Michigan Friday: Good Stadium Vibes

Michigan Football has played very well in Indy and won 2 Big Ten Titles there.  So it's safe to say Michigan has a good feeling about playing in Lucas Oil.  What doesn't feel great is watching tape on Arizona and Dusty and his staff have their hands full on Saturday night. 

The Wildcats might be the best team Michigan has faced all year.  Against Duke, Michigan felt what it was like to play a physical team with skill players.  Arizona is physical, big, and has skill players.  Duke's downfall was they were also very young and freshmen make mistakes.   In a similar fashion, Arizona starts 3 freshmen, a junior, and a senior.   Even Dusty said this week in Indy, "Watching Arizona was like watching us".

That is why the line is so close, even Vegas is having a hard time picking a winner in this one.   So what is the difference when two teams are so similar?  Defense and someone stepping up that the game plan didn't account for.  

Michigan on the defensive side must not collapse on the dribble drives and stay with the shooters.  Most programs score at the rim or at the 3 point line, the Wildcats have a good mid-range game as well.  This next part is going to be very difficult, but Michigan might consider not trying to block every shot and getting in better rebounding position.  If Michigan gets out rebounded its going to be a long night for the Wolverines. 

For Michigan to move on to Monday, they are going to need some key players to step up.  Yax has to be Yax, Morez needs to get out his funk and must defend, rebound, and score in the low post,  Mara needs to stay out of foul trouble, and we need April Roddy.  Michigan is going to need a big night from Gayle or McKenney or Burnett.  Like a 25 point night.  Arizona has had a week to scout the Wolverines, we need someone not in the scouting report to catch fire.   Michigan also must limit turnovers, as giving the Wildcats extra possessions is very troublesome.

If Michigan plays like they did in Vegas and Cadeau stays away from mix nuts, I think we will get to watch one more game on Monday night! 

• Michigan hosted 2027 4-star TE Jack McNamara recently and he is very high on the Wolverines. He looks like Cade but I don't believe they are related. 

• Memo to the Detroit Lions: You can't lose players, not add during Free Agency, and think your going to be better than last year.  That strategy did not work last year.  It won't work this year.

• SEC coaches are saying with the bigger CFP format now, there is no need to play the SEC Championship.  I agree with that stance for the Big 10 as well.   I always lean towards more football but start the playoffs earlier and get rid of the Conference Championship games.  The first conference who does it will have an advantage and the others will follow.

• The Fab 5 is back together doing an alternative broadcast on TruTV for the game.  

Have a Good Holiday Weekend Everyone! 

Michigan Thursday: An April Fools Joke?

We believe WJR spun an April Fools Joke with help from the Michigan Basketball program.  They said that Michigan's Point Guard Elliott Cadeau had an allergic reaction to something he ate and was taken to the hospital via ambulance.  Per the report, Elliott was treated, is ok, and would travel to Indy separately from the team.

ESPN even picked it up and made it breaking news.  Social media showed Elliott traveling with the team.  Do we know this was a joke offically? No, but I believe it was.

Update: Elliott confirmed he ate something (cashew nut) and did have an allergic reaction.  So no April Fools Joke. 

The team did travel to Final 4 and will prepare for Saturday's game in Indy. 

• UCLA Football put a video on X with Semaji Morgan in it.  

• Former MSU QB Kirk Cousins is now working for Tom Brady at the Raiders.  There are going to be a lot of Big 10 QB's walking around that training facility. 

• Michigan Football is hosting a top offensive target today in Top 100 WR Quentin Burrell.

Wolverine Wednesday: One Less QB

Michigan's former head coach after Harbaugh really miss managed a ton of things in his life.  In his role as head football coach, he really miss managed the QB room.  For two years straight he had little to no depth and even fewer folks that could actually do the job.  

This new staff came in with a different plan.  The first was to have a QB Coach for Michigan's highest investment ever at QB.  Second was to recruit and sign 2 QB's in the transfer portal.  As we discussed yesterday, Carr has impressed and CSU transfer BFN is expected to arrive this Summer. 

Many of us thought that there was a hand shake agreement between the Michigan Staff and incoming LSU transfer QB Colin Hurley that he would take a medical redshirt this season as he recovers and learns the system.  Well that didn't happen and Colin decided to leave the program yesterday, in what we are hearing was a mutual parting of ways. 

This loss doesn't hurt Michigan in the slightest, as he would of been the "break glass in case of an emergency" QB but it does put more pressure to keep Carr and BFN healthy during summer and fall camps. 

With the portal closed, not sure what options Colin has, but we wish him good luck in finding his next program. 

• 3-star OL Tristan Dare decommitted from Michigan yesterday.   Michigan will be fine in OL recruiting with one of the best OL coaches in the country.  

• Tiger Woods is "stepping away" to work on recovery and his health.   That seems like a smart long overdue move.   I know he has charity work and a course architecture company, but I'm not sure what he is stepping away from.  He hasn't played a PGA Tour round since the 2024 British Open.   I hope the thing he steps away from is driving any of his automobiles. 

Michigan Tuesday: Spring Practice News and Notes

Michigan is in its 2nd week of Spring Practice and things are starting to sneak out and players are meeting with the media.  Here is what I've gathered from a number of sources:

• Bryce is struggling a bit but being coached the way he should've been as a Freshman.  No one is concerned as this is a new offense and its still very early.  He also is still a young QB that didn't have a QB coach last season.  Which was a huge mistake. 

• Michigan's Oline is still banged up but could be elite when healthy and under the coaching of Jim Harding. 

• Could Michigan have one of the best WR's rooms in the country?  Maybe! 

• Carr has looked good but BFN is not on campus yet and the LSU QB is expected to redshirt due to injury. 

• Defense is ahead of the offense, which is not uncommon at this point. 

• True Freshman WR Travis Johnson has impressed in camp. 

• The culture is more Harbaugh like vs. what the team has had the last 2 years. 

• The S&C program is completely different and good different. 

• Hiter of course looks good with a huge upside.

• John Henry Daley spoke to the media and is feeling good and is expected to be cleared for full football activity on 6/1!

• JJ Buchanan has impressed and spoke to the media, he expects this WR room to be elite. 

• Transfer CB Smith Snowden says the team has bought in to the new staff and new approach.

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• U of M Women's Basketball lost to Texas last night, still one of the best seasons in program history!

• There is some smoke around 5 star Brandon McCoy joining Dusty's program!

• That 7'9 guy on Florida's roster is entering the portal, if he fits.