First, a lot of this board has lost its collective mind right now.
Michigan was going to have to play a near perfect game to win against a legitimate NC contender. Fact is, Michigan is going to have to develop, in every aspect. They were outclassed and outcoached. Usually when you play a better football team, you're going to get beat.
Texas' gameplan. Wow. Hats off to Sark on this one. He managed to take Michigan's 3 best defensive players totally out of the game. G&G in the game, sling the ball quick to Hill's side or attack the perimeter with the run. G&G out of the game, run inside and test Michigan's depth players. This wasn't helped at all by Wink's game plan. They managed to get Texas in more third and long than I care to count and he drops back to play coverage. Even if the front flushed Ewers, the back end can't cover those receivers that long. They're too talented and that TE is a total mismatch vs damn near anyone. They didn't give Johnson a chance to affect the game at all and by the late second quarter, it was obvious Michigan was going to need a play from the defense to stay in it.
I think Wink overthought this game. Gus and Klatt were talking about how he was going to change up the game plan completely at half. I mean, seriously? The game of football isn't that complicated conceptually. It is, however, very difficult to execute and a poor plan can overexpose your team to unnecessary risks. By the end of the first drive, it was evident the only thing that was going to stop Ewers was to get him on the ground before he could get the ball out because he was deadly accurate. What does Wink do? Third and a mile after third and a mile, rush 4, rush 3 and Ewers ate them alive. In the second quarter, Michigan's defense had been on the field over 40 plays. Most starters last season averaged about 30 in a game on the line. The game was really summed up on a play in the second half where Wink brought pressure from Ewers right side and as he rolled out, 3 Mich players all ran into each other instead of getting what should've been a sack but at worst a throwaway.
Offensively, may have been one of the worst game plans I've seen in 4 years out of Michigan football. I don't care who the QB is, you can't allow the defense to only have to defend within 10 yards of the LOS. Michigan's best drive was easily their second which ended in a FG. They actually showed some creativity and threw the ball downfield with a flea flicker to a wide open receiver. Later on, Semaj was wide open on a layered route that Warren overthrew (a throw we've been spoiled to see JJ make time and again the last 2 years). The last TD was a downfield throw where Semaj eventually beat his man after Warren bought some time. Beyond those few plays, Michigan's offense didn't test the depth of Texas' defense. Perhaps this is Campbell not wanting to expose Warren to risks downfield but hell, no one is expecting you to win this game so what's the problem? It even looked as if the team responded better when they tried to attack the defense vertically. The line blocked better. Receivers got open. Warren threw the ball confidently, even if off target. This is on Campbell to find out just what kind of team he has and what they do well. He may need to adapt his philosophy a bit.
Davis Warren...
Some of you may not want to hear this but you're going to have to deal, Warren is their best chance to win and it's not even a question. No good football team is going to be afraid of the Alex Orji package. Michigan is completely one dimensional when he is in the game and Texas was all over this. There was only one play he ran where he even had a seam but the pulling lineman got ran into and couldn't get to his block to get the play started. Other teams, even less talented ones, will key on this. People have to keep in mind, with the exception of last week, Warren hasn't played meaningful snaps in this decade. Gus and Klatt even mentioned it. He did show flashes that he can be a pretty good QB. The 4th down where he rolled to the right, didn't give up on the play, stopped short of the sideline and threw a very tight window throw to Loveland was an outstanding football play. He repeated this same thing two more times, one went for a first down and the other for a TD. You know he has the chops and head space to play the position. He is going to have growing pains, though. Is he JJ? No. Will he become JJ? Probably not, few QBs will ever be. If those flashes become the norm instead of just flashes, can he be good and lead this team to some wins? I think so. But there is no question he's the best QB on the roster and he has some talent. This isn't a Cade/JJ situation. He's not O'Korn who probably would've given up on a few of those plays, particularly late in the game. Warren needs reps, a lot of them.
Finally, this is where Moore is going to have to cut his teeth a bit. Michigan hasn't lost a regular season game since 2021. I did like to see Warren fight for that drive at the end. I liked seeing Morgan fight for that TD. I liked seeing the defense get a few stops in the second half despite the fact they were exhausted. This was easily the worst game Michigan has played since 2020. Seriously, your best player and All American TE simply dropped the ball on a play that would've gone for a first down when they still had a chance. If they score on that drive, despite how the game looked, they could've gone into halftime only down 7. Instead, Texas gets the ball on Michigan's 30 and scores themselves right before half. Moore is going to have to regroup these guys and learn from this.
In every facet of the game, Michigan is going to have to play better than this and they are a much better football team than what was displayed yesterday. On to next week. Go Blue.
