In my last post I indicated that we know very little about the Wolverines in 2012. (other than not being in the same class as Alabama) This week provides a great chance to find out a lot more about where Michigan is at right now and where they are likely to finish at the end of this season.
A nice big disclaimer here that I do not believe in the transitive property of sports. If Michigan goes out and beats the Irish that doesn't mean anything definitive about the outcome in their showdown with the Spartans. This is especially true in college sports where emotion and match ups greatly affect the outcome of games. Still, a win in South Bend would have Michigan fans believing a Big Ten championship is once again the expectation. A lopsided loss and the Wolverines may be staring down a mediocre season in 2012.
Here's some questions that may be answered Saturday night...
1. Can Michigan's defensive line hold up?
They could not against Alabama, got cut against Air Force (but did OK) and then played UMass lol. This week is a true barometer for the D-line, get blown off the ball by the Irish and it's going to be a long season. Hold down the Irish rushing attack and things will be looking good for the Wolverines.
2. Can anyone other than Denard run the football?
This is mostly an offensive line issue, but Michigan needs to establish a rushing attack outside of Denard's legs. Toussaint had a decent game against UMass, but that was UMass lol. Michigan's offensive line has provided Denard with solid pass protection this season but needs to do better in run blocking and this game will tell us a lot about where our expectations should be in that area going forward this season.
3. Will a linebacker please step up?
Jake Ryan has been Michigan's best defensive player but the other starting linebackers (Kenny Demens and Desmond Morgan) have seen their playing time usurped by true freshman James Ross and Joe Boldon. Morgan has been dinged up and sat out the UMass lol game but is expected back this week. It will be interesting to see if Michigan goes with their veterans in this game or if a switch to the freshman is in the cards for now and throughout the season. These two positions (MLB and WLB) are open and waiting for someone to sieze the spot, let's see if anyone can do that this week.
Heisman Thoughts
This is also a key game for Denard Robinson as I believe he still has a chance to win the Heisman trophy. The Alabama loss certainly stung his candidacy, but the season is long and other frontrunners have also had setbacks. Another huge performance in South Bend will see him shoot back up into the conversation here. A poor performance and a loss will see Denard out of the discussion for good.
Another interesting little thought about the Heisman is the hype that Braxton Miller is building and how it affects Denard's candidacy. If OSU enters the Michigan game with 9 or 10 wins and Miller is consistently in the Heisman discussion throughout the season it will provide a huge opportunity for the winner of The Game in Columbus. Say Denard is in the top five at that point and goes on the road and outplays Miller to clinch a berth in the B1G championship game, that would have a massive impact on Heisman voters. Still a long ways to go, but a scenario I could see potentially playing out.
FEI and other Metrics
We are only three games into the season so all statistical metrics have less validity but are interesting nonetheless. Here's a link if you need a quick brush-up on FEI.
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/fei
Michigan is #49 in FEI
MSU is #21
(ND is #6, yikes)
Michigan is 42nd in Total Offense and 33rd in Scoring O
MSU is 60th in Total offense and 103rd in Scoring O
Michigan is 59th in Total D and 77th in Scoring D
MSU is 13th in Total D and 16th in Scoring D
Showing posts with label This is Michigan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label This is Michigan. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Monday, August 27, 2012
Offensive Line
UM Offensive Line
(The Michigan portion is written by Pat and posted by tbone)
All-American or panic. It may sound like hyperbole but this description is perfect for Michigan's offensive line in 2012. Michigan's pair of starting tackles is likely to be the best in the conference. Taylor Lewan looks more and more like an All-American in what is now his third season starting at left tackle, one of the most important positions on the football field. Michael Schofield has received praise as the better of the two in run blocking. Schofield is big and cameo'd at both guard and tackle last season due to injury. He did quite well as a too-tall guard and is better suited for tackle. These two studs literally have no viable backups. (No offense meant to former walk-on Eric Gunderson or true freshman Kyle Kalis, Erik Magnuson and Ben Braden)
On the inside Michigan will turn to senior Ricky Barnum to take over for David Molk at center. Barnum was a starting guard last season but battle injury issues throughout the year. When he did play he was effective and is a very big body. He has received high praise throughout the spring and fall. His backup is Jack Miller, a young player who came in needing to put on weight. He would be more in the Molk mold of a mobile center but would be a big dropoff from Barnum.
Right guard is firm with Patrick Omameh. Patrick is one of those players who has seemed to have been around forever. He was great in the zone schemes diagrammed by Rodriguez in 2010 as a sophomore and suffered through some transition issues last season while starting every game. I expect his second season under Hoke and Borges, with some added weight, will see Omameh reach a high level of production.
Left guard is the only position on the offensive line that still has an ongoing battle. Senior Elliot Mealer, former walk-on Joey Burzinski, redshirt freshman Christian Bryant and true freshman uber recruit Kyle Kalis are doing battle there. Playing a true freshman is always scary but I expect Kalis to be the starter by the time B1G play rolls around and I am actually excited about that possibility as he's not your typical freshman OL recruit.
Mealer, Burzinski, Chris Bryant and Jack Miller will provide depth along the interior of the line (unless one of them earns the starting OG spot over Kalis, maybe Mealer or Burzinski).
So this unit is easy to forecast. They are elite and have terrible depth. If Michigan can make it through the season without an injury to an OT I think they will be in line for some serious postseason awards on the Oline and likely have the best offensive line in the B1G. If one of their tackles goes down...players will be shifted all over the place and things could end up in disaster
-----
MSU
If the UM offensive line is All-American or bust, than the MSU line is All B1G or bust. I am not sure what I am getting there other than this line should be good. As good as UM's. ESPN B1G blog has the MSU offensive line as the third ranked OL unit (UM was second), saying "this could be the best offensive line Mark Dantonio has had in East Lansing." and "Chris McDonald is one of the league's top guards."
McDonald is the most experienced returner as a 5th year senior and three year starter. He is on Outland Trophy watch list and ranked as both a preseaon all B1G team member but also one of the best guards in the country. ESPN has also ranked him as the fourth best overall lineman in the B1G. There are not a lot of juicy stats for offensive lineman, but McDonald did lead the team in knockdowns and in snaps played. That might be the most telling stat. Chris is good and is durable.
