Memo to David Brandon

Memorandum

Date: 11:40 PM September 1st, 2012

To: David Brandon, Athletic Director University of Michigan

From: The Big House Blog

Subject:  Success Strategies
____________________________________________________

How is the Brand right now?   Was the $4.5 Million worth it?   Did you put your most important business unit in a position to be successful tonight?

I think you know all the answers to those questions and I expect those questions are going through your brain as you go back to your hotel tonight. 

Your top business unit had a successful season last year and won 11 games.   Even though that was success in many fans eyes.  I'm sure your eyes could tell there was still a lot to do at Schembechler Hall before the Wolverines were back to being consistently great again.   You also should have known that 2 years ago under the Rich Rodriguez that Alabama was at a championship level and Michigan was not.

The loss tonight is not on Denard Robinson or the new defensive line.  The loss isn't even the coaches fault.   It's yours.   This game should have never been scheduled.   Did you even look at the schedule this year before you shook Jerry Jones hand?  You took a home game away from the Big House and most likely a win for an embarrassing loss on National TV.    For what?  Money?  Exposure?  The Michigan Brand?   It wasn't worth it and you should have known that before you scheduled it.  You don't serve Domino's Pizza at a $100 plate gourmet restaurant. 

You owe an apology to Blake Countess and Taylor Lewan's knee.  You owe an apology to Denard Robinson in the ice tub next week and you owe an apology to the Michigan faithful who had to watch that tonight.  Not to mention the fans that spent thousands of dollars to travel to Dallas, when most of them would have preferred to spend $100 and watched Michigan play a MAC school in the Big House. 

Michigan Football is not Michigan Football yet.  It's back on track and going in the right direction but doing what you did tonight does not help the cause, it hurts it.   This team/program needs to continue to build it's confidence and it's resume so it can get back to a championship level.   Even Lloyd Carr's last few teams struggled against the USC's of the world.    This team didn't deserve to be put that  position tonight.   You don't take a young boxer working his way up the ladder and throw him in the ring with Floyd Mayweather.   Getting dominated kills the fighters confidence and it's tough to recover from that.   I sure hope this team can bouce back because the Big Ten Title is still the goal.   I hope the residual effects of the loss tonight doesn't carry over to next week or in 3 weeks against ND.    If it does, that's on you as well.    It's not very often an AD can cause a team to lose a couple games before the Big Ten season even starts. 

I'm not angry because I expected Michigan wouldn't win tonight.  I'm sad because Denard and this team deserved better.  They deserved a chance to play at home and win a football game to open the year.   Before they go on the road to play ND, Nebraska and Ohio State.  This game should have never been scheduled and I'm pretty sure you understand that now.    Too bad you didn't realize that 2 years ago.

By the way, you probably should send an apology to Floyd Mayweather as well. 

Michigan Preview: Alabama

Time: 8:00 EST
Location: Cowboys Stadium, Dallas TX
Weather: Dome
TV:  ABC
Line: Michigan +14

I hate this game.  

I don't like that David Brandon scheduled it.

I would be much happier playing a MAC school at the Big House.  Won the game 28-12, looked a little shaky but was the much better team.  David Brandon really doesn't care about my happiness (if he did, App. State wouldn't be on the schedule either!).   He is more about the "brand" and making sure that Michigan is in the Biggest Game of  Opening Weekend.   I'm more interested in being in the biggest game in January.   Difference of Opinion. 

I wish college football was more like college basketball.  Izzo schedules a difficult schedule every year and it pays off for him in March.   That is the idea with scheduling this game.  If Michigan plays well they can use that momentum in the Big 10.  If they don't play well the brand will take a hit and so will the Wolverines confidence.  I'm not sure the risk is worth the reward when you are talking about the first game of the year and the defending national champion. 

I hope I'm wrong.

On to the Preview:

Both teams won their last game in BCS Bowls and both teams are very different from the ones that competed in January.    Alabama returns a dominating offense line and will replace many starters on defense.  Michigan returns Denard Robinson and defense that really improved last year.  

I think we know what we are going to get from Alabama.  They are going to pound the ball with their talented running backs and offensive line.   They will mix in the pass to keep the defense from keying on the run.   Betting on Sabin being conservative with a new team on September 1st is a good bet.  Michigan is the same way, they will run Denard and Fitz (if he plays) behind Michigan's talented Oline as well.    They say Bama doesn't rebuilt they reload and that young defense will be tested, by one of the most dynamic players in the country, Denard Robinson.  Can Denard mix in some big plays with his arm and stay healthy as he runs?  Those are big keys for the Wolverines success.



Worrisome Wolverine

Worrisome Wolverine: In the last four years, Michigan has done very well against average to poor defenses.  Can you remember them playing well and beating a team with a good defense?   



I'm concerned with two areas for the Wolverines: Wide Receiver and Defensive Line. Braylon Edwards and Mike Martin are not walking through that door.  Michigan is using their talented #2 QB at WR, which tells you he is a great athlete and Michigan is in trouble at WR.  Roy Roundtree has struggled in Big Al's offense and the only other guys around are small slot guys (Gallon and Dileo), freshman (Darboh and Chesson) and un-proven guys (Robinson and Miller).   Michigan needs to find one of those guys to change a few games like Hemingway did a year ago.  Would Michigan have won the Sugar Bowl without Junior?  The answer is no.    TE is even scarier with Brandon Moore and two true freshman (Funchees and Williams).    I think Funchess has a huge upside and could be a factor later this year.  Michigan WR's had issues separating from VT's DB's in the Sugar Bowl, this will continue to be a problem against Alabama's DB's.  

