Michigan Wolverines @ Notre Dame Fighting Irish Football Preview

“Nothing like a football Saturday.” That’s the thought that continuously ran through my head after a surprising and exhilarating victory over the Connecticut Huskies. While standing in the student section and cheering my heart out for the Maize and Blue, I tuned into the usual disapproval for Rich Rodriguez and the Michigan football that has become a plague over the past three seasons now. One problem, the disapproval was non-existent.

Michigan thrashed the Huskies on the back of Denard Robinson who put up Heisman quality numbers (19-22 passing for 186 yards and 29 carries for 197 yards). Now this all sounds a little too familiar right? Last year, Tate Forcier led the Wolverines to an opening day victory, went on to beat Notre Dame in stylish and clutch fashion, started the season 5-0 and then tanked. So some people are thinking, “Well, this is going to be a repeat of last season. Hello 5-7.” Wrong. The flashes of this team finally turning around are becoming evident and more importantly, the play calling by the coaches has improved drastically.

This momentum needs to carry over into the Notre Dame game down in South Bend. Touchdown Jesus may be raising his arms to signal Michigan touchdowns galore if Denard Robinson can perform to the same caliber of sheer excellence. Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly has been trying to figure out a way to practice the simulation of a versatile quarterback like Denard Robinson, but how can a team prepare to face him? No one can run like him at the quarterback position in the nation. Notre Dame has a fairly solid run defense anchored by their linebackers and the most crucial way for them to slow down the explosiveness of the Michigan offense is to only allow minimal yardage on first down. Denard will be forced to pass, but this is where the Rich Rodriguez play calling comes in. Last season Denard was given long passing plays and not allotted the time to develop real confidence in his arm. After an offseason of improving his accuracy and also the use of screens, quick slants, and a couple strikes down field including a beautiful pump fake into a lead lob pass, the passing game should continue to work so long as Rich Rod keeps the play calling smart.

The Wolverines need to slow down Notre Dame running back Armando Allen. Allen has a great deal of speed and the front seven of Michigan led by Mike Martin, Craig Roh, Obi Ezeh, and Jonas Mouton need to up the pressure and attack the run game viciously. The passing defense will be challenged since everyone in the nation knows that the secondary is the Wolverines biggest weakness. But, Dayne Crist is another new young quarterback and still needs to develop some passing consistency. Sometimes he throws well and other times he looks very uncomfortable. If Mike Martin, Craig Ron, and Ryan Van Bergen break off the line and win the trench warfare to put passing pressure on Crist, it will greatly assist the secondary in play making.

Bottomline, Michigan needs Denard to dominate again and the rest of the season. The rest of Wolverines can ride his momentum and leadership on the field and increase their level of play, too.

So this season sounds the same. High hopes, a young quarterback performing well, week 1 Heisman trophy talks, a weak defense, running on electricity from the quarterbacking position, and talks of a 5-0 start all float around the Michigan football world. But, I expect different this year, it feels different, the team looks different, the coaching is different, the fans atmosphere is different, the quarterback is different, and Michigan is different. If Michigan can come away from South Bend with a victory and come back home to win against Massachusetts and Bowling Green and roll into Bloomington, Indiana to beat the Hoosiers, we are looking at 5-0 again. We need wins now before the season really heats up with Iowa, Penn State, Wisconsin and the dreaded Ohio State Buckeyes. Sitting at the “#26” spot in the polls, a win propels Michigan into the top 25.

Watch the young talent and the two teams troubled over the last few years emerge on their climb back to superiority. Notre Dame is the favorite, but I like the Wolverines. This will be a fun game to watch.

Prediction: Michigan 28, Notre Dame 24

Go Blue!

By: Lee Schechter
Big Ten Fans Michigan Wolverines Correspondent