Al Borges is a very fine fellow, and called a great game.

Submitted by TheLastHarbaugh on

Good job with offensive play calling. Everyone gave maximum effort.  Thank you, seniors.

MGoBoard

Blue in Yarmouth

January 2nd, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^

I have been as critical of Borges as anyone on this blog (maybe not outwardly because I try not to bag on our team too much) but I actually came away pretty impressed with the way the game was called. I thought he could have maybe got Denard in a little more and involved in a couple of more ways, but I really thought he did a fine job.

I am going to be honest here and likely feel the wrath of the board because of it. There was a part of me that prior to the game would have traded a loss in the outback bowl for Borges being let go so we could get a bright new offensive mind. I look back at that notion now and realise how stupid it is and can admit I made a mistake. We lost, but honestly, for the first time in a long time I felt like that loss could easily be placed at the feet of the defense, because our offense played pretty damn good. 

Al, I know you don't read this blog but I apologize for my doubting you and admit many of my opinions of your abilities were proved wrong during this game. Please keep up the good work. 

Joined: 02/18/2009

MGoPoints: 6528

TheGhostofYost

January 1st, 2013 at 4:47 PM ^

No, he didn't call a great game.  In fact, he called a pretty mediocre one, which, combined with Gardner's horrible play and Mattison's overaggresiveness, cost Michigan the game.

Joined: 04/20/2011

MGoPoints: 2971

B-Nut-GoBlue

January 1st, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^

Not even that.  SC may have a few more "talented" and more athletic players on their team but that does not equate to them being a better TEAM.  e.g. Field goal kicking is part of the team and they're atrocious.  Michigan is pretty good team and showed they can compete with teams like SC. 

Joined: 09/30/2011

MGoPoints: 43728

snarling wolverine

January 1st, 2013 at 4:58 PM ^

SC went 11-2 and will finish probably like #7 in the final rankings.  They may not have a kicker but overall they're a better team.  We have some special teams weaknesses (punt coverage/punt returners), too.

 I think the coaches did a solid job getting this team ready to play and they came oh-so-close to finishing it off.  If Black could have just wrapped up the QB on that one play, we may be celebrating a win right now.

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 98417

Cope

January 1st, 2013 at 7:12 PM ^

I wouldn't concede that they're a better team. I think if we played them again we'd win. But it was a great game. We played hard. The team has my respect. I couldn't have asked for much more, other than Countess not getting injured and Floyd not screwing up, causing Taylor to have to cover their Ace receiver. But at the end of the day, all that matters is you have to be able to stop a final drive, and we didn't. But the defense has my respect, and I'm excited to see how we improve next year.

Joined: 10/07/2010

MGoPoints: 2648

The Baughz

January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^

No, they were not today. Michigan gave them the game. Theres no excuse for that loss. Defense fucking sucked ass. Couldnt tackle, couldnt cover ANYONE. Gardner missed plenty of open guys. Too much V Smith running the ball. Clowney made 2 plays the whole game. Borges didnt suck but he certainly wasnt great. Sorry but Kovacs played awful. Weve called out plenty of guys for playing poorly over the years, and Kovacs is no exception. Cant be in a cover 4 and let guys get behind you. The future is bright, but this will be a hard loss to get over.

Joined: 10/08/2010

MGoPoints: 31913

Toby Flenderson

January 1st, 2013 at 5:00 PM ^

Michigan corners have been getting beat all year, michigan was just lucky that most of the time when j.t. floyd would be getting burnt the ball would be overthrown so what do you think would happen if our top 2 corners were out? I rarely remember seeing vincent smith running the ball, in fact he only ran 6 times. 

Joined: 01/16/2012

MGoPoints: 21392

jmblue

January 1st, 2013 at 5:50 PM ^

In fact, he called a pretty mediocre one, which, combined with Gardner's horrible play and Mattison's overaggresiveness, cost Michigan the game.
So if our offensive coaching was bad, our defensive coaching was bad, and our QB "horrible," how on Earth were we leading a game against a top 10 team with 17 seconds remaining? Sometimes you can do your best and just get beat. I think today was one of those days.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102887

Sten Carlson

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:24 AM ^

The Great Oz has spoken! Move along nothing to see here, just you're standard GofY displaying his grossly overinflated expectations for Michigan football. Everything sucks, the players are all small, slow, and poorly coached. You must be a real joy to live/work around.

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: -56

FreddieMercuryHayes

January 1st, 2013 at 4:47 PM ^

Yeah, I have to say that I really expected the O to fail and not the D. SC has a legit defense and the offense really looked good once the rust was shaken off. Borges showed some good creativity.

Joined: 12/29/2010

MGoPoints: 40892

Muttley

January 1st, 2013 at 5:20 PM ^

isn't a horrible outing/poorly called offensive game. But for the big plays     * 56 yd TD Shaw to Byrd     * 63 yd TD punt return     * 70 yd TD-setup Thompson to Jones     * Not blocking Clowney on his fumble force     * 31 yd TD Shaw to Sanders     * 32 yd TD Thompson to Ellington we played them very well.

Joined: 07/07/2009

MGoPoints: -73245

Reader71

January 1st, 2013 at 9:01 PM ^

The play was a power to the left side. Lewan wasn't pulling, he was blocking down. This was not RPS. At all. Not one bit. It was a missed assignment (Kwiatkowski not blocking down) or a missed man 9Kwiatkowski not blocking down fast enough). I'd say this has next to nothing to do with either coordinator. It was a perfect mix of a missed block and a great defensive get-off. Again, not RPS in the least. This must be understood.

