2021 Regular Season (+ B1G Championship Game) Snowflakes Thread
I just got done rewatching every win (so far) from this season.
Big Ten Football in 60 is awesome, and then I watched the full TV broadcasts of OSU and Iowa (because, of course).
I'm interested to know if anyone else has rewatched some or all of the games to this point in the year. Did any of your thoughts, reactions, or hot takes change? Were there any surprises? Did you notice anything this time around that you didn't see the first time?
Overall, offensively, defensively, special teams, and coaching...thoughts going into the playoffs? #BeatGeorgia
December 25th, 2021 at 7:52 PM ^
My thoughts: this is a team of destiny that is peaking at the right time. UGA looks vulnerable and exposed. All I know is they’re worse than Bama and better than Kentucky. Not the juggernaut I had assumed
I think UM has a legitimate chance to win and then anything can happen.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:43 PM ^
I think we are peaking at the right time too, which is why I wish the wait before the playoffs wasn't 27 days.
December 26th, 2021 at 12:24 PM ^
The last 3 games were 3 of the best games Michigan has played against P5 competition in the past 15-20 years.
Especially in terms of execution.
December 25th, 2021 at 7:53 PM ^
Roman Wilson has had a breakout season and no one is talking about it. The kid came up huge often.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:13 PM ^
He is very much in the Ronnie Bell mold. He doesn’t pop off the screen with his measurables, but he just gets open consistently and catches the ball (sometimes with only 1 functional hand)
December 26th, 2021 at 4:43 AM ^
He's not (yet?) as elusive as Bell, but on the plus side Wilson is Really FAST!
December 26th, 2021 at 10:03 AM ^
If Wilson’s measurables don’t pop off the screen, that’s because people aren’t paying attention. He ran a 4.37 at an Opening regional.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:29 PM ^
December 25th, 2021 at 7:54 PM ^
Beat Georgia.
December 25th, 2021 at 7:58 PM ^
For me, the most impressive thing was the stark improvement from the first half of the year to the second half of the year.
First off, the schedule set up BEAUTIFULLY for a team with a lot of "new" in the program, new coaches, new key players, etc.
The cupcakes all provided challenges but were winnable and there wasn't a service academy where you'll never see a scheme like that again. But I've always felt the biggest difference between Michigan and OSU was that they improved much more over the course of the year. No one will be able to convince me that Michigan doesn't win at least 3 more games in the past 15 years if we just played them Week 1.
After they lost to Oregon, I didn't flinch because I knew we weren't getting that OSU team. But this Michigan team, wow, the team that played Maryland, OSU and Iowa beats the team that played Washington, Wisconsin and Nebraska by 10+. Those last 3 games were IMPRESSIVE.
What I found most interesting is that the 2nd half of the season was like a "greatest hits" of the first half. Even Henning TD versus OSU...our first TD of the year? Out of a similar formation, except we throw the swing pass to Corum (for a TD) that we faked to Edwards. The delayed TE play we like on 3rd down? We used that against NIU before making it a staple.
It was like watching all the Marvel movies in order and getting to Infinity War and Endgame and your mind is blown by all of the connections to earlier movies 5, 6 years prior.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:22 PM ^
MOAR HOT TAKES AND SNOWFLAKES:
- I was the BIGGEST McNamara defender early on. But um, he wasn't very good in the first half of the season. ? (I had no idea it was as "yuck" as it was...however, I feel like we forget he was really a freshman and first time starter as well. In the end, we handled the QB situation beautifully).
- Haskins was offensive MVP and was even better the 2nd time around. He was DOMINANT!
- Cornelius Johnson does not like to be hit and he's got an old man Chris Perry complex where he always gets off the ground like he just got punched in the ribs.
- The OL improvement and rotation was impressive, a lot of guys got significant snaps. Vastardis is brilliant.
- Mazi and Hinton for most improved players on the team (even more than McNamara and Ojabo). And Turner is #3, he was Grabby McGrabby until the PSU game, now he's CB1.
- Henning was featured more than I remembered, he still has to grow as a WR, but the dude is electric with the ball in his hands. The acceleration he showed against Iowa? ???
- A little concerned about the future at S. Moore might have to play NB and Moten looks like a future Michael Barrett spread LB. I watched Paige a lot versus Maryland, played well in the 2nd half snaps that he got, hoping he can step in and play All-B1G football.
In terms of coaching, both coordinators need to be making $1.5M, give Moore $1M, and all position coaches $750k, this staff is LEGIT. The only coaching negative was the inability to adapt to the hurry-up/no huddle offenses. But the play calling was tremendous, player improvement was off the charts, chemistry and culture was evident. Lock these guys up for another year!
Final hot take. Cade wins a national championship and still splits time next year. The most glaring thing I saw outside of Haskins and Hutchinson? JJ McCarthy is unreal. He shouldn't have started and shouldn't have played any more than he did...but a little more experience and a slight infusion of "game manager" and he's a future #1 overall pick. He was BETTER in rewatching all of the games. He made 3-4 throws this season that no Michigan QB since Chad Henne could've made (and I don't think Chad would've made 2 of them). Give him one more off-season and dear lord. But what I love most is how much he (and Cade) love this team and love MICHIGAN, it was never a distraction.
December 27th, 2021 at 12:25 PM ^
Well written, thanks!
December 25th, 2021 at 8:01 PM ^
My thoughts is that we finally have a qb that thrives UNDER DURESS.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:16 PM ^
Were you under duress while typing "UNDER DURESS"?
