Cooler heads have prevailed
Now that I have calmed down from last night's hose-job, I figured I would post my take on the madness that was the Alamo Bowl. This game was not much different from every other game played by Michigan this year (with the exception of incompetent refs…shut up RoopDogg). In the end, the offense gave us a lead, but played it safe down the stretch and relied on the defense to hold an 11-point lead. Sound anything like the OSU collapse last month? Unfortunately, the defense failed to finish the game. Again.
The offense played a very efficient game, until the two fourth quarter turnovers that doomed us. I really like Henne as a QB. For a sophomore, he reads the defense very well and has a great arm. Unfortunately, the WRs just can’t get open and Hart was not very healthy and able to help out in the running game. The Henne fumble call late in the game was very marginal. Unfortunately, replay is not going to overturn that close a call. It reminded me a lot of Henne's fumble against MSU this year late in the fourth quarter of that game. We really couldn’t ask for anything more from the defense. Nebraska’s defense had been good all year. Their problem was scoring points. 28 points against Nebraska should be enough this season. The offense is not to blame for the loss.
I was thoroughly impressed with the defensive strategy. Michigan had not blitzed much all season. The defensive coaches were getting a lot of heat for this passive play as well. Last night, we blitzed like crazy. We blitzed every play until Nebraska started to run the ball effectively. The Nebraska offensive line was very weak, so we sought to pressure them all game long. The Nebraska QB was taking a vicious beating on every pass play. Unfortunately, blitzing does leave a defense prone to big plays, especially if the safeties are not very good. Our safeties got burned all game long. Our safeties were awful last night. Harrison got beat on long pass plays and Harrison, Barringer, and Burgess all failed to make tackles when Nebraska ran the football. It doesn't help that we rely a lot of Burgess. He is so damn slow. If he can get a scholarship to play football at Michigan, then clearly I am worthy of a scholarship as well. I am also a slow and awkward runner. How did Burgess win a starting position at Michigan? Too bad he has another year of eligibility.
The refs were pathetic, but not the reason Michigan lost. They might have made it harder to win, but Michigan did have an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. While there were bad calls against both teams, Michigan got the worst of it. On Nebraska's first TD drive, the refs missed a blatant fumble. In the second half, they failed to call for reviews on two crucial game changing plays, forcing Michigan to burn timeouts to give the refs more time to get their act together. One of the plays (a Nebraska touchdown) was overturned thanks to Lloyd burning a timeout. The missed PI call on our fourth down play late in the game hurt, but Manningham really fucked up when he dropped the pass on the play before. When Nebraksa was stopped on third down with 1:06 to play, the refs took 23 seconds to spot the ball before starting the 25-second play clock. That is just fucking absurd. It should take no more than 10 seconds to spot the ball (if that). Then of course, there is the madness that was the last play. I found the whole ending quite humorous. What would have happened is Ecker had tossed the ball to Breaston before getting tackled? Would the TD have stood? Michigan also had players on the field, so any flag against Nebraska would have been offset with a penalty on Michigan. The refs had already left the field, but no one blew the play dead before calling it a day. Just terrible. And I though Big Ten refs sucked.
I probably also deserve partial blame for the loss. I donned my Michigan hockey jersey for a big football game for the fourth big game in the past two seasons. Past games where I wore this jersey include the last two ND games and last year's OSU game, I was determined to break Michigan's streak of losing big games when I have my hockey jersey on. Alas, the jersey is now permanently banned from future big Michigan games. I can still wear it against the likes of Ball State and Indiana, but that's it.
Where does Michigan go from here? Well, this defense has been frustrating for 3-4 years now. We have never been able to rely on the defense to finish a game, and Lloyd gets very conservative on offense when he has a late lead. Hermann must be fired. I liked his blitzing strategy last night, but that doesn't make up for the fact that we can't finish a win. 6 of the 7 agonizingly close games this year came down to the final seconds because of late points scored by the opposing team. Also, it’s been a few years since we had a good run defense. Michigan plays in the Big Ten. I absolutely hate it when teams can beat us on the ground. Nebraska was a team that relied on the pass all season, yet they killed us on the ground. Some people attribute Michigan’s tough season to injuries. While this was the worst year for injuries since the 6-6 season in 1984 when we lost Harbaugh, this team’s downfall was the inability to stop the run or finish games on defense.
The offense will be good in 2006 with players like Manningham, Hart, Henne, and Long returning, but a shaky defense and a very brutal schedule (@ND, @OSU, @PSU) will make it tough to win 9+ games. I think Carr will step down after next season, but who could possibly replace him. I hope it’s not Jim Hermann.
I’m glad this season has mercifully come to an end. Go Michigan! Beat Ball State!
