They Aren’t Dead Yet: Resurgence of the Tight End at Michigan—Is It Coming?

In 2008, Michigan fans said goodbye. They all said goodbye to Lloyd Carr and they said goodbye to the old pro-style offense that they had grown accustomed to over the years.

In 2008, Michigan fans also said hello. They said hello to new head coach Rich Rodriguez and his spread-option offense. An offense that was a complete 180 from the old pro-style offense of years…
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Big Ten Football: Defending The Conference

It’s just about time for bowl season to begin, which means that it’s also time for everybody around the country to start tearing down the Big Ten for being a weak, inferior conference.

It’s becoming an annual tradition, but is this criticism of the Big Ten conference justified?

No way.

These criticisms are rooted in myth and misconception. It’s become the nature of the college football fan to disparage a conference that doesn’t contain the defending national champion.

Some fans have been so delusional that they find fault with the Big XII North, which boasts four teams in the top 13 BCS slots. They don’t play defense, say the analysts. They’re winning somehow, aren’t they? Last I checked, a ‘W’ was the only thing that mattered.

As much unfair criticism as that division has endured, the Big Ten has put up with more. Fans of Big Ten teams are supposed to believe that we’re still attached to our horse-drawn carriages while the stupendously-rich SEC and Big XII are driving Bugatti Veyrons.

It’s time to put these lies to rest and give the Big Ten the respect it deserves.

 

Myth No. 1: Ohio State is terrible

This is the argument that people love to use against the Big Ten. It’s also the argument that makes the least amount of sense.

The Buckeyes are 1-3 in BCS title games this decade, and they’ve lost their last two, in consecutive years. The SEC has convincingly beaten OSU two times in a row, and many people have taken this to mean that OSU, and by extension the Big Ten, is incapable of winning important games.

How many teams aside from OSU have even made it to two consecutive title games?

Let’s see, Florida State played for three straight BCS titles, winning just one of them. Miami and USC have each played for two titles in a row, each coming up short on their second attempt. And Oklahoma also played in two title games in a row, losing them both by a combined score of 76-33.

I don’t recall anybody jumping on Oklahoma and the Big XII the way that they have with Ohio State and the Big Ten. Oklahoma’s 55-19 loss to USC in 2004 is the biggest beat down in BCS title game history, yet they were never disrespected to the extent that Ohio State has been.

Look, winning a title is hard. Less than two percent of the Division 1-A population even gets to play for one at the end of the season. Probability says that it’s extremely unlikely that the same team would even make it to the title game twice in a row, but that’s exactly what Ohio State did.

But they beat weaklings to get there, you’ll say.

Not true, not by a long shot.

In 2006, Ohio State beat No. 2 Texas, No. 24 Penn State, No. 13 Iowa and No. 2 Michigan en route to the title game. 2007 featured wins over No. 23 Purdue, No. 25 Penn State, No. 21 Wisconsin and No. 21 Michigan. Four ranked teams each season.

In the 2006 season they had even bigger wins than Oklahoma enjoyed this season. The 2008 Sooners have beaten only one top five opponent.

It’s also worth mentioning that this year’s Fiesta Bowl will be Jim Tressel’s fourth straight appearance in a BCS bowl game. Along with Pete Carroll, he’s proven himself to be one of the most consistent coaches of the BCS era.

You know who hasn’t been to four straight BCS bowls? Texas and Florida come to mind.

Myth No. 2: Michigan State is an awful 9-3 team

As a Spartan fan, this one baffles me. Sure, statistically, the Spartans aren’t among the country’s elite. But statistics alone don’t tell the whole story.

MSU played the same conference schedule this season as they did last year. Last season, the Spartans were 3-5 in conference play. This season, they ended up 6-2 with a shot at the Big Ten title on the line in their final game.

Bad teams don’t contend for conference titles that late in the season. Unless you’re from the ACC.

Bad teams don’t have victories over five bowl-bound opponents on their record, either. FAU, Notre Dame, Northwestern, Iowa and Wisconsin are all playing in the postseason, but all fell victim to the Spartans.

Three games from last year became wins this year: Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern. Many people will point out that Wisconsin was a major disappointment, but Iowa and Northwestern were actually much better than they were last season. Both of those teams missed bowls last season and are playing in pretty darn good ones this season.

So, Michigan State’s conference schedule this season was actually tougher than last season, and they found ways to perform at a higher level.

Further comparison between last season and this season is necessary. Last season, every Spartan loss was by a touchdown or less. This season, they lost three times, twice in blowouts, but figured out how to win the close ones. Wisconsin and Iowa were victories that came down to the last minute and would have likely been losses in 2007.

Fans around the country like to point to the OSU and PSU games as reasons that Michigan State is a bad team. While it’s true that Michigan State isn’t at the elite level of those two programs yet, these people are also ignoring the Spartans’ growth under Mark Dantonio.

A program has to learn how to win the close games before they can learn how to win the big games, and the Spartans did just that. Dantonio came in last season and immediately turned around a program that had hit rock bottom under John L. Smith*.

With the team winning sixteen game and appearing in consecutive bowl games for the first time in over a decade, the Spartans will continue to improve.

While their total yardage and scoring defense statistics might not have been that impressive, they were tops in the conference in red zone defense. That’s how they were able to win the close games, by forcing teams to settle for three points instead of seven. By bending and not breaking.

