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MICHIGAN FOOTBALL 2014-MAIZE AND BLUE NIPS BLUE AND WHITE AS WOLVERINES EDGE LIONS 18-13 IN A SPECTACULAR PRIME TIME SETTING

The Wolverines beat the Lions in a defensive battle that they really had to win. Many fans were convinced that they would have a hard time winning another game this season due to offensive inefficiency, and an aerial defensive disaster in their last outing at Rutgers.

But this one was in the friendlier confines of Michigan Stadium. It was a crisp autumn evening in Ann Arbor. There had been a “blood” moon, a bright red moon, a few nights before as the result of an eclipse. What I wouldn’t have given to see that pretty red ball hang over lit up Michigan Stadium, but there was eventually a pretty, if not red, moon hanging above the rim. It was spectacular prime time setting, enhanced by a half time light show.

While the setting was all that could be asked, this was not an offensive master piece by either side. Still, it was a welcome win as Michigan stopped its two game Big Ten losing streak, and defeated predictions some made after the Rutgers game, that they might not win another game this season.  Players and coaches alike aren’t concerned that it was not an offensive masterpiece.  Just happy.

Fall was in the air, and it was pumpkin time. Maybe it was a little on the too crisp side, but the field was thankfully dry. The lights in massive Michigan Stadium had been turned on, along with ESPN’s TV cameras. What every young man’s fancy sometimes turns to in the fall, was about to begin as kick off neared. There was a crowd just short of sell out, announced at a seemingly generous 113,085.

Another Big Ten football game was at hand, the first Big Ten Night game in the history of M Stadium, with its attendant unique atmosphere and spectacle. Night games are not without inconvenience, especially to those who do not live on site, but they do draw crowds.

What wasn’t present were the great PSU or M football teams of yore. Before the game, the Wolverines had lost three straight, and lost four of their last six. It looked as if their season was heading for the dumpster. PSU was 4 and 1, having lost to Northwestern. Both were noted for ineffective offensive lines.

In this one, Penn State and the Wolverines seemed well matched. So it seemed a close game was in the offing and it worked out that way. Both were considered to have decent QBs, PSU’s defensive line was considered most adequate against the run, as was Michigan’s, with PSU having the edge. It turned out M defensive line out performed PSU’s. By only a little, but it was a significant little.

The Penn State Nittany Lions had rolled into town touting one of the most hyped, and actually maybe the most talented, quarterback in the Big Ten. Fortunately PSU’s offensive line is not in that class.

The PSU defense had picked off Rutger’s Nova 5 times, but they only got one from Devin Gardner, in Michigan territory. On a screen pass Devin did not arc the ball high enough over talented PSU Defensive Lineman Anthony Zettel, and Zettel grabbed it with a nice leaping catch.

Rutgers, the sometime Chanticleers (defined as feisty chickens) transformed into Scarlet Knights, had embarrassed the Wolverines struggling pass defense to the tune of 404-yards in getting their first Big Ten win. The Wolverines can opener could not open the armor of the Scarlet Knights that evening, but this Saturday night they held the Lions to 160 net–yards passing on 21 completions in thirty-three attempts, and held them to a single TD.

Rutgers had perpetrated an 8o-yard pass, and a 33-yarder, plus a 53-yarder, and a pair of 26-yarders. At times that evening, the Wolverine pass defense reminded more of Wile Coyote than Wolverines, but not this Saturday. There was a better scenario for this Saturday’s game as Coach Mattison had a better result in store.

We owed PSU. Last year the Lions had engineered a spectacular four-overtime victory at home in a see saw game in which Michigan kicked away its opportunities after first making one of the decade’s most spectacular FGs to garner a last second tie in regulation. But the Wolverines then demonstrated that was just a teaser, by missing multiple OT field goals which would have been game winners, thus sealing a 40-43 Wolverine defeat. While revenge is never supposed to be a team motivator, the same doesn’t hold true of fans. While I half expected such a disappointing scenario again, it did not materialize, as the Wolverines were up to the task.

