andrewgr

December 7th, 2020 at 6:25 PM ^

The QB situation should not factor into the decision.  Neither of them is out due to Covid.  If Michigan is unhappy with the idea of their 3rd string QB playing, tough cookies; it happens all the time.

I do think it's likely the game won't be played, though; I just think it will be for legitimate reasons, not trying to use a world wide tragedy as cover to chicken out of an unfavorable game.

kurpit

December 7th, 2020 at 7:04 PM ^

Michigan played 3 quarterbacks just a couple years ago. Ohio State won a national championship with a 3rd string quarterback. It does happen. It's just that in this situation it's going to be a very unprepared QB being thrown in to play with a team that can't provide him much support and they're going against one of the few elite teams in the country.

I'm a little morbidly curious just how ugly this game will be if it happens.

BeatIt

December 8th, 2020 at 8:23 AM ^

msu was down to their 3rd string QB by the 2nd half in their 2015 game in Cbus. OSU is down over 20 players and lack of fans take away home field imo. even though osu won big last week Fields was running for his life and the backup center was all over the place with snaps. I’d say this going to be um’s best chance beating osu for quite some time. 22’ recruiting class has the #1 QB and player in the country. ryan day seems to be better @ recruiting than meyer because he doesn’t have the extreme personality and baggage like Meyer. Zach Harrison was all but signing with um because his mother wasn’t a fan of Meyer to say the least. Days offense is really what attracts the top recruits and his even keeled personality keeps the kids plugged once they get their. The first year with Meyer is like waking  up in boot camp day 1 @ 4 am with Meyer banging on a garbage can yelling “wake up ladies”.

BlueInGreenville

December 7th, 2020 at 7:11 PM ^

Let's pull a reverse Florida State and not give OSU a chance to schedule another game.  So get the team on the bus to Columbus, check into to Courtyard by Marriott, get up and eat some waffles and then get back on the bus and peace out to Ann Arbor.  Something, something COVID tests and best of luck to Indiana in the B10 championship game.

bluegary

December 7th, 2020 at 5:06 PM ^

Cancel the game already. Avoid the massacre. I have no plans of watching. I would rather get kicked in the balls than watch that.

Blue1972

December 7th, 2020 at 6:15 PM ^

Even more than avoiding the massacre, playing the third string QB and a number of players on the scout team places our players at risk for significant injury.

It would be in the best interest of the players not to play the game.

With this being said, I have to believe that we are simply going through the motions and this is window dressing.

MAN-AT-ARMS

December 7th, 2020 at 5:23 PM ^

Except they are practicing without pads, helmets only.  They want to give the appearance they want to play, only to have the school’s medical staff come in mid week and tell them they can’t play. 

Newton Gimmick

December 7th, 2020 at 5:29 PM ^

I mean, assuming they play, and assuming Villari starts, I'll tell myself that Harbaugh QBs in their first full game often have their *best* one -- McNamara, Milton, O'Korn, Peters -- before inevitably regressing, getting exposed in film session, and/or getting hurt.  Right???

**cue Lloyd Christmas gif**

samdrussBLUE

December 7th, 2020 at 5:44 PM ^

The state of Michigan is obsessed with extensions today. First Whitmer. And now Harbaugh (short and long term).

I may need bourbon tonight.

Qmatic

December 7th, 2020 at 5:53 PM ^

Two years ago we were favored against OSU. And we deserved to be. We had won 10 straight, including shellackings of Wisconsin and Penn St. OSU got blasted by Purdue and squeaked by Maryland the previous week; giving up more than 40 points. 

Don Brown was exposed that day (as he was in the opener vs Notre Dame). Instead of putting his fastest player in Ambry Thomas out there to cover OSU’s speedy slot receivers he put Brandon Watson. A decent boundary corner but just not physically able to cut it vs OSU. The year prior, Michigan’s D gave OSU’s O all they could handle. If JT Barrett doesn’t get injured, I believe we win that game with John O’Korn at QB. Brown tried to run the same defensive gameplan and was embarrassed. No pressure, no help on the slots.

In two years we’ve gone from being favored in the shoe, and 3 years ago we probably should have beat OSU with John O’Korn at QB. 

It is when you look at this rivalry, where you really see how drastic and rapid this program has fallen.

MichAtl85

December 7th, 2020 at 6:04 PM ^

Sweet Jesus. I hope Ryan Day knows Christmas is around the corner. Maybe his heart can grow three sizes and he can kneel after scoring 10 consecutive touchdowns?

abertain

December 7th, 2020 at 6:05 PM ^

I've watched the game every year since I was nine. I'd be happy to watch this one too. Do I think Michigan will lose by infinity billion? Sure. But it's a weird year, and I still like to see the helmets and excitement of playing OSU. Hell, maybe they'll turn it over 7x and the game will be close. A man can dream! Go Blue! 

Teeba

December 7th, 2020 at 6:23 PM ^

We know the defense is not going to be able to stop OSU, so the key is to shorten the game and limit the damage. On defense, that means making them work to get their points - the dreaded "bend but don't break," except we know we'll be breaking. On offense, if I'm Harbaugh, I'm going back to basics, the manballest of manbally offenses. You've got your offensive line. Add Honigford as one tight end and Keegan as the other. Flank Mason and All off the tight ends. 9 man line. Haskins is your wild cat QB. Have one WR threaten a jet sweep ON EVERY PLAY. Rotate those guys in. If OSU single covers the jet sweep, it's a give and hope Henning/Corum/Bell can break a tackle. If they give safety help, now we've got the 9 vs. 9 matchup. Zone blocking everywhere. Force OSU to play their goalline defense on every play. It's up to Haskins to pick a gap. Rotate in Chris Evans to give Haskins a break. But basically, I'm looking at 30 carries for Haskins, 10 for Evans, and 10 for the WRs. Run the play clock down to 3-5 seconds before every play. Try to get out of Columbus only losing 42-3. The alternative is starting Vilari and losing 70-0. You think I'm joking. I'm not.

sheridonthirehoke

December 7th, 2020 at 7:21 PM ^

It will be like the Broncos after our QB gets hurt on the first play. Who’s gonna play now?

A smile creeps on Harbaugh’s face from behind his boner mask. “You have the bridge numbah 1”, he informs Gattis, before picking up the sideline telephone. And making the call he’d been waiting all year to make—his ultimate gambit.

“I checked the bylaws. We’re good. We’ve got them right where we want them.”

”Then let’s bust the nuts.”

And JOK steps on the field.

 

Long_Live_The_Game

December 7th, 2020 at 7:21 PM ^

I hope it happens. COVID can suck it. If they exceed the metrics/thresholds, so be it. But... if not, this needs to be played.

We are NOT invincible. Ask Iowa. Ask Purdue...damn near every other time we play them. All it takes is a good/great team to have a crap day, and the underdog to play like their hair is on fire (or they're curing cancer). This could be the most motivated a Michigan team has been in 2 decades.

Lose by a little... or a lot... or win. This year has taken enough. The Game is off limits.

Also, hi. I'm new.