PortageLkBlu

Thu, Sep 9, 2010 : 5:49 a.m.

I suppose I'm one of the more fortunate ones on these blogs that doesn't take all this stuff to seriously. This is not life and death hysteria for me, here is how I see things. I will fire up the barbecu about 11:30 on Sat., game starts on the W. coast at 12:30, a couple of friends and kids will come over, Mich. flag goes up in the morning and we will all have a good time win or lose. To me this is about entertainment has to be cause I have no other connection to the game other than entertainment value. If I was a member of the coaching staff or on the team or a student it might matter more but I'm not so other than these silly but entertaining blogs I could care less. There are those of you that seem to cross the line here almost with anger at RR as though he personally attacked your character or family I find that a bit steep. I love the Wolves. for entertainment reasons and again that is win or lose. When I was a kid I suppose I took the losses a bit more personal but I was a kid. Mich. and Notre Dame should be entertaining this weekend and it should be a pleasant diversion for all of us (with a few exceptions) so for the sake of good fun filled entertainment I say, Go Blue, Go RR!

Sean T.

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.

I never based my point on just knowing the game but simply used my knowledge of the game with common sense to know that Denard Robinson had a record setting performance to achieve that win. That's the fact Portage! There's no doubt RR had to make some positive decisions last Saturday because he ran the clock out and started the QB who got the "W". But that win was earned by the legs of Robinson and I"m proud of him for it. So I'll expect you to blame RR for each loss we get this year too because you can't have it both ways. I'll take my alleged knowledge over your alleged experience any day.

PortageLkBlu

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 3:29 p.m.

Sean T wise up, in case you didn't notice we won with RR coaching on the sideline and you can paint that picture any color you want but it remains a fact. Common sense does not require an alleged knowledge of football. The final score is the basis for any argument.

Sean T.

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 12:34 p.m.

Of course, he was a part of the team Portage but he was the one player that controlled the game. Are you telling me that if Denard Robinson didn't play we would've beat UConn? There were several times that Denard just outran the opposing defense with very little help from his blockers. I watched numerous times as the WR's couldn't sustain blocks for more than two seconds and Denard still made a play out of it. And in all honesty, I haven't seen much different out of Denard except for his short-pass accuracy which seemed impressive but outside of that, it was all SPEED! That's a poor effort Portage to try to make your savior look like he's coaching'em up. There's a lot of season to go before we can judge that. Now let's hear your knowledge of the game with your "experience"! (LOL)

JC

Wed, Sep 8, 2010 : 11:50 a.m.

Vladimir Emilien was granted his release from Michigan. Can RR ever get a break...

GoldenTradition

Tue, Sep 7, 2010 : 6:42 p.m.

Investing a lot of faith in Denard Robinson blue fans. In fact, that's the only name I've heard outside of RR. Better hope he has a Heisman caliber performance...what's Plan B?

PortageLkBlu

Tue, Sep 7, 2010 : 5:29 p.m.

Sean T, I don't know where you coached but my experiance is that this is a team effort, Did Denard make an impression, he was only a part and you know it. Is Denard fast, is he savy, and was he coached up since last year, well you tell me Sean T since your a coach.

Sean T.

Tue, Sep 7, 2010 : 3:42 p.m.

AZWOLVERINE, Every D1 school that Kelly has been to he had to replace the pro-style offense with his passing spread. Guess how he fared at these schools? I expect us to have a tough time with the Irish because they can compare with us in talent, they may even have better talent than us. Denard should be able to steer us into another "W" if we control the clock. Go Blue!!!!!!!!

Sean T.

Tue, Sep 7, 2010 : 2:16 p.m.

Dwayne, I'll certainly agree to that. We all want us to be successful but we have different views on what is going to get us there. I'm not a fan of RR yet and I think his formula is overrated and not up to par for our conference but if he out coaches kelly on saturday, I'll do my best to open my eyes to his game-plan for the program. It's just all of the other low-character situations that he was exposed for that makes me dislike him. And I'm a traditionalist when it comes to football though I've helped coordinate a "Pistol" offense for a local high school back in 2004. I hope we find what we both are looking for this season.

3 And Out

Tue, Sep 7, 2010 : 2:02 a.m.

