Well, that was a butt whoopin'. Everyone expected a Michigan blowout, but UConn couldn't do anything. Other than an 18-yard scramble by quarterback Zion Turner, UConn's longest plays were 9 yards, 8 yards, 7 yards. When's the last time you saw a team only have one double-digit offensive play? That's an odd thing to remember off the top of my head even if it's happened in the last 20 or 30 years, but I don't remember another time when that was the case. Altogether, UConn's quarterbacks combined to go 5/20 for 24 yards. That's 1.2 yards per attempt.
Hit the jump for more.
Blake Corum tied a record. Corum scored 5 rushing touchdowns on Saturday. More impressively, he did it on just 12 rushing attempts. They came on gains of 20, 11, 1, 1, and 1. It took Hassan Haskins 28 attempts against Ohio State to achieve the same feat. Ron Johnson needed 31 attempts in 1968 to score his five. Competition caveats apply for Corum, but it's crazy to think he was almost as likely to score a touchdown as not.
I'm bored. Yep, I said it. I'm bored. I want to watch star players do star things against good competition. Starting off the season with three cupcakes is something that, yep, now I've experienced it and I don't ever want to try it again. You know, like cocaine. Or dating a Michigan State fan. Unless Michigan hires Rich Rodriguez as a coach, everyone good transfers, and life sucks. I don't even mind so much that Michigan put these three teams on the schedule (Colorado State, Hawaii, UConn) because CSU and Hawaii are at least a little bit formidable sometimes. Michigan's three opponents so far are 0-9 against FBS opponents (but 2-0 vs. FCS teams!). At least when there's a non-conference opponent like Washington or Florida or Alabama or Notre Dame, there's some level of excitement for one team in the first few weeks, even if we realize that Alabama is going to stomp the Wolverines.
I bet you didn't know . . . Henry Donohue, Danny Hughes, and Brandon Mann. Or Daniel Taraboi. Or Logan Forbes. Maybe not even Andy Maddox. All those guys played on Saturday. Even some of the most devoted Michigan fans don't know those people. Hell, some of those guys didn't even make the 2022 Season Countdown, and I profile way more guys than necessary. Good for these guys to get their time to shine in Michigan Stadium.
Ronnie Bell haters, beware. Don't look now, folks, but the guy who led Michigan in receiving in 2019 and 2020 is back at it again. A lot of people thought Cornelius Johnson or Roman Wilson was going to take over as the #1 guy, but every time we look up, Ronnie Bell is hauling in a pass. He has 14 receptions, more than double anyone else on the team. He also seems to be a favorite of J.J. McCarthy, who has given him 6 and 7 receptions over the past two games. The year isn't over and a lot can happen, but Ronnie Bell seems to be the favorite target for three different quarterbacks: Shea Patterson, Cade McNamara, and J.J. McCarthy. At some point we all probably have to admit that Bell is pretty good.
J.J. McCarthy was good. McCarthy was 15/18 for 214 yards and ran 3 times for 7 yards. He missed a couple plays - all quarterbacks do - but there wasn't a ton to complain about. I do feel bad for Cade McNamara, who promptly got clobbered twice in just a few snaps and left the game with a knee injury. Luckily, the crowd gave him a round of applause before he went down for the count.
I'm looking forward to Maryland. Maryland is 3-0 and averaging 40.3 points per game. Quarterback Taulia Tagovailoa is completing almost 80% of his passes for 10.2 yards per attempt. Running back Roman Hemby is averaging over 9 yards per carry. And yes, it's been against a couple cupcakes (Buffalo, Charlotte), but also against a decent team in SMU last week. How is Michigan going to look when they face a team with a pulse? We'll find out on Saturday at noon.
It looked like Cade McNamara was hit with the crown of a helmet to the chin. Seems like it should have been reviewed .Maybe I saw wrong.
ReplyDeleteOne play McCarthy missed was a open receiver like 10 yards away from him as he was running to the right .The excitement McCarthy adds fires up the whole team. But I still think fundamentally, Cade McNamara is a better QB .But the power of belief can go a long way .So if everyone is believing in McCarthy more, then go with it, I guess .
