The disappointment is almost worth it

Submitted by Larry Appleton on
It was a disappointing football season. It’s a disappointing end to the recruiting cycle. But knowing that all the UNACCEPTABLEs are pounding-the-floor miserable right now almost makes it worth it. They deserve nothing better. And truthfully, I don’t think they’d want it any other way. Now delete this thread.
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killerseafood3

February 7th, 2018 at 12:09 PM ^

There’s nothing wrong with criticizing the overall approach of the program after such an awful year when you include recruiting. Recruits are choosing to go elsewhere as the offensive product on the field was dismal at best. That’s a problem.

Joined: 12/06/2014

MGoPoints: 32977

StraightDave

February 7th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^

10-3 with Hoke’s recruits 10-3 with Hoke’s recruits 8-5 and an embarrassing bowl loss with Harbaugh’s recruits -Not a single meaningful win since Harbaugh has been coach -Arguably the worst recruiting class in Michigan football history -Zero hype or momentum going into next season -And spends more time recruiting assistants than he does players What does Jimmy say to Ward to convince him that Jimmy is worth $7 million a year?

Joined: 12/27/2009

MGoPoints: 4232

uminks

February 7th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^

At OSU is a likely loss. Toss up games will be ND, MSU, PSU, WI, NU and maybe UN? Even if we go .500 with our toss  up games we could sill be 8-4. Though if our OL and QB play can improve I could see possibly going 10-2. At leas I hope.  But 2019 is where Harbaugh will need to prove himself.

Joined: 11/10/2009

MGoPoints: 32047

killerseafood3

February 7th, 2018 at 2:43 PM ^

I'm still a fan of Harbaugh, but as other posters have said, he's not the end all be all. There are up and comers all over the place. Look at a guy like Scott Frost, or even Willie Taggert. Hell, the coach of the Rams in the NFL is like 31 years old and did a kick ass job. There will always be options.

 

Joined: 12/06/2014

MGoPoints: 32977

Perkis-Size Me

February 7th, 2018 at 12:20 PM ^

Have to hope that this season ultimately proves to be the exception and not the rule. Hopefully it also proves to be the wakeup call and kick in the crotch that the coaching staff needs. 

Everyone on the offensive side of the ball is going to have to earn their paycheck next season. Brown and his defense can't do it all by themselves. Especially against the OSUs of the world. If we go out and lay an egg against ND in the opener, I can't imagine the outrage that will stem from this fanbase. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 105760

WorldwideTJRob

February 7th, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^

People like this infuriate me. So if Jim Harbaugh can’t win here, we should shut down the program the day he leaves. No point in fielding a team anymore. /s Stop and realize that Brady Hoke(yes that BRADY HOKE!) won 11 games in a season at Michigan before. I think Jim can get it done, but if not we go out and grab the best coach available. I’m sure people in Georgia didn’t think that grabbing a good coordinator would produce the results they have seen so far in his short tenure after losing one of the best coaches in program history...yet here they are a couple plays from winning a national title and recruiting one of the most impressive classes in recent history. Michigan Football was prestigious before Jim and it will continue to be prestigious long after he leaves.

Joined: 07/05/2010

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uncle leo

February 7th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^

How "prestigious" they are. That whole concept of "it will be before and after" is EXACTLY why the program is where they are. Yeah, this could be a complete speculative statement, but it's just my gut. That presige caught up to them, and the rest of the nation did as well. MSU brought in a guy that lived and hated Michigan, and he's taken an attitude to make them a pretty damn good program. OSU has done the same, updated their style, and now they are one of the best. 

It's not 1940 anymore. Leather helmets are gone. Time to bring back some freaking fire into this program. You can't say "they will be after." You have NO way of knowing that. There are programs that used to be giants and can't get out of their own way anymore (Tennessee, Texas for example).

All I know is that they've been a good, not great program. No one fears Michigan anymore. Open up your ears to the rest of the nation. 

Joined: 07/29/2012

MGoPoints: 34636

Wolverine91

February 7th, 2018 at 12:24 PM ^

Keep living in your delusional bubble. When's the last time we won anything of significance? Oh yea I almost forgot. As fans, we always expect better especially when we see shit. Nothing wrong with criticizing

Joined: 01/12/2014

MGoPoints: 10414

JFW

February 7th, 2018 at 12:53 PM ^

I prefer well thought out criticism. I hate knee jerk 'FIRE X' 'UNACCEPTABLE' criticism because it doesn't do anything, and it's not helpful at all. Often its based in non realistic assumptions. 

'If Harbaugh doesn't get 'X' done next year, we have to move on!' assumes there is another, world class coach who can both fit as well or better than Harbaugh, as well as get better results than Harbaugh. It further assumes that such a coach, if he exists, would be dying to come to coach here given enough money or the fact that we are Michigan. 

