SB Nation User Blog: Maize n Brew Dave

Lost

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:33:04 -0000

There are a lot of things that go through your head after the final game of the year. Usually those thoughts comprise of "what if's." But not on Saturday. While I was disappointed by Michigan's 21-10 loss to Ohio State, our sixth straight loss to our rivals, I thought the team played well. Our much maligned defense gave up only 14 points and generally looked competent the entire game. Our offense put up decent numbers, and in spite or a nightmare inducing day from Tate Forcier, moved the ball on a pretty good defense. I saw progress, and that was sufficient for me to release my normal post game neuroses to the winds. I mean, prior to the game, I thought we'd lose by four touchdowns. As a result, my thoughts on the game itself were relatively clear.

However, as I made the long trek up the stadium to exit, I looked back at the Big House and saw something that I'm not likely to forget or forgive. A sea of red. Ohio State fans everywhere. In front, in back, to the sides, across the bowl. All singing their fight song in the Big House, on senior day, as our players walked off the turf for the last time.

That was inexcusable.

If you are a season ticket holder who sold your tickets to Ohio State fans, or put them up for auction on a non-Michigan ticket site, you should have your season tickets revoked. What I saw in our stadium on Saturday was horrifying. Looking at the DVR when I got home the stadium was equal parts red and maize.

How? Why? What could possibly possess you to sell your OHIO STATE MICHIGAN tickets to an OSU fan? I don't care about selling your tickets for Michigan State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, or any other opponent in the Big Ten. With MSU and Notre Dame there are so many familial ties between the schools that it is inevitable that a few will get in. With the rest, they don't travel well enough for it to matter. And frankly, those games don't mean that much. They are not Ohio State.

For the Michigan fans who stood fast, held your tickets, and cheered for this team through thick and thin, I commend you. You are part of the reason why this program will remain strong and return to its rightful place in college football.

For the Michigan "fans" who sold your tickets to OSU fans, shame on you. You are the worst type fair weather fan. Don't give me the "I was making a statement about Rodriguez" crap either. You sold out your team. You sold it down the river to the Devil himself. You let our seniors walk out of the Big House to the strains of Carmen Ohio rather than the Victors. You allowed OSU fans to chant "O-H" the entire game. You allowed the noise on the field to be just as bad for our offense as it was for OSU's.

For what? So you could feel you made a statement? Congrats. The statement you made is "I'm a fair weather fan and unwilling to face reality." Michigan is going through a trying time right now. It's in transition to a modern offense and trying to make up for years upon years of neglect on the defensive side of the ball. These things do not correct themselves in a year. Worse, by selling your tickets to OSU fans, you undercutour recruiting! That game was one of the most important recruiting days of the year, almost twenty high calibre recruits were in attendance, and you let OSU fans in the House?

If you are still calling for Rodriguez' head, you are oblivious to the facts before you. This site and many others have chronicled the disaster Carr left Rodriguez on the defensive side of the ball. Even ESPN has realized this.

1. Todd McShay told me that Michigan will have two players drafted in April, same as last April. Among the Wolverine juniors this season, only Donovan Warrenhas attracted attention vis-à-vis the 2011 draft. That would be five draftees over three seasons. The fewest any Michigan coach(es) has had over a three-year period is nine from 1984-86. The point? Rich Rodriguez’s biggest problem isn’t fitting in at Michigan. It’s talent. All of his is young. - Ivan Maisel

Rodriguez has had onefull recruiting class that was his. One. His next class is loaded with the top quarterback in America, five defensive backs, linemen, linebackers and speed. Our offense has improved by leaps and bounds this year with freshmen leading the way. Are you, Mr. Sell-My-Tickets-To-OSU-Fans, so impatient that you can't wait two years to be back on top of the football universe? Are you so blind that you can't see Rodriguez history of success and leadership? Are you so blind as not to see the utter disaster that he inherited?

Why am I asking this? Of course you are. You see a young team with obvious flaws and weaknesses and expect it to win a national championship. Well, I can't help you. You're on your own.

Say what you want to make yourself feel better. Tell me in the comments I have no right to say this sort of thing. Do what you have to.

All I know is that I stayed and cheered for our seniors. And you abandoned them.

An Open Letter in Response to Your Unsolicited Opinions On Michigan Football

Maize n Brew Dave — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:59:19 -0000

Dear Morons,

I have to thank you. Really. I do. You see, over the last three months I'd been worn down to the point of exhaustion. I was done. Despite a 4-0 start that I knew was too good to be true, I became optimistic and vulnerable. So vulnerable in fact that I was willing to believe that a defense comprised of bubble gum, spit, and WD40 might be able to stop the inept offensive attacks of perennial bottom feeders like Indiana, Purdue and Illinois. I paid dearly for this belief.