At the other guard spot, left guard, is named starter Blake Treadwell. Currently Blake has a stress fracture in his tibia. Unfortunetly the tibia is a weight bearing. I hope this is not something that lingers all season. I imagine when you weigh 300 pounds, that hurts. Last year, Blake started three games at center, before receiving a medical redshirt for a knee injury. The left guard position was going to be an on going position battle between Blake and Jack Allen. Though Blake should return within 2 months. Jack Allen is a name that almost always pops up evertime you read a Spring report on MSU football. Jack was a redshirt last year and this spring has been receivng reps at both left guard and center. Now is the time for Jack to show what he can do. Offensive Coordinator Dan Roushar believes that MSU has "something special" in Jack. Allen was ranked the 7th best center in the country out of high school. Along with that he was a successful high school wrestler, winning hte class 3a state championshio in his weight class and racking up over 140 career wins. Jack has the athleticism, we are all ready to see it. Between our guards is the steay hand of Travis Jackson. As a redshirt freshman last year, Travis started 10 games for the Spartans. Yahoo, ESPN and BTN all named Travis to their B1G all freshman team and some sources had him on their freshman All-American team. Jackson should fine himself on some first team All-B1G lists after this year, anything less than that would be a disappointment for him. Backing up our guards and centers are Ethan Ruhland at left guard. Ethan is a fifth year senior who started in the win over Minnesota last year but received action in 12 games. Ethan is more than a serviceable backup and is a great guy to have should anyone get injured. With Allen sliding over he should be hacking up Jackson at center. Backing up McDonald is John Deyo another 5th year senior with loads of game experience. Deyo saw action in all the games last year. This kind of experience is what you need in an offensive line. Especially a grind it out team like the Spartans claim to be.
On the outside the Spartans have Dan France at left tackle who will be entering his second year as a starter. Last year France started 13 games at left tackle and recorded 29 knock downs. With a right handed quarterback having a player who is receiving All-B1G team praise is what you need to protect your quarterback. Dan is listed at 6-6 and creates headaches for opposing ends with his size. At the other tackle spot is Fou Fonoti. Last year Fou seemed to get better as the year went on. He really had great games against Wisconsin and the offense seems to like to run behind him. This will be Fou's second season as a starter and has received pre-season All-B1G accolades. Fou finished last year starting 11 games and playing 659 snaps. What is more impressive about that is that he did not allow a sack. Fou is exceptionally athletic for a guy his size and has no problem getting to the next level to help stretch run plays. Fou should be on a few All-B1G lists as the season ends. No sacks allowed? Come on. Backing these guys up are Skyler Burkland at left tackle. Skyler was a starter last year before an ankle injury sindlined him for the rest of the season. Skyler should push for a starting spot or at least a lot of playing time. He is a talented kid with massive frame at 6-7 317 pounds. I would have full faith is Skyler were starting right now, even with his limited playing time. Henry Conway is the backup at right tackle. Conway is least experienced of the entire offensive line having appeared in only three games last year, Conway red shirted his freshman year and missed the next season due to an injury.
Other players worth mentioning would be Nate Klatt who plays both center and right right guard. He will be backing up both positions and could be the #2 guard behind McDonald. There is also Donavan Clark who is a true freshman and a big recruit out of high school. There is also Connor Kruse who has been limited so far with a knee injury.
Overall this is a deep unit, about as deep as an offensive line can be. There are four starters returning and six players that have started at some point in their career. That is solid. It may be a cliche but is is true, football is won in the trenches and this is as talented and game tested of a unit as Mark Dantonio has ever had.
EDGE: Interesting one here. While UM might have the best single overall player, I think MSU has the better overall unit. These are two talented offensive lines. I will add that I would not want the UM line for the MSU offense and I do not think Pat would want the MSU line for the UM offense. Along with that, the MSU line is intact from last year while UM will have a new face up front. Based on that, I will say PUSH.
(The Michigan portion is written by Pat and posted by tbone)
All-American or panic. It may sound like hyperbole but this description is perfect for Michigan's offensive line in 2012. Michigan's pair of starting tackles is likely to be the best in the conference. Taylor Lewan looks more and more like an All-American in what is now his third season starting at left tackle, one of the most important positions on the football field. Michael Schofield has received praise as the better of the two in run blocking. Schofield is big and cameo'd at both guard and tackle last season due to injury. He did quite well as a too-tall guard and is better suited for tackle. These two studs literally have no viable backups. (No offense meant to former walk-on Eric Gunderson or true freshman Kyle Kalis, Erik Magnuson and Ben Braden)
On the inside Michigan will turn to senior Ricky Barnum to take over for David Molk at center. Barnum was a starting guard last season but battle injury issues throughout the year. When he did play he was effective and is a very big body. He has received high praise throughout the spring and fall. His backup is Jack Miller, a young player who came in needing to put on weight. He would be more in the Molk mold of a mobile center but would be a big dropoff from Barnum.
Right guard is firm with Patrick Omameh. Patrick is one of those players who has seemed to have been around forever. He was great in the zone schemes diagrammed by Rodriguez in 2010 as a sophomore and suffered through some transition issues last season while starting every game. I expect his second season under Hoke and Borges, with some added weight, will see Omameh reach a high level of production.
Left guard is the only position on the offensive line that still has an ongoing battle. Senior Elliot Mealer, former walk-on Joey Burzinski, redshirt freshman Christian Bryant and true freshman uber recruit Kyle Kalis are doing battle there. Playing a true freshman is always scary but I expect Kalis to be the starter by the time B1G play rolls around and I am actually excited about that possibility as he's not your typical freshman OL recruit.
Mealer, Burzinski, Chris Bryant and Jack Miller will provide depth along the interior of the line (unless one of them earns the starting OG spot over Kalis, maybe Mealer or Burzinski).
So this unit is easy to forecast. They are elite and have terrible depth. If Michigan can make it through the season without an injury to an OT I think they will be in line for some serious postseason awards on the Oline and likely have the best offensive line in the B1G. If one of their tackles goes down...players will be shifted all over the place and things could end up in disaster
-----
MSU
If the UM offensive line is All-American or bust, than the MSU line is All B1G or bust. I am not sure what I am getting there other than this line should be good. As good as UM's. ESPN B1G blog has the MSU offensive line as the third ranked OL unit (UM was second), saying "this could be the best offensive line Mark Dantonio has had in East Lansing." and "Chris McDonald is one of the league's top guards."
McDonald is the most experienced returner as a 5th year senior and three year starter. He is on Outland Trophy watch list and ranked as both a preseaon all B1G team member but also one of the best guards in the country. ESPN has also ranked him as the fourth best overall lineman in the B1G. There are not a lot of juicy stats for offensive lineman, but McDonald did lead the team in knockdowns and in snaps played. That might be the most telling stat. Chris is good and is durable.
