R&B Sling the Blue (Sept. 25, Bowling Green)

ROGER GARFIELD: You called me Saturday just after the game and asked, “Have you ever felt more furious after a win?” I don’t recall many more frustrating afternoons where we came out on top. An escape. That’s what that was.

BRANDON FALK: Well, let’s put it in a nutshell: Offense looks great, defense looks terrible.

RG: Didn’t we say that last week?

BF: This is the offense everybody thought we’d see from Rich Rod when he came over. I think it’s fair to say the offense has arrived.

RG: Keep in mind they did play UMASS. But the offense was appreciated, and much-needed. And fun to watch. That spurt just before halftime -- the two Denard-to-Stonum touchdowns when things were looking bleak -- made it feel like we can throw far more than 42 up there on the big board. It may come this week.

BF: Recapping, I thought the O-line played well, opening up some room for Mike Shaw and others to have a big day -- 284 yards rushing as a team. Talking personnel, Mark Huyge is in a fight with Taylor Lewan for the starting spot at left tackle. They put Lewan in for 20 snaps last game, and he was just leveling guys. Regardless, the O-line looked great, Mike Shaw looked great.

RG: And we would have had a whole rack of additional yards if UMass hadn’t hogged the ball for 37 minutes of the game. But you’re right, it’s great to see Shaw emerge, for the sake of confidence as much as anything else. He’s no Brandon Minor or Anthony Thomas -- he won’t bruise you -- but he’s elusive and reliable. He’s the only ball carrier not to fumble so far, I believe. We haven’t seen too many guys take the ball, though.

BF: Rod wants to play more backs. He said they want to get Mike Cox, who’s a redshirt sophomore, and freshman Stephen Hopkins -- they want to get those guys in the game, but they don’t know the playbook yet.

RG: I like the rotation of Denard and Shaw, Shaw and Denard.

BF: I would like to see Hopkins. I don’t think he’s at a Brandon Minor level, but he could be at some point. Man, don’t you just wish that we had a healthy B. Minor for one more year with this offense -- the way it looks now?

RG: B. Minor wasn’t just a good back for this system -- he was a good back, period. But Shaw looks solid. Vincent Smith, on the other hand, hasn’t done much. He’s fast, but when your tendency is to run into the line and get stalled, speed matters nada. I’d like to see him get fewer touches.

BF: He’s a bit of an overachiever. His breakaway speed isn’t that much faster than Shaw’s. I don’t even think he’s as fast as Shaw. He’s a small guy; he’s an average to above average back. I think that’s just what he is.

RG: With the amount of carries Denard gets, I don’t see the need to mix it up with a whole lot of backs, especially when Shaw seems durable and would benefit from the chance to get in a rhythm. I did like the end around to Kelvin Grady. Reminded me of Lloyd. For as conservative as that man was, he always loved mixing in at least one reverse per game -- usually to a guy like Braylon or Calvin Bell or David Terrell.

BF: I’d like to see one of the running backs separate themselves to the point that there’s no question who you want in the game. It looks like Mike Shaw is that guy. Now, Fitzgerald Toussaint is pretty close to returning from an injury. I’d like to see what he has to offer.

RG: Fitz T is a pretty big fella -- 5-10, 200 -- who could bring the boom like some of our locomotives of yesteryear.

BF: I think I speak for a lot of Michigan fans who are still holding on to the Anthony Thomases and the guys who really lowered the shoulder -- those big power backs.

RG: Even in Rod’s offense, there’s a time and place when you get in that red zone, or you need to kill the clock, where you need that. Let’s hope we take care of our needs for Bowling Green this Saturday in the first half. But after Saturday, I’m counting no chicks before they hatch. There are so many areas that have made me cringe continually through three weeks. Special teams is still looking shaky.

BF: Oh boy. That’s ... jeez. First of all, you’ve got to take Jeremy Gallon off punt return. That’s three games, and he has two fumbles.

RG: Let’s call them egregious fumbles.

