November 22nd, 2020 at 12:32 AM ^
I wonder with Milton if he is a practice all star. I could see him “wow” in practices with killer plays... but then it fall apart if game.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:35 AM ^
Well milton probably tears our defense apart in practice so they think he is the best option
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:36 AM ^
Remember, in practice he gets to play against our defense :(
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:57 AM ^
Yea but I don’t get this take because there were plenty of OPEN receivers he was just straight missing. That’s on his accuracy and not related to the defense he’s facing.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:39 AM ^
I doubt it. For some reason, they went all in on Milton at some point in the off-season (not sure when and not sure why). I think the reason they went back to Milton to start tonight was how much time and energy and resources they put into his success. McNamara relieving him did two things. 1) Tacitly acknowledge that their QB efforts this off-season, preseason, and early season were a waste and 2) effectively end Milton's career at Michigan.
Starting Milton tonight makes sense in that context. Starting him at all this season, after watching what McNamara was able to do, really doesn't.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
Milton won the off season through extra work. It was a leadership locker room appointment.
Harbaugh fucked up when he decided to end the competition before the pads were cracking.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:44 AM ^
I think they probably thought "hey if we can mold this raw talent our ceiling is as high as possible" ... but didn't consider how low the floor could be if the molding didn't work.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:52 AM ^
Mac looked like Drew Brees out there tonight and showed flashes of it last week, too.
He energized the entire team. It was just Rutgers but the O line really turned it around. Hinton was also a force.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:02 AM ^
I noted the Drew’s comp to friends as well. Confident. Great feet. Quick release. Leader. The team plays for him.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:56 PM ^
This was my thought, that perhaps they wanted to use this unusual season as a quasi-rebuild at the QB position, getting the guy with the highest ceiling ready to take a shot at OSU or maybe just for next year -- but that it's gone far worse than they expected, in part because they don't have the personnel on Brown's D to hold them in games like in past years.
I'm also wondering why Milton looked his best by far in his first game, perhaps before there was much film on him. Minnesota D is bad but not markedly worse than Rutgers. OL injuries are a factor but didn't seem to bother McNamara. Kinda worried that we will see the same regression when defenses know how to attack him, but I admit I'm not capable of breaking down specifics on that.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:16 AM ^
Milton doesn't release the ball at the proper apex with tight spin all the time, he obviously is working at it but sometimes he straight "pulls" his throw like a golf shot. Just like the interception at Indiana that killed his comeback.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:25 AM ^
I suspect that JH really likes Milton's intangibles and leadership skills as much as his physical upside. Milton has charisma and I think JH is attracted to that (since JH doesnt possess much himself). I think Milton won the job with his charisma as much as anything else. Thankfully he seems to have lost the job based on merit and relative production.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:34 AM ^
Questioning Gattis right now. Play calling is bad and Qb evaluation is suspect.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:39 AM ^
He's really going to the well with those QB runs out of the gun in short yardage, when we have Mason and Haskins available.
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:03 AM ^
I agree. I was complaining about this with several friends during this game. Milton is not a deceive runner and McNamara is not the physical specimen to run those plays. They were almost all failures. Put Milton under center and sneak it or run a wildcat with Haskins if you insist on that kind of play. I’d rather see us put in Mason and either hand it to him or run Haskins off his block.
the devotion to the QB run was baffling. Plus I don’t want to see McNamara get hurt.
November 22nd, 2020 at 6:01 AM ^
This reeks of Harbaugh to me. With an edict that sounds like, don't throw the ball, whatever you do, don't throw the ball.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:45 AM ^
I don’t know. I think Harbaugh would have us under center in those situations.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:08 PM ^
Yeah, assistants and employees can be influenced by what they perceive will make their bosses happy, even if the bosses don't explicitly tell them what to do. I wonder if that is what is going on here. I hear reports (e.g. Sam Webb) that this is all Gattis, but it often feels like a weird hybrid.
November 22nd, 2020 at 3:25 PM ^
This is only the 2nd year ever Gattis has been OC and calling plays. No one knows what a Gattis offense looks like because he is so new at having one and likely still figuring out what works best himself. All we have heard for 2 years is Gattis has the keys and this is his O. Why are we all so hellbent on blaming everything we dislike on offense as something Harbaugh must of done?
I am not defending Harbaugh. He needs to go. But you can't pick and choose what you like (wow great job Gattis) and dislike (wow Harbaugh HAD to of called that stupid play) on offense based 100% on fan speculation.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:42 AM ^
Playcalling opened up when cade came in it seemed because he could actually string together first downs.
Michigans tempo is still a total fucking joke.
I saw Harbaugh holding the play sheet, someone said he doesnt have one during games but he clearly is writing on it during the game and overruling plays.
Some of the I formation bullshit we ran with 1 wide receiver trying to play smash mouth was a total joke
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:26 PM ^
Until the OT, then they went tight as hell. It was like after Cade had brought them to the brink of a victory, they suddenly were afraid to let him throw the ball.
This staff is baffling at times.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:59 AM ^
THE play calling is questionable and THE QB evaluation is suspect.
You have no proof Gattis is to blame.
*edit
Plus Gattis recruited Cade and Pep recruited Joe.
November 22nd, 2020 at 6:02 AM ^
Pep recruited both of them. Gattis said when he was at Alabama, Cade was high on their list.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:50 PM ^
Touche'
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:35 AM ^
I thought it was pretty obvious last week that Mac was the best QB and well before that Haskins had separated himself as the #1 back.
