November 22nd, 2020 at 9:51 AM ^
Paea was in uniform at Rutgers
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:47 AM ^
At this point I wouldn’t be totally surprised to find that Patrick Mahomes has been moonlighting as a UM player and the coaching staff hasn’t noticed his talent in practice yet.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:49 AM ^
Apparently, Michigan evaluates QB talent like I evaluate sobriety ..... very poorly
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:50 AM ^
Cade had a good game. The rest is a mystery. This season’s a loss. May as well find the best players that can play and prepare for next year. apparently Harbaughs still gonna be here so treat the rest of the season as live fire practices and find some more McNamaras.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:03 AM ^
Can’t help but think of the vast number of transfers we have had in this context. If there are guys who are clearly better but watching other guys get all the playing time not surprised they’d leave.
I know every school has transfers but we have had some key positions left bare. Highly touted 2017 class on defense should be our SRs now but top talent from that class either never panned out or transferred.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:32 AM ^
I think they put too much stock in practice try hards. It’s why Gil split snaps with Ross despite being worse in game 2 years ago. And then they stick with the starters because they are terrified of younger guys making mistakes. Why is Reynolds ahead of Quinten Johnson? Why is Shibley in instead of moving Barrett and putting in Solomon. Especially when you have a lead and know they have to pass. Paea plays ahead of Mazi. No Faustin sightings. Just feels like you gotta try some other guys and get them game reps. Especially when Rutgers is shredding your defense.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:34 AM ^
Wow SHOCKING!!!
Michigan fans finally get a competent QB!!!
And can finally see the payoff from the last three recruiting classes, getting the right "fits".
But instead of feeling good?
Let's rag on the guys who aren't competent because they didn't quite "fit".
November 22nd, 2020 at 8:18 AM ^
Agreed. Teams find out all the time that a guy on the 2s turns out to be the better game player. It’s happened forever, and will continue to happen.
I’m feeling good that Michigan is able to play during this pandemic, maybe found a QB, and fought their tails off.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:43 AM ^
It's hard to say if it's poor coaching, poor talent evaluation, or just shit luck, but there are a heck of a lot of highly ranked recruits that kinda suck on this team. Kemp, Jeter, Hinton, Ross, Filiaga, & Vilain all kinda suck as pretty highly rated recruits. And, why are we playing walk-on LBs? Where are Solomon, Hill-Green, Mullings, & Mohan? And, what ever happened to Quinten Johnson? He was the best SPARC athlete in his class two years ago? We're playing Hunter Reynolds and LBs I've never even heard of...wtf?
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:04 AM ^
So, you didn't even know Adam Shipley was on the team?
So you don't care about nor root for anyone who is a "walk on"?
OK
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:37 AM ^
So, you didn't even know Adam Shipley was on the team?
LOL you didn't even realize his name is Adam Shibley, not Shipley. Other than against MSU, he's never really played anything other than special teams and he's a senior. Did you know who he was before tonight's game?
So you don't care about nor root for anyone who is a "walk on"?
Why would you say that? There is nothing wrong with being a walk on. See the Glasgow brothers. But, when there's also a reason they are walk-ons, particularly as a senior. The coaches don't believe they are worth a scholarship. So, it begs the question why they are playing ahead of scholarship guys? Kalel Mullings is a highly rated recruit just sitting on the bench.
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:59 AM ^
No 1 ..... "p" u.
No 2 you mean the freshman who came here during THIS year? I wonder?
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:38 PM ^
I'm the guy who hates walk ons. Walk ons playing, other than at a specialist position, is a sign of a program in trouble. These guys don't play significant roles at programs trying to win championships. Point to the last walk on to play a significant role at Alabama under Saban? Or at Clemson under Dabo? Or at OSU under any of the coaches the last 20 years? You can't.
Yeah, they make a great feel good story and we get to cheer for them and feel better about our program while we get beat by the better teams because we are doing it the "right way".
The fact that Shibley is playing now points to the losses we've had from the program and the lack of either talent or development of those that remained.
I know this is probably controversial here, but IMO walk ons are bad for the program.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:46 PM ^
...or the fact that coach plays favorites and that meritocracy is bullshit....
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:37 PM ^
Bama = Rashad Johnson
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:39 PM ^
OSU = (can't bring myself to read it)
let me know what you find:
https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/walk-ons-play-help-shape-winning-culture/
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:24 AM ^
Coaching seems to make M players worse, so I assume there is a freshman linebacker that would blow us away. I'd also like to see Mazi Smith play.
November 22nd, 2020 at 7:41 AM ^
Of course there are others. Take a look at James Hudson. Case in point. Kid knew he was better than Stueber so he said “F off” and left. Now he’s the starting LT on the #6 team in country. Can you imagine how much better this team would be with DMac? You think he didn’t KNOW he was way better than Milton? This staff is flat out inept.
November 22nd, 2020 at 9:53 AM ^
Jim is a leader of this inept staff, paid 8 million bucks has a U-M degree but yet has played and coached football for years and still has NO idea the use of clock management, very sad.
November 22nd, 2020 at 3:43 PM ^
I am concerned Harbaugh believes his definition of player toughness is more important than player talent. It seems as if guys who don't play through injuries get permanent residence in the dog house.
Something has to explain why guys who should start for us transfer out; James Hudson, Dwumfour, St-Juste, Solomon, Spanellis, McCaffrey.
November 22nd, 2020 at 6:25 PM ^
The longer Harbaugh's tenure continues, the clearer it becomes:
** Practice warriors, especially ones that display the most toughness, seem to play. This may cause some players to leave.
** Players are expected to play through injury and (apparently) sickness. This could explain the rash of injuries we seem to get most years. Minor injuries not treated properly become major. This may cause some players to leave.
** The most talented players don't always get to play. Meritocracy is either just a lip-service slogan or is based on concepts of "toughness" -- see the points above. This may cause players to leave.
** Players are often not put in a position to succeed during the games. This may cause players to leave.
Overall, if we take an outsider's view, players often just don't seem to want to play for this team.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:31 PM ^
This has been a problem since 2016 when Deveon Smith was getting carries over Chris Evans, even though Evans was ripping 30 yard runs every other game.
Tons of other examples which lead to mass transfers. We now have two DTs that transferred starting at other schools even though we have a gaping hole there. Walk-ons playing over Drew Singleton and Jordan Anthony. How many "walk-ons playing over high-rated recruits" happen at OSU, Clemson or Alabama? How about at Michigan?
It really took the entire fanbase seeing Milton shxt the bed, for you guys to realize this was an issue. Issues that broke the camel's back this year have been around since 2016.
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:03 PM ^
Don't know about that example. Smith wasn't a classic feature back but he was a really tough runner and good blocker. Evans is fast but not an every-down back. He's best as a 3rd-down guy.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:43 PM ^
I thought the Linebacker room was full of studs.....where are the young playmakers?
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:55 PM ^
Nobody at MGoBlog knows what went into the coaches' decision on who to start at QB, but there have been plenty of State Street practice heroes over the years at all positions who could never bring the same game to Main Street against actual opponents.