Rutgers 26, Michigan 24
Adam Glanzman/special to MGoBlog
Human beings, and not just those associated with Michigan, are capable of extraordinary incompetence. The biggest brain fart tonight was when a guy watched Amara Darboh make a catch, take two steps, dive out of bounds, and place the ball on the ground, then “confirmed” it “incomplete.” The call on the field was malpractice; getting it wrong with the benefit of a DVR and HDTV is so staggeringly separated from reality that most fanbases will go for sinister explanations.
A Michigan Man knows better. Watching this program try to manage a clock, manage an offense, or manage a press release is the kind of thorough education in the extent of the human capacity for ineptitude that you’ve come to expect from the nation’s top public university.
“Blame the refs!” explains why Wile had to attempt a 56-yarder—which Rutgers blocked—and why Michigan had just one timeout to throw against a 1st down-and-kneel drive to end the game. It doesn’t explain why Michigan manipulated the clock to leave their opponent a comfortable 120 seconds to drive at the end of the first half. Or why they forgot they had Funchess for two quarters. Or why a heretofore deep and competent secondary gave up 404 yards to Gary Nova, overcoming a record previously held by the John L. Smith Razorbacks.
Michigan stayed in it, partly because Rutgers is Rutgers. Also because Devin Gardner laughed off two tackle attempts en route to a 19-yard 4th quarter touchdown that needs to be put to Autumn Thunder immediately. I feel awful about how this guy’s career has gone. Given the schedule from here, the Wolverines would be lucky to go 6-6 and unlikely to win four. When the team is this bad and the coaches’ meat this dead, we can check out, or just enjoy the occasional exploits of those who won’t.
People are just stupid sometimes; even Unpossible Throw God Gary Nova himself took a false start(!) this game. This will be important to remember whenever it’s time to commence a headhunt as inevitable as the Big Ten’s empty apology. Humans are only tenuously rational creatures, and as soon as a coaching search commences, all contact with reality is lost.
October 5th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 2:45 AM ^
These kids deserve better than this
October 5th, 2014 at 9:17 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 2:46 AM ^
At the end of the game and the offense has the ball say with 2:09 left and the clock is running then there is a false start at 1:43 with 3 seconds left on the play clock doesn't the clock start on the snap? That's what I've always thought anyways. If it isn't on the snap can't an offense basically run a minute plus off the clock and still be on first down after an infraction. That's the scenario that took place tonight at the end of the game. Should of had the timeouts to stop it obviously but just seems like a loop-hole in the rules.
October 5th, 2014 at 3:50 AM ^
I watched the replay several times and it was clearly a catch. The player catches and posseses the ball, gets his left foot down, as he's turnng he gets his right foot down, followed by a toe tap of his left foot. Three steps in bounds and is then contacted by the defender as he begins to stretch the ball out. Even then the ball is clearly in his possession and doesn't come loose until he hits the ground. It was a game-altering call that was made incorrectly. Yes the refs missed a call or two for Rutgers, but none that changed the scope and final outcome of the game. The BigTen brass will inevitably stand by the call, but anyone who saw the play knows it was total bullshit.
They should be 3-3 with some momentum that could at least help carry them to a bowl game where all the young talent would benefit from the extra 15 days of practice and experience of playing in a bowl game. Instead they are 2-4 and likely to miss out on that experience this year.
Football is a game of momentum and inches - when a ref screws you out of 8 yards on a third down late in the 4th quarter it can alter your season from that moment on. Total bullshit and the BigTen officials should at least admit to their mistake.
October 5th, 2014 at 6:23 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
The face mask call I missed in real time too.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:01 AM ^
When Michigan decided to play "man bal" in the fourth quarter and both Green and Smith appeared to run with purpose. We all know that Hoke refuses to talk about injuries but IMO Smith is done for the year judging by the look of pain on his face. It appeared he was in some serious pain and unsure if its the same ACL he tore last year. Not as gruesome of an injury as the Alabama player......that was just plain horrific.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:06 AM ^
b. If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.
