Trending: the good.

It’s a Michigan Defense!  It’s like celebrating a birth, or re-birth.  From MZone:

How improved is Michigan’s defense this year?  Well…

In order to give up as many points as they did last year, Michigan would have to average 101 points against them in its remaining three games (the two regular season contests and then the bowl game).

Yes, read that again: Michigan would have to give up over 300 HUNDRED POINTS to equal the carnage of 2010.  Even last year’s defense might not be able to do that.

Seriously, damn. Michigan now has the nation’s 5th best scoring defense – allowing 15.5 points per 60 minute outing and has is ranked 16th IN THE NATION in total defense.  Simply amazing.

Ryan Van Bergen is doing work, son.  So is the entire defensive line.  I’m talking about you, too, Mike Martin.  The senior defensive tackle is making his presence felt on the reg.  RVB had three sacks and seven tackles in his latest outing earning him B1G Co-Defensive POW honors.  Said the front was barking at the freshman Illinois had in for a series:

“We were barking at the freshman (quarterback) when he came in because he was looking kind of wide-eyed.”

Mike Martin led the team in tackles and is the main reason Michigan seems to stop every 3rd or 4th down and short conversion.

Martavious Odoms gets to the promise land of orange field turf.  It was a pleasure watching Tae O grab a couple receptions and netting a score on his latter reception.  Odoms is one dude that you feel proud of as a Michigan fan.  Look at all that he has gone through: the 2008 debacle; all that is bad as a result of RR; injured in 2009; injured in 2010; injured and not played much in 2011.  This from Hoke in Monday’s press conference:

Brady Hoke: On Martavious Odums getting more playing time lately. “One thing Tave’s done is he’s come to work every day.” Also said the limitations of a hairline fracture to forearm suffered in fall camp set him back at the beginning of the year.

From Touch the Banner:

Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Martavious Odoms.  Odoms was struggling to see the field earlier in the year, partly because he was recovering from a broken bone in his forearm.  It was frustrating to see a key player from the past few seasons end his career by barely seeing the field.  Luckily, that trend appears to be ending.  He got what seemed to be the most playing time of the season against the Illini, when he had 2 receptions for 46 yards, including a 27-yard touchdown reception from Devin Gardner to go up 24-7.  Odoms was also wide open in the endzone early in the game, but Denard Robinson overthrew him.

Not surprised Denard over threw Odoms in the end zone when he was wide open, as Denard was rolling out and running toward the line of scrimmage by the time he released the ball.

JT Floyd was in…beast mode?  I went back and watch some of JT’s afternoon and he was right there all day long and if you paid attention to JT throughout the course of the game – his interception wouldn’t have been a surprise.  This is from yours truly in the Game Recap:

JT gets verbally abused by most Michigan fans – as his tackling has been poor and he is most known for giving receivers ginormous 10-15 yard cushions prior to the snap.  Floyd played a hell of a game.  JT showed two things yesterday, (1) that he, at this point in the season and his career, can run and not get beat deep and (2) that he has the speed and quickness to break on the ball and make a big play.  His interception was crucial as Illinois had an opportunity around mid field to pull within either three or seven points of Michigan.

TEAM, TEAM, TEAM.  Football games are won and lost by a TEAM, not a single unit on the football field.  Hence, Michigan’s monstrous struggles for three years with one to one-and-a-half out of three units of the team playing with any level of competency.  So here we be, ten games under the new direction of Brady Hoke and Michigan won a road game because they are much more of a complete TEAM.  When the offense eats a bad peanut, the defense is there to turn things around.

Trending: the not-so-good.

Denard’s inability to find open space with his legarooskies.  This is unfortunate for college football fans, specifically those with feelings involving emotions towards Michigan, as Denard is a joy to watch when he is healthy and running in space.

Devin Gardner’s knack for running horizontal, not vertical.  It’s frustrating watching Devin carry the football.  Does he not just want to bounce everything outside?  I’m sure that worked in high school and he was able to turn the corner with success – well this ain’t high school anymore and he’s not going to have any success doing that.  I have two beefs with Gardner when he’s running (1) is that his first instinct is to bounce it outside and (2) when it’s time for contact, he typically turns his shoulder and does this little side jump thing in to the defender.  If you’ve watched Michigan all year – you know what I am talking about.  However, Devin did his part in managing the game and putting 14 points on the board (really 7, the other TD was all Toussaint).  My beef on display (that reads funny, please keep that in context):

Devin should have cut this up field when he was at about the eight or nine yard line.  Since it was 3rd and goal – Michigan was forced to line up for three instead of potentially six if Gardner is the aggressor.  In the 4th, there was a play (video link) where Devin shows some nice ability to quickly react and get out of the pocket / up field.  So, that was nice to see.

With Michigan’s defense and special teams playing key roles in the victory – the shocker isn’t that the two negative points in the trends are in regards to Michigan’s two quarterbacks.  You have to complain about somethings, it’s mandatory you know.

Around the B1G

Ohio State mystified by Purdue, loses 26-23 in OT.  Seriously, Danny Hope is 3-0 against the Buckeyes?!  Damn.  So, Ohio State put together three conference wins in a row – two of which came at the hands of Illinois (who has now Ron Zooked it’s way into an average at best season) and Wisconsin.  Ohio State a la one week prior vs. Indiana spots their next Indiana foe a 10 spot.  Towards the end of the game, Ohio State was on the fortunate end of an improbable touchdown late in the 4th quarter.  Oh but wait, the extra point was blocked.  From Eleven Warriors:

Six and four. That’s where the Buckeyes stand after inexcusably starting the game in a daze for the second straight week allowing the opponent to jump out to a 10-0 lead, putting extra pressure on an offense  that struggles to get first downs let alone score points.

Of course, that problem was magnified by a defense that despite holding Purdue to three points in the 2nd half, simply couldn’t make the big plays when needed especially on third down in what is becoming an all too familiar trend.

It wasn’t pretty for the Buckeyes.

