Unofficial Thoughts and Reflections on the Loss thread

[byco42]

Purdue '76, Minnesota '77, Iowa '85, Purdue '96 ... this happens. Iowa played an inspired game, especially defensively. Their DL won the game for them. Moving on.

 

[Michchamp]

Pop quiz hot shots: without checking, guess how many undefeated seasons Nick Saban has had in his coaching career.

 

[byco42]

Pop quiz hot shots: without checking, guess how many undefeated seasons Nick Saban has had in his coaching career.

One. Uno. Eins.

 

[Michchamp]

One. Uno. Eins.

correct-a-mundo!

it's exceedingly rare to go undefeated, and even rarer to do it without cheating through your teeth and later vacating the season (Auburn, USC...)

 

[Michlady]

2 road games and in both felt we looks flat. I do have major concerns about Ohio state and being outcoached

Do not know what was missing but some serious work is needed over two weeks

 

[tinselwolverine]

Purdue '76, Minnesota '77, Iowa '85, Purdue '96 ... this happens. Iowa played an inspired game, especially defensively. Their DL won the game for them. Moving on.

Purdue '96 feels like it was only yesterday...

Fowler and Herbie were talking all game about Iowa '85.

Jr. QB Harbaugh led the #2 Wolverines into Kinnick Stadium against the Chuck Long led #1 ranked Hawkeyes.

I remember the '76 and '77 shockers too; listening to Bob Ufer on the radio as I did yardwork with my dad.

 

[byco42]

Purdue '96 feels like it was only yesterday...

Fowler and Herbie were talking all game about Iowa '85.

Jr. QB Harbaugh led the #2 Wolverines into Kinnick Stadium against the Chuck Long led #1 ranked Hawkeyes.

I remember the '76 and '77 shockers too; listening to Bob Ufer on the radio as I did yardwork with my dad.

'76 was a late field goal by the back-up kicker, Rock Supan. Bobby Wood missed a walkoff FG from 33 yards. '77 was a 16-0 butt-whoop. No chance all day on that one.

 

[Michchamp]

that stat about '85... how #2, 3, 4 in the country all lost last time Harbaugh & Michigan were in Iowa. Then Saturday #2, 3, and 4 all lose.

Coincidences are bizarre like that sometimes.

Old abcd would say this was one of those things outside any one man's control, like every Michigan coach losing his first MSU game. last year, that sure as hell seemed like fate.

oh well... still at least 2 games to play. Win those and there's one more. win that one, and (almost certainly) another. Win that one? shot at all the marbles.

 

[hungry]

I don't know what I'd call our offense prior to this game. we scored a lot of points, but we also had trouble at times forcing our will on other teams. Inconsistent maybe? Lack of identity?

I don't like putting Peppers in, and I'm tired of the jet sweeps and end arounds. they won't work going forward, and they definitely won't work against faster teams, or teams that scouted us well. Yesterday it seemed like the only way to beat Iowa was to out-grind them, and I cringed everytime we threw a down away on some bullshit misdirection or swing for the fences.

Maybe this was just what we needed though. It's tough to knock our playcalling when we had been consistently winning by 35+, but it seemed too gimmicky. A good ass-kicking will send us back to the drawing board, and also root out any complacency that set in.

If u figured we'd lose a game this season, this was probably the best one to lose. not to a divisional opponent, and not to Ohio State.

Sorry, I'm late to the party. I just saw this thread. I agree with a lot of what you wrote.

The Peppers on O thing is way overdone and I just don't think it's necessary. It works great against the shit teams, but the good teams are onto it. You can do other stuff on the shit teams. It just isn't necessary. Same thing goes with the end arounds. Works great against shit teams, but what doesn't? Michigan was getting good chunks of yards when they ran Higdon or Evans up the middle. They kept going away from it, though. Smith was garbage all night again, he is just way too slow against some of these defenses to get up to speed. He just hits the hole too slow. They need to just make him a fullback, but I guess it's too late for that.

