Michigan Football Off Season Discussion

[lineygoblue]

This should serve as our "main" discussion thread about Football, until fall practice starts.

I have unstuck and closed the post game Sugar Bowl thread, and started this one to be our main off-season discussion thread.

If any sport other than Basketball (i.e. Baseball, Softball) needs its own thread, I'll start one. I'm not expecting much this year in either sport, but they could surprise.

I'll probably start a Spring Game thread as we get closer to the day.

Pre-game threads will start (let me start them, please) in mid to late August.

[Rob F]

If any sport other than Basketball (i.e. Baseball, Softball) needs its own thread, I'll start one. I'm not expecting much this year in either sport, but they could surprise.

I guess I missed this part of your post when I read it a few days ago. Hope it's OK that I opened up a thread today for all U of M Sports other than Football, Hoops and Hockey, but there just didn't seem to be 1)anywhere to post about the Women's Basketball Team and their success, and 2)a need to devote an entire thread just to Women's Basketball.

[lineygoblue]

Not a problem, Rob.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by lineygoblue

This should serve as our "main" discussion thread about Football, until fall practice starts.

I still say Brady shouldn't have had to split time with Henson during his senior season!

Rob, anyone who starts a thread devoted to women's basketball is subject to a one year suspension.

[lineygoblue]

Agreed. On both counts.

[Jamie H]

I think Brady got screwed because Lloyd made a secret deal with Henson during his recruitment to get him here, not realizing that he already had an all-world QB on his roster. I think Lloyd promised Henson playing time. Remember that when Henson was being recruited, Michigan was a mess as the QB slot. Driesbach had been constantly injured and not all that great. Griese was just becoming good but was a senior. As of the beginning of the '98 season, Brady had thrown all of 20 passes. I don't think anyone expected Tom Brady to be, well, TOM BRADY.

Lloyd was feeling the heat after back-to-back 4-loss seasons in '95 and '96 and was looking for a savior. I think he thought he HAD to get Henson, and that led him to promise things he shouldn't have.

All of this is just speculation of course. I have no idea why he kept juggling QB's like he did. Maybe it was just that Henson was equal in practice, but Brady turned it up a notch at game-time. Henson DID have a very Bradyesque year in 2000. That team suffered 3 ridiculous road losses that year. One because Henson was hurt, one because the defense couldn't hold a 18-point lead, and one because A-Train dropped the ball after getting what should have been a game-ending first down.

[Rob F]

Here's something I just came across---5-day old news, but the first I've seen about this hiring:

http://arizona.rivals.com/content.as...74&CID=1305613

RichRod finally gets himself a decent DC. Supposedly, Casteel had initially agreed 4 years ago to take the Michigan DC job, but changed his mind.

[lineygoblue]

Things might have been a bit different had Casteel been able to join Rodriguez at Michigan. Maybe not "Mattison" good, but probably better.

[Ghengis Jon]

It'll be interesting to watch the 3-3-5 in the PAC 10/12. I wonder if AZ is going to suffer the first season(s) while RR begins recruiting fast midgets. But at least he now has a DC that understands that style of defense.

[WM Wolverine]

RR having a DC he trusts will help a ton, e.g. '08 with Scott Shafer who I thought put decent game plans but were short on talent and always had short fields to defend...

Greg Robinson was just over his head and had no clue on how to cure the numerous personnel holes in M's defense.

[Jamie H]

The 3-3-5 is likely to be more effective in a league that values the passing game more than the running game. I don't think there are any Wisconsins in the Pac 12.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Daryl Stonum has been dismissed from the team. . Best of luck in all your future endeavors Mr. Stonum.

[Jamie H]

Sad, but not surprising.

[Hannibal]

We're really hurting at outside receiver. Nobody to stretch the field at all.

[whodean]

An interesting look at teams with a tough early schedule next season:

http://insider.espn.go.com/college-f...-schedules-cfb

Last week, we took a look at my man Mark Schlabach's Way Too Early Top 25 and did some surmising on which teams might be poised for big early jumps thanks to some sweet early scheduling efforts by the football office.

(By the way, I was asked if I still thought Oregon would be in the same good shape even with the stunning early departure of our up-top photo model, quarterback Darron Thomas. I say yes. He'll miss Oregon more than Oregon will miss him.)

Now it's time to take a look at the back side of that roller coaster. What teams are in danger of losing early ground? Here are my picks. And that ground can be nearly impossible to reclaim. Speaking of the Ducks, just ask them about that.

