Preview: Wisconsin 2021
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Essentials
WHAT | Michigan vs Wisconsin | |
---|---|---|
WHERE | Camp Randall Madison, WI |
|
WHEN | Noon Eastern | |
THE LINE | Wisconsin -2 | |
TELEVISION | FOX | |
TICKETS | exist | |
WEATHER |
partly cloudy, mid-70s |
Overview
The mood:
Michigan fans Wisconsin fans
— Bucky’s 5th Quarter (@B5Q) September 29, 2021
We will lose No, we will lose
( •_•) (•_• )
( ง )ง ୧( ୧ )
/︶\ /︶\
This is a bit weird since one of these teams is 4-0 and the other is 1-2, and the 1-2 team is favored.
But hey, yeah, it's Wisconsin. They're doing a lot of Wisconsin things, but they're also pretty wonky at some of the Wisconsin things. This has led to a couple of ugly, low-scoring games against Power 5 opponents that both ended in losses. The first was a 16-10 game against Penn State that was 0-0 at halftime; the second featured a 13-10 fourth quarter lead against Notre Dame that somehow turned into a 41-13 loss.
Michigan feels a wobble after an atrocious second half against Rutgers, but Wisconsin's a couple more turnovers away from a full-fledged implosion.
[Hit THE JUMP for spiderman pointing]
Run Offense vs Wisconsin
[Campredon]
This was looking like a hellbeast of a matchup until Michigan's run game sputtered in the latter two-thirds of the game last week. Now it looks like… well, just a regular beast. Michigan's done some things on the ground and probably spent the whole week self-scouting after things went south. Things like "hitting the perimeter" and "I don't know doing anything at all to get folks out of the box" are likely to surge back into the gameplan, at least temporarily, and Seth will be less frustrated doing the UFRs.
Er… maybe. Wisconsin's 3-4 is going to be a problem. They've given up 69 rushing yards… total. In three games. Ten sacks make that slightly deceptive, but only slightly. Teams have barely bothered to test the Badger front seven. PSU running backs combined for 45 yards on 12 carries, 34 of which came on one Noah Cain run. The other 11 attempts averaged one (1) yard each. Notre Dame gave their RBs 20 attempts, but five of those were in garbage time. Those 20 attempts gathered 39 yards, with a long of seven.
Neither of these teams appear to have much of a ground game this year, but there's holding guys to 3.5 yards a carry and then there's what Wisconsin is doing to teams. Annihilating two upper-level P5 teams is ominous indeed. Alex on how they're doing this:
The Sanborn section gives you a good hint about where Wisconsin is most dangerous, which is in their front seven. The defensive ends may be a bit weaker than normal, but it's also hard to tell right now, because any deficiencies on the DL are being patched up by the LB's. … The ability to have four LB's (Sanborn, Chenal, Burks, and Herbig) who all can become a kamikaze rusher and get home, is what makes the Wisconsin defense so dangerous and also mysterious. Because it allows Jim Leonhard to line up the defense like it's doing one thing, and then pull back the curtain and reveal a different blitz.
Leonhard knows what he's doing and is probably in line for a head job at some point in the near future; Wisconsin brings the usual amount of planetoid nose tackle and an impressive-even-for-them crew of linebackers shooting gaps. Michigan's been excellent at identifying who to go after this year—Rutgers issues were more about free hitters not being punished with playcalling and some iffy blocking—but this is going to be the acid test.
There's some hope here that Michigan will be able to crack the Wisconsin front given their performance to date. I wouldn't get too down based on one bad half where Michigan's quarterback play was allowing Rutgers to tee off, especially since Rutgers's defense is weird and Michigan's more or less adopted Wisconsin's 3-4/2-4-5 approach. Michigan has athletic advantages in the form of Blake Corum that should be able to stretch Wisconsin horizontally, but if they come out with the same moribund plan they had last week that's not going to get it done.
KEY MATCHUP: JOSH GATTIS vs THE STUFF YOU STORED UP THE LAST FEW WEEKS, RIGHT? This is a game to dump out the weird stuff in the playbook. AJ Henning needs touches. Haskins and Corum should probably be on the field together some, getting guys going the wrong way. The things that can break big need airing.
