First Segment:

New scoreboards.  Some issues/complaints.  Just not up to speed with scoreboard capability?  No yardline or yardage.  Replay capability much better than old scoreboard, obviously. 

Offense vs. WMU.  Only 39 plays on offense, was it enough?  Brian worried about Denard accuracy, even before rain came.  Was perfect against UConn last year, big difference to performance against WMU (9/13 where he got bailed out on 3-4 throws).  About all you can take away from the offense.

Running backs.  Vince Smith first guy to take power off-tackle.  Brian likes Fitz a lot; speed where he bounced it outside on run near the end before game got called.  Maybe he can make yards that aren't there.  Shaw fast but inconsistent.  Fitz made "maybe one dodgy read" but otherwise hit the holes he should.  Will be an upgrade at RB just because top two guys are healthy, unlike last year.

Offensive line.  Lewan graded out the best; Schofield OK but allowed the most pressure.  Brian's grading system last year was very friendly to Molk due to reach blocks; wasn't asked to do that against WMU.  Most plusses will go to Lewan and Omameh on the year probably, due to power running.

Shotgun.  Being vanilla by doing the same things that ND has seen before.  Didn't show a whole lot of power plays.  Brian still skeptical of Denard under center compared to threat of running under shotgun.

Receivers.  Grade: Incomplete?  Only one guy caught two balls.  Brian pleased; only drop was the Dileo "drop" on a bad Denard throw during the downpour.  Several big grabs; Roundtree/Koger.

First email about the offense and how Borges will attack the ND defense.  Brian curious about ND QB draw defense/adjustments; Denard showing QB draw, then passing.  How will Borges adjust to their defense of that play?

Comparison of the game weather to Virginia '95, ND '98, UCLA 2001; all very hot.  Then the rain just shifted everything...biggest weather change since Purdue '95. 

Defense.  First drive defense always seems bad throughout the years.  Defense couldn't even get lined up correctly; Avery 1 vs 2.  Crazy amount of rotation in the front seven with different batch of players every couple plays.  Special circumstances due to heat?  Defense vs. no huddle offense; shouldn't be an issue because they've seen it all the time.  Fewer misalignments as game went on.  Halfway through 2nd quarter, Mattison bringing a safety down in the box and blitzing; brought the house 3 times in a row.  Carder chucking it off his back foot just so he wouldn't get hit anymore by Demens.  Blitz packages got to QB "even more than you realize."  Blitz packages vs. ND will probably be more expansive.  Michigan only rushed 3 guys once vs. WMU, compared to all the time last year.  ND will probably pick up blitzes better.

Defense UFR.  Kovacks had a great day, period; more than just the two blitz sacks, but cleaning up other people's messes as well.  Wait-and-see on Roh and Martin.  Reason blitzes got home was because Martin was getting double teamed.

Punt game passable.  Brian misses spread punt.  Reason it's swept through college football; it's more effective.

First call.  The last time the defense was in a QB's head and sped up a QB's internal clock.  Brian thinks first time since Anthony Morelli in 2006.  Blitz packages between Mattison and GERG night-and-day.  Secondary really not that different from last year, but still able to get to the QB and force turnovers.  Mental strain of being a QB and not knowing where the blitz is coming from.

Second call.  Ball control game, possession offense, and how it effects the game vs. ND.  With Denard, sometimes you just have a wide open TDs.  Brian thinks any score is good whether it takes a long time or not; just take what the defense gives you.  ND has undersized NT that's more of a quick guy; maybe power more effective than stretch running.  See how ND adjusts this year to Denard.

Second Segment: 

Craig Ross is in.

First call.  Inside College Football; ND TE guy mentioned that in the last six games the ND defense has only allowed 7 TDs.  How will new offense work against that defense?  Ira: Who are they playing?  Garbage schedule at the end of last year.  Brian doesn't think USF had a pulse once they got up 16-0; once lead got whittled down to 9, went right back and scored.  Going back to Navy game where they made no adjustments and just got destroyed.  ND defense is an open question; no consensus opinion. 3-4 base defense hard to run without space-eating NT.  Ian Williams graduated, new guy undersized as well.  Brian does like their safeties and thinks Te'o is good, but ND benched Calabrese and have new-ish OLBs.  Craig: we're a lot better offense than USF; ND defense is a question mark.

Second call.  Front four not getting penetration and requiring blitz against WMU.  Craig: we got pressure with four guys.  A lot of zone blitzing.  BWC in coverage one time even.  Pressure coming from all over.  True that depending on the blitz is not necessarily good and opens up the possibility of getting exploited, but still way better than last year's defense.  Craig concerned about run defense.  Brian says that many of the bad things that happened Saturday were result of Beyer in DE/SAM spot he's not ready for (he'll get better; only a freshman).  Fitzgerald a big downgrade from Demens.  Worried about WILL; Herron had really poor day outside of the 2 TD plays; late reacting, did not fill holes, lost leverage.  A lot of rotation at WILL likely.

Third call.  Music at the game, PopEvil song while running out to the banner.  Brian doesn't know if that was a screwup or not and if they cut it late.  Brian rage about RAWK MUSIC and the overall stadium experience/tradtition.  Don't want to be like everybody else.  Ira: Michigan football is not the NFL/NHL; doesn't need gimmicks.  Craig: Neil Diamond is wretched.  Bodies hit the floor, etc.

What will happen on the field?  Craig: a lot of questions with both defense.  Michael Floyd is scary.  Brian: Rees out there is good; sophomore and not mobile, lower ceiling than Crist.  Craig: win by FG after listening to Brian.  ND favored is good for us; favorites 3-19 against the spread.  Key matchup: Floyd vs. Woolfolk.  Floyd will get at least one deep pass, we need to break up a few.   

Fourth call.  Not worried about ND; ND needs to be worried about themselves with turnovers and penalties.