MGoPodcast 15.14: What's Distance Got To Do With It?
1 hour and 34 minutes
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1. College Football Playoff Discussion
Starts at 1:00
The College Football Playoff committee putting in Alabama over Florida State is just awful. This isn't a Michigan thing, it's a college football thing. They're a 13-0 ACC champion team. Florida State did everything they could. This Alabama team has been erratic all season. Their defensive tackles are just guys but they have an outstanding secondary and two really good edge rushers. Michigan probably has an advantage in both trenches. It feels like Michigan should win this game. There's no clear monster in the playoffs (besides maybe Michigan?).
[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]
2. Offense vs Iowa
Starts at 25:15
This wasn't nearly as bad as it felt when you rewatch it. Trente Jones keeps picking up the stupidest holding calls. Colston Loveland dropped some passes he never drops. They played very conservatively because once you go up by 10 points in this game it doesn't matter. JJ only goes 22/30 for 147 yards, if his tight ends don't drop some we're playing the incompletion game again. Michigan did some simple trick stuff but it's not the kind of thing that can fool Iowa, they're a very sound defense. They need to do some soul searching with Donovan Edwards before playing Alabama. Instead of "JJ's incompletions" we play "JJ's sacks".
3. Hot Takes, Defense vs Iowa
Starts at 52:40
Takes hotter than every single Florida State fan until the end of all time. Brian should've just put "no" as the preview. Was it a fumble or an incomplete pass? Let's talk about how good of a human Mike Sainristil is (he's going to be president one day). Who's on the Mount Rushmore of these past three seasons? Kenneth Grant continues to consume. There's not much else to say about how Michigan's defense did against Iowa's offense.
4. Game Theory, and Special Teams
Starts at 1:20:45
Michigan normally goes for it on 4th and short but when you can kick a field goal to go up against Iowa, you just go for it. How is Iowa so bad at QB sneak? Semaj Morgan did a thing, the guy who tackled him might be the most athletic person on the field, though. Jake Thaw was the "just field this punt" guy. How does James Turner compare to Jake Moody?
MUSIC:
- “War Pigs”— Black Sabbath
- “Going Down South”— RL Burnside
- “Dyslexic Heart”— Paul Westerberg
- “Across 110th Street”
THE USUAL LINKS:
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- What's with the theme music?
"They're better at being Iowa than Iowa."
December 4th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
There is more than a kernel of truth to the concerns about the offense and its ability to move the ball (or lack thereof) against Iowa and in recent games. And it's difficult to tell how much of the recent struggles are related to JJ's mobility being limited, but that doesn't explain all of it, either.
On the other hand, Michigan put up 30 points against OSU in The Game and didn't punt in the second half. OSU's defense is vastly improved from last year and hadn't allowed more than 17 points in the entire season. So did Michigan really struggle that badly on offense against Iowa, or did we decide that once we were up 10 points the game was effectively over?
By this point, it seems clear that Michigan's offense does an awful lot of things "well" and few of them "great." Overall, that translates to a mixed bag with some brilliant stretches and others that are a slog. Obviously the latter won't cut it in the playoffs. The coaches need to keep their feet on the gas.
December 4th, 2023 at 11:59 AM ^
Your comment is spot on. I love Moore and the entire coaching staff, but this offense won’t win a national championship.
It looks clunky and void of rhythm, that’s the only way I can describe it. They don’t seem to scheme guys open very often unless it’s gimmicky, or it’s a counter to a counter run play.
I honestly feel bad for JJ because he is a generational talent and we aren’t putting him postion to really showcase that talent. The offensive line isn’t doing him any favors either, they’ve been so-so all year in pass protection. Go watch some of the early games as well, JJ had to move from his spot way too often.
December 4th, 2023 at 12:04 PM ^
JJ wowed us early on with 3rd and long conversations and moving outside of the pocket to create plays. We were all enamored with those plays because they were fucking awesome. But yeah, we forget why he had to move out of the pocket to make those plays.
Because guys weren't open on their initial routes, the OL didn't always protect him well, and they were in 3rd and 8s because they wasted 2 downs on inside runs for little yardage (or they took a shot on 1st down, didn't get it, and then did the most obvious 2nd and long running play on the planet).
December 4th, 2023 at 9:37 AM ^
After an offseason of worrying about the kicking game, and a couple of “preseason” game oopsies, Turner became dang near as automatic as Moody was. Couldn’t have done any better as the season went on.
December 4th, 2023 at 9:58 AM ^
Turner has not needed that game winning FG to beat Illinois. I would love to see the local kid go full BRABBS and win the natty with a bomb but I might not survive the stress to live through the moment.
December 4th, 2023 at 1:20 PM ^
I was at that game, with my toddler son in a Baby Bjorn (staff at the gate originally wanted him to have a ticket, but thankfully relented).
