Records of the 10 youngest teams in CFB
This board needs to take a chill pill and go with the flow for the remainder of the season.
I was listening to Michigan Podcast last night (good listen for all of you on the ledge) and a list of the 10 youngest CFB teams was brought up in a tweet by Michael Spath per Phil Steele.
The respective records are:
UM. 5-2
USC. 6-2
MSU. 6-1
Ill. 2-5
Duke. 4-4
Ark. 2-5
Pitt. 3-5
Stanford. 5-2
TAMU. 5-2
UF. 3-3
I'd say 5-2 is pretty damn good considering we don't have an Oline, QB, de facto RB or WRs like many of these other schools do. (Looking at you Stanford, USC and TAMU especially!!!)
I doubt a Jim Harbaugh Michigan is sitting at 5-2 with talent like Bryce Love, Sam Darnold, Stanford Olinemen, or Christian Kirk suiting up for the Maize n Blue.
Yes, we probably should be 6-1 but shit always happens against MSU.
We got 3 weeks of semi-decent teams to improve against until Wisconsin and OSU.
Relax.
October 25th, 2017 at 11:09 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:19 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:39 PM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 7:37 AM ^
Coming off the bye week, having 2 weeks to prepare is the particularly disappointing part. People couldn't stop saying how we had it coming from Penn State because they had two weeks to prepare, were at home, at night and they "opened up the playbook" etc, etc etc. We had the same situation against State and we looked like we were told the day before that we'd be playing them.
October 26th, 2017 at 8:25 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 8:53 AM ^
before the 1st rain drop and before half of the turnovers even happened.
October 26th, 2017 at 10:59 AM ^
Isaac fumbled at our 46 yard line, it's not like he fumbled inside our 30 or inside their 30. We didn't stoip them and they scored. They scored off that turnover, but it's not like 7 points was inevitable, for instance like when they punted to their own 33 yard line after a muffed punt pinned them, which led to our only TD.
I'm not sure we don't lose my 2 or 3 scores is it hadn't have rained.
October 26th, 2017 at 10:02 AM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:54 PM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 1:55 AM ^
The most impactful of those turnovers were fumbles when we were driving in enemy territory. Bad playcalling didn't force those, and those are a big part of why we were down two scores going into the monsoon.
October 25th, 2017 at 11:59 PM ^
It's almost as if losing to MSU at home was not part of the game plan.
October 26th, 2017 at 7:35 AM ^
Michigan hits a TD pass to Crawford and the refs call Higdon for holding.
MSU is driving, Allen punches Bush in the neck and we get called for a 15 yard retaliation penalty - MSU would have probably been forced to attempt a FG. Announcers note the blown call.
MSU hits a big run with London and Allen holds then tackles Mone - no call
MSU hits a big pass to Stewart while Giancakos is tackling Winovich - no call
O'Korn gets hit and planted by Cooper - clearly late in front of 2 refs - no call. Would have been 1st and 10 in MSU territory I believe early-mid 4th quarter. Announcers and officiating expert note blown call.
If you think this is sour grapes, check the tape.
I'm not saying we played well or coached well but college football has come down to who gets screwed less by the refs usually wins a tight game.
I do agree that MSU showed more urgency in the 1st half knowing the monsoon was coming. Not sure if Michigan gameplanned for this but it didn't seem like we did. Other than that MSU did nothing really impressive but let us implode.
October 25th, 2017 at 11:20 PM ^
I agree that people should chill out, but this was a terrible example. I'm expecting to see teams with losing records here and you're showing us M S f-ing U at 6-1?!? As young as us and less talented and they beat us at home? People want the shit that always happens to stop happening. That's actually somewhat reasonable to complain about.
None of these facts explain why anyone should think we aren't underacheiving, especially when you admit we should be 6-1, which we should be!
All you had to do was point to FSU and their struggles without their starting QB despite having a lot of talent and that'd be a much better example than this.
October 25th, 2017 at 11:34 PM ^
The point is we're right with evey other young team while not having the luxury of game breaking skill position players. That is impressive to me.
MSU will not beat OSU or PSU and will likely finish the season right around where we do aka 9-3/8-4.
