Michigan Tuesday: Michigan Adds a LB to the 2011 Class and a New DC Candidate

If your a 2011 recruit and you want to commit to the Wolverines right now, you love the Michigan football program and really don't care who is coaching the Wolverines.   That is the case for 6'1 225 pounds inside linebacker from Holland, Michigan Desmond Morgan.  He hopes his head coach is Rich Rod, but if it isn't he is still going to the University of Michigan.  This is your classic smart physical player that is built to stop the run and maybe cover a tight end every once in awhile.  

He is rated 3 stars by all 3 services and carries a 4.0 grade point average.  ESPN really likes Desmond and believes he could contribute on special teams as a freshman as he learns how to be a D1 player.   It would be great to redshirt Desmond which would mean Kenny Demens and Mike Jones have the LB role locked up.  Still this was a good pick up in an area of need for the Wolverines.

For more info on Desmond "don't call me Howard" Morgan, check out Mgoblog. 

New DC Candidate? If RR is still the Michigan coach in January, most believe he will be looking for a new Defensive Coordinator and now it seems he might have the opportunity to get a familiar face because: West Virgina's head coach, Bill Stewart will be fired resigning after the bowl game.  Making RR's former DC who stayed at WVU, Jeff Casteel presumably available for hire.  The rumor mill already has Dana Holgorsen, current offensive coordinator at Oklahoma State replacing Stewart.  Wow, that was fast.  Does this mean AD's actually hire or have hiring conversations with other coaches before their current coach is let go?  That is strange.  :) 

I guess those Big 12 assistant coaches know what they are doing.  If my count is right that would make 3 Big 12 assistants getting head coaching jobs so far. 

Yes, I know what 32% of Michigan fans are thinking right now.  Why doesn't WVU just wait a few more days and they can have Rich Rod back?  Very funny 32% very funny.

• The Avery Walls decision is in and it's:  CAL, surprisingly.

• Dallas Crawford is being recruited by USC right now.  This is another decision that depends on the future of RR.

Michigan - Ohio State Preview

Time: 12:00 EST
Location: The Shoe
TV: ABC
Line: -16.5 OSU
Weather:  Partly Cloudy 40/25

Today is Black Friday and tomorrow Michigan and Ohio State renew their yearly rivalry, which for the last 6 years has been one sided in favor of the Buckeyes.    These long win streaks for each side are not good for the rivalry in my opinion, I much prefer when both teams are evenly matched.   This match up used to be called: "The Game", which it really hasn't been since 2006.

This year Ohio State is ranked #8 in the country and over a 2 touchdown favorite over the 4 loss Wolverines.  So the big question is; does Michigan have a chance to win in this mis-match on paper?

Let's take a look at what Michigan will have to do if they want to stay in this game:

• Cam Gordon will have "spy" Pryor and play the game of his life.   After watching Wisconsin run all over the Wolverines last week.  Tressel will run, run, run, and then throw the deep ball.   Cam needs to be able to stop OSU's running backs and when Pryor keeps the ball on scrambles or designed runs.
• Michigan can't turn the ball over at all.  
• Michigan can't come out Flat again.   This has been a troubling trend in games against; MSU, Penn State, Iowa, and Wisconsin.
• The game needs to be a "shoot out".  OSU will score and score often on Michigan's defense and Michigan will need to match them on offense.  
• A "few" breaks for the Maize and Blue.  A blocked kick, a pick 6, or a key fumble recovery.  Michigan has to have a big break to be in this game late while they try to pull the upset. 
• Play 60 minutes.  Penn State came in to the Shoe and was winning at half time to only get blown out in the second half.   
• Denard needs to be great and healthy for the entire game.

So there you have it.  Those are my "keys" to a Wolverine upset.   I expect the "The Vest" to play this one close to the Vest and run the ball as much as he can.  Ohio State will try to power the young Wolverines off the ball and don't want to risk throwing the ball even against the Michigan freshman defensive backfield.

Tressel will take his shots deep and try to get a lead early, so he can run out the clock in the cold weather in Columbus.  Michigan on the other had will try to do anything they can to keep Ohio State out of the end zone on defense and will try to score quickly on offense with lots of Denard.

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

• If Denard goes for 300 in the air and 200 on the ground
• No turnovers
• Michigan can hold OSU to field goals instead of touchdowns
• Ohio State has "overlooked' the Wolverines on their way to a BCS game
• This game is still in doubt in the 4th quarter

Is it really 7 in a row if.....................

• Pryor is mistake free
• OSU finds big holes in the Michigan D in the running game
• As soon as Michigan sits on the run, OSU goes deep
• OSU gets up 2+ scores on Michigan in the first half

This game worries me that it could be ugly early.   Michigan needs to play a flawless game on offense to stay close and even that might not be enough.   Michigan hasn't really played on complete game on both sides of the ball since UConn whose skill set is probably equal to OSU's second or third team.   I believe Greg Robinson is coaching for his job and even though some have reported Rich might be as well, I don't believe he will be fired even if Michigan goes down by 40.  My hope is Michigan does not come out flat and plays hard for 60 minutes and has a chance to win in the 4th.  My heart doesn't match my head.  Michigan 14 OSU 42

Go Blue!

Wolverine Wednesday: Recruiting Army/UA All Americans

Since this is Ohio State week everyone and their brother are "chiming in" about everything Michigan and wants wrong with the program.   Let me dispel one thing here quickly.  The offense is not the problem.  Yes, they have struggled at times but in a year or two these guys could be un-stoppable.  The 2010 Wolverines with a defense = 2010 Auburn Tigers (without the $$ controversy). End of story next topic.

Recruiting is another topic.  Yes, it could have been better on defense and mostly with some big guys on the defensive line.  With that said, Michigan has had a top 10 class every year RR has been here. 

Defense is the big issue and everyone knows it.  So how is Michigan going to be better?   Well, first off Michigan has played a lot of young players this year and they will only improve with their experience.  Michigan will also get back 5th year CB/Safety Troy Woolfolk next year, Junior CB JT Floyd and Michigan is developing some "Beef" on the defensive line with 320 pound Richard Ash, 315 pound Quinton Washington, and "putting on weight" Terry Talbott.  

That is the short term fix, long term you improve your team through recruiting and Michigan is in on a number of defensive All Americans that are still left on the board.