MSU also happens to boast the best linebacker in the conference not named James Laurinitis, Mr. Greg Jones. I wonder if the nay sayers would be willing to step into the pocket if they knew Jones was coming on in a blitz.

*A word on John L. Smith. Much of the criticism leveled towards the Spartans, including the dreaded “same old Spartans” phrase seems to be hangover from the failed John L. Smith era.

Smith had no clue how to win football games and hasn’t landed a coaching gig in two seasons. He’s not prowling the sidelines in East Lansing anymore, so I think we can all stop anticipating late-season collapses. It didn’t happen this season, and it won’t happen again under Dantonio.

Mental toughness, it’s a beautiful thing.

Myth No. 3: Big Ten offenses are terrible

Not terrible, just old school.

Big Ten coaches recognize the importance of controlling the clock, especially late in the game. Why throw 50 times a game when you’ve got the best running backs in the country at your disposal?

Shonn Greene, Javon Ringer and Beanie Wells combined for 46 rushing touchdowns this season. Ringer led the country in rushing touchdowns, Greene took home the Doak Walker award, and Wells started the season as a Heisman favorite before going down with an unfortunate injury.

There’s also Evan Royster, Kory Sheets, and Wisconsin’s two-pronged rushing attack to deal with.

No other conference has such a wealth of rushing talent at their disposal.

Big Ten offenses are built to grind it out, not shoot it out. That’s why you see scores during conference play in the 20s and 30s instead of the 50s and 60s. Low scores don’t mean that the offenses are ineffective.

Against Florida Atlantic, Michigan State ran their way to a 17-0 shutout. Javon Ringer ran for 282 yards, 57 more yards than FAU’s entire offense managed. It wasn’t pretty, but it was devastatingly effective.

Iowa beat Penn State on a cold, blustery day in Iowa City thanks to the ground game. Shonn Greene helped the Hawkeyes’ control the clock with 117 yards on 28 carries.  Again, a pretty ugly game, but Iowa was able to kill Penn State’s national title hopes thanks to Greene’s efforts.

And how did Penn State keep Ohio State at bay? By out rushing them by nearly 100 yards. When the game is 13-7, you’ve got to be able to keep the opponent’s offense off the field.

And if we go back a few years, Lloyd Carr and his old-school attack fared pretty well (unless his opponent was Jim Tressel.) He had a better bowl record than Bo Schembechler, won five conference titles and shared one national championship.

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A Look at How the 2008 Michigan Recruiting Class Fared

Michigan had the 10th ranked recruiting class in 2008 according to Rivals, and I was thinking, why not check their progress?

Especially since a lot of them saw quite a bit of playing time throughout their freshman campaigns.

Besides, I haven’t touched on recruiting yet this year on this blog or any other website. It’s something I normally like to avoid until after the season and the next year’s class is more concrete.

I’ll really start getting into it after the Army All-American game when I can see one of these guys in action.

But for now let’s take a look at how last year’s class did.

This was mostly a split class of guys that Lloyd Carr had already recruited and decided to stick with the program after Rich Rodriguez came on board.

Michigan pulled in 24 recruits comprised of 17 four-star recruits and six three-star guys. I go by Rivals so if you want to argue, hey, to each his own.

Two players have already left the team and 12 players took redshirts. Then 10 remaining saw quite a bit of playing time as far as freshmen are concerned.

Sam McGuffie

“Crime Dog” McGuffie (that nickname is just natural) got the start at running back from the first snap against Utah but saw his carries become more and more limited as the season went on.

His best game was against Notre Dame where at one point he was tiptoeing down the sideline for a 29-yard run and finished with 131 yards, catching four balls for 47 yards and a touchdown.

McGuffie ended the season with 486 yards and rumors were swirling that he would be leaving the team after a death in the family took him back to his home state of Texas.

A four-star recruited by Lloyd Carr, McGuffie was a big factor in Fred Jackson staying on as running backs coach. Maybe due to his high profile recruitment after becoming a youtube star.

Analysis: McGuffie went down too often on first contact but maybe he just hit a freshman wall as the season went on. If he really wants to go back home I say go. Running back is one area where Michigan is deep.

Still, he can be explosive and with another year under Mike Barwis he could become a Justin Fargas type, as long as he doesn’t transfer like Fargas.

Michael Shaw

A four-star player out of Trotwood, Ohio Shaw saw a lot of playing time although some Michigan fans, including myself, would’ve liked to see more of him.

The picture above is Shaw’s lone touchdown of the season which was also the first one Michigan scored in the season-opening loss to Utah.

He averaged more than five yards a carry but only got 42 carries for 215 yards leaving Michigan fans wanting more.

Analysis: Remember Clarence Williams? Yeah, that’s what Shaw reminds me off. He’ll be really serviceable but he’ll be in the shadow of others and we’ll be deprived of ever really seeing him as a feature back.

Martavious Odoms

This little three-star wide receiver from Florida that came on late through RichRod caused quite a few headaches this year.

Somehow he managed to lead the Wolverines with 49 catches for 443 yards and he did score a 73-yard punt return against Purdue.

Which was quite a surprise since never at any point did he seem capable of even catching a punt or kickoff.

