Ann Arbor will play host to the first in-conference matchup between Nebraska and Michigan.  Nebraska can stay alive in the Legends Division with a win against Michigan, while the Wolverines would need both a win and an upset loss by Michigan State against Indiana to keep their conference title chances intact.

The beginning of a rivalry?

As far as similarities go, both teams enter this contest with 8-2 records overall and 4-2 Big Ten records.  Both offenses are run by dual-threat quarterbacks – Nebraska’s Taylor Martinez and Michigan’s Denard Robinson.  Both teams boast robust rushing averages with Nebraska averaging 232 yards per game (13th in the nation) and Michigan averaging 235 yards per game (11th in the nation).  Each team’s rushing attack is bolstered by their signal-caller, as Martinez has racked up 768 yards and 9 touchdowns for the Huskers, while Robinson has totaled 864 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.

Further, both quarterbacks have been erratic throwing the ball.  Martinez is completing 57.7% of his passes, but has only 10 touchdown throws against 7 interceptions.  Robinson, a constant home run threat, has thrown for 13 touchdowns, but has also thrown 13 interceptions and is only completing 52.4% of his passes.

Both defenses have had issues as well, although they both have improved in recent weeks.  Nebraska is coming off a 17-14 win at Penn State in what was surely an emotional game even for the visitors as they were forced to deal with the distractions surrounding the Penn State program.  Outside of a rough outing in a loss to Northwestern two weeks ago, Nebraska has been fairly effective defensively over the last 5 weeks.

Michigan is only allowing 15.5 points per game on the season (5th in the nation), although their weak schedule certainly has helped.  Against Michigan State they were gashed by the Spartans running game for 213 yards, but over the past 3 weeks the Wolverines have gotten more aggressive with their blitzes and have contained the run much more effectively.

What Nebraska must do to win

When the Huskers have struggled this year, it has largely been at the hands of mobile quarterbacks.  Wisconsin’s Russell Wilson, Ohio State’s Braxton Miller (who helped the Buckeyes build a 27-6 lead before exiting with an ankle injury), and Northwestern’s Kain Colter (in relief of injured starter Dan Persa) have all shown that Nebraska is vulnerable against a quarterback who can make defenders miss while running.

Robinson is a more talented runner than any of the aforementioned quarterbacks, so it is crucial for the Huskers to contain him.  They must stack the box and force Robinson to throw.  Michigan’s receivers haven’t shown an elite ability to create separation this year (leading receivers Junior Hemingway and Jeremy Gallon have racked up their yardage largely on deep jump-balls and plays with busted coverage) so Nebraska will have to trust their corners to play in isolation.  If Michigan can beat them with a sustained aerial attack, so be it.  But the Huskers cannot let Robinson run wild.

Also of note is Rex Burkhead, Nebraska’s leading rusher.  With 1072 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season, Burkhead is a powerful threat.  Michigan sometimes struggles to defend power rushing offenses (see Michigan State and Edwin Baker), so if Nebraska can keep Burkhead moving the chains they can control the clock and keep Michigan from doing the same to them.

Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images North America

What Michigan must do to win

Michigan’s defense has made great strides since the beginning of the season under new defensive coordinator Greg Mattison.  They will be tested Saturday, and they must be able to limit Burkhead.  In games in which Burkhead reaches 100 yards rushing, Nebraska is 8-0.  When he doesn’t, they are 0-2.  It doesn’t take a genius to see where the focus must begin for Michigan.

But they must remain balanced on defense, as Martinez has the ability to rip off huge gains on the ground.  Over-committing to stopping Burkhead could open up huge holes for a runner like Martinez.

Offensively, Robinson must play with discipline.  He leads the Big Ten with those 13 interceptions, and coming off a sprained throwing wrist suffered against Illinois he must be particularly careful.  While his ability to improvise is his biggest talent, it can lead to over-confidence and forced plays.  Forced plays can lead to turnovers, and Michigan doesn’t have a large enough margin of error to do that Saturday.

