we go back to a strong O-line, a pocket passer, and a dominant RB. Not that I don't like Denard but after five years of scrambling QBs who can't seem to complete passes it'll be nice to (hopefully) get back to a TEAM that commands the field. As dazzling as he can be I'm tired (and have been well before this debacle) of hanging my hopes on one guy having a great game.
Unfortunately, if he can't pass the ball accurately, we're pretty much stuck with a RB at QB (hence our march up the field three yards and a cloud of dust style late in the game).
Personally I think you're overestimating Ohio State's offensive ability. Living in Columbus and listening to Herbie and Spielman and the other 'football geniuses' they air down here, a couple things were clear. Their offensive line was one of the worst they can remember and when Pryor throws he throws interceptions.
According to ESPN, Forcier had 10 total on the year, which means he came in with just 6 interceptions. Pryor lost 1 that game meaning he came in with 9 prior on 23 fewer attempts.
I just won't buy the argument that they didn't try to do something on offense and that they sat on just an 11 point lead with the way we were moving the ball. Frankly and for all they knew WE could have scored at pretty much any time, barring costly turnovers.
Yes. ^H^H^H^H
No.
There, fixed that for ya.
Forget the "who we're supposed to be and what we're supposed to do" expectations for a minute. You just watched what was essentially a team of underclassmen, many of whom were still playing high school ball last season, put up 309 yards total offense on what was billed as one of the country's top Defenses. You watched a freshman Quarterback tally 229 passing yards and six drives of 40 to 50 yards (compared to their two drives of 80 to 90).
What you saw were three key mistakes. A missed Field Goal, a fumble in the end zone, and an intercepted rope thrown to Matthews in the end zone that should have been a lob to the back corner. Two were mistakes made by a freshman Quarterback who, for all his talent, still tries too hard to make something happen and needs to learn patience. The third was just a "WTF, how do you miss that?!" wide right kick. Erase those three and we win.
Frankly for us to be that close to being in that game with the season we've had gives me great hope for the future. We're not as bad as our record. We just need to learn how to finish games.
"They" who? I don't want either of those guys and I'm perfectly happy to see RR succeed. Bill Martin appears to be behind him and Mary Sue Coleman hasn't said one word on the subject that I'm aware of.
The only "they" I've heard mention those names are the asshat sports casters down here in Columbus but those guys also think OSU dominated yesterday so I'm assuming they're also smoking "buckeye" leaves.
Forcier showed his age. Instead of lobbing one into the back corner of the end zone and allowing Matthews to make a play he tried to throw a rope that got picked off in the end zone. A freshman mistake that cost seven points.
Someone needs to tell him, when he's scrambling around in traffic, to stop carrying the ball out to the side "like a loaf of bread". Another freshman mistake that gave them seven points.
A missed short field goal? Really? Three points.
Ohio State had 318 yards of total offense to our 309. 253 of theirs was on the ground, the bulk of which was on two scoring drives after punts or kick offs. Other than that first fumble they did not in any way capitalize (even so much as to get in field goal range) on our mistakes. Our defense held them inert.
Their Defense did nothing to stop us except be in the right places to pick off easy interceptions my 6 year old could have caught. They were beaten up and down the field on 40 and 50 yard drives consistently. And by my count, Forcier, while scrambling, wasn't pressured into those mistakes. They were just bad decisions not forced by, as one announcer called them, "the best defense I think I've ever seen" (insert guffaw here) getting in his face.
Eliminate just those three mistakes and we win that game 17 - 14. Eliminate the other pick on our way to their end zone and it's 20 or even 24 to 14. Pretty good I think against "the best defense that announcer has ever seen".
The silver lining on this slightly less dark cloud? Our coach who "doesn't get it" I think is starting to develop the deep rooted feeling of hatred, rage, and indignation that comes from losing to Ohio State that so many of us simply take for granted.
Nope, sorry. This isn't Notre Dame or Michigan State or THE Ohio State University (once hailed as the graveyard of coaches).
This is Michigan. And this is our coach. You want to win? Go root for USC. You want to win with class and dignity? Then you forget all that nonsense and drink the kool-aid.
At Michigan we don't just hire coaches. We embrace them, bring them into the fold and make them Michigan and they make us Champions. To do less makes us any other typical program and that we are NOT.
And we do not fire head coaches at Michigan. We didn't fire Oosterbaan after eleven mediocre seasons. We didn't fire Elliot after his eleven lackluster performances and a single Big Ten title. We didn't fire Carr after losing to both Appalachian State and Toledo in the same season and losing 6 of his last 7 to Ohio State. WE DO NOT FIRE HEAD COACHES AT MICHIGAN
This isn't some shiny chrome plated college who's sole goal every season is to play under the spotlights of the nationally televised evening game each week. Whose fans turn ugly if they don't try for the two point conversion when they're already up three scores because they want to humiliate their opponent and then play it down while smiling for the camera flashing their cheshire cat grins with their too white veneers.
