Rutgers 26, Michigan 24
Adam Glanzman/special to MGoBlog
Human beings, and not just those associated with Michigan, are capable of extraordinary incompetence. The biggest brain fart tonight was when a guy watched Amara Darboh make a catch, take two steps, dive out of bounds, and place the ball on the ground, then “confirmed” it “incomplete.” The call on the field was malpractice; getting it wrong with the benefit of a DVR and HDTV is so staggeringly separated from reality that most fanbases will go for sinister explanations.
A Michigan Man knows better. Watching this program try to manage a clock, manage an offense, or manage a press release is the kind of thorough education in the extent of the human capacity for ineptitude that you’ve come to expect from the nation’s top public university.
“Blame the refs!” explains why Wile had to attempt a 56-yarder—which Rutgers blocked—and why Michigan had just one timeout to throw against a 1st down-and-kneel drive to end the game. It doesn’t explain why Michigan manipulated the clock to leave their opponent a comfortable 120 seconds to drive at the end of the first half. Or why they forgot they had Funchess for two quarters. Or why a heretofore deep and competent secondary gave up 404 yards to Gary Nova, overcoming a record previously held by the John L. Smith Razorbacks.
Michigan stayed in it, partly because Rutgers is Rutgers. Also because Devin Gardner laughed off two tackle attempts en route to a 19-yard 4th quarter touchdown that needs to be put to Autumn Thunder immediately. I feel awful about how this guy’s career has gone. Given the schedule from here, the Wolverines would be lucky to go 6-6 and unlikely to win four. When the team is this bad and the coaches’ meat this dead, we can check out, or just enjoy the occasional exploits of those who won’t.
People are just stupid sometimes; even Unpossible Throw God Gary Nova himself took a false start(!) this game. This will be important to remember whenever it’s time to commence a headhunt as inevitable as the Big Ten’s empty apology. Humans are only tenuously rational creatures, and as soon as a coaching search commences, all contact with reality is lost.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:27 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 1:53 AM ^
were solid PK's
October 5th, 2014 at 1:56 AM ^
Epstein had a super-strong leg, but was never that reliable. He had his share of killer misses.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
Ali ! Ali!
October 5th, 2014 at 7:02 PM ^
Ali! Haji! Shieeeeeeeek!
October 5th, 2014 at 7:13 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^
I kind of figured it didn't much matter at that point.
But to play along, kicking was dumb. Let's say he makes it and we take a 1 point lead. There was tons of time left on the clock for Rutgers to get into field goal range. And we all know they would have (OK, we don't but, yes we do). So the upside of the field goal was that, assuming he actually pulls it off, you give a kid confidence who is sorely in need of it. Otherwise, I feel reasonably certain the end result of the game would have been the same.
So say we pull off the unlikely 4th down conversion. This gives us more chances to eat clock, getsus closer, and opens the possibility that we might actually score a touchdown, forcing Rutgers to do likewise.
Would have went for it. And actually thought that's what we were going to do.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:09 AM ^
Not the first time Michigan has gotten screwed on a review. It has happened too much these last few years. Hopefully when (if) we are good again there will be more reviews that go Michigan's way. Missing a call on the field is one thing, but having seemingly obvious replays get called incorrectly is infuriating. Just a crazy run of bad play, bad coaching, and bad luck for the Wolverines.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:19 AM ^
Painful.
There must be some good times to come to balance this somewhere down the road. I hope?
October 5th, 2014 at 12:29 AM ^
I agree totally doesn't it see like a lot of calls go against us. But I love my wolverines and I will continue to root us on
October 5th, 2014 at 12:29 AM ^
I agree totally doesn't it see like a lot of calls go against us. But I love my wolverines and I will continue to root us on
October 5th, 2014 at 12:10 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:13 AM ^
a break. Nothing to look forward to next season either
October 5th, 2014 at 12:27 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 1:08 AM ^
Well pending any offseason chaos next season we should have even more talent than this season, and this season there's a lot of talent.
Which is why the results are so frustrating. Rich Rod had some bad years where multiple positions didn't have a single guy that should make a two-deep at Indiana. I could at least sort of understand those years... This team should actually be pretty good. Fucking that up is why this coaching staff is as good as gone.
October 5th, 2014 at 11:13 AM ^
Except for the tire fire recruiting is going to be this year. THe team should have talent everywhere except qb (Malzone, be average at least!!)
October 5th, 2014 at 7:16 PM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:16 AM ^
Has anyone really observed anything that makes them think we will win another game this year?
October 5th, 2014 at 12:42 AM ^
Everyone pray for 3-9. Our next win is probably UNLV next year if Brandon is still running his circus. Can't wait for the Hindenburg flyover next week. #WOW
October 5th, 2014 at 1:14 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:20 PM ^
my coffee cup was empty ! would have spent hours getting it out of my nose !!! Oh the humanity !
