brendan gibbons
drew dileo
drew dileo is the threat
2013 northwestern
this is not a game recap because i'm totally incapable of summing that up

Michigan 27, Northwestern 19 Comment Count

Ace


via @cjzero, obviously

I can't. I just... I can't. Thank you, Northwestern, for being Northwestern.

Consider this an open thread to celebrate(!) a victory(!!) featuring multiple touchdowns!!!

(Shhhhhhh, don't ruin it by mentioning the multiple overtimes part.)


Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog

Comments

GoBlueTal

November 17th, 2013 at 12:00 AM ^

No one is going to suggest this is anything but a team with deeply exploit(ed)(able) flaws. Still, what's the one thing you look for in a great kid? Grit. Willingness to keep going. This team has had a number of opportunities this season to fold up - and they keep fighting.

I get it, Brian and the staff are Henri the Otter time, fine, whatever. The point is, they should have been smart enough at the start of the season (not going to go look but I think they were) to say 8-4ish season back in August...

Hopefully this win helps them regain some confidence, and go beat a very beatable Iowa, and then, well, another game will happen. Then we go to the bowl 8-4! And better yet, we go to the bowl with the worst case scenario being "still better than Rod's best year".

This team has flaws. They're flaws that should have been obvious all along - we haven't had a consistent run game outside of our QB's since Lloyd...

Regardless, these boys and these coaches ARE BUILDING. It's painful, it's slower than we'd like, and we the fans are taking a beating on the way, but I for one am proud of these young men.

Go blue, beat Iowa!

Joined: 10/15/2011

MGoPoints: 962

Johnny10er

November 17th, 2013 at 1:47 AM ^

I tried to double tap your comment to like it. Not sure if it's the cheap whisky or watching the DVR of the game...
But agreed.
Things aren't good.
Definitely not great.
But we are getting effort.
Hopefully we (we as in the coaches)
are realizing what we need to do to move the football.
The things we did at the end of this game we haven't been doing all season.
There are two games left to prove that we can adapt, we can change, we can find a way to move the chains, a way to move the ball, a way to score TOUCHDOWNS.
If that doesn't happen. Then yes, panic mode.
But it isn't time yet.
Are we scared, are we worried?
Yes. Absolutely.
Will we achieve out hopes and dreams this year? No.
But can we learn, adjust, and prepare for next year by using what we have and pushing it to our fullest?
Yes!
No matter what, this season will be a disappointment, but it will be less disappointing if we don't learn and grow from it.
Go get the next two. It's not out of reach. Keep learning, and growing. Coaches and players.
And we can win. In the next two games, and in the future.

Joined: 06/12/2012

MGoPoints: 963

blueball97

November 17th, 2013 at 12:09 AM ^

Many of you complain when we lose and complain when we win, what is it you want from this team? Maybe expectations are unrealistic. It wasn't pretty but it was a much needed win, give the team credit for not folding when it would have been easy too. They won in spite if the incompetency that continues to be called coaching. Beat Iowa and Go Blue!

Joined: 02/19/2012

MGoPoints: 629

Maizenblueball

November 17th, 2013 at 2:40 AM ^

I still can't believe they got that field goal off in time!  I was already planning on the loss, then WOW!  Thanks Dave Brandon, for the wow moment (forget that it wasn't at the Big House)

Joined: 12/08/2011

MGoPoints: 12420

Waves

November 17th, 2013 at 8:20 AM ^

In danger of being lambasted for beating an already tired horse, I still have a huge disconnect with the headset thing.

Who decides to go for it on 4th down? Borges? If Hoke decides, how does he communicate it to the OC?

Does Hoke have any idea what plays are going to be called from down to down? Is it just as big a surprise to him as it is to us?

I'm not being snarky, I really am curious.

 

Joined: 11/11/2013

MGoPoints: 1471

PAproudtoGoBlue

November 17th, 2013 at 9:39 AM ^

 

That's why corner backs AREN'T wide recievers. How the HELL can the staff coach the special teams to execute precisely w/ 8 seconds yet..........plus I wanted to slapBrady when I saw him waving the O off the field, then I had to apologize to the family for my string of profanities that ensued in the folowing 7 seconds.  Then I had to admit I felt dirty for the fourth time after a win this year.

 

 

Joined: 07/11/2013

MGoPoints: 547

Manxman21

November 17th, 2013 at 10:01 AM ^

After the running disaster the last couple of weeks M finally got some positive yards on first down, pass protected a little in the backfield, and gave us a little hope for the future. Then Hoke said Fitz is the starter and will be in next week if he's healthy.....WHAT!? I like Fitz but I cannot stand seeing him get thrown back after contact when he runs and steamrolled in pass protection. We need a big back to pass protect even if it's a freshmen. You cannot tell me a linebacker running free through the a gap doesn't have a different feeling seeing a 240# blocker versus Fitz. At the moment the linebacker sees Green he isn't thinking, 'it's okay he's just a freshmen'. He's thinking, 'holy s.., that kid is big'. The definition of insanity applies doubly here. It doesn't only apply because M can't run or pass protect with Fitz, but because we actually had a little success running and pass protecting without him.

