Location: Memorial Stadium
Weather: 71 and clear
TV: ABC
Line: Michigan +5.5
Oklahoma is a legendary football program, there is no doubt about it, but they've had 2 losing seasons in the last 3 years. The Brent Venables experiment maybe over if the Sooners have another poor year with a difficult schedule on tap. You know my feeling on this, sometimes a great coordinator doesn't mean your a great head coach. Sherrone is dealing with the same thing.
Brent was known as a defensive genius at Clemson. He turned down many head coaching jobs for a chance to coach the Sooners. I expect he will have a crazy game plan for Bryce who is starting only his second game and first away from the Big House. Michigan will have the same approach for Oklahoma's new QB John Mateer who was probably was the top pick in the transfer portal with Justice Hayes #2. John threw for nearly 400 yards last weekend and has fixed the Sooners QB problem.
Dear Sherrone,
You were right when you said Bryce was electric and plays way beyond his age. I was very impressed with his performance on Saturday. This week he is going to face another challenge. A road game in a hostile SEC environment. Let's not put a ton on his plate for this game. There are two things that "travel" in football. A great run game and a great defense. Give the young man some easy reads and let him use his feet to gain a few first downs. He needs to make sure he slides or gets out of bounds. Venables will try to get him to see "ghosts", make sure Chip only allows him to see open Michigan WR's and TE's.
The big question is how does Michigan win this game, when the Wolverines are just coming together as a team and Oklahoma really needs a big home win?
1. This is a Wink game. I was not impressed with the defense at times last Saturday. Yes, I understand Wink is trying to find who can play and who needs to develop. But giving up 17 to New Mexico was way too much. I hope that experiment is over and Wink has a solid game plan to stop Mateer from throwing the ball all around the yard. If Michigan is going to win this game, they will have to pressure the hell out of Mateer and the DB's will have to lock down the Sooner WR's. I don't love blitzing a veteran QB a ton but we might have to on Saturday night. If Michigan is going to leave Norman with a W, it has to be on the back of an incredible defensive performance. Ohio State 2024 like performance.
2. Smart offense. If the above strategy works, Michigan will need 24 points to win this game. We have the best kicker in the country and I expect he will be busy Saturday night. Michigan will have to limit mistakes and play as clean as possible. Michigan can not over come turnovers and 3rd and 20 type of situations on offense. Oklahoma will fill the box with defenders to stop Michigan's running game. I loved to see the long runs last weekend, when your offense spread out the defenders.
Playing in an environment like Memorial Stadium on National TV is a great opportunity for your team. Your squad is talented enough to win this game, but you have to have someone that can catch punts for example. This game in my mind is all about Wink and Chip. Wink has to shut down the Oklahoma offense, while the Michigan offense finds its footing. This will be a 2nd half game for the Wolverines.
Play with confidence, enjoy the experience, play clean football, win the game.
I'm interested to learn who I will be writing notes to the next two Friday's. If you want my $.02 on the topic. Biff is the coach to lead this program while you take a two week vacation to Northern Michigan.
Oklahoma 24 Michigan 17
2 comments:
Michigan D gave up 17 points, thanks to bad officiating, an overturned fumble for a touchdown, obvious incompletions, and New Mexico throwing every trick play in the book at us. And Bob is gonna bitch about Wink? Come on man. Give it a rest.
I agree with everything you said except "Dear" Sherrone. If I was going to write him a letter I wouldn't start it with "Dear".
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