Moar Michigan/MSU Postgame Thoughts [Sunday Snowflake Thread]

Submitted by Mr. Yost on

Programming: The game will likely be replayed tonight on BTN as the "B1G Football Game of The Week." Ohio/Purdue was obviously a great game, but that game is being replayed right before this 8pm broadcast and I doubt they'd show it back-to-back.

Anyway, some good talk got washed away in the (warranted) excitement. With that said, after a day to let it soak in...where does this win stack in the Hoke era? IMO, it's #2 behind Ohio last year, ahead of the Sugar Bowl and UTL.

I just rewatched the 4th quarter and let me say...I am in tears. You can't watch that (knowing how it ends) and not just sit there and feel so good for these players. The fought SO hard. I feel like Junior Hemingway last January.

I suggest EVERYONE rewatch the end of the game...there are so many little things that remind you that these are college kids, just playing the game they love and pouring their HEART in it. There are even more examples of these kids being led by a GREAT coach and an even better man.

For example, during the final drive...the camera pans to the sideline and you see Gibbons walking up and Hoke slaps him on the helmet and gives him some encouragement. Gibby doesn't get paid to handle that pressure, but his team was behind him.

Denard going NUTS after spiking the ball (after the pass to Dileo).

The team mobbed Gibbons, but you can't get mad at that...just to see 115 guys realizing their dreams and reaching a goal was awesome.

Then after the game, you see how much it means to everyone. But you also see Hoke completely blow off the postgame game reporter go find Le'veon Bell and give him the BIGGEST hug like it was one of his own players. He gets it, he respects the rivalry, he respects the B1G, he respects MANBALL...even from a hated opponent.

Then you see the guys with that trophy...you see Jon Falk and you get this feeling "okay, it's over. We're back." Last year was no fluke, everything is restored, don't be afraid to care 110% like you used too...it's okay, Michigan is Michigan again.

We needed this win, and we needed to win just like this. An old fashioned Michigan game. A B1G game. No frills, no basketball on turf, just us vs. you, just victory.

 

rob f

October 21st, 2012 at 10:45 AM ^

what makes winning this game by scoring just 4 FG's even more amaizing, is that they were not only by 2 different placekickers, but 3  were by a left-footed kicker and 1 by a right-footed specialist.  Did each kicker have a different holder to place the ball down after the snap?  If it were the same player doing each hold, that has to be exceedingly difficult to do successfully!

Jeff09

October 21st, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^

I'll prob get some negative responses for this but... I have to take my hat off to msu. Their defense fought extremely hard and contained a rushing attack that ran absolutely wild the past few weeks. The game seemed much much cleaner than the past few years (at least from what I could tell from the stands), and Dantonio wasn't spewing acid/hate after the game. Not sure what caused the change in attitude but it was nice

BlueinLansing

October 21st, 2012 at 12:33 PM ^

a man who knows his team doesn't have the pieces to win the Big Ten.  He also knows that the difference in having those players and not having them is a 1 point loss to Ohio, a 3 point OT loss to Iowa and a 2 point loss to Michigan.

 

He now has a team that could have been 7-1 but is 4-4 and has 4 games reamaining against Wisconsin, Northwestern, Nebraska and Minnesota.  His team MUST WIN TWO of those 4 to be bowl eligible.

 

His team has entered a critical juncture, their biggest game of the year is behind them, every ounce of perparation from the first day went into Saturday's moment.  Now he has a down, dejected team that has nothing more to play for other than a crappy bowl game.

 

His team's season is ont he precipace of disaster.

Njia

October 21st, 2012 at 10:55 AM ^

That both teams poured everything they had into this game. Both teams' players and coaches had earned each others' respect. The fans may talk smack at one another and continue to hate on one another, but those men on the field know the real story: they played a game like "brothers" are supposed to play, and left everything on the field. 

MGlobules

October 21st, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^

I think Michigan IS back, to a whole lot of good things. But don't expect the media to see it just yet, even for the rest of this season (unless we win out). A 12-10 score over a down team like MSU won't convince the skeptics and the casual onlookers (let's face it, that's what many pundits are) to look more closely at our fabulous D, for example.

I do think we were pretty tight out there in the first half. The other side can perhaps make the same argument, but we were just a couple of inches, a couple of poor spots, a poor fumble call from a more comfortable score. On the other hand, you watch the highlights, you realize that a lot of guys came through for Michigan yesterday. Gritty and close as it was, there was also some stellar play.

UMICH1606

October 21st, 2012 at 10:47 AM ^

Did Gallon drop that pass in the endzone, or was it a bad throw? I was in the opposite endzone and didn't watch the scoreboard on that play.

The only thing that I was dumbfounded about during the game was how often Funchess and Gardner weren't on the field when they had the ball in the redzone.

m1jjb00

October 21st, 2012 at 12:25 PM ^

Tjhe ball was behind him BUT there was a sparty coming underneath the other way. I dont know if he would have gotten there if the throw led gallon a bit more. I'll defer to others.

Unrelated did anyone notice what looked to me to be extensive trash talking by Dilleo?

