Behind Enemy Lines (Bama Fans on Michigan)

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April 4th, 2012 at 7:30 PM
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RollDamnTide
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Behind Enemy Lines (Bama Fans on Michigan)

I'll just give you a quick summary of what is being said in T-Town (That's Tuscaloosa for all of you north of Kentucky).

 

-Most fans believe that since Les Miles is a "Michigan Man", that Michigan will get a lot of input from him on how to beat Alabama.

-A lot of fans are convinced that Bama's D can make Denard Robinson a solely zone read QB. That Michigan's coaches won't have Denard putting the ball in the air all that often.

-Our secondary is young, so a lot of people are worried that Denard will be able to get chunks of yardage downfield on plays that he keeps alive.

-Quite a few fans believe this will be a lot like Bama's game against Va-Tech in 09, with Michigan scoring less than Va Tech managed.

-People are genuinely scared of Denard's ability to throw on the run.

-They were not impressed by the videos of Michigan's scrimmage. (Just a quick insight on that. People who put stock in Spring game, or practice scrimmage video are foolish)

-Most fans believe a "Shotgun Zone read" offense will be ineffective at moving the ball against Alabama.

-These are smart fans, they know Michigan is still recovering from a a size problem under the Rich Rodriguez era. 

-Michigan's defense is an area of concern for a lot of folks. They know Mattison has beaten the Tide before, and know he can dial up a scheme that will cause us problems.

-Trent Richardson is gone, but this is probably the best offensive line that Alabama has had in 20 years. 4 returning starters give us a lot of hope that the running game won't suffer any setbacks.

-A few of the smarter posters have been warning people about the impact Ondre Pipkins could have. We think he'll play, and we think he'll see major time against us. (After watching this kids tape, I'm so happy Barrett Jones switched to center, Yikes!)

 

 

It's far too early for me to go into full break down mode, we have all summer for that. I'll continue sharing info from across enemy lines that hopefully we'll give you guys good reading material.

On a personal note. A lot of Bama fans have realized that I'm on here now, so I catch a lot of flack for it. I think we could see a few of the better posters join MgoBlog closer to the game, and I hope they do, they'd be a big plus to this community.

 

Edit: I should have noted that these are from 3-4 different sites. Sorry guys, I got lazy, it's been a very long week already and I'm exhausted.

 

 

Roll Tide.

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April 4th, 2012 at 7:38 PM | thanks for the info; you're (Score:2 Normal)
gopoohgo
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Joined: 09/12/2011
MGoPoints: 1233

thanks for the info; you're right, lots of time to start breaking stuff down.  Hopefully both teams will avoid in the interim

April 4th, 2012 at 7:57 PM | I don't care howard times I (Score:1 Normal)
d.
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Joined: 01/09/2009
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I don't care howard times I see him, Perry always makes me laugh. Not for schadenfreude reasons... Just b/c his name is Perry.

April 4th, 2012 at 7:58 PM | HOW many times. Damn (Score:0 Normal)
April 4th, 2012 at 8:18 PM | Howard times is ok by me (Score:2 Normal)
MichiganITtoWINit
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Joined: 01/27/2011
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Howard times is ok by me

"This is Michigan for God sakes" -Brady Hoke

April 4th, 2012 at 11:45 PM | Seriously. The first two (Score:2)
bleep bloop
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Joined: 08/05/2010
MGoPoints: 1727

Seriously. The first two times I saw it I laughed out loud (yes I LOL'd, or L'dOL) and Perry still brings a huge smile to my face every time I see him.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:51 PM | On a similar note of (Score:1)
the Glove
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Joined: 07/01/2008
MGoPoints: 949

On a similar note of ACL-ephonts, does anyone else think that Iowa should have its own mascot?

April 4th, 2012 at 8:54 PM | They already do. (Score:3 Normal)
Michigan J. Frog
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MGoPoints: 72

AIRBHG

April 4th, 2012 at 10:54 PM | ACL-ephonts? (Score:5 Normal)
Blazefire
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Joined: 04/17/2009
MGoPoints: 15741

Behold, the ACL-efont.

"This is the EMU game, not the emo game."
April 4th, 2012 at 7:41 PM | Great insight, and I'm glad (Score:0 Normal)
April 4th, 2012 at 7:52 PM | It's hard for me to hate Bama (Score:3 Normal)
Wolverine15
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Joined: 04/08/2011
MGoPoints: 282

when you give us such good content RDT... And then I just think about Nick Saban and instantly crave to win decisively September 1st.  Thanks for the updates, as usual

"This is an elite job, and will continue to be an elite job. This is Michigan ferodsakes!"

