SB Nation - Michael Shaw

Michigan preview

BoilerTMill — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:59:54 -0000

It has come to this. All of the dreams we have of playing in a bowl this football season come down to winning in Ann Arbor. Doing so would be the first such victory since Griese was at quarterback. I don't mean Brian in the late 90's for the Wolverines either. Our favorite taco-loving announcer was Purdue's quarterback on October 15, 1966 when we won 22-21 in Ann Arbor.

It is a difficult position to be in, but I wouldn't have it any other way. When I was in school, I always tackled the hardest projects first. I knew if I could finish them, everything else would be easy. That is what we face now. Winning at Michigan is the most difficult of our remaining three games. Win, and we have a better chance to win the final two games. Lose, and it is all about building for next year.

Before the season, this was the only loss I had put in sharpie, as the Boiled Sports guys say. I even gave us a chance against Ohio State at home because we play the Buckeyes well and we were at home. Michigan is quite different. In the three victories over Michigan I have personally witnessed (1996, 2000, 2008) we have had to hang on until the final play in each one. Don't even get me started on our visits to Ann Arbor, which have gone as follows:

1969: L 20-31

1972: L 6-9

1974: L 0-51

1975: L 0-28

1978: L 6-24

1980: L 0-26 (This loss cost us the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl that season)

1982: L 21-52

1983: L 10-42

1985: L 0-47

1989: L 27-42

1991: L 0-42

1993: L 10-25

1995: L 0-5

1999: L 12-38 (Our other four losses that season were by a touchdown or less)

2001: L 10-24

2003: L 3-31 (This also cost us the Big Ten title and Rose Bowl)

2007: L 21-48

That is 17 straight losses at the Big House. In six of those games we didn't even score a single point. Kyle Orton, Drew Brees, Mark Herrman, and Jim Everett never even came close to a win. Shoot, Rick Trefzger in 1995 came closer than any of them. This is what we have to look forward to on Saturday. There is good news though: Joey Elliott led a pair of touchdown drives in the last two minutes during our last visit, so he had a better game in half a quarter than most Purdue quarterbacks.

A rare close game by Purdue at the Big House.

2009 Record: 5-4, 1-4 Big Ten

2008 Record: 3-9, 2-6 Big Ten

Bowl Result: none

Blog Representation: MGoBlog, MVictors, Varsity Blue, Michigan Sports Center, iBlog for Cookies, Maize'n'Brew, Maize & Blue Nation

Series with Purdue: Michigan leads 41-13-0

Last Purdue win: 11/1/2008 at Purdue 48-42

Last Michigan win: 10/13/2007 at Michigan 48-21

It is hard to believe that Michigan started 4-0, but their one win since came in a D-1AA exhibition against Delaware State. Even more unbelievably, they got drilled by an awful Illinois team last week. I can't figure this team out right now. They haven't even been competitive the last two weeks against two teams (Penn State and Illinois) they have historically dominated.

Michigan offense:

The key to any victory this time around will be stopping the Wolverines in the first quarter. Michigan has scored 111 points this season it the first quarter of their nine games. By comparison, they have just 28 third quarter points in that time. If we can prevent them from jumping on us early we have a chance. I am also encouraged that they run a similar offensive style to Oregon. Our defense did a good job of stopping the Ducks (remember, 17 of the 38 points given up were because of turnovers) and Oregon has better personnel running it.

We will definitely see two quarterbacks. Tate Forcier (107-193-5) has nine touchdowns and 1,429 yards passing. He is by far the bigger passing threat. Denard Robinson (11-22-4) has two touchdowns and 179 yards passing. With four interceptions in 22 attempts we want him to throw. Make no mistake. This is by far a run first team. Robinson has rushed for 287 yards and five touchdowns while Forcier has 214 and two scores.

Even though we won last year, we couldn't stop an offense that had struggled all year. They have been more successful this season, so we had better hope we have improved in that area. Brandon Minor (332-5) had a field day against us, going for a career high 155 yards and three scores, but he has been battling injuries of late. Carlos Brown (465-4) leads the team in rushing, but Michigan is at its best when it is spreading the ball around in the running game. Vincent Smith (208-1) and Michael Shaw (181-2) have been known to get in on the action too.

While Michigan's passing game isn't highly productive, it is balanced. Martavious Odoms (22-272-1) is the leading receiver, but Greg Mathews (18-204-1), Kevin Koger (15-211-2), Junior Hemingway (13-233-2), and Darryl Stonum (12-189-1) provide balance across the board. Roy Roundtree, yes that Roy Roundtree, has produced 6 catches for 136 yards and a score.

Michigan has had some issues of late with the offensive line. The unit has given up 19 sacks on the season, and has had some trouble opening holes for the running game. This is not a hulking line like Wisconsin's last week. Four of five starters are under 300 pounds, while Stephen Schilling is the biggest guy at 304 pounds. We should have some room to operate and be disruptive with our defensive line this week.

Michigan Defense:

This is where Purdue has struggled historically. They have been unable to generate any points against the Wolverines. In the four games in which Purdue topped 20 points during this streak most of them came after game was well decided. It is not so much that Michigan has had a lights out defense in that time. It has just been that Purdue has been unable to do anything against it.

Our offensive line could have its hands full with Brandon Graham at the end position., Graham has 6.5 sacks on the season, 17.5 tackles for loss, and is generally a disruptive force in the defensive backfield. Defensive tackle Ryan Van Bergen (32 tackles, four sacks) can also cause some problems. Michigan typically goes with a 3-4 set as opposed to the 4-3's we have seen most of the year. That means faster linebackers will be on the field, but there could be more room to run.

Obi Ezeh is the most active of those linebackers, leading the team with 63 tackles. Stevie Brown (55 tackles), Jonas Mouton (53 tackles) and Craig Roh the the remaining linebackers. It is an interesting mix of youth and experience as Ezeh, Mouton, and Brown are seniors while Roh is a true freshman.

Michigan has had some problems in the secondary. Donovan Warren is a solid cornerback with three interceptions, but they are hurting from the loss of Boubacar Cissoko, who was dismissed form the team before last week's game against Illinois. Troy Woolfolk and Michael Williams man the safety positions, but neither has an interception this season.

Michigan should be more vulnerable to the running game than Wisconsin. Illinois went nuts on the ground last week, and they had no discernable running game until two weeks ago. Their pass defense has been suspect as well. If we can limit turnovers and get back to moving the ball we might have a chance.

Michigan Special Teams:

Behold Zoltan, destroyer of worlds! Zoltan Mesko, aside from having the coolest name in the Big Ten, is a pretty good punter averaging almost 45 yards per kick. It's not like we have a punt return game anyway, so we should get ready to field deep kicks.

Jason Olesnavage is a decent kicker, hitting on 8 of 9 field goals with a long of 44. Bryan Wright is actually a kickoff specialist apart from Olesnavage and Mesko. He is holding teams to about 22 yards per return. Michigan's return game itself is pretty dangerous. We all know what Odoms did to us last year. Stonum has a kickoff return for a touchdown. Also of note, Graham has a blocked punt returned for a score, but it was against Delaware State.

Intangibles:

Do I really need to point it out? The Boiled Sports guys and I discussed how a new coaching staff and new players can make a difference. They do not have the history of the 17 game losing streak on them. The truth is that it hasn't mattered. Every team we have taken up there, with different players, coaches, and philosophies, has gotten drilled for the past 43 years. I gave up two years ago when I went to the game and saw us fall behind 48-7 to a team that got worked by a 1-AA squad. This team has reached a rare level for me. I won't believe we can win there until I see it happen. I held the same attitude toward Notre Dame Stadium until 2004, but even then we had a series of close losses leading up to that win. There is no such history here.

Michigan has ownership over us on their home field rarely seen in college football. It is not that they have won 17 straight. They have done it with just two games being remotely close. Yes we have had some bad teams in this streak, but we have had some very good teams (1999, 2001, and 2003 were all in the top 15 at kickoff) get drilled in Ann Arbor. Technically in 2007 we were ranked at game time, so we have taken a ranked team in our last four trips to the Big House and been outscored 141-46. That is even with two meaningless touchdowns late in our last game.

The numbers are just not there to make me believe we can suddenly turn it around. Right now, I feel more confident about winning in any other venue in the Big Ten, maybe even the country, than I do about winning in Ann Arbor.

