Maryland 23, Michigan 16
Bryan Fuller/MGoBlog
Which remarkably apropos moment to use here?
Should it be the innovative "running two-minute drill" that miraculously netted an end-of-half field goal?
How about when the Michigan Marching Band recreated the extinction of the dinosaurs at halftime?
Perhaps Dennis Norfleet's incredible punt return touchdown getting called back?
Could I see the argument for Mike Weber announcing his decommitment the precise moment Maryland's Wes Brown ran in the go-ahead score? Of course.
Same goes for Darryl Stonum's tweets just before and after Devin Funchess dropped another pass, this one to seal the loss on fourth down.
All of them, I guess.
As far as I know, Brady Hoke hasn't been informed he's fired, but he knows. We all do. With bowl eligibility on the line—unless you're holding out hope for a miracle in Columbus—Hoke's squad couldn't get out of its own way.
Even considering a few impressive Devin Gardner scrambles, including Michigan's lone touchdown of the game, the team's best offensive play came on a 52-yard fake punt run by fullback Joe Kerridge; Kerridge couldn't quite get to the goal line, and after Gardner's third-and-goal pass bounced off Freddy Canteen's chest, Matt Wile kicked a field goal.
The game played out in similarly bumbling fashion for most of the duration, with both teams seemingly unable to catch the football. Maryland had three drops in the first half; Gardner recorded a pick when a throw well behind Bo Dever bounced off his hands and into those of Maryland corner Will Likely.
The special teams were a mess. The flag on the punt return, however questionable, cost Michigan a touchdown. Jourdan Lewis roughed Maryland kicker Brad Craddock, leading on the very next play to a CJ Brown touchdown run; there's another four points. Matt Wile missed a 39-yard field goal that would've given M a 19-16 fourth-quarter lead.
It was a Brady Hoke loss, through and through.
[Fuller]
It's sad, of course. Devin Gardner mustered 82 yards on the ground, scrambled for a vintage DG touchdown run (above), and put most of his passes on target, only to see several go right through the hands of his intended receivers. He went down fighting in his last home game, and it sucks to see his efforts go unrewarded. Same goes for all the other seniors out there.
For the sake of Michigan football, though, this may have been for the best. There's little, if any, doubt now that Hoke won't be retained, and a loss in The Game—meaning no bowl game—is all but guaranteed. Unless the athletic department royally screws up the coaching search, the next team will have more competence at the top, a better opportunity to succeed. The bowl practices will be missed, but expediting the much-needed rehauling of this program may make up for it—and then some, when recruiting is taken into account.
We'll see how it all unfolds. For now, though, this felt like an all-too-fitting finish for Brady Hoke; whether he's present on the sideline for Ohio State—which I expect he will be—is almost besides the point.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:31 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:00 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:40 PM ^
and then the male dinosaur fertilized the egg.
Did they recently discover something different?
November 22nd, 2014 at 10:14 PM ^
I remember a lot of comments and my own belief that adding both Maryland and Rutgers was bad for football in the Big 10....now it appears we should wish we could be coached as competently as both of them.
November 23rd, 2014 at 3:56 PM ^
reguardless of their decent records this year, I still think Maryland (7-4) and Rutgers (6-5) are an odd addition to the conference. and I am not saying this because Michigan lost to both. I feel the same way I felt when the announcment was made in 2012 - when I assumed we would crush both schools on the gridiron.
I understand most of college football has changed drastically and the B1G does not want to be left behind (especially when it comes to market share/TV contracts/$$$). but how do these new schools fit in? especially with athletics? I guess we will see more forced "rivalries" soon.
no disrespect to Maryland/Rutgers, I don't have a problem with either institution. I'm complaining about the B1G here. I used to think the conference was unique and stood for something. midwestern values.. tradition.. now all I see is a commercial money machine. from this perspective, Dave Brandon was/is a perfect fit in the B1G conference. maybe he will be the next B1G commissioner!
November 24th, 2014 at 4:27 AM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:35 PM ^
...is Jim Harbaugh as UM head coach.
Also, thanks for the write up, Ace. Y'all have been great this season and it's much appreciated.
November 22nd, 2014 at 11:58 PM ^
I'd take Gary Patterson.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:35 PM ^
Hoke sucked every last little drop of joy and happiness out of this football program.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^
Yep, I'm glad he's just about gone. Good riddance
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:45 PM ^
And Marcus Ray's creditability
November 22nd, 2014 at 8:31 PM ^
I don't know why Sam Webb tolerates him.
