2019 College football thread - It's 2020, yo. Go to the new thread. (1 Viewer)

[Dan Lambskin]

So I was wondering today - will Michigan ever be national title relevant again? It’s been 22 years since they’ve really competed for a title — that’s a massive amount of time. Sure they’ve putzed around and won some Rose and Orange Bowls and hover around the top-15 but can they suddenly find a way to be in a national title game? I have a hard time seeing it. 

No

 

[Capella]

A few more thoughts from the game today. Again, I was planted directly in the Michigan section. 
 

- there was a guy in the row in front of me who would loudly yell THAT’S A MIIIIIICHIGAN FIRST DOWN every time Michigan converted. 3 plays later when they punted he would sit back down and not move again until they got another first down 20 minutes later. It was extremely bizarre. 
 

- guy directly in front of me was there with his kid, I assume. When Michigan got a stop but a personal foul for hitting the qb this clod got up and boo’d the refs for at least 10 minutes straight. We were 47 rows up. He was in his 40s. The kid eventually punched him in the ribs and asked him to stop. 
 

- to the right of my wife was this enormous beast of a man you would have expected to be a Bama fan on looks alone. He kept jousting his giant legs into her until he eventually sat sideways in his chair, red-faced and angry. I kept wondering what he expected! How could you come to this game as a Michigan fan with any expectations other than nice weather. They left early when it was obvious Bama and their 97 superior players were going to pull away. 
 

- a Bama fan sat two rows in front of us and was roundly boo’d when he showed up. He loudly applauded every single huge play, knowing he was sitting in a section not of SEC fans but of doctors who were seeing their first game of the year. 
 

- the game was almost at 4 hours when we gave up and left. Unspeakably boring. Going to sporting events is dumb and you should feel bad if you do it. 

 

[Capella]

Miami

Right under my nose. 

 

[bigmarc27]

Is this game more or less boring than the UGA/Hawaii Sugar Bowl?

 

[bigmarc27]

A few more thoughts from the game today. Again, I was planted directly in the Michigan section. 
 

- there was a guy in the row in front of me who would loudly yell THAT’S A MIIIIIICHIGAN FIRST DOWN every time Michigan converted. 3 plays later when they punted he would sit back down and not move again until they got another first down 20 minutes later. 
 

- guy directly in front of me was there with his kid, I assume. When Michigan got a stop but a personal foul for hitting the qb this clod got up and boo’d the refs for at least 10 minutes straight. We were 47 rows up. He was in his 40s. The kid eventually punched him in the ribs and asked him to stop. 
 

- to the right of my wife was this enormous beast of a man you would have expected to be a Bama fan on looks alone. He kept jousting his giant legs into her until he eventually sat sideways in his chair, red-faced and angry. I kept wondering what he expected! How could you come to this game as a Michigan fan with any expectations other than nice weather. 
 

- a Bama fan sat two rows in front of us and was roundly boo’d when he showed up. He loudly applauded every single huge play, knowing he was sitting in a section not of SEC fans but of doctors who were seeing their first game of the year. 
 

- the game was almost at 4 hours when we gave up and left. Unspeakably boring. Going to sporting events is dumb and you should feel bad if you do it. 

Going to see golf tournaments live is a blast.  I highly recommend anyone that has a passing interest in golf to do so.

 

[Capella]

Going to see golf tournaments live is a blast.  I highly recommend anyone that has a passing interest in golf to do so.

I should amend that to football basketball and baseball games. Maybe just football. Hockey is amazing. Two golf tournies I’ve been to have been interesting to see up close. 

 

[Politician Spock]

A few more thoughts from the game today. Again, I was planted directly in the Michigan section. 
 

- there was a guy in the row in front of me who would loudly yell THAT’S A MIIIIIICHIGAN FIRST DOWN every time Michigan converted. 3 plays later when they punted he would sit back down and not move again until they got another first down 20 minutes later. It was extremely bizarre. 
 

- guy directly in front of me was there with his kid, I assume. When Michigan got a stop but a personal foul for hitting the qb this clod got up and boo’d the refs for at least 10 minutes straight. We were 47 rows up. He was in his 40s. The kid eventually punched him in the ribs and asked him to stop. 
 

- to the right of my wife was this enormous beast of a man you would have expected to be a Bama fan on looks alone. He kept jousting his giant legs into her until he eventually sat sideways in his chair, red-faced and angry. I kept wondering what he expected! How could you come to this game as a Michigan fan with any expectations other than nice weather. 
 