I didn't want to write anything. What more could I say or write that hadn't been said in the previous weeks? The offense was good, the defense was bad, we lost a close (or not so close) game. I typed that over and over again as the weeks went on. And I got tired of typing it.

I also got tired of explaining over and over again that the defense was not stocked with talent, despite what we wanted to believe. How many different times could you say our starting linebackers never played linebacker until they got to college? It just got to be too repetitive. There was nothing new to write, no new thought to contribute, no outcome worth dissecting. I was done with the football season and ready to let it fade into Bolivian.

And then you opened your mouths. Trying to create something out of nothing. Calling our coach a bitch. Insulting the fanbase. Opining on the inner workings of our athletic department without a clue about what you were talking about. Acting like a malcontent child who got his way for the first time in his life and doesn't know what to do with himself.

You could've stuck to the facts. You could've pointed out the holes in our recruiting. The Defense's inability to guard against the run or the pass. And you could've walked away with a smile on your face, knowing you'd won a game against a team that has repeatedly beat your ass into the ground over the decades, and watched us tear ourselves down. You could've done that.

But you didn't.

You had to keep poking the bear. One more jab. One more snide comment. One last "OMG DICK ROD SUX HUR HUR!" Teh Fall of teh prideful! w00t!

So, thank you. Thank you for reminding me why I chose to attend Michigan over that glorified disco with books that stole your money for six years. Thank you for reminding me just how awesome it is to have guys like Desmond, Woodson, Woodley, Graham, Brady, and so many others wear our uniform. Thank you for reminding me just how much you wish you had our Big Ten Titles (42), All Americans (77), National Championships (11), and national name recognition. Thank you for reminding me that despite the last two seasons, Michigan's won three Big Ten Titles this decade while most of you were picking your nose and lying on your eHarmony applications. Thank you for reminding me why we're better than you.

You see, it's not just the winged helmets or the stadium that could engulf yours while still leaving enough space for Rutgers entire fanbase. It's more than that. It's the knowledge that no matter how bad things get with Rodriguez, they'll get better again, whether he's at the helm or not. We'll get back to recruiting the best players in the country. We'll still fill 108,000+ into our stadium every game. We'll still be the national game of the week while you're on ESPNU. We'll get back to 9, 10, 11, and possibly 12 win seasons again. Consistently. We'll get back kicking your ass all over the Big Ten. It's just a matter of time.

And you know it.

You know, I could've wallowed in self pity for a while and forgotten all of that. But you, you clueless toolbags, you reminded me of all this because you couldn't keep your mouths shut. So bear all your hubris in mind when you're down four touchdowns and the visiting Michigan faithful cheering "The Victors" drown out that circus harpsichord you call your band.

Thanks again.

Sincerely,

The Entire Maize n Brew Staff

Don't Worry Baby, Zack Daddy's Back. And He's Going to Make it All Better.

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:17:39 -0000

Quit cryin' baby. Zack's back. I told you I'd be back. I just had to go for a while. But I'm back now and everythin's all right.

Now what's all this nonsense about football? Baby, you're talking giberish. That don't matter now. White Moses is here to part your seas and lead you back to the promised land. That's right baby, we talking postseason. That beautiful place where the streets are paved in diamonds, every car is up on dubs, and they serve lobster with every steak. There are napkins also. That's where I'm takin' you.

So stop your sobbin and fall into Honky Magic's ten foot arms, baby. You know that's where you want to be. When I'm rockin the rim and makin sweet love to the crowd with a fade-away trey, you're not even going to remember what a football looks like.

All you'll remember is that silky white flash as I explode toward a sexy dunk that leaves your legs tremblin. You can see me now, can't you. Arms up above my head, cradling that basketball like I cradle you, poised and ready for the finish.

That's right, baby. Zack Daddy's back. And he's going to make it all better.

Debunking the "Coaching" Meme, or "Scott Shafer, I owe you an apology"

Maize n Brew Dave — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:04:56 -0000

More photos » by TONY DING - AP

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez, right, talks with defensive coordinator Greg Robinson, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)

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One of the cool yet often frustrating aspects of running a blog about Michigan sports is that, occassionally, people mistake you for an expert on Michigan related things. I, and all of us really, are not experts. We're just people with too much free time and a hobby that takes away from our loved ones. It's basically like a hard drug addiction, but without the physical costs to your circulatory and nervous systems. Same social costs and the same deminishing returns. Especially during seasons like 2008 and 2009. But I digress.

Over the last six weeks I've spoken with a lot of people about the state of the team. Everyone wants to no one thing, why can't this team stop anyone? We're Michigan, right? Shouldn't we be playing better? I mean, they're Michigan recruits. Top of the line! It's gotta be the coaching. Change the coaching. Shapren the pitchforks. Light the torches. It's time for a burnin'.

