Andy Andersen – Page 8 – UMGOBLUE.COM Michigan Wolverine Football & Basketball

November 27, 2016November 27, 2016

M FOOTBALL 2016: NO MAGIC FOR WOLVERINES IN 2ND OVERTIME LOSS TO BUCKEYES 30-27.

Michigan entered Ohio’s Horseshoe Saturday as a slight underdog. They were determined to halt the Buckeyes progress toward another appearance in the Big Ten East Division Championship game, and to enable an appearance of their own. As we all know by now, that agenda that will have to be visited again next year to be conquered by the Wolverines.

Both the Buckeyes and Wolverines entered the game sporting equivalent Big Ten Records, both had lost but a single Big Ten game for the season, and they had both lost no other game. Both had their sights set on prevailing in what portended to be a close game with the ability to run and stop the run as the key to victory, and that was the way it turned out. M rushed for 91-yards and the Bucks for 206. D. Smith was the leading M rusher, bulling for only 60 net yards on 21 carries for a 2.9-yard average and a long of 16. The OL was not consistent. Again, it could not move the chains in crunch time in regulation to protect a lead. The OL was not at its best in this game.

It was as memorable a game as any in the memorable series between Bo and Woody that was called the “The Ten Year War”, except their first one. That Bo victory stands out over all others. Some called it “The Game”, and in 2006 the series was designated by ESPN as the “Greatest North American Sports Rivalry”. Today’s knuckle fest did not defile that caption.

In this year’s meeting, the Buckeyes featured one of the most talented QBs in the Big Ten, JT Barrett. Michigan featured a recovering from injury Wilton Spieght. Speight was day to day pregame, and was at the throttle for the first snap. He did not play poorly, nor did he seem hurt, but unfortunately, he was not mistake free either. Speight threw a pair of critical interceptions and fumbled. Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett made fewer mistakes, and had a better day rushing, but poorer passing. He gained 124-net yards rushing on thirty carries, with one run for a TD. He was intercepted once (by Peppers).

Wilton threw for 219-yards on 23 completions, but did not contribute significant yardage rushing, and of course the errors changed the game. This is not to say that the loss was is all Wilton’s fault. The OL demonstrated a lack of protection, could not move the ball in crunch time. Wilton has the makings of a steady contributor as he gets better and better, a bright future. As always, this was a team defeat.

Michigan had the multi-positional Jabril Peppers playing defense and sometimes offense, and again excelling on special teams. Ohio State featured the multi position offensive threat, H Back Curtis Samuels. Samuels scored the winning overtime TD on a 15-yard run.

The two teams seemed remarkably similar. TOSU was named the Number Two team in the country. Michigan was denominated the number three or four team in the country. Only once before in the long history of “The Game” had they met with such lofty ratings or better. In that one the Bucks prevailed and Saturday the Bucks prevailed again.

THE GAME IS AN ANNUAL HABIT: The Wolverines versus the Buckeyes is an annual habit established in 1918, but its long history started in 1897. It provided some little solace to Wolverine fans, that their Wolverines had established only a 27-26-2 record in Columbus. More that their over-all record against the Bucks was 58-48-6. Saturday was the combatant’s 113^th meeting.

Fans knew this one would be a “slobberknocker” (a Harbaugh bon mot describing contested, and hard hitting football), and Saturday’s game was just that.

SOME M PROBLEMS SATURDAY: Among the Wolverine’s trouble’s Saturday, were problems protecting the football on offense-a Speight fumble at the OSU two was recovered by the Buckeyes. Wilton threw 2 harmful interceptions. After the game, he said one was because his arm was hit. He was under a lot of defensive pressure at all times.

There were stupid penalties. A face mask by Cole ruined a drive. Harbaugh assisted OSU when he drew a 15-yarder for tossing a paper after a series of happenings, especially the call on the prior play, perplexed him. He tossed what I presume to be a play sheet well onto the field, and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, half the distance. This helped enable the Buckeyes second regulation TD when M was leading 17-7. TOSU did not need the help of a shortened field, and took full advantage. That TD was big, a turning point.

I do not mean to chide Coach Harbaugh, although he should remain poised. He was fuming regarding the prior play, the call on Hurst, and it seemed to me to be a poor call. His rage was understandable. The tossing of the play sheet, if that is what it was he tossed, was not so much.

THE GAME WAS BOTH UNIQUELY AND ALMOST EQUALLY IMPORTANT TO BOTH TEAMS THIS SEASON.: The primary reason was that both teams were avidly pursuing the same Big Ten Championship role, plus earning a passport to the further football glories available by capturing eligibility for a spot in the four team college football playoff. Each desperately needed a victory to continue to live those dreams of a crack at the Big Ten East representative spot in the Big Ten Championship game, and later a crack at a national championship play-off game. While OSU shared the goals above, their situation was unique in that OSU lost to PSU earlier in the season. PSU beat MSU so they may be the East Division Champion. Michigan, while they could not take advantage of it, could have controled their own fate with a victory. That is now gone with the wind.

There was only one other time in the long history of the storied rivalry when they both have been ranked in the top three. That was in 2006 when the Buckeyes nipped the Wolverines at home. There have been numerous occasions when an undefeated season was pending and lost, as one side or the other bestowed a loss on the undefeated. Though very satisfying if your team won, they did not approach Saturday’s game in importance.

You can roll out all the clichés that you can think of for this one. It was for all the marbles-the whole enchilada-a shot at the Big Ten Title- a shot to be in the mix for a crack at the national championship-a chance to turn the rivalry tide. Cliché or not all were true.

