Underrated Play(s) of the Season?
What is your underrated play of Michigan's National Championship season?
Mine is Jake Thaw recovering the muffed punt at the end of regulation in the Rose Bowl. He made a bone headed play trying to catch the punt in the first place, but he was still able to somehow recover the ball before the end zone while Bama players were about to hit him. I'd say 9 times out of 10, a player in that position would not be able to get firm control of the ball, resulting in the ball squirting out into the end zone for a game winning TD or safety for Bama, and the worst loss of all time. Kudos to him for making a great, National Championship saving play immediately after a terrible play.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:02 AM ^
Jake thaw had a fair catch last night on a kickoff (I think). No drama. Very small but given recent history... Huge deal. Every kick was an adventure
January 9th, 2024 at 11:03 AM ^
Sadly so, yes.
In both the Penn State and the Washington games, the defense gave up late 1st half TDs to an offense that would get the ball to start the second half.
We’ll all remember forever Will Johnson’s interception. But I’ll always think next about Makari Paige’s fumble recovery as Allar got to midfield, because the legendary 32 straight runs isn’t possible without that.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:04 AM ^
Does bpone strike suddenly?
Somehow it seemed like a spontaneous, black pit of a hole, that we were almost in. Like on the event horizon. Come on, you have to admit, that was one of the longest 1/2 seconds of your life.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:22 AM ^
let's never say "bpone" ever again. i'm not kidding. we don't get to say it any more.
January 9th, 2024 at 6:23 PM ^
Seriously.
This blog will need an identity transplant.
We just won the National Championship in our biggest sport in exciting and dominant fashion, and we reached the finals in all of our other major team sports in the last 15 years.
No other school has a record even close to that.
Be of good cheer.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:06 AM ^
Josh Wallace stonewalling Burton on the 3rd and goal reception in overtime against Alabama. Could have gone to 2nd OT right there. Wallace...would...not...let...him...go.
Go Blue.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:33 AM ^
You know, Wallace was so damn solid all year long, and largely got overshadowed by the “bigger personalities” on the team. He’ll be playing on Sundays, methinks!
January 9th, 2024 at 10:08 AM ^
I don't know, but JJ McCarthy huddling with his psychologist and exchanging a hug and forehead tap when we were struggling in the third quarter might have been a big one. We might not have to wait long for someone to complain about our unfair advantage in that, too; I hear that guy is fantastic.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:13 AM ^
Every Touchback kickoff by Tommy Doman
January 9th, 2024 at 10:14 AM ^
Thaw just needed to recover the ball- if he recovers it in the endzone it is a touchback because he never had possession.
January 9th, 2024 at 6:24 PM ^
No easy task.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:15 AM ^
I thought having 2 punt returners back on that last punt was smart as it seemed UW got an extra 15 yards of bounce/roll on all other punts.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:20 AM ^
totally agree on all counts. the field was tipping for a while there.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:18 AM ^
So many, but I'll just go with the first one that comes to my mind:
Rod Moore's tackle of Milroe in OT, if he misses it's a TD
January 9th, 2024 at 10:19 AM ^
kenneth grant running down that penn state dude from behind. i don't think he scores there, and there was no way they were going to beat us, but i think it was at 14-3 and it's a more tension-ey game otherwise.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:23 AM ^
Every sideline catch by Cornelius Johnson.
Max Bredeson's blocking.
Ernest Hauserman's depth.
Josh Wallace turning into a dawg.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:32 AM ^
As far as really underrated, probably some plays from the Maryland game. Michigan’s second closest game of the season with some key players out or playing hurt. One in particular doesn’t come to mind but maybe someone here can remember. Can’t go 15-0 without that one, probably don’t get the #1 ranking as early.
January 9th, 2024 at 6:27 PM ^
I was at that game. 'Lia was dealing. Until our DL pressure resulted in an intentional grounding call on him which ended Maryland's come from behind drive at the end of the game.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:41 AM ^
possibly the first throw of the Bama game, JJ threw a pick but the defender's foot was barely on the out-of-bounds line.
January 9th, 2024 at 10:42 AM ^
Rutgers, Mikey's pick 6 to put the game away.
