game recaps
al borges i don't even know
2013 nebraska
poor damn michigan defense

Nebraska 17, Michigan 13 Comment Count

Ace

This was the high point, both from a football and comedic standpoint.

If this isn't rock bottom, it's damn close. Michigan faced a Nebraska rush defense that's done this...

Opponent Att Yds TD YPC
Wyoming 30 219 1 7.3
UCLA 50 216 2 4.3
South Dakota State 33 271 2 8.2
Illinois 45 211 2 4.7
Purdue 20 82 0 4.1
Minnesota 53 272 3 5.1
Northwestern 43 283 3 6.6

...and, with sacks removed, rushed for 22 yards on 29 attempts. Oh, and a combination of poor play-calling, poor line play, poor blitz pickup, and one understandably skittish quarterback allowed seven sacks that knocked the offense back 49 yards.

Brady Hoke's home winning streak is dead; that's not really the story. It wasn't hard to see this coming, not after the narrow escape against Akron, and certainly not after last week's debacle. When Drew Dileo dropped a fourth-down pass on Michigan's last-gasp drive, it felt depressingly fitting—of course the sure-handed receiver would let one slip through his grasp at precisely the wrong time, because that's just how this season has gone.


Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog

When Michigan attained a first down for the first time in the game, only three plays before the end of the first quarter, the Big House crowd erupted with the loudest Bronx cheer I've ever heard in this building. The sarcastic cheers turned to boos by the end of the first half, at which time the Wolverines, down 10-3, had 60 yards of offense on 29 plays.

Those boos only grew louder by the end of the game. Al Borges orchestrated a great drive to open the second half, featuring a big play for Fitz Toussaint on a slip screen, a slick pop-pass to Jake Butt against a heavy blitz, and a touchdown to a wide-open Devin Funchess on a post-curl-corner route combination.

Thus ended the offensive renaissance. That ten-play, 75-yard drive represented 43% of Michigan's total output on the afternoon, and Michigan resumed slamming their heads against stacked fronts and allowing wave after wave of pressure to hit home.

The defense did what they could, holding the Huskers to 273 yards—75 of which came on their game-winning drive—on just 4.1 yards per play despite two new starters at safety: Courtney Avery and Josh Furman, who replaced Jarrod Wilson and Thomas Gordon.* When Frank Clark lost contain and James Ross was late getting out on an option pitch (of sorts, since it went forwards) to Ameer Abdullah, who waltzed five yards into the end zone, there wasn't anger in Michigan Stadium—instead, apathy reigned, and a healthy number of fans streamed for the exits despite the Wolverines being down four with two minutes left and all their timeouts. Five plays later, those fans were proven—at least for today—to be justified in their actions.

"Well, we just didn't execute," said Brady Hoke after the game. That is 2013 Michigan Football's epitaph, and at some point it isn't going to be enough to save everyone's job.

-------------
*According to Hoke in the post-game presser, Gordon had an unspecified ankle injury, while Wilson's absense from the lineup was an attempt to shake things up.

Comments

blusage

November 9th, 2013 at 7:59 PM ^

The problem with Michigan is this: we have some delusion that our "Tradition" is so special, that playing in The Big House is end all be all, that all we need is someone to get us back to this nebulous "Tradition" which is one NC in the last 60 years. And everybody is fine with that. As long as we win most of our home games and win a Big Ten championship now and then, the fans are sated.

Meanwhile, other programs, year in year out the top ones, the ones who have one multiple NC's these past 60 years, don't give a damn about what happend a hundred years ago and only care about winning national championships -- those in RECENT HISTORY and NOW! We don't seriously to be in this category and the results show it, because the programs that are in this category spend the big bucks -- which we CAN afford, but don't value as much as respect to our "Tradition" -- and get proven coaches who are unabashed in their desires to win NCs and go out and get them.

So until we shatter our delusions of the value of "Tradition" and embrace the rigors -- and requisite demands -- of the true competition, which is for the NC, to be Top Dog, we will be stuck with mediocre coaches like Hoke. (RR WAS a good hire but, again, we short-changed ourselves by not spending a few extra bucks to bring his DC Jeff Casteel with him. His record at Arizona is proof of this.)

