Predictions for this 2015 season and Coach Harbaugh

[amazinblue]

I just don't know how to approach this season. New coach, new QB's, unproven RB's other than Green (is he healthy?) and an unknown wide receiver group. My hopes for this year, is a winning record and a bowl game... that's all. Would love to beat either Moo U or OhHowIhateOSU but not expecting both.
I see so much promise in Harbaugh since he grew up and played under Bo's tutelage and masterful knowledge of the college game. I expect the best from HarBO and hope to see him here for 20 years!! He'll need a couple of seasons to get the ball rolling but I'd love to see him pull off the OSU upset at the end of the season just as BO did to Woody way back in 69.

What do you guys think??

[Cwk]

The pundits are looking at 7-5 , and I would be disappointed at less than 8-4. Beating the Spartans and OSU will be tough, but I have to believe Harbaugh will enter those match-ups with a better game plan than Hoke ever put together. I still cringe on that last play Hoke called for Gardner against the Buckeyes two years ago.

Although very early, I think the Utah game will show an improved O Line, and a more effective passing game. ( only one direction to go anyway). Hec, I'll be impressed if Harbaugh wears a headset.

I was surprised that Harbaugh has filled up his recruiting slots to the extent he has. Michigan has a couple openings left, and the BIG allows you to over-sign a max. of 3 recruits. But I assumed he would hold off, with the hopes that a quick start to the season would cause some top recruits to make a commitment. Hopefully it's not an indication that Harbaugh has his hands full trying to " coach-up" players who were brought in by Brady.

Prediction - 9-3

[amazinblue]

Love the headset line!!! It never really bothered me that much (that Hoke didn't) but as I watch everyone else in the NCAA and pro's, very few coaches don't have a headset on, even only to listen in.
I'd love an 8-4 record and a win over Sparty or buckeyes if possible, but my expectations will remain low this year until I see some proven talent on the field by a lot of offensive spots... QB, RB, WR, OLine...
I hope that our kicking game is back on again!!

[Cwk]

I found his choice to not wear a headset to be pretty telling. It provides plausible denial to some extent. Almost as if the game moved faster than he could think. And based on some of Hokes sideline decisions, I think that was the case.

Contrast this with what you will see from Harbaugh. He is the consummate coach, and so fixated on every detail that he will want to be plugged in as much as he can. He is a perfectionists and doesn't let much fall between the cracks.

[BlueCheeseHead]

[BlueCheeseHead]

[wol-va-rine]

I think too many people are being far too optimistic, far too early, let's not forget that he went 4-8, 5-7, and 8-5 his first three years at Stanford, in reality, he only had one really good year before he left, not to mention that he doesn't have a really good QB on the roster yet, that was Hoke's biggest problem, he never had consistent QB play after Denard got injured and it basically cost him his job...I see a bowl game this year, but not 9 or more wins before the bowl game, 8 is the ceiling imo with maybe a 9th in the bowl game...

[Rockie]

when I talk to Steve in the ticket department, he said that Jim told him "he didn't know how they were going to do. But he felt every game was winnable and every game, they will be in. It all comes down to QB play

[NewYorkWolverine]

I'd consider 8-4 a success, and I'm not even factoring in the bowl game into that. I expect the result will be 7-5. Likely losses to OSU and MSU, with one or two more along the way. I hope I'm wrong, but that's my honest feeling.

As much as everyone just wants to pronounce "we're back," I would urge caution. After RichRod's 3-9 in 2008, the old guard had already begun its efforts to run him out of town on a rail. After Brady Hoke's 11-2 in 2011, people were all too willing to put on the maize & blue blinders and announce that UM was an elite team again, when a more careful observation would reveal that UM was very fortunate in several outcomes that season (vs ND, vs OSU, and vs Va. Tech). Traditionalists would dispute this, but RichRod's staff would have achieved the same result in 2002, since their trend was that their annual regular season win total increased by two wins each season. But I digress.

Harbaugh et al. are tasked with restocking the talent pool, reinvigorating the fan base, and fixing many bad habits among players left over from the previous regime. Finding out that players didn't even know the proper three-point stance was shocking, to say the least.

[NewYorkWolverine]

[wol-va-rine]

[BlueCheeseHead]

Reviewing these posts now, it appears the trauma of the last 7 seasons may have jaded our expectations to the low side. For me, I now feel anything less than those 9 wins will be disappointing. Playoffs anyone? If we had a better QB I would put $ on us making the playoffs

[NewYorkWolverine]

In retrospect, there was a decent amount of talent on this team, but it had to be coached up, which JH & Co. did. I don't really mind the loss to Utah; that's almost to be expected under a new coach, and on the road in a hostile environment. The MSU game was tight, and I thought UM was actually quite fortunate to have the lead late the game, but that long snap & punt...arrrghh. Against OSU, as much as we hate to say it, they were playing an opponent that was just better.

The good news was that they beat the teams there were supposed to beat, and they averted several potential disasters in road games against Maryland (second half was great, but first half was ugly), Minnesota (arguably the best character win of the year) and Indiana. Hoke's teams would have lost all three of those games.

Florida will be a good test. I won't make any predictions, but it will be a good test.

[BlueCheeseHead]

[NewYorkWolverine]

[NewYorkWolverine]

[Rockie]

Sounds like they got a better hire than Heater. I thought they would go 10-3 and we are right there. Add a top five recruiting class, a number DC, the Harbaugh Train is just starting