Next year has to be better, right?  I mean 3-9 is as low as it gets, right?  Right?  Amongst the expectations of a Notre Dame like comeback (7 wins, bowl game) clouds darken the horizon.  Michigan still doesn't have a quarterback that has:

a) Played College Football

AND

b) Not looked like death (insert comments on Sheridan's upstanding character here)

Sure, the Forcier is coming in and saving us all, and that's well and good, but nobody knows what he'll be like when he, you know, plays football.  Early returns are positive, sure, but we don't really know.  Well if departing quarterback Steven Threet has anything to say about it (he doesn't), we might not really know for quite some time.  Mark Snyder at the Freep spoke with Threet about the quarterback situation at Michigan.  The juiciest bit:

"I feel like Tate has a good opportunity coming in early with the extra reps in the spring and that should be beneficial," he said. "But Nick does a good job of executing the offense the way they want it to be run. People may point out the physical things Tate or Denard may have at a physical advantage, but a lot of time at quarterback in this system comes down to decision-making."

Parse that as you will, to me this says "I think Nick Sheridan should be starting next year."  Which...yikes.

Even if you don't read it that way, it does serve to temper expectations of next year's offense.  Last year, Nick Sheridan = death.  This year, Threet at least seems to think that in terms of decision making, Tate and Sheridan aren't too far apart.  Even if Tate does end up getting the start - and all tangible evidence besides "transferring quarterback likes his friend Nick"  points to this - he may be a little closer to the Sheridan end of the spectrum than the White Pat White end.  But, just like you knew it would be, a NSFMF is rapidly approaching.  Wait for it...wait for it.  NOT SO FAST MY FRIEND!

The eternal optimist here would say now wait just a minute: at what point has Threet actually gotten to play with both Sheridan and Forcier?  That time would be negligible at best, and is probably closer to non-existent.  So before you go searching for kittens to punch, or...maybe buying a stress ball or something...remember that this is transferring quarterback Steven Threet's opinion on the matter, and his two choices range from his (probably) friend Nick Sheridan, and a cocky freshman named Tate.  Remember how you felt about cocky freshman even without an athletic setting? 

While this may be a little wake up call that says "hey guys, you still have a true freshman QB who might not be much better than Shridan" it's by no means a death sentence.  My guess is that Tate still starts, and by season's end will be demonstrably better than Sheridan was, Threet endorsement or not.