“This is when guys make names for themselves. Guys like (Tim) Biakabutuka, when he played Notre Dame and Ohio State, he always had big games. Tyrone Wheatley, A-Train (Anthony Thomas), Chris Perry, that’s where you make your name, in big games. If you don’t perform in these big games, then you’re just an average back.”

– L. Michael Hart

Posted under Misc.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ9yM-RZv7g]

Posted under Analysis

I guess it’s like an editorial, but it looks like an ad. Its text is as follows:

“Student Section 101

TIP: With 110,000 fans and 20,000 rowdy students, third down should be an impossible situation for opposing offenses in the Big House. Here’s how to make that happen:

1 Enjoy the time-honored Michigan tradition of jingling your keys on third down.

2 Scream at the top of your lungs, and watch the visitor’s offense struggle to get in sync.”

I’ll take this on a point-by-point basis.

• I’d hardly call even a majority of the students in the 20,000-strong student section “rowdy,” much less paint everyone with that broad brush. You’re more likely to get funny stares if you act rowdy than have other people join in.
• Third down should be tough for opposing offenses in the Big House. This brilliant plan by the Daily is not the way to make that happen.
• I’m adamantly opposed to the “key play” “tradition.” What does it do to intimidate opposing offenses? Nothing, you say? Well, I wholeheartedly agree. It’s not like they fear that we are going to lock and/or unlock something during the course of a play.
• If they insist on promoting this inane “key play” crap, the Daily should at least get their priorities in order. Advocate the screaming as first priority (and second, and third), rather than acting like jingling your keys (dear freshmen, it is hilarious to wiggle your keycard, I promise).
• If we’re trying to make noise, why not also advocate other means, such as stomping on the bleachers, or doing something that actually, you know, makes noise?

End the key play idiocy, and you will be one step closer to making Michigan an intimidating place to play.

Posted under Misc.

Am I supposed to be surprised? Is anyone supposed to be surprised? Without the insane play of Jeff Samardzija looking good all of last year, he would still be a no-namer. Hopefully, the improved UM defense will be able to really stick it to Quinn and the Irish.

Posted under Analysis

Many students must have missed the memo about wearing maize all year. I’d estimate about 60-70% coverage. Hopefully it gets better throughout the year.

The noise wasn’t great either, though it was not bad at all a few times on D. Hopefully that improves as well when we play a legit competitive game.

PS Tennessee is spanking Cal.

Posted under Analysis

Things that are good:

DefenseIf the only points you give up are on a gadget ply when you are given bad field position, don’t sweat it too much. The best player on D was
Lamarr Woodley Did this dude have 700,000 sacks or what? I must say, I’m impressed.
Run game Vandy isn’t exactly top-5 defense material, but when you gain 200+ yards running almost exclusively running one play (stretch), it’s not exactly a bad sign.
Surprisingly, Garrett Rivas Sure, he had a kick pblocked, but blame that on the O-line, not Rivas. It was on target, just like all his other kicks.

Things that aren’t so good:
Chad HennePlease please please snap out of it. He didn’t throw many good balls all day. The best pass play was completely made by
Steve Breaston, who looked terrible in the return game. You’d better snap out of it as well.
Right side of the line Lamarr sacks vs. Rueben penalties was clearly the competition of the day. Hopefully, Chad will get more time, and the season will have a chance to turn out better.

Posted under Analysis

Indianapolis Warren Central, school of Michigan safety/LB recruit Jerimy Finch, played a game last weekend that has been replaying on ComCast Local. If you get a chance, I’d recommend checking it out.

Interesting note from that, however. One of the commentators said that the “word on the street” is that Finch may decommit from Michigan to join his teammate Darren Evans at Virginia Tech. Keep an eye out for that.

Posted under Recruiting

On ESPN’s current CFB SportsNation poll (I’m not going to link it, because it will be gone soon enough), the question is “Which hotseat coach should be safe this season?”

The second (to Larry Coker)? One Lloyd H. Carr Jr.

The question is admittedly vague, so people don’t know whether they are saying: “This person doesn’t deserve to be on the hotseat” or “This person’s performance this year will remove him from the seat on which he is presently perched,” but the point remains the same. The people of the world don’t think Lloyd’s job is in jeopardy. In the midwest and particularly Michigan (though, somewhat surprisingly, not as much in Ohio), Lloyd is far and away the favorite.

Your own poll proves it, ESPN, fans are not calling for Lloyd Carr’s head. You can say it all you want to create news, or believe people who claim to “speak for the vast majority of Michigan fans,” when in fact they don’t (see: SaveTheBigHouse hooplah).

My weariness with ESPN is reaching all-time highs lately, and this whole invention of grumbling Michigan fans is just one more grievance on the list.

Posted under Coaching

I’m going to do something that I probably shouldn’t, which is invite pretty much anyone on the internet to come tailgate at my house before the game on Saturday.

Here’s the invitation that my roommate has sent out:

So its that time of year again. The time when each yesterday is beaten only by today’s consumption-of-inebriating-chemicals. To welcome everyone back, we’re throwing a little Pre-game gig this Saturday, details as follows:

When: September 2, 2006, beginning the inebriation period around 9 AM, also continuing after the game until all have passed out

Where: 319 E Jefferson (just down the street from Tom, bout a block and a half from the Union)

Why: Welcome Week Pre-game, sail three sheets to the wind, reunite the clans, and break in the livers via shock therapy

Who: You and the world

What: Kegs, ‘dogs, pong

We invite everyone, from veterans of not-quite-beer consumption to the youngbloods whose livers are still soft and well, to join us in our joyous revelry

Posted under Misc.

RB Avery Horn is Michigan’s 13th commit of the year, per both recruiting sources. He is a 3-star speedster out of Hanford.

Since I haven’t talked at length about it in a while, here is the current list of commits (links go to their Scout profiles, they are listed in chronological order of commit).

Vince Helmuth FB
Artis Chambers S
Ryan VanBergen DE
Ryan Mallett QB
Martell Webb TE/WR
Jerimy Finch S/LB
James Rogers WR
Troy Woolfolk CB
Steve Watson TE
Dave Molk C/G
Marquis Maze RB/Ath
J.R. Hemingway WR
Avery Horn RB

5-star
Mallett
Finch

4-star
VanBergen
Hemingway
Molk
Watson
Chambers
Helmuth
Webb

3-star
Woolfolk
Rogers
Horn

Unrated
Maze

Just as a side note, I use Scout’s ratings, because I think their information is better, even though it is given in a less professional (and generally good – (see Josh Turel)) presentation.

Posted under Recruiting