Lastly, coach Brady Hoke seems to have settled on Fitzgerald Toussaint as his feature back, and he responded by rushing for 192 yards last week.  He must be Michigan’s Rex Burkhead this week, and allow them to control the clock and move the chains on first and second down, eliminating third-and-long situations where Robinson is more likely to try something ill-advised.

Nebraska-Michigan Prediction

Michigan is unbeaten at home, and I think they will continue that trend this Saturday.  I see them being able to run the ball more effectively than Nebraska, and that will be the difference.  The two teams are so similar and are strong in the same areas, so it really is as simple as who can run the ball with more effectiveness, and I see that being the Wolverines.

Final Score: Michigan 28, Nebraska 24

What do you think?

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Nebraska-Michigan Game Info

• Nebraska-Michigan Date: Saturday, November 19
• Nebraska-Michigan Kickoff: 12:00 pm EST
• Nebraska-Michigan TV: ESPN
• Nebraska-Michigan Point Spread: Michigan -3.5
• Nebraska-Michigan Over/Under: 51

And don’t forget to enter one of this week’s Daily Joust fantasy college football tournaments. It is, after all, the best alternative to fantasy sports and gambling.

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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Image Credits: michiganradio.org

Michigan State won all 3 meetings against the Wolverines under Rodriguez, but there is no doubt that this 2011 Michigan team is much different than any the Spartans faced the last 3 years.  This rivalry, which many regard as the fiercest in the Big Ten, means a little more this time around for both teams.

East Lansing’s Spartan Stadium will host a battle for first place of the Big Ten’s Legends Division.  #11 Michigan (6-0, 2-0 conference) and #23 Michigan State (4-1, 1-0 conference) can each take the inside track to the Big Ten Championship Game with a win this Saturday.

And you can take the inside track to cash money prizes by leveraging your college football knowledge over at Daily Joust, where they host weekly fantasy college football contests. Click and check ‘em out.

Michigan-Michigan State: Things to consider for Saturday

This matchup, on paper, is a classic example of strengths versus weaknesses.  It will be interesting to see which coach is able to game plan best in order to equalize those gaps, and also to see which players execute those game plans and make big plays.

Michigan comes into this game 7th in the nation in rushing with 257 yards per game.  Obviously, having Denard Robinson, who averages 120 rushing yards per game himself, is a big reason for that.  But Michigan has also had the benefit of piling up healthy rushing totals while leading big in several games this season.

Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images North America

Robinson, the Heisman candidate, has developed the disturbing (for Michigan and their fans, that is) habit of throwing interceptions.  The biggest reason for this, in my opinion, is overconfidence on Robinson’s part.  He believes he can make every throw with his athleticism, and this leads to him forcing the ball when a play simply isn’t there.  Robinson has been able to make a ton of big plays, most notably against Notre Dame and last week against Northwestern, but part of the reason it took a big comeback in both of those games is that the Wolverines turned the ball over so much to begin with.

The big plays have also been a curse in disguise, because on nearly every one of those deep bombs that Denard has unleashed, whether for completions or picks, he has thrown while moving and off his back foot.  That creates a jump ball situation, and often the passes are underthrown, making the receiver come back to the ball, and also the defensive back.  Though wideout Junior Hemingway has shown an uncanny ability to go up and grab those, he won’t always be able to do so, especially against a tough defense like the Spartans.  Robinson, I think, has started to believe that he can heave it and let Hemingway, Roy Roundtree, or Jeremy Gallon go get it.

Michigan State, on the other hand, has excelled defensively.  They are the top ranked defense in the nation in yards allowed (173 per game) and are especially stout against the run, allowing only 64 yards per game.  They are also 3rd in the country in points allowed, giving up just over 10 per game.  In their last game they manhandled Ohio State in Columbus and came within 10 seconds of shutting the Buckeyes out.

Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America

Senior Wide Receiver B.J. Cunningham has been a monster this season, with 38 catches and an average of over 116 yards per game, tops in the Big Ten.  He became the school’s all-time leaders in receptions in week 2.  Cunningham has twice as many catches as the next Spartan this season, Keshawn Martin, who has 19.  Quarterback Kirk Cousins is completing 68 percent of his passes this year, and Cunningham is a big reason why.

