The numbers game II: introduce Michigan 'legacy groups'

For many of the 115,000 fans at Michigan Stadium last Saturday night was seeing Leroy Jethro Gibbs standing on the big Block “M” at midfield. Actually, it was actor Mark Harmon paying tribute, along with the Michigan football team and athletic department, to Harmon’s father, the late GREAT Tom Harmon, the 1940 Heisman Trophy winner during his senior season in Ann Arbor.

It was actually an “un-retirement” ceremony as Harmon’s “Ol’ 98” is now on active service. The disclosure that quarterback Devin Gardner would be donning Harmon’s number for the remainder of his (hopefully) storied career completes the reinstatement of all the former retired jersey numbers (11, 21, 47, 48, 87, 98).

And it is now time (starting next season) to honor MORE standout Michigan players, who truly distinguished themselves during their career. They could become Legacy Players and every five years a new group of Wolverines should be so honored.

For the 2013 season, the following numbers are NOT seen on the sideline, or on the official Michigan football roster: 1, 2, 10, 19, 40, 68, 79, 90, 93. Remember, 19 is Devin Funchess’ old number before he became 87.

But 3-4 numbers just leap off the page begging to such an accolade as real no-brainers. They are:

Anthony Carter (#1) is only one of two U-M players to be named All-American wearing the Michigan uniform (the other being Benny Oosterbaan). He was as great a wideout as has ever played in Ann Arbor and the numbers bear it out – fourth all-time in receptions (161), yardage (3,076) and touchdowns (37).

Of course, the man topping all three categories – Braylon Edwards – ALSO wore no. 1. BUT … it has been always known as AC’s number!

Charles Woodson (#2) was one of the rarest of college players, a defensive back (who also played effectively on offense) to be chosen as the 1997 Heisman Trophy recipient. As a DB, he was a two-time All-American and went to become a All-Pro standout for Oakland and Green Bay … and a shoo-in first ballot Pro Football Hall of Fame five years after he retires from the game.

Ron Johnson (#40) is the often forgotten premier running back in Wolverine history and was an All-American in 1968.

His rushing standards have stood for years, including single-game rushing yardage marks. His 347 yards gained on Nov. 16, 1968 against Wisconsin, with five touchdowns, remains the very best individual game performance by a U-M running back – to this day! As his 270 yards against Navy in 1968, is the fourth-best single-game rushing mark.

Playing when the schedule was only 10 games long, Johnson’s 1968 season saw him run 255 times for 1,391 yards and 19 touchdowns.

It’s simply difficult to argue someone else garnering “legacy” recognition before Johnson receives his props.

And while quarterback Tom Brady (#10) didn’t start until midway through his junior year, his impact of the Michigan program was spectacular, including an Orange Bowl comeback victory over Alabama in 200 (completing 34 of 46 passes for 369 yards). His career numbers for pass attempts (711), completions (443), completion percentage (62.3%) and yardage (5,357) are all in the top 10 in the Michigan record books.

There are others equally deserving, but their numbers are in the current rotation.

Bob Chappius (#49) was a World War II hero as a pilot, and earned All-American honors in 1947 (finishing second in the Heisman balloting). Chappius was the MVP in the 1948 Rose Bowl and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1988. His passing records remain on the books (13 TD passes in one season, 23 career TD passes and 3,487 yards of total offense) until Rick Leach rewrote those marks (1975-78).

Reggie McKenzie (#65) was a 1971 All-American, College Hall of Famer and a top five lineman (as a guard) of all-time for Michigan. Although he was 265 pounds, he was one of the fastest and quickest players among Coach Bo Schembechler’s many squads.

Dan Dierdorf (#72) was All-American, who was inducted into the College and Pro Football Hall of Fames, as perhaps the best Wolverine offensive lineman ever.

Jim Mandich (#88) was team captain and inspirational leader for the most famous of all Michigan teams – the 1969 Wolverine squad that scored the Upset of the Century with its 24-12 victory over Ohio State.

Other than Ron Kramer, whose number is retired, no tight end in Michigan history did more for the program than Mandich.

And finally, there is Benny Friedman (#27) was the first of the great quarterbacks at Michigan, and is also a College and Pro Football Hall of Famer.

I’ve written before about his accomplishments but they bear repeating because the failure of Michigan to properly honor him is a real tragedy.

In the early 1920s, the greatest pass combination in college football was the “Benny-to-Bennie” show. Labeled as the “Babe Ruth of football,” he competed in a completely different era where men played all 60 minutes (on offense and defense). In 1925, in a showdown between the two biggest superstars of the day, Friedman led Michigan to a 3-0 win over Illinois and its star Red Grange, one of many outstanding victories.

Friedman earned conference MVP honors in 1926, leading Michigan to two Big Nine (not yet Ten) titles, and later was an All-Pro quarterback for four different teams.

If, somehow, this piece were to land on Athletic Director Dave Brandon’s desk, with the key parts circled, perhaps it might light a creative fire and allow for these players to stand at that block M in the 2014 season … even if Gibbs isn’t there.

Writer’s Note: I wish the current athletic administration would honor yet another Michigan alum – the great actor James Earl Jones – and have his voice blast over the public address system – “This … is Michigan football!” How stoked would the Big House be THEN?!?!?!

Michigan-Notre Dame: a Gallon full of promises

If ever there was a game where a team made a bold statement about itself as a cohesive team (and football program), and a player stepping out of the shadows and into the white hot spotlight, it was the exciting, exceptional show produced Saturday night before a record NCAA single-game attendance.

