Jim Harbaugh freshman DTs are "very close" to breaking through
This should be a breath of fresh air for everyone wondering why a fullback is playing at DT
October 1st, 2019 at 7:45 AM ^
JH's comments sound optimistic, but Brown's don't sound as glowing...
Chris Hinton looks like he’s getting closer to where he can help us. Mazi is starting to improve. Getting a little bit more consistency out of him.
That doesn't sound great from the guy whom I'd assume is making the personnel decisions on defense.
October 1st, 2019 at 8:28 AM ^
DB may be right but I stopped listening to his BS last year. Has he talked about losing sleep after Wisconsin yet?
October 1st, 2019 at 8:30 AM ^
Not disagreeing with you, but is it possible Wiscy's o-line was just better than our d-line? There's only so much you can do when you're outmatched.
October 1st, 2019 at 8:45 AM ^
this is something that gets totally overlooked I think people missed the details they were just lining up seven and eight offensive linemen and they're so big and we were just trying to shoot gaps and be aggressive and so often we didn't maintain gap integrity or we just had Jonathan Taylor wrapped up and he beat his cuz he's just that good.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
If so, Northwestern must have a hell of a D line, they didn’t seem to get manhandled by Wiscy at all.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
They do.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:34 AM ^
Northwestern's front seven is legit AF.
October 1st, 2019 at 8:40 AM ^
you're fucking ridiculous... he's had a few bad games as DC but for the most part he's been stellar.
Go ahead and find us a better DC that lives up to your expectations of perfection.
October 1st, 2019 at 8:50 AM ^
His bad games have been in key contests which is the concern...OSU, bowl games, etc
October 1st, 2019 at 8:52 AM ^
arguably against team that were just plain better than us, so there's that.
October 1st, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^
Sure, but we can’t get one win as an underdog? Unlike literally every other FBS program.
October 1st, 2019 at 10:17 AM ^
I believe we were actually favored in all of our losses last year ?
October 1st, 2019 at 10:27 AM ^
And we were ranked in the top ten this year to start the season too..... so take that shit with a grain of whatever is handy.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:04 AM ^
Literally every other FBS program?
This is a perfect example of misunderstanding data points and turning that misunderstanding into a flawed narrative. Those teams that win as underdogs are teams that are almost always the weaker team. Michigan is almost always favored, and the stronger team, so when they’re the underdog it’s against only the most formidable opponent — like OSU, ND, or Wisconsin after a shaky start to the season — and usually on the road. Teams like Purdue, Northwestern, Minnesota, etc. are underdogs frequently — and often versus teams that aren’t all that great — and thus have a much greater chance of pulling the upset.
IIRC, Michigan was favored preseason in every game this year. Now whether that’s warranted or not is up for debate, but if you’re using “favored vs. underdog” as a criteria, my point stands.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:42 AM ^
How did Urban go 7-0 as an underdog at OSU then, Sten?
October 1st, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
Urb threatened to hang the players from their testicles if they lost.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:11 AM ^
Don Brown is a one trick pony with a bully mentality. His defense pounds inferior talent. His defense is exposed by equal or better talent.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
Okay but in fairness to Don Brown, you can't really expect his defense, or any defense, to fully shut down great to elite offenses. It just doesn't happen. Alabama played with a bunch of five star studs on its vaunted defense last year and they got taken to the cleaners by a true freshman QB in the title game.
The better offense you face, the more points and yards you're going to give up. It's just going to happen. Now should you be giving up 56 points on defense in the biggest game of the year? No. But let's not pretend he should be shutting OSU out or holding them to 7-10 points every year.
October 1st, 2019 at 10:07 AM ^
Nobody’s asking for a shut out, or holding OSU to 7 or anything. But if you think allowing 62 points to anybody should acceptable at Michigan idk what to tell you.
October 1st, 2019 at 1:40 PM ^
I mean, I’ll ask for that. I just won’t expect it to ever happen
October 1st, 2019 at 11:53 AM ^
He's been pretty good, and expecting to hold OSU to less than 30 is pretty difficult (although MSU held them to 26 last year). He seemed to adjust at half last year against ND, the whole team just seemed to come out flat to start. But last year's OSU game was just inexcusable, no adjustments to be had.