I dont hate Rich Rod...he just is not right for the program to move forward. This offense looks great in Sept. being carried by a fast QB vs. pretty bad competition (Uconn was overrated and looked like Western Michigan did last year)... but Rich Rod's offensive scheme has proven NOTHING in Big Ten play. Until we see this offense roll 30 pts and 450 yds vs. OSU or Iowa and the other top echelon teams in November... then it has not arrived. Dont fall for the trap of national media spin in thinking it has. Denard was like the fast kid on the playground out there... there is very little scheme other than to spread it out and let the fast QB run around... every now and then he pulls up and passes to keep the defense honest. yeah it works vs. undermatched, not deep teams that struggle to play in space but it will not work vs. more athletic and physical teams in the Big Ten...mark it down. Defensively dont get me started...they didnt play as well as the score indicated on Saturday and it will be exposed at ND this week. RR loves to make excuses about the cupboard being bare, and Millen and company alluded to that on the broadcast...ding one more reason not to like RR...but I digress. I love Michigan but am being realistic... if this team does not compete for the BT title or even be competitive, then we should make a change or risk going year after year with this devisive person in charge with a program and scheme that lack foundation.

GoldenTradition

Tue, Sep 7, 2010 : 1:19 a.m.

The UConn game shouldn't be referenced when calculating how Michigan's defensive unit will fare against ND. Not a single UConn offensive skill position player is in the same galaxy as their ND counterparts. With two future first round draft picks (Kyle Rudolph and Michael Floyd) terrorizing the Michigan secondary Saturday I feel as though optimism, be it objective or not, will cease to exist. Realistically, Denard isn't gonna hang 200 yards via air and ground on a substantially higher caliber ND defense inside Notre Dame Stadium. Be your views objective, or simply based out of hatred for Rich Rodriguez, please keep them realistic and fathomable.

Dwayne

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:36 p.m.

Sean T, I hear you and I absolutely respect that. To-may-to, to-mah-to, my friend and we'll agree to disagree. However, I think that's completely different than what I see with 3 and out, but you guys do have that RR hatred going on, so I'm sure you'll find yourselves on the same side frequently, however coincidentally. I think we'll definitely know more about this defense after ND. Although, they are a work in progress as well, they have more speed and talent at the skill positions (than UConn) and will test the secondary often. Hopefully, we'll be able to apply pressure and still contain. I know that this is a completely different Michigan defense, but the spread has always killed us. I think RR will have the insight to prepare for it. Regarding Tate and Denard, I see your point. However, what Denard has, speed and athleticism, that's the key to RR's offense and you can teach that. Obviously, the offense can't run solely on that quality or he would've started last year, but he can learn to read defenses and find open receivers. DRob has a some learning to do and I don't want to take anything away from Tate, but he's just so gifted athletically. You can't leave that on the bench, no way. Finally, my Wolverines never left. I was a fan when they won the National Championship in 97, I was a fan when Lloyd lost to AppState in 07. I'm emotionally caught up in every game and I'm not going to wait until they start winning to invest. Go Blue!

Kubrick66

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 8:54 p.m.

Sean T. "some of us look at the game for what it is" A Michigan win. "and some of us look at it the way they want to see it." A Michigan win. Hmmm... that was easy.

Sean T.

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 8:42 p.m.

Dwayne, I call it like I see it whether it kills you or not. (LOL) I'm a former coach myself and all I do is critique, it's in my nature! Let's be honest, Denard was most of our team's offense on Saturday and that fact cannot be denied. I was impressed with o-line but many plays Denard just out-ran the Uconn defense. My opinion on Tate Forcier is exactly what I stated....an opinion. I just think he's more well-rounded at the QB position and he's played through tremendous adversity and he has lots of moxie. Denard must prove himself to be that type of player in my view and until he does, the jury is still out! It's no secret that I dislike RR but I'll be objective and fair when it comes to his coaching performance. And as far as the UConn offense is concerned, THE QB WAS COMPLETELY FLAT! It wasn't just our defense that made him that way, though our kids played their hearts out. Any competent QB and WR's would've shredded our secondary and made it a different game. And Uconn did give away chances to score with credit to our defense for capitalizing on it. I understand that we have different opinions but the truth is some of us look at the game for what it is and some of us look at it the way they want to see it. I'm not going to get caught up in the emotion of a big win until my Michigan Wolverines are back!!!!!!!!!

Kubrick66

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 4:54 p.m.

jcj... "We were handed great field position most of the day." Michigan scored on TD drives of... 96, 77, 74, 89. I wouldn't call that great field position.

tulsatom

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 3:38 p.m.

The key for the UM defense is to get pressure on the ND QB. If they can get Roh, Martin, Van Bergen and the rest to pressure some throws, UM can win this game. Where in the heck is Will Campbell on the depth chart anyway? Is he in the coach's doghouse like Tate? He's a big, strong body who help plug up the middle with Martin. The key is to keep the pressure on the QB to make him throw sooner than he wants, which will allow the UM d-backs to make plays instead of getting exposed by the QB having all day to throw the ball.

tulsatom

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 3:33 p.m.