At the other guard spot, left guard, is named starter Blake Treadwell. Currently Blake has a stress fracture in his tibia. Unfortunetly the tibia is a weight bearing. I hope this is not something that lingers all season. I imagine when you weigh 300 pounds, that hurts. Last year, Blake started three games at center, before receiving a medical redshirt for a knee injury. The left guard position was going to be an on going position battle between Blake and Jack Allen. Though Blake should return within 2 months. Jack Allen is a name that almost always pops up evertime you read a Spring report on MSU football. Jack was a redshirt last year and this spring has been receivng reps at both left guard and center. Now is the time for Jack to show what he can do. Offensive Coordinator Dan Roushar believes that MSU has "something special" in Jack. Allen was ranked the 7th best center in the country out of high school. Along with that he was a successful high school wrestler, winning hte class 3a state championshio in his weight class and racking up over 140 career wins. Jack has the athleticism, we are all ready to see it. Between our guards is the steay hand of Travis Jackson. As a redshirt freshman last year, Travis started 10 games for the Spartans. Yahoo, ESPN and BTN all named Travis to their B1G all freshman team and some sources had him on their freshman All-American team. Jackson should fine himself on some first team All-B1G lists after this year, anything less than that would be a disappointment for him. Backing up our guards and centers are Ethan Ruhland at left guard. Ethan is a fifth year senior who started in the win over Minnesota last year but received action in 12 games. Ethan is more than a serviceable backup and is a great guy to have should anyone get injured. With Allen sliding over he should be hacking up Jackson at center. Backing up McDonald is John Deyo another 5th year senior with loads of game experience. Deyo saw action in all the games last year. This kind of experience is what you need in an offensive line. Especially a grind it out team like the Spartans claim to be.
On the outside the Spartans have Dan France at left tackle who will be entering his second year as a starter. Last year France started 13 games at left tackle and recorded 29 knock downs. With a right handed quarterback having a player who is receiving All-B1G team praise is what you need to protect your quarterback. Dan is listed at 6-6 and creates headaches for opposing ends with his size. At the other tackle spot is Fou Fonoti. Last year Fou seemed to get better as the year went on. He really had great games against Wisconsin and the offense seems to like to run behind him. This will be Fou's second season as a starter and has received pre-season All-B1G accolades. Fou finished last year starting 11 games and playing 659 snaps. What is more impressive about that is that he did not allow a sack. Fou is exceptionally athletic for a guy his size and has no problem getting to the next level to help stretch run plays. Fou should be on a few All-B1G lists as the season ends. No sacks allowed? Come on. Backing these guys up are Skyler Burkland at left tackle. Skyler was a starter last year before an ankle injury sindlined him for the rest of the season. Skyler should push for a starting spot or at least a lot of playing time. He is a talented kid with massive frame at 6-7 317 pounds. I would have full faith is Skyler were starting right now, even with his limited playing time. Henry Conway is the backup at right tackle. Conway is least experienced of the entire offensive line having appeared in only three games last year, Conway red shirted his freshman year and missed the next season due to an injury.
Other players worth mentioning would be Nate Klatt who plays both center and right right guard. He will be backing up both positions and could be the #2 guard behind McDonald. There is also Donavan Clark who is a true freshman and a big recruit out of high school. There is also Connor Kruse who has been limited so far with a knee injury.
Overall this is a deep unit, about as deep as an offensive line can be. There are four starters returning and six players that have started at some point in their career. That is solid. It may be a cliche but is is true, football is won in the trenches and this is as talented and game tested of a unit as Mark Dantonio has ever had.
EDGE: Interesting one here. While UM might have the best single overall player, I think MSU has the better overall unit. These are two talented offensive lines. I will add that I would not want the UM line for the MSU offense and I do not think Pat would want the MSU line for the UM offense. Along with that, the MSU line is intact from last year while UM will have a new face up front. Based on that, I will say PUSH.
(AMAZING SHOTS)
Thursday, July 26, 2012
B1G Media Days
Is there anything more boring? This isn't that kind of blog.
Chad Henne rhymes with douchebag.
and SHARK FARTS!!
Isn't that more fun than media days?
Chad Henne rhymes with douchebag.
and SHARK FARTS!!
Isn't that more fun than media days?
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
Up From the Comments
Pat posts this zinger on my joke post:
"Doesn't work that way...Penn State's wins are vacated but MSU doesn't get a win. Ohio State still had a a better record than MSU in 2008 as well. Good try Sparty. You're still at 7 Big Ten championships in your illustrios history. Though it is frustrating that Michigan has been stuck on 42 Big Ten Championships for awhile now..."
First off, I am aware that we dont get any extra wins. Meant to be a joke guys.
The bigger thing here is the arrogance factor of that comment, someone mad that his players are getting arrested left and right? Seems like a loss of institutional control to me.
Someone get this guy a drink!
And this guy some keys.
Fitzgerald Toussaint and Frank Clark, they should be back by what, the second quarter against Alabama?
"Doesn't work that way...Penn State's wins are vacated but MSU doesn't get a win. Ohio State still had a a better record than MSU in 2008 as well. Good try Sparty. You're still at 7 Big Ten championships in your illustrios history. Though it is frustrating that Michigan has been stuck on 42 Big Ten Championships for awhile now..."
First off, I am aware that we dont get any extra wins. Meant to be a joke guys.
The bigger thing here is the arrogance factor of that comment, someone mad that his players are getting arrested left and right? Seems like a loss of institutional control to me.
Someone get this guy a drink!
And this guy some keys.
Fitzgerald Toussaint and Frank Clark, they should be back by what, the second quarter against Alabama?
Sunday, July 22, 2012
A Rivals Perspective
Here I will outline the case for why MSU fans should temper expectations for 2012. I'll admit before I start that I'm taking a very pessimistic stance, (or is that optimistic as a Michigan fan?)
Below are 3 reasons MSU fans should be leery of 2012.
#1: Luck Always Runs Out
The Spartans have enjoyed tremendous success under Mark Dantonio the past two seasons. After a losing record in 2009, MSU won a share of the B1G title while winning 11 games in 2010.
The magical 2010 season included the "Little Giants" victory over Notre Dame, a miraculous (2 TD's in the final 2 minutes) victory over Northwestern and another amazing comeback (aided by a blocked punt) to beat a bad Purdue team after trailing by 11 in the 4th quarter. Momentum came to a screeching halt when the Spartans got their teeth knocked in by Alabama in the bowl game. Still, 2010 was a banner year with a share of the Big Ten title and an 11-2 record but the Spartans won every close game in which they competed while being blown off the field in both losses.
Along came 2011 and the MSU good fortune continued. Right up until the B1G championship game, MSU once again never fell in a close game. They were beaten soundly by Notre Dame and smothered by Nebraska while winning on Hail Mary against Wisconsin and beating Ohio State 10-7 in what was the most abysmal display of offense ever seen. MSU built on their great season with an overtime victory over Georgia, this time getting revenge on the SEC.
It's easy to look at all this and realize MSU has maximized their win totals the previous two seasons. They have played good football, but 11-2, 11-3? Those records were only possible with very good fortune. And the thing about luck...it always runs out.
