Have I
mentioned that I miss Bill Martin and Rich Rod?
Do you think
Rich Rod and Al Borges are laughing their asses off right now?
Can anyone
remember the last two “Big Games” where Michigan couldn’t score an offensive
TD? Much less get into the Red Zone?
And finally….Where
to From Here?
I hate it
when Michigan Football is reduced to “Spoiler” status before we’ve even thought
about flipping the calendar to October.
Granted, I had stated in the pre-season spectacular that seeing Utah on
the schedule made me nervous. They are,
as game day put it, “Brilliantly coached by one of the most innovative and
dangerous minds in the game today.” Why
is it that Michigan is always playing an “innovative and dangerous mind” and
seems to be coached by a baboon that won’t admit to not having a clue? Why do I refer to Brady Hoke in this
fashion? Because of the Punt for a TD on
Saturday….
In case you
missed it on mgoblog.com, there was a question by mgoblog to Hoke during his
weekly presser regarding the spread punt.
Here’s the link. If you don’t
want to read the article, a summary:
Spread punting more or less puts more “Gunners” on the field, 4 to be
exact, and college rules allow this. As
a result, NCAA PUNT RETURN YARDAGE HAS DROPPED DRAMATICALLY over
the last three to four seasons and the punt return for a TD has been all but
eliminated.
Mgoblog.com
asked Hoke why Michigan hadn’t gone to the 4-Gunner spread punt, based on the
data. Hoke’s response, “What’s a
spread-punt?” Again – The screams inside
my head are very loud and I truly hope they stay there…you know, in my
head. And for his sake, Hoke and the
special teams unit better figure it out quickly and adopt the formation sooner
rather than later…
So, an MMQ
prediction came true on Saturday and Michigan lost. Yes, the B1G is still out there, but if
anyone who has been watching this team still believes in that fantasy, I’ve got
a bridge in Brooklyn, NY, I’d like to sell you.
This team is further away this season than they were last season, even
though they’re moving the ball between the 20’s. Once again, Michigan “Out-Statted” it’s
opponent. More total yards. But MORE Turnovers and NO SCORES…. IF you can’t
score, you’ve got problems.
And I now believe,
but hate to admit, that Gardener is a big part of the problem. His turnovers were awful…I mean, they were
gut-wrenchlingly awful….And yes, I would call that “Crapping the Bed” awful
that I alluded to last week. I just didn’t
think it would happen so soon. Therefore: Enter Morris.
I really don’t think Hoke has a choice at this point but to at least
demonstrate that he’s willing to try something else…Anything else to rectify
the offensive woes that plague this team.
But Morris isn’t going to immediately fix the odorous pile of excrement that
is Michigan Football on offense. I
wouldn’t be surprised to see Speight get a rep or two against Minnesota this
weekend, either.
IS Hoke to blame at this point? He took action and fired Borges and brought
in Nuss. So, he knew he had issues on
offense. How long do you give people
before you pull the trigger? I guess I
give Hoke all the time he needs until the next loss that isn’t Sparty. In other words, every game from here to
Sparty is a “Must Win” for Hoke if he has any chance of surviving the
season. Gophers, Scarlet Knights, and
yes, Penn State is even a must win at this point. Sparty is going to be an ass whoopin' of the
worst kind and I don’t want to think about that yet. Brandone, behind his verbal “outward support”
of Hoke should be thinking about replacements.
The MMQ
already is. Upon a whole bunch of
reflection on Sunday and realizing that not dealing with the issue may be a
bigger deal from an AD perspective, I have to believe that Brandone has to be putting
together a list…or at least dusting off the old one from the Rich Rod Fiasco….I
reviewed my list along with some lessons learned:
- Be decisive.
If you’re going to can the coach, do it quickly and get the new guy
in so as not to lose recruits.
Screw the $3M buy-out…You’re losing fans at a much higher rate than
that…
- Firing mid-season accomplishes nothing, but in the
case of recruits doubting whether or not a head coach can make it after
the season, sometimes it’s wise to just do it.
- HAVE A FRIGGIN’ IDEA of who you’re going to go after and then do it.