Army All Americans

#1: Kris Frost- would like a chance to play WR but Michigan needs him at LB.  Kris seems to have Michigan and Auburn as his leader.  I think Michigan has a great shot at this young man and they need him.

#2: Avery Walls, CB/Safety - who has been to Ann Arbor a couple of times.  Avery seemed to be a very strong Michigan lean until he visited Oregon which "started to make him think" about his options.  He hasn't been involved in recruiting the last few weeks due to some family issues, but I continue to expect the Wolverines to recruit him hard to Ann Arbor. 

#3: Blake Countness, CB - is fairly new on the Michigan radar but the Wolverines have already made a big splash.   Blake hasn't been to A2 yet but he has the Wolverines near the top of his list with Georgia Tech.  Blake grew up a Michigan fan so getting him on campus soon will be key in getting Blake in the 2011 class.

#4: Tim Jernigan, DT - Is a big time DT prospect out of Florida.  Tim continues to keep Michigan in his top 5 when many experts don't expect him to leave Florida or the South.   Tim would be a huge catch for the Wolverines but it seems un-likely.

#5 Ray Drew, DT:  Similar to Tim above, Ray has interest in the Wolverines mostly because of his friend Avery Walls.  Ray hasn't been to Ann Arbor and if he doesn't visit, there isn't much of a chance him becoming a Wolverine.

Under Armour All Americans:

#1 Hasean Clinton-Dix, S: Is probably the best safety prospect in the country and is already committed to Alabama.  He has been to Ann Arbor once and is planning another visit.  Michigan's wild card in this situation is Dee Hart which is his best friend.  If the Michigan coaching staff could bring in another Dr. Phillips player, they might be able to sell Hasean on signing with the Wolverines and keeping the best players from his high school team together.

#2: Karlos Williams, S: Like Hasean above Karlos is a 5 star safety and is committed to another school - Florida State.   Karlos is still planning a Ann Arbor visit in January and when you get a prospect on campus you have a fighting chance.   One thing to think about:  If he wasn't seriously considering Michigan, why would he visit in January when it's cold?  Maybe he hasn't seen snow before. 


4 Star Guys Just Outside of those All Star Games:

Anthony Zettel, OL/DE - Is an instate guys that had always considered Michigan his top school.  He is currently doing some other visits to Penn State and just got back from Iowa.  

Deion Barnes, DE - Has Michigan in his top 5. 

Darin Cooper, DT- Has Michigan in his top group.  Planning a visit this winter.

Mikey Johnson, DT- Has Michigan in his top group, doesn't have a visit planned yet.

Wayne Lyons, S - Michigan will get one of his official visits next weekend 12/3.


My Take: I think the above list is pretty impressive but I would like to see Michigan in better position with the defensive tackles in this group.   I also think Michigan needs to land at least 2 of the DB's on the above list. 

Current Defensive Commits Include:

• Brennen Beyer a 4 star DE 
• Greg Brown, a 3 star DB (potential early enrollee)
• Delonte Hollowell a 3/4 star DB
• Chris Rock a 3 star DE
• Kellen Jones a 4 star ILB
• Dallas Crawford a 3 star CB from Florida

Michigan has the opportunity to have a huge year in defensive recruiting if they can land a handful of the players on the above All American list (and the 4 star guys outside that list).  I expect Michigan to have 9-10 spots left in this class.  All of them will be on defense unless a Sammy Watkins type changes his mind.

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.  

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!

The People Have Spoken on Greg Robinson

Michigan has had a pretty good week.  The NCAA basically came back and said, get your paperwork in order and nobody was trying to cheat.  Michigan also got a triple over-time win against a solid Illinois team. 

The guy that hasn't had a very good two weeks is Michigan's defensive coordinator Greg Robinson.  His unit was confused and out of position coming off a bye week against Penn State the week before and then came back and showed some flashes of improvements but still gave up 65 points to Illinois. 

So I asked the Michigan and Big House Blog faithful to make a decision on Greg's future.  The potential selection were:

-Fire him now
-Fire him after the season
-Give him another year
-Doesn't matter RR and Staff will be fired after this year

534 people voted and the results are as follows:

1. 36% said after the season
2. 27% Now
3. 19% RR and Staff will be gone after the season
4. 16% another year

So it seems the Michigan fans want Greg out with 82% of the vote saying he should be fired now, at the end of the season, or with RR.   I wouldn't be surprised if he is coaching the linebackers or DB's for an NFL team next year.

Michigan Monday: Looks for It's Bowling Shoes

I'm glad that is out of the way. 

After two years of staying home for the holidays and no Bowl gear in Big House Bob's stocking, Michigan will be heading to a bowl game.  If you want to be negative, there is still plenty to be negative about like:  bowl games should not be the goal of the season - championships should be, 65 points? are you kidding me,  and 3 years of probation is 3 years longer then Bo ever had. I know and understand it, but I would much rather enjoy this win, ponder who we might play, and think about how 15 more practices that will advance this young team. 

Pete from AnnArbor.com beat me to this but here is where some of the experts believe Michigan will end up:

CBS Sports.com says:  Insight Bowl against Oklahoma.  Really Oklahoma?  I doubt it.

Rivals: Texas Bowl against Texas.  Would love it!  Rather have the game in Florida then Texas. 

ESPN Big10 Blog: says Dallas Football Classic. January 1 Bowl in the Cotton Bowl.  First Annual.

College Football News.com: Says Texas Bowl vs Baylor. 

I would rather have Michigan playing in Florida but being in the first Dallas Football Classic on January 1 would be pretty cool as well.   Michigan will be highly regarded and selected for any Bowl since they are a Big Name that travels well. 


Can a Defense Play Better and still give up 65 points?  The answer is Yes.  Stay with me.  Michigan turned the ball over 5 times and it seemed there were improvements and some good plays by some young players.  I thought Courtney Avery played much better, he had a couple of good tackles and was right with the WR on the long touchdown pass.  Ray Vinopal had a huge tackle on 3rd down, Cam Gordon was always around the football, Kenny Demens made a play on pass break up and seemed to attack the running plays, it's 100% clear Roh is a better DE then LB and was a regular in the backfield, and Mouton made the last play of the game by getting by the RB trying to block him.   Sure there were 100 mistakes as well, but this is a positive post today, remember! 


