Which is the stronger team when playing their absolute best football - 2022 or 2021?
For me, it's easy - the 2022 team. I remember Valenti/staee/osu fans concern trolling over the early summer/fall when it was suggested that JJ will get his shot to compete for the starting position.
Well boys, you got your answer - a fully functional death star obliterated your asses.
I just want that same team to show up on Saturday, in the semis, and at the natty.
Like JJ said - we're not done.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:18 PM ^
I would argue it’s not even fully functional yet. When JJ gets his touch 100% back this offense will be terrifying and the defense will just suffocate teams.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:40 PM ^
I agree that offense is still on the upswing. Add in a healthy Corum and this offense looks utterly unstoppable over a full game.
November 30th, 2022 at 2:49 AM ^
There is still plenty of room for JJ to improve. Another week of practice, a game, and then a month more practice could polish J J’s game and the offense as a whole to an even higher level. If it also allows Corum to approach full strength this team is going to be very hard to beat.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:34 PM ^
I think 2022 would be a 4 point favorite assuming everyones healthy. Advantages:
QB - 2022
RB - Even
WR - Even
OL - 2022
TE - 2022
Offense overall: 2022
DL - 2021
LB - 2021
CB - 2022
S - 2021
Defense overall: 2021
November 29th, 2022 at 10:19 PM ^
I don't disagree with your individual grades of the defense, but imho the whole is greater than the sum of the parts and think that overall the defense is stronger, but without the individual talent, i.e Hutch, Ojabo, Hill
November 29th, 2022 at 10:31 PM ^
I think Lb is same, particularly by year end. I’d say DT better this year, DE obviously last year. Safety is same this year. I haven’t noticed a wild drop off from dax to Mikey and the addition of Johnson at corner nullifies that in my eyes.
November 30th, 2022 at 6:52 AM ^
I would argue that LB is much better this year, mainly because Colson has benefited from his playing time. Remember that a year ago he went the wrong way fully half the time (a fact brutally exploited by Georgia). This year he has rather obviously improved. We do miss NHG, however.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:46 PM ^
Pre-injury we had (and may still have) a Heisman Trophy candidate at Running Back. I would give a slight edge to 2022.
November 30th, 2022 at 7:44 AM ^
I’ll break defensive line into two parts: Interior lineman and edge defenders
Interior is 2022 by far. Mazi is much better, Jenkins has been active, and woo boy Mason Graham has been incredible for a true freshman
Edge definitely goes to 2021 with Hutch and Ojabo
November 30th, 2022 at 8:43 AM ^
RB overall is about even but an edge to 2022, but depth 2021!
TE, 2021 imo, Eric All was fantastic! And the group was healthy last year. Don't get me wrong, Loveland can become the best of the group.
DE's no doubt 2021 but DT's no doubt 2022, the interior strength is greater this year by a solid margin imo. They were really good last year but this year is even better, Mazi took another step forward into a dominant DT and Mason Graham is getting better and better and no doubt a fr all american.. the group as a whole is much stronger.
Lber, 2021 is better but 2022 has improved dramatically closing the gap imo. Still behind but not far, and in many ways better in pass d!
Safety, Even imo
Corner, 2022,Turner and Green far improved add in Will Johnson growing into a star... Mike Sainristil pbu's of the year, 2 of them in The Game!!!!
November 29th, 2022 at 9:35 PM ^
2021. They basically did the same thing this team has so far with a significantly more challenging schedule.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:45 PM ^
This team goes undefeated in 2021
November 29th, 2022 at 10:58 PM ^
Can you please explain? Winning at the Shoe is pretty hard. Obliterating PSU and barely escaped them last year. The only dif in non-conf was a shit Washington team in Ann Arbor.
November 30th, 2022 at 6:33 AM ^
He’s been butthurt all year that we changed QBs.
November 30th, 2022 at 8:47 AM ^
2021, we got screwed by officials @ msu, beat washington in the nonconf, was @psu, beat osu won the Big10.
2022, dominated opponents big time. Dominated all of our biggest opponents save illinois which had a ton of starters sitting. Have to close with the Big10 Title!!
Lots of differences and similarities. But lots to love about both teams! I'm sure all of us would love to add Haskins, Hutch, Ojabo and Dax to this years team but gotta love this team as well!
November 29th, 2022 at 9:44 PM ^
Let's see...which do I prefer? A beautiful sunset on a Pacific island or dinner at a great restaurant in Tuscany? Having Springsteen play for an intimate gathering of my closest friends or sitting with Stevie Yzerman when the Wings win their next Stanley Cup?