Analysis: I think you get my tone about Odoms by now. However, he does have a lot of explosiveness if he can hold on to the ball. Plus, he seems to be providing a good pipeline to his teammates in Florida.

When he did play well he reminded me of Marquis Walker, that was until it got colder and Odoms couldn’t grip the ball.

Mike Martin

Novi Catholic Central’s own four-star defensive tackle saw playing time in all 12 games this season.

Martin registered 20 tackles, 4.5 for loss and two sacks as the primary backup to Terrance Taylor and Will Johnson.

He brought a lot of energy to the pass rush but needs to brush up on his run stuffing as well.

Analysis: I like this guy and the enthusiasm he brings to the game. Hope Barwis just gets after him a little more and he can become a force playing next to Brandon Graham.

Boubacar Cissoko

Perhaps one of the great names ever, Cissoko came to the Wolverines out of Cass Tech in Detroit as a four-star defensive back.

As the season went one he saw more and more time in the nickle and dime packages and collected three decent pass breakups, one of which was amazing in the Purdue game.

Gifted with a lot of speed, Cissoko saw a lot of punt and kickoff return duty but like Odoms, he needs to get better hands.

Analysis: Boubacar is Morgan Trent’s replacement, I just hope he doesn’t follow in Trent’s footsteps and ends of getting burned all the time.

Cissoko has the speed to not get burned but I thought the same of Trent. College defensive backs take some time to develop so we’ll see.

Kevin Koger

Four-star tight end out of Toledo saw playing time in eight games catching one touchdown and 93 yards on six grabs.

He replaced the worthless Carson Butler and was respectful enough to request that Mike Massey get the majority of playing time in the Northwestern game on senior day.

His mere presence I think showed that Rich Rodriguez might be adding a new dimension to his spread offense which usually doesn’t feature a tight end.

Analysis: I haven’t like a Michigan tight end since Bennie Joppru left the team. Tim Massaquoi and Carson Butler have been killing me lately.

Koger on the other hand has been pleasant to watch and I think he has ability to emerge as a top tight end in the Big Ten.

Darryl Stonum

Stonum came in touted as a the next best deep threat at Michigan and had high expectations.

And it was warranted. The four-star wideout from Texas ran a 4.4 40 yard dash coming out of high school. He’s 6-2 and 180. That’s a great frame for a high schooler.

But Stonum only had 14 catches for 176 yards and one score. He consistently ran bad routes and was arrested for a DUI midway through the season. From what I hear he’s also still driving around Ann Arbor despite having a suspended license.

Analysis: I’ll admit, I drank the kool-aid on Stonum early on in the recruitment period and thought the guy was going to be great without realizing that freshmen wide receivers are never that good.

He could still turn into something great but only time will tell if he steps up and pulls his head out of his backside by giving someone else the keys.

Justin Feagin

RichRod brought Feagin in near the end of recruiting last year as a back up plan in the event Terrelle Pryor didn’t come to Michigan.

Now the Wolverines are stuck with a three-star recruit who RichRod doesn’t trust enough yet to attempt a handoff let alone pass the ball and probably never will.

Feagin rushed for 52 yards in four games with 34 yards coming off of one run against Minnesota.

Analysis: Feagin will move to slot receiver next year after Tate Forcier and Shavrodick Beaver enroll and might be listed as an emergency fourth string quarterback or something.

I can’t really tell anything about him though as I never got to see him throw so who knows what he’s capable of. He did show how fast he could be in that one run though.

J.B. Fitzgerald

A four-star linebacker out of New Jersey, Fitzgerald played in all 12 games collecting eight tackles on special teams.

Analysis: Fitzgerald did make a couple bone crushing hits on kickoff returns that I remember seeing. He could see more playing time on defense as a sophomore an emerge like Jonas Mouton.

Kenny Demens

Rich Rodriguez burned Demens’ redshirt chances so he could appear in three games and assist on one tackle on special teams.

Demens was a four-star linebacker from Country Day in Detroit.

Analysis: What do you honestly expect me to say on this? I have no idea ever seeing this guy on the field.

Redshirted

Terrence Robinson, four-star WR from Texas

Ricky Barnum, four-star OL from Florida

Rocko Khoury, three-star OL from Traverse City, MI

Elliot Mealer, four-star OL from Wauseon, OH

Brandon Moore, four-star TE from Trotwood, OH

Dann O’Neill, four-star OL from Grand Haven, MI

Patrick Omameh, two-star DE (who I hear is converting to OL) from Columbus, OH

Roy Roundtree (snake oil incident), four-star WR from Trotwood, OH

Brandon Smith, four-star DB from New Jersey

Kurt Wermers, three-star OL from Indiana

Mike Cox, three-star RB from Connecicut

J.T. Floyd, three-star ATH (safety from what I hear) from South Carolina

Left Team

Taylor Hill, four-star LB from Youngstown, OH (left for reasons unknown)

Transfered

Marcus Witherspoon, four-star LB from New Jersey (academically ineligible at Michigan, transferred to Rutgers)

Final Thoughts

Losing Hill and Witherspoon hurt especially looking at Michigans depth at linebacker, it’s not too promising.

I love that most of the offensive lineman redshirted and have a whole year under RichRod’s and Barwis’ tutelage.

