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When Michigan is down 21-7 and we just watched Louisville embarrass #2 FSU , I thought Michigan might have a hard time stopping the Buffalos at any point on Saturday. I had a few choice words in my head ready and waiting for Mr. Don Brown. I'm also yelling things like Michigan never plays well on BTN and I hate Matt Millen.
Then Don Brown put the #1 recruit in the nation in the game and Gary responded. The defensive line finally started creating a pass rush and putting pressure on the senior QB Liufau. Eventually, it even knocked him right out of the game after a Wormley tackle.
As far as the offense, Michigan started the game running the ball well but kept throwing incompletions. At one point, I was calling for O'Korn because his mobility was something I thought Michigan needed. I was wrong, the running game kept going and Speight started to find his mid-range passing game to Jake Butt. By the end of the third quarter, it was evident that Michigan's large offensive line was wearing down Colorado's defensive front.
That touchdown right before halftime was huge and the difference in the game.
I haven't mentioned Jabrill yet. He had his best day in a Wolverine jersey and was freaking everywhere. He had 9 total tackles, 3.5 TFL's, 1 Sack, 2 rushes for 24 yards, 2 KO returns for 81 yards, and 4 punt returns for 99 yards and a TD. There wasn't a better player on the field (well the greatest QB of all time was actually on the field!).
Lets get to the cheers and jeers:
Cheers
- Peppers was fantastic!
- Jake Butt clearly didn't enjoy dropping a couple of balls last week. He caught 7 for 87 yards.
- The offensive line opened some nice holes for the running backs
- Smith ran hard
- Gary was a difference maker when he got in the game.
- The overall team didn't fold when they got down big at the start
- The punt team, got two blocks and had some nice returns from Pepp. It kept Michigan in the game early.
- Wilton had a few highlights but struggled most of the game. I thought he was hurt after the fumble, because he couldn't get the ball to the WR's. That scramble and throw to Perry was his best play of the day. He was 16 of 30.
- Don Brown has to have a better plan when Michigan plays spread teams. He did adjust but Michigan can't get behind big against OSU for example and win that type of game. Ask Oklahoma.
- Kenny Allen- his punts seem to be line drives and missed two very makeable field goals. A couple of extra points didn't look good either.
- Michigan's safeties had a tough day deep. Michigan needs Jourdan Lewis to get healthy quick and take some pressure off the safeties.
- Nike for not making a #5 Jersey
Yesterday cleared up a lot of questions in college football. Ohio State is for real and the talent and experience Michigan many had thought in the off season is now equal or trending higher for the Buckeyes. Michigan State is also for real after taking it to ND in South Bend. Those two road games are going to be very tough for the Wolverines and they will need to play much better then they did yesterday. Luckily, Michigan now has a great coaching staff and can fix issues they witnessed in the game.
Michigan's next two games are against Penn State and Wisconsin at home. Neither play the spread and I expect Michigan could look pretty good against both teams. Michigan also really needs Jourdan Lewis and Taco back. I hope they are healthy for Penn State.
4 comments:
It was brutal to watch Kenny Allen kick the ball. Zero hang time on any of his punts, couldn't consistently kick the ball deep on kickoffs, and anything longer than a chip shot FG, forget-about-it! If he's the best we got, then M is in for some trouble on special teams!
Bob, your pre-game prediction was spot on (especially compared to other Michigan Blogs):
You said: "I think this game could be an ugly one." actually, it started out quite "fugly"... what would the final results be if the quarter back of Colorado stay in the entire game??
You said: "match-up problems with Michigan's talented tight ends"
Jake "the" Butt was decisive with his many catches.
You said: "Michigan pulls away in second half"
Almost on the money, but perfectly described the flavor of battle this game became. My prediction was not as good, but I could not take lots of other blogs predicting a "whoopin" on Colorado, like Colorado was going to lay down because we are Michigan... VOR always states the other team brings their "A" game every time.
Ohio state is real "yes", in the past everyone thought because Michigan was down is why we lost to Ohio State TRUE... that's problem number one. Problem number (2) is Ohio State has up their level of play to an almost Alabama like level... something I do not think we have never seen before in the history of Ohio State/Michigan.
Harbaugh has to get Michigan (not back to old level), but to Ohio State's level of play... can he do that? Over time yes, can we ever dominate Ohio State? TOUGH QUESTION.
I'll just say this.....if Deion sanders was injured, would it have GREATLY effected how his team looked on defense? I'm not too worried about defending that spread once Jourdan Lewis gets back. I have a sneaky feeling that he will matchup pretty nicely on that slot receiver that usually kills us.
Let's not give Ohio St too much credit. I've watched Oklahoma twice now this year and their defensive front 7 is extremely soft. When Houston dominates the LOS vs you, then you definitely have issues. I still don't think that Barrett can beat us through the air.
By the way, Weber did look pretty good running the ball for Ohio. I wish that one wouldn't have gotten away from us. But, then again, when you have unethical recruiting practices like Ohio State does, occasionally they will fool a player into signing with them. (If you don't recall, this was the circumstance where the Ohio St RBs coach was on the phone with Weber the night before NSD last year and then once the ink was dry he left for a nfl gig. Typical Ohio Scumbag....)
I wonder if Wilt was starting to read some of the praise that he was getting in the media and wasn't as focused as he needed to be. I agree, it did look like the big hit he took did sting him and give him some trouble. In the 2nd half when he started scrambling, rather than staying in the pocket and taking hits, he looked like a different QB all together. His ability to buy time saved a couple drives, we hadn't seen him do that until this game.
I really think the 1st Qtr was a perfect storm for the buffs. #1, A rare Daraboh drop on a sure 1st down. #2 A TD off a trick play for Col. #3, Wilt somehow failing to recognize a free rusher who wasn't on his blind side ending in a sack/6. Those three plays were really the tale of the 1st Qtr.
One blown coverage for an 80 yd bomb was all they had after the 1st Qtr.
I think it was a good game for us, getting down by 2 scores early and having to fight back should only bolster the confidence these guys have in themselves and each other.
Sibling Rivalry in South Bend was kinda a shocker.... Is little sister really that bad? or is little brother better than expected?
Bring on the Nittany Lions, I'll be hearing from them all week.
Go Blue!
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