Three Year Anniversary Memories

[Michchamp]

I just got an email from my friend's wife, and was reminded that three years ago this weekend, I was in New Hampshire for their wedding. It was a daytime wedding, so I left after the reception to catch the 2nd half of the Utah-Michigan game from my hotel room, anxious after getting score updates via text and dying to see how we looked on the field under the new coaching staff. I was there in time to watch Steven Threet lead us back into the game with a couple deep TD passes, almost get us to overtime, and wondered WHAT the HELL RR could possibly have seen in practice that could lead to Sheridan getting the start. and handing off to McGuffie from the shotgun, over and over again, for -2, 2, 1 yard runs... UGLY.

MAN, I am glad those three years are over!

 

[bphillips4gg]

Ah, the memories. I was in AA, at the Big House, pulling my hair out. Needless to say, I was very upset with the outcome.

It only got worse as Utah went on a roll that season, and we were on of only 3 teams that had a legit chance at beating them. Would've made 4-8 a little easier to swallow if one of the teams we beat was 12-1 with a BCS Bowl win at season's end.

Fucking 3-9. Despicable.

 

[wheels002]

After that game I knew we were in trouble only to have it pounded into my reality with the Toledo loss not to be out done by the worst we have ever played in a ND game when we couldnt do anything right. It's a miracle that season didnt drive me to drinking.

 

[thewolverines24]

I just got an email from my friend's wife, and was reminded that three years ago this weekend, I was in New Hampshire for their wedding. It was a daytime wedding, so I left after the reception to catch the 2nd half of the Utah-Michigan game from my hotel room, anxious after getting score updates via text and dying to see how we looked on the field under the new coaching staff. I was there in time to watch Steven Threet lead us back into the game with a couple deep TD passes, almost get us to overtime, and wondered WHAT the HELL RR could possibly have seen in practice that could lead to Sheridan getting the start. and handing off to McGuffie from the shotgun, over and over again, for -2, 2, 1 yard runs... UGLY.

MAN, I am glad those three years are over!

I am ecstatic that the RR/Gibson butt buddy years are over. I butted heads with you and other people on the ESPN boards just because I was trying to give RR three years for his radical system change. Trying to give him a fair shake. Dumb decision on my part. He was/is a terrible coach. Plain and simple. Event though I did not like the hire when it happened I gave him a chance, and obviously I was wrong to think he could ever get the job done. I have never seen a coach just not give a shit about defense at all until RR. I feel really bad for Pittsburgh fans that have to deal with his buddy Gibson destroying their secondary now. Onto much better years for UM now! I know I'll never tune into CBS to see that jackass talk before, during and after games.

 

[bphillips4gg]

I just got an email from my friend's wife, and was reminded that three years ago this weekend, I was in New Hampshire for their wedding. It was a daytime wedding, so I left after the reception to catch the 2nd half of the Utah-Michigan game from my hotel room, anxious after getting score updates via text and dying to see how we looked on the field under the new coaching staff. I was there in time to watch Steven Threet lead us back into the game with a couple deep TD passes, almost get us to overtime, and wondered WHAT the HELL RR could possibly have seen in practice that could lead to Sheridan getting the start. and handing off to McGuffie from the shotgun, over and over again, for -2, 2, 1 yard runs... UGLY.

MAN, I am glad those three years are over!

I am ecstatic that the RR/Gibson butt buddy years are over. I butted heads with you and other people on the ESPN boards just because I was trying to give RR three years for his radical system change. Trying to give him a fair shake. Dumb decision on my part. He was/is a terrible coach. Plain and simple. Event though I did not like the hire when it happened I gave him a chance, and obviously I was wrong to think he could ever get the job done. I have never seen a coach just not give a shit about defense at all until RR. I feel really bad for Pittsburgh fans that have to deal with his buddy Gibson destroying their secondary now. Onto much better years for UM now! I know I'll never tune into CBS to see that jackass talk before, during and after games.

I wouldn't call RR a terrible coach. TBH, anyone that does is foolish. He had West freakin Virginia within one game of playing for a national championship.

That offense just isn't a fit for the Big Ten. Simple as that. They may have put up good numbers, but you and I both know they're skewed by games like EMU and Illinois, and when they faced the better defenses in the conference (and the country, for that matter), they were overmatched and our "quick" front lines got mauled by bigger, stronger players on the other side.

RR is a good coach. He was a pisspoor fit at Michigan. He should've never left his alma mater. That was the perfect spot for him, but he'll never be able to go back now.

 

[Guest]

I have no recollection at all, these memories of this 3rd anniversary and all ....

 

[MAIZEandBLUE09]

I just got an email from my friend's wife, and was reminded that three years ago this weekend, I was in New Hampshire for their wedding. It was a daytime wedding, so I left after the reception to catch the 2nd half of the Utah-Michigan game from my hotel room, anxious after getting score updates via text and dying to see how we looked on the field under the new coaching staff. I was there in time to watch Steven Threet lead us back into the game with a couple deep TD passes, almost get us to overtime, and wondered WHAT the HELL RR could possibly have seen in practice that could lead to Sheridan getting the start. and handing off to McGuffie from the shotgun, over and over again, for -2, 2, 1 yard runs... UGLY.

MAN, I am glad those three years are over!

In hindsight it was pretty bad. I never got the Sheridan thing - not one time did he look better than Threet in a game. And I'd almost forgotten, given Denard last year, about all of those negative yard plays in the first two years. That was terrible. Watching our line just get blown up and Mcguffie try to squirm side to side but all he did was go farther back until they pounded him to the ground - of course leading to multiple concussions and his departure from Michigan. I too am glad those years are over and I have to imagine even if Hoke doesn't work out - we'll never see something THAT bad for quite some time, if ever.