#2: Paper Tiger Defense
Michigan State finished the season as the 5th ranked defense in the country (yards per game) and the 9th ranked defense (points per game). These gaudy statistics, combined with returning talent (which we have been outlining for you in our defensive position group previews) has Spartans believing their defense is going to shut down errbody. But not so fast my friend, before crowing MSU's D as one of the best in the country, let's take a look at that 2011 schedule more closely.
Below is the Spartans schedule followed by their opponents offensive rank (ypg) for 2011.
Youngstown State - Mediocre 6-5 FCS team. Stats unavailable for FCS.
Florida Atlantic - 120th
Notre Dame - 35th
Central Michigan - 57th
Ohio State - 107th
Michigan - 42nd
Wisconsin - 14th
Nebraska - 66th
Minnesota - 110th
Iowa - 76th
Indiana - 83rd
Northwestern - 34th
Wisconsin - 14th
Georgia - 39th
MSU faced a top 25 offense (Wisconsin) only twice all season. They faced a top 50 offense in only 6 out of 14 contests on the season. On the other side of the coin, they played against 3 teams that finished in the bottom 20 for offense including the worst offensive team in the entire country, along with an FCS foe that isn't listed but certainly had a listless offense.
This isn't to mention the tornado like winds during games with Ohio State, Michigan and Nebraska diminishing each teams offense in those games, or the fact that when MSU played Ohio State they were still starting and playing Joe Bauserman at quarterback.
The case above is pretty clear: MSU's defensive statistics and the so-called dominance of their defense were both greatly exaggerated by playing extremely poor offensive teams.
#3: Kirk Cousins
What do the 2009 and 2012 Spartan teams have in common?
A first year starting QB.
MSU entered 2009 with Keith Nichol and Kirk Cousins battling for the starting position. That season ended with a 6-7 record. This season things are more clear as Andrew Maxwell is the clear cut leader of the Spartans offense. Still, Cousins leadership, dependability, play making and starting experience all have contributed mightily to MSU's success the last two seasons. He's gone. It will be a new guy leading that offense in the huddle, changing plays at the line of scrimmage and facing Big Ten road crowds. Would MSU have won with a first year starting QB at Ohio State last year? Would they have won on Hail Mary against Wisconsin? Could they have defeated Georgia? The loss of Cousins is going to diminish the effectiveness of the offenses and make things as simple as play calling more difficult. Maxwell has talent but he's barely seen the field. Expect his inexperience to cost MSU in at least a game or two this season. Maxwell may someday be a star, but it will be difficult for him to keep quarterback play on the same level it has been the last two seasons in East Lansing and college football, after all, is all about the QB.
Do the Math
(I probably just lost any Spartans readers at that header...)
A team with an overrated defense and an inexperienced quarterback which has been pumped up by luck in numerous close games sees it all come crashing back to earth this season.
Below are 3 reasons MSU fans should be leery of 2012.
#1: Luck Always Runs Out
The Spartans have enjoyed tremendous success under Mark Dantonio the past two seasons. After a losing record in 2009, MSU won a share of the B1G title while winning 11 games in 2010.
The magical 2010 season included the "Little Giants" victory over Notre Dame, a miraculous (2 TD's in the final 2 minutes) victory over Northwestern and another amazing comeback (aided by a blocked punt) to beat a bad Purdue team after trailing by 11 in the 4th quarter. Momentum came to a screeching halt when the Spartans got their teeth knocked in by Alabama in the bowl game. Still, 2010 was a banner year with a share of the Big Ten title and an 11-2 record but the Spartans won every close game in which they competed while being blown off the field in both losses.
Along came 2011 and the MSU good fortune continued. Right up until the B1G championship game, MSU once again never fell in a close game. They were beaten soundly by Notre Dame and smothered by Nebraska while winning on Hail Mary against Wisconsin and beating Ohio State 10-7 in what was the most abysmal display of offense ever seen. MSU built on their great season with an overtime victory over Georgia, this time getting revenge on the SEC.
It's easy to look at all this and realize MSU has maximized their win totals the previous two seasons. They have played good football, but 11-2, 11-3? Those records were only possible with very good fortune. And the thing about luck...it always runs out.
#2: Paper Tiger Defense
Michigan State finished the season as the 5th ranked defense in the country (yards per game) and the 9th ranked defense (points per game). These gaudy statistics, combined with returning talent (which we have been outlining for you in our defensive position group previews) has Spartans believing their defense is going to shut down errbody. But not so fast my friend, before crowing MSU's D as one of the best in the country, let's take a look at that 2011 schedule more closely.
Below is the Spartans schedule followed by their opponents offensive rank (ypg) for 2011.
Youngstown State - Mediocre 6-5 FCS team. Stats unavailable for FCS.
Florida Atlantic - 120th
Notre Dame - 35th
Central Michigan - 57th
Ohio State - 107th
Michigan - 42nd
Wisconsin - 14th
Nebraska - 66th
Minnesota - 110th
Iowa - 76th
Indiana - 83rd
Northwestern - 34th
Wisconsin - 14th
Georgia - 39th
MSU faced a top 25 offense (Wisconsin) only twice all season. They faced a top 50 offense in only 6 out of 14 contests on the season. On the other side of the coin, they played against 3 teams that finished in the bottom 20 for offense including the worst offensive team in the entire country, along with an FCS foe that isn't listed but certainly had a listless offense.
This isn't to mention the tornado like winds during games with Ohio State, Michigan and Nebraska diminishing each teams offense in those games, or the fact that when MSU played Ohio State they were still starting and playing Joe Bauserman at quarterback.
The case above is pretty clear: MSU's defensive statistics and the so-called dominance of their defense were both greatly exaggerated by playing extremely poor offensive teams.
#3: Kirk Cousins
What do the 2009 and 2012 Spartan teams have in common?
A first year starting QB.
MSU entered 2009 with Keith Nichol and Kirk Cousins battling for the starting position. That season ended with a 6-7 record. This season things are more clear as Andrew Maxwell is the clear cut leader of the Spartans offense. Still, Cousins leadership, dependability, play making and starting experience all have contributed mightily to MSU's success the last two seasons. He's gone. It will be a new guy leading that offense in the huddle, changing plays at the line of scrimmage and facing Big Ten road crowds. Would MSU have won with a first year starting QB at Ohio State last year? Would they have won on Hail Mary against Wisconsin? Could they have defeated Georgia? The loss of Cousins is going to diminish the effectiveness of the offenses and make things as simple as play calling more difficult. Maxwell has talent but he's barely seen the field. Expect his inexperience to cost MSU in at least a game or two this season. Maxwell may someday be a star, but it will be difficult for him to keep quarterback play on the same level it has been the last two seasons in East Lansing and college football, after all, is all about the QB.
Do the Math
(I probably just lost any Spartans readers at that header...)
