Lloyd Carr- Michigan Man

I remember how unenthused I was when Lloyd Carr was named interim head coach of the Michigan Wolverines.

It had been a tough week. Bo’s handpicked successor, Gary Moeller, had been involved in an embarrassing off-the-field incident. Mo had gotten drunk, got into a verbal altercation with the police (which was taped and played on the local TV news) and resigned in shame.

Barring the complete meltdown of Gary Moeller, being Michigan’s Head Football Coach probably would not have been in Lloyd’s future. I had met Lloyd Carr a few times and my impression was that he was the nice guy on the staff compared to Bo and Mo’s tough guy personas. I didn’t have high hopes for Michigan football under his leadership.

During Lloyd’s first game as head coach the Wolverines were getting embarrassed by Virginia at the Big House. With 13 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter, the Wolverines were losing 17-0. Hardly a great start for the interim head coach.

But then something amazing happened. The Wolverines got off that mat, fought back and won on the last play of the game when QB Scott Dreisbach found WR Mercury Hayes in the corner of the end zone. The Wolverines ended up 9-4 and Lloyd was named permanent head coach.

I still didn’t have a lot of faith in Lloyd.

And yet, two seasons later in was at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena watching the Wolverines clinch their first National Championship in 50 years. He did something that Bo never was able to do. He won it all.

And still there were critics. Going undefeated wasn’t good enough. And Lloyd didn’t care.

Over the years I have to come to have great respect for Coach Carr.

Gary Moeller had been destroyed by the pressure of succeeding Bo Schembechler while Lloyd embraced the pressure and eventually thrived.

All Lloyd needed his team, a field and an opponent. Everything else was superfluous.

There’s no doubt that Lloyd had little interest in pandering to the press. Lloyd treated them all same- taking a page from Bo’s playbook- like dogs. He understood that they really didn’t matter. Michigan didn’t need people in the press to drum up interest for the Wolverines.

It has been amazing to see the transformation of Lloyd Carr from the all around nice guy to someone who outsiders consider to be grouchy and mean. To anyone who has had a chance to observe Lloyd interacting with his players or recruits this misperception is hilarious. Whenever I saw Lloyd being gruff with a reporter I always imagined he was doing his best Bo imitation. But it wasn’t him.

Lloyd was coach who honestly cared about his football players as people. Someone who considered himself foremost a teacher. He was fiercely loyal to his players and coaches no matter what the public thought. He could also be brutally tough on players who he believed didn’t have the team’s best interests in mind.

The following is one of Lloyd’s favorite quotes:

I am wounded but not slain
I will lay me down and bleed a while
And then rise up to fight again.

I think of this quote whenever the Wolverines would rally back from a deficit.

Lloyd Carr coached teams were never defeated.

They simply ran out of time before being able to mount a comeback.

October 28, 2007April 26, 2012

2007 Michigan Football- UM 34 Minnesota 10 Game Grades

Game 9 Scoreboard

“Obviously, Mario Manningham is one of the better receivers in the nation. We got tested, and he won.”

Dominique Barber, Minnesota Strong Safety

“Our defense was outstanding today. The good news is that we got going offensively in the second quarter. I think our offensive line has been good all season long.“

Lloyd Carr, Michigan Head Coach

Phil’s Game Grades

Offense	A-
Defense	A
Special Teams	A-
Coaching	A
Overall	A

The Wolverines beat the Gophers with QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart on the sidelines.

Offense- The offense didn’t get rolling until the second half but had enough firepower to handle the hapless Gophers. Backup RBs Carlos Brown and Brandon Minor both rush for over a hundred yards and WR Mario Manningham had a career day.

Defense- The defense looked great stuffing the spread offense of the Gophers.

Special Teams- Nothing bad report- a nice change.

Coaching- Lloyd rolled the dice that the Wolverines could beat the Gophers with QB Chad Henne and RB Mike Hart resting for next week. He was right and their backups got valuable meaningful game experience.