Nebraska slides by Penn State 17-14, but who watched?  Seriously, Penn State games are brutal to watch this season – and Nebraska isn’t too far behind.  The two teams combined for fifteen freaking punts in a battle of punts.  Nebraska did jump out to the 17-0 lead, so Penn State made it somewhat exciting towards the end.  No doubt, it was a different game given all of the scandal related issues Penn State experienced last week.  From Corn Nation:

I thought Nebraska came out and played fairly well in a difficult situation.  Not perfect, mind you. A blown coverage in the secondary led to Penn State’s first touchdown and a seemingly blown officiating call led to the second. It’s hard to say what the game would have been like if the horrific allegations hadn’t blown up in the past week.  But it’s a win against another top 20 foe on the road; note that Husker critics don’t bring that stat up anymore.

Should be a fun watch this Saturday in the Big House.

Michigan State avenges last season’s throttling in Iowa City 37-21.  Iowa kinda sorta handed this one to the Spartans via giving them the ball via turnovers.  Not that I’m taking away credit from Michigan State, but Michigan State didn’t have to do a whole lot to earn those points off turnovers.  From BHGP:

It’s hard to take a whole lot away from a game where Iowa craps the bed on a grander scale than at any other point in the season. Sure, it was going to be a tall task to beat Michigan State, and I don’t want to give the impression that the Spartans didn’t earn the victory; clearly, they did.  It’s just… what’s there to take from a game where Iowa’s -3 in turnovers and all three had a major effect on the scoreboard? That the Hawkeyes shouldn’t turn the ball over three times? Of course they shouldn’t. That the Hawkeye defense needs to do a better job at keeping the opposing team out of the end zone with a short field? Clearly, yes, but good luck making demands like that, you know? The point is, the turnover margin was both Michigan State’s best and Iowa’s worst of the year, and every now and then, those games are going to happen.

Damn you, Michigan State.  I’ll be rooting against you, forever.

I think Northwestern played, I think.  Yes, Northwestern in fact played Rice.  In a game that is essentially meaningless in the B1G – and sans a strength of schedule argument this game was meaningless to Michigan’s outlook.  So, Northwestern won 28-6.

Wisconsin does what it’s supposed to do against Minnesota, winning 42-13.  Obviously, this was expected.  Wisconsin is getting back on track, but the sting of those two heartbreaking losses has to sit with this team and fan base.

Michigan 31  Illinois 14

In life, change is constant and inevitable.  For the Michigan football program, change has been constant for the past four seasons.  Much of this change hasn’t been pretty and certainly hasn’t been a good time.

I can tell you one thing, Michigan fans – the Michigan football program is changing for the better.  And it might just turn out to be a darn good time.

This is a team and program on the rise.  In amazing fashion, it’s Michigan’s defense that qualifies this team’s top 25 status – not it’s offense.  In recent years, the team goals changed from a Big Ten championship to simply winning enough games to become bowl eligible.  Any win beyond six was a bonus.  Now?  Pshhh, now in November the goal remains as it was before the season started – to win the Big Ten championship game and be conference champs for the first time in a long time.  While Michigan doesn’t control it’s own destiny, it’s November 14th and Michigan can still win the B1G with help, bowl eligibility is a given and this team is now shooting for a ten win season.

How about that defensive performance?  That was a Michigan defense!  Some people are dubbing it the “Mattison Miracle”.   The chart below is from that same mgoblog thread:

Never in a million.  Never would I have thought this defense had the talent or wherewithal to improve to a “Michigan defense”, a phrase that is so commonly used nowadays by a coaching staff that knows it’s meaning.

Let’s see what this box score is talking about:

                                    MICH      ILL
FIRST DOWNS...................       14       15
  Rushing.....................        8        6
  Passing.....................        6        8
  Penalty.....................        0        1
NET YARDS RUSHING.............      223       37
  Rushing Attempts............       48       33
  Average Per Rush............      4.6      1.1
  Rushing Touchdowns..........        3        2
  Yards Gained Rushing........      273      105
  Yards Lost Rushing..........       50       68
NET YARDS PASSING.............      139      177
  Completions-Attempts-Int....   8-15-1  17-34-1
  Average Per Attempt.........      9.3      5.2
  Average Per Completion......     17.4     10.4
  Passing Touchdowns..........        1        0
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS...........      362      214
  Total offense plays.........       63       67
  Average Gain Per Play.......      5.7      3.2
Fumbles: Number-Lost..........      3-2      3-2
Penalties: Number-Yards.......     4-29     4-25
PUNTS-YARDS...................    4-137    9-374
  Average Yards Per Punt......     34.2     41.6
  Net Yards Per Punt..........     32.2     34.7

The Takeaway?

How about holding Illinois to 37 total yards rushing and 1.1 average yards per rush attempt?  That’s a Michigan Defense.  Michigan outgained Illinois 362 to 214.  That’s significant.  Illinois simply could not move the ball on this defense, specifically the front four.  Ryan Van Bergen was tremendous and rightfully earned himself a Big Ten co-Defensive player of the week award.

JT Floyd.  JT gets verbally abused by most Michigan fans – as his tackling has been poor and he is most known for giving receivers ginormous 10-15 yard cushions prior to the snap.  Floyd played a hell of a game.  JT showed two things yesterday, (1) that he, at this point in the season and his career, can run and not get beat deep and (2) that he has the speed and quickness to break on the ball and make a big play.  His interception was crucial as Illinois had an opportunity around mid field to pull within either three or seven points of Michigan.

Denard or Devin?  This is all I’ll say:  Denard gives Michigan the best chance to win.  No, he’s not perfect.  Yes, he is still smiling.  Please, give the kid a mf’in break as he is in his first year of a new offensive system and is still developing as a quarterback.  As for Devin, he’ll be a solid quarterback and is currently a solid #2 QB.

I have a request: can we organize the next two football games so every opponent offense play is a 3rd and 1?  I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but this defense is incredibly successful on defending these short yardage plays.  This has been a trend for the entire season.  Michigan’s ability to get a stop on 3rd or 4th and short afforded Michigan the opportunity to beat Notre Dame and remain in the game in both the Michigan State and Iowa losses.  I won’t be surprised to see a video mash pulled together of 3rd or 4th and short stops alone.

Jeremy Gallon.  Did a fine job seeing the open lanes on the punt returns and attacking them full speed.  It’s tough to judge Gallon’s speed.  Some plays he looks kind of slow (see his screen reception early in the Purdue game) and some he looks quite fast.  He seemed to show some nice speed on both of his returns.

On to Nebraska.

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Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images.

