Davis Warren vs. Quinn Ewers: Michigan vs. Texas

hello out there Michigan fans and welcome to another believe in Michigan podcast episode I am Brandon Brown joined Always by Thomas gin former U ofm offensive lineman bringing great insight as a former player to what we're seeing on the field and what we're going to see on the field come Saturday Thomas it's Michigan it's Texas it's noon in September it's the big house arguably we talked about this I think before the season started right arguably the two biggest most noticeable brands in the sport you could throw Notre Dame in there maybe Alabama Ohio state but I mean these are Blue Bloods there's no doubt about it Michigan Texas both in the playoff last year Michigan national title defense on the line and have not lost a game in September at home in like nine years or something like that right 28 no something so yeah so yep Michigan's a dog in this one five-point dog um you know Michigan wins 30-10 against Fresno State Texas wins 52 to nothing against Colorado State Colorado State's not as good as Fresno so don't it's not just it's not apples and apples but Texas was very impressive Quinn ERS is I mean they have the edge at quarterback and that's always very important in college football right but they are coming to the big house I mean this one this is game of the week game days is I mean this is the this is the this is it this is one of the biggest early season matchups of the year before we get into the specific specifics of it just how do you feel about an out of conference game like this in week two you I mean again the brands the the rankings the the past the history all that good stuff wrapped up into Saturday's game the competitor in me is always going to be like hey bring it you know whoever whoever whoever wants to show up right but um the fan the the pundit if you will based off of the loss of of talent that we had um this past year and then you know looking what Texas has to prove right this isn't the Texas of the last you know three four five years this is a revamp team obviously made a big push as far as getting into that whole playoff situation and making their run so right now this is a statement game for Texas not only are we putting college football and football as a whole on our back because everybody knows that overall as a state what that what football means to that state we're coming to Ann Arbor you won to Natty and they're going to say air quotes you won The Natty now we're going to prove what really should have taken place last year if we were in the mix and so there's a lot of things that are at play for this Texas team when you look at what they did in the portal when you look at the chalk or or or the locker room talk that they have to kind of focus on it's a win-win for these guys right now for us we have to go out here and show them that just because we lost a lot of our Superstars to the league graduation what have you we're still that same Michigan team you bring no fear to us especially coming into the big house now as you alluded to quarterback play watched a little bit of the game seemingly their quarterback he he it pretty well but when I looked at the Colorado State and again to your Point Colorado State in my opinion were a little light light in the ass so to speak especially against that Texas offensive line that Texas offensive line really does remind me of us uh from last year a lot of Gap schemes a lot of pulling a lot of getting out there in the space putting big bodies on little bodies and allowing our wide receivers to go do their thing so it's going to be really interesting to see how we met match up across the board on both sides of the ball mono imano um against these Longhorns but you know what I'm a wolverine went through and uh I don't care about being an underdog Wolverines will win there you go so I don't care what it is but hey we're going to get the W Colorado State coming off a five and seven year you know Fresno won nine or 10 games last year I mean they're they're not the same they're not the same Texas was expected to blow them out they did Michigan was expected to win by about what they won by so like so far things have kind of gone to plan uh and and we'll see what that looks like on Saturday as like I said the line is uh is Texas by five right now which is it's pretty close to a toss up honestly I mean you get you you're talking less than a touchdown that can go either way very very easily um and again these are you know this isn't there's lines out there but that you got to play it on the field like that really has no bearing on the game hey all I'm going to say is this 55 yard field goal the field goal kicker for Michigan I think it's going to come down to that it's going to come down to us being able to put points on the board every turn of the hat and based off of what I saw 45 52 53 55 whatever it was 50 plus consecutive field goals from that young man that right there ladies and gentlemen is definitely going to be a game changer and I think it's going to be that uh that card up our sleeve that we may need in order to get the W but again however we got to get it done but uh I'm I'm really I hope it doesn't come to that but again I think us having that confidence in a kicker that can you know put it through the uprights from 50 plus that's huge for the Wolverines yeah three for three uh 55 was the long I believe you're I believe you're right 55 53 and 45 I think off the top of my head was was what he was what he accom and that I mean my bad for not mentioning him in the previous episode where we talked about offense and and and scoring points because he was he was huge in that game um Dominic right very Dominic zavada shout him out man right all 63 180 of them tall skinny drink of water out there in that 96 Jersey but man he was he was booming that thing I got the hey he's got the biggest leg though that's that that's what makes the difference right and like I said before there's going to be some times where you know we we may have to rely on that young man and that's clut yeah you know so um hopefully it doesn't come to that but again I rather have him won our team than not have him and just so confident he's got to be so confident moving forward now like I started off three for three with 250 plus and a 45 and the home opener and the I mean he's