As an Ohio State fan, I just want to come on the MGOBLOG site and genuinely say I just hope these kids (Collins, Mayfields, Thomas) are able to come back if they want to - regardless of whether or not they had already signed with an agent. It's only fair to everyone (players, coaches, and fans) and, based on the conversations I've had with other Buckeye fans both in person and through Twitter, I think most of our fanbase truly feels the same way.
I will admit that I've always been a "power to the players" type of person (I was even happy in a sense when Shea Patterson was granted immediate eligibility), but I think that mindset should apply now more than ever.
Of course I'd rather see guys like Collins, Mayfield, and Ambry Thomas leave, but the thing I value most is that those kids have the option to come back and play the season the same way Wade and Davis did for us. At the end of the day, all of these players would've all been playing if not for COVID. I don't think any kid on any team who "opted out" should be held to that, even if they supposedly signed with an agent.
At this time, all I can do is be excited that there will be B1G football, and our conference has a chance to compete for a CFP championship. I still hate Michigan as much as any Buckeye fan out there, but I really did want to share my opinion that your players who opted out should be able to come back and play if they want - even if they already signed with an agent. It's far more about the players right now than the fans.
Go B1G, and Go Buckeyes! Again, I genuinely hope your players have the option to come back if they want to (even though I'd rather not have to worry about sticking Nico Collins in man coverage), regardless of whether or not they've signed with an agent!
As an Ohio State fan, I just want to come on the MGOBLOG site and genuinely say I just hope these kids (Collins, Mayfields, Thomas) are able to come back if they want to - regardless of whether or not they had already signed with an agent. It's only fair to everyone (players, coaches, and fans) and, based on the conversations I've had with other Buckeye fans both in person and through Twitter, I think most of our fanbase truly feels the same way.
I will admit that I've always been a "power to the players" type of person (I was even happy in a sense when Shea Patterson was granted immediate eligibility), but I think that mindset should apply now more than ever.
Of course I'd rather see guys like Collins, Mayfield, and Ambry Thomas leave, but the thing I value most is that those kids have the option to come back and play the season the same way Wade and Davis did for us. At the end of the day, all of these players would've all been playing if not for COVID. I don't think any kid on any team who "opted out" should be held to that, even if they supposedly signed with an agent.
At this time, all I can do is be excited that there will be B1G football, and our conference has a chance to compete for a CFP championship. I still hate Michigan as much as any Buckeye fan out there, but I really did want to share my opinion that your players who opted out should be able to come back and play if they want - even if they already signed with an agent. It's far more about the players right now than the fans.
Go B1G, and Go Buckeyes! Again, I genuinely hope your players have the option to come back if they want to (even though I'd rather not have to worry about sticking Nico Collins in man coverage), regardless of whether or not they've signed with an agent!
I still see fans acknowledging how well he did with our offensive line, and crediting him most specifically for the amazing job he did in 2014 to this day.
Josh Ross can play and there's no denying it. I watch a fair amount of Michigan football throughout each season to compare them with Ohio State, and Ross really impressed me in 2018. He also looked quite good as a full-time starter against Florida when Bush sat out.
I fully expect Ross to do an admirable job replacing Bush, even though that's not an easy task. I'm not too sure what to expect from your D-ends replacing Gary and Winovich though, but I wouldn't mind hearing some predictions because you all obviously know your roster better than I do.
Harrison actually had his best game of the season last year vs Michigan, but I can understand not remembering everything from a game that happened 7 months ago.
Truthfully it’s not even fair to group him in with the other linebackers from last season with the way he played. I do partially blame the scheme for Werner’s performance, but I think Borland is just too slow to ever be good beyond a certain point.
An argument can definitely be made for Dobbins over all 3 of the guys I named though, without a doubt
I agree that Fury is probably the best. His defense, composure, and ability to use his range make him difficult.
I actually do think Wilder has a chance to knock him out in a rematch though. Wilder made the mistake of trying too hard for the knockout the first time around, which can definitely be fixed, but I'd still pick Fury in a rematch.
The heavyweight division is definitely interesting right now, but I'm most interested in Crawford-Spence. I'm hoping we don't have to wait too long for that one.
