They've been injured all year...until they started winning. Had they lost today, would simply have been that they didn't have time together enough to gel.
Oh, and Aaron Craft just wins, btw. When he doesn't it's the ball's fault for being slippery.
In fairness, MSU is built as well as any team, inside and out to win the tourney, but have lacked continuity all year, and this was not merely due to injuries. Plenty of athletes, but I don't see them running off 6 in a row.
Typical Izzo team. Bunch of physical, rebounding, bricklaying bullies without the shooting or skill to win without B1G refs letting you hack the other team into points off turnovers. Really don't see much difference between them and OSU to be fair, besides MSU having some more depth.
Not sure why, but I think we break all tendencies in this game and we see an offensive performance similar to ND. We win, dare I say, convincingly.
Michigan 31 OSU 20
*I really hope such a victory would not save the job of Borges...Even if a victory comes to pass...1 game does not a trend make, and rivalry games where you try to break tendency are not a holistic view of a coordinators performance or potential for entire seasons.
This notion that Casteel's 3-3-5 would have slowed down Wisconsin or OSU or any B1G running team is laughable. Worked in the Big East....would not work against competent Manball teams. Let's stop with the...if RR just had Casteel schtick.
I don't think you need the "SEC stink" on you. I think you need a type A coach ala Saban, Meyer, Harbaugh, Carrol to win big. Unfortunately, type A is almost always win at all costs, and now of days the cost is often bending the rules with payments or having criminal players.
Hoke's a good dude, a bit of a schematic dunce, and doesn't seem to have that killer competitive edge. He's pretty much a more hearty/ folksy less sophisticated version of Lloyd Carr. So yeah, 8-4 / 9-3 seems about right. Second fiddle to OSU for another decade is probable.
Hoke was a .500 coach,.... OK, but RR was a fucking below .500 coach at the very job in question....Michigan! I didn't like the Hoke hire and I am one of the most critical on here about his lack of football IQ and apparent limitations.
But please stop rewriting the RR history. RR was an unmitigated failure at Michigan. 4th year would not have changed anything...that defense was a fucking nightmare. The tenure was a complete and utter epic fail.
I'm no Hoke apologist. I think he is a dunce when it comes to a lot of the X's and O's, and is often just a game day cheerleader. That being said, the defenses have been good to excellent every year since he got here and his recruiting is stellar. RR's offenses were good against shit competition and the defenses were an embarrassment. His recruiting was meh for what the Michigan brand has historically pulled.
I liked the idea of RR...taking us into modern college football, but he had 3 years to field a middling, average defense and couldnt. That would have saved his job. In the end, RR was a dream unfulfilled, and it wasn't simply because Brandon didn't give him year 4.
Is Hoke elite? In my opinion, no. But with a Mattison type coordinator on offense, like a Cam Cameron, he can steward this program towards perennial top 10.
Will he outcoach Meyer on game day? Probably never. But after Saban and Meyer there really is a huge dropoff in college football in general.
I dont mind the Hoke criticism...I think Michigan should expect more than just a "Michigan Man." but you need to stop rewriting the history on RR...it's just not true.
For RR, that's being outscored an even 100 - 24. His offenses weren't exactly tearing it up when it mattered.
For Hoke so far that 61-60. Saturday probably wont go so well for us, but let's call a spade a spade.
Not sure what your agenda is. Many here feel that RR should have been given a 4th year, but this idea you are trying to perpetuate that success was right around the corner and Hoke and staff simply won with RR's talent is not supported by history. RR never beat MSU or OSU. The defenses were putrid. The biggest difference between 2011 (Hoke's first year) and the 3 RR years was the defense being competent. RR had 3 years to fix that and couldnt. No doubt Hoke's offenses have regressed over his tenure here, but let's not rewrite the history on RR. There was 0 progress with the defense. It was all on the offensive side of the ball and even that was lackluster in any game with a defense with a pulse. Such performance would never have gotten the job done in terms of meeting expectations at Michigan.
This is one of the most Derp Sparty comments ever....A preemptive we didn't want him anyways....but if he comes here he is a high character kid.
Wrong. He is the same kid either way, trying to make the best decision for himself.
