Way Early 2016 Predictions

[scfanblue]

The 2016 Michigan squad should be ranked in the top 8 preseason polls. After coming of a 10-3 season, and with division foes MSU and OSU losing so many key players, expectations in Ann Arbor have not been higher in more than a decade. Despite the games in East Lansing and Columbus, the Wolverines play a ton of games at home. This team will be a legitimate contender for the national championship and can beat both MSU and OSU in 2016. The offense (led by O'Korn) will be very strong especially since O'Korn has been in Harbaugh's system for a full year. Look for Walker to boost the running game and the talented group of young receivers to contribute instantly. The defense (under new DC Brown) will once again be the strength. Look for Gary (DL) Bush, Gill, and Johnson will help immediately at ILB. Devin Gill is being moved to ILB and will be awesome here. The secondary might be the best in the nation. Harbaugh's recruiting class has added a ton of speed and many of these kids will play next year. Look for Nate Johnson and Dylan Crawford to play significantly next year. Prediction for 2016 (13-1)

 

[detroitjohn]

I'm more comfortable predicting 2 losses at this point, but what you say makes sense to me

 

[Reality Man]

Here is what I need to see first or hear from 'experts'...

1. Let me see O'Korn in the spring game
2. Tell me about the center position
3. Any speed/elusiveness being added to the run game?
4. Linebackers.


I think the main reason UM finished 10-3 was because of Rudock. Take him away and insert Morris then I think UM could have been 8-5. Big difference (perception). The UM run game is still suspect and Chesson/Darboh/Butt are only as good as the qb.

Linebackers are a major concern along with losing Wilson. I would give UM a 9-3 type prediction and 9 wins right now should always be the minimum goal with Harbaugh as coach.



RM

 

[scfanblue]

With everyone that is returning in 2016 on BOTH sides of the ball and with a QB who is far better than what Jake Ruddock was when he first came to Ann Arbor, do you really think Harbaugh's Wolverines will backslide from a 10-3 record. Not hardly. The ILB's that played last year throughout the 10 win season were not any good. How can they be worse this year? I stand by 13-1

 

[BHWolverine]

Road games at iowa, michigan st, and ohio state right? That's at least 2 losses.

 

[THEUPE]

I hope you are right but unless we develop a much better running game, e.g. A much better o line capable of opening holes, I think we will have more than one loss. If our offensive line develops into a Good o line then I like our chances much more.

 

[detroitjohn]

I think the main reason UM finished 10-3 was because of Rudock. .
RM

You must have slept through the first half of the season, I think those persistent 0s that kept showing up had a lot more to do w the start of the year.

 

[tarun262]

The 2016 Michigan squad should be ranked in the top 8 preseason polls. After coming of a 10-3 season, and with division foes MSU and OSU losing so many key players, expectations in Ann Arbor have not been higher in more than a decade. Despite the games in East Lansing and Columbus, the Wolverines play a ton of games at home. This team will be a legitimate contender for the national championship and can beat both MSU and OSU in 2016. The offense (led by O'Korn) will be very strong especially since O'Korn has been in Harbaugh's system for a full year. Look for Walker to boost the running game and the talented group of young receivers to contribute instantly. The defense (under new DC Brown) will once again be the strength. Look for Gary (DL) Bush, Gill, and Johnson will help immediately at ILB. Devin Gill is being moved to ILB and will be awesome here. The secondary might be the best in the nation. Harbaugh's recruiting class has added a ton of speed and many of these kids will play next year. Look for Nate Johnson and Dylan Crawford to play significantly next year. Prediction for 2016 (13-1)

I am predicting 11-1 or 10-2. I think you are a little too bullish on Walker - I don't think he is the savior we all think he is. He has fumble issues and progressively got worse his senior year. Also, O'Korn - a lot remains to be seen. Talent and game management are 2 different things - Rudock was amazing at managing the game the last 7 games we played. Actually, I don't think I have ever seen any QB as dialed in as he was the last 7 games! Rumors are Gentry is catching up quickly to O'Korn.
The reason for my prediction is - I think we beat Sparty and I think we beat Iowa but not because of Walker or O'Korn, because of our defense. Our D line will feature Glasgow, Wormley, Hurst, Mone, & Gary. Our secondary will have Hill, Peppers, Lewis. Our LBs are going to be a different issue but I think teams will have a tough time getting past our D-line to begin with. On offense, I expect Chesson & Darboh to get better and I think we will finally have a slate of TEs that can run the JH offense the way he wants to.

 

[St. Joe Blue 3]

I think the DL, and DBs are going to make the LBs look a whole lot better next season.

 

[tarun262]

I think the DL, and DBs are going to make the LBs look a whole lot better next season.

