A look ahead to Sept 1, 2012

[b311j]

From Bleacher Report

Sometime in the second or third quarter, after another Jordan Jefferson speed option to nowhere, the conversation shifted dramatically. No longer was the question: Was LSU's 2011 season the most impressive in the history of college football? It was: Is the 2011 Alabama defense the best ever?

By the final whistle of a 21-0 strangulation, one would be hard pressed to make an argument contrary.

Alabama finished the season ranked first in the nation in all five of the major defensive categories, rush yards allowed, pass yards allowed, pass efficiency defense, total yards allowed, and points allowed per game.

For long stretches of the national championship game it wasn't even assured that the Tigers would cross the 50-yard line. Had LSU got seven points for each trip into Bama territory, they would have still lost by two touchdowns.

Michigan fans watching the game spent most of it cringing at the thought of the sub-200 lbs quarterback and running back combo of Denard Robinson and Fitzgerald Toussaint running headfirst into Dont'a Hightower and his buddies for 60 minutes.

But what do the Wolverines really have to expect when these teams meet next September in the Jerry Dome to kick off the 2012 season?

Can this defense rebuild?

Will the offense take a step forward?

Will the team be likely to start 2012 in the top spot on the polls, and manage to end the year at the same place (again)?

First, the Bama offense will have some holes to fill.

The offensive line will lose its center and first team all-SEC selection William Vlachos, but to bring back both second-teamer Chance Warmack and first-teamer Barrett Jones (both juniors) should help keep the running game functioning at a high level.

Although out of any position on the offense, the biggest shoes to fill will undoubtedly be those of Trent Richardson, the Heisman finalist that doubles as the boulder from Raiders of the Lost Arc.

All season long fans have been treated to articles and Sportscenter segments on just how strong Richardson is, and if he should decide to take his game to the NFL (he is, after all, a junior and could come back for one more year) it would be all the better for Michigan's chances in the game. Richardson finished the year with 1,679 rushing yards, 338 receiving yards, and 24 total touchdowns.

Those numbers don't bode well for any defense lining up opposite him, especially one losing two of its best defensive players in Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen. However, watch out for Eddie Lacy who looks to fill the last two Bama running backs' shoes.

While quarterback AJ McCarron will once again return

 

[damfran]

Love the second to last paragraph......if we are going to play 'em....might as well be the opener.

 

[wheels002]

I believe we have a chance which a year ago I wouldnt think would be possible. We will need people to step up and play hard and a break or two but we have a chance and you know Hoke will have them playing hard.

 

[michlady77]

Sias the other night scry

If vt shut us down in offense.....

 

[TheVictors]

Maybe a Federal investigation into drug trafficking will lead to a scandal that results in Saban being fired, McCarron going Pro and a half-dozen other players being suspended and LSU getting a vacated BCS Title loss...!?

 

[wolverine304]

This game pretty much depends on how denard/devin turn out. If we still can't complete passes downfield then we're done.

 

[hungry]

I think Denard is a better runner and passer than Jefferson. We'll see. I don't expect Michigan to win and no one else does either. It won't be a bad mark to lose to Alabama, but if we win...

 

[wolverine304]

It'll be bad if we lose like 52-14 though.

And denard might be better, but we know for a fact that we won't have the special teams or defense they had. We need denard to be better, a lot better. Especially after seeing the Va Tech game..


I'm still wishing Devin uses some of his 5* potential and plays Qb. And Denard is a Percy Harvin/Tavon Austin type of player. Maybe Denard has bad hands though, who knows.

 

[GoBlueInAtlanta]

Ok, here's my January prediction for the 2012 season:

We beat Bama in a hard-fought, field-goal-with-no-time-on-the-clock-wins-it, contest. We get on a roll (pun intended) and steamroll our OOC foes and then continue on through the B1G. We Beat Wisconsin in the championship game which sets up a rematch with Bama in the National Championship Game!!

Ok, I'm done now.

 

[thewolverines24]

Richardson, Kirkpatrick, and Hightower are all going pro. No surprise there.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft2012/story/_....nter-nfl- draft

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

Wow, all I see are a bunch of ColumbusBengals. Boy, I sure hope they don't hurt us. Maybe they'll take it easy on us and we'll get lucky


If Denard shows up to play, we'll be just fine.

 

[thewolverines24]

I think we are going to be right in the game with a chance to win. They are losing a ton on defense and their best players on offense. Sure they have talented guys waiting, but there is no guarantee those guys will be as good as who they are replacing. If our d-line holds up and someone steps up in the passing game (WR), we should be just fine.

 

[wolverine304]

Year in and year out the players who fill in are good. Its pretty much a gurantee.

 

[thewolverines24]

Year in and year out the players who fill in are good. Its pretty much a gurantee.

Well they did give up 21 to Georgia Southern, so nothing is guaranteed.

 

[wolverine304]

Also scored 45 and in a year they went 11-1 and won the NC.

 

[thewolverines24]

Also scored 45 and in a year they went 11-1 and won the NC.

Everyone should score 45 on Georgia Southern. The game was shockingly close in the 3rd quarter so it's not like this team is invincible.

 

[TheVictors]

Playing a team like Alabama in a pre-season showcase game with a veteran and experienced Michigan is better than playing an experienced Alabama team 10 games into the season, IMO.

I'm not afraid. And if Michigan were to win ... well it would likely result in mass suicides and anarchy throughout the SEC.

I'm all for it .... and have a feeling the national sentiment will be about 80/20 in favor of Michigan, only SEC/Bama fans in that minority 20.

 

[Michchamp]

<blockquote>And if Michigan were to win ... well it would likely result in mass <s>suicides and anarchy</s> RichRod levels of excuse-making throughout the SEC.
</blockquote>sorry, I thought that would be more accurate. They would find some BS way to spin it. And as soon as we dropped a game, maybe @ND, @Nebraska, MSU, etc. the SEC-press would spin our win as a fluke early season upset.

I agree with your other point 100%: after all the SEC hype, people will be pulling for us.

I remember on the ESPN boards during the '08 Cap One bowl, the sentiment seemed to favor us. "Florida can't handle that Big Ten speed!" was a favorite line.

 

[redandguilty]

...at least we know Denard and Floyd will be back.

 

[icetime]

Wish I could believe like y'all (sorry, been saying' that since NOLA). I know 'Bama loses some, but they will largely just reload. Ah, if Rich Rod had just taken the 'Bama job how different history may have been.

I realize this is nevertheless an opportunity and being a 'dog' for sure, in this game, where a win would be huge for Michigan and a real perception (non-believers) that Michigan is back.