Comments- The only question about the upcoming game versus MSU is how long it will take Chad Henne and Mike Hart to shake off the rust. If they can get rolling early the Wolverines will put a beating on the Spartans…

October 28, 2007September 30, 2011

M Football 2007- The Bad, the Good and the Jug

Michigan’s Football Wolverines suffered the humiliation of falling behind to the University of Minnesota?s lowly Gophers 3 to zip in the first quarter, of trailing 10 to zip in the second quarter, of barely scraping out a 13-10 lead at the half, of starting with less than glacial speed and almost putting the announced crowd of about 109,000 to sleep with first down runs to the left, only to later stun the crowd with a series of sparkling plays in the second half for a 34 to 10 victory.

Those pesky Minnesota rodents battled in earnest in their desperate attempt to right a wronged season. They did not quit even if they were finally out manned and overwhelmed, but their many freshmen played tough at least for a while.

Any win is a win and is good, especially in conference, even though in this one, in the first half, it was simply a stinker on the part of the Wolverine offense and, to a lesser degree, the Wolverine defense. Thirteen points in a half against statistically the worst defense in BCS (formerly D-1) ball is not particularly laudable. In fairness to Michigan’s defense it should be noted that the Gophers have demonstrated a proven ability to move the football this year.

Minnesota has fallen on exceptionally hard football times and the Wolverines should be able to demolish a team owning their statistics at the bottom of BCS play, even without the services of Chad Henne and Mike Hart. While eventually the Wolverines prevailed in somewhat expected style, they were not able to put the game away early, and again seemed to somewhat play down to the level of their competition.

In the absence of Chad Henne, Ryan Mallett drew the start at QB. And like the rest of the Wolverines he saved his best for last, after bobbled snaps, a fumble that led to Gopher points, after passes were batted down, after some poor throws were made and offensive false starts happened.

Ryan seems to be in the midst of some growing pains, but fortunately the situation is perfect for him to learn and put mistakes behind him with the least damage to his team. His arm appears to be as good as advertised, perhaps better. His 40-yard, late in the game, TD pass to Mario Manningham in the south endzone was perfect, allowing Mario to catch it in stride. That, and others like his strikes to Adrain Arrington, are all proof that the talent and a better than average football future is his to reap.

Just like premium cheese, he needs to be aged, but the level he attains will not just be dependent on his abundant physical skills but on maturation and the growth of football wisdom. I wonder if the cooler temperatures Saturday bothered him. In Texas, this kind of temperature would be a ?Blue Norther?.

Ryan was 11/20 for 233 yards. He got better as the game went on, and he will get better as his career goes on. Next year is sure to be both challenging and interest for him and us.

In the absence of Mike Hart, Carlos Brown started but soon fumbled an opportunity away. Brandon Minor replaced him at TB after the fumble. Minor had 21 carries for 157 yards and a TD. Fortunately, Carlos got another chance and redeemed his day with an 85-yard TD sprint from scrimmage into the south endzone, and finished with a solid 132 yards for a total of two TDs ont he day.

That long TD run was a masterpiece, a spectacular run that showcased Brown?s outstanding speed, and it was his second of the day. He ran away from everyone. He had done the same thing in a spring practice, so in that sense it was not surprise.

Mario Manningham has to be considered the player of the game. He snared 5 passes for a career high 162 yards, and had key catches in scoring drives, and a spectacular TD catch.

How It Unfolded:

The Wolverines all but ceded the first quarter to the Gophers. Carlos Brown fumbled and they got a 29-yard FG. M looked flatter than yesterday?s beer on a platter. This yawner of a quarter ended W-0, G-3.

Things picked up some in the second as Ryan Mallett donated the football to the Gophers and they decided to carry it across M?s goal line. W-0, G-10. Unthinkable. Unbelievable. Actual. More Appalachian State?

The Wolerines ran left on many first downs, but threw Junior Hemmingway into the fray as a running back, taking a direct snap, with Mallett spread far left, for a harmless trick play that netted three yards. Finally they shook off some lethargy, and moved for a 42-yard Lopata FG after a 10-play, 54-yard drive. W-3, G-10.

