Oregon +7.5
Oregon ML
At first I said the ML was the only way to go in this game, but I am seriosuly stunned Oregon is getting 7.5...a lot of people think Michigan is going to be pissed and on a mission, yada yada..I got news for you folks..THEY ARE DONE.
Lloyd Carr and his 3 returning glorious offensive seniors came back with two things in mind this year: Win the MNC and beat OSU. Well 1 of those dreams is done and the other one probably will be too.
I saw the whole UM/ App. State game...every play.
It wasn't pretty.
Michigan is not a well-coached team (duh). You can't just turn it up in the second half, whenever you feel like it. College football doesn't work like that. You have to attack and go for the full game. Michigan has a lot of holes and I will break it down.
Michigan Offense:
The pass protection was bad in this game...REAL BAD, and when it was good Henne still locks down his receiver, misses wide open guys and needs 5 minutes to throw the ball. He also fumbled a two point conversion. Very dissapointing coming from a senior qb.
THe receivers were decent when thrown to, TE will be a problem if Mike Massey stays on first string though because he couldn't catch the ball. They need Carson Butler back. When guys were open Henne often overthrew them or missed them badly.
Hart had a good game. Minor did not. MInor fumbled twice, once in a crucial situation when they were driving in the 3rd I believe and again during a two point conversion. The oline run blocking was bad after the first drive of the game all the way into the 4th quarter, then Hart got hot.
Michigan Defense
The defense is prone to giving up the big play. Appy state had several big plays and consistently drove on UM until the middle of the third quarter. Michigan had the team figured out by then and got a few turnovers...but the talent level will be much bigger for oregon running the same type of offense plus they have a great RB. Michigan plays 2 deep zone it seems the whole game, THe corners ar afraid to give up the big play and they play 10-15 yards away from the receivers and they have done this a lot over the years and I will never understand it. they need to play bump and run...jam those fuckers at the line. the secondary and corners specifically are bad runners over the middle, they have no fluidity to them..almost robotic. THey have the speed down the sideleine, but a mobile qb disrupts Michigan's defensive style. The dline did not get any pressure on the qb until the fourth quarter as well.
Special teams
Michigan has a first year kicker this year and he has trouble with getting height on his kicks obviously. It also isn't his fault then no one was blocked on the edges during that final kick, which is another example of bad coaching.
The Kick off specialist consistently kicks it to the 10 or 15 and APp. State had good FP throughout game becasue of this.
THe return game..Johnny Sears for UM is going to turn it over, he barely holds on to the ball..he is fast though.
I have seen enough of Dennis Dixon and Oregon's offense to believe they can win this game. Oregon's defense sucks, but Michigan's is pretty bad too...although they did get much better in the seocnd half, Oregon is not appy. state. I honeslty think it is Michigans psyche more than anything that will determine this game
Carr is not the kind of rah rah coach to get his troops back together. he is lifeless and I honestly think he doesn't have the passion anymore and I also believe a team is a reflection of their coach.
I know I talked a lot about UM and little about Oregon, but it is because oregon has the same type of offense app. state does and why wouldn't they be able to do this to Michigan as well??
