Category: Football

DEJA VUE:
If this game gave you a feeling of déjà vu, it was not surprising, since the Wolverines made the same trek last year, traveling to Evanston, Illinois to battle the Northwestern Wildcats. M had won the past two years in overtime. Hopefully, this schedule oddity of two away games in a row will cease with this one.

It looked for a while that it would be another overtime win or loss. The Wolverines, thanks to a Frank Clark rush to exactly the right spot behind the line of scrimmage, caused NW QB Simeian to slip down, preventing a winning two point conversion.

This ended the threat of a tie and overtime with seconds left. NW had connected on a 3-yard pass with 3 seconds left to make it 10-9. Frank Clark lived up to his reputation and played an outstanding game. He knocked down passes, and was often in the NW back field.

BACKGROUND:
Again this year, the Wolverines were hoping to improve on their recent dismal road record while in Evanston, as they had last year, and they did.

This was not a win that will draw raves, but the kind of win that will raise eyebrows, and shake heads. Early in the third quarter the offense became a Wolverine offensive comedy of errors. Even so, a win is a win.The atmosphere surrounding M football would have reached an enhanced level of desperation with a loss.

There already was more than enough Wolverine desperation this year as a so-so season ticks out. The fate of the program still hangs in limbo this year. Lack of wins now could, should, and would guarantee major coaching changes after the season. Take your choice as to which of could, should, or would you think is applicable. Or are all of them are applicable?

That backs were to the wall could be said of any less than .500 team. It was now or never at Northwestern. It was winning now, or never go to a Bowl game this year. Likely a loss in this game would have put the salvaging of even a very mildly respectable season beyond their scope.

There still remains some slim hope of a bowl game. It appears that only winning out can save the coaches. That seems like a tall order for Team 135.  Good bowl or bad bowl, M needs those 15 practices a bowl affords.

M’s OFFENSE STRUGGLED MOST OF THE GAME AGAINST A PEDESTRIAN DEFENSE:
Michigan’s offense in this game was something to behold for mostly the wrong reasons. The first series of the second half was particularly remarkable for wrong reasons.  

It was an offensive comedy of errors. Funchess was in motion once and was hit by the center snap to Gardner in the spread. Gardner tripped over Smith in the backfield. What? Why? The football was grabbed from TE Jake Butt once for an interception. Thought Jake should have fought for the ball harder.

Devin Funchess’ game was off, especially earlier, as he muffed a couple of catches that he would normally make.  At times he seemed out of sorts, as did the offense as a whole. 

The offense was an unimpressive 1 of 12 on third down conversions, and 0 for 1 on 4th down conversions.

On the good side of the ledger, Funchess made a nice grab for an eighteen yard reception to set up Smiths 3-yard TD run  for the Wolverine’s only TD. Butt had a nice catch or two. Still the beginning of the third quarter was a display of remarkably poor offensive football.

Devin Gardner looked gimpy, slow afoot, seemed to have little burst, which could all be due to injury to a leg. As I have previously stated, his courage has to be admired, but his execution is sometimes lacking. He was again off target passing as proved by two interceptions that hurt the cause. Fortunately the Wildcats provided two in return.

On one of M’s interceptions, there was an open receiver on the sideline. In the first half the Wolverines were deep in Wildcat territory three times and engineered no points.

The offense made no notable scoring drives except for a single field goal drive.

Devin threw for 105-yards and hoisted his two interceptions. He had no TDs. With the Wolverines dominating much of the game on the ground, it is inexplicable that they were held to one TD.

Saturday evening this was not just a case of the Wolverine OL not showing up. Except for a few cases they played reasonably well.

RB De’Veon Smith took a while to warm up. Smith finally got going for a personal high of 121-yards which included the Wolverines only TD, via a three yard run mid-way into the third quarter.

Early in the game he missed the hole on an attempt by cutting outside once when he shouldn’t have, and then did not follow FB Joe Kerridge through the hole in a subsequent rush.

Later Smith produced some good runs. They were tough runs, hard runs, dragging people, especially helpful in crunch time, when the lead was still up for grabs. He toted 18 times for 133-yards, ran for a TD, and had a long of 34-yards.