Bodogblog

October 21st, 2012 at 11:50 AM ^

It was a great play call, and it got Gallon wide open.  Blame execution on both Denard and Gallon - suboptimal throw, could have been a tough catch.  RPS Borges +1

Same with the play before that, where he got Funchess alone 1-on-1 with Adams.  The throw needs to be a bit higher, and then Adams also made a great play.  Even with that, I think a sophmore Devin Funchess snatches that ball up anyway.  It's just a bit much to ask of a true freshman.

mgobleu

October 21st, 2012 at 1:56 PM ^

Just my instant observation from right after it happened, but it almost looked to me like Denard, possibly even subconsciously, threw around the head of the ref in the middle of the field and pushed it just a titch behind Gallon. Ref may as well have had his hands in the air on that play from Denard's perspective.

FieldingBLUE

October 22nd, 2012 at 2:42 AM ^

So gallon should settled a bit more, in other words, he overran his spit a bit. At the game I thought it was a bad throw, seeing it on dvr makes me think denard put it where he needed to.



Now on the second quarter thurs down to round tree, denard through wrong route as Roy was open at goal line on same pattern Mathews beat nd in 09 on.

Buck Killer

October 21st, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^

Nebraska was always and until this year was over ranked. They face the same issue as WVU and Boise. Beat 1 good team or 2 max and they were playing in a bowl. In 1997 they won one game in OT on an illegal play that went off a Nebraska players foot. They still got the coaches vote.

littlebrownjug

October 21st, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^

1. We really need to recruit a slot WR in next year's class, because Gallon and Dileo will be gone after 2013.

2. Schofield was pretty good at guard last year, but he looks a little overmatched athletically on the edge. Hopefully, Braden and some of the other young guys can push him a little in spring ball, because we will not have as mobile a QB next year.

3. I wish we could see more of Funchess in the game plan, because he is such a mismatch.

4. I cannot remember feeling so placid when our kickers come on. It is a tribute to them and this coaching staff given what happened during the Rich Rod years.

5. It was suprising to see Jeremy Jackson on so often in the game when we were in obvious passing situations. i think that he is a good blocker, but he just doesn't have enough speed to be viable as anything other than a check-down recieiver.

6. It is good that we have so many corners coming in next year, because we look really thin on the depth chart. I am particularly pleased that Hoke is bringing in taller and bigger guys out their given our current roster.

7. Mealer, Barnum and Omameh should be really proud of how they are coming together this year.

8. It has been fun to watch how Roh has developed and fit in over on the strong side, and it is a shame that he wasn't able to redshirt given how often he shuffled around during his career.

9. Every game left on the schedule is emminently winnable.

10. Joe Kerridge looks like a legit DI FB, and it looks like Hoke has two guys there he can rotate from here on out with Hopkins being healthy.

MichiganManOf1961

October 21st, 2012 at 10:52 AM ^

The rushing of the field should have never happened, a damn shame it did.  Act like you've been there before.  Michigan beat an unranked, decent opponent today, and you want to make it look like Michigan won the national championship?  Let Purdue act like beating Michigan State is significant.  These 3:30 kickoffs let people get too drunk before the game and leads to shenanigans like this.  Someone needs to take control.  Bo hated 3:30 kickoffs, and in my humble opinion, maybe it is time to listen to a man like him than the corporate suits from television and apparel companies.

~Herm

MGoSoftball

October 21st, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^

900 wins is something very special that I have waited to see for many years.  I will be there at win 1000 too.  I dont mind students rushing the field because they have short-term memory.  The seniors (assuming 4 year seniors) have not beaten staee.  They deserve some celebration.

I thought about this last year against ohio.  I can understand the students rushing the field, but when the old coot next to me pushed me out of they way to get on the field: that was too much.

indigojay13

October 21st, 2012 at 12:01 PM ^

A celebration for young fans/students who have not seen a win for 4 yrs and also the 900th win? Rush the field you young whippersnappers. Us old alum watched u like proud parents. The youngs kids have NOT been there before. If we rush then it's a bit silly as we have. Go Blue!!!

08mms

October 21st, 2012 at 12:29 PM ^

I think most people who were there will tell you it felt right.  900th win + the first time any of the (non-5th+ year) students there ever saw a win against State after a tight game with a victory in the last few seconds.   I sure as hell would have rushed if I was in the student section.

TyrannousLex

October 21st, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^

back in the days when you wore an onion on your belt (because that was the style at the time) the students didn't do that.

I grew up going to games in the late 70's and into the 80's. The field got rushed with regularity and the students tore goalposts down to parade around like war trophies. I can remember being on the field with the players still out there.

Nobody's ever been there (900 wins) before. Students and fans have watched through three of the bleakest years in Michigan football to see last year's turn around and now this year exercise the last demon to reach an historic mark ... and you're bitching that they're too excited?

And while i'm not a fan of 3:30 starts because they really blow up my Saturday, students can get pretty damned drunk by noon if they're in the mind to get drunk. By the end of the game, they've gone 3+ hours without a drink (it seems harder to sneak booze inside than when i was a kid and every adult male seemed to bring a flask inside) so i'm having a hard time seeing how storming the field is a result of alcohol.

P.S. You do remember the good old days of showering the endzone with toilet paper and then marshmallows, don't you? Or in your mind the halcyon days of yore were always mature and staid?

Lucky Socks

October 21st, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^

Not related specifically to the MSU game, but haven't seen this elsewhere.  Quick clip of Marlin Jackson talking about how Michigan prepared him for the NFL and life.  I personally love seeing out alumni talk positively about their experiences at Michigan, and Marlin is one I haven't heard from yet.  He seems primed for a life aftef football and it's great to see him coming back to Ann Arbor wearing the Maize and Blue

 

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/video/ncaaf_video/2012/10/21/102012.mi…