The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/230001
against the best of the best. I think there was a confidence issue. I felt that confidence issue was not as much of a problem against the Buckeyes. "These guys have grown so much over the course of the year. I think they're going to be much better next year." Borges didn't argue that an opportunity to perform on the biggest stage against Michigan's greatest rival has to have an effect on all of the psycho- "I don't care if it's beautiful outside, or if it's snowing. I don't care if it's in Iowa City or it's in Ann Arbor. It can't matter to a great football team. We're growing, and a lot of that is that our team is still learning." The triggerman grew the hard way, although he might have also shrunk a bit by the hits he absorbed. Gardner got popped 27 times in the Michigan State game alone, by head coach Mark Dantonio's estimation, and those logical intangibles. At the same time, he insists the Wolverines have to have it in them to replicate that effort on a consistent basis. "I'm sure that's part of it, too," he said. "But our thing is, we can't have to play in that game to play like that. There was a prolific offense out there, that has to play every game, has to come out regardless, with a workmanlike mentality and be ready to play. mimicking MSU's defensive style thereafter added injury to insult. The Wolverines gave up the most tackles for loss, 109, of any BCS team during the regular season. "He got beat up a lot," Borges said. "A lot of it was the effect of a young offensive line, inside. Not outside — our tackles played very well all year. I heard somebody say our tackles were inconsistent. They weren't watching very closely. Our tackles are good