One more time, with feeling…

Best:  The Force Awakened

As the father of a 2-year-old and with another one on the way, the era of seeing first-run movies has seemingly come to an end for the foreseeable future; in fact, over the past 3 years I think I’ve seen 4 movies in their initial run in the theatres.  Over that time, many a super-hero flick, dinosaur-island romps, car-based heists, and zany comedies have been relegated to on-demand viewing.  But I made a point over the holidays to see The Force Awakens, even though it meant going to a mid-week, mid-day showing on a “standard” screen with an ever-expanding-and-extremely-patient loved one in Waltham, MA. 

I was born late in the “original” trilogy’s run, entering the scene a couple of years before the Return of the Jedi.  And yet, one of my earliest movie memories was wearing the tape out of my parents’ copy of A New Hope, which included behind-the-scene vignettes about the artwork, animatronics, and practical effects used to breathe life into what could have been a pretty esoteric space drama.  And boy did I love those movies.  Yes, I’m sure part of that affection came from expert marketing, as few things appeal more to 6-year-old bronxblue than X-wings and Tie-fighters doing mock combat around AT-AT’s with light-up guns and hand-controlled head. 

But another, deeper reason why I loved those movies was because it flooded the classic “good versus evil” narrative with far more color than sepia-toned bromides typically employed with movies such as this.  The “good guys” were good but not wholly altruistic (Han shooting first), while the “bad guys” were evil without being over-the-tope monsters (Vader being Luke’s father and the torture that seemed to put him through).  And let it be said that independent contractors are people too. 

It felt “real”, human in way that you wouldn’t expect in a world populated by rock-throwing muppets, robotic trash cans, and 7-foot-tall shaggy beasts.  Like most fans, it was the whitewashing of this nuance, the digitization of it all (and some gawd-awful writing*), that made the prequels so disappointing and, ultimately, disheartening.  They were movies with all the shine and no soul, designed to move toys and commemorative McDonald’s meals but not add any real substance to the legacy of the Star Wars universe.  So when I heard Disney had purchased the rights to the franchise from George Lucas, I was both cautiously optimistic and warily pessimistic of the new films.  Optimistic because it would at least allow for the possibility of fresh ideas and voices into the universe, while pessimistic because, well, the word “Disneyfication” exists for a reason.

And so, when the reviews started to come in for the newest movie, what caught my eye was the consistent claim that this movie was a return to what people loved about those first three movies, the sense of wonder and possibility, of authenticity and stakes you need to make a space ballad about mystical forces, unrealistic technology, and Shakespearean tales work.  And while I’ll agree that the movie isn’t perfect by any means, it embodies the values and character of the past while filling you with optimism about the future.

***

If you are reading this, you remember the last decade or so of Michigan football.  The product on the field was decidedly mediocre while the experience in the stadium and in the media was downright depressing, chiefly led by Dave Brandon.  To say Dave Brandon is reminiscent of George Lucas is not fair to either man, but the worst characteristics of both mirror each other quite well; both Lucas and Brandon truly loved the worlds they held dominion over, but were so tone-deaf, so blind to the realities of how those worlds were perceived under their stewardships that they threatened to irreparably sully their images.  Lucas was always tinkering, seemingly never content to leave the imperfections of the past, the parts we all “liked”, alone, instead “rerendering” the originals and gameifying the new ones.  Brandon always viewed Michigan as a well to continuously mine, to “improve” the lives of the few (in this case, the athletes and his staff) at the expense of the many (the fans) by treating a uniquely storied institution as just another t-shirt and hat factory.  And it took rather eerily-similar events (vocally disheartened fans turning their back on what the men were selling) to lead to change.

What saved Michigan, though, wasn’t necessarily as shiny and new as Disney swooping in.  Jim Hackett was nobody’s first choice as interim AD, and to read John Bacon’s account it was basically a favor to some old friends with a definite expiration date.  Yet he came in and identified what UM had been lacking for years now wasn’t better seat licenses or more high-profile drubbings in NFL stadiums, but a recognition that you don’t have to completely expel the past to effect change, and that keeping that connection to what made people fall in love with you in the first place should be viewed as a goal, not a hindrance.  And while Brady Hoke definitely loved what made UM great during an earlier era, he failed to implement the framework required for that success to manifest itself.

