As a former college basketball player who has also coached a fair amount of basketball this team is frustrating to watch as on so many levels. But the two biggest areas of frustration are the team doesn't play smart situational basketball and they don't play with much passion or energy. These two items fall directly on the coach. The head coach needs to demand every player gives maximum effort and also play smart basketball. Juwan is coaching this team like an AAU team which is a recipe for disaster. The fact the team hasn't improved at all since the start of the season is also very concerning.
We all wanted Juwan to work out but the longer he coaches the team only gets worse. With Dickinson coming back and decent recruiting classes we should be much better this year but are struggling to beat bad teams at home. Juwan is getting paid a lot of money to put a good product on the court and this year he has failed miserably. The AD needs to start thinking about replacement candidates.
I'm sure Paul Finebaum will be all over Saban and Alabama on this one...NOT! With all the unethical crap that has historically occurred in the SEC I find it the height of hypocrisy that Finebaum goes after Harbaugh so much. He clearly is intimidated by him and the potential success he will most certainly have, as well as the threat he poses to his beloved SEC conference. Everything Harbaugh has done is 100% legit which most certainly cannot be said about the underhanded activities constantly going on in the SEC conference. The guy is a complete joke.
Irvin's struggles are well documented but it's amazing we are playing this well considering one of our key players, that consumes significant minutes, is struggling so much on the offensive end. I thought Beilein should play Ibi Watson more with Irvin's struggles but obviously that is not the plan this year. At this point Irvin should limit his shooting since the other players are shooting the ball so much better...make him a defensive and rebounding specialist. He really should only shoot the ball when going to the basket. Something is very wrong with his outside shooting...many of his shots are not even close to going in the basket.
Have we ever had a player that is supposedly a shooter miss so many shots so badly. I watch almost every game and he commonly shots air balls or throws up complete bricks. It's really quite puzzling.
This team completely lacks any toughness. I used to think Walton had some toughness but each year that goes by it seems to be less and less. Our bigs have some skill but lack toughness which is the primary reason we consistently get out rebounded. I don't know what the heck has happened to Zak Irvin. I've never been a big fan of his game but I'm shocked with his poor overall play as a senior who has logged so many minutes. At the end of the day the coaches are responsible for the product on the floor and at this point it's been alarmingly bad. I've always supported Beilien but he will find himself on the hot seat if things don't turn around quickly.
After Rashan Gary this is my next favorite recruit in this class. Long possesses outstanding athletic ability along with great speed. Maybe more importantly, he is a flat out football player. His high school video was very impressive. I agree they will most likely give him some playing time this year with the expectation that he steps into a starting role in his sophomore season.
I've been on record stating if Irvin is our go to guy we are not going to be a very good team. I like Zak but I've never seen a player that is supposed to be a "sharp shooter" shoot so many airballs or complete bricks...just head scratching shots. I know people say it's because he was coming off an injury but he's been shooting ugly shots since he arrived at UM. I can't recall a former player that one game actually hits most of his shots and the next game is so off he has a hard time hitting the rim. I don't like the comparison to THJ because THJ has text book form while Zak's form is simply not very good....and most likely the reason he is so inconsistent with his shooting. Furthermore, he's not a very good ball handler for a wing player...I literally saw players steal the ball from him when he was dribbling the ball up the court or driving to the basket. I hope Zak has a great senior year but on a good team he should be at best the third scoring option.
On a good team Irvin would be your third or fourth scoring option but he is basically our go to player with this roster. I certainly hope he shoots the ball much better next year because it was painful watching some of his shot this past season.
I think most of us focus our attention on the skilled positions, such as QB, RB, WR, on the offensive side of the ball. I know I rarely pay close attention to the offensive line so it was good to hear from someone that took paid particular attention to the line play....particularly since it will be critically important, especially when playing the top notch teams on our schedule. Even though I didn't focus on line play I did see Newsome get blown up once. It is important to point out that he is still a freshman and should be on the steep part of the learning curve. It's not a stretch to imagine he will take a big step forward before our first game. That being said, I agree we don't have a lot of solid depth on the o-line. I think help is on it's way but the new players are not going to be in a position to help much this coming season. The departure of LTT was a big loss because he was really coming along and had the potential to be a very good lineman for us. I really hope the top 5-6 guys stay healthy throughout the season.
