Friday 11 November 2011

Illinois Prediction

I finally got round to watching the Iowa footage, and it wasn't as bad as first thought. Denard, although woeful on the deep pass, didn't appear to play that bad. However he could struggle this Saturday against a pretty decent Illinois defense.

Before the season I had this down as a loss, and I'm actually going to stick with that prediction. Illinois has lost three straight games, but they got a bye week to refocus and heal up; they'll come out firing at home and take a quick lead.

I like Michigan's D, but I don't think they'll be able to handle the option run of Illinois whilst trying to contain A.J Jenkins, at least not for four quarters on the road. On offense, Michigan will have to deal with the NCAA's lead sack specialist, Whitney Mercilus, who is likely to cause our RT all kinds of problems. I think Illinois will get pressure on Denard, and force him into some bad throws, and turnovers.

Prediction: Michigan 20; Illinois 24

55 comments:

  1. Unfortunately I agree with this prediction..if we cant win another game do we even get a New Year's Day Bowl??

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  2. We'll definitely win another game. Unbeaten at home.

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  3. Agree but sadly i think we loose 31-17 and Denard gets benched... Coachs continue to try and run pro set most of the game...

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  4. Benji,
    I agree. I do hope I am wrong.

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  5. Man no faith in michigan the defense will win this game michigan D is better than illinois they win tomorrow 35 21 then finish beating corn suckers and nut suckers GO BLUE

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  6. I have faith in them, just not on the road!

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  7. UM needs to either rip the bandage off in the off season and go with the pro style offence all the time or go all spread. UM needs to find out weather DR can be the QB they want or start getting DG ready to play. And I am not saying this to start another debut about DR and DG. UM can't get the freshmen and future commits ready if you can't make up your mind on which offence to run. It will only hurt the team. Now that being said I believe the coaches did a graet job of getting the team ready to play this year on a short schedule and will go to work in the off season on getting everyone ready to play next year.

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  8. Crazy, yes I know but I had this one picked pre-season as a 35-31 win. I'm still inclined to think we win by 4 but possibly with a lower score.
    1) I believe that our D keeps us in it again
    2) I think they let Denard go a little more

    We need this win. Last week was what I believed was our best shot at a win. Nebraska and tSIO will not be cake walks even at home.

    Recruiting: With tSIO being hit with Fail to Monitor and already one decommit from PSU will we pick up any of their commits.

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  9. Benji,

    Can UM ask a couple of current commits to greyshirt and take a couple of other commits? I do not think they will just asking? You know thinking out of the box on this. Man I sound like a SEC fan.LOL

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  10. There's no way any commit will grayshirt...

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  11. I now but with all these guys that may decommit it makes me wonder. What about Washington and Stanford? Any word on them?

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  12. Jer

    I believe they can. They can also drop a few of the commits that they have by yanking offers. They just won't. They will continue to do the right thing. We won't pull schollies, bad mouth braille trained referees, publicly chastise under performing players, develop their own secret formulas for calculating GPA's, support $75/hr lawn cutting jobs, or create public transit where football players shuttle friends and other students around in SUV's with spinners. We're screwed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  13. I was just seeing if they could not that they would.

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  14. Jer....I know. I'm picking up where you left off with the humour. I happen to know that you are one of the intelligent bloggers out here. On a serious note I hope that Hoke, the coaches, players and the University continue to take the high road in all that they do. Give me 9 and 3 and a bowl game with my integrity intact over a morally corrupt NC any day.

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  15. Illinois is on a 3 game loosing steak and it will continue Saturday. Michigan will win this game with ease. DR will run for 100 yards along with Fitz T. Final prediction 31-14.

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  16. GBN,
    Thanks.

    I am sure that the UM coaching staff will continue to take the high road.

    I just wanted to put this out there because I live in Florida. How funny would it be if Al Golden took the PSU job screwing Miami after Miami screwed him with all of the scandal that they told him about after he took the job.

