Anyone else concerned about the upcoming football schedule?

Submitted by Catchafire on May 2nd, 2019 at 12:56 PM

Middle Tennessee - Light Concern

Army - Medium Concern

Wisconsin - High Concern

Rutgers - Light Concern

Iowa - High Concern

Illinois - Light Concern

Penn State - High Concern

ND - High Concern

Maryland - Medium Concern

MSU - High Concern

Indiana - High Concern

OSU - Super High Concern

 

I am concerned.  Concerned Man Concerned Man, yeah that's me!!!  This has got to be one of the hardest schedules in ALL of college football.  Excluding Mid Ten, our only "breathers" are Rutgers and Illinois.

KalkaskaWolverine

May 2nd, 2019 at 1:11 PM ^

I'm working on a 10,000 word diary about my concern for the weather reports for several of those games. If it rains during the wrong game it could really cost us. Ohio state is already practicing in a walk in freezer to prepare for November.

/s

East German Judge

May 2nd, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^

No I am not concerned. However, it is time for this coaching staff, after 4 years, to bring home a B1G championship. 

Really tired of the "we were close", "refs screwed us over", etc comments.  We have an outstanding University, great facilities and highly paid coaches.  Need the coaches to go BEILEIN on this team and achieve or over-achieve for once.  JB has been to 2 finals with B1G championships, need to see JH start doing it also. 

NeverPunt

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^

Would certainly be nice - we have some questions marks (RB, DL, 3rd CB specifically) but honestly, if we can weather the first few games alright we have enough young talent to expect to find some answers there.  Having a full season of functional OL maybe for the first time since Harbaugh arrived and modern offensive scheme shouldn't hurt.

I dont think it's unfair to say this a year where, while we've got some questions to answer, the staff *should* be able to paper over those problems with talent development, coaching, and scheme. Need players to make plays, but I think there's less "valid" reasons this year than any in the Harbaugh era that we should fall short of a B1G Title.

Mgoeffoff

May 2nd, 2019 at 1:28 PM ^

Why are you concerned about Wiscy?  They have Jonathan Taylor, then nothing.  They lost their entire offensive line.  They have either a garbage QB or a true freshman the third game of his college career against Don Brown's defense.  They have no WRs that can get separation against our DBs.  And, they lost most of those LBs from last year.  

I can see ND, PSU, & OSU.  I can also see MD as a trap game between ND & MSU.  And, I can see Indiana as a trap game between MSU & OSU.  But, we get ND at home this year.  PSU has had a lot of attrition and doesn't have a proven QB.  And well, if you're not concerned about OSU you've lived in a hole the last century. 

I see a good opportunity to win 11-12 games this year.  I think the schedule is very favorable as long as we can maintain the health of our d-line.

lostwages

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^

He will be close to being fired if he doesn't beat OSU this year...

I say 50/50 he wins the game, and the AD starts looking around.

The prodigal son has been a dud compared to his salary.

Lou MacAdoo

May 2nd, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^

I'm very concerned about the whole schedule. But my more immediate concerns are with my forthcoming poop. Will it be too big to go down? Will it try to go down sideways and I'll have to break it in half with the plunger? I don't know, but it's stressing me out.

ijohnb

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^

Am I the only one who has absolutely no enthusiasm for the ND game as a fan?  I did not know how ready I was for that series to be on a break until the break began, and last year just confirmed it ever more.  I don't feel much about Notre Dame games.  I don't feel hate.  I don't even really feel excitement.  I just feel..... irritated. 

Cali Wolverine

May 2nd, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^

No.  We beat the teams we are supposed to beat.  Win some and lose some of the concerned games, and lose to Ohio State.  This is Michigan football...anything better than that is a bonus...no longer “concerned” about the season.  Hoping one of our QB’s can win some big games for us in the next year or two.  But this is the first year I don’t even know the name of a single commit or recruiting target for next year....and it feels great!

ItsGreatToBe

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^

All these threads about concern with the football schedule, and I've not seen one person talk about this dark horse, unknown school we're playing on November 9.

If "Bye" is a truncated version of "Bye Felicia University," my brow could not be more furrowed with concern.

truferblue22

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:27 PM ^

Army is EXTREMELY high concern. No sarcasm. We're not winning that game, I'm calling it now. 

 

We're going to be quite good later on but Army and Wisconsin that early scare me a lot. 

 

EDIT: Haven't been here in a few days, just realized OP was trolling WD. I actually AM concerned though -- I meant that. 

barrybarry

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:34 PM ^

The Army game terrifies me, mostly because of the inevitable meltdown of Michigan fans when the game is tied 17-17 late in the third quarter. 

Solecismic

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:46 PM ^

As far as I'm concerned, there are 11 pre-season games and one real game. Win it and I'm happy. Lose it and I'm not. I'll leave the details about how much players and coaches are prepared for this game for the analysts, who can't conclude much until after we've seen a few pre-season games.

BBQJeff

May 2nd, 2019 at 2:59 PM ^

The upcoming season is difficult to predict.  One the one hand I don't see how we don't take a step back on D.  But, that's how I felt about '17 after losing so many guys and that D was nearly as good as '16.  For me, that is the biggest question mark coming into the season.  On offense, losing our top 2 running backs is what most concerns me.  We're a little thin at TE but Gattis' offense relies more on receivers than ends, so that isn't a concern, especially with the talent we have at WR.  Our QB situation is good.  Patterson's not a stud, but he's solid and is a playmaker and QB is a position where improvement is more mental than physical.  With so many question marks on D this offense absolutely needs to be explosive.  

As for the schedule....given Harbaugh's attrocious record against quality opponents on the road, Wisc and PSU are two games that scare me.   Army is scary, but it's a home game and although I think it will be an uncomfortable game, I think Michigan will ultimately win.   Notre Dame is likely going to be a tough opponent.  I'm not optimistic about that game.  I don't think we'll beat OSU again in my lifetime, so even when I'm incredibly optimistic, like I was coming into '16, I will always have our ceiling at 11 wins.   Believe it or not, MSU might be the second-most scary game.   They were decimated with injuries last year and it showed on the field.  I think they'll be healthier this year.   Their D will be lights out; elite.   I think we'll see a slightly improved version of '17 Lewerke.  Average or better QB play will ail a lot of what plagued that offense last year.   I think this year's MSU team will have some resemblance to us last year and I think they have a good shot at winning the Big 10.  

 

Because I'm a pessimist, my gut tells me 7-5 or 6-6.   My mind is telling me 9-3 or 8-4.  My mind says we split Wisconsin/PSU, lose to OSU and MSU with Notre Dame being a coin flip.  

SMart WolveFan

May 2nd, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^

Remember that one year, back in the day, when the ? was OL; because, RT was our Achilles heel, WR had NO experience and the QB room was as deep as the height of Speight on his back.

Than .......everything ........went ......bad

And they still finished 8-5.

This year, there's no Achilles, and the ?s are: 1) DL inexperience offset by youth and talent, 2) CB depth offset by experience and talent, 3) LB inexperience off set by youth, talent and depth.

I'd go 9-3 as the floor.