Omameh I hear is going to be really good on the O-Line as will Barnum and O’Neill.

J.T. Floyd is the one who almost got the number one jersey till Braylon stepped in and told RichRod what’s up. But I think that just speaks to Floyd’s ability so we have that to look forward to.

All in all, it’s been a pretty decent class but things will be clearer after their sophomore years.

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2008 Michigan Football: The Program That Really Was

So many journalists and fans alike clamored after the 3-9 season Michigan suffered this year.

“They have too much talent!”

“Rodriguez wasted it!”

“They never should have gone 3-9!”

Ladies and gentlemen, the truth is, Michigan was not the program we all thought it was. Michigan did not have the depth and talent that we all thought they did.

For example, of the 2004 recruiting class (fifth-year seniors this year), nine players either transferred or quit the team before Rodriguez came. Five (Henne, Hart, etc.) graduated.

Of the 2005 class, eight players transferred/quit, two left the team (Bass—5* who ruined knee, Slocum—Academics), and one (Zirbel) became unavailable after Rodriguez came.

Still with me? That’s 25 players. That’s 25 “premium” recruits we supposedly had. Let’s continue.

This year, players like Artis Chambers, Zion Babb, and Justin Boren either transferred, planned to, or were kicked off the team.

Other players haven’t panned out as we thought they would. Kevin Grady has turned out to be a bust, Carson Butler is a pain in the ass, and players like Patterson, Criswell, Savoy, Logan, Panter, and many more have rarely seen the field.

Now a lot of teams don’t have “successful” classes, or at least where 50 percent of their classes eventually see the field or are deemed “successful recruits.”

But Michigan has lost a significant portion of its talent through attrition and graduation. Many players never panned out, some quit, and some simply graduated, not taking a fifth year of eligibility.

With Manningham and Arrington, the truth is there wasn’t a lot of talent behind them after they departed. Mathews was solid, but Stonum was unproven. Junior Hemingway was out for most of the season with mono/injuries, Zion Babb was a bust, and Odoms turned out to be a surprise.

Lloyd Carr can be partially blamed for the quarterback situation, as he typically only went after a single quarterback recruit each year. And if you think Ryan Mallet left because of Rodriguez, you are wrong. He hated Ann Arbor, was generally disliked by the team, and probably wouldn’t have fit well.

Part of the theory behind Rodriguez’s theme is to build strength with competition, and that won’t start to take place for another year or two. With strong recruiting classes, the Wolverines will finally have the depth that so many believed they had.

Then they can return to elite status.

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College Football’s Biggest Surprises of 2008 (So Far)

This year has been typical in that there have been many surprises for fans to talk about.  Let’s recap a few of the biggest be they good or bad.

 

1. Alabama

Everyone said not if, but when Nick Saban would return the Crimson Tide to national prominence and BCS bowls.  Most thought he was at least a year or two away from making that happen.   Alabama’s ascent to number one this year has to be at least one of the biggest surprises.

 

1. Michigan

Help me understand how hiring Rich Rodriguez is a good thing.  They fired Lloyd Carr why?  I don’t believe anybody saw this train wreck coming, especially the people that hired Coach Rod.

 

1. The sudden and complete downfall of Tommy Bowden

Clemson was supposed to be a contender this year.  Instead, their miserable start cost Bowden his job and Clemson their hope for reaching the next level.

 

1. Tennessee

Picked to finish in the top 20, but instead struggling not to finish at the bottom of the SEC with their worst record in decades.  Like Bowden, Fulmer joins the unemployment line with this plummet.

 

1. The Big 12

Yes, many expected Oklahoma to be good, but nobody expected so many teams to have such great seasons.  The SEC is good, but the Big 12 is GREAT.  Never before have so many teams been so close to making it to the top from this conference.

 

1. Oregon State

By beating USC, the mighty Beavers are going to the Rose Bowl ahead of USC with a win over cross-state rival Oregon.  Anybody who said they saw Oregon State beating out USC for the Rose Bowl, raise your hand.  Yeah, that’s what I thought.

 

1. Auburn

Picked by some to win the SEC West, picked by all as a top 20 team, Auburn will be sitting at home this bowl season and perhaps looking for a new coach.  Tuberville’s experiment with the spread proved to be a disaster.  Now he’s trying to simply spread the blame.

 

1. Ole Miss

There’s not a man on the Ole Miss roster that’s ever been to a bowl game.  At the beginning of the season there was reason to expect this year would be different.  Houston Nutt proved one school’s problem could be another school’s solution.  The defeat of Florida cost the Gators a number one ranking and may qualify as the year’s big upset.

 

1. Tim Tebow

How can a former Heisman winner be snubbed the following year by the Unitas Award by not even being nominated?  John Parker Wilson over Tebow?  And we expect them to be rational?

 

1. Vanderbilt

The little team that could.  Vandy hasn’t been to a bowl game since 1982 but will be there this year.  Coach Bobby Johnson proved that the school’s confidence in giving him the time he needed to restore the program was not in vain.

 

Honorable Mention: Notre Dame

Most figured Notre Dame would continue to be an underperforming team, but few figured they would suck THIS bad.  Charlie Weis deserves the Golden Foot to the Lead Butt for this season and should be shown the door.  Many doubt it will happen, however.

