My thoughts for this year

I hope the defense is legit. and can get off the field early . I hope Gardner has a solid year cuts Yards loss down, I hope the offensive line jells together and become an asset to his team, and I would be happy with a 9 win season.

I want 9 or 10 wins, and I don't want MSU or OSU to win the B1G and get to the playoff.

fishgoblue22 wrote:

...and I don't want MSU or OSU to...get to the playoff.

Don't know about the B1G title, Fish, but I feel very, very secure in saying neither will do the above.

My expectations are that nothing short of a B1G championship game will be acceptable... while not an advocate of the Hoke hiring, he has had my full support as a so called walmart wolverine fan... these are his seniors and juniors now.... he has top rated co-ordinators and has rightly been applauded for stellar recruiting classes full of 4 and 5 star talent... barring unforeseen injuries and off field issues this team has to be in the championship game minimum... Meechigan needs to get out of this dreadful funk they have been in for seven years excepting one magical season and one magical bowl win over the defending NC team.... we have as much talent as anyone other than maybe Bama, yet we continue to flounder... unacceptable... that being said I can't wait to watch every game again and make my annual trip with my son to the Big House... cheering loudly and I am sure getting pissed off as well..... GO BLUE

I second Bo's post.

There's no more room for excuses for this staff. "Their guys" are in place.

It's a make or break year for Hoke. If we continue on the same trend of the last two years, Brandon better have the balls to pull the plug. Then use some of all this money the department is making and go hire the absolute best.

hope no one takes it as I want Hoke to have a bad season so he can be fired... I have always supported our coaches over my 40 years as a fan... I have however criticized them as a fan as well, yes even my namesake BO, especially during those damn Rose Bowl games... I supported RR even though I wanted Les and I have supported Brady even though I still wanted Les or JH.... GO BLUE!!!!

While I agree with Bo on some issue's I feel the BIG screwed Michigan by giving our 2 biggest rivals home field advantage, and Next year is the year of redemption. MSU is not the destiny team everyone thinks they are. OSU was that team but their QB issue has changed that being said I think Michigan still is not where they need to be. I am so sick of hearing how great MSU is on every station last year was a season of good fortune for them. Still think that the BIG is up for grabs, I don't think Michigan can jump that high..

I want a B1G Championship. I'd love to win the subsequent bowl game.

Agree about the road games Artist.... however if this team gels like a Michigan team should with the talent and coaching we have, I think those games can be won.... we really need to play angry and be physical, something that has been lacking these last few years... man for man I really don't think the sparty players are tougher than our team, they just play with more toughness and anger than we seem to... the Oline must play better it is only common sense that they have had to improve from last year... with Nuss, hopefully he has mapped out exactly what he wants to run and they can execute... that done it makes DG so much better and ours  so called stud backs can show their abilities

LOL right on Joe!!!

Right there with you Bo. The season hasn't even started and we've caught a couple of potential breaks for 2 of our toughest 3 road games-ND loses 3 starters and a 4th guy in the mix to academic fraud and OSU loses the BT player of the year to injury.

'shoes

Admin wrote:

I second Bo's post.

There's no more room for excuses for this staff. "Their guys" are in place.

It's a make or break year for Hoke. If we continue on the same trend of the last two years, Brandon better have the balls to pull the plug. Then use some of all this money the department is making and go hire the absolute best.

Right there with Bo and Admin. My support for the team will be at the same high level it has always been. I will throw my hands in the air and yell "at a baby" when they make a great play or score a TD. I will throw around bad words and yell at the screen when they make a bad play. Just like always. For me they got rid of half of the coaching problems from the last year, and our "young" players, for the most part, have quite a bit, to a lot of experience, so it is time to start getting UM back to the REAL UM or "walk all the way to San Diego".

Go Blue!!

BOLEACH7 wrote:

My expectations are that nothing short of a B1G championship game will be acceptable... while not an advocate of the Hoke hiring, he has had my full support as a so called walmart wolverine fan... these are his seniors and juniors now.... he has top rated co-ordinators and has rightly been applauded for stellar recruiting classes full of 4 and 5 star talent... barring unforeseen injuries and off field issues this team has to be in the championship game minimum... Meechigan needs to get out of this dreadful funk they have been in for seven years excepting one magical season and one magical bowl win over the defending NC team.... we have as much talent as anyone other than maybe Bama, yet we continue to flounder... unacceptable... that being said I can't wait to watch every game again and make my annual trip with my son to the Big House... cheering loudly and I am sure getting pissed off as well..... GO BLUE

Even with them being "hoke's kids" now there are still only three uperclassman on the entire O line (Burzynski, Miller, Glasgow). I believe two of them are former walk-ons. Pretty young still yet it feels like the line should be much older.

