Michigan Wolverines: Michigan State — What Happened and What it Means
Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive end Marcus Rush (44) holds up Paul Bunyan trophy after a game at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports
Posted at 5:55am — 10/27/2014
Michigan Wolverines: Michigan State — What Happened and What it Means
Redux and Reflux — Michigan Embarrasses the Tradition
So, Joe Bolden thought he had to put a stake in the grass at Spartan Stadium? Here is a guy who is supposed to be a poster child of a strong student athlete. He is not stupid, but his decision to undertake such nonsense was less than smart, far less.
Redux, over and over again, is theme number one this week. Again, Devin Gardner, he who is the good citizen, pulled some stunts that has to make any quarterback coach rip some healthy hair follicles out. His fumble and two interceptions were again fuel for the fatal turnover machine that crushes an offense just when a sense of continuity and some success show up, albeit briefly. Yes, indeed, it may be said that softness is a disease, but turnovers are far more fatal. One or two monster headstratchers per year haunt most quarterbacks, but one or two per game is a scenario few could imagine a starting quarterback accomplishing.
Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan State Spartans safety Kurtis Drummond (27) forces Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Devin Funchess (1) to drop ball during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. MSU won 35-11. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY SportsFailure of this nature can spread. Exhibit one is the other Devin, a wide receiver. He continued his inability to make simple catches when needed. His ineptitude spread to the other receivers. The game preview mentioned that the receiving corps must have a good game and take advantage of every small opportunity to stay in the game. And on the big stage Funchess laid another egg.
Theme two: Nussmeier has every reason to be upset. It was somewhat refreshing to see him stalk the sideline and show visible upset when simple, doable plays were messed up by player execution, more mental than physical, time after time. The play calling was not inept, but the ability of the players to perform the basics of football, throw, block, catch, was dismal.
Theme three: The defense did not again get much help from the offense, however, the game was again essentially lost for Michigan as the defense again (redux) melted on the last drive of the first half.
Theme four: The Spartan running game was successful in part because the offensive linemen kept contact with Michigan’s defenders through shear willpower. Michigan’s defenders were still being moved backwards and that allowed the Spartan runners to turn three-yard runs into double that length. Conversely, DeVeon Smith was getting hit by unblocked tacklers all day long.
Theme five: Conner Cook was somewhat off, luckily so, but Michigan again allowed the staple deep flag pattern on the first drive. The over and under was too spread and late. And the first drive included the standard Michigan practice of leaving the middle wide open with no defenders in sight. The big play on the first drive had enough clearance to build a condominium.
Theme six: What this means is Michigan must beat Indiana, Maryland, and Northwestern, all back to back, to make a bowl. The coaches have to make a decision: ride out the year with Gardner until the team is eliminated from bowl contention, or pull the plug. No opinion will be offered here.
As an aside, Mr. Hill forced me to have a “condemned man’s” last request cigar before the game. The thinking was the cigar lasted longer than a cigarette. The condemned then watched the latest march to the scaffold on the telly.
Oct 25, 2014; East Lansing, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke walks the sidelines during the 2nd half of a game at Spartan Stadium. MSU won 35-11. Mandatory Credit: Mike Carter-USA TODAY SportsIt is a shame that coaches are put in such positions as to apologize for the actions of players who make decisions such as Bolden’s. It shows poor leadership from the top to the lowest freshman. The action was harmless but insulting and will remain a stain on Michigan’s image for at least the near future. In the world of college football, stupid sometimes seems the norm, not the exception. And that realization triggers a true reflux reaction for what happened on the field. Apologies after the fact should be brief and let the matter die a putrid death.
Coaches can make practice total hell after results such as this season. That is a dangerous gamble. The first duty of a coach is to look out for the welfare of his players. The first duty of players is to represent the university in a proper manner.
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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Doc4Blu
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