Given the trouble Michigan has had keeping big play receivers in check, he might be in for another big game this weekend.  Michigan has allowed an opposing receiver double-digit catches 3 times in 6 games, including huge games by Western Michigan’s Jordan White (12-119 yards) and Notre Dame’s Michael Floyd (13-159 yards).  Cunningham will be the most talented receiver Michigan has seen Floyd, and Michigan State will surely try to exploit that mismatch against Michigan’s secondary.

What Michigan must do to win

For the Wolverines to win, the formula is simple: Denard Robinson must play like Denard Robinson, minus the interceptions.  Michigan can survive one or two turnovers at most, as the Spartans have also shown a propensity to turn the ball over (including 3 times at Ohio State).  But if Robinson plays like he did in the first half of the Northwestern game, Michigan will likely dig themselves a hole too deep to emerge from, especially considering Michigan State leads the Big Ten in time of possession at just over 34 minutes per game.

Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images North America

Michigan must also find a way to limit B.J. Cunningham.  That’s easier said than done, but it can be done by getting solid pressure with Mike Martin, Ryan Van Bergen and the rest of the defensive line.  If they force Cousins to act quickly, the chances for mistakes will increase.

Vincent Smith should also play a significant role.  Michigan’s offense is at its best when Smith is in the game, as he adds value in the running, receiving and pass blocking phases of the game.  He is so elusive in space that it often only takes a single block to spring him for a big gain.  If he makes a couple big plays look for Michigan to break their losing streak to the Spartans.

What Michigan State must do to win

It’s a no-brainer, but the Spartans must keep Denard Robinson in check.  Last year they forced Robinson into 3 interceptions and limited him to 86 yards on the ground, his lowest total in a game at that point last year.  They must do the same this year.

The defensive backs for Michigan State must look back to the ball in coverage.  Michigan’s receivers are speedy, but Robinson sometimes struggles with accuracy.  The Spartans will have their chances to go after the ball, and they must make a couple big plays when given those chances.

As mentioned, Cousins must get the ball to B.J. Cunningham.  His presence will also open up the middle of the field for tight ends and screens.  Cunningham has a chance to go off in this game, and if he does, the Spartans might just make it 4 in a row.

Lastly, they must control the clock.  If they can use Edwin Baker and LeVeon Bell with any success and keep Robinson off the field for large stretches, they will win.

Michigan-Michigan State Prediction

Michigan State will come out with a huge head of steam and Cousins will connect with Cunningham early and often.  The Spartans, like Northwestern last week, will jump out to a lead in the first half, and Michigan will have to adjust.

But also like last week, adjust the Wolverines will.  Denard will find his mojo, make smart decisions, and run better than he did last year against State.  The Wolverines will force Cousins into some mistakes and take advantage, pulling off a victory in a game I expect to be really exciting down the stretch, as is the norm with Michigan.

• Final Score: Michigan 34, Michigan State 31.

What do you think?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Michigan-Michigan State Game Info:

• Michigan-Michigan State Date: Saturday, October 15
• Michigan-Michigan State Kickoff Time: 12:00 pm ET
• Michigan-Michigan State TV: ESPN
• Michigan-Michigan State Point Spread: Michigan State -2
• Michigan-Michigan State Over/Under: 49

There were seven players from the Big Ten on bodog’s list, and you can place bets on who you think will win college football’s highest honor.

Here is a look at all the Big Ten players odds to win the 2011 Heisman Trophy.

The Big Ten player with the best odds of winning the Heisman Trophy is Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson at 15/2.  According to bodog he has the fourth best chance of winning the Heisman Trophy among all college football players.

The player on bodog’s list with the longest odds to the win the Heisman Trophy is Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa at 95/1 odds.

What stood out to me on this list was that both Wisconsin running backs James White and Montee Ball have the same odds to win the Heisman Trophy at 80/1.  I don’t know if there have ever been two running backs on the same team that have had the same odds to win the Heisman Trophy going into a season.

Also another thing that stood out to me was that there was no player from Ohio State who made the list.