Young and old alike have watched this team consistently make the exact same mental mistakes that cost them games last year. And they've had it. People are getting pissed. But what's the answer? Is it the coaches? Is it the players? Is it the general bloody mindedness of the universe?

The easy answer is a little bit of all three. The convient answer is coaching. But neither are correct. Michigan's defensive problems go much, much deeper than that. In each of the last three years Michigan has seen the same bugaboos on defense. Poor tackling. Bad angles. One or two superstars and a bunch of guys that look lost. This year is no different, on the field at least.

At the end of the 2008 season Michigan cut loose Scot Shafer, a respected and up and coming caoch before he arrived in Ann Arbor, partly as a scape goat but also for fielding a defense week in week out that can best be equated to defending Rome from the Barbarian hordes with the cast of RENT. I was one of Shafers most vocal critics last season. I was one of the first to call for blood. And in hindsight, I was wrong.

Very wrong.

One of the things we'd chosen to ignore over the three years leading up to Carr's retirement was the state of the defense and defensive recruiting. The 2007 torchings at the hands of Appalachian State and Oregon, and well, everyone else, were signs of a problem finally coming home to roost. For the prior five years Carr's regime had been recruiting safeties to play linebacker, linebackers to play defensive end, and god knows who to play safety. There were spectacular flameouts of four star talent actually recruited to play their high school positions of Corner, LB and Defensive end. Finally, there weren't enough bodies being recruited to play defense to make up for the gaps.

The bottom line is Shafer had little to work with and expectations that vastly outweighed the limited talent he could put on the field. A quick look at the classes of 2005-2007 shows the players available to Shafer to play in the secondary should provide you with a chill down the center of your spine:

2004: Chambers, Trent (Adams, Stewart all gone).
2005: Harrison. (Sears, Richards all gone.)
2006: None. (Mouton, Brown moved to LB.)
2007: Warren, Woolfolk, Williams, Rogers.

Yeah. Our talent level in 2008 wasn't so great. You can argue the Trent was a decent cornerback. Maybe. I can also argue that the earth is flat. Both have the same amount of basis in reality. Linebacker was even worse. It was so bad that we were starting a former fullback at Middle linebacker, a sophomore converted safety, and John Thompson or Austin Panter. Yes. That John Thompson and Austin Panter. Not good.

Maybe there are coaches out there that can form a competent defense out of that morass. Maybe. But I strongly suspect the guys that can are making large salaries in the NFL and not really interested in a college gig unless they're forced to take it. What that leaves you with are up and comers like Shafer, long term assistants like Ron English, or decorated former coordinators that bombed out as head coaches like Robinson. Having watched Michigan bottom out against the Big Ten, the Pac 10, and Division 1AA schools, English was not retained by Rodriguez and Shafer was brought in. And Shafer was expected to fashion a dominant defense.

This is where the disconnect occurred. Rodriguez, like just about everyone, expected the defensive personnel at Michigan to be, well, Michigan style defenders. Smart. Fast. Agile. Strong as a moose. and Biiiiig. They weren't. And all of us vastly overestimated the abilities of these defenders simply because they wore Michigan uniforms.

Like it or not, a good chunk of players left over from the 2006 team and incoming, weren't at the same level we'd become acustomed to over the last 30 years. Misopogon's simply outstanding diary at MGoBlog lists all the recruits, players, and defections since 2005 on the defensive side of the ball. It's staggering how low the talent level is and just how few players Shafer (and now Robinson) have to work with.

With hind sight being what it is, I think I owe Shafer an apology. Shafer was tarred, feathed and run out of town on a rail for a number of sins that were not his. He did not recruit the kids he had to work with. He did not know the state of the program when he took the job. He did not know the land mine he was about to step on was there. He wandered blindly into the Defensive Coordinator position knowing only one thing, it's Michigan.

Only it wasn't. As the charts laid out by Misopogon demonstrate, this wasn't the Michigan that Shafer grew up with. On Defense, Michigan recruiting rankings resembled OSU's but their player performance mirrored Minnesota's. None of us, especially me, were able to accept that Michigan had fallen on such hard times in terms of recruiting, player development, and player retention. It was always, "we'll plug that hole with another highly rated player!" Only we haven't. And now we've got walk-on's starting at two positions and a third contributing important playing time.

It's easy to blame coaches for being unable to turn overwhelming talent into an overwhelming defense. I think of Florida State as one such example. Constantly refreshing the well with 4 star plus talent, constantly being mediocre to bad on defense. It doesn't add up from the outside. But when the coaches have little to work with we can't rush to judgment on their abilities.

