Game Eleven: Ohio state 25, Michigan 21 (final)

[jwinslow]

CNNSI

Maized and confused

Why is Michigan so highly ranked in preseason polls?

Posted: Wednesday August 10, 2005 11:22AM; Updated: Wednesday August 10, 2005 3:45PM

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Sure, Michigan's offense is fine. But can its defense be stingy enough in 2005 to support the Wolverines' No. 4 ranking?
Damian Strohmeyer/SI


</td></tr></tbody> </table> Of the many annual rituals so intrinsic to college football, one never ceases to amaze me. As sure as the birds fly south in the winter and the tax man comes calling in the spring, it seems voters can't help but rank Michigan way too high in the preseason polls.

What is this allure so powerful that coaches and sportswriters can't help but be seduced at the very sight of the Wolverines? Is it the helmets? The fight song? The warm, endearing personality of their coach? Voters are like moviegoers, who, with the promise of seeing Jessica Simpson in a bikini, hand over their $10.50 regardless of whether the movie she's starring in is actually good.

I'm referring primarily to last week's release of the preseason Coaches' poll, in which voters drank the Maize and Blue Kool-Aid and picked Michigan fourth. (To be fair, Sports Illustrated did the same thing on Tuesday.)

But seriously, folks, throw out the mystique for a moment and focus on reality. What would possibly possess someone to look at a team that finished last season 12th in the same poll, gave up 37 points or more in three of its last four games, lost its all-everything playmaker (Braylon Edwards) and top two defenders (Ernest Shazor and Marlin Jackson) and move them all the way up to fourth? If Michigan does finish the season No. 4, it would most likely mean that Lloyd Carr's team lost just one game all season. The Wolverines haven't lost fewer than three since 1999. But that didn't seem to stop the voters from picking them to finish higher than they have in any season since they won the national title eight years ago.

This is not to say that I don't think Michigan will field a very good team this fall. It always does. This is the eighth straight year the coaches have included the Wolverines in their preseason top 10, and, while the pollsters have only been right on three of the previous seven occasions, I'd say there's a better-than-average chance the Wolverines will raise their average to 50 percent this year.

Chad Henne? Michael Hart? Steve Breaston? There's a lot to like about Michigan this year ... on its offense. I have to agree with Kirk Herbstreit (as much as it pains me to say that) when he told the Detroit News last week, "On paper, it's hard for me to say Michigan is the No. 1 team in [the Big Ten]. It's all because of the way they have played in the linebacker area and secondary. They have not shown the ability to run the way they're supposed to run. ... It's not just the Texas game. This has been going on three of the last four years. [The Wolverines have] had some holes, and they've been suspect against scrambling quarterbacks and passing games."

He's right. Either the voters don't realize, or just don't care, that Michigan has finished 43rd or lower nationally in pass defense four of the past five seasons (the exception being 2003). Last year, the Wolverines ranked 42nd in scoring defense -- one spot behind Wake Forest. Michigan has had a systemic problem on defense for years, and while that hasn't prevented the always-talented Wolverines from consistently winning nine or 10 games and finishing among the nation's top 10 or 15, it has kept them from stepping into the top five. I guess the question I'd ask the voters (and my editors) is, why should I believe this year will be any different?

Maybe the problem is that coaches and writers don't necessarily view their preseason votes as a prediction of a team's final ranking. After all, Michigan's position was hardly the only one in the coaches poll that caught my eye. How about the team ranked one spot higher, Tennessee? The Vols have an excellent squad on paper, no question about it, but does anyone actually look at schedules before they fill out their ballots? What are the chances that Tennessee, or anyone else for that matter, can survive a slate that includes consecutive September road games at Florida and LSU -- plus a visit to Notre Dame, which beat the Vols last season -- with few enough blemishes to finish No. 3 in the country?

Finally, apparently the coaches have yet to get the message that there are top-25-caliber football teams outside the six BCS conferences. Last year five such teams appeared (Utah, Louisville, Boise State, Fresno State and Navy) in the final Coaches' poll of the season, but going into this year, the voters have chosen to include just one, No. 19 Boise State (which, despite returning 16 starters, is apparently six spots worse than last year's 11-1 team). No Bowling Green, though it boasts the nation's most proficient returning quarterback, Omar Jacobs. No Fresno State, which to me looks a lot like Utah did going into last season. This shouldn't come as too much of a surprise, however. Last year's preseason poll only included one non-BCS team (Utah).

