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Too close to call. So . . . I was a homer. Lewerke and Stanley are seniors. Lewerke is in the same conference, but not in the same league. Fields and Martinez are close, but don't have the resume. This year they may make their resume. Time will tell.

Probably should have chosen someone else, but I am looking at Wisconsin and Northwester having inexperienced QBs this season. I projected Iowa at 5-7, but I am raising it to 6-6 because the other traditional powers in the West have issues. Iowa has issues too. It is close between Fields, Patterson and Stanley. I can't really break that tie but I should break it in favor of Patterson or Fields but cannot figure out which of them. The schedule spells doom for the Hawkeyes.

I mean all things being equal Fields ain't a bad choice, being the best recruit and surrounded by the best talent and perhaps the best coaches.  But I haven't seen anything yet that gets me excited, and Martinez has looked really good and also has great coaching.  Patterson has been fine, the thing on him is whether Michigan's coaching change works out, and if so he'll be right at the top.

Edit:

Also, OSU did lose some receivers but they are still pretty healthy there.  KJ Hill, Victor, Mack, and Olave are all fine, and young guys Jaelen Gill and Garrett Wilson seem destined for some snaps.

I went with Shea Patterson. I could see the argument for Martinez. He’s gonna put up monster #’s as long as he doesn’t get hurt.

Kinda baffles me that Fields has the most votes at 5. That’s based off of nothing but pure ‘crootin hype. He didn’t show a whole lot at Georgia as a frosh, couldn’t beat out a pretty mediocre talent in Fromm which is why he transferred.

I think Day will be just fine, but Ohio State also lost arguably its best ever coach in Meyer and Fields’ game was a better fit for Meyer’s style of spread option offense that features the QB run imo than he is with Day’s impressive bombs away Air Raid style passing game. Ohio State also has to replace 4 starters along the OL and Mike Weber’s tough bowling ball between the tackles thunder running style that complimented JK Dobbins slasher style perfectly.

Ohio State also has to replace like 4 senior WRs that lead the team in receptions, tds, and yards and all ripped off 4.4’s or better at the NFL combine. There’s still talent there like Austin Mack and Benjamin Victor but those are more big body, possession style receivers. Probably in the 4.6’s. They aren’t 4.35 like Paris Campbell or McLaurin who can rip the top off a defense and just run past every one deep or the type to catch a 6 yard pass and turn on the jets and go 60 more for a touchdown.

It doesn’t really baffle you, does it?

OSU usually has a good offense that produces the best QB and it’s being taken over by a wunderkind with a top QB recruit. That’s a guy with a cannon arm and a coach who has also run offense with dual threat QBs in his day. Last year a guy who couldn’t beat out a worse passer than Fromm stepped in and put up insane stats.

Patterson seems like he should be a shoo-in, but with Michigan, there always seems to a a proof of concept we’re waiting on. He had inconsistent moments as a junior, breaking in a new OC, one who never held the primary job. It’ll be fun if they’re good, but I can see waiting and seeing.

(This is not to hype Fields and say he will be better, just that it’s not so baffling at all)

I’m fascinated to see how this goes. Does Patterson make the jump? Was last year a sign of things to come for Martinez? Can Stanley be more than what he’s been? Fields is an experiment. NW and UW both added in talented dudes. Should be fun.

OSU's situation is also interesting for its depth. If, for any reason, Fields weren't to finish the season as starter, we'd probably go from thinking Day is a shoe-in for a Top 1/2/3 guy to wondering if he'll have one in the Top ... 8/9/10? When was the last time there was that kind of drop off in Columbus - ever since Krenzel?

Are you asking about drop off starter to backup or from last year to this?

Troy Smith was a drop off?Granted he didn't win a NC but put up some nice numbers and got a Heisman

I think he means the Zwick experience?

I like Michigan’s returning WR’s better than OSU’s. Especially if Tarik Black can finally stay healthy. Frosh slot receivers Mike Sainstril and Giles Jackson are really perfect 5’9ish 4.35-4.4ish slot ninja compliments to the towering trio outside of Black, Peoples-Jones, & Collins. They won’t ever see double coverage and all they’ll be asked to do is be role players, not featured go to WRs. That’s the role of Black, Collins, and DPJ. 

And Black & DPJ have got 1st round NFL talent imo. It’s really just a matter of Black staying healthy. Black is as sound a receiver and as smooth as they come athletically. For DPJ it’s really all about refining his route running to match up to his ridiculous athletic skills. Nico Collins ain’t too shabby himself.

OSU’s RBs definitely significantly better than M’s. Especially with Evans gone. Michigan’s entire RB fortunes are really going to rest on the shoulders of hot shot 5 STARZ true frosh Zach Chabornnet. The position is that bad right now imo. But luckily for M the easiest position in football for a frosh to make an impact at is RB imo.

Now let’s go to the OL. Ohio State has to replace 4 starters on the OL. Michigan is returning 4 starters and they just had a drastic improvement in 2018 vs 2017 in year 1 of Ed Warriner. With the return of 4 starters they should only continue to grow and improve under Ed Warriner’s tutelage. 

And Shea has a huge amount of experience and playing time advantage over Fields. At this point Shea has started probably 25 games. Fields hasn’t started one. 

I guess people are probably more or less in a I’ll believe it when I see it mode when it comes to Harbaugh giving up the reins and ditching the 20 TE’s and 14 FB sets and letting Gattis go free to spread it out and do what he wants. That’s the only thing I can really think of.

I like Michigan’s returning WR’s better than OSU’s. Especially if Tarik Black can finally stay healthy.

You're not wrong at least right now.The thing is how Black emerged from the pack of Collins and DPJ.If the line can give Shea some time it could be a fun season in AA.