Michigan lands 2015 RB Damien Harris #20 in ESPN 300

[jalopy]

I rather win titles than be "exciting"... Oregon is a fine program but I rather we model ourselves after Alabama (without the off field issues) and aim at national dominance.

I understand that but why not have your cake and eat it too. Michigan had the opportunity to change the college football landscape but chose to run from the challenge. Oregon came from nowhere to be a national power. Michigan could have taken it to the next step.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

OK, I'll bite...

When RR came in there was very little elite talent on the team, especially considering the prior coach was advising incoming recruits (and current players) to look elsewhere. Additionally, RR was hired with a change in philosophy mandated. This was a major shift in how things had been done before and people didn't think it would take time.

RR's system can't win by itself, it needs talent as does any other system. He had very little to work with. If his legs hadn't been cut out at every turn in the form of internal bickering, budgeting issues, and non-support this program would now be on par with Oregon as one of the most exciting in the country. Instead of blaming everything on RR, Michigan fans need to look up the totem pole.

Even voiding the first 2 season, by year three he had plenty of time to get the talent and run the system that he wanted. He had the NCAA record holder for rushing yards at QB for gods sake. I'm not sure what else RR could have wanted out of an offensive set of players. He got exactly what he wanted on offense and still wasn't able to win in the big ten. His defensive philosophy is simply not good enough to win against the best competition.

I'd also like to point out that Hoke didn't exactly have the best guys when he came here either to run either offensive or defensive schemes he was looking to run. He adapted quite well to what he was given.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

When it's all said and done, I think RR might be an OK offensive coordinator but I just don't think he's a great head coach. He can't handle change, he's terrible with handling adversity and he personally calls out players for their/his mistakes. Let's not forget that this is the guy who basically called out in the media our current kicker who has the chance to hit the most field goals straight in Michigan history. There's no other position that best illustrates how terrible of a coach RR was. Make all the excuses for defense and offense that you want, RR went three years into the program without finding a kicker who could make a field goal. Hoke comes in and we take the same kid and turn him into one of the best in the country.

 

[jdwills126]

The player Rich Rod was bringing in fit his idea or style. D Rob was a 4 star kid. It wasn't that great players didn't want to come to Michigan Rich Rod only recruited kids that he thought could fit.

Plus the fact he wanted to use all his schollies on the offense side of the ball. When he did go defense he tried to find guys that fit that shitty 3-3-5 defense!

Tradition is great for fans, alum, and boosters and that were Rich Rod lost his job! If he had support he could have lasted another year and I think he would have gone 9-3 and saved his job.

 

[jdwills126]

When it's all said and done, I think RR might be an OK offensive coordinator but I just don't think he's a great head coach

He will be fine in the Pac 10 where they play defense as an afterthought and weather is not a gig issue. Rich rod is a specific fit and B1G was not it.

 

[jalopy]

Even voiding the first 2 season, by year three he had plenty of time to get the talent and run the system that he wanted. He had the NCAA record holder for rushing yards at QB for gods sake. I'm not sure what else RR could have wanted out of an offensive set of players. He got exactly what he wanted on offense and still wasn't able to win in the big ten. His defensive philosophy is simply not good enough to win against the best competition.

I'd also like to point out that Hoke didn't exactly have the best guys when he came here either to run either offensive or defensive schemes he was looking to run. He adapted quite well to what he was given.

I actually agree with this. On the offensive side of the ball, he recruited well at the skill positions. I think we would all agree that his offensive lines were not very good and the reason that the offensive was not very successful against strong teams. I agree completely that RR wasn't qualified to run a defense but all the more reason to let him hire someone who can.

Hoke inherited the "NCAA record holder for rushing at QB" and a Heisman candidate and I think he would have done ok running the ball from the tailback position as well. He also had two very good alternatives at QB in DG and Bellomy (Nebraska game aside, the staff is still very high on him). Still though, I give Hoke credit for his flexibility.