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 10:14 PM ^
At one point Marcus said... Tressel was never caught doing anything wrong except for lying about tattoo-gate. Sam sounded shocked and brought up Youngstown State.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:50 PM ^
Including, you have to imagine, every last drop of joy and happiness that HE got out of the program. Can't be fun getting your dream job and fucking it up with such royal completeness. So long, Brady. May you have happier days somewhere far, far away from Michigan Stadium.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:55 PM ^
No, I think Brandon did that.
November 22nd, 2014 at 11:58 PM ^
They still have one more game left.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:35 PM ^
It's the same thing every week. This coaching staff never looks prepared. It's just awful football every week.
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:11 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^
There was no TO, it was a penalty. Repeat, the clock was stopped for the penalty. Don't let Chuck Long confuse you with his nonsense. Not to mention Nussmeier can't call TO.
November 22nd, 2014 at 10:45 PM ^
November 23rd, 2014 at 1:26 AM ^
No. This was yet another example of horrible clock management by Hoke. He should have called the time out. If he had, they would have had first and goal on the eight with 15-20 seconds left in the half. Instead, they had to kick a field goal.
November 23rd, 2014 at 2:29 AM ^
The next play was a 17 yard completion to Jake Butt, 1st down MD 9 yd line. Ball out of bounds, clock stopped. Then Matt Wile kicked the 26yd FG as time expired.
November 23rd, 2014 at 5:50 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 23rd, 2014 at 7:07 PM ^
They clock did unwind from 14 with the ball snapped at 12. So two seconds were lost....that's a fair trade for keeping the TO if needed to set up the FG. That Butt was able to get out of bounds to stop the clock was very fortunate.
But hey, don't let the facts and logic get in the way of your hate. Hate on, Brah, hate on.
November 23rd, 2014 at 8:22 AM ^
there is always an excuse - bttom line is the game is bigge rthan him, his players havent really gotten better - and the fraking nonsense around hiding the truth on injuries is unacceptable and embarrassing
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
I actually felt like this was less of a tire fire than any other game we played this season since...Miami?
Am I the only one one who felt this way?
November 22nd, 2014 at 8:21 PM ^
45 rushes, 292 yards = 6.5 yds per rush
(even minus Kerridge, 240 yds / 44 = 5.45, which is better than our season average pre-UMD of 4.51)
So there was that.
November 22nd, 2014 at 11:33 PM ^
November 23rd, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
At least this means there's no reason Hoke should still be on payroll after next Saturday. Unless you believe we somehow have a chance in Columbus next weekend.
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 22nd, 2014 at 8:31 PM ^
won't save him. If anything it will reinforce the fact that we should have been much better than we have played. I feel sorriest for Gardner. He had pro dreams coming in and he was coached out of them. I don't know how he'll make a pro roster but I hope he does.
November 22nd, 2014 at 8:55 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
Gardner isn't at fault, you're really reaching with that one.
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^
Hell, even today, he flashed some moments - out of the shotgun, when he can threaten the run, and have one or two reads. He had some great scrambles and made pretty good decisions all afternoon. His accuracy wasn't great, but he seemed to have good throws dropped as often as he actually missed.
November 22nd, 2014 at 10:01 PM ^
November 23rd, 2014 at 2:30 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 22nd, 2014 at 10:53 PM ^
November 23rd, 2014 at 12:03 AM ^
The coaches are a Gardner killer.
November 22nd, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 11:18 PM ^
What your seeing on the field is a team divided. Gardner's benching for the Minny game hurt this team in so many ways.
Hoke replaces a fifth year black qb with a 2 yr white qb...this is not the ivy league!!!
Denard under center...wtf!!!
Harbaugh hear our plea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:40 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 10:12 PM ^
They have gone through last years bowl practice, spring practice, fall camp, eleven games this year and we have seen no results.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
"For the sake of Michigan football, though, this may have been for the best."
Nailed it. It's unfortuante for the seniors and for a visibly shaken Hoke, but in the long term, losing this game takes the pressure off of everyone, and allows us to move forward.
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 7:49 PM ^
November 22nd, 2014 at 8:20 PM ^
This time last year Gardner was a better passer. Maybe not by much, but he was more accurate and he only threw one INT over the last six games of last season. And then there's Morris, a much better and more poised QB against KSU last January than at anytime this season. What's that about?
Comments