Then they did it again, this time on a 26-yard Lopata FG enabled by a Mario Manningham reception for 39 yards in a 7 play, 53-yard drive. W-6, G-10.

Mario struck again with a neat 24-yard TD catch, and with a Gopher pass interference call, Brandon Minor ended the drive by scoring on a two-yard run. It was W-13, G-10, and a poor half of Michigan football was complete. Offensively, it was a performance as grey and misty as the day. Henne and Hart missing should not be the crutch used to support that first half. The defense, while not perfect, played better than the offense.

Fortunately, Zoltan Mesko continued his great punting. Unfortunately, we could never collar the ball before it bounced into the endzone. What happened to the punting team trying to catch it near the goal line? It appeared we had the opportunity with people down there a couple of times, but they could not locate the ball.

Carlos Brown had a nice 27-yard return to start the second half, but they stalled and punted.

Well into the third quarter the Mallett to Manningham connection struck again on a 48-yarder to set up a Carlos Brown TD run of 5-yards. Great throw and catch. M-20, G-10 after a 5-play 75-yard drive.

The Blue struck again early in the fourth, on a picture perfect pass and catch resulting in a 6 play, 68-yard drive, which ended with Mario?s remarkable 40-yard TD reception. Perfect throw, perfect catch, and Mario grabbed it on a dead run. W-27, G-10.

Carlos Brown than made as good a long TD run as I have ever seen, hauling it 85-yards to pay dirt. Final W-34, G-10.

For a long time this game was not as lop sided as the final score and statistics indicated. Michigan? own lack of contain, fumbles and missed tackles, and some mind numbing play calling, helped the Gophers hang around far too long.

Michigan ended up with 307-yards rushing on 40 carries and 254-yard passing on 21 attempts, so eventually they dominated statistically and on the scoreboard. Ryan Mallett made some mistakes, but engineered some nice drive too.

The Gophers did manage to run the ball for 132-yards on the Wolverines. Next week the Spartans will want to triple that. In view of the Gopher?s past performances this year that is a lot, but overall this was a great win, and the Jug gets to remain with its rightful owners for another year.

Now the Wolverines have to slice into the toughest meat of their Big Ten season. Each of the three remaining games means everything to their hopes, and each will be difficult. Michigan State lost to Iowa Saturday, but don?t let that settle you into a comfort zone. The Michigan game is always their season and a win would help D?Antonio to settle into a comfort zone never enjoyed by Williams and Smith. Spartan Stadium will be wild with excitement. They have been focused on the Wolverines for a long time.

With Henne and Hart back the Wolverines have the talent to win. The question will simply be how much do the Wolverines want it? It will likely be a brawl, a physical battle.

It will be televised on the inconvenience that is known as the Big Ten Network so my greedy cable company will not carry it. Should I go to a bar here in the Lansing area and put up with all that crap they spew? Better to get a tape from a friend and watch right after, so hopefully I can get something posted.

Correction: Late word is that ABC has exercised its option and picked up UM/MSU so the game WILL be available for those of us with non-participating cable providers.

Enjoy the game, thanks for reading this far and ?

Go Blue!

October 22, 2007April 26, 2012

2007 Michigan Football- UM 27 Illinois 17 Game Grades

Game 8 Scoreboard

“The only word to describe Chad Henne is courageous.”

Lloyd Carr, Michigan Head Coach

“We’re rolling…The Big Ten Championship is out there, and we’re going for it.“

Adrian Arrington, Michigan WR

Phil’s Game Grades

Offense	A-
Defense	A
Special Teams	A-
Coaching	A
Overall	A

The stage was set in Champaign for an Illini victory but the Wolverines spoiled the party.

Offense- The offense took a little while to find itself without RB Mike Hart. Chad Henne was injured but showed grit in returning (twice!) to lead the Wolverine to victory. Nice to see Mike Debard crack open the stone tablets- err I mean playbook and run a little razzle dazzle. Ryan Mallett is getting a baptism of fire during road games this season. Great job by RB Carlos Brown filling in for injured Mike Hart.

