Trending IN

Al Borges, what are you doing!?  In Michigan’s two losses there were opportunities to at least pull even with the opponent.  In both cases, Michigan squandered opportunities with bad play call on a 4th and 1 play at Michigan State and didn’t manage to find the end-zone from the three yard-line and four plays to work with. From AA.com:

Toussaint received more than two carries on two drives, and Michigan scored on both of them. He got only five carries on the Wolverines’ nine other drives, and the Wolverines scored once.

Maybe he did get hurt.  Still.  It sure does seem like Michigan’s offense on the road doesn’t make an attempt to stick with what is working in the running game.  Moving on to that last drive – my take in the Game Recap was that Michigan shouldn’t have used the timeout right away and ran a play to give Denard a chance to score with his feet.  From MZone:

Denard should’ve been rolling out for a play that gave the most electrifying runner on the field a run/pass option rather than calling something in which he had to thread the needle?

Couldn’t agree more, my friend.

Denard not playing all that well.  Save a light Purdue team, Denard now hasn’t played well in a handful of weeks.  Denard’s final stat line on the day had him going 17-for-37, 194 yards, 2 touchdowns, 1 interception, and 1 lost fumble.  Towards the end of the game, three to five plays were wasted as Denard fired the ball down field way beyond the grasp of any outstretched Michigan receiver.  On top of his issues throwing – it seems as though Denard is moving at about 70% of is max explosiveness and speed, no?  I don’t know if he is banged up or if he is being coached in some way that results in him being tentative and never making a play with this feet when he doesn’t find a man down field.

Glimpses of the past three seasons down the stretch.  I HATE THIS TREND!  I sure do wish it would just go away one of these years.  Michigan just cannot get a decent win, on the road, against a B1G team that is barely decent.  It is just a massive struggle at times watching this team.

Trending OUT

Thomas Gordon making plays on the field.  Does anyone know what the deal is with Gordon?  Back in the day this season, Gordan was snagging one-handed picks and forcing three fumbles.  Gordon didn’t one single defensive snap in the Iowa game, but did make it on to the field for special teams.  This is a mystery to me.  Here Touch the Banner’s take:

Let’s see more of this guy on defense . . . Thomas Gordon.  Gordon has had a hand in twice as many turnovers as anyone else on the team (1 interception, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 forced fumbles), but he found himself watching from the bench as Troy Woolfolk started at safety on Saturday.  Woolfolk isn’t 100% healthy and should have sat out against a cupcake or two earlier in the season to get ready for the Big Ten, but the coaches sent him out there every week, anyway, and now we’re seeing the repercussions.  Gordon needs to be on the field, and Woolfolk ought to be subbing in at corner, safety, or both.

Agree, my friend.

Still trending out from last week…

• Winning the turnover battle. Michigan lost the turnover battle against Purdue last week, and lost it again in Iowa City.  
• Denard Robinson’s big rushing days.  Longest run vs. the Hawkeyes was 22 yards, while only yielding 55 yards on 12 carries.
• Michael Shaw and Stephen Hopkins seeing important carries.  That didn’t happen again against Iowa.  It will be interested to see the carry distribution if Toussaint is really banged up going into the final three weeks.
• Cam Gordon’s health.  I hope I don’t see Cam on the side of a milk carton, no seriously.  What does this guy look like during warm ups?  Or, has he been kidnapped and is never to be seen again
  

Around the B1G

So there was a point in time on Saturday where Indiana was beating Ohio State, Minnesota was beating Michigan State, and Iowa was beating Michigan – WTF was about the only appropriate expression for me at the time.

Bottom line: Michigan’s not-too-shabby 7-2 record is marred by a conference that is borderline futile.  There is not a B1G team that has earned the right to be in the top 15.

Michigan State Impresses college football fans all across the country in beating the same (ok slightly different) Minnesota team that didn’t belong in the same stadium as Michigan just weeks ago.  So, MSU gets the win, 31-24.  Minnesota actually outgained Michigan State in total yards, 415 to 402.

My money would be on an Iowa victory next week.  I think Michigan State appropriately fizzles on the road.

Ohio State Impresses too!  Indiana jumped out to a 10 – 0 lead before Ohio State rallied.  The game was tied at the half and remained close throughout before pulled away at the end with a turnover / late score.  Indiana is certainly happy with the effort and Ohio State moves on with yet another win.  The end of November is going to be verrrrrry interesting in Ann Arbor.  Michigan is going to have it’s hands full with Braxton Miller.

Given the recent turnaround of this Ohio State team – fans of that team are in a bit of a coaching conundrum.  This from Eleven Warriors:

Sure, The Hatter is a disgusting “Michigan Man,” but I’m willing to wager that he’s also a Money Man. When Les’ coronation is complete this January, it better be Gordon Gee and Gene Smith’s Replacement leading a caravan of gold bricks down to the Bayou. After watching Michigan fans melting down on Twitter, I would love nothing more than to watch their reactions to Les Miles, bedecked in Scarlet and Grey, making the Big 10 his personal fiefdom over the next 15 years in semi-retirement.

Fat chance.

Nebraska loses to Northwestern.  Wait, Nebraska lost to Northwestern?  Man, I did not see that one coming.  Northwestern was a 17 point dog going into this one.

Nebraska fans seem to think a lot like Michigan fans at this point.  Michigan isn’t back, but Michigan is getting closer.  The sentiment from Corn Nation:

I dismiss the idea that Bo Pelini’s teams always lose a game they shouldn’t. That being said, many Nebraska losses now come in that category, because most people think Nebraska’s on the cusp of being a contender again.  But until Pelini and Nebraska can play more consistently, Nebraska will remain on the outside of that cusp. No, Nebraska’s not back.  Not when the Huskers keep losing games like this.  It’s not terminal either, unless fans lose patience.

There ya have it.

