At the Big House

[Cornhusker]

I guess Hoke has a reason to look forward to a homecoming game finally.
First home loss for him.

Thanks Michigan for saving Pelini's job for another week.

Tard fight at it's finest.

Michigan fan.. ? ... Is Hoke hearing it?

[Shoalzie]

This was what a transition year looks like...mostly crap with a few bright moments sprinkled in. The Notre Dame win looks less and less glamorous when the Irish show how mediocre they are with each passing week. Michigan is a middle of the road team in a middle of the road conference. My expectations were lower this year than most so I'm a year away from hot seating Brady. I didn't expect a lot and they're not disappointing but the bad is a little worse than I hoped for. I'm expecting two more losses...one being to Urban and probably the other in an unwatchable bowl game.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

This isn't a transition year. UM was picked by most to win the division. You're just not very good at football.

Hoke is in over his head.

[campinfool]

I suppose after watching this game that Carr and Solich are looking pretty damn good and the olden days should be lusted after.

[King Crimson]

I suppose after watching this game that Carr and Solich are looking pretty damn good and the olden days should be lusted after.

all the huskers wanted frankie gone. he couldn't recruit, they said. they choose to disremember that after the callahan bullshit. who could recruit but was an asshole. then all the huskers turned around on frank and he was a hero because he was a link to dr.tom and the nostalgia. frank just got his ohio bobcats waxed 30-3 by buffalo. this week. tho, he's had some success in athens, oh. when i visit my mom in norman for christmas, the ohio bowl game is almost always on in the mexican restaurant we go.

i can't speak to lloyd carr but he did split a national championship...with the very same dr. tom.

i think pelini needs an offensive identity beyond martinez. i wouldn't give up on Hoke yet.

[Shoalzie]

They're not good, I'll agree with that.

[L45B]

The fact that they've shown absolutley no signs of being able to run the ball or protect Gardner consistenly, I'd say it's still a question mark whether TSUN can salvage even one win the rest of the way. They should get past a very beaten down N'Western team but the game is in Evanston so you never know. At Iowa will be a tough out for them, I just don't see UM's lines being able to match the Hawkeyes' physical style of play for four quarters.

And then there's that little game on Nov 30th up in the southern part of that state up there. Urban will certainly show no mercy, even if Hoke decides to scrap all that Ohio jibber jabber in the week leading up to. It's going to be a longgggg November, Weasel fans.

[WolverineSteve]

I was there. The crowd was really giving it to the offense. In my case, Borges and his inept play calling. This is the second game that pussy play calling has cost these kids. It's one thing to be transitioning to a pro style offense but is it too much to ask that you give these kids a chance to win in the meantime?

It is a transition. I don't care where the "experts" picked Michigan. Anyone with a two deep in hand knew that the oline was comprised of 60% red shirt freshmen, a senior all american, and a senior who had started sparingly his first three years. Add to that the best deep threat blowing an acl in camp further depleting a thin WR corp and it's a recipe for offensive mediocrity. Despite all that the kids have been in position to win each week with the exception of the State game. Borges has zero evidence that this line is capable of opening holes for the backs to run through. He ran Green and Fitz into the line repeatedly against 8 and 9 man fronts. He slammed straight ahead from shotgun, single back, and I-formations. It was a clinic in stubbornness. Three possessions began inside Neb's 40. Those resulted in zero first down and 3 points. Borges refused to adjust during the game. Funchess and Butt are TE's that will make a lot of money on Sunday's soon. They pose matchup problems, why can't he find ways to get them more touches. Chesson only gets 2 or 3 targets per game...why? The fact that Borges ignores the obvious baffles me. I would have shit canned him after the second half of the OSU game last year, but that's me. Hoke seems to be loyal, I just hope he doesn't let Borges take him down.

[WolverineSteve]

Also, corn fan was class. I congratulated about a dozen and gave a few beers away to others as we waited for 112k to dissipate.

[Screw_Michigan]

How many "transition" years can you have Steve before it is what it is? A mediocre football team.

[L45B]

Season 3 was quite a transition year for RichRod, just sayin'.

[WolverineSteve]

How many "transition" years can you have Steve before it is what it is? A mediocre football team.