The RR thing is dead...that ship sailed. He absolutely was not given a fair shake in Ann Arbor from day 1. And Brandon hiring his own guy is a very calculated political move...but we need to focus on the here and now, not 3 years ago.
In all fairness, if RR was winning, Brandon's hands would have been tied...even if he wanted to get rid of the guy. The defense was absolute shit all 3 years. This year our offense is basically what our defense was all 3 years with RR.
But of course Hoke will have a much longer leash. He's Brandon's hire...Brandon's legacy is tied to Hokes performance. And as shitty as the years been, Hoke has out recruited anything RR did, all 3 full recruiting cycles now.
Does Brandon have an agenda...absolutely, hence not even mentioning RR. Was the hand RR was dealt fair....clearly not. But that train is long gone....we need to fix the program now, and it starts by paying cam Cameron a shit ton of money to join forces with Mattison. Then Hoke can focus on recruiting and administration and perfect his hand clapping. Even Dave Brandon couldn't manage to screw up with that team.
Now go get Cameron. Double his salary if necessary and match mattison to that level so he knows he is appreciated. Hoke needs to earn his raise with a couple B1G championships
UFR's are the most data driven objective piece of analysis on here, a true coaches view of what's going on. That's why I was disappointed, especially after the "fickle rant." Would have been a nice break from all the bitching...of which I am a huge contributor these days
You've spent countless hours doing this stuff to create a blog with legit content. Don't leave gaps. The blog and the UFR's need to be whole.
On that note, Happy Thanksgiving. I give thanks that I have a place to come and bitch and vent about our football team with actual data and pictures and analysis provided by the contributors on this blog. I hope things stay the way they were before the season began around here.
1) RR was a proven commodity with running QBs. Nobody else in the country with that sort of coaching resume was recruiting Denard as a qb....they were all looking at him as a cornerback.
2) Rumors have floated around about Mr. Woodson getting special benefits that steered him to Ann Arbor.
3) Ole Miss situation was very, very sketchy. See, Mr. Treadwell and pile of money tweet.
That being said, if possible to pull it off, Jabrill is worth the $ if it helps. We know Bama will.
I am having a strange feeling we win this week. I am pissed off with the staff, Borges, and ths shit year. But I can't shake this strange sense we have one of those anomoly games where we play lights out. I think Urban's streak ends this weekend, and I think we do it convincingly.
I know it sounds nuts, but I can shake this feeling. Michigan 31 OSU 20
Because he was self-aware and acknowledged the issues. First press conference I have seen where there was some accountability about the offense...Hoke is still in lala land.
Have to be honest. I try not to allow my emotions to be swayed by the recruiting news du jour.
1) It's a bit creepy to follow the college leanings of 17 year olds
2) Remember how quickly we could change our minds at that age
But the Hand to Bama decision hurt me a bit. I thought he would be a great fit in Mattison's scheme and great PR fro the program landing a top DL recruit.
But if Peppers decommits, on top of the shit season, this would really break me. Not to be emo, but I have never been this excited about a recruit based on tape and hype....Totally elite talent ala Mr. Woodson and Reggie Bush. This one would hurt.
All that matters is that letter of intent. The idea of him going down to Tuscaloosa to hang with his boy Hand makes me very nervous. Have you not received the meme?
We are NOT allowed to have nice things.
And totally missed this from the presser. I have been critical of his coaching, but generally give him a pass on anything to do with character or attitude.
My concern with such a quote is that he indeed feels so comfortable at fort schembechler that he can shit on the fan base despite putting out such a crap product this year. I also don't mind the team against the world attitude until it alienates your own fan base. It seems he has a lot more job security than someone who hasn't achieved his stated goals (in 3 years on the job) should. If we don't reach the B1G championship game next year, it could get ugly.
When leading up to The Game, for every Woody / Bo article, there was an article of substance about the actual game. Really need to get this thing competitive again so it's not just this tedious and frivolous nostalgia leading up to the rivalry every year.
I love players like this. They just go to work and help the stars around them shine. Specifically when in the trenches these wrestler grinder type guys are gold.
Is the type of player we used to have on every one of those nasty defenses in the 90's....the not highly recruited, tough SOB that plugs in wherever you need him. MSU has built their defense around kids like this, and they are doing just fine.
and fandom, but very much disagree. The long term cyclical perspective of college football was more relevant before the BCS, ESPN non-stop feed, and OMG SEC. This isn't so much about fans' need for instant gratification as it is about propagated national perception of the program.