Michigan was going to have to play a near perfect game to win against a legitimate NC contender. Fact is, Michigan is going to have to develop, in every aspect. They were outclassed and outcoached. Usually when you play a better football team, you're going to get beat.
Texas' gameplan. Wow. Hats off to Sark on this one. He managed to take Michigan's 3 best defensive players totally out of the game. G&G in the game, sling the ball quick to Hill's side or attack the perimeter with the run. G&G out of the game, run inside and test Michigan's depth players. This wasn't helped at all by Wink's game plan. They managed to get Texas in more third and long than I care to count and he drops back to play coverage. Even if the front flushed Ewers, the back end can't cover those receivers that long. They're too talented and that TE is a total mismatch vs damn near anyone. They didn't give Johnson a chance to affect the game at all and by the late second quarter, it was obvious Michigan was going to need a play from the defense to stay in it.
I think Wink overthought this game. Gus and Klatt were talking about how he was going to change up the game plan completely at half. I mean, seriously? The game of football isn't that complicated conceptually. It is, however, very difficult to execute and a poor plan can overexpose your team to unnecessary risks. By the end of the first drive, it was evident the only thing that was going to stop Ewers was to get him on the ground before he could get the ball out because he was deadly accurate. What does Wink do? Third and a mile after third and a mile, rush 4, rush 3 and Ewers ate them alive. In the second quarter, Michigan's defense had been on the field over 40 plays. Most starters last season averaged about 30 in a game on the line. The game was really summed up on a play in the second half where Wink brought pressure from Ewers right side and as he rolled out, 3 Mich players all ran into each other instead of getting what should've been a sack but at worst a throwaway.
Offensively, may have been one of the worst game plans I've seen in 4 years out of Michigan football. I don't care who the QB is, you can't allow the defense to only have to defend within 10 yards of the LOS. Michigan's best drive was easily their second which ended in a FG. They actually showed some creativity and threw the ball downfield with a flea flicker to a wide open receiver. Later on, Semaj was wide open on a layered route that Warren overthrew (a throw we've been spoiled to see JJ make time and again the last 2 years). The last TD was a downfield throw where Semaj eventually beat his man after Warren bought some time. Beyond those few plays, Michigan's offense didn't test the depth of Texas' defense. Perhaps this is Campbell not wanting to expose Warren to risks downfield but hell, no one is expecting you to win this game so what's the problem? It even looked as if the team responded better when they tried to attack the defense vertically. The line blocked better. Receivers got open. Warren threw the ball confidently, even if off target. This is on Campbell to find out just what kind of team he has and what they do well. He may need to adapt his philosophy a bit.
Davis Warren...
Some of you may not want to hear this but you're going to have to deal, Warren is their best chance to win and it's not even a question. No good football team is going to be afraid of the Alex Orji package. Michigan is completely one dimensional when he is in the game and Texas was all over this. There was only one play he ran where he even had a seam but the pulling lineman got ran into and couldn't get to his block to get the play started. Other teams, even less talented ones, will key on this. People have to keep in mind, with the exception of last week, Warren hasn't played meaningful snaps in this decade. Gus and Klatt even mentioned it. He did show flashes that he can be a pretty good QB. The 4th down where he rolled to the right, didn't give up on the play, stopped short of the sideline and threw a very tight window throw to Loveland was an outstanding football play. He repeated this same thing two more times, one went for a first down and the other for a TD. You know he has the chops and head space to play the position. He is going to have growing pains, though. Is he JJ? No. Will he become JJ? Probably not, few QBs will ever be. If those flashes become the norm instead of just flashes, can he be good and lead this team to some wins? I think so. But there is no question he's the best QB on the roster and he has some talent. This isn't a Cade/JJ situation. He's not O'Korn who probably would've given up on a few of those plays, particularly late in the game. Warren needs reps, a lot of them.
Finally, this is where Moore is going to have to cut his teeth a bit. Michigan hasn't lost a regular season game since 2021. I did like to see Warren fight for that drive at the end. I liked seeing Morgan fight for that TD. I liked seeing the defense get a few stops in the second half despite the fact they were exhausted. This was easily the worst game Michigan has played since 2020. Seriously, your best player and All American TE simply dropped the ball on a play that would've gone for a first down when they still had a chance. If they score on that drive, despite how the game looked, they could've gone into halftime only down 7. Instead, Texas gets the ball on Michigan's 30 and scores themselves right before half. Moore is going to have to regroup these guys and learn from this.
In every facet of the game, Michigan is going to have to play better than this and they are a much better football team than what was displayed yesterday. On to next week. Go Blue.