I realize, of course, that preseason polls are inherently arbitrary, and that there's only so much you can predict in August. I have been asked to participate in The Associated Press poll for the first time this season. Soon I will reveal my preseason ballot, and less than half the teams on it will actually finish the season anywhere near where they started. Some flaws, however, you can see coming a mile away, mainly because you've seen them so many times before.

Speaking of polls ...

[BB73]

si.com

Carr offers a rare peek at practice
Posted: Sunday August 21, 2005 1:42AM

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Entering his 11th season as Michigan's coach, Lloyd Carr decided to allow many media members to watch a fall practice for the first time.

Why?

"I want to be popular with all of you," Carr joked Friday.
Carr has allowed a select few reporters to watch an occasional practice, and regularly invites media to attend spring drills and a freshmen-only workout in August.

But two weeks before the opener against Northern Illinois, he welcomed about a dozen reporters, a couple of sports-talk radio hosts, a handful of TV cameramen and some photographers to attend practice.

"I'm changing," he said. "Deep change."

College and pro football teams are allowed to set their own guidelines for practice coverage, and some choose to close all practices to media. Michigan State traditionally allows reporters, photographers and camera operators to attend parts of a couple of practices each week. The Lions allow local reporters to attend every one of their practices, from start to finish.

With eight starters back on offense and seven on defense, most of Michigan's starters are set entering the team's 126th football season. But Carr provided some insight on the competition for No. 1 jobs, and for reserves hoping to move up the depth chart.

The battle to replace standout center David Baas is still wide open. Will Paul has a shot to start at fullback, in place of the departed Kevin Dudley.

Adrian Arrington is the leading candidate to be the No. 3 receiver, behind Jason Avant and Steve Breaston.

When asked what freshmen have been practicing well, Carr mentioned running back Kevin Grady, receivers Antonio Bass and receiver Mario Manningham, linebacker James McKinney, punter Zoltan Mesko and defensive tackle Terrance Taylor.

Midway through training camp, Carr said the Wolverines are relatively healthy, though free safety Ryan Mundy and Dave Harris have missed some practices because of injuries.

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[scarletngrey11]

isnt james mckinney a DT?

[BB73]

Originally Posted by scarletngrey77

isnt james mckinney a DT?

Yep, on the latest roster I've seen.

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%"><TBODY><TR><TD>44</TD><TD>James McKinney</TD><TD>DT</TD><TD>6-3</TD><TD>265</TD><TD> </TD><TD>FR</TD><TD>Louisville, KY (Central HS)</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

[scarletngrey11]

Originally Posted by BB73

When asked what freshmen have been practicing well, Carr mentioned running back Kevin Grady, receivers Antonio Bass and receiver Mario Manningham, linebacker James McKinney, punter Zoltan Mesko and defensive tackle Terrance Taylor.

Midway through training camp, Carr said the Wolverines are relatively healthy, though free safety Ryan Mundy and Dave Harris have missed some practices because of injuries.

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is he playing linebacker until he grows into a defensive tackle?

[lvbuckeye]

[LightningRod]

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Offensive firepower

Experienced, productive unit needs questionable defense to share load

By Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News

ANN ARBOR -- If there has been head-scratching about Michigan's No. 4 ranking in both national preseason polls -- there is the looming question about its defense -- the Wolverines offense, apparently, can settle the score.

Michigan enters this fall with uncertainty on defense and whether it will ever figure out a way to slow a running quarterback. But offensively, this could be the program's most spectacular group of talent.

The Wolverines have a veteran quarterback in sophomore Chad Henne, who started every game last season and helped lead the team to a share of the Big Ten title.

They also have a loaded backfield with sophomore Michael Hart, who ranked 10th nationally in rushing (121.2 yard average), fellow sophomore Max Martin and freshman Kevin Grady.

