No matter how often you are defeated, you are born to victory. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
In a year, with only two wins and losses against your rival Michigan State and Notre Dame. The Michigan Wolverines made a step in the right direction on Saturday. The Wolverines put together it's most complete game of the 2008 campaign. The offense lead by the second and third string QB's moved the ball effectively all day against the Golden Gophers defense and the Michigan defense which gave up 48 points last weekend held the Gophers to 6 points in their final trip to the MetroDome where the Wolverines are 12-0.
These are the Wolverines we thought we would see from the beginning of the year; Dual QB's - one throwing (Sheridan) and one running (Feagin) and a dominating defense. On Saturday, we finally got a taste of what the future might hold. The Michigan offense scored 29 points and piled up 435 yards, while the Michigan defense held Minnesota to just 188 total yards on offense, in Rich Rodriguez's first road win as the Wolverines Head Coach. The score could have been much worse if Michigan turned it's 5 field goals into touchdowns and Odoms hadn't fumbled in the red zone.
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Maybe the two most maligned Wolverines this season have been 2nd string QB, Nick Sheridan and Defensive Coordinator, Scott Shafer. Both of these gentlemen will sleep well tonight with their best efforts of the year. Nick went 18-30 for 230 yards, 1 touchdown and zero interceptions. Scott's defense only gave up 188 yards and two fields goals.
With nothing left to play for the Wolverines secured the second oldest trophy in football and will have it for the next three years with Minnesota off the schedule for the next two seasons.
"We're fighting for Michigan," Terrance Taylor said. "We're fighting for ourselves. Our backs (are) against the wall. No one expected us to come out here and win. No one expected us to do anything. They expected us to give up, just take it laying down. We're not doing that. We're Michigan."
The Michigan defense finally played a complete game and shut down Minnesota with going back to it's 4-2-5 formation. Michigan had briefly tried a 3-3-5 defense that got run out of Indiana last weekend. With simplifying the defense and getting back to the 4-2-5 the Wolverines played with clear minds and quick feet.
Michigan now goes back to Ann Arbor to get ready for Northwestern at home and maybe more importantly the last home game for the Seniors and visiting recruits. Then they finish the year on the road against Ohio State in Columbus.This weekend was a one step forward in the new era of Michigan Football.
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