Observations on the win over Northwestern, 28-16!

1-Well, it was a classic battle between two of the worst teams in the Big Ten for 2007. Michigan has 5 red zones for 28 points. The Wildcats convert two red zones for 6 points and a big play for another score. The Wolverines capitalize on five Northwestern turnovers and score 14 points off turnovers. No turnovers for the Wolverines as they recovered two of their own fumbles was another key.

2-Chad Henne comes in after his medial collateral ligament injury, and throws for 16 of 25 for 188 yards. Manningham had 9 catches for 122 yards and a TD plus 4 runs for 19 yards. Arrington has 6 catches for 86 yards and a 4 yard run. Greg Mathews chipped in with 4 catches for 38 yards and a TD. Carson Butler grabs a 5 yard TD pass. Offense ends up with 21 first downs, 383 total yards, 7 of 17 in 3rd down conversions and evened out a 4 minute time of possession advantage at the half to no time advantage due to the defensive takeaways. Northwestern did run 5 more plays though.

3-Michael Hart gains 104 yards in 30 carries, one catch for 4 yards and a TD with 4 minutes to go to ice the game. We end up with a 128 to 112 net rushing yard advantage.

4-Defense forces four 4th quarter turnovers to win the game because the offense couldn't do it. Brandon Graham forces a fumble that Crable recovers for a red zone opportunity at the 16 and offense capitalizes to give us the lead, 21-16. Tim Jamison intercepts a pass and creates another red zone, but Gingell misses another one. Obi Ezeh, spelling Machete Thompson, comes up with a pick with 5 minutes to go, and offense capitalizes to give us a two score lead, 28-16. Crable forces a fumble that Taylor recovers with 3:42 to go, and we run out the clock. Jamison, Crable and Brandon Graham get sacks. Trent, Jamison and Ezeh get interceptions. Crable comes up with 10 tackles, 5 for loss including the sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Defense comes up big after a shaky start.

5-Bacher completes 22 of 41 for 290 yards, but gives up three interceptions, was 7 of 18 in 3rd down conversions, get sacked 3 times so the 402 to 383 total yard advantage was negated. Zero points for the Wilcats in the second half to go with only 94 yards in total offense. Omar Conteh gets 113 yards in 14 carries including a 49 yard TD scamper.

6-Mesko punts six times for 44.5 yard average, and places three inside the 20. Gingell misses two field goals, the last with 6 minutes to go. Villarreal makes three field goals for the Cats including a 50 yarder. Moundros caught for holding stopping a drive, Engelmon for a personal foul. Schilling and Long get false starts.

7-Ezeh starts for Thompson at MIKE, Dorenstein doesn't make the trip due to knee problem. Savoy comes in early and rotates at receiver. Anton Campbell still has a hamstring injury, and hasn't played. Adam Kraus' hand is heavily wrapped so his days at center are probably over this season. In the second half, Massey, Chris Graham, McAvoy and Taylor left the game due to injuries. Since Mitchell and Ciulla are out, we are down to our 4th string right guard in Cory Zirbel.

8-Our compliance officers screwed up, and the ineligible player, Artis Chambers, who was enrolled since January, will probably force us to forfeit earned victories over Notre Dame and Penn State so it looks like we are 1-4 for the season, 1-1 in the Big Ten after our first victory over Northwestern. I thought Appalachian State was our "black day." Then, Oregon was pretty humiliating. Now, we probably lose two games we earned victories for. Will our compliance officer resign or retire at the end of the season as hopefully Lloyd, DeBord and others will?

Observations on the first half with Northwestern, 7-16!

1-Michigan gives up two big plays of 49 yards on a TD run by Conteh, and a 64 yard pass on the first play from scrimmage by Ross Lane. Wildcats earn two red zones for 6 points. Michigan manages two red zones for 7 points. No points off one turnover by the Wildcats. Northwestern is more motivated, more prepared, better coached and that is why they lead by two scores.

2-Henne starts and takes us down for 4 first downs and a TD on the first series helped by a Northwestern personal foul after stopping us on 4th down at the 30 giving us a red zone; Mallett comes in and leads up to three 3 and outs including a sack. On the only possession not a 3 and out, we get one first down and then punt after a holding penalty. Mallett took us to the red zone after the interception by Trent, but we don't cash in. Henne is 4 of 6 for 48 yards and a TD to Manningham. Mallett is 5 for 11 for 67 yards, and one sack for -7. Arrington has 4 catches for 47 yards; Manningham has 4 catches for 64 yards and a TD plus a run for 7 yards. Offense has 8 first downs, 2 of 8 in 3rd down conversions for 153 total yards. Pathetic Offense!

3-Hart is completely bottled up, and only has 31 yards in 12 carries and one catch for 4 yards. More evidence of DeBord's creative game plan preparation and play calling is evident in this game. Wildcats outrush us 95 to 38 leading to a 4 minute time of possession advantage.

4-Defense continues to struggle after stopping the Wildcats on a red zone early. They give up two big plays for 10 points due to poor tackling, and another two plays of 25+ yards. Bacher is 15 of 26 for 213 yards and an interception. Conteh has 72 yards on 9 carries for a TD. Wildcats have 308 yards of total offense, 14 first downs and 3 of 9 on 3rd down conversions. Trent gets an interception to stop a Northwestern drive midway through the 2nd quarter at the Michigan 24, but we fail to take advantage. The Wildcats score 4 times in 7 possessions, 1 turnover and 2 punts. Pathetic Defense!

5-Special teams are horrible! Gingell misses another field goal, this one was wide from 26 yards. Mesko punts four times for 44.5 yard average, and places one inside the 20. Wright has two kickoffs, one touchback. Minor has a kickoff return for 13 yards. No punt returns, but we give up a 14 yard return after a 57 yard punt. Villarreal makes three field goals for the Cats including a 50 yarder. Moundros caught for holding stopping a drive, Engelmon for a personal foul. Pathetic Special Teams!

6-Ezeh starts for Thompson at MIKE, Dorenstein doesn't make the trip due to knee problem. Savoy comes in early and is rotating at receiver. Anton Campbell still has a hamstring injury, and hasn't played. Adam Kraus' hand is heavily wrapped so his days at center are probably over this season.

7-ESPN's gamecast is so much better now than CSTV's gametracker or Yahoo's Game Channel for Live Stats are terrible. I don't who know to be madder at: the Big Ten Network or Charter/Comcast Cable. There is no good reason not to televise Michigan football when we have so many fans nationwide.

8-Kenny Demens is our #16 verbal commitment.