Wisconsin slugs Purdue 62-17.  You just don’t mess with Wisconsin in Madison.  They annihilate defenses when they get to play on their home turf.  Against Purdue, Wisky’s offense amassed 605 total yards (Michigan wasn’t far from that total vs. Purdue).  Luckily, Michigan is not playing Wisconsin this season.

Michigan 16  Iowa 24

The refs bombed out about as hard as Michigan did starting at Noon Saturday.  I knew it was going to be a tough go against Iowa.  It was man, it was.  I wasn’t like most of you.  I bet most of you watched this whole game.  Right?  There have been two games this season that I have been unable to watch live.  The first via an Atlanta wedding, Northwestern.  The second via the girlfriend’s Grandma’s funeral Saturday morning to early afternoon, Iowa.  For both, my score app was on a 30 second refresh.  It is awwwfffffuuuullll seeing your team go downhill via iPhone.  There were many under the breath arrrggghs and dambs.

At any rate, I did catch the end of the fourth quarter in its entirety.  Is it me, or does Denard just look like he’s going about 70% sometimes?  Not effort, but in explosiveness and speed.  I don’t know.

What you do with :16 to go after getting a first down at the 3 yard line…

Hindsight, just sayin’, etc., but I don’t think the timeout should have been used before you give Denard a shot to either run a power play or rollout and find a running lane on 1st down.  Ideally, Michigan hurries to the line of scrimmage, gets set faster than the defense, and off Denard goes.  TD’s may have ensued.  So, as the day would have it, Michigan calls their final timeout with 16 seconds left on the clock.  At this point in the game, if you run a play and get tackled, you are putting yourself in a position you can’t afford because you have four downs on your side.

Hemingway’s catch wouldn’t have been overturned either way.  The knee was down and he was inbounds – that was clear.  It was really close to being a catch, but the ball hits the ground.

Roundtree was interfered with, that’s unquestionable.  Image from an mgoblog thread: 

I mean, damb man.

Has Michigan hit a ceiling with Denard Robinson at quarterback?

My answer would be no, but the thought has crossed my mind.  This is a Michigan team that is playing at a level that indicates winning is going to be challenging from here on out.  Michigan just can’t seem to pull off a win vs. a mid-level B1G team.  I’d break it down this way…

Right now, Michigan probably isn’t beating: Michigan State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Nebraska.

Michigan is probably beating: Purdue, Indiana, Minnesota, Illinois(?), Northwestern.

Michigan is smack dab in the middle of a seemingly weak-ish conference having a not-so-good year.

What I don’t understand, is that Denard does not take off and abandon the pass when he has clear, open running lanes in front of him.  Can this be explained?  Maybe Denard just doesn’t see those lanes as he is working his eyes downfield.   His tendency is to hang, hang, and hang some more in the pocket and launch.  At least three plays in crunch time were not given a chance as Denard sailed the ball beyond his receivers’ reach.

Let’s talk more about Denard, but do it and do it quickly.

I was thinking after the game on Saturday about what I had watched in the fourth quarter – and I asked myself what single word I would use to illustrate what lost the game for Michigan.  The word wasn’t Denard.  It was Borges.  I mentioned the poor clock management and use of the timeout after Roundtree got the first down.  That took away the option to run Denard.  But, that doesn’t mean you can’t roll out Denard to give him an option to punch it if given the running lane.

A trend lately throughout the games Michigan has lost – is hating some of plays Borges calls and questioning his approach.  I have yet to see every play in the game, but I’ve gathered that there weren’t a whole lot of shotgun sets (where Denard opened it up towards the end) throughout the bulk of the game.

Denard must get better, no question.  Borges also must get better – - more of this and gorgeous Al is going to catch a little heat.

Defensively.

Good job, boys.  Now go out there and do it again next week!  Defense could have played better, but played good enough to win the ball game.  The offensive production void of 2011 is going to be the topic of conversation during this fine November week.

Tight Boxscore.

The situation of the boxscore resembles that of a ball game that would come down to the wire – and it did.  Surprisingly, Michigan had seven more first downs than Iowa.  Other than that, not a whole lot stand out.

                                    MICH     IOWA
FIRST DOWNS...................       22       15
  Rushing.....................       10        6
  Passing.....................       10        8
  Penalty.....................        2        1
NET YARDS RUSHING.............      127      131
  Rushing Attempts............       37       35
  Average Per Rush............      3.4      3.7
  Rushing Touchdowns..........        0        2
  Yards Gained Rushing........      157      153
  Yards Lost Rushing..........       30       22
NET YARDS PASSING.............      196      171
  Completions-Attempts-Int....  18-38-1  14-21-0
  Average Per Attempt.........      5.2      8.1
  Average Per Completion......     10.9     12.2
  Passing Touchdowns..........        2        1
TOTAL OFFENSE YARDS...........      323      302
  Total offense plays.........       75       56
  Average Gain Per Play.......      4.3      5.4
Fumbles: Number-Lost..........      2-1      0-0
Penalties: Number-Yards.......     3-20     5-29
PUNTS-YARDS...................    5-197    5-200
  Average Yards Per Punt......     39.4     40.0

Time of possession was also right on par with a barnburner…

Possession Time...............    30:06    29:54
  1st Quarter.................     8:09     6:51
  2nd Quarter.................     6:47     8:13
  3rd Quarter.................     8:53     6:07
  4th Quarter.................     6:17     8:43

9-0!  Because we all think it…

Michigan is a few plays away from being undefeated in a couple games where they were outplayed all day long.  It’s a flawed team, no doubt about that.  But, fans are fans, so I’m going here.  Michigan gets that 4th and 1 vs. Michigan State – - that game is looking pretty good for Michigan.  Michigan converts vs. Iowa and doesn’t play like shit the entire game – - that game is also looking to be in Michigan’s favor.

Oops, I forgot.  Ifs are stupid.  Why did I even go there?!

As you’ll hear this week and already from the post-game comments – November is championship football time.  It’s still November, and Michigan has three big games in front of them.  Getting two of the next three would please many Michigan fans, but not all. 

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Photo Cred Det. News.