We'd be winning this game easily if they were playing remotely good. Irvin and Walton can't shoot and both have multiple turnovers....and these guys have been in the program for three years!
We'd be winning this game easily if they were playing remotely good. Irvin and Walton can't shoot and both have multiple turnovers....and these guys have been in the program for three years!
I can't believe Irvin is our go to player because quite frankly he's not that good. He has some of the ugliest three pointers I've ever seen and he turns the ball over to easily...and his defense is not very good. On a good team he would be the 4th or 5th option.
How many of the players on our roster have a realistic shot of making the NBA? Levert is the only one and isn't playing right now. I don't think another player on this roster has a future in the NBA....not from what I'm seeing. Given the talent level our record is probably appropriate.
I didn't watch the entire game but he must have had 4 turnovers in the time I watched the game, most just really bad. Then he misses a layup at a critical juncture in the game. I thought Irvin was supposed to be heading to the NBA after two years in college but at this point I don't see him playing in the NBA...too inconsistent.
As a UM fan I was thrilled going 11-2 in Hoke's first year, even though I knew we beat a weak OSU team and got very lucky to win the bowl game against VTU (we had 3-4 big time breaks that went our way in that game, any of which might have changed the end result). That being said, I started seeing concerning things the following year when we got very lucky to beat Akron and UConn. It just snow balled from there where began feeling Hoke was not a good head coach. People talk about him not wearing a headset which was bizarre but he made rudimentary coaching mistakes from clock management to personel decisions. He also struggled to prepare his teams for games, almost like the team wasn't fired up to play. Hoke also had the benefit of having the most dynamic player in the country to lead his team that first year while Harbaugh had to bring in a cast off from Iowa to start the season. Harbaugh has the team playing Michigan football, the type of on field effort that we used to get from Bo, Mo and the first half of Lloyd's tenure. There honestly is not a football coach in America that I would rather have leading our team than Jim harbaugh.
Brian Cole had some serious talent and many of us believed he would be a difference maker at Michigan. By all accounts he was repeatedly making mistakes which obviously won't be tolerated under Harbaugh. I wish him all the best but will always wonder what he could have been had he fully applied himself to the program.
By all accounts, Brian comes from a wonderful family. Hopefully his parents will have a serious discussion with him about focusing and reaching his potential. He just needs to make better decisions and he will be a big time player at Michigan.
Don't kid yourself, Brian Cole is most certainly one of the best athletes on the UM roster...speed and athleticism wise. During his junior year of high school he played against a very good Midland High team with an outstanding defense and ran for 215 yards, most of those yards were completely on his own. After the game the Midland High coach said Brian Cole is better than Mark Ingram who also played in the same conference (Saginaw Valley League). There is no questioning his athletic ability but Brian has to make a commitment to become the best possible football player and quit doing all the other BS. I'm convinced if he cut out the crap and focused on football he would be one of our starting safeties next year. The kid has the size, speed and athleticism to play on Sunday's but he needs to change his ways quickly.
I watched his hudl footage and it's impressive. He has very good size for a defensive back and excellent athleticism. He would be another big time pickup for Michigan.
Harbaugh wants speed on the defense and Uche has plenty of speed. He will more than likely redshirt next year to gain size and strength but he has excellent speed and quickness which has been lacking in our linebackers the past few years.
Outside of Rashan Gary, and possibly a stud linebacker, David Long was the remaining recruit I most wanted to see come our way. The kid is flat out an athlete with top end speed...and his film is very impressive. This is a big time pickup for Michigan!
There was some absolutely outstanding rock music produced in the 70's and these folks are getting old. They produced the music of my youth and I still enjoy listening to most of these songs. Unfortunately, this trend is going to continue as these folks continue to get older.