Trending IN

Fitz Toussaint looks more and more like Michigan’s best running back.  Detroit News on Fitz’s big day.  I can’t argue with Touch the Banner…

Perhaps the best part of Toussaint’s game is the way he finishes runs.  Despite not being particularly big, he always seems to churn his legs for an extra couple yards after contact.  His yardage total was the best by a Michigan running back since Michael Hart had 215 against Eastern Michigan back in 2007.

Devin Gardner is seeing more snaps in the meat of the game.  Gardner had 10 snaps from under center before the game was no longer in question.  One of these plays came after Denard’s 50 yard completion to Roundtree on 3rd and 20 inside its own ten yard line.  WingedHelmet on MZone comments what I was thinking here…

Actually I think that was a designed play by Borges. Have Gardner throw it to Purdue at the 4and get the safety. Brilliant. In other news….”The Wolverines scored on a safety and a field goal in the same quarter for the first time since the “horror”.

This is not last year’s team, or the team before last year’s team.  MVictors basically says this isn’t Michigan of the recent past because of the coaching staff.

Still, do you see a championship-caliber team out there?  I don’t.  But I like what I’m seeing.  Even in the State game you could tell we were tackling better and each week guys seem to know what they’re supposed to do and do it.

The injury bug is hitting up Team 132 right now.  Starting safety and recognized playmaker Jordan Kovacs didn’t dress against Purdue and might not even play next week in Iowa City.  From AA.com’s game recap:

The offensive line might be in worse shape. It began the season as Michigan’s thinnest position group, drew fire for poor play against Michigan State and now is being ravaged by injury.

Lewan, Michigan’s starting left tackle and best lineman, appeared to tweak his knee in pregame warmups, played with a noticeable limp and left the game at several junctures. He’s also dealing with ankle and wrist issues.

But Lewan, whom Hoke calls “one tough sucker,” continued to play despite the injuries. He did not leave for good until the game was well in hand.

“I think it lifts your team,” Hoke said of Lewan’s ability to play through pain.

Added right tackle Mark Huyge: “(Lewan) was just saying, ‘I’m going to stay in and let’s go.’ There’s no way he was going to get pulled out.”

Another offensive lineman, Barnum, exited shortly before halftime after aggravating an ankle injury and did not return. That’s two linemen down from what Hoke has called his thinnest position on the field.

Desmond Morgan over Brandin Hawthorne.  In peeking at the box score - Morgan led the defense with 4 solo tackles and 9 total.

Jeremy Gallon playing well has been a trend all season long.  Gallon was less than impressive last season as he was mostly a disaster in his role as Michigan’s primary punt returner.  Eight games in and he is Michigan’s leading receiver with 23 receptions for 384 yards.  WolverineNation’s Mike Rothstein agrees ($)…

Gallon has really become a reliable receiver. He has good chemistry with Robinson and is one of the few Michigan receivers who can create his own space. He also adjusts to routes very well and has the speed to turn a screen into a big gain. His adjustment on a Robinson deep pass to set up a Toussaint touchdown was all Gallon reading where the ball was heaved. He is Michigan’s most improved player. Might not be close.

Michigan’s defense of old.  Michigan’s D has stunk for years dating back to Lloyd Carr’s final years at the helm.  Early signs indicate that this coaching staff can develop players and coach them to play up to their standard of a traditional dominant Michigan defense.

Trending OUT

Mike Martin’s box score absence seems to be a thing of the past.  Martin had a couple sacks, one worth 2 points for the home team, and 7 tackles on the day.  Despite his lack of production for the majority of the season thus far, nobody has really discounted his on-field impact, but it’s about time he has a break out game with some big plays.

Brandin Hawthorne.  See Desmond Morgan above.

Cam Gordon’s health.  Seriously, this is a giant mystery to me.  What is the deal with Cam Gordon?  He still must not be to 100%.  He always seemed like a guy with a good head on his shoulders, so I don’t believe his problem resides above the neck.  But there certainly aren’t any answers when it comes to Cam Gordon’s continued absence.

Flyballs, armpunts, Denard off the back foot heaves to Junior Hemingway.  Just sayin’, we saw a couple, but none to his favorite long-ball target Hemingway.

Winning the turnover battle.  Michigan lost it versus Purdue with two picks, with both Denard and Devin throwing nasty, nasty looking interceptions.  Courtney Avery got his first career interception at a seemingly critical point in the game.

Michael Shaw and Stephen Hopkins seeing important carries.  It seems like we’ve seen the last of these guys getting carries when the game hangs in the balance.  As last season was starting, I thought Shaw had a promising two years in front of him as Michigan’s primary back, but I be wrong my friends.  He’s got speed, but he can’t do as much between the tackles a la Toussaint or V Smoov.

Denard’s big rushing days.  While the opportunities for Denard decrease a bit, so do his rushing numbers.  Last two games he’s rushed for 63 and 42 yards off of 15 and 18 carries respectively.  I would expect that trend to continue in the interest of keeping him healthy and finding yards elsewhere within the offense.

Around the B1G

Ohio State (my bad, Ohio) Ohio continues to surprise me in beating Wisconsin.  I didn’t see all of their night game against Wisky, but I certainly didn’t expect them to come out on top.  I don’t think Ohio could have caught Wisconsin at a more opportune time.  Think about it – Wisconsin had all the national hype about contending for the BCS National Championship and the Russell Wilson Heisman talk was in full effect.  All this gets abrubtly thrown out the window when Michigan State wins on a Hail Mary.  I’m not saying Wisconsin didn’t give it their best shot, but the phsycological effect of the previous week’s loss means more than you think.

Iowa losing to Minnesota was not supposed to happen.  From Hawk-Central…

The Hawkeyes lost for a number of reasons Saturday, including scoring just three times on six possessions inside the 20-yard line, not protecting quarterback James Vandenberg, missing two field goals, failing to contain shifty quarterback MarQueis Gray, and coming up with nothing but air on the Gophers’ late onside kick.

and…

It’s scary to think what Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson might do to the Iowa defense next Saturday unless the unit improves dramatically.

Anything stand out to you from that first block-quote?  Hopefully, Michigan’s D line gets to the ill-protected Vandenberg and Denard is ill-contained like the talented, yet lesser caliber MarQuis Gray.  

