Michigan 'not built' for physical Wisconsin, needs a win for a bowl
MADISON, Wis. - Several times this week, Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez has lamented his team’s lack of size.
“We’re too small. We know that,” Rodriguez said before practice Wednesday. And on his radio show Thursday, “We’re not built right now for big, physical teams.”
Michigan football coach Rich Rodriguez said this week that big, physical teams cause the Wolverines problems this season. (Photo: file photo)
The Badgers boast nearly a ton of girth on their offensive line (average weight per man: 321.4 pounds) and generously listed 248-pound running back John Clay leads the Big Ten in rushing yards (973) and touchdowns (11). Michigan, last against the run in conference games, has just two players over 280 pounds in its defensive two-deep and undersized starters at end, tackle and outside linebacker.
Yikes.
“They try to impose their will on you,” Rodriguez said. “They’re big, physical guys up front. Huge linemen, big backs, big tight ends. They do a great job of blocking on the perimeter, so it’s a different challenge. And our guys understand it. We’re not a big team defensively.”
Rodriguez said he hopes to address his team’s size deficiency in recruiting - Michigan’s only 300-plus-pound defender, Will Campbell, is a true freshman.
In the meantime, the Wolverines must find a way to beat the 21st-ranked Badgers or risk missing out on the postseason for the second straight year. Michigan (5-5, 1-5) needs a win today or next week against No. 10 Ohio State to become bowl eligible.
“For us to go to a bowl game, that would be a great accomplishment” after last year’s 3-9 season, cornerback Troy Woolfolk said. “That’s how I look at it when I start to feel bad about losing three games in a row.”
Michigan has lost three straight overall and its last five Big Ten games - it’s lone October win was a 63-6 stomping of Delaware State - in a haze of turnovers, big plays and second-half meltdowns.
Purdue struck for 54- and 35-yard touchdown passes in last week's 38-36 win, and Ralph Bolden ran for a 19-yard score one play after quarterback Tate Forcier fumbled an option pitch on what Rodriguez called “an easy read.”
The Boilermakers came from two touchdowns at halftime, a week after Illinois overcame a third-quarter deficit to stun Michigan, 38-13. The Wolverines have been outscored 75-12 in the second halves of their last three games.
“We've got to eliminate the big mistakes,” Rich Rodriguez said. “Eliminate the big, big mistakes (and) we're right there.”
Dave Birkett covers University of Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by phone at 734-623-2552 or by e-mail at davidbirkett@annarbor.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
Comments
wondering
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 4:02 p.m.
To Tate: Throw the ball!! I am not just talking about this game. If you choose to hang onto the ball, please dont "fumble" Today your blunder worked for us, but...
wondering
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 3:42 p.m.
Big Rod is getting ready to do "his" press conference. Who will he blame this week?
azwolverine
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 12:03 p.m.
StarZone, I agree that RR's backers are looking for a scapegoat. Also, top ten recruiting classes on Carr's way out don't speak of a cupboard left bare. Anyone see how Ryan Mallett is doing? Anyway, going back to Lionswin's comments that fans who don't back RR are traitors, I ask this: are Lions fans who questioned Matt Millen traitors of the Lions? In my opinion, Lions fans who questioned Millen's decisions and ultimately wanted him fired were true fans of the Lions who wanted to see the Lions win. I argue that the same is true of Michigan fans who question RR and the direction the team is heading under his leadership. We all want Michigan to win, some of us just see RR as the wrong man to get it done.
StarZone
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 11:27 a.m.
I have to admit I'm tired of hearing the Lloyd Carr left the cupboard bare argument. Looking at the '07 roster, the team had plenty of sophomores and juniors ready to step up for the '08 season. Example, the roster I was looking at shows five safeties who were on the '07 team (freshmen/redshirts) but were not on the '08 team (Williams, Tech, Smith, Simmons, Koenighsknecht). Is the website accurate? Gosh, I dunno or why these players left but the point remains there are plenty of folks on the '07 team who eligibility wise could have been playing for RR across all positions but were not. The cupboard was not bare from a quantitative perspective. What about quality? Well, you can't really discuss that without accounting for all the players that left (and it's hard to judge their quality - always might perform differently in a different system). You also have to keep in mind that pretty much everyone knew Carr was retiring sooner than latter. Carr was reported as telling recruits to come to Michigan to play for the school, not him because it was clear he might retire. I'm sure that kept some of the talent away during the last few recruiting seasons. In short, come up with something more original than leaving the cupboard bare. That's just folks looking for a scapegoat.
saginaw
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 10:01 a.m.
lionswin, do tell us more. We know that we are morons and we need you to educate us. Start now, as the forum is all yours.
azwolverine
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 9:52 a.m.
