2004 michigan state

[Toledo Blade]

A couple weeks back I put a post on the MGoBoard about an upcoming series I was planning that would be revisiting great games in Michigan Football history, told by someone who had never seen the game before (me) using insight from someone who had (Craig Ross). This is the first piece in that series and it revisits the most recommended game in the thread I put up... 2004 Michigan State also known as "Braylonfest". 

 

The team: The 2004 Michigan Football season saw a changing of the guard at the two most prominent positions of the era, with the graduations of QB John Navarre and RB Chris Perry in the offseason. In stepped the true freshmen who would define the program over the next four seasons, Chad Henne and Mike Hart. Though being a true freshman starting QB is quite difficult, having returning production in the passing game helped Henne. It especially helped to have a superstar to throw to in Braylon Edwards. Coming off an 1100 yard, 1st Team All-B1G season in 2003, Edwards would be the star of the season and of this game. Fellow wideouts Jason Avant and Steve Breaston also returned, as did TE Tim Massaquoi, meaning four of the top five players in receiving yards in 2003 returned for '04 and were at Henne's disposal (Perry was the other). 

On the offensive line, starters returned at LT (Adam Stenavich), LG (David Baas), and RG (Matt Lentz). The team graduated All-B1G C Dave Pearson and RT Tony Pape, plugging Mark Bihl into the C spot and RS Fr Jake Long into the RT spot. By the time this game rolled around, Bihl had been injured, with Baas sliding to center and Rueben Riley taking over LG. Kevin Dudley returned as fullback for his senior season, while David Underwood and Jerome Jackson returned to the 2004 squad at RB, though Hart got the vast majority of the carries (Max Martin was on the depth chart as a freshman as well in '04). 

[Bentley Historical Library]

The defensive side of the ball was led by star corner Marlin Jackson, the team's lone defensive All-American (1st team). Opposite him at corner was Markus Curry to start the season, eventually supplanted by sophomore Leon Hall. The safeties were a duo of Ryan Mundy at FS and Ernest Shazor at SS, the latter a hero the week before this game. Scott McClintock manned the middle at MIKE LB, while Lawrence Reid was the starter at WILL. Neither LB earned postseason honors and this game will provide a decent window into why. 

Along the defensive line, the gargantuan (6'8") Pat Massey and Gabe Watson, a fellow junior, started for the Wolverines. Watson earned 1st/2nd Team All-B1G for his work that season and they were joined by sophomore OLB/EDGE LaMarr Woodley, who earned 2nd Team All-B1G. Rotational pieces down along the defensive line included Larry Harrison and Alex Ofili, among others. At special teams, Garrett Rivas was a sophomore at kicker (his second season of starting duty), while Adam Finley was a senior at punter, his third and final year as the starter. Steve Breaston handled returns for the Wolverines.  

[Ronan Silberman/AP]

The opponent: Michigan State was in year #2 of the John L. Smith era in 2004. They had gone 8-5 the previous season, ending the year with a loss to Nebraska in the Alamo Bowl. Multi-year starter at QB Jeff Smoker had graduated, with Drew Stanton taking over command of the offense in '04. He was given reasonable stability at the skill positions but a defense that would take a sizable step backwards in 2004 relative to the prior year. The Spartans went 1-2 in non-conference to start the season, with losses at home to Notre Dame and at Rutgers, but strung together strong results to open the B1G slate. They knocked off Indiana, lost at Kinnick to Iowa, but then defeated Illinois and ranked Minnesota at home to situate themselves at 3-1 in the conference heading into the bye week, prior to this game (4-3 overall). 

[AFTER THE JUMP: The game and my takes on it]

The Question:

via Jane:

The Responses:

Adam: Michigan started the 1997 game against Ohio State—you know, the one with a shot at the Rose Bowl and national championship game on the line--with three three-and-outs; a five-play, zero-yard drive; and an eight-play drive that ended in yet another punt. Deep in the second quarter, Michigan was facing 3rd and 12 from their own 47 when Brian Griese hit Charles Woodson on a square-in for 37 yards.

Chris Floyd picked up 15 on the next play to put Michigan at the one-yard line, and Anthony Thomas punched it in one play later for Michigan's only offensive touchdown of The Game. That third-down conversion was one of two Michigan had in a game that came down to the last three minutes; I shudder to think what would happen if Woodson doesn't catch that ball.

[After the JUMP: more things that didn't go bad]

The Question:

Got this idea from Ryan Nanni: name the rival player you don't actually hate.

The Responses:

pg2_g_georgee_576

1. Be very good, 2. Lose to Michigan.

David: I don't have a great answer for this question. At least in the last decade or so...most likely due to Michigan's lack of success against their chief rivals. I thought of Mike Conley—whom I do like and respect—but he was only in Columbus for a year. Or Manti Teo? But...his whole career ended super weird. Pass. Let's go back...how about: Eddie George.

George fits this really well, I think. I remember watching him during his final year in 1995, enough games, anyway. He had a fantastic Heisman Trophy-winning year but was unbelievably upstaged by Tim Biakabutuka in The Game that year. George was held under 100 yards, while Biakabutuka set records with his 313 yards, as Michigan derailed Ohio State's National Championship hopes.

In the NFL, Eddie George was very fun to support. On top of being a model NFL citizen, he was a consummate professional. Never missing a start in Tennessee ('96-'03), George rushed for 1,000 yards in every year except for 2001 (where he had 939). He also had 300+ carries every season as a Titan, including 403 (!!) in 2000. He was also a prolific pass catcher out of the backfield with 259 receptions for 2144 yards and 10 TDs over those same 8 seasons. After 2003, the Titans chose to cut him and he played in Dallas for a year, but he was pretty much done.

Unfortunately, as happens to too many athletes, George had an up-and-down time in his post-playing career; here's a really neat article about it. However, some highlights do include dabbling in multiple platforms in front of the camera, constructing a life-preparation class, and even getting his MBA from Northwestern, no easy feat.

--------------------------------------

Seth: I have two because the one isn't at all interesting or controversial. That no. 1 is Drew Stanton. I was supposed to hate him because in high school he was one of the kids who moved to Farmington Hills just to play for Coach Herrington—such athletes would come from all over the state then blow through D-III by an average score of 46-9. I knew some good men—future attorneys and financial advisers—who were in that D-III.

Stanton never beat Michigan. As Jeff "smoke green, snort white!" Smoker embodied the Saban-Williams program, Stanton was the JLS era: likeable football-loving dudes with hot piss who played spread 'n shred football with a heavy portion of Sparty No! Among these: Stanton ruined his knee on punt coverage, and initiated Braylonfest by getting knocked out of it.

Drew then had the incredible misfortune to be drafted in the 2nd round by Matt Millen for a Lions team that never had any intention of using him. I felt bad, more so because he was also the one local athlete celebrity you were most likely to see at a volunteer thing.

[After the jump: I am going to piss someone off.]