Pass Offense vs Wisconsin
[Campredon]
Given the above this would be a game to rely on the quarterback heavily, which both PSU (33 attempts, 7.5 YPA) and Notre Dame (37 attempts, 6.5 YPA) did—in Notre Dame's case that was despite losing starter Jack Coan in the second half. Problem:
That's a list of passing offenses ranked by number of attempts. Michigan slides in just ahead of the service academies and no one else. This aversion to passing is so extreme that it cannot be entirely explained by a mostly rampant run game, and Cade McNamara's performances to date have been highly erratic. He was not up for it against Washington, and when Michigan tried to rely on him against Rutgers he missed every pass.
If that happens again Michigan's going to grin and bear it, hoping that Wisconsin shoots themselves in the foot as they've done for much of this season. If they get down and nobody's moving and the run game is stuck in neutral, glances towards the bench will begin in earnest. Expect caution here as Michigan tries to Lloydball this game. That's a fair enough way to try to win against this version of Wisconsin, and also it will drive everyone insane.
For the Badgers' part, they're vulnerable over the top:
All of that said, if you can protect your QB/the OL can figure out a way to identify the rushers and pick them up, you can beat Wisconsin through the air. Despite a veteran secondary that knows the scheme well, there are still issues down the field. Penn State beat Wisconsin by throwing the ball down the field, despite the general troubles they had protecting Cilfford. Indeed, 143 of the 297 yards PSU gained in this game came on just three plays, all of them deep bombs. Blowing the top off the defense, especially when they're keying in on the run, is the way to even the playing field and give you space in the box.
Notre Dame also had a 40-yard TD on a fade.
This sounds encouraging if we get the version of McNamara who's been very good on deep balls this season. But also they have ten sacks with those rampant linebackers, so attempting to bomb it deep is going to be a massively high-variance activity. Coan got wiped out with a brutal blindside hit that led to a fumble and a turnover.
Michigan must take their shots, and have protected very well this year. As with the ground game this Wisconsin defense provides another level of test.
KEY MATCHUP: BOMBS AWAY vs VARIANCE. Very unsettling way you need to move the ball, in giant chunks over the top. You can miss those by inches and then you're in very tough against a defense that doesn't give up much in front of their safeties.
Run Defense vs Wisconsin
Ross is supposed to return [Fuller]
This is not a vintage Wisconsin run offense. The Badgers are just 63rd in YPC overall and managed just 3.1 and 2.8 YPC against their two non-EMU foes. For the first time in a long time, the Badger running backs aren't lethal:
Chez Mellusi and Isaac Guerrendo are mostly just guys. They can break tackles here and there but I have not seen a Jonathan Taylor quality to either of them. Mellusi has acceleration that once made him a Clemson recruit but there was little space in this game for him to flash it. The best example is probably in the first Seltzner clip in the Dangerman section, which was also one of Wisconsin's longest runs of the day. Guerrendo is decent at breaking tackles but that was about all I noted from him.
The OL is still capable of ripping out the heart of the defense but with the issues in the passing game we're about to cover opponents have been able to stack the box willy-nilly and deliver free hitters even when the blocking is good. Against Jonathan Taylor that was often a recipe for getting blown through or by and giving up a big play; these guys not so much.
Michigan's getting good play from a couple DTs and hopes to have man-mountain Jordan Whittley back; Whittley might not play many snaps but will be extremely useful as a generally immovable person on the ones he does get. This might be a bridge too far, though. Both ND and PSU look to have stout front sevens and Rutgers was able to consistently gain yardage last weekend, albeit with the sort of college crappe that Wisconsin largely eschews.
Josh Ross's loss was a big deal, especially since it was hard to coach up his replacements since the offense kept going three and out. Ross should return, as his injury was announced as a stinger last week. (By an SID who is no doubt hanging over a cauldron of boiling oil as we speak.)
KEY MATCHUP: HOLDING UP INSIDE vs A REPEAT OF PREVIOUS WISCONSIN GAMES. Some danger that Michigan gets paved in bad ways as this OL greatly outclasses the OL Michigan has generally survived against in the first few games. Hopefully if that starts happening the response is not the weird passivity Michigan approached the second half with last week.
Pass Defense vs Wisconsin
Graham Mertz was the highest-rated QB recruit to commit to Wisconsin since the advent of recruiting rankings and everyone was hype about the idea that Wisconsin + Not Just A Wisconsin Quarterback would lead to a breakthrough past the Wisconsin ceiling. Former starter Jack Coan transferred out and the way was made plain for Mertz.
