M Football 2010- New Years Day Gator Bowl Invite; Football Banquet; Coaching Speculation Carousel

2011 Gator Bowl Information From The Big Ten Media Release

Michigan (7-5, 3-5) returns to a bowl for the first time since the conclusion of the 2007 season and will play in the Gator Bowl, one of the Big Tens newest bowl partners. The Wolverines were the last Big Ten team to take part in the Gator Bowl, defeating Mississippi in 1991. Michigan will take on Mississippi State (8-4, 4-4 SEC) of the SEC on Saturday, Jan. 1, at 1:30 p.m. ET in Jacksonville, Fla. Head coach Rich Rodriguez will take part in the sixth bowl game of his career and his first at the helm of the Wolverines. The school will participate in its 40th bowl contest, which ranks second among conference teams behind only Ohio State, and is tied with the Buckeyes for the Big Ten lead with 19 bowl wins. Michigan was victorious in its last postseason outing, defeating Florida in the 2008 Capital One Bowl. The Big Ten has posted a 1-4 mark in the Gator Bowl, including a 1-1 record for the Wolverines.

2010 Football Bust

The 90^th Annual University of Michigan Greater Detroit Alumni Club Football Bust was held on the evening of December 2 in Livonia at the Laurel Manor.

The purpose of the event is to view highlights from the 2010 season, observe the presentation of the coveted M rings to the seniors, and to honor players for outstanding academic and athletic achievements.

Besides a great meal, fans can get a look at the players, put a face and personality with the number, get to know them a little, and say thank you. Although at times I have thought the proceedings a little lengthy, it is a fine opportunity for a Wolverine fan to show his/her appreciation.

This year?s event, by circumstance not design, recalled the 1985 team, which manhandled Nebraska in the 1986 Fiesta Bowl. Those Number 2 ranked Wolverines laid defensive hit after hit, causing turn over after turn over, in as fine a Bowl defensive performance as produced by any Bo Schembechler team. They embarrassed the Huskers. Offensively they were potent under the guidance of QB Jim Harbaugh, the hands and elusiveness of John Kolesar, and with the wheels of Jamie Morse. Gerald White attended, but Jum Harbaugh did not.

A ton of speculation before the event swirled abound whether Harbaugh would be there. ESPN reported he was considering the trip up until last Saturday, but scheduled a Stanford practice which prevented attendance. His attendance would have entertained the media. among others.

To the surprise of no one this side of Timbuktu, Denard Robinson won the Bo Schembechler MVP award, and well earned and deserved it was. His accomplishments are worth listing again in these pages.

That Robinson is the nation?s top dual threat QB has been proved. Also recently named the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year, he set the NCAA season rushing record for QBs with 245 carries for 1,643-yards and 14 TDs this season. He is the first QB to run and pass for plus 1,500-yards in NCAA history in a single season. He was 155/253 passing for 2,316-yards for16 TDs. He also set a UM mark for total offense by amassing 3,858-yards and accounting for 30 TDs.

Zac Ciullo won the Dr. Arthur D. Robinson Scholarship Award. A psychology major and football walk on he has been accepted to Michigan?s Law School.

The Hugh R. Rader Memorial Award went to David Molk and Steven Schilling. These were the top offensive linemen. Molk was voted all Big Ten by the coaches. Schilling has received the Rader Memorial award three years in a row.

The Roger Zatkoff Award went to Jonas Mouton. With 111 tackles and 11 starts, and hampered at times by injuries, he was the season?s best defensive player. He earned 2^nd team All Big Ten media honors.

The Robert P. Ufer Bequest was given to Mark Moundous. Moundrous demonstrated remarkable love and enthusiasm for Michigan and is a team co-captain.

The Richard Kratcher Award went to Mike Martin, as Michigan?s top defensive lineman. He certainly is, and whether he returns in the fall will mean a lot to next year?s team. Really expect that he will. Had 36-tackles and suffered multiple injuries. Voted all conference 2^nd team honors by the coaches.