I think 9-3 and we just miss the championship game. But we beat O$U this year so that will get hoke more slack.

Admin wrote:

If we continue on the same trend of the last two years, Brandon better have the balls to pull the plug

If Hoke gets fired after this year, in the first year with a new OC, who do you think would take the job? That's 3 coaches in 7 seasons. Not many high profile names will even give it a second look. Hoke has 2 years before he gets let go.

However another 2 bad seasons and recruits may look elsewhere as well!

BOLEACH wrote:

However another 2 bad seasons and recruits may look elsewhere as well!

That has not been the case so far, even with the results on the field under RR and Hoke. The UM name can still sell itself.

blu4vr wrote:

....That has not been the case so far, even with the results on the field under RR and Hoke.  The UM name can still sell itself...

agreed.... the brand sells itself

blu4vr wrote:

Admin wrote:

If we continue on the same trend of the last two years, Brandon better have the balls to pull the plug

If Hoke gets fired after this year, in the first year with a new OC, who do you think would take the job?  That's 3 coaches in 7 seasons.  Not many high profile names will even give it a second look.  Hoke has 2 years before he gets let go.

It's a good question. And I know this is not a popular choice on this forum, but Les Miles would be in the Top 2 candidates for me. I don't care about some of his goofy antics (eating grass), or some of his late-game blunders in the past. The guy's recruiting is absolutely elite. The amount of NFL players he pumps out of Baton Rouge is staggering. And the guy wins ballgames, which is the only damn thing that matters to me.

Another name I think should be in the mix is Kevin Sumlin. I don't know if he'd leave A&M, though. He's got a helluva thing going on down there (see them beat the hell out of South Carolina tonight? Wooooo boy.) Loyal fanbase, getting paid good money, they're adding to the facilities, etc.

Looking around the college football landscape, there aren't a ton of 'big' names out there. Some of the top guys have left for the NFL (see Harbaugh and Chip Kelly). There's no luring JH from the NFL in the next few years unfortunately. A lot of people like the idea of bringing his brother, John, to AA. I'm not on that bandwagon like others. He's a good coach, but he hasn't had to recruit in a long, long time. I'd be worried about that component.

Perhaps my all-time favorite/miracle pick would be to somehow convince John Gruden to come lead the program. I absolutely love that guy. And players love him too. I think he would bring in a Top 3 recruiting class every single year. He's a coach that is very, very focused on disciplined, smart football. While we hated it while it went on, that was the type of football we played under Carr. And it worked.

All that being said, there isn't a huge pool to select from. But I don't think that pool will get any better/bigger following this season.

If this season goes the way the last two have gone, you have to pull the trigger and make a change.

Admin wrote:

...If this season goes the way the last two have gone, you have to pull the trigger and make a change...

+1

I hate to even think about this as I have been getting more optimistic each day (can't help myself) but IMO- a big time coach or an up and coming guy is not going to be turned off by letting a mid-50's before Mich sub .500 coach go. Whoever we would hire would be the type of guy with plenty of self-confidence to think he is different.

I also could see it being a more amicable changeover with Brady staying on in some capacity which would make for a smoother transition.

'shoes

Can we all agree that Funk gets fired after the first miss block/assignment? I say don't even wait for the game to end. Just fire him on the spot.

And suppose that FIRST missed block/assignment comes from a third-stringer in the 4th quarter with us leading 49-7...still fire him on the spot?  

One ridiculous statement deserves another, friend...

Though I'll grant your underlying "serious" point: Funk is far from the ideal OL coach, at least based on recent history. He does need to get his act together...in terms of results.

wshoes wrote:

I hate to even think  about this as I have been getting more optimistic each day (can't help myself) but IMO- a big time coach or an up and coming guy is not going to be turned off by letting a mid-50's before Mich sub .500 coach go. Whoever we would hire would be the type of guy with plenty of self-confidence to think he is different.