Yes to 2021. Yes to 2022. Yes to it all. It's great...to be...a...Michigan Wolverine!!!
November 29th, 2022 at 9:45 PM ^
2022. More balanced all around. Hutch on this team would be fun tho
November 29th, 2022 at 9:47 PM ^
Before the game Saturday my father in law asked if I thought UM could win. I said “absolutely yes, I think we’re a bit better than last year and OSU isn’t quite as good. So we can definitely win.” Now, did I think we’d lay waste to them like we did? Not quite lol.
November 30th, 2022 at 6:55 AM ^
I would say exactly this about Georgia as well: they are not as dominant and we are significantly better. Which means we can beat UGA and win the national title.
November 29th, 2022 at 9:53 PM ^
The clear difference to me is JJs passing when its working. The team that played saturday has a dimension to the offense we didnt have last year
November 29th, 2022 at 11:05 PM ^
JJ's legs have been far more valuable than his arm...so far.
Michigan's offense was definitely just as explosive through the air at its best last year. McNamara dropped dimes that people just forget.
Iowa game alone he was hitting Schoon up the seem, hit him on a wheel, the crazy All catch for a TD. He hit Johnson deep a few times on the season, hell...he hit Ronnie Bell deep in game 1 (twice but one was that horrible OPI).
Drilled Roman Wilson down the seem against PSU, dropped a couple of dimes against Maryland and Nebraska as well.
But JJ's legs threaten defenses and create gaps when they shouldn't be there. JJ's legs also get him out of OBVIOUS McNamara sacks.
McNamara gets sacked on the first TD to CJ, he gets sacked on that crazy play in the red zone where JJ escaped and gets the ball out of bounds...and he gets sacked on the play that resulted in a DPI in the endzone (Hickman on Bell). Those are all game changing plays.
In the meantime, there's probably one throw all game that Cade makes that JJ missed.
The impact of JJ's legs are the game changer at the moment. But his arm talent is undeniable, when he finally dials it in...he's going for 250+ on the regular.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:12 PM ^
This year…..just the consistency in the 2nd half defense, Oline is stronger, I think the top 2 backs are a smidge better, and JJ’s big game ability running and passing can take this team over the hump and maybe actually win this playoff.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:14 PM ^
I don't want to diminish the play from either team.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:16 PM ^
I think this years offense is deceptively dangerous. We have all the weapon's and a smart and capable quarterback that stretches the plays out while not making mistakes. Our RB's are better, because we have two. One of which, catches like a receiver and gives LB's and Safeties the fits. We have very good receivers complimented by very good TE's that always the job done. The O Line is the best in the country and our kicker rarely misses. Last years offense was also very good, but there were a couple games that i thought we could've lost. This year, I haven't felt like we we've been seriously challenged.
And here's why.
This years defense is outstanding!!!! Sure we lost two great pass rushers but opposing coaches were beginning to design run plays by anticipating our pressure and allowing us to over pursue. We were great in most areas but we had weaknesses in the secondary that were exploited. This year the defense is very very good in all areas. The secondary issues have grown up and they communicate and play like a cohesive team. This years team comes out in the second half of games and chokes the life out of everyone they face. Because of the coaching adjustments, no team they've faced has really been in it. Last years goal was to beat Ohio State and win the Big Ten. This years goal is to repay Georgia for that ass whooping they put on us and win the Natty. Stay tuned people, you are watching one of the greatest Michigan teams to take the field and they are going to win it all this time.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:25 PM ^
Definitely 2022. The offense has a higher ceiling.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:54 PM ^
At their absolute best and healthy? 2022.
Last year was a very fortunate season with injuries while this year has seen stretches with numerous starters out on offense during the second half of the season (Corum, All, Schoon, Edwards, Keegan, Jones, Hayes). The loss of McNamara also created risk with any JJ run, which likely motivated the OCs to not rep the whole playbook. Minter and excellent depth make this defense statistically better than last year, but it might be a push without the elite DEs from last year.
P.S. I think the defense should be even better next year. Perhaps the best in CFB with elite DL, more LB depth, and a very experienced secondary.
November 29th, 2022 at 10:57 PM ^
We've never seen this team play its best, IMO.
Last year's team wasn't playing any better than OSU and Iowa. That was their peak. It was clear when it was happening, it was just a matter of whether it was enough.
