H. Jose Bosch
How does one respond to Delaware State’s 63-6 undressing at the hands of the Wolverines?
Happiness? Pity? Change the channel to watch a more interesting game?
I didn’t have the third option because my father and brother were starved for the success Kool-Aid they drank after 4-0. In fact, to stick with the Kool-Aid analogy, this weekend’s game was the equivalent of showering in Kool-Aid in the middle of an ocean of Kool-Aid. My father and brother’s proverbial hands were pruning because of the Kool-Aid soaking they took in.
I’m not going to lie, I wanted to join. I was pretty pumped when the Delaware State defense made every Michigan running back look like Gale Sayers; or when the defensive front swallowed the Hornets’ pass blocking, run blocking and the will to play the game of football.
Yet I couldn’t help but think that this was what the Wolverines were supposed to be. Call me the cranky Michigan fan but there is no reason to be that excited about this win. There were some major positives:
Vincent Smith (freshman), Michael Cox (red shirt freshman) and Michael Shaw (sophomore) combined for 332 yards on the ground and four touchdowns, giving us a glimpse into the future.
I don’t care if you’re playing football against the Virginia Farrell School of Beauty, when you put up those kinds of numbers, you have talent. All three backs had at least one electric run and Smith stood out with his 166-yard performance.
Denard Robinson also proved that he actually has a throwing arm. He wasn’t unleashed in any way to convince me that he should be the starter but it was an indication of his upside as a thrower. And Tate Forcier looked comfortable during his only drive and I fully expect him to start against Penn State.
There isn’t much I can say about the defense other than, wow. They are very aggressive and play with tenacity. (That’s just me using fancy words in order to hide the fact that I know nothing about defensive strategy.)
But I’m still not sure about how improved Michigan is. They’re better than last season, which I can say for sure. But how much better? Should I be expecting the Wolverines to contend for the Big Ten title next season? Or are we still two years away from a legitimate shot at a BCS bowl game?
Penn State will be yet another step toward that answer. The Wolverines are just one game away from bowl eligibility with some tough games still ahead of them. I think I’m going to wait for win No. 6 before drink myself a whole vat of Kool-Aid.