Another year, same result... Michigan (Don Brown) #1 in Total D at 233 ypg
What’s craziest about this stat is:
1) I think the general consensus is that the defense has been underwhelming.
2) Gary is either injured or he is just simply not the player we thought he would be. (8 sacks in his career)
3) Penalties have kept them on the field for many extra plays
Some future opponents:
Wisconsin tied at #17
Sparty #28
Penn State #50
OSU #55
September 30th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^
I don't think my case is a high horse as much as the perspective of being almost 50 years old. That was a great win yesterday, but it certainly does not warrant adulation or fist-pumping over statistics. Did you watch OSU/PSU?
This is not a time for celebration, but rather a double-down on tough love. We came out flat. It is going to take better than that.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:58 PM ^
Sure, but the whole attitude of "we should never acknowledge anything good the team has done until they win a big game" is tiresome. Especially when people are (incorrectly) saying our defense has been playing poorly.
No one is adulated. No one thinks we've won any trophies. We are just discussing a positive stat about the team.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^
Yeah I watched OSU look like complete shit and PSU snatch defeat from the jaws of victory
September 30th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^
I thought OSU looked strong, but maybe that's just the trauma kicking in again.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
One week ago Penn State was up by 4 against Illinois at the end of 3 quarters. Can you imagine how batshit this board would be if that happened with us, regardless of the outcome of the game?
September 30th, 2018 at 1:33 PM ^
Maybe Penn St's defense has gotten better each week. Plus everyone will tell you it's tough at night in Happy Valley with the white out in full effect.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
Keep in mind 1996 & 1997.
In 1996, Michigan beat end-of-season Top 5 teams Colorado & OSU on the road based on the strength of the defense. Yet it went 8-4 because the offense gave it no room for error (and actually lost games with five turnovers vs Purdue & Penn State and the horrific pick six when we were on the Alabama 5 in position to kick a FG to go up 9-3. Instead it became 6-10. (I think this year induced the birth of Lloydball.)
In 1997, an improvement on offense to a team that could reliable score 20 points led to a 12-0 Natty.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
Neither PSU/OSU scares me, to be honest.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
Games are only meaningful after we've lost them.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^
With the exception of Florida (which lost it's luster) we have lost every consequential game since Iowa 2016. I am just being the voice of reason and ultimate victory here. I think this team can win the Big Ten yes, but not by celebrating shiny numbers on Sunday after coming out that flat on Saturday. The team can't do it, so I am not going to do it.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
You're cherry picking a timeframe.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^
No, I am noting a streak. I hate it with every fiber, but it is what it is.
September 30th, 2018 at 2:07 PM ^
You said "the team can't do it." They have done it, it's just that those wins always get discounted after the fact.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:17 PM ^
You're not adding anything insightful or useful to the conversation. We all know 2017 sucked.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^
Yes, let's ignore the 2016 wins over Colorado, Penn State and Wisconsin.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:37 PM ^
You think what is written here translates to how the team plays/prepare? Because hat is what is sounds like..
September 30th, 2018 at 12:22 PM ^
We're also #1 in yards per play allowed (3.4), which is probably the best metric.
https://www.teamrankings.com/college-football/stat/opponent-yards-per-play
September 30th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
.6 yards better than the 2nd best defense!
September 30th, 2018 at 12:23 PM ^
#119th in Penalty yardage per game.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:32 PM ^
Agreed - this needs to get cleaned up. The one fly in the ointment.
I am struck on the penalty disparity each and every week whether we play good or bad opponents - home or away. Conspiracy stuff is stupid but wtf?
September 30th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
Conspiracy stuff is stupid but Michigan is currently 99th in opponents penalties and hasn't finished above 85th in five years per Steve Lorenz.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
Can't adjust to the mean when the refs keep holding your head under the water.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:25 PM ^
Only stat the is meaningful
An underwhelming w4 - L1
Throw out that number 1 defense BS.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
"The stat doesn't fit my preconceived notions about the team. So throw out that BS!"
Our one loss really wasn't the fault of the defense. Giving up 24 points in this day and age should not be insurmountable.
I think some fans suffer from what I'll call "1997 syndrome" regarding the defense, where it must perform to that standard (9.5 ppg allowed), even though college football has changed dramatically since then. We only one spread team that year (Washington State) and while we held it to 16 points, it gained over 350 yards. Good thing Woodson picked off that pass in the end zone.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
"w4 - L1"
Why are the wins not capitalized, but the losses are?