Here’s Brady Hoke’s post-scrimmage presser video.

ESPN Gameday Pinpoints Location for September 9th and 10th.  From the press release:

The ESPN College GameDay Show, starring former Wolverine and 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard, will broadcast live from Ingalls Mall on the University of Michigan campus prior to the “Under the Lights” football game with Notre Dame on Saturday, Sept. 10. Ingalls Mall is located between Burton Tower and the Michigan League on Central Campus.

“We are excited that ESPN will bring their award-winning show to Ann Arbor and our campus,” said U-M Athletic Director Dave Brandon. “This is a great way to showcase the University of Michigan to the nation. It will be a memorable day and night in Ann Arbor and to have GameDay here to chronicle the event will be tremendous.”

ESPN will broadcast live from 9 a.m. until noon on Sept. 10. The show begins on ESPNU from 9-10 a.m. and airs on ESPN from 10 a.m. until kickoff of the day’s first game at noon. The game day show is hosted by Chris Fowler with analysis from Kirk Herbstreit, Lee Corso and Desmond Howard. Erin Andrews contributes to the show on a weekly basis.

In addition to the live broadcast on Saturday, GameDay will be doing hits live from Ingalls Mall throughout the day on Friday.

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.

Definitely a lighter, jovial feeling from the press conference in general and definitely from Rich Rodriguez…

Rich Rodriguez…

• RR: Denard went through tests yesterday. Should be fine.
• RR: Denard — tests on Sunday “all good” he should be fine “no issues” he had (concuss symptoms…dizzy, little headache)
• RR: Denard’s expected to do everything today in practice and play next weekend.
• Rodriguez on Danny Hope/last year: “We’ve talked a little bit at conference meetings. … It’s in the past.”
• RR: Roundtree has a natural feel for the game, special player.
• RR: Defense responded well to being put in a bad postion by the offense.
• RR: I was nervous heading into the game because of the skill that Illinois had on their team.
• RR: (turnovers) is a stat that hurts us. makes our offense have to go a long way.
• RR: When there’s not much of a drop off between your 1′s and 2′s … you know you’re going to be a pretty good football team.
• RR on Teric Jones: Tore his ACL. Out for season.
• RR: Mike Martin is better, Jonas Mouton has a shoulder injury and might be a little limited. Toussaint still a question mark.
• RR on how he felt Saturday/being bowl eligible: “No question it was a sense of relief.”
• RR: the toughest transition for any player is after their eligibility ends, the opportunity to extend that with a bowl is huge.
• RR on injuries: “One of the greatest single inventions in football, facility-wise, has been the field turf.” Said 25% less knee injuries.
• RR: “Illinois is one of the most athletic teams in our league.”
• RR: We’re upfront about injuries to limit the rumors
• RR: Floyd has had surgery on ligament-ankle; Dorrestein (knee sprain) could have been used in emergency situation last week
• RR: I think our wide receivers are playing at the highest level since I’ve been here.
• RR said going into Saturday Denard Robinson’s arm has felt a “whole lot better.” Showed on his throws.
• RR said he anticipates seeing that wheel play Illinois ran for big games multiple times every week from now on.
• Kenny Demens is going to keep getting better and has played well
• Tackled ok, not great. The option plays – we didn’t get off blocks all that well.
• They have a nice scheme and good athletes.
• Haven’t talked about giving any receiver the #1 jersey – brought up regarding Roundtree
• RR has won all three games he’s been involved in that have lasted through 3 overtime periods
• Says he didn’t sleep well Saturday night as he kept replaying plays in his head – would have been much tougher with a loss
• Will take a win anyway you can get it – the win period is most important
• Neat having a defensive play win the game – the guy was open but the rush got to the QB first.
• On blitzing – you can do that when you have lock down safeties and corners. You have to pick your moments “no one wants to sit there and die a slow death”. The whole key is disguising the blitzing – have been working on it in practice.
• The 2 picks on Denard – one was a great defensive play and the second was bad fundamentals and a misread
• Jeremy Gallon had poor ball security on the kickoff. Tate’s hand was cold on his fumble.
• Tate didn’t have much of an opportunity to warm up before Denard went out.
• RR joking about not breaking any rules today in watching film.
• “we’ve got sirens going off, people screaming when we get to that 4 hour limit”
• RR asked if it feels good to be able to joke about the NCAA thing and he responds “I’m not joking” and laughing
• RR excited to get these young guys experience for when Woolfolk and JT Floyd get back healthy.
• RR saying he’s the hardest on the defensive coaches regarding their performance. Goes on to say that playing this many freshman is unprecedented.

Ryan Van Bergen…

• On mood of the team – everybody is happy and confident in coming off a win like that. Lots of motivation for next week.
• The team is motivated to improve it’s Big Ten record and work to get in the best bowl game possible.
• Had no gas left in the tank at the end of that game.
• Interesting. Michigan made the same defensive call on the second 2pt. conversion as the first one Illinois converted.
• Despite the 65 points – the D played well off of turnovers, off of short fields, etc. Made some good strides.
• Defense finally feels like they have a swagger. It’s a tight-knit group of guys.
• Lot more pressure coming off the edges because of Craig Roh. He produces better on the line as opposed to in space as a Linebacker.
• Pressure from the D line made Scheelhaase uncomfortable in the pocket.
• Defense is hoping to force more turnovers in the coming weeks. Something they need to focus on. Tackling with intention of knocking the ball out.
• The D was highly motivated on third down. Played poorly last week on third down and wanted to correct that.
• RVB saying he hit a 46 yd field goal in high school!! But saying he needs the black tee that kickers can use in high school.
• “If called upon, I would make an extra point for this team, for sure.”

Patrick Omameh…

• Great to get an emotional win. Esp. in OT
• On difference between a Denard huddle and a Tate huddle – Denard talks real fast and Tate is a little easier to hear.
• Will Campbell is a big and strong guy. He’s making progress trying to absorb and learn. Will be a contributor down the road.
• Real exciting to be going to a bowl game.

