Team Unity Outduels Team Dissension: Michigan Runs Past Western

As I sat in Michigan Stadium at two o'clock, I felt a litte anxiety for the game ahead. I'm a passionate fan, who knows they're good, but until they hit the field, you just don't know how good.

Each time a positional team would emerge from the tunnel, fans would stand and cheer. As if the entire team was coming out for the game. The build up to Sept. 5th has been monstrous. We all know the stories.

Now was time for them to show that Unity. Winning this game was more important for Michigan than anyother game they have ever played. They needed to win this game, and win it going away.

As my stomach turned watching the men in blue rush out of the tunnel, I thought, this is awesome. They were ready to play, they were focused, they knew what it meant.

They knew it was a must-win. They played with that passion I've seen past Michigan teams play with. A swagger on defense I have not seen since 2007. A feeling that when it was third and short, the defense can make that stop.

I got that feeling on offense too. Knowing, that either QB was capable of making a third and short for a first down. 

The defense was by far and away the most impressive. A beleaguered team, who allowed a Michigan worst, 29+ points a game last year, showed hard work has paid off.

They had six tackles for a loss, amounting for a 19 negative yards. They pressured Tim Hiller by rushing the ends, and that amounted to 2 sacks for another minus-12 yards.

True freshman Craig Roh played well. He had 4 assist on tackles, an assist on a sack, and a tfl of 6 yards. He was used as a DE/OLB, in the 3-4 that Robinson was playing. 

There was a lot of activity along the Defensive Line, it obviously worked, as Tim Hiller and the Broncos offense sputtered.

Hiller was inept in the first half as Michigan's defense suffocated him. Brandon Graham, Craig Roh, Mike Martin, and Ryan Van Bergen played phenomenal in the first half.

The secondary played just as well. A secondary that was suspect, but seemed to show Unity as they attacked the ball. Boubacar Cissoko had his first college pick, and later left the game with an injury.

You noticed that absence in the second half. They were giving Hiller big plays and confidence. And Michigan was playing like last years team. 

Nick Sheridan throws a pick on the end-zone line to start the third quarter, and that seemed to forecast the rest of the second half. They could not get things going on the offense at that point.

Coach Rodriguez calls those coachable moments, and they need to fix the problems stat. The second half was far less compelling as the first half. It seems that Michigan was content with scoring 31 points in the first half.

You can never be content in college football. Play all 60 minutes. Play till the final whistle.

They closed the game out with some nice running by true freshman Vincent Smith, and garbage time for long time QB David Cone. Which I thought was a nice gesture by Coach Rodriguez.

All in all, Michigan looked vastly better than last year. They played with heart, anger, and poise. They looked more comfortable out there than at any point last year.

And for Michigan, that is a telling tale of things to come.

Running Backs looked very well

If there is a position on Michigan's team that has loads of talent, I would look at the running backs. They had four RB's play yesterday that combined for 129 yards on 26 carries. That averages out to an average of 5 yards a carry.

Last year, for comparison, the RB's had 44 yards on 15 carries, an average of 2.9, yards per carry in the first game versus Utah.

That's a marked improvement for a positional team that struggled to gain yards last year.

Couple the four RB's with the dual-threat QB's and the rushing stats balloon to 242 yards on 50 carries.

This would not be possible if it were not for the offensive line. They played like an experienced offensive line should play, minus the holding penalties.

Carlos Brown was the featured back, with 10 carries for 54 yards for a 5.4 average per carry. Impressive showing for the senior who started in place of Brandon Minor. When Minor comes back, the depth at this position will be one of the best in the Big Ten.

If they continue to improve, and can use 5 RB's, plus 2 dual-threats QB's, they have a chance to put up tons of yards on the ground. At least at the beginning of the season as these true freshman QB's get acclimated to the offense.

Second Half show remnants of 2008

The second half yesterday mustered no points, and sloppy defensive plays. Donovan Warren had a few pass interference penalties that cost the team about 45 yards. He seemed to be getting frustrated out on the field.

The d-line was not getting the pressure that they were getting in the first half. Hiller threw a 73 yard bullet to Juan Nunez for the Broncos only score, which shows Michigan fans, that despite the lackluster second half, they can close the game out.

The last drive of the game, the Michigan defense recovered a fumble and the offense closed the game.

It was far from a complete game, but what it showed was that Team Unity was great, the perception of divisiveness between players in the locker room was overblown, and that this team is poised to show the Nation that they are not 2008. 

They showed us all of that in Game One of the 2009 season. More balance and poise than at anytime last year.

Next week will be the true test, as Notre Dame and there high octane offense come to Ann Arbor. Can the defense play as well as they did yesterday? We'll have to wait til than.