New Season Outlook

Submitted by AMazinBlue on

After watching this debacle and how ineffective our offense is again once we play better competition, hoe do you see the rest of the season?

This may be the best defense we face all season, credit MSU with that, but thew playt calling and execution by Michigan's offense has been atrocious today.  Where do we see Michigan now that we have been brought back down to earth?

We may go 10-2, but the offensive execution must improve and Denard needs to be on the field whenever we have the ball.

Lionsfan

October 15th, 2011 at 4:53 PM ^

OSU may not have any solid QB, but they're a dangerous team. It's going to be pretty much the same thing as it was today, a solid defense with big guys up front. They'll have Herron back and he'll have half a season under his belt so he won't be coming into us cold. While this loss shouldn't break our season, we still need to regroup and get everything together or else we'll get torn apart again

turtleboy

October 15th, 2011 at 6:02 PM ^

took a hit, but my guess at a 2 loss season is still looking pretty good. We still have a pretty good chance of making the first ever B1G Championship game because Sparty will lose BIG to Wisconsin next week, and then probably lose @ Nebraska the week after so even if we drop another close game we're still a 2 loss team while Sparty is likely to lose 3. Nebraska is the clinching game for us.

bronxblue

October 15th, 2011 at 8:46 PM ^

Illinois lost to OSU and didn't look that good against NW or WMU either.  Nebraska is Nebraska - a scary team but with clear holes.  And with Crick out for the year, that could be a completely different team than even the one we saw earlier in the year.  OSU is a rivalry game at the end of the year, so who knows - at least it is at home, which should make it interesting.

a2_electricboogaloo

October 15th, 2011 at 3:46 PM ^

We only go on the road to Illinois and Iowa, both being winnable game IMHO (Illinois looks to be a more difficult).  And we get to play Purdue, Nebraska and TSIO in our own house (Nebraska will be tough, but i think we should beat Ohio).  I could see us winning out, we would have to be very lucky though.  I think we likely win most of our remaining games, and 9-3 and maybe 10-2.

But i tend to be over optomistic.  So we'll see.

ob23

October 15th, 2011 at 3:47 PM ^

Hell we didn't even try to run a power I when the sweeps/option was getting blown up in the backfield, that's what I don't understand. You don't try to throw the ball 20+ times with the wind blowing at 30+mph when our QB isn't the most accurate passer. I'm just confused about the play calling today it was horrid.

bluebyyou

October 15th, 2011 at 3:58 PM ^

I didn't think the D played badly...333 yards is pretty good and only 21 points.  It wasn't the D, it was the O and until we can pass we will see this, although from lesser D's, every week.

I thought our play calling was the worst to date. They took away our running game, which everyone else will also until we figure out how to pass. Hope Denard is OK. 

bluebyyou

October 15th, 2011 at 3:59 PM ^

I didn't think the D played badly...333 yards is pretty good and only 21 points.  It wasn't the D, it was the O and until we can pass we will see this, although from lesser D's, every week.

I thought our play calling was the worst to date. They took away our running game, which everyone else will also until we figure out how to pass. Hope Denard is OK. 

blueheron

October 15th, 2011 at 3:38 PM ^

I just wish we could get a coach that understood our key rivalries. UMich's loss today is clear evidence that Hoke doesn't get it.

/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s/s ...

UM4Life2011

October 15th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^

i think hoke totally gets it. but hoke cant play the game. this is one of 2 games he has preached about all year! we just dont have the big boys to play the physical game that he expects us to play and the type we have to play to win the B1G.

M Fanfare

October 15th, 2011 at 3:38 PM ^

Take the loss, learn from it, and put it behind you. The team has a week off to rest up and get some more coaching. Then they get a gimmie at home for the homecoming game and then have to buckle down for a tough 4-game slate to end the year, with an eye on that last game. If we beat OSU, I won't even remember the game today.

WMUgoblue

October 15th, 2011 at 3:39 PM ^

Maybe I wasn't paying enough attention but I didn't see any kind of screen against the blitzing spartan front all day. The playcalling was down right hideous, play action on 4th and inches come on, pound the rock.....