As an aside to Maize (and Hammer), why not remove the restricted status or just ban me altogether? I can go elsewhere but there are a few familiar faces on here that I rather enjoy bouncing ideas off of and I know a few more will come once the season starts. - Jalopy

 

[jalopy]

The player Rich Rod was bringing in fit his idea or style. D Rob was a 4 star kid. It wasn't that great players didn't want to come to Michigan Rich Rod only recruited kids that he thought could fit.

Plus the fact he wanted to use all his schollies on the offense side of the ball. When he did go defense he tried to find guys that fit that shitty 3-3-5 defense!

Tradition is great for fans, alum, and boosters and that were Rich Rod lost his job! If he had support he could have lasted another year and I think he would have gone 9-3 and saved his job.

He lost his job because he lost a lot of games. I think people are underestimating the influence that Michigan has. RR would have worked if Michigan had wanted it to work.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I actually agree with this. On the offensive side of the ball, he recruited well at the skill positions. I think we would all agree that his offensive lines were not very good and the reason that the offensive was not very successful against strong teams. I agree completely that RR wasn't qualified to run a defense but all the more reason to let him hire someone who can.

Hoke inherited the "NCAA record holder for rushing at QB" and a Heisman candidate and I think he would have done ok running the ball from the tailback position as well. He also had two very good alternatives at QB in DG and Bellomy (Nebraska game aside, the staff is still very high on him). Still though, I give Hoke credit for his flexibility.

As an aside to Maize (and Hammer), why not remove the restricted status or just ban me altogether? I can go elsewhere but there are a few familiar faces on here that I rather enjoy bouncing ideas off of and I know a few more will come once the season starts. - Jalopy

Hoke did inherent some talent, but it was meant for another system. He had to convince those guys to stay Denard and Devin both thought about transferring.

I think RR had the same opportunity with Mallet, Boren and some others. As I said earlier, coming in and firing everyone was his biggest mistake. Keeping some of those coaches the kids knew, telling them that it would be a transition and that they could run a more pro-style offense I still think would have been a better move. Even with Threet, we would have been better with a pro-style offense. It's likely he never would have been injured had he not been running the spread option.

I guess it's all easy to say in hindsight, but like I said - I think one of the biggest failures of RR's time here at Michigan was the kicking game. It truly showed how poor of a coach he was. He wasn't motivating kids, he was just making his kickers afraid of losing their job and scholarship.

I asked hammer to unrestrict TrueBlueFan and unban your Jalopy name. I didn't even realize you were restricted or had come back as another name.

 

[jalopy]

Hoke did inherent some talent, but it was meant for another system. He had to convince those guys to stay Denard and Devin both thought about transferring.

I think RR had the same opportunity with Mallet, Boren and some others. As I said earlier, coming in and firing everyone was his biggest mistake. Keeping some of those coaches the kids knew, telling them that it would be a transition and that they could run a more pro-style offense I still think would have been a better move. Even with Threet, we would have been better with a pro-style offense. It's likely he never would have been injured had he not been running the spread option.

I guess it's all easy to say in hindsight, but like I said - I think one of the biggest failures of RR's time here at Michigan was the kicking game. It truly showed how poor of a coach he was. He wasn't motivating kids, he was just making his kickers afraid of losing their job and scholarship.

I asked hammer to unrestrict TrueBlueFan and unban your Jalopy name. I didn't even realize you were restricted.

I'm not a huge fan of RR as the head coach for the reasons you've described and others but he wasn't given a chance. I love his philosophy but he lacks the ability to see the big picture. That said, he did not deserve what Carr did to him. It was petty and juvenile and not in the best interest of the university.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

He lost his job because he lost a lot of games. I think people are underestimating the influence that Michigan has. RR would have worked if Michigan had wanted it to work.

