Michigan Football, the 2020 Abbreviated COVID Season

[Whitley]

Michigan v Minnesota will kick off at 7:30 pm on 10-24 on ABC TV.

IMO, if Minny had a big crowd for this one, I'd call this as a sure thing for the Goofers. But, without the crowd, Michigan may have a bit of a chance. Bottom line for Michigan is that Milton has to hit his passes. If he doesn't, its a long night for the Wolverines.

I read an article yesterday that claimed the reason McCaffery opted out was that not only was he passed by Milton, but he was also legitimately passed by McNamara as well. He fell all the way to 3rd on the depth chart. That, along with JJ McCarthy coming in next year pretty much iced his decision to leave.

One thing for sure, actually playing football will show whether all these rumors are true or not.

Are there going to be fans? I hadn't seen anything that would sugggest fans let alone a big crowd.

[lineygoblue]

The last thing I heard was that crowd size was not a conference wide agreement. It depends on the local situation. Minnesota may allow a certain percentage, which could be different from state to state.

If anyone has other information, I'd be interested to know it.

[Tom W]

It was pointed out to me yesterday that fans who are paying attention may have failed to recognize that modern offenses revolve around competent QB play and only to a lesser extent that of the skill positions. Patterson was not good. He simply did not pan out as a read-option QB despite his hype. Was that coaching or was it his ceiling that none of us were willing to recognize early on?

Frankly, I don't know the answer to that and it is unlikely it as either/or answer. I always felt M's O was janky with Patterson running it. But it's the coaches that have to figure things out and make an offense get into rhythm. That rarely happened definitely not against quality teams, with equal talent and even, sometimes, against the not so good ones.
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Yeah, that's a puzzler. Almost every other team in the conference has gotten better QB performance out of lesser talent. Patterson wasn't some 3* that got buried on the depth chart of middle of the pack Power 5 team. He was a fricking 5* that escaped from a program that was headed for Probation. You would have never known it by watching him play. You never got a sense of "everybody chill the fuck out, I've got this" from him. That's partly on coaches- who need to let the stars shine (an old Sparky Anderson method that even Lloyd Carr used with the likes of Brady and Henne), and it's partly on the player to get his teammates to have his back.

But that, and the other false saviors of Speight, Peters, O'Korn and McCaffrey, are history, The odds of getting another dud are slim- and usually reserved for teams like the Detroit Lions.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Man, that's like betting on the come line in craps too often. Let's say Milton has a ceiling. Does that make him a dud, the probability of getting another one of them being low?

I guess well find out in two weeks. My sense is that if he doesn't come out showing he has "it" v. the Gophers, making some big plays in the process, and instead stinks it up, you'll be proven wrong about that low probability thing. M has another in a long string of QB duds. Shit happens...... too often to M to be coincidental IMO.

[lineygoblue]

But that, and the other false saviors of Speight, Peters, O'Korn and McCaffrey, are history, The odds of getting another dud are slim- and usually reserved for teams like the Detroit Lions.

Don't forget Dave Cone and Steve Threet.

[Tom W]

I guess well find out in two weeks. My sense is that if he doesn't come out showing he has "it" v. the Gophers, making some big plays in the process, and instead stinks it up, you'll be proven wrong about that low probability thing. M has another in a long string of QB duds. Shit happens...... too often to M to be coincidental IMO.

Ah, Jeff, that's why I don't gamble.. but I do believe in fortune and transient it can be. Michigan has had some bad luck over the last dozen years.

Now it's obvious that MIchigan's biggest problem of late has been that they collapse in the face of adversity. They're soft and that's due to a lack of leadership - on the field and among the coaches. No coincidence there.

The thing is that they still recruit and bring in talent that matches up with almost anyone outside of the SEC and their moles in Columbus. They're kinda due to have a QB that doesn't turn out to be a dud.

So, I expect Milton to come out and beat the Gophers in two weeks. Why? Because he's got the talent, has been in the program for two years and he's actually taken snaps in real games before. It also helps that he's got skill players around him. He doesn't have to blow them away.

Not that 'm not betting on it, though.

[Jeff Buchanan]

WIth CBs Lavert Hill graduating and Ambry Thomas opting out, it looked like M's CB situation was dire. I'd forgotten about Vinvent Gray and that is probably because I do remember him being absolutely schooled when he went in against osu. Anyway he's a year older.

Vince Gray will start at one corner and Gemon Green and Faustin, 6-foot-2, 200-pound redshirt sophomore, are competing for the other spot. Faustin has a S's body, was recruited as a S and has apparently been moved to CB out of necessity. Not sure he has the speed and agility to play CB.

Dax Hill and Brad Hawkins will be at safety. Dire probably isn't accurate but undermanned is. Expect plenty of big plays to be given up by M's D. There is no telling if the front seven are going to be effective geting to the QB with what I anticipate will be a less aggressive D scheme as none of those back end guys can cover the BT's best receivers in man.

[lineygoblue]

Looks like the so-called "Harbaugh Rule" regarding transfers and immediate eligibility may have a chance to be approved soon.

https://www.si.com/college/2020/10/13/ncaa-proposal-transfer-immediate-eligibility?fbclid=IwAR2c7lPDqc21aFDAXIHiqCwfjWAXQVDxccYSupBy0xmWG2NznN_oZRErajo

The proposed change would allow players to transfer one time during their college careers without having to sit out a year. There are still some issues to work out, such as teams only being allowed to sign 25 players per recruiting cycle. Those numbers may have to be adjusted in future discussions.

