Is there a Silver Lining in that Cloud?

I sure hope so.  I tend to be a very optimistic person.  I try to see the best in the situation.  Find ways to see the bright side.  However, based upon what I witnessed on Saturday, the Glass was only 1/4 Full.  My text to some family members near the end of regulation was “Beautiful Day.  Offense sucks.  Defense sucks.  Coaching sucks”

And on Sunday, I started reading the recaps.  This gave me some optimism that the Glass is more than Half Full.

Army

Army is a good team.  I know, they are not a Top 20 Team.  But, consider the following:

·         Army had won 10 straight games going back to 2018.

·         Army beat Houston in the Armed Forces Bowl 70-14.

·         In 2018, Army took Oklahoma to OT.  The Sooners prevailed 28-21.

·         While Army is One Dimensional on offense, they do it extremely well.  The Triple Option had not been seen by Michigan in a long time, and we will not see it again for quite a while.

UM Defense

As stated above, Army runs a precise (limited) offense to perfection.  Michigan held them to the following lows:

·         243 Total Yards (200 Rushing Yards) – lowest yardage since 2017.

·         3.7 Yards per Play (3.3 Yards per Rush) – lowest since 2015.

·         3 Turnovers – most since 2017.

And when it counted the most, Michigan’s D came up big.  Lavert Hill intercepted the pass when Army was on the 5 yard line.  The last turnover ended the game as we sacked the Army QB in OT forcing a fumble that we recovered.

Two of Army’s TDs came on short fields.  Their second TD came after we fumbled the ball on our 40 yard line.  Army also scored in OT starting at the 25 yard line.  We held them scoreless in the second half as well.

Special Teams

The Special Teams were solid on Saturday.  Moody made 3 PATs, and a clutch 43-yard FG in OT to win the game.  Our punter only punted once, but nailed it for 61 yards.  And the second team punt returners and kick returners did a decent job.  This should greatly improve when Donovan Peoples Jones

(DPJ) is cleared from the IR (hopefully against Wiscy)

Offense

I don’t have much to offer here, except for a gut feel.  Patterson is playing with an injury.  I believe this limited the play calling and affected his passing accuracy (No clue as to why we didn’t play McCaffrey more).  This will improve with the bye-week.

We have yet to see Speed-in-Space.  Not sure why we run it to the interior of the line 15 times in a row.  However, my gut tells me that Harbaugh is not going to show anything.  In years past he refused to tell the media who is the starting QB the day before the game.  We know he has his eccentricities.

Two of our best players have not played yet.  Runyon Jr. is our best offensive lineman.  When he returns at left tackle, the line will become noticeably better.

DPJ will add another huge weapon to the offense.  Black, Collins and Bell have been solid, and DPJ will only give opposing Defensives even more problems.  We have also gotten solid play from TE with Sean McKeon.  Charbonnet has proved a solid runner who can block as well.  He should do nothing but improve week after week.

Chris Knight (aka Special K, CK or KnightTrain)

Well, What did you expect?

I found myself asking this question to myself over and over all weekend. I found that I kept answering in what I hoped I'd see, not what a rational analysis would generate.

My emotional reaction is that the team did not look all that well prepared and the performance was generally underwhelming.  Yet looking at the stat line, We won a game, scoring 40 points, generating 453 yards of offense. Held the opponent to 67 Yards Rushing and 4-13 on 3rd down conversions. 

We started the game with the following

1)     2 Freshman Starting Tackles

2)     Freshman Starting Running Back

3)     By most accounts our best receiver and punt returner on the sideline

4)     A completely new offensive system

5)     An offensive Playcaller that has called fewer plays in his coaching career than the MMQ2

6)     Our highest potential DT out of the game on the first series with a hand injury

So I expected us to look unorganized and sloppy at times. I expected the inexperience at this positions would generate some mistakes. I expected some missed block, some offsides or holding calls. Not so much

What I didn't expect was 

1)  Our senior QB to fumble on the first play.

