Michigan Monday: Doesn't Feel Like a Rivalry Week

Do you remember the last time you were excited about the Michigan - Ohio State game?  I do, 2006*.   The day after Bo died.  Michigan was a personal foul penalty away from being in the National Championship game.   That was a very emotional week for many Michigan fans.    This week doesn't have the same feel and it shouldn't.  Michigan needs to be better to get this rivalry back on track, right now it's just a one sided football game.   Similar to what we watched last weekend.  (*Michigan had a chance in 2007 but Mike Hart and Chad Henne were both injured and Michigan lost 14-3 at home)

The early line has Ohio State favored by close to 3 touchdowns or 18 points.   Doesn't feel like Ohio State week does it?  I am sure Bo is pissed and Woody is smiling.  

Brett Bielema should be fined and suspended by the Big Ten:  After the game Saturday, Bielema said his offensive line -- which grinds opposing defenses into dust by pulling its guards and ramming them into linebackers downfield -- was prevented from pulling by Michigan. He used the word "tactics," which is coaching code for "holding," to describe what Michigan's defensive line was doing. "But we rectified the situation," Bielema said. When asked how, Bielema recalled a chop-block penalty that went against his team -- and took a touchdown off the scoreboard -- in the second quarter. Wisconsin lost seven points but delivered a message.

So Bielema ordered an illegal chop block on Mike Martin.  So let me understand this, your team is dominating Michigan in the first half and your about to score another touchdown and you order a chop block on Michigan's best defensive player? What a classless move. The Big Ten better come down hard on him, this type of activity doesn't have any place in college football.   I hope all the parents of Wisconsin 2011 recruits read that quote before they sign up to play for that head coach.  What an (insert your own expletive here). 

What the hell as happened to college football coaching profession?  This year alone we have seen a coach have his QB re-enter a game after a concussion, that same coach made a terrible decision later in the year to practice outside in un-safe conditions which caused a student to lose his life.  We have seen a coach let a player walk out of jail and on to the field and now we have had a coach order a potential career ending penalty in a game where they are blowing out their opponent.  This activity come after a year two coaches are fired for being too physical with a player and another coach locking a player in the closet.   None of it makes sense to me and these guys need to start to understand that they are here to teach and protect young men - not injury them. 


Quick Recruiting Updates:

• Update: Sammy Watkins has committed to Clemson. 

• Kris Frost seemed to enjoy his Michigan visit this weekend.  The Wolverines need him badly in this class and he should be Michigan's #1 priority.  They will need to beat out Auburn.

• 2011 Michigan running back Justice Hayes has de-committed from ND and has re-opened his recruitment.  He lists Tennessee, ND, and Michigan as his top group.  We will see what happens here.

• 2011 Florida LB Ryan Petro 6'3", 205 lbs. also enjoyed his visit.  He is currently one of those late bloomers to the recruiting arena and doesn't have any offers yet but is getting interest from Michigan, Nebraska, and Pittsburgh.

• 2011 TE Jack Tabb also visited Ann Arbor and has Michigan near the top of his list.  He will make his decision is a month or so.    

Former Michigan great running back Rob Lytle died on Saturday at the age of 56 due to a heart attack.   RIP Michigan Man. RIP.

Michigan - Wisconsin Post Game: No Surprise

Well, I guess most of us expected that.  We thought Michigan might have a chance to pull an upset but it was clear after Michigan ran out of the tunnel that wasn't going to happen.  (I will address that in a minute)

If Michigan had a bad defense or even an average defense they would be in these games.  They have an awful defense that is lined with true freshman doing the best they can against a very well balanced offense, where the QB only missed a couple of throws all day.   Mix that accuracy in with a power running game and you have yourself a huge miss match. 

7-5 is Michigan's record this year heading into the Bowl Game.   You could see it in the eyes of RR after the game in his press conference that this year is really wearing on him.  A defense that has only stopped UConn and Purdue and a list of injuries that would make your head spin.   So you think the Wolverines are going to be able to be competitive in C-Bus next week with these potential players either out or coming back from injury:  Lewan, Roh, Stonum, Martin, Gallon, not to mention the guys that are already out for the year? 

We all sort of expected 7-5 at the beginning of the year and this team delivered just that.  7-5 = a Bowl Game, 8-4 = a Bowl Game, 9-3 = a Bowl Game.  So does it really matter?

