Who/what has pleasantly surprised you this season?
On MGoRadio and one of the posts the other day, Brian noted how pleasantly surprised he's been by the receiving corps this year. I remember back in the summer how our WR group was a huge question mark and people were pretty worried that they'd hold us back. However, they've really come on in the last few games and have been the prime reason we've won these last couple, it seems.
With that in mind, who/what have been the most pleasant surprises on the team this year?
I'm going to go with Jedd Fisch. He was one of the few hires that most people on the board didn't know much about but he's been outstanding. There have been very few head scratching calls in a row and I don't recall a game this year where the fans could spot a bad coaching/play-calling job. I really hope we can keep him around for a few more years, although I'm not optimistic that'll happen given his ambitions.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^
The resolve of this team to make plays when it matters. In the past the team has tanked after losing to MSU. Goalline stand at Minnesota, Rudock last drive in regulation against IU. Holding PSU to field goals in the red zone.
This year they showed some real stones in winning the last 4 games, especially since the loss to MSU was horrible.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^
WRs and Kenny Allen seem like the two nicest surprises from a player perspective.
Lewis being THIS good and the non-Lewis corners being as good as they are would be the next layer.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:24 AM ^
I would not say this is surprising, but love the extra usage of tight ends and full backs. Those positions are so underused in this current era of spread offenses. I'll take manball over a spread any day. The fullback dive has worked almost every time Michigan has used it this season. If the ball is at the three, second, or first yard line and we're going in for a touchdown, I want to see a fullback dive because it's almost assured we will score.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^
no surprises. this is exactly how I predicted it to be. What did the knowledge predict again?
November 25th, 2015 at 1:59 PM ^
10-2 with a 3-1 OOC record. Pretty decent chance, actually.
He did say we wouldn't shut out Maryland, though. The timelines must have shifted.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:26 AM ^
I did not realize how good he was coming into the season. Overall, he is one of the top WR in the B1G. His blocking is great, he's got speed for YAC, and his KO/PR are great. As a unit I was most impressed with the DL, did not think they would be this dominate. It took a while for Rudock to get where I thought he would be, now he's playing better than expected. The only disappointment this season was at RB. I thought for sure Isaac, Green or Johnson would be that go to back by this time in the season with Smith being used to pick up the short and tough yards. FB is another position that has done a much better than expected
November 25th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^
Yeah. He was the first person who came to mind when I read the topic title.
He has really come into his own the second half of this season. And when he's not making some great catches lately, he's running great end arounds against Penn State or that 66 yard TD against Maryland. And that 96 yard kickoff return against Northwestern, well, that was pretty sweet.
Did not to expect to see this kind of stuff from him before the season started.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:26 AM ^
4-1 on the road with a couple of pretty tough opponents mixed in there signifies a good football team to me. The contrast between THIS and that -- with much the same dudes -- could not be starker.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:26 AM ^
Guy would start for any other team in the B1G
November 25th, 2015 at 12:36 PM ^
How did it take this long for AJ Williams to pop up here? Was there a guy that we were done with more than Williams? And he's evolved into a great blocking TE and a good receiving TE. I mean, he might have an NFL shot after this season. Who would have thought that before the season started?
November 25th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
Jay Harbaugh came in and told the big fella to lose some lbs. if he wants be a better TE.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^
Houma. I was a big Kerridge fan coming into the season, but now I'm so pissed that Houma will be gone after the season. He's more versatile.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:27 AM ^
Jake Rudock. He is better than I thought he would be. Of course everything is turning out better than I thought it would be this year...........
November 25th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^
Offense - AJ Williams; has gone from a guy who couldn't even block to an actual receiving threat.
Defense - Glasgow; the obvious rock of that D.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 11:40 AM ^
With Harbaugh's early record at Stanford in particular, I thought it would take longer to implement the new schemes on offense and defense. While I like his enthusiasm, what really strikes me is his (and his entire staff's) ability to take a group of players who have had to learn multiple schemes over the years, and get them so quickly on board with his vision.
I know he's not yet been able to introduce the whole playbook, but the quiet efficiency with which he implemented the schemes (especially on offense - where changes were more drastic) has been great.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^
Water stations in the Big House...before they removed them. I was able to sneak in an empty water bottle and fill up for free instead of paying $4.50. I don't remember these being around the last time I had season tix in 2011. Too bad it's too cold now and they had to uninstall them. Great surprise though.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^
In addition to the marked improvement in the record, I would also say seeing actual player development. I can now see several of these players playing on Sundays and in all seriousness, if several come back, they will really develop further and improve their draft status tremendously.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:32 AM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 11:48 AM ^
I'm borderline skeptical because the offense really has sputtered a lot at various times
November 25th, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
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November 25th, 2015 at 11:34 AM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
we were rumored to be VERY shaky on placekicking and a new (albeit) touted guy punting. Couple of miscues, but overall has been a real addition to the team that I did not expect going in.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^
For me its Chesson. I came into the season wondering how we were gonna catch the ball, and where our deep threat was going to come from. Chesson is no longer just a good blocker he is a wide reciever, and a damn good one.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^
For me its Chesson. I came into the season wondering how we were gonna catch the ball, and where our deep threat was going to come from. Chesson is no longer just a good blocker he is a wide reciever, and a damn good one.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:36 AM ^
in delay of game penalties
November 25th, 2015 at 11:37 AM ^
Rudock has been the biggest surprise to me.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^
Returning to the appropriate shade of maize on the home uniforms. Also, at first the white road pants were hard to take-in, but i've become a fan of the all-white road uniforms.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^
It didn't happen overnight. They kept finding was to use him until the deep passes finally clicked. That's the coaching move I'm most impressed with too. Pre-season, I never imagined he could be the weapon he's become.
