The
43-40 quadruple overtime loss at Penn State was a combination of lots of “poor”
this and that, so much so someone needs to call United Way for help. The
blocking was poor; the kicking game fell into that category; the play calling
went beyond “poor,” all the way to atrocious without stopping at GO! and
collecting a road win; and, worst of all, the entire approach in the fourth
quarter and entirety of the four overtimes, was worse than poor – it was a case
of NOT playing to win the game.
The
latter is what really mattered in the end, because it involved all those
aforementioned aspects, rolled into one bad cake batter recipe. By playing it
safe, and never really sniffing for the end zone, settling instead for field
goal attempts, Michigan snatched defeat from the jaws of Joey Chesnutt.
Right
now, Michigan has no running game, whatsoever! Neither Fitzgerald Toussaint nor
Derrick Green could do anything, combining 30 carries for exactly 28 net yards.
In fact, when one subtracts Toussaint’s 12-yard run to start Michigan’s initial
scoring drive of the game, he ran an amazing 26 times for just 15 yards!!!
With
or without All-American tackle Taylor Lewan, the offensive line was a bad
replica of Swiss cheese – too many holes to even be mediocre. Penn State
stuffed and stopped any plays between the guards, yet time-after-time, there
was Toussaint, Green and quarterback Devon Gardner attempting to do what was
clearly impossible – gain any ground against the Nittany Lions’ front four.
Yet
… no plays were called to quick pitch the ball to any back to go wide; no
“trick” play was signaled for a reverse or end around; no misdirection … no
nothing! Michigan played an “insane” brand of rushing – trying the same play
over and over and expecting a different result. It was bad, bad play-calling
from the sidelines.
It
didn’t help that the running backs would instantly turn to an east-west path at
the lines of scrimmage instead of north-to-south. Green will probably be an
outstanding talent in the coming years, but right now, he couldn’t push through
a cheap high school booster banner, let alone a defensive line.
But
Michigan’s rushing game has been reduced to those two players; no one else has
been on the field since the first game against Central Michigan. Milk cartons
might well have photos of Thomas Rawls and De’veon Smith on side panels to ask
for help to find the missing people.
Of
all the linemen suffering through a miserable day, none was more obvious than redshirt
freshman Kyle Kalis, who was spun around more during pass blocking than little
boy’s spinning top. In all, the offensive line allowed 11 tackles for loss by
PSU – a shameful stat to say the least. He was also flagged for a dumb deadball
foul that cost UM field position and ultimately possession.
Again,
he has potential but fans need to realize (as I have) this is a young team, NOT
up to certain challenges. You must wonder how Michigan handled Notre Dame
earlier in the season (and how Michigan State did not).
Gardner
must also shoulder some blame for the debacle; again, he resorted to being a
turnover machine, leading to Penn State’s 21-10 halftime advantage. On the 2013
season, of the 15 turnovers committed by Michigan, Gardner is directly
responsible for 13 of them. It is doubtful any other Division 1 player has such
a percentage; certainly NOT Denard Robinson in his 2 ½ seasons as a UM starter.
Robinson
did have his share of miscues but … he also possessed FAR more explosive speed
and ability to instantly turn disastrous losses into huge gains. Right now,
Wolverine fans wish Gardner would be HALF the player Robinson was; this is for
sure, Denard Robinson would NOT have let Michigan lose at Penn State.
One
reason for Gardner’s constant interception rate (the recent Minnesota game is
the only career contest Gardner has started and NOT throw an interception) is
his release point; a blind man can see it.
On
his second interception, the defender has to merely reach up to snag the aerial
when Gardner did not, or could not, put enough air under the throw to lift it
over the defense and into the hands of an open receiver. It has happened often
this year yet people only concentrate on his footwork; he needs lots more
coaching on his “touch.”
Lest
we forget, the Wolverine defense was suddenly exposed by Penn State on its
final drive in regulation. Christian Hackenberg might be a fine quarterback in
PSU future; he could well rewrite the record books and make University
Park/State College (which one IS it?) fans forget all about Todd Blackledge.
On
Saturday, he was essentially an immobile pocket passer who found the holes in
the UM secondary and engineered an improbable (yet somehow predictable)
game-tying scoring drive. Poor Chris Stribling had the “8” scorched off his
uniform by PSU’s Allen Robinson, a taller more athletic receiver than the man
covering him.