Spectacular was the Wolverines’ performance; with the exception of a few plays, the game plan devised by the coaching staff was done to near perfection.

Just as spectacular were the images sent to a national ESPN audience, displaying Michigan at its best and shining like a diamond under the lights. If you want to see some startling images, go to the team’s official website and click on the photos link for some breathless images from high, high in the sky (at sunset, no less). I’m posting some of them on my blog because it looked so spectacular.

In last year’s game, people were introduced, on a national stage, to UM’s wide receivers Roy Roundtree and Junior Hemingway, and when football fans thought of Michigan, they mentioned Denard Robinson, and his two high-flying pass catchers. After Saturday, people said hello to Michigan’s Mighty Mite – 5-8 senior Jeremy Gallon.

Gallon, jumping, sliding and flying through the Notre Dame secondary, caught 8 passes for 184 yards and a career-best three touchdowns. He simply was unstoppable, as he was the week before.

In addition, Gallon sprinted for 14 yards on a double reverse, helping Michigan garner an early 3-0 advantage.

Other than Alabama’s receivers and Texas A&M’s wideouts, no one has made a bigger splash in the early going than Jeremy (By The) Gallon. He is helping establish Devin Gardner as one of the nation’s premier quarterbacks, aided by Gardner’s willingness to keep the ball in his hands a tick or two longer than Denard Robinson (who was ready to run to daylight at a split second’s notice).

Gallon is retaining a three-decade long tradition of outstanding UM receivers – from Anthony Carter to Braylon Edwards to Derrick Alexander to Desmond Howard. Howard was completely correct in his personal choice of Gallon to wear the Legacy 21 jersey; he is earning his place in Michigan history with each game … and each down.

Welcome back, Blake Countess – Having witnessed Blake Countess’ injury (on the first punt play of the 2012 season against Alabama) and seeing how it deflated the tires off the Michigan football bus for that campaign, it brought a smile to my face (and to Wolverine fans everywhere) to see this talented player return to action and his immediate impact on the game.

His two interceptions proved to be invaluable (stopping one ND drive and setting up the final Michigan touchdown in the first half). More important was his superb pass coverage; combining with the other cornerback junior Raymon Taylor, it won’t be so easy in the future to stretch the field through the air – one of Michigan’s most visible vulnerabilities last season.

The Most Valuable Wolverines – If I had the choice of who would have received the game ball for the Irish win, I might have selected someone other than the obvious (Gallon). My pick would have been Michigan’s two coordinators (Al Borges on offense, Greg Mattison on defense).

With each man in complete control of his game plan, they called the perfect plays at the right moment and possessed enough confidence with the on-field personnel to execute the counter moves that Notre Dame was presenting. Michigan was almost always in the proper defensive coverage and called the proper play against the Irish vaunted defensive line (where ND’s presumed Heisman/Outland candidate Louis Nix III, 6-2, 352, was less of a factor than anticipated with just four tackles).

The sweetest testament to how confused Notre Dame’s defense appeared to be was Gardner’s 2-yard second-quarter touchdown run (off a change of plays called at the line of scrimmage).

When Michigan changed formations, Notre Dame failed to react for a couple of second and when the ball was snapped, most of the Irish players were out of position and Gardner waltzed into the end zone as if he were sneaking into line at drop/add day.

Remember when? – Remember when, just four years ago, the U-M kicking game was the butt of jokes and ridicule by every national reporter and talk show host? Remember when Michigan went for fourth-down conversion attempts because no one in the stands knew which direction an attempted field goal would fly?

Those dark, dready days are OH-VAH (to quote Hawk Harrelson on White Sox broadcasts). At this moment, it is a potent weapons, thanks to Brendan Gibbons, the fifth-year senior, who booted his 15th and 16th consecutive field goals against the Irish, providing that special margin that kept Notre Dame at arms’ length for most of the game.

To put into football terms, he has meant that 16 Michigan offensive possessions resulted in important points on the scoreboard. That makes decision-making easier when a coach can count of a successful results regardless of field possession.

If you want to know its value, let’s go back to the fourth quarter with Notre Dame in possession at the UM 17, trailing 34-20. Had Brian Kelly thought a bit longer about it, with most of the final period left to play, he might have done the intelligent thing and, on fourth-and-4, sent his kicker Kyle Brindza to attempt a 32-yard field goal.

Based on his success rate in the game, it would have trimmed the deficit to just 11 points, and who knows what would have happened? The Irish could have easily scored its touchdown in the same “brain fart” fashion (by Gardner) with an identical defensive stand.

So when Michigan was forced to return the ball on downs, Matt Wile’s shanked 21-yard punt, Notre Dame would have had possession at its 48 with almost 11 minutes to play, but down 34-30 instead of the seven-point challenge. As it was, Brindza kicked another field goal (40 yards) and instead of being four points down, the Irish would have trailed by 1 measly “rogue” (based on having watched Saskatchewan play Edmonton in CFL action on NFL Network earlier).

Plays would have been called differently and there would have been less sense of panic in the Irish passing game (Notre Dame had abandoned its rushing attack in the final 15 minutes to just two attempts for 7 yards).

It’s the headset’s fault – This game could have produced a more stark contrast in coaching styles, and apparently in team results.

