The morning after and the way forward

It's not like MSU has an all star coaching staff. MSU fans always claim Warner is the worst play caller in football. Yet their staff is ALWAYS better prepared for this game. I see a lot of people saying our defense was great, and certainly the defense wasn't the problem. But it was great in the second half when MSU was content to just not take any chances in the rain. Would have been nice to be great in the first half when we gave up 200 yards and 14 points. We all knew the first half was crucial with bad weather coming, and our offensive game plan was shit, and they were scoring on well designed plays. That's a problem. Just like Brian scoffing at MSUs "scripted" first drive last year. Who gives a fuck? They know how to exploit our weaknesses, our staff doesn't I guess. Don't we have a giant staff that watches film? Didn't we have a bye week? I'm furious, and the sad thing is I saw this coming a mile away and didn't even want to watch this game. Next year will be the same thing.

Guys like Tressel, Dantonio, and Meyer have a seething hatred for Michigan and their teams play with bad intentions against Michigan. Michigan seems to play "ho-hum" just another game mentality. It'd be nice if Harbaugh came out and said "We hate (insert school here) and it's our responsibility to ensure we beat the crap out of them." Change the mentality against rivals. Enough with the little brother shots, that's a tired bit and it's proven useless.

I'm tired of excuses, need for more time, etc. We are 4-17 against MSU and OSU over the last decade. With wins coming in a comeback fashion in Dantonio's first year, the 12-10 game against a crappy MSU offense, and last year's 3-9 team. Our only win against OSU was when Adam Sandler was interim between Tressel and Meyer and we still barely managed to win that game.

We just need an identity on offense. Be it power run, west coast, air raid, wing t literally anything. Just think where the academies would be without the option, Franklin/PSU would be without Moorhead, OSU without Inverted Veer or Wisconsin without the power run. Also, we can't prepare for OSU/MSU the same as every other game. MSU doesn't treat us like everyone else, OSU doesn't either.

but it's one thing to rebuild, and another to be in year 3 and the offense still looks like it has no semblenced of cohesiveness or ability to do the most basic things. Losses happen, but it's hard to stomach ones like last night where even an ok offense sees us win that game by 20.

Harbaugh needs to change offensive staffs. I'm just afraid he's got too many buddies on his staff to make the change

Are there any studs that we can go get ala Rudock?  I trust in coach completely, but I do think we are light in the most important position.  I noticed: Del Rio, Grier, Hill, Etling, Zaire and others have moved onto new teams and seem to fit in okay.  Do we have our eyes on a Rudock type guy?

Any idea why Gary was out of the game on some big snaps, and kemp inserted?  Also did anyone see Solomon last night?  Vilian or Paye?  

Lastly, we are a very young team.  You could tell when the game was over when they showed the sfla boys and Gary crying that this means a lot to all of them.  I expect a great showing against Indiana, and this team to be great next year assuming we can square away the qb position. 

The sun came up this morning, and as always GO BLUE!

Mad Hatter for bringing a good topic to help the fan base move forward. Some are still spewing venom, but I prefer to grieve the loss and move on.

The only times we scored in last nights games were opening drives in 1st and 3rd quarters. Those are usually scripted drives. That gives me the hint that O’Korn performs better with a solid plan on each drive from the coaches. While that may not be ideal, that might be the only way we can get this offense moving this season.

I think it’s really ignorant to consider firing any coaches mid season and it makes me sad to think so many of our fans jump to that conclusion because something isn’t working as planned. It’s clear that there is some sort of confusion on the offensive coaching staff. The Oline is not improving, the QB play has been subpar, and our receivers are not in sync with the QB.

Jim has to figure this out. It’s clear who is in command of the Defense, but the offense seems to have too many cooks in the kitchen. I don’t think this means firing people midseason, but rather creating clear hierarchy of command and responsibilities.

Frey needs to be fully in control of the Oline.

Drevno need to be the in command OC calling plays. (Everyone wants him fired, but what if he is being thwarted on plays by Pep or Harbaugh)

Pep needs to be receivers coach only.


This playcalling by committee situation needs to end so the offense can develop a plan, a script, and an identity. That sense of assurance about the plan will transfer into the players knowing what to do on the field and not being so out of sync.

$0.02

They will be in danger of losing to any team that they fall behind and has a pulse on defense. PSU, OSU, Wisc., Indiana(?)

Being in the stadium last night made my opinion on the offense change a bit. I don't think Speight and O'Korn are doing much to help themselves, but there seems to be almost no one to throw to. I underestimated the impact of losing Darboh, Chesson, and Butt. In the 13 and 14 recruiting classes, we signed 5 wrs (York, Jones, Dukes, Ways, Harris) and only one is making even a marginal contribution. I don't know what the solution is, but if theres no threat to throw more than 3 yards past the Los, I don't see this getting much better.

