John Beilein

Great seeing Denard representing Michigan:  he was seen at Yost on Fri for the hockey game.

 http://www.annarbor.com/sports/um-basketball/michigan-basketball-coach-john-beilein-impressed-by-denard-robinsons-maize-rage-participation/

From campofchamps.com, here's a useful set of webpages showing Beilein's set offense. It's from 2008 but it's all still recognizable. I've included the opening diagram underneath each link to help keep them straight.

Ed.: looks like my attempts to copy the opening diagram of each set didn't take.

The basic offense

The shuffle

Chin set

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tdrPL4n4Ds

Men's basketball tips off against Iowa at 1:00 today on the B1G network.  Michigan has the better team, but that has been the case for several years, and Iowa has been pesky.  Dylan(by way of Ken Pomeroy) has Michigan winning by 4 http://www.umhoops.com/2012/01/13/game-18-michigan-at-iowa-preview/#more-24200 ,

He also points out that Iowa barely shoots from downtown at all...I'm thinking woot 1-3-1?

Vegas likes Michigan by a field goal.  Beilein says Iowa is going to try to get out and run, and that Michigan will have to play significantly better than Iowa to win on the road(why does that sound familiar?)http://www.umhoops.com/2012/01/13/video-notes-quotes-john-beilein-previews-iowa/ 

My personal take: Iowa has serious Multiple Personality Disorder, as evidenced by their Wisky/Minny road wins vs their baby seal impersonation against those two SU schools who celebrated when Nebraska joined the conference(because they finally have a school to look down on).

That red-headed kid Aaron White is pretty good, and Basabe is still there, but I dont really think either one is ready to keep up with Novak, the Notorious SMOTRYCZ or Morgan. If Stu can slow down Matt Gatens(and all evidence suggest he WILL be able to) I like Michigan's chances.

(EDIT update: UM 66 NW 64 final; OT) Michigan looks to continue its success defending home court.  A win tonight would move Michigan into a tie with Illinois for second place in the conference.  Of course no game is guaranteed for the favored team (e.g. OSU losing again last night).  Game starts at 630 EST.  Current standings:

Yesterday the hoops team outclassed a very athletic Memphis squad -- a win due in no small part to John Beilein's superior coaching and preparation.  Meanwhile, the football team has put together two solid November wins for the first time in forever, including a thrashing of Nebraska. Going into The Game, this is the best we've felt about our chances to beat the damn Buckeyes in five years.

Which leads me to ask: When was the last time we felt this good about the current and future state of both revenue sports programs at U-M?

I was a Rich Rodriguez fan; I believed he was the breath of fresh air U-M football needed after The Horror and the general decline of the late-Carr era. It didn't work out -- no reason to rehash all that here. But after seeing:

• the way the football team has grown this year; 
• the great incoming recruiting class;
• the unbelievable job Hoke and Mattison have done w/the defense; and 
• the overall performance against Nebraska

I think few would deny U-M football is on the right path again.

Meanwhile, Beilein has just landed arguably the biggest U-M basketball recruit since Webber in Mitch McGary (plus GRobIII and Nick Stauskas -- not a bad way to round out a recruiting class!). He's answered the one question people had about him coming from W. Virginia -- whether he could recruit on an elite level. And if the current team performs up to expectations, Beilein will have gotten Michigan to the Big Dance in 3 of the past 4 seasons. 

Best of all, neither Hoke nor Beilein is a flight risk the way, say, Harbaugh would've been.

I honestly can't remember the last time I felt so good about both the present and future of both programs at the same time. My only thought is fall of 2006, when Carr was having his last great season and the hoops team seemed to be heading at least vaguely in the right direction. (But by that point it was clear Amaker could not put together a coherent offense; meanwhile, Carr was certain to retire soon and the identity of his successor was unclear.)

But as of November 22, 2011, it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine -- and looks to be so well into the future!

p.s. - a sad aside -- I just read the news about Leon Hall tearing his Achilles last week. Damn. He might never be the same player again. But as Ross Tucker at ESPN writes, Hall's decision to sign his big contract extension before the season (rather than risk waiting to cash in after becoming a free agent) was a hell of a smart move in hindsight.