Michigan 38 Maryland 7
There is a difference between suggestions and decisions. In a mismatch between surging Michigan and a Maryland squad patched together with freshmen and transfers, the preseason beef between last year’s Alabama co-offensive coordinators Josh Gattis and Mike Locksley was mana for the narrative gods.
Steve Levy and Brian Griese grasped for every storyline they could to stave off the yawning. Before the opening kickoff, which Giles Jackson returned for a 97-yard touchdown, they called Maryland RB Anthony McFarland the most explosive player on the field. When Josh Uche ended the first Terp drive with a sack, and Michigan staked itself to a quick 14-0 lead with orbit motions, fullback blocks, and a direct snap to Zach Charbonnet, it was all about how shaky Shea Patterson was looking again. When a solid Maryland drive ended in a redzone interception because Josh Jackson had an unblocked Mike Danna in his chest, the ABC crew switched to yardage. When Michigan stuffed Maryland’s next long drive and Locksley decided to kick a field goal (missed), it was all about what could have been if these trips had resulted in points. When the second half opened with three passes that Michigan defensive backs had a better chance of catching than any Terrapin, they quoted Harbaugh’s boilerplate “we can’t let up” halftime interview.
How do you do? Jackson took the opening kickoff to the house, and for a second there it looked like he was getting a second [Sherman]
When Mike Locksley chose to punt on 4th and short on his 33 after having success all afternoon at running up the middle (and nothing else), they put up a time of possession graphic. And when Michigan responded with a drive that was mostly wide receiver screens to Ronnie Bell, capped off with a play-action touchdown pass to Nick Eubanks off the arc/split zone action Michigan stuck with as the basis of their run game, unless you were charting performance things to predict future events, the nap was on. Gattis’s suggestions for using Michigan’s passing game to open up space for the run game were well-taken.
One chuck, 54 yards, and put it away [Paul Sherman]
Since we are the charting type, Shea’s 6.9 YPA day against a bad Maryland defense looked concerning, especially since Bell’s screens and the one (1) bomb to Nico Collins before McCaff Time are likely to be offset by a slew of high chucks and too-late reads. A few that stand out were a pair of too-high throws to Nick Eubanks and Nico Collins, the latter of which a fade on which an “open” Nico could only try to spear it with one hand, and a low throw that Tarik Black had to dig out short of the sticks.
That set up one of several fourth and short decisions by Harbaugh, this one a fake punt that upback Michael Barrett burrowed into a first down and more. After that the easy bubble (and one orbit screen that was actually thrown!) yards loosened up the small but quick Maryland OLBs, and the Michigan fans who made up at least a third of that half-filled stadium got a few long, audible “Tru!” cheers in before Hassan Haskins got to walk in untouched for the final score.
DPJ was chopped down early but the threat opened up the run game [Sherman]
Locksley’s offense on the other hand failed to score a single point for their homecoming fans—their lone touchdown coming on Javon Leake’s late 97-yard kickoff return. Fellow onetime Terrapin assistant Don Brown’s defense gave up just 233 yards, most of them after the game was long-decided. Michigan’s line alternated between its 3-3-5 look and base 4-2-5 to take advantage of a young, small, and beat up Maryland offensive line, not to mention their injured/clearly shaken quarterback Josh Jackson, who finished 9/20 for under 100 yards. About the only thing that worked was previously unscouted fifth-string quarterback Lance LeGendre, who rushed for 39 difficult-to-defend-looking yards on plays designed to stretch the defense horizontally.
The dudes were the dudes: Uche (two), Aiden Hutchinson, Carlo Kemp, and Khaleke Hudson all got on the sack sheet, and Josh Metellus picked up a pair of TFLs on attempts to beat him to the edge. While Maryland was able to move the ball by pushing piles in the first quarter, that seemed a credit to their backs, unless you’re suddenly concerned about Kwity Paye leaking yardage.
Maryland is bad, and the Michigan machine that leveled Notre Dame and deserved a win for its comeback at Penn State looked as sleepy as the rest of us. It was still more than enough for a comfortable win over a team with a bit of talent that apparently saved a lot of their best stuff for this punch. The Wolverines—and those of us who write about them—now get a much-needed bye week before a final stretch of Michigan State, a dangerous trip to Indiana, and those other guys the announcers couldn’t stop talking about.
Boxscore: LINK
November 2nd, 2019 at 4:39 PM ^
In Brady Hoke's last season, Michigan lost (!) to both Rutgers and Maryland.
Under Harbaugh we've outscored them 458-68 in ten games.