2)  Our Senior All Big Ten CB who flirted with the NFL to drop a walk-in Pick 6

The New Offense
Overall the temp is a little better, Stretching the field is a bigger priority and we probably didn't really show much.
My underlying fear in all of this is that Gattis has to much of an I'm to Cool for School Mentality. Young guy with some success and fortunate enough to operate in stable situations with exceptional talent.  Reminds me a bit of Matt Patricia with this I'm the smartest guy in the room personna.  This was most obvious with the 2 QB in the game stunt. Neither Shea or Dylan are better than at least the top 5 Receivers. So we create a 10 on 11 matchup. What's the point Smart Guy? Enlighten Us?  By the way, all the rules to protect the QB don't count when your QB is lined up as a receiver.  If I'm the DC on the other side, I am telling my biggest hot head to jack up the QB/Receiver and take the targeting call. If one of those guys gets hurt we're in BIG Trouble.

Observations
-Zack looked great, especially on Pass Protection
-Freshman Tackles were solid but I want Runyan back, healthy for Wisconsin
-Patterson was solid but his timing was off on the deep balls
- Bell,   Hands like feet
-Lots more deep pass routes that will stretch the defense
-Great to see Ambry Thomas back on the field AND Making Plays. VG looked serviceable as well
-Can we get Ma and Pa Glasgow a nice bottle of Wine and some sexy Lingerie and get busy getting us more Walkon's. Three sons that make the Starting Lineup in a Top 10 Program in the modern era is unfathomable. Jordan reminds me a lot of Jordan Kovacs.
-Freshman Class looks great. Lots of Solid Contributions and some of the biggest names are on the field yet (Hill, Hinton)
-How does Bryan,  the Human Parking Block,  Mone make an NFL Roster?
-DPJ not playing again, Always something with this guy.
-Nico Collins is the real Deal,  Reminds me of a combination of Deven Funchess and Jason Avant and the good parts of both.
-Stop the 2 QB Thing, It makes you look dumb. I like the idea of getting McCaffrey some meaning-full playing time as the QB. This has the feel of the Brady, Henson era. He's capable and the experience will only help for the future.  By the way Joe Milton shows me nothing. Big drop off there.
-Put Mason back in the backfield and give him the 4th and 1, 3rd and Short Hammer head.
-Great call on the Albrecht,  Somebody figured out quick that we would lose a challenge and Yards near the goal line. Looked dumb at first but Genius!

Up Next

Some   ARRRMMMY Training.  I love watching the Acadamies compete in Football. The personification of Discipline and Toughness. In the end I think dominant athletes win out as long as frustration doesn't set in. No Dumb Penalties and hang on to the Ball and we will be ok. Will not be an exciting game but a good character builder and we probably get a cool flyover or at least a parachute drop.


Reminder to All that this will be our Game to honor the MMQ at the Corner. Everyone is Welcome. Its an early game  so some food before and after the game are planned, No specific menu. These people will eat anything. See you Saturday!

Go Blue!

Hello Michigan Fans, 

We are on THE cusp of a new and surely exciting season!

It sure won't be THE same after big changes and some Big Losses!

Quick Evaluation of THE Losses

2)  Chase Winovich.   Heart and Soul of THE Defense, THE embodiment of THE College Athlete, Worked through THE whole Lineup Card to find a place in THE Starting Lineup and through grit and determination turned himself into a High Round Pick. Thanks for sticking with THE commitment and playing your heart out in THE Bowl Game.

3)  Devin Bush,  Speed, Speed, Speed, and Speed in THE right direction. Great Playmaker, will be missed

4)  David Long  Lock Down Corner that taught teams to pick on THE Nickel.

5)  Rashan Gary,  Meh

6) Karan Higdon, Meh

7) Zack Gentry, Thanks for opening up a Roster Spot to get another one of THE great receivers on THE Field

8) Al Washington  don't let THE door hit you in THE ass

9)  Greg Mattison,   Fuck You.  Can I say that here?

and

1)    THE MMQ.