going to think he's making every one and that's so big for a kicker now at this point and you hope like you said you hope it doesn't come down to it but if he has to trot out there for a 50 y to win the game I'm thinking it's going through and I know he does too and the teammates and everybody else that that watched him in that first game so yeah that's huge but that's a that's a big Omission on my part to not bring him up in the previous episode because I was focused well you know what the Teamwork Makes dream work that's why I'm here to support you go so hey we'll get it done we're going to give the people you're the Dominic zavada of the episode right now that's what that was so so in the last episode we focused almost entirely on offense we talked the running back battle do Donovan Edwards khle mullings we talked what's going going on at quarterback there's a little thing at Center the offensive line jellen coulston Lovin we talked all that stuff Michigan scored 30 now I want to talk about the defense because they did keep a pretty talented pretty experienced quarterback and a pretty good offense of Fresno States pretty much in check all day um right you know very first possession you get the interception by Zeke Barry which that's great for his confidence as well he's going to be playing a much bigger role this year uh and then you know later in the second half Fresno did get a touchdown but that was pretty much now you got Texas coming to town we talked about Quinn yers they got a bunch of speed they got they got a A one-two Punch at running back that was pretty effective against Colorado State again that's that's not Michigan but uh they they they did score 52 uh and and and shut out Colorado State so look man when I watch Michigan's defense I'm they might be better than last year's is that crazy to say like I'm I'm I know was one game but I think Jan Barham is a differen maker on that team that was not there last year I think that kid is an absolute stud I think he's actually an upgrade from Jo Junior Coulson and I love Junior Coulson but I think that kid is like all big 10 First Team Caliber I think he's going to be a star for Michigan all year but it it it comes down to the defense to me this week how much how how how much can they hold Texas's offense down we have to be disciplined we have to play lights out but within the confines of the defense um we we have to not get caught up in the motions and formations and stuff of Texas what from the little bit that I watch from the Colorado State game Texas does a lot of things as far as putting their re their receivers tight ends and running backs in obscure sort of positions Andor situations where it makes the linebackers in the DBS a little bit confused and so we just have to remain in the in the confines of the defense when you hit the guy get the guy down no Yak we have to be sure tacklers when you come up and lay the hat I don't want this shoulder forearm stuff rra these guys up and get them down on the ground because of the fact that they are so athletic they are they are so fast um you have the Manning kid in there coming in playing quarterback as well did a pretty good job once he got his uh opportunity get into the game again there's a lot of things here in my opinion that are still question marks just based off the level of competition between two blue blood teams facing two lower tier teams it is what it is right but now when you put blue Bud against bluebud bcal against bcal what team's going to win is it going to be you know the wings helmet of the ma and blue or is it going to be the longhorn and the bur orange I don't know but when I did see the longhorn play the little bit that I did watch they have a physical offensive line Big Fellas were getting out in space putting big bodies on little bodies the running backs ran downhill good shiftiness out of the back field and their quarterbacks had pretty good control in management of the game overall so again from the defensive side of things stay disciplined apply pressure get home when we can get home and when we're able to lay the Hat make sure that we're getting them down on the turf no Yak yeah yeah they're I mean it's Texas yeah you know they they recruit you know the best of the best every year like a Michigan like a Georgia like in Alabama like that's their recruiting pool they're going to have equal Talent this this is this is what it always is with Michigan you know all 10 all nine years Jim Harbaugh was there you know you look at the schedule at the beginning of the year and there's there's eight or nine teams every year that just they don't have the same they're not the same it's okay to say they're just not the same you got those three or four games this year I think it's five I think it's five games that are quote unquote losable because the other team has at least a handful of guys that are as good as your guys you know there's other there's other teams that just just aren't there you know this past week included so I think you're right I mean when you look at Quinn Ur was 20 of 27 for 260 yards three touchdowns and a pick Arch Manning comes in most of the fourth quarter they didn't have him throw it a whole lot but he threw it six times hit five of them 95 yards and a touchdown and he's as confident as anybody on the field I don't know if right I don't know if he plays against Michigan I I mean ERS is the guy he's their starter Manning is going to get reps here and there when it's applicable but I I don't know if that'll be the case against Michigan on saturday um you mentioned their two running backs Jarrett Gibson Jaden blue 10 carries and 11 carries respectively both of them you know 67 and 57 yards so like they got a two-headed monster kind of like Michigan does at running back which is common nowadays and they got some real speed at receiver and Ryan wingo and Isaiah Bond so I mean they they can do it they can do it all and they've got they've got studs on defense big guys up front athletic fast linebackers high level Corner they look a lot like Michigan on paper if I'm being honest that's what that's my biggest I don't want to say fear but point of contention right now will Johnson if you want to be a true option for the Heisman Trophy this year you hey you got to shut it down and it starts next week you know we ended the game he