 

I number these top 10 all number one because it’s up to you to decide the order. Depending on the area of the country you live in and the team you pull for, I’m sure the order will change.

But as Lee Corso says so often, “Not so fast my friend.”  The season is far from over, and more surprises await.  The biggest story may still be unwritten.

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Rodriguez looks ahead to 2009 season

Posted by ESPN.com’s Adam Rittenberg

Michigan head coach Rich Rodriguez held his post-mortem news conference Monday and addressed many of the issues on his growing to-do list for the 2009 season. He does expect more attrition on the roster but not a dramatic amount of departures. So far wide receiver Zion Babb, defensive tackle Jason Kates and safety Artis Chambers have left.

Still, he admitted not everyone has committed to the plan and the direction.

“As far as buying in, I think the majority of them have,” Rodrgiuez said. “But there is a handful that still maybe question things themselves, maybe their confidence, their role, how they can contribute. And I think that’s typical everywhere in a transition year. But it wasn’t as much as maybe I thought. But, again, until it’s a hundred percent, then you don’t know what you have.

“Everybody, as we move forward, will be guys that play for Michigan first and foremost and believe in this program and this university, and if not, then they won’t be playing for Michigan. It’s as simple as that.”

After his “get a life” comment was overblown in the days leading up to the Ohio State game, Rodriguez was asked whether he’d be more tight-lipped in the future. Thankfully, he doesn’t plan to become Lloyd Carr Part II.

“It’s a big boy world,” he said. “So I understand that. I’ve been there for a little bit. It does make you I guess want to be a little more reserved at times. That’s not my personality. I want to be open and honest and transparent I guess is the proper word. We’ll be that. I’ll continue to be that. Doesn’t mean I don’t get ticked off when somebody writes something that ain’t true. That’s what happens.”

Hallelujah.

Other notable items from the news conference included:

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The 2008 Ohio State – Michigan Report Card

Here’s the 2008 Ohio State – Michigan Report Card:

• The Opponent – D. I probably started watching Ohio State – Michigan games in the mid-70’s. I don’t know the exact number, but I’m guessing that I’ve seen more than thirty games so far. And in all those games, I’ve never seen such a poorly prepared Michigan team. I know Lloyd Carr didn’t turn over an elite program to his successor, but neither did he leave the mess we saw on Saturday. The Michigan kids played hard. They still had pride. But they were completely outcoached and outclassed. If it were my decision to make, I probably wouldn’t have picked Rich Rodriguez to lead a storied and legendary program. But he’s there now. I’m sure he’ll eventually be able to recruit his kind of players and reach a level of respectability. The question is whether the people who love Michigan Michigan football will give him enough time.
• The Defense – A-. With the exception of one drive, the Buckeye defense completely dominated a dysfunctional and outmanned Wolverine offense. At all three levels, the Buckeyes played superior football. The D line was able to get pressure with only three down lineman. The linebackers cleaned up the running game. And the secondary shut down an underwhelming passing attack. James Laurinaitus stole the show, not just because or his 12 tackles, but also because of his leadership and emotion. Not a bad way to end a wonderful college career for him personally. And not a bad way to end the regular season for a defense that gradually matured into a fine unit. A Buckeye Legends tip of the hat has to go out to Coach Jim Heacock who, despite taking a little heat this year from many fans and so-called pundits, including this blog, found a way to grind out a championship season. This might not be the best Buckeye defense in recent memory, but because of the progress they made after the USC game, it might be the one that the coaches remember with the most satisfaction.
• The Offense – B+. Pryor looked a little shaky to start the game, but he eventually found a rhythm. The real story, though, was the Big Play, including long runs by Beanie Wells and Boom Herron as well as the deep balls to Brian Hartline and Brian Robiskie. And in the last regular season game, the offensive line finally lived up to pre-season expectations. They moved the line of scrimmage throughout the game and provided pretty good protection for the passing game. As we’ll probably see a good SEC or Big 12 team in the Bowl Game, the Buckeye O-line needed a great performance as a confidence builder. They’ll determine whether we can finally exorcise our post-season demons. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Todd Boeckman’s performance. After enduring defeat and humiliation this season, he found a measure of redemption in his final regular season game. I’m still not sure why we didn’t see more of him this year, particularly in the Penn State game, but against the Wolverines he reminded everyone that he has still has the talent and poise to run a productive offense. I have no doubt that he’ll be successful at the next level.
• The Special Teams – A-. With Ray Small back on the field and the punt and kick coverage teams smothering the Wolverines return game, the special teams delivered another superior performance on Saturday. They set the tone for the game with a very physical effort.
• My Favorite Play. Almost too many to choose from this week. I think I’ll go with Boeckman’s long ball to Robiskie in the 4^th quarter. The game was over by then, but it really showed how to execute the deep passing game. The trajectory and spin of the ball just seem different when it’s thrown by a pure passer.
• Game Ball. James Laurinaitis.

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Top 25 Roundup: Boomer Sooner!

Can anyone honestly say they expected the outcomes of yesterday’s games? I doubt it. There were those who thought that Cinderella had started to call Lubbock home. But don’t get those tickets to Miami just yet, fans.

Check out who made the noise over this past college football weekend.