And so the calls were made, the planes flown, and the terms met to bring back Jim Harbaugh to Michigan, to bring back a torchbearer of past glories who was simultaneously able to see a different, brighter future.  And over the past year, well…

In a single season, Harbaugh created a confidence surrounding the program that we haven’t seen since Carr was at the helm.  In 2011, astute fans noted that UM was winning with a decent amount of smoke and mirrors; a fantastic turnover margin and a veteran defensive line helped cover up for a limited offense, and that’s how you go 11-2 and win a BCS bowl game despite gaining under 200 yards of total offense.  Obviously spirits were high after that season, but you could see the cracks forming and the subsequent fall, while no less painful, at least felt somewhat predictable. 

But this season had few of those hallmarks; if anything, UM suffered from a rash of bad luck and stagnation early on offensively, rounding into form midway through the year as Harbaugh’s QB whispering unleashed a Jake Rudock who set passing records and carried UM when the rest of the team faltered for times down the stretch.  They never really figured out who could run the ball consistently, though Smith’s 109 yards against Florida felt like a revelation and portends a bit of hope in 2016.  The receivers went from adequate to possibly the best in the conference next year, with Chesson in particular emerging as one of the best deep threats in the country.  The defensive line, even short Ryan Glasgow, thoroughly dominated Florida up front after a couple of poor performances against IU and OSU, while the secondary snuffed out any semblance of a passing game by the Gators and continued their renaissance.  Florida had one sustained scoring drive all game, and even that felt like one too many, helped by a couple of breakdowns and a dubious non-call for intent to deceive on the scoring pass. 

Still, this is a team that should only be better next year provided the QB position doesn’t fall off a cliff, and it’s hard to imagine that will happen as long as Harbaugh is at the helm.  The defense replaced a hot, young DC in Durkin with a coordinator coming off one of the more impressive performances you’ll see from a coach.  Recruiting is going like gangbusters, with some of the best players in the country (hopefully) joining a rebirth of the Michigan way.  And while there will undoubtedly be bumps in the road, it’s hard to see a repeat of the Hoke era in the future.  Watching this game, you saw what “Michigan” used to mean, but also with a taste of what it can be in the future. 

* And yes, writing prequels is inherently harder because you are trying to create drama and suspense for outcomes people already know.  But come on people.

Best:  Dad Rocks

Before going any further, I highly suggest you check out Jake Rudock’s post at the Player’s Tribune.  It’s all a good read, but one of the highlights is that Rudock’s teammates started calling him “Dad”, I guess in part because he doesn’t use social media such as Instagram and because he’s a bit older than the average player.  Now, on on hand that’s sorta adorable that a soon-to-be 23-year-old is deemed an “old man”, and on the other hand really depressing because 23 was a LONG time ago for me.  Anyway…

One of the things you so often hear fans throw about when discussing sport is the relative “classiness” of players and teams.  If it’s your team, you usually view your players as “classy” guys who do it right, while your rivals tend to be degenerates or hypocrites, guys who don’t do it “the right way”, whatever that phrase means.  And in most cases, it’s just BS, concocted to mask the personal validation fans place on the jerseys they root for, to bolster the divinity of wins and soothe the sting of  losses.

But Michigan has been blessed recently with “good guys” at the QB position.  Denard was always the smiling, gregarious flash, the bright spot during the dying RR years and the best of Hoke’s tenure.  Devin Gardner will always have a place in my heart for weathering gawd-awful beatings with positivity and heart, while also being the type of guy who would put rivalries aside to console a fallen foe. And then you have Jake Rudock, a guy basically forced out of Iowa who turned to Michigan for a second chance and, after weathering a tough adjustment period, led them to a fantastic season.  You see him in interviews and read about him, and you can’t help but take away that he’s a thoughtful, conscientious guy who earned his teammates’ respect early on with his effort and later on with his performance on the field. 