Penn State outscores Illinois 10-7.  Let’s face it – the only reason to tune into this game (okay there are two reasons) was to watch some snowfall on to a football field.  I suppose, a plausible second reason to watch this game could be that Michigan faces the Illini in two weeks at their place.  So, geez, that was a boring game.  Neither offense looked like they could do much of anything, ever.  I could be wrong, as there were just better things to do with my life at the time than watch this game.  Regardless of Illinois looking awful and enduring a three game slide – Michigan has a tough game in two weeks.  From IlliniHQ.com…

If we’re being honest, Illinois didn’t deserve to win Saturday. It’s a miracle the Illini even had a chance to send this game into overtime, let alone have a chance to win it in the final minutes. They gave the ball away a season-high four times and had a major breakdown in the punting game for the second straight week. That certainly won’t cut it against No. 17 Michigan in two weeks or against No. 12 Wisconsin the following week, not with atrocious special teams and an offense that is not producing near the same level it was to start the season.

Finally, is Penn State the worst 8-1 team, ever?  I know PSU’s defense is stiff, but when you randomly watch that team they don’t look good.

Nebraska owned Michigan State.  Simple as that.  Kirk Cousins just doesn’t look like he can even give his team a chance to win sometimes.  That offense looked bad.  I’m still a little bitter about how things went down two weekends a go for Team 132.  It didn’t look like the same MSU team Michigan faced.  You had a feeling it was going to be Nebraska’s day shortly into that game.  It’s going to be a game in the Big House come November 19th – I’d say 20-30% chance Gameday might be back in Ann Arbor for that one, which would be subject to change if it looks like an 8-3 Ohio State team could face a 10-1 Michigan team (!) the following week.  Certainly not counting on a 10-1 Michigan team, but it’s not out of the question.

Northwestern scores 59 and Indiana not so many, 38.  Northwestern gained 616 total yards and Indiana gained 488 total yards.  I wonder how much longer that game took to play than say, Ohio State vs. Wisconsin?  That’s got to be a serious difference, no?

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Photo cred AA.com.

So let’s take a quick gander at the offense and I will rattle off the quick thoughts that come to mind:

QB – Denard and Devin. Yup.  Stay healthy my friends.

RB – Michael Shaw and Stephen Hopkins.  I think we know what we are going to get out of Shaw.  He’s just a skinny guy with speed and seeming potential, but he’s never really broken through.  He played well last season until he got banged up.  Between the incoming freshman (Justice Hayes and Thomas Rawls) and guys with experience (Vincent Smith, Hopkins, Shaw, Cox) – I’m hoping one or two of these guys show that they can dominate or become reliable.

WR – Odoms, Stonum, Hemingway and Roundtree. I’m a big fan of this group.  There is no real standout, but they all have shown flashes at times of becoming that standout receiver.  I wouldn’t say any of these four guys has deserved the #1 jersey on the field yet.  I really liked what I saw last season from Junior Hemingway.  He showed he can position himself for a deep ball and showed some ability to put on a quick move immediately after making a catch.  Roundtree, who was so sure handed towards the end of 2009, had an issue catching the ball late last season.  Hopefully, Roundtree is over the dropsies.  On Stonum, legal issues aside, I have this feeling we aren’t going to see him have a better 2011 than he did 2010.  Stonum is Michigan’s best kick returner and it’d be nice if he could be the catalyst in giving Al Borges a shorter field to work with.

TE – Kevin Koger, Brandin Moore. I like Koger.  Koger seems to be a guy that plays better when involved more in the passing game, which I think we’ll see this year.  In having Martell Webb sharing snaps in 2010, I don’t believe Moore saw the field enough to make some off the cuff estimations.  Hopefully Chris Barnett works out for Michigan.

OL – David Molk, Taylor Lewan, Ricky Barnum, Patrick Omameh, Mark Huyge. Another easy group to like with a lot of good experience.  Molk is a great leader and always a good interview.  Lewan thinks he’s a bad ass, which is a good thing for Michigan – as long as he’s not getting penalized.

PR – Jeremy Gallon. For lack of a better option?  Not to knock Gallon, but he needs to have less mistakes fielding the ball before I’ll feel comfortable having him back there.  Will be interesting to see if Hemingway is also in the mix for punt returns. 
The Steez?

Well, remember once upon a time, Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez.  A cat from West Virginia.  I, like many Michigan fans, held unreserved enthusiasm and excitement for the new brand of football I was going to see in the opener against Utah.  I couldn’t make the whats-the-first-play-gonna-be-this-time-joke at the outset of each offensive possession that was so easy to use under Lloyd Carr.

All that excitement and enthusiasm is back.  Largely because Denard Robinson is back, but also because it’s a new brand of football.

The steez?  You mean how good I think they will be?  On a scale of one to ten, I’d give this offense a preseason rating of 7.5.  It’s a little conservative considering the pieces and experience coming back.  After the first couple games, that rating will be between 7 and 9.

Two things will allow this offense to succeed: (1) Denard must be efficient and limit turnovers and (2) “x” running back needs play well and be reliable.

There you go folks.

Rich Rodriguez…

…On injuries / housekeeping stuff

• Denard only knee bruise, should practice; fitz has shoulder; carvin/herron could play; shaw (knee) day to day; Tate (quad) fine.
• Mike williams has had multiple concussions. Very concerned about that.
• Herron might play this week. Mike Williams still out with concussion. Mike Shaw sprained his knee, is day-to-day.
• On Denard: Bruised knee. Limited today in practice. Said he hopes DR will do everything in practice Tuesday. Said DR will play Saturday
• Toussaint “did something” to his shoulder. Trying to figure out what. Hoping Carvin Johnson “Will be able to do more.”
• RR said Courtney Avery will switch to No. 5 “there’s no controversy with that” he said joking. He was No. 9, got called for penalty.
• RR: wish denard would’ve stepped out of bounds.
• RR said both Forcier and Gardner are No. 2 QB: “We’ll see how they are practicing this week.”
• On QBs/offense: “Other guys can run the offense. Denard is special.”
• RR said it’s tough to work on tackling during the season, only Tuesdays are physical practice. Thought Sat. “we tackled better.”