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  18. This DetNews article from Sam Webb makes it sound like Stefon Diggs really really likes UM, and has the battle down to Cal and UM. It even sounds like UM may have easily landed him had he not had academic issues. This would be an awesome commit - consensus top three receiver, and top 15 overall. I hope its as realisitic as it sounds.

    http://bleacherreport.com/tb/bc1hN

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  19. I think we win this game, I also believe the coaches will use more DR type plays to give us a better chance of finishing the season well. I'm still not real confident for Nebraska or OSU but am hopeful final score prediction 34-24 with DR doing much damage with his legs.

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  20. @mgojake I read that to it does sound like diggs wants to come to michigan maybe the coaches want him more than jordan payton and let payton know it that's why he hasn't picked a school yet notre dame could be his second choice if michigan gets diggs I hope

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  21. MGoJake,
    I read that to. If Sam Webb believe UM stands a good chance at landing him I believe it.

    Goblueinohio,
    You may have hit the nail on the head about Payton. But I would still like him in this class too.

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  22. I would rather finish off the recruiting trail with Diggs(which the article does seem VERY promising) Madris, Wright, and either a OL or Thompson.
    As for a prediction I believe turnovers will decide this game. Michigan wins 31-21.

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  23. The last 4 in this class will be Darboh,Dunn,Wright and Diggs.Mark it down.

    Michigan beats Zook 31-24.Loss to Neb 34-17 and beats Ohio 24-21

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  24. I really like everything I see of Diggs and I think his close friendship with Blake Countess who is clearly emerging as a shutdown corner for us may very well put us over the top. It really helps considering that he's concerned about improving himself off the field too...academically we're definitely among the best of the big time football programs.

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  25. I'd love to see us close out with Diggs and Darboh...talk about crazy speed at the WR position!

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  26. anyone hear about pharaoh brown expecting to play TE when he gets to UM? if that does happen how do you think it affects the coach's decisions on who to target as the trail wraps up? maybe try and target a DL for one of our final spots? Does this possibly push AJ Williams to OL?

    @worm why do you believe we still get Dunn? I figured the coaches gave up on him and thats why we offered Johnson. I just can't see the coaches giving out another RB spot when we have positions of other need. Unless they plan on moving some of our RB's to other positions?

    Hell ill be happy as long as we pull in Diggs, and Wright

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  27. I think that is definitely a pretty strong rumor at this point @Bendy. I've seen a lot of Pharaoh moving to TE and Williams has been tearing it up on the O-line from what I've seen. I think Drake Johnson could definitely move to a WR position...he shows good hands out of the backfield and has track star speed. He's got decent size too (about the same size as Madaris and Diggs), which means we would only have to wait on Payton, Darboh, Diggs, Madaris, Powe, or Chesson to fill one WR position. This would open things up for other positions like Dunn if he wants to decommit following the failure to monitor/control charge. If this is the case, we have what 4 positions left...so any of the WRs we're looking at...I would definitely prefer Diggs if it's only one of them. Followed by Dunn, Wright and maybe Thompson or another d-lineman. BTW I personally don't care for Stanford and Washington...neither has shown that much interest of late and I would like to see more speed coming in at the WR position...

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  28. Drake Johnson is more of a 3rd down back/wr/return guy more than a power back like Dunn is. Dunn has already said Drake committing has no effect on his choice. I don't think he will make the switch till signing day or right before it. Diggs may wait that long but I'd a\say he will commit by X-Mas. Wright will commit on his visit or shortly after and the same goes for Darboh.

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  29. honestly if i were done I would switch/decommit the sooner the better...look at how the OSU news is basically going unnoticed because of the PSU situation. You could definitely make the argument that Drake and Dunn would be a nice thunder and lightning combo...

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  30. I think the only reason Dunn is waiting and will wait till the end is because he saw how the bucknut fans treated Kalis after he switched. I feel for Dunn because I really believe he likes OSU a lot but he knows the troubles that team is going to have 2 to 3 years from now.

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  31. Wouldn't Houma be more of that power running back? Or was he recruited for the FB roll? I also feel for Dunn. I live in Ohio and take alot of bs and im only a fan. But wouldn't dragging out his recruiting process only make it worse? Hell look at the crap Boren took. I would just think the quicker he got the switch over the better.