Back in the day your program could be down, but you could bring a recruit on campus, show them the tradition, facilities, and sweet town of Ann Arbor...along with a side of Bo's charm, and the deal was closed. Nowadays, there are more teams to compete with, fewer scholarships, and every game and every performance by the team is televised, analyzed and over scrutinized.
It's been a decade of irrelevance, and there's been nowhere to hide. College football is big business now, and our shortcoming are circulated throughout the media ad nauseum. Less important is how miserable this coverage makes us fans, but most important is the perception it has created about our program...being middling B1G.
To Hoke's credit he has taken his love and passion for the university and translated it into sweet recruiting classes. But if they continue to underperform with this staff it will get harder to convince kids to come to Ann Arbor over Columbus and even that crap hole East Lansing. "Michigan fergodsakes" needs to be translated onto the field, or it becomes just another sound bite.
Winged helmets, a big stadium and images of Bo and Woody stalking the sidelines in the 70's only go so far...especially when ESPN is shoving OMG SEC and BCS down everyone's throats all season. Our success and NFL pipeline from the 90's is becoming a distant memory as well.
So yeah, I think its much harder to climb out of a funk now than 30 years ago. Just ask Notre Dame.
and likeability probably were Hoke's biggest qualifications for the job....and were worthy qualities given all the in-fighting with the program. Someone needed to come in to unify all the disgruntled fans, donors, media, former players. It's just too bad our coaching tree is shit and Harbaugh and Miles were not available.
Other than that "konowing the fight song and Ann Arbor" as Brandon put it, Hoke was a gambe...not a great career record (albeit mostly at meh ,rebuilding football programs), and no HC exposure in a major conference. He was our "Tressel" (without Div 2 championship success) type gamble , obviously not a slam dunk Urban Meyer type hire.
So I dont think the 03 Blue 07 is far off, as being a Michigan Man was pretty much what won Hoke the job.
we will forever disagree. The PSU game was Lloydball at its worst. They played not to lose. 40+ yard FG on the road in pressure situations are never easy...even with a proven kid like Gibbons. The best play call the entire overtime session was the 10 yard out to Gallon.
I just don't see how you can be so optimisitic when the coaches look so clueless. If you like Hoke, that's fine...I think we all love him for what 2011 meant and his love for Michigan and bringing us Mattison. There's a lot there....He's no Ron Zook, for sure
But if we rationally assess this year, it's pretty clear that he is not an X's and O's guru....surely not on the offensive side of the ball. And when a team looks this sloppy, and the head coach has not the means to correct it, its very concerning, not just for this year but for the future.
I have no doubt Hoke will get us back to good, given the recruits we are bringing in. But I have no faith that we can get to the elite level of Meyer's OSU.
I may be critical but you can look through my posting history...I never shit on the players and never single one kid out. I respect the effort and love the student athletes put into the program.
I want Hoke to fail so I can brag to the board? Yeah, I care more about that than my team returning to national relevance. Let me be clear, I absolutely hope I eat crow, and that Brady Hoke does become the next Bo...Guy is an awesome dude and loves the university....
But I refuse to ignore what I see...a very unprepared, amateurish looking team, week in and week out. And I don't buy what you and the other apologists are selling...that it simply because our interior linemen are young. Such is a simplistic and overly eager rationalization for a much more systemic issue...inability to adjust scheme to reality. If anyone is looking for the easy, "head in the sand" explanation it is you.
If you don't see an issue with play action on 3rd and 12 when you have negative rushing yardage in a game, and think that is just about execution, then there really is nothing to debate. Do you honestly not see a difference in demeanor, control, and football IQ between the likes of Saban and Meyer vs Hoke and Ferentz?
You've been beating the young interior O-line meme for weeks now, without holding to account any of the play calling or lack of progress along that very line. Your blind loyalty to this staff simply because Hoke is likeable and a Michigan man is exactly what ails this program.
I like Brady Hoke, but he doesn't get a nice guy pass, and should not get more time or goodwill than RR just because he interacted with Bo...that is the very mentality that has crippled this program.
