Gotta Have It

OK, I was wrong.  I had this theory that NFL-Video gets more NCAA views than NFL views.  The stats of likes or views or whataever they are is simple.  Kansas City rules.  Have you ever been to Kansas Kansas City, or even Missouri?  I have.  I'd rather be in Southern California.  I still wonder what all the NCAA views add up to.

Those of us who need it gotta have it.  Michigan is a big dud so I have to look elsewhere.

I have this other theory:  if the world is right, USC beats Nebraska.  I know Nebraska's coach is a former big-time NFL coach who was at least well paid and sought after even if he has been a little bit of a weenie lately.  Nebraska was making strides.  Recently those strides have been teenie-weenie if not backward.  

Hard times in talent rich Nebraska.  Quick check, Nebraska has had championships as defined by Wiki since the Big 8 broke up in 1996 and became the Big 12.  Tom Osborne was still there and Frank Solich did rather well record-wise (58-19).  Solich was not good enough for the greedy Huskers who will always demand a return to some former world where cornfields rule.  Just about the only truth in NCAA football is that instability.

The question isn't if Matt Rhule is a good coach or not, it is how the hell is he going to do it in Nebraska?  Look at who you are up against! 

Ohio State is going to crush Michigan

 . . . In the meantime, we wait.

We are now at the second Fall vacation break.  Northwestern is in a few weeks or so and then comes the final humiliation of the season.  A possible bowl will have no impact on anything or anyone.

For those of us not in a hurry, it will be a story.  It will take a while though.  The questions and analyses will include, but will not be limited to, the following.  Why was no search done?  Who cares what ex patriot Harbaugh said or does?  And maybe, What were you thinking?

In the meantime, we have only the head-hanging gloom and doom.  Let's take a look.

 

No praise for the opponent.  Nothing new.  No confidence at all.  At least hold your head up and be proud of something.

Indiana is not a great team given that Michigan--in this one, a half of Michigan defense--can get that close.

Including Will Johnson, Michigan has three and a half great players.  Next year will probably be worse.

It will take at least next year too.

The comments on YouTube are blistering; and, they are virtually unanimous.  Even those homers, happy to have something to do and eternally optimistic, stay away.  More and more people including national commentators are realizing and writing, Sherrone Moore is not the right man for the job.

Gawd, Northwestern.  That is not something to look forward to.  I remember when it was a fun excuse to get drunk or even travel to Evanston because Michigan was having a great season and they were sure to romp.  Times don't change that much, but head football coaches do.

If this isn't proof, what is?

The State of Michigan Football

 

 

Most predictions say take Indiana even Michigan 14 points.

Michigan is always a big game for the opponents.  This year that team is especially psyched.  Michigan could be 0-4 away.

Oregon Duck Week

Probably the biggest news in the deluge for Michigan this week is...  

The floods in Spain are much more important.

But it is Saturday in the Fall in the United States.  Even bigger news of our own making looms.

And that is what Michigan news is, all of their own making.  It is all rumor, last-minute revelation, dysfunction, or failure.  

Barstool Sports is kind of a neat name but I don't know who Dave Portnoy is.  I don't really have a reason to Google him either.  When the rumors first broke that Michigan was interested again in Bryce Underwood--big deal--his reaction was laughter.  He is the only one who knows.  Now the "news" is that Michigan is raising the scum level and circling the wagons for NIL money.  It is all so similar to Rich Rod and Tyrelle Pryor.  That was a time when these things were a little more discreet.

Carter Smith is a high school student I have heard of.  He holds Florida awards and records and had been a future bright spot.  He was, past tense, everything you want in a quarterback recruit.  Now his is but another Sherrone Moore failure.

Ohio State - Penn State is at halftime, 14-10, respectively.  Ah, the top three after Oregon.  I cannot listen to Urban Meyer at halftime.  Go Nittany Lions.

Perhaps we are seeing Moore's strategy.  Racism, I'll write it, and Wink Martindale and Kirk Campbell are not the solution.  Anyway, it is money and stealing others' recruits.  Hardly noble.  And you could even speculate (Putin?) desperate.

But Moore does have deep recruiting roots in Kansas.  Why would a top-100 o-line recruit want to come to Michigan?

And he condones a sideline-clearing fight after his team has already won the game.

I'm hoping for 5-7.  Today with Oregon we're all going to see what it looks like.  Moore and Michigan was very lucky to have so many hone games with revenue this year.  The poor fans today...  I'm just an observer.