…On Indiana & BGSU

• On Indiana’s receivers “Big guys, very athletic, they can run..” “it’s a concern for us”
• RR: we’ve got a starter – Denard – and two No. 2 guys. Who comes in when during a game depends on practice.
• RR: Pistol offense, if they execute it they can get some big plays.
• RR: similar indiana team to what michigan saw last year. Scores a lot of points
• RR: lewan played well but still fighting for a spot.
• Huge game for both team, both undefeated, crowd will be in to it
• Had some different nickel packages that allowed both Courtney Avery and Cullen Christian to get a lot of playing time
• Playing at Notre Dame was great road experience for the younger guys on the team.
• On taking the opening kickoff – “we usually defer”. On only a few rare occasions, because of weather or something, they’ve taken the opening kickoff. Prefers to get the ball after halftime.
• On Mike Martin – having a great season, is playing a lot of snaps, but he’s been dominant in both the run and pass.
• On D Line – got some pressure and were solid against the run. Greg Banks and Ryan Van Bergen have both been pretty solid.
• Overall defensively, played more aggressive against BGSU, but will be tested big time against Indiana
• In light of Big Ten season starting – everything gets cranked up a notch and the team understands that.
• RR: doesn’t remind his players about what happened last year. References Lion King…
• On playing Alabama in 2002 – nothing has been signed, just conversation at this point.
• Big Ten is stronger this year than it has been in years from top to bottom.
• The young DB’s have been a pleasant surprise on defense. Have played 13 true freshman through 4 games and most of them have been on defense.
• On having 3 guys back on punt returns – wanted to get guys back there to play the rollout punt that BGSU had shown in previous games.
• On not kicking the field goal on the last 4th and 3 – wanted to get Devin and those guys experience on getting the first down. Just wanted to run the offense.
• On linebacking play: Roh has been solid. Mouton played well in every game, but not UMass.
• Have high expectations for the LB’s – Mouton probably most explosive and Roh very versatile.

Kelvin Grady…

• On his TD called back: “It happens, I smiled, things happen”
• Feels very comfortable in this system. He’s played three different positions and has moved around – that has helped him get a full understanding of the offense.
• Any bad blood between UM and Indiana? – No, go into each game with the mindset that they will work hard, study film, study the opponent, and do their best.
• How is this year’s team different than the last two years? – Everybody understands what they need to do and guys have been stepping up. Denard, Stonum and other guys have really stepped up. The defensive secondary has really stepped up. Mike Martin is stepping up.
• “25% Shoelace is faster than other players…let alone him being 100%”
• It’s key to have Tate and Devin as backups, because they have experience and are skills. Tate is experienced and prepared, Devin has learned the system and is prepared as well.
• Is the 1-7 conference record motivation? – It fires up the team to have doubters. They know what they have and how hard they work. The don’t look back, but do use it as motivation.
• On how Denard handles all the accolades – “Denard is a really humble kid” They joke about how Denard doesn’t even realize how much the country is talking about him, he’s just so humble and is a great person. All positive. His humble nature has helped him become a leader as well as his work ethic.
• His brother, Kevin, is working back home. Working on himself right now.
• Feels extremely blessed to be playing for Michigan right now. Going to be graduating in December and will begin his masters. Just very happy to be part of this team.

Darryl Stonum…

• Walks in with tape on the middle of his now famous thick-rimmed glasses. Has a black tie on with his Michigan polo.
• On Kelvin Grady – he’s grown a lot, is a lot bigger. He’s blocking well, catching the ball well, doing everything he’s been asked to do. He’s more comfortable out there now.
• It’s a lot of fun to play in this offense. You never know who is going to step up. It’s a lot of fun because the ball could go to any guy.
• Going 1-7 last year in the Big Ten, it is motivation. References not swallowing the poison on any hype around being 4-0 again.
• On why the team is poised this year – more together as a team, it’s a family atmosphere, and having fun on the field.
• On Troy Woolfolk – always happy on the morphine (joke). But just wants to get back out on the field, he should be walking soon. He’s always yelling and screaming. He’s always at practice and is hungry to get back on the field next year.
• No limits to the offense when it can execute.

Taylor Lewan…

• Goal as a RS freshman is to start – feels great and blessed to be out there playing.
• Had a helpless feeling when he couldn’t play last year – so it’s great to be on the field with the ability to change the game.
• Working with Barwis has been great – helped with strength, speed, etc.
• On being #77. Didn’t realize it was Jake Long’s number, had the number in high school.
• Says that him and Craig Roh try and help get guys from back in Arizona to commit.
• His favorite thing about Ann Arbor is the interesting people.
• Again, the question about using 1-7 as motivation – echoed what Stonum said.
• He’ll block just as hard for Tate and Devin as he will for Denard – hangs out with all of them.
• Tries to play as mean as possible.

J.T. Floyd…

• Indiana’s receivers are a talented bunch. They were last year.
• The definitely remembers what it was like being 4-0 last year – and keep in mind what happened.
• Stresses the importance of every game, no team will be overlooked.
• The D was more focused this past week. Need to improve tackling, but had better focus and energy.

Ryan Van Bergen…

• This year’s team is more mature than last year. A hungrier team this year going into the Big Ten schedule.
• IU’s QB is playmaker and the Indiana line makes it tough to get back there.
• On D – the play of Thomas Gordon has been huge in stepping in for Carvin Johnson.
• On going against Taylor Lewan in practice – he’s a really physical guy. Told Taylor he’d never be a tackle at Michigan when he showed up as a freshman weighing 260. He’s done great and brings a lot to the table.
• Taylor has good athleticism and the ceiling for him is really high.
• On going against Denard in practice “you’re never going to see another Denard Robinson when you go against another team” Good for pursuit angles, but the D understands they won’t be playing against a guy like Denard.
• It’s a common misconception that, as a defense, that if you play your assignments against Denard you can stop him. Defenses have to “cage him in like a rabbit”.
• On Mike Martin – he’s so fast he usually beats the double team before it even gets to him. Has great ability to get off blocks and is unreal as a player.

To the game…

On Offense…

You are almost guaranteed to win a college football game when your offense does the following…

• 28 first downs
• 1 penalty
• 0 turnovers
• Nearly 37 minutes of possession
• 14-19 on 3rd down conversions
• 4-4 in the red zone, 3 touchdowns
• Drives of 14, 19, 11, and 15 plays

Do these things and you are winning that ball game every single time. The ability of Denard Robinson to throw the ball completely handcuffed UConn’s defensive unit, see every third down and 7+ that Denard converted on.