Further, that type of criticism is often just based in the last 11 months or so. Last year sucked, but it was 8 - 5 with a QB carousel. In the same circumstances many coaches do *worse*. 

Harbaugh is demonstrably a good coach. He has a record of building good things. We can stick with him and hope it works out, trusting in his record and his knowledge. 

Or we can kvetch and go crazy and gnash our teeth and hope he gets fired. In which case we turn into the 'Niners as we flail for a coach and hope a good one falls into our lap. 

Joined: 10/20/2010

MGoPoints: 15285

Wolverine91

February 7th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^

Definitely don't think we should fire Harbaugh. Agree with you that knee jerk criticism is wrong. I'm just saying specifically with this board, if anyone remotely has a negative but objective criticism, they get blasted for it. As fans, we just want our team to win. And when we crave for it for so long and don't get it, we'll doubt tends to settle in. My only problem w Harbaugh is that he's way too loyal. I understand he knows a lot more about football than all of us combined, but come on even Stevie wonder can see that our offensive coaching staff was offensive to every eye watching. And apparently Jim doesn't see it

Joined: 01/12/2014

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JFW

February 7th, 2018 at 1:24 PM ^

Just my opinion obviously but if someoen says 'Oh Shit our QB play sucked' people are fine with that. The 'WTF was the playcalling at the MSU game' is fine, but a little rhetorical because we will never know what the coaches were thinking, or what issues constrained them. Where I get annoyed is the broad brush crtiicisms and the 'excuses' thinking. Dear God, we lost a crap ton of skill players last year. Yes, some other coaches have had success in two years. That is *NOT* the norm in college football. 

As to Drev and Pep... IIRC he used them and had success with them previously. I think its an easy step for us to say 'Hey, fire 'em!' than it is for him to say 'These guys, with whom I have good chemistry, and with whom I've had success in the past, need to go so I can get an unknown quantity...'

Further, I think that the Drev/Pep might to a certain extent be scape goats in this. I love Harbaugh. I want him to continue here. But he was the one who hired Frey. He was the one who changed us from gap to gap/zone mix. I think that, coupled with a new line, coupled with injuries and inexperience at key positions (TE, WR), really hurt us alot. 

Joined: 10/20/2010

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Wolverine91

February 7th, 2018 at 1:50 PM ^

I understand what you're saying and I agree to a certain extent especially with the gap/zone comment. The problem that I have is that just because a scheme or a coach worked somewhere else doesn't necessarily mean it'll work here. Drevno has been terrible here. The line has been bad, recruiting has been bad, and the calling has been bad. Playing the "well it/they worked well in San Fran/Stanford, give it time" just doesn't work right now. How long do we wait till a change occurs. Isn't the last 3 years of drevno good enough proof that he just doesn't fit well here. That's the discouraging part for me

Joined: 01/12/2014

MGoPoints: 10414

JFW

February 7th, 2018 at 6:48 PM ^

I suppose my only counter argument would be that as far as I can tell, this is the first year that the play calling has been considered bad. The last two years opponents said we were very hard to anticipate and plan for. My biggest concern isn't with Drev, it's with Pep. And my biggest fear is that he had too much influence. And it was bad. 

Joined: 10/20/2010

MGoPoints: 15285

Winchester Wolverine

February 7th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^

What it means to be a Michigan fan... Wallow in the sorrow of the last decade, our o-line, and the fact that we have an elite head coach for 3 years with no results of merit yet. There is little encouragement to see it get better soon with the schedule this season. We can't say shit, just mildly laugh off the taunts from rival fans. We can't say "wait til next year" anymore. Frankly, I wish I could quit being so invested in this shit, but my obsession just simply won't let me do it. So, because I have no other choice, I'm gonna ride this wave out and hope it gets better. That's what I'm left to... Blind hope. It fucking sucks. I have no words of encouragement or happy thoughts right now. The indifference is seeping in season by season.

Joined: 01/07/2015

MGoPoints: 19166

uminks

February 7th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^

The tough schedule may not improve the record much or if any. But I look forward to getting a good starting QB and watching the OL making some good improvement through the season. Our young WR will make a big jump if we find a QB who can complete his passes. We have a number of good RBs. So, I'm optimistic about the team improving in 2018 and who knows if the QB position takes a big upgrade we could contend for the B1G title in 2018. I think we will have our best chance to win the B1G in 2019.

Joined: 11/10/2009

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RstadiumsBIG

February 7th, 2018 at 2:31 PM ^

Wouldnt it be great if the XFLs teams were made up of only players from a specific college? Like all the guys from Michigan that didn't work out in the NFL on one team!? That would be so sweet!! I know it would have too be more than just Michigan guys but it could be cool It would give the people a real rooting interest

Joined: 02/07/2018

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