Outside of Rashan Gary, Long is the recruit I'd most like to see commit. He is a pure athlete that also plays with some attitude. He would be a big time pickup for the team. Of course, I'd also take any big time linebacker that's willing to commit to us in these last two weeks of the recruiting season....that is certainly a position of need.
A good friend of mine attended Ole Miss and is a huge fan of the school. He has told me repeatedly that he's sure boosters are throwing big time money around to get these recruits. He's loving it right now but he's sure it's corrupt. They are tired of Alabama getting all the recognition!
Hard to believe Robinson started out playing D3. The kid is a seriously one of the best three point shooters I've seen at the college level....and that includes Stauskas. Hopefully they keep things up in the second half.
I know a player on the team fairly well and he told me the plan is for the team to practice down in Florida over spring break. Supposedly Harbaugh will be mixing work with pleasure during the trip. I personally think this is a great idea and great opportunity for the players.
Although it would have nice landing Nauta we are pretty good at tightend for the next few years. We have possibly the best TE in the nation next year with Butt so he will receive most of the reps. I also really like Bunting and feel he has great potential....6'7" with huge hands and runs well. Hill also showed flashes this year and actually plays similarly to Nauta and is about the same size. And after that we have Wheatley who is a supersized TE with very good athletism. On top of that we already have a TE in this class with Sean McKeon who Harbaugh saw enough promise to offer him a scholarship when he certainly didn't have to. I think we are in good shape at that position.
I would say behind Rashan Gary he is the next player I'd really like to see commit. David Long is a big time athlete and would do great things in our secondary. We need an impact recruit in the defensive secondary.
Crawford's not only a great athlete but he has the type of toughness that Harbaugh loves. He will be a great fit for the program and an impact player down the road.
There were reports during bowl practices that Brian Cole was looking very good at safety. Many thought safety was the ideal position for Brian coming into Michigan. He is a legit 6'2" and now weighs 210 lbs and is gaining strength. He runs like a deer, has good ball skills and has the ability to come up and lay the wood. He is a great athlete so it would be nice seeing him on the field next year.
Who wouldn't want to be a part of UM football right now? We have arguably the best head coach in the country and the team just finished the first season under his leadership with a 5 game improvement over the previous season. There is no doubt UM will be contending for a national championships moving forward. Harbaugh not only produces winning teams but he is does an excellent job with player development which will best prepare some of the players for the NFL. Kids that aspire to reach their potential should want to play for Harbaugh. On top of all the great things going on with the football program they also get the benefit of receiving a top notch education at one of the finest universities in the country. It's really a no-brainer.
For a player that is 6'9" he is simply not a good rebounder. He has been positioned several times to get a rebound tonight and didn't get any of them. He needs to be tougher and give more effort.
Outside of a couple games Irvin has struggled offensively this entire season. He is flat out a bad shooter this year and his misses are of the very ugly variety. He needs to focus on great defense, rebounding and passing because he is most certainly not a good outside shooter. Beilein has been trying to help him out but he just doesn't seem to be getting any better.
I still thing Gary ends up in Ann Arbor...its a great situation for him. He will be an impact player on teams that will be competing for national championships. Furthermore, education is actually important to him and there is no comparison between UM and Ole Miss. The only thing that scares me is that it's common knowledge that Ole Miss likes to throw money at recruits...that's the reason they had the top recruiting class a few years back.
Our biggest need is at linebacker and now a 4* linebacker decommits from Alabama. Harbaugh should put on the say the full court press and bring him to Ann Arbor. We are in serious need of linebacker talent.
Landing Rashan Gary and David Long would result in a lockdown defense next year and beyond. Adding a stud defensive lineman and an outstanding athlete at corner would put this team in position to compete for a NC in the near future. These are the type of players we need.
This class has the chance to be very special if we close hard. Although Hoke had success recruiting I always thought he didn't close very well...occasionally losing a committed recruit and never bringing in a top notch recruit in the last few weeks. Harbaugh is a different beast so I don't expect this to be a problem. We need to land Rashan Gary....just getting him would put a cherry on top of this very nice recruiting class.