With very mixed feelings and emotions, I cautiously step into THE breech living on THE inspiration of one of Bo's lasting Lessons regarding,  THE Next Man Up. On THE Battlefields of centuries past, it was THE unwritten rule that when THE kid carrying THE battleflag got shot, you dropped your gun and picked up THE flag and marched forward.   Always wondered how you got to be THE dumbass that got to carry a flag into a gunfight.  In THE end you don't replace a legend you just hope to honor THE tradition and be true to yourself and THE cause.

RUSS is missed by us all and will be missed even more THE 17 GameDays ahead of us as Michigan Fans.

As tradition goes a Bottle of Jack has been sacrificed and it is without shame or doubt that I make the Prediction that Michigan will win 17 games in a row.  (Ok I just copied that from last years blog)

For all MMQ Fans, Friends of Russ, and Tailgaters near and far, we have decided we will make THE U-M Army Game our tribute to the MMQ and Russ at THE Corner of Hoover and Greene. We hope to see a great crowd! We'll make it a Big Game and will even have a few remarks from our standing Sergeant at Arms   Major Dean Glossop.  Why do I have THE scene in my mind of Patton addressing the Ladies Auxiliary?

We are having difficulty resurrecting THE distribution of THE MMQ.  Please forward to any and all Michigan Fans and have them respond to my email if they want to be added or deleted from THE MMQ Distribution.   tomhall86@comcast.net

Go Blue!

Hello MMQ fans!

Obviously some difficult circumstances this year. We’re working on what the future of MMQ will be. but for the moment we will use it to communicate upcoming Tailgate Plans. We are planning a tribute to Russ at the Army Game, so it would be great to get as many of our friends out. More details to follow but we already have heard that Superfan, will be in attendance!

JH MHBBC - Feedback, E-mails, Texts and Tweets

So, everyone has an opinion one way or the other.  It was strange that as I was driving home I couldn’t fine one XM – Sirius station talking about this hire! 

After that mind-blowing search, I flipped it over to the local stations. 1050 AM (which I can barely get in my area) was praising the hire as one of the best college coaching “gets” in 25 years.  In fact they looked at and compared Juwan to the last 25 NCAA Hoops hires and in just about every head to head comp I heard, they would have taken Juwan.  That included Chris Beard at TTU based on the fact that before this season, would you have hired Chris Beard not knowing what he was capable of?  

THEN, I tuned into 97.1 and the local village idiot named Mike Valenti that wears the Green “S” on his chest that was pooh-poohing this hire last night.  HE claimed that Michigan NEVER EVER would have done this with their football program  - handing the reins to a “complete unknown” as far as his capabilities at the collegiate level.  “All Sizzle and No Steak” were his EXACT words.    I turned the radio off at that point.  It’s kind of like politics.  You’ll never change a conservative or liberals mind no matter how hard you try.  One is logical, the other is emotional.  It’s a rare person that can see the middle and the things that are “correct” for society.   That’s Michigan and Sparty in a nutshell.  Sparty’ll ALWAYS HAVE THE CHIP and Michigan will always be the Big Brother, superior in all ways.   

An Open Text to Michigan's Newest BB Coach:  

Dear Juwan:  Please make sweeping the LNU a number 1 priority for next season.  I don’t know how you’ll do it, I don’t really care what it takes.  Use dynamite if necessary but completely DESTROY those clowns when the time comes. 

Some other takes:

I don’t think you ever use the “JH” moniker for Harbaugh, so you’re probably ok.  But this is going to suck for the “JH” crowd.  Shared initials! 

Huh.  Yeah, I never really thought about it until just now.  I used JB a lot as I used to get tired of typing out Beilein’s name as it wasn’t a natural word or combination of letters.  But Harbaugh, Harbs, Jimmy, are what I use and I imagine I’ll use Howard in the future quite a bit.

Is the Howard hold-up because he wants an out clause if the NBA offers him a head coaching position without any pay-off clause?

This didn’t seem like any kind of issue to me.  Juwan Howard was the 5^th pick when he was drafted and was the FIRST PLAYER EVER to sign a contract for over $100M dollars.

https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/06/sports/howard-2-deals-2-teams-200-million.html

  

I don’t believe Howard needs the money and I doubt the amount he was making was a driving factor.  HE was looking for the opportunity.  IF anything, my guess he was actually trying to figure out how he could get his assistants more money as he knows how the game works.  By taking $2M annually for 5 Seasons, that opens up a lot of room for salary for the assistants.

