Michigan Football, the 2020 Abbreviated COVID Season

[iam416]

And separately, M has landed two hugely rated kids from Georgia that Georgia (and everyone else wanted). Hinton and Solomon. If they had gone to Georgia then obviously they were paid. But, they chose M, so that STRONG presumption is rebutted and they're clean, honorable young men.

That's the way this works.

Hoke's top 5 class or HARBAUGH!!!'s top 5 class? Full of outstanding young men. UFM's top 5 class? $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[hack]

Looking forward to reading this at lunch. I'm heartened that on at least some levels the discussion includes all factors, because the two schools have different cultures but the culture of the rivalry and sports as entertainment requires the appearance of a level playing field.

I'm sure it might be tempting to cite any one player or situation as telling, or to just talk about recruiting, but there multiple ways to be corrupt. There are things you do to get them on campus; things you do to keep them fed, happy and eligible; and things you do to protect them from the consequences of their youthful actions. In some of these areas, the gap between OSU and M (and most of the rest of the conference, to be fair) will be bigger than in other areas. But it's fact OSU finds itself on the wrong side of the rules far more often, reacts differently when that happens, and treats transgressors fundamentally differently.

Unfortunately this is Michigan's problem to solve. OSU isn't going to change and the system as it works now provides every incentive to stay the same. Michigan has to be out front and leading in the transition to the era of paid players. Given its money, size and alumni base the administration has as much weight to throw around as any other school, and it should do far more to shape the system according to its own needs. It's time to stop making the AD leadership a place for nepotism hires, moneygrubbers, and suited ex-jocks. A Michigan athletic department with a clear vision for the future should have a clear vision of what the next era should look like and a plan to make that happen.

Or, frankly, forget the rivalry, and forget the national platform, if you think the school can still manage to make the money it wants to make from football. Which it probably can't, which gets you right back to the administration. If Michigan football is to continue being what people want it to be, then that tension between revenue demands and current structure will last until there's a structural change. We know one is coming, so the door's open to shaping the change.

[hack]

In the meantime, and I know this is no good solution to those of you just not into basketball, but that's where the action's at. Juwan may have missed out on Nimari Burnett because they weren't going to pay him, but the team's on fire, the transition costs appear to have been minimal, the future looks very bright, the structure of the sport makes it impossible for 5-6 teams to hoard most of the 5-star talent, and various recruits have different things on their wish lists. Michigan's about to go from unranked to a top-5 ranking or maybe even #2. There's lots of joy available here, as well as a real/actual rivalry fought on a level playing field.

[WM Wolverine]

We also know that OSU and M recruit many of the same players, at the least the good ones.

The really good ones, it seems the Buckeyes have a chance at that M doesn't with very few exceptions. The guys who M eventually signed were plan B options to Urban's Buckeyes. I don't know why that is, but too many elite kids (top 100 overall) who've interest in M very early, drop M interest too early to even become a finalist. It's a trend I've noticed since Rashan & Peppers signed, I thought that might lead to a resurgence but recruits didn't follow those two like I hoped at all. Concentration of ELITE talent going to places like Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU is a big problem for M attempting to compete with them.

[iam416]

They had 6 top 100 kids in 2017. They had a bad year in 2018 with low numbers. They had 3 top 100 kids in 2019. This year, meh. 2021 they have 2.

IMO -- and I said this on a different thread -- HARBAUGH!!!! arrived with a huge name value and brand name. He was a really exciting hire and he was able to translate that into recruiting. But, after 3 years or 4 years or 5 years you start to see that image change. I think he's lost some of that cache and now he's forced to rely on his own recruiting ability which I've never been sold on, at least not as elite.

Right now, if you're given a choice between Ohio State and M, there's no choice. If you're given a choice between Alabama and M, there's no choice. It's not like it's some sort of 50/50 coin flip. I mean, you know that last weekend was a huge recruiting weekend for M. And you know that you're there and you're watching that what are you thinking? And a lot of kids that OSU is in on, too. Hell, this week CJ Stroud is visiting M. What's M going to sell him on? Seriously? And when he chooses OSU (if he does), the strong presumption is that it's CASH!!! C'mon.

The really good ones, it seems the Buckeyes have a chance at that M doesn't with very few exceptions.

