Kudos to MSU for playing a fine football game. Solid in all respects. Go beat the Buckeyes will you!
As I suspected, although I couldn't admit in my last post (it's hard for me to predict a Michigan defeat), the Michigan Wolverine's 5-0 start was a facade. It was fun while it lasted. We were exposed for what we are, a good Mid-American Conference football team. We finally played a team with a stout defense and our high flying spread offense came back to earth. And although our defense played poorly, it played better that I've seen all season giving the offense several opportunities to score. And they didn't. The failure to win is entirely the offense's fault.
The "S" on Denard Robinson's chest was missing today. He played an okay game not a good one. Three interceptions, two in the end zone. The MSU defense was able to contain him on the run. In the first half Hopkins, Shaw and Vincent did pretty good, keeping us in the game. But we really didn't break any big plays. And we are a big play offense. We ground it out pretty good. But came up short.
Our offense, although improved from last year, is too dependent on Robinson playing a "Heisman" type of game. He didn't have one, we really weren't in the game.
Our defense played better than ever, but that's not saying a whole lot. Still vulnerable to a good quarterback like Cousins. Good gang tackling. But individual tackling ability remains spotty. Got beat on four excellently executed big plays. But we had several stops and even one three-and-out after giving the ball up, each time giving the offense opportunities to score and change the momentum, as a good defense should. We haven't seen this before. So the defense is improving. The offense, basically because of the stout MSU defense, took a step backward.
I love the spread when Robinson is playing well. But its time to question whether the big "RichRod" experiment is working. 0-3 against MSU means we are the little sister, or at least they are the big sister. I don't see us dominating any of the remaining games on our schedule, although we might sneak a victory out of one or two of them. Best we will get to is 7-5 overall and 3-5 in conference. Not acceptable. RichRod has had time to teach his system and get his kind of players. He's still struggling with winning, and he is struggling to get and keep the players.
I hope the AD is recruiting his replacement. More analysis on this subject in a blog later in the week. But you can grasp how I see it from a previous post I made in my business blog http://get-in-synk.blogspot.com specifically the post titled "Michigan Failure through the Eyes of Jim Collins." Notice the date of the post.
It's how all the mighty fall and this is why the Mighty Michigan Football program has fallen too. Time to make a change. The sooner the better.
Will face a tough Iowa team next week. I seem to remember we almost snuck a victory out of the last year. We are over matched. Will require more improvement out of the defense and the offense (read Robinson) playing magnificently.
It's Good, to Be, a Michigan Wolverine.
Go Michigan, Beat the Hawkeyes!
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