Would you sign someone as your head coach if he said that he might leave next year for another position?

Uh…Isn’t that a risk when you sign ANY COACH, regardless of the buyout?  People bail all the time.  Especially in hoops.   I mean, we just watched it happened!  And we just watched UCLA go through all that with several coaches that had hefty exit fees and we also saw that some of those are negotiated down and some actually keep the coach at their current school.  But here’s my take:  Do I WANT to keep a coach that looks at another offer and thinks he’s getting a better deal at a better institution or in the Association that what he’s got with me?  In the case or Juwan, $2M is peanuts.  IF he has any early success, you can bet that contract is renegotiated to get him to stay.   I know it’s a pain in the ass to go through in less than 5 years, but that’s the world today friends.  There are very few lifers.

Why didn’t one of the teams in the NBA hire Juwan?

I’ve been kind of scratching my head on that one also.  And I believe it’s a combination of things.  Juwan was coaching under one of the best NBA coaches out there.  He also coached under Pat Riley.  So while he probably learned a LOT, what could you say about his potential success as a head coach in the NBA (or college?).  Now, in Michigan’s case, he’s an alumni, former player, will probably be able to recruit and he may be successful.  Michigan was willing to take the gamble for $2M a year.  The NBA guys probably looked at it and said, “Not yet.”    I think the better question (that I can’t answer either) is if Juwan got an offer from any of those teams, did he turn them down? 

Just read your post of yesterday….EXCELLENT WORK!!!  I wholly concur. 

Well, Thanks!  I do appreciate that, even though there’s not much there that I believe anyone looking at the tea-leaves correctly couldn’t have concluded otherwise.  Now, if you want to put a bias on it, by all means, there’s about a THOUSAND different positions you could take on this one…But I do think it was Michigan’s best option, though it clearly wasn’t Warde’s first option (Cooley) which again, I’ll never understand other than Warde knows the guy…

This hire is a mistake.  Michigan just took the “one and done” mantra to the next level…

I really don’t know how you can classify it as a mistake yet.  If there’s anything we all should have learned by now is you don’t know who’s a good or bad hire until you know.  And then you’re either extremely happy or figure that you’ve just wasted the last 4 years or whatever with a bad decision.  Don’t get hung up on what is a mistake right now.  Let things play out.  I’m sure there were many people that thought Bo Schembechler was a mistake in 1969.  That one worked out ok.  The MMQ initially thought Lloyd Carr was a HUGE mistake.  But again, I worked with Moeller and knew him the best.  What does anyone really know? 

Hang in there MMQ, Juwan is not done yet, and Rick Pit is still in the wings. Boy that would sting, eh???

We shall never speak or mention the words “Michigan” and “Pitino” in the same sentence ever again.  Those who do will be banished from the Blog!

It Could Have Been Worse...In Fact, I'm Starting To Have High Hopes!

  

I have to leave the office before any official confirmation has come out on this.  Here’s to hoping that whatever the hold-up is, it gets resolved soon and Howard can head to Ann Arbor, find a house and meet with players, recruits and staff.

https://mgoblog.com/content/hello-juwan-howard-head-basketball-coach

So, it’s Juwan (well, not yet)!  Immediately after Cooley rejected the Michigan opportunity (I don’t believe there was an offer – THANK GOD FOR SMALL FAVORS -  in spite of all the rumors) Warde made his way down to Miami, conducted an interview with what is apparently one of the current NBA’s best defensive assistants and former Michigan Fab Fiver Juwan Howard. 

And he returned to Ann Arbor and penned up an offer.

It could have been worse.  The “Cooley Mess” I simply didn’t understand:  This guy’s best offensive team only ranked in the 100’s in KenPom.  Can you imagine a fanbase that has been part of teams with single digit offensive efficiencies and leading the NCAA in lack of turnovers getting a guy like Cooley?  They would have wanted his head on a platter after the first 20 Turnover game.  Or sooner.