2010 Coaching Speculation Carousel

The coaching change speculation carousel is a merry-go-round that keeps spinning faster and faster, lights blinking faster and faster, horns blaring louder and louder, drums pounding in louder syncopation, with segments of its rider-ship growing more and more dissatisfied, and mad at just about everything.

At Coach Rodriguez for significant handicaps that were of his making, for significant handicaps that were not of his making, for not being able to win in the Big Ten, for more and more looking defeated, for not providing a successful defense in three years, for the ?drama? and public ridicule that the program is continuously subject to on a national, local media, and recruiting level.

At Bill Martin for his convoluted coaching search, at every defensive coach including the Defensive coordinator, at no Les Miles, at no Jim Harbaugh, at no firing of the defensive coordinator, and/or his entire staff, and at the 3-3-5 scheme. And most of all, at just one win in three years over a quality Big Ten team.

Aye, there?s the rub, the real irritation. Fix that and the divisiveness is squelched. The loud mouths everywhere but in East Lansing and Columbus would be slammed shut. Lack of wins is the problem, but even worse than losing, it is the inability to compete that glares and grates.

The fact of the matter is that Coach Rodriguez has been unable to provide that signature win that that other notable outsider, Bo Schembechler, provided in his first season upset of the Buckeyes. To be sure Bo inherited a better team with players suited to his schemes.

In RR?s third unsuccessful combat against a decent, but only a moderately great OSU team (as OSU team?s go), the Wolverines were sadly not competitive on either side of the ball and were especially inept on special teams. A respectable outing in Columbus would have saved some Rodriguez coaching reputation. It didn’t happen.

There is a growing chorus of dissatisfaction with the timing of David Brandon? decision regarding RR’s status, although many more seem to think Brandon capable of doing things exactly right.

Some question why AD Brandon has not come out in support of Coach Rod, or pulled the trigger to replace him now, thinking that the uncertainty is bad for the program, especially recruiting.

Uncertainty certainly does hurt recruiting. There is no doubt of that, as the rumors of the impending de-commitment of highly regarded RB recruit, D Hart are sprouting. Stay tuned on that one, and maybe the coaching uncertainty is the cause, but the transfer of running back Justice Hayes from an Irish commitment to the Wolverines might be as big a factor. Recruiting should not be a driving force in this instance. Granted de-commitments and/or a smaller class would not be optimal, and is a great concern, even if it should not be a primary coach change consideration.

I am beginning to believe that it will be a tough and highly criticized decision no matter what Branson decides, or when he decides it. I am still letting my bets ride on him.

Events since the OSU game are leading me to believe that it appears less and less likely that Coach Rodriguez will return. He gave a teary, very emotional address in his own defense at the Bust. Had a ?spiritual quality? some objected to, and featured a reading of a portion of a Josh Groban song: ?Raise Me Up?, and a playing of it with AD, team members, RR and moderator Beckman all holding hands on stage with right hands held to ceiling.

This performance was enjoyed by many, but grated on some who said RR made the evening about himself and not about the players, and some saw it as begging for his job. He ended saying that he truly wanted to be a Michigan man.

It is certainly easy to see why he was teary and emotional regarding his future. Obviously he has not had smooth sailing on Lake ?Michigan? waters. There has been one crises after another. There has been more mud slung at him then one could find in a pottery factory. Again, some earned mud and some unearned mud.

It is certainly not easy to see how he is going to hang onto his position, with the accumulating Big Ten losses, the inability to prove his system will work against the better teams in the Big Ten, being again at the bottom of Big Ten defensive statistics, the appalling special teams boo-boos, and the over all lack of progress, except on offense.

His pluses are two more wins every year, a Denard Robinson Offense, and a team that seems to be ?All In ? for him.

As to David Brandon?s waiting until after the Bowl to make a decision, perhaps it is because of the buy out reduction after the 1^st of the year. Perhaps not. Eventually we will know.

I sincerely want Coach RR to succeed in Ann Arbor because it is good for the school for him to succeed. Always have wanted the program to succeed. But the handwriting on the wall is reading as if that is a genuine question mark. We will live with whatever David Brandon decides is good for Michigan Football.

