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This game has a 34 point spread for a reason. Middle Tennessee was decent last year, but they also lost a lot, especially on offense. Hopefully Michigan gets a big lead early, proves it can run the spread offense effectively, and can take out the starters by half time along with avoiding any injuries, of course.

This game has a 34 point spread for a reason. Middle Tennessee was decent last year, but they also lost a lot, especially on offense. Hopefully Michigan gets a big lead early, proves it can run the spread offense effectively, and can take out the starters by half time along with avoiding any injuries, of course.

All I want to see in this game is the offense putting the foot on the gas pedal and not letting up. Trying everything and anything. Working out as many kinks in the new system as possible. Leave the starters in all game long. None of this take them out at the half bs. They need the work against the live bullets. If Shea doesn't throw the ball 40 times this game I'm going to be kind of pissed. Let him go out there and sling it all game long and work on timing with his receivers vs live bullets. They've got the first two games to do that. Screw that sit everyone at half time crap.

All I want to see in this game is the offense putting the foot on the gas pedal and not letting up. Trying everything and anything. Working out as many kinks in the new system as possible. Leave the starters in all game long. None of this take them out at the half bs. They need the work against the live bullets. If Shea doesn't throw the ball 40 times this game I'm going to be kind of pissed. Let him go out there and sling it all game long and work on timing with his receivers vs live bullets. They've got the first two games to do that. Screw that sit everyone at half time crap.

I agree with most of this. I'd like to see at least 6 targets each for Collins/Black/DPJ and plural targets each for Ronnie Bell, Sainristil and Giles Jackson. And in some passes to the tailbacks and it may well lead to 40 passes. But getting pissed if it ends up a few below that is a few steps away from giving up on the team early. 
The colored-bold parrts are dead on, though. Even if Gattis is great and the offensive roster melds perfectly with him, there's way too much to practice in a live game to slow down and coast.

yeah, reading the article it's pretty depressing just how far behind Michigan's stone age offense really is. Harbaugh needs to just stay the F out and let Gattis do his thing.

The main thing about the purple paragraph is that, wow, Michigan was excellent at RPOs last year. It's amazing how seldom they went to it. When something essentially never fails, you aren't doing it enough.** In any event, that should make the transition far more natural than many expect.

Really?

I think that was the most consistent criticism.  That he'd be rolling Patterson out, maximizing his ability, then suddenly go away from it and put the offense in 3rd and long.

(1) RPOs weren't the only aspect of the offense set to make decisions out of the pocket
(2) As the article mentioned (purple text), Michigan's 2018 RPOs (despite being 89th most frequent in FBS) were measurably successful -- 3rd best in the country in RPO rushing (7.3 YPC) and the nation's best passing grade and fifth best passer rating on RPO passes.

Yeah, that's what I'm saying, that it isn't new information.  We were saying all last year that UM looked good on RPOs, and then they'd abandon them.

re-watched the game, and honestly it was tough to watch. That game was 40-14 to me. I know it was 40-21, but Middle Tennessee St scored a flukeish long TD with about a minute left to go with their 1st team offense still in the game against the 2nd and 3rd team defense.

Game should've been 55-7, but dumb plays from the players and poor coaching by Harbaugh caused what was a blowout that was never in doubt vs an inferior team appear closer than it actually was.

Let's get right to the dumb plays. Patterson fumbles the ball on the very first play giving MTSU excellent field position and sets up their first TD. Ronnie Bell drops a TD that hits him right in the hands. Ronnie Bell drops a couple other balls that looked very catchable to me. LaVert Hill drops a walk-in pick 6. LaVert Hill muffs a punt and gives MTSU excellent field position and sets up their final legit TD of the game. Sean McKeon drops a catch that hits him in both hands that would've set Michigan up with a 1st goal or damn near close to it. These are mistakes that just can't happen. Elite teams don't have this many sloppy plays in a single game.

Harbaugh is a dumb coach and his teams reflect that. They just do dumb shit. Often. And he does dumb shit and makes dumb personnel decisions all of the time. Like wtf is LaVert Hill even doing back there returning punts? That's just stupid. One he's too valueable, two he's not a threat to house a punt, three he's barely ever done it, and four there are guys on that roster that are way better options than him. Harbaugh is just dumb. I'm 100% convinced of that. Idiot savant is probably the correct term for him.