Juwan comes with cache and a swagger few other coaches could have matched given what he’s accomplished.   With endorsements from some of the NBA’s greatest, including LeBron, Wade and Webber and Rose (for obvious reasons), he also got a lot of nods from coaches and other players in the NBA who claimed they wouldn’t be the player they are today without Howard’s tutelage. 

Juwan also knows Ann Arbor, a lot like it’s current football coach.   He knows the funny floor spots in Crisler Arena.  He can hold up two NCAA National Championship appearances.  And a plethora of other stuff…

So, is there risk here? 

Read This:

https://sports.yahoo.com/juwan-howard-the-latest-moldbreaking-nba-hire-in-college-basketball-192726324.html

Well, do you want than answer in one word or two?  Hell YES there’s risk here!  Juwan has never been a head coach anywhere.  He’s never recruited.  And he’s been away from the college game for over 25 years.  Anyone thinking there isn’t risk is an idiot.  Will he be able to keep the current staff intact?  As I wrote a little earlier, Yak interviewed with Shaka Smart but nothing has come out of that discussion.  My guess is Yak has fallen in love with Michigan and Ann Arbor and wants to stay here and continue building what’s a pretty damn good program.  I think if Howard can keep at least Yak and 1 of either Washington or Hayes, than he’ll have already had a small victory before he watches the first ball tipped in the 2019-20 season.  Will Howard be able to retain the current recruits?  Remains to be seen.  How will he be on the recruiting trail?  My guess is he’ll figure it out.   And how will Howard adjust to being a head coach down from the super-paced and athleticly deep NBA?  I mean, I’ve been watching the play-offs and the things that Steph Curry can do from anywhere on the floor just blows my mind.  Can Howard manage a game with way less talent than what’s on a typical NBA squad?   IT all remains to be seen….And,

ALL OF THAT IS RISK!!!!

But it’s not unmanageable risk and it’s risk that I’m sure Juwan has more than defined for himself.  With two sons going through the AAU gamut, he’s familiar with the recent kids in varying programs and top recruits that are available.   And he was an AAU kid himself.  Not to mention that he’s got the backing of NBA names behind him.   I mean, consider this:  

How many guys can walk in and hold up a tweet of LeBron  and D-Wade saying “Juwan’s the MAN!”

But, I have a hunch Juwan won’t do that.  In fact, don’t be at all surprised if you hear Brian Dutcher’s name getting mentioned by Juwan as someone that Juwan might call for advice.  Once a Michigan Man, always a Michigan Man.  And Dutcher will help, of that I’m sure.  Dutcher is currently coaching at San Diego State where he took over for Steve Fisher.   And who knows?  The 74 year-old “Fish” might even give his old player a pointer or two in recruiting. 

AHEM:  So, would you care to rank all of these worry beads so we know what we should be most concerned with?

Sure.  Again, my biggest concern:  This fan base is now SO USED TO BEILEIN BALL that as soon as that one ugly turn-over game happens, were all going to be, “What happened to the ball control we had under Beilein?”  Or worse, Michigan, sort of like this past season, loses some of its offensive swagger and ability.  Gotta get that back.  And will Howard be able to manage the college game?  

2.  Retaining the coaching staff and some of the Beilein culture.  Say what you want, I think Beilein’s fingerprints should be embraced and they should continue on with how Michigan should look and act on and off the court.

3.  Recruiting.  Somehow, I feel like this will be the least of our worries if Juwan can land a really big name.  If he can do that, the others will follow, assuming Michigan is showing an interest.

All in all, this is probably the best outcome this ordeal could have had.   Yeah, Jay Wright would have been the ultimate catch, but Jay Wright, I’m convinced, isn’t leaving for anywhere else.  He’s going to be at Villanova until he retires.  Think of him as Coach K for the Wildcats.   So, as I said on Monday, I can live with this.  I certainly don’t have the same trepidation I had when Rich Rod was hired.  OR the simply “Whatever” hire of Brady Hoke. 

Nope.  Warde did as good as he could do.  And that’s all you can do.  History will bear out whether it’s a good decision or not. 

