Wisconsin's 2018 season is still a few months away, but it's never too early to get the inside scoop on the teams the Badgers will square off against this fall.
The Badgers will head back out on the road to take on the Michigan Wolverines on Oct. 13, so we asked John Borton of TheWolverine.com a few questions about the state of Michigan's football program under Jim Harbaugh.
Our questions and John's answers are included below.
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It’s easy for people to write articles with headlines designed to just get clicks, so I wanted to ask this question to someone who can give a real answer: Just how much pressure is on Jim Harbaugh in 2018? I feel like it’s too early to say he’s on the proverbial “hot seat” with his coaching record, but he’s heading in to his fourth year at Michigan and I’m curious as to what you think his job security is like at the moment - and what the state of the program is overall.
John Borton: Jim Harbaugh’s job security is rock solid, in my opinion. He’s supported completely by Athletic Director Warde Manuel, has a strong relationship with the president of the university, and actually out-performed what most expected in the first two seasons back in Ann Arbor, after inheriting a program with a losing record the year before he arrived. Last year proved a non-shocking step back after losing 11 players to the NFL Draft and eight more who signed as free agents. An 8-5 year was also exacerbated by some devastating injuries, including losing two quarterbacks, the team’s best receiver, and several others.
That doesn’t mean everybody was thrilled about last season. But any “hot seat” talk is way premature. Harbaugh will field a strong team this fall, but he’s up against one of the nation’s toughest schedules. If Michigan doesn’t win the Big Ten, there will be some grumbling, no doubt. But my guess is, Harbaugh will be around a long time, and get things rolling sooner, rather than later, as has been his past experience in coaching.
Now that Ole Miss transfer Shea Patterson has been deemed eligible to play in 2018 by the NCAA, is he the obvious favorite to start at quarterback for the Wolverines, or will there still be some kind of position battle in the fall? And if he is the one under center, what do you think he will bring toMichigan’s offense that they didn’t have in 2017?
John Borton: Harbaugh’s competitiveness is too great for there NOT to be a battle. He’s trying to get the younger guys better, stressing the one-play-away notion, even if they fall short of winning the starting job. He’ll carry the competition into fall camp, for sure.
That said, I fully expect Patterson to be under center at Notre Dame in Michigan’s opener. He changes U-M’s offense with his ability to buy time with his feet and thereby extend plays, with his ability to check down quickly against the blitz, to keep his eyes downfield and throw on the run, with a strong passing percentage (63) last year in the SEC, etc. He’s going to raise Michigan’s level of offense to at least adequate, which is a big step up from 2017.
Michigan’s defense was one of the best in the country again last season - do you expect to see more of the same in 2018 with most of the contributors back for another year? Or are there any trouble spots that the coaching staff needs to figure out?
John Borton: I think this year’s defense will be substantially better than the one that finished No. 3 national last year in total defense and No. 1 in terms of stinginess giving up passing yards. It sounds like a tall order, butMichiganhas almost everyone back, and last year those players were mostly first-year starters. Rashan Gary and Chase Winovich will be one of the better defensive end tandems in the nation, Devin Bush Jr. and Khaleke Hudson and fast and pursuing pair of linebackers, and all four from the 2017 secondary are back.
They HAVE to finish games better, and they know it. They were asked to protect too many very narrow leads a year ago, and could not do it. They’re susceptible to some big plays at crucial times, and have to figure out a way to overcome that. A better offense will represent a huge plus here.
What’s one under-rated question mark for 2018 about this team that you think will play a big role in their overall success that isn’t getting much attention at the moment?
John Borton: People only see who is gone, not who is getting ready to plug in. For instance, everybody knows Maurice Hurst Jr. was a beast in the middle of the defensive line. He’s gone, but Harbaugh noted that underclassman Michael Dwumfour has been one ofMichigan’s best players of the spring, and he could be a major factor. So can Aubrey Solomon, a five-star DT who worked his way into a starting spot by the end of the year. The cupboard isn’t bare there, or on offense, whereMichiganlost a fifth-year-senior at center but is plugging in sophomore Cesar Ruiz, who started as a true freshman at guard and is a budding star.
Michigan needs to have players step up at a few key spots, but it also has recruited well enough to do so.
The Wolverines play in what I think is the toughest division in college football at the moment. What steps forward do they need to take to come out on top and win the Big Ten East - either this season or down the line?
John Borton: Win at Columbus, and not blow a game in East Lansing. It’s as simple as that, with the heavy emphasis on the former. In Harbaugh’s second season, the Wolverines went into Ohio Stadium, grabbed a 10-point lead, and thoroughly out-played Ohio State for most of the game. But they threw two crucial interceptions from near or inside their own goal line, letting the Buckeyes score when they likely wouldn’t have otherwise. Plus, the oft-quoted quip around Ann Arbor — J.T. was short — comes into play for many. Regardless, make one more big play, or one fewer bad play, and they’re in the Big Ten championship game and quite likely the playoffs.
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John Veldhuis covers Wisconsin football, basketball and recruiting for BadgerBlitz.com on the Rivals.com network. Follow him on Twitter at @JohnVeldhuis.
