Headed into the 2017 season optimism was high. We had just come off an SECCG appearance, and Mac had many of us convinced that he had addressed the worst needs on offense

We were getting word that the OL had improved greatly in the off-season, was going to be a real strength according to Mac. We were supposed to be much tougher. 

We had a couple of promising young backs in Perrine and Scarlett, Thompson had us thinking we had a legit power back with speed, and Dre Massey was going to be our secret weapon.

Then a credit card scandal benched a bunch of players we needed and UMich kicked our butts and proved our line might look like Tarzan, but they played like Jane.

So now, after a good year, we have a chance to apply the benchmark that proved us false hopes last year. Michigan whipped us before so can we, with many of the same personnel, show that we have improved enough to beat them on the field?

3 things can happen.

They beat us again, bad. We go into the offseason having to buckle down even harder and take some hard looks at why it happened.

We lose in a close game. That would show good progress and give us optimism heading into Spring.

We beat the bastards. That would prove CDM has us on the right track, impress the football world, give us all kinds of momentum headed into Spring.

 Basically the smartest thing to do when a bully whips you is to smack him in the mouth next time you see him and do your best to kick his butt. That is the only way to get respect from the other kids and back the bully off.

UMich is actually the best possible opponent for our program right at this moment, IMHO.