April 4th, 2012 at 8:15 PM | Saban? (Score:2 Normal)
Tater
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MGoPoints: 10358

I'll say the same thing about Saban that I say about him in neutral forums: I have mixed emotions.  He is the most prolific gamer of the NCAA's system that we have seen.  He cares nothing about his players.  He represents everything the NCAA isn't supposed to represent.  

Most of all, though, he wins.  You might not like his methods, but you certainly can't argue with his results.  And I can't help but think that if he ran a team I cheered for, I would be making excuses for him.  

 

 

 

April 4th, 2012 at 8:53 PM | Part of the reason (Score:5 Normal)
Wolverine15
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we all like Michigan is because they would never disgrace themselves with a crook like Saban. The University represents itself with class (see Hoke, Beilein, Berenson, etc.).  A Michigan Man behaves with integrity, which is not something Saban knows a lot about.

"This is an elite job, and will continue to be an elite job. This is Michigan ferodsakes!"

April 5th, 2012 at 6:00 PM | You find my methods . . . (Score:2)
M-Dog
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You find my methods . . . unsound?

M'Dog

April 4th, 2012 at 7:55 PM | I don’t understand why people (Score:3 Normal)
Michigan J. Frog
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I don’t understand why people hate on spread to run. I just do not understand it (not that that’s what we run anyway). Cool info though. Thanks for the insight.

April 4th, 2012 at 7:58 PM | I'm gonna disagree about (Score:5 Normal)
FreddieMercuryHayes
Joined: 12/29/2010
MGoPoints: 4884

I'm gonna disagree about Pipkins. I just don't think he'll be ready after like 4 weeks of practice. He could defiantly see time as the season goes on, but I don't see it early.

April 4th, 2012 at 9:05 PM | Don't forget about BWC.  (Score:2 Normal)
jeffro0542
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Joined: 12/12/2008
MGoPoints: 386

Don't forget about BWC.  However, did you hear him say best O-Line in 20yrs?  The bunch you listed is no where close to being Michigan's best D-Line through 20 years.  This game will have to be won on offense. 

"He has an uncanny ability to get kids to believe in him and believe in themselves. He doesn't do it with smooth words. He's not smooth. He does it by being the same genuine person day after day." ~Jason Whitlock on Brady Hoke

April 4th, 2012 at 9:13 PM | Don't completely discount BWC (Score:2 Normal)
mgoDave
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Don't completely discount BWC.  He has shown a number of times that when he is motivated enought he is a disruptive force of some note.  His biggest problem has been consistancy and attitude from all acounts (including his own) and I think this coaching staff has really inspired him to turn that around.  I bet we will see BWC blow up some centers this year.

 

EDIT: Damn you beat me to it.

April 4th, 2012 at 7:59 PM | Does anybody else see a problem here? (Score:4 Normal)
brandanomano
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Joined: 09/05/2009
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There are these:

"-People are genuinely scared of Denard's ability to throw on the run."

"-They were not impressed by the videos of Michigan's scrimmage. (Just a quick insight on that. People who put stock in Spring game, or practice scrimmage video are foolish)"

and then there's this:

"-These are smart fans..."

Were the "smart fans" found in a different place or are they from the same collective group? Because anybody who judges a team from a spring scrimmage (not even the damn spring game) and people who are afraid of Denard throwing on the run isn't very bright.

Special Teams means special times!

April 4th, 2012 at 8:05 PM | Yeah (Score:2 Normal)
RollDamnTide
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I should have sais that these are from a few different sites. 

Roll Tide.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:15 PM | Ah, that's good to hear. Also (Score:4 Normal)
brandanomano
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Ah, that's good to hear.

Also I just re-read my previous post and my last sentence is brutal grammar-wise. My apologies people. I isn't very smart.

Special Teams means special times!

April 4th, 2012 at 8:01 PM | RDT, can you link to one of (Score:3 Normal)
MAgoBLUE
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RDT, can you link to one of the threads on Michigan?

 

 

"fumbles the snap, takes off. . ."

(9/5/09)

Twitter

April 4th, 2012 at 9:07 PM | I'd like to see those threads (Score:2)
Nosce Te Ipsum
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I'd like to see those threads as well.

Omnia mutantur nos et mutamur in illis.

April 5th, 2012 at 10:54 AM | I appreciate his summary but (Score:2)
MAgoBLUE
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MGoPoints: 2159

I appreciate his summary but I'd like to be able to make my own conclusions about what is being written.

 

 

"fumbles the snap, takes off. . ."

