Preview Maryland

Submitted by Darker Blue on

Michigan 5-5 (3-3) vs. Maryland 6-4 (3-3)

 

What  Michigan vs. Maryland
When  Saturday @ 330
Where Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor Michigan 
Line Michigan -5
TV BTN 
Tickets  Currently starting at $8.25 on Stubhub
Weather 50 % chance of Freezing Rain, High in the upper 30s, winds 10-20 mph

 

Overview

 

Both Maryland and Michigan have football teams. Neither one of these teams is very good. Which one is worse? I guess we'll find out tomorrow. 

 

Run Offense vs. Maryland 

 

Brady Hoke said that the offensive line played their best game of the season vs. Northwestern. Of course we'll never know because there wasn't a UFR. And honestly nobody wants to go back and rewatch the MOON game. Maryland probably has some decent defensive linemen, although I'm not really sure because I'm not looking that shit up for this preview. 

Key Matchup: Michigan playing like Michigan vs. Michigan playing like the Little Giants ( the bad version, not the good version at the end of the movie ) 

 

 

Pass offense vs. Maryland

Michigan will try to throw the ball at some point vs Maryland. The Terripans have some guys who play in the secondary and they may or may not good. Michigans receivers have stunk up the joint so far this year. Also Devin Gardner has PTSD and is going to need years of counseling to recover. 

 

Key Matchup: Can any Michigan receivers get open and or catch the ball when it is thrown in their direction???

Run Defense vs. Maryland. 

 

 Maryland will try to run the ball. I don't think they are very good at this, and Michigan has been pretty decent against the run, except for the Minnysoda game, in which they were beaten to a pulp. 

 

Key Matchup:  Mikchigan's D-Line vs. Maryland's O-Line. Have to win this battle if we want to win this game. 

 

Pass Defense vs. Maryland 

Michigan has already taken away Maryland's best receiver ( Stefon Diggs ) who is out for the rest of the season with a lacerated Kidney. And apparently whomever is the Maryland quarterback is an even more broken version of Devin Gardner. Which probably means he'll throw for 600 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

 

Key Matchup: Michigan's defense making lots of loud noises to make the Maryland's QB PTSD come to life. 

 

Special Teams: Will Matt Wile continue to make field goals? How many times will Hagerup punt? How drunk will I be by the time this game ends? 

Key Matchup: Lets actually try to return a punt

 

Intangibles: 

 

 

Cheap Thrills: 

Worry If...

Michigan wins which will cause a few people to say we should keep Hoke for one more year

Michigans Offensive Line spontaniously combusts. 

Devin Gardner ends up in a padded cell

Cackle with Knowing Glee if...

Michigan gets blown out paving the way for Jim Harbaugh to come save the day

Devin Gardner forgets his PTSD and throws for a billion yards and 19 touchdowns

Doug Nussmeier Figures out that play action does not work if you cannot run the ball. 

 

Fear/ Paranoia level: 10 ( Because I don't want Hoke to coach at MICH anymore) 

Need to win level: 1 ( this season is fucked anyways. ) 

 

 

3 Opportunities to Make me look dumber than I am: 

Devin Funchess does not drop a single pass. 

Michigan holds Maryland to under 40 yards on the ground

Michigan's seniors will come out and have a great day. 

 

Prediction: Maryland 18 Michigan 9 

 

EDIT: ( Even though the preview is up on the main page now, I'm still going to post this because I spent 20 hard minutes writing it. Enjoy!)

 

justingoblue

November 21st, 2014 at 4:10 PM ^

I found a flaw in your ruthlessly logical and well researched preview.

Gardner throwing x/y 10000000000yards 19TD would mean he's passing for 18,519 yards every second and he's only throwing a touchdown every three minutes. What the hell is going on where you think that's a reasonable possibility?

ESNY

November 21st, 2014 at 4:25 PM ^

BC (Blogger Change):  John U Bacon stated that Darker Blue the leading candidate to replace Brian.  He claims no inside knowledge - these are just gut feelings.   Also FWIW Sam Webb on WTKA said he had some sources which indicate there is no chance Darker Blue is coming here.

 

1464

November 21st, 2014 at 4:33 PM ^

With your style of writing and depth of research, I'd suggest you go the traditional route and make your in-roads at the Freep.  Show them this topic, and be ready to be offered grown up columnist money.  Which... according to my completely uninformed opinion, is like 26k per year.

lbpeley

November 21st, 2014 at 4:18 PM ^

is the kind of summary I enjoy reading. Lots of HOT TAKES and good, sound analysis. Your research on their D line is second to none. 

Mittelstadt

November 21st, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^

If you look at the FBS rankings a bad weather game IMHO favors our defense having an impact for a Michigan win.

Overall  Mich D = 8th    Mich O = 117th   Mary D = 91st  Mary O = 114th

Achilles heal(s) for Michigan:  

1.  Maryland's pass offense is ranked 67th and ours pass offense 112th.  I hope Mary Pass is neutralized by bad weather and good game by our pass D ranked 24th in FBS.  

2.  Turnovers.  If Michigan simply runs the ball and keeps our pass total minimized we should do well keeping turnovers limited.  Maryland's run defense is 96th  (Michigan's run defense is 7th btw)

 

I may be naive but I don't see Hoke coming back next season regardless of how we finish.  So why not finish strong.  If we go to a bowl and Harbaugh completes his NFL season the timing will not be ideal.  But, we have to wait for Jim Harbaugh anyway so let's go bowling if we can.

Hail.

 

aratman

November 21st, 2014 at 4:58 PM ^

I give a 100% chance that misguided fans will want Michigan to lose.    I want them to win every game.  I want the head coach at Michigan to win every game.  This team is not getting worse, it is getting better.   Unfortunately, to those who can't see this, it doesn't fit into the Hoke sucks and can't coach meme.  

LSAClassOf2000

November 21st, 2014 at 6:58 PM ^

If you think of how well our ManZoneOverInsideOutside scheme worked last year, you'll have a very clear picture of how successful Maryland typically is at moving the ball on the ground.