What's Being Said: The Utah Fallout

We haven't done this yet this season, but with this latest loss to Utah, I think its time to have a look at what is being said about this Michigan squad by the various M blogs on the interwebs.

Buckle up folks.

MVictors:

Son of a BISCUIT I want these guys to turn this around.  It’s a little odd to me because I still see the pieces of a decent team but the results are a wreck.  Yesterday – with a the exception of a few breakdowns I thought the defense played pretty damn well (Jake Ryan – Manster.  Jourdan Lewis – fun to watch).  Derrick Green, when he was in there, looked like a seasoned back – he was patient and found the holes.  And once again, we outgained our opponent yet failed to score a TD.

Gardner.  I don’t know what I’d do with 98.  He’s losing confidence with every interception – he’s becoming more tentative and locking on.  That’s fine against Miami but we’re not going to out-athlete the rest of the schedule.  If you bench him now I just wonder if that’s a point of no return for his confidence.

UMGoBlue:

This defeat will linger awhile.  It was a milestone failure, the second loss against another of the better of its preseason opponents. It doesn’t appear this team is prepared for Big Ten success for the season.

This was supposed to be the game in which we could finally prognosticate future success. Its outcome was supposed to provide data so we would know what the future might hold for these Wolverines.

Would it be 10-2 or 3, or something like 7-5, or 6-6?  It seems to me the data is pretty clear now.  This is a team on the mat.  Down but not out?  It sure seems unlikely.

Maize & Brew:

When it rains, it pours.

The defense outscored the offense. The offense did not reach the redzone once again.

In short, that describes Michigan's woeful 26-10 loss to Utah on Saturday. The Wolverines (2-2), who had a very similar showing offensively like it did against Notre Dame, once again out-gained Utah (3-0) 308-286 and failed to reach the redzone.

Despite a lengthy rain delay late in the fourth quarter, the only thing that was delayed was the inevitable, the final score.

MGoblog:

Maize & Go Blue:

It took more than two hours longer than expected, but the result was what no one rooting for the maize and blue wanted. No, that’s not a riddle; it describes Michigan’s 26-10 loss to Utah on Saturday, although Michigan’s offense remains a riddle no one except opposing defenses can solve.

For the second time in three weeks, Michigan’s offense failed to run a play in the opponent’s red zone and failed to score a touchdown, this time resulting in a 16-point loss despite out-gaining the Utes 308-286. The game was delayed two-and-a-half hours midway through the fourth quarter, but the outcome remained the same and Michigan fell to 2-2.

Touch the Banner:

Every team is a threat now. There are no "gimme" games on the schedule. Minnesota, Rutgers, Indiana, Northwestern, Maryland, they're all capable of beating Michigan. If you are not absolutely terrible on defense, Michigan might not be able to get into the red zone. I do think things will improve because I believe in Doug Nussmeier, and Devin Gardner improved throughout the 2013 season as well. Like the Notre Dame game, Michigan outgained the opponent (308 to 286) but couldn't find the consistency to put together a touchdown drive. At some point the plays will come together consistently enough to put offensive touchdowns on the board against decent teams, but if Brady Hoke wants to keep his job, it has to happen soon.

MGoVideo:

Any hope that the Notre Dame game was just some funky aberration and that Michigan would challenge for the Big Ten Championship is now gone. So what’s left? A futile struggle for bowl eligibility? Evaluating underclassmen to see who might be able to contribute next year or next next year? Endless coaching search drama? This feels like rock bottom, and I can’t see any way for it to get better any time soon.