To say this hasn't exactly worked out is an understatement. Mertz is currently completing 57% of his passes for 6 yards an attempt with one touchdown and 6(!) interceptions, the latter two of which were returned for touchdowns in the Notre Dame game. Those numbers get even uglier if you disregard a 14/17 performance against Eastern Michigan. Alex charted the Penn State game and came up with incredibly ugly charting numbers: 5 bad reads, 6 inaccurate balls, a giant pile of marginal ones. It was ugly:
Here, Mertz locks onto his guy and forces it into double coverage when he has another option open. Look at this:
The yellow circle is the football, intended for a Wisconsin receiver who is boxed in by double coverage. The blue circle shows the wide open receiver Mertz missed. …
Mertz's issues, when mixed with the usual slate of "ehhhh" receivers, leave the passing game totally impotent. They can't throw it down the field, and so every passing play is either a small hitch, a slant, or an out route. Nothing beyond 10 yards past the line of scrimmage, which only serves to make the already stale playcalling more predictable. It's difficult to make the offense tricky and exciting when your receivers are just guys and your QB needs to be wearing a straitjacket.
Those receivers should be familiar: Danny Davis, Kendric Pryor, TE Jake Ferguson. Ferguson, as per tradition, is the best option, another Wisconsin tight end who will be of mid-round interest to the NFL when his college career is done. Both Pryor and Davis have been around absolutely forever—both played in the 2017 Michigan-Wisconsin game. Davis has produced 30-40 catches at about 10 yards a pop for the duration of his career. He's not that big, he's not that explosive, he's just… ok. Pryor's in a similar boat. At around 6' neither guy is much of a jump ball threat, they mostly work underneath and try to get open based on pattern schemes instead of individual ability.
Compounding matters are pass protection issues at tackle, which sound pretty good from a Michigan perspective what with Aidan Hutchinson coming off the edge. Expect the Badgers to leave guys in protection, further limiting options for Mertz.
Michigan's cornerbacks have held up against a series of popgun passing attacks so far—give or take some inexplicable coverages against Rutgers—and should be able to stay in contact here. This doesn't look like the week when Michigan's coverages get tested extensively.
KEY MATCHUP: LINEBACKERS vs PLAY ACTION. It's Wisconsin, Mertz is a mess, Ferguson's the biggest threat, and PA looks like the best opportunity for someone to pop open in a way that Mertz might actually hit them. A few different first down chunk plays might be enough in what projects to be a slobberknocker.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Wisconsin special teams have been very bad so far this year; they rank 111th in FEI's estimation. Corner Dean Ingram returns punts, and has done nothing of note in a couple years of doing so. Ditto kick returner Devin Chandler. Kicker Collin Larsch is fairly iffy, hitting about 2/3rds of his kicks; he ranks in the middle of the pack nationally. Wisconsin suffered a 96-yard kick return touchdown against Notre Dame. That along with very bad punt return stats are most of the poor national ranking.
Punting has been good but it's likely that Andy Vujnovich will come back to earth—he's averaging almost 50 yards a kick without giving up significant return yardage, but last year he was merely eh.
KEY MATCHUP: AHHHH YOU CONTINUE DOING EVERYTHING WELL
INTANGIBLES
CHEAP THRILLS
Worry if…
- Wisconsin's front is stoning Michigan.
- McNamara gets a big hit early.
- Bad stupid road juju comes in full effect.
Cackle with knowing glee if…
- Mertz mertzes mertz.
- Michigan runs the weird stuff.
- Michigan can protect when they chuck it deep.
Fear/Paranoia Level: 7 (Baseline: 5; +1 for 69 Rushing Yards Total, Nice, +1 for Spooky Road Game, +1 for First Road Game Of Year At Very Bad Place For Recent Winning Business, –1 for A Seeming Advantage On The Ground? Really?, –1 for Our QB May Not Be Great But He Also Hasn't Throw Six Picks, +1 for Chryst Is Going To Do The Game Theory Things.)
Desperate need to win level: 10 (Baseline: 5; +1 for I Mean We Are Undefeated, +1 for Annoying Haven't Won There Since X Year Stat, +1 for Annoying Can't Win On Road Against Decent Teams Stat)
Loss will cause me to… revert to 7-5 prediction, grow giant white beard, get sign that says REPENT.
