Hoke: one of the young guys to start at RB at Iowa
I assume that this means that Derrick Green will start at RB again this week:
http://www.mgoblue.com/allaccess/?media=421981
Also Hoke refuses to say whether he will wear long sleeves.
Thilling, I know... but it's news nonetheless. (I mean the former more so than the latter).
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:24 PM ^
mmm...leg churn.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:28 PM ^
I did enjoy watching Pat Fitzgerald keep putting on more layers of clothing at last week's game in the cold rain... and then seeing Hoke on the other sideline with short sleeves.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:30 PM ^
Didn't make decision soon enough. Fire Hoke.
November 22nd, 2013 at 8:00 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 8:24 PM ^
Hoke is in a no win situation here- if the new back does well his past decisions will be criticized, if the back doesn't do well it will seem like everything is broken. This is late to be making a change.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:33 PM ^
Interesting... gotta wonder why Fitz is suddenly in the doghouse. If he was legitimately hurt I think we would have heard something about it before gametime (and it wouldn't last this long), and if he was just jumped by the freshmen I'd assume he'd stay on as a 3rd down back or something... I suppose with this staff we'll never know.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:37 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:42 PM ^
6 yards is what Fitz ran for against Nebraska, 20 against Michigan State.
79 yards for Green against Northwestern isn't great, but it's enough to get him more carries.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 5:12 PM ^
I've got to believe he is legitimately hurt, because otherwise he wouldn't have missed every single play of a triple-overtime game last Saturday. At some point we would have put him in there.
November 22nd, 2013 at 7:44 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^
Probably the reason he wasn't benched earlier is because he is/was better than Derrick Green and has better numbers (Toussaint has 3.5 yards/carry, Green 3.3). But let's not let facts get in the way of opinion.
November 22nd, 2013 at 9:21 PM ^
If only YPC alone determined how good a running back was. You could also take into account Green's clear improvement in the NW game.
November 22nd, 2013 at 10:03 PM ^
But that's not entirely fair, because Toussaint didn't play against NW, so we have no basis for comparison.
November 23rd, 2013 at 12:48 AM ^
Good point although he faced what was likely a worse defense in Nebraska and struggled very much.
November 23rd, 2013 at 5:03 AM ^
...and so did his offensive line.
November 22nd, 2013 at 10:11 PM ^
If only YPC alone determined how good a running back was.
I mean, srsly, what the hell else is there? Blocking...okay. Route running...perhaps. Catching ability...
YPC gets you into the Hall of Fame fergodsake
November 23rd, 2013 at 12:46 AM ^
Yea I was referring to blocking which against Nebraska alone I remember Tous whiffing on maybe 3-4 plays which led to sacks. I don't think .2 YPC justifies playing a guy that can't block for crap.
November 23rd, 2013 at 5:04 AM ^
And Derrick Green hasn't whiffed in pass pro this year? The coaches have said that Toussaint has been the team's best pass protector at RB.
November 23rd, 2013 at 2:28 PM ^
The coaches also said Bellomy was fit to be a starting QB last year. I'm obviously not 1/1000th as good as they are at talent assessment or analysis but they can be stubborn and decide that they like their multi-year starter senior at RB over the true freshman despite clear weaknesses.
You can be wrong too Magnus.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:42 PM ^
Yes, I can be wrong. Obviously, I don't think I am. Just like you don't think you are.
November 22nd, 2013 at 9:41 PM ^
You're basing your argument on a .2 yds/carry difference? Hell, the way they were blocking they all could have been benched. At least then a WR would have been on the field to pull a defender out into space and open up some room in the box so opposing DCs didn't have 8 guys in there to choose from to send on a blitz.
November 23rd, 2013 at 9:34 AM ^
November 23rd, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
Who claimed I'm "some hot shot coach"?
Oh, Green is a freshman and still learning the offense... Thanks for the info.
Now what does that have to do with anything?
By the way, it's really neat how you attacked me and made a bunch of assumptions based on the fact that you and I apparently disagree about which Michigan football player is better. That seems rational.
November 23rd, 2013 at 9:49 AM ^
November 23rd, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
The problem is that people assume all things are the same. Toussaint started a bunch of games where linemen and linebackers were running free in the backfield. Green started one game in which Borges ran mostly inside zone and cut down on the penetration from the front seven.
Now, based on one game, a bunch of people assume that's the norm for Green and that he should have been starting for weeks and weeks.
