Michigan 29 Minnesota 26 Comment Count

Seth

barron

A wall.

Michigan had their hands on it all game, and it kept slipping through their fingers. Peppers dropped a pick-six after jumping a WR screen. Dymonte Thomas and Jarrod Wilson both dropped interceptions they had two hands on (Dymonte’s was then caught by a Gopher). Jourdan Lewis and Jeremy Clark probably could have grabbed a pair of Leidner ducks they played with Connor Cook-level respect. Thomas also let a perfect Blake O’Neill punt bounce through his hands for a touchback. Each time the Gophers capitalized.

For its part, Minnesota held on like men who don’t know what they’d do with their lives if they couldn’t run around in goofy armor for a chance to win some painted old pottery. On 4th and 5 on Minnesota’s last drive, K.J. Maye had one inch to catch a slant against perhaps the best cornerback in the country, and  didn’t drop it. Neither did his receiver mate Drew Wolitarsky, who on the ensuing 2nd down beat Channing Stribling with a double move and hauled in a pass at the 1 inch line.

With the clock running Mitch Leidner moved his pieces around to set up a winning TD, but the Michigan defense chased him out of his pocket. That left 2 seconds for either a field goal attempt to force overtime, or a play to win. An average team against an average defense should get that QB sneak 9 times out of 10. But Minnesota was no average offense; they had a true freshman at center and other replacements all around him. And Michigan was no average defense. For one, Ryan Glasgow was the guy right over the ball. For two, D.J. Durkin was making the calls.

Glasgow won the battle he’d won all game, the rest of Michigan’s goal line defense closed around him, and together they grasped the life out the old rival. For that they get to hold the Jug again.peppers

While the Minnesotasphere will spend the next week replaying final scenarios (and the choice to play for a field goal at the end of the first half), Michigan fans will try to unpack all of the misfortunes and misplays that almost made the Little Brown Jug miss the flight home from its year abroad.

So much about Michigan has changed since then that it’s hard to remember this is still a team put together by Brady Hoke and held together by Harbaugh’s ingenuity. You can’t blame the old coach for everything, but Michigan’s recent history was all over this game.

Those weren’t all bad things. The interior defensive line was its magnificent self. Jourdan Lewis was. Chesson dropped one earlier but held onto his horizontal touchdown, and Darboh’s hands made sure it was 3 points, not 1, that Minnesota needed from our 1.

Hoke also left Jabrill Peppers, who, finally, was the answer one too many of Michigan’s questions. Need an athletic nickel to neutralize the spread? Peppers. Need a strong safety? Peppers. Cornerback. Kick returner. Punt returner. Running back. Slot receiver. Quarterback?

So yeah, this week we’re going to talk about the Morris-or-bust plan, because early in the third quarter Jake Rudock went to slide, and a defender tried to separate his head from his shoulders. It was the third time (the second was earlier in this game) this season he was clearly targeted with no call.

With Michigan down 23-21 at this point Harbaugh inserted Wilton Speight, whose play was about what you expect out of Wilton Speight. He did finally get his feet under him on the final drive, with his last two passes of the game the touchdown to Chesson and the two-point conversion to Darboh. Let that be the final word on wither Shane Morris.

(Rudock was on the sideline trying to throw after being examined and just about everyone noted Michigan informed the press it was a shoulder injury rather than, you know, making it a thing.)

Desmond Morgan did not have a good game, giving up a long run when he got out of his lane, getting caught too far inside on a long wheel route, letting Brandon Lingen sneak behind him for a long pass at the beginning of the 4th quarter, and letting Rodney Smith shuck him to give up a crucial 3rd and 17.

That and the dodgy score and the Halloween candy had Michigan perilously close to vomiting up a Hoke game in 2015. But they ultimately held it down, and the feeling will pass with time.

Comments

maizenbluenc

November 1st, 2015 at 1:17 PM ^

a couple times early, if he had just stepped up, instead of  rolling out, he would have been fine.

I think Speight may have the better are, but Rudock is more comfortable and a lower risk. The problem we have is MSU, and Minny just showed that if you stop the run, you limit the offensive production. That is where we have a problem with Penn State, and Ohio State.

Chris S

November 1st, 2015 at 12:02 AM ^

1. I think you may have downplayed Speight's performance a little bit. At least for me, he outplayed what I expected from him. I thought he was calm in throwing the first couple passes away instead of forcing something, and obviously the last drive. He gets my game ball.

2. Also, while Stribling did get beat, he deserves some props for at least staying with that play.

3. I think we saw the difference a head coach makes. Minnesota had a coordinator controlling the clock and it showed.

4. I love being nervous during games again!

dragonchild

November 1st, 2015 at 12:07 AM ^

Yeah it's not so much the stats or highlights but Speight got in there under TREMENDOUS pressure and delivered the game-winning points -- and we needed every single one.  He far exceeded expectations.

