GBMWolverine: Coach's Corner -- Michigan Football -- Michigan at Iowa -- What Happened and What It Means

Posted at 6:00am — 11/7/2011

GBMWolverine: Coach’s Corner — Michigan Football — Michigan at Iowa — What Happened and What It Means

This time around there is so much to write about. The mission is to frame the analysis in the most meaningful manner. The call here was for an eight point Iowa win and well…

The bottom line is Michigan suffered a tough but not devastating loss on the road. The ultimate meaning is Michigan has a greatly diminished chance of a division title. Iowa played much better with its back to the wall and at home.

There will be side effects of this loss that will be echoed by the media and others more so than the team or coaches. This week the following echoes will be bandied about: (1) Michigan cannot beat a physical team; (2) Michigan cannot win on the road, and Michigan is no better than in the Rodriguez era. All three are without far reaching perception. Not yet can be said to the above, but the time is drawing closer. But the doubters will start to crop up.

Iowa played well, good enough to win. In many phases of the game Iowa played a little better than Michigan, good enough to win. In some phases of the game Michigan showed past weaknesses, including pass catching, throwing the ball deep, powering the ball on short yardage, and holding down a big, physical back. These self-inflicted impediments helped provide Iowa a cushion throughout the game.

The end was bizarre, but old coaches will recite an old rule: never leave it up to an official or one play to bail you out; get ahead and stay ahead.

Denard’s interception on a hard, tight pass at the goal line is a commonplace occurrence. The ball bounces up and is picked, maybe a bad throw, maybe bad hands. But the fumble was again an example of a great athlete trying to do too much and in the process hurting the team.

The power running game was thought to be a big advantage for Iowa and was at least an advantage. Coker is good, and if he gets into the second level can put a big hurt on a defense.

Iowa did nothing unexpected, the Hawkeyes rarely do. The play action game worked well and McNutt is a tough cover for any cornerback. As GBMWolverine warned Vandenberg is good, a perfect fit for the Iowa offense. He runs the play action pass fake very well, gets deep quick or outside the edge quick enough to hit the out. Iowa still finds the seam in the middle as good as anyone when the opportunity arises. Yes, indeed the same old boring Iowa offense still does what it has always done and wins more often than not.

Again the view here is that the interior of the Michigan defense played better, but also again the edge was vulnerable at times. Having said that, the Michigan defense played well enough to give the offense a chance to win, especially late. Between the turnovers and dropped passes, the offense left points on the field and gave a three-point gift to the Iowa offense.

Clearly Michigan is not where the team wants as a final destination, but at the risk of seeming to celebrate a hollow defeat, the defensive side is making progress and an infusion of good talent only makes the future bright. The offense continues to demonstrate documented weaknesses, and likely will the rest of the season.

There are frustrations that remain such as but not limited to overthrowing wide open receivers, guys dropping needed passes, and the line having difficulty running the ball against big lines. Iowa held UM to about half its season total running the ball.

The Michigan offense played with better purpose and urgency late, but not most of the game. The defense again basically spotted the other team seven points with a quick easy score at the onset of the game.

What the Iowa game means is quite simple: Michigan needs to win every game for a sniff of a chance to enter the title game. Michigan also needs to continue to strive to play classic, physical football as the blueprint is out in plain sight, there is no going back this late. The team faces tough challenges with a road game and games against two very good defenses to end the year, albeit the Nebraska defense has become puzzling. To be in either game the offense needs to step it up, one way or another.

Don’t give up the ship.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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