At the bust, AD Brandon indicated that it might not be the Insight Bowl for the Wolverines as nearly everyone thinks, but the Gator Bowl in Florida. Or maybe the Outback. We will know for sure next Sunday evening. (It turned out to be the Gator Bowl as in the first paragraph update.)

Thanks for reading this far. If you have lost my email address I can be reached at oldblue@cablespeed.com. If you already have a different cablespeed address it will still work.

Also I want to issue a blanket apology for my failings on face book. In that regard I know how the Special Teams feel.

Go Blue!

January 31, 2011August 11, 2011

2011 M Football Brady Hoke Succeeds Rich Rodriguez

To the delight of many Michigan Football players who played for or watched Brady Hoke while he helped lead the Blue to a National Championship in 1997 as the Wolverine Defensive Line Coach, and to the chagrin of some Michigan fans who had their caps set for Jim Harbaugh, or Les Miles or anybody but Hoke, Brady Hoke has been named University of Michigan Football Coach.

It seems to me that all of us will find that Brady fits the ?Michigan Mold? and he will represent the University of Michigan and its football program, its traditions and values, with honesty. He will restore the program to its former toughness.

He has family values in spades, wants tough guys on his defensive line, and on his team as a whole, and will toe the line to stay inside the NCAA rules.

He will bring a diverse offense and use personnel in a system that utilizes a player?s talents to best advantage.

He has the kind of personality that invites people to like him, but make no mistake he can be tough when tough is called for.

He is not Lloyd Carr and will not play Lloyd?s brand of football. He is not a Lloyd Carr crony. He is his own man.

He does not tolerate losing and will do all that is within the rules to win. He will work hard and his team will work hard.

All that being said he has a tough row to hoe. He is behind in recruiting for this year. Way behind.

More importantly he has to assemble a staff. That might be the most important thing that he has to do, to provide a staff that is all on the same page and which can produce in the Big Ten.

I would be remiss if I did not thank Rich Rodriguez for his effort in Ann Arbor. Even if the results in the win column were not what we, or he, wanted for the past three years, he worked hard, and did what he could to remain in Ann Arbor. And lets quit dumping on Lloyd Carr, and appreciate the only National Title Michigan has managed in fifty years. And let’s forget Les Miles, and Jim Harbaugh as coaches, but, of course, not as people and Michigan men.

It is past time the Michigan Wolverines snarled with one voice. I am sick of forums with conspiracy theories, Brandon bashing, complaining about that ho hum Hoke, kicking Carr, and insulting Rodriguez. The Free Press remains fair game.

AD Brandon thinks that Brady Hoke can do it. Let?s give him a warm welcome and all the help we can in what will be no minor task.

How soon he wins is an issue, because we have three years of frustration behind us.

Fans want winning sooner than later. Their irritation is also understood.

Things can only be accomplished through wins.

Welcome aboard Head Football Coach Brady Hoke!

Good Luck, and Go Blue!

January 4, 2011July 27, 2011

2011 M Football Bowled Over, M 14 MSST 52

The Mississippi State University Bulldogs dominated the young Wolverines at will in establishing their football superiority in the Progressive Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida on New Years Day. This completes the 2010 season on a sour note. For Michigan, it should have been called the Regressive Gator Bowl as it was the worst Bowl loss in Michigan football history. The Wolverines are now 19 and 21 in Bowls.

This was the Wolverine?s first Bowl game under Coach Rodriguez, and some hoped it a chance for redemption of coaching reputation, and a chance to prove team improvement. It was thought that the Wolverines could compete with a mid level SEC team. That proved untrue.

Unfortunately, game day completed on a note too familiar, as the Wolverines were embarrassed 14 to 52, and were competitive only for the first quarter. It was 14 to 31 at the half, and the game was essentially over at that point.

MSST played well, and they proved too much for the Wolverines in all three phases of the game. Whether that should be stated as all four phases of the game (including coaching), will undoubtedly be decided by AD David Brandon in the very near future.