What happened to Darboh and Butt? Seemed Speight kept throwing to a double or triple covered Chesson a lot. I saw Butt going to the sideline on more than one 3rd down and just had to shake my head. Who am I to question Harbaugh and Co, but this just seemed odd to me. Speaking of Chesson, remember when they used to use him on the end arounds? That seems to work pretty well. Now they are obsessed with getting McDoom in there on those, who is fast, but weighs 50 pounds and runs out of bounds as soon as anyone gets near him. Like you said, it seems they are just trying too hard to be gimmicky.

Agree on the loss, though. The only thing they lost from this game is a chance at a perfect season...Other than that, the goals are exactly the same as they were when they started the game.

(sorry if i said things that were already said, I was just replying to the OP)

 

[hungry]

that stat about '85... how #2, 3, 4 in the country all lost last time Harbaugh & Michigan were in Iowa. Then Saturday #2, 3, and 4 all lose.

Coincidences are bizarre like that sometimes.

Old abcd would say this was one of those things outside any one man's control, like every Michigan coach losing his first MSU game. last year, that sure as hell seemed like fate.

oh well... still at least 2 games to play. Win those and there's one more. win that one, and (almost certainly) another. Win that one? shot at all the marbles.

Well, there are at least 3 games to go. Michigan will be in a bowl game, but I know what you meant.

 

[byco42]

That the OL was not effective in pocket protection took away Speight's reads and progressions and it seems that Iowa's secondary was effective as well. The safety was looked like a missed assignment on the part of Kalis. A combo block gone bad. And Smith just stopped in the endzone.

 

[hungry]

We're still short a really good running back

Smith ain't it. Higdon and Evans are still very young and need some time in the weight room. Hoke really dropped the ball on recruiting there.

 

[thewolverines24]

We're still short a really good running back

Smith ain't it. Higdon and Evans are still very young and need some time in the weight room. Hoke really dropped the ball on recruiting there.

I just want to know what Isaac did to deserve one carry in this game? Gets a 7 yard TD and then he apparently went to the sideline and ****ed a coach's wife, because he was never seen again.

 

[thewolverines24]

In regards to Peppers on offense, why don't we just use him at RB a handful of times? He has great vision between the tackles and would be a major threat coming out of the backfield in the passing game. I think this would be way more effective than the wildcat.

 

[dubbsco]

Does Isaac have another year left after this? If he does, I would imagine he ships out somewhere else.

Thank you De'veon for your hard work at Michigan. You gave some really solid moments. But I'm ready to see you move on to your next adventure in life and give someone else a chance at the helm.

 

[michdad1]

This game was thrown both by the refs and Harbaugh. The refs definitely favored Iowa with many questionable calls and Harbaugh with shitty play calling. Why do you think he gets 9 mill this year? Getting Michigan a loss makes a great rivalry game with a wind up and suspense in the media up until game time. It's all about the dollar. Harbaugh sacrificed one game for getting to the championship game. That was the deal. Watch and see I'm correct. It happens all the time in the NFL and NBA.

 

[thewolverines24]

Does Isaac have another year left after this? If he does, I would imagine he ships out somewhere else.

Thank you De'veon for your hard work at Michigan. You gave some really solid moments. But I'm ready to see you move on to your next adventure in life and give someone else a chance at the helm.

I love Smith for his tough running, but he does not have good feel or vision. He has missed so many holes over his career.

Isaac still has one year left because he sat out in 2014 after he transferred from USC. I would not be surprised to see him go if he can grad transfer and play right away at another program.

 

[dubbsco]

Yes, Harbaugh threw that game to drum up interest in the rivalry.

Come on dude. You know what makes a better rivalry? Undefeated Michigan (#2) going into 1-loss OSU (#3).

 

[thewolverines24]

I've calmed down about the loss, but I still can't believe how bad our passing game was.

David Blough of Purdue vs Iowa - 458 yards and 5 TDs

Wilton Speight - 103 yards and 0 TDs

 

[michdad1]

Yes, Harbaugh threw that game to drum up interest in the rivalry.

Come on dude. You know what makes a better rivalry? Undefeated Michigan (#2) going into 1-loss OSU (#3).

A blind man could have called better plays.