A team with an overrated defense and an inexperienced quarterback which has been pumped up by luck in numerous close games sees it all come crashing back to earth this season.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
In the Interest of Rooting
(This was written in full by pat. and posted by tbone)
Michigan and Michigan State begin the 2012 football season with two of the highest profile games in the country as Michigan squares off with Alabama in Dallas and the Spartans take on Boise State in a Friday night affair. Tbone and I will be certainly be rooting for our respective Alma Maters, but what about rooting for our rival? Blasphemy to some fans, but I think the discussion here is an interesting one.
When conference season rolls around, because they are in the same division, MSU and UofM benefit when their in-state rivals suffers a loss. Rooting against MSU simply makes sense for the Michigan fan in this scenario. The season opener, however, is a non-conference game which changes the dynamic. Michigan does not directly benefit from an MSU loss to Boise State. The only benefit I can see is the ability to take a little joy in a loss by a rival. Is that sufficient reason to actively root against a fellow conference team? I will admit that rooting for MSU to win has gotten more difficult the past 4 years. When Michigan was routinely winning against their in-state rival it didn't matter much what MSU did outside of the Michigan game and it also helped this feeling that they were never really in contention competing against Michigan for a spot in a bowl game or for a Big Ten championship.
With MSU's improvement, that has all changed and it is certainly more difficult to pull for them. I think I actively rooted for Michigan State in only one contest last season, the bowl game against Georgia. I am on board with the consensus that the SEC is the best conference in college football (they have proven it on the field) but I believe the gap is much smaller than most make it seem. I will root for 11 of the 12 Big Ten schools in any matchup with the SEC and almost all Big Ten schools during the non-conference season. I like seeing the profile of the conference go up and I would love for the Big Ten to make a return to being the best conference in the country.
As it concerns the opener, I don't have a whole lot against Boise St other than believing they are regularly overrated because they don't play a tough schedule week in and week out. I probably won't care much either way to what happens in MSU's opener but I would rather see them win to elevate the perception of the Big Ten.
How about you, MSU fans, will you root for Michigan against the SEC evil that is Alabama?
My one caveat about all this...I do find it hard to root for OSU in almost any situation. I just dislike them so much I want to see nothing but sadness and despair for their fans. I may root for them in some specific case against an SEC school but it's not guaranteed.
Is that the way Michigan State fans view Michigan?
Michigan and Michigan State begin the 2012 football season with two of the highest profile games in the country as Michigan squares off with Alabama in Dallas and the Spartans take on Boise State in a Friday night affair. Tbone and I will be certainly be rooting for our respective Alma Maters, but what about rooting for our rival? Blasphemy to some fans, but I think the discussion here is an interesting one.
When conference season rolls around, because they are in the same division, MSU and UofM benefit when their in-state rivals suffers a loss. Rooting against MSU simply makes sense for the Michigan fan in this scenario. The season opener, however, is a non-conference game which changes the dynamic. Michigan does not directly benefit from an MSU loss to Boise State. The only benefit I can see is the ability to take a little joy in a loss by a rival. Is that sufficient reason to actively root against a fellow conference team? I will admit that rooting for MSU to win has gotten more difficult the past 4 years. When Michigan was routinely winning against their in-state rival it didn't matter much what MSU did outside of the Michigan game and it also helped this feeling that they were never really in contention competing against Michigan for a spot in a bowl game or for a Big Ten championship.
With MSU's improvement, that has all changed and it is certainly more difficult to pull for them. I think I actively rooted for Michigan State in only one contest last season, the bowl game against Georgia. I am on board with the consensus that the SEC is the best conference in college football (they have proven it on the field) but I believe the gap is much smaller than most make it seem. I will root for 11 of the 12 Big Ten schools in any matchup with the SEC and almost all Big Ten schools during the non-conference season. I like seeing the profile of the conference go up and I would love for the Big Ten to make a return to being the best conference in the country.
As it concerns the opener, I don't have a whole lot against Boise St other than believing they are regularly overrated because they don't play a tough schedule week in and week out. I probably won't care much either way to what happens in MSU's opener but I would rather see them win to elevate the perception of the Big Ten.
How about you, MSU fans, will you root for Michigan against the SEC evil that is Alabama?
My one caveat about all this...I do find it hard to root for OSU in almost any situation. I just dislike them so much I want to see nothing but sadness and despair for their fans. I may root for them in some specific case against an SEC school but it's not guaranteed.
Is that the way Michigan State fans view Michigan?
Monday, May 14, 2012
The Defensive Ends
Defensive Ends
First up, Michigan:
Story of 2011: Starters:Craig Roh (weakside) and Ryan VanBergen Backups: Frank Clark and Brennan Beyer both saw significant playing time as RVB slid inside to play DT often. Michigan returns much of the unit that played well (if unspectacular) last season.
Who's Gone: The Wolverines lose Senior Ryan Van Bergen to graduation, a guy who should not be overlooked as a significant loss because of his consistency, durability and production.
Personnel in 2012: Senior (and 4 year starter) Craig Roh gets moved from the weak-side to the SDE position this season. He'll be asked to add weight in the off-season to be able to hold down the strong side in the run game. Craig has had an up and down career after coming in with significant hype out of high school. If he puts things together he's a potential NFL player. Michigan will look to Roh to be play maker this season.
On the other side, it's likely to be a 2 man rotation with Frank Clark (RS So) and Brennan Beyer (True Soph). Clark was a less heralded recruit out of OSU pipeline Cleveland Glenville who has elite athleticism. He has shown spurts of play making ability (you may remember his interception in Michigan's Sugar Bowl victory this past season). Beyer was a true freshman last season who got playing time. He came in as Michigan's top rated defensive player and his career is on the right trajectory. He needs to continue to add weight to hold up as an every down DE. At this weak side DE position Michigan will look to these underclassmen to produce big plays.
Depth will be provided by a number of young players. Michigan has bodies but no one that will likely push for immediate playing. Watch out for the incoming freshman DE's to see if any make their way into the 2-deep as Craig Roh's backup at SDE.
2012 Outlook: The DE unit should be a strength for Michigan's defense in 2012.
ED NOTE: Now to talk about real talent
The MSU DEs.
Story of 2011: MSU had a young group of defensive ends in 2011. While young, they were also productive.
Who's Gone: MSU returns the bulk of its DEs from last year. In fact, I don't think any DE from last years team graduated. This is a huge plus and a major theme for the entire defense - the total depth.
Personnel in 2012: First and foremost is William Gholston, a true junior. I won't get into what UM fans think about him but will mention this from the previous post:
"I'm skeptical about most of these guys other than Gholston as I think NFL teams will love his freak athleticism." - Pat.
