Nebraska @ Michigan 2011 on BTN
6:30 in the 1st at the moment.
Nebraska is having about as much success blocking Mike Martin as I would. I'm laughing my ass off every other play. Also, this is the first real replay of this game I've seen, and Spielman talks trash about Denard the entire time. Dick.
This was an enjoyable game. Not often you blowout a ranked team, a lot of things went well that day
Spielman is criticizing the coaches for not playing him enough.
Earlier, he was all "he doesn't run with anger, doesn't play with any passion."
I think Toussaint misses that interior O-line
Coincidentally, I just watched the highlights of this game on youtube, along with several other games from 2011. It wasn't just the O-line letting Fitz down. He was definitely better two years ago. Not sure what happened last year, but I saw him weasel his way out of a phone booth several times. He just looked more confident and like he had much better vision than he did last year. The Oline didn't help, obviously. I think he can come back strong this season though. I think maybe missing the Bama game the way he did messed with his head a little bit.
I could easily see a 35-10 type of game in favor of Michigan this year.
He can put up good stats against lesser teams, but in no world could you ever convince me that Taylor Martinez is a good all-around QB. Mattison will blitz him early and often, and Martinez have 2-3 picks on the day.
I love Denard, but I'll make the same criticisms about him that I do about Martinez. Denard is a great athlete who doesn't exactly make the world's best QB. Case in point: 2012 ND and 2011 MSU. The difference between the two is that Denard has shown that he has the capability to put the team on his back and come through in the clutch on a few occasions. Martinez is yet to prove he can do that.
How 'bout we just call you Maybe?
That clip of him talking about wanting to go to Michigan still blows my mind every time I see it. He says he told his dad he wanted to go to Michigan and his dad said "If you do you better not come home. You're going to Ohio State." Such a classic Ohio attitude taking football way too seriously and thinking Ohio is the greatest paradise in the world. Say what you want about the academics now (still way better), but back then Ohio couldn't even lick UofM's boots when it came to academics. Good thing football worked out for him.
I hope one of our young guys steps up to take over kick return duties opposite Norfleet. It's never been Gallon's forte. With the kind of athletes we've been bringing in, we should be able to put two home run threats back there. In 2014 ith Norfleet and Peppers it's gonna be scary kicking to us.
Junior Hemingway.
One of the only big games that I felt our staff outcoached the other side.
In a parallel universe dominated by The Great Pelini.
This was a memorable game for me partly because it was great to see Fitz and Denard lead the rushing attack and Odoms and Roundtree get some good catches, but also because we kept Nebraska's offense relatively quiet by Nebraska standards (about 260 yards or so, about 60% of their season average that year). Great performances by several players.
I also remember getting a lot of calls and texts because of the scoreboard problem. Fortunately, Michigan's power plant powers the stadium and there was nothing that my employer had to do, although I guess even our upper management got calls from frantic / annoyed people.
That year our D Line came together late in the season and decided they were just going to bull rush the shit out of people.