A good fullback is a staple in a Jim Harbaugh offense. We lose our two top fullbacks for this year and need a couple players to step up in that role. I recall reading an article around mid-season where Shallman was considered the future fullback. He certainly has the size and athleticism but he will need to be tough as steel to play that position. Some of the blocks made by our fullbacks in the Florida game were bone shattering!
Recent Comments
As a former college basketball player who has also coached a fair amount of basketball this team is frustrating to watch as on so many levels. But the two biggest areas of frustration are the team doesn't play smart situational basketball and they don't play with much passion or energy. These two items fall directly on the coach. The head coach needs to demand every player gives maximum effort and also play smart basketball. Juwan is coaching this team like an AAU team which is a recipe for disaster. The fact the team hasn't improved at all since the start of the season is also very concerning.
We all wanted Juwan to work out but the longer he coaches the team only gets worse. With Dickinson coming back and decent recruiting classes we should be much better this year but are struggling to beat bad teams at home. Juwan is getting paid a lot of money to put a good product on the court and this year he has failed miserably. The AD needs to start thinking about replacement candidates.
Ryan Day must not be very smart....Buckeye fans are pissed he didn't say Woody...he missed a layup on that one!
GO SCOTS!!!
Class of '90
GO SCOTS!!!
Class of '90
Irvin's struggles are well documented but it's amazing we are playing this well considering one of our key players, that consumes significant minutes, is struggling so much on the offensive end. I thought Beilein should play Ibi Watson more with Irvin's struggles but obviously that is not the plan this year. At this point Irvin should limit his shooting since the other players are shooting the ball so much better...make him a defensive and rebounding specialist. He really should only shoot the ball when going to the basket. Something is very wrong with his outside shooting...many of his shots are not even close to going in the basket.
After Rashan Gary this is my next favorite recruit in this class. Long possesses outstanding athletic ability along with great speed. Maybe more importantly, he is a flat out football player. His high school video was very impressive. I agree they will most likely give him some playing time this year with the expectation that he steps into a starting role in his sophomore season.
I've been on record stating if Irvin is our go to guy we are not going to be a very good team. I like Zak but I've never seen a player that is supposed to be a "sharp shooter" shoot so many airballs or complete bricks...just head scratching shots. I know people say it's because he was coming off an injury but he's been shooting ugly shots since he arrived at UM. I can't recall a former player that one game actually hits most of his shots and the next game is so off he has a hard time hitting the rim. I don't like the comparison to THJ because THJ has text book form while Zak's form is simply not very good....and most likely the reason he is so inconsistent with his shooting. Furthermore, he's not a very good ball handler for a wing player...I literally saw players steal the ball from him when he was dribbling the ball up the court or driving to the basket. I hope Zak has a great senior year but on a good team he should be at best the third scoring option.
On a good team Irvin would be your third or fourth scoring option but he is basically our go to player with this roster. I certainly hope he shoots the ball much better next year because it was painful watching some of his shot this past season.
I think most of us focus our attention on the skilled positions, such as QB, RB, WR, on the offensive side of the ball. I know I rarely pay close attention to the offensive line so it was good to hear from someone that took paid particular attention to the line play....particularly since it will be critically important, especially when playing the top notch teams on our schedule. Even though I didn't focus on line play I did see Newsome get blown up once. It is important to point out that he is still a freshman and should be on the steep part of the learning curve. It's not a stretch to imagine he will take a big step forward before our first game. That being said, I agree we don't have a lot of solid depth on the o-line. I think help is on it's way but the new players are not going to be in a position to help much this coming season. The departure of LTT was a big loss because he was really coming along and had the potential to be a very good lineman for us. I really hope the top 5-6 guys stay healthy throughout the season.
This team has to learn how to get after it defensively. They need to defend and rebound with great effort and passion. Just get after it!
I can't believe Irvin is our go to player because quite frankly he's not that good. He has some of the ugliest three pointers I've ever seen and he turns the ball over to easily...and his defense is not very good. On a good team he would be the 4th or 5th option.