@ TomVH: Patrick Omameh sounds exactly like Notorious BIG. I want to hear him say, “It was all a dream, I used to read Word Up magazine.”

Roy Roundtree…

• Didn’t know he broke the single season record until after the game.
• Didn’t really embrace the record until yesterday when talking to his cousin.
• His cousin made him realize how many great receivers have came through Michigan.
• Difference between a Denard and Tate huddle – not really a difference. Denard does it a little faster.
• On Denard on the sideline – he was telling guys to stay focused.
• On Purdue – trys to play every game like its his last.
• Every team tries to talk smack – he worries about the next play, not the talk.
• He committed to Purdue when he was a junior. He wasn’t going to West Virginia, but became interested once RR got to Michigan.
• On his ideal weight – 190 or 185lbs. He’ll let Mike Barwis worry about his speed. He mentions being like Darryl Stonum and Junior Hemingway – they are big but fast.
• On Hemingway – Junior is a great football player – “you all should get to know Junior” He’s a little shy, but is a great player.
• On his speed – Embraced this off-season to get better and faster – and hopes to get faster in the future.
• He wants the #1 jersey…but won’t ask for it. He knows he has to earn it.

Darryl Stonum…

@ Cornellstone22: And here we go…..I still get alil nervous talkin at these press conferences

• Everybody was happy and emotional. It’s a really close team
• Same question on the difference between QBs in the huddle – Denard mumbles with his mouthpiece in. You have go off his signals, not what he says. haha.
• On OT games – it’s tough, momentum goes back and forth. Gotta just play your game and keep your spirits high
• On Roundtree’s size – he’s worked really hard to get bigger. Even today – he was working hard in the weight room.

Rich Rodriguez…

…On Injuries / Housekeeping stuff / Depth Chart…

• RR: “No matter who your QB is, you worry about him staying healthy.”
• RR on Denard: “He’ll be a little limited [Monday]. Just because he’s been running so much. You want him 100% on Saturday.”
• Rodriguez on not kicking a FG in 3 games: “Oh yeah, you kidding me. Nice for me. I’d rather score touchdowns.”
• On Troy Woolfolk – still has a big cast but is getting in the weight room to lift his upper body
• Troy should be back 100% next year
• On Stonum not busting a kick return “haven’t even came close to breaking one like we’re going to have to…
• Darryl has the ability, it just hasn’t happened yet for whatever reason
• On Denard’s potential – “We saw it when we recruited him”. Didn’t understand the offense last year as a freshman.
• Brandon Herron is good to go for MSU
• Optimistic that Mike Shaw will be able to go against MSU
• Greg Banks, calf issue, limited today, “should be fine”
• Fitz Toussaint is day to day
• Taylor Lewan is listed as the starter
• At spur both Thomas Gordon and Carvin Johnson are listed
• At wideout – Junior Hemingway is also listed.

…On the Defense

• “it’s not like the guys aren’t trying.
• Rodriguez deflects talk of defense by saying “we’re 5-0″ said it’s like winning $10K and complaining about paying half taxes on it — take $
• Rodriguez: “There’s some moments on defense where we’ve gotten a little bit better.” And other moments where they haven’t.
• RR- offense can make in game adjustments easier than defense at this point
• RR on defense- we’re not a deep team, we need more 3 and outs
• Mike Martin has been the most consistent defensive guy
• Experience takes time – and numbers were way down last year from a depth standpoint. Scheme-wise they can do some different things, but don’t want to confuse and expose the young guys.
• Cam Gordon and Jonas Mouton played aggressive and tackled well

…On MSU

• On the importance of the game “It’s no less important for us than it is for them.”
• RR on being favored: “might be a home field thing.”
• RR: “The more you win, the more’s at stake.”
• Rodriguez says all games are big, “but this one is bigger.”
• RR on MSU: “We have to execute. They’re not going to give you stuff easy.”
• Rodriguez thinks revenge factor isn’t important in MSU game. What happened last year doesn’t matter once you’re in the game.
• RR on UM-MSU — they’re all big, but this one’s bigger. It’s a huge game for both.
• RR : “I think Cousins is an oustanding player. Their team is playing at a high level”
• MSU D best he’s played this year: “The most experienced, for sure.”
• On MSU defense: We’ve got no chance if we don’t execute well offensively.
• On kicking away from Keshawn Martin: “That would help.”
• On the rivalry and being 5-0 – adds national interest. More is at stake.
• RR speaks to the importance of going game by game as coaches and players, easier for the fans to put so much importance on one game weeks in advance
• On expecting a shootout – “it’s going to be very intense”
• On the O-line – they can play even better, but they’ve been very consistent and have played smart – stuck to their assignments
• On MSU running game – they have a big line, big tight ends, interchangeable backs. The variety and balance presents a challenge

Steve Schilling…

• On what rivalry means – “it’s our state championship – it’s a big week for us”
• Knows the fan base wants a win bad and the players want to win just as bad
• Anytime Denard breaks through the line – they know he’s gone
• MSU is always a physical game – guys always bring their best. Not concerned about Denard because he’s tough. Denard knows how important this week is and he’ll be ready to go.
• MSU / UM is a bigger rivalry than Washington / Wash State (Schilling is from Washington if you didn’t know)
• On Denard being banged up – “He’s not going to let it show even if he is hurt. He’s a good leader out there.”
• Very confident in the offense’s ability to succeed if for some reason Denard isn’t in there
• Against Indiana – “were going 3 and out or 3 and touchdown”
• All the seniors understand the importance of the game – won’t have to do much talking to show the young guys how important the game is
• Patrick Omameh has been playing really well and so has Taylor Lewan – especially stepping in as a freshman

Obi Ezeh…

• Admits that the defense has issues
• Usually the keys to victory include stopping the run and winning the third down battles
• Remembers Chris Perry getting 50+ carries when he himself was a running back in high school
• Feels more important in a game like this when stopping MSU’s running attack will be key
• It’s not fun hearing from MSU people – being an in-state kid and all
• Feels that Michigan’s best performances are in front of them – so it’s nice to be 5-0.
• On the D improving week by week – “I feel that we have, as a team and individually”
• Hopes the crowd is “really rockin’” on Saturday.