Everyone remembers their high school football team had a couple of players that were talented, but just weren't good at football. They'd fly around the field, looked like grown ups, talked the talk, but in reality they never really got the game or had the predisposition for it. Eventually, they got benched or graduated because no amount of coaching made them any better than their natural, uncoached talent. They just had a ceiling. Unfortunately, a number of Michigan's players have that problem at the college level. And 2008 underlines that point.

Shafer's ability to fashion a remotely competent defense in Syracuse speaks to his coaching ability far more than the disaster he provided us in 2008. Greg Robinson's years of churning out killer Texas defenses and two Superbowl defenses in Denver speak to me far louder than his head coaching failure in Syracuse does. We are not asking him to be a head coach. We are asking him to coach a depleted and talent deficient defense.

We've already held two coaches responsible for Michigan's recruiting and coaching sins, one rightfully and the other improperly. Holding a third to the flames won't do anything to change the fact that it's going to take talent coming in the door for this program to return to its rightful place in the Big Ten and National scene.

Once there's talent in the door and on the field, then we can start judging whether Robinson is the right man for the job. But until then, people need to be patient with Robinson and Rodriguez. We've already gotten rid of one coach.

And how's that worked out so far?

At Least It Was a Nice Day: Michigan Football Gacks Up Another Loss to Purdue

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:15:40 -0000

More photos » by Tony Ding - AP

Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez shouts words ~~of encouragement~~ to his players . (AP Photo/Tony Ding)

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November is an odd month. Some years it is the most miserable 30 days on the calendar. Others, you think it was June and summer was around the corner. This year seems to be a combination of the two, and Saturday provided us with one of the most beautiful November days I've seen in Ann Arbor since I first set foot on campus in 1994.

Unfortunately, the weather was the only thing I could compliment on Saturday.

Despite a 14 point halftime lead, Michigan allowed 21 unanswered points to Purdue en route to a heartbreaking 38-36 loss. Well, "heartbreaking" probably isn't the proper word. "Maddening" is. Despite throttling the Boilermakers in the first half, the Wolverines allowed poor play and decision making to cost them a game they should've won. There's little more to it than that.

We can go into great detail about the colossal pooch screwing that occurred when Michigan fumbled at its own 19 yard line. Or about the 91 yard drive immediately following Michigan's follow up score. Or the blown onsides kick. Or the inexcusable screw up that allowed a 54 yard touchdown on a play action pass.

GaaaaaaaaaaaH!

(more after the jump)

I'm done with dissecting this stuff because it doesn't serve any purpose. The harsh reality that has been deposited at our doorstep these past five weeks is that this team is not very good. Specifically, this defense (with the notable exceptions of the Defensive linemen) is god-awful horrible. I will not mince words on this. After three defensive coordinators in three years, the same fundamental mistakes keep popping up. Tackling. Basic positioning. Coverage responsibilities in man-coverage (yes that's redundant, but that's the point). I'm tired of blaming coaches for the mistakes on the defensive side of the ball. We've done that twice already and nothing has changed. Our linebackers are just as bad in 2009 as the were in 2007. Sean Crable and Jonas Mouton are basically the same player, and make the exact same mistakes. We have no middle linebacker to speak of. Our safeties are perennially a target of 50+ yard completions and missed tackles.

At a certain point, the players must be held accountable for their performance on the field. And at a certain point, we as fans and supporters must realize that some their deficiencies may not be curable. Michigan's recruiting at two vital defensive positions (safety and linebacker) has been nothing sort of abysmal for the better part of five years. We have two converted safeties and a fullback as our starters. Or two walkons. We need to acknowledge that you're not going to play for a Big Ten title if that's what you're rolling out at the defense's most important position. Since Jamar Adams left, safety has been a barren wasteland. It's so bad that we're starting another walk on, and he's better than the four star recruits we thought we had.

The bottom line is this team will not improve until its defensive recruiting does. Michigan doesn't just need athletes, it needs smart ones. It needs players that can execute at game time. Players that tackle well in games as well as in practice. Other than the defensive line, those players are few and far between on our roster.

Now before you torch Rodriguez for not recruiting better players, please keep in mind that the 2007-2008 recruiting class was 90% Lloyd Carr's. Rodriguez came in with approximately 3 months to hold onto Carr's last class and add on top of it. And he did. We've had one full Rodriguez class hit campus, the 2009 class, and it's pretty good. If you look at our deficiencies, we're not going to have new kids ready to step in until at least next year. Our biggest defensive holes are holes that should have performing upperclassmen from Carr's tenure, but don't. With the exception of Kovacs, Warren, Woolfolk and Williams were all Carr recruits. Ezeh, Mouton, and Brown signed under Carr and English.

Honestly, I'm starting to think I owe Scott Shafer an apology.