jumped that route incredibly like knew it was coming know took it to the house obviously let's not get the penalty after the fact but in this particular case right now now we're jumping into the deep end of the pool and I have all the confidence in the world and will but now it's time to show and prove that you know he is the best shutdown Corner in college football right now um offensive line we have to show up we got to get our quarterback time and there may be some some situations where hey the DBS I got our wide receivers locked up throw the ball away let's come back not force things and shoot ourselves in the foot we have to win a turnover battle and I think if we win a turnover battle and we win a time of possession we'll be okay right and if we do those two things obviously I believe we'll be in a more advantageous position to pull out the W this is going to be a hard game I'm not just going to sit up here and and stroke you know the Michigan hopefuls ego and say we're about to come out here and shoot the lights out this is going to be a hardfought game and it's really going to come down to who makes the least amount of mistakes and who's able to capitalize the most I was just doing a quick check on those two receivers because I I recognize both of their names as for as a former recruiting guy uh Ryan Wingo was a top 50 top 40 type kid I mean borderline five star kind of kid uh and Isa I believe Isaiah Bond was the same was the same way if I remember remember correctly I'm trying to I'm trying to go back and find out exactly where he was at but um uh that's not the right that's not the right uh there's High School yeah th this is this is a totally different animal this is what I was thinking about while you were talking about those two receivers and and what will Johnson and whoever the other you know Jer Hill was in there Jade MCB burls was in there you had a couple different guys playing corner on the other side um I don't know how many times they mentioned it but a lot a lot of the guys catching passes for Fresno State were FCS guys they said they had a couple different transfer dudes that had come you know in thousand yard 1500 yard 1200 yard guys in that's production but you know Ryan Wingo Isaiah Bond and the dudes that Texas have are it's going be a little different animal I mean there's just no other way to slice yeah I mean it's it's definitely going to be a step up in competition which we're here for right abely reason why you strap up every day let's go out here and uh see see who the best let's let's see who the king of the mountain is um but again I just I don't want the Wolverine faithful to get so CAU up into the type of play more so just get the W everything's going to be a work in progress this year I truly believe that um we got to the Natty by losing twice in the playoffs yeah years prior right it was a work in progress finally we got it right now we had some pieces missing it's time to you know reconfigure that that jigsaw puzzle so to speak and then from there hopefully we can continue the brand of football we we started out with based off of last year's play just real quick Isaiah Bond yeah 52nd player in the country top 40 player and other services so yeah these are these are borderline five star wide receivers that will Johnson and Company are going to be dealing with asah Bond started off at Bama I mean like you again Blue Chip kids Man kids that Texas gets Bama gets Georgia gets Ohio state gets michig gets will Johnson was a five star one of the best corners I mean this is this is a battle of Titans here um from the top from from guy to guy and from program to program Texas Michigan it doesn't get any bigger than that I'm very excited about it because I'm with you you know whatever the line is whether you care about that or not it's going to be a battle and it might come down to a Dominic Zada kick it might come down to you know who's got one turnover and who's got two it might come down to beating up that quarterback a little bit it might there there's just so many things that you have to do well in a game like this in order to keep it close and that and I think being at home certainly helps Michigan a lot but that Ed quarterback I want to ask you about that do do you think it's sizable you know comparing Quinn yers to Davis Warren or Alex orgy whatever that rotation ends up looking like and and how big of a deal is that I'm going to say yeah just because of just because of the um the attitude that those guys are goingon to bring I think um you know waren getting in there okay yeah you got your shot you doing some things you did some things against Fresno um Manning being on Texas hey it's a Manning you know my pedigree speaks for itself and and with you know the other kid that they have I just think Texas is going to come in with a Texas size Swagger and wanting to prove we got hoes last year we should have been in the mix and if we were there last year the outcome would have been totally different that whole um playoff landscape would have been completely changed if the Longhorns were in the mix so it's the chip on the shoulder we as Wolverines and as the coaching staff we have to match that level of intensity for 60 plus minutes the other piece to it is we have to be smart I'm going to go out on a limb here and say there's going to be a lot of talk yeah I mean why wouldn't there be it's G right it's it's going to be real chippy out there right so we have to keep our heads about us um as we continue to to compete in this contest we can't afford the dumb penalties that are either a going to put them in scoring positions or B take us out of it um remember who we are hey whistle to whistle put them on their back but once that whistle blows a head back to the to the Huddle to your sideline get ready for the next play we have to keep emotions in check that's 100 dude it's a 100 dudes on each roster who genuinely think they're better than the other guy you know like there's no doubt Fresno they're they're not really thinking that they might put on a little front and a little facade and we got this we got this you're whistling through yeah but but at Texas hey that's that's Texas they think they're better than everybody they step on the field with and they should say that and some of them are I mean they they have that kind of talent so