Yesterday's defense
Iowa normally averages 402 yards/game. Michigan held them to 302. For comparison, this is what Iowa had for each opponent:
| Tennessee Tech | 394 |
| @ Iowa St. | 365 |
| Pittsburgh | 475 |
| La.-Monroe | 453 |
| @ 16 Penn St. | 253 |
| Northwestern | 379 |
| Indiana | 456 |
| @ Minnesota | 446 |
Penn State is the only defense that held them to less. The defense played well yesterday. That is all.
November 6th, 2011 at 5:01 AM ^
No one complained about the defense because they played well. Everyone's complaining about the offense because they played like shit.
November 6th, 2011 at 5:09 AM ^
When they played as well as they did, they deserve mention. There was good D-line play, pass breakups, linebackers in position. Just a lot to be happy about from a defensive standpoint.
November 6th, 2011 at 5:35 AM ^
If you look at just the overall yardage it's not bad but it doesn't tell the whole story. They gained that yardage on just 56 plays. The D still gave up 132 yards, 4.6 ypc, and 2 TD's to Coker. They got gashed quite a few times. Still, they came up with some good stops in the 2nd half and gave us an opportunity to win. The offense really let us down.
November 6th, 2011 at 8:38 AM ^
November 6th, 2011 at 5:18 AM ^
November 6th, 2011 at 5:56 AM ^
.....that something merely deserves mention?
If that were the case, I would have started one yesterday to the effect of "I Didn't Know It Was Possible To Make Someone Cry Because You Said You Needed To Mow The Backyard."
November 6th, 2011 at 6:13 AM ^
November 6th, 2011 at 5:23 AM ^
November 6th, 2011 at 6:57 AM ^
very clever! thats funny, lmao
November 6th, 2011 at 6:18 AM ^
I personally think our OC sucks
November 6th, 2011 at 6:36 AM ^
Yeah, I completely agree. Those plays Borges draws up where Denard throws the ball then the receiver drops it are terrible. If I were Michigan's OC (I'm qualified because I'm on an internet message board and I watched most of the game) I'd call plays where the receiver catches the ball.
November 6th, 2011 at 6:52 AM ^
Even the call when the pass was caught but the ref forgot to raise his hands at the end of the game.
How can refs be so out of shape they can't throw a piece of cloth or raise their hands in the last 2 minutes of the game????
November 6th, 2011 at 6:40 AM ^
I have read that the defense gave us a chance to win more than a few times after both losses.
I don't think anyone could ask for anything more considering where they came from.
Little scared of the next 3 games. 3 QB's that can move around, maybe the lack of outside pass rush will keep QB contain by accident.
Godin and Pipkins please come to Michigan ready to play
November 6th, 2011 at 6:42 AM ^
tell you before the season,that Michigan would be 7 & 2 with 3 games left? How many of us would take that? The season is going just as I thought it would...Everyone take a breath,damn...The biggest game of the year is still to be played....Stay tuned .....
November 6th, 2011 at 8:34 AM ^
and assumed we were looking at a 7 win season in transition.
But then the B1G started sucking, and everyone looked beatable, so my expectations went up to a 2 loss season. now I am back to the reality of a 4 or 5 loss season with the continuation of the buckeye draught in our face - even with them wounded with a freshman QB.
Scheme transitions suck.
November 6th, 2011 at 9:34 AM ^
I would expect us to be exactly where we are, and maybe a game better.
I thought our loss would come to Notre Dame and we would beat MSU and Iowa.
After beating Notre Dame, it's infuriating that we could have beat MSU and didn't and should have beat Iowa and didn't do that either.
We are honestly wasting one of the all-time defensive turnarounds because our coordinator won't put our offense in it's greatest position to succeed.
November 6th, 2011 at 6:11 PM ^
The only bad thing I see with the defense is not making Blake ur #1 corner. But being the flexible genius that Mattison is, we'll see movement.
November 6th, 2011 at 7:28 AM ^
Are you talking about Mattison the D coordinator? The Ravens defense still seems awful good to me and I thought they were even better when Rex Ryan was their D coordinator. I think Mattison is good, but I wouldn't go so far as calling him a genius.
November 6th, 2011 at 6:15 PM ^
but what do you think about making a switch in corners
November 6th, 2011 at 7:34 AM ^
Why did they not try to run at least one time at the end? They still had a timeout. Actually had a few extra minutes to talk because of the review as well. The defense is so much better then last year. After watching the LSU-Bama game I can't help but wonder if well even score that game. Those are some great defenses.