Braylon Edwards, the nation's top receiver, is gone, but the Wolverines could be more productive with a group that includes Jason Avant and Steve Breaston, who, when healthy, can be a dazzling receiver as well as a return specialist.

Tight ends Tim Massaquoi and Tyler Ecker are considered two of the nation's best.

And the offensive line is solid, even with the loss of starting right tackle Jake Long (injured left leg).

In other words, this could be one dominating offense.

"That's going to be our strong point this year, we're going to spread the ball a lot," Hart said. "You won't know where we're going to hit you.

"We have a great team. You're not going to be able to stop me because if you do that, go ahead. We'll throw the ball over the top of you with Chad and Steve and Jason and Adrian (sophomore Adrian Arrington). We have a great team of receivers, great tight ends. We're just a great offense this year. We're not just two people who are going to beat you. Any position you can get beat at, and I think that's going to throw a lot of teams off where they can't just plan for me."

While the offense could make Michigan a national-title contender, there still are plenty who don't share the preseason love.

EPSN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit recently said he did not consider Michigan among the top three ... in the Big Ten.

Herbstreit, a former Ohio State quarterback and as knowledgeable as they come in the college football world, cited the team's questionable defense as reason enough to knock them down a few rungs.

Michigan's players, who would not admit that Herbstreit's comments have become early bulletin-board material during preseason camp, have heard the talk.

"He's a smart guy I guess," Hart said, trying hard to stifle his laughter. "He's an Ohio State guy, and that's what he's supposed to say. We don't expect anything else. He's not the only one who said that. There are a lot of analysts out there who think we're not a top-five team.

"We have to go out there and prove ourselves to where they can't say we're not a top-five team. You don't want everybody out there saying, 'Oh, you're the No. 1 team.' We want to come out and prove to ourselves that we can be a top team."

No one is denying Michigan's defense is worthy of taking some shots before the season. True, the Wolverines won a share of the conference title last fall and earned a second straight trip to the Rose Bowl.

But the early-season luster was tarnished by a statistically dismal finish by the defense.

In three of their final four games, including the Rose Bowl loss to Texas and a loss in the regular-season finale to Ohio State, the defense allowed an average of 37 points and 475 yards (279 rushing). All three opponents featured mobile quarterbacks.

"The biggest question mark about Michigan across the country, I'm sure, is our defense," Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said.

But the Wolverines have tweaked the defense, adding former Michigan State assistant Steve Stripling to the staff to coach the defensive line and inspire the pass rush -- Michigan had 21 sacks last season.

The Michigan players seem to believe there are plenty of positives entering this season that kicks off against Northern Illinois on Saturday, the first of three straight home games.

No longer is the player mantra something along the lines of, "We want to win the Big Ten and then we'll see where the chips will fall."

No, the Wolverines are setting their sights higher, even daring to consider a run for the national title.

"It's definitely the ultimate goal," Hart said of the desire to return to Pasadena, site of this year's national championship game. "USC did it two years ago when they were all sophomores. It can be done."

Henne, who rolls his eyes when the subject of a sophomore jinx comes up, is cautious about being too vocal about the team's main goal.

"It's always in the back of our minds," Henne said of a national title. "We need to focus on our first couple of games and deal with those teams before we get to that point."

What Michigan knows is that is has the potential to be an exceptionally potent offense, even without Edwards, a first-round NFL pick. The Wolverines are loaded at the skill positions and once they decide on a center, the offensive line should be dominating.

Perhaps based on their offensive abilities, voters in the coaches' and Associated Press polls were generous with their No. 4 rankings.

"I don't worry about the polls, but I think any time you're ranked high it's a compliment to your players and your program and it's challenging and we look forward to trying to do better," Carr said. "We have our own goals and they can't be any higher than anybody else's goals for us."

You can reach Angelique S. Chengelis at angelique.chengelis@detnews.com

Offensive is a perfect description for this school

[scarletngrey11]

im tired of kirk being screwed all because hes an ohio state guy, the part about mike hart laughing [censored]es me off, you have to play some god damn defense to be in the top-5, something the arrogant michigan dumbasses cant even comprehend.

defense is when you do something called tackle, it is possible, why dont you laugh at that.

