Grade the Wolverines: Rate Michigan's performance against Northwestern
Did you like what you saw Saturday night? Did anything concern you?
Here's your chance to weigh in on the Michigan football team's 42-28 win at Northwestern. Grade the Wolverines on offense, defense, special teams, coaching and overall:
Offense
The Wolverines gained 541 total yards and scored 42 points, but there is still some concern about Denard Robinson’s passing. The junior quarterback threw three first-half interceptions, but redeemed himself by being sharp when he most needed to. He was 9-for-12 passing in the second half and completed 7-of-8 passes for 148 yards on third-down plays. Along with his game-high 117 rushing yards, Robinson accounted for 454 yards, or 84 percent of the Wolverines’ total output.
Defense
After allowing touchdown-scoring drives of 63, 80 and 82 yards in the first half, the Michigan defense tightened up in the second half. Northwestern gained 139 yards after halftime, 79 of that on its meaningless last drive. While Michigan was scoring on four of its five second-half possessions, Northwestern punted once, was intercepted by Brandin Hawthorne, lost a fumble to Gordon Thomas and was stopped on downs when Jordan Kovacs sacked Dan Persa on a fourth-down play.
Special teams
Small samples to work with here: Brendan Gibbons had his only field goal attempt (a 37-yarder) blocked, Will Hagerup only punted once (38 yards) and Michigan did not return a punt. Northwestern’s average starting position after seven Michigan kickoffs was its own 22-yard-line.
Coaching
Second-half adjustments? Something happened in the locker room at halftime. The Wolverines outscored Northwestern 28-0 and now have a 114-21 cumulative advantage in the second halves of six wins this season. Offensive coordinator Al Borges continued to expand his playbook.
Overall
Comments
riverraisin
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 4:48 p.m.
I hate to be the buzz kill on here, but......I thought Michigan regressed in this game as compared to the last few. Mistakes were plenty. Offense couldn't open holes thru the middle to save their lives. Denard and the backs were running into walls and couldn't get their running game going. I saw lineman standing around as if the play was over, while Shaw was fighting for extra yards with three defenders draped on him. Not one team mate lent him any assistance. He was on the 2 yard line! Push the pile into the endzone, for god sakes! Denard...We love ya, but please..quit throwing hail mary's off your back foot into double and triple coverage. That's not going to work against decent defenses. Aside from a few plays in the second half, our D was not getting after the quarterback. We've really got to do a better job of that if we have a chance against the few better teams in this conference. The defense was playing 2 hand touch football the whole game. Looked exactly like last years squad. Do I remember right? Was there 2 kickoffs out of bounds last night? Two?? Brady Hoke did not look happy, at all, on the sidelines . The score should have been 56-7 We're 6-0 by the 'bad luck of the irish' and a favorable schedule. The games are gonna get progressively harder..We better start executing and imposing our will on the other teams.
MRunner73
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 2:18 p.m.
Ryan Field has been a very tough place to play, even with the crowd having 30-40% Michigan fans. Michigan was down by 10 at half time, Denard threw three pics; things looked bleak but the second half was awesome for Michigan. Offense and Defense for Michigan was outstanding. Maybe this team will be overranked in the polls again this week but they played 60 minutes of football. Northwestern played 30 minutes of football. Northwestern could not close out their game against IL the week before. That was a road game for them, their let down was at home last night. Michigan was been outstanding all season long during the second half. No panic, stay calm and execute. Given where this team is at, NOW we can start talking about Sparty. Sparty had difficulty closing against OSU so, once again, let's see how we'll do in 60 minutes of football and I am confident, we will give them a war. GO BLUE!!!
Jake
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 1:26 p.m.
You forgot to add a choice "G"...................... "I don't care!" I know this will be a shock to some systems, but not everyone, and everything revolves around the U of M and their football........................I know, hard to believe, but true!
riverraisin
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 6:34 p.m.
In our world, everything revolves around Meeechigan football. UofM is the center of the football universe. Please return back to your place in the netherworld.
azwolverine
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 2:44 p.m.
Put in 'Don't Care' as a choice and, if anyone actually votes on it, it shows they do care. Another reason that would be a ridiculous question in a poll is that the people who TRULY don't care wouldn't be on the site to vote anyway. Sorry, Jon...but you care.
Jake
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 1:32 p.m.
GN&GL..............not complaining, just pointing out. Put in "Don't care" as a choice and let the poll speak for itself.
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 1:28 p.m.
The fact that you needed to reply and complain belies your statement of not caring. Apparently you do care. GN&GL
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 1 p.m.
Stay with me here--this will come back to football. After the Battle of the Wilderness in early May of 1864, which by all measures the Union lost, the Union's Army of the Potomac continued south toward Richmond. This it would not have happened under the army's previous commanders. Instead, the army would have retreated north to lick its wounds. But U.S. Grant was in charge now (Meade was technically still the army's commander, but Grant never let Meade out of his sight and camped in the tent next to Meade's every night). Noting the change in philosophy, a Union soldier from Vermont wrote home and said: "General Lee no longer commands this Army. We have a general of our own now," a statement that reflected the feelings of many soldiers that the Army of the Potomac had been dancing to Lee's tune for two years, and that the AofP's commanders had been unable to adjust to Lee on the battlefield. I know how that soldier from Vermont felt. We have a coach of our own now. Good Night and Good Luck
1st Down
Mon, Oct 10, 2011 : 12:02 a.m.
so Lee = Tressell, Mead = RR and Grant = Hoke? sounds good ill buy that
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 4:39 p.m.
Actually, I think last year's coaching staff was Joe Johnston before he was fired and replaced by Hood in 1864--a football staff that was in constant retreat with a "dear in the headlights" persona, never knowing where the next blow might fall. GN&GL
Blu n Tpa
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 4:15 p.m.
I am sure after last night's game that many Wolverines felt like they should "cross to the other side of the river and rest in the shade of the trees." Or maybe General Bee could be slightly altered to say, "Look there stands...the Michigan Defense...like a stonewall" in the second half. So who was the commander in last year's campaign, John Bell Hood around Atlanta or Richard Ewell at Gettysburg?
D21
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 3:02 p.m.
Good analogy that got my vote. GO BLUE!
10dz
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 12:36 p.m.
If drob can settle down and get his feet set, he is a much better passer. you can see right away when a bad bas is coming just by watching his feet. But he is still the most exciting player in college football. Is there a more dangerous player?
10dz
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 12:37 p.m.
"bad pass"
aareader
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 12:33 p.m.
The halftime adjustments by coaches are BACK! Great job!
Edward R Murrow's Ghost
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 12:52 p.m.
Indeed they are!! Good Night and Good Luck
1st Down
Sun, Oct 9, 2011 : 4:30 a.m.
6-0 baby. On the road to 10-0 going in to Neb. This game would not have been close had Denard not thrown those awful pics. Good thing he atoned for them in the 2nd half. If there is a more bi-polar player in CF right now, Id like to see him. Capable of dominating in one breath...tossing an ugly pic in the next. Good thing is that most of the time, he comes out on top.