Countdown to Kickoff Day 16
August 14th, 2014 at 9:04 AM ^
"Yes sir, "Lockdown" Ray Taylor!" Bring it Ray!
August 14th, 2014 at 9:21 AM ^
...and it really is getting me so damn excited for college football. Hope to see more of those INTs this season from Mr Taylor.
August 14th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
I have a feeling we're going to see a lot of good things from the CBs this year, and yes, I would definitely like to see some "Lockdown" Ray Taylor in all that as well. I like the confidence coming from him in that statement actually.
One thing that is a common theme in these interviews this year, which is nice, is that they talk abount pushing the guys in their unit and trying to make everyone better. It definitely seems like the turnaround that they've been making from the culture of last season is working well in camp.
August 14th, 2014 at 10:29 AM ^
August 14th, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^
...what's been our best defense since '97?
And if it's Hoke's first year '11, exclude that (there was a lot of fortune in that defense).
IMO, this defense has a real shot to be 1, 2 or 3 in some ranking of "best defense since '97."
I really do think they're going to be THAT good.
One thing I miss about watching Michigan Football, was defense. In '97, you took a piss and got another beer when the offense was on the field...NEVER when the defense was playing.
Gradually the defense got worse as the spread era started and the offenses started and we lost that. Then obviously Rich Rod came and you never wanted to miss an offensive snap because that was so fun/explosive.
Anyone remember the game @Illinois in '11? When Mattison pretty much broke down in tears afterwards because he finally saw some "Michigan Defense."
That is the only glimpse I remember of this feeling that you wanted to watch every defensive snap. That was a special evening.
I think this season is going to be like that, getting us back to where we imposed our will on offenses, where we made plays. "(We) make plays baby, ay, (we) make plays...that's all there is to it...they do all the talkin'...(we did) the walkin' baby."
August 14th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^
...our best defense since '97 was in 2006.
Taylor has done a respectable job at corner since forced onto the field as a FR. He's one of my favorites on this defense...looking for even better things out of the whole group this year.
August 14th, 2014 at 10:46 AM ^
August 14th, 2014 at 11:55 AM ^
August 14th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
Not to take anything away from that team but that 06 defense should have been even better than it was. Ron was a nice guy and all but if they had Mattison coaching that d. Oh my.
August 14th, 2014 at 6:54 PM ^
Agreed. The level of talent on that defense was more than '97, in my opinion. So much NFL talent. Harris, Woodley, Hall, Burgess, Crable, Adams, Branch. It was nuts.
August 14th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
Turn, and face the damn ball!!! We would have had so many more ints last year.
August 14th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
I LOVED Ray's attitude. He just became one of my favorite Wolverines.
Excited for a great year and lockdown secondary.
August 14th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
I hope when Kovacs is done chasing his NFL dream he finds his way back to Ann Arbor as a GA. It is a testament to his impact as a player, instructor, and mentor that we're still hearing players talk about him two years after he left.
August 14th, 2014 at 6:43 PM ^
Does anyone ever wonder why the video quality of these are so bad? Is it a money thing or do they not want us to see to much?
August 14th, 2014 at 8:30 PM ^
really has stepped up his game. It seemed like teams liked to "pick on Ray" because they thought Countess was a better defender, but Raymond made teams pay time and time again. I would yell from the stands..."you can only pick on Raymond Taylor so many times before he strikes back!"
Hoping for a great injury-free year from the entire secondary.
And I think it would be very cool to see Jordan Kovacs enter coaching as a defensive-minded coach. Always wonder which players will follow in the footsteps of the present and past coaches.