In my opinion, Coach Rodriguez did not add the needed positives to his body of work to gather sufficient traction for longevity as the University of Michigan Football Coach. He is after all, 15 and 22, and 1 and 11 against ranked teams. Opponents have consistently scored more than 34 points against the Wolverines this season.

Outside of the beautiful weather, and perhaps the hospitality of the folks managing the event, not much went right for the bumbling Wolverine offense, defense, or special teams. This beat down was only a surprise offensively as the Wolverine?s echoed their usual defensive body of work this year when facing some of the better teams on their schedule. They could not stop the run game of a one-dimensional running team. Fourteen points by this offense, usually capable of far more, is certainly sub par.

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Denard had an ordinary day (for him). He had 256-yards passing and 58-yards running. Statistically, that is not that bad of an ?ordinary? day, with two TDs. But an errant pass helped seal the Wolverines fate. Make no mistake that he has had a brilliant and record setting season. He has 4,272 total offensive yards, and that is a school record. He has had a spectacular season. But the Wolverines needed more from him on Saturday to entertain a victory. And he needed more weapons helping him.

Denard has not proved a winner against the better teams. That will come next season as he hopefully gets more help from his friends. It will be worth the price of a ticket to watch him. There is no question he is the team MVP.

Saturday I had hoped a healthy Denard could make us competitive, but he could not. The running game was stuffed. Yards after catch were denied. He simply did not have enough offensive help, and the offense has sort of become a one trick pony. The offense could not convert several critical 4th downs, or attempt 3-point FGs because they simply can?t kick them. Obviously our scheme is well scouted by this time of year.

Other turnovers, and dropped passes also hurt, as did penalties, not to mention decent defense by MSST, and 481-yards and 26 first downs by their offense.

It was no surprise the defense played like they have played all year. It was no surprise they had trouble lining up properly, sometimes appeared confused, remained ineffective tacklers, had an inability to stop third downs, or corral the lumbering, but mobile Bulldog quarterback. Not surprising that they yielded record numbers of points today as they have over much of the season. They let out a short dump pass for an 81-yard TD. They confirmed again that they are among the worst defenses in the Big Ten, and nationally.

Sad to say that is a fact and some played hard all season, and they had some moments this season, but overall the team defensive results are still nothing but poor. No question, the worst defensive season in Michigan history.

Was it all because of injuries and young players? Or is some of it because of scheme and ineffective coaching? Or is it some of both? Do you believe that the defense has headed in the right direction the past three years? Certainly the offense has taken some strides, has seen measurable improvement, but defense and special teams remain special disasters.

As expected, the special teams were no blessing again. A punt was blocked, a short field goal missed, but Martavious Odoms returned from a broken foot in good form on KO returns.

The first half started off well enough, with Denard weaving runs of 22 and 24-yards. An 11-play, 73-yard drive was completed with a 10-yard TD pass to Roy Roundtree. M 7-MSST 0.

MSST immediately answered with an 11-play, 79-yard creation featuring a 4-yard TD pass. It was 7 up and I thought the shoot out was on.

MSST then blocked a Wolverine punt, and hit a 42-yard FG to break the tie. M 7-MSST 10. It seemed a happy event that they were held to a field goal.

M answered with a beautiful 27-yard TD pass to Odoms. Perfect throw and catch. M 14-MSST 10.

Michigan was unable to score again so the expected shoot out never materialized. The Wolverines fueled the Bulldogs scoring frenzy with an interception. The Bulldogs never looked back as they produced a couple of long drives for scores by half-time to produce an overwhelming 14-31 deficit.

MSST didn?t need any more scores to win, but they engineered more long TD drives after halftime and an 81-yard screen pass to end the thumping at M 14-MSST 52.

To start the second half, M?s defense stopped the Bulldog?s opening drive, but to no avail. The Wolverine?s offense had been solved, and it could not score. And the defense had no more stops. The embarrassment was complete.

Everybody wonders if loss should, and will signal the end of the Rodriguez era. Wonders if there will be hurricane winds of change in Ann Arbor regarding the entire coaching staff, if it is the end of the Rodriguez era, and is the dawn of the Harbaugh, or Hoke, or whoever wants the punishment, era. Many fans are on board the Harbaugh train.

