BigBuckDown

Wed, Sep 22, 2010 : 9:33 a.m.

Clarklaker, Harbaugh would be great I agree!! Who was Harbaugh's 4-3 Defensive Coordinator when they upset #1 USC his 1st year? Oh, That's right! It was Scott Shafer?!! The same guy we ran out of town!? It's time for RR's Boys to go!! D coordinators with their hands tied behind their backs by RR's boys will continue to be horrible until RR let's someone come in with their staff and run their stuff!!What RR has done would be the equivalent of Michigan hiring him and telling him he can't bring in his offensive staff, rather a staff deeply rooted in Stack I offense! When RR tries to implement the spread, his staff sucks, can't adapt to his style and then we all wonder why the offense can't get it done!! It's the same thing

Skipit3

Wed, Sep 22, 2010 : 12:45 a.m.

Well Ghost, constructive criticism is not a bad thing. I don't know whether or not you would be qualified to be a Head Coach, Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Secretary of State, or even the President of the United States because I don't know you. One thing I do know from my personal experience in the military and my professional life, is that what we see on the surface may not be the reality of the whole thing. We don't know what the coaching staff is doing or not doing and we certainly don't know what they're going through behind the scene. We make speculations and we are so quick to criticize and not giving someone the benefit of the doubt. I have had experience with people that have incessantly complained about a leader or supervisor. When put in that position, they do exactly the same things they were complaining about and worse. It's easy to criticize a quarterback from your living room couch when you don't have two or three 300+ lbs linemen coming at you. Some of you are criticizing RR based solely on emotions and a perception that he is a dishonest person. Yes indeed, he has made some mistakes, but have you for one minute ever put yourselves in his shoes? Well, you don't have to answer this question because I can already presume what your answer will be since you, Mr. Ghost, is such a perfect human being. By the way, I was not one of the anti-Carr folks. I supported him as the HC because ultimately I support the team. I will continue to support RR until he is no longer the HC. Whomever is hired as the next HC, be it Jim Harbaugh, Les Miles, or even you, I will support him.

Sean T.

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 8:02 p.m.

Well said, "GHOST"! Your last post is magic my friend.

Skipit3

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 1:55 p.m.

Ghost, since you are such an expert and expect RR to lose his job at the end of this season, why don't you apply for the job? I bet you would make a better head coach since it's so easy for you to see what could be done better from your living room couch, isn't it?

Skipit3

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 12:56 p.m.

Since you guys are such experts and expect RR to lose his job at the end of this season, why don't you apply for the job? It's so easy to see what could be done better from your living room couch, isn't it?

NoBowl4Blue

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 9:08 a.m.

One can do a lot of regressing in less than a couple of years. Football, our nation etc.

chiro19

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 8:22 a.m.

There was a post on another topic that I thought made a great point and that person who wrote it may have written on this topic. The offense that michigan runs while potent right now is not condusive to T.O.P. If the offense was on the field longer it gives the D time to rest and recover from prior series and lets them be more aggressive. This does not excuse pathetic tackling skills like finger tackles and guys trying to tackle with their head like I saw in the ND game. With the D depleted from injuries and the lack of depth period the little things really matter, like tackling skills and communication on the back end, because guys are tired and dont have subs like they typically would. As much as I love seeing michigan score 45 every game I would rather see them score 28 and not give up a touchdown because they have 35 minutes of T.O.P. Of course this is a fairly simplistic explanation and I am sure the problems are much more complex than this! I would also love to see the CB's play much tighter in man coverage and let the safeties take care of the deep part of the field. But hey I am just good at ncaa 2011 what do I know!

tulsatom

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 7:06 a.m.

My favorite quote from RR in this article is "I may pay closer attention, he said, refering to the U-M defense. It's about time.

Macabre Sunset

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 6:31 a.m.

That is true. The take on Michigan going into 2008 is that they would struggle on offense since RichRod ran off the only quarterback on the roster in order to install his scheme without any transition. But they were supposedly good enough to go 8-4 because the defense had a lot of experience. However... before the season started he lost 11 players with eligibility remaining. The DL and secondary were still loaded, but somehow the team wound up allowing 300+ points for the first time in school history. A feat they duplicated last year and are all but certain to do for a third time.

le con

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 4:21 a.m.