In this game, Rudock marched through one of the best defenses in the country with ruthless efficiency, completing 65% of his passes for 9 ypa and 3 TDs against no INTs.  Michigan scored on all but 1 of their “real” drives in the game, with all but one scoring drive being 8 plays or longer.  He kept drives going with pinpoint passes on third down, handled pressure with aplomb, picked apart a vaunted Florida secondary, and looked like a completely different player from the one we saw struggling against UNLV and Maryland to start the season.  Hell, he even threw a nice block on a late Drake Johnson run that sprung him for the first.  Yes, it was clear about halfway through the third quarter that some of the Florida Gators were perhaps thinking about their futures outside of Gainesville, but Rudock still helped UM dominate a team that consistently fields mountains of talent.  And in the end, he finished his only year in a Wolverine uniform by joining elite passing company, being only the second QB in UM history to throw for 3,000 yards and having one of the most impressive seasons in the school’s history.

Toward the end of the game, the announcers were commenting (or rambling, if you are so inclined) about how the new “one-and-done’s” in college sports are QB grad transfers.  And while it certainly isn’t as endemic and, arguably, as detrimental to the overall game as college basketball’s requirement of a year in college before going pro, it does remind you how fleeting guys like Rudock are in a team’s existence.  Just when Jake started to come into his own, he’s out the door, to the NFL or medical school or wherever he sets his heart and mind.  And as a fanbase, the best you can do is enjoy them while they are on campus and wish them the best.  Maybe I’m waxing a bit too poetic, but in the first year of the Harbaugh experience, seeing a “good guy” like Rudock rise from the ashes and succeed was a perfect avatar for fans to latch onto.  I just hope that whoever steps into his shoes next season embodies these same qualities.

Best:  The Offense Should be Good in 2016

Again, I know it’s just one game, but this game was yet another example of the innovation and possibility of a Harbaugh-led offense.  When I first heard Harbaugh was a possibility at UM, I worried about two things: (1), that his Stanford defenses never really figured out how to handle hyper-spread offenses like you saw at Oregon, and (2) that his offenses were a bit too demanding/reliant on the signal-caller such that they could be get bogged down with sub-elite talent.  While the jury is still out on the first concern (though I’m of the belief that Brown seems aggressive and creative enough to slow most down), it’s becoming clear that the second concern should be minimal precisely because Harbaugh is such a dynamic QB coach. 

Jake Rudock spoke about coming to UM precisely because of Harbaugh’s tutelage, and as the season progressed you could see Rudock become more confident and comfortable in the offense, highlighted by multiple deep throws to both Chesson and Darboh before the receivers even broke their routes.  It was a player who understood the intricacies of UM’s offense as well as his coach, and that happened basically with a month of training before the season and a couple of semi-easy OOC games.  Yes, Rudock is an extremely intelligent QB, but we’ve seen Harbaugh turn guys like Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick into Pro Bowl-level QBs where few others saw that potential.  And given the number of viable contenders for the starting spot available next season, it’s hard not to imagine that the offense won’t pick up rather close to the way it ended.

And for whoever replaced Rudock at the helm, he’ll be inheriting an healthy collection of playmakers.  Jehu Chesson has gone from a guy I compared to Luis Mendoza of the Mighty Ducks franchise to one of the best receivers in the conference, and in this game snagged another 100 yards and repeatedly beat Florida’s all-everything Hargreaves for long completions.  And probably his most impressive catch was one that didn’t count, as he skied for a high Rudock throw out of bounds, coming down about 6 inches off the field.  Both him and Rudock turned their seasons around after that Minnesota game, and I expect that emergence to continue in 2016.

The Rudock-Perry connection finished the season much better than how it started, with 5 catches and a TD as well as a couple FD completions.  Darboh had a solid game and should be an extremely dangerous #2 receiver, especially on screens where he can simply out-muscle corners.  Jake Butt wasn’t asked to do much but made a couple nice catches and generally looked like the uncoverable All-American he is.  In just one year, Harbaugh has turned one of the biggest areas of concern for this team (the receivers) into the undoubted strength of the offense.  And unlike the last time UM housed Florida, all of those guys are coming back.

As for the running game, well, somebody took De’Veon Smith to D.O.C. because he was showing vision and patience we haven’t seen all year.