That's called a "troll tell".
September 30th, 2018 at 2:05 PM ^
That's some grade A gatekeeping!
September 30th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^
This defense has been tremendous sans two first quarters (ND and NU). I do think Gary is more hurt than is being let on. I'd be shocked if he plays next week.
I don't think Bush and Hudson will let McSorley run for 150 yards. Haskins will be a challenge for our secondary though.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:31 PM ^
Haskins will be a challenge if no one's shoulder is firmly planted into his ribs.
TCU & Penn State got after him pretty well, I don't see why Michigan couldn't either.
PSU just ran the same thing the whole game and eventually got burned.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:35 PM ^
Running QBs have hurt us in key games time and again...hoping they get this solved this year
September 30th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
OSU's entire offense seemed to be based on screens. PSU took away the downfield stuff, but OSU made them pay for their blitzing late in the game. Brown may need to use more controlled aggression for that one.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:57 PM ^
Indeed. OSU got a shit ton of YAC last night. Thankfully our open field tackling is pretty good.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:00 PM ^
Sophomore Haskins will be easier for Brown to scheme than Freshman Haskins, probably because of a year if film. But the problem happens when OSU is able to find Dobbins or one of their other fast-movers in space. Like last night.
September 30th, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^
Haskins threw quite a few screens, WR screens and tunnel screens in the Penn State game. He didn't look anything like he did in the tomato can games.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^
Let's not start pounding our chests yet until maybe beating a ranked opponent? Numbers feel pretty empty when there are no quality opponents or wins.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
All the other teams that have given up more yards have also played many unranked opponents.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^
It's all well and good...for what it is. But we saw last year how far a really good defense takes you in college football these days. Not far enough. Especially when you can't get it done against the tough teams on your schedule.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
Having one of the best defenses with no offense doesn't take you far, at all. But this year is different - the offense exists. Last year, NW wins because the offense wasn't good enough to eke out 20 points, when it only needed 20 points. This year... Last night, if the offense needed to score 27, it would have. We didn't have that backing up the defense last year.
Not saying the offense will outscore everyone, but the combination of a really good defense and a decently good offense is a really good combo to have.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
When people say "defense wins championships," they're not implying "defense plus absolutely no passing game and lots of turnovers on offense wins championships."
As for the defense in our losses last year:
MSU - 14 points
PSU - 42 points (a bad outing, for sure)
Wisconsin - 24 points
OSU - 31 (but it was 24 with three minutes to go)
South Carolina - 26 points
Except for PSU, you can live with those numbers. Moreover, the offense bore responsibility for some of those points, as we had a lot of turnovers that set up short fields.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
September 30th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^
No, football is equal parts about having a good defense and a good offense. It always has been always will be.
September 30th, 2018 at 2:32 PM ^
If it were all about offense, there would be a bunch of Big 12 national champs in recent years.
October 1st, 2018 at 8:17 AM ^
Maybe in Rugby.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:29 PM ^
I love how the D and team ressponded yestereday after adversity.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
Yeah Gary may not have the stats of clowney but is the main reason for our ranking IMHO. Always taking two Olinemen out of the play frees us our backers for clean holes. You will see on sundays how good he really is.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:36 PM ^
I don’t care how good he is on Sundays. I care how good he is on Saturdays and we need beast mode Gary, the guy that dominated in the OSU game last year.
So, I’ll chalk it up to him but the team first and playing through some injuries.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
Uhhhh ....he has been on a top 3 defense every year, he's definitely "getting it done".
Or are sacks the only element of Dline play that makes sense to you?
September 30th, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
Counting stats are the only ones that matter.
every defensive play should result in a sack, tfl, or int.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:52 PM ^
Actually to be frank you just don't care how football works. The guy is one of if not our best defensive player. If he reads this, I hope he doesn't take your ignorance to heart.
Anyone who is willing to humbly take the brunt of a OL's scheme week after week without complaining or saying anything either in these press conferences or wherever when ignorant fans say he is underperforming, is a better man than you and I.
October 1st, 2018 at 12:15 AM ^
Except that Clowney also faced frequent double and triple teams as well, and still racked up stats... So at the very least Gary is a step below other elite pass rushers in the past 5-10 seasons.