The OL is in a bad Funk

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November 25th, 2012 at 6:20 PM
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caup
Joined: 06/30/2008
MGoPoints: 1915
The OL is in a bad Funk

While everyone is debating the job Borges is doing, why isn't anyone talking about the absolute tire fire that is our offensive line performance?  The OSU game was as bad as anything I've seen all year.

Our guys aren't undersized anymore, and are "Wellman-ized," so they aren't weak.  So those memes no longer hold true.

I rewatched all of the run plays again in slo-mo to see exactly why we couldn't get even a few meager critical yards when necessary.  It jumped out at me time and time again.

Missed blocks, confused linemen linemen not even engaging anyone, while the ballcarrier behind them was getting tackled.  The fullbacks were bad, too.

With all the mental errors, it looked like a really poorly coached unit. 

So incredibly, my biggest fear going forward isn't Borges. It's the offensive line play.  Charlie Weiss proved that even with superior talent, if the guys aren't properly coached up it won't matter how many blue chippers you've got. 

I hope to God what we're seeing is a product of the coaching change.  But as far as I'm concerned, Darrell Funk just joined Spain as officially On Notice with me!

Go Blue

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November 25th, 2012 at 6:23 PM | (No subject) (Score:5 Normal)
Wolverine Devotee
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When the ADept sells special jerseys and gear, you'll see my picture next to the targeted customer crowd. A sheep.....but a Blue one.....

November 25th, 2012 at 6:24 PM | Yeah, nobody has talked about (Score:1 Normal)
Magnus
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Yeah, nobody has talked about this at all...

/sarcasm

Twitter - Recruiting Update: May 20

November 25th, 2012 at 6:54 PM | What percentage of your posts (Score:2 Normal)
TheGhostofYost
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What percentage of your posts are criticisms of other peoples posts?  80%?  90%? 

November 25th, 2012 at 7:02 PM | In the past 24 hours, your (Score:5 Normal)
Magnus
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In the past 24 hours, your posts have included such insights as "What is the OP smoking?" and "Fuck Al Borges."

So pardon me if I dismiss your criticism.  But you can feel free to click on my avatar and figure out the answer to your own question.

Twitter - Recruiting Update: May 20

November 25th, 2012 at 7:04 PM | Oh I don't claim to have the (Score:1 Normal)
TheGhostofYost
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Oh I don't claim to have the most insightful posts when not sober, but at least I'm not a cranky old man.  Lighten up a little. 

November 25th, 2012 at 7:13 PM | You really have been an extraordinary pill (Score:5 Normal)
MGlobules
Joined: 11/17/2008
MGoPoints: 5150

over the last 24 hours, Yost. Do you really have nothing else to do? 

November 25th, 2012 at 7:21 PM | Sure I have.  A loss to OSU (Score:0 Flamebait)
November 25th, 2012 at 7:43 PM | Do me a favor and change your (Score:5 Normal)
gordie bell
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Joined: 03/15/2009
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Do me a favor and change your avatar to a horses' ass. Please do it for just one day, it will at least let me appreciate you for being a good sport and having a sense of humor, despite your sorry ass posts. Thanx in advance

I am starting to hate the picture of Yost in your avatar, because it has become synonymous to me with your ludicrous posts on this blog. You Sir, are giving Fielding H. Yost a bad name.

November 25th, 2012 at 8:22 PM | That's the spirit.  You and (Score:-1 Trolling)
November 25th, 2012 at 8:22 PM | How about you just walk away (Score:3 Normal)
david from wyoming
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How about you just walk away from the internet for a few days instead?

Are you a park ranger at Yellowstone? Say hi to Yogi Bear for me. - the_big_house 500th

I may not be a 70 year old man. - Herm

November 25th, 2012 at 8:27 PM | Wow and I thought Magnus was (Score:-1 Trolling)
November 25th, 2012 at 8:18 PM | Hey, be careful. You're (Score:5 Normal)
LB
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treading a rather thin line there talking about asses!

May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift

November 25th, 2012 at 9:05 PM | The point of my comment was (Score:5 Normal)
TheGhostofYost
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The point of my comment was that there are people on here who seem to have an agenda of criticizing other posters.  You know, the ones who complain about "OT" in the title, constantly criticize threads, act like everyone on here has to be a football coach in order to comment.  Can I be an ass?  Absolutely.  I've gotten into a good number of ridiuclous arguments with people here (the hunting one was admittedly ridiculous). A good percentage of my posts are downright terrible. I'll work on that.  But I don't actively seek out opinions to bash all the time.  Here are just some from Magnus and David from Wyoming over the last 10 DAYS:

"Has anyone told you are cool you are today yet?"