BF: Both of them. He missed one that was about two feet too high for him to get, and he missed one that was about 10 feet in front of him that he had to dive for. You might as well have Tate back there; you’re not using him for anything else.

RG: There’s an idea. But I don’t see him running away from too many guys.

BF: Put anybody back there. Put Vince Smith back there. Anybody who’s not gonna fumble.

RG: Last year it was Junior Hemingway. We may see him. Martavious would be fine. Or how about Grady? He’s a bit more expendable than the other wideouts, and I like what I see from him so far. He’s shifty.

BF: Terrence Robinson is another option. He’s got a little scoot to him. He looked good in the UConn game.

RG: The whole receiving corps has really impressed me. Steady. Catching most of balls thrown their way, blocking downfield. Other than Denard and the O-line, that’s our biggest strength.

BF: That’s one of the most noticeable differences in this offense: The emphasis on downfield blocking, especially by the receivers. Hemingway, Stonum, Odoms and Roundtree -- they’re all doing their jobs.

RG: And their only real deficiency is their height. I think they make up for it with speed and YAC. Now, defensively. F. Where do you even start?

BF: I think you’ve got to start with Greg Robinson.

RG: Has he been evicted from his southeastern Michigan home yet?

BF: Man. If it doesn’t turn around, he’s on his way. Put it this way: If you’re Dave Brandon, the AD, your focus has to shift from Rich Rod’s job to the D coordinator’s. He’s got to have a strong hand in that. You’ve got to realize Michigan has had its problems under Rod. The sanctions are going to come down soon. Hopefully the NCAA accepts what we’ve put on the table. But this much is clear: Rodriguez can recruit, and he can field an offense. That’s half the battle. It’s clear that his offense is a National Championship-caliber, Big Ten Championship-caliber offense.

RG: Ooo. I wouldn’t go there just yet, simply because we haven’t beaten anybody. I don’t see the Huskies, Irish or Minutemen having seasons they feel great about. Let’s just agree that our offense is better than our defense.

BF: Schematically, Robinson got out-coached Saturday. When you look at the 11 athletes that are on the field for us against the 11 that are on the field for them, they’re not stronger; they’re not faster; they’re not bigger; they’re not better. There’s no excuse for the defense to be that out of position. That’s coaching.

RG: But let’s not pretend that our personnel is the ‘85 Bears and Robinson is preventing them from succeeding. We have some serious lack of artillery in certain areas.

BF: Well, sure. When your secondary and your corners lose contain and they (UMass) get outside as many times as they did, it’s bad. The personnel is still problematic.

RG: Our defensive backs look like high schoolers half the time. And our linebackers. You’re telling me Obi Ezeh and Jonas Mouton are seniors? They were horrible. How can you be a senior at Michigan and not lay out for that QB at the goal line? That was an inexcusable lack of effort by Mouton. Imagine what Larry Foote would’ve done to that poor kid.

BF: He should’ve hit the ground with his helmet off. He should’ve been absolutely murdered on that play. That play is a microcosm of the difficulties. Now, if you’re looking for a silver lining, the biggest play the defense gave up all day was 19 yards.

RG: So what? UMass had the ball for like two-thirds of the game, and that was by design. They ate up the clock, and we let them.

BF: What bothers me are the 12-yard cushions we give opposing receivers. If you’re going to give up a 12-yard cushion and you’re not going to get consistent pressure on the quarterback, you’re doing your entire unit a disservice. You’re better off running a bump and run and rushing more guys.

RG: I think we should just blitz more. The 3-3-5 makes me sick. Why play five DBs when they’re your worst players? Give me a 5-2, or a 4-3, or any scheme where we can have another lineman or backer or head hunter out there who can get to the quarterback. I love the way Mike Martin, Craig Roh and most of the line is playing, but those guys need to be told “SIC!” more often. You don’t think they’d love to be sent on aggressive blitzes 20 times a game, and with some extra company? If we get burned deep, we get burned deep. But at least we get the ball back. That’s really our best defense.