There are compensations even for losing coaches. RR would take 2.5 million out the door, more than the lifetime earnings for most of us. In that sense he would go out a winnerfrom Ann Arbor.

They say only the hairdresser of a lady that colors her hair knows her true hair color, and only David Brandon knows for sure if Coach Rodriguez and all of his staff will continue to be Maize and Blue.

Logically, we should know the why and who of it in a few days. I would think the waiting period has to be over very soon. At no time has AD Brandon made a strong statement of support for RR, and this has fueled speculation that change is imminent. The lack of positive results has caused that speculation to ignite like a magnesium fire, and burn intensely.

It is sad to think that RR has come to this point as chief of the Wolverines. I have always wanted him to succeed, because I want the Wolverines to succeed, but it is my obligation to report it as I think it is. My uninformed guess is that there will be a change of all or part of the football staff.

Coach Rodriguez came to Ann Arbor with a few cans tied to his tail, factions at Michigan tied on other cans, and some of the press has missed no opportunity to slur him and the program when and where it can. Makes you want Coach to succeed, but it is a wins and loss business and he is not winning, nor effectively competing. Some sort of signature win continues to elude him. The defense is not any better than the two prior years.

I will support whatever David Brandon does. He has a lot at stake in this call, as it will likely be the athletic director?s biggest career decision. It will be a decision that may determine his legacy. It is hard to see how he will satisfy all of the factions.

In any case, Saturday?s game was a sad end to a throw away season even though it was a 7-6 season and therefore showed a bit of improvement in the win/loss column over the two previous season under RR?s tutelage. It seems a sad punctuation mark to end the careers of seniors such as Schilling, Mouton, Rogers, Dorrestein, Webb, Ezeh, Ferrara, Banks and Patterson, who obviously would have preferred a win to remember. They will have to pack it away and forge ahead in the real world now.

As always, I thank you for reading this column and visiting the site. Hopefully next year will be a better season, but for sure it is going to be most interesting.

I can be emailed if you like at oldblue@cablespeed.com. I enjoy hearing from you, whatever your opinions, and I hope the New Year brings you all the health and happiness you need or want.

Go Blue!

October 30, 2010October 7, 2013

M Football 2010: Season Watershed Game Lost-M 31-PSU 41

The handwriting on the wall regarding this season’s results is now becoming clearer and clearer with this ungainly 31 to 41 loss to the Lions.

As happened last year, the slide to the bottom of the Big Ten has begun, on the wheels of a familiar defensive scenario. The defense can?t stop the run or the pass to give Michigan?s Denard led, and fairly potent offense, its fair number of chances.

This was a game in which the Wolverines should have been competitive. For example, Penn State was last in the Big Ten in third down conversions but we made them very successful, at least for a day.

Penn State had been struggling offensively and defensively until the Wolverines came to town. The Wolverines let them convert third and longs at will. Saturday the Lions were 10 of 16 on third down conversions. Penn State QB Matt McGloin was a first time starter, and frankly our inept defense made him look like an experienced All American. He had a very nice game.

Denard was nicked early and Tate Forcier replaced him for a few plays, but DRob recovered and had an outstanding effort in toting 27 carries 190-yards for three TDs. He hit 11 of 23 passes for 190-yards and 1 TD, and had a total of 381 total yards. UM had 422-yards, PSU 435. M had 190-yards passing and PSU 250. The Wolverines actually outscored the Lions in the second half, but it was too little too late. The game was not as close as the statistics indicate. Michigan never really seemed to be in control.

Denard set a Big 10 record for QBs. He has 1,287-yards.

Before the game it was almost universally thought that the Wolverines would be able to effectively compete with PSU, but in fact they simply did not compete effectively defensively. Denard did his job, producing several drives ending in TDs that should have put Michigan in position to be there at the end of the game, but silly penalties as well as sporadic defense hurt. Although I thought the late hit call that RR was yelling about extensively late in the last half was a cheap call, mistakes, short KO?s, a critical fumble, and opponent?s runbacks again highlighted the tiresome play of some aspects of the special teams.