We all got fooled by a 4-0 start. We were fooled by a close loss to Iowa and a blow out of a D1-AA team. But we've seen the real team the last few weeks. A team capable of putting up 36 points and just as capable of giving up 40. But that's what this team is. This is not a 8-3, 8-4 go to a crappy bowl game and be pissed that we lost a game we shouldn't have team. It's not even close. This is not, repeat not, a talented defensive team. And until that changes, Michigan's Saturday fortunes won't.

Still. Saturday could've been worse. A year ago I sat through a miserable downpour in 28 degree weather to watch Michigan lose to a Northwestern team they probably could've beaten. But Saturday wasn't like that.

Saturday was sunny.

A Little Reality in an Otherwise Interesting Season for Michigan Football

Maize n Brew Dave — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:05:06 -0000

More photos » by TONY DING - AP

about 1 month ago: FILE -- This is a Sept. 19, 2009, file photo showing Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier (5) embracing offensive lineman David Molk (50) after an NCAA college football game against Eastern Michigan, in Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez says center David Molk is out for the season after tearing a ligament in his right knee against Penn State. (AP Photo/Tony Ding, File)

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For all the grinding and gnashing of teeth I've read and heard since Saturday, you'd think the rapture had occurred. It seems as though the rest of the Big Ten was taken in a divine light, leaving only Michigan to contend with the SEC and other evils left on this world.

Not so much. Saturday sucked. But the reality is Saturday's Michigan loss to Penn State was not unlike other games or years we've seen as Michigan fans. Michigan got thumped by a better team. Penn State's defense was far better than we were willing to give it credit for, and their Defensive Tackles and Linebackers ate our average offensive line for lunch. Darryl Clark was a far better passer and game manager against Michigan than I, personally, gave him credit for. Michigan also shot itself in the foot with drops, stupid penalties, drops, a safety inducing bad snap and more drops.

It was ugly. But we've seen just as bad or worse.

If you're looking for a parallel, don't look at 2008. That's not a particularly apt analogy. Look at Game 2 of 2007. Yes. The season we'd all like to forget. The Oregon game. If you're looking for a game where Michigan came out of the tunnel gamely, put seven points on the board, then collapsed like a New Orleans levy against stiff breeze, that's the one. Saturday's Penn State game wasn't even close to that. Oregon dominated every last aspect of that game in a manner that completely eclipsed the loss to Penn State.

Even worse. Look at the Iowa game in 2002, when Michigan lost 34-9. I have no clue how we got 9 points. None. They should've deducted points from Michigan's score. Then there was the 2007 Ohio State game. Or, look back to Donovan McNabb steamrolling the Wolverine defense in 1999. Even a moment's reflection reveals this sort of thing has happened before. It's happened to good teams as well as bad ones. So please, let's not act like Michigan never lost a game in poor fashion before Rodriguez showed up on the sidelines.

The sad reality is that this isn't a very good football team. Sure there are some exciting players. Sure there is talent. But this is the same team that went 3-9 last year, only it's a year older and starting sometimes two freshmen quarterbacks. The same defensive and offensive liabilities still exist. The difference is, this year, we're beating teams we're supposed to beat. We're just not ready to beat teams we shouldn't.

Going into the Michigan State game I was genuinely afraid that people would look past this team's obvious deficiencies, and work themselves into a delusional frenzy. Check. We played marginally against Iowa, and came within two points of beating the Hawkeyes before blowing the doors off cupcake Delaware State leading up to the Penn State game.

Woo. We're 5-2 with wins against crappy competition! Let's go crazy! Woo! Seriously. Look at who we've beaten. Western Michigan. Eastern Michigan. Indiana. Delaware State. Out best win is against a highly over rated Notre Dame squad that should've lost to Washington, Boston College, and Michigan State. Woo! World Beaters! We deserved to lose both prior games. The only reason Michigan remained in either the Michigan State or Iowa games was because both teams let Michigan stick around and seemed determined to give the game away for no good reason.

Penn State didn't. Penn State played like a good team. And good teams beat mediocre ones.

And let's be honest. This is a mediocre Michigan team. They're not bad. They'll go to a bowl game. But they're not good enough to play poorly and win. But given how bad things were last year, I'll take it.

What's amazed me the most about this season isn't the progress, it isn't the work they've put in. It's just how short Michigan fans' memories are. Michigan's recruiting and talent level was in a nose dive from 2005 onward. 2007 (minus Jake Long) showed that. While poor game planning didn't help anything, Michigan got whipped on both lines by "inferior" opponents. Look at the linebackers and safeties. The upperclassmen we're supposed to have aren't there. Look at the offensive line, our upperclassmen are adequate at best. Our best players are freshmen and sophomores. When that's the case, you're not going to win a lot of games.

