Preview: Middle Tennesee State

Time: 7:30 EST
Location: Big House
TV: BTN
Stream: BTN To Go or Fox Sports
Weather:  70/10% of rain
Line : Michigan -34.5

Football is finally back and Michigan fans feel like they have been waiting two years since Michigan dropped the OSU game and the Peach Scrimmage.   This off season included the Dak Hill commit and re-commit, two Michigan coaches going to Columbus, Chris Evans academic issues, the Mike Danna transfer, and a number of former Wolverines looking for more playing time through the transfer portal.   Now the focus can be back where it should be and that's playing football in the Big House.

Middle Tennessee State plays in Conference USA with some familiar names like Marshall, Florida Atlantic, Rice, and UAB.   They played in the CUSA Championship game last year after going 7-1 in conference but lost to UAB who they secured a victory over the week prior.

MTSU also played 3 Power 5 games last year and lost them all:  Vandy 35-7, Georgia 49-7, and Kentucky 34-23.   The issue is the Blue Raiders where a much better team last year.   As they have lost at 4 year starter at QB, 3 starters on the offensive line, their best DE, and 3 top CB's.

Tale of the Tape

Michigan Everything over MTSU Everything

The Wolverines have a clear advantage in coaching and talent at every position.  Finally, the Wolverines have a tune up game and not playing Alabama or Florida in Dallas or traveling to ND or Utah.  I'm in favor of playing a MAC, CUSA, or American conference opponent in the Big House to start every season.   Play a big game in week two.

Yell Josh Gattis for President if...…………….

• Michigan's offense looks like a 7 on 7 practice
• WR's are buck naked open 
• Michigan RB's have over 200 yards on the ground 
• Shea plays 2.5 quarters and Dylan Plays 1.5 
• Dline gets pressure 
• No injuries 

Yell, what the hell is happening here? if...…………….

• If Minnesota shows up in Michigan jerseys 
• Michigan struggles with the new offense 
• RB position is still in question
• Don Brown has some weird OSU/Peach Schnapps hangover
• Players have that night game malaise

When Michigan is almost a 35 point favorite its sort of strange to predict a final score.  (But you can and win Braylon's new Book!).   This game is less about the Blue Raiders and more about the Wolverines and how they can bounce back from the disastrous ending to the season last year.   I love that Michigan can play a bunch of freshman and not lose their redshirts and hope we see folks like Dax Hill and Zach Charbonnet play like future superstars.   I'm just excited to see the Wolverines play another football game.   The Blue raiders have a good kicker and I see him making a few long ones to ruin the shutout.  

Michigan 56 MTSU 6

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/08/preview-middle-tennesee-state.html

Michigan Thursday: Will This Year Be Different?

With the regular game day preview scheduled for Friday, I thought today would be a good time to discuss why things will be different this year.

I'm sure we all can agree that Michigan should have been much better then it really was last year.  Think about a 5 star QB, Higdon and Evans at RB, talented WR's and a experienced offensive line.  Then you add Gary, Bush, Winovich, Hill and Long on defense and you wonder if this Michigan team had any weaknesses.  Still  the Wolverines lost the first game of the year and had another terrible finish to the season.

So now what?  Why does this season have a chance for a Big Ten Championship?

1. #Speed in Space, I know Jimmy, Lloyd, and Bo all believed in power football and that you will wear down your opponent and win the game.   The game has changed and you can't be that predictable on offense.  It's too easy to cover for any defense with talented players.   Maybe since RR, Michigan will run an offense that schemes people open and takes advantage of mismatches.  How many times have we watched Michigan have a two WR route in a passing play?  It's time for a Michigan offense to scheme plays that can get WR's buck naked open.   If Gattis can do this, he will be a head coach somewhere next year and Shea will make a run at the Heisman.
2.  An experienced talented offensive line.  Michigan finally has a good offensive line with a good offensive line coach.  It seems Michigan has struggled on the offensive line for the last 10 years. 
3. Don Brown head scratcher - Every season Don Brown has a head scratching defensive performance where his unit gets blown out.   Don does a great job in 90% of the games, he has to work on the other 10%.   Can he run a zone?  Can he be un-predictable and turn the tables on some of the good offenses Michigan will see this year?  He better. 
4. Year 2 healthy QB - Shea Patterson has an offense that fits him and a year under his belt with Harbaugh which could pay huge dividends.  
5. QB Depth - OSU had a 3 string QB take their team to the NC game a few years ago.  Michigan's back-ups where guys like John O'Korn and that one dude that couldn't play at Miami of Ohio (where he transferred to and then transferred again). 
6. Urban is gone.  There where two great head coaches in college football Nick and Urban.  Dabo is on his way, but I can still remember the Clemson fans wanting to run him out of town and hire RR of all people.   No matter who you put in Columbus, it's going to be a downgrade from Urban.   OSU will be worse and Michigan has a chance to wrestle back this series. 