I think McCarthy makes more pre-snap errors. Guys have a harder time getting lined up when McCarthy is in the game. So I think McNamara is a better field general (right now). But post-snap, obviously McNamara is struggling right now and McCarthy's making things happen.
DeleteThe above anonymous at 9:01 a.m. is me, Thunder.
DeleteI do see the delays in getti g things lined up before snap sometimes. Interesting how you describe it. I still think everything being off kilter when McNamara us in, is because both McNamara, and the whole team, instinctiveky know Jim Harbaugh has moved on from McNamara as starter to McCarthy .I think the only way that would be back to McNamara being the starter in Harbaughs heart and mind is if McCarthy gets injured . Otherwise i think Harbaugh is fully with McCarthy. But McCarthy has so much to learn .
DeleteIt's a cliche but man is it true...The backup QB is the most popular guy in town.
DeleteI suppose that's a slver lining for McNamara, McCaffrey, and Milton - who all lost their jobs in the last year.
Watch your back JJ! I hear Davis Warren may be able to cure cancer.
Yes, welcome back RONNIE BELL!!!
ReplyDeleteAs a casual observer, I feel that the OL has protected JJ better than Cade. In the game against Hawaii and UConn, I felt that Cade has absolutely very little time to throw the football. Any ideas why this is so? Should we be concerned with our OL?
ReplyDeleteI've read one theory that says defenses know that McNamara is not much of a run threat, and he abandons the pocket fairly quickly, so they come after him differently than they do McCarthy. Either the change in rush is throwing the OL off, or they're blitzing an extra player, or something.
DeleteOne thing I'm 100% certain of ... the OL is *not* deliberately tanking their protection so the rush gets through to McNamara. By all accounts, McNamara is well regarded by the team. Also, I can't imagine Harbaugh and staff putting up with that. It would be a sure-fire way to corrode the locker room chemistry. Also, if QB recruits knew that the staff allowed such stuff, they'd shy away from the program.
If the theory that they come after McNamara differently is true, then perhaps we should be concerned about our OL. These opponents are probably the worst defensive lines we are going to play against.
DeleteI agree. I think the OL is good, but has weaknesses. You can be sure our future opponents are studying the film.
DeleteMy idea why: tje team is vibing from Coach Harbaugh that JJ is the man to believe in, so they do. And that he has doubts about Cade, so they do too.
DeleteOf course you defend McNamara and McCarthy differently. With Cade, you are thinking about, depending on your nature or defensive philosophy, covering check downs or sending people after him to hit him. With JJ, you are way double worried about containment.
DeleteI said a mean thing about Cade last year after some scramble he took off on caused me to think of Billy Kilmer, who if you are of a certain age you will remember was an unfit, crafty kind of a QB who could get away from you every once in a while and move the chains with his feet, but for sure wasn't going house on you. I said Cade can't run, which was hyperbole. We've all seen him get away and move the chains.
But McCarthy runs like a deer. If you screw up and miss or run yourself out of a lane, that could be six. So you go after him with a different mindset. You tippy toe a little rather than blast out after him because the consequences of opening a lane for him are dire. Dare I say it? They are almost ... Denardesqe ... Nah! But dire for sure.
So, I took note of the play that has Anon exercised too. JJ is scrambling and had a tight end ... probably standing on the sideline 5-7 yards up field without a defender within 5 yards of him, but JJ has his eyes glued downfield and never checks down to him and I think he even takes the sack. And I thought to myself, tsk, tsk.
Now, Cade McNamara finds that guy from the pocket because he comes out of the huddle thinking about his reads and very seldom ... I repeat, very seldom, practically hardly ever and borderline never is gonna hang in there with a guy working to get open downfield.
So you trade off, young guy who can get away and kill you with his feet, along with the arm to move the football in big chunks downfield but might miss the check down because he's young, or a guy who never saw a check down he didn't love who on a good day is death by a thousand cuts.
McCarthy might not miss that check again, because he for sure heard about it, or he might. But Cade is definitely not gonna eat up big yards with his legs and arm talent.
McCarthy won the job in dominant fashion, and will improve with snaps. This is a no brainer.