GAME HIGHLIGHTS AND A FEW LOWLIGHTS:

  • The defense battled, and a number of individuals had good games. Jake Ryan had ten tackles. Brennan Beyer had two sacks. The defensive line produced as it had eleven TFls. Jourdan Lewis had an important interception and M had a Delonte Hollowell fumble recovery and TD run overturned on review. The defense penned in PSU late in the game in its own territory, forcing PSU to a safety. This added tothe final margin of victory in a close game.
  • Special teams contributed as Wile connected on FGs of 37, 42, and 45-yards. Dennis Norfleet exuberantly danced to music prior to KO, but still was focused enough to gain 52 valuable return yards. They recovered a critical possession late in the game on an side kick to preserve the lead. They got a second chance at an onside recovery because of an offside call by an official that is much disputed by PSU partisans. How perfect!
  • Devin Gardner was up to the task, sat out hurt for a time, and was the key to Michigan’s points. Replaced late in the third quarter by Russell Bellomy, Devin returned and preserved just enough momentum for the victory. He is still a perplexing combination of high risk, high reward but he is the best right now that the Wolverines have at the position. He is 6th amongst M’s all-time career passing leaders with 6,350-yards. Still it is difficult to live with all those inexplicable miscues that happen every game.
  • Devin Funchess made an outstanding grab for the Wolverine’s only TD. It seemed that the defender had it but with strong and quick hands, it was Devin’s. He caught 7 for 69-yards, among which was the TD of 43-yards.
  • M’s offense still struggles to produce points in spite of the fact they are great in the red zone (16 of 16). They have trouble this season getting to the red zone. Also, one pines for the excitement of the likes of Denard Robinson.
  • The alternate uniforms do not do it for me. Liked the yellow shoes, but the totally blue uniforms with illegible letters, should be gone for good.
  • The QB sneak for 4th and 2 that failed was a poor call.
  • 64 rushing yards on 31 attempts for a 2.1 average is a sign of continuing OL woes, as is the ability to score only one lonely TD.
  • The defense picked a good time to hold an opponent to 54-yards rushing, and 214 total net yards. M outgained them by 42 net yards.
  • The defense did not allow a hurry-up end of second quarter drive to score. This had spelled doom is some prior games.
  • ESPN did not show the start of the game.  Fans at home could not see it on TV.

BRIEF RECAP:
PSU marched to the M red zone with the opening KO but stalled due to the M defense throwing them back 7-yards via Ben Gedeon sack. PSU got a 35-yard FG, and the Blue was down by 3.

M answered with a 75-yard drive featuring passes to Butt and Darboh, and the 43-yard TD toss to Funchess and it was 7-3.

PSU produced another drive of runs and short passes, culminating in another field goal. This one was from 32-yards. 7-6 felt uncomfortable at the end of the first quarter.

PSU scored on a 10-yard pass, after the Devin Gardner interception. 7-13, PSU. I thought the dam would now break, but the Wolverines stayed after it, and hit a 45-yard FG. It was 10-13 at the half. Michigan’s sluggish offense produced 4 net yards rushing in the half. A remarkably poor result.

Late in the third quarter, Jourdan Lewis broke the third quarter offensive stalemate with an interception. His interception resulted in a 42-yard M FG to tie it up 13-13.

Michigan’s defense held to start the 4th quarter, and M went ahead on another Matt Wile FG, a 37-yarder. 16-13.

PSU elected to snap the ball over their punter’s head  for the safety described above.  That made it 18-13, and Michigan finally had a win in its third night time game in the Big House ever, and its first Big Ten win of the season.

Fortunately, the defense played its best game in a while.

While at times this was a dull and boring football game, this win benefits the Wolverines, and it was long overdue. Because it was so long overdue, it was even more welcome.

Michigan has steep challenges in coming games as the schedule steels. After a welcome bye week to heal and scheme, they have the Green Meanies at the refurbished Spartan Stadium. It is a travesty of scheduling to have to play there two years in a row. Somebody pass the Krypton.

Go Blue!!

 

 

 

 

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MICHIGAN EFFORT IN A PISCATAWAY BARNBURNER DEFINED BY POOR PASS DEFENSE, AN INTERCEPTION, A BLOCKED FIELD GOAL, AND A BOGUS CALL. WOLVERINES DO SLOW BURN AS THEY LOSE 24 TO 26 TO RUTGERS.

The Wolverines played hard, finally showed a tough and productive late running game, but stalled on their final drive. A possibly winning 56-yard field goal was blocked by the Scarlet Knights. Successful, this FG would have eked out a win by one. The Scarlet Knights lead the nation in blocks. Michigan’s porous pass defense allowed 404-yards. While M was competitive this game, this loss will do little to cool the coaching hot seat.

Devin Gardner was again rushed all evening as the OL leaked hurry-ups and sacks. Another punch in the face was a late catch deemed on the field to not be a catch as the ball bounced out on contact with the ground as the receiver stretched out of bounds. Both feet touched down in bounds with the ball in control. A Hoke called review upheld the call of no catch on the field.