Does that suck? Sure, but that's college football and Michigan just isn't there yet to dominate MSU on an annual basis or reload ala OSU/Bama.
If anything your example of FSU just goes to show how well our staff can keep its shit together after losing significant players to injury. Jimbo is an excellent coach, but FSU's issues are more than just QBs this year. That defense ain't that good either and they lost one of their RBs in Patrick leaving freshman Akers to do the heavy lifting.
Michigan finishes the year with a better record than FSU.
October 25th, 2017 at 11:52 PM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 8:28 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 12:28 PM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 12:28 AM ^
Really? Is that the point of this? If so, bad point!
Which one of those schools - other than USC - was expected to have a pulse this year? Aside from the Trojans, were any of these teams ranked in the pre-season top-20? Moreover, what are these teams' respective strengths of schedule? \
Records are deceiving because it masks how a team plays. Yes, we are 5-2...thank god we haven't played tougher opponents; and, thank god point differntials aren't accounted for (like EPL).
This post does little to make me feel better. If anything, it tells me Dantonio and Shaw (Stanford) do a lot more with a lot less than we do.
October 26th, 2017 at 12:52 AM ^
Dantonio is a fantastic coach who develops his players. That's a given.
You are wrong about Shaw and Stanford doing more with less. He is an excellent coach for sure, but has elevated Stanford recruiting to be on par with Michigan during the past decade carving out a niche .
Their retention and development on the 2014 (ranked 13th) and 2015 (ranked 24th) classes is very good looking at their roster. These classes also gave them McCaffrey and Love.
Michigan is a tire fire relatively speaking with regards to those classes.
Stanford's 2016 class was 16th nationally and their 2017 class was 14th.
Upon further examination, those classes have stud recruits including the top 2 tackles in the country in Sarrell and Little + Hamilton from 16.
You think Harbaugh is losing to SDSU with recruits like the ones Stanford has?
I do agree that recruiting has to be better. We'll see what changes come from this year.
October 26th, 2017 at 1:04 AM ^
because they probably don't have the luxury of a first round 5th year, DT, a DE that was the number 1 recruit in America, and any number of talented guys that we do have. Skill position players are only a small piece and they're dependent on the OL anyway (Higdon could be great behind a better OL, DPJ could probably be great if the OL gave our QB time, etc). And that's the point! If any of these teams can have a good OL as young as they are, it's not making anyone feel better that we don't.
I'm just gonna ignore this list and pretend everyone ahead of us is experienced and that it is indeed our youth that's the problem.
October 26th, 2017 at 1:24 AM ^
FSU has 4 potential first round draft picks on their defense alone this year.
Derwin James, Trey Marshall, Tarvarus McFadden and Derrick Nnadi are all going to be drafted very high in 2018.
If 5 - 2 is a nightmare for you, then I don't even want to know what you think FSU's 2 - 4 is given their talent level.
October 26th, 2017 at 2:33 AM ^
FSU was my example. That's how badly a QB injury can hurt.
And it's hurt us this year. Probably cost us the MSU game, and that sucks but it happens and it's not a nightmare for me. My whole point was that your youth example in the OP was bad. Youth isn't an excuse as much as an injury to our starting QB.
October 26th, 2017 at 8:25 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 7:42 AM ^
I think skill position players are a big piece and its where we're lacking.
A good to great QB and RB can make an avg OL look good.
October 26th, 2017 at 2:47 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 5:34 AM ^
No one wants Harbaugh fired. Everyone is sick of excuses for losing to other flawed teams like MSU.
October 26th, 2017 at 5:50 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 6:53 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 8:22 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 12:37 PM ^
"I don't want Harbaugh fired but I want him to fire everyone on our staff except Don Brown, and I want him to make better game plans and call better plays, but I don't want him fired. I just want him to start doing a better job in every aspect."
Okay guy.
October 26th, 2017 at 7:47 PM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 12:24 PM ^
What's new and interesting though?
Michigan's offensive line is mediocre to bad, like it has been since 2012.
Michigan has no electrifying offensive weapon, like it has been since 2012.
Michigan has no feature back, like its been since 2007 (save one Fitz Toussaint year).
Michigan doesn't have a consistent difference maker at QB, like its been since 2011 (or 12, whenever Denard got hurt).