So, instead
of re-hashing a game that was over in the 3rd quarter, I’m dusting
off my list of potentials and starting a “Watch List” for future candidates. Maybe Brandone reads the MMQ during or after
lunch on Mondays….This will give him a head start.
Cam Cameron (Odds: 75-1): LSU is in a
rebuilding year, but the offense made a huge comeback on Saturday against MSU….Cam’s
been a guy the MMQ has been watching for quite a while and I believe would make
a decent coach at Michigan, even though he didn’t fare that well as a head
coach at Miami at the NFL level…He was considered a brilliant offensive mind at
the NFL level and is a young 53. But is
he the “Coach in Waiting” at LSU?
Scott Schafer (Odds: 150-1): Before you rip my
head off for suggesting that we bring back one of the worst defensive
coordinators to ever wear the Maize and Blue, please consider that Coach
Schafer was being asked to run a defense without much in the way of personnel
in a scheme (the dreaded 3-3-5) that he had never coached before. He’s done a pretty good job at Syracuse and I
can’t help but wonder if Brandone hasn’t been paying attention and thinking to
himself that he let Rich Rod fire a pretty good guy and perhaps better coach….
Jim Harbaugh (Odds: 200-1): I now I said he’d
never be the Head Coach of the Maize and Blue….But you never say never in this
business. And those odds are falling
with each game that San-Fran loses. And
they’ve lost two in a row by failing to score in the 2nd half. At 1-2, the Niners are by no means out of the
NFC play-off picture or anything, but it’s the way they’re losing and Jimmy’s
relationship with the front office that make this an interesting watch.
Kevin Wilson (Odds: 300-1): I really liked
this hire by Indiana when they made it.
He’s coached with some of the best and he’s turning it around in
Bloomington. Yes, Michigan would be
poaching from one of its own in-conference, but I could easily get over that if
this were to somehow happen…
Kyle Whittingahm (Odds: 500-1): The Brilliant
Mind coach that just beat you…I mean, why not?
I’d at least talk to him…
Greg Schiano (Odds: ????-1): Bill Martin
interviewed the Big East coach of the month as part of his search. Schiano went to the NFL and didn’t fare well
at Tampa Bay…Seeing as how Schiano is in a TV studio somewhere, he’s probably
available and looking for an opportunity.
And Rutgers doesn’t want him back, so who knows…
It’s a short
list for the time being. But these are
definitely guys I would be making phone calls to people and trying to learn
more about each individual.
The Rest of the Mess
Huh…If I’m not mistaken…The B1G fared pretty well on
Saturday. Iowa won on the road….Indiana
went on the road and knocked off a top 20 team…Nebraska took care of business against Miami (the good one) but not
before a bunch of their fans got arrested for throwing beer cans at a tour busand trying to flip it over…Northwestern
chalked up its first win…Purdue won…So, if I’m doing the MATH RIGHT, Michigan
was the only team to lose in the entire B1G…Well That’s Fantastic
and makes for a wonderful Monday….
Satan’s Warriors pretty much destroyed Gatorland and sealed the fate of
Muschamp. Right now, it’s a tie for the
1 spot on the Hot Seat between Hoke and Muschamp with the latter holding an
ever so slight edge…Why? ‘Cause it’s the
SEC…That’s why…
Don’t worry
about the Quack Attack only beating
WSU by a TD late…They were on the road and Leach has proven he can coach a Big
Game against a big opponent more often than once. Survive and move on. The Ducks are fine and still in my top 4…
The Laters also went on the road to Morgantown which can be an impossible
place to win. But win they did and I’m
still keeping them in the top 4….
The Winston-less ‘Noles hung on to beat Clemson in a game that Clemson should
have won…Dabo Swinney might be sitting on the hot seat today as he continues to
lose big games and can’t seem to get over the hump….
Miss State really blew out LSU, but the Tigers again made a late comeback similar to what they
did to Wiscy earlier in the season. But
they couldn’t close the deal. Again,
watch Cam Cameron on this team…
The 5 Stages
of Slappy Fan Grief
- Denial and Isolation: Mizzou Fan has this one….They are trying
to figure out how they lost to a B1G team and are grasping to the hope
that they can run the SEC East Table and win the SEC Championship….