IT doesn't help that Barwis' training strategy involves making the players we already have SMALLER. The linemen on both sides of the ball have talked about how much weight they've lost since starting Barwis' program. Unfortunately, when you are a 280-290 pound lineman going against 320-340 pound linemen from the big boys in the Big Ten, physics generally dictates, all else being equal (which it is), that the big man will win. Over the course of a game, that edge only becomes more pronounce in favor of the big man as he wears the smaller man down. In other words, the small player syndrome was in many cases self created by RR and his training staff. Michigan never had a problem being small until now. And lionswin, your screen name already suggests you're used to watching losing football and have no perspective whatsoever on what winning football should actually look like.
saginaw
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 9:51 a.m.
Wisconsin is over-rated. Has Wiscy won a single game against a good team?
Blueman Rick
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 9:36 a.m.
Wonderful to have football genius and strategist Lionswin on the forum. Pray tell, do enlighten us to RR's plans for UM. Many of us see a program rudderless and without leadership. We must be missing something. Please explain it to us football swami.
Blueman Rick
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 9:27 a.m.
Wisconsin by two touchdowns.
rightmind250
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 9:24 a.m.
Please take that skirt off. Thats embarassing.
kerch65
Sat, Nov 14, 2009 : 12:04 a.m.
I dont care if wisc. had linemen who weighed in at 150lbs michigans defense and i use that word lightly still would get their a** kicked lets face it people they stink!!!!!!!!
tomhagan
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 11:22 p.m.
Hey! Rich Rod looks cool with his shades and whistle. He also does a nice practice chest-bump too. That MUST mean the guy is a great coach!
Hogan
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 10:01 p.m.
Look at the roster 21 of the 32 Freshman on the squad (now can all the apologists agree these are RR boys??) are under 225 pounds and 80% of the 21 are under 200. So what the heck is he talking about????
Maize&Believe
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 10 p.m.
this could actually be a good thing...maybe, like chosen1 said.. he is starting to see he cant win with these big east kids that are 260 and under... i mean not everyone can be graham (who is small) but i think this is a good thing for the future atleast... GO BLUE!!
Macabre Sunset
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 9:26 p.m.
In over his head.
lionswin
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 9:23 p.m.
No, Blueman rick you are the jackass who obviously knows nothing about football. Actually most the people that post here know nothing about football. Become OSU fans you traitors!
Blueman Rick
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 8:48 p.m.
RR should have thought about size before he gutted the team. Oh, sorry. I forgot, Lloyd left the cupboard bare for him. What a jackass.
BlueMom
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 7:42 p.m.
wow!! it has taken RR 2 years to figure this out.....
BlueInBama
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 7:30 p.m.
That's the whole point, eagleman. His "spread system" doesn't even address defense! His "system" ignores defense, obviously, hence his system is crap. Also, funny how Penn State and Illinois shut down the spread.
ecmichman
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 7:17 p.m.
Maybe U-M can leave the Big 10 and join the Big East. That is the only way we will win with RR.
tomhagan
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 6:58 p.m.
too small...too young...too this...too that...too poorly coached too
81wolverine
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 5:56 p.m.
He'd better stop recruiting 190 pound linebackers then, and start finding 230-240 pound guys (in addition to bigger D-linemen).
eagleman
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 5:38 p.m.
The system he is talking about is the spread. He isn't altering that at all.How you got that he was "changing his system" out of an article about the lack of size on defense is beyond me. I think you people need to work on comprehending what you are reading.
chosen1
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 4:57 p.m.
it could be that he is seeing a need for bigger dt but he still wants guys that have quick feet and are agile. I think he is realizing that he underestimated that physicality of the big 10 and what that does to smaller teams....
Hogan
Fri, Nov 13, 2009 : 4:49 p.m.
Really!!! So I take it by that statement RR is going after the bigger recruits. I though his theory was based on quick smaller players. This guy is all over the map. Can someone explain what he is saying?