MICHIGAN OFFENSE

It all depends on the quarterback play. I believe if Michigan had decent QB play the last couple of seasons, it wouldn’t be as disastrous as we saw. However, there’s a relative unknown with the position this season, which could be considered a good thing. It all comes down to who gets the nod at starter: Jake Rudock or Shane Morris.

If Rudock gets the nod, he does bring a sense of stability at the position and will have a strong grasp on the offense. With Morris, he has seen little on-field experienced and hasn’t exactly impressed when given a chance to see the field. I can’t really give an opinion on the offense until the starting QB is named.

 

MICHIGAN DEFENSE

I think the Michigan defense will be about the same this season. It was clearly the best unit on the field last season and it proved to be very good in the spring game as well. The defense returns many of the same faces but will have to fill some holes as well. Look for linebacker Joe Bolden and corner Jourdan Lewis to break out and have solid seasons.

 

BUYING OR SELLING?

I can’t say I’m buying nor can I say I’m selling. How they play against Utah in Utah will determine my mindset for the season. It’s the opening game and it’s a huge measuring stick as they embarrassed Michigan at Michigan Stadium the year prior. If the Wolverines can beat them, eight or nine wins seem like a realistic goal for this team. Despite having Jim Harbaugh as its head coach, there’s a long way to go for this program.

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Joshua Henschke of Maize N Brew provided the information for our 2015 Michigan football spring recap.  For more Michigan football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow Joshua on Twitter @JoshuaHenschke and Maize N Brew @maizenbrew.

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SYRACUSE OFFENSE

You have to go with “better” on this one, if only because it couldn’t be worse than last year, when the Orange finished 121st in scoring and 116th in offensive yards per game.

That oft-injured SU team lost two running backs and a good chunk of its starting offensive line, but it also returns a healthy Terrel Hunt at QB, plus an extensive group of receivers who all gained experience last season.

There’s also the underrated factor of offensive coordinator Tim Lester actually getting a full year to implement his offense, since he failed to really do so while taking over play-calling duties mid-season in 2014. By all accounts, Lester’s offense seems simpler to learn and execute on, which should pay some immediate dividends.

 

SYRACUSE DEFENSE

Defense has been the bread and butter of Syracuse’s recent teams — even the high-scoring squad of 2012, but a lot needs to happen for this year’s group to avoid ending up worse than last year.

The defensive line is basically being rebuilt from scratch, and SU’s top two linebackers — Dyshawn Davis and Cam Lynch — also graduated. Add in the loss of three-quarters of the secondary, and… they’re pretty much starting over.

Due to injuries, a lot of these younger players were able to get some on-field snaps and that could help. But there will be a learning curve for the Orange to get back to last year’s defensive productivity.

 

BUYING OR SELLING?

Buying, only in the sense that they’re going to be better than last year’s miserable 3-9 finish.

The schedule lays out well in the beginning with a September full of home games and as many as five possible wins in the first month and a half of the season. But a late stretch of facing Florida State, Louisville and Clemson in consecutive weeks could end up doing them in, even if they can pull off a hot start.

Bowl eligibility will probably be decided in the final game against Boston College for the second time in three years. I’ll give them 6-6 and a trip to the Quick Lane Bowl, but it certainly won’t be easy to pull off.

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John Cassillo of Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician provided the information for our Syracuse Football 2015 Spring recap. For more Syracuse  football information, commentary and analysis, you can follow John on Twitter @JohnCassillo. 

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