Why I Still Have a Glimmer of Hope
So like most people alot of my hype for the season has been diminished by what we have seen so far. However, the thing giving me a glimmer of hope is that last year's team also looked bad early on and we were all questioning after the NW and ND games if they could truly compete for the conference title. It seemed like the NW game was a catalyst in getting the team to kick it up a notch. Hopefully the ugliness of the first two games serves as a catalyst for the coaching staff and players to look at themselves in the mirror and make the neccassarily changes. Also we all know this offense has too much talent, particularly with Runyan and DPJ back soon to continue to look like they did on Saturday. Will it be good enough is the question.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
I feel really good for you. ?
September 9th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
Hope springs eternal!
If anyone has lost hope already, I pity you.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^
I haven't lost hope at all, but why would I look to last year as something to "hope for". Last year we still lost to every team as good as us or better, got a historic arse kicking by Ohio State and went to a bowl game and looked 100% unprepared and lost in embarrassing fashion.
I am hopeful, but my hope isn't to be the team that was last year. I hope for this team to be the one that finally gets over the hump.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:39 AM ^
Appleton didn't post anything about last year.
September 9th, 2019 at 2:49 PM ^
Ooops. Meant to target my comment to the OP and not Appleton.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:16 PM ^
So beating MSU, Penn State, and Wisconsin, crushing each of them, meant nothing?
Of course the OSU game was demoralizing, but you are saying that if we’d lost those three games you would feel exactly the same?
No thank you to that mentality
September 9th, 2019 at 2:13 PM ^
Why?
What in the two games so far gives you any sense of confidence that we can beat MSU, PSU, Wiscy, ND, or OSU? This is a serious question, not an antagonistic one. I wish I still had hope but I have nothing to pin it on....
September 9th, 2019 at 3:49 PM ^
Why wouldn't I have hope? I believe the talent is there overall. I believe the defense is strong and resilient. I believe we have a fantastic group of receivers. I believe we have the best running back we've had on the squad in over a decade. I believe in QB1's talent, hampered as it may be by injury. I believe in QB2's potential. I believe in the potential of the offensive game plan.
And I know a few things. I know everyone, including famous alums and this board's mods, were ready to throw in the towel on the season last year after the very first game, only to watch the team reel off 10 straight wins, including pounding three of the teams you mentioned in consecutive weeks. I also know that Oklahoma did THE EXACT SAME THING against Army last year before going on to leading the nation in scoring.
And I know that no matter what, it's always more enjoyable to feel good about your team going into every game, no matter what the naysayers and worry-warts are crying about.
Seriously, did you see the locker room scene after the game Saturday? You don't think the team's feeling good about itself?
September 9th, 2019 at 8:29 PM ^
There's always a sense of relief when you win a game you likely should have lost.
I agree on the defense, receiving corps, and our stud RB. But I have very little confidence in Patterson or the coaching staff's ability to manage him or DM. The offense looks the same as the last two years...meaning dull and a great way to waste terrific skill players.
I guess that's the difference. I hope you're right but I'm afraid I am...
September 9th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
A glimmer? C'mon man. Grow a pair. Hope abounds. We're going to have a special season.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:32 PM ^
I have a lot of hope and I am way less bothered by the first two games than most (shit how many times does OSU look like absolute horseshit right now but find a way to win and then by November they're full-tilt?).
But this "we're still super amazing, nothing is wrong" mentality is also very annoying.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
You will have 300% more hope leading up to the Wisconsin game. Posters will say the game was close because we gave them 14 points. We should of done this. They should have done that. We really should have won by 42 points if not for this.
Mods will write articles on how 95% of the players actually graded out much better after watching the film. We will get this guy and this guy back. The 2 week rest will do wonders to this guy and this guy. Iron this and that out. Gattis is the best thing ever since Barwis.
By the Winsonsin game, you will expect this team to beat Winsonsin by 78 and no way Bama or Clemson have a chance of beating us.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
lot's of mental mistakes: 3 turnovers and 9 penalties. (w MTSU we had 2 turnovers and 8 penalties). I also think Shea's refusal to keep is tied to an injury that of course needs to heal. I don't want to be too sunny - but a lot of our situation is fixable and would have changed the outcome/feel in both games. Of course if we DON'T fix that and play that way against Wisconsin then it'll be ugly - but a little early to pull the chord on a 2-0 team that is very talented and I think well coached.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
So whats the actual reality to you then? Since we aren't beating both of these teams by 30 so far clearly we are a dog shit team and JH needs fired?