November 23rd, 2013 at 2:31 PM ^
I can't really comment on your first point because I don't understand the difference between those two types of plays. However, I don't recall anyone suggesting Green should have been starting for weeks based on that game. I certainly didn't. However, I think Green picked up enough of the offense and has gotten used to the speed of the game. He probably is the best back for us now IMO.
November 23rd, 2013 at 10:02 AM ^
Using ypc as a strict indicator of who you're going to start at rb is really stupid. In 2006, Mike Hart's ypc was 4.9 and Brandon Minor's was 5.7. Soooo Minor was obviously better than Hart by your logic. Hmmm, might want to rethink that...
November 23rd, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
That's not the only indicator I'm using, but thanks.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:36 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
or that green is just better.
November 22nd, 2013 at 8:55 PM ^
The numbers suggest otherwise.
November 22nd, 2013 at 9:36 PM ^
Should the negative yardage plays go against Fitz's total when he completely whiffs on a block? Not all of the negative plays because he does get a piece of the jersey sometimes, just the complete whiffs.
November 23rd, 2013 at 5:06 AM ^
Green has had his share of whiffs, too. Again, not really a fair comparison, considering the fact that Green wasn't in there much to whiff against Nebraska, MSU, etc.
November 23rd, 2013 at 12:35 AM ^
Pure stats moneyball approach does not seem to work in football (see Jacksonville Jaguars)...me thinks the eye ball test tells me its time to move Fitz to where he belongs...change of pace back, 3rd down guy...and let the bangers bang. This game will be a good barometer to see if Green and Smith can continue to fall forward a couple yards.
November 23rd, 2013 at 12:35 AM ^
Pure stats moneyball approach does not seem to work in football (see Jacksonville Jaguars)...me thinks the eye ball test tells me its time to move Fitz to where he belongs...change of pace back, 3rd down guy...and let the bangers bang. This game will be a good barometer to see if Green and Smith can continue to fall forward a couple yards.
November 23rd, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^
For Magnus, it all depends on who he's discussing with. If you argue the eyeball test then YPC is the only thing that matters. If you point out that Green has had better stats lately then YPC is only one indicator. Tough to discuss things with a guy who flip flops every post.
November 23rd, 2013 at 7:45 PM ^
Please point out where I have flip flopped. Thanks.
November 23rd, 2013 at 9:00 PM ^
Obviously this doesn't matter at all because we aren't the Mich coaches and the players will do awesome or poorly regardless.
But because you asked, you said this in response to "Mocha" when he made the comparison of Minor's YPC vs. Hart's: "That's not the only indicator I'm using, but thanks."
Honestly, it doesn't matter anymore but in case you were curious.
November 24th, 2013 at 5:26 AM ^
Why does it have to be the only indicator I'm using? Do I have to explain 100% of my rationale every time I post?
November 25th, 2013 at 5:46 PM ^
No but when youre posting smart-ass comments like "huh he has .2 ypc more!" or earned a reputation as a sarcastic know it all then people won't give you the benefit of the doubt.
November 25th, 2013 at 5:58 PM ^
Facts are facts. If people are begging for a guy to be benched who has superior numbers to the other guy, then that smacks of "the seaweed is always greener / in somebody else's lake." It's silly to let those comments slide. Green got a chance to play against Iowa and didn't do much of anything, and while Toussaint didn't either, he did catch 4 passes out of the backfield. Green has yet to catch a pass this year, and when I saw him in person during high school, he struggled to catch the ball. So there are some things Toussaint offers that Green doesn't.
But hey, the backup quarterback's always the most popular guy on the team, right?
November 26th, 2013 at 4:34 AM ^
I understand the pass-catching part and I'll take your word for it because I've never seen Green catch.
However, the fans supporting Green starting are taking into account his recent improvements regardless of whether or not Fitz played against NW. Also, since Fitz clearly hasn't worked out, sometimes you have to experiment and try to do something different. If Green looks sloppy on his first 2-3 carries then go back to Fitz.
November 22nd, 2013 at 8:01 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 8:22 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:39 PM ^
after this season caused Hoke to make changes. Toussaint is history so why play him? Also, Hoke may be listening to the criticisms directed toward his ground game and is just reacting.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:42 PM ^
If Hoke were doing this, I would cry myself to sleep at night. He is not.
November 22nd, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^
November 22nd, 2013 at 5:47 PM ^
So yes.