The 2008 football season opener against the Utah Utes was basically a letdown and there was a clear indication that the Wolverines have a lot of work to do. The offense had several issues as the OL couldn't make the proper blocks to allow the running game to excel and there was also too much inconsistency at QB. The defense was solid for the most part, but they gave up too many big plays in the first half and the Wolverines had to crawl out of a hole in order to make things interesting.

I cannot be too upset with Rodriguez and his staff because it appeared that they made adjustments at the half, but it is crucial that this football team learn from its mistakes and not be down on themselves. Yes, Miami (OH) is not Oregon, but… they cannot afford to have another game full of miscommunication, poor execution, and hesitancy. As coach Rodriguez said in his press conference, this team is in no shape to play poorly and still expect to win games.

The Offense:

I was not surprised by Rodriguez starting QB Nick Sheridan over Steven Threet, however, I was curious as to why he didn't make a switch much earlier in the game. Sheridan started off ok, but as the first half developed… he looked like a deer in headlights out there as the running game was unable to help him. Threet was eventually put in and looked much more confident controlling the offense and he also showed more ability to throw the deep ball. He managed to connect on a TD pass to Junior Hemingway when the Wolverines tried to come back in the fourth quarter.



Threet was far from perfect, though. There were two critical moments when the Wolverines failed to convert on big plays. The first one was the 2 pt. conversion and the second one was when he tried to hit a wide open Darryl Stonum on a decisive fourth down play with under two minutes remaining in the game. Both throws were a little too wild and high for the receivers to really have a chance to make the reception. Hopefully, this was only a case of the first game jitters and Threet has more accuracy on his passes as the season progresses. Rodriguez said that the QB competition is still open, but Threet definitely has the upper hand after his performance on Saturday.

The running game was nearly non-existent. I guess we now know that when Rodriguez emphasizes "or" on the depth chart, he means it. Freshmen RB's Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw had a significant amount of carries throughout the game as veterans Brandon Minor and Carlos Brown spent most of their time on the bench waiting. Rodriguez tried to establish the run in the first half, but the OL had so many breakdowns that all of the RB's were pretty much swarmed by the time they tried to make a cut or avoid a tackle. I would say that the failure of the running game primarily rests on the OL issues, but I also think that Rodriguez should've used Lloyd's guys a bit more often and try to run them up the middle. It certainly wouldn't have hurt.

The receivers were good whenever a decent pass was thrown their way. You could tell that Sheridan was not fond of the deep ball as most of his passes consisted of bubble screens and short routes. When Threet entered the game, we could finally see what the receivers were capable of, especially Junior Hemingway and Greg Matthews. Matthews is the player with the most experience, but Hemingway showed great ability as a potential threat down the road… if he remains healthy. Fellow young receivers like Darryl Stonum and Tony Clemons will get better as the QB position becomes more solidified.

The offense will eventually come along, but the main problem that needs to be addressed is the OL. Besides that… the QB must make better decisions and not be so confused. There was a great deal of miscommunication out there and that has to be fixed quickly. Rodriguez needs to mix it up a bit more when it comes to running the ball and I think he will do that this week. He said that he used a small and limited amount of running plays versus Utah because he didn't want to confuse his players. I'm sure the coach will make the proper adjustments this week and try to utilize the talent and open up the playbook.

Overall Grade: C-


The Defense:

In order to properly summarize the defense, one must look at both halves. The first half consisted of a great run defense, but the linebackers and secondary were quite weak against the pass. There was also a lack of pressure on QB Brian Johnson, which allowed him to look like a Heisman contender against a defense that was supposedly stronger and more dominant against the spread offense. Big plays were given up as safety Stevie Brown was burned on a 55 yd pass and freshman LB Marell Evans proved that he wasn’t ready after being victimized repeatedly. However, those two should not be singled out because the whole unit was mediocre during the first half. The only credit that I can give the defense during the first half was that they kept the Wolverines in the game. Most of the scores consisted of FG's.

