U of M thread (in the Lions Forum) :)

[jaadam4]

He did miss on a chip but Gardner was running for his life anyway. Might as well have both playmakers in at once.

[nhwbrooklyn]

Al Borges ain't bad at all. His offensive line is going to get better and better and see what he does with a QB with a legit arm. UofM has had back to back quality seasons and looks ready to take forward steps each year.

He's no Dan Roushar...

[SeattleLionsFan]

While I agree with that sentiment, his failure to utilize Denard and Devin at the same time in the second half was incomprehensible. As has been his continual failure to recognize the interior of the line can get no push, and a 5'8 150 lb back isn't going to be able to move the pile.

If you want to run up the middle, he had to somehow get the Dline to move laterally so that the Oline had a chance to get an angle on their counterparts. He didn't do that, and that cost Michigan the game, IMO.

[CGVT]

I thought the better team won Saturday. Could there have been some better play calling? Sure, but turnovers sealed Michigan's fate more than the playcalling, IMO.

I didn's see this season as a disapointment by any means. Michigan ended up pretty much where I expected this year. I didn't think that they were as good as their record last year. Only two years removed from the RichRod debacle and they are once again respectable. The will be better next year and will challenge for the conference championship and will start to make some noise nationally again.

[SeattleLionsFan]

I agree with all that CG, but I still stand by my assertion...

[Masspartan]

Agree CGVT ... Michigan met expectations in my opinion. They really should have been 7-5 if State didn't gift them a game.

Their record last year was a mirage.

[Mainevent]

They are about where I thought they'd be as well. Denard's an incredible talent, but against good defenses, you just can't survive with his all or nothing passing. Hope to see them return to a more traditional offensive set next year, but that means they need to find a RB and get better on the OL. The D was better than I thought it would be and as the talent continues to improve hopefully that continues to trend upward.

Sure, they could have lost to State, but State "gifted" a lot of games this year so it's not like it was out of character. Just like UM turning the ball over cost them games against ND and OSU, it's just who they were.

[SeattleLionsFan]

For the record, this is my problem with Borges

“They were a little bit predictable in the first half,” said Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Everett Withers. “You know, they put 16 (Robinson) back there, he was gonna run it. And they put 12 (Gardner) back there, they were gonna throw it. And after a while that became something that we keyed on.”
Michigan had run the same play it ran on fourth down three times in the first half, all for gains. Robinson, though, chose the wrong gap, according to Hoke. The play still would have picked up the first down, but redshirt junior Taylor Lewan missed a block on linebacker Ryan Shazier. It was Shazier who made the stop.
Next possession, the Wolverines trailed 23-21 and had a first down on their 44-yard line after a 30-yard completion. Robinson again set up in the shotgun, and the safeties started creeping in.
“The defensive coaches told us that we needed to stop No. 16 because we knew he wasn’t going to throw the ball because of his wrist,” said safety Christian Bryant.
So with Robinson in the game without Gardner, they crept up. If they were lined up on the slot receiver, they changed their leverage and pinched into the box.
Robinson took the snap and ran up the middle. Bryant, playing near the box, met him there and put his helmet on the ball, which Robinson held in his left arm. Earlier in the week, Michigan offensive coordinator said he was not concerned that Robinson’s injury forced him to carry the ball in his non-dominant arm.

Of course there were other problems, but Borges was one.

[nhwbrooklyn]

I'm just stating that all OC's will look bad from time to time. You got to look at a larger body of work. I think from that perspective Al Borges is pretty good with still a chance of being really good with a true pocket passer.

Narduzzi is a great DC, but he looked like a jack ass giving away the game to Nebraska at one point. That doesn't change that MSU has the second best defense, per possession, in the nation according to footballoutsiders.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Trust me, I am looking at his larger body of work. He fucked up last year's MSU game, most of the ND game, this year's ND game, OSU game, and if it was his decision not to use Devin as the backup, Neb.

[Rebelyankee]

The biggest issue for me with the Mich Ohio St game was the second half offense by Mich. Actually they should have played the whole game with both Gardner and Robinson in the game at the same time and should have ran a couple more reverses. !!!


It seemed as if they tried to run up the middle to often and bascily didn't run anything that was working well in the first half. I was confused ???

[jaadam4]

I love how Hoke has come out and said the offense was run the right way. WELL OBVIOUSLY NOT SINCE WE DIDNT SCORE SHIT IN THE SECOND HALF YOU FOOL!

[The Oracle]

He basically said it was called the right way, not blocked the right way. Agree with half of it.

[jaadam4]

Agree with half of it.

lol

[SeattleLionsFan]

He basically said it was called the right way, not blocked the right way. Agree with half of it.

I didn't like that he threw the players under the bus to support his coaching...