The Clowney-Lewan battle

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January 1st, 2013 at 10:02 PM
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MGlobules
Joined: 11/17/2008
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The Clowney-Lewan battle

Article at sportsline about the game's big matchup, notes that it shaped up as the blockbuster battle that everyone expected:

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/blog/rob-rang/21483627/clowney-vs-lew....

Suggests that Clowney gave Lewan problems, but that Michigan's All American lineman largely held his own. Lewan was not responsible for Clowney on the big play that nailed Vince Smith in the backfield and resulted in a fumble.

EDIT: After the game, according to the News, Lewan sought Clowney out. "I went up to him after the game and told him, 'You're one of the best defensive ends I've ever played against.' He said, 'You're the best tackle I've ever played against.' So that's a great compliment to have, but none of this matters because we didn't win the damn game."

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January 1st, 2013 at 10:08 PM | People (SC fans especially) (Score:5 Normal)
go16blue
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MGoPoints: 3425

People (SC fans especially) were extremely confident about Clowney, saying he would get multiple sacks. Not only did he not get a single sack, I don't remember him ever getting to the QB. Sure he gave Lewan some problems but if that's all you can say for arguably the best defensive player in college football thats a very decisive win for the offensive lineman.

COYS and lets go Detroit FC!

January 1st, 2013 at 10:48 PM | In fairness to Clowney, (Score:2 Normal)
robmorren2
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In fairness to Clowney, Gardner rolled or sprinted out to the right on a lot of passes. I'm not sure why SC never flipped Clowney to the other end at any point. That. being said, Lewan was dominant.

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:38 AM | I'm 4% sure (Score:-1 Flamebait)
January 2nd, 2013 at 1:19 AM | Well, I believe that 4% of (Score:5 Normal)
robmorren2
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Well, I believe that 4% of your thought is 100% wrong. However, he did dominate throughout his dominant performance, and he established his dominance over Clowney.

January 2nd, 2013 at 7:16 AM |  Michigan ran over 60 (Score:2 Normal)
B1G_Fan
Joined: 10/11/2012
MGoPoints: 328

 Michigan ran over 60 offensive plays and Clowney finished with 4 Tackles 2 TFL and 0 sacks. Lewan and the offensive coaches did an excellent job making him a non factor. Great players like Clowney are hard to shut down for an entire game and he did make 2 plays. Taylor has nothing left to prove and i'd love to see him come back for his senior year but I won't blame him when he moves on

January 2nd, 2013 at 1:11 PM | One minor quibble... "Lewan (Score:3 Normal)
harryddunn
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One minor quibble...

"Lewan and the offensive coaches did an excellent job making him a non factor."

My only real major complaint with the coaches or coordinators yesterday is that we actually had a play in our playbook that assigned a walk-on TE the responsibility of blocking JaDeveon MF Clowney. I still can't figure out how that play wasn't completely scrapped for this game.

"The last Saturday in November at 12 o'clock, that ball being kicked off, there’s nothing like it." - Coach Hoke

January 1st, 2013 at 10:55 PM | If Clowney didn't get to the (Score:3 Informative)
sheepdog
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If Clowney didn't get to the QB, I would say that Lewan gave him problems.

January 1st, 2013 at 11:19 PM | Clowney (Score:2)
somewittyname
Joined: 05/15/2009
MGoPoints: 1029

Clowney did get a holding call on Lewan and blew him up once late when he nailed Denard behind the LOS. But on the whole, Lewan at the least held his own.

January 2nd, 2013 at 1:21 AM | Clowney also had several (Score:1)
robmorren2
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Clowney also had several offside penalties, which I believe were caused by him pressing because he couldn't beat Lewan on pass plays.

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:34 AM | He almost destroyed Gardner (Score:1)
Swazi
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He almost destroyed Gardner completely on that screen play.  Devin turned around in just the nick of time, and got the ball out when Clowney was literally right in his face.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

January 1st, 2013 at 10:07 PM | Lewan stonewalled him (Score:5 Normal)
Sopwith
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and probably earned a couple of million extra bucks over the course of the afternoon.  