[Golferdow01]

Hey i think i saw that pic in the RR...a little risque for the scUM thread lv

[brutusfan]

i'll be there we'll shot all their heads off

[GoBucks89]

This story from ESPiN is more than a week old but I didn't see it posted, so here goes. Despite all the hubris about them challenging for the NC, I think this story really backs up Herbstreit's comments about their inadequate defense.

************************************************** *******

Updated: Aug. 23, 2005, 5:01 PM ET
D the key to Michigan making title run


<!-- end pagetitle --><!-- begin bylinebox -->By Pat Forde
ESPN.com

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<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD vAlign=top><!-- begin leftcol --><!-- template inline -->A 9-3 season warrants a parade and a contract extension in most college football locales. But when you go 9-3 at Michigan and your defense finishes the season with its pants around its ankles, nobody reaches for the confetti.
Instead, some vigilante fans reached for the mouse and clicked their way to www.firejimherrmann.com, where they agitated for the ouster of their defensive coordinator. All Herrmann has done was win the Broyles Award as the nation's top assistant in 1997, when the Wolverines were national champions.
That response is especially rash when you consider that Herrmann is another in a long line of Michigan Men, a former player and 17-year assistant at America's most successfully incestuous program. But family ties did not mitigate the bitter taste for fans heading into the offseason -- or the concern that a leaky defense could scuttle a potential national title run this year.
<!---------------------PULL-QUOTE TABLE (BEGIN)---------------------><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width=4><SPACER height="1" width="3" type="block"></TD><TD>“</TD><TD width=225>We're the first to admit we didn't perform, and this is one of the consequences of it. It's our fault, and this comes with the territory. ”</TD></TR><TR vAlign=top><TD width=4><SPACER height="1" width="3" type="block"></TD><TD></TD><TD width=225>— MIchigan DE Pat Massey on the constant criticism of the Michigan defense</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!---------------------PULL-QUOTE TABLE (END)--------------------->They look at the preseason rankings and see their team at No. 4 in both polls -- and then they flash back to last year. In their minds, Texas quarterback Vince Young is still galloping unimpeded across the Rose Bowl grass. Ohio State QB Troy Smith is still on the loose in Ohio Stadium. Buckeyes receiver/kick returner Ted Ginn is still leaving Wolverines grasping and gasping as he blows by.
Michigan finished the season with consecutive defeats, giving up 37 points and 446 yards to arch-rival Ohio State and then 38 points and 444 yards to Texas in a Rose Bowl thriller. Those defeats continued a couple of troubling defensive trends:
• The Wolverines repeatedly surrendered huge plays. They gave up eight touchdowns of 60 yards or longer, six of those in the final four games.
It's one thing to give up home run plays to Young (60-yard run) or Ginn (82-yard punt return). It's another when Northwestern's Noah Herron goes 68 yards to the house, or Michigan State's DeAndra Cobb runs one in from 72 yards and another from 64. That suggests major assignment busts, shoddy tackling, a lack of speed -- or all of the above.
"We've given up too many big plays," coach Lloyd Carr said. "When you give up big plays, it makes it difficult to win. Our major focus is to make people earn it."
• The Wolverines were strafed by mobile quarterbacks. Young ran for 191 yards and four touchdowns in the Rose Bowl. Smith ran for 145 yards. Michigan State's Drew Stanton scampered for 80 yards by halftime before being injured.
"They weren't accounting for (the quarterback as a running threat)," Stanton said. "They like to play packages, man-to-man, getting up in your face and not accounting for the quarterback."
After what he and Smith did to the Wolverines, Stanton said he watched the Rose Bowl in disbelief.
"I don't know how Michigan didn't account for (Young)," he said.
That's what the maize-and-blue backers wanted to know. Michigan's defense suddenly looked outdated and vulnerable against spread offenses, and that's why the heat came down on Herrmann -- and, by extension, on Carr, who was the subject of a flurry of January rumors that he was going to retire.
Carr wasn't going to retire -- not with the talent he had returning. And he sure wasn't going to listen to anyone telling him to fire his defensive coordinator.
"I'm responsible," was Carr's answer.
Thus Michigan's offseason has been a study in contrast. There has been rampant enthusiasm about an offense that returns quarterback Chad Henne, running back Michael Hart, and some big-play receivers. And there has been chronic concern about a defense that lost All-American defensive backs Marlin Jackson and Ernest Shazor -- and wasn't very good at the end of last year with those guys.
In the middle of a barrage of questions at Big Ten media day about the defensive problems, someone asked end Pat Massey if he thought this was an overreaction. Massey said no, the hair shirt fits just fine.
"We're the first to admit we didn't perform, and this is one of the consequences of it," he said. "It's our fault, and this comes with the territory.
"I think people are breaking it down too much, looking at schemes and saying you didn't blitz enough, you blitzed too much. Coach Herrmann put us in the right position and we just didn't make plays. We just had too many blown assignments, missed tackles, missed coverages. …
"We are looking forward to getting out there and showing we're a better defense."
That will start up front. The Wolverines recorded just 21 sacks last year, their lowest total in a decade. No wonder, when Carr was asked on Michigan's media day about what he'd like to see from his defense, the first sentence out of his mouth was, "We'd like to tackle the quarterback."
New defensive line coach Steve Stripling was hired away from rival Michigan State to upgrade the pass rush. He has a lot to work with in the 6-foot-8 Massey and speed-rushing LaMarr Woodley on the outside, plus a pair of 320-plus-pound tackles in the middle.
Carr is looking for more speed at linebacker and in the secondary. To that end, the Wolverines have juggled around some personnel, including moving redshirt freshman wide receiver Morgan Trent to free safety after spring practice. Carr said Trent is probably the fastest player on the team and could see some two-way duty, in addition to returning kickoffs alongside Steve Breaston.
But speed doesn't necessarily replace experience, and in Jackson and Shazor Michigan loses two guys who had seemingly been starting since the Schembechler Era. That will put some new players in the position of being the defensive signal-callers.
"The safety position, in my opinion, has become as complex as any position on the field, except for quarterback," Carr said. "Every game you're seeing motions, formations, personnel packages."
And the occasional running quarterback. Michigan must deal with those better this year, because 9-3 will definitely not be parade material in 2005.

