Utah Snowflakes: Coaching And Miscellaneous
September 4th, 2015 at 1:39 AM ^
To be honest, if Rudock hits those passes in the first half, this game is completely different. We should've been up 7-3 with a lot of momentum. The defense did what they had to do to keep us in the game. Giving up 17 points on the road should be good enough.
September 4th, 2015 at 7:00 AM ^
It really didn't feel at all like last year in all the areas that matter, at least not to me. We can talk about 3 INTs, for example, but those drives for the most part look coherent and, if they had not ended in the manner they did, they looked like they might very well end in points. I don't know I had the same confidence in Hoke's staff to manage even that. The run blocking - we can talk about this too - but field position was being won by Harbaugh really and the defense had a lot of room to work with, much more than most games last year.
There was a lot to like - clearly there's a road ahead on some things, but I think we knew that. I hope we knew that.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:12 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:15 AM ^
needs to play better - obviously. But sorry... Joe Bolden.. dude.. need to make plays in space. Consistently out of position, really underperformed tonight. LB corp. very dissapointing.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:14 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:14 AM ^
A little disappointed that we resorted to a long field goal attempt in the 3rd instead of going for it on 4th and short. Maybe I'm just jaded from our field goal kicking from the last decade, and Harbaugh has not yet adjusted to that deficiency.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
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September 4th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 1:14 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 1:41 AM ^
Harbs offense is kinda stone age like in that way. If you're going to run, why not some misdirection or put guys in motion. Or spread your WRs out so they have to respect the pass. Utah never respected the pass. No OL is that good when teams are keying on the run with 8 guys.
September 4th, 2015 at 6:49 AM ^
If Rudock hits Chesson with at least one of the possible long TDs, it might have pushed back the defense, and allowed some more room at the line.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:14 AM ^
This was a winnable game. Utah is decent, but not great. Tired of making excuses at this point. It's not Jim's fault but 8 years is a long fucking time.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:24 AM ^
nothing else needs to be said.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:34 AM ^
until Harbaugh can develop his own recruits over the next 3 to 4 years. I think we win 7 or 8 games this year but next year may end up 7-5 with both MSU and OSU on the road.
September 4th, 2015 at 1:06 AM ^
Wanstadt (sp?) said the whole 3+ years thing too. I think a lot of it depends on the players you have. Harbaugh has a lot of talent on the team and you could already see that players were playing better (Wormley was playing great in the first half and probably the whole game, there was some pass protection, etc.). We should be 8-4 this year, 9-3 next year and 10+ the next. Three plus years to be national or even Big Ten champions maybe, but we should be decent this year and pretty darn good next year. Maybe I'm just impatient.
September 4th, 2015 at 1:51 AM ^
True, it is not exactly what Harbaugh wants yet, but let's not act like he was walking into a wasteland of talentless players like he did initially at Stanford. I think that was evident in this game, consider they shot themselves in the foot all night against a good opponent on the road and still were in the game. If they had mediocre talent they would have got run out the building making that many mistakes.
Do you really think mediocre the next couple years is Harbaugh's own standard for this team?
September 4th, 2015 at 12:14 AM ^
It was obvious to me that this is a much better coached team. For instance, they can actually run a two minute drill. We played a decent game against a good team on the road, not sure I could ask for much more in game one.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 1:54 AM ^
Seemed like a toss up kind of game going in. Think that was evident considering one team shot themselves in the foot all night and the game was still close.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:15 AM ^
Lots of stuff to iron out, which I think this coaching staff can do. I also think Utah is good.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:15 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
Coffee is for closers.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 1:01 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:15 AM ^
If Rudock was accurate at all in the first half, I thought the playcalling was legit.
Drevno knew what to do which was go over the top... Rudock just failed miserably.
Durkin's adjustments were clearly there except the D got super tired with the tempo at times.
Harbaugh is Harbaugh.
I think this is one of those players failing to execute type of games. B+
September 4th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
garbage
September 4th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
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September 4th, 2015 at 12:36 AM ^
Rudok is an OK QB from IOWA. Enough said. Experiment is over.
Back to Morris who has a higher ceiling.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
Prior to last Michigan TD I thought to myself, "Here's where we see if they fight, or give up."
Last year they would have given up. This year they did not.
I'm convinced Michigan could win this if they played again next week.
Very unfortunate first game mistakes. Clean those up and this becomes a good team. Not great, yet, but good.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
game to open with the start the Harbaugh era for sure. I agree with your comments though - last year's team this would've been a 21+ pt loss.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:22 AM ^
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September 4th, 2015 at 12:17 AM ^
Still felt a bit like Brady Hoke's Michigan watching tonight. There were signs of hope though, may take a few more games yet for the team to start being a true Harbaugh team. Waiting on Drake Johnson to get into game condition...
September 4th, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:18 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:39 AM ^
Dude has exaggerated facial expressions that are truly weird.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:04 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:34 AM ^
I was hoping this year would be 8-4 on the way to elite seasons in a few years, but clearly the talent on the roster (particularly the o-line and running backs) just is not there right now. Yes i know almost all of them are 4 star guys, but this isn't high school anymore.
They clearly don't have what it takes. It is unbelievable and demoralizing that we can't get any push whatsover on running plays.
Even when we could make a small hole Smith doesn't know what to do. He fights for extra yards and i can't question his effort tonight, but he seriously lacks in speed, instinct, and vision.
At first i was leaning 8-4, but now 6-6 looks more likely. I believe harbaugh will succeed, but not quite this year.
also, WTF Rudock??
EDIT: i don't understand the negs
September 4th, 2015 at 12:40 AM ^
I had them losing this game, as well as BYU at home, OSU at home, and PSU on the road. I think they will upset MSU at home.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:20 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:18 AM ^
I thought the play calling on offense was at times strange. Throwing downfield to AJ Williams on consecutive third down plays? Not a fan. Also did not enjoy the 4th down call. Sure, if Kalis blocks one of the two guys that nailed Smith then maybe he picks it up, but had we gained positive yardage on that play all night? For the most part I liked the play calling, but it seemed like there were just wasted plays thrown out at very inopportune times.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:27 AM ^
with those play calls, at that point in the game, would have generated a 600 count thread ripping Hoke's staff to shreds. Because of the last few years that 4th down play was gut wrenching.
September 4th, 2015 at 8:34 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
The only thing for me is taking timeouts before the end of the half. I hate taking them early because we're not ready to snap the ball when it could hurt you at the end of the game.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:27 AM ^
That may have been more the product of an entire team in a new offense than a recurring issue going forward.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
our d is fine. the OL sucks in blocking. QB stare down WR to throw, not good for a senior QB. 3 int are all to Perry, not wise.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:19 AM ^
Everyone was saying the offense would be a work in progress and that's what we saw tonight. The first and third Rudock interceptions looked to be more on Perry than on Rudock which is understandable because Perry is a true freshman. Ran the wrong route on the 1st int and didn't come back to the ball on the 3rd. It was also apparently pretty windy so the overthrows on the deep balls were understandable, I don't think either team had a deep completion. More worrying is the OL and I'm optimistic that Drevno can get that sorted out.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:20 AM ^
September 4th, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^
Really felt to me like a different team by the end of the game than it did at the start of the game.
If we project that trajectory out 5, 6 games, things keep going in that direction, I can start to see how this team can become really good.
September 4th, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^
This team played much quicker than anything seen in the last four seasons. Hurry-up O was a pleasure to watch