What will it take to get you enthusiastic about this season?
There seems to be a general malaise on the board surrounding this upcoming football season. Something as innocuous as camp helmet stickers, and the first practice video are generating extreme levels of snark. Despite my username, I lean towards the optimistic in virtually all aspects of my life. It is no different with Michigan Football. I'm like Harbaugh, I've had the dream and I'm revved up for the season. It's a new year, some new players, some new coaches, and it's MICHIGAN FOOTBALL!
If I didn't give up after suffering through the RichRod years, I'm definitely not losing enthusiasm after the most abnormal year (football and everything else) in our lifetimes. Last year was quite rough, the losses to OSU have been unnerving, the lack of reaching our lofty expectations of the Harbaugh era have been demoralizing. But, I love this university, and because of that I love this football program. It's a new year! In the immortal words of Bob Marley - "Lively up yourself, and don't be no drag"!
What do you need to get enthusiastic other than football season and MICHIGAN?!
I’m enthusiastic about every season. It’s college football. It’s Michigan football. Win or lose I love all of it.
LETS FUCKIN GOOOOO
edit: username checks out
I too love Michigan football no matter what but as a fan for 50 years, I sure do enjoy winning more than anything and that is what would get me more excited for the season.
LFG!!!
3 things, in chronological order:
• JWG Wolverine's "There are..."
• MGoBlog's terrific HTTV (Thanks, Seth and others.)
• Meeeeecheegan football!
amen let it rip
The biggest thing is fans in the stands!
Praying for a good D-Line and secondary. Worried about the defense. Not really worried about the offense.
Excited to see the defense also. Beat Washington and Rutgers, and I think good things will happen this season!
They will crush Rutgers
Championship level performance.
Hell, I'd be thrilled with any semblance of competence and preparedness that hasn't been seen in this team since Harbaugh's second season.
This mine, too! And I'd add seeing continuous improvement from the players and coaches, especially offensive play-calling.
I really can't believe I have to point this out, but in 2018 they were 10-1 and ranked 4th in the country before the absolute disaster in Columbus. I'm not sure that particular team was unprepared and/or not well-coached.
Other than that, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln?
More hype videos and September Heisman stories!
Crootin starz!
Hyperbolic player comparisons!
I’m always weirdly enthusiastic about football season starting in general, even if my expectations for Michigan are shaky/low.
I'd love to see A practice video of the offense running a successful two minute drill.
So no optimism forthcoming. Don't get me wrong, I'm excited for football and to watch Michigan play. But honestly, I hope we tank this season so we can dump Harbaugh.
But honestly, I hope we tank this season so we can dump Harbaugh.
Wow, I don't think I could ever express a desire for tanking a season just to get rid of a coach. As indifferent as I was to RichRod, I never started the season wishing for a tank job. Harbaugh has made some mistakes, indeed, and early success curtailed a long range game plan. I've been critical of his quarterback decisions and recruiting (O'Korn, Patterson, Milton), but I also recognize that Harbaugh's teams have gone into the OSU game in 3/6 years where a win secures the division title. A dominant OSU has been the major impediment.
We all want to be in that upper tier, to compete for a national title. But, aside from the one-offs that have made the playoffs, which of the 4 teams consistently battling (Alabama, OSU, Clemson, Oklahoma) are doing so without ethical questions? Maybe Oklahoma, but to be honest, aren't they just dominating a bad conference and then becoming cannon fodder in the playoff?
If we're still talking 9-10 wins per season, I'm giving Coach Harbaugh ten years before I talk about dumping him.
I dont consider paying players an ethical question. In fact I find it an ethical black mark that we're not funneling a bunch of cash to these guys under the table.
At this point Harbaugh has shown that he has built in definincies that won't allow the program to reach a playoff level tier. I think Matt Campbell is a generational level coaching talent, would be a perfect cultural and geographic fit, and we got lucky that he didn't get hired away.
Sometimes in modern sports, you gotta tank to get good.
dude. move on. no reason for you to be here.
