Team 137 - Game 2 - Michigan vs UCF

And they’re off!  Faster than you could say, “Jumpman in the house,” Michigan football is back and the 2016 campaign is underway. Team 137 opened the season with a 63-3 thrashing of the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at the Big House last weekend, and the khakis appear to be in working order.

And speaking of that Jordan guy, yup, MJ was in the house, serving as an honorary team captain as the Maize and Blue became the first football program, college or pro, to don the Jumpman mascot … and let’s just say the Jordanesque image looks perfectly fitting next to the Block M.  MJ spoke to the team Friday night and engaged the guys in a casual Q&A session as part of the pre-game festivities.  Who’s got it better than us?  That’s right … Nobody.

This weekend Big Blue welcomes its second patsy to Bo’s Place, the Central Florida Knights and their most-intimidating stature.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves … first, a “quick” recap of the Hawaii ass-romping, and then we can address Monty Python’s Knights Who Say “Niee!” in due course.

Michigan v. Hawaii – The Recap

The 60-point win marks Michigan's largest margin of victory in more than 40 years (since UM’s 69-0 thumping of Northwestern on October 18, 1975).  It’s been 45 years since Big Blue last hung 60+ on consecutive opponents; but with a Central Florida defense that ranked last in total defense in Division 1-A last year, I like our chances.  Michigan Mania at its finest … Go Blue!

Coach Harbaugh played 17 true freshmen on Saturday, a program record for a season opener and a sign of the talent he attracts and the manner in which he develops it.  Big Blue dominated all over the field, from a diverse offensive attack to aggressive defensive schematics … and it was a thing of beauty to watch.

Tim Drevno’s offense stumbled out the gate, but ultimately found its groove thang as it racked up 63 points on 512 total yards.  Jr. Wilton Speight got the nod at QB and opened the contest with a lame-duck INT that gave much of Blue Nation the shakes.  But #3 settled in and led Big Blue to three first-half TDs and a 35-0 lead at the break.  He finished the game 10-13 for 145 yards and three touchdowns – an underwhelming season opener even with three toad strikes.  John O’Korn and Shane Morris also saw late-game reps and didn’t disappoint, which many think could lead to continued controversy in QB-land.

Starting RB De'Veon Smith left the game in the first half with an apparent rib injury – curious, did anyone notice?  Yeah, me neither.  Harbaugh has a handful of versatile backs who are virtually inter-changeable – watch for Harbaugh to use that dynamic as a sword rather than a shield as the season unfolds.

After Smith went down, Ty Isaac and Chris Evans picked up the slack.  Isaac grounded and pounded the Hawaii defense for 52 yards on nine carries, while Evans rushed for 112 yards on eight carriers with two TDs, including an impressive 43-yard carry that found the end zone.  Michigan rushed for a team total of 306 yards on 39 total carries … not too shabby, but this was Hawaii, so let’s not get carried away.

As for the passing attack, Jehu Chesson and Amara Darboh each caught three passes in an underwhelming overall performance but one that focused more on new guys getting on-field experience rather than pushing the stars.  Jake Butt grabbed a nice catch-and-run TD in the second quarter, but again, Harbaugh and OC Tim Drevno focused on doling out reps for the newbies, with true Frosh Sean McKeon and Devin Asiasi both seeing playing time at TE.

The O-Line showed well, paving the way for Michigan’s 306 rushing yards and not allowing any close encounters with its QB.  Several linemen saw playing time, again allowing Harbaugh and Drevno to get a glimpse of some newer faces in a game setting.

Big Blue totaled 26 first downs, going 7-7 on 3rd down and aggregating 512 yards of total offense (206 passing yards and 306 on the ground).  Speight threw that early pick and then cleaned up his act, with that gaffe the lone turnover on UM’s balance sheet, evidencing solid ball control and an offense that’s primed and ready for the big stage.  

The Defense

The Michigan Defense, under new Defensive Coordinator Don Brown, dominated Hawaii in a way that made me feel proud to wear the Maize and Blue.  Again, this wasn’t Urban Meyer and J.T. Barrett that we stuffed for a gain of nil, it was those Rainbow Warriors from Opakapaka-land, but still, the Blue D gave up a total of 232 yards and accounted for a pair of scores on interception returns by Delano Hill and Channing Stribling.  LB Mike McCary notched nine tackles while Jabrill took credit for eight and this unit showed why it’s among the best in the country (plus, Jabrill’s Hawaiian Hurdle is sure to make the season’s highlight reel).

Up front, Chris Wormley, Ryan Glasgow and Rashan Gary prevented Hawaii from establishing much of a run game, but I get it: pride for an effective defensive front against Hawaii is like bragging about winning the Twister Tournament at the annual Green Acres Retirement Community Carnival – impressive on paper, yes, but not a market comp when you consider the likes of our Big 10 brethren.  The D-Line had no sacks, which is concerning, but the group should gel over the first few weeks and find its groove before the conference campaign gets underway.

