Future Bets: Predictions for the 2015 season.

There are very few weaknesses
in the Wolverine defense.

5. You can bet on Michigan having a Top Ten Defense. This might actually be one of the harder accomplishments to achieve on this list, but it is also probably the most-likely to happen. There is a ton of experience on this side of the ball with 16 guys returning who have at least one start on their resume. There are also several more guys that have received extensive action in numerous game appearances. As young as the unit was last year, and as pitiful as the offense was all season, the D still managed to rank seventh in the nation overall (15th against the rush). They kept us in a lot of games that we should have been getting blown out in by 30 points or more. Now, having survived the most agonizing season ever as a Wolverine fan, it's hard not to have some high expectations. Nearly every position runs three-deep, provided the first and second year players are indeed developing as well as it appears. This should keep the unit well stocked with fresh legs over the course of the season, particularly late in close games when we need a defensive stand or two. Also - as a bonus bet - I believe Michigan will triple the amount of INT's it collects as they did in 2014 when they only had five while Gardner tossed up 15 by himself! If there is one thing to know about football is that the higher your turnover ration is, the greater your chances of winning become. It's pretty simple. It's not rocket science - it's football.

4. You can bet on Michigan increasing it's offensive production by 100 yards per game. In 2014, behind a miscast Devin Gardner at QB and a very young O-line made up of one junior, three sophomores, and a true freshman, the Wolverines barely scraped together 333 yards per game. That was good enough to be ranked 115th in the country out of 128 teams. With Harbaugh now on the sidelines and the most experienced roster in the country returning, Michigan is looking for a fairly quick turnaround and a significant increase in overall offensive production. In the end, I expect them to finish ranked around 40th in the country in total offense (430 total yards per game), which would be a huge leap in production. To break it down even further, I see an increase of about 30 yards per game rushing and 70 yards per game passing. Those aren't unreasonable numbers at all when you consider how awful the offensive stat lines were last year.

3. You can bet on Michigan having a Top 25 rushing offense. Again, the rushing offense was put on the shoulders of a young O-line and a young corps of backs the last two years. The results were all over the place - inconsistent at best. Three sophomores split the majority of the time in the backfield, each with varied levels of success. The injuries that derailed both Derrick Green's and Drake Johnson's respective seasons left the offense without much continuity. Green was averaging 5.7 yards per carry and Johnson 6.0 yards per carry before they each went down. With everybody coming back, along with the addition of former USC Trojan Ty Isaac, it appears we have the makings of a very good run game. Look for an increase of around one yard per carry as a team (5.6) and an overall increase of at least 700 rushing yards on the season. Getting to 3,000 as a team is by no means out of the question when you wager in the fact that Harbaugh and Drevno will give it all they got. 

Expect players like Amara Darboh to
increase their production in 2015.

2. You can bet on Michigan increasing it's passing production by at least 65 yards per game. Michigan ranked 112th in the country, averaging 170 yards through the air and producing twice as many turnovers as it did touchdowns. You can bet that will change under Harbaugh, no matter who is playing quarterback. The QB position itself is actually stocked with more raw talent right now than it has had since Chad Henne and Ryan Mallet were both on the roster. There is a lot of youth though. Senior graduate-transfer Jake Rudock holds the most game experience with 25 starts at Iowa and junior Shane Morris is the most experienced returning QB with two starts and a concussion on his resume. Rudock is many fan's favorite to win the job but I have a strong feeling in my gut that Morris is going to rise to the challenge. There is no doubt he has the strong arm to put the ball anywhere on the field, but he really needs a boost in confidence. If Harbaugh is as good as his record indicates, Morris should surprise a lot of people this fall. He is actually a lot faster than most people realize too, which possibly makes him a threat to run it himself sometimes. Overall, the most important thing to remember about Morris is that he has barely been on campus for two years and is already on his third Offensive Coordinator and QB coach. The environment hasn't been there for him to mature properly. I am willing to bet that Harbaugh, Drevno, and Fisch are all better than what was here before them, and they will get the most out of what they got right now.

1. You can bet on Michigan winning eight games in 2015. The Over/Under on Michigan's win total for this season is 7.5 wins. I would have no problem taking the over and betting that Michigan can make it through the 12 game schedule with at least eight wins. Utah, Penn State, Michigan State, and Ohio State all look like the toughest opponents, although there are very few creampuffs that will be sharing the field with the Wolverines this fall. They currently own the 31st toughest schedule in the FBS for 2015, but this is the most experienced roster in the country. They will get a very early test when they travel to Salt Lake City to open up the season in a night game against the 21st ranked Utes. Do not be surprised to see them upset at least one opponent (possibly the Utes in week one) if not two or three before it's all said and done though. High hopes? No, I don't think so. There is more talent on the roster than most people think too. It consists of two top ten recruiting classes (2012, 2013) and two others that were in the top 30 (2011, 2014). Harbaugh is actually walking into a great situation in regards to talent, and, as I've said before, it is the most experienced roster in the country. Yes, there were a lot of bad experiences along the way, but there is always hope that players will learn from their early mistakes. In fact, I am betting on it, and I am so confident in this team that I would be willing to put some money on them winning nine.