- a Bama fan sat two rows in front of us and was roundly boo’d when he showed up. He loudly applauded every single huge play, knowing he was sitting in a section not of SEC fans but of doctors who were seeing their first game of the year. 
 

- the game was almost at 4 hours when we gave up and left. Unspeakably boring. Going to sporting events is dumb and you should feel bad if you do it. 

I haven't been to a football game since 2014. I find it more enjoyable to watch at home now. 

I also can't sleep through an entire night anymore without getting up to pee. 

 

[Capella]

I haven't been to a football game since 2014. I find it more enjoyable to watch at home now. 

I also can't sleep through an entire night anymore without getting up to pee. 

Sigh, I heard that. 

 

[MAC_32]

Did Herbert look like a top 10 draft pick? He and Tua will get a close look by the Dolphins at #5.

If he is drafted early round one, and he very well may, then it has little to do with what he's actually done on the football field this season. 

 

[MAC_32]

So I was wondering today - will Michigan ever be national title relevant again? It’s been 22 years since they’ve really competed for a title — that’s a massive amount of time. Sure they’ve putzed around and won some Rose and Orange Bowls and hover around the top-15 but can they suddenly find a way to be in a national title game? I have a hard time seeing it. 

13 years, but your point stands. I don't have much to add to what @The Commish wrote. He nailed the problems. Still rebuilding depth, square-peg round-hole coaching, developmental skepticism, and the checklist used that leads to this team's qb's. Tough arguing this is ever more than a 2-3 loss team until that's fixed and only point one (maybe two if you squint hard enough) seems to be on a path to correction. 

 

[General Malaise]

Herbert has a lot of other interests outside of football.  Super smart kid. Reminds me a little of Andrew Luck with his brain and it wouldn't surprise me if he retired early from the NFL.  He'll be fine no matter what he ends up doing.  IMO. 

I mean....the kid played for 4 years, had 3 different coaches, different systems and he just won the Rose Bowl. What's not to like? 

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

A few more thoughts from the game today. Again, I was planted directly in the Michigan section. 
 

- there was a guy in the row in front of me who would loudly yell THAT’S A MIIIIIICHIGAN FIRST DOWN every time Michigan converted. 3 plays later when they punted he would sit back down and not move again until they got another first down 20 minutes later. It was extremely bizarre. 
 

- guy directly in front of me was there with his kid, I assume. When Michigan got a stop but a personal foul for hitting the qb this clod got up and boo’d the refs for at least 10 minutes straight. We were 47 rows up. He was in his 40s. The kid eventually punched him in the ribs and asked him to stop. 
 

- to the right of my wife was this enormous beast of a man you would have expected to be a Bama fan on looks alone. He kept jousting his giant legs into her until he eventually sat sideways in his chair, red-faced and angry. I kept wondering what he expected! How could you come to this game as a Michigan fan with any expectations other than nice weather. They left early when it was obvious Bama and their 97 superior players were going to pull away. 
 

So you enjoyed Michiganfan ehh? 

 

[BroncoFreak_2K3]

So I was wondering today - will Michigan ever be national title relevant again? It’s been 22 years since they’ve really competed for a title — that’s a massive amount of time. Sure they’ve putzed around and won some Rose and Orange Bowls and hover around the top-15 but can they suddenly find a way to be in a national title game? I have a hard time seeing it. 

No. They are not nationally relevant anymore when it comes to winning championships. B1G or Nattys.

But they can sell tons of tshirts sweatshirts and hats.

 

[belljr]

So what was the "huge" news?

 

[WDIK2]

Please tell me someone else saw Rhule spit on his shirt. 

Is that why he wears the smock?  

 

[The Commish]

A few more thoughts from the game today. Again, I was planted directly in the Michigan section. 
 

- there was a guy in the row in front of me who would loudly yell THAT’S A MIIIIIICHIGAN FIRST DOWN every time Michigan converted. 3 plays later when they punted he would sit back down and not move again until they got another first down 20 minutes later. It was extremely bizarre. 
 

- guy directly in front of me was there with his kid, I assume. When Michigan got a stop but a personal foul for hitting the qb this clod got up and boo’d the refs for at least 10 minutes straight. We were 47 rows up. He was in his 40s. The kid eventually punched him in the ribs and asked him to stop. 
 

