Michigan is coming off a season to forget — well, a half season — and the best way to put it in the past is to win. There’s talent on Jim Harbaugh’s team … can they put it all together for a nice bounce-back year? Here are our opinions on that and more …
1. The Washington game is one of the bigger games of the year. The Wolverines will (had better) handle Western Michigan in the opener, and while that will probably inflate hopes and expectations, it won’t mean much. Who remembers the entire stadium chanting ‘Rich Rod-ri-guez!’ when the Wolverines jumped on top of WMU in 2009, 21-0, behind Tate Forcier? That was their response to ridiculous allegations that he was working his team too hard and long and violating rules, and for a few more Saturday afternoons, including the next one — a 38-34, last-minute win over Notre Dame — all felt good with Michigan football again.
Reality hit when Big Ten play started. Rodriguez’ second team barely got by Indiana, won only a single Big Ten game and tied for last in an embarrassing showing. They couldn’t maintain the early momentum, a common theme in the RichRod error, despite gaining the early momentum. But if the Wolverines beat Washington, a team with a loaded defense, then …
2. U-M goes 4-0 in the non-conference and gains some much-needed momentum heading into the meat of the schedule. Yes, that’s the prediction at this point. The Wolverines need to find a way early, even if they’re outplayed in some areas ... think Michigan vs. Notre Dame in 2011, a game in which the Wolverines were outplayed on both lines, but still somehow found a way to win.
That victory did for Brady Hoke’s team exactly what you’d hope a win over Washington would this year, no matter how they got it. It injected some confidence, and that team continued to build on it heading toward an 11-2 season. It improved weekly, for the most part, and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison even got emotional after a Week 10 win at Illinois in which he said, ‘THAT’s a team that’s learned how to play Michigan defense.’
Hoke couldn’t keep up the program momentum, unfortunately, but he did get things headed in the right direction for a period of time. Everyone we’ve spoken with close to it has said the same thing — a key to the season is to win the first four games on the schedule. That would include a home win over an improved, well-coached Rutgers team in Game 4.
3. The quarterback competition will be closer than many expect. Redshirt freshman Cade McNamara had a nice start in his taste of game action last year before getting hurt and certainly looks like a gamer, but there’s just not enough of a sample size to know how good he’ll be. He wasn’t great (not even good, at times) in practices, and he was inconsistent before a spring game in which he was pretty good.
Everything we’ve heard about freshman J.J. McCarthy is that he has ‘it.’ Now, we heard the same about Dylan McCaffrey from guys like former defensive coordinator Don Brown, but that was more about McCaffrey’s practice habits and willingness to do anything and everything on scout team compared to, say, Brandon Peters, who simply wasn’t that guy and didn’t handle adversity very well.
McCarthy has a bigger arm, can make all the throws and is an absolute leader. The only thing holding him back has been grasping the playbook, and he’s got all summer to work on that. He sought out incoming frosh Louis Hansen at the spring game and made arrangements to have weekly Zoom calls in which they went over things together with some of their teammates, in fact — that’s how dedicated he is.
Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman, too, is the X-factor. This kid has been beaten up, but he’s tough, had an impressive completion percentage at Tech and has been learning the offense for months. He refuses to talk to the media (believe me, we've tried) … he just wants to come in and do his job without any preliminary fanfare. We respect that. We'll know soon whether he's more Spencer Brinton or Jake Rudock, but he'll add to the competition at the very least.
4. The offseason moves have been extremely positive. Hiring Mike Hart, one of the up-and-comers in the profession, was one of the best moves Harbaugh could have made. He’s as enveloped in the Michigan culture (the former, championship one) and as competitive as anyone we ever covered here, and we always felt he’d be back someday in some capacity. He will help when it comes to culture. Ron Bellamy is one of the better people you’ll meet and a perfect fit — he’s been around with his top high school kids at West Bloomfield and has seen up close how elite programs are doing things when it comes to recruiting, etc. — and Steve Clinkscale was a steal.
U-M is really starting to make a move toward shoring up recruiting, and these were three great hires to help that … but also so much more. They’re all extremely invested, love being in Ann Arbor and aren’t using these jobs as steppingstones.
We don’t know enough about Mike Macdonald, Matt Weiss and George Helow yet, but we like that they come from the John Harbaugh coaching tree. He’s as good at the ‘culture’ aspect as any coach out there, and he wouldn’t have sent Macdonald and Weiss to his brother if he thought there was any doubt.
5. Winning all of the ‘winnable’ games on the schedule means a 10-2 record, at best … But that would mean winning some games as an underdog, something Harbaugh has yet to do at Michigan. And while we’re willing to give them a chance, this doesn’t seem like the team that’s going to do it.
The Wolverines aren’t going to beat Wisconsin (in Madison) or Ohio State, but there’s enough talent on the schedule to beat every other team. To be clear, that’s NOT the prediction, but Penn State (on the road) is probably the third-toughest game on the schedule, and the Nittany Lions had their own share of problems last year.
Harbaugh and Co. had better atone for last year’s Michigan State game with a win in East Lansing, and Indiana and Northwestern are solid, but those are games they can win at home.
It’s more likely this squad goes 7-5, but again, win those first four and gain some momentum and that will create some excitement, especially with crowds expected back in Michigan Stadium for contests against the Hoosiers and Wildcats.
