When can we start believing?

[Michchamp]

"I'm not worried till the clock is at zero"

I think we can play with anybody on our schedule.

I agree with this. After the SDSU game I told my buddy that I felt better about 8-4 than I did last year after starting 4-0 and he replied, "Where are these four losses you're predicting?! OSU looks average, Northwestern ... Purdue ... Sparty?!"

I guess I'm like UofM06Marine in that my confidence is shaken after the Rich Rod era.

well, based on the OPs comment, if we win out including the MSU game, we'll be 7-0. At that point in time, we still have to play @Iowa, Nebraska, and Ohio, which were the three best opponents on our sched pre-season, as well as @UI, so I still don't know if I'd start believing we go 8-4 automatically by that point. if we can win @MSU, I think we could beat at least one of those other teams, but who knows?

If "believing" means we go back to the expecting to win, and demanding someone lose their job, or get benched every time we lose... I kinda hope we're not already back to that point. It's nice being able to talk about Michigan football with other fans without some idiot blathering on about how the coach needs to be fired, because we lost to XYZ by a FG, in a game where when pressed they never remember it correctly anyway.

 

[TheVictors]

I totally agree. Personally I expect 6-0 heading into Spartyville.


.... I'd even bet a shot of Wild Turkey on it!

 

[jdbaker1]

I will believe when DRob learns to pass the ball. He has looked amazing when he runs as always but he looks lost when he has to throw it. He seems to be having all kinds of difficulty with the new O and it effecting his fundamentals. Even in the ND game where his numbers were good he looked horrible to me. Most of his passes were just lofted up into the air and the dbs just made terrible plays on the ball. That being said, the D is much better, still not great though. The running game is solid but if big ten defenses start stacking the line it will be interesting to see if DRob can turn it around.

 

[uofm06marine]

I agree with this. After the SDSU game I told my buddy that I felt better about 8-4 than I did last year after starting 4-0 and he replied, "Where are these four losses you're predicting?! OSU looks average, Northwestern ... Purdue ... Sparty?!"

I guess I'm like UofM06Marine in that my confidence is shaken after the Rich Rod era.

well, based on the OPs comment, if we win out including the MSU game, we'll be 7-0. At that point in time, we still have to play @Iowa, Nebraska, and Ohio, which were the three best opponents on our sched pre-season, as well as @UI, so I still don't know if I'd start believing we go 8-4 automatically by that point. if we can win @MSU, I think we could beat at least one of those other teams, but who knows?

If "believing" means we go back to the expecting to win, and demanding someone lose their job, or get benched every time we lose... I kinda hope we're not already back to that point. It's nice being able to talk about Michigan football with other fans without some idiot blathering on about how the coach needs to be fired, because we lost to XYZ by a FG, in a game where when pressed they never remember it correctly anyway.

I really don't want to get back to split fan base and a rough program, I think Coach Hoke has done a great job. I have been happy with what I have seen and he seems to be a great coach.

With that said, I am just very "shell shocked" from the Coach Rodriguez years in which we would start out strong and fall flat once in Big Ten play. I started believing that we would have a good-great season only to come crashing back to earth...

 

[bdtay71]

well, based on the OPs comment, if we win out including the MSU game, we'll be 7-0. At that point in time, we still have to play @Iowa, Nebraska, and Ohio, which were the three best opponents on our sched pre-season, as well as @UI, so I still don't know if I'd start believing we go 8-4 automatically by that point. if we can win @MSU, I think we could beat at least one of those other teams, but who knows?

If "believing" means we go back to the expecting to win, and demanding someone lose their job, or get benched every time we lose... I kinda hope we're not already back to that point. It's nice being able to talk about Michigan football with other fans without some idiot blathering on about how the coach needs to be fired, because we lost to XYZ by a FG, in a game where when pressed they never remember it correctly anyway.

I really don't want to get back to split fan base and a rough program, I think Coach Hoke has done a great job. I have been happy with what I have seen and he seems to be a great coach.

With that said, I am just very "shell shocked" from the Coach Rodriguez years in which we would start out strong and fall flat once in Big Ten play. I started believing that we would have a good-great season only to come crashing back to earth...

If the question is when can we believe that Brady Hoke has us on the right track, then I'd answer that I already believe he does.

 

[uofmdixon]

I still think we can beat Minny,NW.MSU, Iowa and MSU. 9 wins?

 

[Michchamp]

I thought we all agreed Brady Hoke had us on the right track when he put together a great staff, and started bringing in great recruits even before we ever stepped on the field.

I consider myself a pretty quick and accurate judge of character, and I had a positive opinion of Hoke right after his first presser; meeting him (albeit briefly) at the Sports-o-rama, and hearing him talk in person convinced me he was a solid coach and a good guy.

I like the job he's done so far, and I think it affirms my initial judgment. Obviously there is still a long way to go, and even I admit the ND game could've gone either way... but I think his sideline presence certainly played a part in keeping us in that to the finish, and coming back from 17 down in the 4th Q.

 

[jever4321]

I still think we can beat Minny,NW.MSU, Iowa and MSU. 9 wins?

You think they will beat MSU twice? Or it will be such a bad beating it will feel like they beat them twice.