Pretty good summarization of status of team by Jon Chait
http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=998708
Here is a pretty good write-up of the MSU game by Jonathan Chait and a take on where the team is overall...He points out, as he has before, that Obi Ezeh is pretty lacking as a middle LB right now (though that's just a small part of the article)...Ezeh seems like a very likeable guy but I have to agree w/ Chait. He just doesn't seem to have LB instincts. I'm curious to see if others agree.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:28 PM ^
Whether one agrees or disagrees with Jon Chait's politics, it is 100% pure Columbian awesome that he writes about Michigan football weekly. The man can write circles out of 99% of professional sportswriters, knows football, obviously loves M, and finds the time to write for Rivals in addition to his political writing.
I don't think there are other writers with his prominence writing about their alma maters.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:29 PM ^
Colombian awesome?
October 7th, 2009 at 1:39 PM ^
No - 100% pre-Columbian paleo-Indian Mesoamerican awesome.
Chait drops mad Inca knowledge.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:54 PM ^
LB play has been a real problem. I have been especially concerned about Mouton. He is missing a lot of tackles and seems to be out of position on a lot of plays.
On Cousins last scramble, Mouton has a clear shot with no one between him and the QB. Mouton takes a terrible angle (letting Cousins get outside) and looks like he is just running at half speed as Cousins cuts and leaves Mouton about 5 yards behind and losing ground. 30 Yards later, Cousins is pushed out with Mouton no where to be seen.
October 7th, 2009 at 1:57 PM ^
infuse Ezeh and Mouton with that mad Inca knowledge.
October 7th, 2009 at 2:31 PM ^
What about moving Kovacs to LB? Seems like he at least knows how to tackle...
EDIT: Oops! Probably should have read article before commenting
October 7th, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
Seriously?
potato salad
October 7th, 2009 at 3:05 PM ^
Ignore. Posted here by mistake. Don't know how to delete.
October 7th, 2009 at 4:27 PM ^
It might have taken the coaches a while in terms of the game clock to figure out what was working and what wasn't working, but how many plays did the UM offense run in the first 3 quarters?
I'm pretty sure they only had the ball for one series in the first quarter. As the writer mentioned Brown doesn't turn around for a pass, Minor slips, there were other dropped passes too. If some of those passes are complete, maybe MSU's run defense gets loosened up a bit. Not to mention that maybe the coaches are thinking 'if some of those pass plays connect, our offense would be working good'.
Wolfolk: the writer mentions he hasn't given up the home run plays (for the most part I agree). However, I'd consider the MSU TD in OT a home run play. Wolfolk was the last guy with an opportunity to bring the ball carrier down and Wolfolk made a lousy attempt at a tackle.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:17 PM ^
Poor tackling? Yes. However MSU was already inside the 10 when Woolfolk made contact. Even if he tackles him and then force a 4th down we lose by 3 instead of 6.
October 7th, 2009 at 8:20 PM ^
No, he hit him right at about the 20-yard line, well short of the first down marker. It would have set up a medium-distance FG.
October 7th, 2009 at 7:37 PM ^
LB insticts. This is probably the only part of moving players up a position (i.e. recruting LB to be DE, S to be LB). They don't have all the playing time at the position to fall back on. We just don't have many true LB's on our team, and it shows. I am a fan of the hybrid positions, and moving players up to take advantage of raw speed. Yet, we are showing the importance of still recruting natural position players.
p.s. Chait is awesome.