Pat Forde is a senior writer at ESPN.com. He can be reached at ESPN4D@aol.com.
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[LightningRod]

Michigan has a new minster of defense?

Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Image
Carlos Osorio / The Associated Press

Michigan gave up several big plays to Northern Illinois on Saturday, including a 76-yard touchdown run by Garrett Wolfe.

Angry Carr shakes up defense

Coach does double take after watching U-M film

By Angelique S. Chengelis / The Detroit News
ANN ARBOR -- Testy, grumpy, miffed and sleepless. (translated - things are normal)

Coach Lloyd Carr appeared to be all of the above during his weekly news conference Monday, just a couple days removed from fourth-ranked Michigan's season-opening victory.

"I haven't slept in two nights," Carr said, "so I don't profess to come in here being in a great mood."

The cause of his insomnia? Defense.

After Michigan allowed 411 yards to Northern Illinois on Saturday in a 33-17 victory, and following his postgame comments that attempted to diffuse criticism of the defense, Carr said he had re-evaluated the game film. He was, in fact, disappointed by the performance of the defense, particularly the front seven.

Carr promised lineup changes before Saturday's home game against Notre Dame but would not make any revelations.

"You'll see what those changes are on Saturday," he said.

A glaring modification to the depth chart involves nose tackle Gabe Watson, who has made 12 straight starts. Watson apparently does not have the starting job locked down, as redshirt freshman Will Johnson is listed as a potential starter.

Another change involves inside linebacker. Scott McClintock and Chris Graham were starters inside in the opener. But McClintock, who was listed as a backup to Dave Harris a week ago, is still listed as a backup to Harris, who is coming off an undisclosed injury in the preseason.

"We're just not where we need to be," Carr said. "We need to play harder, and we need to play more physical. That is our intent.

"So there are going to be some changes in the lineup because we're not going to sit and watch that type of effort. We need to play harder, we need to play tougher.

