Until Michigan and Harbaugh win the “big game” (at this point, it’s beating OSU and then winning the B1G title), they will always be suspect. That amount of talent should not yield less.
I would say that "many" is really the small minority in Fitz' case. As for me and I think most, I' already satisfied with Fitz and actually amazed that he won a division with less overall talent that Barnett had. Our OL recruits were terrible. Terrible. Our OL coaching was a complete fail. Was Fitz responsible for lousy OL coaching? Yes, but when you look at the big picture being about family, firing coaches is a bit harder to do because it is the counter of picking up the slack of others. And, in a twisted way, the whole family concept (Carrying Cushing) hasn't been a bad thing, but a message that everyone has eachother's back.
I think Fitz was emulating Paterno before he shit hit the fan. It will be a huge cautionary tale in yeas to come.
Fitz should have earned the benefit of pretty much every doubt by now, IMO. He certainly has mine. The program has been on a steady, incremental, upward trajectory since he became head coach. Expectations are higher now with the massive facility upgrades, but I don't think Fitz has altered his formula much at all. Some fans just aren't real patient with the process, but, on balance, it is working quite well.
Yep, count me in as a Fitz convert. He has built a solid program like Ferentz. NU is never going to be an OSU or Michigan-type program, but with Fitz they will compete their butts off. Just wish there weren't the occasional ISU debacle......
I don't know about that. The last few times we played OSU it came down to the fourth quarter. Yes, that program is better now. But that program goes through changes. This program just continues to climb, albeit slowly, but changes are bare. I'm seeing better recruits, especially along the OL, a better recruiting class, without compromise. We are still growing and I think the chances of Fitz building something better than what Ferentz built are pretty high.
In the spirit of every team that thinks NU is "lucky" to beat them, we had four opportunities to beat Mich in the last decade and it didnt happen. The circumstances of their wins over us are as suspect as many of our wins e.g. Jazz Peevy (sic). I cannot fully express my frustration over these games. We had 4 games with them in our hands and let them slip away. We had to make one more play and we didn't. I dont think they are markedly better, but as Al Gore once grudgingly said "I accept it".
I am not sure that you can say that the OL recruits were terrible. What you can say is that the combination of recruits and coaching left us with a below average OL though in the last couple years it did improve over the course of the season.
The Big game for them is OSU. Cannot even get to Championship game unless they can beat OSU. And while the talent looks to be at a similar level to OSU, OSU had more speed at certain positions and that made the difference
And we lost to OSU every time we played them during that period as well. The comment is on the statements that BIG record indicates that they are no better than us. But the fact that they played OSU and lost to them 4 times sort of skews that. (Likely if we had played OSU 4 times in that stretch instead of once, we would have had 3 additional losses as well) But their problems with OSU started long before Hairballs got there as I think they have lost something like 14 out of the last 15. Hairballs is a good recruiter and a pretty good coach. He came to a Mich program that was a mess (for Mich) and he has been working to change that culture. (compare his first 4 years to Fitz's first four years) Would I trade? No, but that does not mean I cannot respect what he has accomplished.
Hairball's first top classes were true Frosh and Sophs last year. They will likely be getting much stronger over the next couple years as those classes move into more important roles
And Hairballs top classes are going to be true Sophs and Jrs this year when they should start making more of an impact. Heck his first class will finally be Sr and RS Jrs this year. Plus Meyer is now gone. I am just suggesting you do not dismiss him just yet as what he has been putting together will just be reaching maturity over the next 2-3 years.
Actually I have been hoping for him to wear out entitled UM fans BEFORE he gets over the top, because I think he will, and I dont want another 15 years of them being a top 10 team. Hes like Billy Martin.
The fact that we are only 1 play away in every recent contest shows that we aren't at par with them. But the damn ball is right at the lip of the cup. I'd be surprised if it isn't turned around the next time we play them since we continue to slowly progress in building a fortress.
Hairballs might be pretty close to Meyer but their rosters were not at the same level yet. Hoke's last year, transfers and guys recruited for a different system coupled with the fact that most of Hairball's recruits were not far along in the system yet put them at an overall talent disadvantage to OSU. We faced both teams last year and there was a difference in talent levels overall. Mich's could be dealt with but OSU was at a different level. Hairball is closing the gap but as of last year it was still there.
At the same time, Hairball is starting to constantly bring in top 5 classes. And now they are starting to get to be upper classmen so while we may be improving, so are they. And maybe faster.
Whatever collective name YOU CALL IT—you/we/us/NU/Fitz—or just the Cats, we all see the same upward surge. Are we all satisfied? NO. But we can all see the road behind us, and it’s a long, winding path UPHILL that got us here.
Most of those guys were in 2015 class (Srs and RS JRs) and a class that Hairballs has not yet had) Our 2017 class was just beginning to see the field last year and the 2016 class a little more(Hairball's first class) . You are talking about most of them and their impact as upper classmen. Do you think Gaz as a Frosh was the same as Gaz last year? Or Nagel (remember he was injured) or Thompson or Green of any of the others? Heck, many of them we RSed. Even Slater who started as a Frosh. Think he will be better this year than as a Frosh? An individual Frosh can help and maybe even get a chance to start but as a group, they will not make their biggest impact until they get to be upperclassmen. Some Initially fill in and eventually take on more and more of a role. Hairballs first class (2016)was smallest with only 14 and lowest ranked (49th)and were just true Jrs last year. Likely some of them RS or got injured so it's impact is muted. The likely bigger impact classes were true Frosh and true Sophs(or RS Frosh) last year. As true frosh The real impact will just be starting to be felt this year and next year. For last year, they could help can but they were not the foundation yet. The last Hoke class was not ranked that well either and there was an exodus as frequently happens with new coaches. Just saying that going forward they are likely to be much tougher as Hairballs's top classes get to be upperclassmen and start taking over.
I am just being a realist. He is comparing the success of an NU Sr and RS Jr class at NU vs a Frosh and Soph class at Mich. The foundation of a program are the upperclassmen. And honestly, as of last year, Hairballs had only a small 49th ranked class that had even approached that status. Looking forward, he has started stacking together top 5 class after top 5 class and as they move through the system, Mich is likely to get stronger and stronger. Do I want to see it? Heck no. Hairballs disgusts me and I want to see him and Mich fail. But it is happening and ignore it at your own peril
Well, he does have JJ coming in 21, PLUS 4 STARS BOTH IN 2019 and 2020 with one having offers from AL, GA and ND. As far as developing them, we will see.
There is little doubt Hardballs recruits talent. However, there is a flaw in your analysis. If you count 2016 as Hardballs first class ( didn’t have much time in 2015) he signed. 13 4star recruits. Of the 14, I believe they only have 4 left of the team. 3 left early for the NFL and 6 transferred. These are Hardballs guys not Hoke guys. There are more transfers but they were 3 stars and basically every P5 recruit is at least a 3 star. A good chunk of his guys don’t stay with the program fir 4-5 years.
I am just saying that most of the guys in those classes have yet to make their impact. I agree he plays fast and loose and he wears out his welcome pretty fast. It is a game whether he reaches the peak before he gets run out of town. If he gets there, the BIG is likely to be stuck with him for a while and the amount of talent he brings in makes the program pretty formidable as you go forward