One sideline showed Michigan’s Brady Hoke, absent any outerwear and shunning the traditional headset to fellow assistants and the coaches in the press box. His demeanor is calm, collected and supportive.

Before Gardner’s 2-yard touchdown, Hoke tried to call timeout as the play clock was almost expiring … but no one heard or saw him (except ESPN’s cameras). So when his team scored, he just turned away and shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly as if to say, “That was a good timeout I didn’t call.” It seemed very natural.

On the other sidelines was a constantly frantic, frenzied Brian Kelly, who looked as if he consumed one too many Starbucks caffeinated products before kickoff. Every time the cameras focused on him, Kelly was always yelling – at the officials, at players and especially at his quarterback Tommy Rees (who was NOT playing poorly despite an apparent knee injury sustained midway through the second half).

That is how Kelly has appeared on ANY Notre Dame telecast and it is annoying as hell for someone leading such a prestigious program. Didn’t have all that pressure at Central Michigan, I guess.

I think it comes down to the headsets. Hoke trusts his staff and when he wants to make a point, he does it in his own fashion (quietly and positively). Kelly, hearing all these different voices in his head(set), looks like he needs some Xanax during the game.

Oh yeah, it’s now Hoke 2, Kelly 1, in their matchups at their current schools.

Gentlemen, PLEASE do your homework – It’s kind sad to know that the telecast team of Brent (I Know Rick Rubin and You’re No Rick Rubin) Musberger and Kirk (Bucked-Up) Herbstreit is ABC/ESPN’s number-one broadcasting partnership yet both men failed miserably to get their facts correct a bunch of times while on the air.

Several times during the broadcast, Musberger AND Herbstreit continually referred to Devin Gardner as Denard Robinson and, in the most egregious of faux paus, Herbstreit spoke about the 2011 comeback by … Notre Dame before Michigan won that contest. HUH?

As everyone was reminded numerous times watching ESPN Classic or the Big Ten Network ALL week prior to Saturday’s game, it was Michigan who was down 24-7 early in the fourth quarter before its remarkable rally to take the lead – TWICE (including the game-winning score with two seconds left to play).

And the interview with Eminen (when you’re 40, you get called Marshall by your elders) was as un-spontaneous as anything ever witnessed on television. If a cowboy like Musberger has EVER listened to a Slim Shady album, I’ll EAT that album in its vinyl version.

A friend simply, but accurately, labeled the entire segment as “lame.” Truer words have never been written.

Thank you for finally listening – After five years of the same dull campus promotion for the University of Michigan, there debuted a brand-spanking new 30-second public service announcement … and it rocked! It displayed the diversity of studies and kept the Maize and Blue spirit that had faded from over-usage over the last half-decade. Thank you, someone in the university’s administration/public relations department for finally noticing and doing something about it.

Wait until next week – Under most circumstances, a statement victory, as posted by Michigan in defeating America’s Cinderella team (Notre Dame), would have propelled a 2-0 squad into the Top 10 in the AP and USA Today polls.

The Wolverines are 11th in the AP standing and 12th in the USA Today Coaches Poll (the coaches had UM six points behind Oklahoma State).

Michigan hosts the Zips of Akron on Saturday (has anyone seen Gerry Faust lately?) and after a romp in The Big House (52-10 is my early line), Michigan should crack the Top 10 in each listing because there will be other teams listed ahead that will fall by the wayside (can you say A&M and Johnny Butthead?).

It is interesting to see the Big Ten have five schools in the Top 20 – the same number as the vaunted SEC (with three teams already sporting a loss).

This WILL be a rebound season for the Big Ten in terms of national stature – led by the Wolverines, who could, and should, be undefeated headed to that gauntlet known as November.

 

History lesson 98: the greatest Wolverine of them all

Students, it’s time for a history lesson concerning University of Michigan football and the greatest player EVER to wear the uniform and winged helmet.

His name is Thomas Dudley (Tom) Harmon in the 134 years of UM gridiron existence, no one has topped his accomplishments and his stature among the greats in the collegiate game. This Saturday evening, prior to the encounter with Notre Dame, the school will honor Harmon and his retired “98” jersey with the Michigan Football Legend designation; part of the tributes already extended to other UM greats (Ron Kramer, Bennie Oosterbaan, Desmond Howard, the three Wistert brothers and Gerald Ford).

 Aside from wondering which current player will have that number bestowed into his care (and others for the foreseeable future), some in the crowds will ask two questions: Will Mark Harmon (his son and “NCIS” star) be there and will Harmon’s twin grandsons, the 80s rock group Nelson, sing the National Anthem?

Because Tom Harmon played in the pre-World War II-era, only a dwindling minority in the stands will know the extent of his exploits – on the football field, during the war and later in his life. Hence, a history lesson is required … so pay attention (we will DEFINITELY test afterwards).

Harmon was born on Sept. 28, 1919, in Rensselaer, Ind. When he was 5, his family moved to Gary, Ind., where young Tom became a standout athlete for Horace Mann High School – earning 14 varsity letters in three sports (football, basketball, track). Harmon earned All-State honors twice as a quarterback and won state track titles in the 100-yard dash and 200-yard low hurdles.

He was recruited to Michigan by Head Coach Fritz Crisler and played three seasons (1938-40), setting most of the offensive records in school history. Playing out of the single-wing formation, he rushed for 2,134 career yards, completed 100 passes for 1,304 yards and 16 touchdowns.

