Michigan 34, Western Michigan 10

Tag: Western Michigan


4Sep 2011
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Michigan 34, Western Michigan 10

Jordan Kovacs, form tackler extraordinaire, gives Western Michigan quarterback Alex Carder a tour of his facemask

Well, that was weird.  I’ve never seen a Michigan game called due to weather.  Maybe that’s because it’s never happened before this weekend.  Like every other Michigan fan, I wanted to see the game continue.  These games against MAC teams are typically when you see awesome plays and great statistics – witness the 94-yard interception return by Brandon Herron, the 44-yard touchdown run by Michael Shaw, etc.  By the time the game was canceled with 1:16 remaining in the third quarter, Michigan had taken control and was likely bound for a couple more touchdowns and some more big plays on defense.  Safety is the most important thing, and I don’t question the decision to cancel the game . . . but if someone ends up just short of 1,000 yards rushing or 1,000 yards receiving or some other significant statistical benchmark, we might look back at September 3 and wonder what could have been.

Al Borges isn’t dumb.  People everywhere were concerned that offensive coordinator Al Borges would try to turn Denard Robinson into a quarterback who takes every snap from under center, but that simply wasn’t the case.  It looked as though roughly 75% of the offensive formations were shotgun.  It looks as though Michigan was more likely to pass from the shotgun and run from the “I” but that could change as the season progresses.  Additionally, the offense isn’t as high speed as it has been for the past few seasons under Rich Rodriguez, but it was still effective.  Michigan huddles now, which took some time to adjust to since I got used to watching Rodriguez’s teams.  But the Wolverines averaged 7.5 yards per play against WMU, whereas they had only 5.7 against UConn in last season’s opener.

Hello, Brandon Herron.  I don’t know where the hell you came from, but I’m glad you’re here.  I really thought Herron would be a backup and special teamer based on his play in the past and his multiple position switches over the past couple seasons, but he was in the right place at the right time and made some plays.  Despite being listed second on the depth chart at weakside linebacker, he started the game at WILL, made 8 tackles, returned a batted pass 94 yards for a touchdown, and picked up an Alex Carder fumble for a 29-yard touchdown.  It was the longest interception return in Michigan program history and the first time any defensive player scored twice in the same game.  All that came from a fifth year senior who previously had 34 career tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 1 pass breakup, and 1 fumble recovery.  Herron has always been considered a bit of a physical freak who lacks great instincts, but his instincts looked pretty good on Saturday . . . and nobody really came close to catching the 221 lb. linebacker from behind, either.

Special teams still suck.  Apparently it doesn’t matter who coaches the special teams, whether it’s an offensive or defensive guy, etc.  Some Michigan fans hated that defensive backs coach Tony Gibson was in charge of special teams because he was one of only four defensive coaches under Rodriguez.  Now an offensive guy (tight ends coach Dan Ferrigno) is coaching special teams, and they’re still bad.  Kick returner Kelvin Grady doesn’t look like anything special and made a bad decision to leave the endzone.  Brendan Gibbons had a low extra point attempt blocked.  Western Michigan averaged 31 yards per kickoff return and consistently had excellent field position.  Of course, special teams would have looked better if the suspended Will Hagerup were punting.  Freshman Matt Wile averaged 41.0 yards per punt but didn’t have great hang time, and he averaged over 65 yards per kickoff, which is better than anyone – Hagerup, Seth Broekhuizen, or Gibbons – did last season.  There’s potential there for Wile, but overall the special teams were disappointing.

Greg Mattison is awesome.  Does anyone have any doubt that former defensive coordinator Greg Robinson would have allowed Carder to throw for 350 yards and 4 touchdowns?  Anyone?  It looked like it might be a long day when WMU opened the game with a long drive on which Carder didn’t throw a single incompletion on the way to a touchdown.  Michigan’s players were confused, and at one point near the goal line, safety Carvin Johnson lined up on the wrong side of the field against a five-wide set, leaving cornerback Courtney Avery alone covering two wideouts.  Avery did an excellent job of splitting the two receivers and blasting the guy who caught the ball at the 1-yard line, but it led to a 1-yard touchdown run a couple plays later.  After that initial drive, though, Michigan’s defense settled down.  It’s clear that the Wolverines don’t have a lot of horses on defense, because they weren’t beating MAC players in one-on-one matchups often enough.  But they did come up with timely big plays (Jordan Kovacs’ two sacks and a forced fumble, Jake Ryan’s batted pass, Herron’s two TD returns).  This  is what a “bend but don’t break” defense looks like.

Oh no, Troy Woolfolk.  Fifth year senior Troy Woolfolk, playing in his first game since November 2009 against Ohio State, went down with another injury.  After sitting out last season with a dislocated ankle, he was carted off the field in the first quarter with another ankle injury.  Luckily, it sounds like it’s only a sprain this time and Brady Hoke said that he could have returned if Michigan needed him, but it looked ominous.  Early in the game, he looked like the aggressive, speedy corner that Michigan lacked all of last season.  His replacement, J.T. Floyd, hasn’t changed one bit – he’s still too slow to be good.

Wheeee, Michigan running backs!  Neither of Michigan’s primary running backs looked fantastic, but it looks like the right guys are playing.  Fitzgerald Toussaint had 11 carries for 80 yards and 2 touchdowns, both of which required a little bit of oomph that not all Michigan backs have had; included in those 11 carries was a 43-yarder.  Meanwhile, Shaw had 4 carries for 54 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown run.  He also looked good on a toss play on which he ran through a tackle.  Vincent Smith (2 carries, 11 yards) looked like a solid change-of-pace back, and Denard Robinson (8 carries, 46 yards) had a decent but unspectacular day running the ball.