The kicker had missed, what, 2 or 3 already in that game? Michigan was trailing in the 4th quarter. The Big House was quiet and despondent.
My son had toddled around the plazas for a bit earlier in the game, had stumbled and bumped his head against some bricks. Got a nasty looking gash on his forehead. By the 4th quarter, he was napping in the Baby Bjorn on my chest.
Brabbs kicked that game-winner as time expired and 100,000+ people roared. My son woke up wide-eyed to the noise.
Flash forward 21 years, and that same kid just graduated Michigan Engin '23 this past spring. He reads this site (!) and eats, sleeps, and breathes Michigan football, as he's done all his life.
Brabbs = Butterfly effect.
December 4th, 2023 at 9:50 AM ^
Alabama Analyst = Alabamalyst
December 4th, 2023 at 10:26 AM ^
I'd like to see some up tempo from them.
Imagine leaving the same players on for 3 - 6 consecutive plays, already scripted, not giving the D a chance to substitute.
Alabama would never see it coming because it doesn't exist on any film...
...even Conner's...(too soon?)
December 4th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
Man, even "fake" up tempo where they rush to the line for no reason other than to see if they can catch Alabama trying to substitute for a free play/free 5 yards would be a good wrench to throw in the system.
MSU basically beat us in 2021 by running tempo - and I believe every or almost every time it was outside zone to the MSU sideline, i.e., away from the direction any substituting Michigan players were coming from and most likely the players at the point of attack would be the "least set" or least ready. Very simple, but since we kept trying to substitute, very effective.
December 4th, 2023 at 10:26 AM ^
love RL Burnside
December 4th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
- Everyone into the full lotus position,
- Close your eyes,
- Take ten deep breaths - in through the nose, out through the mouth,
- repeat this mantra until you pass out:
"Ohhhhm. All fancy stats favor Michigan. Ohhhm."
December 4th, 2023 at 10:38 AM ^
For the O, I felt the same on re-watch. One Loveland drop, one Barner drop, and the Jones holding (Iowa got away with at least one that was WAY worse) if reversed potentially put this one up to 40-0.
December 4th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
What's distance but a second-hand dimension?
December 4th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
"Just awful"
That sums it up.
No honor or integrity. Totally corrupt.
Why play the games? Seriously
Bama looked like ass much of the season, lost a game at home and needed a miracle to beat unranked Auburn just over a week ago. A win over a Georgia team which has zero quality wins outside the SEC shouldn't vault them over an undefeated FSU.
December 4th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
Why play the games? Lord this fan base is starting to sound like every other fanbase from like a month ago during sign-gate. The CFP had to choose between the team who "deserved" it more and the team that is more likely to win it. They went with the latter. It sounds like a lot of people disagree with their decision. Florida State is at least down its starting QB and possibly down its second string QB, (and for a lot of the season was pretty unimpressive with its starting QB). If you want to blame somebody, blame Notre Dame. If they were a full-time ACC team a win over ND probably puts FSU in.
December 4th, 2023 at 11:45 AM ^
How do they know which team "is more likely to win it?" Oregon seemed more likely to win Saturday. But they didn't. Maybe they should have just given the game to Oregon instead of playing. What if undefeated Michigan was left out?
December 4th, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
Then I would be mad. But undefeated Michigan was not left out.
This is the last year this is going to be an issue. They probably got a raw deal but this is the reason they are expanding it and a team like FSU will be able to prove it on the field. I think the CFP wanted four teams they could see winning the Playoff and FSU simply was not one of them. There is supposed to be a level of subjectivity or they would simply do this with computers and statistics. I understand it probably isn't fair but it isn't this gigantic outrage that people are making it out to be.
December 4th, 2023 at 11:34 AM ^
I like Michigan over Bama in a best of 3 or more but in one game with a month to prepare and Bama's talent, anything can happen.
December 4th, 2023 at 11:38 AM ^
I dont understand people getting upset w/ the offense - for the last 3 years he staff has done only what they need to do to win the game and NOT put the QB in position to get hurt or put anything important on film they don't want to put on film.
December 4th, 2023 at 12:53 PM ^
We're not allowed to be upset with 211 yards at 3.3 yards per play?
December 4th, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
dudes. "what's LEG got to do with it" was right there.
December 4th, 2023 at 3:43 PM ^
Love the Mike Sanristil love! #BringBackTheShield
December 4th, 2023 at 4:02 PM ^
Man MGoBlog crew I love you guys…. When you’re in a good mood not only are you an amazing comedy troupe but you make all of our lives much more joyous. When things go south with our teams, we lean on you for reason and insight! Never stop!!!
December 4th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
David we love you, but you’ve got to let the other guys finish their point from time to time.
December 5th, 2023 at 8:26 AM ^
“I’m still waiting for Peppers to throw.”
Still depressing,
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