Joe Milton- Orange Bowl MVP: It's not how you start...
I know that Joe is a polarizing figure on this board, but I think his path deserves recognition. He is a Michigan Man and Alum. He faced adversity. He lost his starting job at two different schools. He put his head down, went to work, and lead by example. I've gone over his leadership skills on this board before.
He started the season as the backup and finished with the Captain's C and Orange Bowl MVP.
There are a lot of interesting connections though.
- He beat a Cade in the Orange Bowl
- our cade's final game as the unquestioned starter was in the Orange Bowl
- Joe started the season as a backup and ended as a captain
- He won the MVP without his top two receivers, including the Biletnikoff winner
Season Totals:
53/82
971 yds
10 tds, 0 ints
December 31st, 2022 at 1:22 AM ^
Way to go, Joe Milton! Excellent game. I was hoping he'd do great.
December 31st, 2022 at 1:30 AM ^
It all just makes me appreciate JJ even more.
December 31st, 2022 at 5:15 AM ^
Right on!
December 31st, 2022 at 2:10 AM ^
Joe Milton only had the heater like Ricky Vaughn, but now he has mixed in some touch passes. Good for him!!
December 31st, 2022 at 2:40 AM ^
The Joe Milton I know will always be the guy that could throw a football infinity yards to no one in particular.
December 31st, 2022 at 4:28 AM ^
Hmmm… a starter who loses his job stuck around and stayed on the team who wasn’t a captain? Interesting.
December 31st, 2022 at 5:14 AM ^
He isn’t a Michigan Man! Good for the kid but meh!
December 31st, 2022 at 5:30 AM ^
Please deliver verdicts on the following entrants’ Michigan Man status:
- Rich Rod
- Dave Brandon
- Taylor Lewan
- Derek Jeter
- Frank Clark
- Benjamin St. Juste
December 31st, 2022 at 6:39 AM ^
thanks, man. the “but is he a michigan man” discussion remains silly.
December 31st, 2022 at 8:43 AM ^
It really is the dumbest fucking conversation point. I challenge fans who give a shit to go through the famous alumni lists and discern any characteristic or personality trait that is unique to UM graduates that matters. And that's not even getting into the part about the Michigan Man mantra being pushed by a former coach who has his down skeletons in his closets and didn't even go to this school.
December 31st, 2022 at 11:05 AM ^
Milton has a Michigan degree. That alone makes him a Michigan Man, n'est ce pas?
December 31st, 2022 at 6:50 AM ^
What did Jeter do to deserve to be on that list? Change him out with Justin Boren
December 31st, 2022 at 8:26 AM ^
Jeter attended school here and does show up for some games. From what I see, he loves Michigan.
Rich Rod got his paychecks and left.
December 31st, 2022 at 8:45 AM ^
Yeah, I don't get the Jeter hate. But also, Rich Rod was fired somewhat unceremoniously by a piece of shit new AD. There'd be no reason for him to stick around even before we consider all the sex pest and harassment issues that surrounded him both at UM and Arizona.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:01 AM ^
I'm no fan of Rich Rod, but please explain where he had any sex related scandals while at Michigan. I don't recall any.
While I don't doubt he did some sleazy stuff at Michigan, you can't expand guilt because he was caught at Arizona.
December 31st, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
There's nothing on the official record ... but there were a lot of AD employees at the time who did not like him, at all, and referred to him as "Dick Rod." We can probably fill in the blanks. I don't think he suddenly became a monster in Tucson.
December 31st, 2022 at 12:01 PM ^
but ... but ... Josh Groban!
December 31st, 2022 at 8:55 AM ^
Just wanted this expert’s take on people related to the university. I am not qualified to judge who is and who is not a Michigan Man.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:55 AM ^
Jeter gave that one MGo poster one of the greatest stories ever. If he's here (the guy who had Jeter in psych class), he should speak up. It's one of my all-time favorite stories.
December 31st, 2022 at 12:05 PM ^
Rodriguez: Per Rafiki, we should forget about him. Josh Groban agrees.
Brandon: Technically, yes; spiritually, quit drinking and go to bed.
Lewan: Yes, he's like the unfortunate night that gave UM the clap several years ago, but he's part of our story now.
Jeter: Technically not really, but we'll take him.
Clark: See Lewan, but even more regrettable.
St. Juste: Uh . . . sure, if he wants? Maybe I'm missing what earned him a spot on this list here.