Were you this supportive of RR when shit was hitting the fan? Did you blame Lloyd for leaving the cupboard bare like you rationalize this team's underperformance due to RR's poor O-line recruiting?
If we were a middling offense that could somewhat run the ball all could be explained. But 2 straight B1G games with negative rushing yards??? And one against a very meh Nebraska defense....And the Akron and Uconn games? Sorry, I cant buy what you are selling, no matter how many times you post it.
and it makes me sad because he has a heart of gold and loves the university. He's just in over his head and I think he's out in a year or two. I hope I'm wrong because he's a nice guy that could be successful with a Mattison level coordinator on the offensive side, but he clearly lacks the football acumen to fix what currently ails that side of the ball.
Unfortunately, I just dont see many Mattison level coordinators on the offensive side of the ball available and willing to come to Michigan. Maybe double Cam Cameron's salary...
I'm on to you. You play the mindless apologist but really
1) You just enjoy fucking with the board
and/or
2) You're a Sparty or Buckey troll
You throw in a very light and passive criticism very rarely just to try to give the illusion you actually care and have some rational balance, but the overwhelming blanket support of the staff and using phrases like "execute" etc gives it away.
Heart of gold, but has no clue what's going on with the offense. When exactly has "play action been good to us?" Does he mean in theory, like as a football concept it has worked for certain teams throughout the history of college football? Because it sure as hell isn't effective for this team.
OSU is a real good team that can hang with anyone on a neutral field except BAMA. Can Bama lose? Yes. Any team is beatable on any given day. But the reality is, they are so much better coached and stocked with talent than any team in the country right now. If Bama plays OSU 10 times, I say Bama wins at least 8, maybe 9. Bama probably takes 7 from FSU. They are simply a juggernaut right now. There is a reason they are going for 4 out of 5 right now.
Not to take anything away from what OSU has done the past 2 years under Meyer, but let's call a spade a spade. They have struggled with some middling B1G teams, and I would not at all be surprised if MSU takes them down in the B1G title game.
That being said, they are a very good, not quite great team, and light years ahead of where we are. But Bama is a different beast.
Love Bo, but the hero worship for someone who hasn't been coach here for a quarter century is exhausting. Not sure if the obsession is so much a cause of our shortcomings or more a symptom of the seemingly permanent nostalgic state from which we operate. We really have become ND.
While the circumstances are different, would he be willing to accept the demotion ala Luke fickell. He preaches about his love for the university...prove it and step aside allowing someone who isn't in over their head to lead the program.
Offense will improve simply because of O-line maturity. Team will be improved. 2015 is really the year where it should all be set up, but given this staff's inadequacies, we will get out schemed in a couple games and blow it. Hoke's ceiling, even with all the pieces in place, is 2-3 losses per season, unless we get an offensive genius coordinator....a Mattison on that side of the ball.
Recent Comments
They've been injured all year...until they started winning. Had they lost today, would simply have been that they didn't have time together enough to gel.
Oh, and Aaron Craft just wins, btw. When he doesn't it's the ball's fault for being slippery.
In fairness, MSU is built as well as any team, inside and out to win the tourney, but have lacked continuity all year, and this was not merely due to injuries. Plenty of athletes, but I don't see them running off 6 in a row.
Typical Izzo team. Bunch of physical, rebounding, bricklaying bullies without the shooting or skill to win without B1G refs letting you hack the other team into points off turnovers. Really don't see much difference between them and OSU to be fair, besides MSU having some more depth.
Not sure why, but I think we break all tendencies in this game and we see an offensive performance similar to ND. We win, dare I say, convincingly.
Michigan 31 OSU 20
*I really hope such a victory would not save the job of Borges...Even if a victory comes to pass...1 game does not a trend make, and rivalry games where you try to break tendency are not a holistic view of a coordinators performance or potential for entire seasons.
correct. Pot-Kettle.
This notion that Casteel's 3-3-5 would have slowed down Wisconsin or OSU or any B1G running team is laughable. Worked in the Big East....would not work against competent Manball teams. Let's stop with the...if RR just had Casteel schtick.
I don't think you need the "SEC stink" on you. I think you need a type A coach ala Saban, Meyer, Harbaugh, Carrol to win big. Unfortunately, type A is almost always win at all costs, and now of days the cost is often bending the rules with payments or having criminal players.