This is Michigan and ABOVE ALL it stands for integrity, respect, and commitment. If you want to settle for less than that in exchange for winning, go root for Florida.
Jesus f'ing GD christ I'm sick of hearing this kind of BS.
What do you think? You think having this fucking team basically DECIMATED prior to RR's first season shouldn't be a reason to have a down season or two?! Do you think ANY of Carr's recruits were worth two shits? Any of the ones that left when it got too hard or the ones who stayed because they were LUCKY to have landed a spot on a Michigan football team and now they'd actually get to play?! Did you forget that it was CARR's team and CARR's recruits that lost to fucking App State and Toledo during a season where we fielded SENIORS at QB and RB and most of the lines?!
And you fucking losers come to these boards and these blogs and you rant about how we should be a better team, we should be as great as we've always been because somehow goddamn brand new freshman, playing their first fucking college games, and sophomores, many of whom wouldn't even be on the field during a typical Michigan season, trying to pick up the broken pieces of a decimated team must somehow be more capable than they are simply because they don the winged helmet.
And so it must be these fucking coaches and their rotten schemes. Or maybe, just maybe, its the fucking fans... these fucking so called Michigan fans... the ones I thought I knew... the ones I've always been so proud of because no matter what we always reacted with class and grace and never stooped so low as an OSU clown, or an MSU troll.
But now I come and I read this blog and these posts and this nonsense and bullshit about how terrible we are and how much worse we look at the end of the season and I ask myself if these "people" could possibly be Michigan fans... if they can possibly be watching the same games I am and if so, how the fuck can they be so shortsighted and stupid?
You people have no idea what it means to be a Michigan fan. You whine and throw tantrums like the OSU asshats I'm surrounded by. They're laughing down here at how everyone up north is calling for Rodriguez to be fired. Speculating at fucking Harbaugh taking over as head coach amidst their alternating worship of and whining about their own coach, calling for his head and other stupid shit.
You can't root for Michigan and root against your own coaches. Not in his second year, not in his thirteenth year. Our guy came from West Virginia and he's heard the hype. He claims he gets it but we don't think so. Why should he with IDIOTS calling for his firing after two seasons with no players and a completely new scheme? If getting it means enduring idiots with no brains screaming "win or you're fired!" then there's nothing to get.
You want "him" to get it? You want him to build a winner? Then you as fans... you as Yost... you as Chrisler and the great winged helmets... you as Schembechler and great Ten Year War... you as THE TEAM get behind him and raise him up to the height he never knew was possible. You do what only the fans at Michigan can do for a head coach. You don't just root for him at Michigan. You don't just sit on the fence and wait to decide if you like this guy. Because Michigan is not just about winning. Michigan is more than that and until YOU make it more than that winning will not come. You get behind him and his coaches and his players and you don't just root for him as head coach at Michigan, YOU MAKE HIM MICHIGAN. Only then will he truly "get it" and only then will you get it.
And if you just can't, then fuck you. Fuck you for being fat and lazy and stupid. Go join fucking Boren because on today of all days IF YOU'RE NOT WITH US, YOU'RE AGAINST US.
Those who stay will be champions.
Only part I disagreed with in that whole post was 4th and 10. Yep, the defense sucks but you're down 8 points and you need two scores (you simply cannot count on the 2 point conversion). You take the points you're given.
This is my only complaint with Rich Rod. This is at least the third time this year (no I don't remember specific incidents) that he was within field goal range and came away with nothing because of a bad decision. Take the points you're given!
It's weeks like this that I actually like living in Columbus. The game has passed Tressel by, Pryor has lousy footwork and a lousy attitude, and a lot of sneering about "Michigan's back" because they broke back into the top 25 by beating a "mediocre" Notre Dame. So much entertainment to be had!
I haven't laughed so much or been so giddy in a long time. Go Blue and May The Forcier Be With You!
Just means he's opted to play on a smaller stage.
At least I won't have to spend the next four years trying to spell the bastard's name... (Shadrovic? Shavrodroc? Shecky?... screw it.)
Um... yeah, you missed one... that comment was one level up. I'll stop now as it's apparent you only read in spurts and you're just going to argue and ignore anything relevant.
Dude. Putting on muscle (and weight) will decrease the liklihood that he's going to bounce all over the field when someone who outweighs him by 50 to 100 pounds runs into him.
No, he's an overeager freshman looking to go out and make the big plays he did in High School. The problem is, the guys hitting him in college are much bigger and much better players.
Oh, so I guess defenders would never sit on a 30 yard route, and Threet never threw into traffic.