His first year he had a partial recruiting cycle. That season's team overachieved and got all the bounces and won more than it should have. It was fool's gold, the media ate it up. Last year he had a senior fan/media favorite at qb that had to play even though he was not the kind of player to run the offense that Hoke wants. So he's been stock piling O-line, QB, and WR's that fit his vision. The o-line is young and will get better (or we'll know it's coaching as they are all highly rated recruits), Gardner is a Rrod holdover with yet another year of eligibility. The future at QB is Shane Morris and Will Speight (incoming). The future at WR is Chesson, Darboh, Drake Harris and George Campbell. True outside recievers with a smattering of slot guys rather than the dozen slot recievers Hoke inherited. Hoke, Mattison and co. are recruiting their asses off, player development will tell the tale. It was a monumental undertaking to transform Rrod's team of smurfs into a Midwest smashmouth team. If one bad recruiting class haunts you for four or five years, what does three do?

I knew it would take time, I would let the kids decide the games while the transformation continues. If in two years the team is still piling up 4 loss seasons, I'll be the first to wear the mediocre label.

[Killian]

His first year he had a partial recruiting cycle. That season's team overachieved and got all the bounces and won more than it should have. It was fool's gold, the media ate it up. So he's been stock piling O-line, QB, and WR's that fit his vision. The o-line is young and will get better (or we'll know it's coaching as they are all highly rated recruits), ....recruiting their asses off, player development will tell the tale. It was a monumental undertaking to transform ...team of smurfs into a Midwest smashmouth team. If one bad recruiting class haunts you for four or five years, what does three do?

I knew it would take time, I would let the kids decide the games while the transformation continues. If in two years the team is still piling up 4 loss seasons, I'll be the first to wear the mediocre label.

Edited a few things but this is basically me, circa 2007/8 with Weis.

You're offensive line coach is shit. The redshirt freshman excuse is just that, an excuse. There is no reason for UofM's offensive line to be as bad as they are playing now.

[WolverineSteve]

Yep, Coach Funk is taking heat. He recruits well but this year's line is total shit. Way too many blue chippers to run for so many negative yards.

[WolverineSteve]

Hoke presser....lot of questions about the oline and play calls....

There’s probably some degree of frustration on the team. Can you talk about the number of missed opportunities on the field?

“Yeah. You know, frustration because we lost as a team. Yeah. It’s a frustration that we all have. I have to do a better job coaching this football team. The effort was really – guys were working, guys were fighting, guys were doing things. Did we do them well enough? No. And that goes on me.”

Seven sacks this week. How do you keep Devin’s spirits up?

“His spirits will be up because he’s a competitor. He’s going to be sore, and that’s part of it. Again, I have to do a better job coaching.”

When you talk about coaching, we do have to ask about the play calling from Al Borges. Do you have to look at that much more closely this week?

“I like the play calling. I think we thought we could do some things and we didn’t.”

Did you hear the booing after some of those offensive plays?

“Well, that’s you know, that’s the way things are.”

What’s Thomas Gordon’s situation?

“He had a little bit of an ankle. He played on the punt team. We also thought Courtney [Avery] and Josh [Furman] could give us something. And Jarrod [Wilson].”

What did you think you got from the safeties?

“I think it was okay. I don’t know until I watch it.”

Negative 69 rushing yards over the last two games. How do you explain that?

“Well, it’s hard to explain, isn’t it? I’ve got to do a better job coaching those guys.”

MGoQuestion: What kind of adjustments were you hoping to make over the course of last week as well as during this game?

“Well, you always have a plan that you think is going to work, number one. We change the plan all the time every week. I think there were some things that we did pretty well. But there were a number of things that we have to do a better job coaching the kids on.”

Can you talk about not cashing in on the turnovers?

“Well, we didn’t. We just didn’t execute.”

It looked like Devin really struggled scrambling. Is he banged up?

“His legs and everything are fine. I don’t know if he took a shot over there near their sideline. I think it was the second quarter. I thought he was fine.”

Was there fatigue on defense during the last drive?
“I don’t think so. Because of the number of plays guys are playing? No.”

What do you attribute it to?

“I have to do a better job of coaching.”

You have blocking issues all across the board.

“I don’t know about all across the board, but there’s some blocking issues.”

Why is that not progressing? If anything, it looks like it’s regressing.

“I’ve got to do a better job of coaching, it looks like. We’ve got to do a better job of what we’re doing and look at what we’re doing.”

You said you did some things good and some things not good. What were some of the things that were good?

“That were better as a team? Well defensively after the first quarter they settled in. Did a good job. I think they were 6 of 16 on third down. Most of the third downs – you want them all, but the critical ones, we needed to execute a little better on.”

How much does it hurt to see the home winning streak end?

“Home winning streak, away winning streak, any winning streak, you’re disappointed when it’s not there.”

Taco played today. What did you like about him?

