Friday, April 30, 2010
Michigan Softball: Pictures of Michigan at Ohio State
Posted at 2:00pm -- 4/30/2010
Photos by Doc4blu -- GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Michigan Softball: Michigan splits with Ohio State
Posted at 12:00pm -- 4/30/2010GBMW Covers Wolverine-Buckeye Softball
It was not a bad day in cowtown, but Michigan’s softball team was looking for better. At the conclusion of Wednesday’s doubleheader, neither team made progress in the chase for the Big Ten championship after a hard fought split.
Michigan in the first game came out a little on the snoozy side and quickly fell behind 3-0. All was going very well until a base umpire called an illegal pitch on Jordan Taylor, canceling out a big strikeout. The illegal pitch was the only one called the entire double-header and was identical to any other pitch thrown by both staffs the entire night. After Jordan argued, some focus was lost and she parked a fastball down the buffet table and an OSU batter hit it over the camera in center field, a good 30 feet or more past the fence.
So now Michigan was in the hole early and prospects were not improving with OSU freshman Melanie Nichols pitching very well. Melanie will be a big time force in the Big Ten for the next four years. In the middle of the game, Jordan put another buffet pitch on the platter on a 3 and 1 count to senior Rebecca Shultz, who although diminutive threw her hands through the ball as well as I have seen for a long time. Talk about great hands at the plate, wow.
Michigan made a little noise late but went down 5-3 in the first game. One fun highlight was when Dorian Shaw almost knocked the fence down on a shot that netted only a single. Michigan did blotch two bunt attempts and kicked the ball around a little in the field.
The second game matched Wolverine lefty Nikki Nemetz against Ohio State senior Megan Mille,r who is at least an inch or two taller than Jordan Taylor. This was a good match-up for Michigan. Michigan jumped to a 4-3 lead but let up enough to keep Miller in the game until a switch at mid-game was made to bring back Nichols in relief. Ohio State got some bloops and a couple of Michigan errors to provide baserunners. The ball was hit off the end of an Ohio State bat, hit chalk, and bounced 90 degrees to the right scoring two runs. In comes Taylor, who, although in big trouble, left the bases loaded later in the game and held on for a tough 4-3 Wolverine victory.
The athletes on the field for both teams were impressive. Whoever is working with Ohio State’s hitters is doing a very good job, their stances and swings are superior to many baseball players. Both sides showed some quick hands that went right to the ball. Taylor struck out many batters, but the two buffet specials were the story of the night.
A great night overall and some great competition took place. Look for these two teams to settle the score in the Big Ten finals. Ohio State is a very good team, make no mistake about it, and with Nichols on the mound, this team could go pretty far. Michigan needs to do a little better with small ball, tighten up the defense, (especially the right side) and execute the basics of the game. Bunts are like free throws, you gotta have them.
Michigan fans should know that throughout the game I heard stories from those in the stands about what a wonderful group of student-athletes this squad is. That in the end is more important than bunting, but bunting is important.
Written by Doc4blu -- GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
GBMW TV Programming for Today
Posted at 10:00am -- 4/30/2010GBMW TV Programming for Today
Big Ten Spring Football
Penn State Spring Game
6:00am - 8:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Big Ten Spring Football
Ohio State Spring Game
9:00am - 11:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Michigan Campus Programming
"Out of the Blue"
12:00pm - 12:30pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Michigan Campus Programming
"Out of the Blue"
12:30pm - 1:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Student U
Michigan State Spring Game
2:00pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
College Football Live
3:30pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN
Big Ten Spring Football
Illinois Spring Game
5:00pm - 7:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Big Ten Spring Football
Michigan Spring Game
10:00pm - 12:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Mailbag question: The offense looks better
Posted at 8:00am -- 4/30/2010Mailbag question: The offense looks better
Guys,
As always thanks for the great site.
I have been looking at the '09 OSU game again and in looking at the snippets of spring practice that we have been getting, I feel that the offense looks so much better than in the past. I know it is spring ball and it is not the Big 10 schedule but every thing looks so much smoother. Players look like they are reacting not thinking. The line is blocking, receivers are running good routes, and backs seem to be making good cuts. QB's seem to be using their good athletic abilities. What do you guys think about this?
