I have to start by disclosing that I love the University of Michigan football program, particularly now with the coaching changes. Now, on to the college football thoughts for the week.
I really admire Coach Brady Hoke and the crew he’s brought in because they seem like role models with integrity; good men who can give our kids the kind of tough love they need to be successful on the field and in life. I feel like this is a group of coaches who will certainly improve the program’s wins and losses from last year but mostly I’m pleased with these guys because they represent the school so well, both in how they carry themselves today and their respect for the team’s history.
I should also point out that as much as I love the Wolverines, I loathe Notre Dame and I absolutely detest that tattoo art school in Columbus, Ohio. No, it has nothing to do with the salary cap the Columbus program uses to compensate players and really there isn’t enough time to list all the reasons. With the ‘Irish’ it really has more to do with another storied program that burned us a few times in the last couple of decades. I like MSU on any day except the seven that make up ‘Rivalry Week’. But enough of that.
I have to protest the BCS/AP/USA Today rankings today because they have the Wolverines in the wrong spot. That’s right, Michigan should be ranked below both our little brothers from Lansing and that autograph-marketing school in Columbus. Hold on and take a breath! If you’ve watched any of the games these last four weeks there are some things that are abundantly clear and certainly point to the Wolverines being ranked but also point to them being ranked a bit too high.
You have to love the improvement in the defense. A lot of experience came back to the secondary and at the point of attack. That line has done a great job pursuing the quarterbacks and the rest of the D has been creating turnovers and not giving up huge plays. They’re way better than they were last year both from a scheme and a teamwork standpoint. No huge upgrades in talent but they are playing better together and that has a lot to do with coaches and reinstituting tradition.
The offense is one-one-dimensional. Yes one-one because there is one player who excels in one facet of the game. That one-one dynamic is Denard running the ball but keep in mind, he’s not run against MSU or the sweater-vest manufacturing school in Columbus. They’ve played second tier schools with one exception; Notre Dame. Notre Dame dominated almost the entire game against Michigan with the exception of the fourth quarter. You could say that a comeback like that is indicative of a great team but I attribute the Irish meltdown to some timely motivation and some sort of weird space-time continuum muck the Irish couldn’t overcome.
SDSU fans need to get over themselves right here because, I got it, you have a pretty solid offense, but they didn’t show up. Your quarterback and receivers were way off and that killed your run game. Played like a MAC team rather than a PAC 10 team.
You have to credit Hoke’s boys for coming prepared and putting a good score up though it seemed like there were lots of missed opportunities. And that’s precisely my point with the offense. Robinson is not throwing like a solid Big Ten starter, let alone an elite passer. He runs through, around and over most people and has been the offense for Michigan while the coaches sort out where the other rushing is supposed to come from. I think there’s promise but they are there now.
So what are the Wolverines going to do when they face a top-notch Big Ten defense and Robinson has nowhere to run? That’s the question I haven’t seen an answer for yet this season and I can’t be caught up in passing-receiving stats with the teams they’ve played so far because those are not high caliber defenses they’ve lined up against.
Number 19? You have to be kidding me. No sane person can tell me they could beat either of our rival schools this Saturday based on what we’ve seen so far but I do think they have a chance as we go along.
I’m a believer in these coaches and you can see several aspects of the game improve, to include the running game outside of Robinson. I think they will continue to get better and I also think Robinson’s passing game will improve over the course of the year. The defense will continue to grow and eventually we’ll hit a couple of field goals but here’s why they have a chance to win the big games in November; they truly have focus.
There is no question Brady Hoke wants a Big Ten Championship, as you’ll see in today’s Detroit Free Press, and the way he has that locker room running tells me they are all on the same page. I have no doubt Michigan has the ability to beat the Gophers today but what I’ll be looking for is can Denard improve in the passing game, can Smith dominate from the backfield, can the secondary shut down the passing game to allow Martin and company some time to crush the QB, and can we please make a field goal.
Where Michigan will get in trouble is if they get stalled moving the ball because Robinson is the only option, causing the offense to go four-and-out. You do that repeatedly and your defense will be gassed and open for the big plays late in the game.
I also think Michigan has a bit of a chip on their shoulder and something to prove to a coaching staff they love and respect. I think their reconnection to traditions is a source of motivation that can manifest in the fourth quarter of a tight game. You take those and couple them with some technical improvement and you have a shot at winning big games in November.
The problem is today is only October 1st and they have a ways to go to truly get to 19 or any other spot in front of their rivals. I love this team’s potential but let’s take it slow and one game at a time and a good place to start is whipping Minnesota and keeping the Little Brown Jug in Ann Arbor.
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