- to the right of my wife was this enormous beast of a man you would have expected to be a Bama fan on looks alone. He kept jousting his giant legs into her until he eventually sat sideways in his chair, red-faced and angry. I kept wondering what he expected! How could you come to this game as a Michigan fan with any expectations other than nice weather. They left early when it was obvious Bama and their 97 superior players were going to pull away. 
 

- a Bama fan sat two rows in front of us and was roundly boo’d when he showed up. He loudly applauded every single huge play, knowing he was sitting in a section not of SEC fans but of doctors who were seeing their first game of the year. 
 

- the game was almost at 4 hours when we gave up and left. Unspeakably boring. Going to sporting events is dumb and you should feel bad if you do it. 

GB Cappy, I believe I warned you about this game, no?  The first half was way better than I thought it would be though.  As to the rest of this post, I am baffled as to why you'd think Michigan would be immune to having these types of people in it's fanbase   "That guy" is in every single fanbase that I know of.  

ETA:  And this isn't a defense of "that guy"...."that guy" is a moron and I wish he didn't exist, but he does.  I'm just pointing out what seems rather obvious as it surprises me that it caught you off guard.

 

[Capella]

GB Cappy, I believe I warned you about this game, no?  The first half was way better than I thought it would be though.  As to the rest of this post, I am baffled as to why you'd think Michigan would be immune to having these types of people in it's fanbase   "That guy" is in every single fanbase that I know of.  

ETA:  And this isn't a defense of "that guy"...."that guy" is a moron and I wish he didn't exist, but he does.  I'm just pointing out what seems rather obvious as it surprises me that it caught you off guard.

of course it’s in every fan base. I was just sitting with Michigan yesterday. I’m actually glad a few of them showed passion. Every game I’ve seen in AA should have been simulcast at a morgue (and I love going there). 

 

[The Commish]

of course it’s in every fan base. I was just sitting with Michigan yesterday. I’m actually glad a few of them showed passion. Every game I’ve seen in AA should have been simulcast at a morgue (and I love going there). 

Not sure where you were, but if you were between the 30s, this is going to be your experience.  It's an "old money" school....4,5,6 generations of families.  There's a constant battle between "tradition" and "winning" and it holds the football program back IMO.  The "Michigan Man" stuff and focus on "family" kills me, but that's what's winning out right now.  The most comedic part of the whole thing is all the "Michigan Man" people being baffled as to why the team struggles and why they can't get over the hump.  I too sit there and wonder "WTF do you expect?!"  I don't know if they'll ever shake it.  There is a growing faction of the fanbase that's much more realistic and competitive, but they don't have the deeper pockets right now.  I sometimes wonder if a big scandal wouldn't be a good thing for the organization.  

 

[Capella]

Not sure where you were, but if you were between the 30s, this is going to be your experience.  It's an "old money" school....4,5,6 generations of families.  There's a constant battle between "tradition" and "winning" and it holds the football program back IMO.  The "Michigan Man" stuff and focus on "family" kills me, but that's what's winning out right now.  The most comedic part of the whole thing is all the "Michigan Man" people being baffled as to why the team struggles and why they can't get over the hump.  I too sit there and wonder "WTF do you expect?!"  I don't know if they'll ever shake it.  There is a growing faction of the fanbase that's much more realistic and competitive, but they don't have the deeper pockets right now.  I sometimes wonder if a big scandal wouldn't be a good thing for the organization.  

Yea I always sit in the old money section. So I get that but it always seems like the whole stadium minus the students is lifeless. But it is still a great time. 
 

I don’t know what has to be done but it’s a shame. My whole family is just so beaten down by it. They had major hopes for harbaugh and it seems like if he can’t do it then who the hell can. 

 

[gump]

Alabama just finished off their 9th straight 11-win season. 

For perspective: 
- UGA has 11 11-win seasons all-time
- Florida has 9
- LSU has 8
- Vols have 8
- Auburn has 6
- Mizzou has 4
- A&M has 4
- ARK has 3
- UK has 1
- S. Carolina has 3
- Ole Miss, MSST, & Vandy have 0

 

[The Commish]

Yea I always sit in the old money section. So I get that but it always seems like the whole stadium minus the students is lifeless. But it is still a great time. 
 

I don’t know what has to be done but it’s a shame. My whole family is just so beaten down by it. They had major hopes for harbaugh and it seems like if he can’t do it then who the hell can. 

