SI's College Football Preview: What was old is new again
In 1969, Bo Schembechler was the new Head Coach at Michigan after having coached the previous six seasons as the head man at his alma mater Miami (OH) University. Ohio State won the National Championship the previous season and was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 1969 College Football Preview issue (Sept. 15, 1969) as the #1 pre-season team. Michigan was unranked and the preview issue noted that the Wolverines "may have to wait a few years for results." Contrary to the bleak forecast, Michigan went on to win the Big Ten Championship and advance to the Rose Bowl by beating #1 Ohio State 24-12 in the final game of the regular season (12/1/69 SI issue: Bye-Bye, No.1).
Fast forward to 2008. Rich Rod is the new Head Coach at Michigan after having coached the previous seven seasons as the head man at his alma mater West Virginia University. Ohio State played in the BCS National Championship game the previous season and is featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated's 2008 College Football Preview issue (August 14, 2008) as the #2 pre-season team. Michigan is not ranked in the top-20 (it is ranked #54) and is predicted to finish 5-7 on the year. In the article, Can't Beat the Spread, it states "If past is prologue, the Wolverines will grind their offensive gears in RichRod's first season. After that, stand back." The odds are stacked against the Wolverines and their new Head Coach just like 1969. Hopefully, the 2008 Wolverines can repeat the success Michigan experienced during Bo's initial season. Go Blue!
posted by mzgoblue @ 10:41 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
No doubt. The sports writers dont believe in Michigan.
Oh my goodness, Hart, Henne, Long, Manningham, Arrington,Crable. all have left. The cupboard is bare !
They fail to realize that Michigan beat Florida last year because of a Team Effort. The defense was extremely tough on Florida. Florida was really better than they were the year before too ! Meyer was certain they would win.
Yet despite all the "breaks" Florida got. Florida got taught a lesson about Michigan Football !
When you play Michigan, youre gonna play a team that plays nothing less that the ultimate brand of Football.
Hard, tough, relentless, agression, every second of the game.
Enough about Florida. That's the past.
The 69 team is the past too ! But the past does reveal the essential genetic makeup of Michigan Football.
It is the best brand of Football in the country. and it is the best brand every year.
The "stars" are just the outpouring of the team. This year will be new stars. Not because they are individually great, but because Michigan demands that greatness come from every player.
Ohio State....you better string up those spikes because you are going to face a team that could care less about how the writers select how high you are. Could care less about how many games you win, nor how many records you may break.
youre going heads up against a force that gives no quarter. concedes nothing, challenges everything, will put you to the test on every play on every inch of the field, at every second of the game.
Michigan dont go into a season hoping ! They go into a season determined to earn everything they get !
Those sports writers can forget about that "learning curve" right now. Michigan is going out to Play Championship Football this year. The same damn way they do every year !
There aint no mediocrity accepted when Michigan plays. It dont exist period.
The writers might expect that, but every team that faces Michigan is going to learn much different.
Get ready. Michigan is going to take it at you right from the start of the gun all the way thru to the end of that last second. Dont expect anything less ! Because that aint gonna happen !
There is never any sure bets ! but there are some sure things one can bank on. and one of the surest you will find, anywhere, is that Michigan will come at any team with nothing less than the best brand of football
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