Iowa week

Chris Ash was more stationary.  He was not striding up and down the sideline cheering players up like he had been.  He has a unique gait.  His eyebrows are virtually covering his eyes; no, that is the scowl.  We have seen his face on the sideline many times as his team was getting hammered.  After three and a half years he was the presence of Rutgers football.

They came out with attitude.  Their quarterback Artur Sitkowski was getting creamed like Shane Morris under Brady Hoke.

Losing 52-0 to Michigan was the final blow.

This week I will write about the Michigan football team but it will not be hype, it will all be about the past.


Taylor Upshaw, SDE played vs. Rutgers.  So did the younger Speight.  Carlo Kemp has been like a rock who smiles, on and off the field.  And you wonder why he plays...  Adain Hutchinson has caught up.  Kwitty Paye and Josh Ushe never give up also.

Michigan is lucky in that they have talent.  From there it is mostly about those who play hard all the time.

Why isn't the team better?  About 15 recruits currently playing for other Div. 1 teams is a major problem with Harbaugh's tenure.  For most recruiting classes there are few players left as upperclassmen.  Either Harbaugh and staff are too hard to get along with or they are recruiting the wrong people.

The other big problem with the team under Harbaugh is turnover in staff and philosophies.  Harbaugh has to be in charge himself.  Early on, with Durkin as a head coach and Drevno as a candidate, it looked like uppwardly-mobile transition and success.  As it turns out, the Harbaugh coaching tree is more or less a failure.

Earlier on, preseason predictions for what they are worth, Michigan was favored by some two touchdowns over Iowa.  Now the spread is about 3 points, surprisingly in Michigan's favor.  A field goal is what you get for being the home team.

Contrary to what was said post Wisconsin, players where not lethargic and no one gave up.  That will not happen, especially at home.  So the games are close.  There is always hope and expectation.

The Game (click for more)


https://touch-the-banner.com/preview-michigan-vs-iowa-3/


That is a strange preview.  I would not have guessed that Michigan's defense was their strength and the offense is worthless.

The offense is different and improved with DPJ and Tru Wilson.  With Wilson Michigan has a capable backfield in Charbonet, Turner, and Shea Patterson.  (One thing I noticed in the Rutgers game is Shea's feet are fine, and his mobility is a strength.)  With Peoples-Jones Collins and Black become that much more dangerous; ditto Ronnie Bell.

Michigan walloped Rutgers because of line play.  Iowa has strong offensive and defensive lines.  Will Michigan, with both lines at full strength, get pushed around at home?

Michigan stadium is a fast track.  I think Michigan will score some points.  If mistakes and turnovers surface again (doubtful), Michigan could lose.

On defense, it has been a while since Michigan has played Iowa, but I have not been impressed by Nate Stanley.  As a sidenote, Justin Fields is scary, but Stanley is not.  Michigan has athletes and experience in the secondary; Uche, Paye, and others will test Stanley's wheels, which are not his strength.  Michigan pummeled the Rutgers quarterback and it is a wonder he stayed in the game...  Ferentz is not an innovator.

Brian at mgoblog.com has not gone to press yet.  So there is this.  I agree, Michigan will win if they play mistake-free and put together some drives.  It is not rocket science.

Not to sound overly dramatic but I feel like the whole season is riding on this game. Iowa seems a solid team but if UM can’t win this game, I am not sure how they beat PSU MSU ND or OSU which equals 6 losses and a disaster of a season. What is most worrisome is that if Alaric Jackson does play, Iowa has 2 likely 1st rd OL going up against the the UM DL which is quite a mismatch – this is possibly a better OL than Wisc and we saw how that turned out. I do think UM can win this game – much better in Ann Arbor, DPJ now seems to be close to 100% and last week’s game plan looked a lot better but they will need 30pts to win.

Wise words and correct:  the drama needs to go.  They will still be good/fun games to watch against the aforementioned because no one will give up and perhaps new stars will emerge.  That is already happening.

It is however true.  If the coaches and the team want this to be more than a 6-6 season now is the time.  They have the horses, maybe not to be great, but to be very good.

It is interesting that Iowa went for 660 yards against Middle Tennessee State, a team Michigan also played.

Assuming Michigan's offensive and defensive lines play Iowa even or better:

Michigan 31-21 (cover spread).

If Iowa dominates the lines--a la Wisconsin and no Michigan running game either--they will win and it will not be close.  Michigan could also resort to turnovers and mistakes if this is the case.  It will not be very close and Michigan will be humiliated at home and in front of all the fans who returned after Wisconsin.

Is the downfall a blip for Harbaugh and Brown?

It is not the fault of the players.  Think about it as a top 5 match-up in prime time.  I will be watching the whole team and the entire atmosphere.  Will Harbaugh appear, and act, loose and in control?

End Part

Brian is up and it is time to end this preview and prediction.  He makes some new points:  Iowa has an excellent kicking game; they are largely untested and are lucky to be 4-0; they have a couple of very good linemen but the rest of the team is not exceptional; and finally, Nate Stanley is not that good.

Pro Football Focus spent much of August explaining "it's the inaccuracy" to livid Iowa fans after PFF ranked Stanley 51st among FBS QBs, one spot behind WMU's Jon Wassink. As of a week ago he was still in the 60s (adequate), fifth on a list of Big Ten quarterbacks that, if it wasn't obvious already, proves the universe has something against you personally.

Overall, they are beatable.

That is just another way of putting it.  If Michigan is a good football team they should win this game.  Otherwise, it is a rather downhill journey.