Keys to the Game for Purdue:

Catch the football
Limit turnovers
Limit special teams mistakes
Play against the run like we did against Oregon
Don't crap ourselves like we always do in Ann Arbor.

Carlos Brown Doubtful For Iowa Michigan Game

Maize n Brew Dave — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:03:31 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

2 months ago: Michigan running back Carlos Brown (23) outruns Indiana cornerback Donnell Jones (10) and safety Austin Thomas (20) for a touchdown during the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Browse more photos »

After a series of ongoing reports of Carlos Brown being limited in practice this week, MGoBlog is calling the likelihood of Carlos seeing the field this week "very doubtful."

According to MGo:

A reliable source says [Brown] was concussed in a full-contact drill and he is very doubtful for this weekend.

No word in the papers or the official team site as to whether Brown is actually out or not, but all signs point to no. Ann Arbor.com had this to say about Brown's condition:

Running back Carlos Brown did not practice Wednesday because of an undisclosed injury. He missed part of the Indiana game with what was originally termed "sore knees" and later described as an ankle injury.

So, nothing to verify the concussion possibility yet, but I'm taking Brian at his word on this. I don't think we're going to see Mr. Brown on the field in Iowa City. On the other hand, that does mean a bigger dose of Brandon Minor and Michael Shaw. Rodriguez said that Minor is as close as to 100 percent health as he’s been all season (according to AAdotCom).

"The past few weeks he’s been limited during the weeks," Rodriguez said. "Tuesday practices are our most physical practice and (this week) he went through the whole practice on Tuesday. It’s probably, and again talking to him, it’s the best he’s felt in several weeks."

A healthy Minor should off set the loss of Brown to some degree, though I seriously doubt Brandon is going to be able to make the cuts he could make at the season's start on his gimpy ankle. In Brown's stead, especially in the two back set, Iowa's going to see a lot of speedster Michael Shaw, who's ability seems to mirror Brown's. Including, unfortunately, his penchant for getting injured.

Unit by Unit: Breaking Down Michigan Football's Offense After Its Win Over Indiana

Maize n Brew Dave — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:21:17 -0000

Hey! Lookit this, we're not running hopelessly behind, so it's time to get started with the Michigan Indiana Unit by Unit breakdown. We'll take a hard look at the players and the coaches for each particular unit on the team, and bring them in for a pat on the back or a wag of the finger. After we've looked at each position, we'll give you a final wrap on the team's play on Offense and Defense (Special Teams too!). If you're looking for more detail, game bullets are here, the wrap up is here, the boxscore is here, and the general AP recap is here. If you're looking to peruse the Michigan Official photos from the game, check out this. There are the links, so now let's take a good hard look at....

The Offense

David Guralnick via Detroit News.com

It's funny to think that when our offense puts up 36 points we're sitting here, at least initially, thinking it was a rough day. But the numbers bear this out. Michigan was outgained by Indiana 467 to 372. Forcier looked like he was pressured the whole day and the offense stagnated for large stretches of time. In hindsight however, I am nowhere near as concerned about the offense's performance after rewatching the game. The offensive line did a more than passable job. The receivers had three drops but were dependable and picked up crucial yardage when we needed it. The run game was nearly unstoppable, even when Tate or Denard took off. A handful of bad snaps killed some drives and two turnovers (one just a horrid horrid play by Forcier, the other a fluke hit on Robinson) did the rest. Despite those issues, Michigan had the lead in the fourth and still rallied to win even after the Defense gave up it's first truly big mistake of the season. You can have some gripes about personnel, play calling, execution; but they're all minor after a second glance. All in all, the offense performed pretty well when it didn't shoot itself in the foot with bad snaps. Take away the bad snaps and Michigan is easily over 400 yards for the game and they're still averaging over 35 points a game.

The Offensive Line

David Guralnick via Detroit News.com

My initial reaction to the game was that the O-Line had it's worst performance of the year. After review, I actually think they had a decent game. Quite a turn around, eh? How's that happen? The answer is in the blocking. Despite David Moosman's issues with snapping the ball in the second half, the line did an excellent job opening up running lanes for Carlos Brown, Brandon Minor, and Denard Robinson. A lot of the penetration I saw was on blitzes by the outside LB's that the Tight Ends probably should've picked up. The biggest issue the line faced all day was that there was a new center. There were numerous instances where two to three guys moved early. One play in the second both Ortmann and Schilling left early when Michigan was trying to pooch punt. These types of procedure penalties didn't happen with Molk in, and I'm guessing there's still a little communication problem on assignments and snap counts that Moosman will need to resolve as the Center going forward.

Regarding the illegal formation penalty, the first one was legit, IMO. The second is a 50/50 call, but could've been made. Michigan's formations were arcing badly as they tried to ward off Jamie Kirlew and Indiana's outside pass rushers. And don't sleep on Indiana's pass rush. There were two instances where Michigan tried to block Kirlew with Koger or Brown, one ended in disaster (Forcier INT) the other almost did (Forcier's last second pitch to Brown on the last drive).

(more after the jump......)

Indiana got pressure with it's blitz or when Michigan tried to get cute with one of the Conference's best pass rushers. Otherwise, the Line generally got a good push and opened up some mammoth holes. Had Minor been at 100%, some of those TFLs never would've happened. Better communication and better snaps will eliminate most of the issues the line had on Saturday. And if you look past the bad snaps and procedure penalties, the Line actually had a decent day. Michigan's linemen were consisently clearing space and getting to the second level on run plays and were standing their ground on passing downs. Perry Dorrestein was more than passable at left Tackle. Michigan spent most of the day running left behind Mark Ortmann and Steve Schilling, successfully. Mark Huyge had a great block second level block on Minor's TD run.

You can't give it more than a C grade because of the mistakes, but there are a lot of positives to take away.

The Running Backs

David Guralnick via Detroit News.com

Carlos Brown should never, ever, ever leave the field. Ever. He is by far Michigan's best and most effective back right now. He's showing us a cut back ability I never knew he had. He's running with authority, carrying tacklers for an extra five yards. He's breaking away from everyone. He's our best pass catcher out of the backfield. Never take him out. Ever. If I'm right, and I think I am, after Brown's second touchdown (in just the second series of the game) he didn't get another carry for the next NINE SERIES with his next carry coming a couple of plays into the tenth series after his second touchdown! That's insane. He's the hottest player on the team. You have to feed him the ball, and that's a big mistake by the coaching staff. Maybe they want to protect him, but in a close game getting away from him almost cost us. 146 yards on just 12 total touches. Seriously. Give him the ball. I'm begging you.

Whew. I needed to get that off my chest.

Outside of Brown, I thought Brandon Minor had a good game though it's clear he's still not 100%. Minor had some very good straight ahead runs, but I can count only one play where he was forced to make a cut (or the play called for it) where he was able to move laterally as quickly as we're used to. Straight ahead though, man, he was awesome. He plowed Indiana like a cornfield, picking up 51 yards on 12 carries. Honestly, if he was 100% I think he'd probably have been in the 70-80 yard range. The ankle's healing, he was great in pass protect, but I think he still needs another week to two weeks to be totally healthy and the Brandon Minor we all expect to see.

A special shout out to Kevin Grady who is becoming one of my favorite role players on the team. Kevin was huge in run blocking and showed great hands, shiftiness, and determination picking up two first downs on two catches. I think we're going to start to see more of him in this offense as a Tatenard safety valve. Also, give Grady massive props for his blocking on Tate's dive to the endzone touchdown. I really want to see Grady score a TD this year after all he's been through. One more note, Michael Shaw saw some limited action but largely watched this game, getting only two touches.

When the running backs got the ball, I thought they were great. I'll get into why they didn't get as many touches when I talk about the Quarterbacks. Overall, the Running Backs turned in an outstanding game in all aspects.

The Receivers

Couldn't be any other photo, courtesy David Guralnick via Detroit News.com

Martavious Odoms is the man. I wasn't sold on him going into the year, but now I'm a believer. He just keeps getting better and better. It's not just the great route running and TD catch, it's the little things. His blocking on Carlos Brown's TD run, was the reason Brown went in clean. On the two point conversion, he saw Tate sprint for the endzone and closed off the safety. Sure he had a drop of a poorly thrown ball, but the kid truly is something special. Like Odoms, Kelvin Grady had a busy day. He did have drop on a questionable screen pass by Forcier, but still managed three catches including a crucial 19 yard pickup on Michigan's final drive. Watching him, I get the feeling he's still getting his bearings on the field, but the fact that he's contributing in such a meaningful way so quickly is amazing to me.

