The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/106890
from our readers of the ball bring to mind the pass by Denard Robinson to Drew Dileo to set up Brendan Gibbons' winning field goal against MSU, and the pass by Devin Gardner to Roy Roundtree setting up the field goal in the Northwestern game to lead to the overtime win. What if Gardner had been the backup quarterback and ready to take over when Robinson went down in Nebraska? Would his absence at receiver have been missed as much as having him ready to go at quarterback? The need to move him to receiver was a decision made in part to get him on the field, and a need at receiver. It seemed like the thing to do. My final observation is that the season began and ended with some disciplinary issues. I believe that they have a bigger effect on team performance than most of us realize. Off-field behavior that leads to disciplinary action affects the entire team, and not just the individual who is disciplined, and not just for the next game. That does not come as news to Brady Hoke and his staff. The adage that an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure applies. It is probably applied the day that an athlete starts being recruited, but it does not always stick. The 2012 team did not have as good a record as the 2011 team, but improvement in a program is not always in a straight line upward. I said that the 2012 football season would be tough for the Maize and Blue, and it was. Here is my formula for success in the coming season: continue to win at home, figure out how to win consistently on the road, do not give up so many big plays and stay out of trouble off the field. It's strange how all those things are inter-related. I can hardly wait until fall. J. Richard Jaconette, M.D. Battle Creek, Mich. Tough to argue, Dr. J., other than the notion that an "easy" win could be achieved over what was a pretty tough South Carolina squad. And everyone will get on board with your final statement. High Goals Not Achieved Dear The Wolverine: The academic and athletic standards of excellence at Michigan are set very high. It is little wonder then that a large number of the faithful were disappointed with the 8-4 record achieved by this year's football team. The success of last year's 11-2 team led many to believe that Michigan was all the way back from the Rodriguez years and that doubledigit wins would be the norm. Forgive the cliché, but what a difference a year can make. In 2011, the games versus Ohio State, Notre Dame and Nebraska were all played in the friendly confines of The Big House. More significantly, last year Notre Dame and Ohio State were far from the undefeated powers of 2012, having lost 10-11 games between them. And mercifully, there was no Alabama on the schedule. This