Not sure I would say that. Michigan's administration made some mistakes, but I think at least 75% of the blame falls on RR. At the end of the day, he just wasn't able to coach well enough. I think he might do OK at Arizona, but doing OK is not doing great. And doing OK at Michigan gets you fired - like going 7-5 in year 3.

 

[HuskerPower52]

Nice land. What are the names of the RB and WR you are referring to

 

[jalopy]

Nice land. What are the names of the RB and WR you are referring to

2015 Damien Harris RB
2015 George Campbell Jr. WR (although many sites have him listed as "athlete")

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

Nice land. What are the names of the RB and WR you are referring to

Football Recruiting - Damien Harris - Player Profiles - ESPN

Football Recruiting - George Campbell - Player Profiles - ESPN

 

[jalopy]

I asked hammer to unrestrict TrueBlueFan and unban your Jalopy name. I didn't even realize you were restricted or had come back as another name.

Thanks for that but Hammer doesn't seem like the type of fella to backtrack. Oh well, his site.

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I asked hammer to unrestrict TrueBlueFan and unban your Jalopy name. I didn't even realize you were restricted or had come back as another name.

Thanks for that but Hammer doesn't seem like the type of fella to backtrack. Oh well, his site.

I think there's a good chance he will. I'm not even sure what "restricted member" means. You can't post threads, only in them?

 

[jalopy]

I can't use any function on the site other than post on an existing thread. Otherwise I would just PM the message above to Hammer.

 

[jalopy]

If I could post I might start a thread about something like this:

Alabama DE Dee Liner flashes wad of cash in Instagram photo - latimes.com

 

[Coyote57]

Michigan had gone all-in on the new philosophy, we could have changed college
football.

Perhaps, I have to wonder at how he could have done so going into his next yr w/ only 5 Scholly OL and a lack of Scholly LB's. That aside, I doubt RR's adaptability.

An old friend, born and bred Neb fan, came to B10 country due to job, was practically salivating when Neb came in. And was stunned by the results of that 1st season. Later, expressed her thoughts this way...

In the 12 (she exempted the Callahan yrs - you think some folk here dislike RR, you should hear her on Calahan) Neb went out and punched everyone in the mouth game in and game out, and only a couple times a yr did anyone seriously punch back. Result, after a few punches in the face, other teams lost their motor. Then Neb came into the B10. Neb punched and the B10 schools didn't blink. Instead of a couple of times a yr, B10 schools saw punches in the face as a way of living. Neb couldn't bully and found it was getting punched right back, not a couple times a yr, but several times a yr. She worried about her beloved Huskers future. Looks to me, that Neb has adjusted, adapted, and overcome that initial shock.

I see RR coming into the B10 the same way, not used to getting punched in the face week in and week out, but unlike Neb, he didn't seem to adapt, adjust to the increased physicality he faced in the B10 that he hadn't seen but a couple times a yr back in the old digs. (How could he w/ the lack of OL, LBs?)

Now he's back in a bit more of a finesse league, and not going to get punched in the face as often, I think he'll do better than he did here. We'll see.

 

[jalopy]

Coyote, good analysis. My point is Michigan is playing it conservative and going for the guaranteed 9 win seasons with a small chance at a NC if things go their way. I am more of a risk taker and would rather see them try something that is going to get us into the NC game 3 times a decade. As good as Michigan was under Bo/Mo/Lloyd, it took a fluke defense for them to win it all. Other than that, they beat up on the little guys and struggled against top teams.

 

[nonbcsfan]

I understand that but why not have your cake and eat it too. Michigan had the opportunity to change the college football landscape but chose to run from the challenge. Oregon came from nowhere to be a national power. Michigan could have taken it to the next step.

well I guess it is easier to entertain a radical idea when you're Oregon than when you're Michigan... not that the no huddle zone read system is such a radical idea nowadays, but as I've stated a million times before, the old guard at Michigan did not accept all those changes, and RR didn't win nearly enough games to shut them up.