That might be the best way to sum Gholston up. This dude is an athlete. His biggest knock I would say is that he could get off the ball a little better (this was Worthy's best aspect). 70 tackles 16 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. If Gholston improves he should be an All American. If he stays the same, he will be first team all B1G. I will take that all day. Currently he is nursing an injury suffered in the spring game which is said to not be serious.
On the other side is Marcus Rush (amazing DE name). Marcus has a ton of potential and is a true sophomore. Last year he had 58 tackles 4 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The 4 sacks led all B1G freshman. Along with that, Marcus was named to the freshman All-American team. Marcus excels at getting off the ball which has obviously helped with his tackle totals (having Worthy and Gholston on your line isn't bad either). This year, it will be necessary for Rush to have taken a step forward. Without Worthy on the line to eat up offensive lineman, Rush will need to get used to having more hands in his face. With Rush we have a guy that should be second team all B1G and cause headaches for teams all year round. I am very excited to see his game play this year, see if he took that "leap"
A third guy worth mentioning is Shilique Calhoun. He is listed on the depth chart as the back up to Rush. He is a RS freshman which coaches have been raving about since his first practice. It will be nice to finally see him in action. The MSU staff has compared Shilique to Gholston based on his athletic ability. Numerous bloggers have noted that he has a college ready body since he first walked into practice. This is a phrase that often over used and is perfect coach speak but Shilique Calhoun is ready to push the starters. With no game time action, Shilique was named as the scout team defensive player of the week three times. That is more than any other player (one of those games weeks was Michigan week). It will be interesting to see when Calhoun comes in for spells, how he makes the most of his time.
From there MSU has Jeremy Gainer, Joel Heath, Corey Freeman and Taylor Calero. Corey is a senior and has seen action in numerous games, though it has been limited. Heath is a redshirt freshman that the MSU staff has had praise for. Gainer is a junior that appeared in every game last year - his forced fumble against ND was the highlight last year. He is currently listed behind Rush and Calhoun but having that experience certainly means he will see time this year. Rounding out the group is Taylor Calero.
2012 Outlook: This is a position that on the top end is very high and overall has great depth.
UM vs MSU: The edge here goes to MSU.
First up, Michigan:
Story of 2011: Starters:Craig Roh (weakside) and Ryan VanBergen Backups: Frank Clark and Brennan Beyer both saw significant playing time as RVB slid inside to play DT often. Michigan returns much of the unit that played well (if unspectacular) last season.
Who's Gone: The Wolverines lose Senior Ryan Van Bergen to graduation, a guy who should not be overlooked as a significant loss because of his consistency, durability and production.
Personnel in 2012: Senior (and 4 year starter) Craig Roh gets moved from the weak-side to the SDE position this season. He'll be asked to add weight in the off-season to be able to hold down the strong side in the run game. Craig has had an up and down career after coming in with significant hype out of high school. If he puts things together he's a potential NFL player. Michigan will look to Roh to be play maker this season.
On the other side, it's likely to be a 2 man rotation with Frank Clark (RS So) and Brennan Beyer (True Soph). Clark was a less heralded recruit out of OSU pipeline Cleveland Glenville who has elite athleticism. He has shown spurts of play making ability (you may remember his interception in Michigan's Sugar Bowl victory this past season). Beyer was a true freshman last season who got playing time. He came in as Michigan's top rated defensive player and his career is on the right trajectory. He needs to continue to add weight to hold up as an every down DE. At this weak side DE position Michigan will look to these underclassmen to produce big plays.
Depth will be provided by a number of young players. Michigan has bodies but no one that will likely push for immediate playing. Watch out for the incoming freshman DE's to see if any make their way into the 2-deep as Craig Roh's backup at SDE.
2012 Outlook: The DE unit should be a strength for Michigan's defense in 2012.
ED NOTE: Now to talk about real talent
The MSU DEs.
Story of 2011: MSU had a young group of defensive ends in 2011. While young, they were also productive.
Who's Gone: MSU returns the bulk of its DEs from last year. In fact, I don't think any DE from last years team graduated. This is a huge plus and a major theme for the entire defense - the total depth.
Personnel in 2012: First and foremost is William Gholston, a true junior. I won't get into what UM fans think about him but will mention this from the previous post:
"I'm skeptical about most of these guys other than Gholston as I think NFL teams will love his freak athleticism." - Pat.
That might be the best way to sum Gholston up. This dude is an athlete. His biggest knock I would say is that he could get off the ball a little better (this was Worthy's best aspect). 70 tackles 16 tackles for loss and 5 sacks. If Gholston improves he should be an All American. If he stays the same, he will be first team all B1G. I will take that all day. Currently he is nursing an injury suffered in the spring game which is said to not be serious.
On the other side is Marcus Rush (amazing DE name). Marcus has a ton of potential and is a true sophomore. Last year he had 58 tackles 4 sacks and 12 tackles for loss. The 4 sacks led all B1G freshman. Along with that, Marcus was named to the freshman All-American team. Marcus excels at getting off the ball which has obviously helped with his tackle totals (having Worthy and Gholston on your line isn't bad either). This year, it will be necessary for Rush to have taken a step forward. Without Worthy on the line to eat up offensive lineman, Rush will need to get used to having more hands in his face. With Rush we have a guy that should be second team all B1G and cause headaches for teams all year round. I am very excited to see his game play this year, see if he took that "leap"
A third guy worth mentioning is Shilique Calhoun. He is listed on the depth chart as the back up to Rush. He is a RS freshman which coaches have been raving about since his first practice. It will be nice to finally see him in action. The MSU staff has compared Shilique to Gholston based on his athletic ability. Numerous bloggers have noted that he has a college ready body since he first walked into practice. This is a phrase that often over used and is perfect coach speak but Shilique Calhoun is ready to push the starters. With no game time action, Shilique was named as the scout team defensive player of the week three times. That is more than any other player (one of those games weeks was Michigan week). It will be interesting to see when Calhoun comes in for spells, how he makes the most of his time.
From there MSU has Jeremy Gainer, Joel Heath, Corey Freeman and Taylor Calero. Corey is a senior and has seen action in numerous games, though it has been limited. Heath is a redshirt freshman that the MSU staff has had praise for. Gainer is a junior that appeared in every game last year - his forced fumble against ND was the highlight last year. He is currently listed behind Rush and Calhoun but having that experience certainly means he will see time this year. Rounding out the group is Taylor Calero.
2012 Outlook: This is a position that on the top end is very high and overall has great depth.
UM vs MSU: The edge here goes to MSU.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Michigan DTs
Ed Note: This is Pat projecting it, I am just posting it. Hopefully this will mean ill get my butt in gear to have MSU DT up tonight or tomorrow.