Jordan Kovacs…

• On taking defensive criticism personally – “Definitely, every defensive player takes it personal”
• Young guys gain confidence every week
• Kirk Cousins is a great QB and will present the D’s biggest challenge so far to date
• The run D is going to be tested. All MSU’s running backs are big and good
• On losing the last 2 years – “the past is the past and we are ready to move forward”
• On moving JT Floyd around – thought it worked for the most part

Roy Roundtree…

• Shaw is good and is ready to play this week against MSU
• Players don’t really recognize stats during the game
• Happy to see Junior Hemingway succeed
• This week will be a different level of intensity
• Once Denard got his throwing down during the Spring – he would stay extra and work with the receivers. He always wants to get better
• On MSU – “we know what’s at stake it’s two schools from Michigan”
• This week is all about preparation – can kill two birds with one stone in beating State and becoming bowl eligible
• Roy says he still gets nervous for each game, but is very confident for each play that he is out there
• He’s always gotten nervous – just needs to get the first play out of the way
• “Shoelace is just too fast – Coach Rod tells him to just run straight”
• Tate and Devin showed a lot of poise during that BGSU game and the team has confidence in them stepping up if Denard goes down
• Denard is extremely humble and just wants to get better each week
• Denard is the leader of the offense. He’s always saying “let’s go let’s go” during practice. He’s the same way during the games

Denard Robinson (steps to the podium with a ridiculously huge grin on his face)…

• Feels good – just got done lifting
• This year things are a little different on campus for him – everybody notices him
• Stays away from all the stats – doesn’t care
• On his durability – every Big Ten game is going to be like MSU. Has been working out and doing everything possible to take care of his body
• This is a big time game this week against MSU
• At the end of games like IU and ND – he just stays calm and tries not to do too much
• Nobody has sent him shoelaces or anything. People call him “lace” “shoelace” “Denard”
• On last year when Tate was making the come back against MSU – Denard felt like he was right there with him (similar to his comment about Tate coming back against ND last year)
• On MSU’s Greg Jones – he’s a great, physical player that can hit, but as a QB you have to read the whole D not just one player
• On ways he can get better – says he made some bad reads and overthrew some guys
• On the O line – they have performed every Saturday. Gives thanks to them, God and the coaches all the time

Mike Martin…

• Always grew up loving Michigan – never liked the color green
• Tough losing the last two years – but will get prepared to play their best on Saturday
• Getting to a bowl game is a goal of the teams – along with winning the Big Ten
• MSU has a good offense – has already watched a little bit of film
• Loves the fact that MSU is undefeated – wants MSU’s best shot and wouldn’t want it any other way
• 3 Questions – Who’s best O-linemen he’s faced?…says Molk initially. Then says Penn State’s center. Does he make facial expressions to intimidate?…does without knowing – has seen some still shots of himself. What’s the difference between O and D lines?…D line likes to hit more than the O line.
• On the importance of creating turnovers – it’s a big emphasis that coach Robinson talks about a lot. Practice strip drills often
• There’s more talking in a game like this between teams – it’s very personal. Guys know each other…
• The team always reminds themselves of their goal of winning a championship, while also taking it one game at a time
• It feels good to watch other defenses have to deal with chasing around Denard
• Denard is doing a great job and is a great leader. Has always been a hard worker and is real coachable

That was fun. Stressful as Michigan’s defense was once again exposed, but that was fun. After years of getting beat by the team with the fast, elusive quarterback that could also toss the rock – Michigan has one of their own. Denard is the guy that the college football world is talking about. “Most electrifying”, “…would win the Heisman if the season ended today”, “best player in college football”, etc., etc. It’s a lot of fun watching this Michigan team after two games. Michigan is only 2-0, and a year ago Michigan was ironically in almost the same situation. An unbelievable performance by their young QB beats Notre Dame in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter. There was Heisman talk for Tate, Michigan jumped in to the Top 25, message boards buzzed with talk of how nice of a record they could turn in at the end of the season. Then it crashed, slowly but surely it crashed. It’s only reasonable and rational to think that the same thing could happen to this team this year.

This is different. Michigan in 2010 is not going to win only 1 Big Ten game. This Michigan team is already different by stealing a win on the road, something only Rich Rod’s 2008 squad could accomplish in Minnesota. This Michigan team is full of guys that understand that they are playing every down, every possession and every game for – the team. To an outsider, how can you not appreciate the demeanor the Michigan players. Check what Craig Roh said after Saturday’s win…

“The character of this team is so great,” U-M defensive lineman/linebacker Craig Roh said after Michigan’s 28-24 win at Notre Dame. “We have this saying, ‘Hoka Hey.’ It means great day to die, a great day to die for the teammates. It’s every guy in this team would take a bullet for me. That’s how much I trust these guys. It just binds us closer together going through a game like that.”

Denard is great in interviews – he wants nothing to do with the credit and the media attention that he is getting and his teammates love him for it. Have you seen the David Molk MGoBlue interview? If not, I suggest you click this here link and check it out – it’s awesome. Those are the guys I want on my team. So far, it’s been a fun couple games to watch.

Rodriguez has to be thrilled with how these first two games have transpired. Are there problems? Of course – in all reality there are big problems with this team. Notre Dame exposed Michigan’s secondary. Michigan kicking game is barely breathing. Denard Robinson is a one man wrecking crew – and even though the two guys behind him are competent as far as we know – if Denard goes down there is reason for all to worry. So now it looks like Michigan’s first real test will be in 4 weeks when Michigan State comes to Ann Arbor. Pending a Notre Dame visit to East Lansing next week, there’s a good chance MSU and Michigan will go into that game ranked and undefeated. At the end of the day, Michigan has only won two games and are relatively fortunate to have beat ND. It’s been a hell of a ride and it just seems like Michigan can’t do anything, good or bad, flying under the radar. The whole country wants to talk about this Michigan team any way you slice it.

