Michigan Monday is Back
Tony Gerdeman's initial colum for 2023 is up at Buckeye Huddle. He previews the Boys in Blue. As usual, he includes several funny comments.
His main points are: (1) JJ & receivers must connect better, especially later in the year when the weather gets worse & competition gets better; and (2) UM has essentially a 2-game season -- PSU & OSU.
Enjoy: https://buckeyehuddle.com/2023/08/28/michigan-monday-all-hail-the-burger-kings/
September 1st, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
He's definitely got some takes, including that OSU and UMs OL seem to be in the same spot and that "every QB gets worse under Harbaugh". I believe that'd be news to Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, Colin K, Rudock, JJ. I like this column, but it definitely seems the snarkiness is turning up as OSU has taken on a few losses against Michigan. Fine by me
September 1st, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
The snarkiness is up and the humor is down, though his line about JH as the Burger King was quite good.
September 1st, 2023 at 3:39 PM ^
1,371 days since the team they live & (mouth)breathe for has been victorious against the Good Guys so the feelings are understandable.
Diversify your bonds. Columbus OH? Bunch of *itches.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:33 PM ^
Pretty great how over a few short years the feeling of dread in facing the buckeyes has turned into excitement.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
Workload caused Corum’s injury is certainly a take.
September 1st, 2023 at 5:30 PM ^
It's technically wrong, but the underlying rationale is sound. There's a risk of injury with every carry. Courm got injured on his 245th carry of the season, after getting nearly 30 carries a game during the conference slate. The previous 244 carries didn't cause the injury...but an RB on pace for 300 carries is more likely to get injured at some point during the season than an RB on pace for just 200.
With how deep and talented our RB room is, Corum probably shouldn't be getting more than 20 carries a game, with the obvious exceptions of Penn State, Ohio State, and any game that ends up being close.
September 1st, 2023 at 6:50 PM ^
There was some discussion from Michigan players about this after the season: if Edwards had been healthier throughout the season, Corum would not have had so many carries.
And to be fair, Gerdeman and his podcast partner mentioned the possibility of overuse and possible injury to Corum several times throughout the season, IIRC.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:28 PM ^
To be fair, that comment about Harbaugh's Qbs is a concern that has been expressed multiple times by rationale fans on this board too.
And, out of the QB's you list, Luck is the only one that would apply. Colin and Alex were NFL Qbs, Ruddock he had for one year, and JJ - well, we'll see after this year.
September 1st, 2023 at 3:57 PM ^
The Wolverines could set up a 1-800 number for fans to ring in and call the plays and they’d still go 3-0. Ultimately, this suspension will have no material impact on the 2023 season. It could, however, still have an impact on the 2024 season.
We really missed a good opportunity to do this and raise NIL money. For $9.99 you can call one play. Taxes and fees may apply.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
They actually tried this with a pro league. I think it was the league Johnny Manziel most recently tried to play for.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^
You think Rod Moore and Makari Paiges will be minor injuries just like Hill-Green's. So minor they never play the entire season. You never know with our medical staff.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:03 PM ^
Minor in the sense that they miss the entire season, transfer within the conference, play a year, then get drafted to the NFL. That's how it works, right?
September 1st, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
I love Michigan Monday but will completely disagree with his analysis of the OSU line. They’ve been soft and out of gas in the 4th qtr for the last 2 years. This will not change me thinks.
September 1st, 2023 at 6:53 PM ^
Nothing about their line is similar to an Urban Meyer OL
September 2nd, 2023 at 6:42 AM ^
Urbans a total D bag but no way these OSU team the last few years have any of his fingerprints on them.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:13 PM ^
I didn't find it particularly snarky, mostly just a straight forward breakdown of the roster and things he thinks could be issues - none of which are surprises to anyone that reads mgoblog. Not his greatest literary effort, but it's preseason.
September 1st, 2023 at 6:19 PM ^
I think a lot of the stinging snark has been beaten out of him the last two years.
September 1st, 2023 at 7:16 PM ^
Somehow the "preseason" excuse doesn't ring true with mgoblog contributors. There's been some amazing literary work these past few weeks. Hail to the "readers and the best"?
September 1st, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
No such thing as a two-game season. There are plenty of teams on the schedule capable of beating Michigan on a really bad day.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:25 PM ^
Yeah, I hate to be a chicken little but that whole back half of the season is trap games to me:
-MSU: Weird things happen man.
-Purdue: When have we ever looked dominant coming out of a bye week?
-Maryland: They played us tough last year until their QB got injured.
-Penn State: Solid team. Has played us close many times lately.
We may not lose any of them, but I also wouldn't be surprised if we lost one of them either.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
.....Penn State was one of the two. And besides, Purde and MSU are teams aspiring to bowl eligibility, not to the playoff or the conference championship. Maryland is in November. 2 game season.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:51 PM ^
This is college football, sometimes weird things happen. I mean injuries were part of it, but I don't think most would have predicted a last second field goal would be needed to beat Illinois heading into last year.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:30 PM ^
Hope we hang a hundred on ‘em!
September 1st, 2023 at 4:39 PM ^
Regardless of how good of a team you are there is absolutely no way anyone can just say a season is a two game season. Road games in conference in particular should not be taken for granted ever. There will be definitely be a few games that end up closer than we think and like Illinois last year the team will need to gut those out.
September 1st, 2023 at 4:51 PM ^
There will be 1 or 2 random ones, but the problem is you really can't predict those. 1 year ago today most Michigan fans were more worried about Iowa than Illinois, for example. The semi-reasonable-ish predictions for tough games outside of OSU and PSU are super easy to poke holes in, mainly around the fact that the conference kind of stinks outside of the top 3 teams.
September 1st, 2023 at 7:10 PM ^
It's a paradox. If you believe it is a 2 game season, the probability increases that you will lose one of the other games. If you believe that most of the other opponents do have a shot of beating you, and prepare as if you were playing the Nuts, you will breeze through the balance of the schedule and it becomes a 2 game schedule.
September 1st, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
There's a kink in his smug. Not that there is anything wrong with it.
September 1st, 2023 at 5:49 PM ^
All I want for my birthday week is another W against an OSU
September 1st, 2023 at 6:45 PM ^
As everyone knows, the longer a Michigan quarterback is around Jim Harbaugh, the worse he gets.
ouch
but:
This is JJ McCarthy’s third season at Michigan, and he’s almost certainly going to be the exception to the rule.
September 1st, 2023 at 8:11 PM ^
Hard pass