mejunglechop

October 13th, 2013 at 2:02 AM ^

If you feel entitled to better performances there are plenty of other teams deilvering. I'm not meaning to be dickish, but if you think the seat license fees actually contribute to making 18-23 year olds better on the field you've been hoodwinked.

Drbogue

October 12th, 2013 at 11:44 PM ^

Definition: Running Fitz into a wall of bodies for no gain. Doing it over and over and expecting a different result.

jmblue

October 12th, 2013 at 11:49 PM ^

Unbelievable.  I'm curious to see the Mathlete's numbers for some of this.

We had the ball and a seven-point lead inside their 30 with just a minute and change to go in the game while they had no timeouts.  That alone is probably a 95% shot of victory.

Then we had the ball again in their territory with 13 seconds to go and the score tied.

Then we lined up for a medium-length FG in OT for the win.

Then we lined up another medium-length FG in OT for the win.

We have major issues - the OL's problems clearly haven't come close to being solved, Borgess clearly doesn't fully trust Gardner (with reason), Mattison clearly doesn't fully trust the secondary (also with reason) and Gibbons may now be a potential headcase - but shit, what happened to us tonight is basically a 100 to 1 shot, maybe 200 to 1. 

Us losing after all those chances was about as likely as us coming back in basketball against Kansas in the Sweet 16.  Really, really sucks to be on the losing end.

 

 

Bando Calrissian

October 13th, 2013 at 3:00 AM ^

Spot on.

I'm still trying to wrap my head around the delay of game penalty that took us into punt-for-the-touchback territory. It just doesn't make sense. If the difference is 15 yards of field position if you miss the FG, why hang on to a worthless timeout to lose five yards instead of at least trying to put the game out of reach for PSU? If you're Brady, why aren't you running after the ref to call a timeout before the play clock hits 00?

robmorren2

October 12th, 2013 at 11:51 PM ^

I say, open up the offense. I would rather see Gardner throw 6 picks, than watch 35 runs of 2 yards or less. The running game isn't going to be fixed this year. Our best assets are Gardner, Gallon, and Funchess. Go big with those guys, or bleed a slow death with an inept run game.

Black Socks

October 12th, 2013 at 11:55 PM ^

Somebody please make a video of all the coaching missed opportunities this game.  It was a lot more than just the last two minutes.  There were many points left on the board; settling for field goals, etc.

SDCran

October 13th, 2013 at 12:25 AM ^

Almost half of our RB carries were on the time bleeding drive down to 1:00 in regulation or in OT. 15-16 carries in the first 3.5 carries is not close to excessive.



The time bleeding drive was very effective. Sure we wanted one more first down or not getting a delay penalty. 3 first downs, and ran almost 6:00 off the clock. Nope can't complain much with that.



In OT, you may not love it, but the 2 possessions after no scores from PSU, we did what most coaches would do.



On the other 2 drives, when we had the ball first, Fitz had 1 carry for 3 yards. Not exactly running I to a wall pointlessly.



My point is that the vast majority of the pointless runs you all remember were situational and probably good calls.

gbdub

October 13th, 2013 at 12:32 AM ^

What bugged me was that Borges DID adapt, for most of the second half. Much more passing, more opportunities for Devin to run. This worked. Great adjustment, great recovery by Gardner.



But then, when we needed to seal the win, we abandon everything that worked in the second half and force Gibbons on the field four times in half an hour.



Play for the f'n win guys. On the road, in an OT with nothing to lose, play to win. Throw it to Dileo. Chuck a fade to Funchess. Let Gallon make a double move and force the DB to interfere or let him waltz into the end zone.

funkywolve

October 13th, 2013 at 1:06 AM ^

UM did open up the offense and get Gibbons about a 33yd FG but he missed it.  However, when they didn't open it up they just ran up the middle and settled for 40-45 yd FG's, which has been about the max of Gibbons' range.  A&M was in regulation with no timeouts.  UM hadn't been successful for most of the night running Fitz between the tackles.

funkywolve

October 13th, 2013 at 1:20 AM ^

had their running backs rush 25 times for 119 yds.  UM's running backs rushed 30 times for 28 yds.  A&M is also bleeding the clock so Ol' Miss won't get the ball back.  In OT you aren't worried about bleeding the clock - there is no game clock.

gbdub

October 13th, 2013 at 1:19 AM ^

Prior to the 33 yarder, we ran Fitz into a wall on 3rd and 1. Play action probably gets a TD there because PSU saw it coming a mile away. Prior to that, we ran Fitz into a wall 3 times to try a 40 yarder.



