Anything You Can Do We Can Do Better?

Submitted by aiglick on

USC just upset Stanford at home and has in Musberger's words "become relevant again." Maybe, just maybe, our team can do the same over the next couple of weeks.

I know a lot of people have said this is a lost season but with this win today we have a chance to finish with a decent record that falls in line with people's predictions pre-season. Momentum in games is important but going into the off season it can be just as important.

I'm not sold on Borges either but this program has a real opportunity over the next couple of weeks. The Chinese have a proverb: "Crisis" is spelled with two characters that mean "danger" and "opportunity". We have that moment now.

Carpe diem Michigan.

Danwillhor

November 17th, 2013 at 12:43 AM ^

Our best chance is good weather, osu essentially overlooking us or trying too hard to ruin us, causing them to make a ton of mistakes. In good weather, when Gardner is on and has time to actually wind up and throw he can be a real QB. He also needs to be taught by our beloved QB coach to be able to audible to the single coverage pass when they put 8+ in the box. They'll score. We just need turnovers or for them to show up expecting to win too easily.

E. Gordon Gee

November 17th, 2013 at 1:06 AM ^

We looked like crap today but some things that influenced the poor play includeds:

  • Perry and Grant not playing LB and out with injuries. We played a walk on and another player that had little live game expierence against the run.
  • Bosa went out with an injury for the 2nd half and didn't return which effected the pass rush. You can now see why meyer wants Bosa over Washington on the DLine.
  • Weather. Windy day=over thrown passes..
  • Special teams gave up a punt return (first of the year).
  • Missed tackles.

I'm sure these issues will be corrected before The Game.

 

Swazi

November 17th, 2013 at 3:25 AM ^

The Game will certainly be an interesting rendition this year.  Michigan will always play their best game against Ohio State.  HOwever, Ohio State may be looknig ahead to either Michigan State or the Rose Bowl, or possibly the NCG.

 

I feel this game can swing either way this year.

bluebyyou

November 17th, 2013 at 8:50 AM ^

I'm not sure, based on our perfomance this year, how you can even think we can be competitve against any semi-decent team, which I consider OSU to be.

If you watched the Stanford - USC game, it seemed pretty obvious to me that the skill level of players on both teams were, for the most part, at a different level than  what you see at Michigan (and the bulk of the B1G).

Philbert

November 17th, 2013 at 9:31 AM ^

Michigan might have played like crap today/all year but look at some of things that went wrong for Michigan.



Young oline (basically tire fire)



Blown acl's every where



Al Borges



Al Borges



Al Borges (I think I write Borges a lot, my phone is starting to auto correct to it to the right way)



Devin decision making ability has been lacking at times



Did I mention the oline?



Defense giving up touchdowns at the worst time after standing on their heads the whole game



Funk



Borges



Dashawn hand didn't commit so the coaches depression was in the way



The space time continuum opened and Borges went back to 1993 to learn how to call plays.



I mean obviously michigan will have this all fixed by the game so osu better watch out.

BILG

November 16th, 2013 at 11:44 PM ^

Both seem like players coaches that really love the schools they are coaching at.  I was thinking how similar our game against OSU would be to the game tonight.  However, they made their coaching change....we are too soft to make ours mid season to get rid of Al. 

aiglick

November 17th, 2013 at 12:07 AM ^

I was at the Northwestern game and the atmosphere at the end of the game through the overtimes was insane. As I said I am not sold on the offensive staff but I thought there may have been some real improvement on that side of the ball.

Guess we'll see how the rest of this season turns out. First let's take on Iowa next week.

twgolf19

November 17th, 2013 at 9:28 AM ^

You did see we scored 9 points in regulation right? You did see we got a FG after they handed us a 7 yard punt right? You did notice that we did a corner pass to a 5'7 WR in the end zone and not the 6'4 guy right. You must of been in the wind and missed all that. Our O stinks.

gwkrlghl

November 16th, 2013 at 11:52 PM ^

Still great at home, we have a ton of great offensive weapons, a good defense, and OSU does tend to let up a ton of points to iffy teams (Cal 34, NW 30, Iowa 24, Illinois 35) so we've got a chance.

Part of me fears that we win and Al Borges confounds us for another 5 years but I think it might be worth beating an undefeated OSU

maznblu

November 17th, 2013 at 12:05 AM ^

I think winning either of the last two games would be unlikely. I'll be happy if they do it, but I won't be distraught if they don't. The team has too much inconsistency.



It's all gravy from this point on for me. They lost two games I think they could reasonably have won. But winning against Iowa or Ohio State would be upsets.

MileHighAnnArborite

November 17th, 2013 at 4:06 AM ^

I say this as a Colorado alum and fan: no way.  The depths CU reached last season would be unthinkable for Michigan.  CU is 4-6 this year and the fan base (myself included) thinks this is a very positive sign.  I shudder to think of UofM reaching that level.  I'm thinking Michigan in the Pac12 is more like...wait for it...Arizona.

 

Danwillhor

November 17th, 2013 at 12:23 AM ^

and respect your notion but it's a totally different situation. Our offense, on the whole, once again proved that it hasn't changed. We still run out of obvious run formations and 7, 8, sometimes 9 man boxes. Our single covered 6-5 235 freak & Gallon (great route runner, plays like he is 6-2) go unused in these many cases. Devin (almost rightfully so by now) panics at first sight of penetration but rarely guess up field, rather thinking he can outrun anyone to the edge or just run 10+ yards backward before going down. It took a miracle (and a bad ball spot that was even reviewed) to even get to 9 points. Nine. 3fgs. One, again, a last second miracle. They had a 7 yard punt from their end zone and we did Jack balls with it. Point being, this team is who we are this year. Our best hope, imo, is beating Iowa, getting murdered by osu (mainly because the defense will be on the field all game) and hopefully getting a cake bowl opponent in whatever janky bowl we go to. That would make us 9-4. Under the circumstances, it's not that bad looking to recruits that dint watch the games, lol. Then, we decide on staff and retain or not we have to hope experience on both sides can at least put us in a better overall position even though we lose two NFL OTs. This year? Sorry, man. Last cause as far as suddenly "breaking out".

StraightDave

November 17th, 2013 at 12:33 AM ^

Nobody wanted RRod's spread style offense and wanted a "Michigan Man" to return UM back to three yards and a cloud of dust football.   Now that we have it, people still are not happy.   

switch26

November 17th, 2013 at 12:53 AM ^

What did u think was gonna happen when we hired a coach who has zero offensive mindset?  Hell, Hoke can't even get the D-Line to get more than 1 or 2 sacks a game typically and he's a Dline coach.. 

 

This is year 3, and our Dline is pathetic.. what's gonna change in year 4 and 5?

Danwillhor

November 17th, 2013 at 12:48 AM ^

right now. Two NFL OTs, Bryant/Braden and a guy we were all told could and should have started as a True Freshman led many to think Fitz along with the to HB recruit could get 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Now? We're like a half yard and a cloud of our QB getting sacked.