Yeah no-brainer to me too, but some think being conservative and avoiding incompletions, sacks, and turnovers is more important than making plays and that running is for RBs. The anti-Denard faction of the fanbase should be worried, because all that stuff about affecting the D was true last year as well. Obviously the staff think the risk has been decreased. We'll see.
DeleteI'm feeling optimistic that McCarthy, in this season, could be the best QB since Denard. Running and passing skills aren't mutually exclusive - they're complementary.
If JJ shreds Iowa I'll take my optimism levels all the way back to the guy in '99.
Honestly Roanman, I think McCarthy is a bit undisciplined. It is an unfortunate bad habit of some very talented people. It's too much of a reliance on raw ability, and not enough development of the fundamentals. Maybe NcCarthy will see the need for working on the little things. As is, right now, he is underdeveloped in discipline. When he starts taking the short pass to keep the chains moving, then I will believe he is maturing. McNamara was already working on the little things. You could see it all last year. Man, i had high hopes for watching McNamara this year. But maybe McCarthy will grow quicker than I think he is going to. He faces a tough defence in 2 weeks at Iowa. If he can't move the offense i hope he is pulled. Because we saw McNamara do it against Iowa last year.
Delete@Anonymous - Both quarterbacks were given equal opportunity to prove themselves. The result (from both the eye test and the data) could not have been more overwhelmingly in McCarthy's favor. I'm honestly not sure what you are debating here.
DeleteI already addressed what you are saying in a previous comment.
Delete@anonymous - you are posting under anonymous. care to share what that statement said?
DeleteHarbaugh declared JJ the man after each got a start and JJ proved himself. Are you suggesting that it was unfair to Cade to give JJ a shot at starting?
DeleteAndrel Anthony is starting to block good BTW.
ReplyDeleteMcCarthy has made ZERO errors per football focus, leads the nation in pass yards per attempts, and has the highest QB rating in the nation. While making his first starts.
ReplyDeleteMichigan Football fans not happy.
He hasn't taken a lot of risks too. He hasn't had too.
DeleteAnd BTW. where did you hear that Michigan fans are not happy?
":I think McCarthy is a bit undisciplined."
Delete"As is, right now, he is underdeveloped in discipline."
"If he can't move the offense i hope he is pulled. "
"I still think fundamentally, Cade McNamara is a better QB .But the power of belief can go a long way .'
JUST IN these comments
Oh, you're talking to me. Why do you think i am unhappy? In your judgement, those comments are from someonevthat is unhappy with McCarthy?
DeleteYes. I would not like to see with what you define as 'unhappy' is like
DeleteI don't see unhappiness in the comments. They are assessments. I don't lknow why you see only unhappiness .Is everyone supposed to be rah rah about the things you are rah rah about, and if they aren't it means they are unhappy?
DeleteJJ is the most talented QB to ever play at Michigan, with Drew Henson coming in second. That doesn't mean he is the best (right now) but he is off to a good start. JJ has played perfect football and has shown everything you want in a championship QB. I expect him to shred the B10 this year with 35 TD passes (he needs to get going, he missed out on 3 last week). Iowa has the B-10's best defense, so if JJ is to be challenged, that will be the game. Iowa can't score so the outcome of that game will never be in doubt, but it will show what JJ can do against the best on the road.
ReplyDeleteOSU will present a different challenges, as it will probably take 40 points to win that game. A good outing will not be enough. JJ has to DOMINATE for UM to win that game, and if he does, he will be in NYC.
Michigan has the best defense in the BIG10.
DeleteBrady is the most talented. Just because we can't quantify his mental processing speed the same way we can with a 40 time doesn't mean he's any less talented for what matters most at QB. Dude makes decisions quickly and accurately - and always has. He was better than Henson in college even though Henson had better physical attributes. But I'm a "working hard is a talent" guy...
DeleteProduction = talent + preparation + support
Is it true Dominick Guidice is out for the year? I had read he was switched to o-line, and was playing good.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I gather, Giudice will not be back this season.
DeleteDoes anybody know where he got it?
DeleteI was kind of pumped about him in general.