Category: Football

Posted on

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!

Posted on

MICHIGAN FOOTBALL 2014 – GOPHER COACH JERRY KILL EXECUTES HOPE OF A GOOD BIG TEN START FOR THE WOLVERINES AS HE OUTCOACHES MICHIGAN AND HIS PLAYERS OUT EXECUTE AND OUT PLAY BRADY HOKE’S CHARGES 14 TO 30

Established in 1909, the Little Brown Jug has an enduring and proud appeal to Michigan Fans. The Wolverines lead the series 73-24-3. Possessing the jug is an obsession with the Wolverines. It is the oldest Bowl Subdivision Trophy. But Saturday there was more at stake than just a coveted trophy. In this important game, it was hoped Team 135 would finally establish the offensive identity it needed. It did not.

 

The University of Michigan’s Wolverine Football team began the Big Ten season against the tough and physical Minnesota Gophers Saturday with unpleasant results. The Wolverines were outplayed and out coached in all three phases of the game. Offense, Defense, and Special Teams.

Offensively, Shane Morris started the game at QB, and led Michigan to its first TD in its last four quarters in the second quarter. Good field position was established, courtesy of a good Will Hagerup punt. That enabled a short drive from the Gopher 47-yard line to pay dirt.

Shane earned an A for effort and determination but a D for contribution and execution. By the fourth quarter he was the victim of many hits and a cheap shot. He was battered and wobbly but Coach Hoke did not see this, and he played some after. He also had a limp,. Shane was 7/19 for 49-yards passing on the day, threw an interception (a tipped ball), and fumbled twice with one recovered. He netted eight negative yards rushing.

Finally, during mop up time. in the middle of the fourth quarter,  Devin Gardner replaced him , and brought a spark as he engineered a drive and scored, running for Michigan’s second and last TD. Devin was three for six for 39-net yards with a long of 18-yards. He rushed 5 times for 23 net yards and a TD, with a long of 18, and no interceptions.

M Running Back De’Veon Smith toted four in a row, running impressively tough. On one run he kept it going with tacklers on his back, moving the pile. That was around the 11 minute mark of the first half. After that, it was a Gopher day as they loaded the scoreboard with 10 points before the half. Smith ended the game as M’s best running back. His nine attempts for sixty-yards and a TD were impressive. He broke tackles and dragged piles of would be tackles. Smith reminded of the tough running style of Michigan’s late Carvie Craw who played in the sixties. Craw once took detour to run through MSU’s entire bench. He was tough, very tough. So is Smith. He keeps those feet churning.  In an after interview, LB Joe Bolden remarked about Smith keeping those feet digging.

At 2:17 of the half, Will Hagerup hit another nice punt. It was a 53-yarder that was collared by the Wolverines at the Minnesota one. The Gophers promptly executed a nice drive passing and running. The drive stalled at the M 24, where they hit a field goal.

Letting the Gophers turn this disadvantage into an advantage was bad omen. It was Wolverines 7 to the Gophers 10 at the half, but the momentum was all Minnesota’s. The handwriting on the wall was apparent then, as the Gophers led in about every statistical category except punting average. Michigan had 65 net rushing yards. They were two of six in third down conversions. The defense allowed the Gophers 229-yards to M’s measly 106.

Michigan received to start the second half, but went three and out. I saw little if any innovative play calling. When I can sit there and call the first down plays there is a problem. There is so little innovation and it is ever so conservative.

A first down rush for no gain, an incomplete pass, and a completion short of the first down marker, left the Wolverines out of possession and playing from the Minnesota 38. The M defense held, and the offense squandered another opportunity. Shane lost five yards on first down and M was again behind the sticks. Morris fumbled, recovered by M at the M two yard line. Smith and Hayes ran for 5-yards and it was Hagerup again. The Gophers hit a 48-yard field goal to make it 7-13 and I had the notion that the Wolverines were finished.

That impression seemed verified when Shane threw an interception at about the 6:00 minute mark of the third quarter. That was run back from the M 30 for six. Now it was 7-20 and it was all but over.

Shane’s and the Wolverine’s woes continued. Shane lost five yards and the football. Minnesota recovered at the M 30 and passed for a one year score. M 7-Gophers 27.