"I could do without bullshit like this being posted."

"This post is bullshit."

"This is THE DUMBEST IDEA IN EXISTENCE."

"This is an extremely stupid statement."

"Yeah, nobody has talked about this at all...."

"Well, you clearly seem smarter than Brandon, so maybe you should apply for the job."

"Watch a Colorado game moran."

"Nice strawn man.  Because I totally said Denard Robinson didn't create excitement. didn't I?"

"you are an awful person."

"Neat, you said 'Go Blue to Justin Boren. We are all in awe of your intestinal fortitude."

"I feel bad for you, but you are 14.  Your life will go on."

"You just regurgitated our all-time record against teams when you could have brought up some interesting points in this post."

"Do you have any evidence at all to support this post, or is it just your introduction to the self-published thesis...."

"This OP is the defintion of redundant."

"This post brought to you by the year 2010."

"I have always liked the idea of more banhammering"

"No no, please, I would love to hear you try to clarify this."

"That is an absurd charge."

"Results-based charting is dumb in certain cases, and this is one of them."

"Nice work replying to that post without a huge amount of snark."

"If you would have changed the title like everyone else does...we wouldn't be here"

"Poor grammar, rehashed opinion that isn't backed up by anything other than a gut feeling...yup this really needs to be a brand new thread"

 

Go ahead and rip my bad posts, but the fact is the board is less fun with the MGoCommentNazis.

November 25th, 2012 at 9:05 PM | I just think it's funny that (Score:2 Normal)
Magnus
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I just think it's funny that you're engaged in criticizing other people's posts about criticizing other people's posts.

Twitter - Recruiting Update: May 20

November 25th, 2012 at 9:09 PM | I don't make a habit of it.  (Score:0 Normal)
November 26th, 2012 at 12:35 AM | Are you joking? You have 200+ (Score:5 Normal)
chitownblue2
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Are you joking?

You have 200+ posts consisting of nothing but content free ad hominem attacks and bitching in the past 24 hours. You are the worst thing on the Internet this weekend.

wolverineliberationarmy.com/blog

November 26th, 2012 at 1:17 AM | Wow (Score:0 Normal)
November 26th, 2012 at 1:29 AM | Getting a little defensive (Score:3 Normal)
chunkums
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Getting a little defensive are we?

For today, goodbye. For tomorrow, good luck. And forever, Go Blue.

November 26th, 2012 at 1:58 AM | No, not really.  Chitown has (Score:-1 Trolling)
November 26th, 2012 at 8:48 AM | How is claiming something is (Score:2 Normal)
chitownblue2
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How is claiming something is post hoc criticism a personal attack?
How is saying Jamie Morris is a liar attacking the poster?
Howmis accusing someone of burning a straw man personal?
How is saying someone lacks a cohesive viewpoint personal?
How is saying that SHANE MORRIS shouldn't be engaging in the "haha you're not going to a bowl" attacking anyone?

Just because I use the word "asshole" doesn't make it an attack on anyone.

It seems like you've just looked for swearing?

wolverineliberationarmy.com/blog

November 26th, 2012 at 1:16 PM | I'll give you the benefit of (Score:0 Trolling)
November 26th, 2012 at 3:42 PM | Nevermind, it ain't worth it. (Score:2 Normal)
chitownblue2
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Nevermind, it ain't worth it.

wolverineliberationarmy.com/blog

November 25th, 2012 at 9:36 PM | Cool story bro. Why are you (Score:1 Normal)
david from wyoming
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Cool story bro. Why are you dragging me into this? All I suggested was that you take some time off.

Are you a park ranger at Yellowstone? Say hi to Yogi Bear for me. - the_big_house 500th

I may not be a 70 year old man. - Herm

November 25th, 2012 at 7:23 PM | Based on your comments, I'd (Score:2 Normal)
Magnus
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Based on your comments, I'd say you've been plenty cranky...

Twitter - Recruiting Update: May 20

November 25th, 2012 at 8:13 PM | Ghost of Yost is also (Score:0 Normal)
November 26th, 2012 at 2:17 AM | How bad was the damage to (Score:5 Normal)
ShockFX
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How bad was the damage to your car?

November 26th, 2012 at 10:38 AM | First laugh in days... (Score:1)
TSS
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First laugh in days...

November 26th, 2012 at 12:54 PM | Wow, (Score:1)
ijohnb
Joined: 09/21/2009
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that was an epic exchange.

November 25th, 2012 at 7:31 PM | hmmmmmm... (Score:1 Normal)
clarkiefromcanada
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Not every day I agree with Magnus but...

hit the nail on the head there.

