Njia

September 6th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^

Frank and Jim had a very telling, (/snicker) comment on Michigan's opening drive. I can't remember which of them said it, but they said that this was "power football."

Hard to argue with that: Robinson did his damage running right up the gut between the tackles, (good lord, that O-line was magic) and he even lined up under center for much of the fourth quarter.

To your point, this was a vanilla offense, because Rich Rod and Calvin McGee knew they could beat UConn without much trickeration.

Zone Left

September 6th, 2010 at 7:56 PM ^

The Wolverines had 259 yards of total offense in the first half before letting up in the second half.

Michigan did let up, and UConn started bringing everyone into the box, which is why production went down and why Michigan only went up top once to get the game icing score.  It was pretty obvious to everyone.

Zone Left

September 6th, 2010 at 5:53 PM ^

I like reading Michigan Monday.  The author is (clearly) an OSU fan, but he's right about basically  everything he wrote.

He acknowledges that it was a great performance, particularly by the O-line and Robinson, but also recognizes UConn left a lot on the field and should have done a better job testing the secondary.  

Notre Dame is going to be a really good test.  I didn't see the game, primarily because I can't stand the NBC broadcasts, but they sound like they're probably a 7-8 win team.  We'll see what happens.

NateVolk

September 6th, 2010 at 6:22 PM ^

This isn't a video game. They can only challenge the secondary to the extent the quarterback has time to heave it up field and there are guys actually open.  

Edsall is a bright coach. The media doesn't think UCONN wanted to throw up field on us?

The improvement on both lines is the story of that game on Saturday. As much as the local media likes to talk about Denard rocketing to stardom, saving Rich Rod, and the fact that he'll not live through the season with all those carries, were better because the trench guys are bigger faster stronger and know what the hell they are doing within the framework of specific systems. Especially on offense.

If teams are leaving things on the field, it is because the opponent is preventing it. That is true of any game.

Jeff

September 6th, 2010 at 6:12 PM ^

Unfortunately I think it's been very hard for him to stay balanced the last couple years.  For the most part it was pretty decent coverage, he's just very skeptical about how Michigan will hold up.  Which isn't completely unreasonable.

I agree with you though, it hasn't been quite as good as it used to be.  Also, your post was so close to a haiku that at first I thought you were going for that.

Been awhile since

I've read Michigan Mondays

Worse than remembered.

bouje

September 6th, 2010 at 6:10 PM ^

(and anyone saying oh it's just uconn) is that uconn is not Marshall. they aren't wmu, they aren't our ladies of the blind and deaf.

it's a bcs conference school that was over 500 last year. to even say we've been down this rode before is a bit.. stupid.

will we know more next week? hell yes! but to scoff and say uconn sucks it means nothing is pretty dumb.

Njia

September 6th, 2010 at 7:18 PM ^

All things considered, it's definitely the non-home cookin' take, and was to be expected. Personally, I thought it was a sober reflection, some of which (particularly on the defensive side of the ball) may be validated by Brian's UFR of the game.

And his point about other skill players, (particularly RB) needing to step it up is fair. His analysis of Shaw and Smith came pretty close to a UFR albeit abbreviated.

In the end, I really didn't take much issue with anything he wrote. As he said, we were here a year ago.

That free television sounded good, though. Did I miss it?

JonSobel

September 7th, 2010 at 9:07 AM ^

about what everyone else thinks.  Which is REALLY hard to do living in Columbus.  I have to hear almost daily from people who know next to nothing about my favorite team other than the team colors.  I have to hear the wild rumors and inaccurate statements that are spoken in a tone giving the impression of well known fact. [EDIT: because I can't spell?]

What I keep going back to in my mind is one thing.  This has been a rivalry like a pendulum.  It has been a game of streaks and will continue to be.  The thing is, pendulums swing.  The late 80's and 90's spoiled me.  I began watching Michigan football really closely in 1987.  I didn't experience any stretch of losing in this rivalry until I was in my 20's.  The pendulum had swung so far that at some point, it had to swing back.  Well, it has swung back a long way into the Ohio State end of the spectrum.  But it will be back.  For over 100 years, it has always swung back the other direction.  It will happen at some point, probably when we least expect it.  And we'll have to listen to Ohio State fans again telling us that they lost to inferior teams like they did in the 90's until their team finds away to win again, because it's easier than admitting they either aren't as talented or as mentally tough as they thought they were. 

We know what we are and what we aren't.  We don't need our rival telling us, because frankly, they're usually greatly misinformed or purposely biased just to annoy or infuriate.  If we want to go off the deep end with expectations after one game, why can't we?  And if we want to break things down critically pouring over every little nuance until there isn't an angle left uncovered, why not?  It is, after all, our team.  It isn't theirs.  And thank God for that.

Pay the Dragon

September 6th, 2010 at 9:20 PM ^

Id like to read his synopsis on tOSU's magnificent performance of a less than nobody Marshall team?  Idk who's special teams has more of a concern, but for him to think V. Smith cant be a Big Ten back reminds me of another player who was told that once and went on to run wild on some bucktards.  Most of his rationale is pretty good, but I cant stand the rest and basically discredit his whole piece because I can only imagine him worshipping every arm punt that pryor throws.