Here is the list of all the Big Ten players and their odds of winning the Heisman trophy:

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* – Denard Robinson photo source: http://slimwiththetiltedbrim.com/?p=19

67 for 96 (a 68.9 percent completion rate), 1,008 yards, seven touchdowns, one interception.

98 carries, 905 yards (an average of 9.2 yards per rush), and eight touchdowns for a grand total of…

1,913 yards of total offense and 15 touchdowns through five games.

Even in Rich Rodriguez’s wildest dreams of the perfect spread optioning, dual threat scoring behemoth, he could not have imagined his niche quarterback position to be executed at the level Denard Robinson has taken it to so far this season.

Photo source: AP via MLive.com

Rodriguez has to be continuously thanking someone or something somewhere for the timing of Robinson’s ascendance. If RichRod returns to the University of Michigan’s sidelines next season, it will be because Robinson struck up the band’s version of “Hail to the Victors” so many times that those who control things in Ann Arbor will need to see what another year of development in the system could bring.

For the foreseeable future, it’s all about Denard Robinson. And that’s the way it should be.

Right now, the 2010 Michigan Wolverines are Denard Robinson. He is why they are 5-0 and not 3-2 or 2-3. He is why they are voted in Top 25 polls. He is the major and maybe only indication that Rodriguez could be turning this program around.

Robinson has pulled out victories when the Wolverines’ season has seemed on the brink of falling into the abyss that has marked the Rodriguez era. To make the obvious summarization, he is responsible for everything that has gone right for this team so far.

And I hope, if and when the other shoe drops, he is there for that too.

As an example, my favorite basketball player is Dirk Nowitzki. I have gone through some difficult times as a fan because of this allegiance, but it is what it is. I will always have a soft spot for one-legged, off balance fade away jumpers – it’s my curse. The point is, when I watch the closing minutes of a Dallas Mavericks game, I don’t want to see anybody else deciding the outcome other than Dirk. If he doesn’t come through, so be it. I’ll feel better knowing the game was in the hands of the team’s best player, where it should be.

So when Michigan’s more-break-than-bend defense is lit up for another four hundred passing yards, hopefully they can leave some time on the clock for Denard. Hopefully, if god forbid the Wolverine offense is forced to punt a few times, that won’t automatically result in a 14 or 21-point deficit. Nobody is expecting dominance anymore, but coherence shouldn’t be too much to ask for.

The dream season could end on Saturday against Michigan State, or the week after versus Iowa, or at anytime, because every game Michigan plays will be a circus. Every week, the incredible play of Robinson this season is at risk of being wasted because of factors outside his control (stupid team sports). If Robinson can’t deliver a game-winning drive or enough total offensive yards at some point, so be it. He should be the one deciding how far this team goes. It would be a shame for the Wolverines to fall with the weak link flailing about on the field while Robinson is confined to the sidelines – helmet on, shoelaces untied.

So let’s hope that whatever happens from here on out, Denard Robinson gets the final say. He has brought them this far. He is the reason, despite the moth-eaten blanket of a defense and close-your-eyes, hope-for-the-best special teams, there is still no ceiling for the Michigan Wolverines, that you still cannot write them off.

If Michigan is to lose, hopefully they go down with the foundation, siding, wiring, interior décor, roof and insulation of their team, Denard Robinson, on the field. If they continue to win, the reason will be the same.

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Twitter: twitter.com/griffingotta Email: griffingotta@gmail.com

Michigan football has been mired in mediocrity for a while now, but Robinson and his blazing speed have single-handedly vaulted Michigan back into college football relevance and removed some of the heat from Rich Rodriguez’s seat.

While it’s still early, and while Robinson has yet to face a top-notch defense or beat a good team (sorry Notre Dame fans), the Heisman talk is inevitable. What makes it even more compelling is that, should Robinson ever win the award, be it this year or in the future, a photograph by Sam Wolson from The Michigan Daily may well go down as one of the greatest and most iconic college football photographs of all time.

