A Mental Block

David Guralnick, DET News 

Football coaches do a great job at teaching kids how to run block, block down field, pass protect, and cut block, but can they address a mental block?  My guess is no, Jimmy is known to solve all the world's problems with a NJ Strip and a glass of milk.

This team/program has a mental block when they play on the road and maybe even when they play at night.   Michigan is clearly uncomfortable in any situation that is not a noon kick at the Big House.  I would say, it must have something to do with Harbaugh, but this issue was here well before he even got to Ann Arbor.

Even Joel Klatt from Fox said, Michigan didn't even warm up well and wasn't sharp.   Usually this is an offensive problem but for Michigan it effects both sides of the ball.  The defense tonight gave up 17 points in the first half and 21 at ND.    In the second half of both of games, 3 total points.

Jimmy and staff is going to have to change up some things, maybe even bring someone in to exercise the road and night demons.

Cheers:

• 2nd half defense
• Paye and Winovich 
• Shea scrambling for first downs 
• Higdon for +100 yards 
• Fighting back for a win after being down 17
• Michigan fans in attendance - Truuuuuuu
• I thought the offensive line played really well 
• Uche sack to seal the game
• Will Hart's Punting! 

Jeers:

• Big Ten officials
• The holding call from Mars! 
• Gary has a shoulder injury
• Sleep walking in the first half 
• Can't stop the quick slant pass 
• Too many penalties 11
• McKeon dropped pass 

Playing on the road is never easy, but Michigan seems to make even more difficult.   Michigan will not beat MSU or OSU on the road playing like they did today.   This staff has to figure this out if they are going to reach their goals of a Big Ten Championship.  

A win is a win and Michigan got one today, no matter how it looked.  

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/09/a-mental-block.html

Northwestern Preview

Time: 4:30 EST
Location: Ryan Field
Weather: 58, rain later
TV: Fox
Line: Michigan -14

Normally, bye weeks are time to heal and work on areas of weakness on your team.  Northwestern is coming off a bye but suffered a significant loss when their top offensive player Jeremy Larkin had to retire due to a spine condition.   Michigan off course, is hitting the road for the second time after 3 straight wins at home.

Tale of the Tape:
Mich WR's vs. NW DB's = Michigan
NW Offense vs. Mich D = Michigan
Mich OLine vs. NW DLine = Push
Intangibles = Northwestern
Talent = Michigan

If you look at this game on paper, its a miss-match.   Northwestern has struggled with injuries since their win on the road at Purdue, their tackles have been banged up and they just surprisingly lost their top weapon on offense.  That doesn't look good when you are facing a top defensive line and a Don Brown defense.

The flip side is Northwestern does have a veteran QB in Clayton Thorson and coming off a bye week where they were able to prepare for Michigan for two weeks.  They're also in need of a big win and one over the Wolverines would fit the bill.

Think, can I catch a Cubs game while I'm here if...…………

• Michigan's Oline plays like they did last week
• Higdon goes off again 
• Shea and the WR's are taking advantage of NW's DB's
• Michigan plays well on the road 
• Gary and Winovich continue to pressure Thorson non-stop
• The Missile is shutting down the running game

Yell, why are these damn games so close if...………….

• Michigan continues to struggle on the road 
• Northwestern is pulling out trick plays 
• Michigan thinks the 4:30 start is actually a night game 
• Northwestern is able to gain yards in the run game 

We know that Pat Fitzgerald is a good coach and will have his team ready.  Before their two game losing streak, Northwestern had the top win streak in the country, after finishing with 8 straight wins last year.   The Wildcats are known for starting slow and finishing fast.    

Michigan has a clear advantage on both sides of the ball.  Losing Larkin is a huge deal as their backups haven't seen a ton of snaps this year.   The best news for Northwestern would be if their two offensive tackles are healthy after the bye week.   If they are still injured, Winovich and Gary will have a field day at Ryan Field.  

Northwestern is not terrible on defense as the offense gave up 3 TD's in the loss to Akron.  They will do what every defense does against Michigan, stack the box to stop the run and let Shea Patterson and the Michigan WR's beat them.   The goal for Northwestern is to keep the game close, the goal for Michigan is to end the game early. 

Michigan 31 Northwestern 10

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/09/northwestern-preview.html

Big Ten Week 5 Preview

Its a no brainer which is the best Big Ten game this week.  Ohio State travels to Happy Valley a place where they have been snake bitten before.   This is the big night game and probably the best game in the Big Ten until Michigan meets Wisconsin in Week 7.

Ohio State @ PSU (-3.5):  OSU is a road favorite which is very interesting.  Many are not buying PSU and feel James Franklin is an over rated coach.   Urban Meyer is back in charge after serving a suspension for enabling Zach Smith.   Ohio State will miss the assembly line of Bosa's they always seem to have.   OSU has played on the road and beat TCU in Jerry World, who then the next week got embarrassed by Texas and are probably closer to average then good.   After nearly getting upset by App. State, PSU has cruised through its schedule.   OSU is the better team:  OSU 31 PSU 21


Indiana @ Rutgers (IU-16.5):   Rutgers is not good again and probably shouldn't even be in the Big Ten.  IU is a team on the rise and will win easy.  IU 42 Rutgers 14

CMU @ MSU (MSU -28.5)  CMU lost to Kansas at home this season, that is what you need to know about the Chips.   MSU easy.   MSU 38 CMU 13

Purdue @ Nebraska (Pur -3.5):  This is the most disappointing team bowl.  Both were winless last weekend and Purdue beat a decent BC team and Nebraska got rolled by the Wolverines.   Purdue is the better team.  Purdue 21 Nebraska 20


That's it folks!  Very few games this weekend.  

