The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/347495
FROM OUR READERS a chance for an overtime win? I be- lieve that Brady Hoke knew Devin Gardner was injured, and the best chance for a win was to go for the two points while Gardner could still play. So, I have never second- guessed that decision. However, if the defense had been able to stop Carlos Hyde or Braxton Miller on one of those earlier drives — well, you get the idea. As I recall the Kansas State game, Michigan was hampered on offense without Gardner, but the Michigan defense let the game get out of hand in the first half. This year the tweak- ing of coaching responsibilities on defense appears to address some concerns for improving execution. The goal of getting off the field after third down is a priority for coach Greg Mattison's crew. Last season, Michigan lost win- nable games against Penn State, Nebraska, Iowa and Ohio State, and easily could have lost to Northwest- ern, but thankfully didn't. The habit of losing in October and November is a reminder that the team does not get better as the season progresses. The ingredients do not change, and the ingredients are the players and coaches. If we believe that Michigan is re- cruiting good players, then the other ingredient is suspect. Hoke and his staff made a solid impression the first year. Now it is time to re-kindle the spark and win some games in October and November, and maybe even in January, for good measure. So with the aforementioned trepida- tion, I once again look forward to the coming season, since it is my favorite sports time of the year. Go Blue! J. Richard Jaconette, M.D. Battle Creek, Mich. Dr. J., Michigan's coaches would agree completely that it's important to select an offensive line and let it grow together. For a number of reasons, that didn't happen last year. The shortfalls on both sides of the line of scrimmage have been dissected throughout the winter, spring and sum- mer. Very soon, it will be time to dem- onstrate that the offseason moves will indeed move the Wolverines forward. NOT A HARMON CLONE Dear The Wolverine: Ever since the idea was conceived, I have been concerned about giv- ing football jersey numbers of great players of the Wolverine past to present-day players. For example, why was quarterback Devin Gard- ner given Tom Harmon's number 98? Gardner is a good quarterback, but not a great quarterback. Tom Harmon was one of the greatest players in Michigan's illustrious football history. When I was a young boy and playing football with my neighbor- hood friends in a nearby open field, I took a crayon and wrote number 98 on the T- shirt I wore to play football. I still recall pride swelling up within me pretending to be Tom Harmon.