“He’s been fortunate enough that he’s been able to improve over the course of the year without having to take full time snaps in a lot of critical situations. We just like how he’s come along. It’s about the right time for him because of how he’s come along to play.”

Is interior defensive line where he can play more?

“That was all in the nickel packages, sub packages. He’s still an outside end, but he’s got the length and the size and as good of quickness as anybody. He’s pretty good inside when you get in the sub packages.”

You were able to generate some offense with some screens and quick passes. Is that something you have to look at more?

“Last week we had that different screen in that we thought was going to be pretty good, and [Michigan State] sniffed that one out pretty good. This new one today was hitters but not consistent hitters. It’s something we tried to do. We threw the rocket to Gallon the one time, hit the windows route one time in there. Some of that stuff, it helps you a little bit, but at the same time, there’s some of it that’s similar when you look at what they did and what we did.”

At some point, do you have to admit that you can’t run the ball and not beat your head against the wall?

“I agree. And yes, you can do that.”

Is Devin holding the ball too long?

“Well I think any time you have negative plays either way, and let me go back to [the previous question]. The negative plays are what kill you on third down. First down negative plays, we snapped the ball again a little high. That was a 10-yard loss, so now you’re second and 20. I think as you watch the tape, he may have held it too long once or twice. I think you also coverage-wise, you have to give them a little credit also. They did a pretty good job on some of the coverage things that they did with Gallon and Funchess.”

You said you needed to do a better job coaching. In what area specifically?

“Just … everything.”

How did you think the other young guys played on defense?

“Willie started last week and played well. Again, I think you get a chance to look at it and grade it and do all that stuff. I know Willie [Henry] made some plays again, which is a good sign. I think Taco forced the sack that Cam got. Did a nice job on a gain. Also did a nice job on a run play in there. Until you really look at it, it’s hard I think for you to make an evaluation that’s fair.”

You mentioned the negative plays that hurt you on third down. What do you attribute that to?

“Because we had negative plays on first down.”

Those have increased, too. What do you attribute it to?

“I think you attribute it to the opponent did a good job, and I have to do a better job coaching our team.”

Looked like the running backs struggled in pass protection.

“That’s something we’re trying to get fixed to be honest with you. Is it a concern? Yeah. It always is. Not tackling, not blocking, not covering. Not throwing the ball, not running good routes. All that stuff is concerning.”

Are you concerned that you’re running out of practice time because it’s November?

“No, because we have three opportunities left. Two of them on the road, one here. Would we like to have played better? Yes. Would we like to have run the ball better? Yes. Would we like to have done a good job on third downs? Yes. And we’ve just got to go to work and keep working at it.”

Did Nebraska bring more pressure than you thought they would?

“I thought they brought a little more.”

What’s the most important thing you need to do as a coach?

“Right now it’s this team being a team. From a staff standpoint and a team standpoint. I tell you, they practiced their tails off. Tuesday and Wednesday they gave as good an effort as any team I’ve been around. The physicalness with which they attack each other and compete. We have to keep doing that.”

[Goober McTuber]

In summary:

You said you needed to do a better job coaching. In what area specifically?

“Just … everything.”

[WolverineSteve]

In summary:

You said you needed to do a better job coaching. In what area specifically?

“Just … everything.”

Yeah, he doesn't give shit in pressers. Schwartz is the same way in the Lion pressers.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Michigan opened up as an underdog to 0-5 Northwestern. That speaks to issues that run much deeper than just "transitioning."

I believe UCLA's o-line is younger than Michigan's. They appear to be pretty good. I wonder how that could be? Oh yeah...coaching.

[WolverineSteve]

Michigan opened up as an underdog to 0-5 Northwestern. That speaks to issues that run much deeper than just "transitioning."

I believe UCLA's o-line is younger than Michigan's. They appear to be pretty good. I wonder how that could be? Oh yeah...coaching.

It's not a point to argue. I hate the play calling of Al Borges. I hate the way the line is playing. I also think the program is in good hands, it doesn't have to be one or the other. If Funk keeps his job and the line doesn't improve, it's on Hoke for not making a change. Just like if the offense continues to have all the imagination of oatmeal, Borges must go.

As for the spread, it's Vegas. You know how it works? They set the line that will draw even money on both sides, it's not scientific. Michigan never covers, any small time bookie can tell you that. NW was missing their qb and rb during the slide, they may be back, not sure. But I think the spread is mostly a product of UM not being able to score, and sucking on the road.

If you have any knowledge of the UM roster you can see where it is as opposed to where it will be, hence transitioning.

