After watching the game yesterday I now completely get what pundits mean when they say there is a massive talent gap between the super elite schools and Michigan and yet for us to somehow still stay in the hunt is impressive. I remember watching games with Hart, Braylon, David Terrell, Woodson, etc - we had kids that made spectacular plays - essentially they made big plays in big games that put the games away. Think Manningham against PSU & MSU. Woodson against everyone. Braylon against MSU, etc. Essentially we used to have elite players that would just go out and make folks miss to break the game open.
OSU had that in Curtis and JT - we do not have that unfortunately. Our WRs and RBs are servicable but they are not that elite talent level that can just say - throw the ball up in the air, and I will come down with it...or open me a slight hole and you won't regret it. We miss that and that is going to take time or us to develop. While all these Srs on offense will go pro none are elite players. Butt is expected to be a 3rd round pick. Chesson & Darboh along with Cole, Deveon and maybe Kalis will all be taken around the 5th round. For as good as Peppers is - he never really made spectacular plays when we needed them - it was always when the game was iced already. Honestly, only 1 player on this team has that trait of an elite elite player that can carry a team on his back and that is Lewis. While he had a few misses yesterday the dude has been solid the past 2 years - think that INT against Wisconsin. We need players that can make the kind of plays that Curtis S. made when he should have been stopped for a 6 yard loss instead of a 9 yard gain against supreme talent.
I feel like we are getting there - on paper at least. I have high hopes for kids like Asiasi, Wheatley, Peters, etc but it will take a couple more years. Speight is good but still not great - case and point the end zone pass to Darboh where he should have lobbed it up but was too afraid to get an INT - 6ft 4 versus 5ft 10, you take a chance and if the 5ft 10 kid comes down with it, so be it. There is an inherent fear in this team where they play to not make mistakes versus play to win. You can not blame that on JH because you have to have the moxie to do that. Look at the close games we have played in the past 2 years:
Next year is going to resemble 2015 more then it did this year. We will be in a few more close games versus just dominating teams given the amount of youth we have. MSU, OSU, Florida (neutral site), @Wisconsin, @PSU (their white out game likely) will be our tough games...I think we go 3-2 in those 5 games...a 9-10 win season next year with 43 seniors leaving will be impressive indeed.
OSU had that in Curtis and JT - we do not have that unfortunately. Our WRs and RBs are servicable but they are not that elite talent level that can just say - throw the ball up in the air, and I will come down with it...or open me a slight hole and you won't regret it. We miss that and that is going to take time or us to develop. While all these Srs on offense will go pro none are elite players. Butt is expected to be a 3rd round pick. Chesson & Darboh along with Cole, Deveon and maybe Kalis will all be taken around the 5th round. For as good as Peppers is - he never really made spectacular plays when we needed them - it was always when the game was iced already. Honestly, only 1 player on this team has that trait of an elite elite player that can carry a team on his back and that is Lewis. While he had a few misses yesterday the dude has been solid the past 2 years - think that INT against Wisconsin. We need players that can make the kind of plays that Curtis S. made when he should have been stopped for a 6 yard loss instead of a 9 yard gain against supreme talent.
I feel like we are getting there - on paper at least. I have high hopes for kids like Asiasi, Wheatley, Peters, etc but it will take a couple more years. Speight is good but still not great - case and point the end zone pass to Darboh where he should have lobbed it up but was too afraid to get an INT - 6ft 4 versus 5ft 10, you take a chance and if the 5ft 10 kid comes down with it, so be it. There is an inherent fear in this team where they play to not make mistakes versus play to win. You can not blame that on JH because you have to have the moxie to do that. Look at the close games we have played in the past 2 years:
- MSU last year, we played not to lose...including this year against MSU as well
- Minn - we should have lost but their coach had a brain fart.
- IU - took a crazy adjustment by Chesson on a really bad thrown pass by Ruddock to get there...plus it's IU, they find ways to lose anyway.
- Wisconsin this year - only game where I saw us step up but it was still sloppy and we should have beat them by 20.
- Iowa - zero spectacular plays. Yes, passes may be thrown ahead or behind but a great WR goes and gets it.
- OSU - same thing, zero plays where we make someone miss.
Next year is going to resemble 2015 more then it did this year. We will be in a few more close games versus just dominating teams given the amount of youth we have. MSU, OSU, Florida (neutral site), @Wisconsin, @PSU (their white out game likely) will be our tough games...I think we go 3-2 in those 5 games...a 9-10 win season next year with 43 seniors leaving will be impressive indeed.