On the optimistic side, Schofield came in and did a pretty decent job for a couple of series.  Is the thinking he goes to LT next year and Magnusson or another RS Frosh goes to RT, or something else?

"You know, for a bartender/bookie, you're pretty judgmental."

January 1st, 2013 at 10:09 PM | Totally agree (Score:5 Normal)
DCAlum
Joined: 01/30/2012
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I can't believe Clowney got player of the game. I thought multiple other SC players (including on defense) deserved it over him. He was largely ineffective except for one or two plays all game. Lewan owned him.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:10 PM | I'm hoping someone can (Score:1)
MGlobules
Joined: 11/17/2008
MGoPoints: 5148

whip us up a video of their encounters. 

January 1st, 2013 at 10:24 PM | Pretty sure Lewan's agent (Score:4 Normal)
Sopwith
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will do a mashup of his plays vs. Clowney when it's time to negotiate the contract.

Would have said they should throw his ownage of Gholston on the tape as well, but the dude has fallen so far off the scale, it doesn't really prove anything anymore.

"You know, for a bartender/bookie, you're pretty judgmental."

January 1st, 2013 at 10:11 PM | Ace Sanders (Score:5 Normal)
DealerCamel
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If anybody was an MVP, it was Ace Sanders.  Dude was all over the place.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:39 PM | Agree.  I get that Clowney's (Score:5 Normal)
RakeFight
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Agree.  I get that Clowney's a great player and his tackle for loss/forced fumble/fumble recovery was a huge play, but he was pretty quiet the rest of the game with only 3 other tackles.  Seems like the guy who scored 3 TDs and couldn't be stopped on offense (Sanders) should be the MVP.

January 2nd, 2013 at 3:07 AM | I thought the same thing. (Score:3 Normal)
MGoBrewMom
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When he got "Player of the game" my whole house went "wtf"?? Based on that one (gigantic) hit? Whatever. But it seemed like an insult to Taylor, after he (along with offensive play calling) kept Clowney in check for the most part.

Mom, MGrad and life long fan living in So Cal

January 2nd, 2013 at 8:59 AM | Absolutely (Score:3 Normal)
True Blue Grit
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Sanders was the real difference maker for SC in this game - NOT Clowney.  Without Sanders making a couple of those big plays, Michigan wins.  

"You owe it to every man, woman, and child in the State of Michigan to beat the Buckeyes and silence their fans!  Now go out there and make it happen!"

- Bo Schembechler (Result: U-M 22  OSU 0)

January 1st, 2013 at 10:11 PM | Agree (Score:4 Normal)
Mitch Cumstein
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Giving the MVP to Clowney is clownish.  The receiver/ punt returner had 3 TDs and some great plays.  He definitely deserved it a lot more.  Hell, even Shaw probably deserved it more. 

"A flute with no holes is not a flute. A donut with no hole is a danish"

January 2nd, 2013 at 4:33 PM | and he had the critical 4th (Score:2)
harryddunn
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and he had the critical 4th down conversion!

it was lunacy.

"The last Saturday in November at 12 o'clock, that ball being kicked off, there’s nothing like it." - Coach Hoke

January 1st, 2013 at 10:16 PM | Amazing what ESPN will do to (Score:5 Normal)
bronxblue
Joined: 11/22/2008
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Amazing what ESPN will do to keep with a narrative.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:38 PM | Neutralized (Score:5 Normal)
the unsilent ma...
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Spurrier's non-mention of Clowney at the end of the game was very telling; he mentioned several other players as well. Media hype gave this one to Clowney. With the exception of essentially one play (that we handed to him), he was a non-factor.

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:35 AM | Ace (Score:3 Normal)
Swazi
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Ace should've gotten player of the game.  Returned a punt, got key first downs, and caught the game winner.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

January 2nd, 2013 at 6:43 AM | Pretty sure it was Bruce (Score:3 Normal)
Trebor
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Pretty sure it was Bruce Ellington who caught the game winner, not Sanders.