The rest of the receiver corps had an okay, not great, day. It's hard to stand out when you throw the ball 24 times, 3-4 are throw aways, 3-4 are drops, 3-4 are bad passes, and the ball spread around to 8 different receivers. Greg Mathews deserves some praise for his run blocking and drawing a flag for PI that got (even though it shouldn't have) picked up. But overall, like Junior Hemingway, Michigan's bigger receivers were largely shut out of the boxscore (one catch between them). Regardless, Hemingway had a great game run blocking and helped clear the way for a lot of yards on the ground, including Brown's first TD and Forcier's 10 yard scramble on Michigan's second to last scoring drive. Roy Roundtree made and appearance and notched a 35 yard catch at the end of the first half, but nothing more.

The Tight Ends had a decent day. The highlight was Kevin Koger's outstanding 36 yard grab that set up Minor's TD run, which Koger also added a good block on. Martell Webb's day was a little rougher, in that the only ball thrown his way was dropped and he didn't see a lot of playing time.

Overall, the receivers were great in run support, good in passing game, and came through when it mattered.

The Quarterbacks

David Guralnick via Detroit News.com

Well, if you were expecting a game where Tate truly played like a freshman, this was it. Even so, he played like a senior leading two critical scoring drives in the fourth quarter. You take the bad with the good sometimes, and dammit, the good keeps prevailing. Prior to the fourth quarter, Tate was not having a good day. Early in the game he was gunning everything at 100 mph. His first throw was rifled to Tacopants, and his second throw to Brown required the back to make a much harder than necessary catch before sprinting to the endzone. Tate was victimized by some drops, but only one throw was material (Webb's drop). The drops by Odoms and Grady weren't good throws or good decisions. Tate chucked one ball over junior Heminway's head that should've been picked, then scrambled around like a fool before throwing a "I'm getting tackled THROW IT!" pick that he should've just eaten. He also picked up an intentional grounding penalty and could've been called for another that ended up just being a sack. In the run game, I think he's got the Notre Dame game stuck in his head. Six legit rushes (sacks and bad snaps excluded): three scrambles and three really bad decisions on the zone read. He misread the DE on some, didn't see the late blitzer on another. He needs to keep handing that off for the time being, especially when the runningbacks are picking up 5 a carry on the opposition.

Now all that criticism aside, damn, what a fourth quarter. Forcier was on target whereas earlier he hadn't been. He showed some great athleticism scrambling for some first downs, and his pass to Odoms and TD runs were things of beauty. The Kid isn't perfect, but he is really, really good. One thing that I especially liked is that he used his safety valve when the home run wasn't available. The biggest thing he's gotta work on is realizing he's not the most athletic guy on the field anymore, and getting rid of the ball rather than running around like a chicken with his head cut off. It'll come with time, but overall, even though the middle of the game was kinda meh, a good start and finish for Forcier.

While Forcier took a minor step sideways, Denard Robinson took a HUGE step forward on Saturday. The kid is just electric on the ground. I know he fumbled before the half, but the fumble was a helmet on football occurrence. There's not a lot you can do when that happens. Robinson's rushing numbers are distorted by two bad snaps and a couple of dropped snaps, but when he actually got the ball off the hike, he was dangerous and picked up some tough yards. Where he impressed me the most was in the passing game. His pass the Koger was absolutely beautiful and perfectly thrown. He had one bad pass to Grady that was behind Kelvin, but he's showing he can handle the full offense and make the team vertical in the air. Right now he's light years ahead of anyone under center last season and a solid number two quarterback. While he's clearly the number two guy, he played like 1A when called in on Saturday. Great game from Denard.

Sunshine, Open Rushing Lanes and Victory, Michigan Football Tops Eastern Michigan 45-17

Maize n Brew Dave — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:34:46 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

3 months ago: Michigan running back Carlos Brown (23) breaks away from Eastern Michigan defensive back Ryan Downard (10) and defensive end Devon Davis (94) for a 90-yard touchdown during the second quarter of an NCAA football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

Browse more photos »

There aren't a lot of things on this earth that make a late September afternoon spent in Michigan Stadium more enjoyable than a victory. Two things, however, do greatly enhance that gameday experience. The first is the Sun. The second is Carlos Brown. On a gorgeous, sunny Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor, the Michigan Wolverines led by 187 yards from the aforementioned Brown, throttled the Eastern Michigan Eagles in route to a 45-17 win. The win over the Eagles, sent Michigan to 3-0 on the young season as they prepare to start conference play against Indiana this Saturday.

Over the past three games we've seen a lot of different things from this 2009 squad. Mostly, we've seen them dominate their opponents in the air, assisted by the running game. On Saturday, Rich Rodriguez' offense displayed its potency in the running game. Michigan amassed 380 yards on the ground, a number that would've exceeded 400 rushing yards had Tate Forcier not been sacked on two (three really) occasions. You're going to have to go back to 2006, when Michigan's rushing game was last at full potency, to see numbers like that.

Most impressively, Michigan ground Eastern into the dirt using five different tailbacks. Carlos Brown only got 13 carries but put up 187 yards (14.4 YPC) and two touchdowns. Michael Shaw only saw the ball 9 times and piled up 57 yards (5.9 YPC) and a touchdown. Michael Cox ran twice for 31 yards (15.5 YPC). Shifty freshman Vincent Smith got two carries for ten yards (5.0 YPC). Brandon Minor carried the ball three times for 21 yards (7.0 YPC) before sitting the remainder of the game to rest a battered body. So, the running backs accounted for Three Touchdowns and 302 yards. Not so bad. But that's only part of the story.

(the rest of the story after the jump....)

The quarterbacks and slot ninjas also got in on the ground game. Denard Robinson carried the ball three times. He had 60 yards and two touchdowns. Read that again. If you're wondering why Rodriguez keeps bringing up Robinson at his press conferences, you now know why. With just 18 carries, Robinson has 155 yards, an 8.8 YPC, and leads the team with 3 TDs. Folks, that's in maybe, maybe, 40 plays. It's fair to say that he's putting these numbers up against that are a combined 1-5 (Eastern and Western), but he's still learning the offense and getting used to being on campus. It's hard not to be excited about his future, even if I am more comfortable with Tate Forcier under center. Robinson's electric on the ground.

Then there's Martavious Odoms. The diminutive slot receiver took the reverse from Forcier for a walk in touchdown after some outstanding blocking from Darryl Stonum. He basically walked into the endzone the play was so well executed.

But, even with all of the above to consider, it all comes back to Carlos Brown. Brown dominated the Eastern Michigan game. A ninety yard touchdown blast, shaking off an arm tackle that would've brought him down a year ago. He was shifty and powerful all at once. For the first time in as long as I can remember Brown in a Michigan uniform, Brown hit his cutbacks authoritatively and without hesitation. He ran with a confidence and energy that has been missing from his game in his previous incarnations. Whether it was his workman like crushing of Illinois in 2007, his workmanlike performance against Northwestern last year, Carlos had never shown us the "angry" side of his rushing ability. Once in 2007 against Minnesota, Brown got loose for an 85 yard touchdown scamper. But even then it appeared to be more of an "OMG I can't believe I'm free" type run.

Saturday was the complete package. There was no tentativeness and no concern in his running. Where Brown would usually run crouched over, protecting the football at all costs, he instead ran low and fast. Brown seemed to know the ball wouldn't come loose, almost as if he'd glued the damn thing to his arm. And he played like it. Brown punished tacklers. He made the cut when he was supposed to rather than when he felt the slightest pressure. He followed his blockers, all while running at speed with quick short steps, then bursting into the second and third levels with the explosiveness we've all longed to see from him. With the aide of a crystal clear September afternoon and a warming sun, everyone saw with their own eyes why Lloyd Carr fought so hard to keep Brown in Ann Arbor and why Rodriguez has embraced him as a starting tailback.