One of the best things about Jimmy as a head coach is he isn't too stubborn to change and brought in Josh Gattis to fix the offense.  Which really wasn't broken last year.   Michigan scored enough points on offense to beat Ohio State, the Michigan defense just let us down.   Let's hope the Wolverines now have an offense to win a shoot out in those type of games.  

• Oliver Martin, Aubrey Solomon, and Myles Sims all got waivers from the NCAA for immediate eligibility this week.   Michigan will get to see Oliver in about a month.  

• Michigan Basketball Season Tickets are sold out for the first time in 19 years.  That must be the love for Coach Howard as this team doesn't have a ton of talent. 

• Keep sending your game day predictions in! 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/08/michigan-thursday-will-this-year-be.html

Wolverine Wednesday: Hits The Bullets Points

I've been getting a number of emails on the "Guess the Score" contest for Saturday night, please keep them coming!  

• Ronnie Bell believes he has improved as a WR since this Spring and is mentally ready for the season.  I expect a big year from the Sophomore WR.  

• Aubrey Solomon was granted immediate eligibility from the NCAA at Tennessee.  I guess Jimmy just liked Aubrey more then the other guys that got denied.   (sarcasm alert!)  My family and I rode the elevator with Aubrey and his family after his freshman year at the Outback Bowl.  Seemed like a nice family and wished he had a better experience in Ann Arbor.   Seems he struggled on and off the field.  

• Najee Harris and 3 other Alabama players have been suspended for the first half of their game this weekend.   Wow, what a stern penalty. 

• The NY Post has ranked the most powerful people in college football and gave Paul Finebaum a #19 ranking.  Really?  How does a hot take blow hard have any power over the sport?

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/08/wolverine-wednesday-hits-bullets-points.html

Michigan Tuesday: Jimmy Speaks

Jimmy did his regular in season Monday press conference yesterday and did drop a few nuggets, good and bad.

• Andrew Stueber who had been rumored to have a minor knee injury, has a major one in a torn ACL and will be out the entire season.   Hello Jalen Mayfield and the RT competition ended without a competition.  Ryan Hayes is the back-up at both Tackle positions.   This could be major as its rumored Jon Runyan Jr. has a bit of a back issue.

• Ambry Thomas is getting better and could even play some on Saturday.  I expect we will see him in the Army game at the earliest.  

• They haven't decided who the starting RB is yet, which means they have a number of good options. 

• Jimmy sees maybe 12 freshman playing this year including Dax Hill, Mazi Smith, DJ Turner, Chris Hinton, Zach Charbonnet, Erik All, CJ Johnson, and Giles Jackson.   Many guys will be on special teams. 

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• Taco Charlton had maybe his best pre-season game of his career on Saturday for the Cowboys.  
• Chad Henne broke his ankle and won't be the back-up for Pat Mahomes anytime soon. 

• 2020 5 star basketball guard Jaden Springer will be visiting Michigan and new coach Juwan Howard this weekend. 

• Jordan released another Michigan sneaker yesterday.  It will be a limited quantity at the MDen and Finish Line.

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/08/michigan-tuesday-jimmy-speaks.html

Michigan Monday: Game Week and Predict The Score Contest

It's finally here - Game Week.  The Wolverines will suit up and play football on Saturday night.  No, it's not ND or Alabama its Middle Tennessee State which will finally give the Wolverines a nice tune up game prior to Army and a trip to Wisconsin.   We will of course do our regular game preview on Friday.   I'm sure going to enjoy researching MTS this week!