M got its field goal as a result of a Wildcat miscue. Jehu Chesson captured the football at the NW 21.

Amara Darboh led the receivers with 4 catches for 41-yards with a long of 16, and he replaced the injured Norfleet at the punt return position.

At times, the offense seemed it was lost in a Purple Haze, if not a Purple Daze. They still did enough to win, but with zero style points. This win will not quell any anybody’s anxiety, or the clamor for change. This offense too often does not look well drilled or coached, and at times they look quite the opposite.  Most possessions Saturday secured no points. The Wolverines rushed for 168-yards, and passed for 109-yards.

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE DEFENSE:
The Wolverine defense, especially the defensive line acquitted itself well for most of the game, but fell down late in the game allowing a field goal and a TD. For most of the game they were gangbusters against the run, but NW’s Trevor Siemien threw for 268-yards, and a TD. He also had two interceptions.Fortunately. Matt Godin grabbed one of those interceptions, soon after Devin had tossed one.

The defense often held NW to three and outs, sometimes stopped fourth and one, but faded some in the late stages of the game. Were they on the field too often and too long?  Late in the game NW produced their only TD of the game to provide the suspenseful finish. It was the defense that did the most to preserve this victory.

When an interception went 79-yards to the M 15, the defense raised their hackles. They made two plays for a loss, and then forced Siemien into an intentional grounding call, which removed the threat of a field goal.

Frank Clark and Jake Ryan led the defense. Jake again had 11 tackles. They held the Wildcats to 60-yards rushing, while they lost 69-yards for minus 9-yards gained. The Wolverines were credited with 5 sacks for 59-yards of loss.

Mario Ojemudia had 2 of them.

They also made 2 interceptions. Frank Clark was outstanding. His last hurry preserved the last minute victory. Jake Ryan had an outstanding game. The entire defensive line played well.

WILL HAGERUP MAKES SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIAL:
Will Hagerup made special teams special on this day. He punted 7 times for 268-yards. He dropped two punts around the NW one yard line, providing outstanding field position. Matt Wile had one FG attempt blocked, but split the posts with his next one.

M CAN’T CALL THEM MILDCATS ANY MORE: Under Pat Fitzgerald, it can’t be safely presumed that the Wildcats can be labeled Mildcats, and that a confrontation with the Wildcats will find them a team that can’t compete with the Wolverines, thereby securing kudos for the Wolverines in easy victory. That hasn’t happened in several years. NW has been right there the last three years, but fortunately the Wolverines have prevailed by the slimmest of margins all three years.

Forget the fact that the Wolverines led the series 15-5-2 before last Saturday, or led at Ryan Field 19-7-0, also before Saturday. The ‘Cats had enough to handle the Wolverines this year unless the Wolverines played a great 60 or 60 plus + minutes. And they didn’t offensively. For the last few years it has taken a scramble to overtime and multiple OTs to beat them. That was avoided Saturday evening by only the narrowest of margins.

In 2013, it took the Wolverines three overtimes, with last minute heroics by Place Kicker Gibbons who hit a scrambling 44-yarder to tie in regulation, after a Gallon catch had taken the ball to MW’s 27. In the second OT, the teams traded field goals. In the third, Devin Gardner ran the ball in via an option on third and goal, and Devin ran in the two point conversion to put the game out of reach, for a final score of 27-19.

In 2012, with 18 ticks on the clock, Roy Roundtree caught a 53-yard gainer, and Gibbons again sent the game to OT with a 26-yard FG with just two seconds left. In OT, Gardner ran a one yard bootleg for a TD. The defense got tough and M had a 38-31 in a single OT victory.

THIS SEASON, THE ‘CATS HAVE HAD THEIR TROUBLES, AND WE HAVE HAD OURS. IN SOME WAYS EACH TEAM MIRRORED THE OTHER:
There were reasons that the Wildcats were only 2-3 in the Big Ten this season prior to Saturday, just as there were reasons for the Wolverines similar Big Ten record. The Cats have had significant injuries, more than the Wolverines. Both have fielded troubled Offensive Lines and porous pass protection. The Wildcats 4.4 yards per play, prior to last Saturday, was anemic. That placed them 123^rd of 128 FBS teams. They had only scored 7 points in their last three halves prior to Saturday. They faced the possibility of being without three of their best and speediest receivers. Buckley, Vault, and Shuler were dinged. They missed some practice Wednesday.