Certainly there were things to be concerned about on Saturday. David Molk's injury. Dropped balls. Boubacar Cissoko getting pass interference penalties seemingly on reputation, despite excellent coverage for most of the day. then there was Michigan's first half defense, which seemed more concerned with over pursuit and stat padding than playing their positions. And Robinson's interceptions, lord were those bad. Anyone concerned about Robinson replacing Tate under center permanently need not look any further than the two horrid ducks he threw to Eastern's safety and cornerback. He's not there yet.

But today, we'll focus on the positives. In three games Michigan has equaled its win total from 2008. All the drama of the off season seems to be a distant memory despite the fact we're only a month removed from it. Michigan has fielded a good team for 2009. One that has shown it can play from behind, in a tight game, or well in the lead. While it has dynamic players and personalities, it acts and talks as a unit.

On a sunny day in Ann Arbor that was plain for everyone to see.

The Endzone Through Carlos Brown's Eyes

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:00:38 -0000

First down. Where are we? At the ten? Cool. I'm getting the ball, right? You just gave it to Michael Shaw for a series, you're damn right you're givin' it to me. Cool. Looks like that doofus with the red gloves is wavin' his arms. Time to roll.

Everybody runnin' out. Me an' Tate in the backfield. Love that kid, but he's always joggin' out of the TV timeouts. Think I'll put some shaving cream in his socks. Teach him a lesson. Don't know who he thinks he's foolin' with that razor and shaving cream in his locker. Little man ain't never shaved in his life. A'ight. Time to get set. What we got? Molk's smilin. Means he's about to hurt someone.

Tate to my right. Eastern Safeties split. Two backers. Third LB down weak on the slot an Martel. He's got the leftside DE. Schill's got the NT. Three wide. We're going right up the middle. Dave's my man, I'm followin him.

Got the count. SNAP. Quick right. Two hands. Martell crossin, Schill levelin. Damn. I could drive through this. Mark's got the left backer. Dave crushin the right. One safety, up an to the right.

It's just you an me, boy. An you ain't gettin near me

John T. Greilick via Detroit News.com

Endzone.

One For The Ages, Hail To The Victors!

SCM — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:40:56 -0000

More photos » by Bill Fundaro - AP

3 months ago: Michigan slot receiver Martavious Odoms (9) and Notre Dame cornerback Raeshon McNeil (8) watch Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier (5) score a touchdown in the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009, in Ann Arbor. Michigan upset No. 18 Notre Dame 38-34. (AP Photo/Bill Fundaro)

Browse more photos »

Ok, so a great number of months ago I wrote a post lamenting the fact that we had signed a long term deal to play Notre Dame. I was short-sighted and wrong. Yesterday was a perfect example of just why we play Notre Dame and why this is one of the great rivalries in the sport. Once again on the national stage (for all the right reasons this time) on a perfect day for football with an absolutely tremendous atmosphere, and the game that played out like that? Wooooo (!!!!) indeed.

Onto the collection of thoughts:

General what-have-you:

- !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- That was far and away the best Notre Dame team I have seen in a long long time, beyond a shadow of a doubt. I would not hesitate one bit to say that will be the best offense we see this season.

- Notre Dame played a darn solid football game, in fact they played extremely well and got beat. They came back from down 11 not once but twice.

- The crowd was awesome, the 110,278 were thunderous throughout and it sure seemed like there were fewer ND fans there than in prior years, which was a pleasant surprise. Student section was awesome. All the questions about whether or not the structures would make a difference have been answered with a resounding yes.

- Speaking of the structures, the shadow from the Western building covers the entire field by the time the second half rolls around, a few more lights might be called for on these 3:30 starts.

- I know they specifically built those seats in the student section for the band, but they need to move them, you simply cannot hear them if you're anywhere South of the 50 yardline.

- Clausen was more accurate, but he still really rushes throws when he is pressured in any way (which was infrequent at best yesterday) and the majority of the passing game is predicated on chucking it deep, this strategy works entirely because of Tate and Floyd, more on that later.

- The ND kick return guy touched the ball on our "squibb" kick, hence why the clock ran, if I can see it 40 rows up it shouldn't be that hard for people watching in HD to determine it too.

- WOO coaching adjustments, WOO clock managment, WOO play calling, WOOO!

- I'm going to preface this one; I was/am a big Lloyd Carr fan. But you CANNOT tell me that any time over the past 15 years we would've gone for it on 4th and 3 like we did on Forcier's lightning bolt TD. We punt that ball 100 times out of 100 with the old regime.

Offense

- Tate Forcier, I mean what can you say? An epic performance. The play before the winning TD was one of the greatest individual efforts I have ever seen, for him to avoid the sack and get the ball to Savoy in the corner of the endzone was nothing short of ridiculous. The ensuing drop was soul-crushing for approximately 5 seconds, and yes it was tipped.

- Savoy's catches got us into that position in the first place, don't forget that.

- So much for that shutout of Nevada eh? You cannot put into words how much better this offense is, you just can't.

- Brandon Minor averaged 10 YPC on his first 9 touches of the day and ended up with 106 yards on 16 touches and 1 TD. It is an appreciable difference when he is in there in terms of how he hits the hole and accelerates, welcome back sir.

- Did not see Shaw even once yesterday, which surprised me. Carlos looked great on a few screens, although he made a few catches a little more dramatic than they probably needed to be.

- Lost Moosman late in the game, which last year would've been DOOM, and this year we put in Dorrestein and didn't miss a beat... awesome. I thought the offensive line did a GREAT job against a much faster opponent this week.

- 1st and goal on the 1 and no points... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! That was one of my few criticisms of the play-calling yesterday. I'd rather us stay in the shotgun and keep the D spread out, let Minor see the blocking and pick his spot rather than just barreling into the line from the I-form and let the D put everyone in the box.

- Kevin Koger, Greg Mathews, LaTerryal Savoy, and Darryl Stonum all stepped up big-time. Tate's one poor throw of the day was to Koger when there wasn't a defender within 20 yards of him on our second to last drive... I just can't say enough about how well the offense has done getting our receivers into space thus far.

- Absolutely nothing but praise for the playcalling and clock management on that final drive, awesome job Coach, awesome job.

More after the jump...

Defense

- Wellllllllllllllllll we held on didn't we? Yeegads.

- Hardly any pressure on Clausen at all, this was due to a combination of very quick drops/throws, max protect, relatively little blitzing, a solid ND O-line, and yes, the occasional BLATANT hold on whomever was assigned to block Graham and Roh.

- Not one deep ball given up, yes ND moved through the air very well, but considering how much of an island we put Warren and Cissoko on out there, to not give up the one play drive was really encouraging.

- Warren's coverage of Tate on ND's final possession was PERFECT, Warren ran the route for him and had position the whole time, nevermind Tate hugging him to keep him from picking it off. I've seen loads of whining about this (shock!) from ND fans who can promptly stick it where the sun don't shine for all I care.

- Halftime adjustments! The third quarter performance on D was huge. The perfect screens from the first half were suddenly being snuffed for no gain. We gave up something like 308 yards in the first half and then somewhere around 35 in the 3rd quarter? Phew.

- Would've never guessed we would've let them gash us on the ground like they did... it was hard to tell if we were caught out of position or if there were some poor pursuit angles taken by the safeties coming up in run support, but there were some enormous holes out there. Overall the ND O-line turned in a fantastic performance when they weren't holding the bejeezus out of our defenders.

- No Vlad Emelien... Beauford brought this up when we talked after the game, the guy who came on when Williams was hurt (whom I can't even find on the roster) played well, but I was under the impression Vlad was contending for a starting spot, anything going on with him? EDIT: The safety who came in was Jordan Kovacs who is #22 on the official roster but I believe was sporting #32 yesterday, and again, nice job sir.

- Floyd is the real deal.

Special teams

- WOOOOOO SHADES OF STEVE BREASTON WOOOOO! What a bolt from above that was.

- Zoltan needs to just settle down, he's misfiring more often than he's hitting moon shots.

- Tate's pooch punt was a thing of beauty and a great call

- Could've done without the missed chipshot FG, but Olesnavage again looked solid on the one at the end of the first half.

- Kick coverage looked less solid this week, the big one we let go right up the gut was particularly frustrating.

The takeaway

- Enormous win for this team and the program, just enormous.

GO BLUE!!!