After four wins over bad to mediocre opponents there a portions of the fan base expecting the world. Questioning the play calling. Questioning personnel selection. Insinuating different decisions would've netted wins rather than losses. No. They wouldn't have. And if you think they would've, you're fooling yourself. So stop. Please. Stop. You're giving the rest of us a migraine.

The Penn State game turned when David Molk left in the first quarter. The following series, Michigan fell apart. Molk is the key to this offensive unit because he's the only reliable center we have. More importantly, he's our best offensive linemen and arguably the most important player our offense has. He brings a nastiness and purpose that was sorely missing with his departure. Without him, the line was in disarray and Tatenard spent the rest of the game running for his life.

We're not far enough along where we can over come an injury like that. Frankly, there aren't a lot of teams in D1 football that can. Look at the Oklahoma Sooners. A new offensive and they've already lost more games this year than in the last two combined.

Things are getting better. One game doesn't change that. Michigan is still much better than last year. We're 5-3. We're better playing much better than last year. Saturday was both an aberation and an expected outcome. The Penn State defense that dominated the Michigan offensive line and a linebacking crew that confused the hell out of two freshmen. Being freshmen caught up to Tate and Denard over the last four games. That said, I think you'll see a tremendous step forward as the season goes on. We got beat by a game plan that actually executed itself to exploit our weaknesses. It happens.

But ask yourself if you would've taken 5-3 at this point before the season began. You bet your ass you would've. And the fact is this team is getting better, even if it didn't play like it on Saturday. Better days are ahead.

You've just got to be patient.

Michigan Penn State Question and Answer with Black Shoe Diaries

Maize n Brew Dave — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:12:06 -0000

We're two days away from the Michigan Penn State Game, and dammit, we're excited here at Maize n Brew. In the interest of gaining as much inside information as possible, we tracked down Mike from Black Shoe Diaries at his bunker in northern Siberia and forced him to answer some questions. Well. Not really. Mike tracked me down and roused me from my two week slumber and forced me to talk about Michigan. He also had me sign all sorts of papers, including something in hindsight I'm certain was a power of attorney. I'll deal with that later...

Mike's posted my answers over at Black Shoe Diaries for the Penn State crazies to pick apart. So now's my turn. Here's all you intel on Penn State.

On to the Questioning!!

Maize n Brew Dave: Injuries are going to play a big part in this game. Is Sean Lee actually going to play on Saturday? Who else is banged up for Penn State and who, if anyone, is out for the game?

Black Shoe Diaries: The word is that Sean Lee is going to play. Last week against Minnesota he saw the field for about 15 snaps before he felt a "twinge" in his knee and they shut him down. On Monday he said the knee is sore, but he's practicing this week so that's a good sign.

Stephfon Green is most likely out with an ankle injury. So there will be no repeat of last year's 80 yard screen pass. This probably means more carries for Evan Royster in the game. Penn State likes to limit him to about 15 touches, but now he'll probably get over 20. Durability has been an issue with him in the past, but he has held up pretty good this year.

My big concern is at right tackle where Penn State is basically down to the ham sandwich. DeOn'tae "Insert Random Punctuation and Capitalization Wherever You Want" Pannell and Nerraw McCormack are both trying to recover from ankle injuries. Last week Penn State had to start junior college transfer Ako Poti in their place. I'm sure Poti was just thrilled to see Evan Royster getting Brandon Graham fired up in the media this week.

MnB Dave: How good a feel do you have for this year's Nittany Lion Squad? We all knew there'd be turnover this year, but I've seen so many different things out of PSU (good and bad) that I really don't know how to gauge them. At 6-1, Penn State has only one marquee game on the resume and that was a loss at home. Minnesota and Temple are arguably your best wins (both at 4-2). Are you satisfied that you know what to expect game in, game out from this squad?

BSD: So far the season has pretty much gone like I expected. I knew there were going to be games where the offensive line didn't look so good. That's just part of replacing four starters. I was hoping they would use this soft schedule in the beginning of the year to come together, and for the most part they have done that. They're playing well now and Evan Royster has averaged 112 yards his last three games. He only managed 102 yards against Akron and Syracuse combined.

I did not expect the receivers and secondary to perform as well as they have. Derek Moye has been a pleasant surprise. He's fifth in the conference in receiving yardage and he has become Daryll Clark's favorite target. The secondary is leading the conference in pass defense and held Eric Decker to just one catch last week. D'Anton Lynn and Stephon Morris have played really well at cornerback which was the position I most worried about on this team before the season.

Penn State has used the soft schedule to play themselves into a good team, but unfortunately they weren't ready in time to play Iowa.

MnB Dave: I have to do this. Why do Penn State fans call one win a "streak"?

