VT had 7th best defense in the country

[azian6er]

And as such, was the best defense we faced all year.

Therefore, all those haters saying michigan sucked blah blah blah can GTFO

The next best defense (ranked 10th) we faced all year was MSU and they held us to 14.

So, even though VT is acc team etc, they still statistically had the 7th best defense in the country (ours is sixth).

 

[michdad1]

And as such, was the best defense we faced all year.

Therefore, all those haters saying michigan sucked blah blah blah can GTFO

The next best defense (ranked 10th) we faced all year was MSU and they held us to 14.

So, even though VT is acc team etc, they still statistically had the 7th best defense in the country (ours is sixth).

No doubt about it that our defense won the game.

 

[rumseyhouse77]

Our Defense and VT penalties, errors, incomprehensible inability to score when they entered the red zone, and their amazing 3rd string kicker. Even though he missed the last fg, without their kicker VT would not have been in this game at all. Gotta give props to that kid being called on at the last minute to suite up and go out there and keep his team in the game.

Sugar Bowl Champions! Unbelievable! Go Blue!

 

[Michchamp]

And as such, was the best defense we faced all year.

Therefore, all those haters saying michigan sucked blah blah blah can GTFO

The next best defense (ranked 10th) we faced all year was MSU and they held us to 14.

So, even though VT is acc team etc, they still statistically had the 7th best defense in the country (ours is sixth).

yeah. Sometimes it's tough to know for sure why an offense looks bad. It may be bad playcalling and preparation, or it may be the defense they're up against.

Yesterday though, it was pretty clear VaTech played a large part in our lackluster numbers. Denard never had much time to throw, and they disrupted a lot of plays in the backfield. Toussaint was always getting hit behind the line of scrimmage. Even on his longest run, he had to break a tackle behind the line to get open.

Even our 2006 offense would've had a hard time running the ball against VaTech, although, I think Henne-Manningham-Arrington could've moved the ball a lot better through the air than we did last night.

also, with Molk out for the first series, we basically lost a possession. We only had the ball twice in the 1st Q, 5 times in the 1st Half (counting the VaTech fumble with 45 secs left). Losing an entire possession like that is huge.

But you know what they say... haters gonna hate.

 

[lostleader]

Interesting stat. I figured they didn't deserve to be there, and UM would roll them.

However they did beat a Miami team that thumped the nuts, and probably could of played better if not for the turmoil around the program. Also wasn't GT supposed to be good. My hats off to the program, and I am thankful UM walked away with a win.

 

[michlady77]

We did have troubles with running the ball as did they
And we did have limited offense

But I love that we had tds versus their fgs

 

[Michchamp]

our Red Zone defense was really what saved us.

they dominated that first half, and yet the score was only 6-0, when it could've been 21-0.

A HUGE goal line stand, and two other stops on 3rd downs from inside the 20.

 

[wolverine304]

We got a gift from the acc poy when he ran back 20yrds like a 10yr old playing madden

 

[Michchamp]

We got a gift from the acc poy when he ran back 20yrds like a 10yr old playing madden

true, but again, we were all over that play. there was a wall of winged helmets coming right at him, and he tried to reverse the field

 

[uofm06marine]

Any chance Molk playing injured impacted our running game? If I am a betting man, I think that might have been a huge blow to the offense.

Many critics seem to forget that U of M had to overcome a ton of adversity in yesterday's game. I mean they had third stringers rotating in the D-line! These guys played a tough game and while the Offense wasn't stellar they did what they needed to.

Hats off to the team and the coaching staff.

 

[wheels002]

Any chance Molk playing injured impacted our running game? If I am a betting man, I think that might have been a huge blow to the offense.

Many critics seem to forget that U of M had to overcome a ton of adversity in yesterday's game. I mean they had third stringers rotating in the D-line! These guys played a tough game and while the Offense wasn't stellar they did what they needed to.

Hats off to the team and the coaching staff.

But really thats the way the season went. We were outplayed a few times and won. Many games we had a bad 1st half but kept things close and fought the whole way. Notre dame had chances to blow us out early and we got a few key turnovers and ended up with the win. This team didnt have 11 win talent. We won 11 games because we caught some breaks and the whole team played as a team. They played exactly how Hoke preaches as a team for the team.