Unit by Unit: Breaking Down Michigan Football's Offense Following Its Win Over Western Michigan

Maize n Brew Dave — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:47:35 -0000

A new weekly post game feature here at Maize n Brew will be what we like to Unit by Unit. We'll take a hard look at the players and the coaches for each particular unit on the team, and bring them in for a pat on the back or a wag of the finger. After we've looked at each position, we'll give you a final wrap on the team's play on Offense and Defense (Special Teams too!). If you're looking for more detail, game bullets are here, the wrap up is here, the boxscore is here, and the general AP recap is here. There are the links, so now let's get to the nitty gritty.

The Offensive Line

The Offensive Play in a Photo, Tate untouched. Awesome Photo via John T. Greilick

The Offensive Line always goes first, good or bad, because they're going to determine how this season pans out. Frankly, the line was excellent. In particular I thought Mark Ortmann played outstanding football. Say what you will about it being "just Western Michigan," but Michigan lost at home to 3-9 Toledo last year and the line got pushed around by a bad Toledo defense. This year it was an entirely different story. I thought the ends actually outplayed the middle of the line. David Molk had a good, but not great game and missed a few blocks. On the other hand, David Moosman and Steve Schilling played fairly well. On the right side, Mark Huyge was excellent. IIRC, he simply dominated the Western DEs on Saturday, much like Ortmann. They didn't give up a sack. Michigan averaged 4.8 yards a carry. The boys on the line deserve a game ball a piece.

Overall, Michigan was outstanding up front. They controlled the line of scrimmage, buying time for Tate Forcier, Denard Robinson, and Nick Sheridan to throw without pressure and lanes for the quarterbacks and running backs to run through. Protection outside the pocket was excellent too, as the lineman set up their blocks very well. Carlos Brown averaged 5.4 yards a carry for 54 yards and Michael Shaw racked up 37 yards for a 4.9 a carry average. Not bad for a run offense that couldn't get past two yards a carry for its first four games. What was also impressive was the fact that Michigan was able to play it's second string in the second half. Elliot Mealer, Perrry Dorrestein, Rocko Khoury, Patrick Omameh, and Justin Ferrara all saw playing time. That's going to pay dividends down the line should anyone get injured.

(More awesomeness after the jump....)

The Running Backs

Awesome Photo via John T. Greilick

Judging the Running Backs on a day like Saturday is a little difficult. While they played a crucial role in balancing the offense, there was nothing spectacular to hang your hat on. Carlos Brown was good on the ground. 5.4 a carry is nothing to sneeze at. Brown also deserves a little praise for his pass catching out of the backfield, which I thought was a great addition to his overall game. He does deserve a little fisking, however, for meekly putting the ball on the turf at the start of the second half. That was not a play where the ball should've come out. But Carlos gets some serious props for his pass blocking. Watching him flip a DE was one of the highlights of my day.

I would've liked to have seen a little more of Michael Shaw. Shaw did get seven carries and looked fairly good, but I don't think he or Brown really ever got in a rhythm. I'd say it may have been better to go a little more two back on Saturday, but I think Rodriguez started hiding cards after he saw the game was in the bag. It was nice to see Kevin Grady and Vincent Smith get some carries. Grady, hopefully, will be a good backup this season and I'm really pulling for him personally. Smith had some happy feet, but he's a freshman in his first game, in mop up time. 6 carries and 23 yards isn't too bad. Overall a good, workman like day for Michigan's ball carriers.

The Receivers

Junior Hemingway, Kevin Koger, Kelvin Grady, Marativous Odoms, and Greg Mathews were absolutely outstanding. Route running. Improvisation. Blocking. Everything. Hemingway just stole the show. It's been more than a year since a receiver caught more than one touchdown pass in a game (Adrian Arrington - Citrus Bowl). I think it's fair to say the Hemingway came close to matching Arrington's performance on New Year's day 2008. Reeling in five catches for 103 yards and two TDs, Hemingway was solid in every aspect of the game. He ran the short routes. Caught in traffic. Worked with his quarterback. And he just flew past the WMU secondary for his second score. Hemingway gave us a glimpse of his talent on Saturday, so all we can hope is that he stays healthy and keeps reminding us of another #21.

Awesome Photo via John T. Greilick

From New Math to Old School. That's how we're rolling. And that's how the new 86 rolls. Kevin Koger also flashed a large amount of his considerable talent on Saturday notching a TD, three catches and a highlight reel one hander he'll be talking about for the next month. If there was one pass that Forcier threw to Tacopants, it was Koger's one-handed catch. Making his cross, Koger leaped and stretched out his right hand for a catch he had no business making. Yet, he did, cradled it into his body as he hit the turf, and popped out of his barrel roll like nothing special had happened. Anyone still have questions about how Rodriguez uses his tight ends?

Then there were the slot receivers. Though Odoms got the start, Grady got his number called the most. In his first football game in three years, Kelvin pulled in two catches for 13 yards and took an end around for 11. While the numbers aren't crazy, he looked natural out there. Frankly, I was in shock that he was able to haul in Denard Robinson’s first throw, which appeared to be going close to the speed of sound. Grady’s got great hands, and combined with what appeared to be some tremendous wheels, it was like the passage of time meant nothing. Kelvin's really going to help us this year. Odoms didn't see a lot of balls thrown his way, but made his presence felt in other ways. On Denard Robinson's TD scamper, the tiny slot receiver was slated to take an end around, but once he realized the play was broken immediately found someone to block. Watch Odoms come from nowhere and block the closest man to Robinson after the first guy misses. I may not have been sold on Odoms before Saturday, but that play sold me. He never took his foot off the gas when the play went haywire and made the crucial block to spring his quarterback (@ 0:37 below). Maratavious, when you're old enough and the NCAA allows it, the first beverage is on me

Also making appearances were Greg Mathews and LaTerral Savoy. Mathews was fairly quiet, notching only two catches, but was extremely effective after the catch. If Hemingway can become the deep threat, I think Mathews is going to have an outstanding season as our possession receiver. Savoy tallied a catch early, but was a not so innocent bystander to Nick Sheridan's interception.

Overall, this was the best regular season game out of Michigan's receiving corps since the 2006 Ohio State game.

The Quarterback(s)

Tate Forcier is your starter from here out. No question about this. While Robinson’s run was amazing, it was off of a broken play. He just improvised that whole thing with the aid of some great blocking. Tate looks light years more polished and in control. His pass to Hemingway for the opening score was something you don’t see out of freshmen. Frankly it’s something you don’t see out of a lot of seniors. When he rolled left, he clearly knew where the LOS was, got the corner to bite on the scramble, and lofted a damn near perfect pass the Hemingway who read his quarterback like a book. That was as good as it gets.

You really couldn’t ask for a better start to a college career. Forcier went 13-20 for 177 yards, 3 TDs and no picks. Notsobad, eh? Tate’s arm was excellent in all aspects of the passing game. The deep ball to Hemingway was Henne-esque. But what what most impressive was his ability to throw on the run, with accuracy and steam. Michigan moved Forcier out of the pocket numerous times, and 95% of those instances resulted in positive throws. If there’s room for improvement, I will say that there were a few moments where his ball protection was less than ideal and he danced around too much. He’s not going to have the same type of time against Notre Dame, and he’s certainly not going to be able to evade the Irish the way he did the Broncos. Just ask Colin Kaepernick. Forcier gunned a few passes in the second half and got a little outside of the offense, but I’m willing to be forgiving because most of that happened when Michigan was up 31 points. All things considered, that game was as good as I’ve ever seen out of a freshman, especially when you considered the youth around him.

Denard Robinson’s feet were just as good as advertised. His arm was as "live" as advertised. However, he’s not the level of passer that we were hoping to see. Robinson attempted only four passes on the day compared to 11 rushing attempts. The reason for this is obvious. He’s a much better runner at this stage than he is a passer. While Denard showed a live arm and can throw decently on the run, he doesn’t look as comfortable pulling the ball back to look downfield. You could tell he’s still a scramble first player who takes off when his first or second read isn’t there. Frankly, with only a month under his belt, I’d be surprised if he’s getting past his second read. The long and short of it is that Robinson doesn't know the system or himself well enough to hang in there and let the play develop. But that will come and it really doesn’t matter right now, does it? The kid is blazingly fast. He’s going to be an excellent change of pace in the Notre Dame game, but he’s no where near being a starting quarterback based on what we saw from his arm and reads. The keys for him moving forward will be playing a bit more under control, and rolling him out of the pocket to allow him to use his legs and allow him to throw or tuck it under without large men in his face. All in all, a great and electric start for Robinson.

