2015 Michigan Football: Getting Real Real, Real Fast
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It doesn't seem farfetched enough to be in the Onion. I also learned about Crisler's special seat because of this article, so there's that. Can't football start already, jeez.
Mgoblog got a preview of John Bacon's new book and published Bacon's top 5 revelations. MGoblog deserves your clicks, so go read over there, but here's the link and excerpt:
http://mgoblog.com/content/endzone-preview-gimmicky-top-five
http://mgoblog.com/content/endzone-preview-gimmicky-top-five
I don't read what Rev has to say 
)) but the link is to an excerpt from John Bacon's new book called "The Seduction of Harbaugh."
)) but the link is to an excerpt from John Bacon's new book called "The Seduction of Harbaugh."
sachmoney said:I don't read what Rev has to say (
Yeah, and it was a good read. I look forward to reading the entire book. Not trying to give you a hard time, but just a little blurb like that when posting a link is much appreciated.
Yeah, with the probably NSFW screencaps that someone put in this thread, I should have specified what the link was regarding.
Michigan will be the first football team to wear the Jordan brand. http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2015/08/michael_jordan_welcomes_michig.html
A couple more excerpts from Bacon's book. For God and Country, Hackett's decision to go back to Michigan. Excerpt on ESPN regarding Brandon not pursuing Harbaugh heavily in 2011.
I'm shocked this Brandon idea never got any traction.sachmoney said:
https://twitter.com/mcmurphyespn/status/636248960345182208
https://twitter.com/mcmurphyespn/status/636248960345182208
link to tweet
WARNING: Pats-Michigan football fans may experience long-lasting and ebullient priapisms from the following excerpt (I know I did):
https://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1797244
https://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1797244
Yes, it is finally time to get excited. Some fun questions for those here:
1. Utah tomorrow night - W/L?
2. Starting QB tomorrow - Morris, Rudock, other?
3. Most QB starts on the year - Morris, Rudock, other?
4. Regular season record - O/U 7.5?
5. Most RB carries - Green, Isaac, Smith, other?
6. MSU - W/L?
7. OSU - W/L?
8. Most catches - Butt, Chesson, Darboh, Harris, other? (feel free to add whether you think a different receiver will have more yards)
My guesses:
1. L
2. Rudock
3. Rudock
4. Over, 8-4
5. Isaac
6. W
7. L
8. Darboh
1. Utah tomorrow night - W/L?
2. Starting QB tomorrow - Morris, Rudock, other?
3. Most QB starts on the year - Morris, Rudock, other?
4. Regular season record - O/U 7.5?
5. Most RB carries - Green, Isaac, Smith, other?
6. MSU - W/L?
7. OSU - W/L?
8. Most catches - Butt, Chesson, Darboh, Harris, other? (feel free to add whether you think a different receiver will have more yards)
My guesses:
1. L
2. Rudock
3. Rudock
4. Over, 8-4
5. Isaac
6. W
7. L
8. Darboh
1. Utah tomorrow night - W
2. Starting QB tomorrow - Rudock
3. Most QB starts on the year - Rudock
4. Regular season record - Over 9-4 (including a bowl win I actually have them starting 5-1 and with second half losses to MSU, Minnesota and Penn State)
5. Most RB carries - Green
6. MSU - L
7. OSU - W
8. Most catches - Cole (he's gotten a some buzz from the fall practices and the rumor that he wasn't travelling seems to be false plus I don't really believe in Chesson or Darboh)
2. Starting QB tomorrow - Rudock
3. Most QB starts on the year - Rudock
4. Regular season record - Over 9-4 (including a bowl win I actually have them starting 5-1 and with second half losses to MSU, Minnesota and Penn State)
5. Most RB carries - Green
6. MSU - L
7. OSU - W
8. Most catches - Cole (he's gotten a some buzz from the fall practices and the rumor that he wasn't travelling seems to be false plus I don't really believe in Chesson or Darboh)
1. W - I don't want to lose this game
2. Rudock
3. Rudock
4. 9-3
5. Smith
6. L - I think this game is probably 45-55 right now, MSU has lost a lot
7. L - Hard to pick M to win this game without seeing them
8. Butt - If Rudock gets more starts, it will be Butt, especially from shorter routes
2. Rudock
3. Rudock
4. 9-3
5. Smith
6. L - I think this game is probably 45-55 right now, MSU has lost a lot
7. L - Hard to pick M to win this game without seeing them
8. Butt - If Rudock gets more starts, it will be Butt, especially from shorter routes
sachmoney said:
So, I think Butt will get a TON of catches this year and thought this would be a clever choice too. I looked up 08 and 09 Stanford stats (close to what I think this team will be) to see if there were any hints backing this up, and the TE those years had half as many catches as the leading receiver. So, even though I agree that Butt will get tons of catches, it's still unlikely (and would probably be bad) if he leads the team in receptions.
