- Man, we're young and inexperienced - especially on offense. In a lifetime of watching Michigan this isn't the formula for peak/championship teams.
- Chemistry and "Oneness" talk is on one hand annoying/concerning (can be the stuff you talk about when the substance isn't there) on the other hand intriguing. I'm intrigued because I haven't felt anywhere near the "oneness" out of Jim's program as I thought I would. Started too in 15 and 16 but its been off since his strange lead up to '17. All kinds of surprising staff, early departure stuff, position group separation (Mattison's d-line implying they can't control what everyone else does and then Mattison leaving - wow). And lets not even bother revisting the Drevno, Frey, Hamilton lack of clarity on O. This thing hasn't felt together in a way it should for a while. So maybe the theme I would normally discard means something. Maybe really, really, good Jim (the one that can create the "oneness" that allowed a bunch of students at Stanford to almost single handedly topple a dynasty) is about to re-enter the room. That's the pre-season hope.
- I'm bullish on our back seven and its because of coaching. Our biggest position question mark is at the position with our most reliable position coach (corner). Further, I'm snarkily awaiting our performance at linebacker and safety after the tragic (smirk) departure of Patridge and Campinele. That caused quite a meltdown in here. Personally, I had and have a hunch we upgraded on the field in a big way with their veteran replacements. All the young gun recruiting prowess in the world didn't help us when our back end was getting utterly embarrassed by Ohio State two years in a row. Many seem to have been duped into thinking this was somewhat unavoidable based on talent. I don't, I think it was enabled due to poor coaching performances (by Brown primarily but by position coaches that got abused too). Help arrived. Now, how quickly do they mesh and get whatever tweaks they are installing this year clicking? We'll see.
- Nico hurts. Hoping game breakers emerge. Wide receiver right now feels decent, not great and I wish our new qb had great.
- Worried about defensive tackle again. And I remain worried about a gap between Mattison and Nua in development on d-line.
- (edit - added from a separate post) Always trust my eyes more than stats but occasionally a set of numbers will catch my eye. That was the case with this:
Chris Evans has a decent bit higher career YPC than all of Mike Hart, Chris Perry and Anthony Thomas. Less carries for sure but still over 300 which is a good sample size. Fresh perspective, highly motivated and not expected to carry the load nor be the focus of any game planning. Starting to feel really good about this backfield.
- Can't get myself above 5-3 with the concerns. Feels like a year to build. But, there's talent and there's a coaching monster that has been in a bit of a lull on our sideline who could emerge at any time with a great season.
Mostly happy to be watching our boys for a couple months. Enjoy it everyone. Life's short.
- Chemistry and "Oneness" talk is on one hand annoying/concerning (can be the stuff you talk about when the substance isn't there) on the other hand intriguing. I'm intrigued because I haven't felt anywhere near the "oneness" out of Jim's program as I thought I would. Started too in 15 and 16 but its been off since his strange lead up to '17. All kinds of surprising staff, early departure stuff, position group separation (Mattison's d-line implying they can't control what everyone else does and then Mattison leaving - wow). And lets not even bother revisting the Drevno, Frey, Hamilton lack of clarity on O. This thing hasn't felt together in a way it should for a while. So maybe the theme I would normally discard means something. Maybe really, really, good Jim (the one that can create the "oneness" that allowed a bunch of students at Stanford to almost single handedly topple a dynasty) is about to re-enter the room. That's the pre-season hope.
- I'm bullish on our back seven and its because of coaching. Our biggest position question mark is at the position with our most reliable position coach (corner). Further, I'm snarkily awaiting our performance at linebacker and safety after the tragic (smirk) departure of Patridge and Campinele. That caused quite a meltdown in here. Personally, I had and have a hunch we upgraded on the field in a big way with their veteran replacements. All the young gun recruiting prowess in the world didn't help us when our back end was getting utterly embarrassed by Ohio State two years in a row. Many seem to have been duped into thinking this was somewhat unavoidable based on talent. I don't, I think it was enabled due to poor coaching performances (by Brown primarily but by position coaches that got abused too). Help arrived. Now, how quickly do they mesh and get whatever tweaks they are installing this year clicking? We'll see.
- Nico hurts. Hoping game breakers emerge. Wide receiver right now feels decent, not great and I wish our new qb had great.
- Worried about defensive tackle again. And I remain worried about a gap between Mattison and Nua in development on d-line.
- (edit - added from a separate post) Always trust my eyes more than stats but occasionally a set of numbers will catch my eye. That was the case with this:
Chris Evans has a decent bit higher career YPC than all of Mike Hart, Chris Perry and Anthony Thomas. Less carries for sure but still over 300 which is a good sample size. Fresh perspective, highly motivated and not expected to carry the load nor be the focus of any game planning. Starting to feel really good about this backfield.
- Can't get myself above 5-3 with the concerns. Feels like a year to build. But, there's talent and there's a coaching monster that has been in a bit of a lull on our sideline who could emerge at any time with a great season.
Mostly happy to be watching our boys for a couple months. Enjoy it everyone. Life's short.
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