October 12th, 2013 at 10:18 PM ^
You're absolutely right. Please spare me anymore bs about being a "Michigan man" and tradition.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:27 PM ^
couldn't accept someone from the outside. We went straight to civil war mode. That's probably the worst aspect of all of this. Our love for tradition will doom us (or has already).
October 12th, 2013 at 10:08 PM ^
this season is taking years off my liver
October 12th, 2013 at 10:11 PM ^
1) Our OL is just not that good. We can't run between the tackles. I don't think it's so much Fitz or Green, it's just the interior OL can't get a push. It's been a sore spot all year, it' won't change this year, too much youth on the OL.
2) Fitz is a horrible blocker.
3) Main problem with the Defense is the lack of pass rush. Unfortunately, that is unlikely to change this year as well. I find this very odd since Hoke was a DL coach himself.
4) Playing not to lose will get you a loss.
5) Gardner is not a dropback passer. Clearly would do best in a different scheme, IMO.
October 13th, 2013 at 8:29 AM ^
point number 2 is the one that pisses me off the most. If we are running for 1 yrd per carry, and the RB we're playing is a terrible blocker, why not make a change?
October 12th, 2013 at 10:10 PM ^
It was like a Bizarro-world event of Lloyd Carr having never left the program, yet somehow coaching players that RichRod recruited.
At least they can still beat Notre Dame...probably going to be the highlight of the year (again).
October 12th, 2013 at 10:12 PM ^
Go Blue
October 12th, 2013 at 10:52 PM ^
At least he moved his defender
October 12th, 2013 at 10:14 PM ^
I think that someone on the coaching staff's head has to roll this offseason. At least Funk. Maybe Borges. The ineptitude of our running back play has been surreal the past two seasons. We had 28 yards on 30 carries today.
Yes, that's right: 28 yards on 30 carries. Less than a yard per carry. Let that sink in.
UCF had 215 yards on 32 carries.
Indiana had 160 yards on 27 carries.
Syracuse had 100 yards on 32 carries.
EASTERN MICHIGAN had 75 yards on 27 carries.
KENT STATE had 69 yards on 17 carries.
What we are doing in the rushing game is truly historical. If you can't figure out a way out with the talent we have, you need to not be making 200K a year. Sorry.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:16 PM ^
STATS don't lie!
October 12th, 2013 at 10:21 PM ^
If it wasn't for Denard and Devin's ability to rush the ball as a QB we'd be looking at historical ineptitude rushing stats. The production out of the oline and running backs has been worse than awful since the start of 2012. Unless this team all of a sudden starts showing massive improvement in the running game with the rb, someone needs to be let go.
October 13th, 2013 at 8:11 AM ^
He's not much more than a recruiter, albeit a good one, and figurehead on the sidelines at this point - wonder if the administration would dismiss him to appease a call to action for the historically bad running game we've had to endure the past two seasons?
October 12th, 2013 at 10:34 PM ^
Yep this post says it all. How pathetic is that? We also have a top ten draft pick at LT. Thats so embarrassing. Funk needs to go first, then Borges should be gone after the season.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:35 PM ^
But yeah, for a coaching staff that preaches power football, we are terrible at running plays by anyone not playing quarterback.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:37 PM ^
Pathetic.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:26 PM ^
This^^^.
We keep making excuses out the ass. You think that UCF, Indiana, Eastern Michigan, and Kent State don't have OL issues?
October 12th, 2013 at 10:15 PM ^
Fitz: 27a 27y...
Green 3a 1y...
October 12th, 2013 at 10:21 PM ^
We have a coach who basically came to us under the "Big Lines Wins Games" school of football. Heck, that's why we got him.
So until we have big offensive and defensive lines under his leadership, we should not be surprised by our inability to run between tackles nor threaten the QB consistently.
Entirely predictable.
Everyone just has to be cool until we get our lines bigger. Anyone who has been paying attention should know that last year's and this year's lines are the weakest ones we should expect under Hoke. THEN they should get bigger. With that, everything else follows.
But don't be surprised that we're seeing poor performance from a coaching staff who were hired because of their Big Line philosophy yet don't, themselves, have big lines yet. Though they are clearly recruiting appropriately.
I'm just sad because Ohio will come into the Big House and rape us. And I don't like being raped. Especially by Ohio. Especially at home.
That'll suck.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:24 PM ^
what are you saying "big" is? every guy who started tonight weighs over 300lbs.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:41 PM ^
Okay, I guess I mean "big" AND "experienced."
And Kalis listed as <300#, as well as a freshman. Glasgow is a plug-in at center.
LT Lewan 315#, 5thSr.
LG Bryant 316#, Jr/So
C Glasgow 305#, Jr/Sr
RG Kalis 297#, So/Fr (mgoblue lists as 302#, but official game roster lists as 297#)
RT Schofield 304#, 5th Yr Sr.
On DL, WAAY below 300#. Which wouldn't be the case if Ondre Pipkins' (315#) ACL was intact.
DE Clark 273#, Jr./Jr.
DT Black 278#, Sr/Sr
NT Washington 301#, 5thSr.