December 31st, 2022 at 6:22 AM ^
He has a degree from the university. I’d say that qualifies.
December 31st, 2022 at 7:59 AM ^
He has a degree from Michigan. He is more a Michigan Man than most people shitting on him.
December 31st, 2022 at 8:59 AM ^
He has a Michigan degree. The Michigan Man thing is stupid and always has been.
December 31st, 2022 at 5:59 AM ^
Awesome for him. Guy had incredible arm strength, and has presumably always looked awesome in practice to earn starting nods initially but just didn't have the on field play to match. Completion percentage has been the rub on him dating back to high school and it's cool him show vast improvement in that this season, and in this game in particular.
I know his time at Michigan was rocky, but that 2020 season was a big turning point for everything in Michigan football. Given just how poorly that season went basically as soon as the MSU game started, with the one highlight being Cade taking over and frantically coming back against Rutgers, I can't blame him for seeking a transfer. I'm not sure feelings were the best when he left between him and the program but by all accounts, he's been a stand up teammate at Tennessee after losing his job to Hooker.
I think in this case, it's fine to just let bygones be bygones. We've gone our separate ways and each seen success since.
December 31st, 2022 at 6:43 AM ^
i said it at the time, and it remains true: drawing ANY conclusions from the 2020 season, good or bad, on a team or individual level, at any school in the country, was foolish. it was the biggest aberration of a season you will ever see, in every sport.
saying joe milton is dead to me” after THAT season blew up and he left on possibly-bad terms? not gonna.
December 31st, 2022 at 6:33 AM ^
Anyone see he threw an orange 100 yards?
That's not a joke, he literally threw a fruit 100 yards.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:06 AM ^
Did the receiver catch it, or drop it?
December 31st, 2022 at 11:03 AM ^
Yeah, but the cup was only 50 yards away.
December 31st, 2022 at 6:55 AM ^
Kid gets all the credit. He got knocked down, and just like “Chumba Wumba” he got back up again. Even if he never recreates this performance again, it is one heck of an accomplishment. Good on you Joe!!!
December 31st, 2022 at 7:25 AM ^
The broadcasters kept talking about him sticking around in this day and age when players who lose their job, immediately transfer. Isn’t that exactly how he ended up at Tennessee? I guess if you only transfer once in that situation all else is forgotten?
December 31st, 2022 at 8:35 AM ^
I thought the same thing. Were they giving him credit for not transferring in August?
December 31st, 2022 at 8:35 AM ^
Yeah, that was weird. The fact he didn't transfer twice in 2 years was treated as a badge of honor. Again, I'm happy he found a place where he's succeeding but it felt like the coverage around him was in some vacuum wherein the past couple of games and years didn't exist
December 31st, 2022 at 9:13 AM ^
I think there is a difference between an immediate transfer and a grad transfer.
December 31st, 2022 at 11:04 AM ^
Was he “Michigan Transfer Joe Milton” every time he was mentioned?
December 31st, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
He lost his job at UT due to injury but had a great relationship with Hooker and Heupel so he stuck around. Next season he'll have an opportunity to reap the benefits of that decision.
Knowing what we know now about all the parties involved, it's not exactly noteworthy that he didn't have the same good vibes in Ann Arbor at the end of 2020.
December 31st, 2022 at 7:57 AM ^
Honest question: Do you think Milton sees himself as a Michigan Man? He’s with a new team with an upward trajectory doing well when given the opportunity to make plays. I’d venture a guess he’s thankful of his time at UM but wouldn’t anoint himself in that way. I bet he’d see himself as a Tennessee Man and that’s the way it should be. Weird that this distinction wasn’t acknowledged when he was riding the bench behind Hendon Hooker.
December 31st, 2022 at 8:34 AM ^
I'm happy he did well and glad he seems to have found a home in UT. But while he was down some WRs in this game Clemson was also down a number of defenders, their starting QB all year, and frankly aren't that good of a team. Milton looked like gangbusters against Minnesota in 2020 as well and then reality sort of set in. That's a different time and era and there's good reason to believe he figured it out this year, but in the two games previously (coming in against SC and Vandy) he barely completed 50% of his passes and was airmailing balls into the stands. So maybe he turned a corner or maybe this was just a good game and he'll still have to show marked consistency improvements next season.
