Players: We didn't coming out ready to play. Angelique: That's on the coaches

If the coaches can't get the guys amped up for the first BIG game of the year against a top 15 opponent... shit, I dunno what to say.  Losing momentum after a fumble on the 5 in the first quarter? Da faq?  What is that shit?  That's not on the players, that comes from the top down. Jim is looking and acting like a zombie right now and it's 100% impacting the players and the way they are approaching the games.

Honestly think it was the Rome trip that changed him. I was at Signing of the Stars at Crisler in 2017 and he was doing his usual Harbaugh stuff like hanging out in the student section. 

He came back a different person. 

I agree it always starts and stops with the head coach, but who are your leaders on this team, especially the defense?  Who is your Chase Winovich or Devin Bush?  We don't seem to have one this year.  Zero emotion on the field.  Great teams always have someone who is willing to get in a teammate's face when necessary, and I just don't see it.  I'm afraid they have all graduated or gone to the NFL.

This feels like 2013 so far.  

Maybe if it all comes together at the end we can lose to OSU 42-41.

But I thought some guys were going to make a "statement" on Saturday.

It's so fucking mind blowing how flawed this team is at a fundamental coaching level. I just don't get it. How is it even possible? Whether it's year one or year five, it's unacceptable.

M stands for Mediocrity.

I wonder if they're over-training and therefore exhausted from glycogen depletion. That is a common problem for teams when coaches heavily emphasize the ethos that working hard is the defining characteristic of a successful team. It can be difficult to get enough rest to replete glycogen stores in the muscles to function at the highest level.

“We definitely came out sluggish,” he said. “And definitely came out slow.”

Well, that’s mainly a function of being sluggish & slow compared to other top 20 teams. 

Maybe it’s just the lack of size, speed, and athleticism compounding the coaching issues. 

From somewhere not originating w me

“Time to admit we are a helmet, a stadium and a song. Everything else is a fraud."

double post 

Was pretty obvious they came out sluggish. And yes, it is on the coaches for not getting them in the right mindset to play. After a bye week. It's just like they came out and said to Wisconsin- here, take the W, and while you are at it, make sure Taylor gets his stats for Heisman also. Oh yeah, we will try to make it respectable in the 2nd half, so. 

Just baffled by the lack of response. No leadership out there- offensively or defensively. No fight. DPJ showed fight once by talking back to the guy who drove his face into the turf on a catch. Got flagged. I liked the fire, but few guys as well as the coaches showed any.

Shea is struggling to find open receivers. AND when they are open, he can't put it on them accurately. The first pass to NIco in the endzone, before the Mason fumble- overthrew him by a mile. If he puts it where 6'4' Collins can catch it, that's a TD and momentum shifter. Not saying the game doesn't get out of hand still, but that's a big one. Also Collins open many times and Shea doesn't look his way. No cohesiveness there- more confusion than anything with offense. What is it they practice? Ugh- way too many questions- offensively and defensively. At least our punting is good.

It’s very concerning the team coming out flat and uninspired is not a one off situation but a trend. 

This is on the coaching staff pure and simple.  The players try to say the right things and take ownership but the coaches set the tone.  Sounds more like all the coaches have their resumes out there and are sleepwalking through the season resulting in the lethargy we saw.

It's criminal to take the high dollars Michigan pays and put these kids on the field unprepared and unmotivated.  And it's not just this game...the spiral started late last fall and it seems NOTHING has been done to correct it.

The coaches need to put this team in total blackout, dress everyone in plain sweats, work on fundamentals and get them angry.  Like rage fuck angry cause that's the only thing that will save us from a disaster this year.

I honestly expected to hear there was a players only meeting tbh.  Yes it is on the coaches, but I cannot imagine the players are happy about not feeling prepared.

Harbaugh... soft, unenthusiastic, etc.