Jeremy Gallon miscued deep, and set up an ensuing PSU TD drive from the resulting field position gift. His nice runbacks, including a 47-yard return in the 3^rd quarter, could not quite compensate for that damage. Broekhuizen hit a 37-yard FG. Hagerup handled the KOs for the first time, with mixed results, but had a 55-yard punt.

Most of the onus for Saturday?s loss belongs directly on a defense that is not improving, consistently allows long drives, too often seems confused, doesn?t looks well coached, consistently misses tackles, makes heady plays to provide third and long, and then fails to stop a run or a pass to allow the opposition?s drive to continue. It seems to have earned and deserves its place at the bottom of the Big Ten barrel. They have given up thirty points or more to all their Big Ten opponents, whether their offense is good or bad. But I don?t have to describe the Wolverines defense to you, you have seen the results for yourself all season long. For this game they have earned another D.

The defense seemed to play harder after Rodriguez waded into them in the second half on the sideline, with a very animated entreaty. Mike Martin spent much of the game on the sidelines because of injury, as did Jibreel Black. That couldn?t be more unlucky for an already thin unit.

They made several changes over the bye week in the defense. Ray Vinopal was moved to safety and Cam Gordon to spur. Vinopal had six tackles, but was “Roystered” a couple of times. Although they both made some plays, unfortunately the overall results were not much improved as the previously anemic PSU offense put up four TDs in the first half and 41 for the game.

PSU deferred and M received the ball but stalled and PSU produced a 14 play, 71-yard drive that was a prototype for the afternoon. Royster ran it in from four and it was rapidly M 0-PSU 7.

After a 15-yard Martel Webb reception, Denard traversed 32 yards for a score and it was 7 up after a 9 play 80-yard drive.

PSU returned the KO forty yards and in 5 plays covered 56-yards with Royster recording a 1-yard TD. M 7-PSU 14.

DRob was hurt at the end of the quarter, and Tate took a few snaps.

M hit a 37-yard FG. M 10-PSU 14.

PSU produced another long drive of 11 plays which covered 74-yards, scoring on a 1-yard McGloin run. M 10-PSU 21

Gallon fumbled the KO on his own two, and PSU subsequently drove 37-yards to another TD in 4 plays, scoring on a 20-yard pass. M 10-PSU 28. The game was out of hand at the half.

PSU opened the 2^nd half with a 10-play, 67-yard drive for a 32-yard FG. M 10-PSU 31.

Denard threw a 62-yard scoring pass to Koger to complete a 5-play 80-yard drive. M 17-PSU 31.

Another PSU 80-yard drive with a 5-yard rushing TD really hurt and made it M 17-PSU-38.

Michigan scored twice more to on short rushes by Denard to make it M 31-PSU 38. but it was not enough

Special teams helped seal the Wolverines fate at this critical juncture by allowing a 30-yard KO return. PSU executed a sucessful fake punt to continue possession and capped the scoring with a 42-yard FG. M 31-PSU 4 and the day was done.

This loss leaves the Wolverines in an undesirable position that should have been avoided. Of the five games they had left on Saturday, the PSU game appeared the most winnable, with the possible exception of Purdue, and it is lost.

So now logic indicates that they will only have one more victory available (Purdue), or maybe two (add Illinois). When and if the Wolverines win another they game they will have established some Bowl eligibility.

Maybe the Wolverines can take Illinois at home next week if Denard and Molk are healthy. Perhaps. But don?t count on it as Illinois is playing some good football right now, and Michigan is not playing well in all three phases of the game. Zook let his entire staff go after last season and it seems to have produced some results. They will be a formidable challenge for Wolverines fresh from a three game losing streak, even if some say Illini statistics show the Wolverines should prevail. So did PSUs.

Last year?s Illinois game was a loss that helped put the final stamp of disaster on that season. The same scenario seems to be looming again with gathering momentum. Someone will have to spike the Kool Aid to restore a lot of optimism after Saturday?s Happy Valley excursion.

