October 13th, 2013 at 2:02 AM ^
If you feel entitled to better performances there are plenty of other teams deilvering. I'm not meaning to be dickish, but if you think the seat license fees actually contribute to making 18-23 year olds better on the field you've been hoodwinked.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:44 PM ^
October 12th, 2013 at 11:49 PM ^
Unbelievable. I'm curious to see the Mathlete's numbers for some of this.
We had the ball and a seven-point lead inside their 30 with just a minute and change to go in the game while they had no timeouts. That alone is probably a 95% shot of victory.
Then we had the ball again in their territory with 13 seconds to go and the score tied.
Then we lined up for a medium-length FG in OT for the win.
Then we lined up another medium-length FG in OT for the win.
We have major issues - the OL's problems clearly haven't come close to being solved, Borgess clearly doesn't fully trust Gardner (with reason), Mattison clearly doesn't fully trust the secondary (also with reason) and Gibbons may now be a potential headcase - but shit, what happened to us tonight is basically a 100 to 1 shot, maybe 200 to 1.
Us losing after all those chances was about as likely as us coming back in basketball against Kansas in the Sweet 16. Really, really sucks to be on the losing end.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:57 PM ^
Great post.
October 13th, 2013 at 12:29 AM ^
Word to ya mutha. We let this one slip away...ain't no sugarcoating it. I don't think I want to see Mathlete's analysis this week for fear of lapsing into another mid-game-like coma. My gawd, all the stupid missed opportunities to put this one away. This will haunt me for a long time.
October 13th, 2013 at 3:00 AM ^
Spot on.
I'm still trying to wrap my head around the delay of game penalty that took us into punt-for-the-touchback territory. It just doesn't make sense. If the difference is 15 yards of field position if you miss the FG, why hang on to a worthless timeout to lose five yards instead of at least trying to put the game out of reach for PSU? If you're Brady, why aren't you running after the ref to call a timeout before the play clock hits 00?
October 13th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
I think on both delay of games, Hoke has to be the guy to call timeout there. Big mistake for him not to, because both were extremely costly.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:51 PM ^
October 12th, 2013 at 11:55 PM ^
Somebody please make a video of all the coaching missed opportunities this game. It was a lot more than just the last two minutes. There were many points left on the board; settling for field goals, etc.
October 13th, 2013 at 12:25 AM ^
The time bleeding drive was very effective. Sure we wanted one more first down or not getting a delay penalty. 3 first downs, and ran almost 6:00 off the clock. Nope can't complain much with that.
In OT, you may not love it, but the 2 possessions after no scores from PSU, we did what most coaches would do.
On the other 2 drives, when we had the ball first, Fitz had 1 carry for 3 yards. Not exactly running I to a wall pointlessly.
My point is that the vast majority of the pointless runs you all remember were situational and probably good calls.
October 13th, 2013 at 12:32 AM ^
But then, when we needed to seal the win, we abandon everything that worked in the second half and force Gibbons on the field four times in half an hour.
Play for the f'n win guys. On the road, in an OT with nothing to lose, play to win. Throw it to Dileo. Chuck a fade to Funchess. Let Gallon make a double move and force the DB to interfere or let him waltz into the end zone.
October 13th, 2013 at 12:37 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:06 AM ^
UM did open up the offense and get Gibbons about a 33yd FG but he missed it. However, when they didn't open it up they just ran up the middle and settled for 40-45 yd FG's, which has been about the max of Gibbons' range. A&M was in regulation with no timeouts. UM hadn't been successful for most of the night running Fitz between the tackles.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:15 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:20 AM ^
had their running backs rush 25 times for 119 yds. UM's running backs rushed 30 times for 28 yds. A&M is also bleeding the clock so Ol' Miss won't get the ball back. In OT you aren't worried about bleeding the clock - there is no game clock.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:26 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:32 AM ^
running plays that haven't been successful all game so you ask your kicker to attempt a FG that is pushing the max of his range, have at it.
October 13th, 2013 at 2:06 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:19 AM ^
Yeah, you count on your kicker to make those. But field goals are never sure things, and a guy who just missed one game winner and got a second blocked is probably not in the best state to try a third.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:45 AM ^
Anyway going for a 33 yarder is a no brainer (except when your kicker has already missed a couple - then maybe you ought to think about it, at least when selecting your 3rd and 1 play). But settling for a 40 yard try is just that - settling.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:53 AM ^
If anyone would have told me before the game that Gibs would miss multiple game winners, I would not have believed them.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:07 AM ^
Other teams are winning with players that are no bodies, we cant even coach 4 and 5 star players.. Something is wrong big time.. And i dont want to hear any excuses ..oh we just lost one game chill out blah blah...
Fuckin Braxton Miller couldnt throw a ball if his life dependent on it 2 yrs ago, Urban comes in and they havent lost a game since...this shows you how important coaching is and in our case the coaching stuff was built to rub San Diego State not an elite program such as michigan
On the side note Tigers won..something to look forward to
October 13th, 2013 at 1:15 AM ^
but what were your feelings when this same coaching staff beat Ohio in year one?