Denard Robinson needs to spread the ball around more against ND because ND has seen the UCONN film and will be ready by moving more players into the box and not letting him have as many running lanes. With that said, D-Rob is still something special and I especially liked how well he passed in the first game. I'd like to see him make a few long passes against ND and strech out the defense which will open up the rest of the plays they want to run. D-Rob also needs to stop carrying the ball so much because chances are he will get seriously hurt running that much every game and UM needs him to stay healthy.

Dwayne

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 2:57 p.m.

Sean T, you guys are killing me. D-Rob's success doesn't happen without the O-Line blocking up front and the RBs and WRs blocking down field. To characterize this as being just D-Rob is unfair to the rest of the guys that have worked so hard to get RR's system. Not to mention, the success of the passing game. This was a win for the team, offensively and defensely. If UConn was flat, it's because UofM took the air out. It's one thing to post objectively, giving credit when it's due and pointing out where improvement is needed. What 3 and out does is neither. I don't doubt that it's honest, but it's an honest dislike for RR, not an objective take on the game. AZWolverine, if it's okay to have an opinion and post it, then it's okay to have a counter opinion and post that, as well. I'll continue to do so. Particurly, because I don't like the "Michigan is going to lose", quickly followed by the "well, they got lucky", when they win. I will continue to point it out when I see it, but I'll stick with the keyboard and leave the torches and pitchforks to others. As far as your point about the 29 carries, I'd tend to agree that it may be a bit much. RR didn't shy away when asked about that, but I don't see that continuing as the season moves on. The young receivers and backs will continue to grow in the offense and start taking on a larger roll.

truebluefan

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 2:15 p.m.

Most rational Michigan fans know that 29 carries for Denard is too much. I believe RR and Magee will taper that off against ND and deploy a little more balance. But give credit to the coaching staff for exploiting UConn's weaknesses. Let's be honest, Michigan could've easily dropped 50 on that team. BTW, people can make the argument that UConn wasn't ready to play at the Big House in game 1. Guess what, that means Edsell is not a very good coach. I'll take Rich Rod ANY day of the week over that guy. Remember all that talk about RR being replaced by Edsell? Anyone in their right mind knows the answer after Saturday.

jcj

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 1:54 p.m.

@ Stekim You got it right. The secondary was hardly in the picture on most of the UC pass plays. We were handed great field position most of the day. What did their punter average about 15 yards a punt? The offense looked fine but it was not tested. Mark it down and tell me in 4 weeks how improved the secondary is! It has not been decent the last two years and it does not look any better so far this year. Just wait and tell me I was wrong in a few weeks.

tzgoblue

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 1:43 p.m.

Maybe we should just take things a week at a time and celebrate the positives. I'm sure that our new AD has a handle on what needs to happen with this program to make sure it gets back on track. Even though there are a ton of experts commenting on what has to happen, what should happen and what will happen, the bottom line is Dave Brandon will be the one that decides what is going to happen with the future of RR and this program. Let's concentrate on supporting this group of players that for the most part have all worked very hard to improve. There will be weeks that we get beat for sure, but it won't be for lack of effort from the players or the coaching staff. So let's all try to look at things like the glass is half full and not always like it is half empty.

azwolverine

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 1:37 p.m.

It seems that people are very sensitive to any comments outside of "We played perfect and will go 12-0!" If someone so much as says "29 carries may be too much for our QB when we get to the B10" SOME fans go off the deep end. "What?! 29 carries is perfect! There is no chance Robinson will ever get hurt! If you don't like Michigan, go to the MSU site, Hater!" Let's be reaslistic, folks. There is always room for improvement and, as any coach will tell you, you either get better or you get worse. Michigan played very well, but I'm sure even the coaches saw some things they would like to improve upon before the ND game and beyond. If some fans see some of those things and comment on them, I don't understand chasing them with pitchforks and torches mentality. I'm not overly familiar with 3andOut, but I didn't see anything he said that was so incredibly over the top that everyone is now attacking his opinion. I tend to think UM will blow ND out...but it doesn't infuriate me if someone thinks otherwise. I'm glad that people have different opinions on here or it would get boring...

Sean T.

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 1 p.m.