The
question I kept jotting down – constantly – was simple, “Why is Michigan ONLY
rushing three players?” Hackenberg displayed no ability to run from pressure
(he was sacked four times) yet was allowed to sit in that cocoon and find receivers
23 times – for three touchdowns.
And
if you play such a passive prevent defense with eight in coverage, why was
Stribling alone on an island TWICE with PSU’s top receiver? That, folks, was a
sideline decision.
After
Saturday, what was almost considered automatic – field goal kicking by Brendan
Gibbons – is now back in the suspect category. What happened at PSU has to
weigh heavily on Gibbons’ mind for the rest of the season.
But
it should have never come to that and the final scrutiny goes to where the
blame really must be centered. This was by far the worst coached game of Brady
Hoke’s tenure at Michigan, perhaps in his entire career. By NOT playing for the
end zone (especially in overtime), you play to lose.
A
developing team (which is what Michigan is) must always play to win – on every
down! That did not happen last Saturday.
After
a PSU field goal narrowed a seemingly-safe 10-point UM lead to seven, the
Wolverines began to grind (like 8 O’Clock coffee at the old A&P) out
yardage and clock. A Gardner run gave Michigan possession at the PS 28 with
3:10 remaining. Looking good, right?
Then
the “insanity” re-appeared – running two plays for 1 yard and a procedure flag,
continuing Michigan’s advancement to the rear. Instead of calling for a fairly
safe pass play (a screen which went unused in the contest),Toussaint was dumped
for a 3-yard loss at the PSU 35.
Punter
Matt Wile was unable to pin Penn State inside its 10 and Michigan returned
possession for what amounted to only a 15-yard gain. Hackenberg delivered manna
from heaven and the game was tied with 21 seconds remaining.
Michigan
might have had a better chance to win at the last second, but wasted one play,
spiking the ball after Gallon caught a pass for 25 yards (following Dennis
Norfleet’s 34-yard kickoff return). The next play was just for 5 yards to
Justice Hayes with 7 seconds left.
There
was certainly enough time for another play, another possible 5-7 yards closer,
for Gibbons to try to win the game with a kick under 50 yards. But the coaching
staff settled for what it had at that moment and it misfired.
In
overtime, PSUs first possession was a missed field goal and Michigan reverted
to conventional wisdom, which isn’t wise at all. There were three meaningless
rushing plays to “position” the ball for a game-winning field goal kick; at NO
time, were any of those snaps directed toward scoring a touchdown.
As
a result, the field goal was blocked – wasted opportunity number 1 by the
boards.
In
the second OT, Michigan had a first down at the PSU 13 and tried just ONE pass
play to the end zone, which was incomplete. Gibbons’ kick gave UM a slender
three-point lead which was erased when PSU kicked it own field goal.
For
overtime number three, Penn State again gift-wrapped the game when a fumble was
recovered by Frank Clark.
But
would UM go for six points and leave no doubt to its fans and observers? Uh,
no! Toussaint went nowhere on third down and Gibbons pushed his field goal try
wide left. Why didn’t Michigan TRY for six points on that third-down conversion
when everything witnessed for the entire game told everyone running the ball
was Borg-like (resistance is futile)?
By
the way, I have always maintained that overtime statistics should NOT count on
official NCAA game tallies. On extra-points, no yardage on a two-point
conversion attempt counts on the official tally sheet because the clock does
not run; same should hold true for overtimes.
This
particular loss falls on the coaches, for playing too safe and, apparently, too
scared to score and succeed. If this is not true, the proof has yet to be
placed in the pudding.
Under
Hoke, Michigan is a lousy 5-8 away from the Big House. It’s hard to say why
(crowd intimidation, change of playing surface, circumstance of importance),
but unless that trend is reversed, Michigan will not be a contending team –
either for conference or national honors.
Everything
has to change and soon. Indiana won’t be anyone’s patsy this Saturday at home and
fortunately, Michigan has a bye week before a (now dreaded) trip to East
Lansing against the now-division leading Spartans. It actually looks as if
Sparty will play Brutus Buckeye for the conference title on Dec. 7.
Michigan,
on the other hand, doesn’t have that look about it.
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