#5 Oklahoma 65, #2 Texas Tech 21

That score is not a typo, people. The Oklahoma Sooners not only dominated the Ultimate Underdogs of the Big XII…they straight up sank their undefeated ship. Now the Sooners have no other choice but to take the #3 spot away from Texas. Why is that you ask? Let’s do the rundown of the three meetings between these three teams this season:

Texas beat Oklahoma by 10 in the Red River Rivalry. Texas Tech beat Texas by six on a last second touchdown pass from Graham Harrell to Michael Crabtree. This past weekend, Oklahoma killed the Red Raiders by 44. Need I say more? In the words of WWE’s Good Ol’ JR: Boomer Sooner! Oklahoma in my book did enough to earn the #3 spot, but unfortunately, they didn’t do enough to get #2 because…

#3 Florida 70, The Citadel 19

If Tim Tebow is heading to the NFL after this season, expect people to talk about his performance in his final five games. But yesterday, the Superman of Florida put on a clinic against a team that is used to being the punching bag of the Gators. The Gators scored on their first seven possessions and racked up 512 yards…in the first half alone!

Here’s another dangerous stat for Florida State and Alabama to realize: Florida is the first and only team to score 42 points in six consecutive games. Now who did they play before that streak started? You guessed it. Ole Miss. So if this was the last time that the Gator Nation saw him at Da Swamp, he sent everyone home with visions of National Championships dancing in their heads. And with the Sooners beating Texas Tech, they will jump Texas and take #2 outright.

#21 Oregon State 19, Arizona 17

The Beavers are smelling roses? That’s right. With a win against Oregon this coming weekend, the Oregon State Beavers will have done what many have tried but been unable to do: Take the Pac-10 Championship away from Los Angeles, California. On a night where anything could have happened, the Beavers shocked the world once again with a victory over a pretty good football team in Arizona.

With the victory over the Wildcats, the Beavers are primed to win the Pac-10 Championship even if they finish in a tie with the USC Trojans. Even better news? The win over the Ducks will put them in the Rose Bowl against a team that dominated the big Ten all season long…

#8 Penn State 49, #17 Michigan State 18

He may not be talking, but he is smiling right now. After a season that saw the Nittany Lions’ chances of a berth in the BCS Championship go up in smoke after a trip to Iowa, the Lions continued to do what they do best: Winning. After destroying the Spartans in a game that wasn’t even close, the Lions are now heading to Pasadena to play in the Rose Bowl. Whether it’s against USC or Oregon State remains to be seen, but for Penn State, it doesn’t matter.

As far as smiling goes, Joe Paterno is doing nothing else but smiling. The talks of retirement far from his mind, he is now focused on The Rose Bowl and getting the respect back into the Big Ten that was lost on Ohio State and Michigan.

Florida State 37, #22 Maryland 3

This is a touching story, and coming from a Florida Gators Fan, that means a lot. But despite the Seminoles crushing blow on the Terrapins last night, it was about one player in particular.

I would like to send my congratulations to Myron Rolle of Florida State who interviewed for the Rhodes Scholarship on Friday in Birmingham, Alabama. The young Seminole won the Scholarship and then went out and did his part to ensure that Florida State not only is motivated going into their home showdown for the Governor’s Cup against Florida this coming weekend, but also looking at a chance to play in the ACC Championship. But they need Maryland (yes, the very same team they just crushed) to beat Boston College next week.

So where will Florida State’s concentration be come next Saturday?

#10 Ohio State 50, Michigan 14

Just to make all the Buckeyes fans feel better, and to make the Wolverines fans cry even more, the Ohio State Buckeyes delivered a couple of gifts to Big Blue over the weekend:

The first was the Wolverines most embarrassing loss in this rivalry since 1968. The second gift was handing the Wolverines the most losses in their program’s history. Head coach Rich Rodriguez gave Michigan a few gifts of their own: The first time in 34 years that we will not see Michigan in a bowl game and they have their first losing season in 41 years.

Now that it’s over, I have a question for the Michigan Fans. You had high hopes after Lloyd Carr left the program. Rich Rodriguez sorely disappointed you this season. Now the Wolverines will be scratching their asses at home instead of playing against someone in a bowl game. First losing season in 41 years and no bowl game for first time in 34 years. Actually two questions: How do you like ‘dem apples and can Rich right the ship next season?

So how’s the Top Five Look Now?

#5) Texas Tech

#4) Texas

#3) Oklahoma

#2) Florida

#1) Alabama

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No. 1 Thing Is OSU Versus Michigan

COLUMBUS, Ohio — There’s a sign in the Ohio State locker room that says, "Do you remember the score the last time Michigan beat us?"

It’s a reminder – in the chill of winter or the heat of August – that "The Big Game" is never far away.

On his first day as coach at Michigan, somebody gave Rich Rodriguez an Ohio State button. It sits by the phone in his office. He sees it every day.

A year of pretending not to be thinking about it is over. The 105th meeting between the archrivals is at hand.

This season’s edition of Ohio State-Michigan has two new central figures and something rarely seen when these two perennial powers get together: a losing team.

While No. 10 Ohio State (9-2, 6-1) has much to play for, it’s only about pride for Michigan (3-8, 2-5).

