Are Excitement Levels About Michigan Football Down For 2021?
Even though we are enjoying Michigan's current basketball season, I have to ask everyone how excited they are about football and the changes that have taken place? Although it has been great to see our recruiting take an uptick so far, I am not buying into any of the hype of having great players and youthful coaches. I want results on the field. It seems that many on here are also not really excited and have grown tired of the spring and summer hype machine. Is this true across the fanbase right now?
Drugs are, bad.
I think people will get excited once the season rolls around. Personally I'm more excited than I expected given the overhaul of the coaching staff and their early success recruiting, but we'll see.
My excitement level for Michigan football for 15 years now has been "meh". Im sure ill watch a couple games but being a causal observer anymore has been a blessing.
Hope springs eternal
Please retitle this thread,”March Madness!”
FIFY
Can't talk...Value personal happiness...watching basketball
In all seriousness though I'm mildly optimistic.
The hard part about Michigan Football to me is we've lost our identity. Wisconsin bullies us most of the time we play them and our best players leave before their careers play out before they're ready for the limelight or a high draft position in my personal opinion.
"Those Who Stay Will Be Champions?" Gone.
Toughest, Grittiest team in the league? Not by a long shot.
Everything I loved about the Lloyd and even Gary Moeller eras growing up is gone but all of our bugaboos remain and have gotten worse.
Maybe this year will be different. I like the early era Harbaugh teams but Jabrill Peppers aint walkin through that door
I’ll be excited come the end of summer when football is back to practicing. The last few years of hype during preseason has been bullshit. The whole Joe Milton is our next great QB really did it for me this last offseason. I won’t believe in any hype from anyone until we see it week 1. Until then, I’ll carry about my business, check Mgoblog 2-3 times daily, and get excited if we get stud recruits. Sadly, I have lowered my expectations after last years debacle.
Are Excitement Levels About Michigan Football Down For 2021?
Yes. Last year was the first time since 2008 that I completely stopped watching games. I didn't even bother to DVR them and watch them later. After the first half was over in the Wiscy game and UM was down 28-0 I gave up on the season. I mean we barely beat Rutgers. Let that sink in. If the on-field product is not significantly better than last year I won't watch next year either. It became more frustrating than enjoyable and that's not how I wanted to spend my Saturday afternoons during the short beautiful fall season.
All in.
*Michael Scott voice* I am ready to get hurt again.
Yes my expectations are down on Michigan football last year did me in especially the loss to msu! I believe we have enough talent like most years ,but I don't have faith In Harbaugh to develop them or a game plan. The offense last year didn't impress me either. I don't know if It's gattis /harbaugh ,but the runs up the gut on every first down was a throwaway and I didn't see the speed in space we were promised!
I like the young hires I think they bring a lot of energy and will improve recruiting, but will they improve on field results? I will never believe spring/summer hype again! I remember John o"korn would be the starter if he was eligible because he was a stud In spring practice! I could go on! I don't remember the schedule offhand ,but I would guess 5/6 wins right now! I hope they prove me wrong!
Can I answer on 11/27 around 4:00?
Is Harbaugh still at the helm? Then yeah, my excitement level is down. Michigan football under Harbaugh is about as exciting as a safety meeting at work. It just looks like nothing works on offense for very long -- a game here, a half there, a drive here and there, sure, but not consistently. And last year the defense said "hold my beer" and ended up looking absolutely lost.
Is there some potential for improvement? Sure. But is there also a ceiling? Yup. Pretty obviously.
Football is meh. Let's focus on basketball.
Well, I am in what I imagine is a reasonably unique position on this site, in as much as I don't care about Michigan basketball. I'm not an alum, nor am I from Michigan, so I never got into the basketball team. I'm a Michigan football fan because in 1992 my dad took me to see Michigan play Northwestern at Ryan Field (I grew up about 15 minutes from there). We sat right by the tunnel where the Michigan players came out and to my 6 year old eyes, those giant men were like Greek Gods. They then proceeded to destroy Northwestern something like 44-7. I loved Michigan football from that day forward. I was a huge football fan, but basketball didn't interest me at the time, so my affection for the football team didn't transfer to the basketball team. Then I went to university at NYU, which doesn't have a football team, so my childhood fandom has continued on into adulthood.
That long slightly pointless aside now finished, I only care about the football team and I care a lot. So I am worried about Michigan football even in the middle of the offseason and I read basically all the Michigan football coverage that is available. The thing that makes me most excited is the possibility that we will start relying more on analytics, which I believe will lead to better clock management and more balanced first down play calling. That is a huge deal, because we run the ball way too often on first down, and analytics show that to be a clearly suboptimal strategy. Hopefully the use of analytics, mixed with an influx of youth, will see us modernize our schemes and decision making, and lead to better results. I really hope this happens, because even though 2020 was completely unacceptable, I still love Jim Harbaugh and I really hope he succeeds. Do I expect us to all of a sudden become a top 10 team again next year? No I don't. However, I really hope I'm wrong.
I’m not getting excited until we see actual results.
For 2021, the excitement has to be down. 2020 was a disastrous season, where Michigan didn't even look functional. It was so depressing during a pretty rough year.
While the staff changings are intriguing, recruiting doesn't show results for at least a couple of years. The QB room is all sorts of young, again. And while the new DC comes with some NFL approval, what scares me is the apparent complexity of the scheme and likelihood of a successful install during one offseason. That's not to mention an overall slow cornerback roster for a scheme that puts corners out on an island.
End result? 2021 is going to be really bad, and the one good thing going into the season (recruiting) might get nuked at the top end as a result. Beyond 2021 is likely a slow rebuild.
I couldn't handle much more of the football program after 2020. I definitely won't be looking forward to a 2021 season.
I understand your pessimism, but I don't think what you said about the defensive scheme is accurate. Don Brown's aggressive press man coverage absolutely put the CBs on and island, but all that I've read about the new defense is that it will be more multiple and have a lot fewer instances where the CBs will be on an island. It is hard to say that for certain of course, because they obviously haven't come out and explained the defense in detail, but that certainly doesn't seem like it will be the case.
I would say yes, due to Covid, and the "appeared" lack of enthusiasm. The transfer portal also helps make it look like the program is in a bad position. However, if the kids aren't going to play, and they leave, then that opens a scholarship for someone else. It gives the opportunity to get a player that "may" be able to contribute.