RichRod Said It Well
During his time here, I remember a reporter asking RichRod when will Michigan beat OSU. His reply was spot-on: “Michigan will beat Ohio State when we have better players than them. Period.”
10 yrs later, still nowhere near. And if you think the chasm is wide this yr, wait until next when our OL is depleted.
It’s about the Jimmy’s and Joe’s - and we don’t have them. Recruiting misses and transfers have caught up to this squad. Ben Mason on the D-Line tells you all you need to know.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:21 AM ^
This is very taxing on my health. This hurts to think about.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:21 AM ^
Worse players AND worse coaches sure as shit won’t get it done. This staff doesn’t beat teams of equal talent. It’s a coaching problem.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:30 AM ^
Yesterday we got run out of the building by a team with significantly less talent. About 79% of our talent, going by the team talent composite.
This loss is a much lower point than OSU last year. That OSU game, you can point to specific matchups and one on one advantages they had, and things just snowballed. OSU is objectively more talented - that sucked, but that can happen.
Yesterday, after 2 things didn’t go our way, our guys straight up quit. It was scary watching that in real time. I don’t know the answer when you’ve got guys on the field who want it less than the guys across from them.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:37 AM ^
Agreed. It was if once Mason fumbled they resigned themselves to the fact that the game was over.
It really is scary that I feel like the last 5 games we have played, I knew the game was over after the first 2 series. Who would have believed that a Harbaugh team would have such little heart and lack the guts to overcome.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:38 AM ^
Also what I find extremely alarming is when Dmac got decapitated, not one UM player got into the face of that safety.
Almost looked like they didn’t give a shit.
If someone did that to Fields, I guarantee the entire OSU offense would have been all over that guy.
Something is not right with this team and that starts at the top. A change must be made.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:40 AM ^
Why do you say Wisc has "significantly less talent". Because a pay for information you want to hear recruiting service says so? Talent is displayed on a field in pads, not on paper or behind a pay wall.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:21 AM ^
Because there’s a massive amount of objective data to support it. Recruiting rankings matter and correlate to performance and draft position. It’s factual.
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
Wisconsin's better at identifying offensive line talent than any recruiting service. I suppose there are still people around who think it's just a matter of the coaching they get when they come to campus, and I'm sure it's possible to turn marginal three-stars into quality college players. But you don't become Travis Frederick unless there was something there to work with in the first place, and while he might be the most extreme case he certainly isn't alone. Wisconsin finds these guys on the regular; Biadasz is going to be the next one.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
There is no excuse for this ignorant take in the face of facts
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:41 AM ^
Interesting stats I just read from a Yahoo article. Harbaugh is now:
4-11 against top 15 teams ranked at game time
14-11 away from the Big House
5-11 away from home against winning teams.
September 22nd, 2019 at 4:48 PM ^
I'm not suggesting those numbers are good. They're not. But just to give some context and remember where we were, Harbaugh's winning percentage at Michigan against top 15 teams is better than Rodriguez's conference winning percentage.
Rodriguez was 4-11 away from home, Hoke was 8-15. Late Carr (the last four years) was 14-8, 8-7 against winning teams.
September 22nd, 2019 at 8:30 PM ^
RichRod should have gotten his fifth year.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:42 AM ^
I’m glad you chimed in. I know you have said Wisconsin isn’t good and their coach sucks. Can you now acknowledge that our team is even worse and Harbaugh isn’t anything special?
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
We are very clearly much less of a team than Wisconsin is right now. Obviously.
It shouldn’t be that way, because we do objectively have more talent. We have displayed much better coaching. But yesterday looked like it was Jim’s first season and we were waiting on cohesion and belief in one another still.
I have to give Wisconsin a lot more credit than I have. The areas that seemed problematic to me are clearly pretty sound. Coan looks like a different player entirely. Their OL didn’t take much of a step back. That Baun guy is special and their DBs know how to grab in an efficient way (not being smarmy, sincere complement to technique). Cephus gives them a nice target downfield. They’re probably going 11-1 or 10-2. Honestly only see them losing to OSU after yesterday.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:36 AM ^
Yesterday was worse than anything I saw in 2015, Harbaugh's first season.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:39 AM ^
Yeah. Outside of the OSU game where we got run out of our own house, but even then there’s legitimate excuses. No excuse for the performance yesterday.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:50 AM ^
I agree with what you have said except for "We have displayed much better coaching". The last 5 games Michigan has played is objective evidence that as of "today", our coaching is inexcusable. Zero ability to install an offense. Zero ability to install a game plan. Zero ability to prepare for a Bowl game or a bye week game. Zero ability to make in game adjustments. Zero ability to be competitive agains teams with equal or better talent. There isn't much of anything this coaching staff has done right except beat teams they should.