Here is the photograph, via MichiganDaily.com (click link to see full size image):

Photo by Sam Wolson/Michigan Daily

For many of you, a certain resemblance might jump right out at you. If not, Brooks over at SPORTSbyBROOKS took the liberty of juxtaposing Robinson’s mid-play pose with the most famous statue in all of sports.

See what I mean?

As crazy as it sounds, this image will actually help Denard Robinson’s Heisman campaign should it continue to gain steam. (And for perspective let’s remember that last year at this time Jacory Harris of Miami was a Heisman front-runner, and the ‘Canes had actually beaten ranked teams.) Time and again we’ve seen iconic moments and images stick in the minds of voters and the public. We need look no further than Robinson’s own school to remember a time when a single image helped to cement a Heisman candidacy:

Photo credit: SI.com via connect.in.com

Granted, Howard’s pose was deliberate, ostentatious, came towards the end of the season, and Howard was virtually a lock at that point to win the award; so there are major differences. But we always hear people talk about how Heisman candidates need a “signature moment” or something that sticks in the minds of voters. As the above image of Denard Robinson makes the rounds, it will become just that if his play justifies season-long discussion of his candidacy.

And as for Robinson’s candidacy, I’d like to say that I disagree with myself for initially dismissing it so flippantly in the aftermath of the Notre Dame win. My initial thought was that Robinson’s career body of work doesn’t merit Heisman mention two weeks into a season when he’s only faced Connecticut and Notre Dame. But that really is irrelevant.

The Heisman is supposed to be a single-year trophy given to the most outstanding player in college football. Who cares if Robinson was just a bit player last year? And, right now anyway, who cares about his schedule? Michigan and its embattled program needed these two wins if they had come against Appalachian Community College. Obviously Robinson will have to earn further discussion, and legitimize his candidacy by playing big against Michigan’s better opponents, but if the Heisman is going to be discussed in September (a mistake in general) then Robinson deserves to be in the discussion.

If the discussion continues into November and December, then you can bet Sam Wolson’s incredible photograph will become just as ubiquitous as Desmond’s pose.

But anyone who actually watched the game knows the real story. Notre Dame was the better team, and simply beat themselves.

No,w keep this in mind – at the end of the day, wins and loses are the only thing that matter. No matter what your Pop Warner coach told you, there are no moral victories. So really it doesn’t matter that Notre Dame beat themselves more than Michigan beat them. But it still happened.

Mental Lapses & Blown Assignments

The Irish needed to do just one simple thing on defense to win Saturday, and failed. The game boiled down to playing assignment football, the most important assignment being outside containment. ND had to keep Michigan QB Denard Robinson in the middle of the field and not allow him to turn the corner and get out on the perimeter. But Robinson was able to beat the Irish on the perimeter multiple times, and it hurt them. One such containment lapse resulted in an 87 yard touchdown scamper by the Michael Vick clone.

And when it mattered most, during the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, the secondary suffered a complete mental breakdown. What was supposed to be inside-out coverage by the Irish secondary was anything but, and the result was a 15 yard catch over the middle on third down that ultimately led to the winning Wolverine score. A defense that had held Michigan scoreless for nearly the entire second half gave up a 72-yard drive when it mattered most.

The offense also struggled to find consistency among the mental breakdowns of not only the team, but the coaching staff as well. According to head coach Brian Kelly, the Irish ran a flea flicker with backup quarterback Tommy Rees because the play eliminated any reads. Yet Rees still found a way to make the wrong read, and threw and ugly interception. Between Nate Montana’s interception toss into triple coverage, his final throw of the first half (a dead strike to some fan in the third row) and most of the playcalling in the second and fourth quarters, there were more than enough to giftwarp the game for the Wolverines.

Wolverines Do Just Enough

Fortunately, the Irish can’t take all the credit for Saturday’s result. Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez has found a perfect field general for his spread option attack in Robinson. He looked comfortable in the passing game for the most part, and made some solid reads down the field to attack the soft Irish zone. Robinson kept plays alive with his feet, and above all else, he made the defense pay when they failed to respect his speed.