Thoughts on the QB Depth Chart
I don’t doubt that Denard can continue to play extremely well. I also still believe that, based on the comments from Tate Forcier’s father, that Rodriguez wasn’t done disciplining Tate. There’s no way Devin Gardner has passed up Tate on the depth chart. Michigan is going to be in games where Denard’s legs for one reason or another, can’t convert over 50% of third downs. Coach Rod knows that Denard’s 29 carries is probably too many – and the scare when Denard went down at the end of the 3rd quarter is what happens when you have a guy like Denard. Denard’s fearlessness is fantastic, but it may get him injured at some point. Bottom line, it’s my presumption that Tate’s influencers around him are echoing these same things and letting him know that he is going to be critical to this team’s success at some point this season.

Denard Robinson…
Because the Denard media binge and love-fest is already outta control – briefly…Denard has learned to read the defense and do what the coaches are teaching. In turn, defense exhibit A could not contain him and he effortlessly converted 2nd and long, 3rd and long and got 7+ yards time after time on first down. I’d be willing to bet that Denard is the only QB in the country accelerating through defenders as he does in the clip below. Now that he’s proven he can throw effectively, tiny running lanes are all Denard needs to convert.

Mike Shaw…
I thought Mike Shaw had a great game carrying the ball, despite any lacking in the box score. He seems stronger this year and he ran with authority on Saturday. More than once, he easily could have been tackled behind the line of scrimmage, but busted a move and managed to churn out something positive…like the below… On the touchdown, Mike showed that he can run with authority and hit the hole going full speed while keeping his balance. He showed that he’s going to be an asset out as a receiver out of the backfield as well. Was impressed with this guy on Saturday.

Vincent Smith…
I dig what Vincent Smith brings to the table. He’s a grinder and much more often than not he is pushing the defender back for an extra yard or three. He’s short, but powerful, and it can’t be easy for opposing defenders to find him as he is patiently picking his way through the zone blocking in front of him. On his first touchdown, Vincent got lost in the shuffle, was patient and broke a tackle to get in to the end zone.

The Offensive Line…
Ton of credit to these guys. They opened up holes for Shaw, Smith and Denard all day long. Definitely a scare when Molk went down, but he looked more tired than anything. He came back in almost immediately, much like Denard after he went down with an apparent injury in the 3rd quarter. If these guys can stay healthy, Michigan’s offense should continue to have lots of success on the ground and through the air all season long.

Receivers / Slots…
Give these guys a lot of credit as well. While most of the yards came on the ground, they converted when given the opportunity. Not all games will play out like this one – the passing game will be more prevalent as the season gets under way. Finally, Terrance Robinson got into the action on a beautiful bubble screen fake from Denard that forced the safety out of position – opening up the entire middle of the field. I thought Grady did okay with his opportunities, but I think he needs to show more if he wants to keep getting as many touches. Odoms and Stonum were both solid and these two guys look to be the most consistent, well-rounded of the bunch.

On Defense…

Defense came out and played well – holding UConn to 10 points was not expected by anyone. The consensus was a thirty something to thirty something ball game. Some stats worthy of noting…

• UConn completion rate held to 47%
• Forced 1 turnover
• UConn 4 – 15 on 3rd down conversions
• 1 blocked kick
• 10 POINTS

Obviously, only allowing 10 points is key. Forcing a turnover in the red zone and blocking a field goal – both extremely critical in Michigan’s general comfort level that grew as the game pushed on in the 3rd and 4th quarters. All in all, based on what happened last season, I don’t envision this defense getting full of themselves at any point this season. The degree of last season’s defensive collapse was so severe that there’s no way it escapes the minds of the coaches or returning players.

J.T. Floyd & James Rogers
Both these guys had solid games – and I was pleasantly surprised by the play of James Rogers. He was extremely active and seems to be a ball hawk. Makes me wonder where he’s been his whole career. J.T. was solid as well, especially in run D support and he may have had the biggest play of the entire day…below my friends…

Linebackers…
Obi Ezeh and James Mouton both lead the team in tackles with 9 and 8 respectively. Mouton laid the wood on some UConn guys on a few plays. Craig Roh lead the team with 2 tackles for loss. Based on the eye test, I would have to say that both Roh and Mouton outplayed Ezeh. I noticed Obi was out of position or seemed to over-pursue on a few plays. Overall speed was good and they were out to hit someone. Moundros looked good out there and definitely looks the part.

On Special Teams…

Michigan only punted one time for 51 yards – not bad for young Will Hagerup. The kicking game had some issues – it was to be expected in light of the youth and also the swirling winds. Gibbons missed from 43 yards out and made from 24. Gibbons also missed an extra point – and it sounds like Drew Dileo had some issues getting the ball down as the holder. A must fix before heading to South Bend this week. Kick coverages weren’t bad.

Some extra… Andy Staples CNNSI, Forcier – don’t be foolish stay at Michigan, Denard love @ Dr. Saturday, UConn happy it’s over.

In the tables below…St = Starts and App = Game Appearances.

QB

The Sitch: This is the magical unit in the Rodriguez spread style offense, but if you ask me, that’s an overused statement because it holds true in every offense. As the opener approaches, it’s becoming apparent that the coaching staff is feeling comfortable with the play of Denard, Tate and Devin. RR saying all three may play and that Devin will not be redshirting as he is mature enough both physically and mentally.

When I analyze these three guys, especially Tate and Denard, I have a hard time making judgments on what happens during spring and fall practice as opposed to what I’ve seen in games. The spring game is just too different from a game for me to fully put stock in the hype around Denard. No question, he needs to be on the field in some capacity. If you didn’t know, he’s kinda fast. If Denard is the starter and if he indeed does take the majority of the snaps, it’s because of the followings: he has a better grasp of the playbook, his accuracy / confidence throwing the ball is much better / higher, and his decision making is waaay improved as a product of knowing the playbook and having more confidence.

I live near Cincinnati, so I answer to a bunch of wannabe truck driver buckeye fans regarding why Denard is starting over Tate, Tate is transferring because it’s what they do in that family, etc. It doesn’t really matter, at all, who takes the first snap and first couple series against UConn. I agree with Angelique Chengelis that the Michigan fan base and college football world has made way too much of who gets the start.

