MGoPodcast 15.19: Casula, Mammula, and Don Shula Comment Count

BlueBarron February 12th, 2024 at 7:00 AM

1 hour and 44 minutes

The Sponsors

Thank you to Underground Printing for making this all possible. Rishi and Ryan have been our biggest supporters from the beginning. Check out their wide selection of officially licensed Michigan fan gear at their 3 store locations in Ann Arbor or learn about their custom apparel business at undergroundshirts.com.

Our associate sponsors are: Peak Wealth Management, Matt Demorest - Realtor and Lender, Ann Arbor Elder Law, Michigan Law Grad, The Phil Klein Insurance Group, Winewood Organics, Human ElementSharon's Heating & Air ConditioningVenue by 4M where we recorded this, The Nose Bleeds, which is the Sklars Bros’ reboot of Cheap Seats on UFC Fight PassAutograph: Fandom Rewarded, who just launched an app where you earn rewards for things like reading MGoBlog and listening to this podcast, and introducing Champions Circle, the NIL fund keeping our team together.

1. Coaches and Vibes

Starts at 1:00

Some of us would like to continue basking in the glory of the national championship and some (Brian) acknowledge that we must move on and start looking into the next season. There have already been some coaching changes since the last podcast. Wink Martindale's defense isn't that different from the Ravens defense (and it is not the Don Brown defense). Defensive line will still be elite, the big question is depth. Michigan's got too many safeties and not enough corners, move some? It's looking like Greg Scruggs, the Wisconsin defensive line coach, will be coming over. Linebackers coach positions is fuzzy. A lot of Michigan's offensive philosophy was probably coming from Sherrone Moore and Kirk Campbell so having that continuity is huge. Sherrone is helping tremendously at keep the team and culture together. 

[The rest of the writeup and the player after THE JUMP]

2. 2024 Offense Part 1

Starts at 28:41

Who is the quarterback and what is the philosophy of this offense? Between Kalel Mullings, Donovan Edwards, Semaj Morgan, Colston Loveland, Max Bredeson, and Tyler Morris, there's a lot coming back to play with. How do you pass the ball with Alex Orji at quarterback and what is the run/pass split? If not Alex Orji at quarterback, then who? Even though they turn over the entire offensive line, the backups are upper classmen so it might be a Wisconsin situation where it's just the next line up. 

3. Hot Takes and 2024 Offense Part 2

Starts at 47:58

Takes hotter than Keisei Tominaga (and that's the only mention of basketball on this podcast). If you want continuity with the offense, do you make Kalel Mullings RB1? How much should Donovan Edwards motion out as a receiver? What are the alternatives at QB if you go with Alex Orji and it doesn't work out? Jayden Denegal is probably the floor and he's Wilton Speight. Making a case for why the offensive line will be good again, ideally Andrew Gentry is the left tackle. Tyler Morris will be a good WR2 (behind whoever they motion out between Donovan Edwards or Colston Loveland). 

4. Hockey vs Michigan State

Starts at 1:29:51

Michigan has a sad hockey weekend and gets swept by Michigan State, losing the Iron D. These teams played fairly evenly but Michigan State has a goalie that can bail them out and Michigan doesn't. Michigan needs to be able to out-score their mistakes but they can't right now. Michigan basketball exists, goodbye! 
 

MUSIC:

  • “Olivia”— Wolves of Glendale
  • “Flamingos - CARRTOONS"
  • “City Slicker”—  Ginger Root
  • “Across 110th Street”
THE USUAL LINKS:

 

"They're NIMBY'ing the alleys where people throw up after going to Rick's"

Comments

ShoelacesFlapp…

February 12th, 2024 at 2:36 PM ^

I obviously love Denard but even if Orji could hit that level, which I highly doubt, we would be in trouble. Denard's performance, especially passing the ball, fell off a cliff whenever he faced a good defense.

AlbanyBlue

February 12th, 2024 at 4:45 PM ^

I'm late to this party, but I'm also in the "I don't get it" camp about the Orji hype. 

What I see:

  • Orji is going to run 10+ times a game as a starting QB? QB reads/runs for the starter weren't live, like ever, except in a handful of games, during the Harbaugh era. We think this is going to change with Moore as HC?
  • Orji clearly has not been trusted to pass the ball to this point. The exception, I suppose, was the play against Alabama, but the pass play was obvious, and Orji defaulted to a run, resulting in a loss of yards. So now he's good to read defenses, go through some sort of progression, and execute throws against the schedule we have coming up in 2024?
  • On the other hand, and related to the above point, other QBs (Denegal, Tuttle) were given passing plays, and also threw passes in garbage time of 2023 games. Orji was only used as a runner. If the staff thought Orji was a capable passer, he would have executed at least some of those plays.

Nope, I see Orji as at most a co-starter in a package of plays, most of which use him as a runner. Hopefully, we can find a serviceable QB in the spring portal. If not, rolling with Denegal until Jadyn gets up to speed seems like the best way to go.

MaynardST

February 12th, 2024 at 11:29 PM ^

I'm still amazed that Michigan is the champ because it had easily the best coaching staff, the best depth, and veteran talent, but did not recruit as well as other top teams.  How does that get repeated?  The defense will be fine as long as its plays are limited provided the offense is productive. I'm looking forward to what might be available in the portal as long is the coaching staff is set and working well together by then.  I have a lot of confidence in the head coach as a coach.  We'll see how he is as a team leader. Meanwhile, even though virtually every other Michigan varsity team is mediocre at best, I easily accept that in exchange for what happened in football. In 2024 I feel another win over OSU would be a successful season regardless of what else happens.