November 2nd, 2019 at 4:43 PM ^
YEAH BUT HOKE BEAT OSU AND HARBAUGH HAS LOST EVERY SINGLE BIG GAME
November 2nd, 2019 at 4:49 PM ^
Harbaugh win automatically converts any big game to Not a Big Game.
November 2nd, 2019 at 4:50 PM ^
This guy gets it
November 2nd, 2019 at 4:52 PM ^
It was unfortunate for Hoke that Rutgers and Maryland were big games in 2014. Poor guy couldn't catch a break.
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:01 PM ^
Penn State was the game that mattered this year, and Harbaugh choked it away, just like he has one important game every year. Now, even if we beat Ohio State, we're still going nowhere.
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:05 PM ^
It sucks that he called the "drop the ball" play on 4th and goal. We executed it perfectly but I just didn't understand that call at that time.
November 2nd, 2019 at 6:00 PM ^
Right sentiment wrong play. If you recall Michigan was trying to throw a fade and it was so well covered that Patterson had to dodge a tackler in the backfield then deliver it to Bell which was probably his third read.
November 2nd, 2019 at 6:07 PM ^
Yeah, that was almost as bad as calling the dig yourself a 21 point hole on the road again play.
November 2nd, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
There was definitely some weird playcalling during that time. The "uncalled PI on Tarik" play on 4th down and the "phantom PI on Nico" calls were well-executed, but why?
Seriously, I don't understand how people say that we "dug ourselves a hole" when the officiating played a huge role in that deficit. At home, those calls probably go our way.
November 2nd, 2019 at 11:27 PM ^
Seconded. Brian put it well in his recap of that game: if the two halves were played in reverse we'd all be incensed by the officiating. When the no-call PI on 4th-and-3 happened it was only 7-0 PSU, and those 7 points were made possible by a uncalled OPI! The refs dug that hole.
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:22 PM ^
I thought the "Running back slips on screen play" was brilliant and unexpected.
November 2nd, 2019 at 11:16 PM ^
What sucks is that he brought his team into that game totally unprepared, and by the time they got their shit together, it was too late. You can't play half games or half seasons and expect to win anything that matters.
November 3rd, 2019 at 11:40 AM ^
Reminder that DeepBlueC is a Sparty troll
November 3rd, 2019 at 12:18 PM ^
Yeah. Except not at all.
Seriously guys, something needs to be done about obvious troll infestation around here. It's been ongoing for a couple years, and only getting worse. Just a matter of time before the sane folks start to leave.
November 4th, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
I've been here since nearly the genesis and now find myself visiting less and less as the quality of comments lose another half-life.
November 3rd, 2019 at 2:24 PM ^
<Ignore User/>
November 2nd, 2019 at 9:50 PM ^
you’re a turd.
November 2nd, 2019 at 8:42 PM ^
Brady Hoke sucks. You diminish Harbaugh by bringing him up in the same thought.
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:01 PM ^
Yes, Harbaugh is better than a D level coach. Hopefully he got a pat on the back from his dad.
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:10 PM ^
It's not that simple to blow the doors off a team five years in a row. Last year Maryland took OSU to overtime and Rutgers has taken MSU down to the wire a couple of times.
November 2nd, 2019 at 6:51 PM ^
Please don’t feed the trolls.
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:34 PM ^
especially the ones who have been noticeably absent since last Saturday night
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:07 PM ^
Fellas, fellas, none of the whingers give a damn about logic. They care that their puny egos are called into question--no, even the value of their existence--when the football team they identify with loses a game. And even when a win isn't enough to make them feel good about themselves. They take, very literally, mortal offense.
We might be tempted to draw conclusions about their lives from that--to say things like get a life--but I think we probably have to learn to leave them in their dark rooms with their misery. Trying to respond with facts only provides them with oxygen.
Happily, a game like today's makes it a little more obvious how ridiculous they are.
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:45 PM ^
What I don't get is what the hell memory of Michigan football do they have when this sort of season WAS NOT the norm? (I mean, other than the obvious dark ages Harbaugh pulled us out of.) I just grabbed 4 years in the early 80s to look at. Two of the seasons we already had our second loss by the third game. One of the other ones we started the season ranked #1 and lost the very first game to a Wisconsin team that went on to a 7-5 record. Overall records 10-2, 9-3, 8-4, 9-3. Only real thing that was better then than now was we beat Ohio State twice -- but then OSU went 9-3 every one of those seasons, so OSU then was markedly worse than it has been the last five years.
November 2nd, 2019 at 11:47 PM ^
"OSU then was markedly worse than it has been the last five years"
That is the unspoken key to every Harbaugh hater narrative. Beating Urban Meyer is not the same as beating Earle Bruce.