Ohio State is definitely able to target certain elite kids nationally. They're able to get some kids out of Texas and California and even Florida (but that's a harder deal -- and SoFla is another country). And the odd state they have a little foothold in is Washington -- they got Gee Scott (god only knows how much they paid him), and are in good position to get another 1 or 2 next year (and Washington has some elite kids in 2021). But, Ohio State still has a next to impossible time recruiting kids in the generic southeast.

Oh, and Gee Scott (and Julian Fleming) make me think of the change from Zach Smith to Brian Hartline. Hartline is really good. REALLY good. I realize it's apocryphal to suggest that recruiting is a skill or talent, but Hartline is a badass. And OSU's WR recruiting is preposterous. Which, as an outcome, of course, only proves the point -- CHEATERZ!

[Tom W]

We also know that OSU and M recruit many of the same players, at the least the good ones.

The really good ones, it seems the Buckeyes have a chance at that M doesn't with very few exceptions. The guys who M eventually signed were plan B options to Urban's Buckeyes. I don't know why that is, but too many elite kids (top 100 overall) who've interest in M very early, drop M interest too early to even become a finalist. It's a trend I've noticed since Rashan & Peppers signed, I thought that might lead to a resurgence but recruits didn't follow those two like I hoped at all. Concentration of ELITE talent going to places like Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, LSU is a big problem for M attempting to compete with them.

It MIGHT be. We can see Harbaugh's limitations. He's basically a really good coach, but he seems aloof with a sort of Willy Wonka zaniness that keeps his team from sealing deals- both on, and off, the field.. It also hasn't helped that he hasn't been able to really keep his supporting cast in order for more than a year or two.

We really won't know about Day for at least another year or two. He's been able to ride the momentum into not having to coach a full four quarter game and he hasn't had to sell more than a brand. Sure, he looks great now, but so did Brady Hoke in 2011.

[hack]

Again, it's not just about recruiting. It's about what you do to keep kids on campus and eligible to play, and the volume of incidents compared with the response to them is just different at the two schools. We're not on the same scale, and with the exception of what MSU is willing to do to keep players eligible, OSU is a stand-out in the conference in terms of its approach. But I sure do agree with this:

a really good coach, but he seems aloof with a sort of Willy Wonka zaniness that keeps his team from sealing deals- both on, and off, the field

You'd damn well be a mad-scientist type if you want to get away with that stuff. He was that before, but isn't now. Maybe the game has moved on from him, maybe he has mellowed. Dunno. But amongst the top ten programs in terms of recruiting, there's no doubt he has the hardest job, with the highest degree of magical expectations. Fight the elite programs, but with fewer tools. The imbalance there is going to magnify his weaknesses in ways that don't exist at other places.

[AlabamAlum]

[froot loops]

Its always a morality play with the Michigan folks.

[iam416]

Always.

Its always a morality play with the Michigan folks.

Always.

I look forward to Wisconsin fans explaining away their devastating loss to M as, welp, huge recruiting advantage and, ergo, CHEATING!

[lineygoblue]

nah... that fruit is hanging too low .....

[Hannibal]

It's not really reasonable to expect us to beat OSU every year, but as I have said on a few occasions now, Auburn has somehow found a way to beat the Nick Saban juggernaut four times this decade, despite never outrecruiting him. These things can be done and it is a perfectly reasonable expectation for Harbaugh to be able to do it at least once in five tries.

[hack]

Its always a morality play with the Michigan folks.

I don't know about always, but are you saying that's never justified?

[lineygoblue]

It's not really reasonable to expect us to beat OSU every year, but as I have said on a few occasions now, Auburn has somehow found a way to beat the Nick Saban juggernaut four times this decade, despite never outrecruiting him. These things can be done and it is a perfectly reasonable expectation for Harbaugh to be able to do it.

ding! ding! ding!!

The winner!

[iam416]

These things can be done and it is a perfectly reasonable expectation for Harbaugh to be able to do it at least once in five tries.

I think the 0-5 is bad, in and of itself, but it's compounded by the comprehensive nature of the losses. And the one time they probably had the better team they lost. But 3 of the other 5 losses have been wailings. That's not really acceptable. It can't be. It can't be acceptable to lose by 23, 29 and 29. It can't be acceptable to have an average score over 5 years of 42-25. Penn State is no better than M, and they fight OSU to the death. They got smoked in 2015 when they were still digging out, but since then there's nothing easy.

M's talent is, in no way, 4 TDs worst than OSU. And yet, here we are.