Don
-------------------------------
Thanks for the question.
We are on record as saying the offense is indeed looking quicker and is more athletic than in the previous years of spring practice sessions that we have seen in person.
There is definitely more depth on the offensive line and at quarterback. We also think the slot position with Odoms, Gallon, and Roundtree is the best trio of talent and performance since Coach Rod has arrived. Those three will be in the rotation, hopefully along with T. Robinson, who still struggles with catching and holding on to the ball.
There are still some concerns. We are somewhat concerned about offensive tackles, although we think Lewan has fantastic potential he is still a bit light for his frame but he could easily put on another twenty pounds. His experience level is low having played little football at an offensive tackle position. But Taylor has a monster upside if everything falls into place.
None of the running backs have stepped up and put a clear stranglehold on the position. One practice will see a running back break out and looks impressive and then the next practice he regresses and looks very average at best. There is no Mike Hart on board.
The split ends are still a work in progress and hard to judge off scrimmage type work, since they are not used as much as we would like to see. We actually saw more passing to the split ends in the "Spring Game" then we did in almost all the practices we attended this spring.
Bottom line, the offense has the potential to be improved, but with all things football, there are no guarantees. As we saw last year Michigan lost to teams with less talent by not playing well, making turnovers, a huge concern the last couple of years, and just continuing to make mental mistakes that can drive a coaching staff crazy.
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Michigan Football: Spring Game Highlights along with Mealer, Koger and Kovacs Interviews
Posted at 4:00pm -- 4/29/2010
on YouTube
from WUPW
Michigan Football: Mealer Interview
Posted at 2:00pm -- 4/29/2010
on YouTube
from MGoVideo and TheWolverine
on YouTube
from MGoVideo and TheWolverine
Michigan Hockey: 30 seconds about "The Big Chill at the Big House"
Posted at 12:00pm -- 4/29/2010
Over 90,000 tickets sold already. That alone beats the all-time record.
on YouTube
from BigChillatBigHouse
Over 90,000 tickets sold already. That alone beats the all-time record.
on YouTube
from BigChillatBigHouse
GBMW TV Programming for Today
Posted at 10:00am -- 4/29/2010GBMW TV Programming for Today
Michigan Softball (Replay)
Michigan at Ohio State -- Game 1
10:00am - 12:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Michigan Softball (Replay)
Michigan at Ohio State -- Game 2
2:00pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
College Football Live
3:30pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN
Big Ten Spring Football
Michigan Spring Game
7:00pm - 9:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
College Football Live
7:00pm - 7:30pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN2
Student U
Michigan State Spring Game
11:00am - 1:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Mailbag question: Route running
Posted at 8:00am -- 4/29/2010Mailbag question: Route running
After the 2008 season, Smartfootball.com asserted that Coach Rod's route combinations for receivers were obsolete. What is your take on Smartfootball's assessment?
The Trojan package, presumably, updated some routes for the tight ends. Have you seen any route changes for the slots or split ends?
Thanks again for all the superb info you guys provide.
Joe
---------------------------------
Thanks for the question and the kind comment Joe.
The once heavily ballyhooed "Trojan package" was advertised as a big addition to the Michigan passing game implemented last spring.
It was, in our opinion, Michigan's number one passing scheme until Carlos Brown was injured.
Coach Rod is on record as saying the passing game will expand when the players can successfully execute what is currently on the table. Michigan, in this year’s spring scrimmage game used the same routes and packages as seen for the last two springs. It is not a stretch to see the routes and the stem tree of this offense and pronounce the offense as without sophistication. On the other hand, the fly/jet/streak/run past the fourth bush on the right has been a simple play for decades, but has evaporated from the scene lately in Ann Arbor.
Every offensive assistant coach and Coach Rod in the past and now in the present are on record as saying this is a simple offense with very few plays, to allow for consistent execution fast play. It is certainly unsure as to whether or not obsolete is the right word, uncomplicated and purposely basic may be better descriptors.
