Tag: Michigan Football

Locked On Wolverines Podcast (Ep. 255): Michigan Mailbag!

It’s a slow week (despite the rivalry) but we still took 25 minutes to answer all your Michigan football questions!

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It’s a little quiet, which is strange considering it’s Michigan – MSU week. But, we still take your questions and get a whole show out of it!

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Review: FOX Sports’ ‘Divided We Stand’ is must-see viewing for Michigan – MSU fans

After getting an early glimpse of the new FOX Sports documentary on the Michigan – MSU rivalry, we share why it’s must-see TV.

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There are only a handful of states in the entire country that have more than one competing big-time, Power 5 conference football team. Sure, you can point to the Floridas and Texases and Californias of the world, but those states are much more expansive in population than the state of Michigan.

Yet, some 60 miles apart are the University of Michigan and Michigan State University — two institutions and athletic departments that have been at odds with one another since the inception of the latter.

FOX Sports Films, in association with Big Ten Network Originals, delved deep into the rivalry — a hatred that’s regional in variety, as it doesn’t get the same national headlines as The Game vs. Ohio State or like the preeminent in-state rivalry, Auburn vs. Alabama. Divided We Stand, which airs on Thursday, Nov. 14 at 11:00 p.m. EST on FS1, quickly whisks viewers back to how the rivalry started in earnest, what kept it going, and then how it’s only intensified in nature over the course of the past few decades, in both football and basketball.

Of course, for Michigan fans, some of the iconography isn’t pleasing. But to get some first-hand recaps from green and white legend T.J. Duckett on the ‘Spartan Bob’ play that won MSU the game in 2001, or even Wolverines QB Devin Gardner recounting the trials of the 2013-14 games in East Lansing, it makes for incredible storytelling.

Naturally, there’s a lots of incredible moments that also cater to Michigan fans. But when it comes to football, much of the focus is on the era that started with Mark Dantonio taking over the MSU program and the subsequent barbs traded by him and then-Wolverines running back Mike Hart.

While the ‘little brother’ moment might be rehashed somewhat, it doesn’t play as old, sterile news as it could have, given that every year when this game comes up, that moment is replayed like the story just broke. What adds to the moment are the reactions from former Wolverines such as Gardner or Jake Long — who was on that 2007 team.

But the documentary, which clocks in at 44 minutes of viewing time, isn’t solely focused on the football side.

Perhaps the most gripping part came on the basketball side of it all — though football certainly drives the narrative. While new Michigan head coach and Fab Fiver Juwan Howard does make his own talking head appearances, it was a welcome sight to see former head coach John Beilein — albeit weird to see him in Cleveland Cavaliers garb — talking about the rivalry, interspersed with similar moments with MSU’s Tom Izzo. There are two seminal moments with Beilein that showcase when U-M’s basketball program clearly ascended from the decade-long doldrums, including a wonderful teaching moment from Beilein to former forward DeShawn Sims.

The best part, however, was Izzo talking about Beilein after the latter’s surprise heart surgery, and how some things transcend sports rivalries.

MSU might have particular disdain for the ‘little brother’ moniker, and some certainly take exception to it. But moments such as these highlight that there is, indeed, a kindred nature to this rivalry, and that it’s not all about hate or disliking one another. As divided as the two programs are, and forever shall be, the existence of each helps to prop the other up, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Watch the premiere of Divided We Stand on FS1 at 11:00 p.m. EST.

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MSU vs. Michigan: Three Things To Watch

Michigan State faces off against interstate rival the Michigan Wolverines this weekend. Here are three things to watch in this game.

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The most intense week in the Michigan State football season is here. The Spartan Dawgs face off against interstate rival, the Michigan Wolverines at the Big House on Saturday, Nov. 16. Michigan is playing its best football so far and Michigan State is at an all-time low in the Mark Dantonio era.