In all, including his duties as a placekicker, Harmon scored 237 points. He led the entire nation in scoring for the 1939 and 1940 seasons – something yet to be matched or surpassed to this day. His 9.9 points per game average was an NCAA record for a decade. 

For most men, that would suffice, but Harmon was a real ironman on the field, playing in the defensive backfield. In fact, in eight games, Harmon played all 60 minutes of action.

His final game in a Michigan uniform came at Ohio State as he led the Wolverines to a 40-4 rout of the Buckeyes. Harmon rushed for three touchdowns, threw for two additional six-pointers and booted four extra points. He punted three times for a 50-yard average and, to boot, picked off three OSU passes on defense.

To add to the Harmon legend, in a rarely seen display of admiration towards a Michigan athlete in Columbus, the Ohio State fans delivered a standing ovation when the game concluded in appreciation of Harmon’s talent and ability. It hadn’t happened before … or since.

For his accomplishments in the 1940 season, Harmon won the school’s first Heisman Trophy as the nation’s top player, as well as the Maxwell Trophy. As a junior and senior, he was named All-American.

Oh yeah, Harmon also played varsity basketball for two seasons.

After graduation, Harmon was drafted (in 1941) by the Chicago Bears with the first selection in that proceeding, but he chose to go to the rival American Football League to play for the New York Americans.

With the country on the verge of involvement in World War II, Harmon enlisted in the Army Air Corps as a pilot on Nov. 8, 1941. Then in early-1943, he was forced to parachute out of his aircraft when it flew into a tropical storm over South America and into dense, thick jungle.

None of his co-passengers made it out alive and for four days, he was the subject of a huge regional search-and-rescue operation … until he reached a clearing somewhere in Dutch Guiana.

Later in 1943, having transferred to single-seat fighter planes, Harmon was flying an escort mission for a flight of bombers when his P-38 was shot down during an aerial dogfight. Again, he was forced to bail out, this time over Japanese-occupied China. Fortunately, he was rescued by soldiers of the Chinese guerillas, fighting the Japanese occupying their country.

For his actions with the 449th Fighter Squadron, Harmon was awarded the Purple Heart and Silver Star.

Harmon saved that silk parachute, and in something of a unique chapter to his wedding to model-actress Elyce Knox in 1944, much of that material was employed in the construction of her wedding dress.

Upon his discharge, the Harmons settled in California and they had three children – Kristin (born in 1945), Kelly (in 1948) and Mark (in 1951).

The eldest Harmon daughter eventually married Ricky Nelson, one of the most famous singers-celebrities in Hollywood. Their offspring were actress Tracy Nelson (“Father Dowling’s Mysteries”) and the twins Matthew and Gunnar Nelson, who became the aforementioned group, Nelson.

And most people know of Mark Harmon’s acting success and his marriage to fellow actor Pam Dawber – an alum of North Farmington (Mich.) High School, where I graduated (she was in the Class of 1969; I was in the Class of 1970).

Mark Harmon also made his mark in college football, quarterbacking UCLA for two seasons and was a standout player except for one September Saturday in 1972 when Michigan entered the Rose Bowl and beat the Bruins 26-9 in a contest not nearly as close as the scoreboard indicated.

While at Michigan, Harmon majored in English and speech, with an eye towards a future as a sports broadcaster. After the war, he tried to play pro football with the Los Angeles Rams (1946-47). But the injuries suffered in the war, notably to his legs, robbed him of his speed, grace and running ability.

But his pre-planning at Michigan left him in good standing to move behind the microphone (one of the first athletes to do so) for radio and television. In fact, he briefly worked as an actor and played one character very familiar to him – in the biopic “Harmon of Michigan.” He also made cameo appearances in other movies, mostly as himself involved in play-by-play scenes.

Harmon was also the celebrity endorser for Kellogg’s Product 19 cereal.

A nationwide audience heard Harmon over the ABC and American Information Networks during his daily 10-minute sports wrapup broadcasts. And in the early 1980s, he served as the pre-season play-by-play man for the NFL Oakland Raiders.

Harmon passed away of a heart attack on March 15, 1990, in Los Angeles, at age 70. Although he was gone, his Michigan spirit would always be present every time a Wolverine team set foot within Michigan Stadium’s confines.

In 1954, he was enshrined in the College Football hall of Fame, and in 2007, Harmon was ranked 16th on ESPN’s list of the Top 25 players of all-time in college football history. And this Saturday, more than 110,000 fans will know more about the man’s exceptional exploits. And your history lesson is now concluded.

Michigan-Notre Dame: STILL not a rivalry game

Please, don’t be angry with Notre Dame football coach Brian Kelly. He just can’t help looking foolish when he first told the absolute truth.

Late last week, “Irish” Brian Kelly spoke truth to power when he said the Michigan-Notre Dame matchup was not “one of those historic, traditional Notre Dame rivalries.” It hasn’t been, it isn’t now and it certainly won’t be in the future – and it is ALL the fault of the folks in South Bend.

I believe I touched on this subject a year ago, or even before that, on this blog, but it bears repeating – when Michigan plays Notre Dame, it is NOT a rivalry game. When Michigan plays a longtime foe – such as Ohio State, Michigan State, Minnesota (for the Little Brown Jug) – it should be properly classified as a “rivalry” (meeting an opponent of long standing with a shred of animosity between the two schools).