Its the same old story over and over again, variations of the same theme since RR left (please don't take this as pining for RR): Offense is carried by the defense, defense is never quite good enough to make up for all the offense's mistakes (not that they haven't been great at times, such as last year...just nothing they can do when Speight and co. are handing OSU the game).
Just once I want to not waste our defense and have an offense that can outscore good teams to the point a division or a conference is won.
October 26th, 2017 at 3:04 PM ^
No one wants Harbaugh fired. The realists here want Harbaugh to fix it! It is year 3 and by now he should have a functioning QB. Stop telling me the offense to too complex, that's a coaching problem. You don't need a full blown NFL playbook to win in college.
If they do not win the B10 next season, which it is not looking like they will, Harbaugh and Michingan will have wasted a load of talent with nothing to show for it. Gary will not be coming back for a 4th year, so if he wins nothing the generational talent so many people have said he is has been wasted. Michigan had 11 draft picks last year with a 3rd place B10 finish (I don't care about the spot, QB injury, etc, they are losses and the team did not get it done).
Michigan needs to take a big step forward and with how long its been I am beginning to wonder if its ever going to happen.
October 26th, 2017 at 7:14 AM ^
No one wants Harbaugh fired. The realists here want Harbaugh to fix it! It is year 3 and by now he should have a functioning QB. Stop telling me the offense to too complex, that's a coaching problem. You don't need a full blown NFL playbook to win in college.
If they do not win the B10 next season, which it is not looking like they will, Harbaugh and Michingan will have wasted a load of talent with nothing to show for it. Gary will not be coming back for a 4th year, so if he wins nothing the generational talent so many people have said he is has been wasted. Michigan had 11 draft picks last year with a 3rd place B10 finish (I don't care about the spot, QB injury, etc, they are losses and the team did not get it done).
Michigan needs to take a big step forward and with how long its been I am beginning to wonder if its every going to happne.
October 26th, 2017 at 9:32 AM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 3:13 PM ^
And yes he is competative, but that does not make him infallible to some coaching bluders he has made. He continues to force a very complex offense with players who are not at that ability, he did not have max protection on the "punt", he did not make any changes to get Michigan ready for MSU the other week. This is the stuff that needs straightened out, he's been really good since being here, but lets not kid ourselves and act like he's been phenomenal.
October 26th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^
I know its a great opinion I have, just figure everyone doesn't want to read it twice.
October 25th, 2017 at 11:37 PM ^
October 26th, 2017 at 7:59 AM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:21 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:35 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:25 PM ^
October 25th, 2017 at 11:31 PM ^
hot take alert. with darnold and this defense we compete for a B1G title
October 25th, 2017 at 11:46 PM ^
Why people are still projected him #1 in the 2018 draft is beyond comprehension.
October 26th, 2017 at 1:56 AM ^
he is white, tall and from SC. And that hair!
October 26th, 2017 at 12:12 AM ^
I'd take a 1:1 ratio at this point.
John O'Korn has 1 TD to 4 INTS and 2 Fumbles
Speight had 3 TDs to 2 INTs and 3 Fumbles
Darnold can win you games, but he can also lose them. Very Favre-like. Our QBs at this point will only lose them. (John O'korn has greatly improved ball security the past two weeks though, so I'll give him that). Darnold also has 1,000 yards more than our two qbs combined at this point even though he's having a bad year.
October 26th, 2017 at 7:41 AM ^
As a Giants fan, I can wholeheartedly agree that NFL GMs are morons.
I was almost at the point where I was hoping they'd just lose out for a higher draft pick, until I realized they'd just blow it anyway, so...
October 25th, 2017 at 11:26 PM ^
How is Arizona not on this list? RR working magic with those true freshman
October 25th, 2017 at 11:45 PM ^
The fighting Rich Rods have yet to play USC, Wazzu, ASU or Oregon. None of which are gimmes by looking at the scores in those game they won while losing to Utah and Houston who are 4-3 and 5-3 respectively.
I'm happy for him. He seems to have found his next great QB in the vein of White/Denard.
Tate was injured in the offseason which is probably why he wasn't the starter from the get go for RR.
October 26th, 2017 at 8:24 AM ^