We're probably 3-1 with Mac at starter and Haskins as the workhorse.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:46 AM ^
Yup, on an elite offense there's no doubt Corum is the guy. Give him space and some running lanes, and he's going to fly. However, we have none of that. We need the guy who can keep his balance, keep his head up, and turn contact behind the LOS into 2 or 3 yards. Haskins is the only guy who has done that.
November 22nd, 2020 at 6:03 AM ^
Stop it. Neither one of them plays defense.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:35 AM ^
Lol slow down. Its Rutgers, it wasn't bama Cade was going against put there.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:37 AM ^
Well penn state and Maryland have defenses that are worse than rutgers so what do you suggest michigan do?
Put milton back in and throw a bunch of shitty incompletions and stare down receivers?
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:38 AM ^
I didn't think the OP said anything about him being the next Tom Brady, but he is clearly better than what the coaches have been marching out there.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:42 AM ^
Yeah, it was Rutgers. But we scored zero points in the game's first 25 minutes with Milton at QB. Then we scored a TD nearly every possession McNamara played. He also drove us for a TD last week against Wisconsin, in his only non-rain drive.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:44 AM ^
5 TDs and 0 interceptions and he hasn't even played a full game yet
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:10 AM ^
As that one guy once said ...it's only when you stare into the abyss that you learn who you are.. or something close.
The whole point is you are starring into nothingness and facing your demise.
Yeah down 17-0 to Rutgers is pretty much the abyss.
November 22nd, 2020 at 8:12 AM ^
I never said not to play Cade, I'm stating for people to chill out on thinking this kid "is a BEAST" like I keep seeing on this blog tonight.
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:47 PM ^
I agree hyperbole on this one off performance is silly but that was a big shift in momentum when Cade came in, even our defense was less sucky.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:36 AM ^
The coaches can only go by what they see in practice. Players raved about what they saw from Milton in practice. Milton looked good against Minnesota and okay against MSU and IU. Then he slipped, and the coaches responded by pulling him for McNamara last week and this week.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:53 AM ^
No player is gonna say, in public where anyone on this blog would catch wind, “I think McNamara is a better QB” when the coaches are favoring Milton.
Of course they said “he’s great” ..... he’s their teammate
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:06 AM ^
Word prior to the season was that players were downright excited about Milton. That appears to have been authentic.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:37 AM ^
Well clearly this is an ongoing issue.
Charbonnet is absolutely underutilized.
Mazi Smith is not being used. But thankfully I get to watch Jess Speight get pushed into the linebackers 30+ snaps every game.
Glad I got to watch Drew Singleton play for Rutgers tonight while Adam Shibley ran around and tried hard.
I’m positive that DGW and Seldon couldn’t do any better than be 7 yards away from the receiver they are covering or not find the ball when they are within 7 yards.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:39 AM ^
Agreed, seldon looked damn good in the UA game last year against all the 5 star WRs and was actually running with those guys.
Meanwhile we trot out a bunch of try hards that can't run with a middling 3 star
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:55 AM ^
Remember, though, it's a meritocracy.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:43 AM ^
Or Hinton
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:41 AM ^
I call it the “Gary Sanchez” effect. The Yankees watch him hit 500 ft home runs and a canon for an arm as a catcher, but strikes out 2 out of 3 times at the plate and can’t block a ball in the dirt. If your fatal flaws outweigh the highlight plays, it’s just too inconsistent. The diary about the Anna whatever effect was spot on, I haven’t seen a QB play like McNanara did tonight since maybe Denard. Granted it was Rutgers, but still impressive. Reynolds the safety tonight seemed more effective than Hawkins at least tonight. Makes me wonder what the coaches are seeing.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:49 AM ^
Since Rudock I'd say.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:43 AM ^
“Who else is on the bench that the coaches do not realize what they have?”
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:45 AM ^
I really do think it's more complex than it seems, but the evidence is pretty damning. That said, it seems like a whole bunch of schools have issues with talent evaluation and usage. OSU would not have won the title in 14 if Barrett doesn't get hurt. He was too limited as a passer and Cardale's deep game helped empty the box for Elliott. So why did it take urban to be literally forced to make the switch? I don't know. He also had possibly the greatest college quarterback on his bench in Joe Burrow, causing him to transfer out. Tennessee had Alvin Kamara and did nothing with him
College football is weird, but I'm excited for CMac's future
Don brown sucks
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:47 AM ^
It’s obvious Harbaugh is bad at evaluating talent.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:28 AM ^
No that is not factual, Harbaugh showed he was very good at evaluating talent at satellite camps, so much so they didn't let him bring his reindeer games down south to play.
After that he trusted others, specifically Partridge and Wheatley in '16 and '17 *(were) where they brought in some "bad fits" with high ranks that washed out leaving large holes.
Since recruiting has found more "fits".
Specifically a bunch of young men who don't bitch out and quit, even when they have the worst start EVA!
Now Harbaugh probably isn't the "QB whisperer" plus he'll play favorites (Ben Mason *cough, where the fuck is Phil Paea!!!) and doesn't seem to have much idea what is going on with this new fangled offense .......talent, however, I'm good with.
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:00 AM ^
Negs aren't counter points weaksauces.
November 22nd, 2020 at 7:41 AM ^
I believe Paea medically retired