Yeah, you count on your kicker to make those. But field goals are never sure things, and a guy who just missed one game winner and got a second blocked is probably not in the best state to try a third.

gbdub

October 13th, 2013 at 1:45 AM ^

I will say for the record that I'm mostly annoyed at the first OT and the punt from the 35, set up by a delay of game with a TO in hand. Yeah, you expect Gibbons to hit the 33 yarder, but you also should trust Gardner to make a couple throws when he has been all 2nd half.



Anyway going for a 33 yarder is a no brainer (except when your kicker has already missed a couple - then maybe you ought to think about it, at least when selecting your 3rd and 1 play). But settling for a 40 yard try is just that - settling.

erald01

October 13th, 2013 at 1:07 AM ^

As long as we have a michigan man as a coach thats all it matters... Fuckin embarrasing, all these talent is slippin away every game...i cant wait for us to loose a game where we get raped, so i can see Hoke the next day try to say This is Michigan and sweat his ass at the same time.. 5 yrs of RR craziness and 3 yrs of this idiocracy coaching? When will it end? At year 10 so we can say it took a decade for Michigan football to get back to their roots

Other teams are winning with players that are no bodies, we cant even coach 4 and 5 star players.. Something is wrong big time.. And i dont want to hear any excuses ..oh we just lost one game chill out blah blah...

Fuckin Braxton Miller couldnt throw a ball if his life dependent on it 2 yrs ago, Urban comes in and they havent lost a game since...this shows you how important coaching is and in our case the coaching stuff was built to rub San Diego State not an elite program such as michigan

On the side note Tigers won..something to look forward to

CarlisleWolverine

October 13th, 2013 at 1:10 AM ^

Just got back from the game. After a great 3Q Mich just seemed to go into a shell, like all the Kay calling is in an effort to keep Devin from making mistakes. Like he's a boy in a bubble. Incredible day with other fans, besides the loss it was a great college football game. Go blue

FrankMurphy

October 13th, 2013 at 1:10 AM ^

Bill O'Brien coached to win the game. Brady coached not to lose. It's as simple as that. This one isn't on Gibbons. He had an off night and that happens sometimes. It's on Brady. The coaches snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. Most gut-wrenching loss I've seen in a while.

SDCran

October 13th, 2013 at 1:21 AM ^

Where did we really play not to lose? We had a 5:00+ drive to almost run out the clock while up 7. I think 90% of OC would have run on that 3rd and 13.



I hardly think setting up your kicker for 33 or 44 yard FGs to win is 'playing not to lose'. Pooch punt? 95% of coaches do that too. PSU completed 2 jump balls, and concerted 2 4th downs to win. I hate it, but it happens.

umchicago

October 13th, 2013 at 11:32 AM ^

it's seldom when coaches settle for a 40+ yd field goal w/o making any effort to gain some field position; 50-50 at best.  if that's your stategy, why not gain a couple yds and kick a 40+ yd FG to win the game at the end of regulation?  you don't take the 50-50 chance to win in regulation but you settle for it OT.  makes little or no sense to me.

MichiganMan14

October 13th, 2013 at 2:40 AM ^

....and were fortunate to win.  We played with fire again and were burned by a very mediocre team.  I think this staff is really underperforming at the moment.  The wake up call should have been after Akron.  It's all spilled milk now....but it stings to know we lost a game we controlled throughout the second half and were up 10 with 7 or so min left.  So many different things cost us this game.  The staff really dropped the ball with the late game management and playcalling.  This loss was in the making since the 3rd week of the season.  Now lets see how this team responds.  There should be some edge to this team and some heat under the seats of this entire staff.  They were 8-5 last season.  That is not okay.  We did not fire Rich Rod to hire Brady with 8-5 and 9-4 in mind.  He needs to tighten up and stop all that clapping and get off into some pholks hindquarters.  Getting the team prepared is his job and he has failed at that this season thus far with Notre Dame being a thankful exception.  Let's go beat Indiana and then go from there at 6-1 (2-1).  Michigan 45 Indiana 27.