It was fortold that this game against army would be this way. How is it that people who know something about football knew this would happen? Does it mean Oklahoma was actually a shitty team last year because they also needed OT to beat Army? OSU looked like trash against several of our common opponents last year, and lost to Purdue. Were they a bad 12-1 team?
Im not saying we are going to be '18 Oklahoma or '18 OSU. The point is you don't know either. I don't think the posters are diluted or overly optimistic. They may give reasons for optimism but they also give reasons for concern. We all know D line play could be our biggest weakness. It was discussed at length how there could be growing pains in a new offense.
Having some ball security issues from guys who didnt have that problem before is something that can be cleaned up. Its profoundly different than having your O line get pushed around when that was a major concern the year before. ( A reason why pessimism after ND last year was much better served).
If you are so convinced Michigan sucks, then stay off the blog and find something better to do.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^
I watched the game and was definitely "diluted" afternoons
September 9th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
If everyone knew this game would be close, then the sharps would have HAMMERED Army +22 and made a fortune. People didn't know this game would be that close, but wouldn't be exactly surprised if it was. Regardless, we should have won big and we didn't, because this team is underachieving big-time right now.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:13 AM ^
Actually, the sharps did take Army... Army went from +23.5 to +22 and that was with only around 40% of the bets placed on them.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:01 AM ^
double post
September 9th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
were you responding to my post? What in it made you think I am of the opinion that Michigan sucks? My post was an anti-the sky is falling comment. We are a talented team with fixable issues. We won 2 games against inferior opponents who couldn't capitalize on our mistakes. I don't expect Wisconsin to go the same IF we make the same mistakes. But I think we have talent and good coaches and expect we'll improve.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:46 AM ^
Funny how those new offense growing pains only affect us and no other team.
I give you maryland and LSU as examples.
September 9th, 2019 at 8:32 PM ^
And every school has a QB who can hit a dime on the run while crossing their bodies. It's amazing the talent other teams have yet we still can't measure up.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
Generally agree except that our O-line did get beat Saturday to the tune of 2.5 yards per carry
September 9th, 2019 at 10:21 AM ^
77 points - 11 touchdown difference
September 9th, 2019 at 10:41 AM ^
Seriously though, i think getting DPJ back will huge. For multiple reasons.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:58 PM ^
I agree.
September 9th, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
*laughing emoji*
*thumbs up emoji*
*Pitbull gif*
*American flag emoji*
September 9th, 2019 at 3:45 PM ^
I believe all of that already. Must feel bad to be a pessimist.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:52 AM ^
ND was in the playoff and NW was in the B1G title game. Both(Moreso ND) are significantly better than either team we faced this year and they were on the road. Runyan and DPJ will help but as long as Shea refuses to pull and Gattis/JH(Whoever it is) continues the absolutely abominable playcalling, it’s gonna be a long year.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:57 AM ^
And Army has a very good shot of being the G5 representative in the NY6.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:05 AM ^
I mean maybe but our problems go far beyond just how good army is or isn’t. The playcalling is Al Borges level and Shea Patterson is either unwilling or unable to do his job properly and the coach won’t bench him. If we played decently and just so happened to squeak by Army fine. But we tried giving them the game for four quarters plus OT. And it never got better from start to finish.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
Oh, I would say it did get better, if not dramatically. Three TOs in the first half, none in the second. Gave up two TDs in the first half, nothing in the second.
The play-calling was often piss, but I don't know what's going on in those coaches' meetings and I'm not going to try to evaluate an offense after two games.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:20 AM ^
Al Borges play calling is right. It was horrendous.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
And 1 game they cared about on their schedule since January.
I think it was Saban that said it's impossible to get your team to play "up" for more than 2 or 3 games a year. We got Army's. But Michigan probably thought of this as their 6th or 7th biggest game of the season...