I thought 7 and 5 at the start of the season and it is still possible even if Wisconsin and Ohio State are so much better teams that victories over them seem out of reach. But the chances are getting whittled down each week

The Wolverines will return to greatness sooner or later. It will be worth the wait. But the wait continues.

Go Blue!

September 12, 2010October 14, 2013

M Football 2010- Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24 Magnificant Effort And Outcome

Michigan’s Wolverines ended a nasty lack of away from home wins in Notre Dame Stadium Saturday, when they produced an astounding and outstanding come from behind victory in their first competition with Brian Kelly’s Irish. This was a hard fought football game. Neither team quit, but finally the Wolverines prospered and the Irish didn’t.

Denard Robinson was even better Saturday than last week against Connecticut, and now totals a stunning 502-yards rushing in just two games. He will surpass Brandon Minor’s entire production for last year soon, and even though I have seldom, if ever, seen one player put the Wolverine’s fortunes on his own back like he has, he is not the only Wolverine that should be credited with this victory.

The defense hit, the OL line blocked reasonably well, and the receivers took some real punishment, but for the most part they were able to hang onto the ball. Roy Roundtree had 8 grabs for 82-yards, which included a 31-yard TD. Suffering internal bruising last week I was surprised to see him in action this week. Martavious Odoms had 91-receiving yards. Stephen Hopkins got his first collegiate carry on a two-yard TD run early in the game.

With the exception of a few notable penalties, and a big play at crunch time, they played with enough poise and precision on offense, and surprisingly on run defense, to prove they were the best team on the field. Three interceptions helped make that decision. Jonas Mouton got his second career interception, and finished the day with 13 tackles, and Jordan Kovacs had ten. The defense stumbled at times, and let out a late fourth quarter 95-yard pass play for a TD after the defense had the Irish pinned deep in their own territory.

It was a dispiriting and potentially back-breaking play at crunch time. Cameron Gordon let the receiver Kyle Rudolph get behind him, and the down three got inadequate pressure on ND QB Crist. Crist hit the receiver in stride, it was 24-21 and it appeared that it was Notre Dame?s day. But there were a few minutes left. There was enough time for some Robinson magic. ND?s pass offense was effective but the Wolverines suppressed the run reasonably effectively. The defense protected the lead at the end of the game, with Crist?s last desperation heave sailing harmlessly into the endzone.

Denard produced the 12-play, 72-yard drive to get the winning score, scampering in from 2-yards out for the Wolverines first and final score of the second half. It was just enough to produce the much needed 28/24 win. Two key plays were when he calmly picked up a crucial first down at the ND 35, and then on third and five from the seventeen, he hit Roy Roundtree who was downed at the two. Denard ran it in for the winning score.

It is simply impossible to ignore the tour de force provided by Robinson Saturday. In the spring, I kept thinking that Denard might be chewing up M?s defense because it was our own perhaps inadequate defense, and therefore things could change when the actual games and hitting started. I kept thinking, and wrote, that Tate Forcier might rise to the top because of his experience in starting 12 games last year, and that he would overcome his slow start.

It was a little startling to see that freshman Devin Gardner has truly surpassed Tate on the two deep. When Denard was a little shaken up, and out for a play, it was the talented Devin that that played the understudy again this game.

I am happy to admit I was dead wrong. I can sympathize with Tate, and we still may need him, and he could still contribute, but on the basis of just these two games, Denard has been nothing short of phenomenal. His domination of the playing field is exceptional. Also, any four-leaf clovers belonged to him and his Wolverines on this day and to not the Irish, as Shoelace was stripped of the ball on one sojourn into the ND secondary, and the Wolverines gobbled it up. Luck of the Irish? Not Saturday, but the Irish did get a favorable call. On TJ Jones TD, tape clearly shows he released possession of the football before he crossed the goal line. The ball never broke the plane. Should have been Michigan’s ball at the twenty.