You're right to say he's been a good recruiter, but I do think age plays a factor at some point.
I will say that I've always been impressed with what Mattison did with your 2014 defense though. They were on the field all game long because your offense couldn't move the ball, and they still finished as the 7th best defense in the nation with Mattison as DC/LB coach. I also don't think that your D that year was loaded with talent by any means, at least not compared the the level of talent your D has had from 2016-2018, but they were very disciplined and I think having Jake Ryan be the leader that he was helped a lot.
Interesting to see you say that about his coaching though. The only thing I felt like was a cause for concern in that area was Rashan Gary's lack of production. Seemed like your D-line took a big step from 2015 to 2016, and Maurice Hurst and Winovich developed well under him.
Could you please elaborate a little more on your point about his coaching? I obviously haven't watched every Michigan game since 2011, so you'd definitely know more than I would.
You're not wrong. The guys on offense all want to play for Day, Wilson, and Hartline.
Defensively, our fanbase needs to accept that our greatest asset, Larry Johnson, is now 67. He's still a high-energy coach and his track record speaks volumes, but I'm sure recruits take his age into account. I personally think he'll stick around for another 5yrs, but he may decide to retire in 2yrs for all we know.
Mattison's age is also something that hurts him more than it helps him when it comes to recruiting.
How our LBs and Corners improve under Washington and Hafley is huge too because recruits will see if they're able to make the difference that we're all hoping for.
We are currently seen as locks/heavy favorites for a lot of good defensive recruits, but it is a little concerning that we haven't closed the deal with some of them yet.
Recruiting is unpredictable. But if we end up signing a bunch of "2nd-choice" prospects on defense with this staff over the next couple years, it doesn't matter how many 5* offensive skill players we get.
Riling people up on 11W is never worth it, but I'm pretty sure he was joking anyways.
As a side note, I actually think all the UM fans who comment on 11W on a regular/semi-regular basis seem pretty knowledgable and usually contribute well to discussions. I don't do it too often, but that's actually the reason I started commenting on this site. I thought it'd be cool to read some outlooks of more UM fans and have a few good conversations about college football along the way.
I don't know how likely it is that UM gets Donavan, but I can definitely see it. Maybe he's wanted to come back to college basketball, for all we know, but wasn't willing to leave OKC for a job that wasn't at least a top-15 program, which would make sense given his track record.
Bush deserves it. I Always loved watching him play (except against OSU). His speed, relentlessness, and aggression were unmatched and I think he'll be even better in a 3-4 defense, which the Steelers use, with his skillset.
Bush always played hard, made plays, and said great things about Haskins when he was asked about him which showed me that he's a class act.
A large majority of our fanbase would definitely be pissed. I wouldn't be pissed because I think we were on the verge of imploding under Meyer, as extreme as that sounds.
He likely would've retained Bill Davis and Greg Schiano this off-season due to his personal relationships with them. I also think the Fields transfer may have never happen, and we would've been going into spring with Tate Martell as our QB1. I was never high on Martell, and I didn't want to watch an offense with a limited passing attack and a QB that ran 20 times a game again like we saw with JT Barrett.
I don't really care if he goes to USC. He won us a national championship, we've gone 86-9 over the past 7 seasons, and he made us a national recruiting power.
If he does end up going to USC, any of our fans who get pissed at him would need to take back anything they ever said about UF fans crying about Meyer. That's the way I see it.
Agreed. Clemson and Bama are currently in their own tier.
I'd say OSU is the distant third, as you said, but you can easily make an argument for OU. They've made the last two playoffs, while OSU didn't, and they beat us by 15 on our own turf last time we played them.
I won't put OSU in the same tier as Bama and Clemson until we make the playoff again and, at minimum, are extremely competitive in a 1st-round loss.
I can assure you I'm an OSU fan. I just look at everything objectively, and I tend to have good conversations about college football with almost all UM fans I encounter.
Are you really more confident in your offense than your defense? I think UM's defense will likely still be a top-10 unit.