The second half brought hope as the coaching staff and players clearly made adjustments. The front line dominated and chased Johnson around the backfield and accumulated five sacks. The Brandon Graham that I expected this season finally showed up. Also, the LB play improved as sophomore Jonas Mouton gave them a much needed boost. Obi Ezeh let his game speak as he collected 14 tackles and an interception. If Ezeh continues to put up those types of stats, he will undoubtedly earn a great amount of Big Ten honors throughout the season. The secondary also improved as Morgan Trent and Donovan Warren were able to defend with more consistency. I think a lot of it boiled down to applying more pressure on the QB and limiting his time to make decisions. Once the line was able to break through the blockers… it was obviously open season on Johnson.

Most of the mistakes that the defense made were largely associated with Shafer's decision to work with the all too familiar 4-3 defense that was used during the Hermann years. Once that Shafer made the adjustment at halftime and changed things at LB, the nickel packages were much more effective as the results were significantly different. Shafer deserves a lot of credit for his halftime adjustments and there is no doubt in my mind that IF the defense plays like that all season… and continues to fly to the ball… the Wolverines will win more games. As everyone is fully aware, the leadership is on the defensive side of the ball.

Overall Grade: B+


Special Teams:

If there was a bright spot in the game, it was definitely with the special teams unit. Despite Rodriguez' attempt to bring back the rugby experiment from a few years back (Iowa game 2003), the special teams looked impressive. Kicker K.C. Lopata hit a 50 yd FG, so there shouldn't be any controversy at that position. The unit also blocked a FG and… a punt. These are all great signs and it is a sigh of relief knowing that the Wolverines appear to be solid in this department. Just as long as Zoltan Mesko returns to his standard form in the punting game, there shouldn’t be any problems.

Overall Grade: B+


Go Blue!

The "Toe"

We I saw Bennie go down, I figure it must be an ankle or maybe a tear in the heel. Something bad... Nope a Toe... A freaking toe. Yes big Bennie Wells was carted of due to a toe. I really question this guys toughness and wouldn't be surprised if he was an NFL bust(Like most OSU RBs). Could you see Mike Hart being carted off the field due to a hurt toe? It's not even broken! I dunno I thought it was very "pussy". Like he couldn't get up and hop off the field. Good luck Bennie.. Don't break a nail.

The Utah Game
I haven't talked at all since the game. I expected what I saw. It just sucked. We all had it so good when we didn't have to worry about QB play. Nick was awful, he looked like a walk on. Threet was a bit better but missed some easy throws(first down pass to Stonum..Duh!). I expect to see Threet start vs Miami. He also screwed the 2pt conversion twice in one play. First by not making the correct read and giving it to Sam for a easy run in 2pts and not hitting Clemons who was open. Speaking of Sam, my jaw dropped when I saw that he was starting. He showed flashes but a few times forgot that this wasn't high school anymore and tried to run backwards when the holes weren't open. I still can't wait to see more of this kid. minor had great burst, I will say that. He looked faster but once again he put the ball on the turf and he still needs to correct this until then I expect him in spot work. Brown.. Not sure if he's hurt or what but I want morrrrrr... We will see. The o-line I won't even get into. Its a mess. MgoBlog handled that mess today so I didn't have to. We will see what D shows up this week. Besides Obi Ezeh who looked more like David Harris the rest of the LBs were awful. I expect Mouton to start soon, which I thought he should have anyway. Warren made a few mistakes but the D showed what it can do. Duane will have a game review with Grades very soon.

The Refs
Not blaming the refs for the lose because Michigan beat Michigan but they were very bad in some spots. The missed neutral zone call and the no flag on the play clock as it hit zero before the snap of the 53 yard FG Utah hit. It would have made it a 58 yard FG attempt. Little things like that do hurt.

Tate is coming..
We got a verbal from Tate Forcier. If I were him and saw that game, hell I would have gave my verbal too. He has a great chance of starting next year. With a 78% comp in high school as a Jr is very impressive. Can't wait tell he gets here.



Grady back?
Looks like Kevin Grady will be back vs Miami. I was thinking he should have been gone until the Big Ten season but RR sees different. I wonder if he will even get a shot at RB? Unless Grady comes out and surprises us with greatness he has been sorta of a bust. Then again he was built for Carr's Michigan team and not Rods. He still wasn't as good even in Carr's O. Welcome back Kevin, don't blow it.