Fire drevno, there is no excuse for stale shit play calling. Fire jay harbaugh, he's never belonged on this staff. Figure out what the fuck it will take to bring in some stud OT recruits because as it stands right now this offense will be no better next year. The problem last night wasn't turnovers and being unable to move during torrential rain that was a problem, it was being down 14-3 at the end of the first half that was. No excuse for that and it's on the coaching.

Never thought Michigan would go undefeated in the Big Ten. Never thought they would lose to Sparty. The way forward is to fix the fracking O line. Don’t care if it takes putting nine O linemen and TEs out there every fracking play.

for 2 reasons IMO: 1. MSU is just OK. They have limited talent, a thin roster, and a vulnerable D - this staff should have been able to exploit their issues with matchups and other tactics. 2. Our problems are obvious (OL,QB) but the solutions are long term. JH knew the OL was weak when he arrived but no real improvement in almost 3 years. Speight has been with JH for 33 months, O'Korn for 2+ years and Peters for 20 months - those guys cannot execute the offense efficiently? It's hard to see how this year's team wins without a decent O.

This is the inflection point, especially after what it is likely to happen in 2 weeks, where the Harbaugh honeymoon ends. That's not to say that he's gonna be on a hot seat or disliked etc but the idolatry will wane and people will have a more even keel. There have been some things that have been glossed over. 

 

We're still kind of on track, but what we're more or less on track for is something like Lloyd Carr, at least in terms of outcomes, and not Saban/Meyer level success. Our recruiting is fine, but no it is not great and it significantly lags OSU. It's not as good as recruiting was from the early 80s through 2004 and I'm not sure people have not been following it that long recognize that issue. It needs to be better ito reach the CFP. In particular, our QB, OL and RB recruiting has been just ok. It shows, with the lack of playmakers at the skill positions with the exception of Black/DPJ and they'll need seasoning plus a WR is dependent on the QB. We are taking a lot of 3/4* project guys at QB and RB. 

 

Offensive playcalling has been good the past 2 years. It's regressed. The OL is a mess and not improving. Clearly we have no ready tackle to replace Cole next year or he'd be playing RT this year. We're probably looking at Speight again in 2018 playing in front of another shitty OL in year 4. Better hope Filiaga and Steuber are good or this is going to be a JBB-Bredeson-Ruiz-Onwenu-Ulizio line next year which will be not good. Those guys blocking for Speight and a schedule with @ND, @MSU, and @OSU doesn't look encouraging. 

 

Not sure what is going on with the coaching, but this offensive mix isn't working. Drevno can move on. Regardless of track record, hasn't gotten it done. Pep, whatever. Jay Harbaugh isn't a good enough recruiter to be our RB coach. Uninspiring group. Go outside the guys Harbaugh has worked with before.

 

Clock management and strategy in close games have been subpar, hence the 3-6 record in games within 7 points under Harbaugh and 2 of those wins were over IN and MN. 

 

Lots of good positives still. The defense. Don Brown. Bush. CBs are playing way better than expected. Good kickers in place for a few years. It's still fun but excruciating to be a Michigan football fan. If McCaffrey, Steuber and FIliagia are good this can be a quicker fix. If not, might be looking at some more 8-4/9-3 years for the next few. Which is better than it was, and worse than we hoped it'd be. 

 

Also, Fuck Dantonio. 

His track record says he's a great OL coach, but then he moves up to OC and the offense just looks lost. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like it's one thing to coach OL to follow a scheme and a huge leap up to where you're the guy coming up with the schemes. There's no creativity in this offense. Not once yesterday did I see anything special we cooked up to take advantage of MSU's tendencies. MSU drew up that great slip screen for their 2nd TD. I didn't see a single play to try to take advantage of MSU's front 7 aggressiveness and MSU's back end weakness. 

I have a general "hangover" remedy that I've put together over the last few years after painful, embarrassing losses that seems to work for me. 1. Get drool face drunk after (or during) the game. It numbs the harsh reality 2. Come here. Share in your misery. Misery loves company something something whatever. 3. Ignore ESPN and talking heads of the sports world for a week. Straight ban those channels from your TV. 4. Try to get excited for the next game. Hope with reckless abandon. After a loss this painful, you now have nothing to lose. 5. Welcome to Michigan fandom.

This offense is on the same level as 2008 or 2014. I hope we can be bowl eligible at least.