Here are three things to watch in this game:

Gridiron Warfare

This game is going to be gritty and grimy. Both teams absolutely loathe one another. Mark Dantonio referred to Jim Harbaugh as “intense” earlier this week. Michigan DB Ambry Thomas said this game decides who is the big brother and who is the little sister. Personally, I’m not a fan of his rhetoric, but, it points to the intensity of this rivalry game.

Both the players and fans are heavily invested in this game’s outcome. Both teams are going to lay it all on the line. What else does MSU have to play for this year? The Michigan rivalry game is the last chance for the Spartans to salvage any positive sentiments for this season. On the other hand, the Wolverines want to make a statement against Michigan State.

The QB Battle

Shea Patterson and Brian Lewerke are the Spiderman meme in which two Spidermen point at one another. They are one in the same. Both are athletic QB’s that put their heads down and run while also having a pretty strong throwing arm. Note, both QB’s suffer from the same issue: inaccuracy.

Through nine games, Lewerke has thrown for 2,102 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 55.7 completion percentage. On the other hand, Patterson has thrown for 1,773 yards and 12 touchdowns with a 57.2 completion percentage. What’s the difference? Lewerke has thrown three more interceptions than Patterson. The QB matchup is pretty even. Whoever plays better will lead their team to victory.

Michigan State’s Receiver Core

Mark Dantonio recently revealed that TE Matt Dotson is out for the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles. Michigan State is still without WR Darrell Stewart as well. These are two huge holes in their receiver core. So far, Stewart has tallied up 694 yards on only 47 receptions along with four touchdowns to boot. He has been a quintessential part of the Spartan’s offense.

Note, Michigan State sees the return of sophomore WR CJ Hayes. Hayes is back after an injury kept him out for a few weeks. Luckily, I think Hayes can easily replace Stewart. All the while, Cody White has stepped up big time in the past few games. Look for both White & Hayes to have a big game if MSU has a chance to win.

Tune in at 12 P.M. this Saturday on Fox to catch this game. Cheer on the Spartans, they certainly need it.

Stay locked on SpartansWire for more coverage to come.

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Why Michael Barrett has been able to make an impact on special teams fakes

The second-year Wolverine has converted on two big fake punt plays this season.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Twice now, Michigan has lined up for a punt, the offense having stalled, and twice it’s managed to move the chains, thanks to second-year player Michael Barrett.

The Valdosta (GA) high school quarterback has now converted on fourth down using both his arm and his legs, with a 25-yard pass in Week Two against Army to freshman phenom Daxton Hill, and a 14-yard scamper in the last game at Maryland, to keep a drive going which ended in a Michigan touchdown.

So, why has he been so effective on that front?

His special teams coordinator Chris Partridge broke down Barrett’s skill set and ability on Wednesday, noting that when the Wolverines find themselves in a particular situation, they’re comfortable putting the ball in Barrett’s hands.

“He’s a former quarterback, Georgia state player of the year at quarterback,” Partridge said. “Recruited to be a P.P. (punter protector) here – I’m just kidding! I tell him that all the time!

“The bottom line, with fakes for us, they have to present it to us and we’ve gotta play complementary football, right? We’re not gonna get all carried away and doing crazy stuff. But if they present the opportunity and our team presents the opportunity, within playing complementary football on offense and defense, we want to be able take advantage of that opportunity. We’ve gotten two opportunities to do that, and Michael Barrett has executed them, because he’s comfortable with the ball in his hands.”

The Barrett-to-Hill play was decided when Army decided to not cover the flank, leaving Hill wide open for a potential pass and an easy first down and more. Two weeks ago, the situation presented itself for him to run up the middle and he took it.

Quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels doesn’t have a lot of experience working with Barrett, as his offensive presence lasted momentarily when he first arrived on campus in 2018, billed as an ‘offensive weapon.’ But, soon after, he was moved to defense, where he’s become a backup VIPER.