Interesting. My reasoning was more driven by Rudock's penchant for being a "take what the defense gives me" guy. He's not afraid to check down to pick up yardage. Obviously, I have no idea how Butt is going to be used, how vertical he is going to get. I think that another big factor is that I haven't heard of a WR really establishing himself as the go to guy. Everything has been wishy washy. Hopefully, someone steps up, but if not, we might be in trouble and staring at a 7-5/8-4 year. The usage of TE vs WR will be something to monitor through out the year.Zososoxfan said:
1. L - If not a win, we'll be pleasantly surprised to see an actual offensive gameplan. Road games, tho.
2. Rudock
3. Rudock
4. 9-3
5. Isaac
6. W - MSU's defense will be less effective than previous versions; UM's defense is a strength and should match up well with State.
7. L - Too much talent. We give them another fight, but can't compete with their offense for a full 60.
8. Butt. Hoping for Drake Harris.
2. Rudock
3. Rudock
4. 9-3
5. Isaac
6. W - MSU's defense will be less effective than previous versions; UM's defense is a strength and should match up well with State.
7. L - Too much talent. We give them another fight, but can't compete with their offense for a full 60.
8. Butt. Hoping for Drake Harris.
Ticket prices are crazy for the Utah game, going for over $400. This is pretty unheard of for Utah, but there are good reasons for it. Michigan is still a Big Time Program and folks here don't get to see Big Tim Programs very often. Second, there is quite a bit of optimism after a pretty good season in a brutal conference last year and a defense that should be top 5 or 10 in the nation. And most importantly: Harbaugh. Utah fans hate Harbaugh with a fiery, blistering passion for how he treated Alex Smith in SF. They want to be there to see him lose in our stadium so, so bad. This will be such a fun game.
For winning with him and resurrecting his career, trading him, and helping him get the "worst contract in the NFL?" Yeah, I know it's for discarding him for Kaepernick.
Any idea on how many Michigan fans will be there? I know there should be a lot of people out there to see Harbaugh's debut.
Any idea on how many Michigan fans will be there? I know there should be a lot of people out there to see Harbaugh's debut.
1. Utah tomorrow night - W
2. Starting QB tomorrow - Rudock
3. Most QB starts on the year - Rudock
4. Regular season record - Over
5. Most RB carries - Smith
6. MSU - W
7. OSU - L
8. Most catches - Darboh
2. Starting QB tomorrow - Rudock
3. Most QB starts on the year - Rudock
4. Regular season record - Over
5. Most RB carries - Smith
6. MSU - W
7. OSU - L
8. Most catches - Darboh
sachmoney said:
Haha yeah, don't expect too much logic from this group. We have a giant chip on our shoulder at all times from being a little fish in a big pond.
I saw a dude on his bike this morning all decked out in Michigan gear but I honestly don't expect too many in the stadium. I really never see much Michigan stuff around town but maybe, like you said, they'll travel well for this game. We get a ton of CA and AZ fans when their various schools show up but not too many otherwise. The visiting team usually fills one section in the SW corner of the stadium.