But more disturbing for them was that Iowa disaster last Saturday. The Hawks sledge hammered them 48-7 in Kinnock. Wildcat QB Trevor Simian has had inadequate passing time and has taken a beating. Sound familiar? Fitzgerald bemoans a lack of experienced depth. So does Hoke.

NW notes cited the fact that M has not had back to back wins this year as encouraging to their cause. True, but they have them now.

The series had been hyper competitive and with M’s sometime inconsistent offense this season it seemed it would be close again, and it was. Saturday Trevor did much better than Devin in the passing game, which I found surprising.

BRIEF SCORING RECAP:
Michigan drew first blood after Chesson recovered a NW fumble at the NW 21-yard line at 6:09 of the third quarter. An 18-yard pass to Devin Funchess put it at the three, and De’Veon Smith took it into the end zone. M-7, NW-0.

At 7:26 of the fourth quarter NW answered with a 21-yard FG preceded by a 95-yard drive. M’s Henry made a notable 11-yard sack to stop the drive. The FG made it 7 to 3.

At 3:10 M answered with a 37-yard FG after the offense’s only real drive of the day. Now it was 10 to three.

At 00.03 NW then produced a three yard TD pass, after a 14-play 74-yard drive during the defense’s worst lapse of the day. It was now 10 to 9 and NW opted to go for two with no result as Frank Clark lived up to billing in the best way. Final: M-10, NW- 9.

Now it’s a week off, and the last home game of the season against Maryland for the first time as a Big Ten team.

As usual, a desperate Michigan needs another win.

Go Blue!

DAVID BRANDON RESIGNATION ANNOUNCED:
On Friday, October 31, 2014, University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel held a press conference to announce that he had accepted the resignation that Athletic Director David Brandon had submitted earlier that morning.

A former Wolverine football player under Bo Schembechler, Jim Hackett, was named interim Athletic Director.  For nineteen years the Grand Rapids resident was CEO of office furniture giant Steelcase.  He has full authority to let the current coaching go, if necessary, and is searching for a new Athletic Director.

Saturday evening, after the game Coach Hoke politely confined his answers to an eager press to the football game just played and questions regarding the David Brand resignation would be entertained at the Monday morning presser.

Prior to the game one had to wonder if the players would be on an even keel because of another major distraction.  They were on target.  Saturday the effort was commendable on both sides of the ball.  Hoke’s blinders must be working for them.  Remarkably, they have not given up the fight.

Saturday evening the Wolverines hosted Homecoming. November forgot it wasn’t March, and came in like the proverbial lion.  It was cold and windy.  Even if the snow stayed away, November Football should be played at noon, but this one was tolerable in that it was dry.  The Blast from the Past was there as usual on Homecoming.

A slight favorite over the Hoosiers, and with somewhat similar records, the Wolverines regained their former winning ways.  It has not been an easy task with the constant hullabaloo that has surrounded the program this season, along with their somewhat surprising string of losses this season.

Utah, Minnesota, Rutgers, and Michigan State had seemingly buried M’s dreams of a bowl, and had certainly laid to rest their first participation in the Big Ten Title game.  A win against Penn State had interrupted their current string of defeats, and Saturday’s victory lit a glimmer, just a glimmer of hope, that with two more or at best three, some sort of minor December Bowl might be achieved.

Even it is only “The Motor” Bowl in Detroit, the fifteen additional practices will benefit the team next year, so take one for the team and swallow your pride.

It had seemed there might be little left to fight for this season.  But there was plenty, and the name of that game was the pride and tradition of the football Wolverines.  The question was whether or not this somber group of guys could discover the inner strength to continue to battle and battle hard, and battle hard they did.  Sounds corny, but that is about all they had left to contest for at this time.  Wolverine pride!