The moment has nearly arrived as the 2008 Michigan football season is about to kickoff. After saying goodbye to a great head coach in Lloyd Carr, Ann Arbor welcomes the young and innovative outsider Rich Rodriguez to roam the sideline of the Big House. Rodriguez' arrival wasn't exactly easy after taking the job, but he has since moved on and seems pretty determined to coach his hungry and eager Wolverines to a successful season.

This season will be interesting as there is a great deal of uncertainty as far as what the Wolverines are capable of doing under a new coaching staff. Most of the uncertainty falls on the offensive side of the ball due to a lack of experience and a new system, but the talent and depth are there in key playmaking positions such as RB and WR. The QB position and the offensive line seem to be the areas of major concern. So… we shall see what unfolds. The defense is well rounded and doesn't lack experience, so they may have to be the ones that lay the hammer down for the majority of the season.

Offense:

The QB position is a two man race between redshirt transfer Steven Threet and walk-on Nick Sheridan. Rodriguez has already made it clear that both have made necessary strides throughout the offseason and appear to be the Wolverines best chances to win this season. Threet is a traditional drop back passer that resembles the likes of Grbac, Brady, Navarre, and Henne. He definitely adds the dimension of being able to throw the deep ball, but the main question is whether he can adapt to Rodriguez' system and make the offense work consistently. Sheridan is different because he is a bit more athletic and mobile, but his passing range is not as impressive. However, he appears to be a very smart guy and if he manages a drive well enough to utilize the talent surrounding him by throwing short accurate passes, then he just may be the one that wins the job. I give the edge to Threet as of right now, but I would not be shocked to see Sheridan receive a good amount of playing time. Rodriguez' main focus is to

The offensive line is without a doubt the backbone to running a successful scheme and it appears that this season will surely include some growing pains. It's not based on talent because they just may have that… eventually, but it also comes down to proper experience and sufficient depth. Rodriguez has needed to improvise and shuffle the line around because of injuries, transfers, and graduation. The only returning starter is right tackle Stephen Schilling and he seems to welcome the leadership role upon himself. Schilling is accompanied on the right side by veteran David Moosman and former defensive player John Ferrara. The left side is occupied by juniors Mark Ortmann and Tim McAvoy, but freshman Ricky Barnum will see time as well. Ok, here's the real scary part and it is the center position, which happens to be quite crucial to any offense. Since Justin Boren went down south to tOSU and… Cory Zirbel was injured; the void is basically being filled by freshman David Molk or David Moosman. So… yes… it will be interesting and sometimes nasty, but as Lloyd used to say: "hope springs eternal".

There is also a problem at the RB position, but I assure you that it's not a bad one. There just happens to be a stable full of talented backs and the clear starter is yet to be named. My opinion is that junior Brandon Minor has the edge, but Carlos Brown has more speed and might work better in the spread. Oh yeah, then there's a couple of freshmen that have made a statement throughout camp. Their names are Sam McGuffie and Michael Shaw. Both McGuffie and Shaw have earned significant praise from Rodriguez and his staff and plan to see a great deal of playing time. I think all of the RB's will be used this season and there is a chance that McGuffie or Shaw will catapult into superstar status when Big Ten play comes around. Rodriguez will utilize these guys to their potential and they will determine how often the Wolverines score on offense. Overall, things look bright.

The WR's and TE's are just as deep as the running game, but there is also a lot of youth within the positions. Since Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington left for the NFL the only player with a decent amount of playing time is junior Greg Matthews. Matthews was very dependable on short routes and slants, but he has never really gone for the deep ball. In any case… he's a dependable guy who will make the catch and not be afraid of a potential hit and I expect a good season out of him. Freshman Darryl Stonum has been labeled as the next explosive WR for the Wolverines and due to the fact that he enrolled early and started practicing… he just may live up to the hype. He has tremendous speed and has proven that he can make the big play. Other WR's include Junior Hemingway and LaTerryal Savoy. Hemingway appeared to be talented in limited action last season, but an injury has slowed him down a bit. I expect Savoy to see some action, but since Rodriguez has brought the spread to town… we will be introduced to his valuable weapon known as the slot receiver. The main guys that will be used in this position will be freshman Martavious Odoms and Tony Clemons. There has been some good mention about Odoms, so… watch out! Rodriguez will most likely use both.