On defense, the Wolverines were decidedly average, which was just enough to beat the Irish. Errant passes and missed blocking assignments hounded the Irish offense all day long. Four times in the second half, the Irish had the ball and the opportunity to take the lead. All four times, ND went three and out. The Irish also turned the ball over three times, and managed a paltry five yards rushing in the fourth quarter.

Long story short, the Irish gave this one away. They were undoubtedly the better team, but mental errors and lack of execution doomed them. Michigan got a win, but more than anything it was simply an Irish loss.

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* – Denard Robinson/Michigan-ND photo credit: Nuccio DiNuzzo

Follow Mike on Twitter: @Mike_Tennant

The last two meetings between these teams were sloppy blowout games and neither team ended up having a good season. But this year both squads look to be back on track and the rivalry is being revived.

Last week, Michigan coasted to an easy 31-7 victory over Western Michigan, scoring all of their points in the first half. Freshman quarterback Tate Forcier solidified himself as the starter for the Wolverines while fellow freshman Denard Robinson flashed the speed and big play ability that quarterbacks in Rich Rodriguez’s system are known for having.

Rich Rodriguez’s spread option offense was effective against the Broncos, as Michigan racked up 242 rushing yards from 8 different ball carriers. The problem for the Wolverines is they are currently without a go-to running back. Backup quarterback Denard Robinson was the leading rusher with 74 yards.

In Notre Dame’s season opener, the Irish shut out Nevada 35-0 with Jimmy Clausen throwing for 4 TD’s. Claussen showed poise in the pocket, completing 15 of his 18 attempts.

Charlie Weis and the Fighting Irish look ready to make it back to another bowl game this year, and possibly even compete for a BCS bid. The offense that was in complete disarray two seasons ago is now finally coming together.

Saturday’s matchup between these two bitter rivals is an intriguing one. Both teams have shown vast improvement from last year, but this will obviously be the first real test for each squad with Rodriguez and Weis both seated firmly on the hot seat to bring their teams back to the elite level of college football.

Before we get into an analysis of the matchup, let’s take a quick look at the particulars:

#18 Notre Dame (1-0) at Michigan (1-0)

• Notre Dame-Michigan Date: Saturday, September 12th
• Notre Dame-Michigan Time: 3:30 ET
• Notre Dame-Michigan TV: ABC
• Notre Dame-Michigan Location: The Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan
• Notre Dame-Michigan Point Spread: Notre Dame -4.5
• StubHub: Michigan-Notre Dame tickets for as low as $95
• StubHub: Michigan football tickets
• StubHub: Notre Dame football tickets
• StubHub: all College Football tickets

Notre Dame-Michigan Preview and Analysis

Notre Dame comes into the game a slight favorite and rightfully so. Clausen is starting to fill in the void that was left when Brady Quinn left for the NFL draft. (Side note to Notre Dame fans: please don’t treat Claussen like the “golden boy” as you did with Quinn. Thank you.)

To win the game, the Irish must provide strong pass protection for Clausen and allow him to spread the ball around. Michigan, on the other hand, needs to pressure Clausen and limit his ability to locate WRs Golden Tate and Michael Floyd down the field. If Michigan tries to get in a shootout with Notre Dame, the Wolverines won’t be able to keep up with the Irish’s high-octane offense.

If Claussen can put up 300-plus yards passing Michigan won’t have a chance. Tate, a speedy and talented young receiver, could be the X-factor with his big play potential.

Michigan needs to control the pace and the clock by running the football over and over. Forcier looked good passing the ball last week, although he only put the ball in the air 20 times. He completed 13 of those passes for 175 yards and tallied 3 TDs. You might look at those stats and think the Wolverines should throw more.

On the contrary, Forcier’s efficient passing was set up by 50 rushing attempts at 4.8 yards per pop. Michigan would do well to follow attain a similar run:pass ratio. Forcier will have to be smart with the ball again when passing plays are called. An improving Irish defense picked off two passes last week and will be licking their chops going up against a freshman making only his second start.

Notre Dame-Michigan Prediction

This game can go either way and will likely be decided by one or two key plays. Notre Dame comes in ranked #18, but when playing in the Big House all rankings go out the window. [Editor's note: as do Division 1-A and 1-AA classifications...right App State?]