MICHIGAN HAD A LITTLE MORE AT STAKE: Also at stake was the fact that a win was an important to remedy M’s four game (now five game) losing streak to those below the border. The Buckeyes have now won eleven of the last twelve. A continuation of this was unacceptable to the Michigan contingent, but is the stern reality.

In the spring, fall, and since, fans thought that in order to have a successful season, the Wolverines had to beat both MSU and TOSU. It was thought they couldn’t afford to leave the job half done. It is now time to reevaluate and adjust to the facts. Maybe the good thing is, we will not now have to wonder if we can spank the Badgers twice.

SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS SOMETIMES SEALS CHAMPIONSHIPS AND PAVES THE WAY FOR SUCCESSFUL HEISMAN TROPHIES SEEKERS: You don’t have to look back too far in Michigan Football lore to remember M WR Desmond Howard streaking 93-yards to six for a game capping and winning score to down the Buckeyes in 1991. He famously struck a Heisman pose in the end zone after striking a blow to the Bucks, and at the same time sealing a win. He obviously struck a chord with the Heisman Committee as he won the award.

In 1997, DB Charles Woodson provided a similar 77-yard return to cap a whipping of the Buckeyes. He also won the Heisman, and obtained a shared of the national title in a later Rose Bowl victory, as the Wolverines were undefeated.

Both the Wolverine’s need and the big stage were there for Jabril Peppers Saturday. He played an extraordinary defensive game, and had a needed and timely 44-yard KO return, but the super play to elevate his Heisman chances was not there. His offensive chances were limited in productivity. I thought we might see him throw or grab a pass.

Personal accolades certainly weren’t on Pepper’s mind Saturday, but this probably was his last appearance on the biggest regular season Michigan Football stage. He is sure to be wearing different colors in a different football league at the next level next year, so I believe this was his last chance against the Buckeyes.

Kenny Allen won accolades for special teams Saturday. He kicked the ball out of the end zone routinely, and hit a pair of FGs. He routinely provided the field positon needed to stymie the Bucks for much of regulation by landing four of seven punts within the Ohio twenty. Fortunately the OSU kicker missed two FGs. which if made, would have prevented, overtime.

THE WOLVERINES v THE BUCKNUTS 2016: TOSU deferred and M received. In the first quarter, the Wolverines could move the football but not into any zone named red or end. They punted twice, but had the ball to end the quarter, and continued a drive into the second quarter.

The Bucks had a 10 play 72-yard drive, but stalled in the 1^st quarter, but missed a 37-yard FG.

It seemed the two heavyweights were sparring all quarter without landing punches- scoring punches that is. There was no score in the first.

Early in the second Kenny Allen polished off a 12 play, 53-yard drive by making a 28-yard FG. M led 3 to zip.

Although 3-zip was an obviously fragile lead, at least the Wolverines were on the board first.

Both teams traded punts, but neither scored in the second quarter until Speight threw an interception that was returned by the Bucks 16-yards for six at around the 4 minute mark of the quarter.

Speight quickly recovered from his miscue, and engineered an 11-play 66-yard TD drive. Kahlid Hill scored from two out on the Wolverine’s third attempt for short, and the Wolverines had a 10-7 lead at the half. Several passes to Darboh breathed life into the offense, the long being of 9-yards. The offense seemed to have come to life. The Wolverines scored with 6 seconds left in the half, and thus held a 10-7 lead at the break.

The defense had played an admirable 1^st half, pitching a shutout, and limiting the Bucks to nine yards after their opening drive.

The third quarter started with both teams offensively stalling. As so often has happened this season Jabrill Pepper got them jump started one way of another, this time with his first career interception. His return of 11-yards took it to the OSU 42. M got to the 1, but Speight, under center, then fumbled the center exchange. The Bucks recovered.

The Bucks then returned the favor when they tried a fake punt.

M defender Jordan Glasgow nailed the punter short of the first down at the OSU 22. This five play M scoring drive ended with an eight yard side line pass to Armara Darboh for a significant first down, and a couple of plays later Kahlid Hill snagged another 8-yarder for the TD. It was M-17 and OSU-7. The Bucks had not yet scored an offensive TD, and things were looking hopeful.

Speight’s second interception at the M 35 reversed the momentum. The Wolverines assisted the Buckeyes with an offside penalty. Immediately afterward, Harbaugh went over the top in demonstrating against the call on Hurst. It was a suspect foul, looked like a bad call, looked like Hurst was enticed, but coach was called for an unsportsmanlike at a critical time. That resulted in half the distance to the goal to put the ball at the Michigan 4. After two rushes, the score was M-17, OSU-14.

It was too close for comfort in the fourth. But the Wolverine’s kept clawing and a long OSU drive turned into another missed FG. M had stopped the Bucks at the two. The FG miss was for 21-yards.

Then came an offensive malaise the M Football team has seen too often this season. With a win at stake they again could not get a first down, couldn’t move the chains at all in regulation crunch time.

The Bucks moved 77-yards and produced a 23-yard FG to tie it at 17. I was chagrined that the defese could not stop this drive with so much at stake. It was into overtime.

THE FIRST OT: OSU made quick work of obtaining their first overtime TD. Curtis and Barrett ran it in’ using just two plays for Barrett to score. M-17, OSU-24.

M answered with a series of short Smith runs and a crossing pattern to Darboh for the 5-yard score and it was tied again at 24-24.