Coach Dews put forth some discussion this spring about what the staff would like to add for this fall, and Coach Rod would offer counterpoint concerning what would/could/should be taken out of the playbook to insure a high level of execution.
The name of the game for this staff is to execute a limited number of plays perfectly and the coaches hold the position that such skilled execution will overcome having a bigger playbook for game day.
Having stated the defense of the simplistic approach above, one staff member of GBMW believes this thinking is flawed and perhaps fatal, unless the talent simply overwhelms the opponent. Michigan has struggled in the second half offensively, and one overriding flaw is that simplicity provides little opportunity for halftime adjustment and a Plan B to be put in place.
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Michigan Football: Pictures from scrimmage -- Spring Game -- Part 8
Posted at 12:00pm -- 4/28/2010
Photos by WerlsWolverine -- GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
GBMW TV Programming for Today
Posted at 10:00am -- 4/28/2010GBMW TV Programming for Today
Student U
Michigan State Spring Game
7:00am - 9:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Student U
Wisconsin Spring Game
10:00am - 11:30am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Big Ten Spring Football
Illinois Spring Game
2:00pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
College Football Live
3:30pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN
Big Ten Spring Football
Penn State Spring Game
2:00pm - 4:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Michigan Softball (Live)
Michigan at Ohio State -- Game 1
4:30pm - 7:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Michigan Softball (Live)
Michigan at Ohio State -- Game 2
7:00pm - 9:00pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
College Football Live
7:00pm - 7:30pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN2
Big Ten Tonight
Spring Football Report
9:00pm - 9:30pm
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Big Ten Spring Football
Ohio State Spring Game
10:00pm - 12:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Mailbag question: If every player was healthy
Posted at 8:00am -- 4/28/2010Mailbag question: If every player was healthy
Hey guys, good work as always, I definitely appreciate how you guys updating the depth chart this spring. However, it has sparked some thought and I've been coming up with every combination of a 2-deep for this fall. Anyway, I wanted to get your opinion of what the 2-deep would look like with everyone HEALTHY and with the incoming freshman on board (assuming all qualify).
I find myself debating because we have so many interchangeable parts. For example, if Turner goes to FS with Cam Gordon, does that move Emilien to Spur? Is Dorsey really a CB, or will he fly around at that deep safety spot? Where do all of the "spinners" in Jones, Bell and Hawthorne fit now, LB’s or SS’s? Is Patterson really a NG or is that just for depth purposes? ...I'm not asking for answers to all of these questions, I'm just saying these are the questions that are keeping me from coming up with something even close to a 2-deep. So what would be your depth chart this fall with everyone healthy and freshman in the fold?
Thanks as always,
ForeverYost
---------------------------------
Thanks for the question; it does provide a nice opportunity for a hot-stove discussion now that we will not see a Michigan player in uniform until the opener against UConn.
We are not putting freshman in the two-deep right now because we want to make sure they all arrive on campus and are cleared. Also, we want to see how the newcomers work-out and practice before putting any newly arriving freshman ahead of players already here and having the advantage of going through spring practice. It can be a big difference for some incoming freshman to transition from high school football, where most of the time the Michigan recruits are usually the best player on their team, conference, etc. Now, all of a sudden the freshmen are on a team with players at their ability level, or even better, with college experience. Here goes our depth chart right effort for now. Warning: there will be further fluidity.
Offense:
Split End: Stonum and Webb
Slot Receiver: Odoms and Gallon
Left Tackle: Lewan and Huyge
Left Guard: Schilling and Washington/Mealer
Offensive Center: Molk and Khoury
Right Guard Omameh and Barnum
Right Tackle: Dorrestein and Huyge
Tight End: Koger and Webb
Slot Receiver: Roundtree, T. Robinson/Grady
Split End: Hemingway and Koger
Quarterback: D. Robinson and Forcier
Fullback: McColgan and Hopkins
Running Back: Cox/Shaw and Hopkins, flip a coin.
