Michigan Monday up at The Ozone

Submitted by StephenRKass on

I'm about to go to bed, but brought up Ohio State fan website "The Ozone." Tony Gerdeman writes a regular feature on Michigan's game.

LINK:  Michigan Monday

This is really for Michigan football junkies who haven't read enough already. Often, I'll quote liberally. However, there isn't a whole lot to say after a 63 - 3 beatdown. Here are a few observations:

  • Michigan dominated in every single area. They did exactly what they were supposed to do against a vastly overmatched team.
  • Speight was fine. Not yet someone who will scare a defense.
  • We already know how good the senior receivers are. Eddie McDoom is very fast and worthy of notice.
  • Obviously, Evans is the biggest news among the RB group. He is much more than a small scatback. It remains to be seen, but it appears he could be the kind of RB who would strike fear, and give Michigan a good running option up the middle in like, forever.
  • 7 of 7 conversion of 3rd downs. Notable for the perfection, and how few 3rd down situations they faced.
  • The biggest revelation of the day was the LB group. They were very, very good. The LB's were the biggest question mark. This kind of performance bodes very well. With the blitzing and the aggression, Michigan's defense is going to be dominant.
  • The DL is good, as advertised. With the injuries to Mone, Taco, and Hurst, it will be something to keep an eye on.

Gerdeman is often a good read. There just isn't a whole lot to say with this kind of domination. If Michigan dominates the same way this coming week, it will be more worthy of note.

 

StephenRKass

September 5th, 2016 at 11:54 PM ^

Gerdeman is definitely a Buckeye. But he often analyzes the Michigan game fairly well. I mean, there can be snark. However, looking at the last 10 years, and how Michigan fans typically had overinflated expections, the snark was justifiable. This year, this "now" year, seems to me to be the first time in a long time that Michigan really amounts to something. I am just hoping that Michigan stays healthy throughout the whole season. There are a lot of guys we can't really afford to lose. OSU is feeling our pain, with their depth at DT painfully thin.

LSAClassOf2000

September 6th, 2016 at 6:38 AM ^

In addition to that, I've had a few chats with Gerdeman over various media and found him to be pretty personable and actually quite funny, and able to look inwardly, if you will, which is something a lot of fans - Buckeye and Wolverine alike - tend to be less than good at doing when it comes to their own team and their own fandom. 

treetown

September 6th, 2016 at 8:03 AM ^

In an era where there is an actual playoff, albeit with only 4 teams, it makes sense that a good team wants a league that has a good reputation. Look at NCCA BB. The top leagues can get 4 or 5 teams into March Madness. A good league might allow a two loss team to get into the final 4. One loss is not an issue. 

Inevitably the playoff will expand to 8 and when that happens everyone will want to see some strength in their league - that means every year, there will be 2-4 high profile games that can help burnish their reputations. So, good for Wisconsin! not good that Northwestern laid an egg against WMU.

spigmoni

September 5th, 2016 at 11:45 PM ^

I have such an insatiable appetite for Michigan content that I was happy to read the OSU perspective.  Haha, I may have a problem.  Thanks for the post.  

bostonsix

September 6th, 2016 at 12:24 AM ^

He is our best power back. That makes him valuable against small speedy linebackers and lifts the load the other backs have to carry. I'm crossing my fingers that his injury isn't something serious or still lingering from last season. However, if he can't get close to 100% then I agree with you.

Ronnie Kaye

September 6th, 2016 at 12:40 AM ^

Don't think Drake Johnson is going to play much the season. Smith has his role and it justifies playing time but he's definitely not an ideal feature back. I bet Evans leads the team in rushing yards if he stays healthy.

Alumnus93

September 6th, 2016 at 8:03 AM ^

after seeing Evans hit the hole, and not run into blockers, my opinion of Smith has gone down. am tired of the hoke rbs. it may be irrational but my gosh, btw green and Smith...the one thing needed for rb is vision and neither had it. I hope Smith has changed.

Carcajou

September 6th, 2016 at 12:46 AM ^

Objectivity is in very short supply around here- it's usually snarky gloomy pessimism or arrogant outsized expectations, so getting an "outside" perspective is a great thing to have.



Sometimes he almost sounds like a Michigan fan; other times like a Buckeye fan that knows Michigan and Ohio State need each other to be at their best.

CoverZero

September 6th, 2016 at 1:12 AM ^

He says that Michigan does not have a back that can do what Chris Evans can do.  I disagree   Karan Higdon is nearly as quick as Evans and showed a lot on Saturday.  He could be a very good scat back, 3rd down type as well. 

CoverZero

September 6th, 2016 at 4:01 AM ^

That intial "one tenth" of a second where the RB bursts through the line and makes a cut.... from what I can see, Chris Evans and Higdon are pretty close   Im talking about Burst.  They both have burst that we have not seen since Drake was healthy, or further back before Fitz had his leg injury.

If Higgy had not gotten tripped on on that one run, it was 6 points and we'd all be talking about how sweet that was.

Chris has more upside and is Electric....but Higgy has scat back skills and should not be overlooked.

Carcajou

September 6th, 2016 at 5:04 AM ^

Evans is great with the jump cut and- the announcers were right- he is very good at being patient and letting his blocks set him up, which is something rare for a freshman back. I think it also shows vision, which is one point I think the Ozone review was wrong about.

M-Dog

September 6th, 2016 at 10:26 AM ^

Does a third down back need to be able to block and pick up a blitz?

Yes, absolutely.  Vincent Smith was a perfect third down back.  He could block and pick up a blitz like nobody's business, as well as run and catch from the backfield.  

You saw how much we missed him when he left.

 

Alumnus93

September 6th, 2016 at 8:26 AM ^

there is ample value in neutral and unbiased writers from osu, that write about our team.
I'm looking forward to when they begin to say that the rivalry is back on.
id like to hear what Jim tressel now says about the talent gap. he was spot on, amd I think he might be a good barometer to hedge against our biases, as odd as it sounds.

StephenRKass

September 6th, 2016 at 8:49 AM ^

There was a significant talent gap for a number of years. Part of it was the type of player (RR), part of it was who the player was. But whatever the reason, Michigan did not have the horses. I would say at this point, if you took the top 24 at each school, they'd be comparable. And if you took the recent recruiting class, they'd be comparable. But top to bottom, everyone on the roster, Michigan needs a couple more classes to be on the same page.

charblue.

September 6th, 2016 at 9:36 AM ^

and Harbaugh has been doing the same, with the exception that he values speed with cutting ability in his backs. He inherited Smith, Isaac and Johnson, and brought Higdon into the fold last season as a last second replacement after Weber fell through. Evans is a recruitment win but both he and Higdon demonstrated the kind of  quickness, bounce and athleticisim that has been missing in Michigan running backs for any number of years, probably since Mike Hart.

Mike had fantastic vision, feet and quickness without the dynamic breakaway speed that classic backs possess. Most of all, Mike could block and catch, he was highly intelligent, an incredible competitor with a superior will to win. His biggest flaw, his size, never got in the way of his performance, in fact, may have enhanced it because he tended to be so elusive.

There are elements to his game in both Evans and Higdon, who I would like to see get more carries. If we were worried that there wouldn't be a guy to replace Drake Johnson, whose game most closely resembles Hart, we don't have to worry if Evans and Higdon continue to run like they showed Saturday.