tate forcier

Previously: Krushed By Stauskas (Illinois 2014)

We've come to know and love Indiana as the Big Ten's agent of chaos, excepting the butt-clenching three hours most every year when they play Michigan close wire to wire before falling short. The Hoosiers haven't beaten the Wolverines during my lifetime, yet they've come inches away from providing some of my most painful sports memories. This is the essence of modern Indiana football.

In 2009, we didn't know it was going to be like this. The programs hadn't played since 2006, a Michigan blowout. The Hoosiers hadn't ended the game within a score since 1999, when they had generational talent Antwaan Randle El. Their last win was in 1987. Yes, Michigan was coming off their worst year in... ever. They had a quarterback now and a win against Notre Dame. This was still Indiana. Michigan made it their homecoming game.

Our introduction: “The Wolverines and Hoosiers have already won three games apiece. That’s as many games as both teams won all of last season.”

Indiana had beaten Eastern Kentucky, Western Michigan, and Akron. The first two were one-score games at home. Those technically count, I guess.

While Michigan had easily beaten Eastern Michigan and—oh, hey—Western Michigan, Notre Dame had exposed some serious holes in the defense. It wouldn't take the Hoosiers long to find the gaps; after taking the opening kickoff, they went 80 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a fourth-and-two option pitch to receiver Tanden Doss. Doss easily broke the contain of redshirt freshman walk-on safety Jordan Kovacs, making his first career start.

It took Rich Rodriguez's offense all of 23 seconds to knot it up. Tate Forcier threw a flare screen to Carlos Brown and, well, let's just say Brown didn't have to deal with much contact:

Upon closer inspection, Martavious Odoms made one of the Mountain Goat Blocks of the Decade:

Pahokee forever.

[After THE JUMP: Even more Carlos Brown! Bad Forcier! Good Forcier! A Denard cameo! "Simultaneous possession"! Gum flying through the air!]

Assuming each player is healthy, coached by a competent OC and behind a competent OL, which Michigan QB would you choose: Tate Forcier, Devin Gardner or Shea Patterson? 

Bonus question: where does John Navarre fit in?

This is a tremendous question. None of these guys except Navarre had the luxury of a career where they got to stay at the same place and play the same position. Forcier bombed out after two years; Gardner got moved to WR for an offseason and half a season; Patterson transferred from Ole Miss after two years.

Ron Bellamy Day. From WH. Part II is here.

THE QUESTION:

Remember that one time an otherwise obscure/disappointing player was a superstar for a day?

Ace:

Full game is on the youtubes.

BiSB: If we're talking games: Spiiiiiiiike!

Smoothitron: I went through his game log not that long ago praying that wasn't his career high, and it's not, but it's close.

The pinnacle stretch of Spike's career was tragically unfun.

[Do NOT hit THE JUMP if you prefer to fondly remember erstwhile highly hyped Michigan scatbacks]