Coldwater

October 13th, 2013 at 10:04 AM ^

IMO he does very little to prepare the overall game plan during the weeks practice. From what we hear and see it seems Hoke is a nose guard and defensive tackle coach who has head coach as his title. Which means he has to do the media commitments. He does nothing on the offensive side of the ball!

Bando Calrissian

October 13th, 2013 at 2:54 AM ^

I'm trying to think of when the last time I was so pissed about a loss without a total blowout or disaster or obvious underdog situation or ref screwjob. And the best I can come up with is Illinois in '99. This felt like that one. Playing not to lose against a beatable team, and getting burned royally in the process.

The more I think about it, there's really no reason why this one should have ended up in the L column. It was totally preventable. The coaches did not put the players in position to win. And when you're going up against a team like Penn State, that's inexcusable.

I'm pissed. I can't help it.

snarling wolverine

October 13th, 2013 at 9:09 AM ^

The coaches did not put the players in position to win.

The staff didn't call the greatest game but you can't say the players weren't in position to win.  All we had to do to win was make one of our three (!) FG chances to win the game. You could argue that it still shouldn't have been that close, I guess, but we were right there three times - just make the kick and we go home 6-0.

McSomething

October 13th, 2013 at 1:06 PM ^

was attack the defense like we had in the 3rd quarter (something other than a run up the middle for the 1000th faild attempt this season) and we get first downs to ice the game. Or maybe we break a play and extend the lead to put it out of reach. But no, Lloyd-ball is back. Sit on a lead and pray the defense (which is on the field way more than it's not in the 4th quarter) can hold on to win it for us.

sportzfan81

October 13th, 2013 at 3:13 AM ^

After a long drive home to MD, I just have two questions and a comment:



1. Why is NO one watching the play clock at the end of 4th quarter and in OT to avoid the delay of game penalties? Coach Hoke......I'll wait.



2. Why in the hell did Devin Gardner spike the ball with 13 secs left in the 4th quarter? The play before Gallon got out of bounds.... The clock wasn't going to start on the whistle. That play only wasted a second, but that second would have been important when Hoke sent Gibbons out with 7 seconds to kick a 52/53 yd FG in the direction where most kicks were falling short in warmups? Another 3-5 yard sideline pass would have made it interesting.....as it was I was 99% sure he wasn't kicking 52 yards in that direction!!!



Probably both of these have been discussed at nauseam on the other posts, but I digress.



1. This Offensive Line is very, very, very weak. They had zero push all night. They were absolutely incapable of driving the defensive line even a yard off the line of scrimmage....PSU defenders were playing 1-3 yards in Michigan's backfield all night. The only success (except for maybe 2 or 3 Fitz runs) they had was the old QB dive. I don't see this line improving over the next 4-6 weeks, which means "ManBawl" ain't happening with this team. Maybe next year, but losing both tackles is probably going to bring about even more challenging times.



Here's looking forward to the 17 hours it will take to drive round trip to Ann Arbor next weekend. GO BLUE...Beat Indiana!!!

ndjames86

October 13th, 2013 at 5:13 AM ^

Dogging the defense as bad as he was? Are you kidding me? I saw one good Penn State drive in the first half that wasn't started by the offense coughing it up. Mattison gets his defense playing out of his mind and his counterpart on offense is sitting in the booth screaming "I DONT CARE IF WE LOST YARDS RUNNING AGAIN ON 1ST DOWN ITS WHAT WE DO!" Hack played decent for a freshman, he'll even great in the last drive where he put the ball exactly where he needed too, TWICE. Reality is the offensive play calling left the door open through the 4th quarter and 4OTs and we see how that turned out. Bill O'Brien went for it on 4th down in his own territory and got stuffed while we continued to run into a line that can't open a single hole for positive running yards bc that's what we do.

Blarvey

October 13th, 2013 at 7:29 AM ^

I have to know - does DG have the discretion to call audibles or adjust plays at the line? There are a few checks I can recall that ended up being good plays against ND and UConn, but if he can't check to a pop or a quick slant with 7 or 8 in the box, then it will really hold the offense back.

Maybe they were worried about noise and didn't want to risk a turnover.