Congrats Bobda, as much as it pains me to to say it, that was an outstanding football team. Enjoy my friend, you deserve it, tho as you suggest, no matter how fleeting it may be. Embrace the moment
Let me add my congratulations Bob and thanks for bringing respect back to midwestern football. Heard this morning that M had 2 5 stars on the field last night. Development can trump recruitment.
Yeah the UM roster is completely different from UGA and Alabama, even Ohio State. Those teams always have multiple NFL 1st round picks and lots of other draft picks. This Michigan squad was a mature bunch who developed from lower ranked HS players and they stayed the full 4 or 5 years. Their lines were composed of upper classmen who stuck with the program and developed.
Irish recruiting guru's have said that JJ McCarthy wanted to come to ND, but Tommy Rees preferred Tyler Buchner so he went to Michigan. Their OL captain, Zinter wanted to come to ND but again was deemed not good enough, both he and McCarthy made the Irish evaluations of them look lame. Zinter's brother Preston is a promising LB in the Irish freshman class. Harbaugh built a program with kids he liked and didn't really worry about their Star rating, not that they don't have any highly ranked players but he doesn't seem enamoured with their star rating.
The question of course for UM fans is will he be back next year? Certainly all the talk is that both the Chargers and the Raiders are interested. Although he's reportedly explored NFL options and I think his last was when the Vikings were looking but he didn't get the job. He is a hot coach right now. I wonder if he has UM on the edge of a run like Tressel had at Ohio State, if so why would he leave? I doubt if either the Chargers or Raiders will be able to outbid Michigan if that is what is driving him, which I don't think it is what is driving him. He's making tons of money now.
The other thing is that many complained that Michigan played a weak schedule and that once they got to play "tougher' teams they'd fold, well they mowed down, Penn State, Ohio State, Iowa, Alabama and Washington to get the crown. So maybe playing a tough schedule isn't necessary to build a winner.
Harbaugh is the football equivalent of a basketball gym rat who lives for the game 24/7. Pro football probably is the best environment for a person with that type of personality where he does not have to devote energy to making sure players are attending class and not getting in trouble with the police, traveling to court 18 year olds to attend M, smoozing deep pocket boosters, worrying about the portal and the fact that all your players are free agents at season’s end, and complying with those pesky NCAA rules. I think the NFL’s structure provides him the environment to devote all his energy to building a quality team so long as he has an owner and GM he can work with.
M’s 2024 schedule is also not easily navigable: Aug. 31 vs. Fresno State Sept. 7 vs. Texas Sept. 14 vs. Ark. State Sept. 21 vs. USC Sept. 28 vs. Minnesota Oct. 5 at Washington Oct. 12 Idle Oct. 19 at Illinois Oct. 26 vs. Michigan State Nov. 2 vs. Oregon Nov. 9 at Indiana Nov. 16 Idle Nov. 23 vs. Northwestern Nov. 30 at Ohio State
Man, the addition of the Pac12 teams makes the already challenging B10 conference schedule even more daunting.
I giggle at those guys that say M played a "weak" schedule given that M likely beat their team or beat a team that beat their team....it was soft early, brutal late. Credit where credit is due