Still, he’s finding a way to make an impact where he can, and the coaching staff feels like he is a capable playmaker in that regard.

“It’s awesome – he’s a great kid,” McDaniels said. “He’s worn a lot of hats in our building. It’s really neat to see him be an integral part of what we’re doing. On special teams, on defense – spent some time on offense early in his career. He’s a great kid that represents us well.”

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How Michigan is preparing for potentially frigid temperatures vs. MSU

How the Wolverines are preparing for potentially frigid temperatures on Saturday.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan already has some experience this season when it comes to dealing with the elements, but on Saturday, it’ll be a different type of game that the Wolverines are dealing with.

Three weeks ago, against Notre Dame, it was a veritable deluge, a monsoon that soaked the field at Michigan Stadium for a solid two-plus quarters, and the maize and blue seemed to relish the opportunity. Despite the offense’s seeming inability to run the ball at will, it did just that, en route to a 45-14 win over the rival Fighting Irish.

With that particular situation, the team embraced the situation. But this weekend, when Michigan hosts another rival in MSU, it’ll be another entirely, as the forecast currently calls for it to be sunny with a potential high of 31-degrees Fahrenheit in Ann Arbor, with lows around 16-degrees.

But, given what the maize and blue have played in already, the team is ready for it, and it’s a credit to the demeanor of the head coach, special teams and safeties coach Chris Partridge says.

“Coach does a really good job of going in and out and going outside,” Partridge said. “It was great yesterday, I don’t think it sucks. I mean, we’re in Michigan, we’re not gonna say, ‘Oh, it’s gonna be warm!’ We’re gonna go out and we’re gonna deal with it. I think that’s important for the players, too. It’s like, ‘Okay, well, it’s cold out. So, we’re gonna stay inside the whole time?’ No, we play in Michigan. This is what it is, so go out there and enjoy it.

“I didn’t hear one complaint, I didn’t hear anything. We were in and out and we rolled and that’s it. Probably could have dressed myself a little warmer!”

The early November blizzard seems to have come and gone, with Monday being Southeast Michigan’s day of reckoning on that front. But with it being likely clear of precipitation, the staff isn’t making any special preparations for the potential cold.

“I don’t think cold weather factors much into a game plan,” quarterbacks coach Ben McDaniels said. “The precipitation does, the rain certainly did a couple weeks ago – there’s no doubt about that. Snow is less of a factor than rain typically is, in my opinion. You just try to pay attention to the forecast, you hope that they’re right as you’re building your plan through the week. If they’re wrong, you adjust as late as you have to adjust. That’s what we get paid to do.”

With the way the Wolverines played against Notre Dame, some would argue that perhaps inclement weather could be a good thing for this Michigan team.

So why was it such a successful outing in what were certainly terrible conditions?

Like Coach Harbaugh, Partridge says, the team barely acknowledged the monsoon as it was happening. Instead, it just focused on what it could control and went from there.

“We just embrace it – they’re gonna follow our lead,” Partridge said. “I said to (Coach Harbaugh after Notre Dame), ‘That’s the best we ever –’ I actually said it to someone before the game, when we came off the field: ‘That’s our best warmup I’ve ever seen.’ They went out there and literally didn’t notice the cold, the rain, nothing. They just warmed up like it was nothing. And it’s probably because we just embraced it, like, ‘Oh, it’s raining out.’ What are we just gonna stay inside all day? No! Go out there and throw the ball around. Go back inside, don’t talk about it, don’t complain about it – just go.

“I think that’s a big factor and that’s really Jim’s personality. He can walk outside and everyone else will be like, ‘Damn, it’s pouring out!’ and he’s coaching his butt off, not even noticing it’s raining. You’re like, ‘Does this guy even know it’s raining and freezing?!’ But the team gains that personality of who coaches it, that’s who they become. So we went out at Notre Dame and I don’t even know if anybody noticed it was raining.