I'm a more casual fan than the rest of you and not a graduate. I have no connection to Michigan other than my college wasn't Division 1 and I've rooted for Michigan since the 1970's. That being said, I expect a 8-4/7-5 type season. 9-3 would be a big win and 6-6 or worse would disappoint me. What I hope for is:
1) They win the five home games that aren't OSU/MSU
2) They beat either MSU/PSU/OSU
3) They demonstrate enough offensive consistency to score 20 points in pretty much every game and not look ridiculously lost half the time
1) They win the five home games that aren't OSU/MSU
2) They beat either MSU/PSU/OSU
3) They demonstrate enough offensive consistency to score 20 points in pretty much every game and not look ridiculously lost half the time
Rudock looking shitty on throws over 10 yards in the first half. The first INT might've been the receiver's fault, but he's missed 2-3 open throws downfield, one of which was the second INT. The silver lining, which was also the expectation, is that he's very good on short throws, and UM is looking competent on screens and throws to Butt. Two big throws to AJ Williams have gone incomplete, one because Rudock and the other because it was an obvious route, run poorly, and covered well. The receivers and Butt look to my eye, pretty good. Cool to see some of the younger guys getting field time. None of the RB look good, Smith had 1-2 nice runs, but the Utah front 7 is very solid. Defense is playing very well, Morgan and Wormley looking the best early on. Special teams are a positive, which alone is a huge swing from last year. Let's go boys and get some points. Lastly, Cowherd is already calling for Morris. If Rudock keeps missing throws in the medium and long range, I think it actually might be worth going to Shane (provided I have not seen practice, but really, neither has Colin).
The running game has been noticeably less terrible in the second half. I agree with Harbaugh that he should have gone for it rather than kicking last time down the field. They aren't dead yet which is more than I would have been able to say down two scores in the third quarter in the last 5 years.
Yeah you can't throw that ball. That was a terrible pick. I also don't think you can bring Morris in with 8 minutes left in the game and say get us 2 Touchdowns in 8 minutes, hope you're warm....So here we are again. No QB unless Gentry is the man.
Aside from some brutal misses and bad decisions (he missed at least two wide open receivers for potential touchdowns in the first half), I kind of like Rudock. He's got a really, really strong arm and can make all the throws. His misses tonight have mostly been long, which is a sign of nerves and adrenaline, rather than a mechanical or ability issue. Considering he's a fifth year senior, with lots of experience, I think Michigan has to give him a couple of games to try to figure this out. It really can't be understated how good the Utah defense is, either. They are the real deal, and could very well finish in the top 10 in the country, if not even higher, this year.
For me, the running game is a bigger issue. Yes, the Utah defense is stout, but I just don't see a guy back there with the ability to make guys miss either. On the flipside, I like the receiving corps and Butt is an NFL quality tight end. Defensively, I think the Wolverines are fine, and definitely above average for the Big Ten this year.
For me, the running game is a bigger issue. Yes, the Utah defense is stout, but I just don't see a guy back there with the ability to make guys miss either. On the flipside, I like the receiving corps and Butt is an NFL quality tight end. Defensively, I think the Wolverines are fine, and definitely above average for the Big Ten this year.
I agree almost 100% with DoTB, except I think I might like Rudock even more. Really optimistic after tonight; I think we're going to see some great things at home and then on the road when he gets comfortable.
I saw great improvement everywhere except RB. really bummed with Smith tonight. He looked both slow and bad at choosing holes. Loved the pass protection. I'm still fired up.
I saw great improvement everywhere except RB. really bummed with Smith tonight. He looked both slow and bad at choosing holes. Loved the pass protection. I'm still fired up.
While I am disappointed about the game, nothing was too surprising. We knew this was likely a 7-8 win team and that it would take a year or two for Harbaugh to make them "his team."
There was a lot to like:
- headset wearing coach
- better tempo and discipline
- Butt is the real deal
- Peppers starting to show his stuff in the second half
- defense is good and will get better
- as perry improves, wr corps could be solid
I think Drake Johnson eventually takes over at RB1. The o-line wasn't good on runs (probably the area where I was most unrealistic about an immediate leap), but boy did Smith show a lack of vision. There were some key plays (including right before the pick six) in which Smith totally missed what was a decent hole. It's a different game if the running game pops a few decent runs. Rudock needs a decent running game, clearly.
