Rational Venting

I understand completely.  As I drove to work (ugh, night shift) and listened to the game I found my oddly calm.  I was disappointed, but not surprised.  Gone was the fire I felt when we made a poor play in games/years past.  Gone was my celebrating when we scored or the defense stepped up (the one frigging time it did).  It was almost...disinterest.  Which of course isn't entirely true, but I just can't bring myself to get too attached to this team anymore.  Maybe it's a defense mechanism after last year, but I find myself waiting for the fall after offensive/defensive success rather than enjoying the moment. 

Watching and listening to this game was like watching the scene in Empire Strikes Back when Han gets frozen in carbonite - there are some bad ass moments ("I love you.", "I know") but overall it's just sad.

Though I don't think I have quite made my mind up exactly how I feel yet or made a complete judgment about our hiring of Rich, I do have one thing that I am clear on - we are going to have a very hard time getting a decent coach to come here if they were to fire him. The way this fanbase as well as the media has treated him since before he ever stepped onto the Michigan campus is going to make our pickings slim. That really scares me. And though this has been talked about a million times, I really don't want to become the next Notre Dame. 

I know that this will be debated because a lot of folks in the fanbase will say "Hell no! We are Michigan!" But it wasn't looking to hot before Rich came, how is it going to be better now? Jesus are we ever at the edge. 

But I don't think that will happen.  After watching this game I have become somewhat numb as well thinking the only team we have a chance to beat now is Purdue on the road but that could end up as a close loss. I guess my concern is projecting this team into future years. The offense should improve but their remains questions about DROB's passing and Tate's running. We really have not developed that go to RB.  Gardner did not look too fast when he played and may be suited more as a pro set QB instead of a spread QB. The defense will be very slow to improve.  I'm worried about some good talent  on defense that has failed to develop.  The coaching on the defensive side of the ball looks atrocious and the upperclassmen LB who have not improved over the last two years go right back to poor coaching.

May be the team will bounce back and we will get wins over IL, WI and Purdue?  I hope so but if they played like they did earlier tonight this team will finish 5-7.  If we finish 6-6 I think RR will hold his job for one more season...though it could be close.  I guess I'm just frustrated not seeing improvement in the team as the season progresses. This loss was a big step back.

This diary, thread, whatever encapsulates my feelings.  I was euphoric when he was hired.  Disappointed with the way things went in year one -- on and off the field.  Mildly disappointed last year, but willing to push on -- and push awy the RR detractors.  Right now, I'm more disappointed than the first year.  I know folks are going to say things would have been different if Martin hadn't gotten hurt, but PSU had probably more injuries going into the game.  I know the defense is terrible, but I'm not sure I'm willing to give the coaches a pass; e.g., why did it take five games to get Demens playing time; why aren't some of these guys getting better.  Isn't that coaching?  I just dont know what to say.  I'm tired of looking forward to next year half way through this year.  Sigh.

     Prior to the Connecticut game, Brian predicted 7-5 with maybe a lean toward 8-4.  When Woolfolk went down, he said 7-5 with maybe a lean to 6-6.  It appears he was very prescient.  Obviously there has been improvement on offense but the rest of the team is in decline. 

     Even (?especially) freshmen should be demonstrating improvement after two thirds of a season but I don't see it. I don't believe it takes five star recruits or multiple years of experience to have good special teams play.  I think it's a combination of quality coaching and effort.  The defense plays as though they're shellshocked.  There is no aggression or fire.  Something needs to change. 

     I was led to believe this years d would confuse the opponents by blitzing from a varity of angles and by taking advantage of their quickness and athleticism.  Did I miss something?  This is the most passive defense in a fairly long history of passive M defenses.  Thirty on points should win most games.  One can argue they're actually getting worse.

"Most of all I hate how losing makes idiots think they're right when they're just idiots."

Spot-on.  If this staff fails, the battle between rationals and the I-told-you-so crowd will be frustrating and infinite.

I turned the channel because I could not take it anymore. I have had time to sleep on it now and all that comes to mind is swing passes, counters and screens. It may be time for a change, that really burns my ass because I like the guy and I had faith in him. Rational Venting was very well written and I think we all need to take a step back and reflect on what could have been.

I supported the RRod hire, I like the man, I can take the losses, I won't like it but I can take it.What I can't take is not being well coached, D not being competitive, same mistakes over and over,so when the half came I said this is over, I wish I was only talking of the game.

our defense is not good. I feel bad for the guys, they try hard but ...surely they are lacking confidence after yet another beating. It is too much to expect the offense to overcome the defensive deficiencies. I hate to look at it a a perfect storm, but Penn State had things set up for them: Royster was looking to break the rushing record, McGloin really had nothing to lose and did a great job out there with our 'bend don't break' defense. Happy Valley is a difficult place to play and when it gets rocking like it did last night, look out.