January 2nd, 2013 at 10:18 AM | He got player of the game (Score:2)
willywill9
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He got player of the game based on one play, that has completely blown up.  Ace Saunders should have been player of the game, and there isn't a question.

Touchdown Michigan!

January 5th, 2013 at 11:37 PM | Football games are mostly decided by big plays. (Score:1)
I Like Winners
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They used to say the same thing about Jim Brown of the Cleveland Brown: "Except for that 60 yard run and the 32 yard carry, we pretty much held him in check."

The tackle-fumble-pick-up-the-ball-with-my -left-hand play was, well, you have to give the guy some credit.

It ain't much, but I can cure cancer.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:13 PM | I think what was even more (Score:5 Normal)
ReadYourGuard
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I think what was even more telling was that Burzynski came in and filled in nicely for Omameh at guard.



Our OL is going to be better at 3 positions next year, and worse at one.

"the Spirit of Michigan...is based on a deathless loyalty to Michigan and all her ways....and a conviction that nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours" - Fielding Yost
January 1st, 2013 at 10:14 PM | Magnusson doesn't look like a (Score:2)
Zone Left
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Magnusson doesn't look like a strong side tackle in Borges's offense, but maybe another nine months makes him viable. Ideally, none of the Freshmen would get pressed into service at left tackle next season, so the job is probably Schofield's if he plays reasonably well.

It's all John Navarre's fault.

 

January 1st, 2013 at 11:07 PM | Whatcha think: (Score:2)
BiSB
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Schofield - Bryant - Miller - Kalis - Braden?

They no longer call me Bisbiño

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:19 AM | In all honesty I don't think (Score:2 Normal)
Frito Bandito
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In all honesty I don't think Bryant will be a factor. He was so out of shape and such a big project his freshman year and he got hurt from the get go this year. Bars or the walk on that's been getting such praise (name?) will be right there with him if not ahead. It should be noted that I'm obviously not in the loop and I have no idea what I'm talking about.

Bears Beets Battlestar Galactica

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:36 AM | According to Magnus Bryant is (Score:1)
Swazi
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According to Magnus Bryant is our best run blocker.  So most likely he'll be playing next year.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:51 AM | No offense to Magnus but (Score:1)
Frito Bandito
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No offense to Magnus but based on what?

Bears Beets Battlestar Galactica

January 2nd, 2013 at 3:27 AM | Magnus... (Score:2 Normal)
cps2010
Joined: 08/08/2009
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...also thought Mike Cox was a beast.

January 2nd, 2013 at 1:10 AM | Yes, Bryant came in (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Yes, Bryant came in overweight, but was down to 318 to start this fall before his injury.  And his injury was one that should be just fine for spring practice, so I don't think that will be much of an issue going forward. Bryant is bigger and better than most of the guards on our team, so although it's entirely possible that someone beats him out, he's still probably the favorite to get the non-Kalis OG spot.

And you're thinking of Brzynski, who has done well (and went in today when Lewan went out).  Also, Graham Glasgow is another walk-on interior sort who could crack the line-up, and it has been reported that him and Miller are neck and neck for  back-up OC snaps.  If Miller wins the job at center, I could see Glasgow being the back-up at a few different OL spots.  He's certainly got the size - at 6'6" 305, he's one of our biggest OL as a redshirt frosh.

January 2nd, 2013 at 1:32 AM | All I'm saying is when he (Score:1)
Frito Bandito
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All I'm saying is when he came in he was incredibly raw and had to completely change his body. Throw in an entire season lost to injury and will again have to kill bad weight I think you've got a player who's not ready for meaningful pt.

Bears Beets Battlestar Galactica

January 2nd, 2013 at 1:40 AM | He'll be two years removed (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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He'll be two years removed from that though.  When he showed up this past fall, he was down 25 or so pounds and reportedly in much better shape.  Then he broke his leg, but that doesn't have a huge recovery time and he'll have 9 months to drop whatever bad weight he put back on.  But the reason Bryant was rated as highly as he was had to do with how athletic he is for his size.  