THE SECOND OT: M got the ball back again and got it to the Ohio 19. A slant pattern to Grant Perry was incomplete. Seemed to me he was interfered with, but no call. Kenny Allen produced 3 points on a 37-yard FG. M-20, OSU-24.

On last play of their 5-play drive, OSU’s Samuel Curtis ended any suspense by rushing 15-yards for the winning score. Whether or not a Barrett run managed a fourth down first down conversion during that drive was at issue. The call on the field was first down, and as usual it was sustained as that in review. Had the Bucks been stopped there, the game would have been a Wolverine victory. A good call? Not from what I see in the video. I don’t believe he made it.

OSU had the necessary, winning OT TD. Game over. M-27, OSU-30.

SOME TAKE AWAY: The Wolverine’s will watch the play-off picture, and hope to be included, even though it does not seem likely. Obviously they no longer control their own fate. MSU beat Penn State, so OSU’s chance of being nominated is not likely, since Penn State beat OSU this season and so owns the tiebreaker.

This loss will really be felt by this team, even more so than with the fans. We and they will have recovery time. It will be December before which Bowl game chooses the Wolverines is made known.

The Wolverines completed the regular season with a limp, with many of their professed dreams unfulfilled. Now the focus must be on producing an 12-2 season and nothing less.

The team and its fans have had very few losses over the past two years, but this one stings, and will for a while.

Let’s take in the Bowl game, and be solaced that this is a rising program, and will continue to be a rising program. We will often have the Wolverine’s in the hunt.

Go Blue!

November 20, 2016November 20, 2016

M FOOTBALL 2016-M DUMPS INDIANA IN SLOBBERKNOCKER 20 TO 10

The Hoosier’s rushed into Michigan Stadium with their expectations of victory soaring due to the formerly undefeated Wolverine’s one point miscue in Iowa City Saturday.

Before their tenth game stumble, the Wolverines had impressively forged nine consecutive wins, and held a Big Ten tally of six wins, no losses. They retained their national three ranking after that loss.

Saturday’s win over Indiana was a hard fought battle which was styled a “slobberknocker” by Coach Harbaugh afterwards.

This season the amount of attention centered on the team and Coach Harbaugh has been extraordinary. Some of it was sour grapes, but most of it was laudatory, both for the Wolverine’s, their high profile Coach, and for rising QB Wilton Speight.

Before Iowa, Wilton Speight led the Big Ten passers, but was disabled by a shoulder injury in that game.

Back up John O’Korn was not a spectacular passer in his first start as M’s QB Saturday. He produced only 59-yards passing on seven of fifteen passing as the offense relied heavily on the running game. How much of that was a result of the absolutely miserable weather conditions during this game, Harbaugh’s close to the vest play calling, or John’s abilities is impossible to divine.

The blustery winds even affected the goal posts as they sometimes trembled at their tops. Sleet and snow, light but persistent at times, became heavier at the end of the game when the field was blanketed in a thin cover of snow. The worst nature can offer, no. Was it bad enough to affect the comfort of the fans, and play on the field, hell yes.

Continue reading “M FOOTBALL 2016-M DUMPS INDIANA IN SLOBBERKNOCKER 20 TO 10”

November 13, 2016

M FOOTBALL-2016: HAWKEYES EDGE WOLVERINES 13-14

The Wolverines ran into Iowa’s Kinnick Stadium to face the Hawkeyes in an attempt to secure an important 10^th win overall and their 6 ^th in the Big Ten this season. The Hawkeyes blocked their aspirations as the Michigan Football team did not perform to its season’s standard in Iowa City.

At the beginning of the season, it was thought this would be the second of three tough mandatory road wins necessary to accomplish M’s goal of participating in their first Big Ten East/West Championship game. Only one of the three teams regarded as pre-season toughies, have now been demolished. MSU has been downed, but Iowa was a point better, and that leaves a regular season must win over Indiana, and a must win over you know who.

Long ago it was thought that if the Wolverines downed either of the Spartans or the Buckeyes it would be an entirely successful season. Not anymore. The whole college football enchilada is still in view, but only in view, not yet in reach or in hand. The acceptable margin of error has shrunk with this loss, and the complications have increased. Now they must conquer the offensive minded Hoosiers plus the fabulous Buckeyes at their Columbus home to realize Championship dreams. Those dreams are still achievable, but a little more improbable, after the loss to the Hawkeyes.

HAWKEYES: As this season unfolded the Hawkeyes struggled, and Wolverine chances of a win in Iowa City seemed improved. This season has been more than a little rough on the Hawkeyes, but the Wolverines helped the Hawks forget their woes Saturday as the Hawks ruined the Wolverine’s attempt at a ten game winning streak. That 10^th win will have to wait a week for another attempt.

The Hawks had won just 4 overall, and had managed only 3 Big Ten wins. After Saturday against the Wolverines, Iowa had only four Big Ten wins.

If pre-season expectations for the Hawkeyes were accurate, they had sorely underachieved to this point in the season, but they made up for that Saturday.

Even so, they were not overlooked and under estimated by the Wolverines. M knew that there would be a hostile and raucous crowd, with some having all day to prime their enthusiasm for redeeming their season in prime time by whacking the Nations 2^nd or 3^rd ranked team. The target on the Wolverine’s back had enlarged each game.

The Wolverines also knew that Kinnick had not been kind to the Wolverines on more than one occasion in the past. They also they knew that despite a 41-14-4 pre-game record in the Wolverine’s favor, the Hawkeyes would be determined to win, would be motivated to win, and would be well directed to win by the Head Hawkeye, Coach Kirk Ferentz. And so it proved.