When the Big 10 Conference went to split divisions, and had placed Ohio State in a different lineup from Michigan, the Wolverines made sure they faced Ohio State EVERY year (regardless of the rotating byes given for other cross-division teams). It was THAT important to maintain an annual rivalry with the Buckeyes. Hell, if Michigan didn’t face Ohio State at the end of the regular season, what reason would there be to actually watch football in Ann Arbor?

Of course, Kelly reversed field faster than Paul Hornung running from the bookies he used to employ, stating at a Monday news conference, “It’s a great and historical rivalry that we’ll be playing this Saturday, so let’s get that out of the way right away so we don’t have to answer any more questions about this rivalry. We’re excited about the game; excited about playing it. This will be decided by the players on the field and the preparation that goes along with it. So we can stick to that and dispense the nonsense.”

Sadly for Kelly, the miracle of the videotape (especially the clarity of digital) means it’s difficult to take back words already uttered.

History is as clear as digital on this point: this Saturday night, the two teams will only meet for the 41st time since… 1887. In comparison, Michigan has played Ohio State 109 times since 1897. Only from 1913-1917 (when World War I was happening) did the two schools not meet on the gridiron.

However, the Michigan-Notre Dame confrontations have stopped and started more times than the $25 car I first purchased when I got to Texas. The entire affair has been one that has lurched from contract-to-contract – sputtering most of the way.

Following 1909, here are the active years for meetings between the two schools: 1942-43, 1978-82, 1985-94, 1997-99, 2002-current. And after last year’s announcement of the non-renewal of the football contract (no more games after 2016), who knows when the Irish will return to town?

All this schedule interruptus sits totally at Notre Dame’s feet. If it were SUCH a major rivalry (instead of what it is – a good matchup), why did the Irish decide to call a timeout? Is playing Pitt more important? Or the Air Force? Or even Purdue?

Or is it too problematical that ND would lose to Michigan in any given year? As one Detroit sportswriter duly noted, even Rich Rodriguez notched two wins against Notre Dame.

Year-in and year-out, Notre Dame is THE most overrated football program in the United States. Last year, as it turned out, was just a mirage once it faced Alabama in the BCS title game, and only “the luck of the Irish” could explain how many times ND was outplayed yet stayed undefeated … until the end.

That was then; this is now. For future contracts between the two schools, I hope someone in Ann Arbor holds ND’s feet to the fire for its petulance and hesitancy and squeeze an agreement more in Michigan’s favor than the Irish.

UM-CMU: as sloppy as a blowout can be

One of the biggest difference between the collegiate and professional versions of football (and, no, the pay seems to be about the same, right Mr. Manzell?) is the preparation time before the season officially begins.

The NFL (No Fun League) allows teams to charge regular season prices for practice games that counts, and amount, for nothing (other to evaluate personnel). In the NCAA, no such luxury exists; when the first whistle is heard, it’s for keeps. Just ask the folks at Kansas State if the Wildcats could have obtained a “do-over” after seeing their championship hopes vanish in the heat of Manhattan.

Thank God for Michigan, North Dakota State didn’t come to Ann Arbor; it was just those Central Michigan Chippewas from Mount Pleasant. Otherwise, the outcome might not have been the 59-9 blowout that had most fans gazing seven days forward to a visit from Notre Dame.

If truth be spoken (or written), it was a tremendously sloppy game played by Michigan – too many turnovers, too many dumb penalties (illegal substitution, too many men in the huddle, ineligible receiver downfield on a touchdown, false starts). It simply became a case of superior talent overwhelming CMU, which had ample opportunities to narrow the deficit, especially in the early going.

Coached by former MSU quarterback Dan Enos, the Chips could have used a replication of Enos (even at his current age and shape). With a few exceptions, Central tried and went nowhere on offense and fell apart in the third quarter when Michigan decided to stash the pass and just steamroll the CMU defense.

If All-American OT Taylor Lewan didn’t eat in the morning, he certainly enjoyed breakfast all game long … all fans saw was Lewan getting pancake after pancake.

As a long-time observer of Wolverine football (albeit from afar for most of the last 28 years), I was looking at three areas of Michigan’s game as key factors for the remainder of the season – the strength and depth of the running game, who would become the player to stretch the field within Michigan’s passing attack, and which one of the score of new players would shine above the others.

For the 2013 season, those three concerns must be answered affirmatively; Michigan MUST establish a ground attack, newcomers must fill vacancies left by graduation and someone must become the deep threat to be respected by opposing offenses.

On the first topic (rushing attack), it wasn’t until the third quarter began to see the depth unveiled by the Wolverines. They played the kind of ball-control offense that most of us from decades gone by recognize. By simply stuffing the ball down CMU’s throat using five different runners, Michigan held opposition for some 12 minutes to just three for Central and outscoring them 21-0.

And when Michigan DID throw the ball in the third period (only six times but completing five for 109 yards), it led to two of the three scoring drives. Still, it was the drive featuring just the two true freshmen running backs – Derrick Green and De’Veon Smith – that should have brought the brightest smiles to the faces of Michigan’s coaching staff.

Green ended with the most rushing yards in the game (58 on 11 carries with no carries for a loss). The muscular, powerful-looking young man from Richmond, Va. appears to be just the kind of short yardage halfback sorely needed over the past two seasons.
I had to chuckle to see Smith wearing the same uniform number and name as last season’s number 4 (Vincent Smith). Here’s hoping for a much better career for De’Veon and no collisions with Jadeveon Clowney.