Hoke's a good dude, a bit of a schematic dunce, and doesn't seem to have that killer competitive edge. He's pretty much a more hearty/ folksy less sophisticated version of Lloyd Carr. So yeah, 8-4 / 9-3 seems about right. Second fiddle to OSU for another decade is probable.
Hoke was a .500 coach,.... OK, but RR was a fucking below .500 coach at the very job in question....Michigan! I didn't like the Hoke hire and I am one of the most critical on here about his lack of football IQ and apparent limitations.
But please stop rewriting the RR history. RR was an unmitigated failure at Michigan. 4th year would not have changed anything...that defense was a fucking nightmare. The tenure was a complete and utter epic fail.
I'm no Hoke apologist. I think he is a dunce when it comes to a lot of the X's and O's, and is often just a game day cheerleader. That being said, the defenses have been good to excellent every year since he got here and his recruiting is stellar. RR's offenses were good against shit competition and the defenses were an embarrassment. His recruiting was meh for what the Michigan brand has historically pulled.
I liked the idea of RR...taking us into modern college football, but he had 3 years to field a middling, average defense and couldnt. That would have saved his job. In the end, RR was a dream unfulfilled, and it wasn't simply because Brandon didn't give him year 4.
Is Hoke elite? In my opinion, no. But with a Mattison type coordinator on offense, like a Cam Cameron, he can steward this program towards perennial top 10.
Will he outcoach Meyer on game day? Probably never. But after Saban and Meyer there really is a huge dropoff in college football in general.
I dont mind the Hoke criticism...I think Michigan should expect more than just a "Michigan Man." but you need to stop rewriting the history on RR...it's just not true.
These scores don't lie.
2008 Michigan 7 Ohio State 42 Columbus RR
2009 Michigan 10 Ohio State 21 Ann Arbor RR
2010 Michigan 7 Ohio State 37 Columbus RR
2011 Michigan 40 Ohio State 34 Ann Arbor Hoke
2012 Michigan 21 Ohio State 26 Columbus Hoke
For RR, that's being outscored an even 100 - 24. His offenses weren't exactly tearing it up when it mattered.
For Hoke so far that 61-60. Saturday probably wont go so well for us, but let's call a spade a spade.
Not sure what your agenda is. Many here feel that RR should have been given a 4th year, but this idea you are trying to perpetuate that success was right around the corner and Hoke and staff simply won with RR's talent is not supported by history. RR never beat MSU or OSU. The defenses were putrid. The biggest difference between 2011 (Hoke's first year) and the 3 RR years was the defense being competent. RR had 3 years to fix that and couldnt. No doubt Hoke's offenses have regressed over his tenure here, but let's not rewrite the history on RR. There was 0 progress with the defense. It was all on the offensive side of the ball and even that was lackluster in any game with a defense with a pulse. Such performance would never have gotten the job done in terms of meeting expectations at Michigan.
Haven't been relevant for a decade. We need to take a long, hard look in the mirror.
Read your post again...sadly sounds just like ND rationale.
UFR's are the most data driven objective piece of analysis on here, a true coaches view of what's going on. That's why I was disappointed, especially after the "fickle rant." Would have been a nice break from all the bitching...of which I am a huge contributor these days
There will be no miracles.
You've spent countless hours doing this stuff to create a blog with legit content. Don't leave gaps. The blog and the UFR's need to be whole.
On that note, Happy Thanksgiving. I give thanks that I have a place to come and bitch and vent about our football team with actual data and pictures and analysis provided by the contributors on this blog. I hope things stay the way they were before the season began around here.
You picked the most trolling pic of all time. Borges is literally saying fuck you to all of us in that one, whiteboard behind him and all. Well done.
brown bear thinks it's stale, trite and redundant it really is time to move on.
genius.
the prozac and vicodin cocktail I've been taking since the PSU game.
1) RR was a proven commodity with running QBs. Nobody else in the country with that sort of coaching resume was recruiting Denard as a qb....they were all looking at him as a cornerback.
2) Rumors have floated around about Mr. Woodson getting special benefits that steered him to Ann Arbor.
3) Ole Miss situation was very, very sketchy. See, Mr. Treadwell and pile of money tweet.