Defense- The defense got the job done against both Illini QBs. This is unit has quietly began to gel. Their next true test will be against MSU.

Special Teams- The kick receive gave another long return which got the Illini crowd fired up to start the game. The two field goals and recovered punt to set the game clinching TD bail out the grades for this unit.

Coaching- A great job by the coaching staff to prepare the team for this one. The Wolverine had many excuses (No Mike Hart, on the road, injuries to Chad Henne) to lose this game but showed great toughness in pulling out the victory.

Comments- No amount of tacky video clips played on the scoreboard could prevent the Illini from giving the game away with stupid penalties. The Illini are an undisciplined team.

October 14, 2007October 19, 2013

Michigan Football 2007-Michigan 48, Penn State 21-Toughening Up

The Michigan Wolverines displayed fortitude, aptitude and effort on both sides of the ball Saturday for 59 minutes while humbling Purdue’s Boilermakers 48 to 21. The Boilers were left steaming and clanging ineffectively before a Homecoming crowd of 110,888.

Even the run right or left on first down play calling that had seemed to contribute to Michigan recently being among the statistical bottom feeders in Big Ten scoring offense, and some other offensive categories, was abandoned at times, with much success.

With temperatures in the low 50’s and blue skies mixed with fleecy clouds, it was a perfect autumn afternoon in Ann Arbor to tailgate, listen to the Blast from the Past (Michigan’s musical has beens from prior bands), and the current Marching Band. I never grow tired of Temptation and the Hawaiian War Chant.

It was a great day to enjoy a victory over a team recently ranked 23rd in the nation and a definite stumbling block on the Maize and Blue road to a Big Ten title. Purdue’s fine Marching Band was not on scene, nor was the much admired and missed “Golden Girl”.

Prior to this game, most Michigan fans wondered how we would fare against Coach Tiller’s usually productive “spread” offense. Not to worry. Coach Tiller’s lack of success against the Wolverines in Michigan Stadium was to continue.

Michigan fans witnessed the finest Chad Henne performance of the season, He was a sterling 21 of 28 for 264-yards, 2 TDS and no interceptions.

Both the offense and defense played well for a 31-7 Wolverine lead at the half.

Credit the Boilers that they did not give up and produced not one but two successful on side kicks, and scored TDs on a couple of drives with little time left in the game. Both the resulting scores came late against Michigan’s reserves. Since those onside kicks and drives came against reserves, and in the last minute, they really are not indicative of the game as a whole. This was a good, old fashioned, country butt whuppin.

Perhaps, the successful onsides happened because Michigan had failed to put in a “hands” team, with Carr explaining that his “hands” team was cold since they had not been in the game for fifteen minutes, so he did not put them in. I suppose to avoid risk of injury. He also said it would give people something to complain about. I agree with that. They should and will complain about those two errors and resulting scores.

Otherwise the special teams acquitted themselves well enough, allowing no really big run backs, except one early one which approached really big. With KC Lopata hitting a couple of FGs and Mesko hitting some towering punts and Wright kicking kick offs to the short returners instead of to the proficient Purdue deep returners (after getting burned a little bit first), they seemed more proficient than usual. At least one FG was nearly touched, but it went over the cross bar with room to spare. Lopata’s FG kicks looked strong. Brandon Minor had a 35-yard KO return to set up an early field goal.

While it was still Hart on first down for little gain on some occasions, they did toss it downfield to Manningham who had an outstanding game after returning from the “dog house”. He snagged 8 catches for an outstanding 147 yards. This ties his career best number of catches.

Mike Hart had 102 yards on 21 totes, and a couple of TDs. Another outstanding day, a record seven 100-yard games, but again leaving the game nicked, limping off not to return. Carlos Brown replaced the also nicked Brandon Minor who had replaced Hart at TB and had the best day of his career. In contrast to Hart, Brandon Minor came off the field on the cart. Carlos Brown demonstrated his speed on an outstanding 29-yard scamper for a TD, scored another TD, and totaled 66-yards on 13 carries. Minor and Milano also rushed, but not as successfully as Brown.

