Nonstopdrivel
14 years ago

Last Updated: November 07. 2010 1:00AM
Bob Wojnowski
Who'd have thunk it? Michigan's defense gets last laugh
 

Ann Arbor There's never been anything like it, and that's probably a good thing. But for all that could be gained or squandered, for all the wild swings and deep passes and missed tackles, it was riveting history unfolding.
It also was Michigan not folding, and let's be fair and point out how big that is. When Michigan's 67-65 triple-overtime survival against Illinois on Saturday finally ended, the Wolverines celebrated and the crowd roared, and no doubt, it meant a bit more than your average 67-65 victory.

On a day of large moments and larger numbers, the Wolverines alternately showed what they could be and what has held them back. And all the key stakes, including gaining bowl eligibility for the first time in three years with a 6-3 record, came down to a final play.

It was made by Michigan's shattered defense, an all-out blitz on Illinois' final two-point conversion attempt, with Jonas Mouton hitting quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase and destroying the play. And how bizarre is that? Michigan had 676 total yards, overcame five turnovers, weathered another undetermined injury to Denard Robinson, and ultimately won with a stop.

"That's a perfect ending, in my opinion," said coach Rich Rodriguez, who looked happy, exhausted and relieved. "For the defense to come with pressure to basically win the game, it was really uplifting."

That's the correct word, after three straight crunching losses, after an injury to the star quarterback, after another home game was slipping away and another batch of questions were beckoning. Robinson left in the third quarter with dizziness and a headache, possibly the result of an earlier nasty personal foul hit by Illinois. Rodriguez wasn't sure of Robinson's status going forward, but backup Tate Forcier was his typically excitable self, with two touchdown passes and two turnovers.

'We're hungry'

Was it all haphazard and sometimes downright ugly? Sure it was. But the Wolverines and especially Rodriguez needed this by whatever means possible, no matter how much everyone will chuckle about the score.
There was a time when the Wolverines would celebrate certain bowl-clinching victories with roses in their teeth. But don't minimize what this means, to at least change the conversation from the unseemly stuff.

"After the last couple of (bowl-less) years, we're hungry," safety Jordan Kovacs said. "Obviously, we've still got a lot of mistakes to correct. There have been some down weeks, but this was a positive one, and now we're gonna ride it out."

Michigan hung in and hung on, and that's what it has to do the next three games, too. Actually, this was the natural (or unnatural) progression of what we've seen for a while a terrific Michigan offense that makes lots of plays, and an embattled Michigan defense desperately hunting for anyone to make a play.

The Wolverines found a few things against an Illinois team that came in on a roll, with the 15th-ranked defense in the country. And give Rodriguez credit for keeping it together, in a week when the NCAA gave its final verdict and slapped the program with three years probation, but softened its specific allegation against him.

Then in the game, after Robinson went out, Forcier immediately fumbled on his first snap, helping Illinois take a 45-38 lead. Forcier rebounded, and so did the Wolverines. There was some luck involved, such as Junior Hemingway's juggling catch of a tipped 9-yard touchdown pass that made it 59-59.

But there was explosive talent on display, too, and Michigan's receivers were splendid. Roy Roundtree set a school record with 246 yards receiving, including a 75-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

"We can move on anybody, with any quarterback that gets in," Roundtree said. "We rotate quarterbacks in practice, so we're used to all of them. We play like we play, I don't think nobody can stop us."

'They're hanging together'

Hey, I said at the start of the season Michigan would have to win a few 67-65 games to be competitive. OK, I probably said a few 42-35 games.

It's a heckuva way to scratch out a bowl bid, but amid the defensive mess and all the turnovers, we saw relevant glimpses. There was the bring-the-house blitz at the end, something defensive coordinator Greg Robinson should do more often.

Michigan is using a ton of young players on defense, and at one point, had three true freshmen in the secondary. Freshman safety Ray Vinopal made the underrated stop of the game, stuffing Mikel Leshoure on third down in the final minute of regulation, forcing the Illini to punt.

"That's why I'm so excited about the future, because of the young guys getting experience," Rodriguez said. "I'm really proud of the way our players handled everything. They've kept a laser focus with all the outside drama. They're hanging together."

That's pretty much all the Wolverines could do on a day of unrelenting tension. Afterward, no one was sure what they'd witnessed, only that they'd never seen anything like it, and won't ever see it again. Uh, it won't ever be seen again, right? Rodriguez and the Wolverines sure hope half of it will, and half of it won't.

bob.wojnowski@detnews.com
Twitter.com/bobwojnowski


http://www.detnews.com/article/20101107/OPINION03/11070318/1345/Whod-have-thunk-it?-Michigan-s-defense-gets-last-laugh#ixzz14qqG6Xnp 


