September 10th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
I think we can manage without him.
September 10th, 2012 at 5:38 PM ^
UMass kept it pretty close with IU for the first minute or two of the game last week.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
I'm pretty sure our entire first team could be injured for that game and we would still win big.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:06 PM ^
Take it easy
September 10th, 2012 at 3:13 PM ^
Umass put up three rushing yards on Uconn in week 1 and last week Indiana put up 45 points and 596 yards of offense on them. They've also only scored 6 points all year (i.e. Indiana almost shut them out at home). If we don't beat them by 50 I'll be concerned
September 10th, 2012 at 3:18 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:53 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:19 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
I'm sure the team learned a bunch from The Horror about underestimating opponents and will prepare occordingly. The attitudes that "we" (Michigan football fans) express have very little bearing on Saturday's outcome.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:42 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:40 PM ^
playing them in 2010 and only winning by 5, and that was when UMASS was still an FCS school before making the jump to FBS. I'm sure no one on the team is taking UMASS lightly, if anything they're probably getting pumped to go out and prove that what happened 2 years ago was a fluke and they're going to crush UMASS into the ground. If we don't have 42 points by the half I'll be sad.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:41 PM ^
If Indiana can do it, then..
September 10th, 2012 at 3:26 PM ^
With our defense, this logic might not apply this year.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:32 PM ^
Not only do we still not know much about our defense this year, but there's really no way they're worse than Indiana's unit.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:18 PM ^
I would have thought that they would be no worse than the Western Kentucky team that only allowed 103 yards rushing and less than 4 ypc to Alabama last weekend, but...
September 10th, 2012 at 5:45 PM ^
meet Oranges. Oranges, Apples.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:02 PM ^
How did you feel about our defense 2 games in last year?
September 10th, 2012 at 4:09 PM ^
thank you, we will see. Lets just hope for michigan to whoop that umass ass
September 10th, 2012 at 4:13 PM ^
Better than this one, because the "new system" thing applied, and also because they improved as those games went along. A year removed from RichRod and the system change, I don't see mitigating circumstances that hint at an upside for 2012. I have the same feeling that I had two years ago, that we are either stuck with the upperclassemen who aren't producing, or we have to go to true freshmen who aren't ready yet. At least this year, the true freshmen are studs though.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:43 PM ^
one of the greatest OL's in college history and then against a team with a funky system that hangs yards and points on everyone.
So there are some mitigating circumstances, but like you I am worried about the D and hoping we improve like we did last year or it will be a looooooooooooooong season.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
If you're giving guys time to rest and recover, this is the game to do so.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:42 PM ^
Who gets first QB snaps after Denard in this game? Bellomy or Gardner?
September 10th, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^
Bellomy.. I'm excited to see him play too.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:54 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:03 PM ^
Edit: reading fail...
September 10th, 2012 at 3:09 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:30 PM ^
Intents and purposes*
September 10th, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^
I know this should be a walk in the park but I somehow am still feeling gun shy. I won't feel good until Michigan is up by 42pts and it is in the 4th quarter.
September 10th, 2012 at 5:04 PM ^
Just keep repeating this over and over again: "Indiana crushed them"
September 10th, 2012 at 3:30 PM ^
I'm not going to break out the cigars until Michigan has crushed them, driven them from their homes, and heard the lamentation of their women.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
would be what is best in life.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:48 PM ^
Barnum is not even on the 2-deep at center if the Rivals' chart is correct.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:19 PM ^
Did you not watch the first two games? Mealer has been our starting center. Aren't we all glad that Mealer and Barnum both took snaps at center in the fall.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:23 PM ^
thankfully... and must not have even noticed who was snapping on Saturday. So someone save me from sifting through many old posts-- what happened there? Must have happened in late stages of camp? (I missed most of that, too)
September 10th, 2012 at 5:21 PM ^
Based on what was said at camp, we all assumed that Barnum was going to be the starting center. Hoke is his presser said that the week leading into the Bama game they decided to go with Mealer.
September 10th, 2012 at 5:49 PM ^
with the Shotgun snaps compared to Barnum per Hoke.
This did not come out until the day of the 'Bama game or maybe as late as pre-game.
September 10th, 2012 at 2:51 PM ^
I wonder if Gardner gets any QB snaps at all, I wonder if we see 5th yr senior Steve Wilson after Bellomy (we gave him a scholarship for a reason right?)
September 10th, 2012 at 3:20 PM ^
Maybe .Hoke gave him a scholly because he works hard and helps the team working as a scout team member
September 10th, 2012 at 2:59 PM ^
could have said "Denard, out for Umass," and I would not be any more concerned.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:14 PM ^
September 10th, 2012 at 3:27 PM ^
2012 Michigan > 2010 Michigan
2012 UMass <<< 2010 UMass
This is 2012's version of the 2010 Bowling Green game; bottom-dwelling MAC team, not upper-echelon FCS team.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:49 PM ^
A little perspective perhaps...
In the 2010 game against UMass, we allowed 222 yards passing and 217 yards rushing.
To date this year, UMass is 30 of 57 on passing for 242 total yards, and their rushing game has managed 81 yards on 60 carries. This is not a good offense by any stretch.
I think we're in good shape going into Saturday. Hopefully, Beyer gets back to 100% soon is ready for ND - Clark and Ojemudia looked good out there after Beyer came out as well (4 tackles each, 2 solo, 2 assisted in both cases).
September 10th, 2012 at 3:34 PM ^
He told me on Saturday he sprained his MCL fwiw.
September 10th, 2012 at 3:49 PM ^
Victory is a guarantee and a blow out is more likely than anything resembling a close game.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:09 PM ^
I re-watched the 2010 UMass game last night to remind myself what happens when Michigan goes into a game expecting an overmatched opponent to roll over as they enter Michigan Stadium.
If you don't remember... Denard was coming off of 2 consecutive weeks as the National Player of the Week (UConn & ND). He played well, but we fell behind in the 2nd quarter and came storming back before halftime. We let them hang with us until the last minute of the game. Every team that plays us is going to give their best shot because everyone wants to be the next team to "shock the world" by beating Michigan at home.
At this point, my attitude is just win the game and pray no one gets hurt... then move on to Notre Dame.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:12 PM ^
You feel like you wanna shock the world, then you get a little taste of this
September 10th, 2012 at 7:59 PM ^
Shoes are overrated....
September 10th, 2012 at 4:18 PM ^
I rewatched the 2011 Minnesota game to remind myself what happens when Michigan goes into a game expecting an overmatched opponent to roll over as they enter Michigan Stadium.
If you don't remember...we absolutely crushed them in every aspect of the game. 58-0. Wasn't even close.
How about let's panic about the season if this year's UMass game looks like the 2010 Umass game. Somehow I expect the 2012 Wolverines are a much stronger team than the 2010 version.
September 10th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^
In that game, Minnesota was at the Michigan 20 and driving to score, but they fumbled and Courtney Avery took it to the house. Without that 14 point swing, Michigan only wins by 44, and therefore wouldn't cover the -45 1/2 point spread of this weekend's game. Which is a loss in Vegas' eyes.
Or something.