I'm sorry, exactly which of those situations I mentioned don't appear in your rebuttal?
I've watched Threet throw to guys just waiting to get popped and shuffle pass to guys with defenders bearing down on them (usually getting tackled for no gain or a loss). Yeah, someone better teach these young quarterbacks before they get someone killed.
I've also watched McGuffie on kick returns. Same as running plays as I mentioned, he's trying to run over or through everyone and he's not big enough for that yet. Experienced backs will take what the defense gives them and wear them down over the course of a game. McGuffie's looking for the big play every down and he's going to get himself killed doing it.
Only two comments on the McGuffie thing. First, I realize he's trying to be a beast and run through/hop over everyone in his path to get the most yardage but someone needs to explain to him that he's just not a big guy. Not in college anyway. He's going to have to learn to avoid some of the collisions he's trying to take head on.
Getting a QB that doesn't hang his backs out to dry dumping the ball off for no gain rather than throwing it away might help a bit too.
Alright, Rodriguez came in and started teaching a system counter to anything anyone on that team understood or were comfortable with. They're still learning it but slowly. Couple that with lack of size/general experience (those guys on offense are kids compared to the Seniors most teams are fielding) and I have to ask, how can you possibly expect much out of them.
Also, regarding the way overcooked notion that this was our "worst year ever" go check out MVictors for a good analysis of just what that means and why this wasn't. Worst in a while yes. Ever? Not even close.
Above all, have faith! That terrible defense held OSU to 14 points on two big plays and had TONS of 3 and outs while spending a horrendous amount of time on the field that first half. With no offense a defense can only do so much and I thought they played fantastic that first half.
Getting rid of Rodriguez is a ridiculous notion and one that I'm happy to say just won't happen. Michigan does not fire head coaches lightly. If you watched the Minnesota game you noticed the offense clicking on all cylinders and completely dominant. Take heart because with practice, experience, and RR's recruits that's what we'll look like in the future against the tough teams.
Things will improve. Michigan will once again stand as the Leaders and Best. GO BLUE!
I am pretty much forced to listen to "The Big Show" living down here in He... er, Columbus (other sports radio stations either don't exist here or just suck) and I can honestly say I hated Spielman and "Herbie" when I started listening.
I still hate Herbstreit (thankfully he's not on that often) but Spielman, despite that comment which I missed, has grown on me. He definitely has a love of the game of football vs. the entertainment of football. I actually even find most of his comments about Michigan to be pretty fair and even rather than petty and bitter (like Herbstreit's often are). He has often displayed his respect for Michigan as an opponent and a reverence for the rivalry. I'd have to hear the context in which those words were uttered to fully believe they came from him in the spirit they're portrayed.
You know, watching this team for the past six weeks two things have
occured to me. One, this whole team is YOUNG. Young and inexperienced
and learning a whole new way to play football. Watching these games
with really any expectations of success is begging for disappointment.
I look at this entire season as a series of scrimmages. These are just
practice games in a practice season. Watch with that in mind and it's
much less painful.
Two, there are fans and teams that go through this kind of season
every year. Thinking of the reverse, Toledo, while somewhat successful,
has had some terrible years. But there are actually fans that stick
with them throughout.
For what it's worth, I've been a Michigan fan since birth but I'm from
Toledo so for me Saturday's loss was more grimly amusing than
outrageous. As many OSU fans once chanted annually, "It's a rebuilding
year."
Recent Comments
we go back to a strong O-line, a pocket passer, and a dominant RB. Not that I don't like Denard but after five years of scrambling QBs who can't seem to complete passes it'll be nice to (hopefully) get back to a TEAM that commands the field. As dazzling as he can be I'm tired (and have been well before this debacle) of hanging my hopes on one guy having a great game.
Unfortunately, if he can't pass the ball accurately, we're pretty much stuck with a RB at QB (hence our march up the field three yards and a cloud of dust style late in the game).
I went to get the new wallpaper (I know, I'm late!) and it appears to not appear no more.
No.
There,
You know, watching this team for the past six weeks two things have occured to me. One, this whole team is YOUNG. Young and inexperienced and learning a whole new way to play football. Watching these games with really any expectations of success is begging for disappointment. I look at this entire season as a series of scrimmages. These are just practice games in a practice season. Watch with that in mind and it's much less painful.
Two, there are fans and teams that go through this kind of season every year. Thinking of the reverse, Toledo, while somewhat successful, has had some terrible years. But there are actually fans that stick with them throughout.
For what it's worth, I've been a Michigan fan since birth but I'm from Toledo so for me Saturday's loss was more grimly amusing than outrageous. As many OSU fans once chanted annually, "It's a rebuilding year."
GO BLUE!