Devin Gardner got a consolation TD in the fourth quarter after the gimpy and groggy Morris was replaced at quarterback. At that moment he seemed to rejuvenate the Wolverines offense as he engineered the Wolverines last score.

Again Michigan errors, including a tipped intercepted pass, squelched the Wolverine’s ability to score. Constantly they were “behind the sticks”, had third and longs, and disadvantageous field position. Michigan’s stodgy offense could not maintain field position enough to help the cause or the defense.

The Gophers had previously shunned the benefits of a robust passing game prior to Saturday, largely because their passing QB, Mitch Leidner had been gimpy. It was rumored that he had difficulty with his right leg and foot as in strained ligaments and turf toe. He got well against the Wolverines.

The Gophers other QB, Chris Streveler, was thought the better runner, but a pedestrian passer. Leidner did not play last week but was more than ready for the Wolverines, as he was10 of 15 for 115-yards with a long of 33. He was sacked just once.

As every M fan already knows, the Wolverines came into the game with a struggling offense against the two better defenses they had faced so far this season. Now make that two three.

Also present was heavy, general fan dissatisfaction with a perceived lack of progress in this Hoke’s fourth year at the helm in general and, now added dissatisfaction with this game in particular. There were boos, and while there was much media speculation that Coach Hoke was on a hot seat before Saturday, there will be an added intensity now.  The body of evidence keeps growing.

The Wolverines offensive malaise continues. Instances of what is perceived to be poor game management continue to happen. Why was Shane Morse’s wobbling not noticed by Coach Hoke?

There was lively public discussion between Coaches Mattison and Hoke in the Utah game, with each blaming the passion of the game, and singing the praises of the other afterward. This gave evidence of some football seams unraveling for the Wolverines. I did not object to that. It indicated involvement, some fire. Where was the fire Saturday?

The Wolverines offense has been as barren as the Artic Circle’s tundra in winter in three of their five games this season. Before the game the Wolverines were a nasty 125th in offensive TOs nationally, and can’t be much better today, if not sinking.

The Wolverines defense still can’t tackle, has a leaky pass defense, and sometimes doesn’t turn play in, letting the opposition turn the corner outside and go. While it is obvious that the defense is light years ahead of the struggling offense, the defense affords many big pass plays and runs. They sometimes will make a stop of the first down play, stuff the second down play and get burned by a run or pass on third and long. Today there were 5 or 6 such instances.

Some speculate that Devin could not utilize his true skills in the present play action offensive scheme, and that Shane Morris more closely mirrored the offensive image that the coaches have been wanting. Saturday did not prove that Shane could do better.

Is this Michigan team raveling at the seams? Or has it already? What this most important Gopher game in decades has told us is that Michigan Football is on the ropes. It screams that the Coaches do not know how to fix the problems to make the Wolverines competitive in the Big Ten.

Saturday they were not competitive!  Are the Wolverines headed to the bottom of the Big Ten barrel? What’s your level of confidence?

Every week Coach Hoke states that the team has had a good week of practice, and that it is a great cohesive team, but the results don’t translate to winning on the field. They have to find the path to address the whys and why nots soon, or Rutgers, a newcomer to the Big Ten, is going to embarrass them, in prime time, on a national stage.

Team 135 has yet to prove that it is a good football team, and the Coaches have yet to prove they can make it a good team. Expectations are dropping faster than the stock market in 1929.

All this speculation surrounding Hoke’s coaching ability and tenure is obviously not a good thing for Hoke or his Wolverines, unless it is thought that any publicity, including derogatory publicity is worthwhile. Not likely.

Hoke had a message for Michigan fans: “I would tell them that, number one, we know their frustration, because we share their frustration. I would also tell them that as a team, we all take accountability for it, and we also all are going to work together to rectify it.” The sooner the better, Coach!

Some are clamoring that Head Coach Brady Hoke should be fired instantly.  I don’t buy that. A mid-season firing further destroys football programs, and are an emotional response which do not harm the coaches as they take a wagon load of money away with them, but do hammer the student athletes pledged to the program.

In any case, let’s take the bad Michigan times with the good and hang in there. The Wolverines have always come roaring back. The only question is when.

Go Blue!