As a fan it 100% is a 3 game regular season, but as a realist it really is a 2 game regular season.  Michigan is just actually a bad team IMO.  This isn't a top 5 in the nation, four team playoff caliber team coming to Columbus.  This is a fringe top 25 team who MIGHT win 8 games.  

I thought he was pretty damn good.  I'd say ~B+.  A- going into the last drive.  The people at Cleveland.com do a little video with their grades every week of the starting QB, and they are so laughably bad.  They gave a C- and a C.  Makes me feel infinitely better about my football IQ watching people who think they know ball be so dumb LOL.

He's a redshirt junior.  So no "extra" year even required.  I think he was probably a >50% gone after this year, but if he's out for the year I'd probably put it at a >50% he's back.  But that's just a guess of course.  If he was a 2nd rounder coming out healthy, is he now a 5th rounder due to uncertainty?  Or is he "only" a 3rd rounder?  If he's told to expect to still be a day 2 pick, I'd guess he still goes.  But if more likely a day 3 pick, I'd expect him back.

Does anyone know of a national guy who said that per an MSU source, Oregon is much better in the trenches? On Road Breaks of THE podcast, they referenced it around the 40 min mark. I couldn't find it online though.

I think that goes out the window when you're playing Oregon though, especially when they're wearing an alternate all-black uniform themselves :D.  I agree that I prefer the traditional look, but that usually goes with playing a team also wearing a traditional look.

I'd have them at 8-4 as of now. I can't see them beating Oregon or OSU. Just way too one dimensional against great teams. Then, it's just dropping one game. And with no passing attack, it could be several teams that could sneak up on you. Maybe most likely Indiana or Illinois.

Howard is definitely very good in terms of decision making. Feels like a nearly flawless day so far in terms of decisions. But he is probably a B level thrower, and that might be generous. Some pretty ugly throws for a senior. But I think if he has a good game, this team can beat anyone.

Looked mostly good, especially in command of the offense. But he also had a bad throw earlier to the TE where the ball fluttered. He's just a very inconsistent deep ball thrower.

Probably not.  But I'm sure he similarly isn't thrilled about his HS not allowing early graduation.  I would say though that he probably should have got it squared away earlier over the summer.  Unless it's truly a last minute decision.

I think it might be related to his school not allowing early graduation.

I think 24-17 Texas.  I really don't think it will be a blowout.  Anywhere from a close UM win to a comfortable Texas win.  

I think with the game being AT Oregon, it's certainly a toss up.  I don't know if they're going to be great, or "only" very good.  But even if they are very good, that's a loseable road game.

Bumping to see if anyone has read or heard about this past weekend's scrimmage.  No news is generally good news I suppose.

You're probably thinking of Ewers over Allar. It was 100% McCord over JJ.

Depends.  I certainly would say a >50% he's gone after 3 years, but maybe more like 80%, not 99.9%.  He'll be a one year starter, and while he has a lot of tools, still a little raw.  It really depends on how much he improves behind the scenes his freshman/sophomore years.

The only world I see Sayin starting is if Howard looks just okay to start the year, not that good against Iowa in a win, and then the reason they lose against Oregon. Because if that happens, the week after Oregon is an off week. You probably make the change then. But I don't see any scenario of him playing before then. And even in that scenario, who's to say it isn't Brown coming out of the off week. But if that does play out, you NEED to make a change. Whether it's Brown or Sayin.

They offered him very late.  Maybe impossible to know whether showing his importance earlier would have made a difference.  But You can't say that it had no impact.  I'd say there's at least a solid shot of him being in the class if he was on top of him more, and earlier.

Now having said that, I truly think it was a one-for-one trade for James Peoples.  So if Peoples is awesome and Marshall is only very good, or if they're about the same, it really had no impact.  

I also doubt there would be a true full out scrimmage, but they could certainly have a partial scrimmage the 2nd half of practice.  Especially since tomorrow will be thud with the starters, and then tackle with the backups.  

I mean that's just about perfect football weather.  

I would think it is more that OSU knew of Hayden transferring for some time.  Hence the smoke around the UMASS RB a few weeks ago.

For 2024 I agree.  Just have to do a little patchwork for 2025, but you can't really worry about that now.  

Hurley is about to possibly go back to back at a quasi-blue blood program. I'd argue an actual blue blood, but inarguably that next group down. I don't see a world where he leaves.

I think very likely higher on the list possibly, but still behind several others if we're being completely honest. Gillespie and Murray were obviously more covered by Day, but I'd also say Drayton was as well. And those seemed to be the primary "Tier A" guys. But I do agree that it's possible Locklyn would be firmly in Tier B, and not some lower level Tier C guy who we just settled on. Feels better than that for me at least.

I actually wouldn't be completely shocked if Sabb pulled a Proctor and transferred back to UM.  Not predicting it, but a big reason he transferred was due to being blocked.

I flip 247 and Rivals.  I think 247 is the clear #1 site and Rivals is the clear #2, and then ON3 and ESPN I just completely ignore.  I think there was a review I saw recently where 247 was the most accurate and Rivals was the 2nd most accurate for all positions other than TE.  Rivals was more accurate than 247 for TE.  But that was it.