This is just it.  A lot of us feel this way.  And if we're being real, I was excited to see them hire Harbaugh because I knew he could get back to the Carr years which would be the first step, but I was/am not confident he's long term for the simple fact that he's one of the "Michigan Man" guys.  I know RR isn't a great example but I'm going to use him.  I get that his style, approach, philosophy weren't suited for the Big Ten.  That was my gut feel when he was hired, but I took a wait and see approach.  However, there was a huge portion of the fanbase that had him out the door before his team stepped on the field because of all that "Michigan Man" nonsense.  Not only was he NOT a Michigan guy, everything about his philosophy was despised.  He was doomed from day one.  That's what an unconventional hire is going to face each and every time.  Realizing that causes the bold above for me.  The goal is loyalty to the team, to the school, to the family.  It's not dedication to winning championships...it's very 1900.

 

[Capella]

Alabama just finished off their 9th straight 11-win season. 

For perspective: 
- UGA has 11 11-win seasons all-time
- Florida has 9
- LSU has 8
- Vols have 8
- Auburn has 6
- Mizzou has 4
- A&M has 4
- ARK has 3
- UK has 1
- S. Carolina has 3
- Ole Miss, MSST, & Vandy have 0

Not going to finish in the top-5 right? FSU has that one last streak standing of the top-5 finishes.  

 

[Capella]

This is just it.  A lot of us feel this way.  And if we're being real, I was excited to see them hire Harbaugh because I knew he could get back to the Carr years which would be the first step, but I was/am not confident he's long term for the simple fact that he's one of the "Michigan Man" guys.  I know RR isn't a great example but I'm going to use him.  I get that his style, approach, philosophy weren't suited for the Big Ten.  That was my gut feel when he was hired, but I took a wait and see approach.  However, there was a huge portion of the fanbase that had him out the door before his team stepped on the field because of all that "Michigan Man" nonsense.  Not only was he NOT a Michigan guy, everything about his philosophy was despised.  He was doomed from day one.  That's what an unconventional hire is going to face each and every time.  Realizing that causes the bold above for me.  The goal is loyalty to the team, to the school, to the family.  It's not dedication to winning championships...it's very 1900.

Are the acceptance standards the same for football players as say Ohio State? Or more stringent? I have to figure in today’s age you have to be more accommodating if you want to get nfl-caliber recruits in. But I can also see Michigan man saying we won’t stoop to that. 
 

That’s true about an outsider. I laughed when they hired Juwan Howard. Not because he wasn’t qualified, but because of course they hired a Michigan guy. 

 

[gump]

Not going to finish in the top-5 right? FSU has that one last streak standing of the top-5 finishes.  

Not with these dialed in CFP pollsters.

 

[Capella]

Not with these dialed in CFP pollsters.

Hate to see it. Well at least we keep one record for now. 

 

[gump]

Hate to see it. Well at least we keep one record for now. 

That was a crazy run.

Seriously though, the entire CFP committee should be fired for rankings Utah ahead of Bama.

 

[Capella]

That was a crazy run.

Seriously though, the entire CFP committee should be fired for rankings Utah ahead of Bama.

Oh yea. Bama should’ve been 6th imo 

14 years in a row top-5. If you all break your streak this year it’s safe to say it won’t ever be done again. 

 

[The Commish]

Are the acceptance standards the same for football players as say Ohio State? Or more stringent? I have to figure in today’s age you have to be more accommodating if you want to get nfl-caliber recruits in. But I can also see Michigan man saying we won’t stoop to that. 
 

That’s true about an outsider. I laughed when they hired Juwan Howard. Not because he wasn’t qualified, but because of course they hired a Michigan guy. 

They are different, yes.  They don't have to be though.  That's a choice.  I can't tell you how many times I've seen a kid go somewhere else because Michigan wanted him to go to prep school, or get their first year of classes under his belt before allowing him on the team even though he was well within the NCAA guidelines.  OSU's advantage though, more than anything else, is the talent in the state.  It really is amazing at what the state of Ohio produces and they have no real competition in state for that talent.  It's what they built that program on that now allows them to go out of state and pick whoever they want.  The other advantage is OSU isn't beholden to some out of date, mindset either.  They'll do whatever's necessary to win.  It's two completely different mindsets and it shows.  