I believe "3 and Out" was being honest and his take on the game was realistic. I was happy we won but there were issues that were apparent by watching the game. Defensively,our secondary was porous at best and the QB from Uconn played poorly. There were times when he had very little pressure and he couldn't complete a 7 yard pass and his recievers were worse than expected. Our offense was basically, "Denard Robinson" and the jury is still out on whether he can complete deep routes and out patterns. But I enjoyed the better tackling and the aggression and the explosiveness of DRob. I predicted a tough game for us against UCONN and we won whether they came out flat or not but I don't expect a win against ND and our weaknesses will probably be exposed by the Fighting Irish. Though, I still believe Tate Forcier is the most well-rounded QB of the three, my hat goes off to Denards performance. Hail!

Dwayne

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 11:57 a.m.

3andout, again your opinions are based not on the game, the tape, the coaching or the play on the field. Your opinions are based on one fact, you don't like RR. You talked up UConn before the game about how good/experienced they were and how they'd beat us. They didn't, so it couldn't have been because of what the players did on the field and it definitely couldn't have been due to the coaching. UConn had to give it away. And now you're going into the ND came with the same message. This is not the MGoBlog site and no one has come on here declaring that Michigan has suddenly become a ten/eleven win NC contender. You know, the ironic thing about this and your "let's not get ahead of ourselves" message? That's what most objective FANS have been saying on this site all along. Your suggestion that anyone that doesn't agree that UConn 'gifted' that game to Michigan, is somehow an RR slappy is just ridiculous and a prime example of someone that has already 'gotten ahead of himself'. Whether or not RR is the right fit for Michigan has yet to be determined and it drives you crazy that they were able to pull off a little momentum shift on Saturday. I am hopeful and optimistic that they'll continue to get better and I am looking forward to seeing that in the ND game. One thing that I have learned from your type, there is no end. If RR gets 10 wins this year, it won't change your mind. It'll be due to a down Big Ten year or three or four plays here and there that Michigan got lucky on. I won't take the Mike Tyson advice and turn the channel, I'll just point out when you are wrong. Like the fumble by UConn on the two. That was clearly a TAKEAWAY and that is something that is coached, put a hat on the ball. The credit for that goes to the defense, TJ Floyd and the coaches. Oh, btw. The number of 3 and outs for Michigan vs UConn Saturday: ZERO. Go Blue!

PortageLkBlu

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 11:30 a.m.

Boys and Girls, let's give 3 and out his or her due if that is the pessimistic viewpoint that he or she carriers. I myself love this game and our Wolverines and the 3 pure hrs of great entertainment and for you complainers, that's win or lose. If I become pessimistic about our Great Michigan Wolverines then I don't want to follow the games anymore. My life and the positive fans here is about optimism and fun entertainment not about, coulda, shoulda, woulda. Look boys and girls, it was one game and I and my family had a day of football and barbecu and lots of laughs, ya to me that is what Mich. football is about, the blast. I don't really know how good any team in the country is right now so I can't say how good Mich. really is, I do think I see improvement, I think win or lose this coming ND game is a perfect fit for this point of the season kind of a barometer. Look, you complainers wouldn't be pessimistic about a trip to Disneyland would you, well that's nothing more than entertainment just like football. If you think that's an odd choice to get my point across let me say I make trips to Disneyland fairly frequently becuase I live in southern Ca. and guests visit. I hear people complaining often about everything, the heat, the lines, Mickey Mouse is acting to fresh on and on and I often think, folks if your so miserable here at Disneyland why don't you stay home and spare the rest of us the complaining and sarcasm cause you really don't look like your having fun. Michigan football is about having fun for the optimistic fan like me.

TRUEwolverine

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 11 a.m.

3 and out - If you look back at the film, you'll see that Roh was in the backfield on a majority of pass plays. Believe it or not, Fraizer was getting hit by Roh, and when he wasn't, Roh was breathing down his neck. If you want to go back to the film and be a film junkie, why don't you check out that incomplete pass on the 2 yd line. Notice how Fraizer sees Roh closing in and throws nervously to the WR who's nearly beheaded by Cam Gordon as he tries to catch it (with another guy closing in on him). This was going on all day. While I am not going to sit back here and compare our defense to the Packers, they did play a big part in incompletions and poor throws by Fraizer. Oh, and if you want to play the 'what if' game. Why don't you go check the film (which you love to do, clearly) and take note of the 3-5 dropped passes by Michigan..... IN THE SECONDARY. We could have had at least 3 picks and probably 4. We kicked in to the wind on that field goal too! There's 24 - 31 pts right there. Anyone can do this... And it's all in the film. GO BLUE!

ohiowolverine

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:52 a.m.