Overall, I’m a little bit excited to see what Howard can do! 

All Hail - Juwan Howard? Could It Happen?

I was a huge Fab 5 fan.  When we, Michigan Fans, believed that it was Steve Fisher that managed to land the Fab 5 of Juwan Howard, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson, I think all thought that Fisher was a genius recruiter and that Michigan had to potential to be in the National Title search for 3 or even possibly 4 seasons! We believed it so much that a bunch of us (loyal readers and slappies TJH, TMcD and others hopped in a Chevy Astro and drove to the Final Four in Minneapolis in 1992. 

That’s how much we believed.   

What we eventually came to learn was that when Mitch Albom authored “Fab Five” in 1993,  Brian Dutcher played a HUGE ROLE in getting the “key” player in that group to Michigan.  Dutcher realized that if he could get the first domino to fall, the rest would follow.  And Dutcher knew exactly who that was:

Juwan Howard

Juwan was the key as he was the most mature and Dutcher knew that Juwan would assist in recruiting the rest of the Fab 5.  Dutcher paid more attention to him than any of the other 4.  He ate at Juwan’s Grandma’s house.  Had fried greens for the first time.  When Juwan came to Michigan’s Hoops Camp, Dutcher made sure Jimmy King attended Michigan’s Camp at the same time and made them roommates.    Dutcher knew that Howard was the most important piece. 

And Guess what?   Juwan signed first.  If you don’t remember or need to recall, read the first couple of chapters for free on Amazon…

https://www.amazon.com/Fab-Five-Basketball-Trash-American/dp/0446517348

.

And right after Juwan signed, Jimmy King followed.   And Ray Jackson soon followed after that.   However, it wasn’t until those three worked on Webber and Rose for a couple of months that those two decided to come along and make Michigan history as one of the greatest recruiting classes to ever go to one university.   Granted, Rose’s coach ended up on the bench at Michigan, also, sort of securing the Rose commitment.  But at the time, there was nothing illegal about that. 

But before I get to far ahead of myself and why I think Juwan would be the “Fit” Michigan is looking for:  A Defining Moment:   On the same day that Howard had signed his LOI, Juwan’s grandmother died unexpectedly and both Dutcher and Fisher showed up to her funeral a few days later.  Howard realized at that moment that Michigan was more than just a school or a university…

Michigan is Family.

So, if you’re asking me what I think about Juwan Howard, I’ll say this:  I don’t know if he can be a head coach.  I don’t have a clue (same as everyone else) as to whether or not he can recruit.  I know he came “THIS CLOSE” to winning a National Title in College.  I know he won an NBA Title with the Miami Heat and LeBron James.  And I know he was on the NBA All Star team several times and has interviewed for several NBA head coaching positions.  But he has either turned them down or they’ve turned him down for whatever reasons. 

But I can tell you this:  Juwan Howard is definitely a Michigan Man.  He still speaks highly of Michigan and the degree he earned from Ann Arbor. 

Jalen Rose seems to agree with me.  And wouldn’t it be great to see Rose as an assistant at Michigan?    I think so!!!

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/team/_/id/130/michigan-wolverines

At the same time, do you go with a guy with absolutely no head coaching experience but a lot of love for his alma mater?   Decisions like this can only really be summarized and judged in the sometimes long aftermath that follows this type of decision.  Nobody had a clue as to whether or not a deeply devoted Jesuit coach from WVU would be any good at Michigan.  Bill Martin decided he WOULD be good for Michigan and would get Michigan back on the map. 

Looking back, it was probably one of Bill Martin’s Greatest Decisions in all of his tenure as Michigan’s AD.   But we needed time and perspective to get to this point.  But not ever decision Bill made paid off like this one.    

Because Sailboat Bill also hired Rich Rod.  From WVU.  And that looked like a better hire, at the time, then Beilein.   And I’m pretty sure we all know exactly how that worked out.

Bottom Line:  Warde Manuel might be making a good or a bad decision with whomever he hires.  We simply won’t know until there’s time behind the decision as to whether or not it was good or bad.  And that’s all there is to it.

Make the best decision you can, support the individual and keep things moving.