The funny thing about Howard is I'm not sure he's really globally accepted as a "Michigan Man".  We'll see what happens once the shine wears off.  I loved the hire personally.  I think he'll do good things, but that he was an alum really wasn't a factor for me.

 

[JaxBill]

So the Browns got rejected by Matt Rhule. Now they're supposedly interested in Urban.

"Hey the cute girl in stat class shot me down, let me go hit on a cheerleader instead."

@BruceFeldmanCFB: I’m hearing that the #Browns have strong interest in former #OhioState head coach Urban Meyer, per sources.

 

[Doug B]

By the way..... what was the telecast explanation for the roughing the passer against Mich early in the game?  None of us understood. 

He landed on him with full body weight, driving him down.

Does the NCAA generally adopt the NFL's rule tweaks in real time? I had thought that some of the newer "rough stuff" penalties in the NFL were still legal in college.

 

[Jayrok]

Does the NCAA generally adopt the NFL's rule tweaks in real time? I had thought that some of the newer "rough stuff" penalties in the NFL were still legal in college.

You may be right.  There seems to be a lot of rules that the NCAA doesn't follow in step with the NFL besides just only requiring one foot in, etc.  I remember the commentators and/or the retired official in the booth talk about how he landed on the QB with full body weight.  

 

[The Commish]

You may be right.  There seems to be a lot of rules that the NCAA doesn't follow in step with the NFL besides just only requiring one foot in, etc.  I remember the commentators and/or the retired official in the booth talk about how he landed on the QB with full body weight.  

Funny thing is, the drunk guy four seats down from me was correct on the call then  

We all just looked at him like he was crazy.

 

[Jayrok]

It's crazy when a 10 win season isn't good enough anymore for these major programs.  Seems odd but that is the state of the union in college football now. Until Harbough beats OSU, Michigan will not return to national relevance.  He has to win the recruiting war and that is a tough hill to climb.  Similar issues in the SEC.  UGA is the only program right now that can complete against the power teams in the west division.  The rest of that side (Florida may be coming back) is just flapping in the wind.  

 

[Jayrok]

Funny thing is, the drunk guy four seats down from me was correct on the call then  

We all just looked at him like he was crazy.

Honestly it didn't look that bad on TV.  He didn't launch or hit him with his helmet, IIRC.  The only explanation for that call was landing on him instead of rolling to the side.  

 

[WDIK2]

Funny thing is, the drunk guy four seats down from me was correct on the call then  

We all just looked at him like he was crazy.

Honestly it didn't look that bad on TV.  He didn't launch or hit him with his helmet, IIRC.  The only explanation for that call was landing on him instead of rolling to the side.  

Would have been a good call in the NFL, but was borderline for college.  It didn't help that when they hit the ground the defender slides up and the QB's head/helmet gets twisted.  Makes it look worse than it was.  The hit wasn't late or anything.  I also didn't think college had the body weight rule.

 

[Doug B]

So I was wondering today - will Michigan ever be national title relevant again? It’s been 22 years since they’ve really competed for a title — that’s a massive amount of time. Sure they’ve putzed around and won some Rose and Orange Bowls and hover around the top-15 but can they suddenly find a way to be in a national title game? I have a hard time seeing it. 

I was wondering something similar and did a little Googling. Michigan last won the Big Ten in 2004. That's a MUCH longer time than I had thought -- without looking it up and just going on my memory, I've have thought they got one within the last decade for sure.

It's weird to see perennial powers of the 1990s and even the 2000s just sink to irrelevance. On the flip side, Clemson, Oregon, and Wicsonsin weren't much when I was coming up (well, Clemson after ~1980, anyway). Baylor, neither. I mean ... if one school can rise up from the ashes, can't other ones? Michigan shouldn't have anything more working against it today than it had in the 1980s-90s, right?

Similar to University of Texas, who really had a great 2000s. If they find their Dabo Swinney under a rock, what programatically is holding them back? Money? Facilities? Lack of tradition?

If we all took a 20-year nap ... would it still be the same schools as 2019 at the top of the 2039 heap?

 

[Jayded]

I think the reality is most of the non-SEC schools need a big time coach. More than any other sport, college football seems to be made by a big time coach.

I think any of the aforementioned schools could come back and could come back to prominence with the right coach. The right coach could draw in enough of the right players (a la Dabo) to compete where there is a gap in history or no relevant history. I would doubt it just organically happens without a significant effort in recruiting and then multiple seasons of proven success to get enough of those players to believe.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Does the NCAA generally adopt the NFL's rule tweaks in real time? I had thought that some of the newer "rough stuff" penalties in the NFL were still legal in college.