Head coach Moore and Will Johnson have a plan. 

TreVeyon Henderson looks better--leaner, faster, and stronger--than under OSU's discarded, fat, running backs coach who, BTW, Moore hired.  Michigan already had Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards.

The Ohio State - Oregon game was exceptionally close.  Penn State is really good.  Ohio State looks even better.  They are all stars; they make plays.

 

Michigan 24 Michigan State 17

Wouldn't you know it.  Sherrone Moore.  If he cannot embarrass the school in the game he will do it afterward.  Blame it on Moore.  I hope he is suspended, again.  Leaving the bench or sideline for a fight is wrong.

Michigan taunts.

The game.  Michigan State has promise but they are not a great team.  I missed the beginning, but it was just as expected.

 

Then, when I finally found it online, Michigan was stopping, even pushing Michigan State backward.  They made aggressive, individual, self-congratulating plays.  Some of the players don't really tackle, they hit or go for the ball.  Sometimes they fail; it is more about opportunity and violence than anything else.  This is their trademark.

Josaiah Stewart made a great, smart, play for a fumble.  It was working.  Aiden Chiles was a little rattled.

That provided some momentum.  Then, surprisingly, Davis Warren connected.  It was like a psychological trick, the weird clapping ritual before the snap.  It worked.  He was a different quarterback,  decisive and on target, and even a somewhat mobile.  Donovan Edwards threatened.  Colston Loveland caught.  Then Michigan State could not stop Alex Orji.  He too was successful.  From there Michigan resorted to trickery, flea flicker, halfback pass, and wildcat.  It all worked.

Finally, they had a lead.  They were actually playing complementary football.  Shockingly, Jonathan Smith may have been outcoached. 

Sunday morning and I'm letting YouTube guide me through highlights.  Colorado is much worse--the guy got a penalty for waving his finger at the Cincinnati defender as he was scoring.  Then Hunter did a backflip in the endzone while someone else was dancing.  Now he is dancing again, because he is scoring again.  I live in Colorado.  I do not like this Colorado team.

I'm not real fond of this Michigan team either.  I sometimes wish they would remove the names from the jerseys.  But I also realize Michigan football has always been about players who can not just handle, but crave the spotlight.

Blog Post

I hope Sherrone Moore and Warren Davis or Davis Warren and whoever it is get creamed.  Even if that doesn't happen, it is as likely as not.  Much of what I have read favors the Spartans over the void that is Moore.  We have seen it before, and Moore stands there like he is some analyst on the 19th floor.  We are finally aware it has been going on for 10 months.

There is no way Michigan wins this game as if to say they will even challenge Oregon or Ohio State.  Michigan plays as if it is practice, not to win.  The outcome with immature State is hard to predict.  After all, Michigan beat Fresno State and Arkansas State.

Losing to a team that was totally decimated and rebuilding would be justice.  Moore, you deserve it for what you have done to the team that was and the program.  It is a great way to make up for being suspended too.

Any moron--queue movie clip--will tell you Michigan's steadfast gameplan:  throw short to Loveland, run Mullings 20-25 times, and wishful hopeful execution, do not turn it over.  In other words, safety, safety, safety.

Here's the catch:  in the meantime, Michigan State will move the ball and eventually score.  It has little to do with possession time, when Michigan State has the ball they will retain it or score.  When it happens often it will be a wide margin and disgrace.

Moore and (previously unemployed) Wink get no bye if State lights it up.  WTF is up with him anyway, why was he so immediately available and what has he done in recruiting?

I'm really looking forward to this game.

Sherrone Moore is a bad face of  Michigan football, bags under eyes and all.  He doesn't even have a change of clothes.

 I sure hope I'm not wrong about the game.

Michigan State Week

 

The link upper right is a decent forecast (I could read it on my phone but it is paywalled on my pc).  MSU 16 Michigan 13.

But the author suggests a lot of tension among Michigan fans in the stands.  I think it will be more like boos.

I was thrown off in my Illinois preview by Brian Cook, Mgoblog, who predicted Michigan's lines would be a positive and Michigan will win.  I don't like to predict scores because I tend to compromise or water down what I really think.  I thought Michigan would lose to Illinois 27-10.  As I wrote then, Michigan usually looks/starts lethargic coming off a bye; that was certainly true.

This one I think will be around what the Lansing Journal writer says.