What had seemed an improbable task away from home when the pre-season began, seemed achievable in many fan’s minds as the game approached, but it turned out to not be achievable in fact, as the Hawkeyes played successful David and Goliath.

The play of the Hawkeyes had proved to date to be slow scoring offense attached to a sometimes ineffective defense. To say they had not played well recently was a pregame statement of fact. Unfortunately, none of this applied to Saturday’s game against the Wolverines. The game proved again that football is both a game of talent and emotion. The more emotional Hawkeyes won.

WILTON SPEIGHT WAS NOT AT HIS BEST: Last week he set a first half passing production record. He had improved every game he had started this year, until Iowa.

Prior to Saturday he had averaged 205.3 yards passing per game, had thrown for 2,053 yards through the first nine games, accounted for 15 TDs, and had only thrown 3 interceptions. He had completed 149 passes of 231attempts.

He added to those numbers Saturday against Iowa, but his play against Iowa was not a spectacular performance. He tossed 11/26 for 103-yards. He was some-times good, but not great over all He seemed just a little off. He overthrew two streaking, open receivers. Connections on one of those two throws would have won the game. He had an interception late.

It was a pass thrown into tight coverage, which hit Chesson’s chest, and bounced out his hands into the grasping hands of an alert defender. Fortunately, M’s Stribling shortly returned the favor by capturing a Hawk throw.

There had been a spate of Speight adulations sprouting recently, from coaches, fans, the Big Ten Channel, the media dedicated to Wolverine coverage, and some national coverage. They were all earned and well-deserved, as game by game Wilton had been improving, and becoming an extraordinarily adept quarterback. His play leveled out against Iowa. He still made some great plays, but the offense was not rock solid this time.

Saturday was a learning experience of a different and harsher kind. It was an experience of a kind that he had not had to endure yet this season. He will learn from it, and he will keep working. He will see better days, and compete effectively in the games yet to come.

Of course, he wanted to win Saturday. He said before the game that “we didn’t come this far just to come this far”. That still applies.

THE REST OF THE OFFENSE: The offensive line did not have a good day. While they made some nice plays, when the game was at stake late in the 4^th, they could not move the ball to the sticks to secure a first down. That could have saved a victory.

There were no offensive wrinkles for Peppers and he was stopped for short gains, on plays the Hawks expected, and quickly diagnosed.

When a punt ended up near the Michigan goal line, M lined up and tried to run Smith out of the end zone. The OL opened no hole and allowed penetration. Smith was stopped short well into the end zone for a safety. Losing by one point, the two points were critical, and it got the Hawks fired up. It was a turning point. With under 1:54 minutes left, M’s Channing Stribling made an interception that I thought would seal Iowa’s fate. But as in a previous game, the Wolverines could not manage a first down late, and was forced to punt, with nothing less than the game at stake. The Wolverines produced 201-yards of offense, with a paltry 98-yards rushing.

THE DEFENSE COULDN’T STOP THE HAWKS WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE: The defense held Iowa to one TD. That TD was aided by an M personal foul. Iowa had 66-yards passing, and 164-yards passing.

Near the end of the game, an unbelievable call on a Michigan player for a face mask penalty, greased Iowa’s ability to make the slide into winning FG range. A Wolverine player’s hand slid across the Iowa players mask but the mask was not grabbed. There’s a lot of things I don’t understand in this world, and that face mask call remains one of them. While they made many nice plays, M’s defense failed to stop Hawks late in the game when the heat was on. The Hawks had 230-yards of offense, with 164 on the ground.

SPECIAL TEAMS: Kenny Allen’s field goal kicking was superb. Allen’s punts averaged over 40-yards. He misfired on one KO, striking it out of bounds. He hit two field goals: one for 23-yards, and one for 51- yards. Jabrill Peppers had a nice KO return for 16-yards, plus a punt return for 9-yards.

The M kick off receiver team fumbled on M’s opening drive of the second half. An engaged M blocker brushed the runner, and the ball was suddenly loose and was recovered by Iowa. It was a short kick received by a fullback.

The first quarter contained some oddities. Two consecutive Michigan roughing the kicker penalties spelled doom to a drive. A failed fake punt failed when the kicker tripped rolled head over heals and got bumpeld a little on the helmet of the Hawkeye. It was judged targeting and M’s Devin Bush was expelled for the game.

M v Iowa: M deferred, and the two teams traded punts.

About mid quarter, M finally got rolling, but stalled as several incompletions put the ball on the ground. Kenny Allen put it through the uprights from 26-yards out, and it was three to zip.

Iowa went on an 11-play jaunt but missed a 46-yard FG.

M’s Jake Butt nabbed an 8-yard pass. Peppers, Smith and McDoom rushed for short yardages, Chesson caught a 29-yarder, and Darboh a 5-yard pass. Ty Isaac swept into the end zone on a very nice 7-yard run. The Wolverines were up 10 to zip. It was M’s drive of the day, covering 72-yards in 9 plays.

The Hawks produced a punt of 54-yards to the Michigan 2. This had consequences as Smith was lined up deep in the end zone, and after the snap was tackled there for a safety (two points). The offensive line did not get the needed push, and Smith was stopped dead in his tracks in the end zone. M had to kick to Iowa so the lost a player and the ball to a so-called targeting incident.

Iowa moved from its own 48, starting with a 27-yard pass, and a 7-yard screen. A Michigan personal foul assisted the drive. A three yard pass afforded 6 points, but the two point conversion failed.