I also could see it being a more amicable changeover with Brady staying on in some capacity which would make for a smoother transition.

'shoes

You raise a very interesting point there, Shoes.  But when I think of head coaches, or even my own professional career (both sectors), I have to ask myself: when can a situation involving a demotion ever be (truly) "amicable"??   Get my drift, nebulous as it may come across?

After last year, I will be happy with competence from the oline, and certainly more prompt play-calling. It would be nice for ol' 98 to have a little time to run a play.

MgoBlue wrote:

Can we all agree that Funk gets fired after the first miss block/assignment?  I say don't even wait for the game to end.  Just fire him on the spot.

AGREE, but why wait that long?????? LOL

Go Blue!!

Admin wrote:

blu4vr wrote:

Admin wrote:

If we continue on the same trend of the last two years, Brandon better have the balls to pull the plug

If Hoke gets fired after this year, in the first year with a new OC, who do you think would take the job?  That's 3 coaches in 7 seasons.  Not many high profile names will even give it a second look.  Hoke has 2 years before he gets let go.

It's a good question. And I know this is not a popular choice on this forum, but Les Miles would be in the Top 2 candidates for me. I don't care about some of his goofy antics (eating grass), or some of his late-game blunders in the past. The guy's recruiting is absolutely elite. The amount of NFL players he pumps out of Baton Rouge is staggering. And the guy wins ballgames, which is the only damn thing that matters to me.

Another name I think should be in the mix is Kevin Sumlin. I don't know if he'd leave A&M, though. He's got a helluva thing going on down there (see them beat the hell out of South Carolina tonight? Wooooo boy.) Loyal fanbase, getting paid good money, they're adding to the facilities, etc.

Looking around the college football landscape, there aren't a ton of 'big' names out there. Some of the top guys have left for the NFL (see Harbaugh and Chip Kelly). There's no luring JH from the NFL in the next few years unfortunately. A lot of people like the idea of bringing his brother, John, to AA. I'm not on that bandwagon like others. He's a good coach, but he hasn't had to recruit in a long, long time. I'd be worried about that component.

Perhaps my all-time favorite/miracle pick would be to somehow convince John Gruden to come lead the program. I absolutely love that guy. And players love him too. I think he would bring in a Top 3 recruiting class every single year. He's a coach that is very, very focused on disciplined, smart football. While we hated it while it went on, that was the type of football we played under Carr. And it worked.

All that being said, there isn't a huge pool to select from. But I don't think that pool will get any better/bigger following this season.

If this season goes the way the last two have gone, you have to pull the trigger and make a change.

Another name I think should be in the mix is Kevin Sumlin. I don't know if he'd leave A&M, though. He's got a helluva thing going on down there (see them beat the hell out of South Carolina tonight? Wooooo boy.) Loyal fanbase, getting paid good money, they're adding to the facilities, etc.

Sure WAS an A&M ass-whoopin last night, and on the road! Did not see that one coming, but not totally disappointed either. Even all of my Bama "friends" here at work were totally impressed and "have a different opinion" now. LOL

Go Blue!!

Easy Mike it was a joke. While I think Funk should have a short leash, I don't think a public execution style firing would be acceptable.

Sorry folks, Gruden is not going to coach anywhere, neither is Bill Cowher. I don't see a Harbaugh leaving the NFL and spending his off season recruiting. While we are at it, Jimmy Johnson ain't coaching either. Get realistic in your choices/wishes. Miles? Maybe. But I don't see that happening until the B1G loosens things up like the SEC does right now. We all know what I mean by that too.

Miles was my first choice in 2008 and 2011 and remains as such.... there is no worry about SEC tactics, because he would know with absolute certainty that that would not be tolerated at Meechigan ... the B1G should never loosen their standards as such.... that being said I want that Brady Hoke will lead the team out next season again after having an outstanding season this year... GO BLUE.!!!!

BOLEACH wrote:

there is no worry about SEC tactics, because he would know with absolute certainty that that would not be tolerated at Meechigan ... the B1G should never loosen their standards as such

That is why a Miles or any other SEC coach will not come to the B1G. Meyer did it because OSU was a dream job and there is really no competition in the B1G. MSU (because of Dantonio) is nipping at the heels, but long term they are not a threat to Meyer. In a couple of seasons look out for Wisky and maybe Franklin at PSU. By the time the B1G gets competitive, Meyer will retire.