That being said, if possible to pull it off, Jabrill is worth the $ if it helps. We know Bama will.
I am having a strange feeling we win this week. I am pissed off with the staff, Borges, and ths shit year. But I can't shake this strange sense we have one of those anomoly games where we play lights out. I think Urban's streak ends this weekend, and I think we do it convincingly.
I know it sounds nuts, but I can shake this feeling. Michigan 31 OSU 20
Doubt we could properly execute that
Because he was self-aware and acknowledged the issues. First press conference I have seen where there was some accountability about the offense...Hoke is still in lala land.
Why I hate it?...makes it harder to fire the guy.
Have to be honest. I try not to allow my emotions to be swayed by the recruiting news du jour.
1) It's a bit creepy to follow the college leanings of 17 year olds
2) Remember how quickly we could change our minds at that age
But the Hand to Bama decision hurt me a bit. I thought he would be a great fit in Mattison's scheme and great PR fro the program landing a top DL recruit.
But if Peppers decommits, on top of the shit season, this would really break me. Not to be emo, but I have never been this excited about a recruit based on tape and hype....Totally elite talent ala Mr. Woodson and Reggie Bush. This one would hurt.
When leading up to The Game, for every Woody / Bo article, there was an article of substance about the actual game. Really need to get this thing competitive again so it's not just this tedious and frivolous nostalgia leading up to the rivalry every year.
I love players like this. They just go to work and help the stars around them shine. Specifically when in the trenches these wrestler grinder type guys are gold.
Is the type of player we used to have on every one of those nasty defenses in the 90's....the not highly recruited, tough SOB that plugs in wherever you need him. MSU has built their defense around kids like this, and they are doing just fine.
and fandom, but very much disagree. The long term cyclical perspective of college football was more relevant before the BCS, ESPN non-stop feed, and OMG SEC. This isn't so much about fans' need for instant gratification as it is about propagated national perception of the program.
Back in the day your program could be down, but you could bring a recruit on campus, show them the tradition, facilities, and sweet town of Ann Arbor...along with a side of Bo's charm, and the deal was closed. Nowadays, there are more teams to compete with, fewer scholarships, and every game and every performance by the team is televised, analyzed and over scrutinized.
It's been a decade of irrelevance, and there's been nowhere to hide. College football is big business now, and our shortcoming are circulated throughout the media ad nauseum. Less important is how miserable this coverage makes us fans, but most important is the perception it has created about our program...being middling B1G.
To Hoke's credit he has taken his love and passion for the university and translated it into sweet recruiting classes. But if they continue to underperform with this staff it will get harder to convince kids to come to Ann Arbor over Columbus and even that crap hole East Lansing. "Michigan fergodsakes" needs to be translated onto the field, or it becomes just another sound bite.
Winged helmets, a big stadium and images of Bo and Woody stalking the sidelines in the 70's only go so far...especially when ESPN is shoving OMG SEC and BCS down everyone's throats all season. Our success and NFL pipeline from the 90's is becoming a distant memory as well.
So yeah, I think its much harder to climb out of a funk now than 30 years ago. Just ask Notre Dame.
and likeability probably were Hoke's biggest qualifications for the job....and were worthy qualities given all the in-fighting with the program. Someone needed to come in to unify all the disgruntled fans, donors, media, former players. It's just too bad our coaching tree is shit and Harbaugh and Miles were not available.
Other than that "konowing the fight song and Ann Arbor" as Brandon put it, Hoke was a gambe...not a great career record (albeit mostly at meh ,rebuilding football programs), and no HC exposure in a major conference. He was our "Tressel" (without Div 2 championship success) type gamble , obviously not a slam dunk Urban Meyer type hire.
So I dont think the 03 Blue 07 is far off, as being a Michigan Man was pretty much what won Hoke the job.
Well said. This is what I have been trying to say.
we will forever disagree. The PSU game was Lloydball at its worst. They played not to lose. 40+ yard FG on the road in pressure situations are never easy...even with a proven kid like Gibbons. The best play call the entire overtime session was the 10 yard out to Gallon.
Gruden, Dungy, Belicheck, Cowher, Parcells, or Harbaugh? Just say yes, and I will sleep much better.
