Fiesta Bowl and TCU update: TCU fan confidence, Corum
Can't believe the game is in only 11 days!
Ran into this preview podcast of TCU offense vs. our defense. This seems to come from their main fan forum. These guys are so confident that 1) their offense is much faster than our defense, and they will run circles around us; 2) we haven't seen an offense like TCU; and 3) our defense will not come out of the gate with any specific gameplay for their blinding speed. I have no previous experience with these guys, but such confidence while knowing so little about our defense, personnel, coaching, schemes, etc., is really jarring. Link here.
Saw social media post on the awards, and Corum was still on crutches. I know that some of us, including myself, were holding out hope that there was a very slight chance he could return after what was reported by Fox as meniscus surgery. If that video was from any time in the last week, and he's still on crutches, it's definitely not looking good for that.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:55 AM ^
Give corum the bag and hopefully he returns next year. Grab a high end transfer portal corner and this team is stacked from top to bottom
December 20th, 2022 at 11:46 AM ^
Who are our WR's? Someone really, really, really needs to emerge as a stud. Anthony doesn't appear to be near. Wilson didn't rip the tops off any real defenses. And who's the other receiving TE? This team needs a Murderback like Haskins more than it needs another CB. With the DL we have returning, and Will Johnson and Mikey S., we'll be okay there. But who is going to be the running game hammer. It's not Corum, even if he comes back. He hasn't made it through a full season yet without an injury. He's not the thunder. He's the shake-n-bake, and we all know who the lightning is. But we need the thunder.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^
Our running game destroyed every team we played this year so I disagree with that. Our WRs are fine especially with another year for the youngsters. Maybe one more TE but whatever. I think you’re being a little too negative
December 20th, 2022 at 8:13 PM ^
I'm very optimistic about next year, but there are still some flaws I'd like to see strengthened. I don't see your WR take as critically thinking. The young WR's are going to be fine because they're older? That's certainly not a gimme. It's getting late early for Anthony, who was often identified as a dude who was about to break out, and he hasn't shown much yet. Besides him, the only proven commodities are Henning and Wilson, who aren't exactly terrifying for opponents with the exception of Wilson's deep speed. It's a position that is very unproven for us. Maybe it will be okay, but there aren't known horses. As for backs, you disagree, but don't say why? Who's going to be running the rock? Again, Corum, if he came back, hasn't finished a season yet without missing serious time with an injury. If Corum were back, and he or Edwards missed time from an injury, we'd be in deep shit, unless someone else emerges. If it's just Edwards, trying to get through an entire B1G season with one proven back sounds scary. We really need at least one more starter-level RB, and, as Corum stands a good chance of leaving, we really need two. Who will they be? They'll unquestionable have a good line, but losing Hayes, Olu, Zinter, and maybe even Keegan, I doubt we'll be as dominant as this year. But, apparently, you disagree with this need, for unstated reasons.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
Marvin Harrison jr should come here if he wants to play for a championship winning team.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:51 AM ^
He wasn't projected that high in the draft was he? I wanted to say 4th round at best?
Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
I've seen 3rd/4th round draft grades for him. Last year, 3rd round picks got $850k-1.2 million signing bonuses and 4th round picks got $500-825k. Non-guaranteed salaries were generally in the $900k to $1 million range per year.
Tough thing about RBs is that it's such a physical position and you have only so many productive years/shots in your body. As much as I would like him back, my advice to him would be to go pro now--and then come back to AA regularly so we can properly laud him as the legend he was.
December 20th, 2022 at 2:45 PM ^
You're not wrong, but it's totally plausible for a top 5 back to go that low in today's NFL. However, if we throw some 3rd or 4th round money at Corum it might make his decision interesting.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:55 AM ^
Huh. Beating the Bucks and Purdue's aerial assault isn't enough Penn St had a decent D. Typical fandom BS.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
Remember they're the Buckeyes, which is a nut, and not the "Bucks," which makes them sound tough, which they ain't.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:51 AM ^
Oh I do. I'm sure as fuck not going down the road of tOSU or Buckeyes. It's the bucks, the bucks s/ as in the plea for student donors or Day pleas to keep the program in steed. For all the logos they put on their helmets they can stick red $$ on their helmets. Fuck them.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:06 PM ^
Blue, respectfully - it's on "red $$ on their helmets", it's green $$$ in brown bags that they've been receiving for years...
December 20th, 2022 at 4:33 PM ^
Yea, kinda right... but
December 20th, 2022 at 4:41 PM ^
Green $$ is for the asshole in E.L. Or SFX that also isn't worth shit. Last years whores. The $EC is Finebaum's pimp.
December 20th, 2022 at 9:58 AM ^
Do they know that speed can't do much when it is sitting on the sidelines while we run for 6 ypc 8 minutes at a time?
December 20th, 2022 at 10:06 AM ^
I was thinking about this yesterday watching The Game again. Another benefit of our long drives is that opposing teams offenses get cold, out of rhythm.