Some bullet points...

1) Zach Chabornnet looks SPECIAL. Hate to say it, and it's way too soon to be saying this- but he kinda reminds me of Zeke the Freak from that school down south. Just a complete back that can pass block and explodes between the tackles hard. His pass blocking for a true frosh is insane. MTSU blitzed god damn near ever play, and he picked everything up without a hitch. He reminds me of Zeke in that regard so much it's scary. Also reminds me of Zeke in that he doesn't dance at all- just gets north/south, has a great little jump cut, doesn't shy away from contact, runs through people yet is light on his feet for a bigger back and has great burst/juice. It was a joke that he only got 8 carries. How the F is Dylan McCaffrey getting more carries in a game than Chabornnet? That is ridiculous.

2) Christian Turner looks like a really solid back-up. RB might actually turn into a strength. Dances a little too much- nowhere near the physical specimen and didn't display the pass block chops that true frosh Zach Chabornnet seems to just be born with- but Turner has a great burst and lightning in his feet. He hits top speed in a hurry- and while he's similar sized to Higdon- he is significantly quicker and faster than Higdon. Giving snaps/carries to ANY OTHER RB's except these two is a complete and utter waste of time. Charbonnet needs to be the starter, Turner only needs to come in to spell him, and Tru Wilson should come in on pass downs to block whenever Charbonnet needs a breather. Wilson shouldn't be carrying the football. Charbonnet needs like 90% of the carries and Turner the other 10%. ANYONE ELSE carrying the ball is a complete waste of time and stupid.

3) Tarik Black and Nico Collins are pretty god damn good man. Ronnie Bell ain't too shabby either- he's a great athlete and has great burst but he has to CATCH THE DAMN BALL. Cornelius Johnson even came in and really flashed. That one handed catch he made for the first down- ridiculous. This WR crew could be SCARY whenever DPJ gets backs and whenver Ronnie Bell decides to CATCH THE DAMN BALL.


4) PLEANSANTLY surprised by the RS Frosh offensive tackles. Mayfield and Hayes are going to be BIG TIME methinks. Like high NFL draft picks big-time. Sky is the limit for both of them.

5) This two QB thing is stupid AF and needs to end immediately. The stupid trick gimmick plays with both DO NOT WORK and Shea will get into a rythm and Harbaugh's DUMBASS will pull him- put in McCaffrey FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER and mess up with the flow. The idiot needed to hand over the keys COMPLETELY to Gattis. He CLEARLY hasn't.

6) These safeties suck and all of the touchdowns were 100% on them. START DAX HILL. Let him get his feet wet right now and take the lumps now- by the end of the season you just might have the best safety in the conference. He is THAT talented. They don't have a safety on the roster remotely close to him in ability. They haven't in only oh- like EVER. The DT's also stink but that's because they are playing a FB at DT and another guy at DT in Carlo Kemp that just isn't that good. Jeter and Dwumfour need to get back ASAP and take over the starting roles- Kemp needs to come off the bench and Mason needs to go back to FB ASAP and the frosh DT's Hinton and Mazi Smith need to get serious minutes ASAP.

7) CB's looked fantastic. Vincent Gray was a revelation. Ambry Thomas looked incredible for a guy who missed all of fall camp and lost 25 pounds due to a serious illness. He GOOD. LaVert Hill is still LaVert Hill. 

8) DE's and LB's didn't show too much. They were AIGHT. Khaleke Hudson continues to be a disappointment. ALWAYS in position- yet fails to make the play. IDK WTF happened to him- but he was amazing as a sophomore, fell off the map as a junior, and had a pretty piss poor opening as a senior. I have no idea what's going on there. It's baffling. Jordan Glasgow actually looked quite good at LB'er. Never bet against a Glasgow brother. Graham walked on, earned a scholarship and became the best center Michigan had in like a decade and a 3rd round NFL draft pick. Ryan walked on, earned a scholarship and became an unbelievable NT on defense and a 3rd round NFL draft pick. The youngest Glasgow walked on, earned a scholarship and it sure as hell looks like he can play some football too.