Michigan Monday is up: Washington edition
September 13th, 2021 at 9:27 PM ^
Ruh roh rastro
September 13th, 2021 at 9:27 PM ^
I’m not going to click on that, so if anyone can give me a synopsis, would be greatly appreciated.
September 13th, 2021 at 9:30 PM ^
No clicks from me either!
September 13th, 2021 at 10:34 PM ^
Haskins and Corum are legit, Washington sucks, Harbaugh sucks.
September 14th, 2021 at 8:38 AM ^
Pretty much what we think. I find it hard to believe this guy isn't a closet Wolverine.
September 13th, 2021 at 9:30 PM ^
Overall, it was just a very meager passing attack. It’s not like Michigan was afraid to throw it, however, because McNamara threw it nine times in the first quarter. Then they figured out that Washington’s defense was more inviting than an empty bounce house with nobody watching, so they stopped doing what wasn’t working and kept doing what was.
A few paragraphs later...
Without Ronnie Bell and not much depth at tight end, the Wolverines are going to have to do what they can. I get that. I think they’re still figuring out exactly what that is.
Some perspective here is pretty valuable. While it is concerning we only had 2.9 ypa, I think the Chicken Little take on our passing attack is a little premature, if not inaccurate.
September 13th, 2021 at 9:41 PM ^
The problems with the passing were real. Maybe due to UTL Maize Out. But real.
Thankfully, we didn't need to, which made it the right call to mash on the ground. But it's a concern going forward. Washington is not WMU, but neither are a bunch of other important opponents on our schedule.
September 13th, 2021 at 9:44 PM ^
For sure - all I'm saying is I'll give them until Wisconsin to figure it out in the absence of Ronnie. If during the Rutgers game we don't see at least a little improvement, then we're likely in for a couple long afternoon/evenings.
September 13th, 2021 at 9:54 PM ^
Seems clear that this is going to be a better running team than a passing team. But it's definitely premature to infer anything from a game in which we attempted 15 passes. That's not enough data to undercut what else we've seen from Cade (which has generally been good). And "Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins are better and more valuable to Michigan than Cade McNamara" is neither surprising nor concerning, because those guys are really really good
September 13th, 2021 at 10:00 PM ^
Agreed.
September 14th, 2021 at 9:38 AM ^
I get the freakout over the passing game, because it's clear that this team has a weakness. But I also think that the current run of teams at the top of the CFB landscape have skewed our perspective of what a good college football team is. Until the current window where Bama, Clemson and OSU have been elite at...everything, all at the same time, it was really common for teams to have big weaknesses! For years, Alabama won championships with basically no passing game. Wisconsin has built their team around mashing offensive lines and basically no ability to pass the ball for a couple decades now, and it's served them really well. Did they make the playoff every year? No. But again, you've got three teams out of four that are basically penciled in as the playoff participants every year, and the rest of us are just playing for that one spot.
You can be a really good football team, you can win 10 games, being really good at running the ball and being OK at defense. Are we going to be a playoff team this year? No, but that was never in the cards, anyway. If it turns out that we're just really good at running the ball and playing defense, that means that this season has a chance of turning out way better than any of us thought it could be going in.
Two weeks ago, if I'd come on this board and said "Michigan is going to rush for 343 yards and beat Washington by 3 touchdowns" literally nobody would've said "But what about the passing game?" This board would've laughed me out of the room, saying that was ridiculous and there was no chance. We just watched it happen, and people were upset because the frosting was the wrong shade of blue.
September 14th, 2021 at 8:26 AM ^
I think Gerdeman is the finest Michigan writer, but I was mildly surprised he wrote this...
September 14th, 2021 at 10:05 AM ^
My prediction: JJ will take lots of snaps next week in the second half and will be the starter in game 7 against Northwestern, after the bye week.
September 13th, 2021 at 9:43 PM ^
^^^^this (replying to Cousin Rick's comment)
9 pass attempts first quarter,
Followed by Corum TD after fake punt (5 play rush) (8min 2q)
And then a 3rd and 2 set up by two rushes negated by the Cornelius Johnson 15 yd penalty (4min 2q)
Then ball back at own 12 w 1min to go in half. Why risk any INT there?
Then ball back to start 2nd half and the 8 play all run drive broke Washington's backs.
Let's be critical of play-calling after a bad performance. Or at least wait until the "what happens to a team that stuffs the run" actually, you know, plays out?
Aka stop acting petulant. Enjoy the win. Lack of down field passing made sense from a game-flow perspecting but that ruins any said hawt takes.
September 13th, 2021 at 10:31 PM ^
A-fucking-men
September 14th, 2021 at 8:16 AM ^
Goddamn this makes too much sense...
I absolutely loved what happened on Saturday. Too many want to take the joy out of that by bitching or being 'concerned'. Hell, if you can't enjoy an absolutely dominant, blowout win then what's even the point of fandom?
Just two weeks ago NO one expected UM to be dominate at anything...the replacement of Warriner with a first time OLine coach was supposed to spell doom. Now, UM blows out UW behind a v impressive line performance in primetime with some of the best recruits in the country on hand and a significant portion of the fanbase is in mourning or something.
My hope and expectation is for growth week-to-week in all phases. I've not given up on the team being willing and able to pass the ball (miss R. Bell though) but man having a dominant run game gives opposing coaches something to respect and maybe over prepare for. Don't think that's been the case w UM for some time.
The season is too short. Enjoy it.
September 13th, 2021 at 10:32 PM ^
I think lost in all the back and forth about the passing attack (which is at least a justifiable debate, to be clear) we seem to have overlooked that for the first time in several seasons it doesn’t look like we have no clue what we are doing with our rushing attack and will inevitably have to pivot to some other shit around game 4 or 5! Props due to Mike Hart and Josh Gattis and Sherrone Moore.