Win will cause me to… downplay win for Lucy-approaching purposes since Wisconsin will be 1-3.
The strictures and conventions of sportswriting compel me to predict:
This is going to be ugly as both teams are afraid of their QBs and willing to plunge into the line over and over again. Michigan's mediocre front seven goes up against Wisconsin's mediocre rushing attack; on the other side of the ball two very good units go head to head. Hard to discern which of those matchups is going to go better for the offense.
So then you look at two things: Michigan's hit some deep balls and Wisconsin hasn't, and Wisconsin's gotten hit on deep balls and Michigan hasn't. Also Michigan has zero turnovers to Wisconsin's many-many, and honestly Mertz has been fortunate that he hasn't suffered more. So that would suggest Michigan wins, except hanging your hat on high-variance, low occurrence plays is pretty dang stupid even in the context of a preview.
Finally, three opportunities for me to look stupid Sunday:
- Michigan wins the battle on the ground largely because Corum does something eyepopping.
- There is one gigantic game-deciding thing that happens.
- Michigan, 12-10.
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October 1st, 2021 at 2:03 PM ^
My guess?
Michigan is easily the better team. Wisconsin scores late to make it look closer than it actually was.
Michigan 24 Wisconsin 10
October 1st, 2021 at 2:13 PM ^
From your lips to gods ears...
I hope you are right good sir!
October 1st, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
Can you share some of your kool-aid? I'd feel a bit better if we played at home but playing at Camp Randall seems like it might be the x-factor for an ominous struggle
October 1st, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
We had our Wisconsin game last week. This week it's Rutgers time. 85-0.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:03 PM ^
I hope you're correct, but... the last time we won in Madison at all was 20 years ago. And the last time we won in Madison by 14 or more was 31 years ago (1990), before Alvarez made Wisconsin competent at footballing.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:08 PM ^
you think we'll be up 24-3 late in the 4th? I'm lost about what leads you to that...
Do you think Rutgers @Michigan is better than wisconsin at home?
I mean, let it happen .. please... but if not... i'll have what she's having.
October 2nd, 2021 at 6:49 AM ^
Well, my optimism rests in the second half of rutgers being a flukey aberration of under performance.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:35 PM ^
I hope to all things holy that you are right. Its tough for me to see it, but its possible.
We'll know for sure in t-minus 24 hours.
October 1st, 2021 at 7:31 PM ^
It’s crazy but I also think UM is going to play a great game and win something like 28-7. I hope we are right
October 1st, 2021 at 2:08 PM ^
Am I doing my math wrong?
"Desperate need to win level: 10 (Baseline: 5; +1 for I Mean We Are Undefeated, +1 for Annoying Haven't Won There Since X Year Stat, +1 for Annoying Can't Win On Road Against Decent Teams Stat)"
5+1+1+1 = 8 right?
Anyways...final score 16-9
October 1st, 2021 at 2:10 PM ^
Good eye, it is 8.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:11 PM ^
+1 for Annoying Can't Win As An Underdog Stat, +1 for Please Make It To November At Least For Profiles In Heroism
October 1st, 2021 at 2:17 PM ^
I'll say M 17 W 14. Total yards even, but with us +1 on turnovers.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:51 PM ^
If we win this one, it's time to add +2 for STAKES, because you never know how the roster will turn over. 5-0 and 2-0 becomes a STAKES season IMO.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:08 PM ^
Saw this and figured Brian knew it was implied that there was a "+2 for The Fanbase Civil War Will Be Insufferable All Season if We Lose"
October 1st, 2021 at 2:12 PM ^
Until a Harbaugh-led Michigan team wins a game on the road that is a toss-up or they are the underdog, I'm not gonna believe it.
Would love nothing more than to be proven wrong tomorrow. The game tomorrow literally feels like one of, if not the most important game in the Harbaugh era. The season hinges on it.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:22 PM ^
It’s certainly the most important game of the Harbaugh era this week. That being said, if a couple of games had gone one play for the better differently (MSU 2015, OSU 2016, PSU 2019) many people have very different feelings about the entire tenure. I will also wait for a road win against a team with a pulse before feeling any positive vibes for the season overall. Maybe that’s this week, maybe it’s not.