Even though I'm not in that camp, I get people wanting to get rid of Harbaugh. I really do. But I could never hope for a bad/tanked season, if for no other reason than because of my respect and admiration for the players. These guys have given everything for the team. I'd really hate to see someone like Hutch (who didn't have to come back this year), Dax, or Hawkins go out on such a low note.
Bo Schembechler created a winning culture and Moeller and Carr were a continuation. That was snapped with Rich Rod (not blaming him). Harbaugh has come in and created stability, minus 2-4. He has made a ton of mistakes, no doubt, but if they can get back to prepandemic levels of success this year, I think Michigan is back on track. I do think Michigan can be great, and I believe the best option is to have the most qualified assistant on staff to take the reigns whenever Harbaugh leaves.
I now view Harbaugh as the bridge and not necessarily the answer. I view Harbaugh taking a pay cut as him committed to righting the ship and that he probably won’t be here much longer either way. This season I just want to see effort, competence, and development. I’m going with 8-4.
Harbaugh isn't the answer. It shouldn't take 7 years and millions of dollars before people come to that conclusion.
The "millions of dollars" line is BS. We would be paying those millions to another coach if it wasn't Harbaugh.
Any top coach is going to demand a high salary to put up with our whiny fans
It is not completely BS, granted no one will come here and coach for $100k per annum, but he is / was the 4th highest paid coach, so we clearly did not get our money's worth from that 1st contract.
Yeah, the ROI has been dismal.
Not really, Ryan Day was making 4.5 million per year when he started. We've been paying Harbaugh damn year 2x what he was making.
August 8th, 2021 at 11:43 PM ^
The BS portion is fans giving a fuck what the coach is paid
August 9th, 2021 at 11:57 AM ^
Plus, everyone knows, Alan Iverson is the answer.
I’m going with 8-4.
I'll take 8-4 right now and be very pleased. Because that means that they've found a QB, the offense is working, and the defense isn't a tire fire. Most of all, it means that 2021 is a launching pad for an even better 2022.
So I guess what would fire up my enthusiasm is hope, and a solid reason for having it.
Take a look at the ‘22 and ‘23 schedules. If this team can go 8-4 and show strong progress, it really sets up for a couple of really good seasons with favorable schedules.
August 8th, 2021 at 10:46 PM ^
Would you still be pleased if those 4 losses were bad, including another beatdown by OSU?
That we're 7 years into the Harbaugh regime and 8-4 sounds good to people tells me that expectations by the fanbase is being permanently reset to mid-tier expectations. We already have 'wait 'til next year' built in to the expectations. It's always over the horizon.
The truth hurts. It really hurts. Hop in a time machine to when Harbaugh was first hired and then tell our 2015 selves that in year 7, we'd think 8-4 is the ceiling but 7-5 is more realistic. It wouldn't have been pretty.
That's what we've been reduced to as fans; thinking mediocrity is the best case scenario. But most of the time, expecting worse.
First of all, I don't think any Michigan fan would be pleased by any losses, to anyone, or by any margin.
Second, 4 losses still means 8 wins, and to get that many, that means they'd have to beat some pretty good teams. Which, again, would mean that they're having success on both sides of the ball. Maybe not great success, but they're on the right track.
And thirdly, your assumption that "expectations by the fanbase is being permanently reset to mid-tier expectations" is way off. I don't presume to speak for anyone but myself, but for me, considering the strengths and weaknesses of this team, 8-4 would be good for the upcoming season. Now, if UM is still going 8-4 in three years, then yeah, that's a problem. But for 2021, I'll take it.
The only complaint about Harbaugh and it is his fault, is the lack of depth of defense and not developing some highly rated players, and also player retention (especially at the QB position, he was suppose to be the QB whisperer). The last 3 years Harbaugh and his previous coaches have done a below average job on recruiting and player development. That is why Harbaugh is in a rebuild mode this season, with new coaches who on paper can recruit better. There is no reason for Harbagh to be in this position with the team in year 7.