Mike B, couldn't have said it any better myself. I don't agree with everything RR is doing but I don't put in out here where the whole world can read it. As long as he is the coach he is in charge. Next week will be the true test, if we win that one I can see Michigan going 5-0 GO BLUE!!!

azwolverine

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:33 a.m.

bacer, I agree with your assessment of the offense. While it looked good, it's always looked good against UConn and it looked good through 4 games last year as well. I think it will continue to look great through the first 5 games, then may be tested in B10 play the rest of the way. I'm not saying they won't pass that test, but UConn is certainly not the make or break test of this team. The true test is the B10 with the final exam being OSU. Looks like it could be a fun ride, though.

Metalc0reJ

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:31 a.m.

I find little wrong with 3 And Out's logic. He may come off a bit pessimistic, but is it really a crime to point out what you see as flaws for your team? Are we supposed to assume Michigan will be 8-3 or 10-1 because of one game? He has a good point, we had that great start last season but it soon went down hill. Now, I don't think that will happen this year, but it very well may. Michigan's main problems last year were a horrendous defense that rarely forced turnovers, and an offense that gave up the football like it was coated in Vaseline. Where I disagree with him is the "UConn shot itself in the foot" argument. Kubrick made a great point. I'm about to go off on a weird tangent here, but I love to think of the butterfly effect, where even the smallest decisions can branch out to affect hundreds, if not thousands, of people. If you apply this to football, you never know, maybe good plays are the plays that end up costing your team a win. If you didn't get that 50-yard touchdown pass, maybe the other team wouldn't have ran the kickoff back for a touchdown. Maybe you wouldn't have fumbled on the ensuing possession and given up another quick touchdown... Anyways, back to football. Kubrick said "The key to this Michigan defense is a consistent offense." Couldn't agree more. However, I've said it once and I'll say it again: Denard's carries better be roughly cut in half. I'm okay with Denard running once a passing play breaks down, or even with his called runs, as long as it isn't 5 or more times per drive. He's going to get injured, that's a threat that is very real and inevitable at 29 carries a game. I can't remember ever seeing a quarterback have 29 carries in a game. I understand a lot of them could have been "well, they haven't stopped him yet" but you know Notre Dame is going to be ready to lay the wood on Denard. Denard is just going to have to pass more, if not down field than short little screen passes. Receivers are going to have to make plays, even if it's rainy on Saturday. Offense: chew the clock, throw the ball more, run Denard less and in situations in which ND may not expect it (for example, third and long since DR can run by any attempt of containment). Also, score more points than Notre Dame (Ha). Defense: contain, contain, contain. Attack the line of scrimmage and get penetration, don't get beat on deep balls. Even if Michigan's defense gives up points, if they make ND work for them chances are they will eventually fail or turn the ball over. This puts the game in the hands of Michigan's offense, where I comfortably place my hopes. Special Teams: Big unknown for Michigan here. We had what, one punt last week? We didn't get to see our return coverage or gauge how effective Haugerup will be. No one really shined in the return game (but I think Stonum will eventually be our guy). Also, our kicker missed the 43-yard field goal, but let's be honest, the wind was monstrous.

azwolverine

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:25 a.m.

You would think that Notre Dame will present a better test than UConn because it's on the road and they have better overall offensive skill. However, just like UM struggled the first two seasons in the spread, I can't see any way that ND will gel quickly enough with Weiss' recruits to compete with a UM team that has been submerged in this system for three years. ND made some crucial mistakes when they could have blown the game open last week just like UM did against them two years ago. Also, the talent Weiss recruited on defense is SLOW to say the least and with Denard Robinson running the ball, that will be a huge problem for them. UM should win the game going away...I'll say 38-20.

Stekim

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:24 a.m.

Actually, the secondary looked pretty awful to me. They made some plays, but for the most part UCONN's receivers spent the entire day like all the receivers on every team UM played last year: Wide open with no Michigan player anywhere near them. The fact they could not catch the ball (or the ball was not thrown well enough to be caught) does not mean the secondary played well. Stats don't lie, but they are often misleading. The 205 yards was 80% UCONN's fault. Our best defense this year looks to be a stout offense.

bacert

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 10:13 a.m.

I have to think D Rob runnung as many times as he did is Rod tryng to show him off. The o line left some gaping holes in the line. Anyone could have ran through most of them. Maybe not for the gains Robinson had, but if you want to protect your quarterback you have to use the backs more. Michigan looked good, but remember this offense looked great in the Big East for years. I want to see it work in the Big Ten before I ge t too excited.

MikeB

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 9:48 a.m.

