Michigan Football: What Could Have Been for Wolverines in 2014

A lot of things were supposed to happen in 2014 for Michigan—but very few, if any, came to fruition for Brady Hoke’s once-again-lowly Wolverines.

Instead of capitalizing on a weak schedule and winning eight or nine games, Team 135 plummeted to 5-7 after getting drilled by Michigan State and Ohio State, stunned by Rutgers and embarrassed at home by Utah and Maryland.

Instead of “competing for championships,” a phrase that fell on deaf ears week after frustrating week, the Wolverines were essentially out of the running for anything meaningful by October. Instead of rising above 8-5 and 7-6, Hoke’s program sunk to the murky depths of painful mediocrity.  

Hoke was then fired—and that about covers it.

With that said, it’s time to hit the reset button—just like was done in 2013—and ponder the could-have-beens for what was supposed to be the team that got Hoke over the hump.

Recruiting Renaissance

A year ago, some recruits began to reconsider their pledge to Michigan—and then, like dominoes, they fell one by one.

In December, 5-star receiver George Campbell, a longtime target, was the first to bid farewell to the struggling Wolverines, who were on pace to finish with Hoke’s best class yet. The 6’3”, 184-pound wideout would have added 4.36-second 40-yard speed, great hands and deep-ball capabilities.

He wouldn’t have been a bad replacement for Devin Funchess, a junior who recently declared for the 2015 NFL draft. Funchess was supposed to usher in another familiar era of big-bodied receivers, but he didn’t live up to the sky-high expectations. Conversely, Campbell, who ended up pledging to Florida State, was supposed to be among those newcomers who’d carry the torch lit by Funchess.

Not long after Campbell severed ties, 5-star running back Damien Harris changed his mind. The 5’11”, 205-pounder probably would have fit well in Michigan’s backfield. According to scouting reports, he’s posted 4.40-second times in the 40-yard dash. One look at his highlight tape, and it’s plain to see—the Bluegrass State’s thoroughbred knows how to trot through holes, pick lanes and gallop to the end zone.

As of now, he’s looking at Kentucky and Ohio State.

And speaking of Ohio State, it was the recipient of the other high-profile running back to wave goodbye to Ann Arbor—Detroit Cass Tech’s Michael Weber committed to the Buckeyes immediately following Hoke’s dismissal.

The 4-star prospect’s incredible compact strength and speed would have likely done wonders for Michigan next fall. But like Harris, he won’t be there as originally forecasted; he was viewed as Harris’ replacement, too, adding insult to injury.

In all, the Wolverines lost eight pledges from players ranked in 247Sports’ top 150 of 2015. From star corners and tight ends to linebackers and safeties, Michigan’s 2015 class was stripped of crazy amounts of talent and firepower due to another free fall under Hoke.

The next coach is probably going to have some trouble filling enough spots in time for national signing day. Even the best recruiters in the land would be hard-pressed to gain 10 or so Michigan-caliber athletes in just a handful of weeks.

Stat-Stuffing Stars

Leon Halip/Getty Images

Well, you’ve heard this one before: Devin Gardner and Funchess should have been the tandem of Michigan fans’ dreams.

They weren’t anywhere close to that. Banged up (again), Gardner hobbled his way through 2014, never looking like the quarterback most envisioned. No 3,000-yarder here—the fifth-year senior threw for a paltry 1,896 yards, a career-low 10 touchdowns and career-high 15 picks.

Funchess could have been a 1,000-yard receiver—or, at the very least, a consistent threat for six points. Rather than doing that, he finished with not enough catches for not enough yards and not enough touchdowns.

The running backs also underachieved, as sophomores Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith were going to combine for 1,800 yards and oh, roughly 20 touchdowns—just a conservative estimate. Green suffered a season-ending injury Oct. 4 but not before rushing 82 times for 471 yards and three touchdowns. Smith went 108 times for 519 and six.

Freddy Canteen was the name of the spring; the sleek freshman hauled in catches during the scrimmage that made it difficult to wait for the arrival of Team 135—it was really happening, Hoke’s vision was finally coming true.

The 6’1”, 176-pounder finished with five catches for 22 yards and a touchdown—or what could have been about three quarters' worth of work on a decent Saturday. 

Jabrill Peppers, oh, Jabrill Peppers. We're not even going to mention what he could have done. Use your imagination. The 6'1", 202-pound athlete could have thrown touchdowns to himself after returning punts for six. That was the general feeling, anyway. He was going to be a special freshman. 

But he was shelved after three games due to a lower-body injury. 

The list is long, and really, it’s unnecessary to scale down the roster, critiquing each guy who didn’t do what he could have done this past season. You get the point. Thanks to injuries and unforeseen barriers, the guys who were supposed to shine brightly in 2014 barely held a faint glow.

Impact on Program

Had 2014 not happened the way it happened, Michigan may not be in the market for a new coach.

Had Hoke’s team achieved its goals, we could be talking about a defining 2015 for the Wolverines, who were on the brink of turning the corner in the very near future, according to Hoke’s coaching staff—the same staff that repeated the same line of “we have to execute better” each and every week.

A nine-win season would have probably prevented the mass exodus of 2015 recruits. It would have probably provided a respectable curtain call for Gardner, and it would have probably set up Smith and Green to evolve into an excellent duo in the Big Ten.

Michigan football used to be about reaching realistic expectations and then exceeding them. Today, it’s about crying over spilled milk and wondering how the table got wet. 

Follow Bleacher Report’s Michigan Wolverines football writer Adam Biggers on Twitter @AdamBiggers81

Unless otherwise noted, all quotes and references were obtained firsthand by the writer. All recruiting information via 247Sports.