November 6th, 2011 at 8:32 AM ^
1. They did not in fact have a time out at the end.
2. The plays they called SCHEMATICALLY worked. Unfortunately other things happened preventing the TD. One play WAS a touchdown but was ruled an incompletion. One play bounced off Vincent Smith's chest. Finally on the last play roy roundtree had bad PI preventing him from catching a pass that was dead on. The play calling at the end was pretty solid IMO.
November 6th, 2011 at 8:50 AM ^
they were saving the run (i'm guessing a roll out) for the necessary 2-point conversion to tie the game. Too many people seem to be forgetting that they needed to get into the endzone twice in five plays or less.
November 6th, 2011 at 9:35 AM ^
In my book, we got in twice in 3 plays to finish the game.
Unfortunately, I hold no power over anything....
November 6th, 2011 at 9:38 AM ^
Also, if every armchair OC was thnking a rollout would work, perhaps this is why it wouldn't. Iowa's coaches know a thing or two about coaching, and this is not a video game.
November 6th, 2011 at 8:33 AM ^
has there been any other time that our defense and offense have switched places so dramatically in one year? Last year the defense was a steaming pile of shit and we just had to outscore everyone. This year I'm scared half the time the offense takes the field because they have become the liability with their inconsistency and turnovers galore
November 6th, 2011 at 8:46 AM ^
November 6th, 2011 at 9:00 AM ^
According to the NCAA's website, we're average .2 less points per game than we did last year. The offense hasn't regressed as much as people seem to think. Granted it would have taken a step forward with RR, but people need to realize that every coaching change leads to problems like this.
November 6th, 2011 at 9:02 AM ^
Last year's point per game average is skewed by the bizarre Ill and DS games.
November 6th, 2011 at 9:15 AM ^
DS was 09. You're probably thinking Bowling Green. At the same time, this year's is skewed by Minnesota. Also, last year's defensive stats are padded from when we faced a 1AA opp... wait we almost lost to UMass. What are people bitching about again?
November 6th, 2011 at 9:25 AM ^
^^^^^^
This is exactly right. As I have said winning on the road in the B1G is tough. I for one love how this team fights in every game. The defense does not give up alot of big plays which is a huge improvement over the last 3 years.
Iowa is a decent team and Michigan was going into a hornets nest after Iowa lost to the gophers. We just have to give Iowa credit for winning and move on to next week. I think this Michgan team will continue to improve over the next 4 games and will finish strong.
I also think Iowa will beat msu next week.
November 6th, 2011 at 11:35 AM ^
The offense may not be quite as good as last year, but don't make it sound like it is the tire-fire that last years defense was.
November 6th, 2011 at 9:11 AM ^
Stats are for losers.
November 6th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^
Joe Pa's team F***** Iowa the most, only giving up 253 yards.
November 6th, 2011 at 11:05 AM ^
Joe Pa's team has done that to everyone they've faced on defense.
November 6th, 2011 at 1:09 PM ^
Ped State University's defense "licked"(JoePa term) Iowa.
November 6th, 2011 at 4:58 PM ^
Too soon
November 6th, 2011 at 11:30 AM ^
Greg Mattison should get Al Borges pay check until he figures out what it is that he wants to do.
November 6th, 2011 at 11:38 AM ^
If Borges calls Fitz's name a little more in the first half and he doesn't get hurt in the 3rd quarter I think we win the game. Fitz is our most complete back and there is a serious dropoff after he goes out.
November 6th, 2011 at 10:37 PM ^
really makes me hope the staff can get a highly regarded running back in this recruiting class.
November 6th, 2011 at 11:47 AM ^
For some time now Denard Robinson has been a dual player, a hero and a zero, a asset and a disability. Now a-days I watch michigan to see how many turnovers and how many points Denard gives the other team. He's reckless and careless with the ball. There are other QBs in other conferences that can run like him but the main difference is, they don't constantly help the other team, like he does. I've been watching Michigan since 1970, and this aint my "grand father's " Michigan. This is an un-steady and "Hyde and Jeckle" team.
The kid thinks he wears a cape and " I " is in the word team. He plays on the road more like a goat wearing a horse blanket.
November 6th, 2011 at 12:11 PM ^
I have to disagree. He's a terrific player. Remember, he's learning a new offense.
I think the coaches really don't know quite what to do with him and with their offensive players at times.
November 6th, 2011 at 12:25 PM ^
Thomas Gordon starts and we hold them under 300. JMO.
November 6th, 2011 at 1:06 PM ^
Concur. Mattison has exceeded all expectations, even coming from where he came from as the Ravens' DC. Borges on the other hand, had best check hiself before he wreck hiself. This is his honeymoon year as AC since he's new here, but if this awful play calling continues next year, his seat shall be heated.