JH policy on Red Shirt Sr’s hurting team

Part of the reason Harbaugh can get better players than MSU is because of the thought of early playing time, whereas d'Antonio had a team full.of fifth year seniors.   Catch 22 of sorts.  

It’s been necessary to start these young guys since Carr left. We don’t have the luxury of sitting on kids anymore. It’s not a philosophy. 

Boy, this is a stretch. What you fail to realize is that the change in philosophy is not in trying to keep players around for their "best" year. It's about being able to use their talent while they still remain in school. If players are that good they will never see a 5th year any more. Instead they will be on an NFL roster. 

Jim's policy on an offensive philosophy is the bigger problem.

I think JH's biggest policy harming the team is that he sucks at coaching.

With the current pandemic, the athletic department is not in a position to write a 10 million dollar check for someone to not work there anymore.

More likely he makes changes to his assistants and gets an extension.  

Given how many players don’t want to sit and transfer out or leave for the draft early if they are good, I’m not sure the idea of a fifth year Brian Griese whom you have groomed to be your QB while he sat for years is still a thing.  Very few kids seem as invested in the programs and willing to wait to play, as once seemed to be the case.

I don't see this being an issue. Fifth year seniors aren't helpful unless they're good. If you're good, you've probably left for the NFL. If you're not good, you're a backup or you've transferred.

If you're so-so but *this close* to an opportunity (or if you've been injured), you might stick around, a la Andrew Vastardis.

Honestly it's the lack of depth and poor scheme that has hurt the most.

Anyone who minimizes this stat is not looking at the best teams now and historically. It’s a great point.

JH favors large recruiting classes over developing the kids at UM. 

The team this year is really young, inexperienced, immature and not able to weather in-game adversity as a result. 

That's fine for skill position players, but not for the lines.  It takes time to put on weight and strength to play up front.  Speed, power, explosiveness, etc. is less trainable than strength and size. 

I still hate infolinks

RISE UP!

I do like the thought here, but it is not easy. I often go ourlads.com to look at how many 4th and 5th year players each Big Ten team has.  I recently posted this on the Wisconsin system which seems to be your desire. 

Quick summary of just Wisconsin:                                                                                                            Ten of the starters on offense are 4th or 5th year players (not Mertz).  There are five 5th year players, three on the offensive line.  Seven of the defensive starters are 4th or 5th year players.  There are six 5th year players on defense, 2 of the 3 defensive linemen.  Wisconsin recruits linemen who are long, lean, and athletic (basketball players).  Do not worry about weight until they arrive on campus.  Redshirt.  Get to play in their 3rd or 4th year.                                                         Our offensive team averages 2.64 years, by far the lowest in the Big Ten.  The defense averages 3.45 years.  We give up about 1.7 years per starter to Wisconsin.  Experience in the system, weight and strength matter.

OTOH,  Look at 2016 and 2017 recruit and decide who to redshirt:  not easy to decide what to do.

https://247sports.com/college/michigan/Season/2016-Football/Commits/&nb…;   for now

https://247sports.com/college/michigan/season/2017-football/commits/

Thanks