BSD: I agree with you. That's ridiculous. That's why I prefer to call it 761 days since Michigan last beat Penn State.

(more questioning after the jump....)

MnB Dave: As much as I fear Royster, Clark seems to consistently be the PSU player most responsible for Penn State's wins and losses. Whether this premise is right or wrong, give us a brief look at Clark's positives and negatives. Where does he excel and where does he come up short?

BSD: First and foremost, I love Clark's leadership. The team really responds to him and believes in him. It's completely evident in their play. He's tough. He'll lower his shoulder and fight for that extra yard, or he'll run down field and throw a block if the play comes back his way. Players love that in their quarterback. On top of that, he's just a good quarterback. His mechanics are sound and for the most part he makes the right decisions.

But he does have some flaws. He's a really emotional player. In big games he tends to come out a little too amped up and he'll overthrow some guys until he gets settled down. And sometimes he will have a mental breakdown if you can get him frustrated. Teams that can get pressure on him can force him into making some unadvised throws. Iowa did this very well as did USC and Ohio State last year. The manual for defensing Daryll Clark should say "GET TO THE QUARTERBACK" in big bold letters at the top.

MnB Dave: What game this season is most representative of this PSU team, good and bad? Why?

BSD: That's a tough question to answer because this team is so different than they were at the beginning of the season. They're playing much more like a unit than they did against Akron and Syracuse. But at the same time, their best games have come against Illinois and Minnesota...not exactly World beaters, so I'm a bit hesitant to get too excited. So I'll cop out and answer in cliche. You're only as good as your last game, which happens to be a 20-0 shutout over Minnesota.

MnB Dave: I'm gonna turn the tables on you, what part of the Michigan offense and defense do you think you can take advantage of?

BSD: On offense I think Penn State should be able to pass the ball against the Michigan secondary. Clark is good at spreading the ball around and finding the open man. If Evan Royster can get going in the running game, Penn State could get some big plays off of play action.

On defense, I think Penn State should be able to get to Tate Forcier and pressure him into making some quick decisions. They have a good pass rush, and the linebackers are always active in their blitzing. Penn State has even been mixing in some corner blitzes here and there which is new for a Tom Bradley defense. If they can fluster Forcier, I think the defense can come away with a few turnovers.

MnB Dave: Let's go the other way, what part of the Michigan offense and defense causes you consternation and heart palpitations?

BSD: I'm worried about the Michigan running game. I must admit I did not realize how good they were until I looked at the stats this week. The zone read options are going to test the linebackers and defensive ends. If Sean Lee is healthy, I'm not one bit worried about he and Navorro Bowman defending the edges. But our defensive ends are still pretty green and haven't seen a lot of zone read option offenses. They did a good job against Juice Williams and Illinois, but Michigan is more athletic with their running backs.

And on offense, like I said before, as long as the offensive line keeps Daryll Clark upright and gives him time to throw, they'll be fine. The offense is balanced enough that they can take advantage of whatever the defense is trying to do.

MnB Dave: I've made my prediction, now it's your turn. Make your prediction.

BSD: Well, I have to go with Penn State. On paper they have more talent, more depth, and more experience than Michigan. I feel good about this game, but then I felt good going into Ann Arbor in 2005 and 2007. Something about Maize and Blue makes Joe Paterno pucker up. I think this game will be close, but like I said, I have to go with the good guys. Penn State wins 27-24.

Special thanks to Mike at Black Shoe Diaries for putting this together and for his great answers. I hope his whole team comes down with swine flu prior to the game.

Growing Pains: Michigan Football Falls to Iowa 28-30

Maize n Brew Dave — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:38:23 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Neibergall - AP

2 months ago: Iowa's Tony Moeaki (81) runs for a 34-yard touchdown reception in the first quarter of this NCAA college football game against Michigan, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, in Iowa City, Iowa. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)

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When I saw a clearly distraught Denard Robinson collapse onto David Moosman following Michigan's fifth and final turnover Saturday night, my frustration and anger disappeared. I simply couldn't be angry or disappointed anymore. After years of watching Michigan, sometimes emotionlessly, drop close games, I've been programmed to go into a deep funk lasting several days. I'd watch Henne, Brady, Navarre, Henson, or whomever else slowly walk off the field unbuckling their chinstraps with their heads down or stare onto the field in a vacant trace with mouth wide open search for something to say. It was business. It was over. Onward to the next game, meeting, scrimmage, etc. It's over. Move forward.

This was something new to me. I saw a small glimpse of it last week when Tate Forcier threw what in hindsight was not a bad pass to a covered Marataveous Odoms. On the pattern, Odoms shirt was grabbed just as the ball left Forcier's hand, pulling him back and giving MSU's safety a slingshot towards the ball Odoms would normally have caught. When it was over and MSU hand come down with the ball, Tate lied there on the field turf, obviously upset with himself and distraught, until a hand from one of his linemen lifted him up. As if to say "Come on kid, we're with you."

