Wolverine Wednesday: The Last 3 Plays

As you know, I have fun making fun of coach speak.  Press conferences are basically a waste of time for reporters to ask silly questions that we all know the answer to. 

Before the season:  How is Denard doing under center?  Big Al:  He is really making strides and a good athlete and QB.  He still has some learning to do but we will be ready for Western Michigan.

This week:  Do you think you have figured out the best way to use Denard?  "I think we know how to use him. We said we wanted him to carry the ball 15, 16, 17 times, but no promises. There may be games he carries it more, maybe less. But in terms of how we’re using him, I don’t have any reservations about that. That’s our issue now. We’ve only run like 80, 90 plays in two games. Our tailbacks would be getting more carries if we were getting more turns."

Basic stuff right?  What intrigues me, is the behind the curtain stuff, the information we don't get from practice.   One of those things came from Al's press conference yesterday regarding the last 3 plays:

Are last three plays the same three plays every game? “No, that changes every week, and it depends on how they defend you late in the game. That’s part of our film study is to see what kind of defense they have.”

So tie that into what Denard said after the game on ESPN; something to the effect that they had been working on the last 3 plays all summer.   Part of Big Al's offense game plan seems to be to script the final 3 plays each week and the 1st team offense practices those 3 plays over and over.  I found that interesting.

Other news was that Big Will and Hawthorne will get more playing time.  Hawthorne had a great Spring and Fall camps but turned his ankle before the Western game.  Greg Mattison said, Troy's ankle is fine (I don't believe it!).

In other Mash related news:  Fitz, Cam Gordon, Herron and Odoms all participated in practice on Tuesday.  None of the guys above played in the ND game and Gordon and Odoms haven't played yet this year.

Stonum who is red shirting this year has been running as the scout team WR. 

• David Brandon is letting the players keep the throw back jerseys they wore during the game.  He checked with compliance and got the OK.  Memo to Wolverines players, lets keep those off of eBay and Pawn Stars.

• It seems Michigan has added Akron to it's 2013 schedule.  Exciting stuff!

• Every time I write this recruit's name it makes me hungry:  Taco Charlton a 2013 DE recruit from Ohio got a Michigan offer last night.

• The Michigan line is -30 right now on Saturday.

Really?

Was David Brandon out of the office today?

Aug. 25, 2011

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football program will open the 2014 season with a match-up against Appalachian State University on Aug. 30 at Michigan Stadium. This will be the second meeting between the Wolverines and Mountaineers at Michigan Stadium.

"We look forward to facing Appalachian State again," said U-M Athletic Director Dave Brandon.
The only previous game in the series between Michigan and Appalachian State came in the 2007 season opener. The defending FCS champion Mountaineers stunned the Wolverines, 34-32, as ASU blocked a field goal attempt that could have won the game for Michigan at the end of regulation. It was the first-ever game broadcast by the Big Ten Network.
U-M has two remaining open dates on its schedule.

I guess not.  Maybe he was too busy at Domino's to remember the last time they played. 

This is a no win situation for Michigan.  There will be nothing but months of Michigan - App State highlights from 2007.   If Michigan wins 100-0 they will be running it up on the little guy that defeated them.  If it's a close game, God help us. 

Don't understand this move at all.   Did the MAC not pick up the phone? 

Big 10 Goes to 9 Conference Games in 2017

Three teams each from the Legends Division and Leaders Division will feature five conference home games during odd-numbered years, while the other three schools from each division will host five conference contests during even-numbered years. The 2017 schedule will include five conference home outings for Iowa, Michigan State and Nebraska from the Legends Division and Illinois, Indiana and Ohio State from the Leaders Division. The 2018 schedule will feature five Big Ten home games for Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern of the Legends Division and Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin of the Leaders Division.