...yea seriously...Go Blue!!

Comments

OZ23

January 22nd, 2009 at 3:26 AM ^

I would love us to go 9-3 but were still really young, going to be starting some new faces on D, not sure what G.Robinson will bring the table, I'm sure our Offense will be improved with all starters returning. If we can cut down on the turnover bug this year I can realisticly see us going 7-5 or 8-4 which is a vast improvement, and if we can pull off some upsets that would be sweet to.

OZ23

January 22nd, 2009 at 3:29 AM ^

I would love us to go 9-3 but were still really young, going to be starting some new faces on D, not sure what G.Robinson will bring the table, I'm sure our Offense will be improved with all starters returning. If we can cut down on the turnover bug this year I can realistically see us going 7-5 or 8-4 which is a vast improvement, and if we can pull off some upsets that would be sweet to.

10th yr Senior

January 22nd, 2009 at 3:40 AM ^

How can you call the game against Purdue a future win if our defense still gives up more points than we score? An improved QB situation still doesn't address our problematic D. You even admit this yourself, that the difference was our lack of stopping them.

West Texas Blue

January 22nd, 2009 at 10:25 AM ^

OZ23, you're doubling posting all over the place. One click is all it takes... The Forcier hype is getting out of control; I think one poster called him the messiah. The kid will struggle in his first year due to the increased speed of the game, a huge, huge increase in the level of competition compared to his high school days, and the fact that our offense is only in year 2 of Rod's system.

Wonk

January 22nd, 2009 at 9:08 PM ^

Sometimes you get John Navarre. Sometimes you get Rick Leach. Freshman qb's who have something to rest on (a good offensive line, strong tailbacks, an excellent receiving corps, and a defense that gives him room for error) can most certainly excel. Do we have those things? Eh...sort of? The D is unproven, but the O-Line should conceivably be better, our tailbacks are pretty great, and our wideouts are nothing if not incredibly deep. That bodes for some sort of potency if Forcier is appreciably more mobile and more accurate than either Threet or Sheridan. At least 6-6 / 7-5 levels of potency, which for desperate Michigan fans could be considered a messianistic rise in talent.

noahtahl

January 23rd, 2009 at 3:26 PM ^

hope (hp) v. hoped, hop·ing, hopes v.intr. 1. To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment. 2. Archaic To have confidence; trust. v.tr. 1. To look forward to with confidence or expectation: We hope that our children will be successful. 2. To expect and desire. See Synonyms at expect. n. 1. A wish or desire accompanied by confident expectation of its fulfillment. 2. Something that is hoped for or desired: Success is our hope. 3. One that is a source of or reason for hope: the team's only hope for victory. 4. often Hope Christianity The theological virtue defined as the desire and search for a future good, difficult but not impossible to attain with God's help. 5. Archaic Trust; confidence.

jg2112

January 22nd, 2009 at 10:27 AM ^

....when the poster can't even spell last year's QB's name correctly? How many times did you even watch Michigan play in 2008 if you don't know there was no threat in Threet?

chally

January 22nd, 2009 at 10:29 AM ^

I don't see how you can assume that we get "less bad luck" against Notre Dame, but then expect us to catch all the same breaks against Utah and Wisconsin. Teams where we were clearly overmatched: Utah, Illinois, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State Teams where we we evenly matched (i.e., could have won but for mistakes/luck): Notre Dame, Michigan State, Purdue, Northwestern Teams where we had the clear advantage: Miami, Toledo, Minnesota Even if we assume that we improve (and therefore take 3/4 against evenly-matched foes, or steal one against a superior opponent), we're still only looking at 6-6. 8-10 wins is just foolish optimism.

UMSwoosh

January 22nd, 2009 at 11:48 AM ^

I just want to see us get better. This past season a glimmer of hope against Wisconsin turned into chaos against Illinois, it was clear everyone was adapting at different speeds. If Forcier is the starter for the opener we are in trouble. Knowledge of the offense and reading defenses should outweigh ability. I don't see a problem with sharing snaps if Threet can run 70% of the offense and Forcier can run 30%; I would be happy. I don't think asking Forcier to come in a be our "Savior" is the answer. The answer is getting everybody to play at the same speed.

markusr2007

January 22nd, 2009 at 12:07 PM ^

in the Big Ten. I think from a "returning starters perspective", Michigan is in considerably better shape than 2008: 11+ on offense and 7 starters on defense. Ohio State returns 4 offensive starters (Pryor, Cordle, Brewster and Browning), but they have 8 starters back on defense, plus another top recruiting class in the nation. Teams going up (in varying degrees): Indiana (19 returning startes), Minnesota (18 returning starters), Michigan (17-18 returning starters), Iowa, Illinois Teams going down (in varying degrees): Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin, Purdue Jury is still out: MSU(QB & RB leaders gone), Northwestern (QB back, best running backs gone). I do think all of Michigan's non-conf. opponents, even Eastern Michigan, will be improved teams over 2008, which is a cause for worry.

noahtahl

January 22nd, 2009 at 3:42 PM ^

was not that interested in googling threet's name...my bad. as for the purdue game, yes the defense did not come through but IMHO the offense did not rack up alot of yards but did take advantage of special teams play...so yes with forcier and or a more experienced threet>threat the wolverines come out of west lafayette with a W. on to the lack of optimism among the "faithful"... the overview while slightly over optimistic was not "over the top" and the promise for 2009-10 was the theme of the post. I'll let you in on a little secret, "Yes We Can".

MaizeNBlue

January 23rd, 2009 at 3:28 PM ^

lol you can give us Threet's hypothetical record all day, but he's only one of the people that didn't live up to "Michigan par" last year... don't let the OL and the underachievers on D off the hook

GoBlue00

January 23rd, 2009 at 4:30 PM ^

As much as people wanna hate on you.. I thnk your dead on. Imagine how many more TDs or points we could of had if threet didnt overthrow every reciever open in the middle. Everytime we threw in middle it was a bad pass. Forcier is gonnna put up huge numbers next yr, i guarantee it.

GoBlue00

January 23rd, 2009 at 4:32 PM ^

Colt Mccoy did sweet his freshman yr. Freshman RS, but forcier is technically a freshman RS by enrolling early. Mccoy was only a 3 star outta H.S too. SO he needed alot to improve. Tates the 5 best dual threat qb compared on rivals, number 1 accuracy on rivals.. ESPN has him at number 2 best dual threat.

jfs52

January 27th, 2009 at 10:40 AM ^

that "forcier exp threet" explains as much as you think it does...especially purdue, where we scored 40+ and lost. surely that one was on the defense, and it was the defense that lost with time running out...