I don't think Michigan does anything to make MSU less potent. MSU is potent because their staff is extremely good at both seeing talent and developing it. Grabbing four and five star players isn't what MSU does. Lately they have been getting those type players, but they don't need them to be successful as they have proven. MSU is always very good defensively . This should be a close game if we can run the ball on them . We can't be three and out and wear out our defense. I honestly can't say how we will be this season.I think our defense will be very good. I don't know the players well enough, but I think Hanks is as good as any defensive coach in football. I like our whole staff, but do we have the horses yet ? I am still going with us beating OSU on Oct 19,2019, as for this year I will leave that to you all who have followed this team and players for years. . Nice breakdown gocats.
In my memory (not the best gauge of history) MSU has not been as strong as it has been the past 5-10 years. This strength corresponds to UM's lackluster (by their standards) performance since the last part of the Lloyd Carr era.
I agree that MSU does a good job of developing talent especially under the current coach but it wasn't too long ago that the football team was out of control, creating some pretty disturbing havoc on campus.
My point is UM was losing some of the top local talent to MSU under Hoke and Rich Rod. When you lose one or two top recruiting battles each year over 5 years to a direct rival, that is going to cause a shift. I don't like Harbaugh but I think he will be winning more of those head to head battles with MSU, depleting their talent pool a little each year.
We have to take advantage of the coming lull 2018 etc. Push them down to pull NU up.
NU has moved from a bottom feeder to a competitive middle of the pack B1G team. With the current new facilities coming on line and Fitzes continued solid reputation NU has an opportunity to step up but it has to come at someone else expense.