The first 2-3 years of JH reign had some good coaching moments. The last 2 years has been objectively bad.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:54 AM ^
You can't point to the specific matchup of Wisconsin's all-world OLine vs. our depleted DLine as a reason that we got run out of that Stadium?
354 rushing yards allowed.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:37 PM ^
What all world o line? They returned 1 starter and 1 guy with significant experience. Their recruiting profiles are below what Michigan trots out there. They're good, but we made them look great because the defense stunk it up.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:22 PM ^
When are people going to get it through their heads that recruiting profiles aren't as valuable for evaluating offensive linemen? Especially when you get away from LT. 2016 NFL all-pro team:
- LG Keleche Osemele, 3-star, Iowa St.
- C Travis Frederick, 3-star, Wisconsin
- RG Zack Martin, 4-star, Notre Dame
- RT Jack Conklin, unrated, Michigan St.
2nd team:
- LG Marshal Yanda, 3-star, Iowa
- C Alex Mack, 2-star, California
- RG David Decastro, 3-star, Stanford
- RT Mitchell Schwartz, 3-star, California
- RT Marcus Cannon, 3-star, TCU
That's a lot of great football players whose recruiting profiles were below what Michigan trots out there. You can tell yourself your four-stars are better than Tyler Biadasz. You'll be wrong.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:59 AM ^
So true. Eubanks even said in a post game interview that Mason’s fumble killed them. I get it, but seriously the score was 7-0. I don’t think anything can happen at that point in the game that would kill a teams chances to win.
I didn’t notice but I’ve heard multiple people say that Harbaugh looked deflated from that point on. I don’t understand what has happened to our coach. I used to worry that he might actually get into a fist fight with anyone who attacks the program. His Enthusiasm Unknown to Mankind is gone. Hopefully this team rolls Rutgers next week and someone pisses Harbaugh off and brings back his intensity.
The offensive line has to be better, the front 7 on defense has to be better and both need more intensity and fire. The season isn’t lost yet but it could get out of hand in the next few weeks if something doesn’t change.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:07 AM ^
But looking forward to the podcast where they talk about everything BUT what’s really going on with Michigan football. Old Jack will ramble on for 20 minutes about Doyt Perry, Jim will talk about Little Jack’s baseball team, they’ll all laugh and have a great time. Fucking echo chamber circle jerk. Why tune in you might ask? Fair question. I listen to see if there’s even an ounce of self-awareness from father or son. So far the answer is no. That tells me a lot.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:18 AM ^
The fanbase shows more emotion than our coach. He's acts like he belongs in a powder puff league and his team is a reflection of him.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:08 AM ^
The team giving up is the worst part of this whole fucked ordeal. Of all the negative things you can point out about Harbaugh’s teams, team quits would be the last, at least I thought that.
There has to be a reason behind this, I just can’t believe this would be a thing all of a sudden because a couple plays don’t go your way. Maybe the team’s knowledge of recent road record plays into it. Maybe JH has been compounding the problem lately by upping the intensity in practices before the big road games. Maybe the players are just plain tired of him, and it doesn’t help when they know his recent results.
One more random rambling from me - I keep wondering why in the world did Mattison leave like that? Was JH that bad that someone so loyal for so long just said fuck it and goes to the enemy? Whatever coach is doing, the trajectory of everything related the team is going down it seems.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:34 AM ^
I think the Mattison departure is proving to be much more damaging than most fans thought it would be initially.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:56 PM ^
If I was a player and saw the dumb ass play calls consistently come through that you just know are like running into a brick wall over and over with no creativity or consideration for the opponents weakness, I would start to not care too. They don't believe in Harbaugh anymore. Why would they?
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:14 AM ^
I agree. Teams that have great coaching and leadership don't give up after something goes wrong to start a game. Shameful.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:26 AM ^
Yesterday, after 2 things didn’t go our way, our guys straight up quit. It was scary watching that in real time. I don’t know the answer when you’ve got guys on the field who want it less than the guys across from them
This times a thousand. That was the most disconcerting thing I saw - body language, mental toughness, etc. The quit was strong.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:52 AM ^
You’ve been very dismissive of Chryst’s coaching ability. Did the game change your views at all, or is the result more a case of what Michigan did/didn’t do than anything Chryst did?
September 22nd, 2019 at 6:22 PM ^
He just didn't screw up, which is good. When you have Jonathan Taylor, that's your only job: don't forget that you have the best RB! Chryst actually started acting weird in their series after Mason's fumble, and threw on three straight plays resulting in a punt. Other than that, he was fine.