“Besides me – special teams, it’s windy, it’s raining. I never used to have to care about this stuff!”

“I just thought our guys were excited for the game,” McDaniels added. “I thought they were excited for the environment. I thought it showed. I don’t know if any of us cared what the weather was or how bad the rain was. We were excited for that game, and I think that showed, too.”

So, at the moment, the team can expect to be dry on Saturday, but the cold is a different story.

While the team will adjust to the weather accordingly, the primary focus is multiple, but the same as it’s always been: execute the game plan while taking care of the football.

“My experience is cold is cold,” McDaniels said. “It’s gotta get pretty darn cold to factor in, in my opinion. Some guys wear gloves, some guys don’t. That’s a topic of discussion for quarterbacks. My experience coaching guys and some playing experience, once you get running around, you get pretty comfortable and used to the environment. Those frigid, frigid temperatures might affect, at some point, your ability to hold the ball. The feel of the ball is different once it gets colder-colder. But we should be in great shape for this weekend.”

Michigan and Michigan State will kickoff at noon EST on Saturday at The Big House with the game nationally televised on FOX.

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Michigan hyper-prepared for MSU special teams trickery

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – If there’s one place where Michigan is certainly on high-alert for Michigan State this Saturday, it’s the Spartans’ penchant for trick plays on special teams. The mishandling of a snap in 2015 not included, there are several key …

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — If there’s one place where Michigan is certainly on high-alert for Michigan State this Saturday, it’s the Spartans’ penchant for trick plays on special teams.

The mishandling of a snap in 2015 not included, there are several key plays that MSU has had over the years on the third unit that have given the Spartans a lot of key success. So, naturally, for special teams coordinator Chris Partridge, the preparation for Saturday’s matchup requires a little bit of reverse engineering, taking a look at how and where MSU might attack the Wolverines in that light and knowing how to handle those situations should the Spartans attack in-kind.

“Really, it’s about, we have to look at what our weaknesses might be and how they might attack them,” Partridge said. “That’s the first and foremost. Then we have to look at what they do, trick play or not, we’ve gotta prepare for everything. But yeah, we just have to make sure our eyes are disciplined and we’re ready for anything they can throw at us and be ready to understand the situations they could throw at us and go from there. But it’s really looking at ourselves and how they can attack any of our weaknesses and then looking at what they’ve done and what their strengths are and how they can try to do something like that.”

Doing that is one thing, but knowing what might be coming is another.

Partridge & Co. are being quite fastidious when it comes to studying what MSU likes to do on that front, going all the way back to the beginning of the Mark Dantonio era to study the team’s tendencies when it comes to trickeration.

That doesn’t mean that every past situation is replicated in practice, but the team is well aware of what could be should MSU decide to trot out a surprise special teams play.

“Michigan – Michigan State – 12 years ago, they ran a fake punt or something – we’ve seen it all,” Partridge said. “We’ve seen every fake punt that they’ve run, probably, for 12 years. We’ve seen all their trickery on field goal. We watch it all. We’re not gonna practice it all, but we’re gonna make sure we’re aware of all of it.”

But not every play in that light is different. Some are wildly different, Partridge notes, pointing out that the field goal tricks all have different looks. But the fake punts are something that MSU tends to use out of the same formation and look.

In that light, Michigan has to be ready, because if MSU does pull out some kind of fake or trickery, it’s likely due to the level of success that the Spartans feel they could have against a particular look.

“The last three fake punts are exactly the same,” Partridge said. “They’re the exact same one. The field goal stuff has been quite different. But they’ve run some different fake punts as well, but the last three have been the same. Again, opportunities presented themselves. They’re not going out there – I don’t know if people are saying, ‘Hey, there’s a trick play,’ – they’re not going out there doing crazy stuff for no reason. When you watch their fakes, they’re executing them because the opportunity presented itself from what the the other team was doing. It’s smart coaching, it’s smart football on their part, I believe.”

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