the Aftermath

I decided to wait a day before I posted about yesterday’s Michigan game.  If I had posted right after the game, you would have been reading the F word a lot and I generally try to keep this a somewhat clean blog.  Don’t want to scare off any future collectors as there are so few kids who do collect.

Take note, I don’t know football in and out like I do baseball.  I never played, just watched and I don’t claim to know everything.  These are my opinions.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  We still can’t beat the middle tier teams (with the exception of ND).  As much as I love Denard and as much as a threat he is, he hurts us just as much as he helps.  We should have had 4 TD’s in that last minute of yesterday’s game.  2 overthrows by Denard to wide open receivers who had easy touchdowns.  Followed by 2 blown calls by the refs.  They say he has decent throwing stats, that would be all the shorts throws he makes.  You might say he’s had some huge throwing plays down the field in the past, but I think if you go back and watch those highlights, the receivers usually bailed him out because the throws were usually short and they adjusted.  I’ve said I liked seeing Devin and Denard both out there, but not with Denard on the sideline running towards the line. I understand it’s hard to defend, but no harder than defending any 2 RB in the backfield formation.  Yesterday and last week we ran the ball well, Fitz has been running well.  Last week, twice, we got into the red zone, and had to settle for field goals.  We ran the ball all the way down the field, pass here and there to keep them honest.  And then get in the red zone and pass, pass, pass, field goal.  Twice!  Sometimes the play calling is great, sometimes it’s horrible.  I can blame throws on Denard, the play calling I can’t.  That’s coming from the sidelines.  As far as the 2 blown calls at the end, the catch by Hemmingway was a TD and should have been.  As far as the non flag on the pass interference on the next play, that could have gone either way I guess, I can forgive missing that one.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not blaming the loss on the refs, because we should have been up by at least 7 by then and those plays wouldn’t matter.  We had our opportunities and didn’t take advantage of them, Iowa beat us and we beat ourselves.  I was really looking forward to the Nebraska game in a couple of weeks that I have tickets for, but I’m not very happy with this team or coaching staff.  And now that I think about it, I’m more unhappy with the coaching staff, it seems like we are trying to do to much instead of just going out and playing football.  The only problem I had with the actual players yesterday, were the couple of drop by receivers (I want to say both were Hemmingway) and some of the throws by Denard.  After watching last years defense, I’m definitely impressed with our D this year.  Much better than what I expected.  But our offense has to come around and be more consistent.  Whether that’s consistent play, or consistent play calling remains to be seen.

Let’s come out and blow Illinois out of the water.  Play Michigan football and run through them.

On a somewhat side note – this was posted on my facebook wall after the game.

Really?  Most normal people would just keep their mouths shut being as we already beat you,  And this was before they played Wake Forest last night.  I was so hoping they would lose just because of this comment.  If ND had beat us and they posted this I wouldn’t give it a second thought, I would think yeah, yeah, bite me but it wouldn’t piss me off because we loss, I have to take it.  ND fans are like teenagers, just don’t know when to shut the hell up.  Because believe me, I have a lot of people’s walls I could have posted on after a few ND losses but I don’t.  I know how pissed I am after a Michigan loss and the last thing you want is to be harassed about it.  My wife told me during the game yesterday that she doesn’t like when Michigan loses because I get grumbly.  I just need a little time and space to get over it then I’m fine.  LEAVE ME ALONE, DAMN IT!!!!  Ok, I’m better now.