DeAnthony Arnett:  For those that don't know, Arnett is a 4 star highly rated instate WR in the 2011 class.  He has been listing a number of schools including MSU, Tenn, USC, and others.  Reportedly, he was somewhat down on the Wolverines becuase they don't pass enough and he wouldn't get enough looks in RR's offense.  DeAnthony was a visitor for the Michigan game on Saturday.  Do you think he changed his mind after the days Roundtree and Hemingway had?  He could be planning an announcement this week.  Could he be Blue?  He might.  He visited USC the weekend before. 

Question from a Big House Reader:  Ricky Asks:  Would this defense been different had Donovan Warren not declared for the NFL draft and Troy Woolfolk didn't suffered a season ending injury. Do you think they could've at least help us get 1 or 2 more wins?

Also, am I crazy or is it the case that the Michigan offense is more prolific with Tate Forcier as QB?

Let me answer the first question first.  The answer is Yes.  Having two senior CB's in the secondary could have made a huge difference in Michigan's wins total this year.  All of Michigan losses could have been wins, when you have two healthy seniors at each corner, Michigan could have done some other things to protect the defensive line and linebacker play to stop the run.  Sure, Michigan would still have issues at safety and LB, but this team would easily be in the top 25 with those guys in the lineup.  The MSU game would have been different and the Penn State experiment that went way wrong would have never happened.   So let's say, Michigan takes 1 out of 2 from either MSU and/or Iowa and beats Penn State.

To your second question.  The answer is yes and no.  Michigan is much more dynamic and hard to plan for if Denard is the QB.  His run/pass option is a defensive coordinators nightmare.  The safeties, CB, and LB's don't know if they should chase Denard or cover the Michigan WR's.   That type of indecision can cause long runs or open WR's.  As you can tell, Michigan's opponents are trying to take away the run and have Denard beat them with his arm. 

So why is Tate a better option?  If Michigan gets down by more then two touchdowns, I believe Tate is the better option.  Michigan's offense is built to be in the lead or near the lead.   If Michigan turns the ball over and gets down by say 17 points, Tate is the better option for a comeback.  His passing skills (all though his reads are sometimes too risky) are a couple levels above Denard's and he has more experience reading defenses.  When Tate is in the game the defense adjusts to play more pass, which opens up running lanes for him or the RB's.  As you could tell on Saturday, he made a couple of good first downs with his feet. 

I would like to see Tate throw the shorter pass to the tight end or the WR.  He sometimes looks for the bigger play/TD instead of getting the first down. 

Great Question!  Thank you.

Michigan Thursday: This Defense is Who We Thought They Were! (which is bad)

Every Michigan fan that watched Saturday's game wondered the same thing, how in the hell did the defense get this bad?   I have spent the past 4 days reading Michigan blogs and other media and have come to this startling conclusion: this defense doesn't know what hell it's doing.   (brilliant I know!)

Here are two good examples from two well respected Michigan Blogs.

Mgoblog:  Michigan's deployment of the 3-3-5 isn't really a 3-3-5. I don't know what it is, but that whole attacking from everywhere, making different fronts, blitzing, getting guys through the line unblocked thing is something you can see on a fairly typical WVU play

I have no idea what Greg Robinson is trying to accomplish. This puts me in the same situation as Greg Robinson.  (what a great line!)

Burgeoning Wolverine Star:  Looks at Michigan trying to defend a 2nd and 21 against a guy that is "paying his own way" at Penn State.   These pictures are not for the faint of heart and you probably don't want to look at them while at work, due to the expletives that will soon come out of your mouth.

At this point, Kovacs realizes how poorly he's executed this play and has turned his head away from the quarterback to try and catch up with the outside receiver. Michigan's linebackers are literally running into each other and covering no one (What's happening here?). Michigan's underneath defenders are all still essentially inside the hash marks and none of them are deeper than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. McGloin has all day to throw because, well, seven blockers against three rushers won't ever get to the quarterback.

Can you believe this guy is that wide open on a 2nd and 21!  How can that happen?  After this play, Greg Robinson should of laid down his headset and walked in to the Happy Valley of  Darkness.

The linebackers tackled themselves and the Penn State WR skipped to an open spot 25 yards down field where he was wide open.   He caught the ball and the Penn State fans cheered. 


How do you fix this mess?  I wish I knew.  But the scheme that Robinson is trying to run is either not working or his players don't understand it.   The lack of pressure on the QB has been troubling all year long.   To recap: Michigan's D can't stop the run, can't cover WR's, gives up a lot of yards and points, and doesn't pressure the QB, but Greg Robinson has Super Bowl Rings.

How RR watches this tape and doesn't fire Robinson is beyond me.  I'm guessing he feels he has no other choice but to keep him  until the end of the year.  (I wouldn't be betting my career on him, that is for sure). 

My suggestion is to just play man defense for the rest of the year with safety help deep.   Each CB plays the receiver in front of them, each LB picks a running back or Tight End to cover, and the safeties pick a player to help on deep.   Yes, that means the Michigan CB's could get beat deep and yes, it could mean Michigan gives up bigger running plays when Michigan doesn't expect it.  But how is that any different to what is happening now?  At least the CB's would know what to do and stick with their guy.   When a pass is thrown at least the Michigan defender would be (hopefully) within 10 yards of the wide out.   More importantly the freshman in the secondary wouldn't have to "think" what to do, they could just play football and cover the guy in front of them.  As RR said, when players "think" on the field they play slow. 

If the opposing offense goes 4 wide, take most of the LB's off the field (they aren't doing anything anyways) and put corners in to cover the WR's.    Yes, I understand that opens the defense up to RB and QB draws. 

The last change is to put Craig Roh just as a DE or Rush LB.  Have you even heard his name mentioned since the UConn game?  He should be rushing the QB and not in coverage. 
I'm sure there are a million reasons not to do what I suggest above, but I can tell you one thing:  This defense can't get any worse.

Michigan Monday: Is Still Sick From Saturday

I still don't understand what I saw on Saturday.  It doesn't compute. 

How does Michigan have one of the worst defenses in the country? 

How did Michigan give up nearly 500 yards of offense to team that basically rolled out Nick Sheridan out there?    

How is it that Penn State only punted twice?

That terrible effort might have sealed RR's fate at Michigan (he knows it too, you can see it on his face).  It most definitely has sealed Greg Robinson's fate.  There was rumors floating around on Sunday that he resigned, of course those were probably wishful thinking from the message boards. 