How many of the players on our roster have a realistic shot of making the NBA? Levert is the only one and isn't playing right now. I don't think another player on this roster has a future in the NBA....not from what I'm seeing. Given the talent level our record is probably appropriate.
I didn't watch the entire game but he must have had 4 turnovers in the time I watched the game, most just really bad. Then he misses a layup at a critical juncture in the game. I thought Irvin was supposed to be heading to the NBA after two years in college but at this point I don't see him playing in the NBA...too inconsistent.
As a UM fan I was thrilled going 11-2 in Hoke's first year, even though I knew we beat a weak OSU team and got very lucky to win the bowl game against VTU (we had 3-4 big time breaks that went our way in that game, any of which might have changed the end result). That being said, I started seeing concerning things the following year when we got very lucky to beat Akron and UConn. It just snow balled from there where began feeling Hoke was not a good head coach. People talk about him not wearing a headset which was bizarre but he made rudimentary coaching mistakes from clock management to personel decisions. He also struggled to prepare his teams for games, almost like the team wasn't fired up to play. Hoke also had the benefit of having the most dynamic player in the country to lead his team that first year while Harbaugh had to bring in a cast off from Iowa to start the season. Harbaugh has the team playing Michigan football, the type of on field effort that we used to get from Bo, Mo and the first half of Lloyd's tenure. There honestly is not a football coach in America that I would rather have leading our team than Jim harbaugh.
Brian Cole had some serious talent and many of us believed he would be a difference maker at Michigan. By all accounts he was repeatedly making mistakes which obviously won't be tolerated under Harbaugh. I wish him all the best but will always wonder what he could have been had he fully applied himself to the program.
I'd love to see Tom Brady and/or Charles Woodson at the event!
By all accounts, Brian comes from a wonderful family. Hopefully his parents will have a serious discussion with him about focusing and reaching his potential. He just needs to make better decisions and he will be a big time player at Michigan.
Don't kid yourself, Brian Cole is most certainly one of the best athletes on the UM roster...speed and athleticism wise. During his junior year of high school he played against a very good Midland High team with an outstanding defense and ran for 215 yards, most of those yards were completely on his own. After the game the Midland High coach said Brian Cole is better than Mark Ingram who also played in the same conference (Saginaw Valley League). There is no questioning his athletic ability but Brian has to make a commitment to become the best possible football player and quit doing all the other BS. I'm convinced if he cut out the crap and focused on football he would be one of our starting safeties next year. The kid has the size, speed and athleticism to play on Sunday's but he needs to change his ways quickly.
I would think having Tom Brady attend would be a huge draw!
I watched his hudl footage and it's impressive. He has very good size for a defensive back and excellent athleticism. He would be another big time pickup for Michigan.
Harbaugh wants speed on the defense and Uche has plenty of speed. He will more than likely redshirt next year to gain size and strength but he has excellent speed and quickness which has been lacking in our linebackers the past few years.
Outside of Rashan Gary, and possibly a stud linebacker, David Long was the remaining recruit I most wanted to see come our way. The kid is flat out an athlete with top end speed...and his film is very impressive. This is a big time pickup for Michigan!
There was some absolutely outstanding rock music produced in the 70's and these folks are getting old. They produced the music of my youth and I still enjoy listening to most of these songs. Unfortunately, this trend is going to continue as these folks continue to get older.
Outside of Rashan Gary, Long is the recruit I'd most like to see commit. He is a pure athlete that also plays with some attitude. He would be a big time pickup for the team. Of course, I'd also take any big time linebacker that's willing to commit to us in these last two weeks of the recruiting season....that is certainly a position of need.
A good friend of mine attended Ole Miss and is a huge fan of the school. He has told me repeatedly that he's sure boosters are throwing big time money around to get these recruits. He's loving it right now but he's sure it's corrupt. They are tired of Alabama getting all the recognition!
