8 wins.

The UConn game will be a harder test than ND imo.

I guess I am not seeing how Michigan wins more than 6. I thought I was being liberal in giving them wins against Illinois and Purdue. Maybe there is something I don't know, but they are losing some very key players and will still be very young next season.

Not losing many key players. Graham, Minor, Carlos Brown, Stevie Brown, Moosman, Ortmann are really the only big losses. Half of these guys were out for large parts of this season. There are a few other guys going too including Mesko. Graham is really the only guy that won't be replaceable.

dave wrote: Not losing many key players. Graham, Minor, Carlos Brown, Stevie Brown, Moosman, Ortmann are really the only big losses. Half of these guys were out for large parts of this season. There are a few other guys going too including Mesko. Graham is really the only guy that won't be replaceable.

LOL, most of the players you named are the ones that made the most contribution to the team. When the players like Moosman and Minor were in the game, Michigan did much better and was more successful. When they were injured and didn't play, the team suffered and lost games.

Denial is a funny thing.

obviously seniors who start are going to make a large contribution. minor is not the type of back RR prefers in his system, they are plenty deep at that position. Roh and Big Will came on strong late and will ease the loss of Graham. While they are losing talent, they are replacing it will guys that will have been in the spread option from the moment they stepped on campus. that is the most important part to the success of this type of offense, if you look at all the programs who run it successfully you will see that. of course individual talent is important, but continuity and situational experience is far more important.

I don't know about having such young players at safety especially strong safety. That is a recepie for getting beat deep. I predict the following.

September 4 Connecticut (W) - Will be a tough game.
September 11 @ Notre Dame (PUSH) I can't say without knowing who is coming back and who is coaching.
September 18 Massachusetts (W)
September 25 Bowling Green (W)
October 2 @ Indiana (W)
October 9 Michigan State (Push)- Will be a good game... Not sure how MSU stacks up next year
October 16 Iowa (L) - Iowa doesn't lose anyone. They will be tough next year.
October 30 @ Penn State (Push) - Could win this game, but I think they lose because its at Penn State, PSUwill have a new QB and won't have Royster.
November 6 Illinois (W) - they suck
November 13 @ Purdue (Push) - They aren't as bad as people think.
November 20 Wisconsin (L)- If they figure out how to stop the run maybe they'd have a chance.
November 27 @ Ohio State (L) - Same as wisconsin game.

Worst case 5-7
Best case 9-3

No way they beat UConn. ND wins if Claussen stays, scUM wins if he leaves. BG & IU will push them and they will lose one of those. They hopefully can beat the UMass basketball team. MSU, IO, PSU are 3 straight losses. Might (and that's a big Might) beat ILL. Purdue is a toss-up and WIS and TOSU are for sure ass-kickings. So its 4 - 8 best case scenario and 2 - 10 worse case...which I hope it is.

dwccrew wrote:

dave wrote: Not losing many key players. Graham, Minor, Carlos Brown, Stevie Brown, Moosman, Ortmann are really the only big losses. Half of these guys were out for large parts of this season. There are a few other guys going too including Mesko. Graham is really the only guy that won't be replaceable.

LOL, most of the players you named are the ones that made the most contribution to the team. When the players like Moosman and Minor were in the game, Michigan did much better and was more successful. When they were injured and didn't play, the team suffered and lost games.

Denial is a funny thing.

You are thinking of Molk not moosman, moosman was terrible at center and decent at guard. Molk was what made the OL so much better and he will be back next year. Also incase you didn't notice Minor was hurt the whole damn season, Vincent Smith will be a a very good RB next year. There are some very good young OL that fit the system better and they will be just fine. I have felt better about next year since the start of the season. Next year they will be in the top 3 of the big10 the following year look for "the game" to decide the big10 champ once again.

OneBuckeye wrote: I don't know about having such young players at safety especially strong safety. That is a recepie for getting beat deep. I predict the following.