This is probably his best game as a Wolverine given the opponent, the preceding, I don’t know, month and a half, and the fact that he was still recovering from an apparent turf-toe injury that lingered for most of the second half of the season.  I still think Smith will wind up in the B.J. Askew-type role as an all-purpose FB/H-Back/RB next season, but he was instrumental in Michigan just beating the life out of a very talented Florida front 7, to the point that they were seemingly just going through the motions late in the game.  Both Drake Johnson and Sione Houma also scored TDs (Johnson on a short pass), and as a team UM averaged a shade under 4.9 ypc, which is the third-most Florida gave up all year and maybe the most impressive considering the two teams ahead of them broke one big QB run (UT) or had maybe the most dominant RB in the country (LSU) leading the charge.  No, Michigan did this with a bunch of guys fans charitably would describe as “meh” for most of the year.

And huge credit should go to the offensive line for keeping Rudock clean and (usually) opening up holes for the backs.  Florida was held without a sack for only the second time all year, and only 3 TFLs for the definitional minimum number of yards possible (3 yards).  After getting woodshedded to varying degrees by a number of the better defenses on their schedule, it was great to see the staff and players end the season on a dominant note. 

Best:  The Defense is Gonna Be Hella Good Next Year*
Worst:  *Provided They Can Find Some LBs and Henry Comes Back

Watching Florida’s offense just get consumed by Michigan’s defense as the game progressed reminded me of 2008 Michigan-Penn State.  In that game, Rich Rod unleashed MINOR RAGE in the first half and actually led at halftime against PSU thanks to some creative playcalling.  But UM was throwing the kitchen sink at PSU, and at halftime PSU adjusted and UM couldn’t move the ball again.  They had a puncher’s chance, but unlike in boxing football games keep going regardless of how hard a team tries, and that’s why teams like Florida and 2008 UM repeatedly got spanked.  Florida accumulated about half their yards on the first two drives of the game, but after that Mattison and co. locked into stopping Taylor and that was about it for Florida, which occasionally moved the ball thanks for Harris scrambles and not much else.  Their one TD came on a drive that sorta sputtered along, and at no point did they really expose any major flaws in UM’s defense.  They got the yards UM was willing to give, and as the game progressed that allowance shrank and shrank to nothingness.  And you could see the exasperation on the Gator sidelines as that reality became ever clearer.

Oh wait…wrong sense of overwhelming despair.

The defensive line looked as good as they have all year, repeatedly blasting into the UF backfield and disrupting the flow of the offense.  They ended the game with 6 TFLs for 31 yards and 2 sacks for 24 yards along with 7 QB hits, and that didn’t include (a) an intentional grounding penalty on Harris as he was flushed from the pocket, and (b) the endzone INT he threw as a couple Wolverines bore down on him.  If Willie Henry comes back, you can expect this line to be one of the 3-4 best in the country, and if recruiting goes the way it’s trending…well, you know.

The secondary wasn’t asked to do much but they played well in limited duty.  Lewis matched up well against Callaway (who I think did most of his damage on the first two drives and was otherwise held in check), and boring Jarrod Wilson finished with another pick in the endzone.  Stribling and Clark kept everything short, and both Thomas and Hill continued their strong play to the end the season.  Losing Wilson will be tough, but it looks like safety won’t be a bag of cats next year either.

As for the LBs, Florida is the type of team this corp eats up.  Joe Bolden can tackle guys when they commit, and he thumped his way to 7 tackles in his last game.  Bolden did have a nice play where he attacked a linemen rolling out with Harris, forcing Harris into a bad throw before he was set.  That’s the type of play you expect a senior to make, and it was a nice end to an up-and-down career at UM.  Morgan looked solid, even though he again struggled a bit in space on passing downs, but generally played like a guy who should find his place on an NFL practice squad at the very least.  Gedeon got the bulk of the other snaps and looks to be very good, though again this team will need to find at least 2 other players who can plausibly rotate in next year.  Devin Bush should get all the chances in the world to be one of those guys, and LB remains the one concerning spot for 2016. 

Still, with Brown taking over as DC and having more talent available than he’s ever had, you have to hope that he continues, if not improves, on the great year in 2015.  This line is the type of game-changer you see on playoff contenders, and with Glasgow and Mone returning it’s hard not to see them absolutely dominating basically everyone in the conference save OSU up front.