If the haters don't hate you then you're doing something wrong. - David Cone

November 25th, 2012 at 6:24 PM | They might be confused (Score:5 Normal)
FreeKarl
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They might be confused because the offense itself is a confused jumble of mixed up plays

November 25th, 2012 at 6:44 PM | This one (Score:5 Normal)
PurpleStuff
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I think we'll see a smoother year next season even with a younger group.  There's a reason Oregon doesn't line up in the I with multiple tight ends and try to run power and there's a reason Stanford doesn't run read-option out of a wide open spread look.  This team unsuccessfully tried to run a little bit of read-option with a little bit of traditional ISO/power football and had issues with both. 

If Kyle Kalis is running power all day in practice and doesn't know who to block then it may be time to worry.  As it is our too-big playbook caused more problems than it solved the last two years.  We never had a comfort zone or an identity outside of one play (inverted veer) and were never able to develop counters or wrinkles to anything we did in the running game.  I think all we've learned is that with limited practice time you can't learn two offenses in college football.  Going forward that shouldn't be an issue.

It is spelled HOKEAMANIA.  Our coach is an ass-kicking American citizen, not one of the Beatles, for Christ's sake!

November 25th, 2012 at 8:24 PM | Oregon doesn't often line up (Score:1)
steelymax
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Oregon doesn't often line up in the I, but they can (and do) run power, so it is possible for an OL to do both. And it's especially effective when power is run out of the same formation as a zone play (like Oregon does). Maybe Michigan's OL wasn't physically capable of running power (can't coach size), but at least the Ducks' OL doesn't look confused when doing either power or zone. Have to put OL mental lapses on the coaches.

November 25th, 2012 at 10:25 PM | I couldn't disagree more (Score:1)
cps2010
Joined: 08/08/2009
MGoPoints: 3747

From tackle to tackle, every OL in college football runs zone and gap schemes.  Not to mention that inverted veer is power except there's no FB kicking out the DE, the DE is influenced outside by the sweep action and it's a read.  From tackle to tackle, inverted veer is power.

The main difference b/w this year and last year is we had the Rimington Award winning All-American at center, Schofield at guard, and Huyge at RT.  That takes out an All-American and a reliable run blocker and replaces them with Mealer and Barnum.

November 26th, 2012 at 12:33 AM | Short memory (Score:2)
PurpleStuff
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Running Vincent Smith out of the I in obvious short yardage situations didn't work when David Molk was here either.

It is spelled HOKEAMANIA.  Our coach is an ass-kicking American citizen, not one of the Beatles, for Christ's sake!

November 26th, 2012 at 1:04 AM | Why would it matter whether (Score:-1 Trolling)
November 26th, 2012 at 2:24 PM | There are no guarantees there (Score:1)
iawolve
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MGoPoints: 2488

Also, I don't see how a tweak in scheme is such a big deal. We have seen other programs switch with better results.

November 25th, 2012 at 6:26 PM | With relevant self plagiarism from other thread (Score:5 Normal)
mejunglechop
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MGoPoints: 6419

You're probably going to take heat for the tone of that, but I think your concern is well placed. Frey got Lewan playing at a high level as a freshman with only one year of HS Oline experience, Molk obviously developed into a Rimington winner, Omameh had a very promising sophomore campaign, Dorrestein and Huyge turned into serviceable players after not being very highly regarded. Since then Lewan took a step forward and then a step back, Omameh turned from an asset to a liability and Barnum and Mealer as 5th year seniors didn't cut it. Even if Lewan comes back next year we'll have a very young line with little depth. If the line is serviceable Frunk will have proven his chops, if it isn't Funk hasn't earned the benefit of the doubt.

Galileo was also chastised.

November 25th, 2012 at 6:37 PM | Kalis and Magnuson, both will (Score:1)
Swazi
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Kalis and Magnuson, both will be RS Frshman, may be starting next year at LT and RG.  If Lewan comes back, then Magnuson will be his backup, but Kalis will still be starting, which is fine, since he will probably be ready to take on the burden.

 

If it's Lewan/Kalis/Miller/Bryant/Schofield, it won't be too bad.  However, it puts us in a similar situation of USC this season, where any injury along the line could be very bad.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

November 26th, 2012 at 4:10 AM |  i don't think Schofield (Score:1)
B1G_Fan
Joined: 10/11/2012
MGoPoints: 328

 i don't think Schofield would be an automatic starter next season... tho he should given that he'll be a 5th year player. Unlike this where our back up O linemen where either true freshman or walk ons , next year we'll at least have red shirt freshman back up and true freshman

November 25th, 2012 at 6:26 PM | For you, not a trip to Boliva, but Funkytown.* (Score:1)
SalvatoreQuattro
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cc

"The Ruhr will not be subjected to a single bomb. If an enemy bomber reaches the Ruhr, my name is not Hermann Göring: you can call me Urban Meyer!"