Carson Butler is the apparent starter at TE because of his athletic ability, but he certainly has company beside him. Mike Massey is a senior veteran that is also quite capable of making an impact and newcomer Kevin Koger was highly touted during camp. There will be a lot of competition at the TE position and I'm positive that Rodriguez will go deep… like most of the playmaking positions on offense.

Defense:


The front line really wants to get out there and put on a show for the fans on Saturday. The DE's are probably the most talented duo that we have seen in years at Michigan. Senior Tim Jamison is a beast that has big time ability once he breaks through blockers. The other end is occupied by junior Brandon Graham, who just happens to be my favorite player on the defense. Graham already made strides last year as he consistently punished opposing QB's, but he needs to improve against the run. He's primed for a Lamarr Woodley type of season. Seniors Will Johnson and Terrence Taylor control the middle of the line. Taylor had some problems last year, but the strength and conditioning has really made him a different type of player. Now that he has slimmed down, perhaps his talent and capabilities will be more visible. I think his performances against Appalachian State and Oregon are behind him now. Johnson is another guy who looks to improve from a disappointing 2007 season that was plagued by injuries and inconsistent play. The Wolverines also have depth on the DL and freshman Mike Martin has been mentioned as an instant impact player that will definitely see time on the field.

The LB's are unproven for the most part as the best player is a sophomore. Obi Ezeh showed promise as a freshman last season and will undoubtedly be the leader for a core of players that haven't seen much playing time. Now that Ezeh is more prepared, I expect great things out of him. He is accompanied by two sophomores Marell Evans and Jonas Mouton on the weak side. Both will battle for the starting spot. Senior Austin Panter will control the strong side. Johnny Thompson backs up Ezeh in the middle and could also see significant time. There is depth at the position, but much like the OL… they lack experience. This position has disappointed as of recent. I have seen too many missed tackles and blown assignments, even from veterans, but I hope to see some improvement this season. My expectations are not that high, though.

The defensive backfield could be just as great as the DL is projected to be. The CB's have both seen a good amount of playing time. Fifth year senior Morgan Trent was decent last year and appears ready to leave his legacy as a great leader in 2008. Trent is accompanied by super sophomore Donovan Warren, who earned Big Ten accolades for his performance last season. Warren appears to be in the same mold as Hall, Jackson, Woodson, and Law. Yes, you can say "shutdown" corner, but that term is severely overused. Warren is a tremendous talent and I anticipate him and Trent to have an outstanding season as they blanket opposing receivers. The backups to those two will be sophomore Troy Woolfolk and freshman Boubacar Cissoko. Both have earned praise from Rodriguez and Cissoko has been labeled as quite versatile.

The safeties are experienced and very very fast. Junior Steve Brown will occupy the free safety position and he will be backed up by fifth year senior Charles Stewart. Strong safety belongs to Brandon Harrison who is also a senior. I believe he will get the job done as he is also a seasoned veteran that has been contributing since 2005. As I said… these guys are fast! Also keep an eye on sophomore Artis Chambers and incoming freshman Brandon Smith as they will also be incorporated into the defense.

Special teams doesn't bother me as kicker K.C. Lopata showed great consistency last year after the dismal Gingell experience. Punter Zoltan Mesko has already shown all-American potential and I expect him to pick up right where he left off. The return games will be interesting because there will be new faces performing the duties. On kickoffs and punts, Rodriguez will most likely use Martavious Odoms, Donovan Warren, Michael Shaw, and… possibly Morgan Trent. Brandon Harrison is also considered an option. Special teams should be impressive this season.

