Michigan Tuesday: Golden Gophers Tonight

Michigan played its worst 2nd half against the best team they have faced this year on Saturday evening. Tonight they can win a share of the regular season Big Ten Championship by beating the Minnesota Golden Gophers.  The game is at Crisler, its an 8:30 tip on BTN, and Michigan is favored by 22 points.   Dusty's biggest job is to not let the Duke game beat them twice as a trip to Illinois on Friday night is up next.  Then Iowa on the road and MSU at home to wrap up conference play. 

When Michigan completely changes coaching staffs, I always wonder where and if the guys will show up at other programs.  Wonder no more! (ht: wolverine wire)

• Offensive coordinator - Chip Lindsey (Missouri)
• Offensive line - Grant Newsome (New York Giants - asst. OL coach)
• Tight Ends - Steve Casula (Texas - analyst)
• Defensive line - Lou Esposito (Baltimore Ravens)
• Linebackers - Brian Jean-Mary (Notre Dame)
• Defensive backs - LaMar Morgan (Oklahoma - cornerbacks)
• Special teams - JB Brown (Texas - analyst)

I'm shocked that nobody hired Wink, as I've been suggesting he was not hireable by any other programs or NFL teams for the last two years.   Ron Bellamy is also looking for his next opportunity.  

• Lou's son who just committed to Michigan before he took the Ravens job, is blowing up on the recruiting trail with offers from Penn State and USC the last two days.  Louis Esposito is a 2027 OL commit for the Wolverines.

• Very sad news about Rondale Moore, who was a standout WR at Purdue and was a current teammate of JJ's on the Vikings. RIP. Another reminder that mental health is very important. Check on your friends and family members!

Michigan Monday: I Hate Good Loses

There are no good loses in college football, every loss is a bad loss.  Not so in college basketball, where rankings mean very little and everyone gets invited to the dance if you can play competitive basketball.  Duke and Michigan faced off in DC and it was a hard fought game.  Wasn't really played at a high level by either team but both teams competed and wanted to win.   The officials were clearly paid by the whistle and both teams were in foul trouble.   Michigan seemed to have the worst of the calls. 

Michigan struggled in the 2nd half and couldn't hit an open jump shot, while Carlos Boozer's son played well.  Duke ended up winning the battle.   Michigan played one of it's worst games offensively all year and was in it until the last few minutes.  It happens in basketball.  Sometimes the shots spin out and sometimes you are going to lose a game.  

Michigan had issues with guard play.  Cadeau had another mystery game where he completely disappears, Burnett didn't score a point, Cason played ok but only added 7 points, Gayle had one bucket, and Mckinney added just 2.   Michigan shot 6-25 from 3 and Mara got into early foul trouble.  Yax kept Michigan in the game in the 1st half but couldn't muster much in the 2nd.  

Michigan Basketball needed a reality reset.  I never think its good for the players mindset to be ranked #1 in the nation.  The only time that ranking matters is in the last ranking, every other ranking to quote Saban is "rat poison".   I like that Michigan got out physicaled for most of the game and I like that the Wolverines had their worst offensive outing but was still competitive.  That means the team was competing on defense and they now know you just can't roll the balls out and win.  It was a great time for a reset and was the purpose of the game.  Both teams could've taken the weekend off to heal and practice, instead they decided to let "iron sharpen iron".   Great decision for fans and for college basketball.   The next time these two teams meet, something special will be on the line. 

Win the Big Ten regular season Championship and then reset for a run in two tournaments. 

Michigan Friday: Blue Devils Eve

Michigan Basketball has one of those important/not important games against the Duke Blue Devils on Saturday late afternoon.  It's important because Michigan vs. Duke in basketball is always important, it's not because the outcome will not hurt either's' chance in the Big10 or ACC race and a potential #1 seed.   College Basketball vs. College Football rewards teams on playing difficult matchups.  Izzo has made a career on this method.  

Looking forward to Saturday at 6:30. Tickets are a hot item and start at $334 on the resale market. 

• It seems unanimous that Michigan made a big time hire in new GM Dave Peloquin. Let's hope he makes the NIL program in Ann Arbor the best in the country.

• Curt Cignetti cashes in on his National Championship at IU. He will now make over $13M a year.

• Are the Chicago Bears heading to Indiana?

Michigan Thursday: Michigan Got A New GM

The one thing that Warde has always failed to understand is,  you don't fire an important position without knowing you are going to hire next.  Warde is a bad leader for many reason, but his lack of future planning might be his biggest weakness. 

Case in point, Coach Whitt comes in and has his coordinators lined up before he got to Ann Arbor.  He also knew the priority was keeping the current roster in A2 and lining up great players in the portal.   You can't bring in a new GM at that point and do that.   So he keep Magee around until this week to serve that purpose.   That is a boss move.  

The next is hiring former ND Co-AD Dave Peloquin as Michigan's next GM.  Dave was with ND for 21 years in these roles: Notre Dame’s director of player personnel 2004-2023, director of football development (2007-2013) and assistant athletic director/strategic initiatives (2023-2025).

This is considered to be a big time hire for Michigan and a midwest football guy leading the organization.  ND was in the National Championship game twice under Dave's leadership.  This seemed to be the #1 target and Coach Whitt landed him.

I can't tell you how happy I am to have a real leader leading this program on and off the field.

• We reported a few weeks ago that some teams had not been paid from the Players Tournament that Michigan won over the holidays.  Other reports have now surfaced that Michigan did get their share but not the $1M bonus for winning the tournament.