November 25th, 2012 at 6:26 PM | Spread OL in a Pro-Style (Score:4 Normal)
JimBobTressel
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Spread OL in a Pro-Style offense. Jumping from Rodriguez to Hoke wasn't as rough as the transition from Carr to Rodriguez was, but the costs are there.

ATTN NBA Dads and Siblings: Have brothers / sons on the hoops come-up? 

Michigan = NBA Family U

November 25th, 2012 at 9:39 PM | Our O-line personnel in 2008 (Score:1 Normal)
Marshmallow
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Our O-line personnel in 2008 was more to blame than a change in scheme.  That group was so poor RR was forced to convert a D-lineman into an O-line starter.

November 25th, 2012 at 6:30 PM | Our starting guard, Bryant (Score:1 Normal)
Swazi
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Our starting guard, Bryant got hurt before the season even started.  Mealer wasn't supposed to start, let alone at center, the most important position on the line.  But, he had to, since Miller was still probably undersized for the position.  The backups at both guard positions was a walk-on sophomore, and behind him a true freshman.  At RT it's the same thing.  A walk-on backup and a true freshman behind him.

 

If this happens in the next couple years, then you can start talking about Funk.  Until then, no. Not happening.  He did a heckuva job I'd say given the personnel.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

November 25th, 2012 at 6:40 PM | I don't think Bryant was (Score:2 Normal)
MQTBlue
Joined: 11/27/2011
MGoPoints: 123

I don't think Bryant was listed as first string in the spring or fall before his injury.

November 25th, 2012 at 6:31 PM | It was a tire fire because he (Score:0 Flamebait)
November 25th, 2012 at 6:33 PM | I mean the guys might not be (Score:1)
ak47
Joined: 05/05/2011
MGoPoints: 597

I mean the guys might not be undersized or weak but that doesn't make them talented.  Lewan had a bad game but I didn't see anyone saying he took a step back before this game and the play calling put the weakness of our o-line up against the strength of the osu defense.  I'm not willing to get worked up about funk until 2 years when the talented linemen have a year of starting.

November 25th, 2012 at 6:39 PM | He wasn't as good as last (Score:1)
Swazi
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MGoPoints: 2557

He wasn't as good as last year, but all the way leading up to The Game, the scouts had Lewan pegged as a top 15 pick.  I still think that remains true, but it'll be up to Taylor if he wants to stay or not.  I wouldn't fault him for going pro, but he does seem like the kind of guy that would stick it out to the end of eligibility.

If you need drugs to be a good writer, you're not a good writer.

-Rod Serling

November 25th, 2012 at 6:34 PM | Hoke knows that to win (Score:4 Normal)
russale2012
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MGoPoints: 2659

Hoke knows that to win football games it all starts up front on both sides of the ball. He's a lineman kind of guy. If there needs to be changes made, he'll make them. But I think this is a bit of an overreaction.



I think losing Molk hurt us a lot more than we thought it would, and we're feeling the effects of that right now. He was the glue that held our line together last year. What else would you expect from a Rimington award winner?



Keep in mind also that guys like Barnum and Mealer didn't play much the last few years, and were thrown in as starters this year. You're dealing with a lot of guys who are generally inexperienced at their position outside of Lewan and Schofield. And as much as it sucks to hear this, we may very well have line issues next year, especially if Lewan declares for the draft. We will be extremely talented,yet extremely young on the line next year.

It's been a lot. Its been a roller coaster that for some reason seemed like it would never get good. But you know what? We kept fighting. It's like that old saying goes, "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions." -David Molk

November 25th, 2012 at 6:39 PM | One thing about that. (Score:1)
SalvatoreQuattro
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MGoPoints: 2799

Run blocking is typically easier for young linemen to learn. Because of this  I think UM's run game will be better than people think. The issue will come in the passing game. This is where Devin's mobiiity and Borges playcalling are going to be key.

"The Ruhr will not be subjected to a single bomb. If an enemy bomber reaches the Ruhr, my name is not Hermann Göring: you can call me Urban Meyer!"

November 25th, 2012 at 7:01 PM | Would you say that run (Score:2)
akim
Joined: 12/30/2010
MGoPoints: 84

Would you say that run blocking is more strength/skill based whereas pass blocking requiring more recognition/strategy?  If so, that may say something about how we were passable through most of the year in pass blocking and terrible in run blocking this year.

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