The Wolverine247 Michigan Football Podcast

The discussion begins with us breaking down the No. 5 Michigan basketball team’s upset loss at Wisconsin Saturday. We break down which shortcomings were also causes for concern, which ones could be cause for concern should trends continue and which ones were unique to the Wolverines’ trip to Wisconsin. Lorenz breaks down what makes the Badgers such a hard team to beat, while Shaw offers his thoughts from being on the scene in Madison. Both also offer other takeaways from the loss, and what they mean moving forward. Following that, the two switch to talking recruiting, breaking down the latest in January recruiting, what can be gleaned from the new assistant coaches’ early impact, what’s coming up for Michigan and why this time of year is so interesting for recruiting. We close the show with a couple of listener questions we didn’t get to earlier.

This week, we open our discussion with analysis on Michigan’s three assistant-coaching hires. We break down the Wolverines’ decisions to hire offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, unspecified defensive assistant Anthony Campanile and defensive line coach Shaun Nua. We discuss what there is to like about all three, as well as what questions have yet to be answered. We also discuss how this shapes Michigan’s offseason, the impact it could have on the recruiting trail and what else it means for the Wolverines moving forward. We field some listener questions about recruiting and Michigan football, and then discuss the Michigan basketball team’s continued success, what can be expected in coming weeks and predict when the Wolverines will lose.

After a nearly month-long hiatus, the podcast begins with our lasting thoughts about the Michigan football team's blowout loss to No. 10 Florida in the Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl in Atlanta. We discuss not only what went wrong in the game, but also what sort of changes, if any, can be made to improve the team culture to avoid deflating finishes. We also discuss the departures of former Michigan assistant coaches Greg Mattison and Al Washington, weigh in on Jim Harbaugh's track record of replacements and have a brief discussion about next year. Then we pivot to basketball talk, weighing in on the Wolverines' 15-0 start, what has keyed Michigan's success, how and where the team can improve and how the hot start has modified peoples' expectations for the season. Due to the news breaking after we recorded, we did not discuss Michigan's hiring of Alabama co-offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. Due to time constraints, we also didn't talk extensively about the Wolverines' 2019 recruiting class, though we did mention some key players and will discuss both topics and more next week.

The podcast begins with recruiting, including discussion surrounding the Michigan football team’s loss of five-star safety commitment Daxton Hill to Alabama. We break down how it happened, what Michigan’s reaction was, and where the Wolverines go with Hill and others from here. During the talk, we also take a look at Michigan’s 2019 recruiting class just over a week before the December signing period. Following the recruiting discussion, we dissect Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s decision to take a hard stance against NFL head-coaching rumors tied to him, and what ind of impact that has for recruits and the team. We also take a moment to look at the impact of Urban Meyer’s retirement. Then, we turn our attention to the No. 5 Michigan basketball team, who is off to the fourth 10-0 start in school history and is seen by some metrics as the top team in the country. We break down Ignas Brazdeikis’ star power, Jon Teske and Isaiah Livers’ growth, the Wolverines’ team defense and more, while also looking at a few areas where Michigan can improve in order to sustain its success. We briefly break down our early thoughts of the Big Ten as well.

This week, the podcast is almost entirely centered around the Michigan football team’s stunning blowout loss to Ohio State to lose out on Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff contention.  We first look at what went wrong in the game, from the Wolverines’ offense failing to seize opportunities in the first half, deciding to stick with their game plan rather than attack Ohio State in ways that other teams had success, the defensive line struggling in major ways and the Buckeyes picking apart Michigan’s top-ranked defense. We then expand things and examine what the big-picture takeaways are from the game. While we both agreed that wholesale changes aren’t necessary, we did dive into what is ailing Michigan in big games and against more prepared and athletic teams, and what the Wolverines can do about it moving forward.  Finally, we close with our thoughts on Michigan’s upcoming bowl game, and what the Wolverines can gain or should try to do in the game, likely to be either the Rose Bowl or Fiesta Bowl.

