The new normal
After 5 seasons these seem to be the reoccurring issues every year:
Poor play as underdog
Poor play on the road against teams with a pulse
Weak o-lines against decent defenses- QB in danger
QB regresses- gets injured
Defense blows it in big games- especially against the pass
Lack of player energy or excitement- no sense of ownership in program
Inability to come from behind
Inability to upset favored opponent
Rolling up big scores on weak teams
Losing to OSU
Losing in the bowl game (file under road game loss)
Players sit out bowl games- lack of buy in
Predictable play calling- nothing clever or designed for a particular opponent
No star running back (?????)
No hurry up offense
Lots of injuries- people getting clocked in the open field
Lots of players leaving for other schools
High hopes for the next year by staff
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:09 AM ^
It’s Harbaugh.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:14 AM ^
You seem to have no life but a troll
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:16 AM ^
Just worked up. What’s your excuse?
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:45 AM ^
We're obviously just saving all the good plays for later! DUH
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:18 AM ^
If it’s not Harbaugh, then what is the problem?
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:47 AM ^
Having players that aren't as good as the other team....
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:48 AM ^
Tell me, who exactly is responsible for
A) Coaching up and developing the players we already have
&
B) Recruiting better players to come to the program?
Just curious who you think is to blame for us not having players as good as our opponents.
September 22nd, 2019 at 7:28 AM ^
Recruiting better players isn’t the problem. Retaining those players has been. I’m not sure what’s going on behind the scenes but for some reason, guys who are in line to be starters have no problems walking away. I know it happens but it seems like it happens to us quite often. I in no way want a staff change because we’ve seen how that movie ends, but something in the program is off. Maybe the whole “Harbaugh wears on people” is quite true.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:46 AM ^
What is it with people on this board calling anyone who doesn't voice 100% confidence in the coaching staff a troll?? Are you really that sensitive that you can't handle reading a dissenting opinion?
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:10 AM ^
Fuck Mattison with a rusty garden-weasel.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:12 AM ^
I agree.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:24 AM ^
100% of this was written with emotion and 0% of this contains facts. Not a good thread
Also, "poor play as underdog" and "inability to upset favored opponents" is the same sentence
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:30 AM ^
"inability to come from behind" a year removed from coming back down 17 to big ten west champ northwestern on the road.
September 22nd, 2019 at 2:54 AM ^
Glad we can add that one to the trophy room. Everyone complains we "don't get lucky enough" against OSU or MSU but the only time we're able to make comebacks are against Minnesota or Northwestern because they're more on our level.
September 22nd, 2019 at 3:54 AM ^
Hmmmm good point. We shoulda just scrapped the 2019 version and just played the 2018 team....
September 22nd, 2019 at 8:22 AM ^
Why were we behind by 17 to Northwestern???
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:25 AM ^
#1 and #8 on your list are literally the exact same.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:29 AM ^
I don't think that it is new, it is just normal.
I woke up thinking Michigan was going to lose. I wanted to be wrong. I wanted some type of pulse after a bye week and even if Michigan loses, you can see something/ anything from this offense that you can point to and say they lost because they where on the road but the rest of the season will be OK. I fear that if they have a big Rutgers win that it will only be smoke and mirrors.
This week is going to be worst for this board then the bye week.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:03 AM ^
We just had the bye week. It was last week.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:30 AM ^
Embarrassingly bad clock management.
Wasting time outs.
(These are related but not exactly the same)
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:18 AM ^
I preface the points below with the acknowledgement that these are extremely hawt taeks but our team is playing like Hoke/RR era disasters.
-Still can't get plays in from sideline until late in the clock, even with alleged hurry up offense.
-Don Brown = overrated and can't make adjustments against teams with just above average players.
-Harbaugh seems lost and or confused.
-O line is bad, again.
-No running backs outside of Charbonnet.
-Defensive line is a sive.
-Patterson has become JOK 2.0.