Nick Sheridan looked like a new person and the same guy all at once. Sheridan is noticeably bigger and stronger. He moves better than last year. He’s definitely got a great grasp of the system. But he’s still not a D1 quarterback. Sure a penalty wiped out a near TD, but a veteran doesn’t force a throw into tight coverage. Especially a throw that far inside. Nick’s a nice insurance policy to have, but he and Robinson appear to be about equal in the passing game (Nick more experienced/Denard much better arm) so I’ve gotta go with Robinson’s legs. As I said in my QB preview, if Sheridan’s on the field for any extended period of time, we’re in trouble.

The Offense Overall

Sure you can nitpick and find things to complain about, but the bottom line is at no point last year did our offense look this good. Penn State? Nope. One trick pony. Purdue? Not so much. Bad tackling let that happen. No. This was a complete offense on the field. If you can't be excited about this then I've got nothing for you.

On a micro level, the Offense performed much, much better with Forcier under center than either Robinson or Sheridan. He's just a better passer right now and frankly he's got pretty good wheels. I don't think he'll have nearly as much time against Notre Dame's defense as he did against Western, but his ability to scramble will force the Linebackers to play a little further off the LOS.

Macro, the play of Michigan's wideouts was incredibly encouraging. If Junior Hemingway can stay healthy, Michigan has a legitimate No. 1 receiver. The emergence of Kelvin Grady as a threat will also start to take some of the pressure off of Mathews and Odoms, both of whom had good games.

It was clear that Michigan had a game plan for Western and they executed it to a tee. I'm looking forward to seeing more of that as the Wolverines take on an excellent Notre Dame squad.

Hail! Hail!

SCM — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 15:05:18 -0000

Some bulletpoints from us at Maize n Brew regarding Saturday's 31-7 victory over Western.

Offense:

- The balance was just awesome: 11 first downs passing, 13 first downs rushing.

- Five guys carried the football for five-plus attemtps: Robinson 11 for 74 yards, Brown 10 for 54 yards, Forcier 11 for 37 yards, Shaw 7 for 34 yards, and Smith 6 for 23 yards. All in all Michigan tallied 242 yards on the ground without Brandon Minor playing a single snap. That bests last year's best rushing performance, even without Robinson's electrifying run, we did a very solid job on the ground Saturday.

- Can't possibly say enough about how good Tate Forcier looked in this game: precise throws, good reads, showed the deep ball, the accuracy on the run, and the scramble ability that we all have been DYING to see at the QB position for the better part of a year. The offense simply moved with him in there; if he doesn't lose his shoe on that first drive of the second half we go up 38-0. Couldn't have possibly asked for a better performance from our quarterback, nevermind a true freshman playing in his first game. One decision in particular that stuck out was on the drive that ended up being our lone field goal: rather than chucking the ball deep on third and long, Forcier took off and picked up enough yardage to put us into field goal range.

- Robinson was 100% as advertised, he's going to be something special. The text that I attempted to send to Beauford and Dave after Denard set the field turf on fire was something along the lines of : "WAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA". It didn't go through, thanks for nothing AT&T. Speaking of Robinson, there were obvious moments where you could tell he's been on this team for only three and a half weeks, but he's only going to get more comfortable back there. Tremendous performance (see what I did there?).

- Welcome back Junior Hemingway!

- We pedaled the offense big time in the second half, lots of guys got much needed experience, and we kept things pretty much under wraps once the game was in-hand. Sure it would've been nice to put a "look at us" type of score up there, but after that first half performance I was thrilled to death anyways.

- Sheridian can't BUY a break. Certainly a poor throw on the pick, but also a poor holding call negating his TD/down at the 6 inch line though too...

- In summary, at absolutely no point in time last year did our offense look this good, period.

via toledoblade.com

Defense

- By far the most frequent comment around us was "holy @#%@ we can TACKLE!", yee and ha.

- You're not stopping Brandon Graham, Hiller did a good job getting rid of the football quickly, but Graham was a constant presence in the backfield. He's going to be HUGE this week.

- Craig Roh showed flashes of why he's on the field as a true freshman as well, including a great sack.

via multimedia.detnews.com

- We had to go ahead and have that one "flashback" moment where we got torched deep on the play-action... nobody's perfect but we have to put some serious time in on that this week. Speaking of...

- Cissoko NEEDS to be healthy Saturday.

- Ezeh really looked a lot more comfortable flowing to the football, and Stevie Brown also seemed to be a MUCH better fit at his new spot. Huzzah.

Miscellaneous

- Arg penalties, yes, yes it was the first game of the year, but 8 penalties for 72 yards (and one negating a 1st and goal at the 6 inch line) was too many.

- Greg Matthews back returning punts is a victory for logic and common-sense, don't change a damn thing.

- The kick coverage was somewhere between "great" and "stunningly competent" which I was over-joyed with.

- No player introductions over the PA system, they did it on the video boards, this meant no "WHO CARES!" chant, which was a shame.

- The Big House was noticeably louder, you could hear the echos off of the structures at the quieter moments, and when it ramped up it was an appreciable difference, can't wait to see it on Saturday.

- Yes, they piped in some RAWK music... it wasn't too often, but even once is too much no?

- We've waited a ridiculously long time for something like this, thanks team... GO BLUE!

via multimedia.detnews.com

- Oh yeah, and one last thing: Bring on the Irish!

2009 Michigan Football Season Preview, Part II: The Running Backs

Maize n Brew Dave — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 16:30:48 -0000

Part I: The Offensive Line, can be found here.

Three days till the 2009 Michigan Football season kicks off. If you're not bursting from the seams with excitement you should probably see a doctor. Or a mortician. It's almost kickoff time, baby. We'll get to the Western Michigan preview in good time. But for right now, we need to figure out what we've got on our side of the football. Now if you can't wait until the season starts to know how it's going to turn out, we got you covered there as well. Here are Beauford's, MnB Dave's, and SCM's 2009 Michigan Football season predictions. There's your quick fix if you need a baseline.

But this is the time of year when we break it all down. Position by position. So we're splitting things up in to a couple of separate posts to give you all the information you can handle on what to expect out of Michigan this season. The Depth Chart is out, so we'll break it down. Since we know what to expect out of the Offensive Line, lets move on to a position overflowing with talent, depth and expectations, but short on results last year.

2009 Michigan Football Season Preview: The Running Backs

In a dismal year, the running game was the only bright spot for the Wolverines in 2008. And by bright spot I mean it wasn't so time and space warpingly bad that some light actually managed to escape its grasp of its implosion, unlike the passing game. Sarcasm aside, the ground was the only place Michigan was able to do anything offensively. In conference the team average 3.9 yards a carry and actually outgained Michigan State and Minnesota (two bowl teams) on the ground. Eees goot, yes?

Mostly. to be perfectly honest the run game, like most of the offense stunk, prior to the Penn State game. But if the loss at Happy Valley had a silver lining it was that the offense finally started to click on the ground. The oft concussed Sam McGuffie was no longer in a starting role and the oft one-handed Brandon Minor was toting the mail. During the Northwestern game, Carlos Brown took over and went for over a 100. Against Minnesota and Purdue, the running game clicked, accounting for most of the offense. There were break away runs. There were cut backs. There was excitement.

This year the position is absolutely stacked with power and speed. But the big question is can anyone stay healthy? Everyone who suited up as a tailback last year suffered some kind of injury that really should've knowcked them out for the year. Carlos Brown missed half the season. Brandon Minor probably should've missed most of it. McGuffie? He doesn't remember. Mike Shaw moved so fast his muscles protested by giving him a hernia. Kevin Grady, injuries and the dog house.

If the unit can stay healthy this is hands down the deepest, most talented stable of backs in the Big Ten. If they can't, Michigan's going to have a lot of problems.