It was a win.  Despite the mistakes and the scares, it looks like Michigan got out of the game relatively healthy, they allowed only 10 points, the defense probably gained a little bit of confidence, and the offense looked consistent at the least.  After the 2007 Appalachian State game and the 2008 Toledo loss, I appreciate these wins a little more.

Congratulations, Brady Hoke!  Congratulations to Coach Hoke, who got his first win at Michigan.  Hopefully many more will follow.  Go Blue!

3Sep 2011
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Preview: Michigan vs. Western Michigan

It’s been a busy week, what with the 2011 Season Countdown finishing up, the beginning of college football, my real job, and all the coaching stuff.  I didn’t have time for a true game preview, but you’ve seen enough of those by now, anyway.

Predictions

  • Starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint goes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns
  • Denard throws for 200 yards and runs for 100
  • Kevin Koger catches a TD pass from Denard
  • Somebody records career interception #1
  • Michigan gets 4 of those “sack” thingies that I vaguely remember 
  • Final score: Michigan 35, Western Michigan 14
Poll Results
Michigan wins by multiple scores: 86%
Michigan wins by one score: 10%
Western Michigan wins by one score: 0%
Western Michigan wins by multiple scores: 4%

31Aug 2011
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Thoughts on the Initial Depth Chart

Surprise, he’s starting at quarterback.

The initial depth chart was released for Michigan’s game against Western Michigan.  Here’s the depth chart and a few thoughts:

QB: Denard Robinson, Devin Gardner
Yep.

TB: Michael Shaw OR Fitzgerald Toussaint, Vincent Smith, Stephen Hopkins
Shaw is going to be good if he stays healthy.  Just wait.  Lots of people think he was a better fit for the spread just because he was recruited by Rich Rodriguez, but he was actually a poor fit for the spread because he doesn’t have great vision.  He’s a one-cut-and-go back.  This is the offense in which he belongs.  Toussaint’s another kid with great potential and lots of injuries.  If he stays healthy, this is a nice one-two punch.  Smith will be a good third down back.

FB: John McColgan, Steve Watson
There’s, like, no one else.

WR1: Junior Hemingway, Kelvin Grady, Jeremy Jackson
WR2: Roy Roundtree, Jeremy Gallon, Martavious Odoms

I’m a little surprised that Odoms is third on the depth chart, but his shoulder and wrist injuries probably have something to do with it.  I’m expecting Gallon to bust out, so hopefully that does indeed happen.

TE: Kevin Koger, Brandon Moore, Steve Watson
Yep.

LT: Taylor Lewan, Michael Schofield
LG: Ricky Barnum, Elliott Mealer
C: David Molk, Rocko Khoury
RG: Patrick Omameh, Elliott Mealer
RT: Mark Huyge, Michael Schofield
Exactly as expected, although Mealer’s a bit of a surprise there.  My gut tells me that Khoury would replace either guard if there were an injury at either spot and Molk were still healthy.

5-TECH: Will Heininger, Nathan Brink
Walk-ons are a bit scary.

1-TECH: Mike Martin, William Campbell
3-TECH: Ryan Van Bergen, Quinton Washington
These two positions are largely interchangeable, although I doubt we’ll see Van Bergen playing much nose tackle.  I’m a little surprised that Campbell won’t start, but Van Bergen should be fine at DT instead of DE.  He played well there in 2009 and ended up with 5 sacks.

WDE: Craig Roh, Jibreel Black, Frank Clark
The first two were expected.  I’m a little surprised that Clark is on the depth chart, but . . . well . . . there’s not much depth on the defensive line.  Hopefully he’s a situational pass rusher and not much more.  He won’t hold up against the run at only 228 lbs.

SAM: Cameron Gordon, Jake Ryan, Brennen Beyer
I sure hope Beyer stays off the field this year and can redshirt.  Gordon and Ryan are going to be solid.

MIKE: Kenny Demens, J.B. Fitzgerald, Marell Evans
Demens is going to be a stud.  There’s actually a little bit of depth here.  The two backups are steps down from Demens, but they’re not bad players.

WILL: Mike Jones, Brandon Herron, Brandin Hawthorne OR Desmond Morgan
I was leery of Jones starting at WILL since he was only 207 lbs. the last time we saw him, but he’s up to 224 lbs. now.  I don’t think he’s a playmaker, but he had a decent spring game.  Herron and Hawthorne won’t scare anyone.  Morgan’s going to be a player someday.

CB1: Troy Woolfolk, Blake Countess, Greg Brown
CB2: Courtney Avery OR J.T. Floyd, Tony Anderson
Hopefully it’s Woolfolk and Avery first.  Yippee for Countess, who looks like he’ll be good for the next few years.  Floyd might be a solid slot corner, but I’m scared if he starts.  All things being equal, start the young guy.

SS: Jordan Kovacs, Marvin Robinson
(Edit: Never mind.)
FS: Thomas Gordon, Carvin Johnson
Gordon kind of came out of nowhere.  He was playing the nickel back position in the spring, but it sounds like he really turned it on over the summer.  He should have been starting over Johnson last year, anyway, so it seems like things have been righted here.  Johnson has apparently been boom-or-bust back there, but both of these guys should be solid players in the next couple years.

8Apr 2010
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Memories…

I came across this video created by The Wolverine Blog, and it made me wish the season started today. This was such an exciting day for Michigan fans, even if it was only Western Michigan.