I feel like this team needs to get through Saturday and you still have this super young QB, who missed all spring and summer. Plus Corum was out for pretty much all of OSU.
IMO, this team can hit its peak in the postseason just like Harbaugh's first team did when it DESTROYED Florida in the Citrus Bowl.
If you remember, same situation at QB. Rudock didn't arrive until August and had no time to get chemistry with Darboh and Chesson and it costs us the Utah game and they never really hit on all cylinders until Jan 1 - when it finally happened Rudock looked like Mac Jones in a National Championship Game.
Win on Saturday, don't care if it 14-13. Just win. Then you have 3 weeks to rest, build chemistry, self scout, and just improve.
I'll be incredibly disappointed if the team we see on Dec. 31 isn't the best version of this team.
November 29th, 2022 at 11:01 PM ^
I didn't even need to read any of the comments on this topic. The 2022 team is better than the 2021 team. Full stop. Sure, I would love to have Hutch or Ojabo back at one of the ends disrupting stuff but Minter's defense overall > MacDonald's defense. The interior of the DL is better this year. Sainristil, Will Johnson, DJ Turner are better on the back end than what we had last season. The OL is better this year. A fully weaponized JJ > Cade. And I love me some Haskins but the Corum death star + Edwards + Stokes > Haskins + younger versions of BC and DE.
Can you imagine if we had a healthy Erick All in there as well? Good night.
November 30th, 2022 at 12:27 AM ^
2022 by 5 lengths. The primary reasons being McCarthy and a fully operational Donovan Edwards.
November 30th, 2022 at 12:37 AM ^
With all due respect to 2021 Michigan, it’s 2022.
Ask yourself this…does 2021 Michigan beat OSU without Haskins and Hutchinson? Because that’s essentially what happened this year…without our top RB and defender, one of which was a Heisman candidate, and Michigan won anyway.
November 30th, 2022 at 2:40 AM ^
2022 is the better team at full strength.
On offense, JJ's legs add a new dynamic, making us much harder to game plan for. A healthy Corum and Edwards are explosive enough to take it to the house.
On defense, it's closer. 2022 does not have Hutch and Ojabo. But the D-Line are excellent run stoppers, and the secondary covers better.
If Michigan faces Georgia again, they are still facing a version of themselves with better athletes. But I'd much rather go into battle with Georgia with a fully healthy 2022 team than a fully healthy 2021 team. That to me is the acid test.
November 30th, 2022 at 4:45 AM ^
I feel like the underrated thing with our offense is that I think the coaches wanted to save something for OSU which we didn't end up getting to do, and that was having Corum and Edwards on the field at the same time.
We had that one QB counter play against Penn State where Corum was lined up in the gun and Edwards in the slot, Edwards goes on jet motion and when JJ snaps Edwards is at the mesh point and Corum acts as Edwards' would-be lead blocker. JJ ends up keeping on that play and it was a solid 3rd down pickup. But I wouldn't be surprised if they have an entire package of Corum + Edwards stuff, which you probably can only open up after establishing Edwards as a consistent passing threat, which they were also having to hold back due to his injury. But if that becomes a regular part of the offense in the playoff, good friggin luck stopping anything.
And then layer-in that JJ's deep ball is just getting there now, all while Loveland has recently emerged as a main target. So as far as I'm concerned, we still haven't seen the best of this offense. Now, I still believe we can only beat Georgia if JJ is capable of taking over that game to a greater degree than he did against OSU, so we'll still have more to see. But to answer the question, I'd take the 2022 team at their best-- particularly since we just saw what the defense was still able to accomplish without Hutch and Ojabo (and Morris) last Saturday.
November 30th, 2022 at 7:00 AM ^
2022 easily is better:
1) O-Line improved with experience and the addition of Olu.
2) Cade's refusal to pull hampered our running game, whereas Cade put in a better passing year. But JJ's legs have made our running game a nightmare.
3) Our DTs are way better than last year, and that is a huge upgrade.
4) Pass rush from the edge was obviously better in 2021
5) The secondary is a lot better via coaching and experience.
November 30th, 2022 at 9:09 AM ^
This team's offense is better, last year team's defense was more dominate.
November 30th, 2022 at 10:15 AM ^
2022. I was nervous when JJ won the job and my main concern was ball security. JJs ball security is excellent and his ability to run is a weapon that has to be accounted for. Both squads are great and this one might be an all-time great squad!
November 30th, 2022 at 10:17 AM ^
Double post
42-27
45-23