Defense:
Defensive End: RVB and Heninger
Nose Tackle: Martin/Campbell, Sagesse
Defensive End: Banks and Patterson
Weak-side Linebacker: Mouton and Leach
Middle Linebacker: Ezeh and Demens -- flip a coin
Strong-side Linebacker: Roh and Fitzgerald
Bandit: Kovacs and Simmons/Hawthorne
Spur: T. Gordon and M. Williams/Jones
Cornerback: Woolfolk and Turner
Cornerback: Floyd and Turner
Free Safety: Vlad and C. Gordon -- flip a coin
Defense is most likely area that incoming freshman will get a chance to be in the two deep.
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Michigan Football: Video Interview of Denard Robinson
Posted at 4:00pm -- 4/27/2010
on YouTube
from mgovideo
Michigan Football: Pictures from scrimmage -- Spring Game -- Part 7
Posted at 12:00pm -- 4/27/2010
Photos by WerlsWolverine -- GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
GBMW TV Programming for Today
Posted at 10:00am -- 4/27/2010GBMW TV Programming for Today
College Football Live
3:30pm - 4:00pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN
Big Ten Spring Football
Penn State Spring Game
2:00pm - 4:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
College Football Live
7:00pm - 7:30pm
DirecTV Channel 206
ESPN2
Big Ten Spring Football
Illinois Spring Game
11:00pm - 1:00am
DirecTV Channel 610
BTN
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Mailbag question: Now what happens
Posted at 8:00am -- 4/27/2010Mailbag question: Now what happens
Guys, thanks for your great insightful coverage into our beloved Wolverine Football Team. With Spring Practice over, could you tell me what the players will be doing between now and 8/1/10 to continue the improvement they showed during Spring Practice? We all know too well by now that there are “coaching restrictions” during this period, but four months is a lot of time that people like Denard Robinson could improve even further. How do they make the most out of this time so that on 8/1/10, they’re ready to roll into the fall practice schedule? Thanks.
Steve S. In Mississippi
----------------------------
Thanks for the question.
After the spring game the next couple of weeks will be devoted to academics. The classroom will take precedence over football and few, if any, would debate that is how it should be.
Then, many players will go home for a couple of weeks immediately after classes end.
Most, if not all, players will return around the first part of June to begin informal, voluntary workouts that will include 7 on 7 and other football type drills. Lifting also is a big part of the summer plan.
Many players will also take summer classes to allow them a lighter load during the season. The freshmen can take a class or two to become familiar with college scholastic life.
Some players will keep going with personal workout regiments and continue S&C workouts with Coach Barwis. Many players will only take a short break to go home and relax before coming back and getting ready to start football workouts. This is the way of college football at the D-1 level.
Of importance is the young players getting in early. We have seen problems with certain kids who recently have struggled to get everything in order and approved by the clearinghouse.
If an incoming player wants to play early, then he needs to get to Ann Arbor as soon as possible to start working out with Coach Barwis and the S&C coaches, along with going through work-outs with the team and learning the system.
As always, we never count a commit as in until he actually shows up and starts practicing with the team. Last summer demonstrated that signing is not a guarantee of being admitted for summer semester. It is the belief here that Turner and Gallon were put behind the 8-ball last year and are still trying to make up ground.
Basketball coaches will tell you that players are made in the summer. Football may not be quite so dramatic, but none would argue that summer is not important, perhaps critical.
Decades ago, young student athletes, including football players, would venture home and get a nice summer job and show up for fall camp. All that has changed and the argument can be placed forward as to whether or not most players staying home for most of the summer is a good thing or not.
For the fans, now is a “dead zone,” and by June or July the true football addict will be hunting old tapes, recorded dvd-r’s, or ESPN Classic material to continue daily existence.
Written by GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!
Monday, April 26, 2010
Michigan Football: Pictures from scrimmage -- Spring Game -- Part 6
Posted at 12:00pm -- 4/26/2010
Photos by WerlsWolverine -- GBMW Staff
Go Blue -- Wear Maize!