So, if next year is the make or break year for the Hoke and Co......

What does he have to accomplish to stay alive? I keep looking at the schedule, and I flinch like I just looked at a picture of Nikki Minaj or something... It's just brutal.

How many wins? Player develpoment? Bowl win? What!?

I know I am one of the far less positive people on here, and I just don't know what to expect. I feel better with Borges gone, but as of right now, I have a feeling this coming season is going to be the biggest disaster yet...

EJ you are not wrong the schedule maker did not do us any favor, Away games at MSU & ND, plus O$U I see a bad moon rising. 8-4 would be good any better that that would be great

I never look at a year and go game by game and say, we should win/lose this one. I leave that to others. In my opinion it's impossible to do EVEN after the season starts. Teams change from week to week.

Did ANYONE expect Michigan to end up 7-6 after we started 6-1? I doubt anyone predicted that.

Not hammering on you ej. More like saying I have no effin' clue what to think.

I don't know how to equate a bowl win. Is he good if he wins the Pizza Pizza Bowl and bad if he loses the National Championship bowl? Too many variables.

I just don't know.

But see, I don't see MSU or ND on the road as any different as playing them at home.

They re going to be barn burners regardless.

Joe I look at road games like this , 1st crowd noise, the not sleeping in your own bed , travel and getting outta of routine., Then game , officials calls. All are a factor of road games.

I understand.

Does Michigan stay in EL the night before the game?

I DO think they stay in South Bend, unless it's a night game. Then I'd doubt it.

And, I have yet to see crowd noise bother ANY B1G quarterback. It's not like ANY of the stadiums are Autzen or LSU. PSU is the loudest stadium I've been to in the B1G and even there it's just noise, not a play deterrent.

The Game? Why is that different depending on the field you play on? Is there a "Crown" on the field?

The Refs. There I'd agree with you. Except I can't stand the refs or instant replay any more since it's mostly wrong. We could get screwed more by instant replay on the road.

That and Pass Inference, Late hits, and a few others

I think 8-4 is very doable. but so is 6-6 if we don't see any improvement on the O line and at QB play (turnovers)

I will make my early season predictions but JOE is right, that all goes out the window when the season rolls around mostly because things change so often.

Right now I'm at 8-4 with losses at @ND, vs Utah, @MSU and @O$U

My opinion is he needs to go 9-3 or 8-4 if one of the wins is MSU or OSU.

'shoes

eggo I look at Utah as a win but Minny and PSU are up in the air,as is ND those games are a coin toss. I think ND is in the same boat we are. MSU and O$U are losses bookem.
    

Seriously artist? Really?

MSU and OSU are losses Book 'em?

On February 5 you're making this prediction?

You've got a loooooooong year ahead of you.

...and, remember, formerly does not like to be viewed as "negative".....

okay guys, we still have not figured out how to score a TD on MSU. O$U on the road when was the last time we won that. You really feel that we can win there with this team . REALLY!!! I mean REALY!!!

Yes.

I.

Do.

on 2/5/14 I really do feel we can beat them.

Lmao

way to earlier to predict .... however one thing is certain .... QB and OL play has to improve and subsequently if these do then the running game has to improve .... those things cost us dearly last year .... not overly worried about tough road games ... those have been won many a time if a team is competing like they should ... play tough and play as a team and things will be much easier .... only way I see Hoke leaving is another 7-6 record with bad losses to our rivals and bowl game

Damn you for being so logical and level headed!   

the artist formally known wrote:

okay guys, we still have not figured out how to score a TD on MSU.

+1

the artist formally known wrote:

O$U on the road when was the last time we won that. You really feel that we can win there with this team . REALLY!!! I mean REALY!!!

It's been a while since we won there but if we play anywhere near how we played them this year we have a shot. I wouldn't book it as a loss this far out though. a lot can happen.

yea I supose someone on the football team could put on a cape and a Big red "S" but I'm not expecting it.  

Artist your supposed to just ignore what the past decade has shown us and put on your maize and blue glasses. Forget Hoke's road record. None of that matters.   

MgoBlue wrote:

Artist your supposed to just ignore what the past decade has shown us and put on your maize and blue glasses.  Forget Hoke's road record.  None of that matters.    

Yeah, and sit and bitch bout it all year long too.

Don't forget to be like "That Guy".

Jesus Christ guys it's fucking February. Give it a fucking rest. Guaranteeing a fucking loss in fucking November?

wow.

joe wrote:

MgoBlue wrote:

Artist your supposed to just ignore what the past decade has shown us and put on your maize and blue glasses.  Forget Hoke's road record.  None of that matters.    