November 3rd, 2019 at 9:22 AM ^
We have always had a better perception nationally than the reality. The M brand is strong. You're quite right that 9-3 or 10-2 IS the Michigan football legacy. I'm at peace with that, but I want to beat OSU a respectable number of times that's all, then I'm good.
November 3rd, 2019 at 9:33 AM ^
Agree, but I would add: and catch lightning in a bottle every 15 years or so based on the schedule and breaks, and seriously compete for a national championship.
November 3rd, 2019 at 2:28 PM ^
The list of programs that win a clip better than 9-3 or 10-2 over a long period of time is very, very short.
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:11 PM ^
Enough of the Hoke stuff. Harbaugh’s best players, every single one, was recruited by Hoke. The only thing Harbaugh has is 18 recruits who have entered the transfer portal
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:32 PM ^
Freshman TD record breaking RB would like A word with you. Because “every single one” has no wiggle room.
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:36 PM ^
FYI, Ohio State has 13 currently in the transfer portal, with more to come.
The rest of your post is complete bullshit.
November 2nd, 2019 at 11:38 PM ^
So far we've seen a few Michigan players go to OSU (Boren and Rock) but never have they come our way. You'd think a few would transfer to us for better playing time.
November 3rd, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^
Besides Burrow, have they had any transfers worth a damn?
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:18 PM ^
Every single one? Like Devin Bush? David Long? Cam Mcgrone? Josh Metellus? Josh Uche? Aidan Hutchinson? Mike Onwenu? Ben Bredeson? Nico Collins? Karan Higdon? Need I go on?
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:46 PM ^
Is anyone on the team technically a Hoke recruit? Runyan is the only one even in the discussion.
November 3rd, 2019 at 10:57 PM ^
By now, even if Hoke started recruiting them, He would’ve committed/signed to Harbaugh
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:25 PM ^
Good point Mrs. Hoke
November 2nd, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
Just stop you’re embarrassing yourself
November 2nd, 2019 at 10:50 PM ^
You're a fucking idiot.
Seth, ban this moron.
November 3rd, 2019 at 12:31 AM ^
*sigh*
Jake Rudock, Rashan Gary, DEVIN BUSH, DPJ, Charbonnet, Patterson, Collins, McGrone, Lavert Hill, Kwity, Uche, etc., etc. Please stop being so wrong
November 3rd, 2019 at 7:19 AM ^
But, Kwity Paye and Josh Uche weren't 7 stars. Charbonnet's name sounds like a kind of wine and it took him 9 games to beat the freshman td scoring record. Hill's brother was recruited by Hoke so that makes him a Hoke recruit by extension. He only got Devin Bush because he hired his dad. Rashan Gary didn't develop into the best college football player making the pro bowl despite only being a college player.
(Don't normally do this because obvious /s is obvious, but I have a feeling some folks won't get it)
November 3rd, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
Thank goodness Hoke recruited Devin Bush... wait a second
November 2nd, 2019 at 5:17 PM ^
Also, Maryland won 7 games that year and Rutgers lost 8. They’ve been... not that... ever since.
Not that Michigan should have lost either of those games, but those weren’t losses to THESE Maryland and a Rutgers teams either.
November 2nd, 2019 at 6:56 PM ^
Back then, wasn’t Rutgers was a thing and Greg Schiano a coach everyone wanted?
November 3rd, 2019 at 8:40 AM ^
Schiano had long since left the team (after 2011). Kyle Flood was coaching them in 2014, when Hoke lost.
To be fair, Michigan got screwed on a horrible spot that negated a first down on our final drive. We had to kick a long field goal instead of manageable one (at worst) to lose by two. Rutgers finished 8-5, but we should have won that game.
November 3rd, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
Rutgers was decent. Schiano was gone and Flood was riding the last bit of Schiano’s success.
November 2nd, 2019 at 7:01 PM ^
True. But Harbaugh went up against Edsall and Flood in his first year and beat them by a combined 77-16, helping to get them both fired.
November 2nd, 2019 at 6:26 PM ^
And yet, no one talks about our dominance in these rivalry games.
November 2nd, 2019 at 4:44 PM ^
Good to not have a letdown. Now I’ll be looking for continued improvement and a good game against the Sparties in a few weeks. Can’t have letup, have to get better each week to have a chance at a great season with only 2 losses. Were the team to do that this would be a top 10 team winning a New Year’s Six bowl with wins over all three rivals. Definitely best season since I’ve watched (2006) probably longer.
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