"I dont(sic) blindly support whatever President is in office". says 3 And Out. 3 And out. While we as a country often disagree with the policies of a President, vote fr or against them, but we support them as an unsuccessful President is an unsuccessful country. I never root against a President, except in an election. I can, in my fertile imagination go back to any number of Michigan games and point to errors and say if only. They are still losses. Remember Tate dropping the ball in the Ohio State game? No one here is anointing this team as a national championship contender, but still don't sound like much of a fan to me. If you like to be negative, so be it, must be tough on your kids and all though. But please spare us your "I'm a fan. The "3 and out" handle gives you away.

heartbreakM

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 9:01 a.m.

Well, it was a nice victory, that's for sure. I personally thought Denard played poised and chose his moments, but I for one do not like seeing a QB run the ball that many times. We will see how the season goes, and maybe that is the way we will win, and he can stay injury free. But it worries me as it gets colder, the ball becomes harder to hold, and the players become bigger and faster coming after him. I agree with those that say the running game is not great (outside DR). I for one have never been impressed with Shaw, and he was OK but he does not pick up the team the way some of M's greats have (Boles, Woolfolk, Morris, Hart). And where in the world were our wide receivers? Let's see how M does this weekend in ND--that could be a tough game but Mass and BG should not be too bad. I sure hope the defense continues to improve. Good to see our linebackers make plays. Let's give RR his due--he had the team ready to play this weekend. Couldn't always say that in the last 2 years.

Mick52

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 8:52 a.m.

What Dwayne said, ditto for me. The secondary will be tested, we will see. Defense wins ballgames.

MAC Farmers

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 8:48 a.m.

I agree with a lot of the observations 3 And Out has posted here. Oh and did you ever hit the nail on the head about GoBlueWolverine and MGoBlog. You get blinded by all the sunshining and spin going on over on those message boards. Rich Rod can never do any wrong in their eyes. Whether it's losing to Toledo, NCAA infractions, 3 conference wins in the last 2 seasons, poor recruiting, players transfering. They always have an excuse for the guy and if you dare say otherwise you might get banned. Thank God AA.com isn't as shallow as those sites. So preach on 3 And Out preach on! Now about the win. It's exciting to see any win these days. And as great as it was to see D-Rob make everyone on the field look as if they were running in slow motion, I have some concerns despite his outstanding performance. Anytime you need your QB to run the ball 29 times it sends up red flags. I believe that speaks to the team's lack of quality Running Backs. While I understand that Rich Rod's system requires the QB to have the ability to make a read and run when it's needed. I still feel the Running Backs should have a large majority of the carries in ANY system. There's just not enough depth at the QB position to increase the risk of injury there. None of the Running Backs were even close to 4yds per carry. And that is pathetic, and goes back to the poor recruiting by this head coach! The Defense on the other hand started the game with fire in their bellies. They got some pressure on the QB early in the game and set an early tone. Whether slappies want to admit it or not. UConn had some timely drops throughout the game that did help the defense. The forced fumble by JT Floyd was a huge play! Their RB Todman was still able to get some nice gains on the ground. Lots of missed tackles and poor angles taken by the LBs on quite a few plays. Against a more talented team I could see this defense having a lot of trouble with both the ground and air attack. ND has a lot of talented WRs and a decent RB. Next week will be a huge test for this defense.

A2lover

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 8:19 a.m.

Careful now folks, it's only one game and against an inferior team. There are bigger things to come. Hopefully the team will continue to improve but that's still not a good enough reason not to fire the deceitful, charlatan coach. Let the team take a turn for the better and gain respect again, then get RR out of there and hand a good, improved team to a decent, ethical coach.

rhewi

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 7:54 a.m.

I'd like to hear from some of you about RR's use of the QB's... I was stunned when DRob got shook up, and they put in Gardener instead of Tate... as was mentioned earlier, if he is going to run 29 times/game, DRob will need some back up at some point in the season, and it is amazing to me that they did this... one because of the possibility of redshirting Gardener, but, also, that had to be CRUSHING for Tate... being on the sidelines watching DRob go crazy may not have been so tough, but putting Gardener in in that situation had to have been a painful slap in the face...??? Seems like a poor way for the coaching staff to handle this situation.

jcj

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 7:40 a.m.

ChelseaBob I agree Denard will get hit a lot more in the coming weeks. And when that happens his judgment on his passes might not look as good. He was able to pull the ball down and run any time he wanted Sat. When that option is taken away his judgment will face the real test. Remember how Tate was the second coming of _______ fill in the blank with your favorite QB. The secondary will be the downfall though not Denard.

nhopenwheeler

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 7:24 a.m.

