January 1st, 2013 at 6:05 PM ^
Just like with the OSU game, Al went away from something he already did at Iowa. I'm not suggesting anythng he hasn't done already. I assume you saw the Iowa game since you are reading this and I don't have to elaborate further on how he was used there.
I wanted Denard on the filed every single play (unless he was gassed and beeded a breather). I wanted Denard to come in at QB and actually do something the defense DID NOT expect. Like pass occasionally. I wanted Denard to line up all over the field. I wanted him used with Devin like the Iowa game. Most of all, once again, I wanted him not be used so that the other coaches, BY THEIR OWN QUOTES, "knew" exactly what we were going to do, not once in awhile, but EVERY PLAY.
Sorry for the all caps. I am countering what I think is a foolish statement, that Al called a "brilliant" game, a statement so questionable that I, and I'm assuming some others, thought it was sarcastic at first.
Maybe I'm wrong about what I said (perhaps the game plan was just "ok"). But if I am, it is precisely as wrong as someone who says the game plan was brilliant--that, on it's face, is ridiculous.
January 1st, 2013 at 6:20 PM ^
Why are you talking about the Iowa and OSU games? They have nothing to do with what happened on the field today. You also realize Denard was injured fairly seriously in the Iowa game, and couldn't come back in?
I get that you would have ran Denard against OSU and Iowa until he died on the field, but wouldn't that be a bit, I don't know, insane (in addition to being extremely predictable)?
Also, Denard couldn't throw. His arm was completely shot. So that was out.
You would be effectively asking an injured player to do something he is not exactly proficient at when completely healthy, while injured, and you have the audacity to rag on Al Borges for his decision making?
He put up 28 points on a really good defense, the 2nd most points they'd given up all year, with the back up QB turned WR turned back to QB, the starting QB at running back, and a sub par offensive line. I'd say he was pretty damn brilliant today.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:42 PM ^
We scored the 2nd most points against South Carolina all year with our back up QB and our starting QB playing running back. Not to mention the issues our O-Line has had. So all in all, I'd call that pretty god damn good. What more do you want?
January 1st, 2013 at 6:05 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
Just be sad.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
besides denard in the gun, it was decent play calling
gotta blame this loss on the D and the d play calling if you know the blitz isn't gonna handle the pass than why keep goin to it...
January 1st, 2013 at 5:37 PM ^
When you know your secondary isn't going to cover I guess you pick your poison and try to disrupt what you can. I don't blame the decision.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:50 PM ^
He called a pretty decent game that probably surpassed most of our expectations. A lot of people thought Michigan would score 0-1 Touchdowns and score less than 20 points. I am surprised they had 6 scoring drives.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:51 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:51 PM ^
Yeah, I was pretty happy with the playcalling. I didn't love the second 2-point attempt, but that's about my only gripe.
I'm not too down. The D let us down today, but I don't expect that to happen too often in the future.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
Hey guys. We stuck it to them. In the end the result wasn;t what we expected. Yeah there were some bad throws, bad coverages, some stupid pnealties, and calls that could have been better. But these guys fought to the end. The coaches, players, and fans alike. Hearing the Go Blue chant when outnumber 5:1, seeing our line explode through and give every last drop of energy, and feeling proud of the way our team respresented this University makes me joyful. GO BLUE FOREVER AND EVER!
Anyone who doesn;t agree can suck my balls.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:52 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^
Yeah, I'm not totally engaged with the South Carolina depth chart. But as far as I know, the only significant player they were missing was Marcus Lattimore.
Michigan was missing its top two corners (Countess, Floyd), its middle linebacker (Demens), its punter (Hagerup), and its top running back (Toussaint); meanwhile, our "starting" quarterback apparently still can't throw the ball. We're missing 5 starters from the beginning of the year, and Robinson is handicapped. Not a bad performance, considering all those issues.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
We also didn't look physically overmatched as we have in the past against some teams. End of the day we're still in rebuilding mode, down some starters, and we took a 10 win (now 11) SEC program down to the wire.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:06 PM ^
They were down a wide receiver (D. L. Moore, "violation of team rules") and their right tackle Matulis (shoulder), and Shaw was hobbled. Doesn't really change your point.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:12 PM ^
Moore had something like 9 catches this year, I think, and he was a backup. I didn't know about Matulis.
January 1st, 2013 at 6:42 PM ^
The funny thing is, Moore was top of the depth chart at the third wide receiver, but he hardly played all year. I think they realized their tight ends were better pass catchers than any of the third WRs so they started splitting them out into the slot when they wanted three wide.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:13 PM ^
Magnus with the calm down post.
