MSU @ M, Game Day, In Game, Post Game Discussion

[The Oracle]

Yup. Fucking God was on Calhoun's side. Fuck us then!

[Jeff Buchanan]

Yep. They called two time outs. Anyone else think Harbaugh should have taken some blame for the last play instead of just saying Oneill messed up?

I'd say, there were options for Harbaugh none of them were better than the others.

I don't think there was anything wrong with what he did call given how the punt team had performed that day.

I'll say this. When MSU lined up with 11 guys up front and not a single guy deep - in fact, Chesson was unopposed deep and looking back at the punter - he could have easily just thrown it deep and see what happens. All Chesson has to do is play center field. There was NO ONE back there.

I doubt that he had that option to pass - run maybe - but after the muffed snap, with 11 guys bearing down on him, that was not an option he was likely to see as a good one. He said, he still thought he could get the kick off even if it just turned out to be a 10 Yarder. But he had to or should have seen what was going on with the three guys on the left of the MSU formation that we're going to be free hitters. That punt probably starts out with a high likelihood of getting blocked.

I saw somewhere that what happened, a blocked kick at the place on the field where it was scooped and run back for a TD, has a 0.02% chance of happening. So there is that. There's no sense in trying to second guess this and, no, I don't think Harbaugh deserves any criticism for punting from his own 30.

[iam416]

His own 47. If the kid had just fallen on it then MSU gets it at the 40 with time for one play.

[lineygoblue]

AI think all of us were agreeing with the punt call at the time. It made sense. Get the kick away, and the clock expires while its in flight, and bounding around downfield. The problem was in the execution. And no, I don't blame O'Neill for the loss. There were plenty of other opportunities for the guys to salt this one away in the "W" column.

Not sure how the bye week is going to factor into this. We don't really have any key injuries that I know of, where guys need the recovery time. Sometimes, its best to get right back out after something like this, and start playing again. Then, maybe the week off will help get it all in the past.

The next four games after the bye are Minnesota - away, Rutgers - Home, Indiana - away, and Penn State, - away. 3 of 4 on the road. Not a cupcake schedule, but nobody insurmountable there. The trip to Happy Valley will probably be the most difficult of the four, although both Rutgers and Indiana have proven they can score points. Minnesota is a lot like Michigan, focusing on defense and the running game.

Harbaugh said that this loss will put steel in their spines. He's not usually a man of hyperbole. I just hope he's right. They're going to need it.

[Kstat]

You can absolutely blame the punter for the loss. The snap was good enough. he had plenty of time to get the kick off. There's no rule saying michigan had to win by 2 scores. They got the ball and the lead with 10 seconds left near midfield. It was over.

Expecting Michigan to be leading with multiple scores is pie in the sky logic. It would have also been nice if they were up 70 or Rudock took off his helmet before the game to reveal Tom Brady, but those are not realistic expectations.

I do not hate the kid, and I feel terrible that he's going to be punished for this many times over, but this loss is 10000% on him.

[WM Wolverine]

You can blame Rudock, Chesson, Harbaugh, Drevno, Hill, Brady Hoke, the refs, Lloyd Carr, Dave Brandon and Rich Rodriguez for the loss too.

[Ghengis Jon]

I blame Dave Brandon. He is the root of all evil.

[The Oracle]

Different how? We got outgained by 150 yards. At home. The offensive line was one massive prison bitch. Same as last year. In fact, I think that we had fewer rushing yards than the 2008 game. RichRod and Brady Hoke both had games where they hung in close despite getting the shit kicked out of them. Like the 2009
game and the 2011 game. Nothing new there.

LOL, yeah, you've always used total yardage as something to hang your hat on.

You should view this loss as a positive...at least now losing AJ Williams won't be a loss since he sucked yesterday and Jourdan Lewis won't be leaving early since he got torched by Burbridge.

[Wild Hoss]

Watching that play...even as improbable as it seemed...is why I supported Mike Riley's decision not just flop on the ball on 3rd down @ Illinois two weeks ago.

Punting is routine, but punting against all-out pressure is not; its not practiced any more than trying to pass protect against a 9-man pressure is. And if it does get blocked, bad, bad things usually ensue...typically you've got your punter on his ass, and maybe one or two protectors against 3-4 defenders, with the ball bouncing around. Punts get blocked and run back for scores every week after all.

[hack]

LOL, yeah, you've always used total yardage as something to hang your hat on.

You should view this loss as a positive...at least now losing AJ Williams won't be a loss since he sucked yesterday and Jourdan Lewis won't be leaving early since he got torched by Burbridge.

Lewis? Another year with that bum? That's not a positive!

[The Oracle]

Maybe if I look through the eyes of Hachabble.

[Hannibal]

Re The punt decision:

IMHO you've got to punt it. If you go for it, then you probably don't make it, and then MSU has a chance at a 53 yard Hail Mary. If the punter simply gets the ball off it takes MSU out of Hail Mary range and they have to run a hook and lateral or get YAC on Hail Mary. Incredibly unlikely. I think that if you are at a range where the opposing QB can hit the end zone, you've got to punt it. I guess that an alternative would be to give the punter the green light to throw it to an uncovered gunner. But O'Neil's fuckup against BYU may have made Harbaugh gunshy about giving him the chance to call any more fakes. I don't think that you can line up with a normal scrimmage play there.

[Rocky Bleier]

I thought MSU was going to run a hook & lateral on their final offensive play. It was 4th and 19 and I figured Dantonio would go for broke. Instead Cook through into double coverage. I almost believed it was our day...

[entropy]

You guys Riley'd yourselves...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Wild Hoss]

I thought MSU was going to run a hook & lateral on their final offensive play. It was 4th and 19 and I figured Dantonio would go for broke. Instead Cook through into double coverage. I almost believed it was our day...

From watching the replay, it appeared to me that your pass rush saved it there; they got somebody over the CB, and it didn't appear as though the safety was going to get there if the ball came out on time. Cook had to pull it down, then shortarmed it under duress.