3 And Out, points well taken. The neat thing about tape is that these true freshmen with one game experience will use it to improve significantly. The secondary we saw on Saturday will be much improved next week...and the week after, etc. Given a player with talent, experience becomes the major factor. The greatest improvement per the law of diminishing returns will be between week 1 and week 2, between year 1 and year 2. I think this needs to be factored into any prognostication, e.g. an OSU senior WR will not improve as much by Nov. as a UofM freshman safety. It doesn't mean we'll have a shut down D, but we'll be a lot better when the conference schedule starts. So I'm optimistic.

ChelseaBob

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 6:38 a.m.

I coudn't be happier to get this win, but three and out has a point. Denard played great, but how many games can he take getting hit like that? He won't make it through the season without getting badly beat up, much like Forcier last year. And UConn's defense never adjusted. Still, someone did some serious coaching, as Denard's judgement on passes was way better than last year. The defensive backfield was lucky that UConn's offensive coordinator was incompetent. Had they simply read the scouting report, they would have gone deep all day. The short dumps and runs played to our strength. Notre Dame's coaches won't ignore our weakness. As happy as I am to get the W, I don't see this strategy working longer term.

3 And Out

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 6:11 a.m.

PS even if you have your koolaid glasses on and dont want to take creedence in what I say...I would ask you this: look at the tape. If you dont see our DBs not playing very well.... well Id wonder what tape you are looking at....they did not play particularly well and will get exposed vs. ND if they play that way again....thats all Im sayin and yes Virginia it is on the tape....and there is no Santa Rod either. Go Blue beat ND!

3 And Out

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 6:02 a.m.

ohiowolve...i dont blindly support whatever President is in office, whatever Governor is in office, or whatever head coach the Lions have at the present moment either... blind support is a terrible thing....look at all the facts around a particular situation or individual and make your own decision... you may disagree and think that Rich Rod is the answer.....I do not based one what I have seen and know... but that doesnt mean that either one of us is less of a fan of Michigan football. as the immortal Mike Tyson said: If you dont like it (what I say) then turn off your station. lol.... We agree to disagree....Im betting that time will show my POV to be quite correct...it already has in fact. Rich Rod is not the right guy to lead our program for a lot of reasons.

barnz378

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 5:54 a.m.

I remember 2 years ago when I mentioned to a Michigan player that I thought our line was not giving Steven Threet or our skilled players enough time, he said I hit it on the head. This year we all know will be different. Our D-line and O-line is our strength. Now our speed is going to hurt some people just like we have been hurt the last 8 years. But this starts with what we now have is some pretty good folks in the trenches. A direct result of RR. Good Job!

ohiowolverine

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 3:56 a.m.

3 And out, if your such a Michigan fan why do you put down everything about Rich Rod and his O. I have been a Michigan fan for over 50 years and that hasn't been easy living 40 miles north on Columbus. I don't care who the coach is, he is Michigan's coach and deserves our full support (even if you don't like him).

3 And Out

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 3:44 a.m.

Kubrick you are correct...things happened that they did and you cant change history...credit Michigan for a solid victory one which I am personally very happy about... However to see Michigan fans go overboard here, on Scout.com or Mgoblog.com (the home of irrational rich rod slappies)... makes me fear for what happened last year...when Rich Rod's September Offense went 4-0 vs. weak, undermanned competition that could not play well in space... and all of these Michigan fans chanted "Rich Roddddrigez clap clap clap clap clap" as if 4 wins over obviously inferior talent or poorly coached talent (hello Charlie Weiss)... suddenly made Rich Rod's September System "working".... well it didnt work...as evident by 1-7 in the Big Ten and 5-7 overall.... but here it is again... a bunch of media overreaction over D Rob (Hello guy from Yahoo Sports article today gushing over Rich Rod)... or here at AA stating how well UMs defense did (we got lucky we can admit it..its on the film!).... or all of these Michigan fans and in particularly the Rich Rod slappies stating "See we told you!!!!" over 1 freaking game vs. a pretty overrated and ill equipped opponent. Well everyone knows that Top 25 rankings are meaningless in Weak 1 and UConn looked just like Western Michigan did last year.... come on you can be honest...they did... and they dont hand out National Championships in September...or Big Ten championships...or even WINNING Big Ten records over.500 in September... The only thing we are fairly sure that works in September is Rich Rod at Michigan.....and a lot of that has to do with scheduling. Peach and Go Blue.

Kubrick66

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 1:32 a.m.

