Really, enjoy your blog.
You mentioned the other day on your blog about how the Michigan vs. Tennessee bowl game was a turning point in Carr's program. I also thought this was a turning point for the program, but was never able to put my finger on the problem nor figure out what was done differently after that. Would you please elaborate on what was done differently after that game?
Thank you
Taylor
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Thanks for the question.
The Tennessee game pointed out how Michigan had failed to change with the game. Tennessee exploited Michigan in every way possible, completely dominating every phase of the game.
Michigan did not have the packages capable of dealing with the short and intermediate passing game. It also showed how far behind our offensive schemes had fallen behind the other major college teams. As much as anything, it showed how much Michigan was lacking in talent.
Tennessee back ups could have started at Michigan. Every one talked about the speed of Tennessee and the SEC in general, but it showed how far Michigan line play had slipped.
The Michigan offensive line was completely manhandled and the defensive line completely ineffective. Regardless of speed and skilled people, football games are still, and always will be, won and lost in the trenches.
The Tennessee game was bad not only on the field, but off the field as well. Many things happened that was never released or leaked out afterwards. Several players were caught out on the town past curfew and even the night before the game, which was an early game if I remembers correctly.
There were, several trouble makers on that team and even some of the future Michigan stars got in trouble and were in the doghouse for quite awhile. There was a reason why Carr's doghouse was so large at times back then. Some fans did not really understand it because not much information was ever leaked out about what kids were getting in trouble with or what they have done. A lot of things went on during that bowl week that really hurt Michigan in that game and later on in the future.
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2 comments:
it was that blowout loss to tennessee that actually led to my having greater respect for lloyd carr as a coach----because that team had clearly inferior talent and yet would have won the b10 title if michigan had not lost to ohio state. so please expand on your comment---was it mostly lack of talent, mostly inferior scheme, or both?
thanks
I think that is an exaggeration. After that blowout loss to Tennesse we went to 3 Rose Bowls. The fact of the matter is Mich under Carr had a winning % in the top 5 or 10 at least in the country so if we had no talent, no discipline, horrible conditioning and poor schemes either Lloyd was the greatest game coach of all time or we were just lucky for a few years. The 3 down years of Carr's tenure were all explainable. Henson left us in a lurch and Navarre was not ready and not that great, there was a down period for the defensive talent and we were exposed, in 05 we were young and injured.
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