Both Hart and Henne are over 1,000 yards for the season.

Henne hit a variety of receivers besides Mario, with Adrian Arrington having 6 receptions for 55-yards. Mathews, McLaurin, Moundros, Butler, Hart and Clemons all snared one or more aerials.

Michigan’s first possession of the game started with a Henne roll out and nice pass to Carson Butler for a first down and 13-yards on the first play of the game. While our offensive coaches were not exactly riverboat gamblers Saturday, this seemed a better offensive scheme, and the results show it. It was an efficient plan, and more importantly, a convincing winner.

As unlikely as it seems, special teams breathed first life into Michigan’s effort early. Stevie Brown, on special teams, grabbed a loose Purdue punt that had glanced off the back of a Boilermaker, and ran it into the endzone, but it was considered down and called back. Michigan had great field position with the ball at the Purdue 31, and subsequently Chad hit Mario with a perfect 24-yard strike for the first TD of the game. KC Lopata converted all EPs on the day. M 7, PU 0.

The vaunted left side of Michigan’s offensive line let a blitzer through and Henne was blindsided and separated from the football. The result of the recovery was a short Purdue drive for their only meaningful TD of the day. M 7, PU 7. So much for our early advantage as worry began to replace elation.

M stalled, but Lopata hit a strong 34-yard FG. M 10, PU 7. Maybe this field goal unit is beginning to jell.

Purdue fumbled on their 26, and M capitalized on an outstanding 10-yard run by Mike Hart in which he was on a pile, maneuvered off, and without touching down, twisted and propelled himself into the into the endzone. This was in the south endzone, so I got a good look at it and it was an amazing effort. Ruled a TD on the field, the review confirmed. M 17, PU 7. Vintage Hart. Again and amazing effort.

In the early second quarter, the Wolverines and Boilers exchanged punts. An end around by Mario, a couple of catches by Greg Mathews, and nice Hart run, a penalty, and another Hart run for 8-yards, and the Blue looked at a 24-7 lead with 5 or 6 minutes left in the half, and the Wolverines were rolling. This was confirmed when Brandon Harrison grabbed a Purdue pass, and sprinted to the Boiler 21. The crowd was alive with anticipation, and they were certainly not disappointed by a perfect Chad Henne toss to Mario of 21-yards for a TD. Great throw and catch. M 31-PU 7.

Offensively and defensively it was a great half of Michigan football. This was the kind of performance that restores confidence and enthusiasm.

The third quarter was unremarkable except for the injury to Brandon Minor and a late 35-yard Lopata FG. M 34-PU 7.

The fourth contained some offensive fireworks with Carlos Brown scampering 29-yards into the north endzone. M 41-PU 7. Jamar Adams made an interception and Brown ran another TD in. M 48-PU 7.

Purdue then got their two last minute consolation TDs mentioned above for a final score of M 48-PU 21.

Michigan had a total of 459 yards to Purdue’s 292, passing for 279 and running for 189.

All in all an outstanding performance all around except for the last minute.

All the defensive wounded that were thought before the game to able to play did, except John Thompson, including Will Johnson, Chris Graham, and Brandon Graham. Brandon’s return surely helped Shawn Crable’s effectiveness, and Shawn had a good game, as did Terrence Taylor and the fast improving Obi Ezeh. LB Chris Graham led the defense with 6 tackles. Adams and Harrison both had interceptions.

The OL wounded did not return and Schilling and Ortman manned the right side of the OL and appeared to do a credible job.

What more could we ask for? We are still in the Big Ten race, but with successive challenges looming. At Illinois is a nasty place to play. A night game, this one will be broadcast by network television. The Illini will be energized by their recent difficulties at Iowa.

Hopefully we will not get Zooked, but will continue to improve. It ought to be a great game.

Go Blue!

Andy Andersen