Rutgers 26, Michigan 24 Comment Count

Seth

at the People's Climate March on Sept. 21 in New York City. (Adam Glanzman)

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.

Comments

MGoBlue100

October 5th, 2014 at 7:25 PM ^

but... Something needs to change. I'm tired of clapping cheerleaders. I want a facemask grabber. Bo wanted three-foot o-line splits. Not 2'-11". I've seen yardsticks broken over linemen's asses. I want that fire again.

Double-D

October 5th, 2014 at 12:28 AM ^

The rule is different in college.  He ran two steps with the ball.   It was complete and they were not stopping us.   I am so dissappointed in our defense.   Going into soft prevent before the half.   Blown coverages and tackles.    Giving up a 1st down when we could win if we get the ball back with a minute to play.  wtf we knoiw they are going to run the damn ball.

Mr. Yost

October 5th, 2014 at 12:30 AM ^

Brady Hoke is for SURE fired.

We weren't going to go undefeated post-Minny. But IF, somehow, it had happened. I think Hoke would've kept his job.

It's official now. He's done. We can run the table and he's still done.

Well...I supposed if we were to run the table, win every game by 3 TDs, win the B1G championship game and the Cap One Bowl all by 3 TDs, THEN he would stay.

lol...if we win 2 more games, I'd be shocked.

TheFugitive

October 5th, 2014 at 12:31 AM ^

I went to see Gone Girl instead of watching Michigan play football...and I gotta tell ya, it was great. I know what I'll be doing next Saturday night, going back to the movies after watching the good teams play in the afternoon. Basketball season is upon us as the first practice was today, Go Blue!

Mr. Yost

October 5th, 2014 at 12:44 AM ^

...and I was going to DVR and watch Sunday morning.

But when Auburn started to blow out LSU it ruined my plans. So I put Michigan on one TV and MSU/Nebraska on another with USC/ASU on the 3rd.

I should've just left it off. Flat out, we're not good. This team is starting to look like that 08 team. 

Moving forward, I'm done watching live. I'll just DVR and watch another day if I feel like it.

goblue9

October 5th, 2014 at 12:32 AM ^

I like mattison. But the nil end of half zone is killing us. We give up to many yards and points become half. Prevent only helps you prevent from winning

 

pkatz

October 5th, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^

Mattison has received a pass for too long and he needs to be called out as much as anyone - the run defense may be good, but our pass defense is atrocious.  Tackling, DBs, safeties, poor LB play, insufficient pressure by our D line... this just all sucks and EVERYONE NEEDS TO GO NOW!  

But they won't, Brandon will maintain the status quo until at least December

Indiana Blue

October 5th, 2014 at 10:35 AM ^

This loss was on the defense.  Tons of opportunities and IIRC I do not think we had even one 3 and out.   Probably the worst example was Frank Clark's whiff on the sack at the end of the first half.  In fact  -  Frank Clark broke my lazy-boy footrest on that whiff!  Fuck !  Why do I care?

Go Blue! 

Mr. Yost

October 5th, 2014 at 12:40 AM ^

 

 

QB

1. Shane Morris (Jr.)

2. Wilton Speight (RS Fr.)

3. Russell Bellomy (RS Sr.)

4. Brian Cleary (RS Jr.)

rs: Alex Malzone (Fr.)

RB

1. De'Veon Smith (Jr.) / Derrick Green (Jr.) / Ty Isaac (RS So.)

4. Drake Johnson (RS Jr.) / Justice Hayes (RS Sr.)

rs: Mike Weber (Fr.)

FB

1. Joey Kerridge (RS Sr.) / Sione Houma (Jr.)

H-Back

1. Khalid Hill (RS So.)

2. Wyatt Shallman (RS So.)

WR1

1. Devin Funchess (Sr.)

2. Amara Darboh (RS Jr.) / Jehu Chesson (RS Jr.)

3. Drake Harris (RS Fr.)

4. Jaron Dukes (RS So.)

rs: Brian Cole (Fr.)

WR2

1. Amara Darboh (RS Jr.) / Jehu Chesson (RS Jr.)

3. Da'Mario Jones (Jr.) / Maurice Ways (So.)

5. Jack Wangler (RS So.)

SLOT

1. Freddy Canteen (So.)

2. Dennis Norfleet (Sr.)

3. Bo Dever (RS Jr.) / Ross Douglas (RS So.)

TE

1. Jake Butt (Jr.)

2. Ian Bunting (RS Fr.) / Chris Clark (Fr.)

4. A.J. Williams (Sr.)

5. Keith Heitzman (RS Sr.)

LT

1. Mason Cole (So.)

2. Erik Magnuson (RS Jr.)

3. Logan Tuley-Tillman (RS So.)

rs: Grant Newsome (Fr.)

LG

1. Erik Magnuson (RS Jr.)

2. Kyle Bosch (Jr.) / David Dawson (RS So.)

4. Dan Samuelson (RS So.)

C

1. Jack Miller (RS Sr.)

2. Graham Glasgow (RS Sr.)

3. Patrick Kugler (RS So.)

rs: Jon Runyan (Fr.)