A win and the Buckeyes can grab a share of the Big Ten title and continue to stand in line for a spot in the Bowl Championship Series.

The Buckeyes don’t see that as much of an advantage, however.

"I don’t want us to get complacent or comfortable," Ohio State defensive lineman Nader Abdallah said. "We only have one more game in the Horseshoe and then hopefully a bowl game but right now the No. 1 thing is OSU vs. Michigan. If we go out and we don’t take care of business then people will remember you for the last thing you did and not what you did before."

Michigan is a three-touchdown underdog playing out the string in a dreadful season, hoping to end on a good note while deflating the Buckeyes’ hopes. Rodriguez first season in Ann Arbor after taking over for the retired Lloyd Carr has produced the most losses in any of the storied program’s 129 seasons, the first losing season in 41 years and the first season without a bowl trip in 34 years.

But this series is marked by major upsets. The biggest took place in 1969, when a rookie coach named Bo Schembechler led the Wolverines to a 24-12 upset of the top-ranked and defending national champion Buckeyes, ending a 22-game winning streak.

Woody Hayes, Schembechler’s friend and former boss, would say later that those Buckeyes were "probably the best team that ever played college football."

Earle Bruce, who followed Hayes as Ohio State’s coach in 1979, spoke to the Buckeyes on Sunday night. He brought up the 1969 game and talked of how overconfidence can ruin a team. They say they got the message.

"There’s plenty of history of people saying there’s no way this team could lose this game in the rivalry, and the other team ends up winning," linebacker James Laurinaitis said.

Michigan has also had former players come in this week and they, too, have discussed that ‘69 stunner.

Would an upset make up for all of Michigan’s miseries?

"If you had a win over Ohio State, that’s what you’d try to remember the most," quarterback Nick Sheridan said. "To say that it will block out all the other bad memories that you have from this year, I don’t think that’s the case. Yeah, it would be big for us to beat Ohio State. But that’s how it is every year."

The mantra in Columbus is that Michigan’s 3-8 record is either misleading or irrelevant.

"Their record means nothing in the grand scale of things, because what are they going to be remembered for at Michigan: Did they beat Ohio State? And the same goes for us: Did we beat Michigan?" said Ohio State kicker Ryan Pretorius, a native of South Africa who equates the magnitude of the game with the World Cup of rugby back home.

The game is significant also because it marks a debut on either side.

Rodriguez swears he has an appreciation for the history of The Big Game. His only regret is that he’s taking a team with so many disadvantages.

"Oh, sure. I’d like to go in there and have, you know, four or five veteran receivers running 4.4s, and two or three tailbacks and experienced quarterbacks and a bunch of defensive guys who will be first-round picks," he said. "But, you know, we’ve got guys that can compete. Do I get nervous when I watch the film? Sure I do. I watched last year’s game. We had five (current) NFL players on offense – and we got less than 100 yards against them."

The Buckeyes won that game 14-3 on a dreary day at The Big House. It was Carr’s final regular-season game after coaching the Wolverines since 1995. Ohio State’s Chris "Beanie" Wells ran for 222 yards (most ever by a Buckeyes back against Michigan) on 39 carries and scored both touchdowns.

Wells is back, and will go against a Michigan defense that is OK against the run (128 yards a game) but often spend too much time on the field because of the Wolverines’ unproductive offense.

"It’s a daunting challenge," Rodriguez said. Then, he channeled the late Schembechler, growling, "But if you’re not a competitor as a coach or player and don’t appreciate it … hell, I’ve got guys that can play. These guys can go in this environment and compete their tails off. Who knows what happens? We’re not going to go down there and forfeit."

Playing in his first game in the rivalry will be Ohio State freshman quarterback Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeyes are 7-1 since Pryor, who chose Ohio State over Michigan, took over as the starter.

The 6-foot-6, 235-pound speedster can turn a broken play into an end-to-end touchdown. But this is a long way from the Pennsylvania High School playoffs he was competing in a year ago.

"I don’t know, but I just keep getting it pounded in my ears, ‘This is why you came here, for Michigan,"’ he said after last week’s victory at Illinois. "I can’t wait to find out."

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Ohio State-Michigan: Wolverines Look to Prevent Fifth Straight Buckeye Victory

Before I get started with this week’s preview, congratulations are in order. Give some props to the Michigan basketball team for beating the number four-ranked UCLA Bruins Thursday night by a score of 55-52 at Madison Square Garden.

I could not believe my eyes and was ecstatic afterwards. Hey Sparties, still want to wait for basketball season? I can’t wait for Feb. 10 at Crisler Arena when Michigan plays MSU.

On with the preview.

 

Michigan Wolverines (3-8, 2-5) at Ohio State Buckeyes (9-2, 6-1)

Noon, Saturday at Ohio Stadium

Line: Ohio State -20.5

Weather: High of 36 degrees with partly cloudy skies

Well, here it is, folks—the 105th meeting between the University of Michigan and Ohio State University.

The 20.5-point spread is the largest in the history of “The Game,” and there’s a good chance the Buckeyes will cover given how bad Michigan has been this season.

It all depends on which Michigan team shows up Saturday. Are we going to get the Wolverines from the Minnesota game that played solid football for four quarters, or the team that has bombed against the rest of the Big Ten?