For point number two, Michigan’s top three receivers fit nicely into a West Coast offense where passes go from 10-18 yards and possession receivers are invaluable. The Wolverines have two of its best – Jeremy Gallon and Drew Dileo, along with tight end Devon Funchess.

But there MUST be a deep threat on the roster, and on the field – someone who simply can streak past a defender (or two) based on sheer foot speed. It would also help if he could catch the ball, too.

For the most part, that remains a mystery; the two prime candidates are sophomore Dennis Norfleet and fifth-year senior Joe Reynolds. Norfleet’s fleet feet were on display on kickoff returns and a well-executed reverse of 38 yards; Reynolds scored the initial touchdown of the game on a 30-yard blocked punt return.

Norfleet had a few fleeting moment in 2012 but Reynolds is new to the UM landscape. He could satisfy point number three – which new faces will come to the forefront in 2013.

With that regard, four other names stood above the others (and there were more than 20 first-time players seeing game action in a Wolverine uniform). On offense, sophomore Graham Glasgow (6-6, 305) made a nice linemate for Lewan on the Michigan left side of the offensive line (serving a few pancakes of his own).

The defense was led, as expected, by senior tackle Jibreel Black, linebackers Cam Gordon and Desmond Morgan and the return of sophomore Blake Countess (after a year’s absence due to a knee injury suffered on the fourth play last season against Alabama).

But new names stood out – nickel back Dymonte Thomas, who was the one who actually blocked the CMU punt, freshman cornerback Channing Stribling, who was second in tackles and sophomore free safety Jarrod Wilson, who seemed to be in the right places on key stops.

So comes the most hyped non-conference game this season – Saturday Night Lights at home against the Irish, winners over Temple in a fairly unimpressive fashion. The time is ripe for Michigan to produce a “statement” game – telling the national ESPN audience that the Wolverines will be a factor in the 2014 BCS picture.

If UM plays a power game, as it did in the third quarter, Notre Dame is in trouble. If the Wolverines play as they did in the first half, where there was very little difference in the offensive execution from the year before under Denard Robinson, it will be a long evening of Pepto-Bismol cocktails.

It was tough to denote any changes in Gardner’s performance from his predecessor, other than Devin has shorter hair and runs from the pocket and not in the spread. In fact, one could say things were just a tad too much Devin-centric; the future cannot rely on Gardner for all the yards and touchdowns.

But Head Coach Brady Hoke was sufficiently critical at game’s end to ensure that the giant hand of hard practice will help iron out those problems.

And here’s an early prediction: Michigan 31, Notre Dame 20.

Because Michigan is REALLY worried about UConn … down the road … J.

Go Blue!

Twitter behavior on Mgotalk blog: Please be civilized

With the exception of 11 Saturdays every year, I avoid Twitter like the plague. I was/am a professional writer, for more than 30 years, and I hate when I am limited by a word quota to make my point. Sometimes 144 characters doesn’t come close to offering something intelligent, thoughtful and truthful.

Yet, in the mad, mad, mad, mad world of Twitter, such a quota has become the limit to which people can communicate … and think. Letters are substituted for actual words and too many tweeters try to consolidated their brainpower into such a pea-sized vocabulary.

Last season, I served as Mgotalk’s TwitterBird, airing out my thoughts on Michigan football and various performances – either from the press box or my in-house favorite fan recliner; complete with my finger on my remote’s “mute” button when the on-air analysis became too much for my ear (and brain) to handle. But, to tell the truth, it was NOT an enjoyable affair.

The reason was simple: too many people with access to a laptop, iPad or smart people simply felt compelled to offer the most ridiculous, banal and offensive comments – mostly for the mere sake of their shock value. I guess I was naïve to think that Michigan football fans were incapable of such rudeness, but it is a virus that affects indiscriminately (once someone crosses the forbidden line, everyone feels compelled to follow).

I prefer my discussion to be civil; it was how I was raised WAY back in the day when you WERE judge by your behavior towards other. Twitter is the worst case scenario of what texting and Facebook started; vileness emerging from the ether.

I gravely detest the anonymity of such “social” media; the ability to flip the bird to anyone and then run and hide under a false num de plume, or a series of numbers accepted as a real person. It’s just cowardice NOT to be a stand-up man (or woman, they can be just as offensive in TwitterWorld); if you think it, you should own it.

When I owned my own community papers (before the Internet, personal computers and when you used manual typewriters on real-to-goodness paper), I had an iron-clad policy – if you wanted to criticize me, or others, you HAD to sign your name to it … and I checked to see if it was valid before publishing anything.

When queried about that policy, I simply reminder people that my name was attached (like a tick) to what I thought, and I even added my photo to boot. If I stood behind my words, they ought to follow suit. But most people, not wanting others to know what they believed or thought, backed off from disclosure.

That was too bad because it didn’t foster an atmosphere of open dialogue and let, eventually, to the current state of uncivil affairs, where people think volume and nasty comments replaces cogent ideas and statements. I blame Twitter for much of this problem in our society; what I don’t comprehend is how people don’t seem to understand that once put into the Internet atmosphere, it eventually is seen by the wrong set of eyes and trouble always follows.

So I offer these suggested guidelines for whoever mans the Mgotalk Twitter accounts, starting Aug. 31 when UM meets Central Michigan in Michigan Stadium.

Please don’t act, or write, as if you are a half-drunk idiot at some Columbus bar. Mgotalk supporters and followers should be a better lot than that.