What to Expect: Denard Robinson will be taking the first snaps against UConn – put that one in the bank. My best guess, after seeing all the interviews, press conferences, spring game, beanie bowl highlights, etc. is that Denard will get a 2-5 series leash before you will see Tate get in the ball game. From that point it’s a feel thing for Rich Rod – so whichever guy looks most promising up against UConn’s defense is the guy that is going to stay in the game. Expect to see Devin in the ball game if Michigan creates some separation on the scoreboard, but don’t put any coin on him seeing the field if this game is remotely close. RR will have to side with the guys that have more experience even if Devin is playing up to Tate and Denard’s level.

Running Back

The Sitch: Without a sure starter coming back, there’s a bit of speculation as to who is going to stand out and get the bulk of the carries when it counts. Both guys with some game experience will most likely get the first cracks at it, Mike Shaw and Vincent Smith. Smith is going to be used more between the tackles and Shaw on the outside. Smith has the shiftiness and some of that knack that Mike Hart had to always get a few more yards than you think he will. Shaw has really not lived up to his potential yet. He’s a guy with great speed, but lacks consistency and doesn’t have much power whatsoever.

The guy that a lot of people are ready to see is Mike Cox. Mike is a guy that has had good moments in clean up duty and is regarded as the best overall athlete of the group. Should Mike prove to be a gamer, he could add some real depth to this group and barring injuries, give RR a solid three to four guys to feel comfortable with in the backfield.

What to Expect: Vincent Smith is your starter against UConn, but Mike Shaw, Mike Cox and Stephen Hopkins are all very likely to see some carries. I look for Vincent Smith to emerge as the most consistent back on read option runs because of his ability to squirt through the big guys up front. Smith had no problem snagging 4 to 7 yards on first down for most of his touches against Ohio State last year – so more of the same is to be expected this season. Getting a 1,000 yard rusher out of this group would be great, but I don’t see it happening.

Wide Receiver

The Sitch: This is no doubt a talented group with a ton of game experience. One surprise that came out of camp was RR sticking Martavious Odoms on the outside. A move warranted by Odoms’ knowledge of the system and his physical nature. Stonum has had an outstanding fall camp and is primed for a breakout season (with a new vision thanks to some contacts).

Hemingway is a guy that has looked great at times, but can’t seem to stay healthy. It’s hard to expect a lot of him simply because he hasn’t really proven himself after two seasons being a starter going into the opener. I think he has the potential to be a solid contributor.

What to Expect: Stonum is going to have a big season on the outside as Michigan’s only real deep threat, not to mention his proven ability to return kickoffs. If Odoms can stay healthy, he’ll be a mainstay on the edge as his ability to block is critical for several plays going to the slot. If any of the young guys need to step up, expect Je’Ron Stokes and true freshman Jeremy Jackson to get their shot.

Slot Receiver

The Sitch: Roy Roundtree was straight up a receiving beast over the last four games in ’09. Roundtree is fully expected to top the group when it comes to both leadership and production. He’s a dude that is quickly becoming a favorite among both the local media and fans. Kelvin Grady looks positioned to also see more time on the field this season over last, but he is another guy that has yet to truly prove himself in a game situation. Perhaps, with a year under his belt of being fully committed to football he will be a better player and performer.

I think it’s fair to assume that Terrance Robinson might have a slight edge on Jeremy Gallon, but both guys have been highly touted and have a lot of talent. It will be interesting to see if one of these guys emerges and takes playing time away from Grady.

What to Expect: Homeboy Roundtree is going to have a great season. He’s shown great body control, ball control and route running ability and is a self-proclaimed hard worker and has said several times that he’s looking to play with that “Hard Edge”. Look for Grady to get his shot, with T. Rob and Gallon on his heels all season.

Tight End

The Sitch: As long as Koger and Webb stay healthy, this will be a strength for the Michigan offense. Koger has shown some flashes of brilliance, but has also been inconsistent. Assuming he’s matured as he is another guy that’s been in the system for three years now, Koger is a high-potential guy. While the tight ends aren’t used in the spread as much as in the pro-style offense, RR has said several times that tight ends are generally used in about 70% of plays. Martell Webb is a solid backup that brings some experience to the table and will see the field a lot this fall.

What to Expect: Kevin Koger to have a fantastic year, but he still won’t see more than two or three balls thrown his way per game. Michigan has so much talent on the outside and in the slot, not to mention the guys behind center, that the tight ends may get neglected a bit. Of course, the opposite may ring true, Koger and Webb might get more open if the slots and wide receivers are garnishing more attention from opposing defenses because of their success. Tight end is always a tough position to forecast from a reception productivity standpoint. Definitely a position of strength for Michigan this season.

Offensive Line

The Sitch: Finally, Michigan has an experienced offensive line under Rich Rodriguez. A lot of these guys have been in the program all three years and now have a boatload of game experience. Steve Schilling alone has started in 36 games out of 37 in his career at Michigan. David Molk might be the most important guy on this entire offense. Things really began to fall apart in 2009 after Molk went down once and then again in the Penn State game. You’ll find many people that feel Molk’s injury combined with Forcier’s shoulder injury were the difference of a few games last seasons.

You’ve got young guys like Taylor Lewan pushing older fellas like Perry Dorrestein and Mark Huyge. Patrick Omameh has looked great and performed relatively well when his number was called last season. The group as a whole is much bigger and stronger – they have been Barwis-ized so they have put on the muscle mass while maintaining their agility.

What to Expect: The O line will probably be Michigan’s deepest unit and it should be the key to an extremely productive offense. RR will be able to shuffle fresh legs in and out through the course of a game and should someone go down – there’s a quality, experienced back up that can step without the offense missing a beat. The collective starts of the entire unit from 2009 adds up to 37 – the experience gained, not to mention the strength and bulk gained in the offseason, all amounts to a group of guys that have had opportunities to grow and gel as a cohesive unit.