I know Greg Robinson has a long resume in football but Saturday's effort was one of the worst things I have seen in football since the Lions quit on Steve Mariucci on Thanksgiving a few years ago.  I mentioned this on Saturday night but if your roll out 11 true freshman at Michigan they should be an average defense.  This defense is terrible, awful, one of the worst defenses in the country.  They don't do anything right: they don't cover, they don't get sacks, they don't tackle (how about that 4th down and 1 effort? - awful), they don' read screens, they don't cover deep, they can't stop the run, they can't stop a 3rd & long, they get penalties, and the list goes on.

I was talking to a neighbor at Halloween last night and he asked what was Greg's resume. Here it is:

1975–1976  Pacific (assistant coach
1977–1979 Cal State Fullerton (assistant)
1980-1981  North Carolina State (assistant)
1982–1988  UCLA (DL)
1989            UCLA (OC)
1990-1993   New York Jets (DL)
1994            New York Jets (DC)
1995-2000   Denver Broncos (DC)
2001–2003  Kansas City Chiefs (DC)
2004            Texas (DC)
2005–2008  Syracuse (HC)
2009–present Michigan (DC)

I don't know Greg personally, so I suspect he knows a lot of football with 35 years coaching experience.  He has Super Bowl Rings and a pretty impressive resume.  I know football coaches are hired to be fired but the above resume also shows me he has failed in pretty much every "leadership" position that he has held outside of his 5 year run as the Broncos DC.    1 year at the OC at UCLA, 1 year as the Jets DC, 2 years at the Chiefs DC, 1 year at Texas (which he didn't get fired from), and 3 years as Syracuse head coach.

Rich Rod hired Greg to be a leader on defense.  To basically be him on defense.  Rich knew when he got here he had work to do on both sides of the ball.  His speciality is the offense and knew that unit needed most of his attention, he needed a head coach on defense and he hired Greg.  When Greg was hired, there were mixed reviews.   The Syracuse fans laughed and quickly hired Michigan's one year DC, Scott Shafer.  Texas Head Coach called Greg the best Defensive Coordinator in the country.

One a side note, Scott Shafer is finding success at Syracuse.  Their defense is ranked 14th in the nation in Points Against giving up 17 points a game. (Michigan gives up 17 points by the middle of the 1st quarter for example Michigan is 89th in that same stat)  They just beat Cincinnati 31-7 on Saturday.

I'm not sure what Greg's Robinson's defensive philosophy is (I'm guessing it's a low pressure - bend but don't break one) but whatever he put on the field Saturday was just garbage.  I would rather see Michigan blitz everyone and cover the WR's man to man then do what the Michigan D did on Saturday.   Penn State had a back up walk on QB and they for sure wouldn't be putting him in a high risk situations.  Which means running the ball and throwing short passes and screens.    Greg decided to play the corners 7-10 yards off the ball, not blitz, and play back.   Penn State beat Michigan with screens and running the ball all night.   RR also shouldn't have to go crazy in a defensive huddle to get these guys to get a stop.  That was the last sign in my book that Greg is failing in his job. 

Youth is an excuse and this program is out of excuses on defense.  There is a reason Greg has been "run out of town" for every DC job he has had.  It's time for him to move out of another town.   RR's decisions with his defensive coordinator hires may cost him his high profile job.  

Just found this on Mgoblog's message board:  This is your DC everyone.


Don't be fooled Illinois is a football team that is getting better week to week.  They are playing a team on Saturday that is going in the opposite direction.

BTW:  2011 Cincinnati Linebacker Sean Duggan committed to Boston College over the weekend.

This Defense is a Nightmare

I'm at a loss for words when it comes to this defense.  I didn't think this defense could get any worse after the bye week, but it has.  Mike Martin is clearly the only player on Michigan's defense and when he is out, so are the Wolverines. 

I am done with excuses and whatever we have been saying that gives us reasons for hope for this defense.  It's terrible and yes this is a replay of 2009.  Michigan might have one more win on the schedule and that's Purdue, but guess what?  Purdue has a decent defensive line.  Illinois is a well balanced team and will do the exact same thing to Michigan that MSU, Iowa, and now Penn State has done.

Penn State's offense is not good, they are one dimensional with a walk-on first time starter picking them apart.  The Michigan defense was not prepared to stop the run or the short passing game.   Can someone please explain to me how Michigan could not pressure this kid at all?  What kind of strategy is that?  I've been willing to give Greg Robinson the benefit of the doubt when it comes to this defense.  I no longer feel that way and believe he should be fired and maybe fired this week.  

The Michigan defense could not stop this weak offense and Rich Rodriguez is 4-16 in the Big Ten since he has gotten to Ann Arbor.  This game was an embarrassment to the Michigan Program.  Penn State is a terrible offensive team and they beat Michigan by running basic running plays and screens.  If the Michigan defense can't stop that they can't stop any offense.  

I know the call for a late hit on the kickoff was a bad call but that is not the reason Michigan lost.  The reason Michigan lost is because they have one of the worst defenses in D1.  One of the worst defenses in Michigan history.  I don't want to hear about youth anymore, Michigan should be able to put 11 true freshman on the field and play better then this unit.  Enough F'ing excuses! 

RR now has to get a huge upset to keep his job IMO.  That means a win over Wisconsin or Ohio State.   I also believe that Illinois looks like a loss right now and Purdue should be a win, but at this point, who the hell knows. 

What a terrible game which out shadowed a wonderful performance by Denard.  The offense is doing their job and the defense clearly isn't.   BTW: The call on the first drive to go under center in the I for the 3rd and 1 was a terrible call.  All that does is bring more defenders into the box.  I thought RR clearly understood they can't give away possessions and I thought he did exactly that to start the game. 

The Michigan offense didn't turn the ball over and the defense got what 2 stops all night?  That makes me sick!
 
Want to know the difference between Michigan and Auburn or Oregon?  Some Defensive Stops!  Neither one of those teams has a strong defense but they get some stops.

I'm tired and that's enough ranting for tonight. 

New Looks On Defense for the Wolverines Against PSU?

Rich Rod said there would be some new positions switches for this weeks game against Penn State.  Some are news worthy, some are not.  I hope all are effective.