UserPostedImage
Formo
14 years ago
That was a crazy game.
UserPostedImage
Thanks to TheViking88 for the sig!!
Fan Shout
packerfanoutwest (15h) : Aaron Rodgers’s first pass of first team period was picked off
Mucky Tundra (21h) : tbh I didn't hear of his passing
Zero2Cool (21h) : Cosby Show. Malcom Jamal Warner I think is real name
Mucky Tundra (21h) : I was thinking of Ozzy and Hulk
Mucky Tundra (21h) : Who's Theo?
Zero2Cool (21h) : How is Theo alliteration?
Mucky Tundra (22h) : Bad week for people whose names are alliterations
Zero2Cool (23h) : Hulk Hogan gone too.
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Oh, it's toe injury
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Hope it's not serious. that would stink
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Sounds like an ankle not a knee for Fields
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Ya Flaccp on Browns
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Maybe Tyrod Taylor instead
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : He's on Browns, right?
dfosterf (24-Jul) : They would probably go with Flacco is my guess if Fields out
dfosterf (24-Jul) : Fleece 'em again!
Zero2Cool (24-Jul) : Malik Willis might be someone Jets come after
packerfanoutwest (24-Jul) : Packers introduce 1923-inspired classic uniform, leather-look helmet
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Both LB Quay Walker and Rookie DB Micah Robinson have passed their physicals
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Happy to see site feels more snappy snappy
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : No sir. I did not.
dfosterf (23-Jul) : You didn't get free childcare when you were at work?
wpr (23-Jul) : These guys make hundreds of thousands of dollars a year. Pay for their own childcare.
dfosterf (23-Jul) : 2nd issue. Number 1 issue was no gameday childcare. 1 of 3 teams not providing it
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Suppose if locker room is main issue, we sitting pretty
wpr (23-Jul) : I thought so Mucky. In those useless player polls GB always rates high overall. Locker is a part of it.
Mucky Tundra (23-Jul) : Wasn't the locker room just updated like 6 or 7 years ago?
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I have forum updated on different site. We'll see how this one goes before going to that
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Elgton Jenkins has a back injury, is expect to end contract dispute
wpr (23-Jul) : It's funny the PA complained about the locker room. It wasn't that long ago it was top shelf. Things change in a hurry.
wpr (23-Jul) : The site is much more better.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : NFLPA report said Packers lockerroom needed upgrade. Whining bout where you change?
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I saw that and thought it was kind of lame.
dfosterf (23-Jul) : Packers new locker room is pretty awesome. Great for morale, imo
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Shuffled things on the web server. Hope it makes it faster.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Other times, it's turtle ass
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Sometimes it's snappy, like now.
beast (23-Jul) : I feel like it's loading at the top of the next minute, or something like that.
beast (23-Jul) : Also the thanks/heart takes FOREVER to load, and posting in the shout box takes three times FOREVER!
beast (23-Jul) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
beast (23-Jul) : Thanks for saying something, I thought it was slow, but assumed it was on my end
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Yeah, I noticed that too. Is it slow for PackerPeople.com too?
wpr (23-Jul) : I don't know what you IT guys call it but the page loading is very slow for me today.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : SSL might be settled now.
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : Still working through SSL cert issues
wpr (23-Jul) : Glad to be back
Zero2Cool (23-Jul) : I think PH original finally working.
dfosterf (22-Jul) : Can tell you are having a fun day Kev
Zero2Cool (22-Jul) : Yep, I had to manually move them. It'll fix itself after more posts.
Mucky Tundra (22-Jul) : Same deal with the songs/videos thread, says you replied last but when I go there it's what I posted earlier is last
Please sign in to use Fan Shout
2025 Packers Schedule
Sunday, Sep 7 @ 3:25 PM
LIONS
Thursday, Sep 11 @ 7:15 PM
COMMANDERS
Sunday, Sep 21 @ 12:00 PM
Browns
Sunday, Sep 28 @ 7:20 PM
Cowboys
Sunday, Oct 12 @ 3:25 PM
BENGALS
Sunday, Oct 19 @ 3:25 PM
Cardinals
Sunday, Oct 26 @ 7:20 PM
Steelers
Sunday, Nov 2 @ 12:00 PM
PANTHERS
Monday, Nov 10 @ 7:15 PM
EAGLES
Sunday, Nov 16 @ 12:00 PM
Giants
Sunday, Nov 23 @ 12:00 PM
VIKINGS
Thursday, Nov 27 @ 12:00 PM
Lions
Sunday, Dec 7 @ 12:00 PM
BEARS
Sunday, Dec 14 @ 3:25 PM
Broncos
Friday, Dec 19 @ 11:00 PM
Bears
Friday, Dec 26 @ 11:00 PM
RAVENS
Saturday, Jan 3 @ 11:00 PM
Vikings
Recent Topics
1h / Green Bay Packers Talk / TheKanataThrilla

4h / Green Bay Packers Talk / dfosterf

10h / Around The NFL / beast

20h / Around The NFL / Zero2Cool

20h / Green Bay Packers Talk / Martha Careful

24-Jul / Around The NFL / beast

24-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

23-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / beast

23-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / wpr

22-Jul / Random Babble / Zero2Cool

22-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

22-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

20-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

20-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Mucky Tundra

18-Jul / Green Bay Packers Talk / Zero2Cool

Headlines
Copyright © 2006 - 2025 PackersHome.com™. All Rights Reserved.