January 2nd, 2013 at 2:04 AM | Yep, that's a ton of time. (Score:2 Normal)
Frito Bandito
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Yep, that's a ton of time. Hope he is the answer and my gut feeling is wrong. Like many times before.

Bears Beets Battlestar Galactica

January 1st, 2013 at 10:16 PM | Yeah, I think it's most (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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Yeah, I think it's most likely that Schofield plays LT from here on out and Magnuson or Braden will battle it out at RT.  

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:11 AM | I'm guessing (Score:2 Normal)
m1jjb00
Joined: 11/21/2009
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that Braden is the starting RT and that Mangusson is the backup LT.  Braden is much bigger at the moment, but who knows what'll happen with another 9 months of weight training.

January 2nd, 2013 at 1:04 AM | When you say Braden is bigger (Score:4 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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When you say Braden is bigger at the moment, you mean that Braden was bigger when they showed up to camp in August (when roster weights are measured).  They are the same height, and Braden came in 23 pounds heavier.  Magnuson isn't exactly small, at 285 he was 11 pounds lighter than Barnum and 15 pounds lighter than Schofield.  After a full year of S&C,  Magnuson could be every bit of 300, and at the very least, the weight difference between him and Braden won't be the determining factor.  

January 1st, 2013 at 10:10 PM | It was good yes (Score:1 Normal)
DealerCamel
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It was good, yes, but of course the first play we take Lewan off of guarding Clowney, the man goes and kills Vincent Smith which earned him MVP honors and will probably be replayed incessantly on ESPN.  Lewan-Clowney matchup of the ages?  Check.  Clowney with the game-changer?  Also check.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:17 PM | But UM then scored to take (Score:2 Normal)
bronxblue
Joined: 11/22/2008
MGoPoints: 12589

But UM then scored to take the lead after that play.  I'm not disagreeing that it wasn't a great play, but game-changer is harder for me given that the teams scored 3 more times after that play.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:26 PM | Timing (Score:0 Trolling)
January 1st, 2013 at 10:41 PM | Not a game changing hit. (Score:3 Normal)
cold_cut711
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Exactly! How is it a game changer if we came back and took the lead with under 2 minutes? South Carolina won with what was basically a hail mary. Game changers typically swing the entire momentum against the opposing team....we scored real quick.

Hoke 2016

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:38 AM | Because they scored on that (Score:3 Normal)
Swazi
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Because they scored on that fumble recovery to take the lead first? 

 

If that hit doesn't happen, odds are, we win.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

January 2nd, 2013 at 10:20 AM | Hail Mary? That was (Score:2)
willywill9
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Hail Mary? That was definitely a standard pass play, one that burned us deep earlier in the game too.  

Touchdown Michigan!

January 1st, 2013 at 10:10 PM | It seemed very much like a (Score:3 Normal)
Clown Sauce
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It seemed very much like a draw to me, both played very well and both improved their draft stock.

Also, how Manti T'eo was voted as the best defender in college football over Clowney is absurd, this guy would be dominating the NFL right now

"What" ain't no country I ever heard of. They speak English in What?

January 1st, 2013 at 10:30 PM | Because the ND hype machine (Score:2)
Lionsfan
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Because the ND hype machine cannot be stopped

If you're doing nothing, how do you know when you're finished?

StraightDave owes me a steak dinner

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:41 AM | Yeah (Score:1)
funkywolve
Joined: 10/08/2008
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I thought it was funny listening to Gruden and Tirico say Clowney was the best defensive player in the country after watching ESPN hype Teo leading up to the Heisman.

January 1st, 2013 at 10:55 PM | hmmmmm... (Score:4 Normal)
clarkiefromcanada
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Clowney is a good player, very good, at the collegiate level. That said, don't kid yourself that he'd be dominating at the NFL level at this point.

FWIW, if Taylor Lewan could hold him to a draw (or probably end up in plus numbers against him) I don't suspect that Jake Long and Joe Thomas are losing much sleep worrying about the guy.

He might be great at the next level but it is a hell of a jump.

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