• Big Will and Q Washington are sticking with the positions switches for right now.  The rumor mill has been saying Q is a beast on defense so far.  Maybe not ready to play right away but that is a good first impression.

• Marvin Robinson to Linebacker - I expect him to back up Jonas Mouton. 

• Defensive lineman on the move - I expect them maybe to move Martin from nose tackle to DE where he can pressure the QB.  Expect Banks or Sagesse at NT.

• Safety - There has been some rumbling that Cam Gordon would move more to the LB/Safety Hybrid role currently held by Thomas Gordon and Carvin Johnson.  The rumor mill is saying that freshman Ray Vinopal might see more time at deep and free safety positions.  Also look for Carvin Johnson to maybe play some deep as well.

Here's  RR's Take from the Radio show.

Also more playing time for some other running backs: 

On offense, Rodriguez said he plans to use freshman tailback Stephen Hopkins, who is 6-feet, 227 pounds, more often, and also said sophomore Teric Jones, who moved to running back from defense before camp, has practiced well.


"He's progressed to the point you'll see Teric Jones probably play some tailback for us on Saturday," Rodriguez said.

Wolverine Wednesday: Trying to Win with Freshman

Being a freshman is hard.  Your away from home for the first time, you have to figure out where your classes are, you have to meet a bunch of new people, your classes are much more difficult then high school, and by the way you have a new full time job - Michigan football.   That is a lot to take on for an 18 year old kid.

That is why if coaches had the option they would hardly ever play a freshman.  They need time to get used to college life, the Michigan football program, the weight room, their position, the schemes and the plays.  It's like getting to college and starting a job where millions of fans are counting on you.  That is a lot to put on anyone, mostly a kid that just got to campus in July or August.  Kids that enrolled in January do have an advantage because they can join the program at a much less hectic time before spring ball starts.

I get that, but why are some freshman more successful then others?

Sure some kids are just naturally talented and make a "better on the field" transition then others.  The best example this year is Marcus Lattimore from South Carolina.  He was clearly one of the best football players in the country last year in the class of 2010.  A Michigan example is Chad Henne.  Chad came to Ann Arbor in Early August as the QB of the future but was pretty much going to be second string as a freshman.  The week of the first game, Michigan's starter hurts his throwing shoulder and Chad is now the starter on opening day.  With a veteran WR core and a good running game, Chad leads the Wolverines to the Rose Bowl and never gives up the starting gig for 4 years.

Those are great stories but I wouldn't consider them the norm.  Running Back is probably one of the quickest ways to get on to the field right away.  You just need to teach them the plays and then let their natural talent take over.  The biggest things freshman running backs struggle with is blocking assignments and blitz pick ups. 

Justin Turner is another example of a talented kid out of high school (5 star recruit).  Who struggled with the transition to college football on and off the field.  He didn't play his freshman year and only made it through two days of fall practice in his sophomore year before he left the team   The rumors were he was having some programs in his personal life and couldn't focus on football at Michigan.

Most kids that are recruited to Michigan are the best athletes on their high school team, the best athlete in the county, or maybe even the best player in the entire state where they grew up.   High school coaches aren't dumb and when you have a special player on your team you put them at a position where they can touch the ball a lot, like QB  Which is exactly the example I want to use.

Courtney Avery is a talented smart athlete.  He played QB for Lexington High School in Mansfield, OH and broke a number of records, passing and running with the ball.  He had offers from a number of programs including Stanford and Florida but picked the Wolverines last year.  The key is that Courtney's ticket to Michigan or any other top programs was as a defensive back not as a QB.  His 5'11 167 pound frame just wasn't what these programs were looking for in a QB.  Courtney knew the value of a Stanford or Michigan education and decided that DB was the place for him.

In Courtney's case it would have been prefect if Michigan could have him 3rd or 4th on the depth chart so he could learn the position, learn the defensive schemes, understand the different WR routes he was going to see and make the proper transition from quarterback to cornerback.  As we know, something happened on the way to redshirtville and Courtney finds himself in the below situation. 

This was a miss tackle on one of the drives where Michigan was starting to muster up a comeback attempt late in the 4th quarter.  When all of sudden Michigan's CB depth goes "Boom" due to injuries, transfers, non-enrollments and crime/prison.   You have a freshman/former QB trying to make a tackle on a running back to save a game. 

Anyway you slice it that is not a good position for Michigan or the Michigan coaches to be in.

Who's to blame? Everyone.

Lloyd Carr is on the list for not recruiting defense for a number of years. 
Rich Rodriguez is on the list for recruiting kids that were borderline in getting in to Michigan.
Michigan's 3 defensive coordinators over the past 4 years.
It's everyone.

Every D1 prospect in the 2011 class wants to start as soon as they get to college.  A better approach would be to take a redshirt or work you way up the depth chart and get some spot play.  This "trial by fire" is causing way too many burns in the Wolverine family right now.

Michigan - Iowa Post Game

Sad Panda/Groundhog Day 2009.  We have seen this movie, it doesn't end well for the Wolverines. 

That's how I feel hours after this defeat.  No moral victories, we are not UMass.  Bottom line, Michigan can not win games turning the ball over, the defense can't hold anybody and can't afford extra possessions.  The Michigan defense can't get stops or turnovers to even out the mistakes.

I have a number of random thoughts that I need to get out:


The penalties are just ridiculous and un-disciplined football

I believe football games are won and loss on talent, coaching, and momentum.  Taylor Lewan is clearly a future star on this team but his 20 yards in penalties in the first half were drive killers that maybe game killers.

Did anyone notice as soon as Ezeh was put back into the game, Iowa started moving the ball on the ground?  I thought Kenny Demens played pretty well today.

I'm so tired about hearing this defense is too young, some of the upperclassman on defense are the worst players.

The 3-3-5 does not seem to be working at all.    If your facing Michigan and don't have a good RB, just move your second string cornerback or something and he can go for 200 yards and 3 TD's.

Don't fool yourself about the comeback.  This game was over when Vincent Smith put the ball on the ground in the 3rd quarter.   Michigan's offense can score but you lose too many opportunities when you turn the ball over.

Both Denard and Molk are out with injuries, not good.

This Iowa team was primed to be beat today and Michigan let them off the hook with turnovers and penalties. 

These are going to be two very long weeks for the Wolverines.  They better dig deep and see if they can get some wins before they face Wisconsin and Ohio State.  Greg Robinson needs to figure a way to get some stops and RR needs to find a way to hold on to the damn ball.