Michigan's defence is a sieve......

JadedBlackDepth

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 3:22 a.m.

There is so much more to this than regression. A few facts. Reason for bad already. 1. Entering the season the DB stable was weak and in a 3-3-5 you need 5 good dbs to play the game each play you use the 3-3-5. 2. As the saying goes, then a DL's gas tank hits empty, it stays empty. The DL was not strong either, and when your most herald recruit on the DL is a big bust(Campbell) you are in for trouble.(this is also why the 3-3-5 is used, an not a 4-3. 3. Based on one, you also need to look at the injuries to the DBs that already happened this season. Teams are already running all over the D with only 3 DL, how long before the DBs show their weakness and the pass defense crumbles? Reasons to fear for future. 1. Teams across the big ten did backflips when they heard that the defense in AA is going to be a 3-3-5. Seriously? Only 3 dls and 3 lbs to stop the power run teams with big linemen? The coaches in Iowa City, Madison, Columbus, East Lansing, and Happy Valley are giddy with excitement. 2. Then with the news of the university losing it's top 3 preforming dbs from last years rosters, teams with accurate qbs and good receivers also got giddy at the opportunity.(NW, MSU, IU, WIS, & OSU) 3. There is not youth stepping up enough it the db or dl categories to show any promise of help this season yet. Another injury in either of those areas will really show. 4. This is probably the biggest. Each game into the season, the team for the week will have yet another game of yet another team pushing a weakness or the unfortunate possibility of playing a defense with on less needed piece due to injury. Its been shown already that any team with a run game can run on the defense, how long before the holes in the pass defense show? Be they due to youth, new scheme, or injury?

Sean T.

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 2:36 a.m.

I agree that the defense has "not" regressed but the issue is a matter of scheme. And the worst of it is the scheme is being forced on the kids and their D-Coordinator. Just like I posted before; there has never been a National Champion with a 3-3-5 defense! The competition got better each game so far and it's starting to look bad. And don't think for a minute that our offense will average even 28+ plus during the conference season.

Macabre Sunset

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 2:29 a.m.

Well, I've been fairly outspoken all along, so I don't fit your convenient straw man, skip. Others have as well. We just don't have confidence in Rodriguez, and wonder why he's running Greg Robinson's 3-3-5, pretty much on every play. It's not a defense that suits this team. Bowling Green should be a fairly easy opponent. Michigan will dominate both lines if the players play to their potential. I worry a little about Dave Clawson's take on the West Coast Offense, though. We will see a lot of Mighty Mouse coming out of the backfield. Fear Mighty Mouse, as he has the power to make overpursuing linebackers look quite mortal.

Skipit3

Tue, Sep 21, 2010 : 1:49 a.m.

Well, it's way too early to declare this season a failure! All of you Naysayers, remember how teams like OSU and others have struggled in the past at the beginning of their seasons only to improve as the season progresses. At this stage of the season, all teams are fine tuning their games. It will get better for some teams and worse for others. What we see now is not necessarily an indication of how the remainder of the season will unfold. Yet, we have all these folks that already have their own prejudice against the coach crawling out of their holes pressing the panic button and declaring the season a failure already. When the team won their first two games against overrated UConn & Notre Dame, you stayed in your holes, didn't you? There were very few posts about RR being a bad coach and a "scum bag". You people are just waiting for any opportunity to slam RR and the team. That performance against UMass has just given you the ammo that you have been longing for. Now you are all coming out spitting out your negative venom, of course with 3 And Out leading the charge. Get a hold of yourselves people! As one poster wrote, last year is last year; this is 2010. The past is not always an indication of the present nor the future. All game predictions are futile and a waste of precious time. Anything can happen on any given Saturday, just my opinion!

jameslucas

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 11:58 p.m.

Michigan will be at 6 wins after the Michigan State Game.

Blueman Rick

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 11:12 p.m.

Lemansblue. Ok. I follow.

lefty48197

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 10:13 p.m.

It looks like Rich's "point a minute defense" is back to the form it demonstrated for the last two years. That offense will have to average 40 points per game just to finish the season.500.

amaizenblueballs

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 9:27 p.m.