The Starters

In the one back set, Brandon Minor appears to be the unquestioned starter. When a preview includes the caveat of "appears to be" you have right to be worried. Minor was held out or in the green light-contact jersey for a good portion of fall camp with various dings, bruises and pulls. Compound that with recovering from a right wrist injury last season that only allowed him to carry the ball in his left arm, and any time the injury bug rears its ugly head with Minor, you're right to be a little concerned.

But when he's healthy...

More of the preview after the jump....

Minor's one of the those unique running backs that has the perfect combination of size and speed that makes him a threat to run your ass over or sprint right by you. In a lot of ways he reminds me Tyrone Wheatly. A big, upright runner with good change of direction skills. As with all backs it took him a little while to start learning the scheme and spot the proper holes to dart through, but toward the end of last year his running took a giant step forward. On top of that Minor's become an outstanding out-of-the backfield pass catcher. You don't have to look any further than his twisting "that ball is nowhere close to me, but I'm catching it anyway" pseudo touchdown catch against MSU to see how well he's developed in that area.

Last season Minor's stats looked like this:

Year	Carries	Yards	YPC	Long	TD	Rec	Yards	YPC	Long	TD	Fmb	Lost
2008	103	533	5.2	45	9	5	59	11.8	27	2	0	0

Not bad for a guy that had 13 carries in the first 6 games, and missed another game with injury. Realistically, Minor put up these numbers in five games. Five. Are you kidding me? Extrapolating that out, if he runs at his average in all 12 games with we're looking at close to 1,500 yards this season out of Minor and close to 20 touchdowns on the ground.

But life doesn't work that way. Knowing Minor, it's impossible to say he'll stay healthy the entire season. So counting on him missed roughly three to four games this year to injuries of playing time limiting injuries, a 1,000 yard season is not an unreasonable expectation. As for touchdowns, probably somewhere in the 13-15 range is another good target as Michigan primary back. If Minor can stay healthy he's one of the elite backs in the Big Ten and could give Evan Royster a run for his money. Especially when you consider Michigan's returning offensive line. But given his track record, that'd be one hell of a jump. Minor should have an excellent season, barring injury. He's going to be a great leader and a great runner for us this season, but I can't jump on the Doak Walker band wagon.

via 1.bp.blogspot.com

After Minor is Maize n Brew favorite, Carlos Brown. Brown's long been kind of a tragic hero around these parts. An explosive, game changing speed back who just can't stay healthy. But when he is, he's a 100 yard plus a game back. It's really just not fair. Brown came in a top 100 recruit at tailback. He's been shuffled to cornerback and back. He's thought about transferring. He's been a practice and spring game all star, but almost never an in-game, when it really matters game changer. Except once. And man was that special.

Over the last four years we been tantalizingly close to seeing what Carlos Brown can really do. Every spring there is a "Good-Holy-Lord!" dash to the endzone from Brown that has everyone shaking their head and saying, "If he can stay healthy...." before they trail off. Just like Minor, if Brown can stay healthy, he's a game changer.

But the two backs couldn't be more different. Brown is a low to the ground speed demon. He's not a run-your-ass-over kind of player. Instead, he hits the seam and is gone. With an explosive first step into the gap, he gets up to speed in milliseconds, and is best (oddly) running between the tackles and guards so that he doesn't have to make sharp cuts. Unlike Minor, Brown has never displayed much "escapability." He's a straight ahead runner who can make a cut or two but is never going to juke a guy out of his jock. That's just not who he is. He's lightning to Minor's Thunder. He's speed in a helmet. And if we try to make him something he is not, we're going to be disappointed.

Brown's number over the last three years are really irrelevant. The kid's played sparingly due to any number of dings he's suffered at Michigan, so projecting numbers for his is really like pulling numbers out of thin air. But isn't that what all preseason predictions do anyway? Best case scenario, Brown joins Minor as a 1,000 yard plus back, and chips in 7-9 touchdowns. Carlos hasn't played enough for me to judge his pass catching ability, but you can rest assured that if he's healthy enough to play, they'll try to get him the ball in space from time to time and see if he can turn the jets on. Realistically, again given the injury bug, I'd project Carlos at Minor's numbers last year. Realisticall about 500 yards and 5 TDs, maybe a receiving TD as well.

Combined, Minor and Brown should have a prolific season for the Wolverines. So many things are in their favor. The Line. A QB who won't spike himself. Good receivers to take the pressure off. Experience. In the two back set, combined with Forcier or Robinson, Minor and Brown should be deadly. Between them, there are three options capable of running for a touchdown at any moment. I think that balance, combined with experience and knowledge of the system will end up with one of Michigan's highest running out-puts in two decades. If the stars align, the tandem could reach 2,500 yards and close to 25 TDs. If the sky falls, injuries, etc... 1,300 yards between them and 14 TDs. My prediction is, caveated with "they could get injured at any moment," is Minor and Brown, best case, combine for close to 2,100 yards and 22TDs on the ground. You can't tell me you wouldn't take that.

The Backups

After Minor and Brown, the depth chart lists Michael Shaw, Vincent Smith, and Michael Cox. All three are talented backs. All three are very, very different. Of the group, I've got a soft spot for Mike Shaw is is likely going to be the first guy off the bench into the game. Shaw is fast. There's no other way to describe him. He's got good hands as a receiver so he's just as effective running between the tackles or flaring out for a pass. Shaw only managed to get in a handful of carries last season as a true freshman and in the process managed to rip up his groin to the point he required off season surgery. But when he was on the field, he was pretty good. Shaw piled up 215 yards on 42 carries last season, including a pair of dazzling 30 and 48 yards runs. While Shaw didn't find the endzone last year, it's fair to say a gimpy private area probably had something to do with that. This year, Rodriguez told me at BTMD that Shaw has his explosion back and that he's running as well as he ever has in a winged helmet. So keep your fingers crossed.

Smith via mlive.com

Next up is true freshman Vincent Smith. Generously listed a 5'8" Smith doesn't look anywhere near his posted height. But that really doesn't matter. The kid's a hell of a football player. He got a glimpse of it in spring practice when he dodged half the defense in the "M" Drill. But the thing that impressed me the most is that he absolutely trucked Michael Williams in one-on-one tackling drills. Knocked his damn lid right off. Then he bounced up like a superball. Smith has an escapability and elasticity that none of the other backs really seem to have right now. Sure, he's got to get in a game to show it, but his practice reports really make you excited. Like Shaw, I think you'll see quite a bit from the freshman this year.

Then, we get to Mike Cox. Despite his humorous name, Cox has yet to see game action. Most of that was due to recovery from high school injuries, so it's hard to judge. However, with the advent of practice video on Mgoblue.com, I was able to see a little bit of Cox on the practice field and I came away impressed. Cox is a big, big dude. He hits the hole very hard and has good pad level on his runs. Not having seen him run in space, I can't attest to his speed, but there was something there that I can't put my finger on. He just looks like a Michigan running back. MGoBlog reported hearing some nice things out of practice on the kid, so take it all for what it's worth. We could see plenty of him if Minor goes down.

Fullbacks

The Fullback seems to be the forgotten part of Michigan's running game after years and years of the Carr style pounder coming out of his stance and shuffling toward the left or right tackle, tipping Michigan's hand every time it ran right or left. The hold over from that regime is Mark Moundros, a junior who currently sits atop the depth chart at his position. Moundros' production will be limited, but should aide Michigan's young quarterbacks as a safety valve and blocker. As an added bonus, he's got decent hands and concentrates more on protecting the football than trying to make people miss when it's in his hands. He's a fullback, so you're not looking at a lot of speed. But you're going to get a consistent effort and results out of Moundros. So what's not to love.

Finally, we get to Kevin Grady. A five star recruit turned hanging-on-by-the-skin-of-his-teeth back up player. Grady's tenure at Michigan hasn't been anything like he, or we, hoped. He hasn't shown the burst we saw in high school. He hasn't been able to hold onto the ball. He's been in trouble with his coaches and the law. I don't care. I really want him to succeed. Grady's been through a lot at Michigan. He's had a nasty culture shock in the transition and from learning to play within the team. But the kid's a senior now and I desperately want him to leave Michigan on a high note. Maybe I'm just being a sap, but there's something in those photos of him playing around with his brother from media day. a glint in his eyes that says he's finally at peace. Grady has always been an insanely talented athlete, but he's never been able to harness it all because of whatever mental demons that have consumed him over the last four years. But now he's got his brother there. He's going to leave Michigan with a degree. He's free and clear of the DWI nonsense from the spring. He got one last chance to leave on a good note. How can you not root for the kid? Realistically, I know Grady's not going to see a lot of early playing time. But I'm hoping, for at least one shining moment, he can deliver a glimpse of that talent and see the endzone one more time.