- ANGER: Gatorland…This wasn’t supposed to happen this year
with everyone healthy. But Michigan’s
Mirror in the SEC has a Coach and a QB problem. Driscoll simply doesn’t perform on
Saturday and that’s a problem….
- Bargaining: Sparty destroying EMU for style points proving the
B1G deserves one of the 4 seats…Sorry, Sparty. I think the committee is onto you…
- Depression: Michigan fans…September B1G Spoilers at 2-2. Even if they could run the table from
here…That would depress me more…
- Acceptance: Perdon’t, Iowa, Northwestern, Michigan,
and Tennessee….
The MMQ’s Top 10
Definitely a
couple of stunners over the weekend. And
one impacting the top 4:
- Texas A&M – is the team with the lowest
percentage to hang in the top 4
- FSU- this probably won’t change much
until the Louisville game…
- Oregon – Mariota for Heismann…Just
cause…
- Oklahoma – cruised over the Cremesicles…
- Satan’s Warriors – I don’t believe they will be
here at the end, but for now, I’ve got to put an SEC team in here…
- Sparty – we have to keep them in the
Top 10 or there’s no shot at the FF.
- Baylor – It’ll be one of these two coming out of the
BigXI
- UCLA – It’s been ugly…I’m not sure how good the
Pac12 is now..
- Auburn
- This hurts…domers…
Idle Thoughts From Saturday
-I don’t like
spreads that move this much…
-Vegas knows
something…
-Weather not
looking good.
-But is that
Good for Michigan?
-IF the
ground game is going, yeah…
-Moving up
and down the field…just can’t score.
-Stop turning
the ball over!
-Defense
scores…That’s always a plus.
-But offense
has to do something…
-Gardner…WHAT
ARE YOU DOING?
-Enter Morris…
-And another
turnover…
-Can’t blame
the Defense….Too much
-What’s with
Hoke and Mattison?
-At least
Hoke is showing some emotion..
-Too much too
little too late?
-Mattison for
head coach?
-Hmmm…Too
old.
-Nuss is too
new….
-But
something has to happen.
-This is not
a Michigan Team…
-This is
still an aberration…..
-An embarrassment…
-A crap-storm
of problems with no solutions in sight…
-Hoke needs
to win from now till Sparty…
-And probably
win all the rest after Sparty to ohio….
-If he wants
to survive…
The Hot Seat
Genevieve
Morton literally walked away with the voting last week and you can bet that the
MMQ will be spending a lot more time looking for Hot Seat Mascot’s as that will
be a helluva lot more interesting than following Michigan Football. This week’s mascot: Hannah Furgeson!
Hot Seat Rank
- Will Muschamp:
Was not competitive against Bama…
- Brady Hoke – It’s probably going to happen…Sad…
- Charlie Weis:
Why are they keeping Wuzzles around? Just cause?
- Hazell: At
least Purdue scored against the domers….
- Beckman: He’s
got problems….
- Norm Chow:
Hawaii. The Rainbows haven’t
mattered in a while.and that’s a fan base that cares.
- Mike London:
Needs wins…
- Sonny Dykes: California was pretty good for a while….Wha’ happened?
FMQ
Well,
opposite week was a great idea except for a couple of the games. The FMQ needs a new strategy….maybe not
betting Michigan would help, also. I’ve
only gotten them right once this season.
Iowa @ Pitt (-7): Take Iowa
and the 7 for $30
WIN!!
Bank $57
Miami (not Ohio) @ Nebraska (-7): Take Nebraska
and lay the 7 for $20
WIN!!
Bank $38
Clemson (+21) @ FSU: Take Clemson
and the 21 for $30
WIN!!! Bank $57
Gatorland @ Satan’s Warriors: Take Satan’s
Warriors and lay the 14 for $40
WIN!!! Bank $76
Laters @ Mounaineers (+7): Take the Laters and lay the 7 for $20
WIN!!! Bank $38
Sparty (-45) vs.
Hurons: Take the Hurons and the 45 for $20
LOSE……
Yoots @ Michigan (-3.5): Take Michigan and lay the 3.5 for $40
LOSE…..Fire Hoke….
Starting Bank: $623
Total Win: $266
Bank: $889
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