But this week it truly set in. When Denard's final pass ended up in the wrong hands, though his eyes were obscured by the mask he wears everyday in practice and games, I knew they were filled with tears of regret and disappointment. Turning to his left, Robinson looked as though he was looking for a place to bury his head, to find a place for his own misery in that moment. This was new to me. This was not the vacant stare I remembered and the internalization of pain that I so often saw from Michigan's quarterbacks. Robinson was visibly crushed by his mistake. And as the freshman turned to either collapse or stumble off to the sideline, David Moosman was there to hold him up.

In that moment of disappointment, this Michigan team became something more than wins and losses.

Over the past several years Michigan has been a collection of superbly talented individuals that sometimes played as a team. Henne. Hart. Edwards. Manningham. Terrell. Harris. Woodley. All talented young men who stood out and above. This is not that generation of players. No one on this team can transcend the team itself. And no one seems to want to. For all the nonsense this team, coaching staff and individual players have dealt with this season and last, this is the closest I've ever seen a Michigan team. And no amount of second guessing is going to change that.

Look no further than Moosman. David Moosman's playing days at this level, possibly at the next, are numbered. He could have, should have, been mad, angry, or consumed by some emotion other than compassion. This was the second straight week that an interception had ended a Michigan comeback attempt. Michigan had outgained and largely outplayed Iowa to that point without Tate and Denard's turnovers Michigan likely would've emerged victorious. But there wasn't the slightest hint of that coming from Moosman. He picked his quarterback up just like a big brother aiding his younger. He was there for his teammate.

This team is fine. Please. Please. Please. Don't look for reasons to pick it apart. Like it or not this is part of the process. The growing pains we all knew would eventually come. Don't delude yourself into thinking otherwise.

Much has been made of Forcier's benching at the end of the fourth quarter. I'll say this right now: it was the right decision. Forcier was absolutely awful on Saturday night. If you believe he was going to win that game, you're fooling yourself. He wasn't. Hopeless 40 yard chuck after hopeless 40 yard chuck, it was obvious the kid was rattled and totally lost as to what he was supposed to be doing.

I'll say this too, it's natural. It's supposed to happen. No one becomes a savior overnight. Tim Tebow had his growing pains. Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy were both wallopped too. Look at Henne and Brady. These things happen when freshmen start ballgames at quarterback. Occasionally they melt down. This was one of those occasions. When I saw a clearly razed and befuddled Tate Forcier wander back to sidelines after throwing three straight WTF passes from his own endzone, I knew his night was over. Denard Robinson was the right call. He was accurate and athletic leading a critical drive in the final quarter, and frankly was a misread away from doing what Tate had done two games previously. Robinson has done it in high school. Robinson will do it in college. Saturday was simply not his time.

Several months ago, looking at the upcoming season, I wrote the following about the Iowa game:

A win at Michigan State (regardless of our record) and everyone on the Maize n Blue bandwagon will be going out of their mind. We'll overlook all kinds of problems and flaws, because we won, and because of that we'll now expect to beat anyone on our schedule. Conversely, a loss at Michigan State and everyone will expect this to be the big rebound game, despite the fact it's AT Iowa.

Folks, this team isn't there yet. They are not world beaters yet. The scalps on their belt are WMU, EMU, Indiana and a vastly overrated Notre Dame squad. This is not the finished product.

Give it time. When the growing pains subside, you'll understand that this is all part of the process.

Live Podcastin': Black Heart Maize Brews Launches at 7:30PM (CST) Thursday Night

Maize n Brew Dave — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 20:08:08 -0000

In a world devoid of news, we make our own. After much deliberation and tireless research, Hawkeye State of Black Heart gold Pants and I have decided to launch yet another interwebz podcast. We'll talk Michigan Iowa, the Big Ten Slate, and mock each other's cultural heritage. Should be a good time. We're on TalkShoe tonight at 7:30PM CST. Call in's are welcome, so if you've got praise for me or something nasty to say about Iowa, by all means call in.

Here's the link:

http://www.talkshoe.com/talkshoe/web/talkCast.jsp?masterId=66148&cmd=tc

Phone Number: (724) 444-7444
Call ID: 66148

We have no idea how badly this little trainwreck is going to turn out, so that means nothing but fun for you. Everyone likes watching a trainwreck. So join us at 7:30 for an hour of your life you'll never get back, talking Big Ten football.

Carlos Brown Doubtful For Iowa Michigan Game

Maize n Brew Dave — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 15:42:49 -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)

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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.