BF: With the LBs, I give a pass to Mouton. He did enough in the first two games for me to turn my head. But Obi Ezeh, in my opinion, does not deserve to keep his job right now. He is slow-footed, he misreads plays, he’s just a non-factor at that position.

RG: Isn’t that a surprise? Because he looked so good as a sophomore. Really, I thought he was one of our best players in the 3-9 season.

BF: Kenny Demens deserves to play. That’s Ezeh’s backup. Generally, though, I don’t get some of these personnel decisions that are made. It just doesn’t add up.

RG: Well maybe we’ll be able criticize or praise Les Miles at that D coordinator position next year.

BF: I really think we need LSU to lose.

RG: Boo Tigers.

BF: My faith in Greg Robinson is in the cellar right now.

RG: How about your faith in Denard Robinson?

BF: Couldn’t be higher.

RG: He had what could’ve been perceived as a lackluster game for him, and he still had exemplary numbers: 10-for-14 for 241 yards and two TDs through the air; 17 carries for 104 and a rushing TD. I like this young man.

BF: God, he looks great, man. His decision-making, his accuracy. Complete command.

RG: I don’t see any reason to play Tate or Devin early in a game as long as Denard stays healthy.

BF: I agree with that. He hasn’t taken many monster hits, and there’s really no point in speculating on that stuff. It can happen to anybody on any play. I do want to see Devin Gardner play. I do because Denard isn’t going to be the Michigan quarterback forever.

RG: Don’t say that. DON’T SAY THAT!

BF: Gardner needs to get in there.

RG: Well, we need to blow out Bowling Green so we can see Devin, because that’s going to be our last “easy game.” I even hesitate to say that.

BF: Indiana could be a street fight.

RG: Indiana could be a rout, for them, if our defense plays like it did last week.

BF: Well, there is a brief bit of good news on the recruiting front: Demetrius Hart, an Orlando running back, took an official visit to Auburn. He loved it. It’s down to Auburn and Michigan. That would be the final piece of the puzzle on offense. He’s got the whole package. Alabama and Florida also want him, by the way. But just to envision that offense with he and Denard running it? He’s a home run hitter, and that will help Denard -- especially considering we still may need to outscore some teams for another couple years.

RG: What do you want to see Saturday?

BF: I want to see some murderous play from the linebacker position. It’d be nice if the defense this week could resemble some of those defenses of old. When we were growing up, defense was exciting to watch. Lamarr Woodley, Prescott Burgess, Marlin Jackson, Charles Woodson.

RG: Sam Sword. Shante Orr. Victor Hobson. Jarrett Irons. Yes.

BF: It’s a totally different feel now. It’s anxiety.

RG: You’re not going to snap a finger and just conjure up the 1997 Michigan defense. But you hope a better defense shows up before long. And you hope it doesn’t take three more years, the amount of time it took Rod’s offense to form solidly.

BF: I think a lot of it rests with the coaches. Why is Jordan Kovacs the best player on our defense?

RG: We’ve discussed this. The kid is a blue-chip guy, a hard worker with a high football IQ and a nose for the ball. All the white cliches.

BF: I just want to see some shots at it this week. Send Cam Gordon on a free safety blitz. Pull some stunts. Overload one side of the line. Try something on defense instead of playing so cautious and so conservative. We see where that’s gotten us. Do something different.

RG: But keep winning. Predictions time. What say you?

BF: I’ll go 42-13, Michigan.

RG: OK. I’m going to try for a more realistic crystal ball gaze this week: Heroes 51, Villains 30. Bowling Green doesn’t scare me. But our defense does.

BF: I want one hit this week that’s gonna make me spill my beverage. That’s my goal.

RG: I want 4-0. Go Blue.

BF: Go Blue.

Roger Garfield and Brandon Falk are curious Michigan football fans who wonder whether Bowling Green’s offensive attack will befuddle the Wolverine defenders enough to force Greg Robinson out of town before September ends. They expect the Falcons to fail, but they aren’t putting anything past Greg Robinson. He’s pretty atrocious at what he does. They can be reached at rlouisgar@gmail.com and hbrandonfalk@gmail.com.