Coach Hoke in his presser said they would inquire about it. I expect no change in results, but an explanation of reasoning would be nice.

The Wolverines, losers to Minnesota’s Gophers the Saturday before, traveled to Piscataway, New Jersey to confront their newly minted Big Ten competitors, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights. In this prime time night game, they were seeking their first Big Ten victory of the season. The Scarlet Knights were seeking their first Big Ten victory ever, after losing to Penn State at home in High Points Solutions Stadium last Saturday in a close one. They made up for that by edging Michigan this Saturday night.

Named the Scarlet Knights in 1955, the derisive cat calls of its opposing fans caused them to abandon Chanticleer, the fighting rooster. The Rutgers archives quoted a old coach as declaring: “You can call it the Chanticleer, you can call it a fighting cock, you can call it any damned thing you want, but everyone knows it’s a chicken. Unfortunately, they didn’t play like chickens Saturday night, but more like Scarlet Knights.

Among Rutgers famous grads were the late James Gandolfini, Milton Friedman, the famed economist, along with Ozzie Nelson of early TV fame. Ozzie was Quarterback of the “Chanticleer” football from 1924 through 1926.

The Wolverine’s “daubers” had to be down as they had lost not only an important Big Ten game they were expected to win. They weren’t competitive. They lost going away. This Saturday they were competitive, and striving to win, but still ended up on the losing side of the ledger.

All week pregame, the program took about as severe a media threshing as even their worst enemies (laired in East Lansing and Columbus) could have hoped would be visited on them.

The Wolverines became the national poster boy for carelessly coaching players in a manner to invite injury, with condemnation for playing a “concussed” player, in a football world in which “concussion” has become a buzzword.

Trying to prevent enduring injuries, and not aggravate existing injuries is an extremely laudable enterprise at every level of football. As the players are helped, the game of football at all levels is enhanced. Up until this incident Michigan had been recognized as a leader in this area. Poof and the respect in this important area was flushed. Now Brandon has his publicity machine in full action finally, but it will be hard to recover, as a perceived loss of reputation always is.

Millions saw on TV replays of the cheap shot at M QB Shane Morris by a Gopher which was under punished by the refs.

Unfortunately, none of the M coaches saw the hit as they were all tracking the ball that Morris had thrown down field. None of the staff saw the hit. The refs did throw a flag on the play, but did not deem it flagrant, or throw the perpetrator out of the game. In my opinion he richly deserved to thrown out of the game for targeting.

In his post Minnesota presser, Hoke referred only to an earlier leg injury that Morris had sustained, an injury totally separate from Shane’s head injury.

It appears Hoke was not informed that on the Sunday following a slight concussion had been confirmed, so at his Monday presser, he continued to address only the high ankle sprain as he had immediately after the game on Saturday. Your guess is as good as mine why Brady Hoke was still ignorant of the findings of Sunday’s medical examination at Monday presser time.

This clumsy co-ordination helped fuel the media wildfire, which still smolders in spots, waiting to be reignited at any moment. The media is not to blame. Football concussions are rightly a genuine medical concern, and a buzzword which whets media interest. In and of itself this is not a bad thing, the media interest, but the nationwide condemnation of Michigan’s intentions and management of injuries is a disaster. Especially, as they have a history of being good stewards regarding players.

Answers need to be found so that players at all levels of the game, are able to maintain health over the years ensuing athletic endeavors. Publicity oils the process. Michigan has changed its rules regarding injury observations by staff according to Brandon.

The media was not the causative factor of the flap. The firestorm ignited because of the ineptitude of the University of Michigan in providing cogent and timely answers to legitimate questions. For whatever reasons, they were as unprepared in the pressers as for the game itself.

That falls on all the people responsible for managing this important area. AD David Brandon, Head Coach Brady Hoke, the training staff, the medical staff, and last but not least, the referees. I have yet to hear anybody pin the tail on the refereeing donkey. Eliminating that type of hit from the game seems to me to be Step Number One.

The Wolverines dragged all that baggage with them to Piscataway. Both Brandon and Brady are beleaguered, and many are calling for their immediate firing. Many more are sure that they both should be gone after the season.

This feeling is enhanced by Michigan’s stunningly poor performance on the field in three games this year. While the Rutgers game was certainly not in that category, the question for many going into the Rutgers game was: is two and four at this time acceptable in most fans book? Will they win another game this season? Be in a bowl? Unfortunately these questions still persist, and the pleasing answers are unlikely, considering the upcoming schedule and past results.