Here are the things that concerned me watching the game at the Big House yesterday:

• RR continues to coach like he has a defense or kicking game.  Which really confuses me.  The play calling was way too predictable in the first half.  Wisconsin was putting a safety in the box and basically letting Michigan's talented WR's be down field in single coverage and Michigan continued to run the ball  or throw short slants with very little luck.   I mentioned this early in the year: THIS TEAM CAN'T WASTE OFFENSIVE POSSESSIONS AND THINK THEY WILL WIN THE GAME.   It's not possible.  Michigan can't come from behind because the defense can't stop anyone.   A field goal on 4th and 6?  Really?  I would rather have Denard running or throwing then kicking a field goal of any length.   3 doesn't help anyway because a Michigan defensive stop means the other team kicked a field goal.   If Michigan is going to win games, they are going to be shoot outs. 

• Coming out Flat:  This is a huge problem.  Ever since the Michigan State game, Michigan has come out flat in every big game.   I'm not sure if it's practice, pre-game speech, the night before, warm ups, youth, but this needs to change.   You can see it when they come out of the locker room that they are not ready to play.  Which in turn equals, drop balls, interceptions, fumbles, and 3 and outs on offense.   This is on RR and staff.  This team was ready to play coming out against UConn and ND but ever since then this has been a huge issue.  You can tell a lot about a team on how they run out of the tunnel.  

• Defense - I'm getting a little tired hearing about the youth on defense.  RR and Staff have been here 3 years now and they should have recruited many more defensive players if they saw this would be an issue two years ago.   I agree that Carr didn't recruit defense like he should have in his last few years, but depth issues on defense now are clearly on RR.   There should be a lot more sophomores or juniors playing and there just isn't.  This team couldn't tackle at all yesterday.  Does Greg Robinson make it to the Bowl Game?  I'm not sure he should. 

• Did Wisconsin beat Michigan once, twice or three times?  Wisconsin man handled the Wolverines physically.   Michigan can expect the same treatment next Saturday as well.   The Wolverines are injured physically and mentally and I think they will have a hard time finding the motivation to pull an upset next weekend.  These players haven't beat Ohio State and if they continue to come out of the locker room without any confidence, it will get real ugly early next weekend.   I'm betting the Vest is having a discussion right now with his assistants, "should we have Pryor throw the ball at all? I think we could put 42 on them without ever putting the ball in the air."   At this point, the Wolverines can look forward the 2 weeks of bowl practice, getting healthy and hopefully getting better.  

Game Day Video: Michigan vs Wisconsin 2008

This was a no brainer on what to put up here today.  It's the Michigan 19 point second half comeback against Wisconsin in 2008.  It's Michigan first year under Rich Rod and the 500th game at the Big House. 

Like the game today, you can enjoy it in HD!

Enjoy Michigan's last home game of the year.  (side note: Where did this season go?  It seems like Michigan was just in fall camp a few weeks ago).  

Michigan - Wisconsin Preview

Time: 12:00 EST
Location: Big House
TV: ESPN
Line: Wisconsin -4
Weather:  43/34 Partly Cloudy


Wisconsin again enters the Big House as a top 10 team in the nation.   They have already beat the "Eyes" of the (Buckeyes and Hawkeyes) Big Ten with their only loss (in the State of Michigan) to the Spartans.   Everyone and their brother knows what to expect from the Badgers on Saturday.  They will run the ball but are a pretty balanced offense averaging 200 yards in the air and 228 on the ground.   Like most years they have a strong offensive and defensive lines and want to play power football and solid defense.   That formula has lead them to a 5 game win streak with a BCS Rose Bowl birth dancing in their heads.

Michigan is almost the exact opposite of Wisconsin.  They have a high powered fast offense that prefers to spread you out and run and throw in space.  Michigan's defense won't win any awards this year but is clearly playing better in the last two weeks (yes even after giving up 65 points).  Michigan prefers quick scores and Wisconsin prefers long drives.   This could be an interesting game.