September 4 Connecticut (W) - Will be a tough game.
September 11 @ Notre Dame (PUSH) I can't say without knowing who is coming back and who is coaching.
September 18 Massachusetts (W)
September 25 Bowling Green (W)
October 2 @ Indiana (W)
October 9 Michigan State (Push)- Will be a good game... Not sure how MSU stacks up next year
October 16 Iowa (L) - Iowa doesn't lose anyone. They will be tough next year.
October 30 @ Penn State (Push) - Could win this game, but I think they lose because its at Penn State, PSUwill have a new QB and won't have Royster.
November 6 Illinois (W) - they suck
November 13 @ Purdue (Push) - They aren't as bad as people think.
November 20 Wisconsin (L)- If they figure out how to stop the run maybe they'd have a chance.
November 27 @ Ohio State (L) - Same as wisconsin game.

Worst case 5-7
Best case 9-3

Thats around the same thing I have predicted. If they play to their full potential then the only games that I could see them losing is Iowa, wisconsin, and O$U (with a possible upset of 1 of them).

OldDanTucker wrote:

dwccrew wrote:

dave wrote: Not losing many key players. Graham, Minor, Carlos Brown, Stevie Brown, Moosman, Ortmann are really the only big losses. Half of these guys were out for large parts of this season. There are a few other guys going too including Mesko. Graham is really the only guy that won't be replaceable.

LOL, most of the players you named are the ones that made the most contribution to the team. When the players like Moosman and Minor were in the game, Michigan did much better and was more successful. When they were injured and didn't play, the team suffered and lost games.

Denial is a funny thing.

You are thinking of Molk not moosman, moosman was terrible at center and decent at guard. Molk was what made the OL so much better and he will be back next year. Also incase you didn't notice Minor was hurt the whole damn season, Vincent Smith will be a a very good RB next year. There are some very good young OL that fit the system better and they will be just fine. I have felt better about next year since the start of the season. Next year they will be in the top 3 of the big10 the following year look for "the game" to decide the big10 champ once again.

You're right, Molk. But Minor when in the game did very well and Michigan played alot better with him in. I mentioned how he was injured, but when he played, Michigan played like a different team. I'm not syaing he isn't replaceable, just commenting that he was an important part of the team this season when he was in.

The loss of BG hurts but not nearly as bad as everyone thinks. The DL will be very good next year, Van Bergen, Martin, Campbell, Roh are all going to be studs. Anyone thinking that they will win 2-4 games next year are crazy. Unless some serious injuries happen I see it playing out like this

UCONN-(W) but it will be a good game
@ND-(Push) depends on who comes back for ND
UMASS-(w)
BG-(W) Don't they lose there QB, RB, and stud WR? If not then it could be a good game.
@Indiana-(W) another good game
MSU-(Push) I have a good feeling about this one but they will be talented
Iowa-(Push) It seems like when we expect Iowa to be good they suck and vise versa but they should be good
@PSU-(Push) Being at happy valley doesn't help, but they do have alot to replace
Illinois-(W) They will lose their only 2 playmakers in Benn and Juice
@Purdue-(W) I know they are playing really good right now but they lose their QB and Valentine (wr)
Wisconsin-(L) They will compete for the big10 next year, while michigan is still a year away
@O$U-(L) Do I really need to explain?

So thats 6-6 at worst and 10-2 best case (I dont see them going 10-2 though). With the most likely being 8-4/9-3 IMO

dwccrew wrote:

OldDanTucker wrote:

dwccrew wrote:

dave wrote: Not losing many key players. Graham, Minor, Carlos Brown, Stevie Brown, Moosman, Ortmann are really the only big losses. Half of these guys were out for large parts of this season. There are a few other guys going too including Mesko. Graham is really the only guy that won't be replaceable.

LOL, most of the players you named are the ones that made the most contribution to the team. When the players like Moosman and Minor were in the game, Michigan did much better and was more successful. When they were injured and didn't play, the team suffered and lost games.

Denial is a funny thing.

You are thinking of Molk not moosman, moosman was terrible at center and decent at guard. Molk was what made the OL so much better and he will be back next year. Also incase you didn't notice Minor was hurt the whole damn season, Vincent Smith will be a a very good RB next year. There are some very good young OL that fit the system better and they will be just fine. I have felt better about next year since the start of the season. Next year they will be in the top 3 of the big10 the following year look for "the game" to decide the big10 champ once again.

