Moar Michigan/MSU Postgame Thoughts [Sunday Snowflake Thread]

Submitted by Mr. Yost on

Programming: The game will likely be replayed tonight on BTN as the "B1G Football Game of The Week." Ohio/Purdue was obviously a great game, but that game is being replayed right before this 8pm broadcast and I doubt they'd show it back-to-back.

Anyway, some good talk got washed away in the (warranted) excitement. With that said, after a day to let it soak in...where does this win stack in the Hoke era? IMO, it's #2 behind Ohio last year, ahead of the Sugar Bowl and UTL.

I just rewatched the 4th quarter and let me say...I am in tears. You can't watch that (knowing how it ends) and not just sit there and feel so good for these players. The fought SO hard. I feel like Junior Hemingway last January.

I suggest EVERYONE rewatch the end of the game...there are so many little things that remind you that these are college kids, just playing the game they love and pouring their HEART in it. There are even more examples of these kids being led by a GREAT coach and an even better man.

For example, during the final drive...the camera pans to the sideline and you see Gibbons walking up and Hoke slaps him on the helmet and gives him some encouragement. Gibby doesn't get paid to handle that pressure, but his team was behind him.

Denard going NUTS after spiking the ball (after the pass to Dileo).

The team mobbed Gibbons, but you can't get mad at that...just to see 115 guys realizing their dreams and reaching a goal was awesome.

Then after the game, you see how much it means to everyone. But you also see Hoke completely blow off the postgame game reporter go find Le'veon Bell and give him the BIGGEST hug like it was one of his own players. He gets it, he respects the rivalry, he respects the B1G, he respects MANBALL...even from a hated opponent.

Then you see the guys with that trophy...you see Jon Falk and you get this feeling "okay, it's over. We're back." Last year was no fluke, everything is restored, don't be afraid to care 110% like you used too...it's okay, Michigan is Michigan again.

We needed this win, and we needed to win just like this. An old fashioned Michigan game. A B1G game. No frills, no basketball on turf, just us vs. you, just victory.

 

aiglick

October 21st, 2012 at 4:55 PM ^

I do think the point is a bit more nuanced.

IMO we should support Hoke fully as we've been doing but that we shouldn't raise anybody to idol status or compromise our values of winning but doing it the right way. We have kept this value as clearly evidenced by a lot of people wanted Fitz benched for at least the Bama game and for that we should be proud.

What happened in Happy Valley is tragic and we have to continue to remember there are more important things than the result of a game.

That said I am happy that our team is clearly making huge strides, developing, improving and doing it all with a smile.

There will be bumps along the road but I think we are on the rise and can be proud of our current trajectory.

Beat Braska Go Blue

BumpNRun

October 21st, 2012 at 10:21 AM ^

It felt good. No other way to put it. It especially felt good considering we didn't catch any of the breaks. Every game has it's breaks. The dropped pass by Gardner, the mis-fire on Gallon, two fumbles on the ground we couldn't get on top off. Any of those plays perhaps makes this game more comfortable. But, we win DESPITE not catching those. Passion and Discipline brought us the win. That is why it feels so good. We earned it.

MGoSoftball

October 21st, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^

the fake punt was a bad call.  If we stop them, we win.  It was too agressive.  However, the sparty punter was their only hero.  He did what was asked of him and more.

They did get shit lucky on the fumbles.  It lloked like we recovered at first.  There must have been some action under the pile.

Logan88

October 21st, 2012 at 11:04 AM ^

Totally agree on the fake punt call: bad decision that went right for Sparty. There were still 11 minutes left in the game and MSU was only down by 2 points. If they don't convert that, UM gets the ball in FG range in a game where every point was precious. That was more than gutsy, that was downright reckless.

Bodogblog

October 21st, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^

They made the call because of what they saw on film, and the formation M lined up in.  Watch the replay and see our end man on the line of scrimmage - he runs blindly with the gunner (which is what he's been coached to do).  After him there's no edge, and more than adequate blockers to completely blow out that entire side of the field.