DRob was responsible for 502-yards rushing and passing against ND in the unfriendly confines of ND Stadium. He has been credited with 885 yards running and passing in just two games. He is only the 9^th QB in NCAA history to rush for 258-yards in a game, and pass for 244-yards in a game. The 258-yards rushing on 28 carries is 5^th in Michigan single game history records. He was 24 of 40 passing. He broke an 87-yard run for a TD which is the longest in ND Stadium history, and second longest ever against ND. He set a single game Michigan record for rushing and passing by a QB for the second week in a row, and a B10 record. He had 152-yards rushing in the second quarter.

When you paste your name into the record books in a winning cause against ND, your accomplishments get recognized nationally. Denard will have to learn to live with and deal with football fame. He has hit the big time without question, and seems to be aiming the Wolverines in that direction.

Notre Dame opened the scoring on their first possession by producing a 71-yard TD drive aided by a favorable review, and a 15-yard personal foul by Michigan. ND QB Dayne Crist punched it in from a yard out. M 0- ND 7. All EPs in this game were good. Somewhere early in this quarter Crist took a blow to the head that that took him out of the game until the second half. Michigan?s defense abused his inexperienced replacements, including Nate Montana, Joe’s son.

Mouton intercepted ND QB Rees pass, and Denard turned it into points with a 31-yard TD pass to Rountree. M 7-ND 7.

Then it was a 65-yard, 5-play drive to pay dirt, based on Robinson to Odoms passes. Stephen Hopkins scored from the one. M 14-ND 7.

Then Denard was off on his 87-yard jaunt late in the second half. M 21-ND 7.

Crist came back as QB in the second half and heaved a 53-yard TD pass to TJ Jones. M 21-ND 14, and it was getting a little scary again, which was aggravated by an 8-play 66-yard drive culminating in a 24-yard FG. M 21-ND 17. Meanwhile the Wolverines are practicing punting and missing a FG that should have been hit. Fortunately Michigan picked off another pass off to stop a drive, and the miserable quarter ended, but some of the misery endured. The pass protection in the 4^th was not much better at times, and another FG was missed. At the 4:15 mark Crist stunned the Blue with the 95-yard bomb described above to make it M 21-ND 24.

It looked like it was over, but no one told Denard Robinson. He engineered the 12-play, 72-yard winning drive that will become the stuff of legend, and linger a long while in the memories of ND and Michigan fans alike. Seth Broekhuizen kicked the EP.

Suddenly a little ray of optimism is breaking thought the shroud of pessimism, for the team and for Coach Rodriguez. Some fans may now think that maybe he can coach after all, and just maybe his teams will be able to compete, even away from Michigan Stadium.

This is nothing more than a good start to the most important football season in recent memory. Last year the Wolverines also beat the Irish and nailed some early opponents, only to lay an egg in the last half the season. With the poise, and confidence of this season?s team, and with Robinson rapidly gaining experience, that seems less likely to happen than last year.

It is a fact this was a very important game for the Wolverines against a rejuvenated Irish team that has the wily Brian Kelly as its new coach. He will load up with first class talent that matches his system, and he will know how to use it, so this was an excellent year to grab a victory there. This victory will build Michigan confidence, experience them in winning away from home, and raise expectations, as well as gaining the Wolverines some football notoriety of a welcome kind. It will bring smiles to the players, coaches and fans, with the drama not forgotten, but pushed to the background for a change.

This is not to imply that the Wolverines are a complete football team at this time. They need improvement. They are still a work in progress with dumb penalties, and with some critical mental lapses (the two long pass plays, for example). The kicking and punting aspects of special teams need to improve in a hurry. The two missed field goals are blisters, the KOs too short, and they often give opponents good field position. The punting has not been up to Mesko level as yet. I thought this might be costly in the ND game but it proved a non-factor this time but later it might catch up with us.

As predicted the pass defense is a work in progress, but bring on the Minutemen.

The only sad note of the day is that Ron Kramer is no longer with us. He passed away Saturday. He was a great athlete at Michigan in the mid-fifties, a nine-letter winner. He carried his team on his back, and had a great pro career with the Packers and Lions.

It was Ron who revived my interest in Wolverine Football in the fifties, and I shall never forget his accomplishments and his respect and appreciation of all things Michigan.

Go Blue!