Rich Rodriguez will have the Wolverines amped up to start the game and the Irish will have to take the fans out of the game early. Luckily for Notre Dame fans and the embattled Weis, the Irish have an experienced quarterback to rely on in Jimmy Clausen, who is no stranger to pressure, expectation, and hostile environments.  

In this high profile matchup between two of the all-time giants of college football, Clausen’s experience will most likely be the difference.

My prediction for this game: Notre Dame- 31 Michigan- 24

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* – Notre Dame / Michigan helmets image credit: The Onion

* – Charlie Weis photo credit: AP Photo/Carlos Osorio via WSBT-2

* – Denard Robinson / Tate Forcier photo credit: Said Alsalah/Daily via Michigan Daily

* – Jimmy Clausen in high school photo credit: Pre Pro Sports

Tate Forcier is only the third freshman quarterback to start for Michigan in the school’s history, with the others being Rick Leach and Chad Henne. He looked sharp and passed for three touchdowns in his debut. 

Even better than his three touchdowns, he had no completions to the other team, finishing 13-20 for 179 yards.  He also rushed for 37 yards on 11 carries.

Denard “Shoelace” Robinson was 2-4 for 18 yards through the air, but his running game was more impressive.  Robinson rushed 11 times for 74 yards, with an impressive touchdown run of 43 yards. The video of Robinson’s incredible debut run is below.

Denard “Shoelace” Robinson Runs for TD Against Toledo

The only letdown in this game was Rodriguez’s thought that putting Nick Sheridan into the game was a good idea.  Sheridan continued his stellar quarterbacking abilities that he so finely displayed last year by going 0-2 with a completion to the other team.  I had instant flashbacks to every game he played in last year. It seems that some things will never change.

This win was nice, but basking in the glory of a Week 1 victory is something that Michigan cannot afford to do, as they have a real test at home next week against Notre Dame, who rolled Nevada 35-0.

Kurt Fraschetti

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* – Denard Robinson / Tate Forcier photo credit: Said Alsalah/Daily via Michigan Daily

Deerfield Beach Head Coach Art Taylor stated that Robinson picked Michigan over the University of Florida, and other schools as well. Robinson was described by Taylor as a 6-foot, 179-pound quarterback with a 40-yard dash time of 4.3 seconds. Taylor stated that playing in a spread offense was something that Robinson really wanted, adding that the chance to compete for time as a freshman was appealing to Robinson as well.

Taylor was also quoted as saying, “Oh my god, Michigan is going to get an explosive, explosive quarterback.  He is a leader, he pushes his will to win on others. I’ve never seen a kid so competitive.”

Robinson will face competition from Tate Forcier from California, who is currently enrolled in classes at Michigan. Both of these guys should be a huge upgrade at the quarterback position for the Wolverines from last year.

This news should be pleasing to every Wolverine fan who had to endure the mess we called an offense last year. Last year’s offense looked like they were in a constant race to punt the ball as fast as possible. I have never seen a team go 3-and-out with the speed that the Wolverines pulled it off in last year. My heart went out to the Wolverines defense that played its ass off, only to have to go back onto the field 45 seconds after forcing a punt.

I have faith in Rich Rodriguez and his system. This was a talented football team last year that was missing, in my opinion, only one key element: a quarterback. Yes, Steven Threet grew on me over the year, but was way too inconsistent. Nick Sheridan just grew on my patience. His uncanny ability to complete passes to the other team with great regularity that  made me want to gouge my eyeballs out every time I saw #8 take the field. The only time #8 did not offend me was when Michael Phelps wore a #8 jersey and walked onto the field.

At any rate, I am looking forward to the Wolverines returning to the top of the Big 10 in the near future so I can walk the streets of Ohio again with my head up high. God I miss John Cooper in Scarlet and Gray.

Go Blue!

Kurt Fraschetti, fraschetti@midwestsportsfans.com

Robinson signing information courtesy of John Heuser at annarbornews.com.