In general, I love this site. I do get sick of the our fan bases sense of entitlement tho. The “we have Harbaugh” so we will now win multiple national championships , big ten titles, never lose rivalry games etc. etc. gets old.
We have the most overconfident group of people on here. Everyone thought Sharty would just roll over and die. It’ll never happen as long as douchetonio is their coach.
I have no idea what the answers is but I’m not sure switching qb coaches every year helps our equation. We have proven guys. Not every team can win the natty or the big ten every year. Just going to have to roll with the punches guys and gals. Stand bye your team tho. The season is young. We have a GREAT D. And ,no one cares more than our coaches. And they’ve won everywhere they’ve been.

On a side note...I’d pay $100 to be a fly on the wall in the offensive coaches meeting room next time they all meet....

Either Harbaugh needs to be the OC or he has to hire a good one. We are looking at 7-5 or 8-4 with blowout losses to PSU and OSU and a slow death to Wisconsin

Too many cooks in the kitchen.

We need to tamper our expectations. We are a top 15-25 team, no better.

Grant Newsome, if healthy, probably would've made a significant difference for the offensive line. Mason Cole would've been able to get another year at center to test whether he's a legitimate NFL prospect. The other three spots in the line still would've been up for grabs, but at least two of the positions on the line would've been improved.

Tarik Black wasn't the most highly rated recruit, but he proved during the spring, during fall camp and during his brief time during the season that he would be a reliable wide receiver.

Five game into the season, it's safe to say that Michigan's offense is a glaring weakness. Has there been any time this season when you've thought that this offense is the offense of a top 25 team?

ESPN's Football Power Index now has Michigan at 22, with a projected record that's just barely 8-4. Finishing fourth in the Big Ten East might get the Holiday Bowl or the Pinstripe Bowl, but it won't be a very glamourous ending to the season.

"Improvement Week" seems to have produced nothing of value. This should be "Back-to-the-Drawing-Board Week" for the offense. Simplify it. Maybe speed it up. Discover where the talents lie and try to take advantage of whatever talents may exist.

If Brandon Peters has to get some meaningful snaps, then let him be tested. If Dylan McCaffrey has shown that he's more than capable of effectively running a simplified offense, and that he's the better QB, then burn his redhshirt and get him on the field under fire.  If neither of them appears ready to handle a Divison One offense, then start looking for a grad transfer for 2018 who might be able to challenge Wilton Speight (assuming that he will be able to play again) and replicate what Jake Rudock was able to do in 2015.

 

I love our coach. I love our wolverines!

I think our coaches contracts should be re-written. Incentives built in for beating our rivals so more money with victory. You lose and you pay back money.

Not sure how everyone feels about this statement?

I know it’s not on the coaches and they do a great job. Mostly frustrated and hungover right now. Need to vent.

Well, the emotional reaction to this happens in two ways: dealing with the game itself, and our prospects going forward.

First off, the State loss just sucks. How many more surreal games can we find a way to be the punchline of another ongoing ESPN narrative? That makes me sick. While I'm at it, I absolutely hate that the team with less overall yards and talent and got away with multiple blatant unsportsmanlike conducts and late hits are credited as 'outcoaching' or 'outclassing' Jim Harbaugh in his third year (with two weeks to prepare, on his home turf).

But, evaluating the team overall, to start, the defense was great, and will be great, no question. Field goal game is great, punting is solid, eventually we'll block a punt cleanly, and kickoffs are proficient. DPJ is still a little sloppy but did everything fine, although I hate thinking that our best kick returner is Kekoa. These are all things we know. O'Korn made some good plays...but he was bad. Running game had some good plays...but it wasn't great. Receivers, uh, I wish we somehow had even more tight ends, and no more matter who it is needs to hold on to the damn ball. Pass-pro, and really the O-line overall, is poopoo. I mean, just, what the fuck? An alleged All-B1G LT, two 4.5 star OGs, and a 5th year senior, coached by an NFL o-line coach, and they are just putrid.

At the end of the day, we need to pull off a Penn State. Beating three top 10 teams, two of which on the road, would indeed avenge this loss on our resume. Fine. Still, that's not gonna happen. But, it is possible. Next year, if you can believe it, everybody on the defense comes back, then Solomon replaces Hurst and maybe Singleton replaces McCray, and possibly add Tyler Friday...Woah. Still will have the same punters and kickers for awhile going forward. So, what the hell is gonna come of the offense? Who knows. The o-line will prob be Newsome-Bredeson-Ruiz-Onwenu-Filiaga, which isn't even worth being optimistic about at this point.

Overall, we will be fine, but continuing to say that will mean less and less until something is fundamentally changed about the development of this o-line. And, let me ask, why is Jay Harbaugh a running back coach? Fix that, and pray to God we can get Quaveris Crouch, but maybe that's looking a bit too far forward. And, so, I ask: what else is left to be optimistic about?