Overall and Projections for the Season

It's hard not to look at the talent, the speed, and the size of the Michigan tailbacks and not be excited about what they can accomplish this year. But I think the biggest difference you'll see this season will come from simply knowing and understanding the offense as a whole. The improvement on the offensive line is going to be a HUGE difference for the tailbacks, and would easily tack on an extra five hundred yards to a season for a stable of mediocre backs. But when you're talking about a group as fast and talented as Michigan's, you get all tingly.

Everything hinges on the players health this season. Minor's been battling headaches after a fall car accident. Brown is Brown, so you never know if some he's going to wake up each day with both his feet still attached to his body. Shaw had the hernia. Cox and Smith are exciting, but unknown. Grady is simply fighting for playing time. If the group stays mostly healthy, it's arguable that they could be the most productive tailbacks in the Big Ten and put Michigan in the top 25 in YPC and total yards. I'm not being optimistic on that assessment, I'm being reasonable. However, even if the injury bug does bite (and history says it will), this is still a vastly improved unit over last year that will benefit from some fresh faces and considerably more depth than it's had in years.

Personally, I'm expecting big things from Minor and Brown. I've got Minor cracking 1,500 yards and Brown coming up just shy of a 1,000 yard season. Shaw and Smith contribute consistently in and out of the backfield and Mike Cox concusses some poor safety during mop up time. And since the theme of all this is redemption and achievement, I'm hoping for a 300 yard 3 TD season from Kevin Grady. That would be the icing on the cake.

Go Blue.

Things We Know: 10 Points Before Michigan Football's First Day of Practice

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:24:23 -0000

With Football Practice starting up, there are going to be all kinds of questions about Michigan in the papers and on the 'net. Both the Free Press and the Detroit News are running "Questions AAbound" pieces on the 2009 edition of Michigan football before the first fall practice whistle is blown. The questions are obvious. So much so that we may very well forget that there are also a lot of critical positions and facts that are easily ignored amongst the angst of the pending season.

So, to kick off Fall Pratice on the right foot, here are:

10 Things We Already Know About the 2009 Michigan Football Team

via www.mikedesimone.com

1. The Offensive Line is Deep - Last year Michigan had one returning starter with any starting experience. This year the Wolverines return seven players with starting experience on the offensive line. It's no longer unproven sophomores, juniors and freshmen. Guys that'd never seen the field and weren't supposed to in 2008. No, now the line is veteran, experienced, and (frankly) huge. David Molk (12 straight starts at center) anchors this years line with third year starter Steve Schilling and David Moosman (19 career starts) on either side of him. On the edges, Mark Ortmann and Mark Huyge line up at left and right tackle, respectively. After them are Tim MacAvoy (ten career starts at Guard), Perry Dorrestein (four career starts at Tackle), and a horde of talented players that will challenge even the established starters for their jobs. Look for Patrick Omameh to challenge for a guard or tackle slot, same with Rocky Khoury. Other than tailback, this is the deepest position on the team.

2. Brandon Minor is the No. 1. Option at Tailback - At this time last year, Brandon Minor had a wrist injury to his right hand that non one knew about. It was so bad he was having trouble writing his name, let alone grasping a football with it. Even so, Minor was Michigan's most dangerous offensive weapon in 2008. Accoutning for 11 touchdowns and the bulk of Michigan's late season offense, Minor is one of college football's highest rated returning starters according to Football Outsiders POE ratings. He got there on one arm. This year, Minor is completely healthy heading into spring camp and the unquestioned leader in the Michigan backfield. With the health of Carlos Brown, Michael Shaw, and stable of freshman head turners and burners behind him, Minor will finally have the support necessary to have a break out year. Most importantly, he's got the support of his coach and teammates. It's going to be a big year for Brandon.

3. Michigan is loaded at Wide Receiver - Good lord. Look at the slot: Odoms, Robinson, Roundtree, Jones, Gallon. Look at the wings: Matthews, Stonum, Hemingway, Stokes. Throw in Kevin Kroger and, damn son, you've got some hands to throw to.

4. There will be two quarterbacks in camp who actually fit Rodriguez' system - A lot has been made of Tate Forcier's arrival on campus and his stellar performance in the Spring Game. But Tate's not alone under center. The forgotten man in the quarterback equation remains Denard Robinson. Sure Tate's early arrival gave him a leg up, but Denard's got a little sumpin sumpin that Tate doesn't have. Speed. Robinson in a Saturn V to Tate's F-22. Both bring the ability to change a game with their feet and their vision. Both are "spread" quarterbacks. Tate is the better passer. Robinson the better runner. But they are both better fits for Rodriguez system from the first whistle of 2009 fall practice than either Threet or Sheridan were at the final whistle of the Ohio State game.

5. Everyone is actually healthy - When was the last time Michigan could say that? Answer? 1997.

(more after the jump....)

via www.mikedesimone.com

6. 3-4, 4-3, Nickle, whatever... Brandon Graham is going to get to the quarterback - You don't rack up 20 TFL on one of the nation's worst defenses without being a special player. Graham racked up these numbers despite opposing tackles having oddles of help from Tight Ends and Running Backs. This season Graham may actually benefit from the switch to the 3-4, because opposing defenses won't just be able to scheme solely against him. They'll have to account for the hybird/deathbacker in Stevie Brown, as well as Unicron, Jr. (Mike Martin, consumer of worlds). Add in another year of Barwis' system and a better position coach in Greg Robinson, and Graham is poised for a monster year. Odds are 3:1 he breaks someone in half by midseason.

7. The Secondary will be stronger - Addition by substraction. Last year's secondard was an absolute mess despite two veterans at safety in Brown and Harrison. It was by far the worst secondary Michigan's seen in half a century. Morgan Trent, despite being a nice kid, wasn't a great or even a good cornerback. Brown and Harrison, even with their strengths, were lousy safeties. Donovan Warren was gimpy the entire year with a bad ankle. This season, Michigan plugs in Mike Williams and Vlad Emilien at safety (both natural safeties), and a healthy Donovan Warren and 5* sophomore corner Boubacar Cissoko. Two five star corners with starting experience. Two four star safeties who know what they're doing. Sure there are going to be mistakes, but based on everything I've heard and read, no where near as much as 2008.

8. Three of Michigan's four top tacklers from 2008 return, and they're all linebackers - For the first time in a long, long time, Linebacker seems to be a position of strength for Michigan. Obi Ezeh, Jonas Mouton and Stevie Brown were 1, 2, and 4 last year in tackles. All three will man the middle of the field for the Wolverine defense. Their speed and experience will pay dividends for Michigan this year.

9. A lot more of the playbook will be used this year - As much as we'd like to blame the limited playbook Michigan used last year on Threet/Sheridan's shortcomings, the reality is the entire offense was learning it's first real offensive system last year. Even if Threet or Sheridan had the play book down pat, those plays coould only be used if the entire offense could execute those plays as well. The result was an offense limited by 11 players, rather than just one. This year, with 10 starters back, the Michigan offense is light years ahead of where it was at this point in 2008. I think it's a fair assumption to state that Michigan offense, minus the quarterbacks, can successfully and routinely execute 60% of Rodriguez' play book. Additionally, rodriguez and staff don't have to waste time this fall teaching the basics to the nuts and bolts personnel, they can actually focus on execution and addition. As Forcier and Robinson start to grasp the offense, you're going to see a whole other side to the system's capabilities.

10. A lot of weird news is going to surface over the next two weeks - Well. It's already started. Whether it's an alleged team meeting that never happened or the WTF news of Feagin's dismissal, you're going to get some surprising things in the paper. You're also going to get a lot of rumor mongering on the boards because everyone is back in school. You'll see Facebook posts of players hanging out. Hear about parties gone bad. Injuries that never happened. Player fights that may or may not have occurred. It's just what happens. So when this stuff pops up on your RSS or in your inbox, take a deep breath and wait a day for confirmation or debunkment before going insane.