Jordan is releasing another Michigan shoe this weekend:  It's the Grind 2 at $115.


















































































































































































































































































































































from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/09/big-ten-week-5-preview.html

VC funding is on a roll in Maryland

Summer 2018 may have brought more rain than sun, but when it comes to funding at Maryland startups, things have been hot, hot, hot. With top-notch research institutions, an unparalleled technical workforce, and a network of accelerators, Maryland is a hotbed for innovation, so it's no wonder venture capitalists want Maryland startups in their portfolio. Here’s a snapshot of companies that have recently received VC investments. 

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/vc-funding-is-on-a-roll-in-maryland/

Wolverine Wednesday: Gets an Instate Linebacker

We heard a 2020 commit was coming and it dropped yesterday afternoon when instate West Bloomfield LB Cornell Wheeler committed to the Wolverines.

Cornell is 6'1 and 220 pounds and is a bit under rated with offers from the likes of IU, Minn, ISU, Kentucky, Syracuse, Missouri, and some MAC Schools.  His is ranked as a 3 star to 24/7 composite.

“I felt like it was home,” he said. “I like the coaching staff, even the education, I liked it. The facilities were nice and the coaches and people around there make you feel home.”

Cornell Wheeler is the 5th commit to the 2020 class that has over 14 months until signing day.

• Jimmy also dropped more news on injuries on Tuesday: It seems defensive end Luiji Vilain had surgery this week and will miss the entire season.  He missed all of last year due to a knee injury and reports are that this injury is the other knee.   LV took a redshirt year last season and now will have to take a medical redshirt.   CB Benjamin St-Juste who played last year hasn't yet dressed for the Wolverines and is also out for the year.   BSJ will take a red shirt year.    Ironically, both players are from Canada and were expected to contribute this year.   

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/09/wolverine-wednesday-gets-instate.html

Michigan Tuesday: Injury Updates For Northwestern Game

Northwestern:

Jeremy Larkin Northwestern's top offensive player retired on Monday effective immediately after doctors diagnosed him with cervical stenosis.  Larkin the Wildcats starting RB had 346 yards and 5 TD's through the first 3 games.   I feel sorry for Jeremy but happy his condition is not life threating and that he can live a normal life outside of football.

• Rashawn Slater OL Lower Body injury - Questionable for Saturday
• Cameron Green SuperBack Knee injury - Questionable for Saturday 
• Blake Hance OL Foot injury - Questionable for Saturday
• Khalid Jones LB - Missed last 3 games 
• Jalen Brown WR - Missed last 3 games 

Northwestern is coming off a bye week, so many of the above injures may have healed if they are not too serious. 

Michigan 

We know Michigan doesn't like to discuss injuries, so we have to go to insiders for updates:

Paye and Filiaga are both ok and expected to play on Saturday. 

There was some mystery around Rashan Gary.  Some noticed he came out with a shoulder injury and yesterday he said, that the trainers were just adjusting his shoulder pads.  Either way, he didn't come back in.  Jimmy said, they were just holding him out as the game was out of hand.   Reports are that he is fine and will play on Saturday.  

Evans continues to work out his issues and will be questionable until game time. 

Solomon is expected back in October and Black in November.  

No timeline on St. Juste and he might be headed for a red shirt.  

• DPJ was named co-Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. 

• Maryland Game is a noon kick off on ABC for homecoming 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/09/michigan-tuesday-injury-updates-for.html

Michigan Monday: An Early Look At Northwestern

Michigan looked like a mid-tier Big Ten team after the ND game and a Big Ten power after the Nebraska game.   Which is it?  Probably somewhere in the middle, with the hopes it's closer to power then mid-tier.  If the "light" has gone on for the offensive line, this could be a very dangerous team in the Big Ten.

The Wolverines have another challenge this week as they travel to Chicago to play Northwestern.  We know this team has struggled on the road and its a bit of strange kick off time at 4:30 EST.  Another Fox game, which has shown all of Michigan's games this year outside of the ND game.

Let's take a quick look at what Northwestern has done this season.

Northwestern is 1-0 in the Big Ten with a win over Purdue Week 1.   The problem is,  it's been all down hill since then.  The Wildcats took back to back loses to a good Duke team in the SAT Bowl and then took a surprising loss to the Akron Zips.

Northwestern is coming off a bye week and will host the Wolverines this weekend, then travel to East Lansing next.   Northwestern likes to throw the ball and ranks #20 in the country with 307 yards per game, they rank 114th in running with an average of 117 yards per game.   They score 24 points a game which ranks them 104th and gives up 29 which is 87th in the country.  For those keeping score at home, scoring 24 points and giving up 29 is not good!

Michigan for example keeps opponents to 14 points per game.

Michigan is -13 in the game.

• 4 Star Safety Lewis Cline couldn't get to Ann Arbor this weekend because his father couldn't find an affordable flight.  So Lewis ended up at the Texas game.   Sounds like he is iffy to re-schedule and the commitment of Dax Hill might have something to do with that. 

• There is also some buzz that Michigan might have gotten another 2020 commit, which if true, should be announced soon.  Sam Webb put in Crystal Balls for Instate WR Ian Stewart and Instate LB Cornell Wheeler this weekend. 

• There was also some buzz this weekend that OSU might make Ryan Day the "coach in waiting".  Then OSU AD Gene Smith said, that Urban Meyer will be their head coach for quite some time.  Not sure its going to be your decision big man.   In fact, if OSU were to make some changes in the off season, I would expect Gene Smith would also be on a train to somewhere else. 

• Michigan up to #14 in the AP.  I don't care about the coaches poll as they don't watch other games. 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/09/michigan-monday-early-look-at.html