Big House of Horrors:  Last week in my Big Ten preview we discussed the strange mojo that Northwestern has over Iowa.  Wisconsin seems to have a similar Michigan complex.   The Badgers haven't won in the state of Michigan since 2004 and hasn't won a game at the Big House since 1994.  Two years ago, Wisconsin was up 19-0 in RR's first year and the Michigan defense and Steven Threet brought the Wolverines back to win the game in the second half.   Spooky Stuff

Tale of the Tape

Michigan Offense vs Wisconsin D = DAD  Denard All Day

Wisconsin Offense vs Michigan D = Way too Ezeh

Special Team =  Stop kicking field goals!

Intangibles = Michigan "Spooky" Mojo


I would be remiss, if I didn't take a few minutes to thank all the seniors for sticking and staying with this program when the program was clearly re-building.   Thank you to:  Martell Webb, Perry Dorrestein, Steve Schilling, John Ferrara, Greg Banks, Adam Patterson, Renaldo Sagesse, Obi Ezeh, Jonus Mouton, Mark Moundrous, and James Rodgers.  You all have contributed to this years squad and I hope you enjoy your final home game, last game against Ohio State, and your well deserved Bowl Game.   You are true Michigan Men!  Congratulations.

Michigan has won 2 games in a row and Wisconsin has won 5.  A steak will come to end on Saturday. Which one will it be?  Let me give you a hint, the key is turnovers.

Sing Hail to the Victors if..............

• Michigan protects the damn ball
• Denard is effective in both running and passing (no picks!)
• Michigan's Defense forces some stops and field goals
• Martin and Mouton are healthy and effective
• Michigan gets production out of it's running backs
• Michigan's offensive line plays very well

Ask what happened to our Wisconsin Mojo if....................

• Wisconsin wins the turnover battle
• Clays backup are better then John Clay
• Michigan young defense gets confused with Wisconsin's balance
• Wisconsin's Defense has Denard figured out
• The cold weather favors Wisconsin

The boys from Florida and California had some issues with the cold rain last weekend.  Will they have the same issues in 40 degree weather?  It's probably already snowed in Wisconsin so they are used to it. 

This is one of those match ups you could call either way.  Wisconsin doesn't play well in Ann Arbor but are clearly the better team.  They will try to pound the Wolverines into submission with the run game and just when Michigan plays the run, they will hit Toon at WR for a long gain.   Michigan has seemed to play confident football since the Bowl Game Monkey is now off their back.  Are they good enough to beat the 7th ranked team in the country?  That is the big question.  Will senior day give the Wolverines the emotion they need to beat a better team?  If Michigan protects the ball they should be in the game.  If they don't they won't.  Wisconsin 32  Michigan 21

     
GO BLUE!

Michigan Tuesday: Recruiting Updates for Football and Basketball

Wisconsin's best running back might not be ready to play this weekend:  “Clay is still yet to be determined,” UW coach Bret Bielema said at his Monday news conference. “I haven’t seen him today but yesterday, he was moving as good as he has (since getting hurt against Purdue). I don’t know if we’ll have him for Tuesday, but we do expect him to get a limited amount of work this week.”

Recruiting Update:

• A name I haven't heard of regarding Michigan is: QB Tanner McEvoy (6-6, 205) of Oradell, N.J.  He is considering a visit to Ann Arbor.  As a senior, he has over 1,600 passing yards and 19 touchdowns and has rushed for another 700 yards and 10 scores.

• DE Ray Drew will shorten his list of 30+ offers to 5 this week or next.

• Basketball Recruiting news:  Amir Williams has dropped the Wolverines from his list and will announce between Ohio State and Florida next week. 

• Michigan has offered Glenbard West junior defensive tackle Tommy Schutt for the 2012 class

• Recent Michigan visitor Marquise Williams is still with UNC: "My commitment is still firm," he said. "I just went to N.C. State to see how it was. I'm just weighing things out. I'm not really having second thoughts."
  

• Carlton Brundidge will sign his LOI for Michigan Basketball today at 11:00.  

• Instate LB Desmond Morgan visited Northwestern this weekend and was offered by the Wildcats.  Desmond's stock is very much on the rise.

Former Michigan coach finding success at Syracuse:  Coordinator Scott Shafer — who already was earning a reputation as a guru in previous stops at Northern Illinois, Western Michigan, Stanford and Michigan — has added to it with his SU group, which has been led by linebackers Derrell Smith and Doug Hogue. SU is ninth in the nation in total defense (297.10 yards per game), 32nd in rushing defense (128.8), 11th in pass defense (168.3), 16th in pass-efficiency defense (110.72), and 13th in scoring defense (17.8).  Tyrone Wheatley is also on this staff.