PREGAME HOOSIER QB TROUBLES AND COMMENTS
Indiana had plenty to challenge the struggling Wolverines, but they had troubles at the QB position. Two experienced QBs transferred before the season. Nate Sudfield won the starting job, but injured his shoulder.  Zander Diamont was now the starter, and he had but a single game under his belt.  The Wolverines took his measure Saturday.  As mentioned above he passed for 24-net yards.  He had one nice run.

DEFENSE RISING
There are lots of statistics that favor the Wolverines as a good and rising defense, but some observations still boggle the mind, like big plays, a sometimes errant pass defense, and MSU’s Langford’s rushing in the Wolverines last game against the Spartans.  Also the passive defense in the final minutes of the second quarter in some games this season remains a mystery.  Saturday they foreclosed a late second quarter TD opportunity and Indiana helped by whacking the post with a FG attempt.

WOLVERINES CONTROL ERRORS
Very little outside of the red zone has favored the Wolverines struggling offense.  Sometimes they can’t run, sometimes they can’t throw safely, and sometimes they can’t hang on to the ball.  M receivers dropped 7 passes at MSU, and the QB position committed three errors.  There they scored only one TD.  There seemed to be minimal offensive innovation from the coaching staff.  Some of that was put to bed Saturday with a decent all around offensive performance.

The Hoosiers aren’t as good as MSU defensively, but they are improved over prior years.  If the errors hadn’t eased for the Wolverines, the unthinkable would have become reality. Devin did not fumble and threw only on interception.  The defense prevented that gaff from turning around the game.

SOME SATURDAY PERFORMANCES
Devin Gardner threw 172 consecutive passes without an interception before Notre Dame picked him off in the third Quarter of this year’s game, but since then, it seems his confidence had evaporated, and he had become a consistent TO machine.

But for all of Devin’s Gardener’s past bobbles, he eclipsed Rick Leach for 5^th place in total yardage.  He had amassed 6,457-yards.  He needed 198 more to catch Rick Leach, and he passed for 220 net yards Saturday.  He threw an interception, had a couple of near misses, but he had time, and it improved his game.  He threw some very nice passes.  He was 22 of 29 with just one interception, and was sacked just once.  He threw two spectacular touchdowns.  It was a very solid performance.

Scrambling to the shadow of the Line of Scrimmage, he flipped a short pass to TE Keith Heitzman for a TD.  Later in the game, he hit Amara Darboh on a precision laser at the goal line for a TD. Tightly covered Darboh made a great grab. Darboh had his best day as a Wolverine, collaring nine for 107-yards and a TD.

The defense held the Hoosiers to 24-yards passing, kept the nation’s leading rusher, Tevin Coleman inside, and thereby held the nation’s eighth rushing attack in check, yielding only 167-yards on the ground. Brian Mone recovered an early Hoosier fumble. Ryan Glasgow made a spectacular fumble recovery later in the game.  Finally they were creating advantageous TOs.

Jake Ryan led the defense with eleven tackles, two forced two fumbles, and 2.5 TFLs, as the Wolverines won their 19^th straight against the Hoosiers. Indiana last won in M Stadium in 1967.

COLEMAN IS THE HOOSIER THREAT
Running Back Tevin Coleman carries their offense.  He has gained a hundred yards for ten straight games, posting a 100-yard game against the Spartans and Wolverines. He was college football’s leading rusher so far this season.  Only 5’7’ tall, he is also dynamite on special teams and is a threat to break one whenever he touches the football. He was thoroughly squelched in the first half against the Wolverines. He had nine carries for 42-yards.  For the game, he managed 108-yards on 27 carries with a long of 17 on the late Hoosier TD drive, and no TDs.  Credit the defense with preventing big plays.  This athlete can make them out of the backfield and as a return man.  Nice defensive result.

Last year the Gardner to Gallon connection was spectacular as the Wolverines had won a shootout, 63 to 47.   This year’s game was in stark contest to last year’s offensive riot.

