Saturday was oddly reassuring

Submitted by Erik_in_Dayton on

If you're like me you had pretty much emotionally checked out of the season by the end of the Wisconsin game. You also felt for the first time a bit of doubt about the coaching staff by the end of that game...Saturday, while tough, went pretty well given that. I offer the following:

1. The defense was over-matched at times but not clueless;

2. The offense could move the ball fairly well considering they didn't have Minor and Molk;

3. Tate Forcier, of the five turnovers, is a true freshman* playing the toughest position in football in a particularly demanding offense;

4. An OSU fan has already said to me today that they're glad next year's game is in Columbus and that Saturday was "too close." Living here in Ohio, I'm very happy to have heard this.

It was easy to get down or negative in the last three or four weeks of the season, but I think Saturday was in some ways a good game. That Michigan team should lose to that OSU team by about that score...I came away from Saturday feeling like I did about the team at the very beginning of the season. They're too young and need to fill out the defense, but there's reason to believe that this will be fixed (in fact, I can guarantee you that Tate Forcier will age). Michigan played on Saturday like a team that knew what it wanted to do and that had a lot of pride. They just weren't as good as Ohio State...My only complaint right now is that we have to wait until Sept. to see what these guys can do next year.

*Yes, to some I'm beating a dead horse here. But others still seem to need to be reminded that Michigan has a 19-year-old leading the offense.

Seth9

November 23rd, 2009 at 11:54 AM ^

I, having not checked out emotionally, watched OSU beat Michigan as Michigan squandered away numerous scoring opportunities. So, instead of being reassured, I was in pain.

BigBlue02

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:03 PM ^

Maybe the disclaimer should have been that it was reassuring for those of us who were living in the reality that is this year's football program.

MWW6T7

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:09 PM ^

With having 5 turnovers , one of which resulted in an immediate td, I was surprisingly pleased with the way the team played. To give them that many opportunities to put the game away and we still remained in contention into the fourth quarter I thought showed improvement. Some may call me crazy but it seemed, even though it was a loss, the most promising game since ND. The offense moved well when we were not turning it over. The run game was stifled for the most part but we still could move the ball. I guess I am just being an optimist but I was happy with the effort shown. The outcome could have been different but still impressed.

TrppWlbrnID

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:18 PM ^

as my gut feeling is that when osu needed points, they quickly got them without have to reach too deep into the bag of tricks without relying on interceptions. i think that tressel unleashes the hounds on the rest of the conferece, but plays it close to the vest (yes, i know) against michigan so as to not provide a lot of anger and bulletin board material.

i get the feeling around here it worked, with everyone saying how michigan played not so bad and not "tressel is a jerk" and "osu is classless".

i just don't buy that this was really as close as the final score or just saying UM had lots of turnovers, etc, but i do buy the "on the rise"

MWW6T7

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:32 PM ^

I really don't think that Tressel cares one bit about what Michigan thinks of him. Like him or not he is a classy coach who respects the rivalry and understands it but he will score any time he could against us and worry about the repercussions later. Whether he scores 10 or 60 everyone has already formed their own opinion of him and OSU so I doubt he was holding back but I could be wrong. It has happened plenty of times.

BlueChitown

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^

Uh . . . I don't think so. Anyone remember the score from LAST YEAR?

Think he deliberately sent it into overtime against Iowa last week too? In this game I didn't have the feeling that they could score at will. Our D really stepped up, and I do find that reassuring.

Hopefully this will all be made clearer in the UFR, but I seem to remember several times when Pryor dropped back to pass, had no one open deep, and so either had to dump it off underneath, or on occasion take a sack, or once threw an intentional grounding ball for a loss of 20-somethin'.

I saw OSU's two star running backs get repeatedly stuffed at the line. Sure they broke a couple, but their effectiveness was greatly limited when it mattered. Like on 3rd and 1 or 2.

End result: I saw a lot of 3rd down stops by our D. This is great progress, and I am confident that it will carry into the next season.

willis j

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:40 PM ^

went deep a couple times with routes vs Floyd that were wide open. Thankfully Pryor isnt a good thrower of the football and overthrew his WR. He picks his spots and picks them well. He is a great coach and is knowlegeable about the game and the opponents weaknesses and tendencies.

Nothing against him (Floyd) he is doing the best he can. I think the team played well. They were in the game and if this Offense is a year older they probably win this game. Unfortunatley they are not, they are young and still learning so they made mistakes. That is just the reality.

I look forward to next year and beyond. I also really hope Pryor doesnt learn how to throw and or Tressel doesnt start using him to run more.

ijohnb

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 PM ^

I thought the entire OSU staff coached a very good game. The second half touchdown, Aggghhhhh. I was not angry at Robinson, I thought that was a "good call-better call" situation.

dundee

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:42 PM ^

i am totally reassured for next year. 5 turnovers 1 in the end zone and still only lose by 11 to the big 10 champs. and uh yea tressel did not hold back just to be classy! with the talent coming back, and looking back on the season where most of the losses were within 1 score, a defense in their 2nd yr of the same scheme. i just have to believe can keep the opponent down to 1 less score. even if they don't tate in his 2nd yr and denard moved into a percy harvin type role will crush opponents.

A2toGVSU

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:51 PM ^

There are no moral victories, but I can kind of see where you are coming from with this. It always sucks to lose to the Buckeyes, but a lot of good things happened in that game.