AJ Williams, Ryan Glasgow and Jourdan Lewis. Williams is a completely different player. Glasgow and Lewis have stepped their games up more than I thought possible.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:43 AM ^
I'll go with Houma and Allen. I love how they have made Houma a real threat and he has really stepped up especially when Kerridge was out. And kicking was a worry of mine coming into the year but Allen has done a great job all year.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^
so nice to see the team play like the coaches know what's going on. For the first time since like...Florida 2007 I feel like we're in other coaches heads every game.
But otherwise probably
- Sione Houma
- Jehu Chesson
- The D-line as a unit. I know they were supposed to be good but they have been GREAT
- AJ Williams
- Blake O'Neill - also, we knew he would be good but that dude is a gamechanger. When we line up our team vs the other team, he's probably the biggest gamechanger vs the opposition. Dude has been a massive source of hidden yards. Borderline team MVP
November 25th, 2015 at 11:48 AM ^
Quite a few, actually.
Ryan Glasgow (damn shame there)
Houma
Chesson
Rudock (especially recently)
Ross III (thought he looked solid vs. PSU)
November 25th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
I was certain that, given two or three seasons, Harbaugh would restore the program. I expected a it to take longer for the offense to adjust to an entirely new scheme. I expected one possibly two of this season's shutouts to be coin flips. I expected that if we beat MSU it would be a fluke win, not the far more impressive (if incredibly painful) fluke loss we saw.
Even in the Utah game, as rough as it was, Michigan played with the drive, focus, and determination, that I would expect of a "traditional" MIchigan team. It would have been a triumph to turn the program around by the end of the season, but I can argue that Harbugh and his staff, had this team turned around in its first game.
More an unbelievably pleasant shock than a mere surprise, but damn is it good to see!
Go Blue Beat Ohio
November 25th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
Before the season started, I was afraid we might have to go for it on most 4th downs because we didn't have a kicker. Allen has gone 11/14 and boots nearly every kickoff for a touchback.
November 25th, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^
I remember at least one preseason thread declaring doom because whatshisname scholarship kicker didn't win the job
November 25th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
- AJ Williams
- Royce Jenkins Stone
- Jeremy Clark
These were 3 guys who had little to no impact in 1st 3 years and now they have turned into Josh Furman types... but without leaving the team to get that boost.
- Kenny Allen
Our freshman phenom kicker was apparently not that and we went into the season expecting a ton of close games with a PK to win those games. That could have been doom. This guy has been solid as heck.
- Peppers
Until hype is proven I get cycnical about it. We didnt see much last year due to injury - meanwhile guy like Adoree Jackson was ripping it up as a true freshman at USC so you are thinking "damn are we cursed or something?" He has delivered - not perfect (coverage) but a dynamic player who can play all 3 phases.
- Defense as a whole incl staff
We had become to Mattison defenses which were good not great. They were great in NCAA stats because Big 10 offenses generally suck so we had some "top 10" rankings (which only grade teams on yards given up) but it was a unit that didnt quite pass the sniff test, especially when advanced stats showed it as a unit ranking in the 35-40 area instead of top 10. This year its legit top 10 for the first time in all measures. Now we dont give up those end of 1st half TD drives on the regular, one of the 3 units (DL) is elite or near it, and dumb penalties (until last 2 weeks) had gone away. So kudos to staff and players.
- Glasgow of the DL
18 months ago he started in a spring game and we scoffed and said "sending a message to Pipkins". He had a good year last year. He has been great this year. How far he has come.
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I am not putting Lewis and Henry here because I thought both those guys popped last year and teams were throwing away from Lewis the last 4 games which indicated coaches saw something very good - so not "surprising". I just think he got lost in the Peppers hype all season but I had those as my top 3 guys on D coming into the season.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
Only disappointment would be the stable of running backs. Really thought Issac was going to be a beast and thought Green would have the light switch moment. I do think the some of the running game issues are just learning pains of a new system in regards to blocking schemes, where cut back lanes should be, etc.
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November 25th, 2015 at 12:22 PM ^
Without giving away too much, people in Joliet say that Ty needed to grow up a little. Indirect evidence suggests that may still be an issue. My guess is that his depth chart status has less to do with his fumbles than his reaction to his coaches after.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
Pure Surprise = AJ Williams, I had long ago given up on him contributing anything big in a game and he has really stepped it up this year, credit to Drevno and Jaybaugh and AJ himself.
Always thought it would happen with the right coaching = Houma, his film from high school was really impressive and I was hoping the coaches would take advantage of his athleticism and drive and it appears they have.
Clark, always thought he was a sleeper with a lot of potential who could really contribute well and he seems to have turned it on this year.
On the whole watching the way this team has responded to challenges and dealing with mental blows has been really encouraging and gives me great hope for the future.
November 25th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^
I'm pleasantly surprised about how great a lot of the players have been, but I didn't expect to see so many playmakers contributing on special teams. It's been more fun to watch that portion of the game.
November 25th, 2015 at 12:02 PM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
November 25th, 2015 at 12:07 PM ^
Like that fucking punt that submarined the season
November 25th, 2015 at 3:13 PM ^
so if you want to talk punting, you have to talk about how Blake O'Neill - even with that cataclysmic mistake - is still the best punter Michigan has ever had.
November 25th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^
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November 25th, 2015 at 5:59 PM ^
Blake's rate of punts downed inside the 20 is ridiculous. Zoltan could kick it far, but Blake's repertoire of skillful kicks just far surpasses anything Zoltan has ever done
November 25th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^