Durkin and Maryland

[Michchamp]

The Boy Wonder has his team 4-0 with 3 blowout wins. they squeaked by UCF.

they've been running the ball heavily, averaging 300 yards a game on the ground... but then again, they haven't played anyone. I guess their first test comes this week @Penn St, but Penn State's defense is so beat up, this could be another Maryland blowout.

It's impressive that Durkin has them blowing teams out given how bad they were last year. He's brought some consistency and direction to that team.

they still have to play @PennSt, Minn, MSU, and @IU before we get a shot at them. They could actually be ranked when they come to town though.

 

[rumseyhouse77]

I guess this will make up for Sparty not being ranked when Michigan puts a beatdown on them in EL.

 

[Michchamp]

I guess this will make up for Sparty not being ranked when Michigan puts a beatdown on them in EL.

MSU appears to be reverting to their traditional role of Big Ten spoiler, instead of Big Ten competitor, but obviously they're more dangerous than they were under John L Smith, or Bobby Williams.

Everyone's luck runs out eventually...I think the fall from "national championship contender" (quote marks intentional) to spoiler will come as a shock to the fans still puffing their chests after last season, without realizing how fucking lucky that team was to win some of the games they did.

 

[Monster]

I really liked Durkin and was sad to see him go. Despite only having one year here, I'll be rooting him on outside of his games with us, of course. And nice to see him doing better than the OSU spawn, Chris Ash.

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

I hope he fucking fails miserably. He's a traitorous piece of shit who was "other places" (physically and mentally)the week of The Game and all the players knew it. That was a major distraction for everyone involved last year. I hope we beat their testicles into the ground by 80, Fuck him.

 

[Michchamp]

I really liked Durkin and was sad to see him go. Despite only having one year here, I'll be rooting him on outside of his games with us, of course. And nice to see him doing better than the OSU spawn, Chris Ash.

I still blame him for our defensive collapses last year (especially IU & OSU running all over us), assuming he was out-to-lunch interviewing instead of preparing, which lead to friction with the rest of the staff. Just my opinion. Some put more stock in Glasgow being out, but for what it's worth, once Durkin was gone, and Mattison took the helm, the defense looked great again in the bowl game.

but I'm over it. Agree it's good he's doing well, and assuming he and Harbaugh are on good terms, the personal connection and network is nice to have. balances out Urban Meyer's network. it is meaningful as well that Meyer's protege has done a shitty job so far.

if you were a talented assistant looking to grow in your career... who would you rather work for?

 

[dubbsco]

Yikes, hard feelings. The guy got the opportunity to get a promotion and took it. Those transitions are NEVER easy. Word always leaks out, secret meetings, whatever.

Somehow, I don't think Durkin's focus would have saved the pummeling that occurred.

 

[thewolverines24]

I don't blame the OSU and IU games on Durkin possibly interviewing with other teams. I blame it on the fact that he never made one adjustment during either of those games.

 

[dubbsco]

No amount of adjustments were going to save that game. Sadly, they were superior all over the field. Michigan's offense couldn't do a single thing on the ground (Peppers was the leading rusher). Speight ended up playing a lot.

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

He was out to lunch, literally in Maryland somewhere. He did it the week of The Game. There is no forgiveness in that. And I think people are forgetting that we were down 14-10 at half and should have probably had the lead if it wasnt for that penalty on the fucking punt return that gave OSU a first down. His non-adjustments in the 2nd half screamed idiot. We knew what they were doing in the 1st half, as fans. How did he not see what we were seeing and change shit up and spy Peppers on Barrett?

 

[dubbsco]

If their defensive game plan wasn't established, they didn't know what corrections to make at that point in the season, nothing's going to make a difference. I think it's silly to blame the loss on Durkin. How do you know OSU's offense didn't make adjustments at haftime as well? Hate Urban all you want, he's one of the best 3 coaches in CFB.

Michigan couldn't move the ball in the 2nd half. At all. Can we also blame the offensive coordinators for that?

No adjustments were changing that outcome.

 

[thewolverines24]

He was out to lunch, literally in Maryland somewhere. He did it the week of The Game. There is no forgiveness in that. And I think people are forgetting that we were down 14-10 at half and should have probably had the lead if it wasnt for that penalty on the fucking punt return that gave OSU a first down. His non-adjustments in the 2nd half screamed idiot. We knew what they were doing in the 1st half, as fans. How did he not see what we were seeing and change shit up and spy Peppers on Barrett?

Exactly this. We were in the game at half. Hell, we were still only down two scores heading into the fourth quarter. Durkin gave us no chance to win in that 2nd half.

 

[TheVictors]

A young Hoosier in the office was nervous before the weekend but I told him they'd beat state

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

If their defensive game plan wasn't established, they didn't know what corrections to make at that point in the season, nothing's going to make a difference. I think it's silly to blame the loss on Durkin. How do you know OSU's offense didn't make adjustments at haftime as well? Hate Urban all you want, he's one of the best 3 coaches in CFB.

Michigan couldn't move the ball in the 2nd half. At all. Can we also blame the offensive coordinators for that?

No adjustments were changing that outcome.

Never said we would have won. But do understand field position and what could have happened based on this last Saturday. We could have been in it to win it. Durkin never gave us those chances. Remember the reason why we were so pumped to have him in the 1st place? Because he was on the Meyer staff( Bowling Green and Florida). The dude knew his offense inside and out. He shit the bed, plain and simple.

 

[biggunsbob]

It has to be a little of both in that O$u game. It was on a 4 point game at halftime, and the defense was putrid in the second half. But then jim and the offensive guys were no show to in the second half also.

 

[dokuley]

Biggest problem in that game was the defensive scheme. You can't run man to man against that offense and we had done little to no zone all year. This was the issue against Indiana as well. So, we were stuck running a defense that we were really good at (man to man) or one that we were really poor at (zone). We were fucked either way.

Look at ucf this year. We ran man almost the whole game as to not show anything and they took advantage with some good pick ups on qb scrambles. The defender can't see to tackle the qb when their back is to him.