RG

1. Kyle Kalis (RS Jr.)

2. Graham Glasgow (RS Sr.)

3. David Dawson (RS So.)

4. Blake Bars (RS Jr.)

RT

1. Ben Braden (RS Jr.)

2. Graham Glasgow (RS Sr.)

3. Chris Fox (RS So.) / Juwan Bushell-Beatty (RS Fr.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DE

1. Mario Ojemudia (Sr.)

2. Lawrence Marshall (RS Fr.)

DT

1. Ondre Pipkins (Sr.) / Bryan Mone (So.)

3. Maurice Hurst Jr. (RS So.)

4. Brady Pallante (RS Fr.)

DT

1. Willie Henry (RS Jr.)

2. Chris Wormley (RS Jr.)

3. Ryan Glasgow (RS Jr.) / Matt Godin (RS Jr.)

DE

1. Taco Charlton (Jr.)

2. Henry Poggi (RS So.)

3. Tom Strobel (RS Jr.)

WLB

1. Joe Bolden (Sr.)

2. Noah Furbush (RS Fr.) / Jared Wangler (RS Fr.)

MLB

1. Ben Gedeon (Jr.)

2. Michael Ferns (So.)

3. Chase Winovich (RS Fr.)

rs: Darrin Kirkland (Fr.)

SLB

1. James Ross (Sr.)

2. Royce Jenkins-Stone (Sr.)

3. Michael McCray (RS So.)

4. Allen Gant (RS Jr.)

WCB

1. Blake Countess (RS Sr.) / Jourdan Lewis (Jr.)

3. Terry Richardson (Sr.)

SCB

1. Jabrill Peppers (So.)

2. Channing Stribling (Jr.)

3. Reon Dawson (RS So.)

rs: Tyree Kinnel (Fr.)

NB

1. Blake Countess (RS Sr.)

2. Jabrill Peppers (So.)

FS

1. Jarrod Wilson (Sr.)

2. Jeremy Clark (RS Jr.)

3. Garrett Taylor (Fr.)

SS

1. Delano Hill (Jr.)

2. Dymonte Thomas (Jr.)

3. Brandon Watson (So.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

K

1. Andrew David (Fr.)

P

1. Kenny Allen (RS Jr.)

KO

1. Kenny Allen (RS Jr.)

Mr. Yost

October 5th, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^

...get everyone experience this year, get better each week, develop and next year use the experience, depth and chemistry to dominate.

But until we find a QB and an OL, we're fucked. 

Best case scenario...we hire a great new coach, he gets a few 5th year senior transfers with the open scholarships we're bound to have from decomits, and we put them in to bridge the gap.

Mr. Yost

October 5th, 2014 at 12:56 AM ^

Jeff Driskel lost his job today so I could see him trasnfering. He was the #1 QB in the country, but he's had 3 years and he sucks. Cody Kessler at USC if he gets benched.

Kyle Allen at TAMU was highly touted as well and they have Kenny Hill...but you have to assume he's going to get his shot at A&M.

We need OL though. As bad as DG is...he's HORRIBLE with a bad OL.

MGoBlue96

October 5th, 2014 at 1:09 AM ^

One bad decision/throw withstanding he played a solid game and his legs were one of the only reason they had a chance at the end. When he had time to throw, he made the throws.

With a better coaching staff and offensive line DG would probally be having a pretty good year.  No QB is going to look good behind this offensive line.

Heisman212

October 5th, 2014 at 7:50 AM ^

He looks scared to make a decision. It seems like he is trying force himself to do what the coaches want instead of what he wants to do. Whenever he rolls out and runs it opens so much more up for everything. Is second to run they showed Hoke with this look of disgust on his face like he was mad Devin ran. Even though we scored it's almost like he was mad we didn't do it with a RB.

Mo Better Blues

October 5th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^

We're all hurting right now, so I'm not trying to pick a fight or be argumentative, but 'not bad'? He consistently throws behind his receivers and gets them killed going across the middle--circus catches needed all over the place, we can't throw downfield for any credible deep threat because he's wildly inaccurate and lacking in arm strength, his situational awareness is severely lacking, he panics and makes terrible decisions at key moments in the ballgame (save for the hope-restoring TD scamper late), and he could get picked off tossing you your keys from across the room.

Yes, he's very mobile and can still make guys look silly, but let's face it, we beat that style of play out of him a long time ago--just as we did Denard. DG has a noticeably better O-line this year (fair enough, that's not saying too much) but he actually looks worse, (to me at least). IMHO, we broke him last year and the damage can't be undone at this point. A confident QB can overcome a lot and still general a team to improbable victories. DG looks afraid of his own shadow to me and that ain't gonna cut it for a team in the middle of an identity crisis.

Heisman212

October 5th, 2014 at 7:46 AM ^

More losses and more injuries for him in pointless games might effect his draft stock. I thought in the beginning of the year when people said he was gone next year was a good thing. It was supposed to mean we were having a good year. Now he he'll be gone and we'll having nothing to show from it but his first game against, it doesn't even matter.

alum96

October 5th, 2014 at 1:55 AM ^

The offense of 2015 is plain scary.

