The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/901162
4 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2017 Dear The Wolverine: Win or lose, I stick with the Wolver- ines no matter what the outcome. Like many, I also have high hopes for this team and the season, but let's be real. This is a young team that is still learn- ing, but the talent and the desire is still there. They will get better. For all of you fair-weather fans out there, that want to see a quarterback change or coaching change, go find an- other team to support. We don't need support from those who stay only when times are good. I am confident in these players and the coaches that they can still have a good season and develop into some- thing special. James Pope, class of '73 Via the Internet You know the saying: Those who stay will be champions. Dear The Wolverine: Like all Wolverine fans I was dis- heartened by the Penn State loss. But I was very pleased with the efforts made by each and every player in that game. The lads played their hearts out in a road game against a vastly superior team. I'm not suggesting this was a moral victory, but they played hard right up until the final whistle against an in- credible team. The Penn State offense is mind boggling, and the defense is solid as a rock. I don't feel that any finger pointing is in order. Jim Harbaugh and Don Brown are excellent coaches, but they are not magicians. The football gods blessed us when Harbaugh returned to the Maize and Blue fold, and a few losses against good teams does not di- minish that. With his abundant coaching and re- cruiting skills I believe that if he stays for many more years (please stay, Jim) he may well join Fielding H. Yost, Fritz Crisler and Bo Schembechler as Michi- gan coaching icons. I was hoping that with the Penn State game clearly out of reach, Bran- don Peters would get a little playing time. John O'Korn played a valiant game, but suffered seven sacks. We have six more games remain- ing and with the punishment O'Korn absorbs each week, we are one bad hit away from having to field a very tal- ented but inexperienced quarterback. Harbaugh knows tons more about football than I will ever know, but I really feel we need to get Peters some game reps in the off chance O'Korn goes down. Harvey Dasho Via the Internet Harbaugh has made the switch to Pe- ters since you penned this letter, and he's played well enough that it gets interesting if (and when) Wilton Speight returns. But, as you noted, Harbaugh has forgotten more about football than many of us will ever know, so we have full confidence the head man will make the right choice. Dear The Wolverine: Stunned from the loss to Penn State, my first thought was that it was too much for your staff [on TheWolver- ine.com] to give the Michigan players failing grades for their performances. That's like what Penn State did to us — beat us soundly. It would be better, I think, to give a more objective ap- praisal, call a spade a spade and point out where improvement is possible. In this spirit I think it is possible for Michigan to salvage the season: December 2017 • Vol. 29, No. 5 ISSN 1048-9940 Editor John Borton The Wolverine.com Editor Chris Balas Football Recruiting Writer Brandon Brown Staff Writers Austin Fox Andrew Vailliencourt Managing Editor Ryan Tice Contributing Editor Steve Downey Layout And Design Jeanette Blankenship Chris Miller Contributing Photographers Lon Horwedel Per Kjeldsen Cover Photo Lon Horwedel Publisher Stu Coman Business Manager Linda Autry Circulation Manager Gail Evans Marketing/Merchandise Manager Beverly Taylor Director Of Advertising Michelle Delee-Hamilton Customer Service Lauren Saunders The Wolverine is published monthly. A one-year (12 issues) subscription is $52.99. The Wolverine is printed at The Papers in Milford, Ind. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wolverine, P.O. Box 2331, Durham, NC 27702. Periodical postage paid at Durham, NC 27702 and additional offices. For advertising or subscription information, call 1-800-421-7751 or write The Wolverine, P.O. Box 1304, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. The Wolverine is a publication of Coman Publishing Company, 905 W. Main St, Suite 24F, Durham, NC 27701. E-Mail Address: thewolverine@comanpub.com Subscription questions: gevans@comanpub.com Web Site: www.thewolverine.com FROM OUR READERS Jim Harbaugh headsed into the final two games of the regular season with the tall task of facing unbeaten Wisconsin on the road and 8-2 Ohio State at home. If Michigan is able to split those and win its bowl game, the Wolverines will have won 10 games for the third time under the third-year mentor. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN