The essence of this game and the future for the Wolverines can be summed up in the following description of the key play of the game:
The Wolverine D, just forced a second fumble, giving the offense the opportunity to tie the game and change the momentum and take control. On fourth down and a very short one for the first down we line up. And run a play action pass play, with Denard Robinson getting sacked. First down Spartans.
Why would you call a play action pass play in this situation? Maybe the coordinator saw and opportunity to score and wanted to take it. Here's how I see it. The coordinator and staff didn't have confidence in the ability of the offensive line to create the foward surge needed for a sneak or a run up the gut to succeed. We hadn't succeeding in doing anything of the sort thus far in the game, and had failed to do so last week in goal line situations against Northwestern last week. Either that or they were spooked by the dominance of the MSU box to try it. Probably both.
Our offensive line is good, and getting better, but not great. The MSU front four and linebacker core is strong, fast, determined, and mean. We are not good enough to win the battle of the line against a great defensive box like MSU's. That's why they won the game and deserved to win.
Our defense played well enough to keep us in the game. Cousins and the MSU offense was good but not stellar up to this point. After this let down by our offense, the game was over. The defense needed the momentum shift to inspire them to keep stopping the Spartans. The rolled over us from this point on.
This is the weakness of the Wolverines. Our offensive line, although much better than last year, just isn't good enough to compete for a title. Maybe next year.
Five games left. We will win at least two, maybe three. Four is doubtful. Five is impossible. I'm curious to see how well Nebraska fares against MSU. Right now I think MSU wins that match up. We should be able to beat Purdue, and Illinois. Nebraska, Iowa, and OSU are maybes. OSU is a little better than maybe, but not much. It will be the game that redeems their season. Or not.
The team will learn from this, and improve. Glad I live in Memphis, far away from most Spartans.
Still, It's good, to be, a Michigan Wolverine!
Go Michigan, Beat the Boilermakers. (bye this week for us).
BTW: I've lost a bit of respect for MSU, despite their deserved victory. Trash talk is okay. Dirty play (numerous late hits, intentional facemasks, punching a player, etc.) has no place in the game. It's done to intimidate, and rev up one's courage. But it's false courage. The player who both face masked Denard in the pile up after the whistle on one play, and punched another player after the whistle on a different play, should be suspended for at least one game, voluntarily by D'Antonio and by the Big Ten is he isn't man enough to do it. The other late hits were very intentional. D'Antonio should man up and suspend this player and warn the others. Otherwise, he's a d___ and an embarrassment to MSU and the Big Ten.
And what about those goofy uniforms we wore. Ugly. Didn't mind the white pants. And I liked the undershirt sleeves with Victors and Valiant on the inside seems. But the jerseys made us look like pansies. And let's get rid of the numbers on the helmets too.
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