October 1st, 2021 at 8:03 PM ^
Shoot, add Iowa 2016 to that list.
October 2nd, 2021 at 12:41 AM ^
Literally every team in the country could say that about a few of their games over a multi year span. It's the usual "Can't see the forest for the trees" michigan goggles.
At the end, it always boils down to "You are your record."
This game has so many irresistible force meets the immovable object qualities to it.
The rushing offense vs W's front 7, A self destructing QB vs Harbaugh choking on the road. etc.
I'm really hoping for a solid-game win and what that could mean for development and confidence going forward, but have no realistic predictions other than a 38% chance of Sludgefart®
October 1st, 2021 at 2:30 PM ^
The game tomorrow literally feels like one of, if not the most important game in the Harbaugh era.
If I had a dollar for every time we've said that, I'd have.... Well, like $12.
This game will shape the perception/expectations for the rest of the gear from the fans' point of view, but I don't know if I think it matters all THAT much. The MSU, PSU, and OSU (obviously) games mean so much more. We lose this, we're still in control of our own destiny. Not true of any of those other games.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:10 PM ^
I told a buddy that you can feel the higher angst in the fanbase before this game more than any other game in his tenure. And if they win, that angst will just continue through to MSU, PSU, and OSU, with everyone waiting to erupt when things go south. It ain't going away with a win in Madison. Too many people have picked a side on the Harbaugh Tenure.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:40 PM ^
I totally get this take (we say "X" is the most important game of the Harbaugh era every "Y" weeks. Solve). However, I kind of buy it this time as that if Harbaugh can't beat THIS version of Wisconsin on the road, it's hard to see it ever happening.
That being said, I think we're all a little bit too shell shocked from last week's running-straight-ahead-into-dumb-loaded-boxes-palooza. Michigan looks like (and SHOULD be) just a better team, and this will be the best running offense the Wisconsin D has seen by a large measure.
Getting UM-Washington vibes here. 24-13 Michigan.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:33 PM ^
I agree with the need for a significant road win, but I don't see how this is possibly close to the most important game of the Harbaugh era. The team is 4-0 and already playing meaningfully above pre-season expectations. I don't see how this is close to the importance of 2016 or 2018 OSU, or even the 2018 opener against Notre Dame. Those games, all on the road, were more important both at the time and in retrospect.
Even if Michigan loses this weekend, they could still enter East Lansing at 6-1, ranked in the Top 25, against a possibly still-ranked MSU on Halloween. That would be a much bigger game, with B1G East implications on the line.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:02 PM ^
That’s fair. I guess I’m just getting at, winning tomorrow can start to change the narrative. Lose tomorrow and it’s just history repeating itself and the wheels start to fall off. I personally think if we lose tomorrow, it probably depends on HOW we lose tomorrow. If it’s a first quarter collapse, nothing has changed.
October 1st, 2021 at 4:17 PM ^
Winning won't change the narrative much. Everyone will just look at Wisconsin and say "Yeah, well Wisconsin is shit. Their record sucks, and they're not even ranked."
October 1st, 2021 at 8:07 PM ^
The Tao of Michigan fandom. Any game we win is less meaningful, so only the games we lose are big games, and golly look at our record in "big games"!
October 1st, 2021 at 5:31 PM ^
It's easy to overstate this, and one loss does not make or break a season that would be a roaring success even with two losses.
But the program's mentality has been fragile. At the beginning of the year I speculated that a loss here, particularly a bad one, would throw the wheels off. That still may be the case.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:15 PM ^
Going with the 'ol 2012 Michigan-MSU game score I see.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:17 PM ^
Well.
I'm either mildly encouraged...or mildly concerned.
11 of 15 for Cade...no TOs for us...1 TD in the air...Haskins the god of Thunder blasts in a rushing TD.
And Blake the Snake Lightning rips off a 63 yard rush for a TD.
Michigan 24. Wisconsin 16.
GO BLUE.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:18 PM ^
23-13 Wisconsin
October 1st, 2021 at 3:13 PM ^
Unsolicited details:
* Wisconsin wins the toss and scores a one-yard TD after a twenty-play, ten-minute drive. Michigan fans get to hear "First down, Wisconsin!" about seven times. 7-0.
* Wisconsin scores again on a wholly different drive where Mertz looks competent on a couple of long passes against Gray / Turner. 14-0.