October 13th, 2013 at 1:20 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:23 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 2:08 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 4:17 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:10 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:10 AM ^
Bill O'Brien coached to win the game. Brady coached not to lose. It's as simple as that. This one isn't on Gibbons. He had an off night and that happens sometimes. It's on Brady. The coaches snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Most gut-wrenching loss I've seen in a while.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:15 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:21 AM ^
I hardly think setting up your kicker for 33 or 44 yard FGs to win is 'playing not to lose'. Pooch punt? 95% of coaches do that too. PSU completed 2 jump balls, and concerted 2 4th downs to win. I hate it, but it happens.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:27 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 11:32 AM ^
it's seldom when coaches settle for a 40+ yd field goal w/o making any effort to gain some field position; 50-50 at best. if that's your stategy, why not gain a couple yds and kick a 40+ yd FG to win the game at the end of regulation? you don't take the 50-50 chance to win in regulation but you settle for it OT. makes little or no sense to me.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:44 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 1:59 AM ^
TWIS has been reloaded with spleen
October 13th, 2013 at 2:40 AM ^
....and were fortunate to win. We played with fire again and were burned by a very mediocre team. I think this staff is really underperforming at the moment. The wake up call should have been after Akron. It's all spilled milk now....but it stings to know we lost a game we controlled throughout the second half and were up 10 with 7 or so min left. So many different things cost us this game. The staff really dropped the ball with the late game management and playcalling. This loss was in the making since the 3rd week of the season. Now lets see how this team responds. There should be some edge to this team and some heat under the seats of this entire staff. They were 8-5 last season. That is not okay. We did not fire Rich Rod to hire Brady with 8-5 and 9-4 in mind. He needs to tighten up and stop all that clapping and get off into some pholks hindquarters. Getting the team prepared is his job and he has failed at that this season thus far with Notre Dame being a thankful exception. Let's go beat Indiana and then go from there at 6-1 (2-1). Michigan 45 Indiana 27.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:04 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 2:54 AM ^
I'm trying to think of when the last time I was so pissed about a loss without a total blowout or disaster or obvious underdog situation or ref screwjob. And the best I can come up with is Illinois in '99. This felt like that one. Playing not to lose against a beatable team, and getting burned royally in the process.
The more I think about it, there's really no reason why this one should have ended up in the L column. It was totally preventable. The coaches did not put the players in position to win. And when you're going up against a team like Penn State, that's inexcusable.
I'm pissed. I can't help it.
October 13th, 2013 at 4:21 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 9:09 AM ^
The coaches did not put the players in position to win.
The staff didn't call the greatest game but you can't say the players weren't in position to win. All we had to do to win was make one of our three (!) FG chances to win the game. You could argue that it still shouldn't have been that close, I guess, but we were right there three times - just make the kick and we go home 6-0.
October 13th, 2013 at 1:06 PM ^
was attack the defense like we had in the 3rd quarter (something other than a run up the middle for the 1000th faild attempt this season) and we get first downs to ice the game. Or maybe we break a play and extend the lead to put it out of reach. But no, Lloyd-ball is back. Sit on a lead and pray the defense (which is on the field way more than it's not in the 4th quarter) can hold on to win it for us.
October 13th, 2013 at 3:13 AM ^
1. Why is NO one watching the play clock at the end of 4th quarter and in OT to avoid the delay of game penalties? Coach Hoke......I'll wait.
2. Why in the hell did Devin Gardner spike the ball with 13 secs left in the 4th quarter? The play before Gallon got out of bounds.... The clock wasn't going to start on the whistle. That play only wasted a second, but that second would have been important when Hoke sent Gibbons out with 7 seconds to kick a 52/53 yd FG in the direction where most kicks were falling short in warmups? Another 3-5 yard sideline pass would have made it interesting.....as it was I was 99% sure he wasn't kicking 52 yards in that direction!!!
Probably both of these have been discussed at nauseam on the other posts, but I digress.
1. This Offensive Line is very, very, very weak. They had zero push all night. They were absolutely incapable of driving the defensive line even a yard off the line of scrimmage....PSU defenders were playing 1-3 yards in Michigan's backfield all night. The only success (except for maybe 2 or 3 Fitz runs) they had was the old QB dive. I don't see this line improving over the next 4-6 weeks, which means "ManBawl" ain't happening with this team. Maybe next year, but losing both tackles is probably going to bring about even more challenging times.
Here's looking forward to the 17 hours it will take to drive round trip to Ann Arbor next weekend. GO BLUE...Beat Indiana!!!
October 13th, 2013 at 10:22 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 5:04 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 5:13 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 10:55 AM ^
But they cashed in on all three RZ opportunities for TD's in the first half. That was frustrating.
October 13th, 2013 at 7:29 AM ^
I have to know - does DG have the discretion to call audibles or adjust plays at the line? There are a few checks I can recall that ended up being good plays against ND and UConn, but if he can't check to a pop or a quick slant with 7 or 8 in the box, then it will really hold the offense back.
Maybe they were worried about noise and didn't want to risk a turnover.
October 13th, 2013 at 10:15 AM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 3:32 PM ^
October 13th, 2013 at 8:14 AM ^
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