Monday Mailbag

Question from Voice of Reason:

I know that when playing true freshman you are taking a higher risk. I think Cam Gordon's got potential but I question if he is at the right safety position because of his lack of true speed to play center field, and the need to tackle well especially if you're the last line of defense. I usually feel that a freshman player makes an easier transition to the college level faster if he is playing the same position he excelled in, in high school if he's not going to red shirt. When we consider Carvin Johnson and Ray Vinopal who "may" have more football speed and better tackling skills, than CG, which safety position(s) did they play in high school? Would they in principle be a better technical fit at that position? Thanks!

BHB:
Great question.  I also have my concerns about Cam Gordon at Safety as well.    He is a good hitter (needs to wrap up on tackles and not just go for the knock out punch) but seems to lack the elite speed needed to play center field.  In my mind, Cam reminds me of former Wolverine Stevie Brown.  If you remember many Michigan fans thought Stevie was a poor safety but really excelled when he played in the linebacker hybrid role in Greg Robinson's defense.   Stevie ended up being so good at that position he even got drafted by the Oakland Raiders and made the team.

Ray Vinopal was a two way player in high school.  He played running back and safety.  Most recruiting guys thought his skills at safety was a little rough  where he lacked the "down hill" speed and took poor angles to the ball.  I think of Ray similar to Kovacs.  A smart player that doesn't have the elite skill set.

Carvin Johnson was one of the best safeties in Louisiana last year.  He has 4'7 speed in the 40 and his high school coach calls him a "ball hawk".    Getting the start on opening day means this kid can play.   It also made it clear to Vlad Emilien that he wasn't going to get playing time behind the true freshman this year ( his ACL never healed right and he clearly had lost a step) so he decided to transfer to another program.  Carvin is still listed as a safety but is playing more of half LB half DB role in the new 3-3-5.  

Both Ray and Carvin enrolled in the summer/fall.  So they weren't here for Spring and probably didn't get a shot a safety because of that.  The coaches had big hopes for Cam in the spring and he has played up and down so far through 5 games.  I think the coaches felt that Cam probably is as fast as both Ray and Carvin but had Spring Ball to learn the position.   If Cam turns an ankle I expect to see Ray back there, so that will be a great test.    The last point on Cam:  he seems to have pretty good hands with two picks so far this year (he did fumble one of his picks).  Having a former WR with good hands back there could help not only getting turnovers but getting some return yards after the pick.

Side note:  The loss of Sean Parker a Safety from California that changed his mind from Michigan to Washington on signing day, really hurts now.  I think he could be our starting safety right away.

Thanks for the question!

Wolverine Wednesday: Is this Team Different Then the 2009 Sqaud?

Everywhere a Michigan player or coach goes these days, there is one question on the mind of Michigan fans:  Is this team better then last years team?  It gets asked by every media member to every player or coach at Michigan. 

Coach Rod doesn't look back and uses his favorite line from the Lion King about the Monkey hitting the Lion and the Lion asking, "Why did you do that?"  The Monkey:  "It doesn't matter it's in the past".  That DVD must be stuck in his player because he dusts that line off a couple times a year. 
The players say, this is a different team.  They have had another year in the system and they are just a lot closer family this year. 

The reason the question gets asked is Michigan has had a lot of similarities between the two years, both teams: started 4-0, had wins over ND, had an early season Heisman trophy candidate, and had higher expectations then before the season started.  The bottom fell out of the 2009 season and Michigan could only muster one more win against a very poor FCS team.  That memory is still fresh in the minds of Michigan fans and many are scared that history could repeat itself.

All of the above is true, but I will give you the real reasons Michigan is better in 2010 then 2009:



#5:  Greg Robinson is coaching the linebackers.   Take away the UMass game and the linebacker play has improved from 2009.

#4: Michigan already has a road win.  Michigan has struggled the past two years on the road under RR and only had one win in two years.  Michigan played well at ND which should give them confidence to play on the road at IU, Penn State, Purdue, and OSU.

#3: Speed on offense.  Remember when Michigan had two QB's that ran a 40 in about 6.0 flat?  The running backs were beat up and Michigan didn't have a deep threat at WR?  Well times have changed and Michigan has depth at all the skill positions and many have contributed in a positive way.  Roy Roundtree is on his way to earning the #1 jersey next year and Darryl Stonum is running by CB's down field.  You get Junior Hemingway back catching the ball and this is one dangerous unit.  (we haven't even mentioned the WR in the freshman class or the true sophomores either)

#2:  Michigan's offensive line is playing very well and there is depth at each position.  Taylor Lewan has had one start under his belt and is already being compared to another famous #77 Jake Long.    David Molk is healthy and leading the charge from his center position.

#1:  Surprise!  It's Denard.  Who has taken college football by storm and is so humble he acts like he doesn't even notice.  He is the perfect combination for a RR QB.  He has personality, fast feet and a strong arm, a defensive coordinators nightmare.   What's interesting about this team is, it's just not Denard.  Michigan has two backups ready to play and play well.  Devin Gardner is a true freshman but has looked good so far and we all know Tate has one of the most accurate arms in all of college football.  Michigan has three guys that can beat you at QB and that is a great feeling for Michigan fans who remember the Sheridan and Threet days.

Sounds good!  What's the catch?

I can't type here and say the defense is better in 2010 with the losses of Brandon Graham, Donovan Warren, and Troy Woolfolk.  Michigan will have to out score some opponents in the Big Ten season and some games might look more like a track meet then a football game.  What I can tell you is, that Greg Robinson does know what he is doing and will do his best putting the Michigan personnel in the proper position to make plays.  Michigan is young pretty much everywhere on defense but I don't feel like we will get out coached on that side of the ball.

Special Teams is a big concern:  Punting has not been good and the field goal kicking has been terrible.  Missing field goals in Big Ten play will cost Michigan a game or two.  The good thing is RR knows this and will be more aggressive in getting first downs then settling for field goals.  Look for Michigan to go for it on a number of 4th downs.  

So there you have it.  Agree or disagree with me, but I now fully expect a bowl game and to be very competitive in games I thought were losses before the season started. 