    Also i heard PSU had a decommit. Does anyone know who it was? If reeves or schutt decommit do we have a chance at them again? Also Noah Spence tweeted PSU was a "no no no" for him now. Do we have a shot at Spence? I would love to wrap up this class with like 4 top 50 recruits.

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  32. Bendy the decommit from PSU was Joey O'Connor...4 star o-lineman. He was the top prospect for their recruiting class. He's 105th on the ESPNu top 150. I don't think we ever offered him...

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  33. I was wrong about Dunn waiting till singing day,he is going to enroll early so expect him to commit in early mid Dec. There is still a chance he stay's with OSU but I think its 60-40 he comes over to the good side. There really isnt anybody commited to PSU that UM is considering.

    @Bendy you are right that Houma is coming in as a fullback.

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  34. I will add one last thing. If getting Dunn keeps us from getting Ty Isaac I would rather have Isaac. Dunn is a great player but I think Isaac is a total game changer,like a Eric Dickerson or more recently Reggie Bush. Isaac is a big dude that is FAST! I think the kid is a future top 10 pick.

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  35. After calculating season averages, formulating potential matchups, the influence of road games, playing after losses, and the weather I have come to the scientific conclusion that I am a Homer and Michigan will win by a bajillion to -3,968 and the game will be called in the early 3rd quarter due to lightning.

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  36. Worm, I think Dunn is no longer planning to enroll early.

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  37. Morning Michigan fans,

    Dunn said he was not enrolling early now but that may change if he goes blue.

    I think there will be a couple of position changes for next year. Brown we know will move to TE, Jeremy Clark may move to WR. This would be a good move for the short term. A.J. Williams
    will most likely move to O line if he can bulk up that would be a good move as well. Specially if UM does not want to add another O line recruit in this class. Devin Funchess would make another outstanding WR 6-4 and 200+lbs. Look for some of these moves to happen. This is just what I think can happen.

    I still don't get the Drake offer. I know there will most likely be a couple of transers in the off season from Cox and Hopkins. But he you still have your sights set on Dunn and a few guys next year. I don't get it. But I do believe in the coaches.

    UM has not offered O'Connor. As for stanford and Washington not sure Hoke wants either one of them. I was just throwing it out there earlier.

    If UM has 4 spots remaining I hope for 1 WRs Diggs, Yuri Wright and a D linemen. I say a DL because if Brown moves to TE UM will be a man down on D. And last Dunn but I think he will be a last minute commit. He will hold out til the end for OSU.

    GO BLUE

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  38. Benji,

    Should UM go after RB Wes Brown? And OSU commit cornerback Devan Bogard? I here he is a beast.

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  39. You may be right on some of those moves but if a safety is moving to WR I would think it would be Gant and not Clark who is a true free safety. Gant has put up some nice #'s at wr this season. I really thought UM was out with Diggs but the more I have heard the more I like our chances.

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  40. LOL @ Koger trying to stretch out for the end zone...that just looked funny...btw Touissant and the o-line are straight ballin today...

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  41. that stop was more of the bad snap

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  42. there goal line play calling is definitely suspect again...

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  43. This is tough to watch... Illinois played worst half of any div 1 program and we are up14.... horrible half

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  44. The D has been played outstanding up until this point.

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  45. Give the defense some credit they are kicking there ass defense wins championships GO BLUE

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  46. geeze...throwing off the back foot needs to be stopped...

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  47. yeah honestly...i'm totally happy with the team as a whole today...D is showing up big time and no huge plays on special teams yet...i'd like to see some points out of the kicking game at least with all those red zone trips...don't understand why we went on 4th and goal in the first half with what would have been a chip shot for Gibbons...maybe if he would have gotten a kick in early he would have hit the 38 yarder...

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  48. this will be a very nervous last 12 minutes of the game...hope our D can hold...

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  49. lol nevermind...just as i was writing that Floyd nearly had a pick 6...go BLUE

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  50. anyone go to see the Cass Tech vs. De la Salle game...Shane Morris did not have a good game at all...wondering how much of that had to do with Terry Richardson and RJS...

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  51. How do you give up 4th & 26 to their MAIN guy that they've thrown to half the day?!

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