I am not sure if you remember that one year we played USC in the Rose Bowl (with Braylon and Navarre) where their DL was in our backfield before Navarre even took a single step and we could not do anything? I am hoping for the same with our D-line...it will likely be the strongest in BIG if not the country.

 

[TcFlint1]

Let's not forget Michigan plays at Iowa, at MSU, and at OSU, and has a tough Wisconsin coming to town. We have not played well on the road for several years now. We could of lost at Indiana and at Minnesota last year (two lower echelon teams). We need to learn how to play better away from home like we did in Orlando. I am guessing, without seeing how O'Korn commands the offense, a 10-2 season. I also see OSU and MSU around that same 9-3 or 10-2 record.

 

[scfanblue]

I predicted last year at this time that Harbaugh would win 10 games his first year because there was a good amount of talent that Brady recruited. I was blasted and everyone said Michigan was a 6 maybe 7 win team in 2015. I also predicted that Jake Ruddock would beat out Shane Morris for the starting QB job and people on here did not believe it until it was announced prior to the Utah game. I also predicted that they would beat either OSU or MSU. I missed out on that one BUT Michigan handled Sparty at home and had them beat until Blake O'Neil threw it away. Harbaugh has placed his stamp on the program and it is big one. Michigan will beat MSU in East Lansing this year and Iowa???? Michigan would have beat Iowa this past season. Wisconsin? Not the same team they have been in the past. OSU??? loses a TON of talent from the team who will always go down in history as the team that BLEW it because Urban can't control his players. They are very beatable from now on. I stand by my prediction once again. 13-1 playoffs in 2016.

 

[scfanblue]

Road games at iowa, michigan st, and ohio state right? That's at least 2 losses.

What??????? Ok. Iowa was so over rated last year and Stanford proved it in the Rose Bowl blowout. Michigan will blast Iowa at Iowa this year-bank on it. Did you watch the bowl game against Florida???? The offense crushed a very good Florida defense and Florida's offense may have sucked but it is still Florida which is loaded with talent. That same Florida team played Alabama (Who blew Sparty off the planet) very tight. That Florida team also wound up winning 10 games in 2015. The 8 year little win streak with RR and Hokey Pokey at the helm is over now. Dicktonio will still be crying out about respect in 2016 and they have not earned it with their embarrassing blowout loss in such a national game. If any loss occurs at all next year it will be in Columbus IF Meyer can reload and coach up what he has to match the powerhouse squad that he had the last two years. They will be good but nowhere near what they have been. O'Korn is very talented and has been in the system for over a year now. He is the real deal period AND he can run which makes him an even bigger threat outside of throwing to a shitload of talented WR's and the best TE in the country next year.

 

[TcFlint1]

I stand by my prediction. Until we can prove that we can play well on the road. 10-2.

 

[scfanblue]

I stand by my prediction. Until we can prove that we can play well on the road. 10-2.

Was the bowl game not a game on the road? We also played pretty darn good at Penn State this year. Our worst game was at home against Ohio State correct?

 

[boricua2001]

Road games at iowa, michigan st, and ohio state right? That's at least 2 losses.

Lol....Iowa? Have you watched the teams from the West division? That conference is a joke!

 

[boricua2001]

Meant that Division is a joke

 

[DetroitRockCity]

I stand by my prediction. Until we can prove that we can play well on the road. 10-2.

UM lost one road game last year by 7 points which was the first game of the season breaking in a new QB. Actually did better on the road then
at home.

 

[TcFlint1]

We were lucky to win at Indiana and at Minnesota (2 very inferior teams). I am not drinking the road game success kool aid yet. Anyone that doesn't think the at Iowa, at MSU, and at OSU games will be absolute dog fights are not being realistic. I win, is a win, is a win. I am proud of our 10-3 season like any other Michigan fan but just think we still have work to do away from home.

 

[St. Joe Blue 3]

We were lucky to win at Indiana and at Minnesota (2 very inferior teams). I am not drinking the road game success kool aid yet. Anyone that doesn't think the at Iowa, at MSU, and at OSU games will be absolute dog fights are not being realistic.

I think we win at least two of those three.

 

[scfanblue]

We were lucky to win at Indiana and at Minnesota (2 very inferior teams). I am not drinking the road game success kool aid yet. Anyone that doesn't think the at Iowa, at MSU, and at OSU games will be absolute dog fights are not being realistic. I win, is a win, is a win. I am proud of our 10-3 season like any other Michigan fan but just think we still have work to do away from home.

That's the way the game rolls. MSU was lucky to win in Ann Arbor. OSU was lucky on many occasions until they decided to play together when coming to Ann Arbor and in the bowl game.