It was a stinker of an opener for the Michigan Wolverines, clutching victory from the jaws of defeat with a Hail Mary to top Western Michigan under the lights. Now, the No. 11 Oklahoma Sooners roll into town coming off an impressive 51-0 win over UTEP.
There’s been too much controversy over the extra second, and it’s been discussed ad nauseam. So we’re going to leave it in the past and focus on what the media, coaches and players are saying heading into one of Saturday’s games of the week.
Biff Poggi picks Michigan over OU, Urban Meyer talks Kyle Whittingham’s role on offense
Biff Poggi
went from locker room coaching leader with Jim Harbaugh, to head coach at Charlotte, back to Ann Arbor under Sherrone Moore, then filled in as the interim head coach before now finding his role at the Big Ten Network. He’s been around football a long time, and he’s picking Michigan on Saturday:
Urban Meyer then went on his podcast, The Triple Option, with some intel on Kyle Whittingham, who he coached with at Utah two decades ago, and his role in the quarterback and offensive decision-making:
“I’m very close with the Wolverine head coach, and he expressed, first of all, he loves Bryce Underwood. A lot of times you’ll coach a player that’s just resistant to coaching, and that’s just a pain in the ass. That is not what’s going on there. His issue is spatial awareness, going through progressions and then executing, which is a normal progression for a young quarterback. The problem is he was thrust into a starting environment last year with chaos going all around him and which takes your breath away. Someone said he didn’t have a quarterback coach. Once again, there’s some never heard of, and never heard of that, especially when you pay a guy $7 million. And I’ve said this on Big Noon, ‘God said, I’m going to go make me a quarterback, and they look like Bryce Underwood.‘ But there’s something missing, your job as a head coach is to win the next game; whoever gives you the best opportunity, play that human being. And I think Kyle will do that.”
Brent Venables praises Underwood ahead of matchup
Oklahoma is well aware of the quarterback problems in Ann Arbor, but head coach Brent Venables will not be providing any bulletin board material.
“Bryce Underwood, as I said last night on my coaches show, one of the most talented players at any position in all of college football. All of his best days are still in front of him. Won nine games as a true freshman starting quarterback — a tremendous feat in itself.”
Venables also called Michigan “one of the best rosters in college football” with “a championship-pedigree staff.”
Despite the near loss to Western Michigan, the Sooners are not overlooking the Wolverines, especially because they are heading to the Big House for this matchup.
Devin Gardner and Joel Klatt rip Underwood’s demeanor and development
Tight End Jalen Hoffman took a shot on a ball from Underwood in the third quarter, the camera panned back to Underwood, and he was laughing at the situation. Here’s a freeze frame:
Former Wolverines Devin Gardner and Jake Butt, now both analysts, discussed that on their podcast, The Blue Print. Let’s just say Gardner wasn’t happy:
Along with it, FOX Sports’ Joel Klatt spoke on Monday about his film review of Underwood’s performance in his first start as a sophomore:
A players-only meeting, and rallying around an undeserved win
The day following the miracle to beat Western Michigan, the team held a players-only meeting.
Starting center Jake Guarnera told the media the offensive line needs to be better and can’t perform like that again. Running back Jordan Marshall backed Underwood, took accountability and asked what else he could do after the game, and said if Trey Pierce didn’t call the players-only meeting, he would have:
Vegas’ thoughts: Bets rolling in for Oklahoma
Just an interesting quip to wrap us this week. The books shifted from Michigan being 2.5-point favorites to now 5.5-point dogs. The public is eating it up after the Wolverines’ performance last week:
It’s shocking there have been that many bets on one side and the line still isn’t moving. Just something to monitor heading into Saturday’s contest, and maybe a reason for some hope that the line hasn’t moved further despite the money coming in.