The secondary accounted for two pick-sixes, which sounds lovely, but the unit was exposed later in the game by Hawaii’s quick-slant routes and that can’t happen as we move on from the short bus and start to play real teams.  Granted, All-American DB Jourdan Lewis did not play Saturday due to a "slight injury" – and take it easy, all of you conspiracy theorists!  No, Lewis wasn’t suspended … just ask Coach Jimbo and see how he responds (seriously, this is one guy you don’t fuck with, I don’t care where you run into him, dark alley or stark daylight … and if you’re going to confront him, you better make sure you have your facts straight or he’ll tear you a new one a la Will McAvoy on Occupy Wall Street’s Shelly Wexler.

I miss The Newsroom … just sayin’.  But I’ve re-engaged, thanks to that beautiful-if-all-consuming-and-therefore-lifestyle-changing dynamic called raising children.  Yup, my oldest’s pre-overnight-camp TV binge was Sports Night , and he caught the bug.  After inhaling Aaron Sorkin’s first TV sitcom in its entirety, I suggested he move on to higher drama, and we watched together the first season of The West Wing… yes, one of the all-time greats of the small screen … we befriended Josh and Sam again and said hi to Donna racing through the hallways … we spent some time with Charlie and Mrs. Lanningham and got to know Leo better than most 12-year-olds know important government figures.  We were told why America cares if India and Pakistan go to war, and we learned lessons from the likes of Lord John Marbury and President Bartlett himself. 

And while the original white-house drama intrigued and inspired, the search for more current-day examples led to the house’s rediscovery of The Newsroom.  Yes, I did mention that other show --#FU2016 -– but firmly stated that we couldn't go there yet, as NC17 isn’t appropriate for pre-Bar-Mitzvah types.  We finished Season 1 last week and it’s better the second-time through; or maybe it’s just particularly poignant now because of that America's Shit Salad Fuckstravaganza 2016.  Honestly, the opening scene of the pilot is one of the best dramatic scenes in the history of TV … you tell me, Why is America the Greatest Country in the World?  Sooooo good.  Whatever it is, for those who miss Will and Mac like I do, check out this glimpse of how Will McAvoy sees today’s political mess … yup, you’re welcome … enjoy!  So much more TV … so little time.

Sorry, where were we?  Right, conspiracy theorists and Jourdan Lewis.  Sorry, TMZ, but just a minor hamstring annoyance, no Chris Brown Brown or Kardashian drama here. Lewis is slated to play against UCF this weekend and will be back to All-American form in no time.

The Big Blue D came to play and combined with the offense to truly shut down those kids from that state way out in the Pacific.  And while Michigan rolled in high fashion, the rest of college football got underway in a weekend of excitement and close games that shook up the rankings more so than in any opening weekend on record. 

Not to take us too far off-path (although what else is new?), but fans couldn’t have asked for a more thrilling opening weekend on the college gridiron.  For the first time since 1972, two teams in the top five fell, with #3 Oklahoma losing to Houston, 33-23, and the Big Ten’s very-own Wisconsin Badgers taking down #5 LSU at Lambeau in a game that pitted Big-10-style vs. SEC-style football, with Bucky Badger claiming the W when the buzzer sounded.  Clemson eeked out a victory at Auburn, 19-13, and #10 Notre Dame also fell victim to an upset at the hands of the unranked Texas Longhorns.  Once again, we see that word parity surfacing in the discussion.  And with Michigan, Ohio State and Iowa all winning big on opening day and Wisco taking down the Tigers in Packer-land, rest assured the Big 10 will represent in this year’s title talk from now until January.

But let’s stay focused, and that takes us back to Michigan and to this weekend’s Game #2 at home against Central Florida.

Michigan v. Central Florida – The Preview

They first started playing college football at Central Florida in 1979 but the program has matured somewhat of late.  First-year Head Coach Scott Frost brings his Offensive Coordinator experience from Oregon to the American Conference and hopes to continue positive momentum with a program that won its conference title just two years ago.

The Knights come off of a 38-0 victory at home against South Carolina State (yes, that’s a real team), and they stop in Ann Arbor before heading to face another Big 10 opponent in Maryland next weekend.  I hate to break the news to Coach Frost, but the stop in the land of Count Twists will be painful, as the Knights have to face Coach Jimmy’s boys on Saturday at the Big House.

No time or reason for a deep dive this week, as it’s another Cupcake War match-up in the making, with Michigan expected to out-wit, out-coach and out-last Central Florida across every metric. Yipekayeeeeeee motherfucker! 

The early prediction is now in … Michigan 45 - Central Florida 7

Go Blue!