On Offense…

You can typically win a ball game when you do all of the following:

• Average 7 yards per carry on 41 rushing attempts with none of those attempts resulting in negative yardage.
• Commit zero turnovers.
• Your QB has a line that looks like this: Rushing – 28 times for 258 yards; Passing – 24 of 40 for 244 yards, one TD no INTs.

Not nearly as convincing as last week, but Robinson’s performance was one for the ages. After 2 games, Denard leads the nation in rushing by 41 yards and has 62 pass attempts under his belt without an interception.

Stonum, Roundtree, Odoms…
Mad props to these guys. With Denard experiencing so much success on the ground – I think the solid play of these guys is being overlooked. Not only are they converting and executing when they get opportunities with the ball, but they are blocking their asses off for primarily Denard, but Vincent Smith and Michael Shaw as well. All three guys played fabulous yesterday, Odoms makes the difficult catches time after time. Stonum is becoming a threat to get yards after the catch – he seems to wiggle his way out of the first tackler almost every time he touches the ball. Then there’s Roy Roundtree – something about the way this guy runs that makes him look extremely light on his feet and fast. His catch on the 2 yard line with less than a minute to go in the game might have been the best and biggest catch of the day.

Tate Forcier…
This is really not worth mentioning, but hey, I am still a fan of Tate Forcier. Bad attitude and summer indifference towards the team aside (the kid is what – 19 years old?) – I don’t want him to transfer and I think that his number is going to be called in a critical situation at some point this year. I think Rodriguez realizes that and so does the entire team. To see Tate hug Rodriguez before the game, fix someones shoulder pad as they rushed back onto the field, and root on Denard as he brought his team to victory – was awesome to see and a complete 180 from what was seen a week ago. Someone said the right words to Tate and he seems to be turning into a team player – at least he was for the entire game as he watched from the sidelines yesterday.

On Defense…

Yikes. Bend, don’t break. Michigan broke against Notre Dame. Notable statistics aren’t so much on the positive side for Greg Robinson’s boys…the bad…

• Gave up 535 yards of total offense.
• Gave up touchdowns of 95 and 53 yards.
• Zero sacks.

Michigan did manage to get three interceptions from ND, but two came against back-up QB’s that were clearly not ready to play on a big stage. Michigan continues to only rush three guys up front and at times, notably towards the end of the game, Dayne Crist had all the time he wanted to throw. Michigan is fortunate that he put the ball out of play on Notre Dame’s last play of the game.

Cam Gordon…
I like the physical nature of his play. Cam will smack a guy, and before this season is through, he is going to cause a couple fumbles or interceptions because he hits guys going full speed with some serious force. On the other hand, his pass coverage skills need some work and I think that will come with experience. He let guys behind him on two plays that resulted in Notre Dame touchdowns.

Jonas Mouton…
Jonas Mouton is quickly becoming a feared hitter and perhaps one of the best players on Michigan’s less than stellar defensive unit. Jonas straight stuck Armando Allen as he hit the hole on a play that I’ll later highlight with a video. Mouton seems to be quicker this season and has led the team in tackles for the first two games. He seems to have improved more than Obi Ezeh over the course of the offseason.

On Special Teams…

Well, ouch. Brendan Gibbons goes 0-2 on field goals of 39 and 40 yards. If Rodriguez was put in a fourth down situation there on the final drive of the game – it wouldn’t have surprised me to see him opt not to give his kickers a shot to tie the game. GIbbons missed on both in the 3rd and 4th quarter – right when Notre Dame needed and thus got some momentum back on their side. Will Hagerup wasn’t bad punting, but my no means was Zoltan out there – he did punt 9 times for an average of just over 38 yards per.

EXTRAS: Dr. Saturday’s take on Denard / Michigan, AP votes for Michigan by voter, Really cool observations from Greg at MVictors.

I will be updating below as I get more info…

On the depth chart…

• The depth chart is out. X is Stonum or Hemingway. OL is Huyge, Schilling, Molk, Omameh, Dorrestein. TE is Koger. Y is Roundtree / Grady. Z is Odoms. At QB – all three are listed.
• Starters at CB are JT Floyd and James Rogers
• More starters on D – DE is Ryan Van Bergen. NT is Mike Martin. DT is Greg Banks. OLB is Craig Roh. MLB is Moundros or Ezeh. Weakside LB is James Mouton.
• Carvin Johnson is listed as the Hybrid on the depth chart. SS is Kovacs and FS is Cam Gordon. (Can’t say that I expected to see Carvin Johnson on the depth chart as the Hybrid – Interesting)
• Carvin Johnson and Punter Will Hagerup are the only two projected starters that are true freshman

Rich Rodriguez…

• Devin Gardner not going to redshirt. “prob going to play”
• All three QBs may not play in opener, but can see all three playing during the year. Devin will probably not redshirt
• On playing all 3 qbs in opener: “don’t know yet. See scenarios of all three playing during the season”
• Tackling well is the biggest key defensively against UConn on Saturday. Wants to see guys on the ground
• RR: Schemes in Big Ten and Big East are similar. Big East is “underrated as far as talent.” Big Ten has more tradition
• Freshmen on depth chart will likely not redshirt. Gardner is on depth chart
• RR: “More confident offensively.”
• “there’s not a whole lot of our guys touted for anything” right now. He hasn’t talked specifics about many players
• Rodriguez says he has an idea which QB is going to start, but coaches might not know
• About how he’s going to tell QBs, Rodriguez: I don’t need some Dr. Phil moment with the (QBs)
• RR on Gardner not redshirting: “Devin is mature mentally.”
• “Next few days will sort exactly what our gameplan will be.” In regard to Qbs
• Toussaint is questionable this week
• RR expects UConn to take “deep shots” early on, maybe first play of the game
• On players’ nerves on Saturday, “Big Jonny will probably have to bring some extra pairs of pants” (laughs)

Roy Roundtree…

• “have to wait ’till Saturday” to see what QB throws the best ball
• Roundtree on the anticipation for the unveiling of the renovation, “It’s going to be wonderful”
• “I don’t think no team on our schedule is a warm-up game”
• On RR – “He never lied to me like other coaches did”

Steve Schilling…

• Schilling on what offense does best: “We hope to do everything well.”
• On Tate, working really hard and he’s “excited to see what he can do this year”
• More on Tate: “Gained a lot of respect back for Tate.”

