Team 134 didn't enjoy much success at the end of the season. We hope that changes for Team 135.
"No one player, is stronger, than the team. No one coach, is stronger, than the team. The Team. The Team. The Team."
-Bo Schembechler
"This is always going to be about the team."
-Brady Hoke
"The goal of the program, and the expectation, of this program, is to win, the Big Ten Championship. If we fail, and we don't do that, then we need to get it right. We need to reload. We need to work harder. We need to compete harder. We need to get after it, with a sense of urgency."
-Brady Hoke
The first two quotes above will always hold true at Michigan. So does the last one. It's about time. Coach Hoke knows it. The players know it.
Key returnees:
OL Graham Glasgow, Erik Magnuson, Kyle Bosch
TE Devin Funchess, Jake Butt, A.J. Williams
QB Devin Gardner, Shane Morris, Russell Bellomy
RB De'veon Smith, Derrick Green, Justice Hayes
WR Dennis Norfleet, Amara Darboh, Jehu Chesson
FB Joe Kerridge
DL Frank Clark, Brennen Beyer, Taco Charleton, Mario Ojemudia, Ondre Pipkins
LB James Ross III, Joe Bolden, Jake Ryan, Ben Gedeon
DB Blake Countess, Raymon Taylor, Channing Stribling, Jarrod Wilson
Key Losses:
OL Taylor Lewan, Michael Schofield
RB Fitzgerald Toussaint
WR Jeremy Gallon, Drew Dileo, Jeremy Jackson
DL Jibreel Black, Quinton Washington
LB Cam Gordon
DB Thomas Gordon, Courtney Avery
Key Incoming recruits (There are plenty of recruits so I'll just list a few):
CB Jabrill Peppers
DL Bryan Mone, Lawrence Marshall
LB Michael Ferns
OL Juwann Bushell-Beatty
WR Drake Harris
Outlook:
I fully expect Devin Gardner to be back as the starter next season. While he didn't play in the bowl game, he finished the year strong, where in six of the final eight games, Gardner did not throw an interception. He is a true team player and I have solid belief the supporting cast will be better next season.
If I calculated it correctly, there are 8 starters back on offense and 6 starters back on defense, for a total of 14 returning starters. I fully expect this team to finish better than 7-6 for sure, and possibly contend for a Big Ten Championship.
The team should be more competitive next season, and follow the competitive nature that Devin Gardner brings to the table. He embodied being a competitor this past season. He took it for the team and the guys should feed off of that, on both offense and defense, to give it your all on every play, with the line play and trying to gain as many yards as possible, or rally to the football to make a tackle defensively, but also play smart and sound, limiting turnovers. Devin Gardner committed 15 this past year, but only had five in the final 8 games. He knows he can do better, even though he threw for 2,960 yards, accounted for 3,440 yards and 21 passing touchdowns, 11 rushing touchdowns. He's a fighter, and I think the entire team can learn from that, to go hard and compete hard every play.
One thing that gets overlooked is having certain things go your way. That happened four times against Michigan this past season, where of the six losses, four of those six losses were by a combined 11 points. This is similar to what happened to Michigan State last year, and see what they did the year after, crowned Big Ten Champions and now with a chance to win a Rose Bowl.
Michigan can make it to the Rose Bowl. We know the team has what it takes. 14 starters back. A competitive-spirited quarterback, who's the leader of the team. They need to go out and get it. We know they can do it. But we know it's hard.
I'm not making next season 'Big Ten Championship or bust' because of how 2013 went down for the Wolverines. A good year is an important building block for better things to come for this program.
It's difficult to win 12 games in a season. It's hard to win Big Ten Championships. The best teams find a way. They fight for it. Things work out for them. Michigan just has to go out and do it. I know it can.
Hail, Hail to Michigan.
No comments:
Post a Comment