football

I'm surprised this wasn't posted and part of it is behind the paywall but it's a good read about anonymous opponents and their thoughts on M's 2010 defense.  

 

"The two things I always notice about defenses is if they're rallying to the ball - because then everyone is on the same page - and if they're hitting you hard. They'll really hit you with everything they've got if they're confident their teammates will have their back if they miss. I didn't see Michigan doing either of those things last year.

"That'll be the first thing I look for this year. If they've got five, six, seven guys in on every tackle and when they get to the ball, they're giving you everything you've got - that's when I'll know it's different."

Should be fixed this year.

On U-M's defensive line: "I felt bad for Mike Martin. He was the best defensive lineman in the league last year, for me it wasn't even close, but on that defense he wasn't going to put up numbers and he didn't get any recognition. But poll the guys that played against him and I bet 80 or 90 percent would say he was the best.
 

Woot. If BWC can produce and M can get some rotation the line should be very effective.

It's an interesting read, sad but all the problems/critiques form M's opponents are fixed or getting fixed which gives great hope for a good 2011 defense.   

 

EDIT: Dagnammit

It's behind the paywall but I found it by going here first:

 http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/teams/mmk

Then on the right hand side its under the title heading.

• Big Ten opponents talk Michigan defense - Jul 31

 

MODS: please delete if I'm over the line.

 

 

Former Lions QB Joey Harrington was injured badly in a biking accident in Portland, Oregon. While not a world beater by any stretech, he was always a quality person, and did a lot of great work in the Detroit community. I hope he recovers soon, I always respected him. Get well soon Joey. m.freep.com/Sports/article?a=2011110801054&f=1233

I imagine this thread has been done previously, but I can't recall it recently, and it's August 1, meaning news is silm, so why not? I always find this interesting when I discuss with M alums and fans in person: who is your second favorite college football team? What team is it besides ours that you are following, even perhaps passionately?

My answer to start: USC. I understand how some fans hate them, but for me, they were the team of my childhood. I grew up in L.A. and moved to Michigan in my last year of H.S. so it wasn't until attending M that my love of SC was supplanted. My Dad took me to several SC games as a kid, and the memories are still with me. Seeing Traveller (the white horse), the "fight on" phrase, the fight song (which I think, along with ours, is the best in college football), my Dad teaching me about "student body right," the great tradition they had starting in the 60's, all of those things were just great to me at that age. So I still catch their games when I can, and despite the Caroll violations, wish them well. 

And what about yours?

 

Missouri receiver Jehu Chesson took in Ann Arbor with his family for the BBQ this past weekend. It was his first time up with the new coaching staff and he came away very impressed. Here's a look at his film and what he had to say about the trip.

TOM: I know you sent me a text after the BBQ that said the visit was great, but what made it so great?

JEHU: I got there and we actually got there Saturday night. We went to the barbecue on Sunday and I just liked how I got to meet the coaches and talk to Coach Heck about football. We didn't talk too much but at the end we found some privacy and talked recruiting.

TOM: You went with your family this time, who all went with you?

JEHU: My mom and dad took me and my brother. My dad had been there before, but they seemed to like it. My mom really likes the campus and my brother likes the Big House.

TOM: What kind of stuff was Coach Hecklinski talking to you and your family about?

JEHU: We didn't talk too much football. It was a public event so we talked about recruiting a little bit. We mostly talked about that and he was straight up with me and said that if two wide receivers commit then the receiver position is done. I feel like they're letting me know in advance what's going on with recruiting, which I like. I'm going to stay on my own track because I want to make sure I see all the schools I'm interested in. Coach Heck[linski] was just saying though that there's two spots so if one guy commits he's going to let me know. That speaks volumes with them.

TOM: Just to be clear they're going to let you know if someone else commits but that doesn't necessarily mean you'll jump and make a decision right?

JEHU: Right. They're going to let me know, and I can figure out what to do from there but I'd like to take my visits and everything.

TOM: With Michigan it seems like you have a good amount of interest, is that the case?

JEHU: Yeah, they have something going there but you don't really know until you see them play. They're one of the schools that I'm going to watch closely. Coach Hoke seems very family oriented, and I liked how the coaches brought their families to the barbecue to introduce them. 

TOM: After this visit do you feel a higher comfort level with the coaches and maybe even the program?

JEHU: Yeah the coaches signed contracts for a certain amount of years, but I feel stability shouldn't be a problem there. Looking at what Hoke did at San Diego State they will definitely turn things around. 

TOM: Was there anything that really stuck out to you about this visit?

JEHU: We watched a highlight film; it was a neat film they put together. It was basically about them rising back up, it got some guys fired up. That was what really stuck out, and also that it was family oriented.

TOM: Now that you have this visit done with what's next?

JEHU: I'm going to meet with my counselors and talk to them about what schools I want to narrow it down to. I should have a top list before summer ends.

I was by the stadium today and took some photos of the scoreboard construction (for those who care, realizing this could be a small subsection of the crowd). Hopefully, I don't butcher the re-sizing too badly. I was going to post them in an older thread about scoreboard construction but figured it was already a bit too wide with images on that page.

This is a view driving by the south end zone (my only south board pic).  

North end zone...rear of the board:

Rear of board close-up:

A bit wider view (notice the additional strip of board below the main board, and above the legendary halo remnants):

More north board (different angle):

Close-up of top west corner construction:

Yet another angle...the "Michigan Stadium" looks nice:

Another straight-ahead view of rear.  It looks like the bottom left and right of the bottom strip (which the rendering made to look like an entire, usable video space) are just solid blue paneling.  The final product is likely to look a bit different than the rendering.

p.s. Sorry for the huge images.  I tried a few times to re-size but having no luck.  If anyone can help, that'd be great. Thanks.

Former Lansing Sexton High School football star Onaje Miller was arrested along with three others Saturday morning after police found two loaded guns and minors in possession of alcohol during a traffic stop.

Officers were dispatched to a shots-fired call in the 800 block of South Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Saturday, locating a suspect vehicle in the 600 block of North Cedar Street.

Five people were in the vehicle: two, both 18-year-olds, were arrested for being minors in possession of alchool.

Miller was let out of his LOI with MSU in June. More can be read here.