I read OPs comments about Milton and I don't harbor any I'll will toward him and think discussions of "classiness" are bullshit but that does feel a bit revisionist at least compared to how people are treating it compared to how guys like All and McNamara left. Milton took some shots at UM when he left (he insinuated the coaches made players into robots who patted the ball and didn't get to be "themselves", which apparently in Milton's case was completing 50% of his passes and not reading defenses), he apparently encouraged other guys to transfer, and, you know, transferred because he lost his starting job. The fact he didn't transfer again from UT after losing his job is commendable, I guess, but I'm not sure how much credit a guy gets for not quitting twice in 2 years.
Anyway, I wish him luck. But let's not revise history too much around Milton because he played well against a shitty Clemson team that probably goes 8-4 in the Big 10.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:08 AM ^
"...he insinuated the coaches made players into robots who patted the ball and didn't get to be "themselves""
Is this why he gets a bad rap here? LOL!!! In 2020, and perhaps also 2018 and 2019, he's not completely wrong. The coaching changes made between the 2020 and 2021 seasons are stark.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:48 AM ^
He didn't even specifically call out Michigan in that interview. The question he answered was something like "What do you like about Tennessee?"
December 31st, 2022 at 10:03 AM ^
I agree he's not completely wrong but I'm simply pushing back against the narrative that he didn't leave Michigan because he lost his job and at least made a veiled jab at UM compared to UT's offensive system. It's not some outrageous barb or anything but it's weird seeing people say "oh man, credit to him for sticking through losing his job at UT" when he transfered from UM because he lost his job and, if message boards are to be believed, tried to get other guys to transfer to UT. Giles Jackson did something similar and yet people were very happy to shit on him the entire time.
December 31st, 2022 at 11:17 AM ^
Again, it's not unreasonable to assume that his relationships in place in Knoxville were better than those he had in Ann Arbor. It's silly to expect a kid to stay in a place he wasn't happy just because.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:10 AM ^
He did well. He deserves credit. He also graduated from Michigan so is more of a "Michigan Man" than a LOT of posters in here.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:57 AM ^
Oh God, can we stop with the "Michigan Man" bullshit. I'm happy he graduated with a degree but usually the "you aren't a real fan/player unless you graduate from the school" is reserved for MSU and OSU slappies.
December 31st, 2022 at 11:20 AM ^
OSU slappies
TCU slappies for sure.
The entire state of Ohio roots for The and most of them aren't grads, despite the low bar for achieving that distinction.
December 31st, 2022 at 8:42 AM ^
I think Tennessee is the perfect fit for Milton. They're offense attacks deep, which takes advantage of his arm, and relies on simple reads where his first read is usually open. One of Milton's main flaws was always going though his progressions. If his first read wasn't open, you could visibly see him kinda panic, especially if there is pressure. Doesn't seem to be as much an issue in Tennessee's offense
December 31st, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
Not like he had a lot of starting experience - he started a couple of games during probably the lowest point in Michigan Football since maybe the Rich Rod years. He didn't have any non conference cream puffs to get adjusted and practice etc was paused during the fall. He injured his hand requiring surgery during the MSU game (the second game) but continued to play with a brace on his throwing hand. He is still raw with only a few starts so next year should give him a chance to finally have a full season.
For the season Milton was 53/82 (64.6%) 971 yards (11.8 avg) 10 TDs and 0 Ints 204.3 QB Rating
December 31st, 2022 at 9:03 AM ^
I have no ill will toward Milton and wish him the best. He played solidly against Clemson - which is fine with me. If anything, it just sends Dabo and Clemson… and the ACC down a wrung on the ladder - deservedly so.
December 31st, 2022 at 9:51 AM ^
Joe Milton's a polarizing figure? Since when?
He didn't pan out here, but I have no respect for anyone who'll judge a player like their on-field production is a measure of their worth as a person. Effort's another matter, but I don't remember ever seeing Milton dog it, either.
December 31st, 2022 at 11:26 AM ^
I'll admit I enjoyed some schadenfreude when he threw it away on 4th down last year or whenever.
I think though, that most of my emotional connection to Milton is the association with 2020 and the complete awfulness of that season, from Covid, to most of the teams best players opting out, to the results on the field. Milton was visibly at the center of it through no fault of his own.
December 31st, 2022 at 10:02 AM ^
Maybe he finally grew up and realized he wronged the program with his blame. Until then, f him...