TheWolverine.com - Rodriguez: Lots to fix and get right

October 31, 2009

Chris Balas
TheWolverine.com Senior Editor

Not many saw Michigan's latest loss -- this one to a poor Illinois team - coming. Possibly nobody expected the Wolverines to get blown out 38-13 by a team searching for its first Big Ten win.

Turnovers and big plays were again the culprit, and head coach Rich Rodriguez said he's tired of the same script.

"We've just got a lot of things to fix and get right. Every person in the program has got to take it upon themselves to get things playing at a high level and to prepare," said Rodriguez. "When you get the opportunity to play, to make the most of it. We'll go back to work and see what we can do.

"You've got to constantly coach the [killer instinct] mentality all the time. So many guys are playing for the first time, so many guys are in a different role they've been in. At the end of the day, you've got to go out there and execute, and we've got to try to put them in position as coaches to make plays, make it happen. We're just not doing it the last few weeks, for sure."

With the exception of an opening touchdown drive, Illinois looked every bit the Big Ten doormat -- until one series woke the Illini up in the second half, after Michigan redshirt freshman Roy Roundtree was caught from behind at the one-yard line following a 76-yard reception. The Wolverines had four chances to build on a 13-7 lead on their first possession of the second half, but four runs to the middle left them where they started.

Six plays and 99 yards later, the Illini had at 14-13 lead.

"That's a big momentum change, particularly on the road when you have a chance to seize momentum on the road and let it reverse," said Rodriguez. "It's tough. There's never just one thing that determines the outcome. Certainly today there was a multitude of errors. But not getting it in there when you're so close and then letting them go 99 yards ? even after that we had some opportunities. We just didn't do it."

Senior Carlos Brown (25 carries, 94 yards) was stuffed on three straight attempts and senior Brandon Minor, playing sparingly in pass protection and short yardage roles due to his injured ankle, also couldn't find the end zone on fourth down.

"[Minor was in] just to give us a big, physical guy," said Rodriguez. "I thought he scored, but apparently the replay said he was down. I didn't see it.

"We ran some of the plays we had success with earlier, and one time I think [Brown] kind of stumbled. The Minor one, I thought he was in. You've got to be able to get it in there. We'd been pretty good at it before, but we didn't do it today."

Even so, said Rodriguez, Michigan had plenty of opportunities to win.

"You've got to be resilient enough to bounce back from that. Again, sometimes that's a mater of inexperience, but a lot of times it's having enough resolve to bounce back and not let it affect you," he said. "Even after the next score, you're still one score down."

But not for long. The offense stagnated yet again against the league's worst defense, failing to score in the second half for the second straight game, while the defense followed suit in making Illinois quarterback Juice Williams look like an All-Big Ten performer for the second straight year. Personnel changes, including linebacker Kevin Leach for starter Obi Ezeh, weren't the answer.

"We thought they were going to do more spread, and they did," said Rodriguez. "Kevin's pretty athletic, but we obviously didn't play well defensively. Missed tackles -- that was upsetting. What's probably more upsetting to me is when the ball is on the ground and it seems like it's sitting there for an eternity, and we're not able to get on it.

"We've got to look at everything, what we're doing, and try to fix it before this weekend."

Notes

? Injuries continue to plague Michigan, especially on offense. Minor played sparingly as a pass blocker and carried only once on the fourth and goal, ruled a touchdown but called back after instant replay showed his elbow was down. Sophomore receiver Martavious Odoms didn't play due to his knee injury while center David Molk stayed home, out for the season with a torn ACL.

"It's just unfortunate that they're banged up, but the next guy in has the opportunity to do things. I thought Carlos [Brown] ran pretty well," said Rodriguez. "Until I watch the film ? it happens all over the country. Guys get hurt. Particularly some of your key guys, from Molk to Odoms to Minor, it doesn't help. But we had opportunities offensively - we just didn't finish them."

Odoms was announced as probably Thursday and made the trip, but didn't play.

"He didn't do much during the week. He tried, but hopefully in a couple more days he'll be okay," said Rodriguez.

? The second half was a plethora of big plays against the Michigan defense, both on the ground and through the air. Illinois managed passing plays of 37 and 34 yards and rushing touchdowns of 70 and 79 yards.

"Until I watch the film and talk with the defensive coaches ? I know there were a couple of times there were missed assignments, guys were supposed to take a gap or take the quarterback and took the dive, what have you," said Rodriguez. "I know that happened a few times. A few others were missed tackles, too. I couldn't tell you."

Turnovers also plagued the Wolverines again ? four more fumbles, three lost, including two from freshman quarterback Tate Forcier. Forcier was 13 of 23 for 257 yards but was sacked three times.

"Particularly in the red zone ... I don't know if you can work on it or emphasize it any more than we have," said Rodriguez. "We've just got to be able to take care of the ball."

??The Wolverines missed a second chance to become bowl eligible with their sixth win.

"I'm more disappointed in the two ball games," said Rodriguez. "The other teams made plays, but we have not helped ourselves. I've said many times, even at the beginning of the year, we're not going to be good enough to mess around and not play well and have a chance against anybody.

"Certainly the last couple of weeks we haven't given ourselves much of a chance, because of some of our own errors. Again, you've got to give them credit, too, because they made plays. But we've got to play more efficient to have a chance."

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