Michigan 27, Iowa 14, Post Game Discussion.

[WingsFan]

Wow, some terrible calls on Iowa or this would/could have been a nail bitter.


Looked like it could go south there for a minute. That option call to the short side of the field... stupid call. Should have done a read option to wide side. Would have liked to see Bell needs to get that first down. When Iowa crowd the line, audible to spread them out (?), don't just run it into a loaded box where you don't have the numbers. Still take the W in that place, JJ needs to get that long ball on target.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Messy win but it's Kinnick so, there is that. I thought Harbaugh let Ferentz dictate the game flow in the 2nd. All week, I read that M should avoid running between the tackles v. Iowa's D. Harbaugh got a 20-0 lead early in the 3rd and sat on it. Given where the LBs and one of their Ss were playing, there should have been some screen plays and slants available. Nada.2nd half drives were characterized by lots of burned downs on short gains between the tackles. That was after 1st half drives that got some nice rhythm going. I think the messy 2nd half was on play calling more than anything, IMO, and trying to keep things simple in the passing game for JJ. Nice to have Edwards back in that role.

The turning point for me in the game was right after Iowa scored their 2nd TD held M, who then punted. But Minter dialed up some heat and Mazi and Oki delivered. Those sacks were big and turned an uncomfortable 4th quarter into a better one. Can't beat the door slammer, though, delivered by Corum's 16 yard TD run to close out the win. The last Iowa drives were frustrating as M had the chance to get off the field on several instances and instead gave up chunk plays for first downs.

I will give Iowa's D kudos for the level of speed it's got. M tried to edge them and that didn't work due to excellent LB and DB play, good scouting, sniffing out and ID'ing plays going outside and nailing them for small gaines. It really looked like Harbaugh didn't want JJ to make an error or have someone like Bell take a wicked hit in the middle zone on a slant. But, not a lot of screens were called where you've got some beef to move bodies and protect receivers. TE seam routes? Might have been sorta maybe one.

On longer throws Fox's camera coverage is weak on showing Iowa's coverage. Replay is sometimes OK but not enough of it to judge whether McCarthy just didn't like what he was seeing deep and took his second or even 3rd read - he had the time to make his progressions most of the time. Iowa isn't blitzy preferring to confuse a young QBs pre-snap reads with coverage as opposed to sending 5 guys.

The M OL was mostly good in both pass-pro and the run game. As I mentioned already, Iowa plays sound C2 with talented corners and Ss that are often left in well disguised C1 with the other S stepping up to defend the run (get numbers). Iowa played that well. JJ needs to read that better as there's going to be an open receiver most of the time when it's called.Iowa has a very good defense, as good if not better than the Nits, and M gets them at home.

On to IU.In Bloomington. Nice to get a tough first road W in Iowa city.

[Hannibal]

I only got to watch the first half. It was near immaculate— but JJ doing his Shea impression on deep balls is infuriating. We’re getting dominant OL and RB play — our passing game should be a lot scarier than it is.

i haven’t seen any of the second half. From the box score, etc, it looks like we dominated through the 40 minute mark of the game and then we took our foot off the gas pedal, went into the prevent, and made Spencer Petras look like Joe Montana. I’m not sure what ti make of that, except that it’s the second week in a row that we have been royally carved up late in the game. Doesn’t bode well for OSU or maybe Penn State.

it’s looking increasingly like Penn State is our lone real obstacle to running the table up until OSU. Even if MSU plays way above their head like they always do against us, it might not be enough.

Welp — it’s onto Indiana I guess. We should win but at this point a loss to anyone other than Nebraska or Rutgers wouldn’t shock me.

[THE_WIZARD_]

A loss to Indiana wouldn't shock you but to UNL it would?

Nkay.

Dude you ain't losing until Columbus.

[Jeff Buchanan]

A loss to Indiana wouldn't shock you but to UNL it would?

Nkay.

Dude you ain't losing until Columbus.

Here's the thing. CFB fans who cheer for other programs and who are outside of the biased M homer cohort see the realty for M football much differently than, beyond the homers, even reasonable fans who have been that for a long time - like Me.

IMV, Hanni represents the dark corners of the "reasonable" M football cohort. OTH, I'm an optimist with a brighter view which has it's own set of fatal flaws when it comes to predicting M football outcomes. But all M fans along that continuum are keenly aware of the inevitable dong-punch and the BPONE than follows. So, as Hanni states, "at this point a loss to anyone other than Nebraska or Rutgers wouldn’t shock me."

I get this.