How about the team that played against Purdue, where just the offense showed up and the defense decided to lay an egg? Or the teams that played good for one quarter of a game against Wisconsin and Illinois?

All I know is if the Wolverines and the 16 seniors on this team want to beat Ohio State for the first time since 2003, they better show up and hit on all cylinders for a full 60 minutes.

Michigan has never lost five straight against the Buckeyes, but this has been a season of dreadful firsts for the Wolverines, so if this is the year it happens, I won’t be much surprised.

However, if Michigan should pull out the victory on Saturday, I will be elated and proceed to claim it the biggest upset in the history of the series.

It’s going to be a giant uphill battle, though, and I don’t see giving Michigan much of a chance.

 

Michigan Pass Offense vs. Ohio State Pass Defense

All Michigan fans can do is hope that Nick Sheridan brings his stallion and sword prepared to be knighted again instead of his usual white flag signaling surrender.

He’s got the 13th-ranked pass defense in the country to deal with, which has 14 interceptions, led by Kurt Coleman’s four and Malcolm Jenkins’s three.

Jenkins also has eight pass breakups, so I would advise against throwing to his side of the field altogether.

Michigan’s offensive line did pretty well against Northwestern last week. The Wildcats had a ton of sacks entering that game but only got one on the Wolverines.

I would normally feel all right about Michigan’s ability to pick up the pass rush, but Steve Schilling might not play after spraining his knee in practice this week.

Ohio State has a decent pass rush, accumulating 21 sacks this season.

In order to compensate, Martavious Odoms, Darryl Stonum, and Kevin Koger are all going to have to step up their game and get open quicker.

Stonum has been having a rough time with routes, and Odoms has a propensity to drop the ball, being the freshmen that they are.

Marcus Freeman and James Laurinaitis will most likely get to Sheridan before he can even get to his second read, which takes long enough as it is.

Advantage: Ohio State

 

Michigan Rush Offense vs. Ohio State Rush Defense

Brandon Minor is back this week, and after Carlos Brown returned from oblivion last week, Michigan should have a solid one-two punch this week.

The offensive line is run blocking better and better each week, and Brown and Minor should have some good lanes to run through—although those lanes might get filled up by the nation’s 26th-ranked run defense that only gives up 3.7 yards per carry.

The Buckeyes have an astonishing 54 tackles for loss, led by Freeman’s 6.5 and Laurinaitis’s 4.5.

Speed kills, though, and Minor and Brown have shown a lot of speed this season. Minor is bound to break a long run or two, while Brown almost did a couple times last week.

Advantage: Michigan (barely)

Ohio State Pass Offense vs. Michigan Pass Defense

Terrelle Pryor is going to be a nightmare to deal with for the Michigan defense. He doesn’t throw a lot, but when he has, it’s been effective.

Pryor has a 152.16 efficiency rating and has 10 touchdowns and just three interceptions.

While he’s lethal on the ground, he can be just as lethal if not more through the air.

Brian Robiskie is his favorite target (seven touchdowns), and Brian Hartline is averaging over 20 yards per catch.

Michigan’s pass defense has been a complete disaster this season, with Stevie Brown, Charles Stewart, and Brandon Harrison leaving the middle of the field wide open.

The Wolverines’ secondary ranks 89th in the country and gives up over 230 yards per game through the air.

Advantage: Ohio State

 

Ohio State Rush Offense vs. Michigan Rush Defense

This is the key matchup in the game if both teams want to be successful.

If Ohio State has a big day on the ground, expect another Buckeye victory, but if Michigan can slow down Beanie Wells and Pryor, the Wolverines will have a chance.

The Buckeyes rank 29th in the country, averaging 187 yards per game, with Wells rushing for 119.6 per game and 5.4 per carry.

He killed Michigan singlehandedly last year with 222 yards and the only two touchdowns at the Big House.

Now he has Pryor to aid him once in a while, who gets 50.9 yards per game and 4.8 per carry.

Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton are going to be crucial in slowing down Wells and keeping Pryor contained.

Ezeh and Mouton need to step up and show that they can be leaders on this team next season, and this is their audition.

Seniors Terrance Taylor, Will Johnson, and Tim Jamison are just itching to get their first victory against OSU.

If the defensive line can slow down Wells, and Ezeh and Mouton keep Pryor contained, Michigan can win this game.

Advantage: Even

 

Special Teams

Ohio State has two punt returns for touchdowns this season, but don’t expect them to get one this weekend with Zoltan “Space Lord Emperor of the Universe” Mesko kicking the ball into the upper atmosphere.

Neither team’s field goal kicker is dead-on accurate either.

Advantage: Even

 

Final Thoughts

The media has been blowing up stories about just how much Rich Rodriguez knows about this rivalry.

We already know Sweater Vest’s opinion and passion for this game. It’s the only big game he can win (at least since the 2002 championship game).

Rich Rod has been very open with the media, a lot more so than Lloyd Carr ever was, but I think he’s been holding something back.

There’s something he hasn’t told us yet.

Bo Schembechler said after the historic 1969 win that not even his players knew it, but every day they were practicing something for the Ohio State game.

Maybe RichRod has been doing the same and has a trick or two up his sleeves.

I still don’t think it’ll matter, but maybe it’ll help.

Prediction: Ohio State 31, Michigan 13

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