The Michigan game in 2014 gave us too much false hope with that 37-0 thrashing. I was as guilty as anyone of thinking that Van Gorder could do an adequate job after that game.
Those years showcased the damages that the combination of Brian Van Gorder's ineptitude, along with Paul Longo's destructive strength and conditioning program. Add to this, the piss-poor special teams play, and it's actually a miracle that we did that well in 2015.
I understand that players can and do, have freak injuries, such as the chop block to Joe Schmidt, but when you're down to starting 4th stringers on your front seven by the end of the year, that's not exactly a ringing endorsement of those areas of the program.