-No value placed on ball security.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:03 AM ^
Ball security isn't true as they haven't had any issues with fumbling in the Harbaugh era until now. In fact last year was lowest in country.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:26 AM ^
And this year horrible turnover margin is a fact. #119 out of 130.
https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs/current/team/29/p3
September 22nd, 2019 at 5:35 AM ^
So I had to rewind and put a stopwatch on it because I do that kinda shit. After the first play of the game when Bell broke loose down to the 7, there was a flag thrown and you could hear the head ref say they picked up the flag - after maybe 25 seconds - at that point I believe they reset the play clock and wound it. From the time he was tackled 70 seconds elapsed and then they called a timeout because the play clock was about to expire. No joke - 70 seconds. This was our FIRST FUCKING PLAY ON OFFENSE! And they couldn't get a fucking play in in what is almost twice the amount of time allotted. Watch that play again or better yet the aftermath when every guy on O is standing there staring at the sideline in wonderment like WTF?? WTF are we doing???
We had to call a fucking timeout after 70 seconds - AFTER OUR FIRST FUCKING PLAY. Good fucking god man. I guess I knew we were fucked after that.
September 22nd, 2019 at 8:57 AM ^
I'm sure they were expecting the 2nd play from scrimmage to be run from our 7, not the Wiscy 7. You can't put that kind of pressure on the coaching staff to adapt so quickly like that.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:08 AM ^
Being so overblown. They obviously brought in an entire different package after an unexpected 70-80 yard play. Whether someone wasn't paying attention or they made a late decision to go to that look is irrelevant as they obviously were now off script they were likely going to use to start game. In the end it cost one meaningless 1st half timeout to get everyone on the same page. So what that happens, means zero in big scope of things
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:30 AM ^
Positives: Will Hart is punting well. Negatives: too many to mention.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:36 AM ^
Forgot to add key players transferring out of the program.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:39 AM ^
My new normal for the time being seems to be...
Hey look, the Lions are undefeated...
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:04 AM ^
That's a loooooong list, man
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:10 AM ^
We ran for 40 yards...
Wisconsin ran for 360.
That is unacceptable. Worst game of the Harbaugh era. If this is the new normal, I want to gauge out my eyes. That’s a brutal way to lose.
September 22nd, 2019 at 6:06 AM ^
Gouge - gowje
Gauge - gayje
Possible to gouge your eyes out with any number of gauges.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
Ahhh yes Thank You for a good hearty laugh at your gouge/gauge post. I woke the wife up with my cackling.
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:42 AM ^
This is depressing....and not necessarily false.
September 22nd, 2019 at 6:40 AM ^
ND and OSU are going to spit roast us
September 22nd, 2019 at 7:35 AM ^
you are what we call a loser.
September 22nd, 2019 at 8:12 AM ^
This has been the case for two decades.
Where have you been?
September 22nd, 2019 at 8:32 AM ^
Yea most of these aren't exactly new
September 22nd, 2019 at 8:54 AM ^
Hardly anyone has mentioned what I see as (one of) the elephants in the room.
You have no quarterback and haven't had a quarterback for a while. I understand that it is another Harbaugh problem but just being specific.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:12 AM ^
Sorry but I think anyone who thinks it's as simple as blame the quarterback don't really have a clue how important all the other facets of a football team is. Michigan has had above average qb play under Harbaugh. Not even close to the bigger issues of this team
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
Fact: Michigan hasn’t had a reliable QB since Chad Henne.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
1. Jake Rudock
2. Who's fault is that?
3. Everyone on here said Shea was the best returning QB in the Big Ten before the season started
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:30 AM ^
If you reread my post you should catch the part where I said it's a Harbaugh problem.
I'm just pointing out that quarterback play is near the top of the list and hardly any have mentioned that fact.
If you feel quarterback play has been above average then you have bigger problems.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:28 AM ^
Look around the country at the body types, speed, athleticism, etc.
Michigan players look like the complete opposite. They look smaller, slower, and less athletic.
I cant explain it and maybe it’s my bias, but Michigan players don’t come close to looking the part of a championship team.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:40 AM ^
After watching Auburn, Alabama, ND and Georgia I have come to the conclusion we are severely overmatched talent wise compared to these teams. Everything looks difficult for us to execute. While others make it look so damn easy. Is it recruiting, coaching or both? Wish I had the answer. I for the first time was totally embarrassed by our play. Not even last years OSU game was as bad as this. They looked unprepared, lacked discipline and physically overmatched. Can it be corrected? Only time will tell.
September 22nd, 2019 at 9:44 AM ^
Well, it's not exactly new, but it sure seems normal.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:29 AM ^
yes. This is all true. Burning it down couldn’t hurt.