Here's an example of something that would definitely be flagged on Sundays, but not in college: https://twitter.com/i/status/1212540215711223815

 

[Doug B]

Here's an example of something that would definitely be flagged on Sundays, but not in college: https://twitter.com/i/status/1212540215711223815

My question: Is that not a penalty in college, or just not emphasized the way it is in the NFL?

 

[WDIK2]

Here's an example of something that would definitely be flagged on Sundays, but not in college: https://twitter.com/i/status/1212540215711223815

My question: Is that not a penalty in college, or just not emphasized the way it is in the NFL?

I believe that is also flagged in college.  Refs just missed it and not something that can be reviewed.   

 

[Doug B]

I think any of the aforementioned schools could come back and could come back to prominence with the right coach. 

Alabama is a case in point. People might think they never really had a down period, but they certainly did during the 10 seasons between Gene Stallings and Nick Saban. And heck, Stallings's tenure was even kind of up-and-down in itself -- he had the one title and two other Top-5 finishes, but also four seasons with 3+ losses.

But, yeah ... Alabama, between 1997 and 2006. Mike DuBose, Dennis Franchione, and Mike Shula each had one 10-win season apiece. But also during those ten seasons: five seasons at .500 or worse. Three claw-&-scratch appearances in the Independence Bowl between 2001 and 2007 (the last one with Saban coaching Shula's recruits). Would have been easy to write off Alabama as irrelevant, and unlikely to rise again anytime soon.

And then Nick Saban left Baton Rouge for Miami    

 

[MAC_32]

I was wondering something similar and did a little Googling. Michigan last won the Big Ten in 2004. That's a MUCH longer time than I had thought -- without looking it up and just going on my memory, I've have thought they got one within the last decade for sure.

It's weird to see perennial powers of the 1990s and even the 2000s just sink to irrelevance. On the flip side, Clemson, Oregon, and Wicsonsin weren't much when I was coming up (well, Clemson after ~1980, anyway). Baylor, neither. I mean ... if one school can rise up from the ashes, can't other ones? Michigan shouldn't have anything more working against it today than it had in the 1980s-90s, right?

Similar to University of Texas, who really had a great 2000s. If they find their Dabo Swinney under a rock, what programatically is holding them back? Money? Facilities? Lack of tradition?

If we all took a 20-year nap ... would it still be the same schools as 2019 at the top of the 2039 heap?

The team was still relevant through 2006, the 1-2 unbeaten game vs. Ohio. Then App State happened, Carr came crashing down as his last couple recruiting classes were quite poor, then the program never really recovered from the Rich Rod fiasco that commish described quite well. 

Great point about the talent discrepancy across state lines too. When Michigan was on their A game they routinely plucked kids out of Ohio, especially NE Ohio. That pipeline is no more and there aren't any real signs it may come back either.

 

[gump]

Another Bama domino falls...All-American LT Leatherwood returning.

 

[whoknew]

The best M fan site is MGoblog. The owner there posted this today, which I think sums up the M program pretty well right now - 

And while I said it badly right after the Ohio State game, the thing that sticks with me after this season are the two relevant quotes from the OSU/Michigan rivalry. Justin Fields is in the football building so eternally that he described the campus where he is nominally a student like it was a European city he'd like to visit some day.* Josh Gattis on Patterson before the season:

"I was a little bit worried about him coming into camp, because he spent so much time on the golf course this summer," Gattis told media Wednesday in Ann Arbor.

Michigan has a recipe for a nice little program that never beats anyone of import.

Michigan is the Papa Doc of college football. Pretty good at its subject matter. Rolls deep. Excellent at beating up on the Cheddar Bobs of the world.

Fundamentally, though, Michigan is named Clarence and went to Cranbrook. They'll let some guys into school but not other guys. If they're bagging they're the worst school in the world at it since they managed to turn the Michigan money cannon into zero guys ranked higher than 92nd in this class. The culture of the program is such that the starting QB gets called out for golfing too much.

Then they pretend to some sort of nobility. But there's no such thing as halfway crooks.

--

*The Fields info - 

To manage his workload in his first season as Buckeyes starting quarterback, Fields signed up for online classes.

“I can spend more time on football and studying, stuff like that,” Fields said.