October 1st, 2019 at 2:32 PM ^
Your thought process is intriguing.
October 1st, 2019 at 10:50 AM ^
“His defense pounds inferior talent. His defense is exposed by equal or better talent”
Ive seen this mentioned a lot lately but in reality, isn’t that true for most top defenses & DC’s?
Bama, osu & Notre dame each got exposed at some point last year.
I get the frustration, I feel it too. But there’s no need to manufacture narratives that simply aren’t true to express it.
“Don Brown is a one trick pony”
He most certainly is not. He’s a tremendous tactician & one of the top defensive coaches in the game. Should he diversify the defense & do a better job of roster management? Absolutely.
Bottom line, we need to play better, recruit better, develop more consistently & show up with some emotion against the better teams on our schedule. That’s on the coaches as is the record in such games & plainly, it’s unacceptable & progress needs to be made.
October 1st, 2019 at 2:14 PM ^
His defenses weren't exposed by equal talent when he was at BC, nor has that occurred while at Michigan. The gigantic 62 point brainfart against OSU is just so anomalously aberrant that it's hard to fathom.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:44 AM ^
Real easy solution, recruit better players and spend more time developing them. um doesn’t have the talent that Ohio State does, but they should have comparable talent to Wisconsin every year. Shouldn’t be any down years vs Wisconsin, really sad if um doesn’t have the talent to compete with Wisconsin. Wisconsin with a QB is a dangerous combination.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:18 AM ^
I'm fine with the occasional bad game. It happens and no coach is perfect. What I don't like is getting blown the fuck out in the most important game on the schedule. It's been 4 years and I'm still pissed at how Durkin shit the bed in that game. Especially after the masterful performance Mattison had against Florida a few weeks later.
Brown had better redeem himself this year.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
I think the real criticism of Brown's Defense is that it is a bit gimmicky. Super creative and applies massive pressure, but it seems to break down, and break down significantly when applied against teams with equal or better talent.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:59 AM ^
Browns D at BC was #1 and almost always undermanned. Better players certainly are harder to stop
Maybe it’s been dissected much more having been at Michigan for a few years. Learn, adapt and grow. Predictably is the kiss of death in football.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
"Predictably is the kiss of death in football."
Very underrated statement and very true. I think that's been one of Michigan's shortcomings over the past years under Harbaugh. Once teams have enough film on you, they can devise strategies against it. And if you keep showing those tendencies and same old formations, it's no wonder we get stopped all the time on offense and get burned on defense. On offense in particular, we just don't keep the defenses guessing where we're going enough.
October 1st, 2019 at 1:53 PM ^
Wisconsin is as predictable as they come and yet....
October 1st, 2019 at 11:02 PM ^
They had the best game plan against us I have seen them run. They out coached us by a long shot.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:27 AM ^
You know...games that really matter.
October 1st, 2019 at 12:46 PM ^
In most of our losses a great offense would’ve kept us in the game. Can’t place all the pressure on the defense all the time.
October 1st, 2019 at 1:59 PM ^
He's called 2 great games out of 3 against OSU.
October 1st, 2019 at 2:36 PM ^
Bowl games aren’t “key” games anymore, at least not any that Don Brown has coached in at Michigan.
October 1st, 2019 at 9:22 AM ^
Am I Fucking Ridiculous????????
I dont want perfect, I dont even need great. I need something that is consistent and doesnt put up hap hazard stats against shit competition.
He is easily out schemed by teams with athletes of equal or slightly better ability.
Yeah its great to pile on a terrible team, but can he just look competent against good competition?.
Every year someone pimps Don. How about not getting pimped. His few bad games as DC were against the few better teams we actually played.
Sunshine and rainbows though
October 1st, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
You are being quite ridiculous tbh.