I think the proposal is a good one. Why force a kid to stay at a school where he's not happy? Let him move on one time without penalty, and be done with it. If he wants to move again, then hit him with a one-year sit. I think its long overdue.

[Jeff Buchanan]

By now, everyone here ought to know M opened as a 2.5 dog v. Minnesota. Harbaugh has finally squandered what good will M enjoyed for the first 5 years of his tenure at M. IMO, M has had the benefit of the doubt for a decade, much longer actually before this COVID interrupted season. The shine on the apple is off and with good reason. Harbaugh's record against ranked teams is awful. His road record is awful. M deserves what he has wrought. I'm actually glad to see it.

[lineygoblue]

It is, what it is. And, IMO, the blame isn't all on one guy. There are lots of people that can be blamed for the downfall of Michigan football.

I actually started to list some of the things that caused Michigan to be where they are now, but we've thoroughly discussed all of them.

In 2020, this is where they are. They are a 2.5 point dog at Minnesota, where Michigan has not lost a game since 1977. I think 2.5 points is being kind to Michigan. I think they'll lose by more.

Minnesota is building on momentum from a bowl game where they defeated a very good Auburn team.

Michigan is coming off a trip to Florida where they offered themselves as tackling dummies to Alabama.

Its where they are. They have to dig themselves out from here. They might do that, .. and again, they might not.

They have the most difficult schedule in the Big Ten this year. Covid isn't going to make it any easier, as cases start to mount.

If there are any bowl games following the season, I'd expect them to end up pretty much like they did last year. Providing a televised scrimmage for a highly superior opponent.

This is where they are, and lots of people are to blame. But then again, according to the powers that be on State Street, everything is just fine.

The people in Columbus agree.

[Mike]

Jim Harbaugh and the uncomfortable truth of his Michigan football tenure

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...rd/3673779001/

The author of this article is correct in using the 2016 OSU game as the precipice that Harbaugh failed to negotiate, thus sending his once-burgeoning program sliding back to mediocrity. There was a glimmer of hope in 2018 that was quickly extinguished by OSU once again. Now, as the talent level slips, I don't really see Harbaugh elevating the program back to the level of those teams.... which both lost the final two games of the season. The only thing that can save the program at this point is if Milton turns out to be an elite QB like a Deshaun Watson, Justin Fields, etc.

In other news: Michigan vs. Michigan State on Halloween is a noon kick! That's what I was hoping for.

[lineygoblue]

Michigan vs MSU will kick off at Noon on October 31 on Fox Sports.

In other news, former 3 star linebacker Charles Thomas from Atlanta has entered the transfer portal. Thomas' play was limited to a few appearances on special teams last year. He is a redshirt freshman.

[Mike]

Nico Collins explains his decision to return for his senior year, opt out, not opt back in, stay opted out.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...st/6000790002/

[Hannibal]

Jim Harbaugh and the uncomfortable truth of his Michigan football tenure

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...rd/3673779001/

The author of this article is correct in using the 2016 OSU game as the precipice that Harbaugh failed to negotiate, thus sending his once-burgeoning program sliding back to mediocrity. There was a glimmer of hope in 2018 that was quickly extinguished by OSU once again. Now, as the talent level slips, I don't really see Harbaugh elevating the program back to the level of those teams.... which both lost the final two games of the season. The only thing that can save the program at this point is if Milton turns out to be an elite QB like a Deshaun Watson, Justin Fields, etc.

In other news: Michigan vs. Michigan State on Halloween is a noon kick! That's what I was hoping for.

The recruiting approach hasn't gotten enough attention. Harbaugh has completely abandoned trying to compete with OSU. We have won more head-to-head battles with Clemson and Alabama the past five years than OSU (e.g. Daxton Hill, Rashan Gary). It's probably not a coincidence that OSU's recruiting reached stratospheric levels especially when Harbaugh started recruiting New Jersey, IMG, etc. I wonder if that's why we have so many mentally soft guys who don't give a shit about Michigan. Our 2016, 2018, and 2020 classes did not have a single Ohio kid and our 2021 class has one three-star kid. Our 2019 class has probably one kid that OSU would have wanted (Rumler). That's unbelievable. Ohio might as well be Georgia for us now, and we might as well be Wisconsin when it comes to recruiting OH. This is why I am so high on getting Fecal if we get rid of Harbaugh. Fecal would have us competing in our backyard again. So would Mark Stoops. I'm not as high on Stoops as Fecal but we need to not only recruit well but we need to take players away from our rivals again instead of ACC and SEC programs.

[lineygoblue]

Nico Collins explains his decision to return for his senior year, opt out, not opt back in, stay opted out.

It would have been nice to have at least one season with Milton throwing to Tariq Black and Nico Collins. But, Nico is off to the NFL and Tariq is trying to help Tejas regain respectability. I wish them both well, but man, we've seen way too much talent leave early. If we could get just one year where we have an abundance of 4th and 5th year talent, it could help turn things around.