Joined: 08/30/2009

MGoPoints: 22968

Reader71

January 2nd, 2013 at 12:26 AM ^

So it was clearly an MA. I think this is a good call, as it allows for a better angle on the 2nd level. And with Clowney busting upfield, Kwiatkowski should be eating a rib dinner right now. All he's gotta do is drive him into the wash and the back should have a huge hole (assuming the pulling guard can get around the penetration). It led to a fumble and ultimately a score, but the far more impressive play came later when Clowney simply abused Lewan and blasted the ball carrier. This one was just a case of a free runner. Anyone could have made that play. The most impressive thing was how he palmed the fumbled ball. Again, not RPS. In the least.

Joined: 08/30/2009

MGoPoints: 22968

wesq

January 2nd, 2013 at 3:44 AM ^

Even without the blown assingment, blitzing corner should make the tackle in the backfield at about the same point even if Kwiatkowski takes Clowney instead.  It's a tougher angle and you don't leave the best player on the field free to force the fumble, but as called that play wasn't going anywhere. 

Joined: 08/21/2009

MGoPoints: 3437

TheGhostofYost

January 1st, 2013 at 4:49 PM ^

There was absolutely zero reason for Mattison to send an all-out blitz on the last play.  You know there kicker is terrible, and all you have to do is hold them one play.  Instead, you offer up the greatest weakness of your defense, two second string CBs, and invite them to throw deep, which has killed you the entire game.  I love Mattison, but he really sucked today.

Joined: 04/20/2011

MGoPoints: 2971

Champ Kind

January 1st, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^

I agree.  I was saying, "Don't blitz, don't blitz" over and over before that play.  Just give them 10 yards over their last few plays and take your chances with their shitty kicker.  Kovacs had the worst game of his career today, and I can't think of any other game that was even close to this bad.  Getting burned for the go ahead touchdown is a disappointing end to a great career (not to mention giving up other long completions all day).  The secondary as a whole was a big liability, just as expected.  The blitz was a very bad call in that situation.  

Joined: 01/02/2009

MGoPoints: 1829

Victors5

January 1st, 2013 at 6:53 PM ^

Kovacs was not at fault on the last touchdown. It looked like a zone blitz with 3 deep 3 under. Kovacs was responsible for the flats (he probably should have rerouted the wr.) Our cb should have been able to get over top, and our deep safety should have split the 2 verticals and made a break on the throw.

Joined: 10/06/2010

MGoPoints: 418

FreddieMercuryHayes

January 1st, 2013 at 4:57 PM ^

Disagree. Would you rather rush three and let them pick up some easy yards to vastly increase the odds of a FG. I think a strategy of "gee hope they miss a FG" is not a good way to win a game. The game was decided earlier on the drive with missed tackles and a short completion on 4th down.

Joined: 12/29/2010

MGoPoints: 40892

Mr. Brownstone

January 1st, 2013 at 5:02 PM ^

He sent one LB and ripped a DE. You men there was no reason that Kovacs should have let his man run by him in route to the EZ? Not to mention Wilson late in getting over.

Joined: 01/27/2011

MGoPoints: 152

MaizeRage89

January 1st, 2013 at 4:49 PM ^

I'm saying this but I'm not upset over this loss and have no fucking clue why. Maybe I'm in disbelief maybe deep down I didn't think we would win or maybe I'm just glad this year is finally over and we can lol forward to a much better season come fall

Joined: 05/04/2009

MGoPoints: 1631

MaizeNBlueTexan

January 1st, 2013 at 5:16 PM ^

Yea this loss doesn't hurt much. We lost countess against bama and didn't have Floyd. They only won because they constantly threw deep. There is a very good reason this was the only game michigan gave up over 200 yards passing all year. Highlights I got excited about. Michigan stringing back to back 3 and outs and almost getting a third. Borges getting 75 percent efficiency on 4th down. Wow. Blocked field goal. Feels so good. Hoke and co. Still don't have their guys in place yet and that changes next year. Our oline was average except for lewan today but that changes because our top ranked oline class that came in 2012 all redshirted which is huge. Our secondary should be better with our current guys getting more experience, countess coming back, and demonte potentially filling a roll in the secondary his first year. Devin should be better next year and we get a stud 5 star that hopefully red shirts but gives us more depth back ther just in case. IMO our biggest hole remaining is running back. How about two stud rbs next year in green and deveon smith? Oh yes please. Sure there are some aspects like wr and on the d line (I think) that are losing depth but overall next year our team will have more talent and depth as a whole. Next year starts the true hoke era and he has still managed to beat Ohio, win a bcs bowl game, stay undefeated at home, shut up sparty, manage a 19-7 record, deal with depth and attrition issues, and did it all with rich rods guys. So yea...this loss doesn't hurt much at all my friend :)

Joined: 09/13/2011

MGoPoints: 2801

wolverine1987

January 1st, 2013 at 4:49 PM ^

Poor use of Denard--again. But having said that, defense was what caused the loss, an inexcsusable breakdown multiple times for big plays from SC, especially at the end. But we should be proud of the seniors, thanks for all you've done for M.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 18065

wolverine1987

January 1st, 2013 at 5:28 PM ^

when opposing coaches know exactly what you are going to do before you do it, that is not a "brilliant" game plan. In fact, it's the opposite. Oh and regarding plays? Think about the Iowa game then you'll have your answer,

What si the most obvious thing to do with Denard? Put him at RB and run him, then put him in the wildcat. That is exclusively what Al's "brilliant" game plan did. The exact thing that any non-professional coach would do.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 18065