Iowa is not the same away from home, and they are sometimes not great on turf at night (see Big Ten Championship).  Michigan State looks as expected:  upbeat, energetic, rising, young and gaining confidence.  Aiden Chiles looks the part of someone to build around--some skillful throws and one really bad one at the outset.  He is young and probably can be rattled, unless, Texas gameplanned for quick releases, and it worked.  Several Michigan players (e.g., Josaiah Stewart and TJ Guy) have shown nasty streaks and, something I don't like about this iteration of Michigan football, Michigan will take cheap shots and try and knock Chiles out of the game.

Wow, Chiles just threw another awful ball and this one was caught.  Earlier, he tossed one out of bounds for intentional grounding.  Then he ran around for about 10 seconds holding the ball vulnerably.

But in this one the opposing quarterback is Cade McNamara.  And Michigan State has had success gang-tackling Iowa's fullback, Michigan-like offense.  Anyway, McNamara threw a couple of uncatchable passes and Iowa missed a field goal.

Chiles is back to slinging it and getting slammed to the ground.  What happens when...  a 6th-year transfer  QB is now in.  Freshman WR Nick Marsh is ballyhooed and is probably as dangerous as anyone Michigan has seen this year.  Same for Michigan State's kicker Kim.  Yardage is 180 MSU, Iowa 50.

Chiles runs the option too.  He is more than a scrambler, he is a dangerous runner.  He has quick feet and a pocket escape move similar to that of a former Michigan quarterback.  With Chiles State's offense is versatile and the playcalling supports it.

Strange game:  12-0 State with 4 field goals and they have a touchdown-scoring problem.  It is a fun game to watch.  Michigan State plays clean and with energy; Iowa is always tough and disciplined.

Iowa's offense is as bad as ever; Michigan, with Mullings and Loveland, may even be better.  At times.

Switch gears. 

Michigan is not just unsuccessful--against decent competition they are a .500 team at best, with blow-out losses--they are directionless.  In other words, Sherrone Moore is not only not a plus, he is a minus.

Michigan has more star power than Michigan State.  They should be better than Michigan State, I would say, still watching the Iowa game...  it is close, but Michigan State may be the better team now.  They will definitely be the better team next year.  

BTW, State has already played Oregon and Ohio State.  That is also a robust prediction of what is going to happen to Michigan.

Sherrone Moore Postgame

 

 I didn't see a tissue or tears; yes, watery eyes although this implied it.  

I was all ready anyway.  Sherrone, why were you crying?

1.  The game was not close.  Illinois jumped out to a 13-0 lead and as we all know, scoring is not Michigan's forte.  Then it got uglier with turnovers, penalties, and sacks.

But why are you crying?

2.  The season is over.  All Michigan can hope for is a meaningless bowl that the best players skip and everyone else will transfer out.  Three out of the five remaining games could be ugly and any loss to Michigan State will be the same.

That's still no reason to cry.

3.  Michigan is a sinking ship and Moore is the captain.  The only hint we have of his philosophy is "smash."  Aside from a few stars, Michigan is not close to achieving that and the rest of the team is not a pretty picture either.  Michigan needs a total offseason rebuild and that cannot create Moore's vision either.  His FBS head coach career is on the line.  He won't be fired this year, but the same ugliness next year could make things very quick.

These postgame pressers are really informative.  Moore's body language and demeanor are terrible.  Consider PJ Fleck after his team's loss to Michigan:  he was complementary of Minnesota's opponent and upbeat.  Moore is depressing.

What he actually says is the same old nonsense of execution turnovers, and reps.  He has no solutions for this season.  Worst of all, he does not look like a leader in charge.

This guy is clueless.  His solution is to say "have fun."  I understand practices feature music.

He is not motivating or energetic or inspiring at all.  And it certainly shows on the field.

I wonder if Moore understands the concept of farce.  I'd like to see someone ask him some real questions.  Coach, are you going to win the Big Ten this year?  Or, Michigan is ranked 16th in the latest 247 recruiting rankings, do you think that is good enough to win championships in the future?

I would bet the answer would be "I mean..."  Or maybe "can't have 'em." 

Quite frankly, he shows apathy.  Disinterest.  Irrationality.

I guess people react to pressure in different ways.  

 

Illinois 21 Michign 7

If Michigan loses to Michigan State, which is likely, all hell will break loose.

They are going to get creamed by Oregon and Ohio State.  I thought Nebraska was pretty good; IU is going to beat Michigan too.

Northwestern is a game to look forward to.

What a season.  

There is no reason to think Sherrone Moore is capable.  Will Johnson plays about half the time.  Michigan has a few star players.  Next year will be the same or worse.  

