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Looking Forward to 2024.

These are all guesses, so I won't speak in absolutes like some other folks, who seem to know a ton about the decisions individual players and recruits will make without ever talking to them, so BY NO MEANS do I know for sure what the players may or may not do, but here's what a project.

  • J.J. Returns. The low stats/great efficiency season he has had up to this point will not get him drafted to his highest potential. He would probably drop to a 3rd or 4th round pick at this point, unless he goes nuts in the B1G Championship and playoffs. in addition, the 2023 QB Draft class is absolutely packed with prospects. 2024? Not so much. In addition Blake and possibly Edwards (I'll get to this) being gone will initiate more focus on passing- His boy from HS, Tyler Morris will remain, as will Semaj, Coslton, and other targets.
  • If I'm right on J.J. returning, then I think that Michigan moves ahead with the Utah QB transfer as a backup to compete with Davis, Orji, etc.
  • If I'm wrong on J.J., look for a much higher profile grad transfer QB to be pursued. Don't laugh, but if J.J. leaves, I'd kick the tires on Taulia Tag considering a grad season. With better coaching and surrounding cast , Tags could be next season's Penix.
  • Edwards returns. Where would he go after a poor season running the ball? He MAY even transfer. Marshall will come in a demand carries as a true freshman.
  • Mullings will return to play the Haskins role. Benji Hall will have an increased role.
  • Our DL will be filthy- Bringing back Graham, Grant, Benny, Derrick Moore, and probably Josiah Stewart is huge.
  • Our secondary will remain experienced. Manning the perimeter with be the 6'2" stud Will J, Sabb can play the Sainristil role, Rod Moore has another season, and players like Berry, McBurrows, Waller, and Amorion Walker return with more experience and seasoning.
  • LB position will be rebuilt a bit if Colson goes pro after his junior season, with Hausmann as the only experienced starter. Rolder, Hood, and maybe a transfer, young player, or recruit comes in and creates depth.
  • Loveland is Michigan's version of Brock Bowers, and put up Bower's type (or jake Butt type) numbers in the receiving game.
  • WRs? Morris, Morgan, Fred Moore, and Karmello (still holding out home for Clemons)- Roman has a 5th season, will he take it? If not, I'll be looking for a veteran transfer in.
  • Revamped OL will still be very experienced- I'd bet that Jones and Barnhart return for their 5th seasons, a la Zinter and Keegan this year. Very early thoughts have me penciling in a line that R to L looks like this: Hinton, El Hadi, Crippen, Barnhart and Jones, with gentry as the 6th OL, and Persi and Anderson as backups.
All in all I see another B1G contender, with their "weakness" being the revamped OL and possibly LB unit.
Thee key of course is J.J., but other upperclassmen such as Roman, Trente Jones, Colson, Stewart, and Karsen Barnhart returning would be huge.
  • Love
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This will never get old

Beating these aholes and now this week scrambling for tickets and hotel rooms for Indy Wife mad at me because "your going again". She's a Sparty so football has been rough ride and yes I am a good husband took her to all three of her games and sat through it. Cheered for them but deep down I was dieing.
This week will never get old. I can't wait to jump in the truck Friday morning and hit the JW by 3:00. This one feels better than the other two. So many hurdles this year and we got over them all. Have a good week see some of you in Indy.

BTW for those worried the team is not focused don't be. This is personal and the injury to Zinter has made the Oline guys angry and motivated even more. I expect Keegan and Barnhart to step up as the leaders of that group. I expect a blowout and we dominate iowa. Harbaugh is back and we need three more wins people. Go Blue

Recruiting Intel: Early returns from Michigan’s big recruiting weekend

Was able to get some early returns from Michigan’s perspective coming out of the big visit weekend.

Let’s get started.

- Michigan definitely feels like it has made a move with Gatlin Bair just from the game day visit alone. While he has one more day on campus, the staff feel good about where things sit and a handful of commits in attendance feel the same. U-M will have to withstand any push from Oregon but there’s a reason why Michigan likely led for Bair at one point during the summer. Will continue to keep an eye on him.

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- 2025 QB Bryce Underwood did manage to make it to campus for a visit after all. Belleville moved practice back in order to make it happen for both he and 2024 LB commit Jeremiah Beasley. While he wasn’t able to stay for the whole game, the atmosphere was “crazy” and “definitely one of those special moments” according to a source.

- There’s a handful of 2025s that I feel very good about coming out of the visit which includes Quinn Morris (Tyler’s little brother), Avery Gach, and Jaylen Williams. I am very close to placing predictions for all three.

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- After his visit for the Purdue game, 2025 TE Eli Owens said that he has learned everything he needs to about the program and was visiting as a fan. His relationship with Grant Newsome had the Wolverines arguably in the lead. Coming out of the visit, I am placing a new FutureCast prediction in favor of the Wolverines for Owens.

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That’s all I have for now. Will continue to dig.

WEFENSE

Today's game was the most TEAM win I've seen during this stretch:

We needed every single aspect of our team to perform:

DEFENSE with Will J setting us up with the short field.


SPECIAL TEAMS: Doman (52 yard punting average) had to pin them deep leading to...

SPECIAL TEAMS, again with the superb FG kicking from invaluable transfer James Turner- he hit his 50 yard FG while the other guy didn't.

DEFENSE had to cut off the running pipeline after OSU's first drive in the 2nd half.

DEFENSE, after a 3 and out is now struggling after Will Johnson is injured.

THE OFFENSE then puts the Boa Constrictor Offense on OSU (remember when we were complaining about PSU?) and basically runs all but 1:05 of the 8:05 on the clock. This would leave a less talented QB than Stroud to complete a less than 2 minute drive, and the DEFENSE finishes the game off with an INT after the pressure starts to rush McCord as time is waning.

We saw aspects of the passing game, running game, pass rush, running D, and pass D (Sacks, INTs) contribute to the win.

BTW, Rod Moore stated as a 3-Star signee from Ohio that OSU would not beat Michigan as long as he was at Michigan. Moore had the game-clinching INT. Put that in your recruiting rankings rant (add to it the fact that Underwood DID watch the end of that game) and smoke it, you naysayers!

GREAT JOB TEAM!

GO BLUE!

Black Sunday and Michigan's Staff

A few jobs opening with interesting fits on our staff.

Wouldn't surprise me if Indiana kicked the tires on Sherrone Moore, but if he's smart he won't go near that gig. Last guy to leave Bloomington with a winning record was in the 1940's. Almost no one coaches Indiana and gets a BETTER job after that. He can do better.

(I would think Indiana would better suit older turnaround specialists like Chris Creighton or Jerry Kill, for whom this might be their last job.)

Houston and Boise State, IMO, are more appealing first head coaching jobs than Indiana. And Baylor could open up in the coming hours/days.

These same jobs look interesting for Jesse Minter, as well.

Hear me out on this one: Jay Harbaugh and San Diego State.

Jay was born and raised in San Diego, and SDSU has positive history with Michigan Men...

If this is his moment to leave the cradle and go do it on his own without his dad, this is a really interesting fit.

And I could certainly see Syracuse kicking the tires on Mike Hart, a Syracuse native.
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