At the half it was Michigan 10-Iowa 8.

There was reassurance in the minds of many M fans knowing that their offense would receive to begin the second half. A fumbled KO return trashed those thoughts as the ball fell into the possession of the Hawks. The Hawkeyes got the ball at the M 43.

They then moved to the M 25 with several short runs, but a run stopped for a loss and an incompletion stopped them cold. A 25-yard FG ensued and it was Wolverines 10, Hawkeyes 11.

The Wolverines did not score in the third quarter, so that is how the quarter ended.

In the next Wolverine possession, Evans and Smith had short gains. Jake Butt made a great catch on an off angle pass for 17-yards to earn a 1^st down. After a couple of short passes, Allen punted but the holder was roughed, and the ball was at the Hawks 36. Smith had two rushes for nine. Higdon lost 6-yards. Allen hit the longest FG of his career to finish the Wolverines scoring. The Wolverines had 13, and the Hawks 11.

A Wilton pass to Chesson was intercepted, and Michigan’s Stribling returned the favor.

Michigan could not move the ball and punted.

With the call of a face mask penalty on the Wolverines the Hawkeyes proceeded into FG range. The die was cast by the assistance of that nefarious FM call on the Wolverines. The 33-yard Iowa FG put the winning points on the board and it was 13-14 Iowa.

The Wolverines will regroup and be better than ever.

Except now there is a narrower window to a Championship game because they now have to beat Ohio State, on their premises, to stay even. The path would have been easier to enter Columbus undefeated.

Bring on Indiana and Go Blue!

November 6, 2016November 6, 2016

M FOOTBALL 2016- MARYLAND’S TERPS BLASTED BY RISING WOLVERINES 59-3.

Eight prior Wolverine wins this season were but a prelude to the game that unfolded Saturday against the Maryland’s Football Terrapins. The Wolverine’s sought to step up another notch towards wining the Eastern Division B1G Championship by bringing home their ninth victory of the season.
This Maryland game was at the same time, no less and no more, important than the ones already in the bag, or yet to come, but it was as necessary as all the others this season. Again the Wolverines were the odds on favorites, being pegged as 29.5 point or more winners. The Terrapins had lost to PSU, Indiana, and Minnesota. To this group, add the Wolverines, as they blew out the Terps on Saturday. Overwhelmed, routed, dismantled, swamped, any cliché you want to use to style a butt kicking applies. You could also call it a bit of a Butt kicking as TE Jake Butt contributed necessary yardage. Jake is now the all-time leading tight end receiver at the University of Michigan in terms of yardage.
Coming to Ann Arbor the week after M’s battle in Spartan Stadium, the Terrapins probably wondered what all the shouting was about last Saturday, as they too had dismantled MSU this season (28-17). For the Wolverines, this was a game where they might as well have been wearing a neon sign displaying trap game, but it was the Terps that got trapped. It looked like the Maryland team wore neons with their bright uniforms, and funky helmets.

THE TERRAPINS: The Terrapins are under the leadership of first year Head Coach DJ Durkin. Durkin is a master of hard shell defense, and as you know, was last year’s Wolverine defensive coordinator. This year there is no question the Terrapins have struggled at run defense and pass protection, and it proved so again Saturday.

Because of his experience at Michigan, there was worry Durkin had well-conceived plans based solidly on his previous first-hand experience. He had unique insight into the Wolverines and their methods, but if this made any difference it did not show on the scoreboard. The innovative Harbaugh changed things up. An example: Speight made a handoff to Peppers who passed latterly to a standing Speight. Speight fired it downfield 40-yards to Jehu Chesson. Speight said at the presser afterwards that “That was a cool trick play we’d been practicing for a couple of weeks…I was able to rip it deep”.

Of course Don Brown’s defense was different than that under Durkin last year.The Terps came into Ann Arbor being the second best rushing team in the Big Ten at 252-yards per outing. Only TOSU had piled up more. The pass efficiency rating of Maryland QB Terry Hill led the Big Ten prior to Saturday. Hill was knocked out of the game, after tossing 4 passes, for 4 completions, with a long of 47-yards. He was sacked twice. His back-up, C. Rowe threw 8 for 129-yards, and an interception. He tossed a long of 32 and was sacked once.
They have two very good backs Ty Johnson, and L. Harrison. They broke free occasionally but did not score.

FINAL COMMENT REGARDING THE WIN OVER MSU: Harbaugh mentioned at his Monday Maryland presser that some M players had been ill during MSU game week, including Mason Cole, and Jake Butt. He also said “There’s going to be some things to teach off of this past game, which is a good thing. A good opportunity for us to make further improvements. It’s good that our defense was tested and there’s things we can improve. I say that for all our players, us coaches, it’s a good opportunity for us to make further improvements”.
Many fans felt after the game that the Wolverines seemed to lose concentration late in the game. Harbaugh would have none of that afterwards, but mentioned he would address any conditioning problems of the Wolverines during the MSU battle “by more push-ups, more whole milk”. He also mentioned the significance of alcohol hand wash to prevent illness. There were no signs of player illness for the Maryland game.

M QB WILTON SPEIGHT DRAWS HIGH PRAISE FROM HARBAUGH POST MARYLAND. Wilton passed for a career best 362-yards against Maryland, and for a record 262-yards in the first half. He also ran for his first rushing TD at Michigan. Obviously enjoying himself, he hopped over the goal line. His passing was outstanding. He hit 19 of 24, and he showed adroit mobility while avoiding capture in the pocket. He engineered an offense that produced a combined 660-yards, and a 59-3 win.
Harbaugh was profuse in his appreciation post game, saying “That’s the best half of football I’ve ever seen a Michigan quarterback play…Moving and throwing, and accuracy – I don’t know how you play any better than Wilton did…It was a perfect game as a quarterback and that’s darned hard to do”.
Harbaugh was so pleased he mentioned Speight’s name as belonging in the Heisman race.

