4/12/03- Spring Game Report

I love attending the spring game at Michigan Stadium every year.  My enjoyment has been enhanced since Lloyd Carr went away from holding a full scrimmage and now gives the fans a chance to see what a Wolverine practice session is like.  So you you imagine my disappointment when the game was canceled due to field conditions at Michigan Stadium.  I was bummed to say the least, especially after my attempts at getting a press pass for the private scrimmage were completely ignored by the athletic department.

The Saga Begins

At first, I set out to inspect the field at Michigan Stadium.  I expected the field to be a mess for several reasons.  First, the field was in bad shape for most of last season (I noticed during Media Day that were actually a few dandelions growing in a few spots).  Second, we had 4 inches of snow dumped on the Ann Arbor Area last Monday and it didn't totally melt until Wednesday.  Considering the fact that the decision had already been made to replace the field with an artificial surface, I doubted that the athletic department was willing to invest much money into maintaining the lame duck natural grass.  Upon arriving at the stadium I found the gates locked which is kind of odd but not totally surprising.  I had planned on then heading over to Schembechler Hall to see the team arrive for practice.

Success!!!

While I was driving through the parking lot by Michigan Stadium (which is slightly elevated) I could see that down in Fort Schembechler (The practice fields attached to the football building are surrounded by a tall brick wall) the team was out beginning to practice.  Awesome!  I had assumed that field conditions would force the team to practice in Oosterbaan Field House (the indoor football field) but they were outside.  I quickly parked my car and and ventured over the stands for women's field hockey.  Which just happen to be adjacent to Fort Schembechler.

My perch (click to enlarge)

The Report

Me and about 15 other lucky fans got to see what amounted to a private spring football game.  The Wolverines came out and ran position drills like they do at most of their practices (yes, I have been lucky enough to a few other than the public events) and then began to scrimmage.  Here are some thoughts from what I observed.  Disclaimer:  I only saw one practice out of fifteen and lot can happen before the first game next season... 

The quarterbacks and the offensive line seemed to have the upper hand over the defense which is surprising at this point.  Offense usually takes longer to get in sync than the defense.  The offensive was impressive to say the least.  All three quarterbacks (Navarre, Brinton, and Gutierrez) tore up the defense with 5-10 yard passes.  Hopefully this is an indication of how good the offense is rather than how weak the defense is.  Navarre took the bulk of the snaps while Brinton seemed to the number two guy.  Both backups (Brinton, and Gutierrez) looked great.  There was no drop-off from Navarre and they both played with a great deal on enthusiasm.

The receivers looked great.  Braylon Edwards looked worthy of the #1 jersey although there was a scare late in the practice when he was leveled pretty hard during a play.  He left the field but looked alright on the sidelines a few minutes later.  Tyrece Butler and Calvin Bell were also impressive.  Andy Mignery got some playing time as did Jermaine Gonzales.  They all made some great catches. 

But what is incredible is how much the Wolverines threw the ball.  It seemed for a few minutes that is solely a passing scrimmage.  Multiple formations, empty backfields, Chris Perry lined up in the slot, all kinds of crazy stuff.  Regular attendees to past spring games can attest that there isn't usually a lot of offensive firepower on display.  Things are usually a bit sloppy.  The offensive at this spring game was a machine, with many interchangeable parts. 

While the inattentive may not have noticed the changes, last seasons the Wolverines began to vary their offensive sets to facilitate a more passing oriented attack.  If this practice is any indication then the Wolverines have continued the shift to much more attacking offense.

Conclusion

It was a great treat to the see the Wolverines practice.  I can't wait for the season!!!  They offense looks like it has the potential to be awesome!

Go Blue!

Phil Callihan
UMGoBlue.COM, Editor-in-Chief
phil@umgoblue.com
 

Phil Callihan is the Editor-in- Chief of UMGoBlue.COM.  Phil graduated from the University of Michigan in 1993 and has been a football season ticket holder since 1994.

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