Good times were rolling as we all saw this program's dominance finally come to fruition under JH, with three Big Ten titles, three playoff births, and one National Title. None of us wanted the good times to stop, and I scoffed at anybody who suggested anything other than Sherrone Moore as our next head coach - as he was (and I believe still is) one of the main reasons we turned a corner as a team with the "smash" mentality.
However, I, like many others, were so concerned about keeping the same pro-style smash-mouth approach we never stopped to think about Should we keep things the same. There is a Jeff Goldblum quote in there somewhere...
While I loved smashing Ohio to a bitter pulp each of the past three years, the reality is nobody outside of a tiny percentage of programs (Iowa) runs a pro-style system for a reason. Sure, UM has some spread/multiple elements, but at its core, it's an under-center downhill run game with short timing throws into small windows—designed to keep the changes moving and the defense on the field.
Nobody runs this stuff in college anymore because you Need NFL talent, especially at the quarterback position, to be effective at it. I know what you're going to say...
For those who will point out Cade McNamara, I will also remind you of Josh Gattis, who brought spread elements into the UM offense in 2021 that helped Cade be as successful as he was. This only proves my point further. All you have to do is look at his performance now.
Even if you're getting 5*stars at the QB position (which UM isn't getting) there is no guarantee they'll pan out. Cough...DJ Uiagalelei...Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, and others have converted their traditional pro-style programs to running college-type spreads. While defense still wins championships, the bar to be competitive on offense has been driven up as well over the years.
I say this all to say that if Sherrone Moore wants this program to get back to what it was in years past, it's time for him to change and seriously think about who we are as a team and what's the realistic best way to compete and win Championships.
This is why I favor a necessary program shift toward a spread/college-style offense this summer.
However, I, like many others, were so concerned about keeping the same pro-style smash-mouth approach we never stopped to think about Should we keep things the same. There is a Jeff Goldblum quote in there somewhere...
While I loved smashing Ohio to a bitter pulp each of the past three years, the reality is nobody outside of a tiny percentage of programs (Iowa) runs a pro-style system for a reason. Sure, UM has some spread/multiple elements, but at its core, it's an under-center downhill run game with short timing throws into small windows—designed to keep the changes moving and the defense on the field.
Nobody runs this stuff in college anymore because you Need NFL talent, especially at the quarterback position, to be effective at it. I know what you're going to say...
For those who will point out Cade McNamara, I will also remind you of Josh Gattis, who brought spread elements into the UM offense in 2021 that helped Cade be as successful as he was. This only proves my point further. All you have to do is look at his performance now.
Even if you're getting 5*stars at the QB position (which UM isn't getting) there is no guarantee they'll pan out. Cough...DJ Uiagalelei...Nick Saban, Kirby Smart, and others have converted their traditional pro-style programs to running college-type spreads. While defense still wins championships, the bar to be competitive on offense has been driven up as well over the years.
I say this all to say that if Sherrone Moore wants this program to get back to what it was in years past, it's time for him to change and seriously think about who we are as a team and what's the realistic best way to compete and win Championships.
This is why I favor a necessary program shift toward a spread/college-style offense this summer.