It wasn't risky, it was a great play call.  What was entirely ridiculous was M's special teams lining up that way and not protecting against the fake.  You do "Punt Safe" in that situation and protect for the fake.  It was a terrible, terrible call on Michigan's part.

MGoSoftball

October 21st, 2012 at 12:01 PM ^

the coaches make millions to call plays.  What if we had the "Block the punt" call on?  I dont think we did that yet this year.  The punter did not have the option from my angle.  He just ran.  So the formation could have either been protect or block.

I would have brought everyone up to the line.  We are not that good at returning punts.  Let the ball go, or hope for a shank.  Dantonio bet the farm on that one play.  Good for him, it worked.  But if it failed, Dantonio's front-room couch would have been set ablaze.  He guessed that we would not rush the punter and he guessed right.

PepperHicks

October 21st, 2012 at 10:33 AM ^

I am easily most impressed with the defensive turnaround, which was on full display last night.  It seems impossible, since it was a national laughingstock just a couple years ago.

Denard deserves all the praise he gets, but the defense is the heart of this team.

snarling wolverine

October 21st, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^

How big has our defensive turnaround been?  Ask Le'Veon Bell.

In 2010, Bell had seven carries for 78 yards (11.1 ypc) and a TD.  He scored on a 41-yard run in which he was untouched.

In 2012, Bell had 26 carries for 68 yards (2.6 ypc) and no scores.  His long run of the day was eight yards.  

Nineteen more carries for 10 fewer yards.  Dang.

 

LSAClassOf2000

October 21st, 2012 at 4:46 PM ^

To add to this and bring it up to the team level, at least in the MSU game, look also at the fact that we gave up 249 total yards rushing in 2010, 213 yards in 2011, and we nearly halved the 2011 total yeaterday, giving up only 112 yards rushing in the game. We held the Spartans to an average of 3.6 yards per carry yesterday, whereas we were getting 5.1 yards per carry on average. It was mentioned to death in the days before the game, but one of the keys was going to be stopping Bell, forcing them to go to the air, and our run defense did a more than adequate job of stunting not just Bell, but the entire rushing offense. It seems like the game plan on defense worked out extremely well. 

 

reshp1

October 21st, 2012 at 10:36 AM ^

Two years ago, had we only had a 2 point lead going into the 4th, let alone down by 1 there would have been a sense of impending doom. Maybe it was just me being drunk, but I felt supremely confident yesterday that we would win, even when it looked pretty bad for us (like getting backed out of field goal range and having to punt on the second to last drive.) What a difference a couple years makes.

rob f

October 21st, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^

cuz Frank Beckman called them that on the air,  just seconds after one of my friends seated next to me at the game called them exactly the same thing.

1464

October 21st, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^

Ecker.  Ecker? Look! Breaston! THROW IT TO BREASTON!!! THROW IT!!! THRROWOWOWO!!!

Aw, goddamit!

So painful that I still remember the exact number of extra syllables I placed on the word throw.

jadaSPW

October 21st, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^

That would have me in tears was our end of game clock management. Timeout strategy was horrible, took forever to run plays in the two minute drill, lost 11 seconds on the Denard spot that we somehow did not fight to get back.

THRILLED about the win. But let's not allow the 45+ seconds the coaching staff costs us in the final minutes to go unanswered for just because the Gibbons made the kick. This needs to get fixed.

Bombadil

October 21st, 2012 at 10:41 AM ^

MSU played a heck of a game but it's great to see Michigan finally have the better defense.  You can see how much State over prepared for this one game. I'm interested in seeing how well they do versus Wisconsin next week.

blue_kate

October 21st, 2012 at 10:41 AM ^

sad that I deleted the game from the DVR. I re-watched the end but I missed a LOT of what you mention here, probably on account of the drunk.

I'm still kind of amazed that we won. Not because we were overmatched (lol Sparty) but just, that was ugly.