This quote from Josh Gattis gives me hope about Nico coming back.

I’ve seen some tweets where people have called DPJ “cancerous” to the WR room year. Can somebody explain these comments? I had no idea he was an issue on the team. I always though Tarik Black was the one who seemed like he didn’t care. 

I agree with most of the posters that Josh is expressing confidence in the receivers that are there and not some hope of Nico returning.

Like - "Love the one(s) you're with" and support those who aren't there.

"I find it hard to believe he could feel this way without his best receiver coming back."

Without anything more specific from Gattis, I think it's equally plausible to think he doesn't share your assessment on who the best receiver is.

As for Gattis's overall comments, I hope he's right about the depth and skills of the guys he has, but I'm going to regard it as typical pre-season hype that hasn't been proven in games yet.

I don't see this as either a shot against DPJ/Black, or a word about Nico's return.  I see it as a clear endorsement of his current WR room.  Every player in that room - of the ones that will play - is now a Gattis 'croot.  They are apparently doing Gattis things well, as they should because they were recruited to do those exact things.  He was trying to fit in the square Nico/DPJ/Black pegs because they were really good square pegs.  But his offensive board is filled with round holes.  He now has round pegs in position to play.

I know this is only Gattis' second season, but Harbaugh started recruiting Gattis offensive types in the previous year - so this is, essentially, the third season for those players.  That puts the offense in line to be the most experienced group in terms of OC scheme since 2016.  The Jedd units were pretty good; the Drevno units were not good.  The Pep years were filled with a hybrid from Drevno and Pep, with some halting install of Gattis-like stuff in his last year.  This is year ~2.5 for Gattis-like stuff.

Please stop reading between lines for hidden meanings.  I just don't think these coaches operate that way.

This strikes me completely opposite. It sounds like he's saying we'll be fine without Nico and pumping up the guys that are left.

Dude it's called coachspeak and its exactly what he would say no matter what.  

Hate to be cynical all over this, but I don't think this is as happy as you seem to.

Count me amongst those who think this is Gattis talking up the receivers currently on the roster. I'd love to be wrong but I don't see this having anything to do with Nico coming back.

... where we are in that receiver room right now I think it is impressive.

And right now, Nico is NOT in that room. Sure, it would be great if he came back, but as of right now, he hasn't. Assuming that he will be because of a coach's positive-spin quote is not something you should take to the bank.

Sometimes when you read between the lines, the only thing there is blank space.

Weird, it makes me feel the exact opposite. 

He's trying to project positivity about the program in the same way he has done and will continue to do with our quarterbacks. It doesn't mean anything. It's coach talk.

Shout out Fred Jackson

One thing I do know after hearing Carr, RichRod, Hoke, and Harbaugh is to highly discount the positive coach speak and spin until I actually see how the team plays when it counts on Saturday. The reason is that it very rarely has matched. 

I'm always amazed by how two people can read the exact same thing, and interpret near opposite meanings. I do not get any positive Nico vibes from this comment, at all. Seems like you're hearing what you want to hear. 

Fingers crossed

Yeah that makes me feel even less confident that Nico is coming back. I think that is Gattis saying he likes the guys he's got and he wants to instill confidence in them that he believes they will be difference-makers this year. As any good coach would do. 

If I were a WR in that room, I wouldn't want my OC going into press conferences saying "Man, I really wish this guy from last year would come back. We really need him." That may be true, but what does that say about his belief in my skills and what I bring to the table? That does nothing to instill confidence in the guys you have working their asses off for you in the here and now. 

I love your optimism reading that deep into this quote.  You must be a new Michigan fan to have that much optimism. 

I read this as coach speak hyping up the guys who are actually there, not the guys who aren't.  

Honestly, with Purdue getting their star back.....who's left that opted out that isn't on Michigan's team?  Wade back at OSU, MN got their start WR back, Purdue got theirs.  Who still opted out besides Nico and Ambry?  

I think Gattis is sincere and honest. He won't throw his players under the bus and won't explicitly state everything, but he say enough where you can find the truth without a deep dive.

Best example I can think of is the Shea golfing comment. 

Good Luck Nico!

Gattis is a very noted sunshine blower.  We haven't had a hype man on staff like him before.  We'd know all about Collins if he was leaning to coming back.

I read nothing of the sort from his quote. Isn’t M already well past the drop/add academic deadline? Classes started like 2 weeks ago. 

We don’t need Nico.  The tall leapy type receivers was a Pep Hamilton offense thing.  Gattis needs a bunch of slot bugs with blazing speed, which we now have (G Jackson, Mike S, Blake C, A Henning, etc).  That being said, if Nico comes back I’ll be ecstatic!

Coach speak gives hope!  

1.  Appreciate a post about UM sports.

2.  Nope.  Nico not happening.

Preseason coach speak. 

Logged in just to downvote.

I don’t think we’ll hear anything until the players hit the field against Minnesota. Nico, Ambry and Dylan are all still on the roster on mgoblue.com. This won’t change before game day and Harbaugh won’t release a roster or depth chart. If practices are closed to the media for confirmation before Oct 24, and Nico and Ambry don’t return, let’s let Minnesota guess and have them prepare like both will be playing.

Actually, that is exactly what he was saying knowing Nico is gone.  

BTW, there was something amiss in the WR room last year.  Black transfers.  DPJ was like the walking dead and had severe drop issues in that OSU game (he was basically checked-out) and then enters the draft early with no fanfare or angst from the coaches.  Not a together room.

Seems like the tenth post on this so responding the same way with the Rosenhaus roll. 

The only quote giving me hope that Nico is coming back is a quote from Nico saying he’s coming back.