UMass Post Game

photo courtesy of John T. Greilick / The Detroit News

So how did that go?  Did you feel like the Toledo game or maybe even the App. State game again.  I sure had flash backs and that uneven feeling in my stomach.  The Wolverines didn't show up today.  This clearly is on the coaches.  Greg Robinson and whoever coaches the special teams failed miserably today.    RR also failed on that second to last drive on the third down and 1 call when Smith is tackled for a two yard loss.  A drive with points ends the game and UMass hadn't stopped the Michigan offense in the second half.  The punt was blocked and UMass scored soon after. 

With that said, let's get to the cheers and jeers.

Cheers:

• Michigan won the game and scored 42 points
• Mike Shaw went over 100 yards and 3 TD's 
• Darryl Stomun had a good day receiving with 2 TD's

Honorable mention goes to Jordan Kovacs.  He had a pick and a strip.  He also had a pretty big MA on a touchdown. (could have been Mouton's fault)

Jeers:

• Michigan Special Teams are a mess. The kickoff return is the only unit that is somewhat playing effectively.  The kicking game is terrible.  The kickoffs are short line drives and I'm not sure if we could make a 20 yard field goal from the middle of the field.   Punting is not much better with the blocked punt almost costing Michigan the game.  The punt return was a comedy of errors.
• Greg Robinson:  When Michigan plays an FCS team you would expect that Michigan has better talent then the other team.  Michigan needed to man up on the WR and stop the run.  UMass ate up the zone most of the day and the Michigan rush hardly ever pressured the passer.
• UConn lost to Temple.  That win now doesn't look so good.
• Mistakes all over the field:  Missed coverages, penalties, fumbles after interception, dropped snaps, block punt, and so on.
• Not getting time for the backups.  The starters had to play the entire game.
• The linebackers had a pretty poor day
• Way too many missed tackles

I could go on, but it's too depressing.  A win is a win for this team as much as it feels like a loss.  A couple of things to take from this game.  Michigan has a long way to go on defense.  Michigan might have been a bit lucky in it's first two games on defense (UConn is not that good and ND had 2 back up QB's and a starter probably playing with a concussion). 

Not being able to kick field goals will cost Michigan a win this year.  They have to find someone to put the ball through the up rights.  The kickoffs have to have some hang time.  I'm not sure what is going on with that unit. 

I know the Michigan coaches didn't want to introduce anything new on offense for this game, but success is not measured by not showing your future opponents something and getting Denard less hits.   If there was a line on this game (estimated at 21-28 points for Michigan) it wouldn't have been close.   UMass also has given every team Michigan plays a blue print on how to score points on Robinson's defense.

If you want to take a positive from this game, a win is a win and maybe this will be a wake up call for Bowling Green next weekend.  Right now the trip to Indiana is much more in doubt then it was 24 hours ago.

Michigan vs UMass Preview

Time: 12:00 EST
TV: Big Ten Network
Location: Big House
Weather: Isolated Thunderstorms, high 74
Line: None


I will start the preview with this line:  Don't Sleep on the Minutemen. 

When I looked at this schedule I thought UMass would be an easy win.  Similar to Delaware State last year - It's not going to be that easy.  This UMass team can play and is 2-0 and ranked #16 in FCS.  They have wins over two quality FCS opponents so far this year in the #3 ranked William and Mary and Holy Cross.  They have a senior JUCO transfer at QB and have picked up a number of kills players from Northeastern and Hofstra after their programs folded last year.   Greg Robinson should recognize a number of Syracuse transfers that are now starting for the Minutemen.

UMass runs a pro style offense with a power run game.  They like to lead with the full back and run between the tackles.  Which should run right into the strength of the Michigan strong defensive line and senior linebackers. UMass had to replace all 4 starters on the defensive line but the strength of their defense is their linebackers lead by Tyler Holmes an FCS All American.  UMass doesn't have any players that hail from the State of Michigan.

Let's go to the Tale of the Tape:

All levels of Michigan vs All Levels of UMass = Michigan

That was easy.  Let's hope the game is that easy as well.


What I'm looking for from the Wolverines this week:

• Less Denard and more Running Backs:  I would like to see Fitz Toussaint and Mike Cox get some snaps.  A running back with a 100 yards please. 

• Less Denard and More Tate:   I am still holding out hope they can redshirt Devin.  I know he has played and might have burned his redshirt but it's only been 3 plays and this game will go long way on that plan.  If Devin gets a lot of snaps my redshirt theory will die for sure.  I think it's very important for Tate to play and play a lot.  I have a feeling that Tate will need to win some games for the Wolverines this year during the Big Ten season.  He needs the reps.

 

• Less Mike Martin more Big Will:  We all know Mike is a great player.  I would like to see more snaps for Big Will because I think we will need him during the year.  This is a great team to have him in there against.  He is a big body run stopper against a team that likes to run.

• More experience for the DB's:  I would like all the freshman DB's to get snaps in this game.  The next two weeks is time to get some experience.

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

• Michigan isn't thinking about Big Ten play.
• The defense stops the run and puts a ton of pressure on the QB.
• A running back steps up and gets a 100 yards
• If it's out of reach by the 3rd quarter
• Lots of play from the 2 and 3 deep players
• Michigan makes a field goal

Worry if...................

• UMass is App. State
• Michigan is just to vanilla on both sides of the ball which keeps UMass in the game
• Michigan has been watching ESPN and reading the newspapers all week
• It's still close in the second quarter
• Michigan thinks this is a bye week after UConn and ND

I expect Michigan to play hard on Saturday as the coaches have reminded the team about Toledo two years ago and what happened to Virgina Tech last week.   I also expect the coaches to remind the players that they have been home for Christmas the last two years because they didn't take care of business in games like this.  I want Denard to run only if he has to and more from the Michigan running backs and wide receivers in the passing game.  (sure his numbers might take a hit and there might be a few: what happened to Denard stories on Sunday?) UMass should not be able to stop Michigan's offense at any point during the game.  No line on game.  Michigan 42 UMass 7 


Go Blue!

Michigan Monday: Smiles Like Denard

Nothing better then a Monday coming off a win over a rival at their home stadium.  I don't want to jump to any conclusions after two weeks because we all have two points of reference in our memory.  First one goes back a number of years to Pat White and West Virgina.  If you remember, when Pat went down WVU went down.  (BTW: Pat got cut by the Dolphins and has signed a contract with the Kansas City Royals to play baseball, Pat was drafted 3 times in the MLB draft.  Good luck to him on his new baseball career) Which is why everyone is so worried about Denard getting nearly 30 touches a game.  Your backup is either a true freshman or a true sophomore that has been in the dog house for about a month.