Don’s had some spectacular duds in his time here. Psu in 17, osu in 18 & Wisconsin this year. There have been other disappointing showings but those 3 are the biggest outliners. He’s also had some really solid showings against strong offensive teams. Osu in 16, Psu in 18, Wisconsin every year other than this. The fact of the matter is everyone has games they get worked. Even Saban & all his 5star talent has games the offense either bails them out or like Clemson last year just get worked.
There are issues, roster management & diversity of coverages being the big two but to act as though Don is not a stellar coach & an asset to the team is, ridiculous.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:25 AM ^
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
OSU in '16 got easily controlled by any defense with a pulse that year. Lets not look at them spanking high school defenses that year and call them 'strong'
You dont have to agree with me, I am fine with that. If you think I am being ridiculous in pointing out his hap hazard stats then I dont know what to tell you.
Dont forget the shit show against Indiana last year too.
3 man fronts against Wisconsin though...................
October 1st, 2019 at 11:48 AM ^
You’re clearly very passionate about this & I can appreciate that. I’m just saying, Don deserves some praise for what he’s accomplished over his career. Both here & elsewhere. “Hap hazard” stats or not.
There are legitimate complaints & questions. I & most fans should be able to acknowledge & speak on those. I just disagree with the ones you are presenting or at least the method in expressing them.
At the end of the day, better teams are gonna score & generally score more than you/I or anyone would prefer. This doesn’t make Don a one trick pony nor does it make him immune to complaints.
To address the 3 man fronts against Wisconsin. Trust me, I didn’t like or agree with it anymore than you. I do however think that is more of a roster management issue than a schematic issue though. Kemp & Jeter are not Michigan caliber players & to this point Mason is behind even both of them. Dwumfour was out & that leaves the freshman. Personally I would’ve like to see them get an opportunity but I’ll also acknowledge that I don’t see practice nor have near the knowledge to make those calls if I did. If you check my history though you’ll see that I was vocal in my frustration & didn’t/don’t understand why they haven’t been given an opportunity thus far.
October 1st, 2019 at 12:35 PM ^
Especially when you consider Wisconsin played a freshman DT and came out OK.
And the fact that a converted FB passed a guy like Paea on the depth chart makes me wonder about the staff's ability to evaluate and develop DT talent.
October 1st, 2019 at 11:54 AM ^
Crum, you have to remember that Michigan just beat Rutgers so all is good again until...
October 1st, 2019 at 12:13 PM ^
Is it the reading or the comprehending part thats giving you trouble?
October 1st, 2019 at 9:37 AM ^
when the guy's defense is almost always in the top 10 in the country (was at BC and has been at Michigan) its really tough to call him a one trick pony. if it was that easy to beat, he wouldn't consistently be top 10 and more than the best teams we play would be picking it apart.
better teams with better players are going to win, most of the time.
October 1st, 2019 at 12:12 PM ^
Michigan had near equal talent to OSU last year. Wisconsin is more talented than as?
Stop with the excuses. Ohio State has had better teams and never put up 62 points. Coulda been 70+ if Urban wanted
October 1st, 2019 at 11:04 AM ^
DB is stellar for the most part. Look at Schiano, he got excoriated last year by osu. New coach, he gets dumped immediately. Goes to the Pats (buds with Belichick) yet lasts there a month before leaving. Why? Lost his passion for the game? Made his money?
Waiting for the Rutgers job to reopen? Just did, thanks to the Michigan beatdown
October 1st, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
Regularly gives up 30+ in important games lol.
October 1st, 2019 at 8:54 AM ^
He will lose lot’s of sleep next week after seeing the physicality of Iowa’s OL and ground game. Iowa is a good football team this year
October 1st, 2019 at 10:19 AM ^
I was ready for them to move on in the off-season after he let OSU happen. Now he is refusing to play highly rated BIG true freshman instead of the undersized converted FB. His stubborn personality has gone from likable to annoying.
October 1st, 2019 at 7:46 AM ^
He left out "But first we have to play a couple walk ons and a converted FB."
October 1st, 2019 at 7:50 AM ^
Also: The best practice player shall win the job.