Michigan Football, Team 137, 2016 Season.

[lineygoblue]

I like hearing that the offensive and defensive lines are impressing people. Jerry DiNardo said today, after seeing them work out, that he felt Michigan might be under-rated at #8. At one time he didn't feel that way.

When you get great line play on both sides, that gives you a better chance of winning those 21-17 ballgames, .. or those 17-14 ballgames. I believe that's where games like that are really decided.

[Cody_Russell]

If there is one early game I'm worried about, it's vs Penn State.
Most people will just be assuming a Michigan victory until at MSU. I think Michigan will be 7-0.
Just be careful with Penn St... and their scary RBs.
Everyone returns except for Hackenberg, their starting 4 d-line, and Bob Shoop.

Those random games people sleep on can be dangerous. Like when Alabama lost vs Ole Miss early on last season.

[The Oracle]

Well the Lions drafted Zettel, so not all their d line is coming back.

[lineygoblue]

With Michigan's current DL strengths, I like their chances against a run-oriented attack like Penn State. Coach Don Brown has a very good track record against running teams.

[Mike]

Penn State is still coached by James Franklin, right? Not worried.

[iam416]

PB:

My non-M fan take on M is 10-2. I think they were about an 8.5 win team last season (regular season). They won 2 they should have lost and lost 1 they should have 1. I don't think their offense will be much better than passable. As I'm not a member of the tribe, I'm not tethered to the Cult of HARBAUGH!!!! so I don't just assume that whoever starts at QB will be great. I think their defense will eat bad offenses alive, but I'm not sure what they'll do against good offenses. Again, I'm not tethered to DON BROWN GENIUS!!!

I think OSU is 9-3/10-2. They'll be a little too young, IMO. Next season I expect a War Machine and, for that matter, the season after that...but this year...soooo many guys have to step up....if it were just one or two position groups, ok...but it's 3 or 4.

[Hannibal]

Penn State is probably a year away. Their upperclassmen are all still the products of the probation years. You could see the devastating lack of talent on offense last year outside of Barkley.

[iam416]

Correct re PSU. The effects of the scholarship reductions are most felt last season and this season. Their depth and, in particular, their "talent" up front was unbelievably bad. Their 2012-13 classes were not good. Things picked up in 2014 a bit and 2015. If Franklin doesn't survive, whoever comes in will actually be in a place where they can win immediately, IMO.

[Hannibal]

PB:

My non-M fan take on M is 10-2. I think they were about an 8.5 win team last season (regular season). They won 2 they should have lost and lost 1 they should have 1. I don't think their offense will be much better than passable.

I'm going to be incredibly disappointed if you are correct about this. We've got almost the entire two-deep coming back. There are five fifth year senior starters on the offense -- Magnusson, Kalis, Braden, Darboh, and Chesson, plus seniors Smith and Butt. We've got a pretty much set-in-stone starting five offensive line and I don't expect any juggling sans injury. It's really up to O'Korn, and the guy has had a year to get ready, plus three tune-up games before the B1G season starts. Physical talent is not an issue and Harbaugh got a ton out of Rudock in the 2nd half of the season last year.

I have been disappointed way too many times to disagree with you, but My Gad, if Harbaugh was worthy of the excitement that we had over him then this better be a really kickass offense. #1 in the conference at least.

I'm going to be really disappointed if our defense has more than one bad game too. No major holes there and outside of one LB position evryone coming back has had a lot of playing time and there are few three-stars to be found. Plus, we've got the best incoming freshman in the country to plug in and the best all-around athlete in the program since Charles Woodson.

[lineygoblue]

I think any team in the country would love to have 3 returning receivers like Chesson, Darboh and Jake Butt. Add in Grant Perry, and that's a doggone good corps of receivers for any QB to work with.

And I agree with Hanni regarding the OL. If those guys can't open running lanes by now, they'll never do it.

As far as the QB position, all I can go on is what they players themselves have said. They like O'Korn, and how he worked with the demo team last year. Wilton Speight has stepped his game up, and Harbaugh even mentioned Shane Morris yesterday in his presser, and said he's having a good fall practice.