DT
Let's get the previews started! Last season saw Michigan and MSU both enjoy great seasons defensively. Michigan's defense had a miraculous turnaround from being one of the worst in the country to a top 20 squad. MSU had a dominant defense that led to their appearance in the conference title game and bowl victory over the SEC's Georgia Bulldogs. Both defenses were led up front by their defensive line and especially their defensive tackles.
The 2011 Michigan team (team 132) had an interesting lineup at DT. It looked something like this:
NT (the 1-tech): Sr Mike Martin with backup Will Campbell
DT (the 3-tech): Walk-on Sr Will Henninger with Sr Ryan Van Bergen rotating into this spot.
Depth was provided by Sophomore Quinton Washington who saw occasional snaps. The Wolverines just saw Mike Martin drafted in the third round (the highest Wolverine drafted) and will need to replace both his production and leadership.
The depth chart above shows just why defensive tackle is a huge question mark for Michigan entering the season. Luckily, Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison are both defensive line coaches and there are some talented big men ready to step in and produce up front.
The contenders for playing time:
NT (the 1-tech): Will Campbell (Sr) Richard Ash (So) Ondre Pipkins (Fr)
DT (the 3-tech): Jibreel Black (Jr) Quinton Washington (Jr) Nathan Brink (Walk-on Jr)
The big question that needs to be answered is can Will Campbell finally live up to his massive hype? Can he at least be a productive Big Ten player? He has shown flashes in the past and has the size and athleticism to be a standout but his technique and effort are concerns. Like many tall DT's, Campbell has shown a great tendency to stand up at the snap of the ball. If he can keep his pad level down he could turn himself into an NFL player. How often does a guy enter his senior year and you aren't sure if he's going to end up being drafted or if he's going to lose his starting spot and never pan out? A rare case indeed.
Michigan does have bodies at these positions. Richard Ash has gotten some positive reviews out of spring practice and likely will contribute and get regular snaps. JIbreel Black moving inside from the 5-tech to the 3-tech makes Michigan a little smaller up front but gives them great speed, athleticism and versatility. Washington and Ash could both end up playing the nose or the 3-tech.
Pat's prediction:
At the nose, Campbell starts the year and while he has some growing pains he is a solid Big Ten starter. He won't put up big numbers but will eat up space and blockers allowing other defenders to be more effective. Ondre Pipkins proves to simply be too good to keep on the bench and gets 10-15 snaps per game by the end of the year. The other DT position sees a rotation of guys coming in and out and has some issues in run defense but is productive in rushing the passer.
Overall I think this unit will cause some frustration if they cannot hold the line of scrimmage against big offensive lines that run downhill but I think they'll be quite effective against spread teams. This is the greatest concern for Michigan's defense heading into 2012 and while it is unlikely to be a great strength, the potential for production is there.
DT
Let's get the previews started! Last season saw Michigan and MSU both enjoy great seasons defensively. Michigan's defense had a miraculous turnaround from being one of the worst in the country to a top 20 squad. MSU had a dominant defense that led to their appearance in the conference title game and bowl victory over the SEC's Georgia Bulldogs. Both defenses were led up front by their defensive line and especially their defensive tackles.
The 2011 Michigan team (team 132) had an interesting lineup at DT. It looked something like this:
NT (the 1-tech): Sr Mike Martin with backup Will Campbell
DT (the 3-tech): Walk-on Sr Will Henninger with Sr Ryan Van Bergen rotating into this spot.
Depth was provided by Sophomore Quinton Washington who saw occasional snaps. The Wolverines just saw Mike Martin drafted in the third round (the highest Wolverine drafted) and will need to replace both his production and leadership.
The depth chart above shows just why defensive tackle is a huge question mark for Michigan entering the season. Luckily, Brady Hoke and Greg Mattison are both defensive line coaches and there are some talented big men ready to step in and produce up front.
The contenders for playing time:
NT (the 1-tech): Will Campbell (Sr) Richard Ash (So) Ondre Pipkins (Fr)
DT (the 3-tech): Jibreel Black (Jr) Quinton Washington (Jr) Nathan Brink (Walk-on Jr)
The big question that needs to be answered is can Will Campbell finally live up to his massive hype? Can he at least be a productive Big Ten player? He has shown flashes in the past and has the size and athleticism to be a standout but his technique and effort are concerns. Like many tall DT's, Campbell has shown a great tendency to stand up at the snap of the ball. If he can keep his pad level down he could turn himself into an NFL player. How often does a guy enter his senior year and you aren't sure if he's going to end up being drafted or if he's going to lose his starting spot and never pan out? A rare case indeed.
Michigan does have bodies at these positions. Richard Ash has gotten some positive reviews out of spring practice and likely will contribute and get regular snaps. JIbreel Black moving inside from the 5-tech to the 3-tech makes Michigan a little smaller up front but gives them great speed, athleticism and versatility. Washington and Ash could both end up playing the nose or the 3-tech.
Pat's prediction:
At the nose, Campbell starts the year and while he has some growing pains he is a solid Big Ten starter. He won't put up big numbers but will eat up space and blockers allowing other defenders to be more effective. Ondre Pipkins proves to simply be too good to keep on the bench and gets 10-15 snaps per game by the end of the year. The other DT position sees a rotation of guys coming in and out and has some issues in run defense but is productive in rushing the passer.
Overall I think this unit will cause some frustration if they cannot hold the line of scrimmage against big offensive lines that run downhill but I think they'll be quite effective against spread teams. This is the greatest concern for Michigan's defense heading into 2012 and while it is unlikely to be a great strength, the potential for production is there.
Monday, April 16, 2012
The Golden Era (For Michigan, Naturally)
Tbone and I have been a bit sporadic with content on this blog and for that we apologize to our multitude of readers. (the 3 of you)
We've thought about what content to bring you and why you would want to come here to read. There are countless blogs on MSU and UofM sports already out there and they do an extremely good job so we would like to come at this rivalry specifically with content that will be interesting for all.
So here's the plan heading into the spring and summer...we are going to preview the football rosters by position and argue about each position individually (starters and depth) to determine that Michigan is better at every single position group and has a far superior team...at least that's the hypothesis I will be working against. From this information we will be able to preview the season and give some predictions on how we think things will play out in the Legends division and in the B1G. Since I fully expect Tbone's analysis to be belligerently Spartan biased we should also create some good topics for discussion in the comments.
We'll add occasional posts on other happenings and I'll try to amuse you every once in a great while with something clever or witty. (don't hold your breath)
For now, let us reminisce about a time long past. It was 2011, around May or June and Michigan had recently been annihilated by Mississippi State, fired their coach, hired a new guy and were off to a sizzling start to recruiting for the 2012 class. The Spartans, meanwhile, were coming off their most successful season during Tbone's green fanhood and yet their recruiting was stuck in neutral. Our very own blogger, sir Tbone himself, was furious with the way things were going, so much so that he dared question the saint that is Mark Dantonio. His reasoning was something like this: if MSU cannot capitalize on their on-field success and get more talented recruits, they will never be what Sparants fans long for, they will never be Michigan. (OK, that last bit is my inference) Tbone even suggested that Saint D wasn't the man for the job at Michigan State.
