JH in his first year...

[tarun262]

I was just looking at the job JH did in his first year at both Stanford and 49ers. Prior to JH coming to Stanford, they went 1-11 (yep 1 win) and were terrible with virtually no talent on their team. He improved them every single year including by 3 wins his first year with a win over both USC and Cal. Then he went to the 49ers who were 6-10 prior to him arriving and he immediately got them to the top of the division with essentially the exact same team. I have reason to be optimistic because I believe he is acquiring a better team then he did at Stanford and likely the 49ers. Michigan was 5-7 last year and could have easily won a couple more games - we had talent, just poorly coached. Reason to believe he will improve the team and potentially by more then just 3 games as most folks predict.

 

[klemman]

I don't think there's any doubt that Michigan will be better this year. The reason for the predicted record has more to do with the schedule.

Utah will be tough. A team Michigan might beat easily later in the year, but as a first game it is questionable. Beating MSU or OSU is possible but there's a reason Michigan will be the underdog in those games.

At Minnesota and PSU will be competitive games.

So 8-10 wins is possible, but the odds at this point in the season are against that. As long as Michigan is competitive in all games and can pull of an upset victory against Utah, MSU, or OSU, then if I were a fan that would be a signal of good things to come.

 

[tarun262]

I would agree - I think Utah is not really a gage of our program or direction. It's a Thursday night game in Utah which is not an easy place to play so I think win or lose I would not put much weight on it. I think beating either MSU or OSU at home will be a positive.

 

[scfanblue]

I think Michigan will beat Utah on that Thursday night.

 

[eric2015]

I was just looking at the job JH did in his first year at both Stanford and 49ers. Prior to JH coming to Stanford, they went 1-11 (yep 1 win) and were terrible with virtually no talent on their team. He improved them every single year including by 3 wins his first year with a win over both USC and Cal. Then he went to the 49ers who were 6-10 prior to him arriving and he immediately got them to the top of the division with essentially the exact same team. I have reason to be optimistic because I believe he is acquiring a better team then he did at Stanford and likely the 49ers. Michigan was 5-7 last year and could have easily won a couple more games - we had talent, just poorly coached. Reason to believe he will improve the team and potentially by more then just 3 games as most folks predict.

In Harbaugh's last year at Stanford, a great 12-1 season, the OL had 3 red shirt seniors, all inherited from Harris. The TE was also inherited from Harris. Prior to that, Harbaugh had players like Richard Sherman and Toby Gerhart, both inherited from Harris.

Harbaugh did a very fine job at Stanford, but to say he didn't inherit any talent is very much off base.

 

[Wolverine50550]

Harbaugh did a very fine job at Stanford, but to say he didn't inherit any talent is very much off base.[/QUOTE]

Stanford went 1-11 so I do not think they had much talent. You do not go 1-11 without being an absolutely horrendous football team. Those players he inherited, I think he made them great players because they had potential, but were probably severely underdeveloped by Walt Harris.

 

[tarun262]

Harbaugh did a very fine job at Stanford, but to say he didn't inherit any talent is very much off base.

Stanford went 1-11 so I do not think they had much talent. You do not go 1-11 without being an absolutely horrendous football team. Those players he inherited, I think he made them great players because they had potential, but were probably severely underdeveloped by Walt Harris.[/QUOTE]
I think Eric likes to basically contradict himself. I was on a thread with him a while back where he said player development determined talent and now he says otherwise. Great players need to be developed - under Harris neither may have amounted to much but we never know. You do not go 1-11 with TALENT.