I still think he's basically a large block of cheese with a headset. However, when your running game is setting the field on fire, all you have to do is not screw up. Chryst didn't screw up yesterday, like he has in the past, so he deserves credit for that much.
I still think he's a bottom half of the division coach.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
What about beating Wisconsin? Or at least competing.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
Better players? What's our excuse for losing to worse teams?
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:27 AM ^
Worse coaching.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:24 AM ^
"Even Vince Lombardi couldnt fix this defense" - Richard Rodriguez
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
“The key to defense is letting the other team score quickly so you have more opportunities to run offense”
- Ole Tricky Dick Rodriguez
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:30 AM ^
"It doesn't get fixed overnight..."
I believe he said this in Year 3 of the 3 worst defenses in program history.
Excuse making, finger pointing bitch Rodriguez.
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^
That's not really fair. The 2008 defense was halfway decent until RR turned Schafer's desk towards the wall and decided to take over the DC role himself. It certainly wasn't one of the three worst in program history.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
He was always full of excuses. He ruined the defense with his ridiculous version of 3-3-5.
September 22nd, 2019 at 1:51 PM ^
Which Don Brown is running this year.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:24 AM ^
Ohio State has better players than ours at every position on the field. And that includes WR. And the classes next year will widen the gap.
The transfers we’ve had are a killer to us fielding a team with depth. So many players who would have helped a lot yesterday are gone.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:24 AM ^
We know we aren’t beating OSU we need to be focused on beating Rutgers
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:25 AM ^
I am a bit relieved today. I had a hunch that all was very not-well in the program. Yesterday was confirmation of my suspicions. It is a painful realization but I at least know where things stand now and can stop arguing with myself as to what I was seeing on the field and surrounding the program. Saturdays were becoming pretty painful.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:24 AM ^
Live for the tailgate.
September 22nd, 2019 at 11:42 AM ^
Yep. Tickets will be plentiful as well. Sad take but true. I’ll still be there this Saturday for the first time cheering them on. I’ve had to give my seats away for the first two games because of work travel so maybe this whole fucker is my fault. Regardless I survived RR and Hoke I can drink my way through this.
September 22nd, 2019 at 12:10 PM ^
I honestly feel the same way. I went from stressing out over virtually every play this year to not caring after halftime. Michigan football is now in the same category as the lions for me - I don’t get too up or too down because I know they will only disappointment if I let them.
Only thing I want this year is to beat Mork. I hate that pos and I think it’s a realistic expectation.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:25 AM ^
This hot take is as weak as Rich Rods coaching and morals. How many teams with less talent pull upsets? Wisconsin ran us out of the building before the half was over. Certainly we are more “talented” than them. Our issue seems to be coaching and preparation.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:36 AM ^
That’s where you’re wrong. Games are won in the trenches. Our DL is a joke. Mason is out of position, Jeter has been in trainers room more than field. Dwomfour injured. Our DL is gonna get rolled in the B10. If you can’t get off the field, not much else matters.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:46 AM ^
We get off the field exceptionally well. Look at our offense and TOP.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:47 AM ^
It all starts in the trenches. Our D Line is below average this year. And that is going to lead to a mess of issues compounding as the season wears on. Kemp is playing way too much, he’s wearing down already and will be less effective going forward. The DEs are starting to wear down. This leads to more traffic for the LBs to maneuver through and they get hit more and banged up. This leads to our DBs having to make more tackles in traffic and getting banged up. It could get really ugly as this brutal schedule wears on. We happen to play several of the most physical teams in the country this season. Army and Wisky have already taken their toll physically. Iowa, PSU, and ND are brutally physical teams too and will take their toll. Then we finish with MSU and OSU who are both extremely physical too and I fear we may be ground down to nothing by the time we see our rivals.
I worried about D Line depth coming into the season. When it became apparent that Dwumfour was out it became a crisis. Now I’m not sure if we haven’t already been permanently scarred for the year. I felt sorry at times for Carlo Kemp getting pancaked by double teams he’s just not big enough to hold up to by himself.
September 22nd, 2019 at 10:59 AM ^
Who’s fault is that? The players who play here or the coaches who recruited those players? Or the coaches who didn’t recruit a single true DT last year? Gtfoh with the excuses, it’s all on harbaugh and his staff. Michigan pays way Too much in football coaching salaries for these results. Every year it’s the same promises with lil delivered, remember when they hired the new S&C coach? “New work outs they’re going to be bigger stronger faster” what happened? Remember when Gattis was hired “speed in space” or when Drevno was canned and pep was hired? it’s all smoke that harbaugh blows up our asses every year.