M Ascending

April 30th, 2023 at 9:25 AM ^

What's even more impressive, we had 10 players considered likely or potential draft picks and 9 of them were drafted.  Gemon was then signed as a UDFA by the Giants. (Georgia had 10 of 12 drafted,  and Bama had 10 of 13.)

In contrast,  OSU had 12 players listed as likely or potential draftees and only 6 were drafted. 

It seems like maybe the world is catching on to the overhyping of Buckeye players. 

Ronswanson13

April 29th, 2023 at 9:59 PM ^

1) Georgia - playoff team and champion

t-1) Bama - 5th in final playoff rankings

3) Michigan - playoff team

4) TCU - playoff team

t-5) Ohio State - playoff team

All of these teams minus TCU will once again be up there in terms of drafted players next year.

 

Michigan now sits with the 5th most drafted players in the past 5 years as well:

1) Georgia - 48 players

2) Bama - 44

3) Ohio State - 41

4) LSU - 40

5) Michigan - 37

6) Penn State - 31

t-7) Oklahoma/Florida - 29

blueheron

April 30th, 2023 at 7:30 AM ^

It's a good question. On-field performance aside for a moment, I think the dark ages lasted about eight years.

I think the 2004 recruiting class was the last good one under Carr in terms of number of NFL draftees. Hoke started to restock the pond around 2012. There were some great players between those years (e.g., Brandon Graham) but just not many of them.

wildbackdunesman

April 29th, 2023 at 10:16 PM ^

Alabama 10
Georgia 10
Michigan 9
TCU 8
Florida 6
LSU 6
OSU 6
PSU 6
Clemson 6
Pitt 6
Oregon 6
Tennessee 5
Auburn 5
South Carolina 5
Maryland 5
Purdue 5
Oklahoma 5
Texas 5

---

MSU 3
Notre Dame 3
 

JonnyHintz

April 30th, 2023 at 8:51 AM ^

Even without the portal, I’m oddly not concerned about the 2024 OL. Inexperienced yes. But I think they’ve recruited OL very well and Moore has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to OL development. 
 

Persi looked fine last year in the little we did see him. El Hadi has looked good. We continue to hear rave reviews about Crippen and Anderson. Another year of development for them and everyone else too. 

Romeo50

April 30th, 2023 at 9:33 AM ^

 

El-Hadi, Anderson, Herring are a wall in the middle already shown. Tackles are plentiful and need to be sorted out and the portal will mix in/out to cover weaknesses. Biggest hurdle going forward is keeping the coaching band altogether as the three top ones are already highly sought after.

John Harbaugh has his work cut out for him. Besides finding UM excellent coaches what else does he do?

King Tot

April 30th, 2023 at 1:53 PM ^

This seems like some concern trolling. Granted, everything is weird with some guys with covid eligibility but I think we lose for sure (eligibility, pro): Zinter, Keegan, Henderson.

OT: potentially return Hinton (5 star, potentially get to relearn), Trente Jones (starter experience), Persi (game experience), Gentry (5 star talent), and others.

OG: El Hadi, Atteberry, Barnhart (not sure on eligibility, slotting at OG), and others

At OC we may not lose any of our 3 viable options.

Transfers in and out, recruiting, position switches, and development could change some of this but we should be fine.

 

 

stephenrjking

April 29th, 2023 at 10:33 PM ^

I really did think the program was trending down, sharply, with little hope for a turnaround, in 2020. Most of you saw some of that. I laid the blame where responsibility always belongs, at the feet of the head coach.

I couldn't have been more wrong. The program looks better than it has at any time since Jan 1, 1998. There is a talent all over the roster. A durable and established offensive line that is among the best in the country every year. Real NFL talent. 

The staff now has a strong track record of developing players above their recruiting profile. DJ Turner. Hassan Haskins. David Ojabo. Slot-turned-nickel Mike Sainristil. Pick a TE or OL.

These guys are getting developed, not just into competent college players, but into elite components of an elite team. Many of them significant NFL prospects. 

And now the recruits are coming. 

Michigan is becoming the nationally elite program we always wanted. Dreamed of. Became worried we would never see.

I lay the responsibility where it always belongs, at the feet of the head coach. 

Blue@LSU

April 29th, 2023 at 11:22 PM ^

Great comment.

I would pay real money to watch or read something documenting the reasons for the turnaround from 2020 to 2021. Not only in results, but in the team's attitude.

I remember in 2020 players hanging their heads on the sidelines, Harbaugh having to tell people to get excited for a big play, and just all-around bad vibes from the team. Maybe part of it could be chalked up to the Covid year, no fans, etc. but it just seemed like more than that.

How do you go from that to the 2021 season and where we are at now? Maybe something like this has been written and I'm not aware of it. If not, I hope that we can learn the whole unvarnished story some day from those that were there and went through that transition.

M_Born M_Believer

April 30th, 2023 at 12:43 AM ^

No source data but watching from afar this is what I am most excited about Hutch. Again I could be mistaken but my view is that Hutch is just that type of leader that can change a locker room culture. A true Leader and best. 
 

if true, this maybe the root of the culture change at Detroit as well. 
 

here’s hoping…

Romeo50

April 30th, 2023 at 9:51 AM ^

Agreed. Culture and leadership as the Lions are now feasting on. Watching what Ferentz said about Jack Campbell and Campbell about Ferentz that made a non-emotional older coach emotional was gratifying as a Lions fan.

I knew they would not draft Carter and love the direction with Speilmans' fingerprints as well.

Harbaugh likely convened the family braintrust on what works and went old school , NFL style, with modern NIL/Degree value/coaching enticing the type talent UM covets. Hebert also can't be paid enough and Greg Harden also was a major plus (think he retired and wonder who picked up the mantle?). Powerful mix that leads to many glowing parents of these recruits.

Hearing of fathers collaborating and promoting to other recruits parents is a force multiplier and the newly named Sherrone Moore O-Line award training is irresistible as a training aid pull that may retain more than we think despite portal allure.

Romeo50

April 30th, 2023 at 3:59 PM ^

Obi Wan Poggi? Deserves the right title. He and Greg Harden (see 60 minutes past interview) are gifts from the gods much like the Grant/Graham DT team will be this year!

 Jenkins likely reprising the Mike Morris (Eagles Reggie White) role and McGregor/Moore combo alternating the Rush end position.

Mattinboots

April 30th, 2023 at 12:46 PM ^

This hit me right in the feels.  Profound self awareness.  Showing vulnerability like this in the work place is, I think, crucial to a strong team.  

 

Poggi told the dozen or so men in the room that he wanted them to know that he loves his wife and five children more than he loves himself, but admitted that he was now doubting whether he was a good husband and a good father. He couldn’t, he confessed, remember a lot of his children’s childhood.