October 5th, 2014 at 8:05 AM ^
This is what happened:
d. If the ball touches the ground after the player secures control and continues to maintain control, and the elements above are satisfied, it is a catch.
October 5th, 2014 at 8:58 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 9:13 AM ^
Correct. This only applies if he goes to the ground in the act of making the catch. He had already made the catch when he went to the ground. This rules has zero applicaiton.
But, whatever. We gave up 400 yards to Gary Fucking Nova.
October 5th, 2014 at 8:34 AM ^
Why all of the whining about the Darboh call? It's not like the refs didn't give more bad calls back to us in our favor. We lost becasue our coaches suck. We have coaches that suck becasue we have an AD that sucks. Any other discussion is just useless noise.
October 5th, 2014 at 8:35 AM ^
I was at the Hockey game and did not watch FB game. DVRed it and watched the last quarter. That is a catch. I did not see the outrage from Hoke and he is his usual self. How does he not chew out the ref.
For 7 years, I have been waiting for this team to be consistently good. My M pride is gone. The only thing I can hang my hat on is the high level academics I am getting out of the university, which is pretty darn cool.
I am disgusted to walk among the MSU fans and their smug look, just like their coach's. For once, I want them to make a mince meat out of their QB (no injury please, even for the opposing QB) and terrorize them. Even if we lose, I don't care.
We are done and I don't believe anything will change with DB. He will still be here and mess up the next hire.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:23 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 8:39 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 8:50 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 8:58 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 9:00 AM ^
Seriously, the immediate post game column has always been "feelingsball". Not sure how you can take any other feeling out of this game. If you can, please put me in touch with your pharmacist.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:09 AM ^
You came here after that game and expected fun?
October 6th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
I'm not sure that there is any purpose in analyzing the plays on the field. If the goal is to understand where the team is doing well or poorly, going at all beyond the HC and his unquestionable incompetency is ignoring the primary cause and looking at secondary and tertiary causes.
Until Hoke is gone, there is nothing more that needs to be analyzed on the field. He is the problem.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:02 AM ^
Agree with the bad ref call and its ironic that M is the victim of an incompetent ref. However the poor performance has nothing to do with refs or bad calls. The incompetence now is extending further up the ladder the longer this situation goes without action by the university. They need to fire the HC and the AD immediately and name an interim coach and an interim AD. If nothing else it signals that Michigan is doing something and acknowledges that a change is desparately needed. I am not sure right now if there is still a sentiment by some behind the scenes that still think Hoke should get another year.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:05 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 9:06 AM ^
October 6th, 2014 at 12:20 AM ^
I'm not so sure about Indiana, actually.
I think Penn State's vulnerable, but I just don't see a sure win out there this season. Maybe we'll get lucky and upset someone.
October 5th, 2014 at 9:10 AM ^
"Hoke was forced to pause and think a moment when asked if this past week was the hardest of his head coaching career.
"I don't know," he said."
LOLWUT
I know you want to be tough and all, but c'mon, Brady—nobody's going to buy the argument that one of your four losing seasons at Ball State was worse for you.
October 6th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^
I propose a new meme. It's a play on the Craig James meme. Brady Hoke killed 5 stars, or BHK5S. And not allegedly. We've seen the proof.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:59 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 11:15 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^
there's no guarantee that Michigan is going to win the game, but does it increase their chance of winning it? Absolutely, but not 100% for sure.