SPEIGHT HAD MORE THAN A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS ON OFFENSE: Running Backs: De’Veon Smith had a great day. He was at the top of his blistering running style, running with violence, great balance and good vision. Smith lugged 13 times for 3 TDs and 114-yards. Ty Isaac ran twice for 56-yards with a long of 53. K. Hill scored twice on short yardage dives. Other backs also contributed.
Receiving: Jehu Chesson was active again nabbing five passes for 112/yards and a TD. He had and catch of 40-yards.TE Jake Butt managed to grab 5 for 76, with a long of 37. Amara Darboh had 4 for 47wtih a long of 34.Kekoa Crawford caught a 16-yard TD pass from Jon O’Korn to close the scoring, and caught another for nine.

SPEIGHT HAD MORE THAN A LITTLE HELP FROM HIS FRIENDS ON DEFENSE. The defense provided good field position all afternoon, even if they did give up some yardage. Maryland gained from both running (131-yards) and passing (289-yards). This was more yardage than the Wolverines liked to yield, but when the ball was deep in Michigan territory and near the goal line they stuffed any scoring attempt. In the post- game interview, M’s Chase Winovich was incensed that the Terps kicked a field goal to ruin the zero in their score column when they obviously needed TDs to win. The Wolverines are tuned in.
Ben Godin led the defense with 5 solo tackles and six assists, for 11 total. He had 3 TFLs, plus one half a sack. Delano Hill followed with 5 solo tackles and and assist. Eighteen others had one or two tackles. The group had three sacks total.

WOLVERINES v TERPS: Maryland won the toss and deferred. Despite an illegal block penalty, this 10-play, 91-yard drive was the Wolverines best of the day. Jehu Chesson grabbed one for 23-yards, Smith, Evans, Spieght and Peppers all contributed rushes under ten yards, and Chesson grabbed another for 8. They marched methodically to the Maryland 34. Amara Darboh took it from there, on a 34-yard pass from Speight. The TD with point made it 7-zip.

M got the ball back and produced another score. Darboh caught on for 15, Isaac rushed for 3, Eddie McDoom 12. Chesson nabbed one for forty yards to the Maryland 13, Higdon got three, and then Speight put on his wheels and ran up the middle for a ten yard score, and it was M 14-MND-0 to end the quarter. A Maryland drive stalled and their ensuing FG missed.

On the next possession Smith ran for 14, and Jake Butt got it down to the MND 29 with a 37-yard reception. A pair of short Smith rushes, and a Peppers rush of 13, put it at the MND 3. Smith bulled in for the score and it was 21 to zip.
The Wolverines struck again, overcoming a pair of penalties, one of which negated a catch by M WR Drake Harris.

This unreasonable call negated a beautiful TD catch and run by Harris. Then came another disputed call. Chris Evans caught a short pass and ran to the MND one. Called out of bounds there, the Michigan Fans thought that the review would reverse the call, and validate the score. The call on the field was not overturned to the surprise of fans and Harbaugh. He commented on it afterwards. Kahlid Hill bulled it in, and it was 28-zip. Harris was burned last week on another penalty call which robbed him of a TD.

Maryland moved the ball to end the half, but time ran out as they got to M’s 1-yard line. This was a close call for the Wolverines.
M’s defense started the third quarter with a bang. Delano Hill intercepted and returned it to the MND 49. Smith rushed for eight, then caught a 17-yard pass. Chesson caught one for a short gain, but the drive stalled. Kenny Allen hit a 29–yard FG and it was 38-zip.

The quarter ended with a Butt catch for 15-yards, plus two Smith rushes for a combined 20-yards, and then a short Higdon tote. Smith was back at it with two more short and tough runs, for a combined 11-yards. A Terp penalty got it to their one. Smith ran it in for six, to make it 45-0.
The Terps finally replaced the zero in their scoring column with a 3, culminating a decent drive of 10-plays and 55-yards. The Terps were assisted by an M face mask penalty. It was M-47, UMD-3.

The Wolverine’s Ty Isaac answered with a 53-yard jaunt to the UMD 11, and Smith did the rest in two attempts. Now it was M-52, UMD-3.
A Dymonte Thomas interception put the ball at the M 17, and QB John O’Korn was on tap. He immediately tossed a pass to Kekoa Crawford for 16-yards. A roughing the passer penalty on the Terps, a couple of 6-yard rushes by Karan Higdon, and a Chris Evans push for thirteen yards, plus another by Evans for 10, sandwiched a B.Henderson rush for 8. Kekoa Crawford caught the nine yard TD pass to make the final score Michigan 59, Maryland 3.

This outstanding performance by the Wolverines, offense, defense, and special teams for their ninth win of the season shows solid improvement. They are playing with more and more confidence, with many young talents progressing.

Now it is on to what could be one of their toughest challenges so far this season. The Hawkeyes at home are never easy. It will be another battle for win #10.

October 30, 2016October 30, 2016

M FOOTBALL 2016: THE WOLVERINES ROLLED OVER SPARTANS IN EAST LANSING, 32-23.