Well said though.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^
a bit embarrassing, but things are as they are at this moment in time, and we played our hearts out. The grit and resolve the team showed despite the early momentum being clearly against us is a testimony to Brady Hoke's strength as a coach.
For the first few minutes, I was worried this game couldcost us in recruiting, but we put it all out there in front of today's national TV audience. I think this was a good game for us, despite the final score.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^
For all the Borges hate, he really did call a great game. Easy throws for Devin (missed some though) Only call I didn't care for was the seconded 2pt call.
Ugh what a terrible way for Kovacs to end his Michigan career though. Great kid, I hope he gets a chance at the next level.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:55 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
Refs were horrible (I am not blaming them for the loss), announcing was horrible, and outcome was horrible.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
Everyone has a hard-on for Clowney. Gruden had a hard-on for Gallon and Denard, too. He gets giddy over good players; that's what he does.
As for Tirico...South Carolina DID kind of deserve that fumble. I mean, you realize that Michigan didn't get that first down, right? It should have been South Carolina's ball after the previous play.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:09 PM ^
Gruden. The same guy talking about how he gets "goose bumps" every time he hears the Michigan fight song, and the same guy who was drooling all over Devin Gardner's athleticism?
He was hyping up both teams like any solid color guy should.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
with Countess and Floyd out, what can you do against a top 10 passing team?
Also, the D-Line cannot get pressure without a blitz. Kovacs is an awesome player, but he cannot cover >4.5 speed guys 1 on 1. But, what's the alternative? Rush 4, give SC time and throw 3 more DBs in zone?
January 1st, 2013 at 5:14 PM ^
Please take this sort of crap analysis over to MLive.
January 1st, 2013 at 6:08 PM ^
Well you're lucky you never have to watch him in a Michigan uniform again. I, for one, am sad to see him go. Great player.
January 1st, 2013 at 8:41 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
Agreed. I, like someone else stated, am not all that mad at the loss. It sucks and I'm a bit hurt and disinterested in the Rose Bowl for now, but I'm content. Great game that some would argue Michigan should have won that just didn't end that way. Long offseason awaits. Go Michigan basketball.
Also, the blame game gets old. Both coordinators had their ups and downs as do ALL coaches ALL the time; overall they called a good game. Agrue with a fake punt play but don's sit there and type that Hoke deserves blame for the loss for decisions like that. We were exploited a few times and a lame punt return equated to us losing. Other than that we really shouldn't try to play this "pinpoint the blame" game.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^
Agreed. I, like someone else stated, am not all that mad at the loss. It sucks and I'm a bit hurt and disinterested in the Rose Bowl for now, but I'm content. Great game that some would argue Michigan should have won that just didn't end that way. Long offseason awaits. Go Michigan basketball.
Also, the blame game gets old. Both coordinators had their ups and downs as do ALL coaches ALL the time; overall they called a good game. Agrue with a fake punt play but don's sit there and type that Hoke deserves blame for the loss for decisions like that. We were exploited a few times and a lame punt return equated to us losing. Other than that we really shouldn't try to play this "pinpoint the blame" game.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:55 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 6:33 PM ^
Sadly, this is spot on. As badly as Floyd was burned all year, he might at least knock the ball out on that 4th down late or maybe the Sanders TD in the back of the end zone.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
I have to say, he did redeem himself quite a bit. If we can get our OL into order next season, we will be ok.
Still SMH at the OSU game though.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
Did Denard break the rushing record?
January 1st, 2013 at 5:04 PM ^
Yep. 100 yards rushing today on 23 carries.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
and should have been enough to win the game.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^
Mattison was awful today and cost us the game with all the blitzes. Also, our defensive line is just brutal, we have a defensive line specialist as our head coach and we can't bring any pressure with our front four.
January 1st, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
January 1st, 2013 at 5:03 PM ^
I disagree wholeheartedly. We blitzed way too much in this game, and they weren't getting home for the most part.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:07 PM ^
Just like Gruden said, we blitzed because we don't have elite pass rushers. Jibreel Black had a shot to probably end the game but couldn't wrap up the qb.
January 1st, 2013 at 5:18 PM ^
Blitzed too much without any deep help on a Spurrier team that is always going to take deep shots. Also, a few were poorly timed and at least one used a player without the speed to make up the ground on a delayed blitz (could not see the number on the spiffy new unis).