Before he came here he was the exact opposite. Makes you wonder if:

1) There's something going on with the boosters, or administration (purse strings). I heard years ago through a booster that they wanted a "kinder, gentler" approach to coaching... someone who would be a friend to the kids and help them find their way. If this is the case, then we're getting what they asked for. If UM's culture behind the scenes has become soft, then this is where it leads you.

2) Did Harbaugh start meds? If so I can't really blame him, most people who are perfectionists have to be on them just to cope with the outside world. If that's the case, then maybe it's time for him to retire, enjoy his accomplishments, and move on. Otherwise, go back to the old Harbaugh and get this program rolling again.

3) Harbaugh just isn't the same guy that was hired to take the helm. I think it's time to move on and find someone who's like a bull in a china shop, and doesn't stop until they start accomplishing some of the program's goals.

If there are issues impacting their performance on the field, an embarrassing loss against a less talented conference opponent is necessary.  Losing 28-20 might continue a false narrative that everything's fine and we just need a tweak here and there.  

It's time for the coaches to earn that salary that compares with other top programs.

When the team walked out of the tunnel, there was ZERO emotion.  Just guys walking out.  On the other side Wiscy came roaring out of the tunnel going crazy.  Yes, they were at home...I get it...but Michigan looked flat as hell and I said to myself "oh shit, they look like they do not care"

I believe Dave Brandon placed a spell on him when Jim had him on his podcast.  Call it the curse of Dave Brandon

It's tough to think of a game on the road where Michigan didn't come out sluggish in the last XX number of years (take your pick on how far you want to go back).  If Northwestern had a monster RB and more efficient QB, Saturday would have been a copy of last years September game in Evanston.  Michigan was down 17-0 a few minutes into the 2nd quarter of that game.  Looked terrible to start that game.  Michigan typically looks "OK" on the road if they are playing terrible teams, such as Rutgers.  Even last year against Rutgers, it was 7-7 at the end of the first quarter.  That 7 would be all Rutgers scored, but still a slow start given the competition.

sorry gif didn't load

Honestly even more dissapointing than how the game started was the start of the second half. You've got a 4th and 4 and are down 28-0. How many drives do you think you are going to get? Punting that ball on the first drive was punting on legitimately still trying to win that game.

Well shit. Give her a Pulitzer for that fine piece of journalism. In other news it gonna snow in Michigan in December. 

Can't blame them.  I sleep poorly in hotels all the time, the mattress, the pillow, the bright alarm clock, etc.

Where is the pride ? Where is the toughness ? This program has been crumbling from the foundation for years. Keep putting pretty clothes on it. Do the make up all fancy and sweet. But the core ........

 There is a lot of talk about how great the football program is.....but when it's time to strip down and play with the big boys......we don't measure up.

Something happened IMO - with ZC going down in the practice scrimmage. Players could see the kid already took a beating in the Army game - then that.

How do you come out unprepared, not ready when you had an extra week to prepare for this game?  Do you need three bye weeks to prepare? 

Wisconsin got blown out at the big house last year and you KNEW they were going to be up for this game.  Being unprepared for that game, that scenario, that environment is unacceptable.

If you want energy and fire, why not let those first two underwhelming games motivate you to play angry?  Patterson sure looked angry after that first fumble against Army.  The media is now going to bring up that record in meaningful games every chance they get.  Those of us who watched the Army game at home saw the montage of the muffed punt against MSU, the field goal against Iowa, the OSU touchdown in OT, etc.  If that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what will. 

This team is suffering from coaching malpractice. They have played 3 games this year and have yet to have a single half of football where both sides of the team looks anything close to well prepared.

Losing to Wisconsin is a bummer. Looking like one of Hoke's later teams is a fucking travesty and I can't believe everyone isn't calling for Harbaugh's head.

I've never been directly involved in football, but I have watched for a long time, and it looks to an outsider like the players have quit on the coaching staff.

Many possible reasons why, I guess, but we don't really know. But the thousand-foot view is what it is. Start the coaching search now. We're in the weeds again.

As the French say, "dans le merde".....