What surprised you from Michigan's week one performance?

Submitted by NashvilleBLUE on

What all did you not anticipate or flat out shocked you about something/someone from game 1? For me:

With all the receiver chat in camp, it was unexpected to see a mostly TE heavy offense with the receivers really only being Crawford, Black, Perry. Clearly, this was a strategic move and it worked out well.

Isaac appears to be the clear #2 and 3rd down back. I expected him being in for 3rd down, but he out-rushed Higdon 11-7 and made excellent use of those opportunities. I'm genuinely excited for what's in store for our run game this year.

Onwenu looked impressive. I was worried due to early camp reports that he was still battling for the spot, and although it was clear RG was his at camp end, I still had it as a question mark. He looked very impressive and moved well.

Burning Bush! I expected big thing out of him this year but he outperformed my expectations. He was everywhere on the field and I can say there's no doubt it would have been a huge loss had he been ejected for targeting.

Mckean (still not sure announcers are pronouncing it correctly) seemed to fill the Jake Butt role for routes. We'd heard good things about him, but he appears poised for a stellar career here.

3 man fronts - a huge misdirection by Don Brown and the staff. Not only was I surprised, but clearly Florida had no idea that was coming. Furbush played a lot of reps and did a good job filling gaps and creating room for the others

Will Hart - I was expecting Robbins to have the P spot locked but it appears that Hart has exceeded expectations during fall camp

Lastly, I'll say Nico not traveling with the team (at least from what I've seen reported). I wonder if there is anything other than the zero percent chance to play during that game that kept him off the plane.

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FlintLivesMatter

September 3rd, 2017 at 11:58 AM ^

Only thing i was surprised by was nordin hitting that 55 yard field goal and i expected to see dwumfor play seeing as he had some offseason buzz

Joined: 09/03/2017

MGoPoints: 837

war-dawg69

September 3rd, 2017 at 1:32 PM ^

For the last time. Furbush is going to be great for us this year. He is a big guy who is extremely fast and stuffs the run well. Look for a big year from along with all our linebackers. Bush will be an all american and Hudson and McCray are not far behind. Had to figure out who number seven was as he kept smashing RB's....ohhh it's my man K. Hudson. But make no mistake Furbush will shine this year. I think we have the best linebackers in the big ten.

Joined: 10/07/2016

MGoPoints: 3061

Farnn

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:04 PM ^

Lack of production from Bunting/Wheatley and good contributions from true sophomores McKeon and Eubanks.  Also lack of Dwumfour in the DL rotation.

Due to depth on DL, the use and success of the 3-3-5 look is very encouraging.  They seemed to get good production from Gil and Furbush which makes me feel more comfortable about the defenses ability to weather an injury or two that I didn't think they could preseason.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 12788

chomz14

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^

Bush stays healthy. Were talking All American production. Dude is a missile. Reminds me of a stronger version of former FSU and Detroit Lion Ernie Simms.

Joined: 09/03/2009

MGoPoints: 3676

MgoWood

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:21 PM ^

Bush superceded my expectations.  Our LB corps are very fast.  IMHO this is the fastest and swormiest(new word) we have looked on defense in a very long time.  By the time we get into the heart of the season, our new corners will have hopefully seasoned up and we will be on our march to The Game with our eyes on the prize.

Joined: 12/18/2014

MGoPoints: 3156

dieseljr32

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:05 PM ^

They looked flat out prepared which is weird to have a surprise with this coaching staff. They looked big and fast as well. I don't know how to describe it but they just looked the part of a solid team.

Joined: 04/19/2009

MGoPoints: 4792

901 P

September 3rd, 2017 at 1:27 PM ^

"They looked flat out prepared." 

Were they "flat-out prepared," meaning clearly prepared? Or were they "flat out-prepared," meaning the were simply out-prepared by the opponent? Having a hyphen (and where it is placed) significantly alters the meaning. 

ETA: I see the negs, but I've read that sentence ten times and I can't figure out what it means. 

Joined: 01/12/2015

MGoPoints: 9973

901 P

September 3rd, 2017 at 1:45 PM ^

I don't understand what you mean . . . (kidding)

You're right, and generally I would rely on the context. In this case, though, I'm having a little trouble puzzling through it. It's not just the prepared/out-prepared. It's the next part--"weird to have a surprise with this coaching staff." I just don't get it, and I feel like I am trying to solve a riddle or something. 

Anyway, it is clearly a minor, minor point. With about 46,000 comments on the board over the past 18 hours there are plenty of other things for me to read!

Joined: 01/12/2015

MGoPoints: 9973

Big Boutros

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:09 PM ^

I assumed a successful day on offense would be Cool Cucumber Speight converting third downs to Perry and Evans, while the running game would have to gasp its way to triple digits. We did have a successful day on offense but in the opposite way. I was floored by our running game. 215 yards on 4.4 YPC against the S&P+ projected #2 defense. We haven't rushed so successfully against a good team since...Florida 2007? Speight had some serious problems but I can't believe that in Game One we corrected the most haunting flaw of the past two years. Michigan won the game on the ground. Sure we could have used a few more TDs or FGs but the run-run-pass-punt-die sequence never materialized because we successfully pounded them into the dirt.

Joined: 07/08/2008

MGoPoints: 23338

baileyb7

September 3rd, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^

We really struggled to run the ball on running downs and between the tackles - Evans got stuffed numerous times at the line of scrimmage when Florida was expecting run.  We got big chunks of yards on passing downs when Florida was in the wrong defense and those yards completely skew the YPA.  They may have a great DLine but we still cannot cosistently run on first and second down and that will hurt us in the bigger games late in the season.

Joined: 03/04/2015

MGoPoints: 379

freelion

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^

- DPJ locking down the PR job and looking very smooth at it

- DPJ not getting much run at receiver. I think he is a difference maker

- No "leap" for Speight as touted by Harbaugh. Looked like the same guy that blew the Iowa and OSU games.

- Eubanks making plays instead of Bunting and Gentry

- No busted coverages by the secondary

- Perry holding down the slot position. I thought he would share the position a lot more

Joined: 10/03/2013

MGoPoints: 9049

LolaCura

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^

Not so much suprised but happy to see the speed, strength and anger on defense. Great composure by the team to not let the pick 6s switch the momentum. 

Really good vibe so far. 

Joined: 08/22/2017

MGoPoints: 2

The Baughz

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^

Thought DPJ did an excellent job of returning punts. Needs to tuck the ball away a little better. Also thought he'd be more of a focus in the pass game. It's only one game, I have a feeling he will be a down field threat in a matter of time. Oh and Black is awesome.

Joined: 10/08/2010

MGoPoints: 31913

evenyoubrutus

September 3rd, 2017 at 12:13 PM ^

In general, the play of the defense was much better than I expected, but even bigger (or more bigly?) The fact that they went so deep with their defensive rotation in the front 7 and didn't seem to miss a beat. With very little data so far, this defense looks as good as last year's. Let's hope their depth holds up.

Joined: 11/04/2008

MGoPoints: 178241