You're right, Molk. But Minor when in the game did very well and Michigan played alot better with him in. I mentioned how he was injured, but when he played, Michigan played like a different team. I'm not syaing he isn't replaceable, just commenting that he was an important part of the team this season when he was in.

I agree they were much better with him in, but having to play without him so much really helped the younger guys. I like Vincent Smith #2 alot, I think he will be one of the top backs in the league by the end of the year.

Also Stevie Brown sucked, not sure what you were watching dave but he got burnt constantly and had like 1 good tackle in open space this year. I don't put carlos down as a big loss either because he really didn't do anything besides make 1 good run against EMU.

All the players you mentioned, OldmanTucker, I agree with you in that they wil be good. But I think that it will be in two seasons. I think there will still be some bumps in the road and a learning curve next year. Especially with PSU and OSU on the road. That is why I've said RR needs to be given 4 years if Michigan wants to see results under him. I think they may reach a bowl game next season and finish middle of the road in the Big 10. The following season is the year they could compete for the conference title.

I agree that he does need 4 years, but the schedule really is not that tough. I know that UM fans all said that last year to but anyone thinking that they would have been able to turn it around that fast is nuts. They were extremely young this year, and they will have guys in there 2nd n 3rd year starting next season. I could see 6-6 like you said but thats worst case scenario IMO. 8-4/9-3 sound more reasonable to me.

BTW its OldDanTucker

OldDanTucker wrote: I agree that he does need 4 years, but the schedule really is not that tough. I know that UM fans all said that last year to but anyone thinking that they would have been able to turn it around this fast is nuts. They were extremely young this year, and they will have guys in there 2nd n 3rd year starting next season. I could see 6-6 like you said but thats worst case scenario IMO. 8-4/9-3 sound more reasonable to me.

BTW its OldDanTucker

LOL, sorry OldDanTucker. YEs, 6-6 is what I project, but wouldn't be surprised with 8-4. I think worst case is 5-7 again, but I see Michigan being bowl eligible next year. Although I did think they would be this year too.

I did to, just a couple of young mistakes ended up costing them. I figured it was bound to happen sooner or later.

It better be at least 7, probably 8 or 9 is needed to save RR job.

6-6 and he MIGHT be gone but 7+wins and I think he's safe for 1 more year

No way he sees 6 wins next year. You must really be SenileDanTucker.

You thinking that 4 wins is best case scenario is just dumb. BG will push them? Really? Even if it matters. BG loses there QB and WR, not 100% sure on the RB but think he is gone to. IU and Purdue have had a nice year for them but come on man lets get serious for a second. The teams that you truly have to look out for in the big10 are always the same with a surprise every now and then (Iowa, Wisonsin, PSU, O$U, UM, and now MSU). IU, Northwestern, Purdue, Minnesota, and even Illinois are your occasional surprise team, with NW being the most consistent lately. Michigan returns 10 of 11 on D, and 8 of 11 on O. All of the guys that are leaving can and will be replaced. When UM wins 7-9 games next year how would you like your crow? Deep Fried or Grilled?

Good for you, now you see the problem SenileDan...they are returning 18 of 22 of the same talentless athletes they had this year. And by the way I've been savoring the wolverine steaks we've served up 6 years in a row! No crow in sight as long as Tress is the Head Chef...LOL.

I can't see them winning more than 6. I definately don't see them winning against any of the big 4 right now (OSU, Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin), sure they may beat Indiana, but they dropped games to Purdue and Illinois as well. After BG and UMass, I don't see many "definate" wins on their schedule. And after Appy St. and Toledo 2 years ago, Wolverine fans should never take anybody lightly.

O$U lost to Purdue as well does that mean they will lose to them next year? Also O$U lost to purdue by a bigger margin then Michigan and it took a trick onside kick for purdue to get the lead on UM.

OldDanTucker wrote: O$U lost to Purdue as well does that mean they will lose to them next year? Also O$U lost to purdue by a bigger margin then Michigan and it took a trick onside kick for purdue to get the lead on UM.

I think there is a difference between the losses. OSU losing was a huge upset, Michigan was not. The talent levels are really different.

I do understand the point you are trying to make though, and I agree.