Best:  On to 2016

It’s hyperbolic to say 2016 is lining up for a playoff run, but if Harbaugh was able to turn a 5-7 team into a 10-3 outfit with precious few months to recruit and develop the players he inherited, one can only imagine how solid this club will be coming into next year.  Brady Hoke did a lot of things wrong during his tenure, but he recruited a hell of a defense, one that should play into many of the strengths of the new DC.  I’m not sure about the status of Mattison, but if he sticks around for another season to help the transition (again), that would be a plus.  Yes, they need to replace 2/3rds of the starting LBs and depth is always a concern, but you can scheme around that somewhat and with guys like Peppers and Hill you have some flexibility if you need to bring a guy down into the run defense.  And let’s be honest;  there aren’t a lot of teams on the schedule who are going to be able to handle this defensive line.

On offense, I assume the QB competition will produce a player capable of leading this offense with the same general efficiency we saw out of Rudock toward the end of the year.  And whoever that guy is, he’ll have a cavalcade of playmakers in the passing game at his disposal and behind a veteran line.  I’m not reading too much into Smith’s performance against Florida, but I assume he’ll still be a solid back along with Johnson, Isaac, Walker, and Higdon, and sheer probability makes me believe one of these guys will emerge as a 1,000-yard back.  I do think losing O’Neill will be felt if they can’t replicate his field-shifting punts, but this staff should be able to unearth a competent replacement and, well, the team should be better overall to offset any dropoff on special teams.

And boy does the rest of the B1G look sorta bad going into 2016.  OSU obviously will be reloading with another crop of 5* studs, but losing Bosa and Elliott, two dominant players, will certainly hurt, as will the turnover on defense with Lee and Powell declaring early and the loss of Chris Ash.  It’s still OSU and Meyer is a master offensive mind, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they “stumbled” to 2 losses if the defense regresses a bit. 

First off, I couldn’t help watching the MSU-Alabama game and not think of the Shutdown Fullcast preview for the Miami Bowl in which the story of Spencer Hall yelling into the phone (referring to the halftime of the Alabama-ND MNC game) “Bury ‘em deep and pat the dirt, Nick!”  Anyway, MSU loses a good amount of talent on both sides of the ball, and while I acknowledge the “wait, they’ll suck THIS year” call is pure homerism and probably never going to be true while Dantonio is there, this was still a team that probably should have lost 3-4 games this year and doesn’t seem to have the depth to wholly absorb the losses they’ll sustain.  Terry has always been a touted backup, but he’s a different QB than Cook, and this is an offense that will have to find receivers after both Burbridge and Kings depart.  The schedule is kind with OSU and UM going to EL, but they also have to go to ND and play BYU against that suspect secondary.  They’ll probably still win 9-10 games, but this might be the beginning of a (slight) downturn for the Spartans. 

The other half of the B1G Title game, Iowa…woof!  This team, a bit like MSU, lived on a high turnover margin and a decent amount of luck/ugliness, and watching them look completely outclassed by Stanford in all three phases should officially burst whatever optimistic bubble fans had that Ferentz had really turned this team around.  They’ll probably win 8+ games next year because the West is turrible, but this is the type of team Harbaugh teams just steamrolls.  Wiscy was maybe the least impressive 10-win team in the country this season (sorry Georgia), and they just lost their DC to LSU.  Durkin and Maryland might be competitive in 2-3 years, but his “homecoming” to Michigan Stadium will not be pretty.  IU is breaking in an entire new offense it seems, and as we’ve seen Team #CHAOS is as likely to self-destruct as direct that energy toward an opponent with good players.  And I’m still waiting on “offensive guru” James Franklin to stop spray-tanning his skin to Hulk Hogan-level and field something possibly resembling an FBS offense.  And hell, that defense isn’t going to be able to keep bailing him out. 

So yeah, 2016 isn’t nearly as daunting as perhaps it looks on paper.  My assumption is that if UM can get past MSU, The Game will resemble the 2006 affair as a de-facto pre-playoff game.  Fall 2016 is still a LONG ways away, but I’m pretty excited about what the next 8 months hold for this team and program.