The schedule left him with few visits to campus or the rest of Columbus.

Fields mused Tuesday afternoon that he hadn’t been around much, spending most of his time at home, where spare time involves watching Netflix, or at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for workouts, meetings and other entertainment.

“But from what I have seen, the campus is beautiful and the people around are great,” Fields said.

 

[The Commish]

Another Bama domino falls...All-American LT Leatherwood returning.

Guy sitting behind me at the game Saturday said Alabama was losing 12-13 starters.  That true?

 

[gump]

Guy sitting behind me at the game Saturday said Alabama was losing 12-13 starters.  That true?

That’s how many are draft eligible. But since a players only meeting post-Iron Bowl, there has been a buzz that they are trying to get a big group to return..led by Tua. 2 big ones have announced a return in the last few days, but a bunch still left and Tua announces on Monday. About as exciting as an off-season can be after a disappointing end to the season.

 

[Capella]

Another Bama domino falls...All-American LT Leatherwood returning.

That sucks for the Bucs. What are these kids thinking? This is insanity. 

 

[The Commish]

The best M fan site is MGoblog. The owner there posted this today, which I think sums up the M program pretty well right now - 

And while I said it badly right after the Ohio State game, the thing that sticks with me after this season are the two relevant quotes from the OSU/Michigan rivalry. Justin Fields is in the football building so eternally that he described the campus where he is nominally a student like it was a European city he'd like to visit some day.* Josh Gattis on Patterson before the season:

"I was a little bit worried about him coming into camp, because he spent so much time on the golf course this summer," Gattis told media Wednesday in Ann Arbor.

Michigan has a recipe for a nice little program that never beats anyone of import.

Michigan is the Papa Doc of college football. Pretty good at its subject matter. Rolls deep. Excellent at beating up on the Cheddar Bobs of the world.

Fundamentally, though, Michigan is named Clarence and went to Cranbrook. They'll let some guys into school but not other guys. If they're bagging they're the worst school in the world at it since they managed to turn the Michigan money cannon into zero guys ranked higher than 92nd in this class. The culture of the program is such that the starting QB gets called out for golfing too much.

Then they pretend to some sort of nobility. But there's no such thing as halfway crooks.

--

*The Fields info - 

To manage his workload in his first season as Buckeyes starting quarterback, Fields signed up for online classes.

“I can spend more time on football and studying, stuff like that,” Fields said.

The schedule left him with few visits to campus or the rest of Columbus.

Fields mused Tuesday afternoon that he hadn’t been around much, spending most of his time at home, where spare time involves watching Netflix, or at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center for workouts, meetings and other entertainment.

“But from what I have seen, the campus is beautiful and the people around are great,” Fields said.

DIdn't have a chance to get out to mgoblog yet today.  That post is a lot of what I was alluding to in my post to @Capella  with regard to player development.  I love the content at that site, but the guys posting there are brutal, well, most of them.  Cappy, it's worth going to check out if you want insight from an insider fighting his way through the legacy stuff.  He's pretty good.  Most of what I said is on the "how did we get here?" side.  He's good at going through what "here" looks like today.

 

[Doug B]

That sucks for the Bucs. What are these kids thinking? This is insanity. 

Did you read down that tweet chain a bit? Kinda funny comments, but at the same time it makes you wonder:
 

AUBURNFAST 12-0
‏@bignizo

Replying to @Alskee_ @AlabamaFTBL
only at Alabama do you pass on a top 15-20 draft pick to comeback for another season of playing football for free - why pay players if they don't want to be paid @TMAY7777 - seems like a revenge tour is coming

Why So Serious
@03Javi03

Bag man pays more than a rookie NFL contract

AUBURNFAST 12-0
‏@bignizo

you know I talked to a former saban player from Michigan St and he said same thing about Irvin and Burress taking pay cuts to go to NFL LOL

Josey Washington
‏@joseywashington

Hang on. Didn’t Aub have two first round DL do the same last year?

 

[L5UT1ger]

Are the acceptance standards the same for football players as say Ohio State? Or more stringent? I have to figure in today’s age you have to be more accommodating if you want to get nfl-caliber recruits in. But I can also see Michigan man saying we won’t stoop to that. 
 

That’s true about an outsider. I laughed when they hired Juwan Howard. Not because he wasn’t qualified, but because of course they hired a Michigan guy. 

Alabama finished 7th in the final 2013 AP.