December 25th, 2021 at 8:11 PM ^
My snowflake thought is that I liked this year and we are good
December 25th, 2021 at 8:16 PM ^
The team kinda was like a pop bottle shaken up all year and then opened come the OSU game.
The team that played vs OSU and Iowa wasn’t anything like the team that played Washington, or Nebraska, or MSU. Shoot, the improvements from the Penn St game to the OSU game was incredible.
This team beats Georgia. Not ready to say we slay the emperor in the same year we slayed the Dragon, but I damn well won’t count us out
December 25th, 2021 at 8:24 PM ^
I agree. The progression by literally every single position group has been remarkable. And now they really know their playbook and can just play. This team is so much improved.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:22 PM ^
Not all, but most. And the OSU game about five times lol. But what has stood out to me has been the progression on offense. What was being built along the way wasn't always perfect or efficient or successful. But I can see how the pieces were established and what it has led to for Michigan's last several games. I believe our players really feel comfortable running these plays, and the playbook now has multiple counters giving Gattis a lot of opportunities to make successful play calls.
I offense is on fire right now, yet it doesn't take risks. It's efficient. It's methodological. It's relentless, It's violent. Then it tricks you for big plays. Then with your heels back, it'll hit you in the nose again.
I recognize now what Gattis has been trying to build to this year. We're there now. I like it.
December 25th, 2021 at 11:45 PM ^
I had to Google methodological because I thought you may have erroneously used that instead of methodical. Nope, it's definitely a word. I learned something today. Seems the two words may be quite interchangeable though.
Methodological: relating to the system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity.
Methodical: done according to a systematic or established form of procedure.
December 26th, 2021 at 1:18 AM ^
May be the last time you ever see methodological in print.
Very interesting for this nerd, but seems methodical fits a little better.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:33 PM ^
I've watched some. A lot of thoughts and emotions rolled along as the season unfolded; it would take a diary entry to go through it completely.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:52 PM ^
Appreciate the MSU game as well. We are a better team because off that loss
December 25th, 2021 at 11:46 PM ^
We are a better team because of MSU but still fuck those refs.
December 25th, 2021 at 8:59 PM ^
My thoughts? Compared to years past and what made them so successful this year is the play calling both stayed aggressive and showed the belief that it'd be successful. They played to their strengths early in the season, which was running the ball which led to every post-game interview "but what did you do today to beat Ohio State" but behind the scenes, were also refining opening up the passing game. They started to mesh both so well together mid-season and and were proficient in doing both by the time the Michigan State game rolled around.
The new look on defense as well as the mid-game adjustments were something so needed in seasons past.
The main thing though, the chemistry, the leadership, the love that this team had for each other, coaches included. They all believed in each other, leaned on each other and delivered together.
December 25th, 2021 at 9:06 PM ^
Josh Gattis knows what he's doing. His play calling has been excellent.
December 25th, 2021 at 10:19 PM ^
Biggest differences this year:
1. There was an obvious difference in the level of preparedness and execution from day 1. I remember talking to a family member after the Western Michigan game and saying that was the best I had seen Michigan play (regardless of opponent) in four years. Few mistakes, good blocking and tackling, thoughtful play calling, etc. The Rutgers game was the only game this year that resembled the games of the previous 2-3 years, IMO. Harbaugh and the coaches were really dialed in
2. On top of that, the team benefitted from having a transcendent defensive player. Hutchinson is not only an elite talent at a position of high impact, but he gave 100% effort on *every* play (very unusual), and had significant leadership influence. If these things could be quantified, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn he was single-handedly worth something like 14 points/game
3. We had a selfless “gamer” at quarterback. Cade is extremely competitive, both in terms of how he battles within the games and his preparation before the games. But he also was very mature and team-first when it came to the McCarthy situation, which could have easily become a distraction.
December 25th, 2021 at 11:59 PM ^
Many others have stated but I want to restate it because it is the most important reason why we are in the position we are in. Growth and improvement throughout the season. I agree with another poster that said this Michigan team would beat the Wisconsin game version by 10+ points. 100% agree.
The mental and physical toughness to not accept losing is another trademark of this team. How many times have we seen a Michigan team fold on the road late in the game after a costly turnover? It happened against PSU and the team shook that off like it never happened. The team has a championship level mentality.
December 26th, 2021 at 1:21 AM ^
I think in-game adjustments well before halftime have been improved this season. I haven't noticed as much from the tape as I have from the blog entries on this site explaining how Michigan has switched things up when beat. So it may just be good writing, but I think it is good adjustments, understanding and recognizing the opposing team strategies quicker and actually knowing what to do to combat it.
December 26th, 2021 at 6:55 AM ^
I have re-watched the "big" games multiple times and have one thought....
A 14-win season would be nice.
Eagerly anticipating the drive over to Miami and 60 minutes of reigning hell on Georgia this Friday!
December 26th, 2021 at 1:44 PM ^
I wish Harbaugh would've tried to score again after OSU's final 4th down. Imagine, the absolute meltdown if Michigan would've scored a meaningless touchdown and gone for 2...because he couldn't go for 3.
December 27th, 2021 at 1:19 PM ^
Fox Sports replayed the msu game over the weekend (at some point) and I watched it. For too many brief moments during the last few minutes I was sure that UM would come back and actually win the game...right up to the interception. I was actually disappointed all over again. But, it's much easier to put behind this time.