1. Alabama Crimson Tide


Way Too Early Ranking: 3rd
Home games: 7
Road games: 4
Neutral site: 1
Nonconference opponents: Michigan, Western Kentucky, Florida Atlantic, Western Carolina
Biggest test: Nov. 3 at LSU

Forget the fact that the defending national champs are playing two Westerns and an Atlantic. Forget the fact that their 12-game schedule includes only four true road games. And forget the fact that they travel to Baton Rouge for the "Game of the Century: Episode III" in November. Instead, you need to pay attention to the fact that two of the Crimson Tide's first three games include a trip to Arlington, Texas, to play the Michigan Wolverines and a visit to Fayetteville to play the Arkansas Razorbacks, who will have Tyler Wilson back under center. I don't care who you are, that's tough. Then again, if the Tide win both, they'll likely have a choke-hold on the No. 1 spot for a while.


2. Oklahoma Sooners


Way Too Early Ranking: 5th
Home games: 6
Road games: 5
Neutral site: 1
Nonconference opponents: TBD
Biggest test: Kansas State, TBD

As we told you last week, the Big 12 still hasn't gotten its 2012 schedule squared away as the conference waits to see what happens with West Virginia's attempted early defection from the Big East. If the Mountaineers are on the calendar, they will become just another giant pothole for the Sooners, who will once again enter a season escorted by haughty expectations. TCU joins the conference, likely an early game, while Notre Dame comes to Norman on Oct. 27.

The good news is that last year's brutal road schedule becomes a home schedule, but Kansas State, believe it or not, should be better.

3. West Virginia Mountaineers


Way Too Early Ranking: 7th
Home games: TBD
Road games: TBD
Neutral site: 1
Nonconference opponents: Marshall, Florida State, James Madison, Maryland
Biggest test: Sept. 9 at Florida State

If WVU does get to bolt west, then the FSU game is expected to go away. But a "win" in court would also trade a Big East conference schedule for a Big 12 conference schedule. In no known universe is that an easier life.

4. Michigan State Spartans


Way Too Early Ranking: 9th
Home games: 7
Road games: 5
Nonconference opponents: Boise State, Central Michigan, Notre Dame, Eastern Michigan
Biggest test: Oct. 27 at Wisconsin

Last week, we told you that the ACC had the perfect equation for poll jumping. Low preseason expectations + soft schedule = early upward poll movement. Many of the teams in the Big Ten have the opposite problem. High preseason expectations + hard schedule = early downward poll movement. The Spartans return running back Le'Veon Bell and most of their D. They also have five of their first six at home, but three of those include Boise (Aug. 31), Notre Dame (Sept. 15) and Ohio State (Sept. 29). By the time they hit a brutal mid-October stretch, they could be worn down.

5. Michigan Wolverines


Way Too Early Ranking: 11th
Home games: 6
Road games: 5
Neutral site: 1
Nonconference opponents: Alabama, Air Force, UMass, Notre Dame
Biggest test: Oct. 27 at Nebraska

A win (finally) against Ohio State, a Sugar Bowl title, a top 10 coaches poll ranking, and the return of Denard Robinson can make a school feel pretty good. But an opening stanza of games against Alabama (Sept. 1 at Arlington, Texas), home vs. Air Force (Sept. and on the road to South Bend (Sept. 22) has trouble written all over it. Then they have to travel to Nebraska in October and Ohio State in November.

6. Nebraska Cornhuskers


Way Too Early Ranking: 13th
Home games: 6
Road games: 6
Nonconference opponents: Southern Miss, UCLA, Arkansas State, Iowa
Biggest test: Sept. 29 vs. Wisconsin

The Big Red Nation is getting antsy. If Southern Miss and Arkansas State (not easy outs) give the Huskers any trouble, the folks in Lincoln will be screaming. No one has any idea what to expect at UCLA on Sept. 8, but the Bruins usually win one they aren't supposed to. The Huskers' reward for surviving all of that is opening conference play against Wisconsin and traveling to Ohio State.

[lineygoblue]

Well, its been done.

Daryl Stonum is off the team.

Can't really argue with Hoke's reasoning. Maybe the kid can find another school willing to give him a chance. I wish him the best.

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...-football-team

[Chuck Mallory]

Yeah that sucks. Feel sorry for him, but its on him. It just sucks that he spent all year on practice squad working hard and he ruined it just like that.

[hack]

He said he's sticking around to graduate, which reflects well on all involved.

[Chuck Mallory]

That was definitely good to hear.

[lineygoblue]

Graduating will help him more than playing another season anyway, .. so at least he's put some thought into it, instead of going off half-cocked....