Fast forward a year and Dantonio has another victory over Michigan notched on his belt and is getting pummeled yet again on the recruiting trail. Marky Mark himself got testy this winter with Michigan's recruiting coordinator at an event for high school coaches. Maybe just a simple misunderstanding? Or maybe Dantonio's skin isn't so thick when it comes to recruiting. Recruiting is the life blood of a great program. MSU has won 4 straight games over Michigan by capitalizing on the down times for the Wolverines and doing a magnificent job in player development but can they continue to compete with Michigan into the future without increasing the amount of talent they bring in?
My own personal (and irrationally biased) opinion says no. With the way Hoke and Mattison are recruiting for Michigan (along with Urban Meyer at OSU) there is a golden era on the horizon for Michigan football. Dantonio has built a program at MSU, but you need elite talent to remain competitive with elite teams. It won't begin this year, as Ohio State is not eligible to play in the B1G championship game, but there may be some rematches in the title game in the near future. The next decade could see a return to the Big 2 and little 10. MSU has risen up to take the mantle from their big brother but unless things change in the recruiting game, it's hard not to see a future where Michigan restores itself firmly atop this rivalry.
We've thought about what content to bring you and why you would want to come here to read. There are countless blogs on MSU and UofM sports already out there and they do an extremely good job so we would like to come at this rivalry specifically with content that will be interesting for all.
So here's the plan heading into the spring and summer...we are going to preview the football rosters by position and argue about each position individually (starters and depth) to determine that Michigan is better at every single position group and has a far superior team...at least that's the hypothesis I will be working against. From this information we will be able to preview the season and give some predictions on how we think things will play out in the Legends division and in the B1G. Since I fully expect Tbone's analysis to be belligerently Spartan biased we should also create some good topics for discussion in the comments.
We'll add occasional posts on other happenings and I'll try to amuse you every once in a great while with something clever or witty. (don't hold your breath)
For now, let us reminisce about a time long past. It was 2011, around May or June and Michigan had recently been annihilated by Mississippi State, fired their coach, hired a new guy and were off to a sizzling start to recruiting for the 2012 class. The Spartans, meanwhile, were coming off their most successful season during Tbone's green fanhood and yet their recruiting was stuck in neutral. Our very own blogger, sir Tbone himself, was furious with the way things were going, so much so that he dared question the saint that is Mark Dantonio. His reasoning was something like this: if MSU cannot capitalize on their on-field success and get more talented recruits, they will never be what Sparants fans long for, they will never be Michigan. (OK, that last bit is my inference) Tbone even suggested that Saint D wasn't the man for the job at Michigan State.
Fast forward a year and Dantonio has another victory over Michigan notched on his belt and is getting pummeled yet again on the recruiting trail. Marky Mark himself got testy this winter with Michigan's recruiting coordinator at an event for high school coaches. Maybe just a simple misunderstanding? Or maybe Dantonio's skin isn't so thick when it comes to recruiting. Recruiting is the life blood of a great program. MSU has won 4 straight games over Michigan by capitalizing on the down times for the Wolverines and doing a magnificent job in player development but can they continue to compete with Michigan into the future without increasing the amount of talent they bring in?
My own personal (and irrationally biased) opinion says no. With the way Hoke and Mattison are recruiting for Michigan (along with Urban Meyer at OSU) there is a golden era on the horizon for Michigan football. Dantonio has built a program at MSU, but you need elite talent to remain competitive with elite teams. It won't begin this year, as Ohio State is not eligible to play in the B1G championship game, but there may be some rematches in the title game in the near future. The next decade could see a return to the Big 2 and little 10. MSU has risen up to take the mantle from their big brother but unless things change in the recruiting game, it's hard not to see a future where Michigan restores itself firmly atop this rivalry.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
This Is Michigan
It's fair to say I was less than enthused with the Hoke hire. It wasn't so much a knock on Hoke as disappointment in missing out on Harbaugh and the sabotaging of the 2011 recruiting class with how the entire coaching search and hiring played out.
Hoke seemed alright. He had turned some teams around and was well respected in coaching circles. I was optimistic but I wouldn't say I was excited. Hoke did strum a few chords with his answer to one question at his introductory press conference.
Then Brady hired Greg Mattison to be the defensive coordinator. A competent defensive coordinator who is also a tremendous recruiter*? Yes please I'd love the anti Greg Robinson....I allowed myself to get a little pumped up.
The turning point came for me before fall practice began, at the Big Ten media days. Press conferences are just words, but there was something in what Hoke said that made me believe. "This is Michigan" was music to my ears. (It was apparently music to the athletic departments ears as well, as they have built the promotional campaign for this season around Hoke's comments.)
Here's my quick transcript:
The question is posed on what it will take to rebuild Michigan. (At the 9:20 mark of the video)
A 58-0 romp over a Big Ten team probably says more about Minnesota's utter incompetence than it says about Michigan's return to prominence, but a complete annihilation of a Big Ten opponent made me feel like "This is Michigan" again. It feels good.
* Urban Meyer referred to Mattison as the best recruiter in all of college football.
Hoke seemed alright. He had turned some teams around and was well respected in coaching circles. I was optimistic but I wouldn't say I was excited. Hoke did strum a few chords with his answer to one question at his introductory press conference.
Then Brady hired Greg Mattison to be the defensive coordinator. A competent defensive coordinator who is also a tremendous recruiter*? Yes please I'd love the anti Greg Robinson....I allowed myself to get a little pumped up.
The turning point came for me before fall practice began, at the Big Ten media days. Press conferences are just words, but there was something in what Hoke said that made me believe. "This is Michigan" was music to my ears. (It was apparently music to the athletic departments ears as well, as they have built the promotional campaign for this season around Hoke's comments.)
Here's my quick transcript:
The question is posed on what it will take to rebuild Michigan. (At the 9:20 mark of the video)
"I don't think we're rebuilding. Period. I mean, we're Michigan. And we've got kids who understand that they're Michigan. So I don't put any stock into that."When asked about recruiting. (12:20 mark)
"This might sound arrogant and if it is, it is. We're Michigan. We have a global education. We're the winningest program in the history of college football."
A 58-0 romp over a Big Ten team probably says more about Minnesota's utter incompetence than it says about Michigan's return to prominence, but a complete annihilation of a Big Ten opponent made me feel like "This is Michigan" again. It feels good.
* Urban Meyer referred to Mattison as the best recruiter in all of college football.
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