The other thing that stood out was the difference in the quarterback position. Not just JJ's ability to run the ball but the way he ran the ball, tough-nosed. JJ is a gamer. That's all I'll say about that.
I love our team.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
I just want him to take fewer hits..... the last thing we need his him to get dinged up trying to get another 1/2 yard on a run.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:48 AM ^
You mean like a horseshit call by the refs granting a timeout to osu before halftime while the play was already running and we gained 20 yards... and then they body slam our QB with no call?
But yes, he tends to be bad at sliding and doesn't like to go out of bounds. Our RBs go out of bounds more readily than he does. That's the Mcaffrey gene in him that just gets leveled sometimes with NO need. On the flip side, he does run through some soft tackles.
December 20th, 2022 at 12:14 PM ^
He should never slide. Sliding is how you get your head taken off, figuratively. He should get out of bounds or dive forward in my opinion. I think the slide should be outlawed in football.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
you want to outlaw sliding?! or you want to outlaw sliding as a means to protect the QB. diff things.
I don't care either way, but its clear that some QBs have it down to a science and others look like Bambi out there skating on ice. Both get their heads lopped off, but... the bambis tend to get belted and hit hard.
I agree on dive forward mostly, but there are plenty of times where the effort to dive forward willr esult in a hard hit.. and he's also then landing on his shoulder/arm/ball... which could result in a turnover or worse, an injury to the operative part of the QB
December 20th, 2022 at 10:24 AM ^
The key is winning first down. If we hold them to 3 yd and under on 1st down, they are doomed. I'm not worried. They might be the 4th best team we have played this yr.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:31 PM ^
I’d rather win 3rd down. I get what you’re saying though.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:41 AM ^
Corum was how Michigan did that. I don't think we have that kind of offense without him. Going to need to throw the ball.
December 20th, 2022 at 11:19 AM ^
Corum was the RB that could gain those 1st and 2nd down yards even with they loaded the box... Edwards might not be that guy... fortunately we have the tools to use the passing game to back a couple of those 8 or 9 guys up and that's when The Don can blow through a hole in the line, shrug off an arm tackle and take it to the house.
We are SOOOO lucky to have #7 chomping at the bit when #2 went down. They have different strengths, but are both lethal #1 quality backs and our offensive scheme an thrive with either.
GO BLUE
December 20th, 2022 at 11:48 AM ^
Agree. That little bit about Edwards' surgery after the Purdue game that was posted a few days ago has me a bit paranoid though.
December 20th, 2022 at 1:33 PM ^
I think we are going to need Mullings or Stokes to absorb some hits in the first half while the offensive line softens up their D. Then release Edwards in the second half.
December 20th, 2022 at 2:15 PM ^
that certainly wouldn't hurt....
December 20th, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
What? We completely did that exact same thing to OSU when they stopped bringing their safeties down. Corum was equally bottled up as Edwards in similar situations.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:00 AM ^
Their fast offense really did a number on Kansas st….
oh wait.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:05 AM ^
Lol. Exactly. If they had trouble with KSU, they don't know what is going to hit them hard.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:17 AM ^
Don't forget Texas, held them to 17...
December 20th, 2022 at 11:03 AM ^
Texas does have a lot of talent, though. Then again, so do we!
December 20th, 2022 at 11:50 AM ^
It might be kind of like my son's fast offense against the other suburban teams. But when they go play in SE DC, they suddenly don't look so fast out there. Imagining your offense is fast against Big 12 defenses is borderline delusional. Now, I'm sure they'll score points. But I kind of feel that they're not dissimilar to OSU, in that they can chunk down the field on some drives, but are going to have trouble having the meat to put it in the end zone consistently.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:03 AM ^
I'm confident this will be a high scoring game. I don't disagree that their offense is elite - Duggan is probably the best QB we've played all year (his legs make him a tougher matchup than Stroud), Johnson the 1B WR we've faced all year (Harrison 1A, but Johnson is taller with more speed) and their RB room is really solid.
On D though, as long as Michigan doesn't turn the ball over, I think they are going to struggle to stop us. I could definitely see a scenario where Michigan scores on a 8 min drive, TCU then scores on 3 plays, and then their defense is right back on the field getting worn out again.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:10 AM ^
On D though, as long as Michigan doesn't turn the ball over, I think they are going to struggle to stop us.
Not to mention, we still have stuff in the bag that we didn't use versus OSU. Matt Weiss literally admitted in an interview they didn't use a lot of the stuff they had planned
December 20th, 2022 at 10:19 AM ^
Sounds like some great stuff for Georgia if we are able to keep it in the bag and beat TCU
December 20th, 2022 at 10:23 AM ^
Hope we're able to keep it in the bag for one more game. Honestly, not only are we one of if not the best offenses they'll have seen all year, they haven't seen anything like our offense. Maybe the closest comparison is Kansas St. on steroids, and they had plenty of trouble with them. Their defense isn't great to begin with; I foresee them getting run over and around as they try to pick their poison...