September 9th, 2019 at 11:47 AM ^
Yeah I don’t think that’s what Saban meant. Playing “up” means we still execute our game plan and despite Army’s best effort we still pull away and take the game over. This was more like we looked terrible and Army did Army things.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
You haven't watched NW this year have you bro?
September 9th, 2019 at 9:52 AM ^
Reasons for optimism: week one woes can possibly be contributed to, like, week one stuff. Week two woes can possibly be attributed to weird army stuff. Bye week comes at a perfect time.
Reasons for pessimism: Did you even WATCH the games?!?! BPONE, and such.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
Everyone needs to chill a little bit. Nearly every team, no matter how great, throws up a turd or two every season. We’re probably not a world beater team this year, but we should for sure be in the mix for the conference title.
September 9th, 2019 at 10:09 AM ^
I hope.
The biggest thing that worries me is that our week one to week two progress was retrograde.
I hope the bye week fixes things dramatically. But who knows?
September 9th, 2019 at 11:00 AM ^
Patterson had better learn how to read a defense in the bye week.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:01 PM ^
He could last year. Not sure what is going on this year.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:02 PM ^
Somewhat. He wasn't keeping the ball nearly as much as was available to him last year either. This year, he's just not keeping the ball at all.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:17 PM ^
I would rather he learn how to hold onto the ball, first.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
However, the thing giving me a glimmer of hope is that last year's team also looked bad early
The team looked bad early on and then got the shit pounded out of it by OSU and then farted around while losing the bowl to go 10-3.
With that said, I'm hopeful as well but for other reasons - Shea is clearly injured and the offense is struggling with him at less than 100%. I thought the first half offense against MTSU looked dynamic and creative but sloppy. If they can return to that form and get things cleaned up, we might still put together a good season.
RB went from "der der a walk on will start" to a legitimate strength of the team. If the OL starts to gel and Shea gets healthy, the offense will be at least as good as it was last year.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:55 AM ^
Regardless of how the OSU game went they still put themselves in position for that game to be for the playoff essentially. It really bugs me that nobody gives them credit for the other big wins they had after NW. But yes I agree with the rest of your points. I see alot of things that can be corrected, it's not unsolvable issues.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:00 AM ^
RB is not a strength of the team. We have a capable freshman and not much else.Our RBs averaged 3.3 yard per carry vs a tiny Army front 7. That's in no way a strength on any good football team.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:28 AM ^
I miss not having fullback Ben Mason.
September 9th, 2019 at 11:29 AM ^
We have a very solid freshman and a more than capable backup. Juxtapose that to "Tru plays hard and blocks well" backed up by ????. We're not set up to succeed if one of the top two get injured, but as of right now, that's the only unit on the offense that's actually doing their job.
September 9th, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
That's not on the RB, that is the product of running into a stacked line. Also I think Turner is going to be a good back based on what he has shown. And Wilson when healthy, is solid, not a game breaker obviously, but still solid. I think that position group is fine the issue is the playcalling setting then up for failure.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:53 AM ^
I mean I would say a glimmer of hope is still better than alot of fans right now. I tried to talk to my normally level headed coworker this morning about the game and she literally got mad that I was trying to say some of it was playcalling and Patterson playing hurt, and she just said I have work to do and Patterson and the team just suck period.
September 9th, 2019 at 9:54 AM ^
TBH - I am not off the wagon like most of this board seems to be. I thought the defensive performance was B+ / A- and if we can get that all season from that group, I believe the offense will find their way.
I'd like everyone to remember the 2014 OSU team that got beat on by a Va Tech squad that finished the season 7-6, in the shoe. They got smacked in the mouth, looked in the mirror and went on a tear the rest of the season.
As far as the offense if concerned, I am more on the side that Shea is working through some sort of injury, and I don't believe Harbaugh is controlling the offense, like many want to assume. I believe it was a mutual concerted decision to run the football and limit Army possessions. Do I agree with all of the play calling especially the 4th down? No. However, the bye week is coming at the perfect time. The team will get healthy, be able to work through their kinks, and I believe will come prepared against Wisconsin.
Army will run the table the rest of the year and finish the season with 1 loss and finish once again in the top 25.