That's like, 5 complaints.
My exact take on it as well. Harbaugh has made some head scratching decisions and can't quite seem to keep pace with some of the evolving trends and elements of college football. That is frustrating, but I would never wish a terrible season for a Michigan football team. Plus there's always a chance he finds the missing ingredients and gets the program rolling again. He's demonstrated he's not afraid to switch things up when areas of the program need to be upgraded.
The players and coaches put so much into the season, and rooting for them to fail just seems petulant and disingenuous. For me, I'm still pretty excited for the season to start, albeit it's more subdued than I have been in years past. Seeing the players rejuvenated, amped up and playing with some swagger I think would go a long way for getting the demoralized fanbase hyped up again. I think the program right now is in desperate need of some energy and confidence, and the early returns seem like the coaching staff is giving it everything they have right now to do that. If they can light the spark and the roster responds to it, the fans can see it on the field and I think the energy around and outside the program will start to pick up. When that happens, recruiting generally starts to follow.
This is one of those scenarios where the team is going to have to believe in themselves, even when nobody else does if they are serious about turning this thing around. If they can do that, and pickup an early season win against a tough Washington team, they will start grabbing people's attention again. Here's to hoping they can do it, Go Blue!
I’m shocked at the amount of people that say 8-4 is a really good year. That 8-4 will spring us into an even better 2022. I mean 9-3 would be better in 2022 and that’s still meh.
I guess I just need to acknowledge that Michigan is not a blue blood and hasn’t been in a long time. Being happy at 8-4 is Iowa after a disappointing previous season.
Being happy with 8-4 is a big part of what’s wrong with this program.
August 9th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
I wouldn't be happy with 8-4. But that doesn't really have much to do with being a blue blood imo.
USC, Tennessee, and Nebraska are all examples of blue bloods (again imo) that would be lucky to go 8-4 this year.
Heck Texas is gonna get stomped on by every big 12 team with a pulse - I think they'll be lucky to be above .500 - but, undeniably a blue blood. A true pita blue blood, but still undeniable.
When folks are talking realignment scenarios they seem to consider Michigan a big prize. Of some might say a "blue blood" (go damn blue!!)
Cheers.
Beat Washington and look competent in all three phases in first two games.
In all 3? Oof I'll get excited if either speed in space finally clicks, or the new defense shows signs of meshing.
Ok fine, I guess I'll get pumped even if the only positive is Brad Robbins booming 70yrd average punts.
August 9th, 2021 at 10:18 AM ^
AND have Washington look good in its other early games. Remember how we all felt after the Minnesota game last year, when we expected them to be a good team?
Not getting pantsed by Washington would be a great start.
A 5-0 start.
At minimum, a dominant win over Washington with evidence of offensive risk-taking and above average QB play
Spitballing,here, so try to keep up. A giant macaroni noodle, a big yellow halo around the stadium, two free Cokes, a free t-shirt without having to sign up for a credit card, a full student section, the street preacher in the diag, Fat Amy wsg Donkeypunch on the tennis courts on the Hill, and some fresh apple cider w/ Apple cider donuts
I am enthusiastic.
if all the UNACCEPTABLEs were launched out into the cold void of space, I’d be ecstatic!
After the past few years (and especially since 2018 OSU), I’ve consistently been bummed out watching this team most Saturdays. This year, I’m gonna try and treat watching the team like I do when I watch any matchup on Pac12 After Dark - just hoping to see good plays from teams I hardly follow outside of ASU.
That being said…
Heading into the season: Little to no enthusiasm or expectations of anything.
If they run a competent offense and defense that are consistent through the first 4 games: Enthusiasm will come back slightly.
If they continue to show consistency and maybe even growth through games 5-8: Lots of enthusiasm.
If they show consistency and growth through games 9-12 (even with another loss to OSU): *Insert Randy Marsh GIF*
If they manage to win a semi-decent bowl game: I’ll be so erect I won’t have enough excess skin to even blink.