M Defense #1 in points allowed improvement
November 21st, 2021 at 10:50 PM ^
uh that’s a pretty big matzoh ball hanging out there tho
November 21st, 2021 at 11:08 PM ^
pretty stupid post considering michigan did not play OSU last year either
November 22nd, 2021 at 9:46 AM ^
Bravo. You’ve completely redeemed yourself.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:59 PM ^
That may be true, but these stats probably factor in the FACT that Michigan would have won last year.
November 21st, 2021 at 10:51 PM ^
But apparently Macdonald still sucks, according to some of the peanut gallery over here.
November 22nd, 2021 at 12:17 AM ^
Yes! More clear evidence that MacDonald is an incompetent coach!
November 21st, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^
I don’t think anyone has denied Michigan’s improvement on that side of the ball. It’s been awesome. But Michigan has had many impressive defenses the week before Ohio State in the Harbaugh era. Wasn’t the Ohio State matchup one of the main reasons we were excited about getting a new DC? Well, it happens on Saturday. Mike MacDonald will largely be judged on that. Let’s hope he’s up to the task.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:46 PM ^
He wont be
November 22nd, 2021 at 12:33 AM ^
That's the secret of building an elite program: If the team doesn't beat Ohio in the first year that proves all the coaches and assistants are bad and they should be replaced. It doesn't matter how much they manage to improve the team and their area of responsibility they are bad coaches and must be replaced.
If we just employ your ideas we should have a national champion in a few years.
November 22nd, 2021 at 7:13 AM ^
You do understand that Michigan did not play OSU last year???
OSU will present a monumental challenge on Saturday. We will see what happens.
November 22nd, 2021 at 8:35 AM ^
Many impressive defense performances the week before the OSU game? More like many meh performances against Indiana in games that ended up being way more stressful than they should have been, with the exception of 2019.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:06 PM ^
hold OSU to under 40 and go win the game. Go Blue.
November 21st, 2021 at 11:12 PM ^
Much of that has to do with the success of the running game and controlling the clock. The Michigan D deserves credit but the improvement of the O-Line and the running game is a big factor as well
November 22nd, 2021 at 7:52 AM ^
This is going to be a pivotal point this Saturday. If the OL can control the line of scrimmage and Cade can move the chains efficiently through the air Michigan has a chance.
I know everyone is afraid to say it out loud but, here, Gattis and Harbaugh are going to have to be very on-point with the QB position. If Cade is not able to step up to this challenge and play with great composure it will be imperative that they make a switch before the score is "21-0"...Georgia's defense cannot keep OSU from scoring. Michigan winning this game will be as much about our offense as it is about the defense. I love Cade but if this is a game where Michigan needs what JJ offers then JJ has to be on the field-this is just the way it is.
If Michigan is going to compete with OSU the coaches are going to have to play the players who can and are making big plays. From the coaching side this is going to be a "screw the egos and hurt feelings" game. MacDonald et al are going to have to play the kids who can best match up with what the OSU offense brings to the table. The DL pretty much is what it is but there are options other than the seniors at LB and safety.
Today this seems like a winnable game-even against unfavorable odds...I hope Saturday evening proves this to be so.
November 22nd, 2021 at 10:04 AM ^
The decision is not that simple. JJ can certainly do some good things that Cade can't but he also is much more likely to turn the ball over. Getting behind 7 or 14 points seems too soon to go to JJ full time. That could turn the game into a horrific rout very quickly.
November 22nd, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^
Didn’t JJ play an integral role in our loss @MSU with two consecutive fumbles?
It is wild to me that Cade has gotten us to 10-1 (and did enough in the loss it could easily be 11-0) and people still want JJ in full time. Absolutely bonkers to me.
November 22nd, 2021 at 6:56 AM ^
Coach Mac is legit as a DC. We have experienced the Brown effect on big games for so long that we have forgotten what its like to be in big games. If we add the offensive production and variety with a good managing QB, its makes for a fun season.
November 22nd, 2021 at 7:07 AM ^
I’ve watched quite a bit of OSU this year and the teams that have given CJ trouble have disguised coverages quite well which seems to be McDonalds specialty. OSU is gonna hurry up the hell out of us and I’m sure he learned his lesson against Sparty. Blitz early and often, slobber knock Stroud (legally of course) every chance we get and pray he folds like a fat man in a cheap lawn chair. If that doesn’t work then pray some more that McNamara channels his inner Tom Brady.
November 22nd, 2021 at 8:02 AM ^
While we did set a pretty low bar last year (on both sides of the ball), it's still a remarkable improvement with a new system. Note that the gap between us and 2nd place is substantially larger than the gap between 2nd and everyone else on the list. Kudos to Coach Mac regardless of how OSU abuses us.
November 22nd, 2021 at 9:13 AM ^
I thought last year doesn't count.
November 22nd, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Being multiple helps a great deal against oSU. Don browns failings were that team down south has NFL level analysts that will torch tendencies. What gives me hope is that Macdonalds D can mix it up and break tendency, this is important when facing a freshman QB. Create confusion, and illusion is the way to a W.