Wolvie3758

October 15th, 2011 at 3:39 PM ^

Denard Choked..Hoke Choked...hard to say but this was Embarassing..VVERY diszppointed in Hoke and coaching staff..seem very unpreprared and outcoached

Wolvie3758

October 15th, 2011 at 3:39 PM ^

Denard Choked..Hoke Choked...hard to say but this was Embarassing..VVERY diszppointed in Hoke and coaching staff..seem very unpreprared and outcoached

madtadder

October 15th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^

Today was a fail on three fronts...offense, coaching, and reffing. The reffing didn't cost us a game, and I wouldn't even say was biased against us, it was just generally terrible. How you let a guy that has had two personal fouls as dirty as the two that Gholston did and not eject him, I'll never know. How you run a play action from the I-form on 4th and 1 I'll never know. Totally let down by the play calling today. Just have to regroup and take a week to scheme and recover and get it back against Purdon't.

bklein09

October 15th, 2011 at 3:49 PM ^

Ya the second 4th and 1 call was a killer.

You have to let Denard keep it in that situation and get the first down. I mean maybe they stop Denard anyway. But I'd much rather go down trying to do what we do best. 

The problem with the PA on that play is that the entire defense is already keying on Denard. They know he is getting the ball. So to have him turn his back to the defense is just not smart. 

I just have no idea why we felt like we had to go for it all right there. It may have cost us the game.

But with that being said, I think Borges has made a lot of calls this season that have worked out for us really well. Sometimes you make a bad one. I'm sure he realizes it as well and feel horrible.

We just have to move on from this one. I don't think we'll play a better defense all season, and we definitely won't play a more motivated one that this Sparty team. 

Get healthy the next two weeks. Beat Purdue. And then go into Iowa City and show us all that this is not 2009 or 2010.

That will be the next big test IMO. If we lose to Iowa, the bad feelings from the past three years will be back. 

BigRedWolverine

October 15th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^

Agree Denard needs to be on the field, but not at QB.  Coaches need to stop this.  He has shown no improvement since the start of last season.  He has hit his ceilling as a QB.  He is a sub-50% passer.

feetandfootball85

October 15th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^

an abortion of offensive football. The defense looked okay, enough to win the game, But the offense couldn't snap, Denard looks dumbfounded with blitz packages, and the O-line looked like they couldn't stop anyone.  

Not to mention all of the veers were suspect and if Devin is going to play qb more, then transition him and robinson only when things are running smoothly. By replacing devin with denard, they were essentially playing a 2 down drive even 10 yards. Ridiculous!

Champ Kind

October 15th, 2011 at 3:40 PM ^

My outlook after today isn't too great.  Not only because we lost, but because the coaches looked like they were in way over their head.  Just an awful game by Hoke and Borges.  No redeeming qualities whatsoever.  That doesn't make me feel too great about the rest of the season. 

outwest

October 15th, 2011 at 3:41 PM ^

I feel like Michigan was trying to be cute in everything today.  The uniform switch right before the opening kickoff, the constant Denard/ Devin formations, and the 4th and inches call in the 4th quarter.  Michigan seemed to be less focused on just executing plays properly today, and more interested in trying to be tricky and cute.  Hopefully the focus will return in two weeks.

jcgold

October 15th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^

Calm Down.

This sucks.  But this is not the end.  We have a favorable schedule the rest of the way, and should win 3 more games.  Denard will have better days, the O line will have better days, and this team will have better days.

This sucks.  This really sucks.  And it hurts a lot.  But there is a still a lot to play for.  Don't forget that.

LSAClassOf2000

October 15th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^

It sucks to lose to MSU, but the last five game line up pretty well for us. As far as the conference schedule goes, from a balance standpoint, I think we just saw the best team. I think 3-2 is totally doable from here onwards. 

yeahrice

October 15th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^

Punting from the ~35yard line of you opponent multiple times from 4th and short will not win you football games. When did Carr decided he was going to return to coach?

sdogg1m

October 15th, 2011 at 3:43 PM ^

MSU turned the ball over twice and had 124 penalty yards. They tried to give Michigan the game, Michigan just wouldn't take it.

 

I wonder what Hoke's comments will be on the dirty plays?