Second is Michigan's 2009 start.   Michigan went 4-0 last year was ranked and was heading to bowl game.  The bottom dropped out and their only other win the rest of year was against Delaware State.   So be excited about the direction Michigan seems to be heading but be careful not to but the cart before the horse and let the media and other folks talk about Heisman's and BCS Games.  Don't forget this was RR's second road win as a Wolverine, which was a big hurdle to get over.   I have confidence in Greg Robinson getting the Michigan defense to play better then last year but I still would like to see him get some more pressure on the opposing QB.

With that said, it still feels great to be 2-0 and having the week 1 and 2 college football poster boy on the team.  Also don't forget this was only Michigan's 5th win at South Bend in past 33 years.  Let's take care of business the next two weeks and start the Big Ten season with some big momentum.  So when someone comes up and says, "How about those Wolverines?" just smile like Denard and say "so far, so good" and give a quick wink (like you know something he doesn't, because you do!).

• Hello Top 25!  Michigan is ranked #20 in the AP and #22 in the Coaches Poll.

• TomVH from Mgoblog has a post on 2011 and 2012 recruits noticing Michigan's and Denard's fast start.

• No line for the Michigan - UMass game this weekend so far.  ND is a 3 pt dog at MSU. 

• Denard wins back to back Walter Camp Offensive Player of the Week award.

• RR will have his regular 11:00 Press Conference today, so I hope to update you on any news on injuries or things like who might kick field goals this week.

• Michigan Football legend Ron Kramer passed  away on Saturday at the age of 75.   Ron played for those historic Green Bay Packers teams and even played a few years for the Detroit Lions.  Ron continued to be around the Michigan program and would bring fresh apples to athletic department staff and players every Friday before a home game.  A story I heard on the radio this morning, was that Ron was bring in apples one day and a kid on the team asked another player, "Who's that?" the other player answered "the apple guy".  Ron turned to him and said "apple guy? why don't you go ask (equipment manager) Jon Falk if you can wear #87!".   Ron's 87 is one of only 5 numbers retired by the Wolverines.   (11 Wistert brothers Francis, Albert, and Alvin,  47 Bennie Oosterbaan ,48 Gerald Ford, 87 Ron Kramer, and 98 Tom Harmon).  Rest in Peace Michigan Man, Rest in Peace!

Love this photo of Ron!

Last thought to ponder today:  Did Michigan fans lose a legend on Saturday but gain a new one? 

Michigan vs Notre Dame Preview

*I want to pre-note this post with the truth that I am very torn between my head and heart on this game.  My head says one thing and my heart says another.  So I am going to write this and hope one is clear winner by the time I'm done.

Michigan at Notre Dame
Time: 3:30 EST
Location: South Bend
TV: NBC
Weather: 60% Rain and a high of 70 degrees
Line: ND-4

Remember when the Michigan - ND game was a defensive battle?  Where a winning score would be 14-10?  Not these days, last years 38-34 Michigan win was the highest scoring battle in the history of the series.   Most media members are expecting another shootout between these two historic college football programs.

Similar to last week, this is another match up between 3 former Big East head coaches with Kelly at UC, RR at WVU and Greg Robinson at Syracuse.  Both QB's on each side don't have a ton of playing experience: Denard Robinson got spot playing time last year and Dayne Crist is a junior but really made his debut last week as well.

So how do they match up?  Lets go to the tail of the tape:

Michigan Offense vs ND Defense = Michigan
Michigan has advantages at both running and passing the ball against the ND D.

ND Offense vs Michigan D = ND
Michigan Run D vs ND Running game is close to a push in my mind.  The big advantage comes with the ND Passing game vs Michigan secondary.

Special Teams = Push 
Neither one is especially strong.  Hopefully Darryl Stonum can repeat his strong kick off returns against ND like he did last year.

Intangibles = ND
Something strange always happens when Michigan visits ND.  Some examples: wind stops on and ND winning field goal, It rains so hard that Michigan fumbles a 100 times, Lou Holtz plays for a tie, a ball ends up a shoulder pad of a defender on a pass play, and so on. 


Here is what scares me being a Michigan fan. 

#1 Michael Floyd - Michigan could not stop him or Golden Tate last year at all.  (that was with Woolfolk, Boubacar and Warren)

#2 Denard's first road and rivalry game - That is a lot to handle for the guy making all the headlines this week.

#3 South Bend has been a house of horrors for Michigan.  There is a 10% chance of rain today in South Bend and Sunday there is a 0%.  Saturday 60%.

#4 Michigan has one road win under RR.

This game is another clear example of which team gets the most stops will win.  Pretty basic right?  I think Michigan will do a decent job against ND's run game.   My biggest concern is if Dayne can get the ball down field to the ND's WR's.  Michigan has to protect the ball and can't visit fumbleville like they did during their last visit.  Neither team can afford to give the other free points or short fields. 

Sing Hail to the Victors if:

• Michigan gets a lot of pressure on Crist.
• Michigan shows some new wrinkles in the passing game (like the deep ball).
• No turnovers.
• Someone can catch a punt.
• Greg Robinson's past success against ND can even out Michigan's bad luck in SB.  Remember his Syracuse teams weren't very good but were pretty successful in South Bend.

Worry if:

• Dayne turns into Joe Montana on Saturday
• ND runs the ball effectively with Armando Allen
• Brian Kelly has a solution to stop Denard's run game

Brian Kelly feels that Denard is just a running back playing QB.  Michigan fans disagree and hope he can showcase his passing skills against ND.  The run fake, then pass should be effective in moving the ball down field against the ND defense.  Picks and fumbles concern me in this game.  The game two years ago is still fresh in my mind and worries me even more if it rains again.  I sort of have a strange feeling we may see Tate for a few series, mostly if Michigan gets behind and has to pass.  There are many questions on both teams coming off week one wins.  I think RR knows what type of team he has, not sure Brian Kelly knows his fully yet.  I think this will be a close game and one mistake might be the difference.   I wouldn't want to prepare for Denard and that "running back comment" should be plenty of motivation for Saturday.  I'm going with Heart!   Michigan 28  ND 21


Go Blue!