Saturday the second ranked University of Michigan Football Wolverines convened their offense, defense, and special teams at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing, confident that they would prove superior in all phases of the game, and win, which they did. This was in spite of Wolverine ownership of a three game losing streak to the Green Meanies, plus seven Wolverine losses in their last eight games with the Spartans prior to Saturday. MSU never gave up when behind and kept gnawing at the Wolverine lead even into late in the 4th quarter. With a second left, an errant option pitch on an attempted two point conversion went errant, was picked up by Jabrill, and returned over 90-yards to the opposite end zone for 2 points.

The fate of Sparty fortunes in this game and maybe in this season were sealed forever. The Peppers long run for two run still was a stunning way to end the game.

SPEIGHT AND DARBOH FUELED OUTSTANDING OFFENSE ALONG WITH THE RUNNING BACKS.: While the M offense was not thought to be as elite as the defense, it had proved solid with at least 4 healthy and capable running backs, an efficient if developing QB, and an offensive line that, while patched together, was on the verge of enabling a record number of M TDs via infantry.

Saturday, a successful ground game gave them outstanding play action, and an outstanding cadre of receivers gave them an aerial threat. The offense was simply outstanding, and in the first quarter they outplayed the defense. They scored in each of their first five possessions. Wilton Speight was outstanding. It was probably his best day at the helm. While he did throw an interception, he established a downfield connection that paid off all game. He threw 25 times and completed 16 for 244 yards, and ran once for 5. He pitched a long of 43-yards to Darboh. On the other end of most of Speight’s passing game, Darboh had a career day, receiving 8 passes for 165-yards with a long of 43. He had a spectacular one armed reception, and nabbed some other difficult balls . It is ironic that not a single Wilton throw or Darboh snag went for a TD, but they enabled scores. The same thing happened to Jake Butt. His TD effort was ruled short, but it was an outstanding effort.

More than 6 backs ran it effectively. D. Smith was running at his best, his trademark tough runs. He ran for two TDs on 11 for 40-yards. Eddie McDoom ran twice for 53 yards, Karan Higdon had 10 for 44, Peppers 5 for 29 and a TD, Hill was 4 for 8, and Isaac ran 7 times for 16-yards, The position group gained 192-yards on 46 carries, averaging 4.6-yards a carry.

THE MICHIGAN FAN MINDSET FOR THIS SEASON EVOLVED: Pre-game, the Wolverine defense ranked first in a convincing number of NCAA categories. After seven games, the Wolverine defense had proved elite, and many Michigan fans thought that would extend through Saturday, or at least hoped that it would. Some went from doubt to supreme confidence in a blow out in warp speed.

All year many M fans, including me, had marked the Michigan State game as the season’s first true litmus test of Wolverine worth, and this magnified when the Spartans whipped Notre Dame at Notre Dame. As both the Spartans and Notre Dame accumulated losses, the Spartans seemed more vulnerable. And with the Wolverines spanking its opposition through seven prior games, MSU seemed even more vulnerable. Most, if not all, all fans wanted a blowout, a little revenge for last year’s 10- second gaffe.

STATE PLAYED HARD, TOO, BUT THEY WERE OVERMATCHED: Michigan State made it a game from time to time, but never led except after their first possession of the game. They played hard, but could not score from inside the ten yard line multiple times. At a critical time in the game MSU ran four times, starting at the four-yard line, and failed. The Wolverines held. For much of the game State’s passing game was a shambles tosay the least, but it became somewhat effective in the 4th quarter with a switch in QBs.

While bragging rights and recruiting profiles are important, and revenge is great motivator, most importantly, this was a big win which eliminated another hurdle to the Wolverines playing in their first Big Ten East Championship game. That remains this team’s most important goal. This win preserved a shot at a spot in the BTCG.

Position groups that were elite for the Spartans of the past few seasons are diminished in talent and depth this year, including QB. They had three ailing QBs after the game, two courtesy of the M defense. The Spartans desperately needed to end their skid now, and played like it. What better opportunity for them to right their season’s trajectory in the opportunity presented to pummel arch rival Michigan Saturday.

The difference wasn’t all injuries even though MSU had had plenty of them this season. Recruiting has to play a part too. The talent level has swung in the Wolverine’s direction.

WHY THE SPARTANS ANNUALLY TARGET THE WOLVERINES WITH FERVENT FEROCITY EVEN IN A SO-SO SEASON. IT IS STILL “THE GAME” TO THE SPARTANS. Some Spartan fans are obsessed with the Wolverines. Some habitually troll Michigan pages. Do you spend a lot of time trolling Spartan pages? I thought not. They constantly compare to Michigan. Whether the comparison is true or a not, and whether it is comparable or not seems to make no difference . They must feel that makes whatever it was excusable somehow, or think it deflects some of the derogatory mud tossed at their team in the direction of Ann Arbor, too.

Why all this interest? Is it because they have so often been the shadow of the University of Michigan and its academic and athletic reputations? M was founded first, was a University when MSU was still Michigan Agricultural College, had professional schools like Law, and Medicine, and Dentistry (no dental school at MSU yet) long before MSU. MSU was still teaching the plow long after M was teaching the law, medicine, and dentistry. Michigan was a long time Big Ten member before MSU. It is true M opposed their admittance in the early 1950’s when that came about, much to the eternal disgust of Spartans.