The transition to a spread will be good for you guys in the long-run without a doubt, but I think there will be some noticeable growing pains this season. Gattis still hasn't been the sole OC anywhere, so hiring him was a little bit of a gamble. Regardless, he's been a Co-OC for some great offenses in recent years and he's definitely learned a lot from other coaches he was around. Solid hire for UM, IMO, but I don't anticipate a drastic turnaround this season.
Defensively, you guys have been in the top-10 the past 3 seasons under Brown. Unlike a lot of OSU fans, I give Don Brown a lot of credit and think he's one of the best DCs in the country. One game giving up 62pts isn't enough for me to (ignorantly) say that Don Brown isn't good. We could hardly do anything offensively against UM in 2016, and we weren't looking so hot in 2017 until Haskins came in. Brown's track record throughout his career speaks for itself.
You'll lose a lot of talent defensively, but UM has still recruited pretty well over the past few years. Besides, as I said, I think Brown's coaching has a lot to do with it. He even lead BC, who doesn't have the same talent as UM, to the #1 total defense one season.
That's my take, and I could obviously be very wrong. At the end of the day, I don't see why any UM fan wouldn't be optimistic about Gattis/the offense. You needed a change and you got one, so might as well hope for the best!
I'd hate it if there were ever two OSU-Mich games in one season, but an 8-team playoff just seems like the best overall way to go. Include every Power-5 Champ and the three best team besides the Power-5 champs. I think this is the best way to go because:
1. It's the only way to make sure conference titles matter
2. Every major conference would be represented
3. A 12-0 ND should never exclude a 12-1 Power-5 champion from the playoff, and an 8-team playoff would have spots for both teams
4. UCF would have been in an 8-team playoff in 2017 so they couldn't have claimed a title
5. Teams would be able to make a mistake (lose) and still have the chance to make up for it
The right choice for the 3 and/or 4 seed might not always be made, but I still think the best team has won every year. Besides, there have been two 4-seeds win the CFP (OSU in 2014-2015, & Bama in 2017-2018).
I'm not completely sold on the idea of an 8-team playoff yet, largely due to the fact that I don't wanna ever see two OSU-Mich games in the same season, but I like the 4-team playoff a lot better than the BCS.
I'm not sure why you would give a fake reason for why Haskins isn't attending the draft, especially because it isn't even mentioned in the article you pasted here. He planned to spend draft day with his family a while ago.
Even as a Buckeye fan, I'm not somebody who thinks Haskins is unquestionably the best QB in the draft so I can't comment on his draft stock. Still, I don't know why you would say something like that about a kid (the "hope he goes un-drafted" comment), regardless of the rivalry.
I've respected, and enjoyed, watching many Michigan players because the school somebody I've never met chooses to play football at is not a reason to wish ill on them. For example, in recent years, I've really liked Devin Bush, Mike McCray, Jake Butt, Jake Ryan, and Devin Funchess. They never did or said anything publicly to make me dislike them, and they were great players. Haskins has never done or said anything publicly to make him dislikable either.
Should've added in my original comment that I think this transition will be beneficial for UM, even if there are some hiccups at first. I was just responding to the poster's question about whether or not a no-huddle could be slow.
Losing Evans was a tough break for you guys, but I think Patterson fits well in more of a spread system, and you guys have some really talented receivers. Plus, Warinner did a good job helping OSU's linemen make the transition to running a system similar to what Gattis is proposing, so I think there's plenty of reasons for UM fans to feel good about this change
Ohio State's no-huddle from '12-'16 wasn't consistently up-tempo, but we used it a moderate amount during that time. We've used it more under Day and Wilson the past couple seasons, which makes sense because Day learned from Chip Kelley and Wilson was using up-tempo offenses back at Oklahoma before most teams did.
I wouldn't expect your O to be too up-tempo this year- that would likely lead to a lot of miscues and penalties- but I wouldn't be surprised to see the tempo pick up as the year goes on and the players get comfortable. I could be wrong, that's just what I predict.
Recent Comments
As an Ohio State fan, I just want to come on the MGOBLOG site and genuinely say I just hope these kids (Collins, Mayfields, Thomas) are able to come back if they want to - regardless of whether or not they had already signed with an agent. It's only fair to everyone (players, coaches, and fans) and, based on the conversations I've had with other Buckeye fans both in person and through Twitter, I think most of our fanbase truly feels the same way.