Now on to the important stuff.   Our Game 1 predict the score contest is back!   Let's get to the prize first:

Braylon Edwards with Tom VanHaaren has a new book out called Doing it My Way.  The good people Triumph Books and Independent Publishers Group will send the winner a copy of Braylon's book.   If you want to buy the book which releases on 9/10, here is the Amazon  link.

As I'm sure you know, TomVH works for ESPN and does a great job with recruiting coverage.  Tom paid his dues working his way through Michigan Blogs and we support our own around here!   He also recently authored The Road to Ann Arbor. 

Braylon doesn't need any introduction to Michigan fans.  He went to Rose Bowls, single handedly beat Michigan State, and even had a few disagreements with Coach Carr.    When you talk about Michigan Legacy, the Edwards family has it.   The father Stan Edwards of course was a Michigan and NFL WR, which lead to Braylon staring at U of M, and then of course Berkley recently played for the Wolverines in his graduate transfer year.  As we all know, whether it was in Ann Arbor or the NFL, Braylon did it his way. 

Now for the contest rules:

• Pick the score and email your prediction to thebighouseblog@hotmail.com
• The first email with the closest to the final score will win
• I will take entries up to 7:00 PM on Saturday night 7/31/2019

Let's have some fun with this and one lucky Big House Blog reader will get a free book!  

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• Caris LeVert was once committed to a MAC school and then Coach Beilein found him.  Yesterday was his 25th birthday and Caris signed a $52.5 Million extension to his rookie contract with the Brooklyn Nets where he will star with KD and Kyrie.  Well done Caris! 

• Jim Harbaugh has coached a number of players that have ended up in the NFL.  His highest profile QB Andrew Luck called it a career on Saturday due to multiple injuries over the past 4 years.  

• College Football was back on Saturday night and even though it was a close game, the Florida - Miami game seemed to have more mistakes then points.   Florida did all they could to hand the victory to Miami and the Hurricanes refused to take it.   The Gators looked nothing like the team that beat the Wolverines in the Peach Scrimmage in January.   The Hurricanes have serious offensive line issue and gave up a season worth of sacks in one game.  

• Wisconsin has named Jack Coan the starter for Friday's game in Tampa against USF.  Jack will get to face Don Brown's defense in a few weeks. 

• Speaking of Wisconsin (former) QB's Alex Hornibrook was named the back-up for Florida State. 

• Former Wolverine RB Kareem Walker has not joined Mississippi State yet due to some academic issues. 

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/08/michigan-monday-game-week-and-predict.html

Celebrating county tours and company milestones in Maryland

We’ve been staying busy here at Maryland Commerce over the past few months. In addition to the MML and MACo summer conferences, we’ve officially visited 15 jurisdictions as part of our county tour initiative, with nine more to go before the end of the year.

from https://open.maryland.gov/blog/celebrating-county-tours-and-company-milestones-maryland/

Michigan Friday: Another Hit To the Offensive Line

Next Friday we will have a Michigan Football game preview and it seems way too long since we had one.   That Peach Scrimmage does not count.

The rumored news is not great coming out of camp.  The word on the street is that Jon Runyan Jr. has a back issue and hasn't been practicing.   Right now the severity of the injury is unclear.

What happens if Jon isn't ready for Saturday?  The best case is that Jon only needs a couple weeks rest.  We don't know how long he hasn't been practicing, so I'm not ready to call him out for the 30th.  If he is out or the coaches don't want to risk it, I could see Bredeson moving to LT and Filiaga moving to his spot at LG.

If Jon's injury is accurate (it hasn't been confirmed by the program) that is two camps hits (Stueber) to the O-Line.

• Rashan Gary went down with an injury in Canada in a game against the Raiders last night.  His injury is not expected to be serious.  

• As reported yesterday, it has been confirmed that Ambry Thomas is back to practice, the issue is each player has a 5 day initiation period no matter when you start camp.  So he maybe doing some light things in practice but the expectation is, he isn't dressed and competing fully at CB yet. 

• Detroit News article on Braiden McGregor

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2019/08/michigan-friday-another-hit-to.html