There was a lot to like:
- headset wearing coach
- better tempo and discipline
- Butt is the real deal
- Peppers starting to show his stuff in the second half
- defense is good and will get better
- as perry improves, wr corps could be solid
I think Drake Johnson eventually takes over at RB1. The o-line wasn't good on runs (probably the area where I was most unrealistic about an immediate leap), but boy did Smith show a lack of vision. There were some key plays (including right before the pick six) in which Smith totally missed what was a decent hole. It's a different game if the running game pops a few decent runs. Rudock needs a decent running game, clearly.
Notes:
Rudock
-You've got to start with the QB. I thought he looked average had his ups and downs. Looking at the route that Perry ran, I think he saw the DB to the outside and sat and Rudock didn't see the DB and thought Perry was going to continue the route. Do you blame the WR for not wanting to get killed and making the right read?
-On the deep ball, you've got to give your players a chance to make the play. He was throwing darts up there and there was no way that the receivers were going to get even a 50-50 chance for the ball. You may not hit them in stride but you don't need that to get a nice chunk play.
-Final interception has been covered already. He stared down Perry. That's just not a throw you can make.
Running Backs
-Smith and Green both look slow and I think a lot of that has to do with them dancing. You can't dance as a power back. If you want to fall forward, the most important thing is having momentum. Smith seemed to have a hard time finding holes. Instead of moving to space that was available, it seemed like he was trying to keep it between the tackles. When you add in the dancing, it makes for a not very good situation. I thought Isaac looked the most fluid in limited action. I would like to see more of him, though I don't know his situation (e.g. blocking)
Receivers
-Butt was going to at the worst be Mr. Reliable. I think, after last night, he showed that he's going to be a big reason for success this year. His catch in traffic for the TD was very nice. He's definitely All-B1G caliber.
-Darboh and Chesson definitely showed more than we've seen in the past. I think that they may be should have set up more of those outside screens to stretch out the D. Darboh had some moments of struggles. He dropped that third down pass that got overturned. On one of the catches, he didn't see that the blocking receiver had inside leverage and got tackled short of a first down because he ran outside. Pretty rough.
-I did not see enough from Harris or Perry to make a judgment.
Offensive Line
-They didn't look bad, but weren't great either. It seemed like there were some slow developing blocking schemes and there were some plays where guys flowed to the second level without finishing the first level guys. These 2 yard runs need to turn into 3-4 and these 5 yard runs need to turn into 7-8. It's on both the OL and the RB.
-Pass protection looked alright
Defense
-Tackling. There was a lot of arm tackling that was run through. Utah extended a lot of plays and that led to possession, long drives, field possession changes, and points. At times, it was GERGian.
-Wormley. If there was a bright spot on the defensive line, it was Chris Wormley. He had 2-3 TFL. It was good to see.
Special Teams
-Kenny Allen was great on kick offs. I don't think he should have been on the field for that second FG attempt. I agree with many of you that they should have gone for it.
-Peppers looked good.
Overall
I don't want to point fingers because there were numerous things that Michigan could have done better that could have helped them win that game. You're tempted to point the finger at Rudock and while he certainly had a big role, I don't think you can scape goat him. You make some of those tackles in the backfield, you get a turnover, you make a catch. There were plenty of opportunities to change that game that weren't taken. The big problem for me offensively is that there aren't any guys that can make a big play on their own. The offense is going to have to grind out drives to get points on the board. May be and hopefully somebody steps up.
I know I talked a lot about the negatives here, but I will say that I am encouraged overall. The team looks a helluva lot more functional. There are some kinks that need to be ironed out and hopefully they can get back on the right track next week.
Rudock
-You've got to start with the QB. I thought he looked average had his ups and downs. Looking at the route that Perry ran, I think he saw the DB to the outside and sat and Rudock didn't see the DB and thought Perry was going to continue the route. Do you blame the WR for not wanting to get killed and making the right read?
-On the deep ball, you've got to give your players a chance to make the play. He was throwing darts up there and there was no way that the receivers were going to get even a 50-50 chance for the ball. You may not hit them in stride but you don't need that to get a nice chunk play.
-Final interception has been covered already. He stared down Perry. That's just not a throw you can make.