I will admit that I've always been a "power to the players" type of person (I was even happy in a sense when Shea Patterson was granted immediate eligibility), but I think that mindset should apply now more than ever.
Of course I'd rather see guys like Collins, Mayfield, and Ambry Thomas leave, but the thing I value most is that those kids have the option to come back and play the season the same way Wade and Davis did for us. At the end of the day, all of these players would've all been playing if not for COVID. I don't think any kid on any team who "opted out" should be held to that, even if they supposedly signed with an agent.
At this time, all I can do is be excited that there will be B1G football, and our conference has a chance to compete for a CFP championship. I still hate Michigan as much as any Buckeye fan out there, but I really did want to share my opinion that your players who opted out should be able to come back and play if they want - even if they already signed with an agent. It's far more about the players right now than the fans.
Go B1G, and Go Buckeyes! Again, I genuinely hope your players have the option to come back if they want to (even though I'd rather not have to worry about sticking Nico Collins in man coverage), regardless of whether or not they've signed with an agent!
As an Ohio State fan, I just want to come on the MGOBLOG site and genuinely say I just hope these kids (Collins, Mayfields, Thomas) are able to come back if they want to - regardless of whether or not they had already signed with an agent. It's only fair to everyone (players, coaches, and fans) and, based on the conversations I've had with other Buckeye fans both in person and through Twitter, I think most of our fanbase truly feels the same way.
I will admit that I've always been a "power to the players" type of person (I was even happy in a sense when Shea Patterson was granted immediate eligibility), but I think that mindset should apply now more than ever.
Of course I'd rather see guys like Collins, Mayfield, and Ambry Thomas leave, but the thing I value most is that those kids have the option to come back and play the season the same way Wade and Davis did for us. At the end of the day, all of these players would've all been playing if not for COVID. I don't think any kid on any team who "opted out" should be held to that, even if they supposedly signed with an agent.
At this time, all I can do is be excited that there will be B1G football, and our conference has a chance to compete for a CFP championship. I still hate Michigan as much as any Buckeye fan out there, but I really did want to share my opinion that your players who opted out should be able to come back and play if they want - even if they already signed with an agent. It's far more about the players right now than the fans.
Go B1G, and Go Buckeyes! Again, I genuinely hope your players have the option to come back if they want to (even though I'd rather not have to worry about sticking Nico Collins in man coverage), regardless of whether or not they've signed with an agent!
I…
You're exactly right.
I still see fans acknowledging how well he did with our offensive line, and crediting him most specifically for the amazing job he did in 2014 to this day.
Josh Ross can play and there's no denying it. I watch a fair amount of Michigan football throughout each season to compare them with Ohio State, and Ross really impressed me in 2018. He also looked quite good as a full-time starter against Florida when Bush sat out.
I fully expect Ross to do an admirable job replacing Bush, even though that's not an easy task. I'm not too sure what to expect from your D-ends replacing Gary and Winovich though, but I wouldn't mind hearing some predictions because you all obviously know your roster better than I do.
Harrison actually had his best game of the season last year vs Michigan, but I can understand not remembering everything from a game that happened 7 months ago.
Truthfully it’s not even fair to group him in with the other linebackers from last season with the way he played. I do partially blame the scheme for Werner’s performance, but I think Borland is just too slow to ever be good beyond a certain point.
An argument can definitely be made for Dobbins over all 3 of the guys I named though, without a doubt
I think I’d honestly rank KJ Hill, Jordan Fuller, and Malik Harrison above Dobbins, in that order.
I agree that Fury is probably the best. His defense, composure, and ability to use his range make him difficult.
I actually do think Wilder has a chance to knock him out in a rematch though. Wilder made the mistake of trying too hard for the knockout the first time around, which can definitely be fixed, but I'd still pick Fury in a rematch.
The heavyweight division is definitely interesting right now, but I'm most interested in Crawford-Spence. I'm hoping we don't have to wait too long for that one.
Actually, the Mich-ND game also unites me with Mich to some extent, and that won't ever change.