You (and talent who sycophantically agrees with your nonsense too often) don't have this "inevitable dong-punch and the BPONE than follows" albatross hanging from your neck. You both tend to see an M football team in 2022 that, "isn't going to lose until Columbus."

That just isn't the season expectation for most M fans, over the entire continuum of them, history being appropriately considered.

[iam416]

To sum up—The Talent and Wizard offer rational, fact-based takes on M football, and M fans inject all sorts of intangible, irrelevant, subjective non-factual bullshit into their irrational takes.

Harsh, but fair.

[THE_WIZARD_]

unusually cogent and lucid words by The_Talent_

[lineygoblue]

Barring something unforseen, I think its fairly safe to put Indiana in the win column. Still have to show up, play the game and get it done.

Penn State will be a tough out. Definitely the toughest opponent of the season so far. They have what it takes to beat Michigan. Once Michigan realizes that, and rises to that challenge, they'll have a chance to put the Nits in the win column. Take them lightly, and they'll get embarrassed. Witness 2020, when Onionhead brought his worst team as PSU/HC to Ann Arbor, and trounced Michigan.

Michigan is everyone's "red letter" game. Look at any of our opponent's schedule, and you'll see the Michigan game circled in red. Every one of them. Failure to rise to that challenge can lead to a defeat any week of the season. Including Indiana.

We don't have the luxury to pick 5* athletes off a tree and insert them into place every year. Only a few elite CFB teams have that ability. OSU is one of them, for whatever reason. M has to make do with whomever they get. Last season the stars aligned, and they had a great season. Its going to take some luck this year as well.

Meanwhile, they're 5-0. Good.

[Jeff Buchanan]

...... as usual, the Wiz and talent are licking each others scrotums. I will say, talent is nearly correct .... nearly ..... there are actually some reasonable M fans here and I count myself among them with the exception of entertaining some "feelings ball" shit on rare occasions.

[iam416]

Penn State is good.

Fortunately, no one circles the Ohio State game. It’s all about M for everyone.

[WM Wolverine]

Why don't teams just circle every opponent in red?

[lineygoblue]

Cheer up, Talent. I'm sure some folks at Michigan red circle the osu game. After all, they can't red circle themselves.

[lineygoblue]

Why don't teams just circle every opponent in red?

Seems like they should, but it'd probably be silly for Alabama to red circle Georgia Southern or Citadel.

[THE_WIZARD_]

OSU is one of them, for whatever reason.

That's just one of the benefits of being born on third base...

[Mike]

Had a great, albeit brief, conversation with one of my all-time favorite Wolverines early Saturday morning at around 7:15. We were setting up shop when a guy with thick silver hair and matching beard approached with his daughter. He started making small talk. Something about it's nice to see Michigan fans so early, nice set-up, etc. I walk over to greet him, guy sticks out his hand and says: John Kolesar, nice to meet you! I am 47 goddamn years old and I felt like a 10 year-old. Like I seriously had to focus on maintaining composure and not going full fanboy.

I told him that he was one of my favorite players growing up and how the '85 TD against OSU is one of my favorite Michigan football memories. He immediately said, "yeah, but we came here and lost". Recall that Mark Stoops was on that Iowa team and Kolesar said it was getting pretty chippy. Stoops was a safety and Kolesar's primary job was as a blocker most plays so they were routinely butting heads. Eventually Kolesar got leverage on Stoops and pankcaked him. As they were going down he hear's Mark scream. Turns out he blew out his ACL on the play. The fans thought Kolesar chopped blocked him and were throwing shit at him on the sideline which is extremely close to the stands at Kinnick. There's literally like 15 feet from the sideline to the first row of seats.

In his opinion, Kinnick is the loudest stadium in the Big Ten but this was his first game back since the 1988 game that ended in a 17-17 tie. I remembered that we were going in for the winning score late in the game and someone fumbled at the 1 yard line. I thought it was Allen Jefferson but he corrected me: Clarence Williams. His memory of all these moments is impeccable. He said Michigan was getting jobbed by the refs in '88 to the point that Bo got a PF and they had to physically restrain him from getting another.

I could have sat and listened to him talk for hours. Conversation changed to the current team and that day's game. I said my only concern was JJ turning it over and his response was animated! He puts the ball on the ground! You cannot put the ball on the ground! Referenced Bo several times but I liked what he said Bo's philosophy on QB play was: You have 2 jobs: 1. Take care of the football and 2. Get me into the right play.

We talked 1985 and 1988 but he evaded anything to do with himself and his heroics against Ohio State. Instead, as he departed, he said "I'm 0-1-1 at this stadium and I want to walk out with a W today". My man!