Running Backs
-Smith and Green both look slow and I think a lot of that has to do with them dancing. You can't dance as a power back. If you want to fall forward, the most important thing is having momentum. Smith seemed to have a hard time finding holes. Instead of moving to space that was available, it seemed like he was trying to keep it between the tackles. When you add in the dancing, it makes for a not very good situation. I thought Isaac looked the most fluid in limited action. I would like to see more of him, though I don't know his situation (e.g. blocking)
Receivers
-Butt was going to at the worst be Mr. Reliable. I think, after last night, he showed that he's going to be a big reason for success this year. His catch in traffic for the TD was very nice. He's definitely All-B1G caliber.
-Darboh and Chesson definitely showed more than we've seen in the past. I think that they may be should have set up more of those outside screens to stretch out the D. Darboh had some moments of struggles. He dropped that third down pass that got overturned. On one of the catches, he didn't see that the blocking receiver had inside leverage and got tackled short of a first down because he ran outside. Pretty rough.
-I did not see enough from Harris or Perry to make a judgment.
Offensive Line
-They didn't look bad, but weren't great either. It seemed like there were some slow developing blocking schemes and there were some plays where guys flowed to the second level without finishing the first level guys. These 2 yard runs need to turn into 3-4 and these 5 yard runs need to turn into 7-8. It's on both the OL and the RB.
-Pass protection looked alright
Defense
-Tackling. There was a lot of arm tackling that was run through. Utah extended a lot of plays and that led to possession, long drives, field possession changes, and points. At times, it was GERGian.
-Wormley. If there was a bright spot on the defensive line, it was Chris Wormley. He had 2-3 TFL. It was good to see.
Special Teams
-Kenny Allen was great on kick offs. I don't think he should have been on the field for that second FG attempt. I agree with many of you that they should have gone for it.
-Peppers looked good.
Overall
I don't want to point fingers because there were numerous things that Michigan could have done better that could have helped them win that game. You're tempted to point the finger at Rudock and while he certainly had a big role, I don't think you can scape goat him. You make some of those tackles in the backfield, you get a turnover, you make a catch. There were plenty of opportunities to change that game that weren't taken. The big problem for me offensively is that there aren't any guys that can make a big play on their own. The offense is going to have to grind out drives to get points on the board. May be and hopefully somebody steps up.
I know I talked a lot about the negatives here, but I will say that I am encouraged overall. The team looks a helluva lot more functional. There are some kinks that need to be ironed out and hopefully they can get back on the right track next week.
Watched and agree with DoTB and sach$. I think there were a lot of good things to take away from the game. I was surprised somewhat by a few of Rudock's throws, but he did not look uncomfortable or not confident. I think with a few more games, routes will be run more precisely, and Ruduck will recognize that he has/d more time to scan and throw then he thought.
Two things struck me:
Two things struck me:
- I would have thought that UM could have mustered more than 76 yards rushing. But JH brought in a whole new system and went up against an experienced, well-coached defense, so perhaps this is not a surprise this early in the year.
- To my eye there appeared to be an overall lack of speed - an historically consistent element of Michigan football. It didn't seem as if there was anyone who could be considered to have breakaway speed or ability. Of course, JH's reported approach is along the lines of Woody Hayes, relying more on a short, controlled game. And the old adage Woody used to say in fact materialized in this game for Rudock: " Three things can happen when you throw, and two of them are bad." Overall, Rudock was 27/43 for 279 yards. QBR was 32.6. That can only go up.
Tagging on to SoxJox, it's painfully clear that there isn't a ton of athleticism on the field for Michigan, on either side of the ball. I was encouraged overall with the persistence and tenacity, and it seems clear that this is a team that will get better as the season progresses, unlike Hoke's teams.
The most painful thing for me was watching the LBs "in space". The front 7 did a nice job between the tackles, but once Utah went to swing passes and bubble screens, our LBs missed tackles and generally couldn't get themselves in good tackling position. Gedeon is the most instinctive of the LBs and has some quickness, but the rest of the LBs are very, very limited. I was also not impressed at all with Peppers as a DB. Lewis is a baller, but the rest of the secondary was mediocre. Lots of opportunities for someone else to step up there. I hope Peppers gets better.