You're right to say he's been a good recruiter, but I do think age plays a factor at some point.
I will say that I've always been impressed with what Mattison did with your 2014 defense though. They were on the field all game long because your offense couldn't move the ball, and they still finished as the 7th best defense in the nation with Mattison as DC/LB coach. I also don't think that your D that year was loaded with talent by any means, at least not compared the the level of talent your D has had from 2016-2018, but they were very disciplined and I think having Jake Ryan be the leader that he was helped a lot.
Interesting to see you say that about his coaching though. The only thing I felt like was a cause for concern in that area was Rashan Gary's lack of production. Seemed like your D-line took a big step from 2015 to 2016, and Maurice Hurst and Winovich developed well under him.
Could you please elaborate a little more on your point about his coaching? I obviously haven't watched every Michigan game since 2011, so you'd definitely know more than I would.
You're not wrong. The guys on offense all want to play for Day, Wilson, and Hartline.
Defensively, our fanbase needs to accept that our greatest asset, Larry Johnson, is now 67. He's still a high-energy coach and his track record speaks volumes, but I'm sure recruits take his age into account. I personally think he'll stick around for another 5yrs, but he may decide to retire in 2yrs for all we know.
Mattison's age is also something that hurts him more than it helps him when it comes to recruiting.
How our LBs and Corners improve under Washington and Hafley is huge too because recruits will see if they're able to make the difference that we're all hoping for.
We are currently seen as locks/heavy favorites for a lot of good defensive recruits, but it is a little concerning that we haven't closed the deal with some of them yet.
Recruiting is unpredictable. But if we end up signing a bunch of "2nd-choice" prospects on defense with this staff over the next couple years, it doesn't matter how many 5* offensive skill players we get.
Riling people up on 11W is never worth it, but I'm pretty sure he was joking anyways.
As a side note, I actually think all the UM fans who comment on 11W on a regular/semi-regular basis seem pretty knowledgable and usually contribute well to discussions. I don't do it too often, but that's actually the reason I started commenting on this site. I thought it'd be cool to read some outlooks of more UM fans and have a few good conversations about college football along the way.
I don't know how likely it is that UM gets Donavan, but I can definitely see it. Maybe he's wanted to come back to college basketball, for all we know, but wasn't willing to leave OKC for a job that wasn't at least a top-15 program, which would make sense given his track record.
Bush deserves it. I Always loved watching him play (except against OSU). His speed, relentlessness, and aggression were unmatched and I think he'll be even better in a 3-4 defense, which the Steelers use, with his skillset.
Bush always played hard, made plays, and said great things about Haskins when he was asked about him which showed me that he's a class act.
I wish him the best.
Agree that you can say that about the majority of any fanbase.
You're right to say most fans would hate him also, but I just wouldn't.
A large majority of our fanbase would definitely be pissed. I wouldn't be pissed because I think we were on the verge of imploding under Meyer, as extreme as that sounds.
He likely would've retained Bill Davis and Greg Schiano this off-season due to his personal relationships with them. I also think the Fields transfer may have never happen, and we would've been going into spring with Tate Martell as our QB1. I was never high on Martell, and I didn't want to watch an offense with a limited passing attack and a QB that ran 20 times a game again like we saw with JT Barrett.
I don't really care if he goes to USC. He won us a national championship, we've gone 86-9 over the past 7 seasons, and he made us a national recruiting power.
If he does end up going to USC, any of our fans who get pissed at him would need to take back anything they ever said about UF fans crying about Meyer. That's the way I see it.
Agreed. Clemson and Bama are currently in their own tier.
I'd say OSU is the distant third, as you said, but you can easily make an argument for OU. They've made the last two playoffs, while OSU didn't, and they beat us by 15 on our own turf last time we played them.
I won't put OSU in the same tier as Bama and Clemson until we make the playoff again and, at minimum, are extremely competitive in a 1st-round loss.
I can assure you I'm an OSU fan. I just look at everything objectively, and I tend to have good conversations about college football with almost all UM fans I encounter.
Are you really more confident in your offense than your defense? I think UM's defense will likely still be a top-10 unit.