December 20th, 2022 at 12:00 PM ^
With 3 weeks to scout and prepare, I'm assuming both teams are going to have new stuff that isn't on film.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:32 AM ^
Yeah I'd say definitely the best QB Michigan will face all season and overall their WR room is better than OSU's.
If I was them I'd be worried about the OL, which is no where near as good as OSU's and more about Penn State level, above average.
We really need the FFFF's though.
And the Purdue offensive UFR for this slow week.
December 20th, 2022 at 2:01 PM ^
Although a much better runner and a warrior, I don't think Duggan is vastly superior to Stroud.
I also don't think TCU's receiver room is better than OSU's, Egbuka had over 1000 yards and Julian Flemming was the the 3rd overall recruit in 2019.
UM did have an issue with the taller Charlie Jones at Purdue and Quentin Johnson is 6'4".
TCU's bread and butter is big plays and Michigan is one of the stingiest teams in allowing them.
The challenge for Michigan will be stopping the run with a minimum number of guys while still being able to limit Duggan's yardage when he scrambles.
You you keep a spy on him, you lose someone in coverage. if you don't he could gash you for big yardage.
I think their D will have a bigger challenge with our offense, than theirs will have with ours.
They will probably stack the box and challenge JJ to throw. I think we run anyway. 6 vs 7 - we spend 3 quarters testing gaps and weaknesses, softening their core. If we grind them down with the slow, methodical, elephant death march they should lose their will to live in the 4th quarter.
BTW I'm not sure it was answered but when Corum was told the Oline one the Joe Moore Award he was excited and on crutches.
https://twitter.com/AndrewEdGraham/status/1604236253750337538
December 20th, 2022 at 2:54 PM ^
My biggest concern in this game is Duggan's legs by far. Like you said, you can spy him but then you lose coverage or rush options. Plus running QBs seem to be a decades long issue for us. I foresee pressure destroying multiple plays only for Duggan to scramble for 10-20 yards.
Interestingly, the TCU podcast barely mentioned this. They seem most scared of our pass rush but seem to believe they are just so much faster on offense. They thought Duggan would throw quickly and pick us apart with this extreme speed. They also thought we would be the ones to get tired by the 4th quarter. They all agreed without any doubt that TCU has better conditioning than M. We'll see about that.
In general, I'm happy to listen to content so this entertained me. However, they never mentioned a single strategic thing. It was all feelings. They feel like we aren't taking them serious, they feel like we won't scheme anything specific for them. They feel like they are faster. They feel like their conditioning is second to none, they feel like our secondary can be picked apart (because OSU did it on their opening drive ffs) and so on. Nothing about formations or specific players to target or avoid.
December 21st, 2022 at 6:14 AM ^
Big 12 defenses fly all over the field but lack discipline, insert Knowles. OSU got beat by playing big 12 defense against a big 10 power team. As much as OSU fans will never admit it, they were gassed half way through the 3rd and by the 4th Stroud was being hurried and our 4 man rush was collapsing the pocket. This is gonna look a lot like the OSU game but against a qb who wills his team and never gives up. Very much un Stroud like. The boards gonna be in full meltdown mode by the break, but the 2nd half should play out like it usually does. I’m all for Mullings pounding the hell out of them early and then unleashing some 4.3 speed in the 2nd. I highly doubt they’re better conditioned and or physically stronger. Faster, maybe, but a strong right can slow down the fastest puncher.
December 21st, 2022 at 7:19 AM ^
The reason our D got home in the 4th is because OSU had to play from behind. Michigan needs to get up by a couple scores in the 4th then let Big Mike eat.
December 20th, 2022 at 5:42 PM ^
Fleming is just okay. I think OSU has a better 1-2 punch, but TCU can spread the ball around a lot more. And I think Duggan being the better runner and warrior is exactly what is going to make him the best QB Michigan has faced. Stroud didn't run at all and then gave up. Stroud might throw a better ball but I think Duggan is probably better overall.
Charlie Jones is 6' even. Not as big as Johnston who is 6' 4" and Savion Williams is 6' 5" and has 4 TDs himself.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:44 AM ^
Yeah the big difference between TCU and OSU/Purdue/PSU is that the TCU offense is balanced. They are equally effective running the ball and throwing it, on top of which you have to account for Duggan's legs.
Really a very difficult offense to prepare for and stop, I'd guess.
December 20th, 2022 at 4:55 PM ^
Johnson may be "1B," but he is not faster than MHjr.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:04 AM ^
I thought the optimistic timeline for Corum was that if it was something like a meniscus, that maybe a return in the national championship game might be possible, if we get there. I wasn't expecting any chance he'd be back for TCU.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:16 AM ^
Not sure why people thought Corum would come back 28 days or even 36 days after he had knee surgery. That's less time than it takes to heal from a broken bone let alone the long rehab time most knee surgeries take.
December 20th, 2022 at 10:20 AM ^
They thought that because top athletes with top medical care can fully recover from meniscus surgery in 4-6 weeks
December 21st, 2022 at 6:17 AM ^
It’s been a minute, but didn’t Manningham do just that?