Our backup QB was prepared. . . that's something I haven't seen in a long time.

champswest

November 1st, 2015 at 10:06 AM ^

who has also played the game and understands how difficult that situation was for Speight. That was way more than just playing well enough to win. He certainly impressed me, and he seemed to be pretty calm during and after the game.

gwkrlghl

November 1st, 2015 at 1:55 PM ^

Yeah, he scrambled from the pocket early maybe once or twice but you could see he was comfortable out there. Not sure how to put it into words but you can tell when a QB is freaking out and when a QB isn't. Speight threw a few away instead of forcing them in and made two clutch throws in a row to win the game

Goggles Paisano

November 1st, 2015 at 6:18 AM ^

Speight came in and was poised.  I gotta say the gameball has to go to Jabrill.  He was everything for this team tonite.  He was up to 80 snaps with about 6 minutes still to go in the game.  He has got to be in incredible shape as he never looked tired.  Dude is one of the best football players in the country.  

westwardwolverine

November 1st, 2015 at 1:53 PM ^

Actually, both games were remarkably similar in that our opponents received 90%+ of all the breaks, its just in the end we won this one. 

Minnesota "outplayed" us by benefiting from a number of terribly thrown passes that ended up somehow being completed and our quarterback getting hurt on (at least by the standard set last week) what was the second targeting (non)-call of the game. 

Seth

November 1st, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^

Man everybody had shitty expectations for Speight. I would put his play as noticeably worse than Rudock but better than Morris v Minn or Bellomy v Nebraska. You could tell he has had much better coaching. But he was pretty awful until the last drive. The two-point conversion play was excellent. I don't know what else we are supposed to expect. He didn't look like a future starter. But he did look like a better option than Morris.

schreibee

November 1st, 2015 at 12:40 AM ^

Yes, I had shitty expectations for Speight. There's not one thing we've ever seen or been leaked by "insiders" to give us any other expectation. How many times has Brian pointed out he was hand picked by Borges, who's never groomed even one successful college QB?

No, I wouldn't say his play was "noticeably worse than Rudock." In fact I'd say after the first couple series it was equal if not superior. I keep trying to visualize Rudock leading a game-winning come-from-behind drive with such cool aplomb and accuracy, especially the last two throws. Based on his time in Maize & Blue, I'm failing in that visualization. 

I'd be more than happy to let Rudock rest and heal vs Rutgers, hopefully being available to come in if needed. And give Peppers more snaps, but they can't ALL be jet sweeps like the osu game with DG & Denard alternating. There has to be some variety to the play calls.

 

 

KungFury

November 1st, 2015 at 12:49 AM ^

I had horrible memories of Bellomy when he was 0-8 on the season or some nonsense like that. But the last 4 completions put him light years ahead of Morris. He had 4 consecutive completions on not screen passes. I took him finishing the game as Rudock is hurt, but will be back next week.




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M-Dog

November 1st, 2015 at 12:38 AM ^

It was a dumb call by them.  They are at home, they are geeked out of their minds, our D is tiring, our QB is the 2nd string off the bench . . . OT is the right call.

Instead, they play into our one key strength that did not underperform all night, our experienced and deep DL.

stephenrjking

November 1st, 2015 at 1:06 AM ^

A lot of people like the call. I guess I understand. But I have a good guide for whether or not a call like that (going for it on fourth down, etc) is good: how I feel about it as an opposition fan.

If my reaction is, "oh, crud," it's probably a good call. If I am excited and pleased, it's probably a bad call.

One play to win or lose, asking our DL to make the play? I was delighted.

aiglick

November 1st, 2015 at 1:47 AM ^

Our dline is absolutely excellent. It was a couple of inches.

The real screwup was the clock management. It was, IMO, the right decision to go for the probable win in regulation but they had to do it such that they had the option to kick the tying field goal.

That 17 seconds run off was the critical error. Regardless, we won and it was great.

Alton

November 1st, 2015 at 11:15 AM ^

Look at the probabilities.  Minnesota has no more than a 60 or 65 percent chance of winning if it goes to overtime.  OT is just too random (turnovers, missed FGs, other lucky events) for any team to have much more than a 2:1 shot at winning.  But getting 18 inches on a "must-have" play is easily a 75 percent chance, and probably much better than that with a call other than QB sneak.

The probabilities say, "go for it."  If it were on the 2 yard line, I would say kick, but it was inside the 1.

UMForLife

November 1st, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^

I would say because they did not do well when they were in closed quarters, towards the end zone. Lot of those big throws and runs where around the mid field. Michigan couldn't be stopped by them when they are in the red zone area. So, going OT may not be the best option. But, with the backup QB, they should have tried.

dragonchild

November 2nd, 2015 at 6:50 AM ^

They'd just completed yet another insane pass, they were "win for Kill" playing out of their minds, the Michigan D had been gashed all night.  Every argument of "why not go to OT" could be made for "why not go for it".  OT is more of a crapshoot AND a momentum-killer since the ball resets on every possession.

To go for it was the right call.  The mistake was to try a QB sneak.  Michigan's edges were open all night and they tried to go up the gut.

Esterhaus

November 1st, 2015 at 12:15 AM ^

 
Kudos to them and coaches Claeys and Kill. I haven't felt this relieved since both lavatories on a long flight broke down early and I cleared Customs in record time. Hey guys, how 'bout we post a huge margin early on the board remaining games?
 
Wilton ultimately showed his composure tonight once the staff granted him free reign. I thought he could be a great one last Spring and my hopes have been renewed.  Peppers played more than 80 reps, he's got it all, and I pray he doesn't leave after this season - everybody knows he's THAT good by now.
 
Let's Go Blue.

TheCool

November 1st, 2015 at 1:01 AM ^

I want surprised they went for it due to the emotions plus having a guy who isn't used to making those decisions. It was a bad decision exactly fir the reasons you covered, plus they were at home. Those last two plays were terrible.