From everything I have read so far people are now lining up to lynch Harbaugh and the offensive staff.  Personally am I of a mind to ask Don Brown what the hell he was doing in scheme and play calling wise in the first half, before I go calling for any scalps.  I have watched the game 2 full times and despite the acid reflux attack that I suffered through in the first watching last night, I did see several things that were different and could be foundations for improvement.

First - Shea Patterson play was better than almost everything we have seen at QB since before Rich Rod showed up.  Speight, and Rudock had stretches where they were doing almost everything right and the offense was passable for a ranked squad.  Did he make mistakes, yes a couple of them were because of blocking errors (sacked out of FG range) missed pass to DPJ in corner as two examples, but the thing he did show is that he is accurate and has the ability to both throw an accurate deep ball as well as make throws that allow the receivers to RUN After the catch, which is something we have not had in a QB in a long time.

Second - Higdon needs to realize that about 85% of the time he does not have the speed to beat people to the corner in a race.   I saw at least two times where they ran a stretch play off the left side and there was a cutback lane where Higdon could have planted his foot and gone up field and made positive yards, but instead he tried to get outside of Runyan's left side and was tackled for a loss of 4 or more yards.  

Third - The offensive line was average overall for the game.  Yes they got beat several times but I watching the game the second time I saw multiple instances where the Tackle and Guard would get beat because of a line game, or the Guard and Center would get beat by a game.  I counted at least 5  times where Ruiz, or Runyan spent a split second to long dealing with the handoff of the DL and that allowed a the other DL to run free.  When there was no games or extra men the OL handled the pass protection about as well as 5 guys who have had all of 20 practices to work as a unit.  I only saw two times where a tackle was beaten in a 1 on 1 battle and both times they were taking a deep set to protect against a speed rush, and once they got caught by a spin move and  the other time they got beat by what I call a Winovich, which is an insanely fast first step and a crazy low shoulder.  When the OL was able to put a hat on a hat in run blocking they were able to control the LOS, but we need to master either power or zone blocking and then move on, most of the TFL from the RB because of 1 or 2 guys missing their assignment, or blocking the wrong person.  I also counted at least 8 times on running plays where one of the Guards or Center did not finish a block on a LB or DL and that person made  the tackle.  Rule #1 should be if you are engaged on a player inside the tackle box you put him on his ass then move on, not before then.

On the defensive side of the ball, I love the aggressive mentality of this unit but it is the job of the Coaches to control that.   For example the Targeting call on Metellus, was one where he decided to lay into the guy and instead of trying to pull up he continued on and dropped his shoulder.  If he does not lower his shoulder and only runs through the WR as he is going down that call is not made. 

Second, as much as I love Gary and Winovich, they need to work on controlling their rush, they ran themselves out of 9 different pass plays and on 7 of them ND either got a first down, or scored.  The great pass rushers know where and how many steps they need to get to the level of the QB for any drop, they hardly ever go beyond the QB unless they are worked that way and they always have a second move in their pocket to get back to that level.  

Third, Wimbush has a history, he has tape on him and the scouting report from day one has been that he throws a very good deep ball but his accuracy and decision making on the short to mid-range routes is below average to be nice.   This is a kid that was has video of him throwing the ball at a WR's feet on a slant rout that is simply a drill, and then in another drill throwing a swing pass so far behind the RB that it went out of the camera.  But it looked like all of the first half we were daring him to throw the deep ball, and what did it get us, 1 PI on Hill, a Targeting call on Metellus, a TD pass that went through the hands of 2 DB's and into the WR at the back of the end zone.  And there was one INT and that is positive, but it was a controlled rush that kept Wimbush in the pocket, got up into his face and forced a bad decision which is what Wimbush has a habit of doing.  

Most of the mistakes on the defensive side of the ball were eliminated in the second half, but at the same time Notre Dame got a bit conservative on the offensive side of the ball as well.  

Overall the loss sucks, I know too damn many ND fans who think their team walks on water, but what I saw was two flawed teams playing in the first game of the season after 20 or so practices and the one that caught the greater number of breaks and played the more mistake free football won.  That being said, I have faith that this team will improve, there were to many good things that happened to say that this team is doomed, yes they do need to win a road game against a rival but if I was told at the beginning of the year that they would lose one of these 3 road games  this is the one I am willing to fall on my sword for.  Because that means they will go into both Columbus and East Lansing and ruin the season of those two teams.  

Yes we are 0-1, yes the loss was to ND but think back 11 years ago we were 0-1 and had lost to F'n App State at HOME.  So things can and should get better over the next 5 weeks, and if they do not then I will be one of the ones who is questioning the those who have offices in Schembechler Hall.