 

[bamf16]

I am ecstatic that the RR/Gibson butt buddy years are over. I butted heads with you and other people on the ESPN boards just because I was trying to give RR three years for his radical system change. Trying to give him a fair shake. Dumb decision on my part. He was/is a terrible coach. Plain and simple. Event though I did not like the hire when it happened I gave him a chance, and obviously I was wrong to think he could ever get the job done. I have never seen a coach just not give a shit about defense at all until RR. I feel really bad for Pittsburgh fans that have to deal with his buddy Gibson destroying their secondary now. Onto much better years for UM now! I know I'll never tune into CBS to see that jackass talk before, during and after games.

I wouldn't call RR a terrible coach. TBH, anyone that does is foolish. He had West freakin Virginia within one game of playing for a national championship.

That offense just isn't a fit for the Big Ten. Simple as that. They may have put up good numbers, but you and I both know they're skewed by games like EMU and Illinois, and when they faced the better defenses in the conference (and the country, for that matter), they were overmatched and our "quick" front lines got mauled by bigger, stronger players on the other side.

RR is a good coach. He was a pisspoor fit at Michigan. He should've never left his alma mater. That was the perfect spot for him, but he'll never be able to go back now.

Right....Clearly it was the offense....

 

[Guest]

The offense did not work in the BigTen against upper echelon teams.

Either RR recruited WVU-caliber/sized spread kids or he wasn't given enough years to recruit guys like VY ...or Gardner? or a complimentary RB for Shoelace, a la Noel Devine ..... but the offense did not work against good teams.

 

[bphillips4gg]

I wouldn't call RR a terrible coach. TBH, anyone that does is foolish. He had West freakin Virginia within one game of playing for a national championship.

That offense just isn't a fit for the Big Ten. Simple as that. They may have put up good numbers, but you and I both know they're skewed by games like EMU and Illinois, and when they faced the better defenses in the conference (and the country, for that matter), they were overmatched and our "quick" front lines got mauled by bigger, stronger players on the other side.

RR is a good coach. He was a pisspoor fit at Michigan. He should've never left his alma mater. That was the perfect spot for him, but he'll never be able to go back now.

Right....Clearly it was the offense....

Tell me again how well his offense did against the better teams in the Big Ten. How did they do in their lone bowl game?

I'm not saying that it wouldn't have been more consistent given more time, but the facts are there to back my side of the argument. Even with great skill players, they can't do crap when Denard is running for his life as soon as he receives the snap.

 

[bamf16]

Right....Clearly it was the offense....

Tell me again how well his offense did against the better teams in the Big Ten. How did they do in their lone bowl game?

I'm not saying that it wouldn't have been more consistent given more time, but the facts are there to back my side of the argument. Even with great skill players, they can't do crap when Denard is running for his life as soon as he receives the snap.

So when you typed, "That offense just isn't a fit for the Big Ten. Simple as that." and then followed it up with, "I'm not saying that it wouldn't have been more consistent given more time" I think you may have contradicted yourself a little.

The 2006 UM team that came 4 points from an undefeated regular season and spot in the BCS Title game averaged 26.6 points per game in conference play. In 2005 UM averaged 27.4 points per game in the Big 10. In 2004 they averaged 30.8 in conference.

Last season UM averaged 30.9 in the conference. That's misleading I think b/c of the Illinois game, so if you make that score 45 (which it was at the end of regulation) it brings the average to 28.1.

I'm not sure what you meant by "not a fit" so I can understand there is some ambiguity here. I guess something that's "not a fit" can still technically work. But I'm pretty sure you can see my point that the defense way more so than the offense was clearly the problem last year.

 

[mgeezer]

Actually, my thought was that losing to Utah by only 2 was one of the absolute high points of the RR era. Seriously name another top ten team he even came close to in his entire three years.

 

[bamf16]

Wasn't Wisconsin ranked 7th or 8th?

 

[mgeezer]

Wasn't Wisconsin ranked 7th or 8th?

I was speaking of final ranking. Utah was unranked att he beginning of the season and Wisconsin was top 15 or better. However, looking back, Wisconsin lost 6 games that year and Utah went undefeated and finsihed second in the country beating Alabama in the Sugar Bowl. I don't think we ever came that close to a good team again--maybe Iowa in 09 might be an exception.

 

[masterscorpio77]

With the exception of Utah, most of the ranked teams that we did play spanked us. It was brutal. I still remember last year's OSU game, they could have easily put 70 on us I believe. For some reason the Vest called the dogs off.

 

[Michchamp]

Technically, you're right Geezer.

For me though, the 2008 UW game was the highlight of his career here... UW came in ranked, 500th game in the Big House, and the team doesn't roll over and die, coming back from 19 down to win it. Defense played amazing, and it looked like the offense would start to come together. We were 2-2, and it looked like this whole RichRod experiment might just work.

The next week, we started out 14-3 against UI... and from there it got REAL ugly.

 

[wheels002]

The thing that bugs me is everyone could see where the issues were and RR refused to make any adjustments to fix it. Being bull headed isnt always a bad trait but when your a coach or a GM being bullheaded can and will get you fired. It's like if Bo had never moved to a more passing style of offense and tried to stick with the 3 yds and a cloud of dust. I have faith in Hoke but it's not just him it's the people he has around him. All proven winners at every level of football with experience in multiple styles of offense and defense. They are not single system one trick ponies