The offense played a very efficient game, until the two fourth quarter turnovers that doomed us. I really like Henne as a QB. For a sophomore, he reads the defense very well and has a great arm. Unfortunately, the WRs just can’t get open and Hart was not very healthy and able to help out in the running game. The Henne fumble call late in the game was very marginal. Unfortunately, replay is not going to overturn that close a call. It reminded me a lot of Henne's fumble against MSU this year late in the fourth quarter of that game. We really couldn’t ask for anything more from the defense. Nebraska’s defense had been good all year. Their problem was scoring points. 28 points against Nebraska should be enough this season. The offense is not to blame for the loss.
I was thoroughly impressed with the defensive strategy. Michigan had not blitzed much all season. The defensive coaches were getting a lot of heat for this passive play as well. Last night, we blitzed like crazy. We blitzed every play until Nebraska started to run the ball effectively. The Nebraska offensive line was very weak, so we sought to pressure them all game long. The Nebraska QB was taking a vicious beating on every pass play. Unfortunately, blitzing does leave a defense prone to big plays, especially if the safeties are not very good. Our safeties got burned all game long. Our safeties were awful last night. Harrison got beat on long pass plays and Harrison, Barringer, and Burgess all failed to make tackles when Nebraska ran the football. It doesn't help that we rely a lot of Burgess. He is so damn slow. If he can get a scholarship to play football at Michigan, then clearly I am worthy of a scholarship as well. I am also a slow and awkward runner. How did Burgess win a starting position at Michigan? Too bad he has another year of eligibility.
The refs were pathetic, but not the reason Michigan lost. They might have made it harder to win, but Michigan did have an 11-point lead in the fourth quarter. While there were bad calls against both teams, Michigan got the worst of it. On Nebraska's first TD drive, the refs missed a blatant fumble. In the second half, they failed to call for reviews on two crucial game changing plays, forcing Michigan to burn timeouts to give the refs more time to get their act together. One of the plays (a Nebraska touchdown) was overturned thanks to Lloyd burning a timeout. The missed PI call on our fourth down play late in the game hurt, but Manningham really fucked up when he dropped the pass on the play before. When Nebraksa was stopped on third down with 1:06 to play, the refs took 23 seconds to spot the ball before starting the 25-second play clock. That is just fucking absurd. It should take no more than 10 seconds to spot the ball (if that). Then of course, there is the madness that was the last play. I found the whole ending quite humorous. What would have happened is Ecker had tossed the ball to Breaston before getting tackled? Would the TD have stood? Michigan also had players on the field, so any flag against Nebraska would have been offset with a penalty on Michigan. The refs had already left the field, but no one blew the play dead before calling it a day. Just terrible. And I though Big Ten refs sucked.
I probably also deserve partial blame for the loss. I donned my Michigan hockey jersey for a big football game for the fourth big game in the past two seasons. Past games where I wore this jersey include the last two ND games and last year's OSU game, I was determined to break Michigan's streak of losing big games when I have my hockey jersey on. Alas, the jersey is now permanently banned from future big Michigan games. I can still wear it against the likes of Ball State and Indiana, but that's it.
Where does Michigan go from here? Well, this defense has been frustrating for 3-4 years now. We have never been able to rely on the defense to finish a game, and Lloyd gets very conservative on offense when he has a late lead. Hermann must be fired. I liked his blitzing strategy last night, but that doesn't make up for the fact that we can't finish a win. 6 of the 7 agonizingly close games this year came down to the final seconds because of late points scored by the opposing team. Also, it’s been a few years since we had a good run defense. Michigan plays in the Big Ten. I absolutely hate it when teams can beat us on the ground. Nebraska was a team that relied on the pass all season, yet they killed us on the ground. Some people attribute Michigan’s tough season to injuries. While this was the worst year for injuries since the 6-6 season in 1984 when we lost Harbaugh, this team’s downfall was the inability to stop the run or finish games on defense.
The offense will be good in 2006 with players like Manningham, Hart, Henne, and Long returning, but a shaky defense and a very brutal schedule (@ND, @OSU, @PSU) will make it tough to win 9+ games. I think Carr will step down after next season, but who could possibly replace him. I hope it’s not Jim Hermann.
I’m glad this season has mercifully come to an end. Go Michigan! Beat Ball State!
posted by GaryGinew at 4:53 PM
2 Comments:
gary, i think you have tuberculosis.
BUY ME A TICKET TO THE HOCKEY GAME! don't forget, eh. don't worry, i'll pay you back (wink, wink).
RoopDogg,
Hell yeah I am going to the game at PSU next year! Last I heard, an RV trip was being discussed with the PSU crowd, and the Michigan trifecta, but we may just send a caravan of cars instead. I assume you are in. SOA exams are not an excuse.
Mouse,
I'll get the tickets this weekend. And I figured I had tuberculosis when my cold would not go away. What was the name of that doctor? I should go see him. He might find an ovarian cyst too.
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