Memo to all Michigan WR's:  Hang on to the ball.  We can't afford drops in this game.

Michigan's un-proven new D-line vs. Alabama's "first round" offensive line is a miss-match on paper.  Hopefully Greg Mattison has some special sauce mixed up for Saturday night. 

Tale of The Tape:

Running Denard vs Bama D = Denard
Bama O line vs Michigan D line = Bama
Passing Denard vs Bama's DB's = Push
Big Game Jitters vs Big Game Experience = Bama
Shoot out vs low scoring = Low Scoring helps Michigan as a 14 pt dog

Michigan has struggled against good teams.  They beat Virgina Tech but the Hokies pretty much dominated the game.  They were more athletic and Alabama will be as well.  Michigan is not the team they were in the Sugar Bowl either, they lost a ton on the defensive line and at guys that "catch the ball".   Michigan best runner is playing QB (best RB could be is suspended) and it's second best QB is playing WR, that could equal trouble. 

Sing Hail to the Victors if.........

• Denard goes off running and throwing
• Big Al and Greg Mattison game plan is "genius worthy"
• Fitz plays and goes over a 100 yards
• Michigan's D line holds up
• One of the WR's steps up and has a big day with a couple huge plays.
• The game comes down to Gibbons thinking about "brunette girls"

Yell out, I HAVE ALWAYS HATED SABAN if........

• Michigan runs into a brick wall on defense.
• The D line struggles and gives up a ton of big runs
• Michigan WR's can't get any separation
• Denard has zero time to throw or find holes to run

Don't forget that Saban hates Michigan for dominating him at State.  If he has a chance to run it up on the Wolverines he will.   I expect both teams to struggle a bit early on offense and then settle down in the second quarter.   A low score/defensive battle is good for the Wolverines to stay close and maybe steal one in the end.   I will give you a name of a guy that could be the difference in this game:  Will Hagerup.  If he can boom some 60 yard+ punts, he can help the Wolverines flip the field.  I like the Wolverines chances much better on 9/1 then in December or January. 

Bottom line:  Neither team knows what they have yet.  We know enough to assume Bama is better then Michigan at this point. 

Alabama 24  Michigan 13

Go Blue!

Michigan Monday: EJ's Final 3

EJ Levenberry is going to make his announcement at 3:00 tomorrow.  His finals 3 are Michigan, FSU and Oklahoma.  EJ has shut down all interviews until his announcement and most insiders feel it's a Michigan and FSU battle to the finish.  

Two signs that could point to a Maize and Blue decision is that EJ was planning to make an announcement later in his recruitment (we have heard:  August, after the season or at the Army All American game) and just moved it up to Tuesday.   Michigan's class if filling up and EJ might have been left outside looking in if he waited and wanted to be Blue.  The second sign is he just visited Ann Arbor for the Spring Game and announced an announcement date less then a week later. 

The third could be this:

  

I like Michigan's chances but don't be surprised if he picks FSU either.

Update 2:00 EST:   Jimbo Fisher expected to be at EJ's school today and Shane Morris is recruiting him but says Michigan doesn't have EJ's projected major in Criminal Justice.  

• Both OSU and PSU started new programs this weekend.   OSU started the Meyer era and PSU started the O'Brien era.   I didn't watch either practice/scrimmage but it sounds like both programs have some work to do to be ready for early September. 

• I never liked the idea of playing Alabama in Jerry World.  Why give up a home game?  It didn't make much sense to me on any level.  I didn't see how Michigan would make money off the deal.   Brian at Mgoblog did some research and it shows Michigan isn't going to make as much money as they thought and it sounds like I was right, it's not going to be a good decision.   $400K to send the band down, isn't going to happen.  If you want to play Bama or another top school (NOT UCONN) sign a home and home contract.   It helps the local economy and your fans don't have to spend thousands of dollars to see their team play a top ranked opponent.  I'm all for continuing to spread the Michigan brand but I expected David Brandon would understand the dynamics of this situation a bit better.   Not to mention, Michigan is going to have a very difficult time moving the ball on Bama's defense and will not be picked to win the game.   Make less money, travel and get beat doesn't sound like a great business decision to me.  I would like our chances much better in the Big House.

Drew Henson Update

Per ESPN:

He recently got married on Turks and Caicos, with his close friend Keyshawn Johnson in the audience, and he'll soon announce a lucrative new project he's been working on.

I wonder what the lucrative deal is but he had the best QB skills I have ever seen under center for the Wolverines. It's ironic that the guy he was splitting time with might be considered one of the best QB's of all time in the NFL.

I know Drew still should have lots of money left from his time with the Yankees and Cowboys, but I hope the next phase of his life outside of sports is successful.

For what's it worth, Drew started college as a Freshmen with a couple of million dollars in his pocket from his first contract with the Yankees. Does it get any better then that? 5 star QB recruit with a few million in the bank and a freshman in college. Well done Drew. Well done.