Massachusetts looked like Wisconsin on offense except for the W on the helmet. That was a big O line and a good running back. We got some good practice for the Big Ten (thus everyone's fright). Assuming that there is some coaching going on we are better off than Delaware last year. They will have to take a chance on big plays and be more aggressive. They were overcoached on the big play and they played scared. I hate that kind of play. Besides, it only wears you out. I will take 7 points on a 95 yarder.

Lemansblue

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 9:20 p.m.

Blueman, Come on man...I was kidding like the rr supporters you know RR needs 4 years for everything. We could end all this if we are smart enough to hire coach Harbaugh.

tim

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 8:56 p.m.

the defense has gotten worse every year under RR and that trend will continue for at least this year. The offense is good enough for an 8-4 season giving RR one more year to make drastic strides on defense.

GoblueinNE_PA

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 8:26 p.m.

TulsaTom I'm pretty sure that Campbell is in there on goal line and short yardage situations. I'm positive I saw 73 in the game this Saturday.

Mick52

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 8:13 p.m.

To make matters worse, the Big Ten Network puts Charles Woodson highlights up in a tribute show. You get to see Charles making interceptions and big hits and broking up plays. To have to score 42 points to barely win a game is an issue. These guys are great athletes, there is no reason this defense shouldn't be as good as any Michigan defense. There's not enough fire in these guys. Maybe its the coaches, maybe the players. I don't care, I want more "Not in my house, Not in your house" attitude. UMass may have been the best team we faced. ND? Not impressive. Ct? I bet UMass could beat them. Again, like last year, turnovers. Missed field goals. Defense wins ballgames.

tulsatom

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 8:08 p.m.

GoblueinNE_PA, I agree the 4-3 would make more sense against the running teams they will play like MSU, Wisconsin, Penn State, etc. Even if they insist on staying with the 3-3-5, I don't see why they don't put Campbell in there in short yardage and goal line situations on defense. The only time I've seen him in there this year was as the U-M version of "Refrigerator Perry" as a blocking back.

GoblueinNE_PA

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 7:42 p.m.

I agree, there has been a regression, though not with the defense. The defense is probably no different in week 3 than it was in week 1. The real difference was on the offensive side of the ball. In that first game, the offense put up long, clock chewing drives, drives that just wore out UConn's defense. It also put the UConn offense in a hole and made them one dimensional since they had to go pretty much to a pass first offense. This past Saturday against UMass, the team quite frankly, played poorly on offense in that first half; turn overs, 3 and out's, etc. Bottom line, we lost the Time of Possession battle to UMass and that was because our offense didn't get it done for most of that 1st half and for the 4th quarter. If we can some how put together those long grinding drives down the field, the Defense will start to look better. Without them, the defense will look very, very bad. Unfortunately, other than that first game this year, the RR Michigan teams have not demonstrated the ability to own the clock. I think history will continue to repeat itself. BTW TulsaTom, Campbell won't see the field until Martin is gone. They both play the same position on the field and neither one is built to play DE in a 3-4 (or this crappy 3-3-5). Why we don't got to a 4-3 is beyond me. GRob could certainly teach that defense, he's used it before, and most of the kids on the team have played in it, but that's not what RR uses. Maybe next year.

WWBD?

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 7:35 p.m.

The M defense is really not as bad as it seems but it's not good either and will remain very dependent on the offense playing mistake free. But give credit to the U mass team as they played inspired football to the very end.

Blueman Rick

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 7:06 p.m.

"Robinson needs at least 4 years to get his defensive system installed". I respectfully disagree. As a former pro coach, all the coach training I received emphasized fitting the system to the athletes not the other way around. This has been my complaint about RR from the very beginning.

Chad Williams

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:56 p.m.

Good defenses that play fast also play with a high level of energy. Thats what this game lacked for the defense. Not to give them a pass on playing bad, but u look at the first game they were fired up the crowd was fired up. The even bigger house was jus as dead as the past. Also give credit to umass, they actually felt like they could win from the start. They didnt fold after 35-17. They are still young and little things like playing as an underdog vs playing as a favorite doesnt bring out the fire and inspriration we saw the first two games. The big ten season starts soon, so i expect more energy and more inspiration especially since RR keeps his players on their toes with constant competition.

jameslucas

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:50 p.m.

