What is up with Michigan?

thebow305 · 09-09-2007, 12:12 AM

A top 5 team coming into the year, a championship contender with a bunch of possible first day-calibre draft choices coming back to make a run at a title. Something has gone seriously wrong here, any ideas??

duckseason · 09-09-2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thebow305

A top 5 team coming into the year, a championship contender with a bunch of possible first day-calibre draft choices coming back to make a run at a title. Something has gone seriously wrong here, any ideas??

They can't stop the spread offense. That would at least partially explain it. Despite the talent they brought back, they also lost a ton on defense. I don't think it should be forgotten how much NFL caliber talent was on that D last year.

Oh, and if that punk-ass Greg Mathews isn't suspended for at least a game then I've lost all respect for them as a program. I respect Jake Long for getting in his face and apparently telling him to back TFO, but he needs to be punished for that BS.

P-L · 09-09-2007, 12:33 AM

Pretty much what duckseason said. The spread offense has killed us. We have no answer for it. Ohio State exploited us last year by spreading us out and attacking our secondary. Appalachian State did the same thing to us and Oregon executed the spread offense flawlessly. Also, over the past decade Michigan has not been able to stop scrambling quarterbacks (not named Drew Stanton). For some reason, scrambling quarterbacks have killed them and I don't get it. Donovan McNabb, Vince Young, Troy Smith, etc all had field days against us.

The defense just isn't there this year. We lost seven defensive starters. Our starting corners are terrible, Stevie Brown is still young, and Jamar Adams is up and down. No one could figure out what was going on. People were blowing assignment and they made it easy on Dennis Dixon. When a guy is torching you like he was, you have to make him work. They didn't. With the LB watching Dixon run for first downs and the DB letting receivers beat them, I don't know what is worse.

Our offense has been fine in my opinion. Today we moved the ball extremely well (got into Oregon territory on six of the first seven drives) in the first half when Henne was in there and before Hart got that minor injury. Only problem was, stupid mistakes (Henne INT, missed FG, delay of game forcing a punt, Lloyd going for it instead of taking the three) caused us to not score. Once Mallett came in, our offense was inept. We couldn't move the ball at all and when we finally did, he fumbled it away. Mallett needs to play better next week or we will start 0-3.

JT Jag · 09-09-2007, 12:39 AM

Alan Branch leaving was a huge problem for them.

yodapoop · 09-09-2007, 12:43 AM

They were overrated. I mean, they lost so much on the defensive side on the ball, which really hurt them. And their offense, um, I'm not sure what the hell happened there.

CARDIAC CAT 7 · 09-09-2007, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JT Jag

Alan Branch leaving was a huge problem for them.

Terrence Taylor can be a absolute monster, he just looks tired and worn out to me.

D-Unit · 09-09-2007, 01:00 AM

Overhype and excuses, basically.

Shiver · 09-09-2007, 01:02 AM

I think people just assumed they would reload on the defensive side of the ball, but they haven't. Losing Leon Hall, David Harris, Lamarr Woodley, Alan Branch to the NFL was devastating. At least last year they were scored on by Ohio State and USC, which is more understandable.

soybean · 09-09-2007, 03:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patriots-Lions

Mallett needs to play better next week or we will start 0-3.

there's no way in hell you guys lose to notre dame. Im still hoping you guys beat ohio state.

energizerbunny · 09-09-2007, 08:37 AM

Mallet is starting next week?

RyanLeaf#1 · 09-09-2007, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soybean

there's no way in hell you guys lose to notre dame. Im still hoping you guys beat ohio state.

Are you sure about that? Notre Dame is going from playing Penn State who was one of the top defenses in country. To playing Michigan who has one of the worst defenses in the country.

LionSmack · 09-09-2007, 08:56 AM

They've fallen off a cliff on defense. Obviously the lack of great recruits on D in the last two seasons has really hurt and their talent has reached a critical level of depletion.

Especially at a position like cornerback, there was always someone ready to take over for the senior who left last year, and now there isn't. Johnny Sears or Charles Stewart should have been that guy this season and neither one is any good.

Same thing goes for running back, in the last 15 years UM has always had at least two reliable backs and sometimes as many as four. Now they have one. Brandon Minor or Carlos Brown should be reliable guys by now and they're not.

Also I don't believe Henne was ever that good, he was carried by everyone else. Now you can see that when it became his turn to carry others, he can't do it.

The one thing I don't understand though is how the entire team except Hart has forgotten how to play with intensity. They look like they don't care out there. Maybe that's just lack of talent, I dunno.

RyanLeaf#1 · 09-09-2007, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by energizerbunny

Mallet is starting next week?

ESPN said Henne is doubtful for next week.

Iamcanadian · 09-09-2007, 09:23 AM

I think it is coaching pure and simple. Carr has been exposed as a mediocre HC when his team isn't absolutely loaded with talent. It is no wonder that mobile QB's and spread offenses give Michigan trouble. They play a very passive style of defense with very little pressure applied to the QB and when they play a mobile QB, he has all day to find a receiver.
Michigan needs to bring in a HC who has some imagination on offense and defense but they will hire another Michigan guy with experience coaching that style when he was still associated with Michigan. He'll be a Lloyd Carr by a different name and play the same system Carr used.