Final thoughts on a special Michigan Big Ten Title weekend
Michigan capped an improbable bounce-back season with a 42-3 pummeling of Iowa in the Big Ten title game, one almost nobody saw coming.
Nobody outside Schembechler Hall, anyway.
The Wolverines bent a bit but never broke on defense, holding the Hawkeyes to a field goal despite allowing them into the red zone four times.
That’s been Mike Macdonald’s M.O. this year. Teams are going to move the ball at times in today’s college football. It’s inevitable. When the field shrinks, however — that’s when you earn your money as a D.C.
Hold teams to field goals instead of touchdowns and you’re going to have a chance to win.
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“They played a great game,” Ferentz said. “They’ve had an outstanding season. They’re just a really talented football team and they performed extremely well. They’ve been consistent all season long. So, hats off to them tonight, certainly.
“We knew this game would be a big challenge coming into it. I’ve got a lot of respect for what they’ve done this season. We knew we’d have to play our best and make some things go our way. And obviously that didn’t materialize … I think a lot of it was Michigan’s defense. They’re good. It’s a challenge. We had a lot of respect for them coming in. Even more now. Certainly, their defensive side, both sides, but their defense. We knew it was going to be tough, but we still thought we’d be able to come up with something. And obviously it didn’t work out the way we hoped.”
Ferentz, though, got every ounce of blood out of that turnip this year, and he always — always — handles his business with class. He’s 66 years old now and probably nearing the end of his tenure, and we’ll miss him.
The Iowa coach earned former coach Lloyd Carr’s respect when he visited late the Bo Schembechler in the hospital during one of the legendary Michigan coach’s heart surgeries. It wasn’t publicized, but it resonated in the building.
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That’s one of the reasons it was tough to see Michigan putting up points in the fourth quarter. Not that we blame Jim Harbaugh and Co., at all. Style points matter in this day and age, and U-M was playing for No. 1.
There were several backups on the field, too, and guys who deserved their moments. Freshman Donovan Edwards scored a touchdown, and veteran tight end Carter Selzer notched a catch and drew an end zone pass interference.
But the fourth quarter highlight for us was seeing Caden Kolesar, son of former U-M great receiver John Kolesar, notch a late pick. It wasn’t just the interception, but the team’s reaction to how jacked up the legacy was coming off the field.
It epitomized the love this team has for each other. As our Doug Skene said, it was noticeable, and it reminded him of the old days.
That era, more often than not, included championships …
CONTINUE READING in The Fort, TheWolverine.com’s premium message board forum: Monday Musings: Final Thoughts on U-M’s title run