[Shoalzie]

When you have 3 pups playing the middle of your offensive line when some teams will at least have some guys with a little more experience keeping those spots warm...that's a transitional period for the line. Using "transition year" as a blanket statement for the entire was a stretch...I'll acknowledge that.

Every program has to deal with replacing seniors at key positions with either incoming freshmen or the previous year's second or third stringers. You really would expect a team like Michigan that wants to be good in the trenches to not miss a beat even if you're breaking in young players in the middle of your offensive line.

When Hoke is failing with guys he's recruiting, then the heat (rightfully) begins to fall on him when before, you can just point to the fact that he was "using RichRod's guys". Then again, his best year was his first year with basically of Rodriguez's guys.

All you have to do is see some of the recent losses to Michigan State...forget Ohio State. Michigan State plays big boy/B1G football better than Michigan does. Hoke needs to regain the hold of this state before worrying about taking on Urban and 'Ohio'.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

As for the spread, it's Vegas. You know how it works? They set the line that will draw even money on both sides, it's not scientific.

Correct, that is the end result the handicapper wants. However, the initial line is still set largely based on some sort of "power system" that measures the relative strengths/weaknesses of each team. Then, the line will move up or down based on bettor action. It's not just coincidence that the superior team is usually favored, and it's not just coincidence that final scores often come within a point or two of the line set.

If you have any knowledge of the UM roster you can see where it is as opposed to where it will be, hence transitioning.

Knowledge? Hell, I've probably seen UM more than you this year since you didn't watch the State game.

Re: Transitioning. Yes, new faces come and go. Doesn't mean anything if you can't develop them. Hell, you're in here throwing your OC under the bus for his incompetence, so why should I buy that guy churning out a bunch of future studs? Give me the smart OC with the 3-star over the dumbass OC with the 4-star any day of the week. How much "transitioning" did Meyer need? He didn't seem to waste any time.

[Dinsdale]

middle of the road conference

Which road would that be? The one in between Sunbelt Street and MAC Avenue?

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Big Ten fan has conceded long ago our conference blows. Don't know why you guys gotta kick a dog when it's down. :|

[Dinsdale]

For myself, it's because our "sister conference" needs to be better.

Looks like a true Rose Bowl this year, at least.

[WolverineSteve]

Good news is, you don't have to buy anything. It's me that has to fork out for the worst home schedule ever next year. Not to mention tailgates, and a roadie to see a decent opponent. I have to be bullish about the future, the present is a drag.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Hey, at least you guys can finally say, "is it basketball season yet?"

[WolverineSteve]

I've been using that line since 11/3.

[WolverineSteve]

Would Hoke still have his job if this transition team had not found a way to score scab dick wins against Akron and UConn?

Probably.

[WolverineSteve]

Aalysis from mgoblog...

You have to give tremendous credit to Hoke and Borges and Funk for the offensive line recruiting they pulled off in 2012 and 2013. They inherited a major problem and addressed it on the recruiting trail exactly as well as you could hope for. Imagine if Rich Rod had brought in ten four-star-or-better defensive backs in the 2009 and 2010 classes, and held on to all of them. Most programs would have supplemented that with some JUCOs but Michigan's transfer requirements make that not an option in Ann Arbor. Anyway as long as they can get these guys to stick around (hardly guaranteed) Michigan ought to have five good linemen going into 2015 and '16.

With those guys so young it's hard to evaluate their development. They've had Kyle Kalis and Ben Braden and Erik Magnusson and Blake Bars for a year and change, and you'd expect only Kalis, probably, to be better at this point than we've seen. Jack Miller's lack of development under this staff is more worrisome, but it's hardly unheard of for a project recruit to not pan out. I give Bryant a total pass since he was a project and he's been too injured to practice. And while we're we're hardly the only school to be starting a true freshman mid-way through the season (Notre Dame is already playing onetime Michigan target Steve Elmer) I treat any contribution from 2013 guys as a bonus.

Where I find Hoke and Borges and Funk culpable is:

1. Changing up/not knowing their personnel. Schools do this, but it comes with a cost. When you see players missing assignments and doing a terrible job on combo blocks this year, a big part of that I bet is they're not used to playing with each other. Brian wishes they'd just kept rolling with Miller, whatever his problems with blocking, because Glasgow's snapping deficiency is costing them a drive per game, and you're not getting much better blocking out of the guard replacements, and meanwhile you've thrown out any experience they gained by playing together since spring. I tend to agree, with the caveat that I completely understand at least one shuffle after Akron and UConn.