This week’s podcast is all about the No. 4 Michigan football team’s matchup against No. 10 Ohio State. We open with a lengthy discussion about Karan Higdon’s so-called “guarantee” that the Wolverines would beat the Buckeyes, how valid the guarantee is and what to make of the smack-talk gamesmanship teams and fans seem to try to use in today’s college football landscape. Then, we refocus to Saturday’s game, fielding listener questions about the matchup. During this, we discuss how Indiana and Northwestern have opened up their offenses with slants, and why that could spell trouble for Michigan. We also debate who will win in a matchup against Dwayne Haskins’ passing offense and the Wolverines’ nation-leading passing defense. Our discussion continues with a look at Michigan’s offensive and defensive lines, the Buckeyes susceptible defense — particularly against big plays — and how special teams could very heavily factor into Saturday’s matchup. We close as we do each week with our over-under preview segment looking at how Michigan could win or lose in Columbus.

The podcast begins with a discussion surrounding the No. 18 Michigan basketball team’s 73-46 road romp over No. 8 Villanova. We break down how impressive the win was given history and context, what elements went into the blowout victory, what it means and what concerns still exist for the Wolverines moving forward.  Then, the discussion shifts toward the No. 4 Michigan football team, and its likely home win over Indiana. We discuss what things beyond a win could be considered successes for the Wolverines, a little bit of why Michigan could have the upper hand over Ohio State and an outlook at what the Hoosiers bring to the table. We then close with our weekly over-under game and some other thoughts on the game.

The show begins with a lengthy discussion of how the current Michigan football team — ranked fourth nationally — compares to the Wolverines’ 2016 team, as well as how Michigan’s current defense ranks among the best in school history. This also carries into a discussion of why the Wolverines are having so much success with the team that they have. Then, the duo switch gears to discuss recruiting, as Lorenz offers some clarification into what it means for a 247Sports Crystal Ball to be submitted, what’s working in Michigan’s favor with five-star defensive end Zach Harrison, how five-star athlete Quavaris Crouch’s latest visit to Ann Arbor went and more. After that, the two tackle some team-related questions, including how Michigan should handle its backup quarterbacks after Dylan McCaffrey’s injury last weekend, what the Wolverines’ offensive line depth looks like moving forward, Josh Uche’s emergence and more.  Finally, they preview Michigan’s matchup against Rutgers using their weekly over-under game, forecasting what they both believe will be a lopsided matchup.

This week, the duo dissect what to make of the College Football Playoff picture ahead of Tuesday night’s rankings unveiling. Lorenz makes his stump speech for non-SEC teams, while Shaw disagrees, though both agree on which teams Michigan — should it continue its winning streak and capture the Big Ten — needs to root for henceforth. Then, they revisit the wild Big Ten West, making their latest predictions at who wins as well as a look at the conference overall. After that, Lorenz and Shaw refocus on Michigan, fielding questions from listeners. Included are topics on surprises this season for the Wolverines good and bad, position groups of concern for Michigan in the future, a look at the Wolverines’ offensive identity moving forward and more. Finally, they preview No. 5 Michigan’s matchup against No. 14 Penn State, discussing what the Nittany Lions bring to the table with so much attrition from last season, how Michigan can stop Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley and other thoughts on the game.

The show begins with plenty of discussion about the Michigan football team’s eventful trip to East Lansing and eventual 21-7 win over Michigan State. Included were Lorenz and Shaw’s thoughts on the pregame scuffle, how the rest of the game played out, what went well and what didn’t and a look at what the win means for the Wolverines. Then, the conversation shifts to the debate on if Michigan is indeed the best team in the Big Ten, how the Wolverines ascended to a top-five team for the first time in nearly two years, and what about this year’s team might keep Michigan in the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff picture into November. Following that, the duo discuss their thoughts on James Hudson’s transfer and the impact that it may cause with the team and in recruiting moving forward. They also dissect — to the best of their ability — Rashan Gary’s injury situation, how Michigan has played in his absence, and some thoughts on the Wolverines’ ability to develop players.

Since they put off recruiting last week, this week’s show opens with Lorenz and Shaw discussing a big recruiting visit weekend. At the top of the list is how things might stand slightly in Michigan’s favor with five-star 2019 Ohio defensive end Zach Harrison, and what things the Wolverines have done well to remain in the race. They also discuss others who visited this weekend, what Drew Singleton’s transfer means for recruiting and other miscellaneous notes. Then the duo go back and forth on how significant Michigan’s blowout win over Wisconsin was. While both agree that Michigan’s defense was stellar, they differ on how much can be read from the Wolverines’ offensive success, and discuss why the Badgers called plays the way that they did. Finally, the two preview Michigan’s trip to East Lansing to take on No. 24 Michigan State, analyzing how both teams have fared this season in a number of ways, what’s missing from Michigan State, what threat to the Wolverines that the Spartans pose, lightly discuss injuries, play over-under and offer their final predictions for the matchup.