Penn st, Benny forces the Allar fumble, opening drive of the 2nd half, Makari Paige recovers, offense scores a fg.. huge huge huge play!!!
Maryland, Derrick Moore forced fumble return for TD, early in the game but that TD was instrumental in that game!
Osu, End of the 3rd qtr, 3rd down stop, defense forces an incomplete pass and osu to punt! Huge. I say this stop since the defense forced a punt up 7pts, 24-17 to start the 4th with a lead. The offense drives for a fg the next possession to give a 2 score lead!
Iowa, Morgan punt return for 87yds setting up the first td of the game and well, put Iowa away!
Alabama, Quentin Johnston's forced fumble on Milroe a few minutes into the 4th qtr! This was a momentum changing, game changing play imo. Bama was starting to lean on our defense and it was the turnover needed and stop they needed to get their feet back under them!
Washington, JJ scrambles for 22 yds, 3rd and 8, Washington had began stopping the run game and it's defense had momentum. They were also starting to win the field position game a bit. This got the offense out of the hole and gave the defense a break in the 2nd half it needed at that time.
These are under rated or key plays in the season imo that were instrumental in an undefeated season. So many more that were great plays that we can't list them all!
January 9th, 2024 at 11:17 AM ^
that's a lot of exclamation. user name checks out
January 9th, 2024 at 10:47 AM ^
Rod Moore's TD saving tackle on Milroe in OT vs Bama. That tackle gave them 1st and goal from the 9. That was pretty much game over. No way Bama is gonna get in from there against this d
January 9th, 2024 at 11:08 AM ^
Mike Sainristill giving everything he had on that open field tackle on 3rd down late in the game to prevent Washington from getting the 1st down
January 9th, 2024 at 11:27 AM ^
Roman's catch of the tipped pass in the Rose Bowl. If he doesn't pull that in there is no TD, no OT, no game in Houston. It was over if that ball hits the turf.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:39 AM ^
That was the most impactful, but no way that is underrated. That play will live in infamy along with Corums TD run in OT.
When I think of underrated, I think about stuff that no one really remembers. Like Jabrill Peppers chasing a punt down 40 yards to the opposite sideline to dive and knock it out of bounds before the ball could hit the ground, roll 20 yards and pin Michigan inside the 10.
Now we start on the 29 and the playcalling and drive looks completely different.
Or a blitz pick-up, or oh...here's a really good one.
Josh Ross made a critical 3rd down stop (I believe on Henderson) in the '21 game. I want to say it was the 3rd quarter. Probably the most underrated play of that game.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:33 AM ^
I'm still processing, these are the thoughts that keep me going during the offseason.
That said, I feel like there had to be a play versus Maryland that is going to get overlooked. Didn't Doman down a punt inside the 5 that lead to the safety? Again, it's all mush in my head right now.
Against OSU, the Will Johnson pick isn't really underrated, but that play set up the entire game.
Against Bama, I hate to say it...but the Bama DB jumping from out of bounds on the first play.
Against Washington. For now, I'll say the JJ run out of his own end zone.
January 9th, 2024 at 11:34 AM ^
I reserve the right to change all of my answers once I regain consciousness.
January 9th, 2024 at 12:22 PM ^
I think the underrated part of the Jake Thaw recovery is that he maintained possession after taking a massive hit, while holding the ball with one hand/arm.
January 9th, 2024 at 2:37 PM ^
Coaches shouldve put 11 in punt fake coverage. Just your normal defense. There was nothing to gain by fielding a kick at that time. We werent getting the ball beyond the 20 no matter what and anything dropping within the 5 was just take a knee territory.
January 9th, 2024 at 4:08 PM ^
Mine is Jake Thaw recovering the muffed punt at the end of regulation in the Rose Bowl.
Mine is the play right after that. We have the ball on the one yard line and have to get it out of the end zone to avoid a safety and therefore the end of the game.
JJ lines up in the shotgun (I almost had a heart attack) and hands off . . . successfully to get the ball cleanly away from the end zone line so that we could kill the clock and go to overtime.
We dodged that bullet, right after we dodged the bullet before it.