Joined: 12/30/2011

MGoPoints: 13

MFanWM

November 17th, 2013 at 10:27 AM ^

I think that the biggest positive is that the end of the game may leave Devin with some optimism and fire.  He has looked beaten down, unsure of his decisions.  That might be the single most important gain if he can maintain that going into the next few games.  If the leader of the offense shows no confidence that has a way of infecting the entire team, or if the opposite is happening vice versa.  

OSU is good, but their defense is not world beaters, and it was good to see more focus on hitting more short/intermediate routes.  If anything, Gallon and Funchess missed a few that should have been caught that would have converted first downs and TDs.  

I truly hope they focus on using Green/Smith the rest of the year and change-up with Fitz.  Green still has a tendency to bounce a bit too much, where he just needs to hit the hole as hard as possibe.  The quick-hit runs seemed to work, and takes pressure of the line to hold blocks, diagnose chips/second level and was more successful (NW caveat applies).

 

Joined: 09/19/2010

MGoPoints: 5216

lou apo

November 17th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^

I think we need to kick all of our field goals that way.  It was high, straight, long, and down the middle.  Gibbons typically only gets 3 out of 4 of those precious qualities.  I do think we got a bit lucky with not getting an illegal procedure.  It looked to me like the right guard wasn't set.

Joined: 10/31/2010

MGoPoints: 362

lou apo

November 17th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^

The plan, of course, was to NOT score on that 4th and 2.  You see, by not scoring and leaving NW with the lead, UM tricks NW into playing prevent, which of course, as we all know, only prevents you from winning.  NW falls for the diabolic plan and UM gets the ball last, marches down the field with no time outs and only 2 minutes to play.  Just for fun, they run it out to 4th down a couple times and make a 44 yard field goal with only only 8 seconds to get the kicking squad on the field.  Genious that Borges, I say, Genious!  I can see him up in the booth twiddling his fingers together and lauging Waaaaaaahahaha Waaaahahahaha as his plan falls perfectly into place.

Joined: 10/31/2010

MGoPoints: 362

Sten Carlson

November 17th, 2013 at 1:07 PM ^

What a great win for Team 134 -- they needed it badly. 

For all the negativity that has been surrounding the program of late, it is nice to see that the kids NEVER give up depsite every opportunity to do so.  Guys that hate on the coaching staff, and keep saying, "it's coaching!" should look at the complete and total LACK OF QUIT in this team, and apply the same metric -- THAT is coaching.  RR's teams quit, and it even seemed like Carr's teams quit late in his tenure, but Hoke's teams NEVER quit. 

Similarly, all the criers about coaching need to give credit to the coaching staff, it's organization, and the fact that it repped that play.  Again, THAT is coaching and I think that seem to give shit to the staff should give credit with equal measure.

I was so pleased to see Green and Smith in the backfield.  I've been saying for a while that I think at least SOME of the OL struggles are on Fitz.  I love the kid, and respect the hell out of him for coming back the way he did, but even Coach Fitz for NW said he's not the same back he was before the injury -- who can blame him?  It was so nice to have 2nd & 3 instead of 2 & 11.  That long run by Green was a thing of beauty -- especially the end in which he delivered a blow to tackler -- and a portent of things to come.

Guys can shit on NW, and this win, but I think things might have turned the corner for Team 134.  Maybe not as soon as we all wanted, but at least they've turned (maybe).

Great win, Beat Iowa, and always, GO BLUE!

 

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: -56

jmblue

November 17th, 2013 at 1:25 PM ^

Pretty much agree, although I would not say Carr's teams quit, unless you're talking about within the occasional game like the Tennessee bowl.  Carr's last team reeled off eight straight wins after the disastrous start, and then had the great bowl performance.

 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102715

McSomething

November 17th, 2013 at 1:45 PM ^

while it is always good to win the game (an ugly win is always better than a pretty loss, because the latter doesn't exist), this win doesn't exactly put my mind at east with this coaching staff. In particular those on the offensive side of the ball. As others have pointed out, thank god Northwestern decided to Northwestern it up at the end and in OT. They're the only team in the conference that has played with their fanbase's emotions more than Michigan has.

Joined: 09/29/2010

MGoPoints: 36836

Dana Dane

November 17th, 2013 at 2:31 PM ^

Now I know what it feels like for my friends who are Skins fans and are stuck with Dan Snyder for all eternity.  There's no way that Hoke will ever get rid of Borges and that just makes me sad...

Joined: 07/10/2008

MGoPoints: 48

ccarna

November 17th, 2013 at 3:01 PM ^

The Four Million Dollar Figurehead needs more that a Pee Wee coach in order to keep his job long term......."You guys go long" and "Same play" just don't get it and we need a QB coach for God's sake!!!

Joined: 11/02/2008

MGoPoints: 23

CoachParker6

November 17th, 2013 at 10:00 PM ^

I have a question for rules guru's out there. Correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't everyone on the FG unit need to be set for a full second prior to the snap? I've heard that somewhere before and while I'm tankful for the win shouldn't that of been a flag?

Joined: 11/17/2013

MGoPoints: 220