And in the (revised) words of anchorman Ron Burgundy, “Stay classy Wolverines!” Think before you tweet and if it sounds idiotic to you, it will appear that way to the thousands who eventually read that bit of 144-character prose.

Be a leader; not a Tweety Bird! Carry such a policy into your daily life; you’ll earn more respect.

Go Blue!

Michigan football 2013: How Deep is Your Chart?

Not to besmirch the music of a fine group – the BeeGees – but the song to be most associated to the 2013 Michigan football season is paraphrasing one of the BeeGee’s biggest hits. Beginning this Saturday against Central Michigan, every fan should be humming “How Deep is Your … Chart!”

The success of Team 134 will revolve around the quality of depth the Wolverines possess at the most critically important positions. Since injuries have already taken two important pieces of the puzzle (sophomore wide receiver Amara Darboh and redshirt junior defensive end Jake Ryan) for an extended period of time, it will be incumbent upon the coaching staff to prep as many replacements as possible to take action at a moment’s notice.

Michigan’s fortunes this season should be bolstered by what has been labeled as one of the program’s new strengths – quality of recruiting. Head Coach Brady Hoke has done an amazing job, according to many national observers, in collecting talent for future campaigns – beginning with the incoming Class of 2013 (and apparently extending for the next two seasons).

However, college football is NOT akin to the modern collegiate basketball model, where one-and-done has become all too normal of a standard operating procedure. At worst, recruits are expected to stay three years and many, like All-American tackle Taylor Lewan, actually want to extend their college football days … because they enjoy it so much and once it’s over, there’s no going back.

Starting this season, almost every member of the Michigan roster is there because of Hoke – just a precious few stragglers from the RichRod era remain. Hoke is attempting to transform the UM program from finesse (as symbolized by the Denard Robinson-led offense) into the old fashioned, punishing smash-mouth version that made Michigan a national powerhouse. And it will be seen on offense AND defense, meaning more personnel will be required to strap it on. Hence, depth becomes the most important factor each week.

On offense, who carries the ball will be the most critical factor for the Wolverines. Last season was a disaster because no one pushed forward to become a reliable short-yardage carrier and too many drives were forced to go to the air for first downs, or they were stopped short of important field position. Fifth-year senior Fitzgerald Toussaint must have a strong rebound season, from his on-field performance (just 514 yards on 1340 carries) and off-field injury recovery suffered late in the 2012 season.

Toussaint is the ONLY runner with power and speed on the depth chart. Behind him are several unknowns and a couple of “need to fulfill potential” veterans.

Against CMU, redshirt freshman Drake Johnson – a local kid from Pioneer H.S. (across the street from Michigan Stadium) – is the number two runner. He hasn’t had an official carry in a UM uniform although his high school numbers were excellent. Johnson is a track star playing football, which means he might be able to hit the corner on sweeps much faster than others (a missing ingredient last season for everyone other than Robinson).

Then comes Justice Hayes and Thomas Rawls, who combined for only 325 yards (on 63 carries) and five touchdowns. Two incoming freshmen, Derrick Green (5-11, 220, Richmond, Va.) and highly touted De’Veon Smith (5-11, 218, Warren, Ohio), round out the chart.

Junior Devin Gardner is the full-time quarterback after assuming the starter’s slot following the ill-fated trip to Nebraska (where Robinson injured his elbow and could not throw for the rest of the season). Gardner finished with 12 touchdown passes and 1,219 yards (75 of 126).

He will see incoming freshman Shane Morris of Warren (Mich.) delaSalle High School as his backup and based on Morris’ press clippings, it wouldn’t take much to see some kind of honest battle for the starting job brew.

As of now, no one else is even in the picture to play quarterback and it was most notable in that Nebraska loss when Russell Bellomy was forced into action and simply was not up to the task. Michigan fans loudly criticized Hoke for not putting Gardner into the game, but he had not taken a single snap in practice under center; playing wide receiver at that time. Hoke simply will not allow players to run his offense cold without having the luxury of sufficient practice time.

What was exposed in Lincoln was the lack of depth at that position, mainly from Hoke’s predecessor, who failed to attract/recruit anyone to play behind Robinson. In college, a team needs numbers and Michigan’s problem was exposed to the tune of an 8-4 regular season.

On defense, Michigan will be rotating many players in and out of Greg Mattison’s hard-nosed, hard-hitting scheme; it will resemble something of a merry-go-round. It will be done to maintain freshness into the fourth quarter and to deploy several formations to confuse opposing quarterbacks. It will be a very physical defense, as was the case in days of old for Michigan; instead of first “string” and second “string” players, fans will see them enter in waves. A player listed third on the depth chart might well see as much playing time as a starter.

The first earnest test comes in just over a week’s time, Sept. 7, with the night game at home against Notre Dame. The other key dates for Michigan will be Oct. 12 at Penn State, Nov. 2 at Michigan State and Nov. 30 at home welcoming Ohio State (perhaps the latest date for the Michigan-Ohio State game in rivalry history).

Injuries are a constant presence for any collegiate football program and the best teams overcome them with its roster depth. It will be the overriding factor in 2013 for Team 134.

Blogger Chuck Bloom, a retired journalist-publisher, can be reached via e-mail as chuckbloom@hotmail.com.

