football

I love the play Michigan is running where Denard fakes a run to the left, which draws in the DBs, and instead throws the ball downfield while still on the run. Roundtree scored on this vs. Notre Dame - it keeps the defense guessing even more.

Question to the more informed: how far can offensive lineman advance past the line of scrimmage during pass plays? I thought they weren't allowed to at all; am I way off? Because on these plays where Denard fakes the sweep, the linemen have been advancing at least a couple of yards downfield. How far can they go downfield and block before the ball is thrown?

Thanks in advance guys.

Perhaps it's because in recent years we've had really bad games (and incurred losses) against opponents we are supposed to beat. I sure hope we don't take anyone too lightly.

The next few weeks (and also Indiana) give me the heebie jeebies.

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/ncf/news/story?id=5572827

Recently, I have experienced a different feeling in my football psyche.  A feeling that Texas fans had with Vince Young or Florida Fans had with Tim Tebow.  It’s a feeling that no matter what team we’re playing, no situation is too much for Denard’s abilities.  

Many people are comparing Denard and UM’s hot start of 2010 to Tate and UM’s hot start of 2009.  Here are the goods:

Tate 2009

Like a grenade with the pin pulled, the UM fan base was ready to explode at the first sign of something good.  Enter Tate Forcier.  Tate, a freshman, came in and because his name wasn’t Sheridan or Threet, was already a better “fit” for RR and his offense.  Throw in a win against Western Michigan, the first home opener win in 3 years, and the UM fan base and national media started to salivate.  Next up, Notre Dame.  Tate seemed unflappable in a thrilling win, which included Tate’s iconic cut back run.  All these things added up to UM fans and the media needing to raise up somebody and who better than Tate.  The QB at UM IS the notable position.  Tate was winning(to that point).  Tate was a QB.  Tate was a freshman (and hey, no freshman has ever won the Heisman before, so why not Tate).  And Tate had some good stats:

I’ll sum it up

Total through first 4 games:

54/87 671 yds 7 TDs 2 INT

40 carries 127 yds

Passing: 62% Completion Rate

Rushing: 3.2 YPC

Those stats coupled with a big, emotional win against Notre Dame and then starting 4-0, made for some pretty sweet tasting TATE = HEISMAN  kool-aid or purple drink, if you prefer.  And we drank it, and we loved it. 

Then events transpired and we arrived at the 2010 football season with a lot of questions.  QB? Bowl game? Transfers?  Tacopants?

Enter Denard Robinson. 

Now, when Tate was thrilling UM fans last year, it was good, but he wasn’t doing anything that hadn’t already been done before.  We’ve had hot starts.  We’ve had a freshman QB.  We’ve had Heisman hopefuls.  With Denard, we have something we’ve NEVER had.  We’ve got a kid that in his first start, set the all-time UM total yards in a game record.  And what did he do as an encore?  Destroy that record and not worrying ‘bout stats.  His game against Notre Dame, given the circumstances, is probably in the top 10 of ALL-TIME individual performances during the college football regular season.

Through the first 2 games, he has 885 total yards!  The first two games!  That ranks Denard 34^th in the Nation in total yards just behind Stanford and in front of 87 other football teams including: Wisconsin, West Virginia, USC, Florida State, Washington and Texas, just to name a few. 

The very fact that every time he touches the ball he has the ability to get into the end zone is amazing.  The last player I could honestly say that about is Desmond.  Hellooo Heisman.

Finally!  Michigan has a truly special player that makes other fan bases cringe when they see Michigan on the schedule.  Don’t get me wrong, 2009 Tate was good, but 2009 Tate wasn’t making any opposing fans nervous last year.  You can’t say that about Denard.

As UM fans, we have gone through more in the past 4-5 years than most teams go through in 100 years.  Undefeated going into tOSU, Bo dies, we lose.  The expectations of 2007 and then The HORROR. 2008 enough said. 2009 Tate hype and then the fall.  NCAA violations, transfer galore, and too many questions about UM football.   In 2010, we need to stand up and keep giving praise to UM football and Denard because Denard 2010 is not Tate 2009. HE16MAN!!

Note: This isn't meant to be anti-Tate; it is meant to be pro-Denarnd. I love Tate and believe that if he wouldn't have gotten hurt last year, he would have had a really good season.

Last night at a ceremony in Novi, looks like Frank Beckman is MC.  His segment begins at 162:55 and is a must see.  Around the 167 mark, he tears into the Freep, and former players that turned against the program (Borens maybe?).  Way to go Rick, another reason we love you:

http://www.mlive.com/sports/index.ssf/2010/09/live_video_legendary_lions...

I loved reading another great edition of TWIS from Brian until I got to the end when he mentions "Hopefully another 4 teams will lose to I-AA teams this week".  

Not to be Karma nervous but we're uh um  uh um playing a I-AA team this week.

Please Edit Please!!!!