Now I'm thinking about Tony Bennett.  No, not that Tony Bennett.  What a noble effort.  I wish a lot of other people would do the same.  "I'm just not the guy to do it."

I have been doing this a long time on Mgobloging.  There are irrefutable signs:  penalties, turnovers, special teams, close to last in the FBS in offense, sacks, and revolving quarterbacks.  These are the basics, and if you cannot teach them you are not a head coach.  Then there are things like recruiting, hiring, and the portal that are more complex and possibly even harder to excel at.  Moore and staff have not shown an ability to gameplan and adjust.  In college football everything flows through and from the head coach.

There are quite a few quick, simple, and well-done summaries of yesterday's game on the web.  Impressions, and especially first impressions, are everything.

There is the CBS studio crew--What have you been doing for the past two weeks and the bye?  Another is a post on I think GBWolverine of the off-target Tuttle passes at the beginning of the game and the absurd (negated by penalty) interception right to the Illini defender.  (The game started 13-0 Illinois and was never close.)  Then there are the emotional but appropriate X texts, one a giant picture of Brady Hoke.  Finally, a succinct summary:  cheat, win, leave.

Sherrone Moore had eight months of trust, confidence, and a relative lack of scrutiny.

Sunday morning and already recorded and watching from NFL-Video.  Old habits.  Two--correction, four--great players really bring it on every play:  Graham, Grant, and Mullings.  And Loveland.

If Michigan loses to Michigan State next Saturday in prime time...  Quick look, Aiden Chiles has 1,468 yards passing and the entire Michigan team has 898.  Michigan has 1,262 team rushing yards, MSU 933.  Michigan State coach Jonathan Smith started with started with a scandal and nothing.  State seems to be improving; Michigan not at all.

Moore started with scandal(s) too.  It is better to acknowledge it, make a clean break, and move forward.

Illinois Day

It is not Illinois week and certainly it is not Illinois two weeks.  Me?  I'm watching the fairly recent Watergate series again.  In my youth I was a fanatic and bought every book on it.  The election is under three weeks away.

Sherrone Moore and company have proven by now that Harbaugh gutted the program.  But what is forgotten is Moore was offensive coordinator during the heydays.  Kirk Campbell is supposed to be in charge of the quarterbacks.  Ron Bellamy, pass game coordinator, is a holdover too.

They all suck are not very good.  There is no evidence they can field an upper echelon team.

(Edit due to this:  https://www.foxsports.com/stories/college-football/how-unapologetically-brash-curt-cignetti-has-turned-indiana-football-winner.)

Bret--we don't make fun of names here--Bielema knows thump-ball.  Then again, defense is not the same thing as offense, and apparently Illinois is not as capable in the former as earlier in Bielema's tenure at Illinois under now Purdue coach Ryan Walters.

My feeling is if Illinois can't beat this Michigan team at home they are not very good.  Apparently they have a decent passing game and the Michigan defense has too many holes.  And any capable defense will contain the run and rile Jack Tuttle.

I am watching Purdue at Illinois from last week.  Boring quiet stadium.  Illinois is not very good; Purdue is really not very good.  Illinois is a lot smaller and slower than Michigan.  But they are probably a better team than Michigan.

Number 23 vs. #24?  More like like Maryland vs. Rutgers ten years ago.  This is really the second tier of college football.

 

Prediction:  Illinois 27 Michigan 24.

P.S.  Forgot to mention.  Michigan is usually sluggish coming off bye weeks.  You'd think they would prepare better, but they don't.

Bye Week - Last Place

Update 10/19/24

Points For and Points Against tell the story.  Michigan is a .500 team against decent competition.

---

I wish I could find that outstanding blog or news post.  Maybe Sports Illustrated or GBMWolverine or maybe even long-surviving Maize 'n Brew; it was a site that popped-up in my regular "michigan football" news search by date more than a few days ago.  It was prepared--very little if anything was actually written--by someone experienced enough to get on one of those big sites.

Looking through Michigan football news is no fun.  Braylon Edwards comments on this; Jabrill Peppers, if there is evidence and wounds, is in criminal trouble and he's already disgraced; Connor Stallions is still alive and way too loud.  Seventh-year Jack Tuttle is not encouraging news either.  I can't find it.

The apropos and still in my mind piece was five or six paragraphs that were really cut and pasted offensive stats after half a season.  Last in Big Ten in offense.   Hundred ten or twenty in passing offense; middle or lower in scoring offense.  Not good in defense either.