A 55-7 Wolverine threshing in 1947 fueled MSU passions in the late forties, and beyond for years.
They have had pockets of football success, under Coach Clarence L. “Biggie” Munn, and Hugh “Duffie” Daugherty. Daugherty won a couple of National Championships. He was the longest serving coach of Spartan Football. Beloved by the press, Duffy was a quipster. He was alleged to have introduced a new QB by extolling the QBs mental capacity, and stating that his new QB was ambidextrous, then adding that the kid can throw with either hand. Their current Coach, Mark D’Antonio has brought MSU Football back from the abyss in the last decade, again to a level of serious success.
Mike Hart caused considerable stir among Spartan advocates as he irritated them with his “Little Brother” statement. The response to that message was as if someone had whacked the MSU fan base hard on their collective elbows. They were provoked. Their pot boiled. It even provoked their current coach to answer Hart’s trash talk with trash talk, which is an unusual situation. MSU Coach Happy is also alleged to have to have said, after one particularly rough manhandling of the Wolverines in a previous game, that the game was sixty minutes of un-necessary roughness. This boiled M’s pot. He also stated he hated Michigan at his public introduction to the Spartan nation knowing the words would be appreciated there. The Spartans are always angling for a chip on their shoulder to be cashed in against those hated Wolverines.

This year the chip was firmly glued to the Wolverine’s shoulder. Michigan accomplishments over a long span have given the Spartans a David and Goliath mentality, and has put a permanent chip on their shoulder, a penchant for underdog status. There is no question MSU has made much progress over the 70 years I have been following M v MSU, both in athletics and academics, but there is only one University of Michigan.

This game always provides a battle, a tough competition for both Michigan and Michigan State, and will into the future. It will not, however, ever be “the Game” on the Michigan side of the ledger. That honor belongs to TOSU.

COUNTING ONE’S CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH IS A CARELESS BUSINESS FOR THIS GAME: The two programs have met every season since 1945, and this was their 109th meeting. I have paid serious attention to the game since the late 1940’s. Except for a few years away in the service, I have followed it intensively. The wisest prediction is that usually it will be a close game, even into the fourth quarter, no many how much fans we fervently wish otherwise. Many fans, including me, this year believed it would be a blowout, but again the usual is close, and hard fought. While not exactly a blow out, this victory was solid and convincing. It is always a fight, and was again this year, even if the Wolverines dominated most of the game.

M v MSU: M won the toss and elected to defer. Much to my amazement the Spartans moved the bell easily on the ground and using over seven minutes in a 12 play, 75-yard drive on their first series. LJ Scott was the MSU player of the game and he had ten carries in this drive for 63 yards, He had 139 on the ground, a TD, and caught two passes for 47. The Spartans were up 7, and I was thinking Colorado.

Wilton Speight took charge of a drive that answered, as the Wolverines went 80-yards on 8 plays. Smith and Isaac ran for a combined 27. Eddie Mc Doom scooted around end for 20. A Smith run and a Darboh catch put it at the 3. Jabrill Peppers was at QB and ran it in, touching the nose of the football to the southwest pylon for six, and it was 7 up. It was a relief to learn the offense could move the ball.

The Wolverines struck again. It was Eddie McDoom again running outside on a reverse from Peppers for 33-yards to the MSU 38. Minutes later, Jake Butt caught a 26-yarder that was ruled down at the two, and Smith ran 1-yard for the TD. M was up 14-7.

MSU could only answer with a 52-yard FG, and it was 14-10.
M’s Kenny Allen replied after a drive stalled with a 23-yard FG, and it was 17-10.M’s next possession saw the Wolverines move 10 plays, and 42-yards for 6. A Peppers 15-yard run, a ten yard pass to Darboh, and a six-yard pass to Chesson, plus an MSU penalty were among the plays that put Smith in position to score from 5-yards out. Now it was 24-10.

Jourdan Lewis made his best play of the game resulting in an interception at the MSU 29 in the waning moments of the half. Speight hit Darboh for 20-yards but a penalty against the Wolverines stalled the drive and an Allen FG of 23-yards ensued. The half ended with the Wolverines ahead 27 to 10.

It seemed that all was rosy with the Wolverines receiving the second half kickoff, but a Speight mistake resulted in an interception that was returned 42-yards. The defense stood tall. MSU’s Scott rushed four times, and had some negative yardage on a couple of attempts, including his last one. That snap was on the M two, and Scott lost two, and the Wolverines had held in a great goal line stand. Peppers cut Scott’s legs out from under him.

The Wolverines did not score in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter MSU missed a FG. But Kenny Allen hit a 45-yarder and the score was M-30, MSU-10.

Brian Lewerke was the Spartan QB as Tyler O’Connor had been pulled and was gimpy. Lewerke started to complete some passes, the big one being to RJ Shelton for 34-yards to the Michigan 20. He then threw a 20-yard TD to Monty Madaris, and it was an uncomfortable 30 to 17.
The M offense could not move the ball and MSU got it at their 15, but an 8-yard Peppers sack solves that problem, and forced a punt.

The Spartans were not done as a Michigan penalty assisted another MSU score. Spartan QB Lewerke fired a 5-yard TD pass to MSU wide out Freshman Corley, but the two point conversion failed, when the balll was on the turf, and was returned into the end zone by Peppers for two points. The game ended in Michigan’s favor 32 to 23.

This was a solid victory against very jacked up MSU team. They called up the best they had and it was not quite good enough, despite all their sound and fury. This time their very season was at stake.

Is it appropriate to say the Terrapins are roaring into Ann Arbor next week? Anyway, they are the next impediment to the next step up the Wolverines ladder of success, and under the tutelage of DJ Durkin they will be primed with solid knowledge of Michigan’s tendencies.

Welcome home Paul Bunyon.

Go Blue!