Darryl Stonum…

• Darryl Stonum: Devin (Gardner) throws probably the fastest ball. He’s a Brett Favre type (of QB)

Too Funny… I had to add this in here. Watch this back just give up on this play.

Shenanigans aside now – here’s my list of the guys that seem to have the best personalities, guys that seem very approachable, intelligent, get it done in practice and on the field, model players and teammates that any fan, student, alumni, or coach would want representing the University of Michigan.

1. Roy Roundtree.
   The dude just can’t not have a smile on his face and all indications are that he’s an extremely hard worker all the time. He speaks as if he’s taken a leadership role at least within his position group. Big things are expected out of Roundtree this fall.
   [Countdown to Kickoff Video - Media Day Video - BTN Interview]
2. Craig Roh.
   “Death Roh” as he is becoming known as among Michigan fans. As a true freshman he showed what he can do on the field. He’s added some 20+ pounds in the offseason and should be a great player for a few more years.
   [CBS Sports Interview - Countdown to Kickoff]
3. Troy Woolfolk.
   On the field or not, Troy is one of the defined leaders and all around great personalities on this team. Know for his split personality – with “TWoolf” being his on-field persona – he’s definitely a media, fan and player favorite.
4. David Molk.
   All indications are that his presence on the field means a ton to Michigan, but all you have to do is watch his media day interview to instantly like this guy. He says “the reason I like football, is because you get to hit people. I like to hit people really fuckin’ hard.” I’m 90% confident that he doesn’t say freakin’ there and goes for the expletive.
   [Media Day Interview]
5. Denard Robinson.
   Similar to Roundtree, Denard always has a smile on his face and seems to have a confidence and positive attitude that can’t be shaken. Should Denard become a true leader on this team, you can see that it will not be forced and he’ll be a natural leader. For whatever reason, people seem to gravitate to Denard and want to rally behind him. With all of the spring and fall camp hype around Denard – a different style of play is expected out of him starting September 4th.
   [Media Day Interview - Post-Spring Game Interview]
6. Mike Martin.
   This is a man I wouldn’t want pissed off at me. He’s a beast, a champion wrestler and an intense football player. Martin will anchor an experienced defensive line and brings a lot of personality and leadership to the team. Martin was fortunate enough to play alongside of Brandon Graham last season and it’d be great if Martin could pick up where BG left off. Martin made my list after he sacked Terrelle Pryor last season, lost his helmet, and got up like the crazy dude that he is (see video below).
   [Media Day Interview - BTN Interview - Countdown to Kickoff]

7. J.T. Floyd.
   Picked up some feedback from folks that went to Media Day and heard how great of a guy J.T. seemed to be. He definitely struggled on the field last year, but he’s been a guy that the coaches and players have talked about all spring and fall. With Woolfolk going down, J.T. becomes the default leader of the secondary on the field. While that is scary, after checking out J.T. in a couple interviews and Countdown to Kickoff – he seems like he’s got a good head on his shoulders and is up to the challenge.
   [Media Day Interview - Countdown to Kickoff]
8. Tate Forcier.
   While you may not agree with me – Tate is on my list. Lots of Michigan fans would disagree and consider Forcier, a guy who admittedly has slacked off in the offseason, as more of a cancer to this team and a guy that people generally dislike. Disagree my friend I must, Tate is a very talented, extremely accurate QB, that I think most people underestimate as a whole. Tate made A LOT of freshman mistakes last year, but if you put those aside, he showed a lot of promise and had several great plays even in the Ohio State game. Not to mention, the guy handled himself perfectly on media day, addressing some tough questions several times and admitting his mistakes, downfalls, etc. A polarizing guy like Tate, can have a big impact on the team by showing an extreme level of commitment after Woolfolk called him out.
   [Media Day Interview]
9. Mark Moundros.
   This guy is all about Michigan succeeding and he’ll do whatever it takes to help the team perform better on the field. In his final year, he decides to learn a new position and does such a good job throughout his transition – his teammates elected him to be a season-long captain. Talk from camp is that Moundros will definitely see the field, if not be a starter.
10. Cam Gordon.
    Cam is another guy that has been asked to hit up the opposite side of the ball to help his team. And at this point, all indications are that Cam is going to start in the defensive backfield. Cam is a hitter and looks like a natural safety. He can definitely lay the wood to people as evidenced in the video linked below. I don’t know much about the guy, but I like what I see and you can’t help but not like a guy that is a pure hitter in the secondary.
    [Spring Highlight of the Day - Spring Interview]

EDIT. Honorable Mention additions – this is a growing list by the day. Echoing some of the comments I’ve seen today around the message boards – Rich Rod is recruiting a lot of very well spoken players that seem to be all about winning for Michigan and playing for the team.

• Terrance Robinson – Countdown to Kickoff
• Vladimir Emilien
• Tayler Lewan – 2 Minute Drill
• Kelvin Grady – Countdown to Kickoff

I’m cool. Real cool. It’s all good. Seriously.
A fury of circumstances has turned me against writing anything for about an entire week. Most of all, I just needed a mental break from thinking about this football program and how this once promising season turned to dog poo. It sucks to be on the bottom of the Big 11. It sucks even worse to lose to rivals again. But it’s cool, really. This is something many elite programs have experienced, because they all go through transitions and most take time. Faster would be nicer, but it will happen.