Pass defense looked good for the most part (well... pryor made our pass D look good) and at times, our front 7(8?) played really well. LBs were able to fill gaps and stuff some runs. I was especially encouraged on one particular play where Campbell carried his blocker down the line and single handedly dropped the OSU RB at the line of scrimmage. I think he has really come on in the last four or five games and has given me quite a bit of hope that he can be a solid NT next year, and a force to be reckoned with in years to come

The offense moved the ball most of the time, but just were not able to finish. Our ability to finish in the red zone has been atrocious all season, and I think red zone scoring has a lot to do with the experience and maturity of the players, which will come. The only part of the offense which has frustrated me to no end this season is the inability of our outside WRs to get open. How many times this season did Forcier throw to a wide open Hemingway, Stonum, Mathews, or Savoy? Never. They are always covered. Those guys have great hands for the most part, but they are completely unable to get separation from man coverage and have difficulty finding holes in zones. Oh yeah, and stretch plays. Can we please just get rid of the stretch play? If we want to get the ball on the edge, toss a bubble screen.

Things I learned this Saturday:
- V. Smith > Shaw at running back. I hope that Cox can come on next season and give this team a RAGE look, but that might be asking too much. Anyways, on those stupid stretch plays that OSU blew up EVERY SINGLE TIME, both shaw and smith would get hit 3-5 yards behind the LOS, shaw would take the loss, but V. Smith would mysteriously find his way back close to the LOS. He knew he wasn't going to break a big play or even get close to a first down, but he got as much as he could. Much like Mike Hart, only flashier
- Our linebackers have the ability to be competent! consistency is a different story, but competence was shown.
- This defense gets burned by misdirection because they are too aggressive. Long Brandon Saine touchdown ARRGGHH. The line went right, pryor went right, our whole defense (literally ALL 11 GUYS) went that way, and not a single person saw Saine sprinting in the opposite direction for a handoff. He could have taken that handoff from pryor from a wheelchair and scored.
- Basically everything that went wrong (turnovers from a young QB, big play given up because of a blown assignment) can be attributed to inexperience, which, yes, gives me high hopes for next season.
- Only one coaching complaint this game: WHY DID YOU KEEP RUNNING THE DAMN STRETCH PLAY RR?? (I am in no way bashing on RR or his ability to coach. He is doing a fantastic job recruiting and developing young men. I am just saying that from a fan's perspective, running laterally was frustrating because it did not work against OSU's defense)

Even though we lost, I am proud of the way the team played on Saturday. I could not say that after Wisconsin, Purdue, or Illinois

ijohnb

November 23rd, 2009 at 12:48 PM ^

he would have. He could have effectively ended Michigan's recruiting class on Saturday if OSU would have pounded Michigan. They couldn't. Ohio State is unquestionably the best team in the big ten, but they were playing a different Michigan team than they played last year or that even Penn State played this year. I was reassured as well, not necessarily by talent or scheme etc. but because for the first time in a looooooooong time, I watched a Michigan team with absolutely no sense of entitlement.

Michigan scraped and pounded and pushed for everything they got on Saturday. When Tate hit Smith for that touchdown, that was a different kind of celebration that Michigan stadium has seen in a long time. I felt like a fan again, not a follower of Michigan football, but a fan, maybe for the first time. As of Illinois, I was firmly in the anti-RR camp. In one game, and don't ask me why because I am not sure I could tell you, I cannot imagine this team without him. I think the program is beginning to heal itself, and I think things only get better from here.

ebbtide

November 23rd, 2009 at 1:26 PM ^

"I was reassured as well, not necessarily by talent or scheme etc. but because for the first time in a looooooooong time, I watched a Michigan team with absolutely no sense of entitlement."

+1000000 to you. I can't say enough how sick I am of some michigan fans assuming that we deserve wins. We have to fight for them like everyone else, and that was one of my complaints from Carr. It seemed like he didn't even try half the time against teams (THE HORROR!). I'm kinda happy I watched games like Mich/Purdue and Mich/Western with as much intensity in my mind. A few years ago, I might have just caught the replays.

Yes it sucks to watch those games and come out with a L, but as one blog put it "everyone wants to go to heaven, but nobody wants to die".

scu195

November 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 PM ^

I think the defense will be much better next year.......GR needs time with these kids. Even though we lost Saturday.....still feel we have gained some ground on defense. The turnovers and 3 and outs are what hurts this defense.

Five In A Row

November 23rd, 2009 at 1:53 PM ^

as to why Tate will get better and UM will have more experience and be great - while a very young OSU team, with a young quarterback who was THE prized recruit in the country is not expected to get better. Is it because Barwis and RR are so much better than Tress and his staff at developing talent?

woodfeld

November 23rd, 2009 at 2:28 PM ^

Oh, no doubt, I expect them to be better as well. They should be competing for the nat'l championship next year. But there is always the opportunity for Tressel ball to backfire against some random team in the big ten, so you never know. Plus, there could be some early entries to the NFL Draft (Heyward, Gibson & Rolle) that hurt them, but I expect them to be double digit favorites against UM going into Columbus next year. Granted, it's waaaaaaay too early at this point, but it's always fun to speculate.

spider

November 23rd, 2009 at 2:26 PM ^

I mean, I felt this odd kind of relief, that we were not getting steam rolled on defense.

I also felt that O$U was playing very reserved. I mean, they took what Mich gave them, which is the least you should expect from a good team.

Still, I am excited for next year, because I truly believe this is the year that improvement(in the form of bowl eligibllity) must happen. It gives me a sort of "minimum level" measuring stick.

I am not sure how the defense or if the defense can improve. All I know is that anything less than 6-6 next year will not be acceptable.

mgofootball4

November 23rd, 2009 at 2:29 PM ^

Rich Rod said it in his post game presser - Michigan is a great brand, quite possibly the best in college football, BUT that doesn't excuse the program from times like these. Just because you are Michigan, doesn't mean you'll get wins every time you step on the field. Those that understand the dynamics of this team and this roster - know that this program is on the right track and that there would be growing pains. Ain't gonna happen overnight. This year was an improvement over last, and 2010 will be an improvement over 2009.