ND is ranked lower then Michigan because they had to play Michigan.

Hkrueg16

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:43 p.m.

Does anyone know how are poor defense will match up against ben chappel and indiana? Also are run defense was terrible against umass and i think umass's run game resembles michigan states as in of play calling and design. now knowing michigan state is way better at what they do then umass how will we stop themm??!!

GettingBluer

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:43 p.m.

Hmmm, the RR Fan Club is conspiculously absent. Must still be celebrating that phenomenal 5 point win over a tiny college from a galaxy far, far away. musthaved, so far I haven't seen anything to make me think they can hold OSU under 800 yards. What are you seeing that I'm not?

3 And Out

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:41 p.m.

We are currently ranked 100th out of 108 teams in DI....surprisingly ND is a couple of spots lower than us... which says something too.

Lemansblue

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 6:01 p.m.

RR should be the one let go. As the so called head coach he is responsible. Robinson needs at least 4 years to get his defensive system installed because these are not his players and RR and Schafaer left the cupboard bare!!!

mcflies

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 5:55 p.m.

Not every 5-star recruit turns into a good player. That being said RR has done an exceptionally bad job of turning any of his recruits into good players. Lloyd had his fair share of top recruits not turn out but not with this kind of consistency. RR can't really be judged based on his recruiting classes because there has been so much attrition and lack of development. I suppose that could fall on the coaches, but he has to produce wins. Bottom line. The defense is unacceptable. The 3-3-5 scheme is not going to cut it against the big boys. Might work in the Big East, but if the last few years have proven anything, just about anything might work in the Big East. They are about running on par with the MAC right now.

Blueman Rick

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 5:33 p.m.

Obviously, the 3-3-5 is not working. I think it's a question of understanding rather than athleticism. The corners and safeties do not look, in any way shape or form, like they know what they're doing. Since RR's recruiting focused on secondary players over linebackers; we are, potentially, in for a bit of hurt if this doesn't get sorted out.

musthaved

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 5:23 p.m.

Greg Robinson never was and never will be a defensive coach. 238 rushing yards to a Junior College team should be enough to get a guy fired. Maybe the 500 rushing yards they give up to OSU will finally do that trick.

jameslucas

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 5:21 p.m.

This should get some comments from Haters, They will say Assistant Head Coach, Defensive Backs, and Special Teams Coordinator, Tony Gibson, should loose his job, but they are just wrong. I say he just has a lot of underclassmen this year. I say he will figure it out soon, remember it is only the start of his third year at Michigan and his first year as Special Teams Coordinator, and so just give him some time to figure it out. He has worked for Coach Rich for many years and they are comfortable with each others work, he is not going anywhere, and it would just set the program back to make a coaching change. Also, all the coaches have a hand in the special teams coaching its not as if Tony Gibson is running the whole show himself. Further, he recruited and developed some pretty good defensive backs at West Virginia that have been drafted into the NFL. As for Defensive Coordinator, and Linebackers Coach Greg Robinson it is only his 14th game as defensive coordinator, and his 3rd game as Linebackers coach are you kidding, are we to change coaches every year, is this Michigan or Michigan State. The special teams need some work that is true, but a lot of teams in the Big Ten are having problems with the special teams right now. The Michigan defense is 69th in the country right now in points against, that is not good enough, but I think it will continue to improve. So lets give these coaches a chance to work it out, look at the progress of the offence, after 3 games this year they are set to become the best in the Big Ten this year. I think with time the defense and special teams will make the same progress as the offence.

clarklaker

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 5:15 p.m.

grob is running the wrong defense. why in the hell they are not running a 4-3 is beyond me.I still feel Harbaugh would turn the ship in the right direction.

tulsatom

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 4:54 p.m.

Why isn't Will Campbell playing on the defensive line? I didn't see the UMASS game except for the highlights, but it seems logical that someone of his size and potential (5 star recruit) with Barwis' help should be a monster by now against a traditional running team. Maybe one of you insiders can comment as to why Will Campbell hasn't seen more action. Is he in the doghouse or something?

Kubrick66

Mon, Sep 20, 2010 : 4:30 p.m.

Clubber, what's your prediction for the defense? "Pain"