"When I looked at our team as a whole, that's an area we have to deal with. Sometimes that means making changes.

"Maybe you get somebody's attention, and maybe it doesn't matter, but the issue is that you've got to try to put people out there that are going to play very hard and very physical."

Graham, a sophomore, was the only defensive player Carr singled out for praise. Graham, who made his first start, led the team with 10 tackles.

Carr's comments Monday were far different from those he made immediately following the victory. The Wolverines gave up big plays, including a 76-yard touchdown run by Garrett Wolfe in the second quarter to cut the Northern Illinois deficit to 14-10.

"I think if you take one play out of the football game, our defense did a very good job," Carr said after the game.

The change in assessment from "very good" to "disappointing" occurred after he watched the game film.

"I've learned one thing -- you can make a lot of statements after a game as a coach and be inaccurate, because there are a lot of things going on out there," Carr said. "But it's in the film. Film is the eye in the sky. It doesn't lie. It's there, and that's what you deal with."

Carr was asked if nothing in practice this week could change his mind about the defensive changes.

"No," he said emphatically.

Carr has been dealing with and deflecting criticism of his defense since the end of last season.

Now he must prepare for a Notre Dame offense that appeared capable of scoring at will in a 42-21 victory against 23rd-ranked Pitt on Saturday. The Irish, under first-year coach Charlie Weis, gained 502 yards, including 275 rushing, against the Panthers.

The prospects of containing the Irish could cause more sleepless nights for Carr.

"I don't care where you go in this game, there are things that aren't going like you want them to," he said. "And sometimes you don't know why something isn't going like you think it would. Sometimes, the more you dwell on something, you come up with an idea. There's always issues on any team, and right now, that's the biggest issue we have and we're going to try to deal with it in a way that can help us get better."

You can reach Angelique S. Chengelis at angelique.chengelis@ detnews.com.

Five reasons why Michigan should be worried about Notre Dame

1. The Irish beat Michigan, 28-20, last year with the same quarterback (Brady Quinn) and same tailback (Darius Walker) that they will have in their backfield Saturday in Ann Arbor.

2. Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis likes to go to multiple receivers. Quinn completed passes to seven receivers Saturday in a 42-21 victory at No. 23 Pittsburgh. The Irish were led by Walker (three catches, 52 yards), tight end Anthony Fasano (4-42), and receivers Rhema McKnight (3-51) and Jeff Samardzija (3-34). All are experienced players.

3. Michigan's defense has surrendered 400 or more yards in five consecutive games: Northern Illinois (411), Texas (444), Ohio State (446), Northwestern (405) and Michigan State (535).

4. Despite its struggles in recent seasons, Notre Dame is 4-5-1 against Michigan in the last 10 meetings and has won three of the last five, although the three victories were in South Bend.

5. The Irish won't panic if they fall behind. Weis promised a tougher team, and he delivered on that promise vs. Pitt.

[scarletngrey11]

michigan is screwed the d is worse than last year and its not gonna get any better, notre dame has a great chance to beat them.

[BrutusBobcat]

Good call, SG77. Green for you. As I was telling a scUM fan just today, if they show up and play like that on 11/19, OSU will hang 50 on them.

[jwinslow]

UM's secondary gets worse

Michigan safety Mundy to miss season with nerve injury
<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td width="10"> </td> <td> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr valign="top"> <td nowrap="nowrap"> Sep. 19, 2005
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<!-- T8866341 --><!-- Sesame Modified: 09/19/2005 18:23:01 --> <!-- sversion: 2 $Updated: mattr$ --> ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Michigan safety Ryan Mundy is expected to miss the rest of the season with a nerve injury.
"I do not expect Ryan to take part in any game competition this fall," coach Lloyd Carr said Monday at his weekly news conference. "We're disappointed that his injury is not responding as we had hoped, and he has decided to rest it and see what happens in spring practice."
Carr would only call the problem a "nerve injury."
Mundy started all 12 games at free safety as a sophomore in 2004, and was expected to start again this year. He intercepted two passes and was fourth on the team with 51 tackles last season.
Since Mundy started his career as a freshman in 2003, he is eligible to redshirt this year and return as a junior in 2006.
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