It seems to me that Brady is the more vulnerable of the two in the hot seat for a couple of reasons. He will take one for the Gipper. AD Brandon will not. He has already revved up the considerable publicity engines at his disposal. While he was quiet Saturday, personalities such as Men’s Basketball Coach Belein, mega donator Ross, and some recent players, among others are now stating their support of the current program. Now Brandon is all over the place. Where was Brandon earlier?

Wins are the most credible solution, and they still are evading Team 135.

The question prior to the game as to how Devin Gardner would react to his benching was answered positively, and team 135 faced the Knights energized. Gardner proved he could rebound from last week’s bench time, and threw only the one interception. He ran well at crucial times. Devin completed was 13 of 22 with one interception and gained 178 net yards passing. He ran 10 times for 40 net yards, and two TDs. He operated mostly out of the spread.

But he was outdone on the other side of the ball by Rutger’s QB Gary Nova. Nova hit 22 of 39 passes for 404-yards and 3 TDs. He hurt Michigan with his runs. He played a great game to Devin’s good game.

Of course, Michigan’s leaky pass defense helped Nova considerably. Wolverine’s third down pass defense was terrible as the Knights converted 8 of 16 third down attempts. Some of them were third and long. The defense does not seem to be improving much in any area, but held its own in rush defense. Actually in this game the offensive line looked better than the pass defense. But the offensive line still made drive killing holding penalties, Gardner was sacked three times and hurried all evening. In fact his only interception occurred because he was off balance from a hurry. But over-all the offensive line had their moments Saturday as they got physical and more consistent in the fourth quarter. They still need to be more dependable, but overall they earned a much higher grade than did the pass defense, even considering some devastating OL holding calls

The backs, Green, Smith, Norfleet and Hayes all did well. The featured backs, Green and Smith, were both punishing runners, and they fueled a late game comeback attempt. Green ran 12 times for 74-yards net with a long of 26 and a 6.2-yard average. D Smith toted 10 for 31 net, and a TD, with a long of 9-yards and 3.1-yard average per carry. M gained 158 yards on 35 carries and resulted in 3 TDs.

Funchess led the receivers, snagging 5 for 71-yards with a long of 23. Passes were distributed among six other receivers with Jake Butt dropping a gimmee and the next play snagging a twenty yarder with one hand. Thirteen passes were caught for 178-yards.

M received the KO and drove to a 39-yard FG on a 27-yard green run and a Funchess reception of 23-yards on a third and nine. M-3, R-0. Rutgers tied it up 3 on the following possession. Rutgers hit another with a little over a minute left in the half. It was 3-6 to start the second quarter.

Jake Butt made his spectacular one handed reception for 20-yards, which prepared a 4-yard Gardner run for a score after the 75-yard drive. M10-, R-6 at the top of the quarter.

Now came a game breaker by Rutgers’ Turzilli as he loped 80-yards with a Nova pass to score. M’s Maurice Hurst blocked the point after and it was 10-12.

Then Rutgers made attempted a fake kick that fooled no one, and was slow developing via a high looping pass. Not well executed it was stopped well short of a first down. Now M had the ball at the Rutgers 43 yard line with plenty of time, over 4 minutes. Rutgers gave up a 1-yard tough TD run by D. Smith. A 17-12 lead didn’t last long.

For the second week in a row, the Wolverines allowed a long scoring drive in the waning minutes of the first half. Nova’s pass found the end zone and a receiver, and M trailed 17-19 at the half.

In the third quarter, Nova struck again, and the lead was 17-26. Gardner ran for 19-yards to restore some hope and bring the Wolverines within two points in the fourth quarter. M-24, R-26. Final.

The hope of winning vanished when a 56- yard Wolverine field goal was blocked. Rutgers leads the country in these and this time the Knights rose to the occasion, and prevented a Wolverine victory.

Whether this was the right call for the Wolverines in light of the prowess of Rutgers in blocking FGs will be a subject of debate, as will the M’s usage of time outs. Both of these are in Coach Hoke’s corner.

This loss will do little to quell the downward spiral that appears to loom ahead and to restore excitement to Wolverines fans.

The team as a whole played better, and did not seem burdened by events after the Minnesota game, and they whacked it out in a very physical game.

But is still was a loss when they desperately needed a win. Bowl participation on New Year’s Day is gone. It seems likely there will be no bowl for them at all without a miracle.  The remaining schedule is imposing, and it seems more and more likely the Wolverines may not win another game this season.

It also seems more and more likely that there will be a regime change, as the losses continue to pile up.

We will learn more next Saturday evening, as the Nittany Lions come to M stadium.  We owe them, but they did beat Rutgers.

Stay Blue!