Michigan Football, Team 138, 2017 Season.

[WM Wolverine]

Depends if you're counting Peppers as a LB or DB...

I really, really like Maurice Hurst and Rashan Gary but overall, I see a downgrade as both were here last season and the depth is what made everyone else more effective.

[Detroit Dan]

I dunno if the experience on defense is gonna be that big a deal. Football isn't basketball, where experience means almost nothing, but it's not politics either. With the depth on defense, I expect many breakthroughs amongst the underclassmen. Same thing obviously with the offensive wide receivers and tailbacks.

Oracle nailed it: "Get through Florida and they have a lot of time to get ready. Similar to osu last year."

[WingsFan]

Florida Starting Safety Marcell Harris To Miss 2017 Season With Torn Achilles Tendon

http://floridagators.com/news/2017/7/20/football-marcell-harris-to-miss-2017-season-with-torn-achilles-tendon.aspx

[WM Wolverine]

Devin Bush getting really high praise, sounds like he'll be the starter along with McCray at the WLB with McCray at SAM... Unsure of the coaching staffs plan on what they'll do with the Viper position with Hudson the likely starter vs spread offenses (75% of our opponents), they could use a platoon of sorts depending on situation and/or they might put in Furbush as the starter against teams that like to use their TE's/FB's and want to run the ball a ton like Sparty, Wisconsin, etc.

Great to have a coaching staff that can develop talented young players who will be ready to play at a B1G level as true sophomores like other strong programs are capable of. Under Lloyd and all the way through Hoke it was a rare occurrence for underclassman (1st, 2nd year) to do more than fill a glaring hole till they reached their 3rd year. This coaching staff is going to get players to play to their potential and far earlier than our previous coaching staffs...

Far more worried about the defensive backfield. Coaching staff saying the corner-back competition is super close among all contenders (Long, Hill, Watson, Washington, etc.), sometimes you really do have 4 really good options but most the time when the competition is close it's because no elite talent is performing well above the others.

[WingsFan]

Devin is up to over 230 pounds and in spring ball did not appear to lose his speed. Getting know as a guy who can lay on a whack and move laterally well, neither of the traits are in doubt. How well can he deceive and deliver in Coach Brown’s blitz machine will be a question soon answered.

Hudson will be asked to do a lot: read, blitz, stuff runs, and play pass defense against some pretty good offensive players. The Viper concept Hudson is a hitter, but like Peppers, he is a little undersized for a true linebacker, but versatile enough to be a plus player. Some have referred him as a “poor man’s” Peppers.

Bush and Hudson will start as a tandem Michigan and will be undersized at linebacker, but should have an increased level of coverage potential. Like last year, Michigan’s front four will need to help out the entire LB crew. But im not worried about that (if healthy).

I ran into Chase Winovich recently and he has got huge - really huge. Listed at 245lbs I would say hes closer to 260 - Hes going to be a beast this year.

[WingsFan]

Im not really buying Harbaughs statement that the starting QB position is a tie right now. - but ... Its clear hes excited about Peters and as writer noted

At what point during his tenure at Michigan can you remember Harbaugh falsely inflating a player's ability in public simply to stroke an ego or keep the peace?

Yes, Brandon Peters will have a real shot at Michigan's QB job; and yes, it's going to be difficult

http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2017/07/yes_brandon_peters_is_going_to.html

[WM Wolverine]

In this era of spread offense, a base nickel is preferable to a 4-3 who subs out a LB whenever they are in a passing situation. You need the Viper/5th defensive back to be capable of both being able to hold up against the run and cover slot receivers, it takes a rare combination of both athletic ability and football skills to do both very well.

Even Peppers wasn't quite good enough in coverage when match up against really good receivers but his athletic ability covered up most of his shortcomings. Loved Peppers ability to erase nearly every screen by the opposition, never seen any Wolverine being even close to his ability at reading them; he was so good that opponents eventually learned to not even attempt them...

Hudson being a former defensive back should help him in coverage (M defends man coverage most every snap) and his athletic ability and size is quite close to Peppers.

I was pondering M's defensive line and Rashan Gary's amazing athletic ability for a guy 290 lb's. Rashan Gary could play WDE if ever needed, looking forward to seeing him unleashed.

[WingsFan]

If we can just get by FL @ jerryworld. We will be 6-0 and possibly a top 5 match up going into Beaver Stadium

white out/night game.

[Cody_Russell]

Should beat the opponents sandwiched between Florida and Penn St.
Cincinnati interests me as the week 2 matchup... they return a lot of experience from a 4-8 team in 16. QB Hayden Moore picked apart Purdue last season (given, it's Purdue). Cincinnati is a team that can be a decent passing threat vs M's young secondary. Their new offensive coordinator was the #2 man at ND for the last couple of years.
Just saying, Cincinnati in 17 is perceived as a better team than Colorado was prior to 16. Colorado, projected to be near the bottom in the PAC12 last season, surprised everyone.
M will win, probably big... can't sleep on them as their strength will be passing the ball with an experienced D.

[Hannibal]

Yeah Cincinnati could make the game unpleasant to watch for a half or so. Kinda like their game against OSU a few years back.

[WM Wolverine]

Cincinnati isn't good at all. They went 1-7 in the American conference; they beat a I-AA team, Purdue & a MAC team OOC. M should out talent them and it shouldn't even be close. Spread will be 20+.

[Cody_Russell]

True, Cincinnati was bad in 2016.
They were also very young and totally collapsed in the 2nd half of all of their losses (excluding Memphis). As a program that has won 7+ games in all but two seasons since 2006, it's not out of the question they will bounce back.
Out is the washed-up Tuberville... what Luke Fickell will bring to Cincinnati, that is uncertain. With so much experience back, we are likely looking at a 6-6, 7-5 AAC team.
M will win ... Cincinnati can still be a scrappy opponent for a while.

at IU can be a good one. Their o-line loses some starters, but they return almost everyone else. They have given M some trouble the last couple of seasons. Biggest issue is the transition from Kevin Wilson coaching the offense to Mike DeBord.

vs Air Force? They have Calhoun at head coach, not much else. M big
at Purdue. Nope, next one. M big
vs MSU? It's a rivalry game and they have LJ Scott. I'm not as familiar with MSU as you guys are... MSU is a mess but idk here. M wins

[WM Wolverine]

Sparty is a mess, they are closer to Purdue than Wisconsin.

[MVPJ05]

Any word on who's starting QB vs Florida? I hope Brandon Peters. Wilton Speight played horrible bs Ohio State and Florida State game

[Hannibal]

No word and there probably won't be until game week, at the earliest (if not kickoff).