Will Michigan end up in the Sugar Bowl singing "The Victors"

[DR STRANGELOVE]

Can the University of Michigan overcome adversity and win the National Championship?

Sure. Traditionally, Michigan has one of the strongest offensive lines in football and that won't change this year. With the following up:

Tony Pape
Matt Lentz
Dave Pearson
David Baas
Adam Stenavich

The Wolverines line is as good as any in the nation.

This is comforting as John Navarre is only slightly more mobile than Frankenstein.

The passing game promises to be stronger than last year with the return of Braylon Edwards and the strong showing by Jason Avant.

Chris Perry will be another key for the Wolverines. Will he be able to run inside and keep the chains moving, this is critical to keep the hounds at bay...(see the point about Navarre's mobility)

Offensively, the key for the 2003 season is:

Will John Navarre be able to finally convince Wolverines fans that he's as good as critics say he is?

Yes and no. IMHO, Navarre has a terrific arm and against lesser opponents he's money. Unfortunately, when it comes to big games he tends to overthrow the ball and makes incorrect reads. *See the Notre Dame and OSU games*

Navarre must recognize the blitz and make the correct throws when it comes or else 2003 will mirror 2002.

Can the Wolverines defense keep them in games?

Absolutely. There isn't a team in the Big Ten that has a better starting secondary when it comes to coverage ability.

It's been reported that Marlin Jackson has been moved to FS to be able to get our best coverage men on the field at the same time and to maximize his playmaking abilities. I'm not sold that this will work, but we have to trust in Lloyd Carr.

If healthy, the LB corps will be versatile. Kauffman, Diggs, and Woods are all very solid LB's. Are they Victor Hobson, no....but not many are.

Norman Heuer, Stevens, Bowman, and Kashama make up the D-line. Is it me or does it seem like Heuer has been at UM forever?

Crucial Games: Michigan doesn't fare well on the road versus Pac-10 teams, but with their porous secondary I'd expect big things from Navarre that game. OSU will always be tough, but the game I'm worried about is Purdue.

Bottom line: If Navarre is consistent in every game and if Michigan remains healthy, there is a very good opportunity for them to be playing on January 4th.

 

[Escrow_Tum]

A tough sched will be 1 major hurdle. As potent as their offense is expected to be, the running game better be ready. As schitty a team as I think Oregon will be, that may be one of their major hurdles this year. Autzen is not easy to play at, and early in the year is even worse.

GL

 

[Bombs]

As a huge Michigan fan, here are a few thoughts:

#1) The schedule Michigan has is one of the easiest they have ever had. It is tailor made for a national title run. They will be favored in every single game, most by DDs.

#2) Notre Dame will be tough, Michigan has a knack for blowing that game.

#3) The will beat Oregon, despite Autzen being a death trap. Oregon will not be that good this year.

#4) I think their toughest game will be at Minnesota.

#5) They will finally handle OSU this year. They severely outplayed them the last two years statistically. They won't let it bite them in the ass this year. This OSU team will not be as good as last year's. Teams regress. They lost key leaders on defense, and it will show. OSU's offense stunk last year, so having all the starters back is no big deal. They'll have a season similar to the one Michigan had after their National Title.

#6) With all this said, I don't think Michigan will go undefeated. You never know, but I just think the defense won't be good enough to do it. They have a good chance though.

 

[ND2002HORNS]

Getting Indiana and NW instead of Wisconsin and Penn St. should be a huge help as well on the schedule.

HORNS

 

[CWood97]

As a die hard UM fan, I will say that we have as good a chance as we've had since 2000 to go undefeated. Here are five reasons it will happen, followed by five reasons it won't:

1) Pierre Woods (RS-soph), Gabe Watson (Soph) and Steve Breaston (RS Frosh) are the three best players in the Big Ten you've never heard of. Woods is a 6'6" 248 lb specimen with legit sub 4.6 speed, a 38' vert and a mean streak. He spent the first two years bulking up and will break through this year as a SAM LB (Vic Hobson's old position)/ He is a converted DE. Think Jevon Kearse. Gabe Watson is 6'4" 330 lb behemoth DT that runs a 5.0 and can do the splits. He made some big plays last year, but was limited by poor conditioning (was at 360 lbs). This year he is checking in at a svelt 337. Think Shaun Rogers without the bad ankles. Steve Breaston is a wiry 6'0" 175 lb wide out with mad speed and lightning quick moves. He is a converted HS QB and redshirted last year while he learned the WR position. He tore up the Big 33 HS Ohio/PA all star game (MVP) in his first game ever at WR. He will certainly be a factor in the KR game and in 4-5 receiver sets. Think Pete Warrick with more straight line speed.

2) Safety play will be better because UM lost Cato June and Charles Drake to graduation. With Marlin Jackson and Earnest Shazor (assuming he gets out of Lloyd's dog house) in the game, the safety play will be much better, with more big INT and less big plays for offenses.

3) The "offense" isn't new anymore. With a new OC last year, UM installed more short passes and crossing routes. The work that Navarre and the WR's got done in the bowl practices was very evident in the bowl game vs FLA. How good will they be after Spring ball and Fall practices? My guess is very.

4) Leadership potential is there. Navarre, Pape and Jackson should be great leaders. Much like Griese, Janson and Woodson were in 1997.

5) The schedule. This is the obvious one. The only tough road games are at Oregon, at Iowa and at Minnesota. Oregon and Minnesota are soft and Iowa shouldn't be that great this year. However, keep in mind that Iowa is in Navarre's head. He has had awful outings the last two games he has faced them. I have also been told that Iowa may know more about UM's audibles than Navarre does. Purdue is also scary.

Reasons they won't go undefeated;

1) Lloyd ball = play not to lose. This means many games will be closer than they should be, which means one or two fluke plays can beat UM on any given Sat.

2) No depth at QB, S, OT. A key injury to Navarre, Pape or Shazor/Jackson will spell disaster.

3) No gamebreaker at RB. Perry is a 4.6 guy and Underwood/Bracken/Rembert have marginal speed at best. The true frosh won't get a shot this year either. The running game will have to set up big plays to the WR's, or there won't be many big plays for a solid offense.

4) Jim Hermann (DC) has wasted a ton of talent since 1997, whiy should this year be any different? In 1997 he had Woodson and a blitz package that no one had seen before. The Big Ten has adjusted and knows how to counter UM. With the athletes he'll have this year, there are no excuses. I am still taking a wait and see attitude.

5) Navarre. Is he really a guy that will step it up in the big games? We'll see Sept 13 (ND) and Nov 22.


Another note, make sure to lay a dime on Central Mich in the August 30th opener. Mike DeBord is Lloyd's former offensive coordinator. He'll be gentle, look for walk-ons and frosh to be in the game by mid third quarter.

 

[ND2002HORNS]

Very good analysis, hope to see you in here on a consistent basis when the season begins. You are so right about Navarre and Iowa. I went down to the Big House last year to see the Iowa/Michigan game and I think at the time it was Michigan' worst defeat at home in over 25 yrs. As my buddy says who is an alumn, GO BLUE!

HORNS

 

[DR STRANGELOVE]

nice write up, thanks

 

[CWood97]

Thanks guys, I should be on the board all season, didn't find this site until late in the NFL season last year. Hopefully some of my Big Ten knowledge will be of use to the site.

Another quick UM note, it appears that Carr has decided NOT to suspend Marlin Jackson for any length of time. He is taking a wait and see approach on this one, and the trial won't likely be until Jan-Feb. Good news for the defense, bad news for UM's image???