I'm in total agreement here. It also might say something about our future formations. We've been bringing in a lot of linebacker types lately as well as DE/DT tweeners like Godin and Wormley. It could be a sign that Michigan is transitioning to the 3-4. In two or three years maybe we'll see a line of Godin/Pipkins/Wormley up front and then guys like Beyer as OLBs. To me, this seems like the best explanation unless some of the guys who are listed as DEs are going to fill out and move inside. I just question whether we have the depth to give guys like Wormley that kind of time to develop.
If that's the case, bringing in Payton and some of the other WRs we've been targeting would be good. Our depth at the WR position isn't overwhelming.
What worries me is that our run D is clearly way too high. They were pretty bad in the first quarter against EMU, until we realized that EMU simply could not and would not throw the ball. SDSU has a better RB and a competent quarterback. Count me as one of those people who are extremely nervous for this game, especially considering how flat Michigan has come out this year.
With all due respect, in regards to the media fairness to RichRod meme, lets all be more like Mark McGuire and not be here to talk about the past. Also, there was never a good reason for GERG.
I think one of Turley's problems is that Hoke left so soon after he arrived (the SDSU link on mgo.licio.us says as much). I don't blame them for being mad. He left after just two years, when the program was on the upswing. He also left rather quickly and didn't even meet with his players. I don't blame him ("This is Michigan!" and all that). I do see where the SDSU fans are coming from though. I'd want to kick Michigan's butt too, if I were a SDSU fan.
That being said, I'm not an SDSU fan, and I hope we embarrass them and have to put Gardner in in the 3rd quarter for non-Denard-injury type reasons.
Overall, though, I disagree with the OP about Hoke batting 1.000. He's done well so far, but we seem to have been at least somewhat fortunate against ND, it made no sense to turn away a good WR last year, and I'm less than pleased with the offense so far. That still means he's batting about .900 to this point, but lets wait to see how the rest of the season shakes out before we get too excited.
What I think that a lot of people are missing in this whole equation, is that when it comes to conference expansion, we need a balance. Adding ND and Texas would be great in the short term, but in the long term, you start to dilute some of your brand names because of the depth of the conference. With ND and Texas, for example, you run the real risk of a program like Iowa or Penn State turning into an average program that isn't expected to be a powerhouse. I don't think Michigan is in danger of this for the time being, but there comes a point when conference strength actually starts to dilute things.
I would personally like to see the Big East expand to a 12 team conference, the Big 12 get back to 12, and things stay the way they are. I think adding teams without a ND in the mix would be foolish, but if we were to snag ND, I'd like to see UConn and Rutgers get an invite, along with Missouri. It fits the regional footprint, and those are all respectable academic schools as well.
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I'm in total agreement here. It also might say something about our future formations. We've been bringing in a lot of linebacker types lately as well as DE/DT tweeners like Godin and Wormley. It could be a sign that Michigan is transitioning to the 3-4. In two or three years maybe we'll see a line of Godin/Pipkins/Wormley up front and then guys like Beyer as OLBs. To me, this seems like the best explanation unless some of the guys who are listed as DEs are going to fill out and move inside. I just question whether we have the depth to give guys like Wormley that kind of time to develop.
If that's the case, bringing in Payton and some of the other WRs we've been targeting would be good. Our depth at the WR position isn't overwhelming.
What worries me is that our run D is clearly way too high. They were pretty bad in the first quarter against EMU, until we realized that EMU simply could not and would not throw the ball. SDSU has a better RB and a competent quarterback. Count me as one of those people who are extremely nervous for this game, especially considering how flat Michigan has come out this year.
With all due respect, in regards to the media fairness to RichRod meme, lets all be more like Mark McGuire and not be here to talk about the past. Also, there was never a good reason for GERG.
I think one of Turley's problems is that Hoke left so soon after he arrived (the SDSU link on mgo.licio.us says as much). I don't blame them for being mad. He left after just two years, when the program was on the upswing. He also left rather quickly and didn't even meet with his players. I don't blame him ("This is Michigan!" and all that). I do see where the SDSU fans are coming from though. I'd want to kick Michigan's butt too, if I were a SDSU fan.
That being said, I'm not an SDSU fan, and I hope we embarrass them and have to put Gardner in in the 3rd quarter for non-Denard-injury type reasons.
Overall, though, I disagree with the OP about Hoke batting 1.000. He's done well so far, but we seem to have been at least somewhat fortunate against ND, it made no sense to turn away a good WR last year, and I'm less than pleased with the offense so far. That still means he's batting about .900 to this point, but lets wait to see how the rest of the season shakes out before we get too excited.
What I think that a lot of people are missing in this whole equation, is that when it comes to conference expansion, we need a balance. Adding ND and Texas would be great in the short term, but in the long term, you start to dilute some of your brand names because of the depth of the conference. With ND and Texas, for example, you run the real risk of a program like Iowa or Penn State turning into an average program that isn't expected to be a powerhouse. I don't think Michigan is in danger of this for the time being, but there comes a point when conference strength actually starts to dilute things.
I would personally like to see the Big East expand to a 12 team conference, the Big 12 get back to 12, and things stay the way they are. I think adding teams without a ND in the mix would be foolish, but if we were to snag ND, I'd like to see UConn and Rutgers get an invite, along with Missouri. It fits the regional footprint, and those are all respectable academic schools as well.