Outback Bowl: Need for speed is still indeed

There are three true purposes for playing in a post-season bowl game – to reward your players for an outstanding season (anyone want to believe that held true for the likes of Purdue); to play for the national title (only relevant for two schools) and to be used as a barometer for the next collegiate season.

For Michigan, the latter proved to be the most important factor. In order to move towards the collegiate football elite (which rests in the Southeastern Conference by almost unanimous agreement), you have to play one of that conference’s better team to use as a measuring stick.

Michigan did just that on New Year’s Day, coming up five points and 11 seconds short, falling 33-28 in the Outback Bowl (bloomin’ onions for everyone!). The Wolverines end the season at 8-5, losing all five games away from Michigan Stadium, in what could (but shouldn’t) be labeled as a sophomore jinx for Head Coach Brady Hoke.

It took a last-second touchdown strike by SC, when UM was caught with the wrong (slower) personnel (Jordan Kovacs) on one of the faster Gamecock receivers (Bruce Ellington) for the winning 32-yard play with 11 seconds left. But that actually was the game in a nutshell; South Carolina won via the big play, utilizing its overwhelming speed advantage, to literally run away from the Wolverine defenders five different times. Michigan surrendered eight plays of more than 31 yards on the afternoon, including an early back-breaking 66-yard touchdown punt return by the appropriately named Ace Sanders (can you say NFL first-rounder?).

The clearest advantage (other than an amazing height differential between Michigan’s offensive line and SC’s defensive front) was the quickness and flat-out drag-racing speed possessed by the Carolina receivers and secondary personnel. In fact, that remains the biggest single advantage that almost EVERY SEC schools has over Big Ten squads – the SEC is often a track meet on a football field and the Big Ten still plays plodding scrum ball in the center of the field.

For the Big Ten Conference, its lack of respect against other gridiron powerhouses (mainly the SEC) is still being well-earned. Only Northwestern (beating a second-tier SEC team in Mississippi State) and Michigan State (on a last-second field goal over TCU) earned victories. Georgia throttled Nebraska and Wisconsin seemed unable to handle Stanford.

Actually, Michigan played a much better game against a much better team in South Carolina (yes, Virginia, the Gamecocks WERE the better team with the better personnel, especially on defense where the Wolverines might never play a harder-hitting squad than that).

First, before we get to real pertinent stuff, can we ALL agree on one future absolute: stop SCREWING with the Wolverines’ uniforms! No one watching in television, or in the one-third empty stands at Raymond James Stadium, could see any of the Michigan players’ numbers. All these “special event” uniforms are NOT to commemorate playing in the game; it’s all about merchandizing and it’s bordering on ridiculous (or looking like a drag queen with multiple costume changes).

Credit must go to the Wolverine offense for clawing its way back into the game and snatching the lead twice in the second half (both times coming on Devin Gardner passes to Jeremy Gallon, UM’s best player on the field). It was a shame when the defense, obviously tired from chasing the much quicker Gamecocks, simply couldn’t stop the final SC scoring drive. It was a great effort, but it came up short.

But why? Again, the deficiency in the Michigan running game was made even more stark than ever; Michigan’s leading ground gainer was senior Denard Robinson, playing in this final UM game, with 23 carries for 100 yards. Although UM did not win the game, Robinson went out a “winner,” proving once and for all his unbelievable value that must be replaced (and which will take 3-4 players to do so).

He actually spent more time as a halfback than under center, which is NOT what was needed for Michigan’s future. Between Robinson and Gardner (who is NOT a runner and must improve as a scrambler), they consumed 35 of the 45 Michigan carries (not counting the two fake field goal runs for first downs).

Senior Vincent Smith, playing his final time as a Wolverine (thank God!) and freshman Justice Hayes had all of 8 rushes for 6 yards. Thomas Rawls, Stephen Hopkins or anyone else listed in the Michigan backfield were MIA. Coach Hoke will enter the 2013 season totally dependent on whoever shines in spring practice, wondering if an incoming freshman will step up to the challenge or just how quickly soon-to-be Fitzgerald Toussaint can rehab from his broken leg. It should keep him up for several nights … worrying.

Second, while South Carolina practiced the kind of thunder-and-lightning attack Head Coach Steve Spurrier is famous for, Michigan moved more like a tortoise against the hare. The Wolverines attempted more passes (by one) but averaged less on every statistical comparison – less yards per rushing attempt, less per passing attempt and less per completion (not to mention less yardage per attempt in the return game). The long-distance “vertical” game was simply non-existent for Michigan because … for most of the season, the longest gains were mainly Robinson’s scampers through opposing defenses.

On the plus side, Hoke got to see future Wolverine stars on defense who had populated much of the second-and third-string positions of the weekly depth chart. Names such as James Ross III, Brennen Beyer, Ondre Pipkins and Joe Bolden (all freshmen except for Beyer) were in the thick of the action more often than some of the outgoing seniors they were replacing. Out of the eight leading tacklers for UM, seven were non-seniors (and tackle Will Campbell, in his last game, never made the stat sheet).

Running back by committee in 2013 will not work; Michigan needs someone with the speed to reach the corner before the opposition and blow past them for long runs. UM also needs a speed burner to stretch defending secondary past the point of breakage; as well as secondary personnel who can run step-for-step with the kind of speed coaches like Urban Meyer at Ohio State will be attempting to recruit from his old stomping grounds in Florida.

The lesson learned for a fine game in Tampa was simple: speed kills and it’s time for Michigan to acquire some of that for itself.