October 5th, 2014 at 12:19 AM ^
I guess you guys don't watch enough Lions games. They get one of those calls atleast once a year. It's a dumb rule, but you can't blame the refs for calling the rules correctly.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:25 AM ^
http://cfn.scout.com/2/1317370.html
Rule 2, Section 4, Article 3, paragraph b: If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:27 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:34 AM ^
when they changed the rule above to be like the NFL's.
Yes, refs do mess up, but not in this case. The process isn't complete until he is down with control of the ball, or makes a football move.
The refs did get this one right. The ball came out when he landed out of bounds = incomplete pass.
Not that I agree with the rule mind you ... but it IS the rule now.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:39 AM ^
He dove and reached out with the ball to get the first down, after taking two steps. That is how it made contact with the ground in the first place.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^
Pretty much any time someone is falling to the ground after making a catch, they aren't going to call it a football move and expect you to hold possession to the ground.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:56 AM ^
He did not fall to the ground during the catch. He caught it, than clearly took two full steps. The dive (which was not a product of the actual catchl) was after he had already established possession by taking two steps. The two steps and dive are 100% football moves, and that is how that play is routinely called in college football.
October 5th, 2014 at 2:39 AM ^
Holy shit do us all a favor and stop digging this hole deeper. You read the rule incorrectly and should probably give up the fight.
It was a catch and the call was wrong. It doesn't change the fact that this team and athletic department are led by an incompetent coach and some soulless, corporate bat creature.
October 5th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
I was watching the game with two college refs. I made the same argument you guys are making (he took two steps! he dove forward!) and they both knew it was going to be upheld as incomplete before the review.
The rule is broken. The correctly refs applied the shitty rule. As my friends said, if there was wiggle room, they booth guy would have ruled a catch because OBVIOUSLY JUST WATCH THE PLAY AND USE YOUR BRAIN. But the way the rule is written, it was incomplete.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:44 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 1:22 AM ^
just 100% wrong.
The reason they kept using the words 'athletic move' is because that described what Darboh did after he caught the ball, took two steps, turned his body and dove for the first down marker. There is simply no possible way to suggest that he was still in the process of catching the ball, as the referee who was standing 5 feet away and staring right at the play would agree, since he called it a first down and a catch. Only the guy 30 yards away who was on the other side of Darboh's body could possibly think anything else.
Rob
October 5th, 2014 at 1:49 AM ^
he was not going down in the act of catching the ball-- he was going down in the act of running with a ball that he already possessed. If he dived, caught the ball with clear possession, and the ball then came loose after hitting the ground, it's incomplete despite earlier possession. But that's not what happened here.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:25 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:29 AM ^
You are confusing the NFL and college. They do not have the same rules regarding catches, Under college rules, he completed the catch by taking two steps.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:29 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 1:48 AM ^
The Calvin Johnson calls against the Lions were the correct call because in those cases, the player was going to the ground in the act of catching the ball. Darboh wasn't; he had clear possession while upright and dived out of bounds, stretching the ball ahead of him, which then came loose upon hitting the ground. But the catch was completed-- he was running-- so there was no need to stretch "completion" to the point where he hit the ground.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:25 AM ^
Michigan's running game was better than what I saw all of last year, and it seemed like Mattison just had a really tough night. Rutgers' OC took advantage of him, and they are just going to have to accept that not enough pressure is generated by this front to play aggressive on the corner. Also, the safeties were atrocious.
For such a small stadium, it was suprised how loud it was. Generally, the fans were respectful, and I enjoyed the experience. It was criminal that Michigan did not bring its band, as there would have been plenty of room for them in either corner opposite the corner, and we did not even bring a small pep band. That is a major failure for the AD given how many Michigan alumni live in the NYC area.
The MSU game will be ugly.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:39 AM ^
I'm assuming we didn't bring the band because we have ND, MSU and OSU on the schedule already, which is a lot of trips for them in one season.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:26 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 12:34 AM ^
Regardless of what we think of this shitty coaching staff, the players deserved better on that final drive, than to have it prematurely killed by incompetent officiating from on the field and in the booth.
October 5th, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 1:02 AM ^
Officials and replay officials have a job to do like anybody else.They don't get a fucking pass because a team deserved it or left themselves vunerable. Yes, we all aware of the shitty job the coaching staff has done and that the pass defense was awful to night, but that doesn't mean a horribly botched call that occured on a crucial drive in a 2 point game shouldn't be talked about.
October 5th, 2014 at 1:23 AM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 2:44 AM ^
October 5th, 2014 at 2:57 AM ^
Yes it does, because the later a blown call occurs, the less time you have to recover from it.
October 5th, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
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October 5th, 2014 at 12:27 AM ^
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