Shell Shocked

We finally get a break. No more, fire Lloyd Carr cries. No more, the offense is too vanilla. No more, Henne cannot produce in big games. No more, the defense cannot stop a big time QB. Last but not least, no more, Michigan cannot win its road opener.

On Saturday afternoon, each of these myths fell one by one to the turf of Notre Dame Stadium. The Michigan team we have so eagerly awaited for the past two seasons unleased itself in vicious fashion, handing Notre Dame one its most lopsided home losses in school history.



To say Michigan was prepared on Saturday is an understatement. The performance they displayed was nothing short of being on a mission to seek and destroy. They dominated Notre Dame physically, mentally, and emotionally in their own backyard. The great Charlie Weis and his offensive prowess were dismantled by young DC, Ron English. The brilliant Irish offensive game schemer could only muster up the number of Super Bowl rings he owns in rushing yards, 4, against English's raging defense.

You cannot help but feel that this could be a special year for the men in Blue.

The vanilla offense that was much maligned in Week's 1 & 2 for its lack of depth, assaulted the Notre Dame defense with a quick strike aerial attack. Before ND knew what slapped them upside the head, McFly style, it was already 34-7. Henne was able to shred ND's defense with a mere 13 completions that went for an astounding 220 yards and 3 TD's.

Mike Hart was also instrumental in pounding the Irish defense into submission with a huge day controlling the clock with the run game. What made the day even more impressive was that Michigan was able to will its way to time of possession dominance by nearly 8 minutes, which included 2 scores from the defense and another setting up shop at the Notre Dame 4 yard line. The 8 minute disparity provided no justice to just how stingy Michigan was in dictating the flow of the game.

What does this victory mean for the 2006? Well, as long as Notre Dame is not vastly overrated, it should mean that Michigan will be favored in every game this season leading up to their annual slugfest with the Buckeyes. While the schedule has its trip-ups, there is reason to believe that this Michigan team, I mean the one that took the field on Saturday, has the talent, skill, and passion to run the table.

Obviously, we are a ways from that happening, but the prospects are looking brighter by the moment.

Now for some statistics:

Keys to the defensive performance:

1. 5 forced turnovers (10 for the season and #1 turnover margin in the Nation)
2. 3 sacks (13 on the season)
3. 7 of 66 plays of no gain or negative yards (33 of 178 for the season, 18.5%)
4. 4 net rushing yards (62 for the season, which ranks #1)

My key area for 2006 success is Red Zone efficiency on both offense and defense. Here are the results from Game 2:

Offense

1. Four trips with plays starting inside the Red Zone resulting in 19 points (2 TD's, 2 FG's)

Defense

1. Two trips with plays starting inside the Red Zone resulting in 14 points (2 TD's).

For the year, Michigan is 12 for 13 offensively in the Red Zone, scoring 67 of a possible 91 points (73.6%). Defensively, they've held the opposition to 5 Red Zone trips while allowing 24 of a possible 35 points.

Again, this has been a major success for Michigan thus far in 2006.

Let's bring on Wisky and keep this mother brother train rolling......

DP