Hard to believe Robinson started out playing D3. The kid is a seriously one of the best three point shooters I've seen at the college level....and that includes Stauskas. Hopefully they keep things up in the second half.
I know a player on the team fairly well and he told me the plan is for the team to practice down in Florida over spring break. Supposedly Harbaugh will be mixing work with pleasure during the trip. I personally think this is a great idea and great opportunity for the players.
Although it would have nice landing Nauta we are pretty good at tightend for the next few years. We have possibly the best TE in the nation next year with Butt so he will receive most of the reps. I also really like Bunting and feel he has great potential....6'7" with huge hands and runs well. Hill also showed flashes this year and actually plays similarly to Nauta and is about the same size. And after that we have Wheatley who is a supersized TE with very good athletism. On top of that we already have a TE in this class with Sean McKeon who Harbaugh saw enough promise to offer him a scholarship when he certainly didn't have to. I think we are in good shape at that position.
I would say behind Rashan Gary he is the next player I'd really like to see commit. David Long is a big time athlete and would do great things in our secondary. We need an impact recruit in the defensive secondary.
And I just visited the OSU board and they thought they had him.
Crawford's not only a great athlete but he has the type of toughness that Harbaugh loves. He will be a great fit for the program and an impact player down the road.
There were reports during bowl practices that Brian Cole was looking very good at safety. Many thought safety was the ideal position for Brian coming into Michigan. He is a legit 6'2" and now weighs 210 lbs and is gaining strength. He runs like a deer, has good ball skills and has the ability to come up and lay the wood. He is a great athlete so it would be nice seeing him on the field next year.
Who wouldn't want to be a part of UM football right now? We have arguably the best head coach in the country and the team just finished the first season under his leadership with a 5 game improvement over the previous season. There is no doubt UM will be contending for a national championships moving forward. Harbaugh not only produces winning teams but he is does an excellent job with player development which will best prepare some of the players for the NFL. Kids that aspire to reach their potential should want to play for Harbaugh. On top of all the great things going on with the football program they also get the benefit of receiving a top notch education at one of the finest universities in the country. It's really a no-brainer.
For a player that is 6'9" he is simply not a good rebounder. He has been positioned several times to get a rebound tonight and didn't get any of them. He needs to be tougher and give more effort.
Dude looks like he's 7'2" 300 lbs!
Outside of a couple games Irvin has struggled offensively this entire season. He is flat out a bad shooter this year and his misses are of the very ugly variety. He needs to focus on great defense, rebounding and passing because he is most certainly not a good outside shooter. Beilein has been trying to help him out but he just doesn't seem to be getting any better.
He has a three pointer that nearly knocked down the backboard and an airball from 15 feet....just strange.
I still thing Gary ends up in Ann Arbor...its a great situation for him. He will be an impact player on teams that will be competing for national championships. Furthermore, education is actually important to him and there is no comparison between UM and Ole Miss. The only thing that scares me is that it's common knowledge that Ole Miss likes to throw money at recruits...that's the reason they had the top recruiting class a few years back.
Our biggest need is at linebacker and now a 4* linebacker decommits from Alabama. Harbaugh should put on the say the full court press and bring him to Ann Arbor. We are in serious need of linebacker talent.
Landing Rashan Gary and David Long would result in a lockdown defense next year and beyond. Adding a stud defensive lineman and an outstanding athlete at corner would put this team in position to compete for a NC in the near future. These are the type of players we need.
This class has the chance to be very special if we close hard. Although Hoke had success recruiting I always thought he didn't close very well...occasionally losing a committed recruit and never bringing in a top notch recruit in the last few weeks. Harbaugh is a different beast so I don't expect this to be a problem. We need to land Rashan Gary....just getting him would put a cherry on top of this very nice recruiting class.
A good fullback is a staple in a Jim Harbaugh offense. We lose our two top fullbacks for this year and need a couple players to step up in that role. I recall reading an article around mid-season where Shallman was considered the future fullback. He certainly has the size and athleticism but he will need to be tough as steel to play that position. Some of the blocks made by our fullbacks in the Florida game were bone shattering!