Is there no light at the end of the tunnel for this defense's future? Penn State played lights out football. Iowa played lights out football. Michigan State played lights out football. That is how it is when your opponent is Michigan, you get your opponents best game. Same problem Notre Dame has. I hate to sound like I feel sorry for myself/team, but when do we get to play someone who doesn't have their 'A' game going?

You articulated where I am at right now.  Deeply disappointed and frustrated.  Hope is fading but not wanting to start over again.  I am going to let the season play out.

if we don't finish 7-5 (which looks unlikely at this point).  Our O looks like it is a one trick pony....same plays over and over again that only work because Denard is otherworldly.  And our D went from decent in 2008 and having to pull more than its fair share because of a lousy offense to the worst of 120 D-I teams.  How does that happen on your watch?  How? 

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result.

[/albert einstein]

"everything stacked in their favor" or "they played lights out"  or "we got their best game" when they play Michigan.  You don't think OSU, Alabama, Oregon or many others get everyone's "best"  OSU has been the best team in the BIg Ten for at least 5 years if not close to 10.  When any talking head mentions the Big Ten, OSU is the team they mention, it's not Michigan.  As much as I hate to admit it, we are not the Michigan we all remember. 

In the past, teams believed they had to play their best and get a little lucky to have a chance.  Now they know all they have to do is stay within their gameplan and we'll give them the game.  I grew up in the Bo era and I have followed this program with my heart since I can remember even knowing what football was, but this is not Michigan football.

The kids try hard and they NEVER seem to quit, I applaud them and the coaches for that.  The problem is they don't seem to be prepared for the games.  How in the world does this offense start the game with a 3-and-out?  How does an offense that barely beat Temple and is avg 128ypg gain over 100 by one guy in the first half?  How does a walk-on QB who has never started before look all-world in his first game?

Our offense has grossly under-performed in the first half of each of the last three games.  The defense seems clueless and lost once the opposition gets it's first first down.  We can barely return a kickoff past the 20 yard line. The point is, all three phases of this team are struggling.  You can point to youth, inexperience and injuries all you want, but after the dust settles, the results come back to being prepared to play the game and this staff is failing completely in that area on all three phases.

I totally agree. I said 6-6 before the year, with a better chance at 5-7 than 7-5. I don't see us better than 6-6 now either.

Inured

You never seen Greg Robinson get any of the Defensive players fired up..  It took RR yelling his fuckin balls off at the D last night to get them to make a stop..

Then the very next drive they fold like a bunch of quitters..

They fuckin scored on every drive but what 2?  That is fucking pathetic..

Our bowl game is against Purdue..  If they can't beat purdue with the sheer advantage of talent in that game, then im completely done..

I don't want fucking harbaugh at michigan..  he hasn't proven he can beat a good spread team, and he hasn't proven he can beat any great teams either..

What is he gonna do here?  Get us 8 or 9 wins so everyone shuts up..  Big deal, until he wins a BCS game no one should be talking about him as a fuckin head coach

RR was one of the hottest coaches in america when he came here..  I for one am fuckin glad we don't have Les Miles after the coaching blunders he has fucked up over the past couple years..  Who is to say he would even have a offense fielded that could beat anyone?

If we would end up having to change coaches id rather it be a spread minded coach so we don't have to go through such a transition again.

I'd have to say I'm indifferent regarding RichRod's future here now.  I'd prefer him to get to 6-6 this year, hopefully 7-5, and come back next year with an improved team.  6-6 would be disappointing honestly, but I really don't want to have to go through another transition period.  

But at some point, you have to ask if this is really working, and I can't find much evidence that things are "working" for this team.  If I woke up tomorrow and saw a headline stating Rodriguez had been fired I couldn't muster up too much indignation.  

I like RichRod but I like winning more.

Assuming the season doesn't surprisingly turn around on D (Ha!), I'm sure the requests for keeping Coach Rod and firing GERG will become louder and louder.  That won't change the nature of the real issue: expereince and quality (see here: http://mgoblog.com/content/you-might-remember-depth-chart-such-former-players).

I will leave the full analysis to the likes of Brian and others, but changing the D coordinator is a far easier thing to do than firing an O coordinator.  There are plenty of examples of defensive coordinators who have come in and had success in year 1 (assuming they have some talent to work with). 

Anyone who argues it's all the coach: see Will Muschamp at U of Texas.  I'm waiting for when he has to break out the "I didn't take a stupid pill" quote this year.  Limited talent on D = doom regardless of who the coach is.