Nothing to add on the offense. I think Rudock will improve, which will make Butt and the WRs even more effective. I felt that the line didn't get much push, but wasn't getting blown off the ball nearly as much as the past few seasons, so that was encouraging. I thought the pass blocking was pretty good. Michigan has to find a productive RB... This trio doesn't inspire confidence.
The most painful thing for me was watching the LBs "in space". The front 7 did a nice job between the tackles, but once Utah went to swing passes and bubble screens, our LBs missed tackles and generally couldn't get themselves in good tackling position. Gedeon is the most instinctive of the LBs and has some quickness, but the rest of the LBs are very, very limited. I was also not impressed at all with Peppers as a DB. Lewis is a baller, but the rest of the secondary was mediocre. Lots of opportunities for someone else to step up there. I hope Peppers gets better.
Nothing to add on the offense. I think Rudock will improve, which will make Butt and the WRs even more effective. I felt that the line didn't get much push, but wasn't getting blown off the ball nearly as much as the past few seasons, so that was encouraging. I thought the pass blocking was pretty good. Michigan has to find a productive RB... This trio doesn't inspire confidence.
The only part of this game I got to watch live was the first drive (working a fair amount of Saturdays now), so may be I'm bad luck. Watched extensive highlights and it looks like the team is starting to get it together. I'm sure we'll see growing pains, but it was good to see Deveon ride would be tacklers to gain more yards. The OL looked like it performed better, but with a lot of room for improvement. I am okay with growing pains as Harbaugh and Drevno put their stamp on this offense, especially if it means that the team will peak later in the season. Defensively, to give up the 7 and then shut them out the rest of the game is quite the achievement.
RE: Peppers - Given the expectations, are we going to nitpick every play where he isn't Charles Woodson mixed with Desmond Howard and Anthony Carter? Not picking on your comment at all, WBV, more gauging the room. A couple plays that I did see that impressed me were when Jabrill caught the Oregon State running back on the first drive and that play where he separated the receiver from the ball. I guess the question is, besides playing solidly in whatever role he is in, how many impact plays are we expecting from him per game?
RE: Peppers - Given the expectations, are we going to nitpick every play where he isn't Charles Woodson mixed with Desmond Howard and Anthony Carter? Not picking on your comment at all, WBV, more gauging the room. A couple plays that I did see that impressed me were when Jabrill caught the Oregon State running back on the first drive and that play where he separated the receiver from the ball. I guess the question is, besides playing solidly in whatever role he is in, how many impact plays are we expecting from him per game?
sachmoney said:
I would say he played another B game on defense. A couple of great hits including the forced incompletion, but he looked suspect in coverage a couple of times as well. As for special teams, I'm not expecting him to be Dez, but if he doesn't have the aptitude for it, I'd rather he not be out there risking injury. I just feel like in the last two games, he's made fair catches on multiple punts where there wasn't a coverage man within five yards of him.
Yeah, probably, but he might be the second best guy in coverage behind Jourdan Lewis. Michigan hasn't found a second coverage guy (which is why Peppers might be the second best there) and coverage has been the part of the game that Peppers has struggled the most with thus far. For the most part, Peppers has been playing a a hybrid CB/NB/S/LB so far. I feel that Durkin is trying to put him in the position to make as many plays as possible. They need him to do more stuff like this:RedOctober3829 said:
sachmoney said:Yeah, probably, but he might be the second best guy in coverage behind Jourdan Lewis. Michigan hasn't found a second coverage guy (which is why Peppers might be the second best there) and coverage has been the part of the game that Peppers has struggled the most with thus far. For the most part, Peppers has been playing a a hybrid CB/NB/S/LB so far. I feel that Durkin is trying to put him in the position to make as many plays as possible. They need him to do more stuff like this:
Exactly. If you listen to the coaches, they emphasize how important defending space is and that Jabrill's role is basically to fly around and tackle/cover people wherever the space is. It's also important to remember that Jabrill was a true freshman last year and only played in a couple of games before going out for the year. He's still adjusting to the college game and it seems to me the coverage aspects would take longer to come around than the tackling or blitzing components.
D was stout again today, although UNLV is horrible. BYU should be a good test.
Thinking this team wins at least 8 games
Thinking this team wins at least 8 games
- Status