September 13th, 2021 at 10:38 PM ^
Love your username.
On a positive note, I'm glad the team isn't in a huddle until 5 secs on the clock. Unless I've missed this... (very possible).
A few years ago the amount of clock wastage in the huddle was obvious, and painful to watch.
September 13th, 2021 at 11:40 PM ^
“Michigan is 28-1 under Jim Harbaugh when a Michigan player rushes for 100 yards or more. They only loss coming last year against Penn State.”
that is… quite a statistic. It also tells us Michigan has never produced a 100 yard rusher against Ohio State during Harbaugh’s tenure here, and it’s looking like a pretty safe bet that will change this year. Will be interesting to see how that win percentage holds up over the course of the season, because its easy to believe Haskins and Corum have some more 100+ yd. games in store.
September 14th, 2021 at 12:13 AM ^
I hope Ohio State remains a sieve against the run all season. But I am betting they will have things at least a little bit figured out by the time we play them.
September 14th, 2021 at 6:47 AM ^
They don't have to figure it out. Put 9 in the box and dare Michigan to throw. They still win by 4 or scores. Easily
September 14th, 2021 at 8:29 AM ^
Holy cow.... HO-LY--COW What a stat. I think he got it right with the new hires and going back to his style....
And good point about OSU... like Bo said, control the game by running the ball effectively.
September 14th, 2021 at 1:06 AM ^
Quick summary for any who won't click on a link to a Bucknut site:
Michigan looks pretty good in several ways so far. Will keep improving over the year.
Buckeye Scoop worried about OSU this year, and is dreading the approach of The Game.
Buckeye Scoop thinking that this is the year Michigan beats Ohio State. Normally, would not admit that, but can't shake the overwhelming sense of doom.
September 14th, 2021 at 8:18 AM ^
I know several Buckeye fans through work and elsewhere. They run pure binary on or off -- either OSU is a soul-crushing team, and they're happy; or OSU is mortal and the sky is falling. A 10-2 season is failure. Anything less than getting to the national championship game is failure.
September 14th, 2021 at 8:31 AM ^
I've been saying this since McNamara became starter... OSU breaking in a new QB. Day's run is over. The Big House will be rocking. Jim is gonna run it down their throats, a slugfest, like the early Bo years.
September 14th, 2021 at 7:53 AM ^
This stat got my attention:
"McNamara has thrown 26 passes this season. Eight of those throws have been behind the line of scrimmage and two of them have been right on the line of scrimmage."
I'm assuming it's true (but didn't check), but if so then . . . wow. Eight throws behind the line of scrimmage? That's not having much interest in throwing the ball.
September 14th, 2021 at 8:32 AM ^
I think Jim is going back to beating OSU with a dominant run game, and try to control clock.
September 14th, 2021 at 8:49 AM ^
This is a digression, but important... did anyone notice our players with white gloves, white tape ? Why not have them be maize? Or blue ? I don't get it... looked stupid...unless there is a rule I'm not aware of that it the athletic tape or gloves have to be white.... total uniform fail to me. They go with blue pants yet can't have the tape and gloves be either maize or blue ...yet we can coordinate almost 109000 to wear maize, not to mention the halftime show.
September 14th, 2021 at 10:07 AM ^
White is harder to see against UW's white jerseys. Maybe this was a strategic decision so the players could be more handsy on defense.
September 14th, 2021 at 10:26 AM ^
didn't MSU do this to us last year with dark "green" gloves that basically were blue? it's great gamesmanship.
September 14th, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
Yep thats the reason for it. At the same time though you can't hide if you pull their body or extend your arm.... that's going to get called. Most grab to not let a rec pull away or block the arm from rising to catch the ball... without looking like they're interfering...
September 14th, 2021 at 8:52 AM ^
The usual snark, and just a trace of respect starting to show through...
This line hurt, though: "...Ben Mason was a great teammate, but he had 34 touches in 2018 to Nico Collins’ 38."
That line cut to the bone.
September 14th, 2021 at 9:12 AM ^
I must say the article was way better than I expected. Thought there would be more snide comments, pokes, and insults, but this was well written by someone who watched the game and wrote what they saw, not what their feelings told them.
Was a breath of fresh air after reading all the self-deprecating posts on here. Surprising it had to come from a Buckeye.
September 14th, 2021 at 10:09 AM ^
Their take is usually close if not spot on. But it's never been anything eye opening about Michigan to me. Nothing new, no perspective that told me they had some superior insight into what.. So, I don't have any interest in the digs at our program, coaches or players. Just don't need any of it tbh.
September 14th, 2021 at 10:22 AM ^
"Aidan Hutchinson is a human cowbell."
Classic!
September 14th, 2021 at 2:52 PM ^
The only takeaway I have from Saturday's passing game is that minus Ronnie Bell vs NFL corners our receivers can't block for shit on a swing pass.
Personally I'm happy we didn't try to throw at their NFL corners over and over while they dared us to run.
September 14th, 2021 at 3:08 PM ^
Not going to create a new thread or post a link, but 11whorriers just upgraded the Michigan Threat Level to “Guarded,” and Gunter concedes it is within the realm of possibilities that UofM beat the Buckeyes in November. He writes good things about Corum, Hutch and the D, but nothing really we already haven’t discussed to death here on MGoBlog regarding the passing game, etc.
The comments, as you can imagine, are full of idiot mouth-breathers saying OSU will curb stomp xichigan/TTUN That fan base is insufferable.