* In the second quarter Michigan begins to have a little bit of success running the ball. They manage a couple of field goals. 14-6 at halftime. Harbaugh is convinced that his plan will eventually work.
* Both teams are largely inept in the third quarter but Wisconsin makes a couple of long FGs. 20-6.
* In the fourth quarter Michigan has its best drive of the game with mostly running plays. It extends from 11-something to 5-something on the clock. There's still a little bit of hope. 20-13.
* Wisconsin has its best drive of the game with mostly running plays. It can't quite run out the clock and kicks a short FG as time expires. 23-13.
October 1st, 2021 at 5:07 PM ^
All viable except for Chryst would never in a million years try a FG with the lead as time expires.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:18 PM ^
A QB who can't hit throws at home because he got nutty after a big hit isn't going to find his groove on a first ever big road game at Camp Randall where the run game is going to get stoned...
Oh and I don't put any blame on Cade. I place it squarely on Harbaugh and his inability to effectively install concepts like keep options and other college frippery to take pressure off the QB who constantly deals with defenses that know exactly what we're doing.
Wisconsin 20 -10. Hope I'm very wrong.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:54 PM ^
Hope you're wrong too. But he didn't "get nutty" so much as totter under pressure. Unfortunately, this previously occurred under the pressure of the UTL atmosphere as well, and Camp Randall isn't going to be a low-pressure atmosphere.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:10 PM ^
its what we all think. but... thats why we watch. so, thoughts and prayers.
When its 0-0 at half, i'll look forward to all the cow pictures... MOOOOOOW!
October 2nd, 2021 at 6:53 AM ^
I mean, the player got ejected for that hit. It's not something to expect every game.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:19 PM ^
DVR city baby...ain't watching that shit live. This will be hard to watch and filled with lots of nerve wracking plays and fail.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:24 PM ^
Man I don't know how you can just not watch. Especially if it's going to be nerve wracking, just get that shit over with like the rest of us and at least be able to talk about it with others in real time
October 1st, 2021 at 2:48 PM ^
Life occasionally gets in the way of watching a 4+ hour football game, unfortunately. DVR'ing and watching in 2 hrs or less is great if you can avoid spoilers.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:09 PM ^
Yep. I can watch the entire game in 1.5 hours.
October 1st, 2021 at 3:15 PM ^
Dude, wait for "MGoArchive" to work his magic and you can watch the whole thing in under forty minutes.
That's what I do when I can't see it in-person.
October 1st, 2021 at 5:32 PM ^
With how much these teams are going to run the ball tomorrow, the game isn't going to take much longer than that in real time. This game is going to set football back 50 years.
October 1st, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
Avoid your inbox as well. I DVR'd the WMU game and before I could watch it, I got an email from MDen about the "big win".
October 1st, 2021 at 3:24 PM ^
I blame the commercials they are the main reason. I watch all the tomato can games live because they are fun. The big games I DVR and then check the score to see if I want to watch it. Good results and I sit down and enjoy. Shit results and I shrug and move on. Honestly its been the best solution to Harboffense+commercials.
October 1st, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
I wait until about 90 minutes after the game has started, and if the game is looking okay then I'll start watching. If I fast forward though the commercials and half time, I end up watching the last half of the 4th quarter live.
October 1st, 2021 at 4:46 PM ^
This is my process for even and underdog games as well. Check the score, see if I want to watch. Even when successful, the Harbaughfense is often tough to watch. When it's being stymied, it's awful.
If the coaches did things an easier way and gave the impression that they did some scouting of the opponent rather than "doing things Michigan's way", it would be easier.
October 1st, 2021 at 6:04 PM ^
Im with you man 100%. Ill support the school always, Ill support the players always but Rutgers isnt dictating we run into a brick wall we are. Its almost as though stubbornness will be the ultimate demise of Harbaugh. Just run your five best plays this season on a loop. EFF it you are doing nothing attack the edges and get a little crazy. Attack until all the safeties and LBs are flowing to the edges then go back to the ground and pound.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
Good call. I do this from time to time for games I know will be painful.
October 1st, 2021 at 2:55 PM ^
I do this too, just too painful to watch losses live. Except I don't have cable or dvr and rely on replays and fucking fox sports replays are still broken, what 3 years after inheriting btn games? So I have to watch this one live since they wont fix their replay section. Such a pain!
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