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

Denard made VTechs defense look worlds better than it was. They knew he couldn't hit a double wide in a trailer park, so they stacked 8 men in the box most of the night. He also made sooo many wrong reads and missed 2 td's on the same drive in the first half. 1 was tipped and the other he couldn't get the ball to the RB on a screen down the sidelines. They gave him no respect in the passing game and he never made them pay. He constantly chucked the ball in the air and hoped for the best. Thank god for Junior Hemingway. He deserved every bit of that MVP.

 

[uofm06marine]

Any chance Molk playing injured impacted our running game? If I am a betting man, I think that might have been a huge blow to the offense.

Many critics seem to forget that U of M had to overcome a ton of adversity in yesterday's game. I mean they had third stringers rotating in the D-line! These guys played a tough game and while the Offense wasn't stellar they did what they needed to.

Hats off to the team and the coaching staff.

But really thats the way the season went. We were outplayed a few times and won. Many games we had a bad 1st half but kept things close and fought the whole way. Notre dame had chances to blow us out early and we got a few key turnovers and ended up with the win. This team didnt have 11 win talent. We won 11 games because we caught some breaks and the whole team played as a team. They played exactly how Hoke preaches as a team for the team.

Agreed. It just goes to show how good of a coaching staff we currently have.

 

[wheels002]

Another big key is that the team leaders and the seniors all bought in. To me it seemed from minute one they believed in Hoke and the staff. You know they worked their butts off and it really showed. It's like Martin has said multiple times they didnt understand at first why Hoke kept saying they had to learn how to play Michigan football. Until this year they never understood the commitment it took to be a winner on and off the field. I bet the biggest compliment Hoke got all year was after the Ohio game when Martin said in post game to Dave Brandon. Thank you for hiring Coach Hoke because he was the perfect choice and we love him.

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

But really thats the way the season went. We were outplayed a few times and won. Many games we had a bad 1st half but kept things close and fought the whole way. Notre dame had chances to blow us out early and we got a few key turnovers and ended up with the win. This team didnt have 11 win talent. We won 11 games because we caught some breaks and the whole team played as a team. They played exactly how Hoke preaches as a team for the team.

Agreed. It just goes to show how good of a coaching staff we currently have.

Special teams coaches should get raises. How unbelievable were they?

 

[uofm06marine]

Agreed. It just goes to show how good of a coaching staff we currently have.

Special teams coaches should get raises. How unbelievable were they?

No doubt. After the field goal. I turned to my GF and said, "Coach Rod shunned and publicly humilulated that kid. Look what a good coaching staff can do."

What I love the most about Coach Hoke and his staff is that they work with and develop the players they have. As crazy as it is to say, U of M probably had the least amount of raw talent on that field last night and they still pulled out the victory.

 

[jever4321]

Denard made VTechs defense look worlds better than it was. They knew he couldn't hit a double wide in a trailer park, so they stacked 8 men in the box most of the night. He also made sooo many wrong reads and missed 2 td's on the same drive in the first half. 1 was tipped and the other he couldn't get the ball to the RB on a screen down the sidelines. They gave him no respect in the passing game and he never made them pay. He constantly chucked the ball in the air and hoped for the best. Thank god for Junior Hemingway. He deserved every bit of that MVP.

+1

 

[KAWDUP]

Denard made VTechs defense look worlds better than it was. They knew he couldn't hit a double wide in a trailer park, so they stacked 8 men in the box most of the night. He also made sooo many wrong reads and missed 2 td's on the same drive in the first half. 1 was tipped and the other he couldn't get the ball to the RB on a screen down the sidelines. They gave him no respect in the passing game and he never made them pay. He constantly chucked the ball in the air and hoped for the best. Thank god for Junior Hemingway. He deserved every bit of that MVP.

+1

-1

 

[TheVictors]

We got a gift from the acc poy when he ran back 20yrds like a 10yr old playing madden

true, but again, we were all over that play. there was a wall of winged helmets coming right at him, and he tried to reverse the field

Jake Ryan ...Clark ...Countess ...the M Defense is young and getting experience.

 

[jever4321]

+1

-1

I Like Denard as much as any Michigan fan, but he defined the expression "a wing and a prayer" in that Sugar Bowl game. If Jr. Didn't make circus catches it would have been all bad. I expect more from Denard at this stage of his career.

If You were going to put together an "All time" UM team, would Denard be on the team? He would be on mine. Not at QB obviously, he would be at SR or RB.

Maybe that for another thread.