This week’s podcast was almost entirely centered around the No. 12 Michigan football team’s matchup with Wisconsin. We talk about how the Wolverines have improved over the last five weeks in a number of key areas, as well as how Wisconsin and Michigan State look more mortal than when the season began, and what the next three games can and will tell us about the Wolverines’ season. We also discuss how a night game can help the Wolverines, and poke some fun at people who don’t enjoy night games. Then, we dissect the situation and likely impact of several of Michigan and Wisconsin’s injured players, then pivot to preview what the Badgers bring to the table both with a talented, experienced offense and a defense that appears susceptible to Michigan’s offense. We close with our weekly over-under segment and predictions for the game.

With fewer questions from readers this week, Lorenz and Shaw recap what is going well for the No. 14 Michigan football team on offense, defense, special teams and more after the Wolverines dismantled Nebraska, 56-10 for their third consecutive blowout win.  Discussions are centered around Michigan’s dynamic and unique offense, its conversion improvements on third downs and in the red zone, what the offense could look like moving forward, why the defense looks dominant yet again and who has stepped up, and some talk about special teams, how Michigan’s current team compares to 2016 and 2017 and more. Then, the two dissect Michigan’s standing with four remaining five-star recruits (Zach Harrison, George Karlaftis, Quavaris Crouch and Kyle Ford) that it has a shot at landing, eventually ranking which ones are the most and least likely to commit to the Wolverines. Finally, Lorenz and Shaw preview Michigan’s matchup at Northwestern, playing over-under, discussing what the Wildcats bring to the table and offering their thoughts on the game and final prediction for the game.

For the first time in a while, the show begins with a recruiting discussion, as Lorenz and Shaw break down Michigan’s pickup of five-star 2019 safety Daxton Hill and where it ranks among the Wolverines’ recent recruiting wins.  The two also discuss Hill as a prospect, what to read into safety recruiting rankings, some history with Michigan’s five-star recruits and what the Wolverines did on the recruiting trail to beat Alabama, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State for his services. They also briefly touch on the impact (or lack thereof) of Hill’s pledge on other top-flight recruits that Michigan is pursuing. After that, the two discuss their biggest takeaways from non-conference play for the Wolverines at several positions, opining on improved special teams, Shea Patterson and the passing game’s hot start, offensive line and run-game woes and what to make of Michigan’s defense. Then, they close the show discussing the Wolverines’ matchup against Nebraska Saturday, differing on how “back” the Cornhuskers are, what Adrian Martinez’s injury status is, how to evaluate Nebraska’s defense, playing over-under on a number of topics and ultimately making their final predictions for the game.

This week’s show opens, per Lorenz’s request, with discussion over the Detroit Lions’ meltdown against the New York Jets, and if there has ever been a situation in college football or Michigan history where a coach was so obviously in over their head in week one.  Following that, the two discuss the Wolverines’ newfound passing attack, which includes Shea Patterson’s early returns and apparent improvements from Michigan’s wide receivers. The discussion also turns into talk about what Patterson does well already, and what his next steps could look like. The two also break down other lasting impressions from the Wolverines’ 49-3 win over  Then the two look at emerging and present position battles that could factor into Saturday’s game, exploring Carlo Kemp’s ascension, how Brad Hawkins and Brandon Watson fit in and other second-string players to keep an eye on. Afterward, the two discuss Michigan’s offensive line for the umpteenth time, breaking down what to make of Michigan’s apparent push to make where Jalen Mayfield and James Hudson stand more public. In doing so, they also discuss both players’ trajectories, and when might be the best time to make a switch if Michigan indeed likes their prospects better than its current starters. Before closing the show, Lorenz and Shaw also field additional questions surrounding Michigan football. Then, they play over-under with regards to Michigan’s matchup against SMU, providing their thoughts into what the matchup will be like and what the Wolverines can do to make it a successful weekend beyond the box score.