1. The Washington game is one of the bigger games of the year. The Wolverines will (had better) handle Western Michigan in the opener, and while that will probably inflate hopes and expectations, it won’t mean much. Who remembers the entire stadium chanting ‘Rich Rod-ri-guez!’ when the Wolverines jumped on top of WMU in 2009, 21-0, behind Tate Forcier? That was their response to ridiculous allegations that he was working his team too hard and long and violating rules, and for a few more Saturday afternoons, including the next one — a 38-34, last-minute win over Notre Dame — all felt good with Michigan football again.
Reality hit when Big Ten play started. Rodriguez’ second team barely got by Indiana, won only a single Big Ten game and tied for last in an embarrassing showing. They couldn’t maintain the early momentum, a common theme in the RichRod error, despite gaining the early momentum. But if the Wolverines beat Washington, a team with a loaded defense, then …
2. U-M goes 4-0 in the non-conference and gains some much-needed momentum heading into the meat of the schedule. Yes, that’s the prediction at this point. The Wolverines need to find a way early, even if they’re outplayed in some areas ... think Michigan vs. Notre Dame in 2011, a game in which the Wolverines were outplayed on both lines, but still somehow found a way to win.
That victory did for Brady Hoke’s team exactly what you’d hope a win over Washington would this year, no matter how they got it. It injected some confidence, and that team continued to build on it heading toward an 11-2 season. It improved weekly, for the most part, and defensive coordinator Greg Mattison even got emotional after a Week 10 win at Illinois in which he said, ‘THAT’s a team that’s learned how to play Michigan defense.’
Hoke couldn’t keep up the program momentum, unfortunately, but he did get things headed in the right direction for a period of time. Everyone we’ve spoken with close to it has said the same thing — a key to the season is to win the first four games on the schedule. That would include a home win over an improved, well-coached Rutgers team in Game 4.
3. The quarterback competition will be closer than many expect. Redshirt freshman Cade McNamara had a nice start in his taste of game action last year before getting hurt and certainly looks like a gamer, but there’s just not enough of a sample size to know how good he’ll be. He wasn’t great (not even good, at times) in practices, and he was inconsistent before a spring game in which he was pretty good.
Everything we’ve heard about freshman J.J. McCarthy is that he has ‘it.’ Now, we heard the same about Dylan McCaffrey from guys like former defensive coordinator Don Brown, but that was more about McCaffrey’s practice habits and willingness to do anything and everything on scout team compared to, say, Brandon Peters, who simply wasn’t that guy and didn’t handle adversity very well.
McCarthy has a bigger arm, can make all the throws and is an absolute leader. The only thing holding him back has been grasping the playbook, and he’s got all summer to work on that. He sought out incoming frosh Louis Hansen at the spring game and made arrangements to have weekly Zoom calls in which they went over things together with some of their teammates, in fact — that’s how dedicated he is.
Texas Tech transfer Alan Bowman, too, is the X-factor. This kid has been beaten up, but he’s tough, had an impressive completion percentage at Tech and has been learning the offense for months. He refuses to talk to the media (believe me, we've tried) … he just wants to come in and do his job without any preliminary fanfare. We respect that. We'll know soon whether he's more Spencer Brinton or Jake Rudock, but he'll add to the competition at the very least.
4. The offseason moves have been extremely positive. Hiring Mike Hart, one of the up-and-comers in the profession, was one of the best moves Harbaugh could have made. He’s as enveloped in the Michigan culture (the former, championship one) and as competitive as anyone we ever covered here, and we always felt he’d be back someday in some capacity. He will help when it comes to culture. Ron Bellamy is one of the better people you’ll meet and a perfect fit — he’s been around with his top high school kids at West Bloomfield and has seen up close how elite programs are doing things when it comes to recruiting, etc. — and Steve Clinkscale was a steal.
U-M is really starting to make a move toward shoring up recruiting, and these were three great hires to help that … but also so much more. They’re all extremely invested, love being in Ann Arbor and aren’t using these jobs as steppingstones.
We don’t know enough about Mike Macdonald, Matt Weiss and George Helow yet, but we like that they come from the John Harbaugh coaching tree. He’s as good at the ‘culture’ aspect as any coach out there, and he wouldn’t have sent Macdonald and Weiss to his brother if he thought there was any doubt.
5. Winning all of the ‘winnable’ games on the schedule means a 10-2 record, at best … But that would mean winning some games as an underdog, something Harbaugh has yet to do at Michigan. And while we’re willing to give them a chance, this doesn’t seem like the team that’s going to do it.
The Wolverines aren’t going to beat Wisconsin (in Madison) or Ohio State, but there’s enough talent on the schedule to beat every other team. To be clear, that’s NOT the prediction, but Penn State (on the road) is probably the third-toughest game on the schedule, and the Nittany Lions had their own share of problems last year.
Harbaugh and Co. had better atone for last year’s Michigan State game with a win in East Lansing, and Indiana and Northwestern are solid, but those are games they can win at home.
It’s more likely this squad goes 7-5, but again, win those first four and gain some momentum and that will create some excitement, especially with crowds expected back in Michigan Stadium for contests against the Hoosiers and Wildcats.
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