(Gee, maybe Hoke can fire Borges and bring in Ron English since he's an all-important Michigan man!)

Oh, the horror, the horror....

 

 

Joined: 01/06/2011

MGoPoints: 211

antidaily

November 9th, 2013 at 8:09 PM ^

This is misguided. It's like the people angry at Hoke for making winning the B1G the primary goal and not a BCS championship. It's semantics. You really think our fans are apathetic? We have the angriest most unhappy fans in the country.

Brandon knows the score. He may be a marketing robot sent to extract dollar bills from everyone who's every worn an M hat, but he knows the expectation. And it's definitely not "win home games" and a b1g every once in a while.

Joined: 05/21/2009

MGoPoints: 7506

SKIP TO MY BLUE

November 9th, 2013 at 8:04 PM ^

"I'm in favor of it." John McKay, coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1976, when asked about the execution of his team.

This is what I think of every time I hear about players not executing. Also at this point, if a lineman can't block or a RB can't pick up a blitzing LB, it's time to fire Funk & Jackson. Borges may not be great but he is doing what he can with what he has. I am no longer surprised by anything this year, maybe it's time to groom next years players so they are ready to execute when called upon.

Joined: 05/19/2010

MGoPoints: 546

The Iron Jock

November 9th, 2013 at 8:08 PM ^

I almost hate to give this up but if this thing keeps on going the way it's going -- and by that I mean completely off the rails -- then John U. Bacon's next book should be called, "Less Than Zero."

 

Joined: 09/03/2012

MGoPoints: 273

Bando Calrissian

November 9th, 2013 at 8:08 PM ^

As soon as the game was over, the emotion was gone. I didn't even care. First time in a lifetime of watching Michigan football that a loss garnered no reaction. Just move along, go do something else.

Life is bigger than this. My fandom is broken. This is just another interest now.

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 68099

uminks

November 10th, 2013 at 3:24 AM ^

Just not worth ruining your weekend following this team!  Today I was in CA wine country. Checked the score a few times. I kind of knew NE would beat them after last weeks dismal showing in EL!  There's a good chance they will not win another game. This team looks as poor as the '08 team. The lack of progress this year has been extremely disappointing. IMO, this is the season that will doom Hoke. I don't see more than 7 or 8 wins the next 2 years. Hoke will eventually get dumped, then it will be time to rebuild once again under a new coach!

Joined: 11/10/2009

MGoPoints: 31975

Jgruss42

November 9th, 2013 at 8:09 PM ^

Increasing ticket price +
Horrible home schedules +
6 years when we are only playing on one side of the ball (all offense/no defense with RR, better than average defense/no offense with Hoke) +
Coaches that can't adapt, can't see their own trends and can't/don't explain repeated failure +
Fans with increased access to performance data and analysis
=
Growing disdain from the fan base, and the high likelihood of decreasing crowds, decreasing student (and future alumni) interest

Joined: 09/03/2011

MGoPoints: 492

schreibee

November 10th, 2013 at 1:11 AM ^

25,000 in Maize & Blue, ya mean?! 90͵000 in Scarlet & Gray. Ratio will be only 60/40 this year as it is. I found myself acting like Ed Norton in Fight Club tonight when he realizes he's actually Tyler Durden as I both rooted against Bama -and FOR them- as I realized their losing would put ohio in the top 2! How has it comes to this....?!

Joined: 11/02/2009

MGoPoints: 21103

Sione's Flow

November 9th, 2013 at 8:12 PM ^

I honestly hope some boosters/alumni put the heat on Dave Brandon to start searching for a new OC.  My first call would be to Stanford or Florida.  Brent Pease was good at Boise, he would an upgrade over Borges and his inability to adjust to the defense he's being shown.

Joined: 06/05/2011

MGoPoints: 5193

Mpfnfu Ford

November 9th, 2013 at 8:24 PM ^

Got his gig at Florida based on one year coaching a fabulous quarterback. Ask Florida fans about Pease, and they'll say all the same stuff Michigan folks say about Borges. Grab back offense that does nothing well and seems to constantly ignore what the players coached can actually do. 