I do agree that it's a blown call by the officials and the replay official.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
I hate to say that cost us the game but it sure as shit cost us a chance at the game.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:55 PM ^
how many times did we have Rutgers players caught behind the line only to blow a one arm tackle and let him get by?? We scored 24 points. That should win most games and especially against a team like Rutgers. Slopppy tackling cost us this game.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:58 PM ^
The call was pretty fucked. But we didn't get screwed by refs conspiring against us. We mostly sucked. And how quickly you forget that 2 or 3 obviously bad calls went in our favor. Whining about refs is for losers.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
that cost us the game. Poor everything. A decent QB from a bottom half B1G school hangs over 400 yards on the defense that is supposed to be the GOOD part of our team ? WE MAKE EVERY OPPOSING QB LOOK LIKE A NFL FIRST ROUNDER. Want to get your QB into the NFL ? Schedule Michigan.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Remember those two 3rd and 10s where everyone is covered and the QB scampers for 8 or 11 yards? That's been going on for years, before Hoke and RR.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
Who was encouraged by the team's showing last night? They seemed energized by this road trip, and they were playing with a fire not seen since OSU last year. There were missed tackles but they were also making tackles. Devin Gardner was on his game - no one has mentioned that he scored two touchdowns, and it isn't his fault when the pocket falls apart and no receivers are open. More than anything... as infuriating as it was that the refs should decide the outcome of the game - this team was once again, fun to watch. Because it looked like they were having fun playing football again. Finally!
The post that mentioned how Delaney's conference designs actually influence how the games might go was an eye-opener. Then again the sanctions being lifted off PSU was an even bigger clue.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 9:42 PM ^
Well had they not been jobbed out of a 1st down they might have had a chance to win. They at least moved the ball somewhat. Pass defense was disappointing but they only let up 26 points - that with losing the turnover battle ( again ). That's good enough to win if you have a competent offense, which we don't.
I still have a faint glimmer of hope for the PSU game. More like a shiny spot on a rock several hundred yards away...
October 6th, 2014 at 8:09 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 2:04 PM ^
Invoking the words of President Harry Truman—“The buck stops here”—it is time for Dave Brandon to take responsibility. Mr. Brandon: You have made a mess for the school you claim to love. The program has declined (wins, attendance, esteem, relevance and reputation) under your watch. Admit to shortcomings, issue apologies, especially to the students, and step down without further delay.
To the next Athletic Director: Put dollars aside and make amends to the Michigan Student Body by cutting the prices of student tickets next year by (at least) 50%. Win back the students and you will have a huge win on your hands.
And to Coach Hoke: This may be your moment of truth. Winning is an intangible magic that occurs in one’s psyche even before the game begins. I suggest this is the place where you are failing as a coach. I further suggest that you find yourself in a far bigger game as the Michigan Football Head Coach than you may have bargained for…and that you cannot expect your players to attain the physical and mental excellence that are trying to instill in them until such time as you lead by example and demonstrate the same.
The spirit of Michigan football can reawaken. Victorious Saturdays should be the norm in Ann Arbor. It begins with putting a new leader in the office, and calling forth another onto the field.
October 5th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
Looking at it again and again and again his knee was down before the ball came out. Now his knee was down out of bounds I don't know if that matters, I don't think it does. His knee hit the turf before the ball came loose. So with two feet in bounds and a part of his body making contact w/ the ground that's 100% a catch right?
October 5th, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^
What's relevant is the first body part to touch out of bounds, be it a knee or a foot. That's when the play is over.
All the nonsense about controlling the ball to the ground is used only to determine possession, such as when a player catches the ball as he's falling. Here, possession is not an issue. He should have been ruled as "possessing" the ball as soon as he turned upfield and took two steps. Anything that happened after he touched out of bounds is (or should have been) irrelevant.
October 5th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
What about Doug Nussmeier? If he worked under Saban, perhaps he knows how to run a program like Saban.
October 5th, 2014 at 3:19 PM ^
He was a big part of a dominant Alabama team. However, he's had a lot of time with Devin and Shane and they still seem to be regressing. Devin looked great (one bad INT aside) against Rutgers but Rutgers.
Is one season as our OC enough to evaluate his fit here?
October 5th, 2014 at 11:19 PM ^
Yea, I don't know if it's totally fair to judge him based on his time here yet. And he doesn't have the power, as a firstyear OC, to completely transform a program. He seems to control the field and players better than Hoke anyhow.
October 5th, 2014 at 4:06 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 4:09 PM ^
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