The 2008 season will be interesting to say the least and I expect Michigan to play with purpose and intensity. After a disappointing 2007 season, the Wolverines know how important the first game is and they will be ready and determined to entertain on Saturday against Utah. The term of "deserving victory" has been the key since Rodriguez took the job in the winter, but we shall see how that philosophy translates when the Wolverines take on their first challenge. The offense will have its fair share of mishaps, but they should improve significantly by the time Big Ten play comes around. There is too much talent on offense and I'm sure Rodriguez will utilize each athlete and push the limits of their capabilities. If the offense is slow coming out of the gate then the veteran defense will have to pick up the slack and force turnovers. Overall, the season should be fun and I expect the Wolverines to surprise the majority that doubts them.

Here's to a great season and GO BLUE!!!

-By Duane

As a new season and era is on the horizon for the Michigan football program, I would like to reflect and pay tribute to Lloyd Carr, the former head coach of the Wolverines.

To sum up Lloyd's head coaching career at Michigan… he definitely experienced both the sweet and sour sides of the job. The first half of his career included a national championship in 1997, a good bowl record (4-2), and the domination over archrival Ohio State (5-1). However, the latter part of his career would turn out to be the complete opposite. From 2001 till 2007, Lloyd's record against the Buckeyes dropped off significantly to a 1-6 record. The Wolverines also had trouble winning bowl games during that span.

I was always a big supporter of Lloyd Carr, even through his times of heavy criticism. I respected him not only as a great coach and teacher for the maize and blue, but also as a man of admirable character. Even though press conferences typically weren't his cup of tea and he tried to make them as boring as possible, he would occasionally throw a wrench into the reporter's scheme of questioning… and that was quite entertaining. Now, some would label that as being a jerk, but I disagree. Lloyd always seemed to maintain that persona throughout his career and you just have to respect that on some level. If there was an injury or an issue with a specific player (in his doghouse), he would provide information in the best way he saw fit… undoubtedly his way.

On the subject of press conferences, I remember listening to one a few years back and Lloyd was talking about the origins of the rivalry between Michigan vs. Minnesota (Little Brown Jug). He always enjoyed educating everyone about any type of old rivalry. It seemed as if he took more pleasure out of talking about the past and history than answering questions from the reporters. Lloyd would also break out the occasional quotes from the likes of Churchill, Hemingway, etc.

What I believe went wrong in the latter part of his career was that the college football culture and game were changing. The play calling has become more innovative and the players need a new type of philosophy or motivation. Perhaps the players of this day and age need a bit more than quotes from historical leaders and classic writers. Maybe the players aren't responding to the allusions of Mt. Everest or World War II anymore. This was not Lloyd's fault because change is inevitable. You have to respect a coach that was always loyal to his team and stood by every individual player who wore a winged helmet.

When I think of Lloyd's influence on the players, Braylon Edwards (WR) in 2003 comes to mind. Edwards was in his doghouse at the beginning of the season for "not being on the same page." As most Wolverine fans know, Edwards wore the heralded #1 jersey that year because he believed he had earned the right to do so, but Lloyd didn't quite see it. In any case, after being in the doghouse for a few games, Edwards' performance on the field soared like never before. He would later go on to have a record breaking senior season the next year and become a two time Big Ten champion. His character and leadership also developed significantly.

To Lloyd Carr, the game was always second to character. He believed that character defined the individual overall, not just accolades and talent. Lloyd also valued education and the importance of a player trying to expand his potential beyond the football field. His success and legacy at Michigan will always be remembered and he knew exactly when to walk away from the game and players he loved with a passion.

In the early spring Lloyd held a press conference and talked about what he had been up to since retiring last November. He told the reporters that he watched quite a few films and did some traveling out of the country. Hmmm… that's probably what I would do, too.

Duane

We will be having the Live blog to kick off the 2008 season. Everyone is welcomed(yes even buckeyes). Come Chat with aMAIZEing T staff. Ryan from the R&R show will be there and Duane and Jason may make appearance. We will have a shirt give away. So come on out and chat some Michigan football and get ready for the 2008 season. It will be on Aug 29th at 10pm est. It will run tell 1am or whenever. Should be a good time for all. I will be having a test run of the software on Thursday during the day at 3pm est. Feel free to drop in and chat with me as I test out the new live blog software. Thanks to all who show.

Go Blue!