Thoughts on the Ohio State game
I watched this game at a bar near Dayton, OH and I can tell you that I was one of two Michigan fans out of at least 100 people, and they were worried as Michigan found ways to move the ball. Unfortunately, Forcier found ways to make me drink more beer and not really threaten the OSU lead as the game was winding down. Also, most OSU fans were on my side relative to the hideousness of those throwback uniforms.

Tate had several nice plays throughout this game. The offense played relatively well throughout, and Vincent Smith showed signs of what a starter next year should look like. Roy Roundtree again showed that he deserves to be a starter next year along with Tay Odoms and Darryl Stonum. It was disappointing to see Brandon Minor unable to play in his final home game. Carlos Brown, or not Carlos Brown, na – still can’t break a damn tackle. Brandon Graham = freak, unreal dude. I hope BG is a top draft pick and becomes the next Lamarr Woodley.

About the whole fire Rich Rod thing.
At this point, we can all say that Rich Rodriguez has underachieved after two years as Michigan’s head coach. You cannot be pleased with the alleged NCAA allegations either. You can also scrape the news off of the Detroit Free Press, national media, Michael Wilbon, you name it; and think that Michigan needs to cut their losses with RR and bring in the next Michigan Man.

Or, you could take emotion out of it, spend the time to understand the dynamics of this roster in it’s current state, remember how bad you wanted a change after 2007, continue to remember how bad you wanted a change after 2007, and realize that year 2 was an improvement over year 1. Not a huge improvement, but 5 > 3. The offense improved by leaps and bounds, and somehow was the #1 scoring offense in the Big 11. Any team should be able to win a ball game scoring 36, see Purdue.

I see a coach that is resilient and not beaten down. As RR tells the media, they don’t know what goes on in that locker room, film room, weight room, etc. RR and his staff have created an environment where the players are very close to one another and believe in the system put in place. I’ve been pleased with RR’s demeanor in post-game press conferences, he sticks to his guns and doesn’t let ill-placed questions get the best of him. He often speaks of the bigger picture, the process, that he and his staff put their heart and soul in to – and it’s happening, just not as fast as an irrational fan wants it to.

Will Michigan be a better team in 2010?
Yes. Thank you for asking.

Why will Michigan be better offensively?
A starting quarterback is coming back, yay! And it’s a guy that is actually competent at times, yay! Tate should improve with an entire offseason to pick up where he left off after the Ohio State game. In general, Tate finished the season strong starting with the Purdue game. He will improve as he spends time adding some padding to that frame and slowing the game down in his head. Let’s just hope he’s got the work ethic to make all of that happen.

QB’s aside, the majority of the offense is back – and the unit should once again improve with another year under its belt. The year 1 to year 2 jump is always big, but so is the year 2 to 3 jump.

5 offensive players with 2010 expectations.

1. Vincent Smith
   Played lights out against Wisconsin and Ohio State, and shows the ability to break tackles and make something out of nothing. Oh yea, he can catch too.
2. Roy Roundtree
   Played lights out since the Purdue game. He’s got sure hands and great acceleration – although his breakaway speed could be improved, see Illinois game.
3. Denard Robinson / Tate Forcier
   Tate will start. Denard will play QB and find his way into other formations as a back or receiver, a la Percy Harvin. I know RR is keeping him at QB, but he’ll see time on field in other ways. Tate is a natural, it seems as though he needs to mature a bit and stay more focused during games. A lot will be expected from Tate.
4. Darryl Stonum
   Stonum really created a name for himself returning kicks this year, so that will naturally be the talk on his behalf leading into the season. Michigan needs a deep threat, and Stonum needs to be that guy. Would like to see him get a little more established as a key part of the offense.
5. David Molk
   Many believe this was Michigan’s most impactful injury of 2009, and it may have been. Once Molk was out, Michigan was out. Regardless, his rehab will be a major story and Michigan will need him back in the starting line up.

Why will Michigan be better defensively?
Greg Robinson will be here. That means this defense doesn’t have to start over with a new defensive coordinator, first time this has happened in four years. This defense was not good, and simply having some consistency from a coaching standpoint gives the case for improvement credibility. Brandon Graham is gone, and was nothing short of amazing in his senior season. He was a game-changing beast, it’s too bad that he wasn’t complimented by a couple more playmakers in the back seven. The general feel is that Donovan Warren will stick his foot in the NFL pool and decide that it’s a little too cold to jump in. Losing only Stevie Brown and BG puts nine guys back in 2010, so the simple default of improvement from experience sets in here. Woolfolk and Warren should lock down the corners if GROB finds two safeties that can play at an average to above average level of play.

5 defensive players with 2010 expectations.

1. Justin Turner
   The 5 star from Ohio redshirted last year after much speculation that he would get his shot to prove himself on gameday
2. Craig Roh
   Roh has a hell of a motor and only stands to get a lot better. He’s played relatively well and was very undersized as a true freshman. Combine his experience with an entire offseason of bulking up and Roh should have a huge impact in 2010.
3. Brandon Smith
   All Brandon’s that play at Michigan are good right? Let’s hope some of Brandon Graham’s dominance rubbed off on Brandon Smith. He’s always played well on special teams and saw some time in the final two games in the defensive backfield. He’ll get his opportunity to be a starter and make an impact, whether it’s at safety or the quick position Stevie Brown was playing.
4. Will Campbell
   Will got some decent experience as a true freshman, while he didn’t always play well, he should anchor that D-line in 2010 along with Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen, and Roh.
5. Donovan Warren
   I hesitated to include DW in this list, but he could stand to have an absolute breakthrough season if he comes back. His play was solid at best as the season progressed. If he comes back, he’ll be the spokesperson for the defense.

What do I do now?
Watch Michigan basketball have a decent season, hopefully better than last year. Watch Michigan’s hockey team recover from a rough start. Assume that the Michigan football program can stay out of the negative headline category this offseason. Let time do its thing. Then as next fall approaches, get psyched about a team that should give Michigan a winning season and a bowl game. It’s fun being optimistic, because that means we’re talking 8 or 9 wins for this team next season.