Then there is the other flurry of statistics making their rounds.  Quite a few of the regulars are no-names during the games and the PFF stats explain why.  These names include Lick, the transfer-in receivers, Zach Berry, and Barham.  

There is nothing more glaring than the offense--the entire offense.  It is a constant lesson in and reminder of complementary football.  The receiving corps and the "quarterback room" are black holes.

Yes, it has been a tough week for me.  I thought about my fair share of abuse.  But no, this is not another angry talking head or schadenfreude seeker.

It is true and real.  Michigan is playing Spring practice while the competition is engaged in the stretch run.

Sherrone Moore is not uplifting.  He is showing the wear.  For the rest of us it will be a long off-season.

Washington 27 Michigan 17

The problem now is Michigan is putting out fires, going from one problem to the next and making no progress. 

The issue for the future is they will be worse next year. 

Minnesota 24 @ Michigan 27

Dull.  I had little anticipation for this one.  Minnesota is not very good.  Is P.J. Fleck still wearing tights?Michigan is one-dimensional.

Mangham:  Michigan state and Colorado transfer?  Please, commercial.

---

You can never tell until you watch the whole game, and even better, you consider what it means.

The initial reactions were ugly and can't even watch.  All that has been said and written.

Once again, even without Johnson and Stewart, the defense blistered.  Iowa-ball led to a 24-3 lead--Kalel Mullings, an unusual stand-up ball grab fumble, a blocked punt, and finally a planned, 3 yards in the air forward pass led to the points.  Then, Michigan was gifted an excellent interception by Jyaire Hill.  The Michigan offense failed (5 punts in the game) failed.  

Barham, #1, we rarely hear his name.  

Then, like USC, Minnesota woke up and Michigan devolved.

Michigan sacked Max Brosmer twice.  But Minnesota went 77 yards for a field goal in the last two minutes.

On Michigan message discussions there are two views:  people who are angry and those who claim to be the real fans preaching patience.

The 21-3 lead held for...  Dominic Zvada saved them:  24-3.  Minnesota stopped; Hausmann congratulates self.

4:03 of the 3rd quarter, Orji interception.  Fourteen plays, 77 yards, and 4:59 later Minnesota, 24-10.  

 

 

 

USC and blogging circa 2024

I didn't think it could be done.  See way below.

List

Kalel Mullings.  It is rare to see one person determine the outcome of the game.  Most of us first became familiar with him as a linebacker--good, potential, not a star.  Then it was the halfback pass with perfect execution.  He became a capable, hard runner.  Now, speed is completely singular; plus, Mullings shows power, moves, and smarts.  It was a game-winning performance, even when he was Michigan's only option and everyone knew it was coming.

Second, Michigan is a dirty nasty team under Moore.  Remember the motto of go to the line and then over it; unspoken but continuing further, as long as you don't get caught.  There are many individual, personal examples from the game.  The worst is Jayaire Hill celebrating the game-ending, tear-jerking exit of USC's star tight end.

USC was not great in this game and did not come off the buy week ready to play.  See above; Michigan/Mullings out-toughed them.  Miller Moss was a little wimpy and the Johnson interception was a killer.  Michigan's defense was great and USC's offense was terrible for the first quarter and a half.

Four, just before the start, Moore exhorted the offensive line.  The offense still isn't diversified but the gameplan worked.  The offensive line improved.  Both Moore and the O.G. redeemed themselves.

Five and finally, Michigan--the players--showed unbelievable fight.

 

It is a blog.  Opinions are opinions.  Never delete or remove.  Bad prediction after the jump.

Michigan 28 Arkansas State 18

This is the worst fear.  It is so much like Mel Tucker at Michigan State that it is not even funny.

Ja'Den McBurrows has been around for both.  This time he is a not very important part of the team; both times he is little pissant.

The discipline problems run deep.  Michigan has a few players who are annoying.  Fredrick Moore with his first down waves is one.  T.J. Guy is another.  Now, add deposed quarterback Davis Warren.

It is not just on the field, it is in their heads.

There is spring practice, summer practice, and fall practice.  All these players have been doing this for many years and for the coaches, it is decades of experience.  It is not practice anymore, it is the regular season, the only season.

For seven months Sherrone Moore has been taking the easy way out in the name of continuity and consistency.  Counting it in dollars, we are about $3 million in and with the assistants it is a lot more.  

This is not on the job training.

It will get worse.  Someone will get injured.  It just did:  Colston Loveland, the biggest offensive threat.