Yost and I were lauding how with the OL developing and Shane in his 3rd year this was the year we would have 1 loss and be in the playoff.  With both tough rival games at home and a pretty easy non conf.

haha - we dumb.

@Utah now seems almost impossible to win.  BYU at home is going to be a blowout if things dont change quickly - they have a tornado at QB (who got hurt this week) who will be like a fast Braxton Miller.  And we are not even within 3 standard deviations of MSU and OSU if we played on Neptune.

But back to the 2015 offense - we lack playmakers everywhere.  The RBs are solid not great.  The WRs we bring back next year are ... well ok.  Neither Darboh or Chesson is within 10 feet of Galllon or Funchess.  The OL is... welp.

So all you really have as elite is Butt.  And then we are doing the same bullshit about recruiting starz with Ty Isaac, Drake Harris, Mike Weber, Cole and all this nonsense where we focus so much on HS players rather than the guys we have. 

Oh yeah ... we dont have a damn QB for next year.  Speight might be starting his first game of his career in Utah.  With zero playing experience in his career.  Yes that works for Sumlin's offense but not ours.  Oh yeah...and in a new system with a new coach.

The defense is a bit better for 2015 but loses its top 2 players in Ryan and Clark.  We dont have any impact DEs coming back so the 1 strength (CBs) will be hurt by the lack of pass rush.  Henry will be a stud but around him will be alot of good not great players at DT and average DE talent.  We have no idea who will be standing next to Bolden next year - who himself is average.   And safeties next year are average players from what I have seen.

It's a lot of average.  A lot.  Aside from maybe Peppers (who is a mystery who has yet to play meaningful time against a team not named Miami OH), Henry, Butt - and throw in 2 guys to your liking/hype - its a team full of non playmakers. 

People who think we are Auburn 2012 and next year will be great are living in the same parallel universe as the people who said we will be MSU 2013 - elite defense with a slow offense to begin and then surge.  We are now Auburn 2012 , 2 yrs off a NC and surrounded with southern elite talent.  We are ND post Weiss, we are Tennessee post Fulmer. 

This is a multi year rebuild.  At best we hit a home run at coach like ND did, and get two 8-5 seasons like ND did his first 2 years before he put it together in year 3.  And even his year 3 was a fraud as we saw vs Alabama.  That is the type of talent we are getting - ND type.  Not Auburn, Alabama, LSU type.  Kick the damn can down 3 years before we are making noise - and thats with the perfect hire.  2015 is going to be a struggle.

ghost

October 5th, 2014 at 4:06 AM ^

There are too many examples all around the country of big turnarounds to say the next 3 years are a lost cause.  Cal went from a total disaster to 4-1.  TCU was 4-8 last year.  West Virginia was 4-8 last year.  Miss St. 7-6.

That surounded by talent bit like 2012 Auburn.  I don't know what Big10 you've been watching. 

AMazinBlue

October 5th, 2014 at 12:41 AM ^

there really is no hope.  Any victory at this point is almost meaningless.  I feel for the kids, but the staff and the AD should have to give their salaries for 2014 back and walk away with no contracted $$.

Brandon, his decisions and this coaching staff have destroyed the pride and success of this program; and with it every record they hold dear.  I will continue to watch and root for the team, but I am no completely apathetic.  It doesn't matter what happens the rest of the season.  MSU and OSU will be beatings like Rocky took in Rocky III.  Hopefully Dantonio calls off the dogs after 3 qtrs.

Hoke is an embarrasment to the program and it's rich tradition and history.  He makes Rodriguez look like a saint.  That's pretty hard to do.

Jevablue

October 5th, 2014 at 12:43 AM ^

At what point is the catch established. If that play had happened in the middle of the field it would have been a catch and a non fumble because the ground can't cause one.  Sure we suck. And we got Fucked. Both things can be true, and in this case they are.

Tim Waymen

October 5th, 2014 at 12:44 AM ^

Hoke's job coaching this season may go down as not just the worst in Michigan history, but possibly among the worst in CFB history. To have this much talent and to lose this badly each week is quite a feat, horrible officiating notwithstanding.

And happy new year, Seth.

Jevablue

October 5th, 2014 at 12:46 AM ^

I'm sure the apology for the fucked up officiating is rignt there in the queue with Spartan Bob's clock work! FUCK THEM ALL. I won't waste too much time waiting for it.

NJblue2

October 5th, 2014 at 12:50 AM ^

Losing to Rutgers is so fucking sad. Sitting with my friends making fun of me and Michigan was pretty ass. Michigan is truly a joke now, I hope the next coach is truly amazing.

EGD

October 5th, 2014 at 1:22 AM ^

A big part of the reason nobody has confidence in DB is the belief that he won't be able to hire a good coach to replace Hoke. If Brandon managed to hire Harbaugh or someone else on that level, then DB would have disproved that concern. It's not happening though. No chance.