We're only 9 practices into the fall. Harbaugh said there's 20 more practices before the Hawaii game. Lots of things can happen in that time.

[jaadam4]

PB:

My non-M fan take on M is 10-2. I think they were about an 8.5 win team last season (regular season). They won 2 they should have lost and lost 1 they should have 1. I don't think their offense will be much better than passable. As I'm not a member of the tribe, I'm not tethered to the Cult of HARBAUGH!!!! so I don't just assume that whoever starts at QB will be great. I think their defense will eat bad offenses alive, but I'm not sure what they'll do against good offenses. Again, I'm not tethered to DON BROWN GENIUS!!!

I think OSU is 9-3/10-2. They'll be a little too young, IMO. Next season I expect a War Machine and, for that matter, the season after that...but this year...soooo many guys have to step up....if it were just one or two position groups, ok...but it's 3 or 4.

Unfortunately I agree with a lot of that especially the QB situation for M. Speight has very limited upside IMO and O'Korn is a wildcard. Its a huge question mark for one of the most important positions but we have no choice but to drink the kool-aid. In their defense Coach is still transitioning this team from the mess it was to getting his players on the field. It'll be another 2 years until we really have the teams that coach wants but we want instagood.

Luckily for us Ohio just lost a full squad of players to the steroid pro league. You don't lose that many players and not have setbacks even though they're stocked well with talent. No transition is seemless when replacing 12 prime time players. That draft class was insane.

[lineygoblue]

Harbaugh's comments on the play of the QB's so far.

http://michigan.247sports.com/Bolt/Harbaugh-QBs-further-along-than-in-any-camp-he-can-remember-46783335

[iam416]

We've got a pretty much set-in-stone starting five offensive line and I don't expect any juggling sans injury

Yeah, that's the thing. They are what they are. I don't think you'll see some sort of huge jump. 4th and 5th year players aren't going to improve much at this stage. And they were beaten pretty badly by good DLs -- MSU and OSU. And I expect both of those teams to have pretty good DLs this season, too.

I like M's WRs, DL and, more or less, their secondary. If they get above average QB play I think they can go 11-1. I don't think they'll end up "elite." They could make the CFP at 11-1, but I think they're in for a beat down if they do.

But, eh, what do I know.

[Prime2]

Harbaugh took a San Francisco team that fired its coach and hadn't made the playoffs in 9 consecutive years.

Harbaugh closed the alleged "High School Star Gap" in record time. 3 NFC Championship games and a Super Bowl in 4 years at the highest level of football, against the greatest athletes and most brilliant coaching minds in the pro ranks.

Saban was a grotesque NFL failure and Meyer has never had the guts to test himself against the best has Harbaugh did.

I am not worried about our QB situation, Iowa castoff Jake Rudock arrived in AA 3 or so weeks before his first game and over the span of 13 games JH turned him into an NFL QB.

O'Korn has been under Harbaugh's tutelage for almost 2 years and they knew what they were getting based on his Houston film. By the start of conference play, he will be ready.

[Rocky Bleier]

PB:

My non-M fan take on M is 10-2. I think they were about an 8.5 win team last season (regular season). They won 2 they should have lost and lost 1 they should have 1. I don't think their offense will be much better than passable. As I'm not a member of the tribe, I'm not tethered to the Cult of HARBAUGH!!!! so I don't just assume that whoever starts at QB will be great. I think their defense will eat bad offenses alive, but I'm not sure what they'll do against good offenses. Again, I'm not tethered to DON BROWN GENIUS!!!

I agree with this, but there is room for optimism. O'Korn can run better than Rudock. That will add a dimension to the offense. We know what we'll get from Deveon Smith. The wildcards are Drake Johnson and Ty Isaac. Johnson should be good another year removed from surgery. Isaac could be a big factor if he has really decided to work hard and runs with less fear of contact.

Just watched Penn State beat Boston College in the 2014 Pinstripe Bowl. BC had a 21 - 7 lead but couldn't hold it. My fear with Don Brown is that he'll rely too much on the blitz and give up the big play. He may not need to, though, with this DL. Rashan Gary could be our best pass rusher since Brandon Graham.