Michigan needs to hire an offensive coordinator with a defined system and a way to teach it that has been proven to work at different places. If that means going back to spread and shred, great. As long as the folks hired can teach it, do it. If that means hiring a former Harbaugh guy, that's cool too. Just stop this mealy multiple mush offense. Every team trying to do this grab bag stuff is inconsistent and terrible except Boise, and none of Boise's former coordinators have been able to replicate that offense at bigger jobs. 

Joined: 05/19/2012

MGoPoints: 6469

matty blue

November 9th, 2013 at 9:49 PM ^

florida's offense is even more of a tire fire than ours is...florida fans would be ECSTATIC if we hired their offensive coordinator.  they're currently 109th in rushing offense, and 72nd in passing offense.  VANDERBILT just held them to 17 points.

and stanford; well, yeah, i'd love to have an offense like stanford's too.  thing is, that offense is pretty similar to what we're already trying to do, and we can't run it now.

Joined: 08/01/2008

MGoPoints: 39152

realfootballfan

November 9th, 2013 at 8:13 PM ^

There was no throwing objects at the TV. No running outside and screaming "FUCK!!!!!" as loud as I can and scaring the neighbors. Nothing. I'm playing Arkham Origins on xbox with my kids. It's better for my sanity.

I'm going out on a limb here and predicting that Northwestern will blitz 90% of the time next week.

And Gorgeous will run smack into the middle of it over and over.

I just saved you all a headache.

Joined: 08/15/2008

MGoPoints: 1272

True Blue Grit

November 9th, 2013 at 8:14 PM ^

isn't tough.  They had the lead with less than 1/2 the 4th quarter left, then gave up a 75 yard drive for the go-ahead score and could not get it done with over 2 minutes left and all 3 time outs.  The obvious problem is the offense.  Al Borges has to be accountable for the results and lack of improvement.   The vultures are going to be circling around the offensive coaches after this team goes 6-6 this year.

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 32234

D.C.Blue

November 9th, 2013 at 10:08 PM ^

The D line, coached by Hoke and Mattison, cant get pressure.  The linebackers tackle inconsistently and dont drop well into pass routes.  The DBs cant anticipate and leave receivers open by 5 - 10 yards on 3rd down consistently.  Either the talent isnt there (I personally believe it is) or the coaches on both sides of the ball need a gut check or get the hell out.

Joined: 10/24/2009

MGoPoints: 503

UMinTroyOh

November 9th, 2013 at 11:02 PM ^

The D-Line is a real problem we have not gotten any middle pressure since Mike Martin. Some of the youth on the ends have potential but still no middle pressure. That falls squarley on Hoke as he attempts to add his flavor there but it the results are most assuredly unacceptable. Watching David Harris play last weekend for the Jets makes me wonder if we have had a decent LB since he left. The current group is remarkably average but I place some of the blame on the lack of D-Line success. We continue to be unable to shed blocks and the pass coverage is pretty pedestrian. Not a horrible group but not above average. I believe the DB's are on the verge of very good but we need a consistant perfromance on critical plays. Seems to be a single breakdown on those critical plays, and the end of the Nebraska drive is a great example with the extremely poor play on the sideline pass.

Joined: 11/01/2009

MGoPoints: 67

wiper

November 9th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^

i reiterate: FIRE ACE 

unless ace is running the mgoblog twitter feed during games (i assume brian does), "the Big House crowd erupted with the loudest Bronx cheer I've ever heard in this building" 

sounds awfully like: 

3h

At least I've heard the loudest Bronx cheer in the history of Michigan Stadium now.

 

either ace has pictures of brian bald and naked, or he gives the best blow jobs in the blogosphere. because his writing/"reporting"/recruiting info is awful.

 

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: -99999129

wiper

November 9th, 2013 at 8:50 PM ^

you think ACE adds positive equity to this site? answer that.

last week i had similar comments. 

this isn't me steaming over a loss, this is me assuming others agree and brian rides the wave. any idiot with an english degree could improve upon ace's "contributions" to this site.

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: -99999129