Yeah, and sit and bitch bout it all year long too.

Don't forget to be like "That Guy".

Jesus Christ guys it's fucking February. Give it a fucking rest. Guaranteeing a fucking loss in fucking November?

wow.

+1 for joe!

I look at O$U's recruiting class, then I look at Michigan's. I can't see Michigan beating them any time in the forseeable future, let alone this year.

But, it's only February...

Oh, no doubt ej.

I mean, we've out-recruited MSU every year for the last 100 years.

Those 100 wins in a row escape me. Can you show them to me anywhere in any record book?

Again.

WOW!

joe wrote:

MgoBlue wrote:

Artist your supposed to just ignore what the past decade has shown us and put on your maize and blue glasses.  Forget Hoke's road record.  None of that matters.    

Yeah, and sit and bitch bout it all year long too.

Don't forget to be like "That Guy".

Jesus Christ guys it's fucking February. Give it a fucking rest. Guaranteeing a fucking loss in fucking November?

wow.

+2

Last year was a bad season, so apparently there are a couple of guys who plan to complain all the way up to next September. "So you're saying listening to me complain non-stop is not fun for you? Fascinating."

Gee I believe the topic was . Next year is a make or break year for Hoke. So you look @ the schedule, with hope I might add and look at win and loses, and toss ups. I don't see where Michigan has got a whole lot better . Now if Peppers is the superman they predict he is that would for sure help the secondary. If Green becomes a man child and Ave 4 yrdsa carry. If the QB situation is resolves and the line some how come together and blocks, Michigan might just might win 10 games. That's said its asking an awful lot, but it could happen. 8-5 that's might prediction on 2/6/14. Now I'm sure Hail will Archive this as he does about every critical post. We'll see it if the do better than that in December.

Let me talk to your points and add my two cents...

the artist formally known wrote:

...Next year is a make or break year for Hoke. So you look @ the schedule, with hope I might add and look at win and loses, and toss ups. I don't see where Michigan has got a whole lot better...

+1 especially given his record for road games

the artist formally known wrote:

...Now if Peppers is the superman they predict he is that would for sure help the secondary...

+1 I believe his impact will allow us to shuffle around guys to find the right formula. Also, not being a homer, I really do believe that Dymonte has a break out season in his second year. He started to show flashes last season (not including  his first play ever, blocked punt for a TD)

the artist formally known wrote:

...If Green becomes a man child and Ave 4 yrdsa carry...

To me it's not just Green. I think Smith will be a big factor and I still can't wait to see Drake Johnson. There is a reason he was #2 on the depth chart last year before his injury. I just hope he comes in fully recovered both physically and mentally. It's a tough injury to come back from at his position.

the artist formally known wrote:

...If the QB situation is resolves...

To me there is no QB situation. DG is the guy period. Yes he was HORRIBLE with the TOs but that can be fixed with your next point...

the artist formally known wrote:

...and the line some how come together and blocks...

This is where I want to see the most improvement. It certainly was our #1 weakness in 2013.

the artist formally known wrote:

...Michigan might just might win 10 games. That's said its asking an awful lot, but it could happen. 8-5 that's might prediction on 2/6/14...

At this early stage I can't even bring myself to say we might win 10. I just don't see it happening (again, I recognize it's early). I'm at 8-4 with no B1G championship appearance and of course I can't make a prediction against a bowl opponent I don't know yet. So  I'm not sure if you're saying we make the B1G championship game and lose or if your saying we don't make the B1G championship game and lose our bowl game, or if you just mistyped. Either way, you and I seem pretty close on our WAY-TOO-EARLY prediction.

8 wins will save Hoke's job, and improve recruiting. They lose the three games 'they are expected' to lose, then so be it.

8 wins would show he has them going in the right direction, and anything less is a failure. I still think he needs to steal one of those 'big 3' road games.

EJinGA wrote:

8 wins will save Hoke's job, and improve recruiting. They lose the three games 'they are expected' to lose, then so be it...

and it shouldn't. 9 win's would show to me that the development is actually there.

EJinGA wrote:

8 wins would show he has them going in the right direction, and anything less is a failure. I still think he needs to steal one of those 'big 3' road games.

+2 for the "stealing one of those road games" comment. ND is probably our best shot but we just can't seem to win a game there. The bounces seem to always go ND's way in South Bend.

One of those road wins would get them to 9 wins... I still think they'll shit the bed and lose a game they should'nt.

EJinGA wrote:

One of those road wins would get them to 9 wins... I still think they'll shit the bed and lose a game they should'nt.

par for the course for 90% of college football so I don't get too animated when it happens.  But I do agree with you.