3 and out... "UConn was 4 plays away from winning that game: Dropped pass on 2 yd line, blocked FG, dropped open bomb and fumble on the 2... 28 pts there and there were many other opportunities missed as well." You can't just plug in points at the end of the game and say... Look, see if these four things happened they wouldn't won. There were two teams out there. And every action has a reaction. Scoring or not scoring changes both teams strategy. For every "what if" you give UConn I can give Michigan.

3 And Out

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 12:53 a.m.

Rich Rods "September Offense" hasnt won me over...and Im probably a bigger Michigan fan than anyone here due to my legacy in my family. Until his offense does anything decent in the Big Ten, then the jury is still out. Check back in November on the offense and we will talk about it. We heard this story last year in Sept. didnt we? As for the defense...disagree with what is on the tape all you want...but its there, go look back this week if BTN replays it... UConn was 4 plays away from winning that game: Dropped pass on 2 yd line, blocked FG, dropped open bomb and fumble on the 2... 28 pts there and there were many other opportunities missed as well. The game was much closer than the score and luckily Denard did well in the September Offense which usually works well vs. undermanned teams from lessor conferences in September. This, bailed out the glaring mistakes and issues on the defense. Just looking at this realistically. Dont set yourself up for too much disappointment again this year in November.

Dwayne

Mon, Sep 6, 2010 : 12:41 a.m.

3 and Out, your messages are getting old, very old. Saying it more often, doesn't make it so. I don't care how open a receiver is, if the QB is getting sacked or throwing early to avoid a sack, the play is disrupted. That's what was happening for the most part the entire game. There were times when the running game strung a few plays together and there were a few times when receivers dropped catchable balls, but that's just football and UConn was NEVER comfortable in that game, on either side of the ball. Some of those dropped balls were a direct result of the Michigan defense. They were hitting hard and a couple of times, those receivers heard footsteps and it had an effect on them catching the ball. Keep trying to paint a picture of a UConn team that was in the game, but for a few plays. It reveals that your comments are not objective opinion, but an attempt to spin every situation to fit into your dislike for the program. Keep blowin', 3andout, some weeks you may even be right, but one thing is for sure, this program will continue to improve and will be back competing for National Championships very soon. As far as the ND game, obviously they are not UConn and I think everyone expects this game to be on a completely different level. I don't quite understand where you get your words of caution from..."let's not get ahead of ourselves". What are you talking about? No one has declared a National Championship team or even projected a victory over ND. Michigan fans are sick, at least I am, of hearing about how bad this program is and how RR will never do this or that. We finally had a week where the team could actually go out and do something to shut these people up and that's what they did. I think they'll continue to do so. I am encouraged by what I saw and excited to see the next game, against better competition in a hostile environment. Nothing more, nothing less. What more could you ask for? Well, maybe not to see the same tired message from you, should they happen to beat ND, but that is probably asking a bit much.

PortageLkBlu

Sun, Sep 5, 2010 : 11:59 p.m.

That's how a team wins games, the other team shoots itself in the foot.

3 And Out

Sun, Sep 5, 2010 : 10:08 p.m.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves. UConn repeatedly shot itself in the foot with bad passes and dropped balls. They had guys running free in the secondary all day. Its on the tape. None of them have the talent that Michael Floyd and Kyle Rudolph have. It was an admirable effort, flawed and sprinkled with a lot of luck. Saturday at ND is likely a different story. Just calling it like it is on the tape. Go Blue!

GoblueinNE_PA

Sun, Sep 5, 2010 : 10:03 p.m.

Kubrick, I think you have a good point. Winning the ToP battle will keep that suspect secondary off the field. I would like to point out that we converted a LOT of 3rd and long opportunities. I can't see us pulling off 3rd and 7 or 8's consistently against better competition, let alone 3rd and 16's like we were on Saturday. They need to keep those 3rd downs to manageable lengths (i.e., less than 4 yards). We'll know more what we got after next week.

Rodie

Sun, Sep 5, 2010 : 6:01 p.m.

I think you got it right there. The big difference seemed to be that the offense was on the field enough for the defense to rest. The past two years the defense spent the majority of the time on the field and that killed them. In a tough game situation I still have huge concerns for our defense. I'm not sure that next week will be the true test. I think its more likely to be a big ten team that will test them.

Kubrick66

Sun, Sep 5, 2010 : 5:13 p.m.

The key to this Michigan defense is a consistent offense. Controlling the clock, driving the field, allowing the D time to rest - while limiting the opponents opportunities on offense. That's how Michigan will get it done this season.