(9/5/09)

Twitter

April 4th, 2012 at 8:03 PM | it's interesting to me that (Score:4 Normal)
kingrichardx
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Joined: 05/28/2009
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it's interesting to me that you can have your best offensive line in 20 years and still worry about our defense. i think with the coaching that they'll get that they'll end up being pretty good, but asking an essentially brand new front four to open up against a proven, experienced alabama offensive line seems like a tall task.

i hope you guys are right though.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:15 PM | I like your optimism. (Score:3 Normal)
mgobluebraelow
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Now go find some wood to knock on.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:03 PM | I've recently moved down to (Score:2 Normal)
wild_blue_yonder
Joined: 04/05/2011
MGoPoints: 97

I've recently moved down to Huntsville and work with a fair number of Bama fans (understatement of the week?) so I'll do what I can to help keep a finger on the pulse of the Bama fanbase.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:10 PM | If I'm remembering correctly, (Score:3 Normal)
GoBlueMAGNUS
Joined: 08/17/2009
MGoPoints: 620

If I'm remembering correctly, we looked absolutely horrible in last years spring game and everyone was predicting a 6-6 record, and a slightly improved defense at best. "Smart fans" would know how much a spring game or practices gauge teams.

Despite what the other guy calls himself, my name actually is Magnus.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:54 PM | not how I remember it (Score:3 Normal)
Bodogblog
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The defense looked awesome, but we didn't believe it could be that good after 2010, so we blamed the O. Denard struggled with the pro style. The defense brought crazy blitzes from everywhere and looked like a sound, aggressive unit. Wilkins got destroyed and was never heard from again. Jake Ryan looked fantastic.

Sure, Cox ran for a long TD. And it wasn't revealing of the entire 2011 season. But on balance, last year's spring game gave several indications of what to expect in the regular season.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:14 PM | I'm amazed how my knee-jerk dislike for Bama (Score:5 Normal)
SWFlaBlue
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Lessens every time Roll Tide contributes to this blog. Please don't let a centered, well-rounded and reasonable Buckeye fan appear here. I can't bear the thought.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:18 PM | Ha, good one (Score:4 Normal)
brandanomano
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This is me everytime I go to Bucknuts or Eleven Warriors:

Special Teams means special times!

April 4th, 2012 at 9:17 PM | BAHAHA No Worries... (Score:3 Normal)
mgoDave
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There is no such thing, otherwise they wouldn't be Ohio fans.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:19 PM | How small are we? (Score:2 Normal)
justingoblue
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I'm not listing skill positions; I'm not a believer that a 6'3 RB is inherently better than a 5'8 RB, we all know Denard can be an elite QB and we're not sure how much size DG gives the receiving corps. So, for TE's and bigger on offense, first string (from MGoBlue):

TE Moore- 6'5 255
LT Lewan- 6'8 302
LG Mealer- 6'5 310
C Barnum- 6'3 292
RG Omameh- 6'4 299
RT Schofield- 6'7 299

Alabama's three returning starters on OL, plus favorite-to-start TE (Jones is apparently being moved to C after an All-America season elsewhere):

TE Williams- 6'6 269
C Jones- 6'5 302
RT Fluker- 6'6 345
LG Warmack- 6'3 320

Fluker and Warmack are monsters, but they're also ten pounds heavier than anyone else on Alabama's current roster. RDT, who are your projected starters at LT and RG?

Go Blue!

April 4th, 2012 at 8:20 PM | LT and RG (Score:1 Normal)
RollDamnTide
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Right now (before spring ball) Cyrus Kouandjio, and probably Chance Warmack, or Steen, depending on how it shakes out.

Roll Tide.

April 4th, 2012 at 8:30 PM | RDT... (Score:4 Normal)
justingoblue
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I don't know if you've had one around you yet, but one of the most important things on MGoBlog is the presence of a Chart? Chart.


Michigan      
TE Moore 6'5 255
LT Lewan 6'8 302
LG Mealer 6'5 310
C Barnum 6'3 292
RG Omameh 6'4 299
RT Schofield 6'7 299

Alabama      
TE Williams 6'6 269
LT Kouandjio 6'6 311
LG Warmack 6'3 320
C Jones 6'5 302
RG Steen 6'3 303
RT Fluker 6'6 345

 

Go Blue!

April 4th, 2012 at 8:56 PM | Chart? Chart. (Score:0 Normal)
April 4th, 2012 at 8:56 PM | I wish your aunt (Score:2 Normal)
Hardware Sushi
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Joined: 03/08/2010
MGoPoints: 3481

I wish your aunt had that website when I lived in Ann Arbor...

Intensity is a lot of guys that run fast.

April 4th, 2012 at 9:08 PM | It's something else, isn't it? (Score:1 Normal)
justingoblue
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Joined: 11/16/2010
MGoPoints: 10858

They actually just recently had to move the business out of her kitchen into a decently sized professional space. I'm fortunate enough to have her cook for me when I make it up there, and I'm hoping it catches on around town, obviously. I'm sure she, and my uncle, appreciate the kind words.