Gator Bowl wants teams on a roll:  "We like to get teams that finish well and have gotten their fan base excited," Gator Bowl president Rick Catlett said Monday. "We think we have enough teams under consideration to have a good chance of that."

Michigan Monday: Looks Forward and Back

7-5:  Many of us predicted in August this would be the Wolverines record at the end of the season.  The Wolverines are 7-3 right now and won't be favored in the next two weeks.  IMO, Michigan's best chance at an upset is against Wisconsin this week.  For some reason the Badgers don't play well at the Big House and RR and Steven Threet beat a top10 Wisconsin team two years ago.   So anything can happen.

Bowl Game Baby!:  Right now it looks like the Insight Bowl against a Big 12 team.   Gator is the next possibility. 

Big Ten Last Weekend:  It's clear that Northwestern does have some special mojo against Iowa.  I don't know what it is but they have it.  Dan Persea is pretty darn good and I'm sad to hear about his injury.   I didn't see the Illinois - Minnesota game but what happened there?  Did Illinois have a hang over from last week?  It sure sounded like it, if they lost to the worst team in the Big 10.  Does this put Zook back on the hot seat?  Which is funny because just two weeks ago, RR's seat was "hot" and Zook's was stable.  As they say on the field, REVERSE!

Wisconsin 83 points?  I didn't think that was possible.   Michigan fans were really thinking that loss to Penn State wasn't that bad if they watched the first half of the Ohio State game.  Then we changed our minds in the second half.  Michigan should have had at least one pick in the Penn State game.

Big Weekend for the Big Ten coming up:  OSU at Iowa,  Wisconsin at Michigan, MSU vs Easy Schedule, Illinois vs Northwestern at Wrigley, Penn State vs IU at FedEx Field.  What's the deal with neutral fields this week?  ND plays Army at Yankee Stadium as well.

Big Recruiting Weekend for Big Blue:  This is the last home game for the Wolverines for the year and what I have as Michigan's #1 un-committed target Kris Frost is expected to make his official visit with his family.   I hope it's warm but does a guy named Frost really care?   Jack Tabb a TE from NJ is also expected to visit this weekend.  The Michigan coaches really want a TE in this class.  The Michigan TE's basically were the difference in the game on Saturday.   The next big recruiting weekend is 12/3 visitors include:  Wayne Lyons and Blake Countness both highly ranked DB's.    The Big Chill would be another good weekend. 


RR Press Conference Today:  Will need a big update on injuries.  We need to know the status of Mike Martin, Jonas Mouton and Mike Shaw.   Michigan will need Martin and Mouton against Wisconsin and Ohio State.

Michigan Monday: Things I learned on Saturday

When I sat down on my couch on Saturday, I had Christmas like thoughts running through my head.  The weather was warm and it felt like a great day for upsets.  I turned on the Illinois - Michigan State game on the BTN and this thought danced through my head:  Could Michigan State, Iowa, and Ohio State all get upset today?

Well, we know only Ohio State went down in a football game that I hope all the Wolverines watched.   Why you ask?  Not because both teams remain on Michigan's schedule (that is a good enough reason to watch) but Wisconsin gave us all a text book example on how to upset a highly ranked team at home.   The young Wolverines need to take that class and read that book a couple of times.

Back to my list of things I learned on Saturday that was strangely educational:

• For the young Wolverines, the more things change the more they stay the same.
• Illinois is an improving team and out played Michigan State for close to 3 quarters but couldn't score touchdowns.
• Michigan State seems to be a team dedicated to not beating themselves.  They just wait for the other team to make a mistake and then win the game. 
• The Minnesota Golden Gophers Athletic Department has a crystal ball.  They started writing a press release firing Tim Brewster on Friday if he lost on Saturday.  They did and he got fired.
• Michigan for the second straight year made Indiana look much better then they really are. 
• Purdue always seems to play better after their first string QB goes out with an injury.
• Kenny Demens is the answer at middle linebacker for Michigan.
• Watching Michigan play this year is not good for my blood pressure
• The Michigan coaches need to spend more time at practice - the soccer team's practice.
• I'm still really upset about Devin not redshirting
• Michigan needs both Denard and Tate this year  
• David Molk might be just as important to the Michigan offense as Denard is
• This ABC/ESPN mirror thing is strange.  I had the Michigan game on both ABC and ESPN channels.  I can't get Texas and Nebraska?
• Speaking of Nebraska, I was real worried about them joining the Big Ten last week, now I feel better.
• I would like to see a replay of the Auburn - Arkansas game. 
• The Big Ten champ this year might have 1 or 2 losses.
• My lucky shirt from week 1-5 isn't lucky anymore.
• Those new Tech Fit jersey's didn't look any different
• Michigan's defense can make an average offense look good.
• Greg Robinson might not be the answer at DC.  Even I knew the draw was coming on 3rd -16 and the whole Ezeh - Demens thing is mystifying. 
• Michigan should put their starting offense line in for field goals.  Big Will blocking?  I know he was an offensive lineman in high school but come on.  Iowa had their first team defense line in.

Michigan Thursday:Agrees with Alvarez's Sarcasm

Barry Alvarez was asked what he thinks the Big Ten should name the two football conferences: "Let's say you call (the divisions) Bo and Woody," he said, referring to football coaching greats Schembechler at Michigan and Hayes at Ohio State, respectively. "If I'm Ohio State, I'm saying, ‘This league's about us.' If I'm Michigan, this league's about us. I don't want to identify (them) with another school. They can call (the divisions) A and B as far as I'm concerned." I agree Barry, Bo and Woody makes the most sense. Good idea.  He wouldn't have gone for two against Minnesota either.

• Dhani Jones has designed a new bow tie to support Mott Children's Hospital.  The Bow Ties will be sold at Moe Sports Shops and Underground Printing for $55 per bow tie (his number at U of M).  He will also be at Underground Printing this weekend for those of you in A2. 

Want to hear from RR on Big Will and a change at LB?  Here are some quotes from the Detroit News:

Rodriguez said he expects to see Kenny Demens, J.B. Fitzgerald and Mark Moundros in the mix a bit more against the Hawkeyes. "Particularly if they have a good week in practice," Rodriguez said. "Kenny Demens in particular has had some real good practices and has shown some pretty good things when he's had an opportunity out there. So it looks like they've warranted the opportunity to see what they can do in the game."

Big Will:  "I think he's a better player than he was a year ago," Rodriguez said. "He'll continue to get better because I think the game is important to him.
"He still has to work on some things to be an every-down player for us and be able to help us in our base situations, and he knows that and he knows the things he has to work through. He's still a young player. He's got a good attitude and he's working to get better. There's another level he can get to, and we're hoping he can get there quickly."

• Brian at Mgoblog, tracks all the plays on offense and defense of the State game.   The defensive players that had the worst day were:  Ezeh, Banks at DE (also Black but he is a true freshman looking to hit the QB), true freshman CB's, and Cam Gordon (mostly for poor tackling).  Wrap up Cam!  Wrap up!

TV Tonight:  2 Thursday games: Kansas vs Kansas State and South Florida vs West Virgina. 

Top 10 Questions That Need to Be Answered in College Football

10.  Will anyone introduce Nick Saban to a "baseball style" hat that he can wear in practice? 

9. Is it possible for ESPN to get a translator for Lou Holtz?  Will the SAP button work?

8. Is it me or is every program under NCAA investigation right now? 

7. Why do coaches wear wind shirts in practice when it's above 90 degrees? 

6.  If the injury bug hits UNC and USC, will their players have to play both ways?

5. Why is it every time I see Chris Peterson from Boise State, I get hungry for Domino's Pizza? 

 

4.  Will Les Miles ever clap with his fingers together?

 3.  Does USC and Reggie Bush need a receipt to return their Heisman's?  Or will they just get store credit for the next time USC wins one?  They must have a nice credit built up with OJ and now Bush.   We would like to returns these 2 Heisman's for a Walter Camp in 2012?  I'm going to need to talk to my manager.

2. I know Derek Dooley as a new coach wants to have a close team.  But does he really need to be in the shower with them?  That can't be good for recruiting. 

1. Will Denard Robinson break the sound barrier this year?