RB DRAKE JOHNSON FINALLY GETS HIS CHANCE AND SHINES:
Ann Arbor native Drake Johnson had a very good game Saturday.  No longer hobbled by injury, in the second half he had the best game of his career, slamming and finessing his way to two TDs.  He showed good burst, tenacity, vision, and toughness.  In my opinion, perhaps his was the best performance of an M running back this year.

Coach Hoke on Johnson: “ I think if you know anything about Drake he’s always been very motivated and a hard worker. I would say that…because he’s getting more chances with repetitions in practice, that’s helped quite a bit. He made some very good cuts, he accelerated through cuts. That’s some natural ability that he has.”

“He’s more of a slasher than the others. The one thing he does have is a very good burst when you look at the gears. He’s got the ability to take it the distance also. “We’re very happy with his performance, very impressed with it. I know we’ll look at the tape and make those judgments, but we’re pretty excited about what he did today.” 

Drake Johnson on Johnson:  On his perforance … “I think just in general, I have been trying to take whatever they give me. If the defense gives me five yards, I will take five yards. If the defense gives me 30 yards, I will take 30 yards. Huge thanks to the O-line. … I was fortunate to go into the game.”

The team was fortunate that he did, too. 

SERIES BACKGROUND:
In 2009, the Wolverines won 36-33 with a great last moments TD pass to Martavious Odoms.  On our way to the later press conference, Phil Callihan and I were walking across near the north end zone net just before the end of the game.  Callihan yelled, “He is open” and indeed he was.  Nice throw and nice catch, and oh so timely, as it secured another Wolverine victory.

But the Grand Daddy of all spectacular winning TD catches and runs against the Hoosiers came in 1979 with the famous John Wangler pass to Anthony Carter. Trailing, this TD catch and run resulted in an unbelievable 27-21 Wolverine victory.

M got their final possession of the ball at their own 22, with 51 seconds left.  They moved it to the Hoosier 45.  With six ticks left, Carter caught it at the twenty, put a hand on the ground to maintain balance, and began to windmill those skinny legs.  No one could catch him. It was unbelievable, and our famed Bob Ufer was nearly apoplectic as Carter scored.

BRIEF GAME RECAP
M won the toss, deferred, and kicked. Indiana punted.  M controlled the ball with a 12-yard rush by De’Veon Smith, and a 34-yard reception by Amara Darboh, plus some short passes, enabled a 35-yard Wile FG to put M ahead 3 zip.

M’s Jake Ryan punched out the ball from Hoosier Coleman, and M’s Brian Mone recovered it at the Indiana 27-yard line. Finally the defense had produced a TO favoring the Wolverines.  Gardner scrambled, ran just short of the LOS and flipped the ball to the alert TE Keith Heitzman for a 6-yard TD.  The call of TD stood. M led 10 to zip going into the second quarter.

Michigan rumbled 79-yards on 9 plays in the second quarter.  Drake Johnson wheeled for 18-yards in the possession, and Gardner hit a 12-yard TD pass to Amara Darboh.  A laser shot.  The Wolverines upped their lead to 17 to zip to end the half.  The Hoosiers threatened late in the second quarter, courtesy of a Gardner pass intercepted at the Indiana 49 and returned to the M 12-yard line.  The defense held and their 25-yard field goal attempt bounced off the upright.

In the third, the Wolverines received, stalled, and Indiana hit a 38-yard FG.  The Wolverines led 17 to 3.  At a little over the four minute mark of the third, Indiana fumbled again courtesy of Jake Ryan, which Ryan Glasgow possessed at the Hoosier 20.  Drake Johnson ran it in from the 10 on a very impressive run.  M led 24 to 3 to end the third quarter.

A long M drive to start the quarter stalled.   Matt Wile hit a 33-yard FG, and it was 27-3.  M’s defense relaxed and Zander ran for 35-yards to power a drive to an Indiana TD.  M led 27-10.

And out of bound KO, and an Indiana penalty advanced the Wolverines to the Indian 48.  Drake Johnson took care of the rest with a 16-yard jaunt and a 32-yard TD run for a final of 34-10.

This was a much need win for the Wolverines, and now they need another at Northwestern.  They need to show they can win away from home.

Lets stay tuned in and continue to Go Blue!