Every once in a while I sit down at my computer and fire up last years game agains OSU or MSU. I’ll choose to watch that final drive of the MSU game where Tate took the offense over 90 yards with a couple minutes to go to tie the game. I’ll watch certain pieces of the OSU game where Michigan moved the ball at will against them. If you’re reading this – you’re just as ready for this next college football season to get rolling as I am. Here are ten reasons that I’m excited for this season – and quasi-why I think Michigan can come away with 8 wins…

1. An experienced QB is going to be on the field. Yeah, there hasn’t been one of those in a while now has there. I know there is a lot of chatter out there now that spring ball has been well under way – that both Denard Robinson and Devin Gardner are challenging Tate Forcier for the starting spot. It’s a lot of hype. It’s justifiable to an extent because Devin and Denard to talented and great athletes, but I’d be shocked if anyone but Tate starts on September 4th agains UCONN. As I watch some of last year’s moments – Tate played like an erratic freshman at times, but damn he played well at other times and made some incredible plays on the run.
2. Big House is Money. The home opener against UCONN officially marks the completion and grand opening of the Michigan Stadium renovation project. I made it to three home games last year and thought that the stadium looked damn awesome. So I expect it to be even better without the old press box and people filling up those boxes. A victory against UCONN would sure make September 4th a great day to go along with what will be a pretty cool day at Michigan Stadium.
3. The D-line will be solid. Many feel that the defensive line will be the strongest part of the defense – and I agree. With a healthy Mike Martin, along with big Will Campbell, Ryan Van Bergen and Craig Roh – the d-line should show some real speed and power. Will Campbell should turn into a force that will have to be double-teamed much of the time. Even though Brandon Graham is gone – damn was he illmatic last year – the overall strength of the line should be improved.
4. Roy Roundtree. I’m a huge fan of what Roundtree was able to do in the last few games last year – starting with the Purdue game. He’s got great hands and some decent speed (being mindful of the horrid showing at Illinios). I look for him to be a staple of steady production and I think he’ll continue to be Tate’s favorite target.
5. Beating at least 2 out of 3 rivals. With Michigan State coming to Ann Arbor and Notre Dame having what should be an inexperienced offense – I fully expect Michigan to win at least those two games. I don’t think I can stomach losing either one – dropping 3 in a row to State just ain’t an option – especially a third one in the Big House.
6. Denard Robinson. (glasses up!) Here’s to Denard getting on the field more and finding the ball in his arms. He’s just too fast and too good of an athlete to not have on the field more often than he was last season. I think that Rich Rod will plug him into more sets early in ball games to get his legs going and to get him some touches – even if it’s not at quarterback.
7. What happens on the field will matter most. I’m tired of off the field issues dominating the media for this program. It will stop if Michigan can start strong like last year – but maintain some continuity relative to winning. A winning season cures all problems as far as I’m concerned. Once the season starts – the NCAA allegations are in the rearview mirror and Michigan’s play on the field will dominate what finds it’s way into the headlines and blogs. Definitely excited about that.
8. An improved secondary. Don’t laugh. I’m serious. The secondary will be better this year simply because there will be more talent. Donovan Warren’s departure, while it’s somewhat of a hit, I don’t think it’s going to negatively affect this unit as most think it will. Donovan was good – but as you can clearly see by what the NFL scouts think – he ain’t all that and probably shoudl have stuck around for his senior season. I think with the incoming talent – Cullen Christian, Demar Dorsey, etc. – these guys should put some speed back there that Michigan hasn’t had in a number of years. Let’s not forget – Cam Gordon made the switch from offense to defense and from all the reports seems to be a natural fit back there. Michigan hasn’t had a natural fit back at safety in longer than I can remember – so I’m going to say this unit has nowhere to go but up – and will indeed do so.
9. The year 2 to year 3 jump. I expect the jump from year 2 to year 3 to be a hair better than 1 to 2. You can’t argue the point that last year’s team was 10 times more fun to watch than the team that RR fielded in 2008. The talent at the skill positions – namely QB – was just far superior. I expect that same effect to take place at other positions on the field – specifically the defense. My initial, spring camp-ish season win expectations sit right at about 8 games. Not sure how they are going to do it, but I think it can and will be done.
10. Damnit it’s college football season. Even though it’s been a tough couple of seasons being a Michigan fan. Part of me doesn’t even care – because I know that things will get turned around eventually – and when it does it’s going to be mother fucking sweet. I know if you’ve read this far – you agree with me. So I’ll be tickled that it’s time for college football once the season rolls around – and that in and of itself is a damn good reason to be excited for this upcoming, 2010 Michigan Wolverine football squad.

Go Blue

“It’s an exceptionally athletic class,” Lemming said. “It’s a class full of athletes at every position. With (quarterback) Devin Gardner and (safety) Marvin Robinson, you’re going to have more athletes at Michigan than in years.

“With these players, it’s just a matter of time before (Rich) Rodriguez turns things around. Give him enough time, and it’s a no-brainer he’s going to turn things around.”

Lemming said this is how Rodriguez built his team at West Virginia, which took some time, and how he will at Michigan.

“He’s getting help at every position, and they’re all guys who can run,” Lemming said. “Even the punter is a great athlete.”

Rich Rod is getting some credit for his ability to close in on recruits as signing day draws near. So far, in RR’s first two years at Michigan for signing day, he’s provided some excitement and signed some quality players. Today, Michigan gets another verbal commitment from Jibreel Black. A 4-star Scout and 3-star Rivals guy that was previously committed to Indiana and then Cincinnati. But there has been an overriding tone among the online community of Michigan fans that RR is easily satisfied with signing three star recruits that don’t have scholarship offers from big time, elite programs.

Yes, the 2010 recruiting class is up to Michigan’s standards. Rivals is ranking this class at about 18th and Scout and other scouting sites have this class near the top ten. The important thing for Michigan is that RR is bringing in guys that fill voids in the current roster. Umm, like defensive backs. Need a few more of those! RR managed to pull the most talented quarterback to fit his system in Devin Gardner.

Supporting facts aren’t need to make the argument, or detail exactly what RR did at West Va. compared to Michigan, but RR knows how to evaluate talent and find guys that are right for his system. Michigan has picked up 15 defensive recruits so far in this class – and are expected to sign another defensive back in either Sean Parker or Rashad Knight.

RR has played one hell of a roster balancing act in his first couple seasons. It’s time his guys begin to shine come 2010. I’m all for RR and I think he is going to be a great coach for Michigan. But, he needs 2010 to be a good one, or he isn’t going to get that opportunity to show how great of a coach he can be.

Info, Scout and Rivals links for all of Michigan’s 2010 recruits.