Michigan 28, Arkansas State 18

[Jeff Buchanan]

I can't mark this win with an smiling, dark glasses wearing emoji. So, it gets a huge question mark.

Of all the shaky wins I've seen M get, this was the shakiest. Things I saw that contributed to the shakiness of this win: QB play (why is a team that was undefeated for years under Harbaugh not have a 5* QB pipeline), Pass-Protection (same question for OTs. Where's the pipeline/), Penalties including the stupid ones and the ones that came from over-officiating, tackling remains terrible. Players unfocused on details is a coaching issue that is not likely fixable. Ast. Receivers and ball carriers routinely got YAC, Wink Martindale schemes on D, over emphasis on getting pressures while giving up outside coverage. What I'm talking about here is that Wink is rushing 5/6, not getting meaningful pressure against mobile QBs while, at the same time putting back side defenders CBs and Ss not part of Wink's blitz happy defense out of position to make a solid tackle, Butch Jones took meaningful advantage of Martindale's tendencies. Sark did it too.

Moore pulled the ones on D midway in the 4th. Ast. scored two TDs. Sure, I get guys getting reps and experience but the ones made so many execution errors, they are the group that needs reps. This going to be a frustrating season. Not looking forward to hosting USC and Minnesota the next two weeks. I'll be there to suffer through the clown show. We're back to Brady Hoke Al Borges and Don Brown days of M football. Sad.

[Tom W]

You are going to LOVE the new scoreboards, Jeff 😉

[WM Wolverine]

6-7 wins is all I see

[Jeff Buchanan]

If you were watching on TV, you'll be able to recall two plays where Warren rotated to hand-off and, whoops, no RB. Said RB was headed the other way. These sorts of screw-ups in execution have become emblematic of team 144's offense. You also probably observed 4* Evan Link playing RT getting bullied by Ast. edge rusher. This sort of thing, serious breakdowns in pass protections, is also emblematic of the dumpster fire that is M's offense. Warren's reaction to pressure are wild throws into coverage.

Unfortunately, we're seeing what may be the ceiling for M's 2024 offense and that CF will be going up against USC next Saturday. Admittedly, Warren, getting the kind of pressure he is getting from free rushers or through the RT position, contribute to his 6 interceptions in 3 games. "A good week in practice," words from Sherrone pre-game, just isn't translating to live games.

We're probably also seeing a vulnerable defense with the architect of it getting worked by opposing coaching staffs/OCs. Notably, both Texas (Sarkisian) and Ast. (Butch Jones) game planned against M managing to leverage Martindale's defensive scheme. IMO, it is his schemes that are putting M's LBs and DBs into positions where form tackles are hard to make - the poor tackling by M defenders meme is as much on Wink as it is NOT about the players.

[Jeff Buchanan]

After watching a full-length replay available via FOX Sports, I have to retract some of my disappointment about this game. M had 228 total yards and176 of that rushing in the first half alone. M was driving for another first half TD to go into the break leading 28 - 3. The defense was solid. On M's last possesion of the first half, the offense was in rhythm until it wasn't and that 2 minute drive before the half was ended by Warren's 2nd INT.

In the second half, Warren's 3rd INT early in the 3rd quarter probably caused Moore to justifiably turtle. A win was more or less assured with Moore directing heavy 2nd team substitutions on both sides of the ball in the late third and 4th quarters. The drop off on defense was clearly evident. Orji got his chance to run the offense after Warren was pulled but couldn't sustain the offensive rhythm that M's offense enjoyed in the first half. Orgi just doesn't present the passing threat that Warren poses. M scored only one more TD in the 2nd half while Ast. scored two TDs and one 2 point conversion. Despite Warren's INTs he presents a legitimate pass threat that Orgi, for now, doesn't.

I'm not sure who Sherrone Moore is going to name as starter at QB against USC. I'm discounting a Tuttle start seeing that as unlikely. If the OL can give Warren a clean pocket he looks fine. In practice, he's probably getting a clean pocket but that's not how the live game unfolds. Pass-pro fails in live games under pressure and Warren, under that pressure, makes bad decisions. Like any QB, clean up pass-pro by getting the OL to make the right line calls will improve Warren's passing performance. Moore is still playing around with two centers - Crippen and Giudice. Settle on one of those guys who's making the best line calls in pass-pro and M's offense may become more effective. I'm somewhat encouraged. If M struggles v. USC though, it's season over if M's goal is a BT Championship and the CFB Play-off.

[THE_WIZARD_]

A 10 point win over the Razorbacks is nothing to sneeze at. They took Okie State to Double OT...

That was Arkansas correct?

[Jeff Buchanan]

????? You can't possibly be that dumb. It's a 10 point win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves twatwaffle. M didn't even cover the 22 point spread. Shaky win. USC will roll.

[THE_WIZARD_]

Oh. Damn. Sorry.

(JB didn't get the joke apparently)

[Jeff Buchanan]

What was the joke? ...... I don't get too many jokes. I usually end up having someone explain them.

[THE_WIZARD_]

JFC.

I can't even poke fun at M fans without you taking it literally.

JFC.

[Hannibal]

I am a bit more encouraged by this win than most of the other folks here. Dominant win is not reflected by the score. Finally, a good performance in the run blocking department, as well as good games from both of the backs (Edwards got on track after a slow start). Why Mullings is not the #1 back, I will never know though.

Defense was dominant until late in the game, other than some groan-inducing moments on the first drive.

I don't know what to say about the QB spot except that this staff is overseeing one of the worst roster management screw ups that we have ever witnessed. Just a total disaster all around. We literally do not have a Division I caliber QB on the team, unless Tuttle turns out to be serviceable when he gets back. Even with our uptight approach to NIL, it's mind blowing that we can't even get a QB who would be a second stringer at a MAC school. WR talent is nonexistent too.

7-5 is a realistic goal for the team. We can beat MSU, Northwestern, Minny, Illinois, and Indiana. We'll get absolutely creamed by Oregon, USC, and OSU. I'm not as sure about UDub.6-6 seems like the most likely outcome right now though. I don't see us running the table on the rest of our winnable games. We'll probably drop at least one.

Next year we're probably doing another pretty big rebuild on defense. We're in what might be at least a three year hole -- however long it takes for recruiting to pick back up and to get those guys into the lineup.

[Mike]

Yep. It's 2014 all over again except without a coaching change to shake things up. We can't even count Indiana and Illinois as auto-wins on the road. Or Sparty for that matter. If 7-5 was on the table right now, I'd snatch that offer in a heartbeat.

[THE_WIZARD_]

delusional sandbagging

[Mike]

Not at all. I don't know how many times I need to say it but Michigan has no credible passing game. You can get around that while playing against tomato cans that get blown of the ball all game but not against a real team. USC will have 9 guys in the box. An "exotic" play for Michigan's offense will be an Orji read-option to no where because Michigan's O-line will have to block 9 guys.

For the hundredth time: Michigan. Has. No. Passing game. Throwing the ball forward to a player in the same uniform: We cannot do it.

Michigan is 106th in total offense. For comparison's sake, Iowa is 53rd. MSU is 63rd.

On defense Michigan is 54 and USC is 55 so that's a wash but USC is also 16th in total offense.

[THE_WIZARD_]

unmitigated sandbagging