Go Blue!

April 4th, 2012 at 10:07 PM | Jesus (Score:0 Normal)
April 4th, 2012 at 8:22 PM | Michigan Banner in Ft Payne (Score:1 Normal)
Tim in Huntsville
Joined: 11/06/2010
MGoPoints: 67

I went climbing in the Little River Canyon last week and stopped by the Little River Cafe for breakfast...   They had a ton of pennants and other Alabama banners, but there was also a Michigan pennant hanging there as well..   Come to find out, one of the owners is from downriver somewhere.  And here I thought they had hung it to honor their 'next victim'..  <BigGrin>

BTW, we need to have a game-watching party in Huntsville..   I know of a number of M fans here..

Tim

April 4th, 2012 at 8:41 PM | On a personal note. A lot of (Score:3 Normal)
BlueDragon
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MGoPoints: 16711

On a personal note. A lot of Bama fans have realized that I'm on here now, so I catch a lot of flack for it.

For what? Communicating? We are very happy to have you on the board RDT and we look forward to further insights from T-Town. In the Great Lakes region, T-Town can also mean Toledo, OH.

Abort, Retry, Fail?

April 4th, 2012 at 8:54 PM | RDT, my only regret about (Score:1)
bluebyyou
Joined: 09/07/2009
MGoPoints: 2682

RDT, my only regret about this game is that it isn't part of a two game series with one game played in T-Town and the other in Ann Arbor. I'd really much rather visit Alabama and hope you folks down there are hospitable in lieu of playing one game at Jerry's world.  I also think the Bama people might enjoy Ann Arbor. We are pretty hospitable folks, unless you are from Columbus.

As for the game, I can't get excited until August.  Thank you for the update.

April 4th, 2012 at 10:29 PM | or East Lansing.... (Score:1)
russale2012
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or East Lansing....

It's been a lot. Its been a roller coaster that for some reason seemed like it would never get good. But you know what? We kept fighting. It's like that old saying goes, "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions." -David Molk

April 4th, 2012 at 9:03 PM | I am currently behind enemy (Score:1)
sheepdog
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Joined: 06/15/2011
MGoPoints: 804

I am currently behind enemy lines, in Birmingham.  The people I am talking to about the game don't seem to be scared at all.  They have gotten a bit cocky over the Saban era.  I would love to see Michigan come out firing and beat UA silly.

April 4th, 2012 at 9:28 PM | Nancy Kerrigan plan (Score:1)
Roachgoblue
Joined: 08/29/2011
MGoPoints: 1477

Activate!

[Caved troll is caved. Sorry, Mobile app users.]

April 4th, 2012 at 10:18 PM | Thanks for the info. I think (Score:1)
Jeff09
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MGoPoints: 444

Thanks for the info. I think if roles were reversed I'd probably have similar impressions of Michigan. That said the part about calling up Les Miles for a few pointers is laughable. I doubt anyone in the athletic department is asking the hatter for advice on anything haha.

Also I would be shocked to see Pipkins starting. I think you guys underestimate both Campbell's ability and the difficulty of starting at nose tackle freshman year...

Edit: sorry I misread the original post... nothing about Pipkins necessarily starting.  Wouldn't be surprised if he got into the rotation a decent amount.

Call Mr. Plow, that's my name, that name again is Mr. Plow

April 4th, 2012 at 10:35 PM | RDT, what an ambassador for (Score:2)
GBR Blue
Joined: 10/31/2011
MGoPoints: 6

RDT, what an ambassador for 'Bama football you are!  Great, objective views and opinions and always very thoughtfully presented to an ostensibly hostile (but not really) crowd.  I'm guessing you scored higher than a 4 on the Wonderlich (whatever) test.  Cheers.

April 4th, 2012 at 10:51 PM | This is all well and good (Score:2)
Marvin
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This is all well and good RDT, but what does Jim from Crestwood think?

April 5th, 2012 at 12:57 AM | Yet another hype video (Score:1)
chadkent28
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MGoPoints: 11

this one contains historical aspects of these two programs, including speeches from Bear and Bo themselves

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsWX36JNiag

 

April 5th, 2012 at 8:11 AM | Just love the thought of Hoke (Score:1)
Sons of Louis Elbel
Joined: 11/21/2011
MGoPoints: 339

Just love the thought of Hoke calling up Miles (!) for advice (!!) on this game. Hopefully, we'll score a few more points than LSU did last time out.

April 5th, 2012 at 8:31 AM | Interesting stuff, RDT, but (Score:2)
UMgradMSUdad
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Joined: 07/02/2011
MGoPoints: 1949

Interesting stuff, RDT, but if you want to really knock our socks off, tell us what new plays or wrinkles Nussmeier is working into Alabama's offense.

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