We did see plenty of problems with Miller and Kalis early on, and there's little guarantee that they would have fared any better than their replacements. But OL do tend to improve the more time they spend next to one another.
This goes doubly for the non-OL positions. It took them half the season to stop pretending Funchess is a TE on most plays, and they still go back to that at times. They also keep going back to A.J. Williams as a key blocker. And Toussaint or Green. It's unfortunate that the backs can't block, but neither should their coaches be making their blocks the only thing between Denicos Allen and Devin Gardner's midsection.

2. Changing up/not knowing their offense. We still don't know who they are or what they're trying to accomplish. They burned a bye week on the tackle-over gimmick that's so dead now the fans boo it when they see it, and so scouted that opponents immediately jam nine in the box when they do. They went to an almost Tiller-level passing spread for Indiana, which worked against Indiana, but once that was scouted and opponents realized how much this puts on the backs and young OL to pick up complex blocking assignments we went two games in a row with negative rushing yards. No matter what they're good at, they won't commit to anything long enough to get good at it.

3. Giving up the offense's advantages. You've heard the complaints about how the play-calling isn't cohesive, and the last two games have demonstrated just how much of an easy scout this makes them. The one thing offense has on defense is they get to dictate the play. Defenses will do unsound things to mitigate that—for example Michigan State's deep coverage was weak by alignment—but when Michigan's only got one or two plays they run from a given look, they just hand this right over.

The result is the offense practices a lot of plays but gets good at none of them, and few things are ever simple, even for the guys you need to make things simple for.

4. WTF. Schofield is a 5th year senior and three-year starter who missed a slide protection. On an offense that's doing well that could be chalked up as a fluke, but people are talking about it because it's not the only time this year that one of the offense's working parts inexplicably broke down. Here's Space Coyote in that thread:

[buckeye_in_sc]

Regardless of school I don't really buy the "transition" at this juncture... yeah from coach to coach sure...but this is going on what the 3rd year of Hoke? Far from any transition...

Bama plugs in new OL, LB's, etc every year and doesn't miss a beat and does it against better competition (or so the bias says). Heck even MSU struggled with a QB early but now have found some rhythm and still keeps plugging in defensive guys to take the place of AA's, top draft picks, etc...

so to me calling the fact you have young OL is silly...I'd agree more to scheme/coaching than anything else. OSU lived this a bunch in the JT years...slamming into 9 man fronts is LUNACY...period. They need to do a better job of mixing up their play calling...no one says you have to turn into Baylor...but dang you just can't line up and run power or what not when the defense knows it's coming...again OSU lived this for many games under JT

and Kyle Kalis...what a fucking pussy...decomits from OSU...goes to Michigan and talks about there will be blood on the field against OSU...hey Kyle tell me how OSU's ass tastes...

[WolverineSteve]

So, it's not just me.

[Goober McTuber]

So, it's not just me.

You blew a 0.24? Props.

[WolverineSteve]

So, it's not just me.

You blew a 0.24? Props.

Before lunch.

[Goober McTuber]

So, it's not just me.

You blew a 0.24? Props.

Before lunch.

At least you're not AP. Oh, wait.....

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Dude's BAC was greater than UofM's yards per carry. Hell, if he was stone cold sober, it still would have been greater.

[Screw_Michigan]

Dude's BAC was greater than UofM's yards per carry. Hell, if he was stone cold sober, it still would have been greater.

Major LOL.

[M2]

Things could be worse... you could be a Cal fan.


http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/berkele ... al/vCHwy5/



The "average" BAC is around 0.15 for the students tested.


Hmmm, Seems just about every student/fan meets the "super-drunk" standard.


Sounds about right... this has been a fun season.

[Dinsdale]

So, it's not just me.

You blew a 0.24? Props.

Before lunch.

And?

Sin,

[The Seer]

Interesting....Al Borges used to be the guy they brought in to "spice up" an offense....He seemed to be better than average when he was here; calling plays to fit the talent positions, making adjustments to various defenses, etc...Kinda kept Buffet Bob Toledo going for awhile until things went south - (post Borges)....Then again, if you have Cade McNown running the plays you call, you would tend to look rather creative...without the horses dynamic play calling doesn't look so dynamic. Mazzone out here is getting hammered (kinda deservedly so) for his shit playcalling vs. Stanford & Oregon...maybe their defenses had something to do with it but still, how many times can you call zone read runs parallel to the LOS that all result in loss of yards before you figure out it ain't working....Still, I'd trade Mazzone for Borges straight up...

[Dinsdale]

Maybe his style doesn't lend itself as well to the Three Yards and a Cloud Of Punts Conference. Big slow cornfed fuckers who bench press semi trucks have different skillsets.