Now what?

geigerm · 11-02-2009, 10:12 AM

Hey, everyone remember when we were 4-0 and 1-0 in the Big Ten? Sure, we had our share of close calls, but I think at least some of us believed we had a good team. Now ... well, now, we're 5-4 after getting shellacked by a team with no conference wins, and getting to 6-6 and barely being bowl eligible is looking like a tall order. So, I guess my question is, where do we go from here? Wanted to get the pulse of BTF on this one, particularly my fellow Michigan fans.

A couple of points that might help explain the fall:

Our freshman QBs are now, quite obviously, playing like freshman QBs. And I doubt Tate is 100% healthy.
I think losing Molk hurt the line a lot more than one might think. Although we have better depth than last year, we have little experience. Moosman isn't as good a center as Molk, and Moosman's replacements at guard aren't as good as he is. So losing Molk effectively screws two OL positions.
Our defense sucks. We've got one or two great defensive players (Graham, probably Warren), and a few fair-to-middling guys, and a whole bunch of suck outside of that. Slow safeties, slower LBs ... yeah.
I posted a link to MGoBlog at the end of the Illinois game thread that deals with the defense thing, but two numbers jump out at me: 58 1/3%--the percentage of defensive recruits from '05-'09 remaining on the team--and 5--the number of scholarship DBs we have. Wow.

I think we got spoiled by the great start, obviously. I think we've improved from last year, but these last few games have shown that the team, particularly the defense, has a loooooong way to go.

I think we're now looking at 5-7. With that said, I do hope that RR and his staff remain intact with the possible exception of our LB coach (Hopson), who's had a couple of years to work with this group and has not made great progress. I'm not looking to push the panic button yet. But these guys have to make defensive recruiting a huge priority. Recruiting safeties who don't bulk up to the point where they become LBs HAS to be a huge key.

Bighouseblue · 11-02-2009, 10:22 AM

Today, I am really in the mood for Pizza!

Drocks · 11-02-2009, 10:43 AM

I think Forcier had you guys a little upped from where you were originally going to be with his excellent played. He's leveled off some, not shocking for a freshmen, and that's had an affect, as the defense has had to carry more weight and haven't been able to get it done. I think they just need to be careful not to go too crazy here. 3-9 last year, you knew it couldn't be THAT easy to just jump back into the fold.

btw, thanks for warming Illinois up for us!

Adam · 11-02-2009, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bighouseblue

Today, I am really in the mood for Pizza!

HEY WE HAVE DIBS ON THE PIZZA PIZZA BOWL

Hoosierfan · 11-02-2009, 12:18 PM

I don't think it was realistic how much you guys relied on and expected of Tate. He's just a freshman and he was bound to play like a freshman at some point. Give him and RR a couple years, then you can start worrying about winning the Big10 again.

Bighouseblue · 11-02-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam

HEY WE HAVE DIBS ON THE PIZZA PIZZA BOWL

Adam, you and I might be fighting over that last slice of Little Caeser's Pizza!

At this point, both teams would be lucky to be there.

geigerm · 11-02-2009, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoosierfan

I don't think it was realistic how much you guys relied on and expected of Tate. He's just a freshman and he was bound to play like a freshman at some point. Give him and RR a couple years, then you can start worrying about winning the Big10 again.

Well, he was living up to those expectations. But having the O-line get much worse really isn't helping him, and I also think having to play regularly in cold weather for the first time is probably taking a bit of a toll as well.

He overachieved at first, no question. And I do have faith that he'll be very good again down the road.

yaya551 · 11-02-2009, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoosierfan

I don't think it was realistic how much you guys relied on and expected of Tate. He's just a freshman and he was bound to play like a freshman at some point. Give him and RR a couple years, then you can start worrying about winning the Big10 again.

Actually it wasn't Tate I expected so much of, I was expecting more out of our defense as it came out of the gates looking much better. It wasn't. And only seems to be getting worse.

Adam · 11-02-2009, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bighouseblue

Adam, you and I might be fighting over that last slice of Little Caeser's Pizza!

At this point, both teams would be lucky to be there.

Maybe if we combine our teams' strong points we could make one decent team

Bighouseblue · 11-02-2009, 12:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam

Maybe if we combine our teams' strong points we could make one decent team

The defense would still suck!

Also, isn't it interesting that George Perles runs the Little Caeser's bowl, and Lloyd Carr is on the executive board? Maybe we could just get another UM vs. MSU game!