DE Heitzman 280#, Jr/So
Just sayin'.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:52 PM ^
For comparison's sake and to further discussion:
Penn State depth chart vs Michigan:
OT Donovan Smith 322, Jr./So
OG Miles Dieffenbach 295, Sr/Jr
C Ty Howie 293, Gs/Sr
OG John Urschel 301, Gs/Sr
OT Garry Gilliam 303, Sr/Jr
DE Olaniyan 244, Sr/Jr
DT Baublitz 281, Sr/Jr
DT DaQuan Jones 318, Sr./Sr
DE Barnes 245, Jr/So
October 12th, 2013 at 11:03 PM ^
And for further further comparison/discussion:
Alabama's depth chart vs Kentucky.
RT Shepherd 315, Jr
RG Steen 309, Sr
C Lindsay 302, Jr
LG A. Kouandjio 315, Jr.
LT C. Kouandjio 310, Jr.
DT/E Stinson 292, Sr
NG Ivory 310, Jr
E Pagan 290, Jr
October 12th, 2013 at 10:54 PM ^
I was thinking of the OL, not the DL, since it's the OL that is glaringly underperforming. So how big do they have to be to qualify as 'big'?
October 12th, 2013 at 10:30 PM ^
This is basically the same shit we heard from RR about needing his guyz. Other teams were able to run the ball on Penn State.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:34 PM ^
Year 3.
What accounting is there for clock management, in game adjustments and development of players?
October 12th, 2013 at 11:01 PM ^
Not just "other teams." EASTERN MICHIGAN TEAMS. KENT STATE TEAMS.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:39 PM ^
I'll be sure to stock up on lube for November. It's going to be a rough one.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:23 PM ^
We're the same team we were when we were 5-0. The only difference is that we erased the false/irrational hope.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:26 PM ^
Absolutely.
When HAVEN'T we won (this year) by the skin of our teeth?
It's frankly amazing that we've been fortunate enough to be 5-1.
Still, just be cool until the lines get bigger starting next season.
The big question in my mind is whether the coaching staff should really not push Lewan AT ALL to play: he might better serve Michigan as an intact high-round NFL pick than as a career-limiting injured one on a mediocre team with mediocre prospects.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:23 PM ^
A week after getting blasted by Indiana.
Michigan is a dangerous team still. Just unstable and inconsistent.
This is a terrible league, and Michigan is unfortunately a middling football team right now.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:26 PM ^
-
#1Michigan ran 35 1st down plays Saturday.
- They ran Gardner 20% of the time for 9.1 yards per play
- They threw 31% of the time for 15.1 yards per play
- They ran Toussaint 43% of the time for 1.8 yards per play
#2Funchess had 2 TD on 4 catches (accounting for 96 yards).His last target was with 13:09 to play in the 4th quarter
October 12th, 2013 at 11:16 PM ^
a lot of deserved bitchin and moanin. but this post says nearly everything that needs to be said.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:31 PM ^
I'll bet the late-4th quarter and OT stats look something like run Toussaint on 1st down (to no effect) 90% of the time.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:24 PM ^
If you think our O line is bad this year, just wait til next year. We're going to be talking about NCAA records with our YPC.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:25 PM ^
This game clearly wasn't an example of playing "Michigan Football". Or playing with "toughness or physicality". Or being able to run "downhill". Or whatever the fuck coach speak Hoke likes to talk about with his horse-ass voice
October 12th, 2013 at 10:28 PM ^
Dead even.
Maybe PSU and UM are not so disimilar?
October 12th, 2013 at 10:55 PM ^
Um, shouldn't we be further along at this point than a team on pseudo-death penalty sanctions?
Remember how we were all making fun of Indiana in the spring when we had a dozen 4 and 5 star recruits comitted and they didn't have any? Remember that?
They still managed to be better than Penn State at this point.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:13 PM ^
That may leave a mark
October 12th, 2013 at 10:29 PM ^
What does everyone expect Al to call when we can't block anyone? Gardner can't set his feet because there is always pressure. Until we fix the offensive line, we are in big trouble. Our running backs can not get going because there is always a player in the back field waiting on them. It is hard to watch.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:31 PM ^
So...keep running in the middle when it hasn't worked at all all season? Makes perfect sense!
October 12th, 2013 at 11:10 PM ^
But but but we don't have a good line, and when you don't have a good line running directly into an 8 or 9 man front is a good idea
October 12th, 2013 at 10:32 PM ^
Say, spread 2x2 or empty or anything that forces their walk ons to play in space
October 13th, 2013 at 4:25 AM ^
Ding ding
October 12th, 2013 at 10:33 PM ^
Something besides running it up the middle 6 straight times for no gain. A short pass perhaps? Getting the play in sooner to avoid delay of game? Putting in Green more often? Spreading it out like IU did when the proceeded to throttle PSU. He just is not good at what he does.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:43 PM ^
I don't know, maybe 32 quarterback draws?
October 12th, 2013 at 10:35 PM ^
We got caught peaking ahead to the showdown with Indiana. Oh, and Penn State had nine lives tonight.
October 12th, 2013 at 10:38 PM ^
They don't exist for players. Just something for people to explain away incompetency.
October 12th, 2013 at 11:04 PM ^
Yupper.
Just like Akron was a trap because we were looking ahead to UConn.
And UConn was a trap because we got caught peeking ahead to BYE. Always a fearsome opponent.
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