I just don't see how you can be so optimisitic when the coaches look so clueless. If you like Hoke, that's fine...I think we all love him for what 2011 meant and his love for Michigan and bringing us Mattison. There's a lot there....He's no Ron Zook, for sure
But if we rationally assess this year, it's pretty clear that he is not an X's and O's guru....surely not on the offensive side of the ball. And when a team looks this sloppy, and the head coach has not the means to correct it, its very concerning, not just for this year but for the future.
I have no doubt Hoke will get us back to good, given the recruits we are bringing in. But I have no faith that we can get to the elite level of Meyer's OSU.
So you think its fair to replace Al at the end of the year then? Because after the PSU game when we first went at it you were still defending him.
I may be critical but you can look through my posting history...I never shit on the players and never single one kid out. I respect the effort and love the student athletes put into the program.
I want Hoke to fail so I can brag to the board? Yeah, I care more about that than my team returning to national relevance. Let me be clear, I absolutely hope I eat crow, and that Brady Hoke does become the next Bo...Guy is an awesome dude and loves the university....
But I refuse to ignore what I see...a very unprepared, amateurish looking team, week in and week out. And I don't buy what you and the other apologists are selling...that it simply because our interior linemen are young. Such is a simplistic and overly eager rationalization for a much more systemic issue...inability to adjust scheme to reality. If anyone is looking for the easy, "head in the sand" explanation it is you.
If you don't see an issue with play action on 3rd and 12 when you have negative rushing yardage in a game, and think that is just about execution, then there really is nothing to debate. Do you honestly not see a difference in demeanor, control, and football IQ between the likes of Saban and Meyer vs Hoke and Ferentz?
You've been beating the young interior O-line meme for weeks now, without holding to account any of the play calling or lack of progress along that very line. Your blind loyalty to this staff simply because Hoke is likeable and a Michigan man is exactly what ails this program.
I like Brady Hoke, but he doesn't get a nice guy pass, and should not get more time or goodwill than RR just because he interacted with Bo...that is the very mentality that has crippled this program.
Were you this supportive of RR when shit was hitting the fan? Did you blame Lloyd for leaving the cupboard bare like you rationalize this team's underperformance due to RR's poor O-line recruiting?
If we were a middling offense that could somewhat run the ball all could be explained. But 2 straight B1G games with negative rushing yards??? And one against a very meh Nebraska defense....And the Akron and Uconn games? Sorry, I cant buy what you are selling, no matter how many times you post it.
and it makes me sad because he has a heart of gold and loves the university. He's just in over his head and I think he's out in a year or two. I hope I'm wrong because he's a nice guy that could be successful with a Mattison level coordinator on the offensive side, but he clearly lacks the football acumen to fix what currently ails that side of the ball.
Unfortunately, I just dont see many Mattison level coordinators on the offensive side of the ball available and willing to come to Michigan. Maybe double Cam Cameron's salary...
I'm on to you. You play the mindless apologist but really
1) You just enjoy fucking with the board
and/or
2) You're a Sparty or Buckey troll
You throw in a very light and passive criticism very rarely just to try to give the illusion you actually care and have some rational balance, but the overwhelming blanket support of the staff and using phrases like "execute" etc gives it away.
OSU is a real good team that can hang with anyone on a neutral field except BAMA. Can Bama lose? Yes. Any team is beatable on any given day. But the reality is, they are so much better coached and stocked with talent than any team in the country right now. If Bama plays OSU 10 times, I say Bama wins at least 8, maybe 9. Bama probably takes 7 from FSU. They are simply a juggernaut right now. There is a reason they are going for 4 out of 5 right now.
Not to take anything away from what OSU has done the past 2 years under Meyer, but let's call a spade a spade. They have struggled with some middling B1G teams, and I would not at all be surprised if MSU takes them down in the B1G title game.
That being said, they are a very good, not quite great team, and light years ahead of where we are. But Bama is a different beast.
DeLawn Band?
Nothing systematically wrong with this basketball team...still has all the pieces to be a solid top 10-15 club.
Football on the other hand...Fire Everyone!
Love Bo, but the hero worship for someone who hasn't been coach here for a quarter century is exhausting. Not sure if the obsession is so much a cause of our shortcomings or more a symptom of the seemingly permanent nostalgic state from which we operate. We really have become ND.
Mediocre Michigan man's mustache!