The transition to a spread will be good for you guys in the long-run without a doubt, but I think there will be some noticeable growing pains this season. Gattis still hasn't been the sole OC anywhere, so hiring him was a little bit of a gamble. Regardless, he's been a Co-OC for some great offenses in recent years and he's definitely learned a lot from other coaches he was around. Solid hire for UM, IMO, but I don't anticipate a drastic turnaround this season.
Defensively, you guys have been in the top-10 the past 3 seasons under Brown. Unlike a lot of OSU fans, I give Don Brown a lot of credit and think he's one of the best DCs in the country. One game giving up 62pts isn't enough for me to (ignorantly) say that Don Brown isn't good. We could hardly do anything offensively against UM in 2016, and we weren't looking so hot in 2017 until Haskins came in. Brown's track record throughout his career speaks for itself.
You'll lose a lot of talent defensively, but UM has still recruited pretty well over the past few years. Besides, as I said, I think Brown's coaching has a lot to do with it. He even lead BC, who doesn't have the same talent as UM, to the #1 total defense one season.
That's my take, and I could obviously be very wrong. At the end of the day, I don't see why any UM fan wouldn't be optimistic about Gattis/the offense. You needed a change and you got one, so might as well hope for the best!
Hate to admit it but you're probably right.
Truthfully, I still don't think we would've won that game if Haskins didn't come in.
I'd hate it if there were ever two OSU-Mich games in one season, but an 8-team playoff just seems like the best overall way to go. Include every Power-5 Champ and the three best team besides the Power-5 champs. I think this is the best way to go because:
1. It's the only way to make sure conference titles matter
2. Every major conference would be represented
3. A 12-0 ND should never exclude a 12-1 Power-5 champion from the playoff, and an 8-team playoff would have spots for both teams
4. UCF would have been in an 8-team playoff in 2017 so they couldn't have claimed a title
5. Teams would be able to make a mistake (lose) and still have the chance to make up for it
The right choice for the 3 and/or 4 seed might not always be made, but I still think the best team has won every year. Besides, there have been two 4-seeds win the CFP (OSU in 2014-2015, & Bama in 2017-2018).
I'm not completely sold on the idea of an 8-team playoff yet, largely due to the fact that I don't wanna ever see two OSU-Mich games in the same season, but I like the 4-team playoff a lot better than the BCS.
Well said. There are classless fans on both sides of the rivalry though, and I've seen plenty of our fans talk this way about Michigan players as well
I'm not sure why you would give a fake reason for why Haskins isn't attending the draft, especially because it isn't even mentioned in the article you pasted here. He planned to spend draft day with his family a while ago.
Even as a Buckeye fan, I'm not somebody who thinks Haskins is unquestionably the best QB in the draft so I can't comment on his draft stock. Still, I don't know why you would say something like that about a kid (the "hope he goes un-drafted" comment), regardless of the rivalry.
I've respected, and enjoyed, watching many Michigan players because the school somebody I've never met chooses to play football at is not a reason to wish ill on them. For example, in recent years, I've really liked Devin Bush, Mike McCray, Jake Butt, Jake Ryan, and Devin Funchess. They never did or said anything publicly to make me dislike them, and they were great players. Haskins has never done or said anything publicly to make him dislikable either.
Should've added in my original comment that I think this transition will be beneficial for UM, even if there are some hiccups at first. I was just responding to the poster's question about whether or not a no-huddle could be slow.
Losing Evans was a tough break for you guys, but I think Patterson fits well in more of a spread system, and you guys have some really talented receivers. Plus, Warinner did a good job helping OSU's linemen make the transition to running a system similar to what Gattis is proposing, so I think there's plenty of reasons for UM fans to feel good about this change
Ohio State's no-huddle from '12-'16 wasn't consistently up-tempo, but we used it a moderate amount during that time. We've used it more under Day and Wilson the past couple seasons, which makes sense because Day learned from Chip Kelley and Wilson was using up-tempo offenses back at Oklahoma before most teams did.
I wouldn't expect your O to be too up-tempo this year- that would likely lead to a lot of miscues and penalties- but I wouldn't be surprised to see the tempo pick up as the year goes on and the players get comfortable. I could be wrong, that's just what I predict.