I'm with you I think it could it could get a little chippy it's going to be a lot I mean the intensity is going to be through the roof it's going to be a completely different vibe than it was you know on Saturday even though let me ask you about this too I am curious about this how much different would it so Fresno was a 7:30 kickoff now you got a noon kickoff for Texas what if that was switched like how much different would the vibe be if it was a Texas night game 7:30 kick versus this noon kickoff that has become such a this big noon kickoff with the coverage and all that it seems like some of the best games that should be prime time now are at noon and I don't know I don't know how I feel about it I don't know you're old you're old school you did a lot of noon games I don't know if did you ever play a Prime Time game I don't really recalling it wasn't a thing back then as much it it was right EX it just wasn't a thing right um playing at noon for us what I'm hoping for is is because of the fact that you get the butterflies out you don't have as much time sit around and wait and wait right you know the level of anticipation like let's just go ahead and and get this party started um you know obviously Texas is is a great story program does the time change and the time difference you know play a little bit to our advantage because they got to come east um from from you know Western you know a couple hours here and there or whatever the case may be who knows right those are you know the metrics that certain pundits like to to talk about my biggest thing is this it's about atmosphere and environment I'm hoping that we bring the same level of funk that we did during that 7:30 game to a noon game uh I I fervently believe that if that was a 7:30 game based off the amount of what's really riding on this game the big house will be rocking and we're serving alcohol in the big house too yeah that definitely would have been an epic time but all that to be said you know we just need our fans to show up obviously um Texas is going to travel well just because it's Texas so it's going to be really interesting to see the layout of the that is gonna be very cool to see right right you know because you know what a PR what a program as stored as Texas and as uh voracious as those Texas fans are and now they having an opportunity to come up here I the last time we played Texas was 01 maybe somewhere in there maybe 2000 um we lost to win the uh in the Rose Bowl Vince Young was was the quarterback yeah that that uh I'm double-checking current win streak is one by Texas um is that is that right they've only played one time ever that was it 05 05 okay yeah I was actually on the coaching staff as a uh graduate assistant um working with Mike gson uh strength conditioning so um yeah and we had a hell of a shot to win that game 3837 we literally let Vince single-handedly and you know that guy was a a once in a-lifetime sort of athlete at least at least on the Cent level obviously you know a lot of us know how his pro career kind of you know panned out or didn't but we can't let that be the case this week we have to get to their quarterback we have to make that quarterback uncomfortable we have to keep our quarterback safe and we have to win the time of possession if we can do those three things I think we have a more than average chance to win win the game I was looking around I'm like that can't be right one time one time they played in the history of those two crazy programs hundreds of years of of of football and just like I said two of the biggest brands in the entire sport recognizable all over the country out of the country all over the Globe really that block them and that longhorn man that's everybody knows what that is one time they have played and Michigan is uh is currently 0 and one against Texas after the 2005 Rose bow 38- 37 that's crazy I don't think I would have known that that's a trivia question that would have stumped me about how many times they had played I would have thought it would have been a couple more than that but there you go so really cool chance for Michigan to get back to 500 against Texas on Saturday uh and we'll we'll close out with this as we approach the 25 minute Mark I do expect to and and can correct me if I'm wrong or if you have a different opinion I do expect this uh this rotational stuff to be much much tighter I know we saw they were they were they were running around on the field down there the I can't remember the girl's name that was the sideline reporter but there's nothing wrong with Will Johnson he's just hanging out I will Johnson's not coming out Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant are going to be tired they're going to need an ice bath they're going to be on the field a lot right how how does that have to be handled because you you want your best guys in at all times but you also want them to be fresh you want them to be good to go you want them to be able to give 100% uh especially up front I mean I would expect will Johnson to play the whole game he'll be fine but those Big Fellas up front the way that they go at it play in and play out you know how often are are you going to give a blow to guys like Graham and Grant and some of the other pass rushers and things like that I think it you know it's definitely going to be situ situational um I think this goes back to our strength conditioning program and making sure you know we we've always prided ourselves about next man up so we have to be ready to be in that position if you are the starter and I got to run the whole game I got to run the whole game I always tell people this as an offensive lineman we are literally the only position that never comes off the field I know I thought about that so you know so and I get it as a pass rusher are you you know you're putting out a little bit more energy exertion if you will blah blah blah I don't know and I'm saying this yeah because I'm an offensive lineman but all that to be said um yeah you just have to be timely with it and and understand the circumstances where we at on the field down in distance all these different things what combination of guys are going to give us the best opportunity be to be successful during these series of snaps and as a player you shouldn't want to come off the field yeah no yeah so that's what I'm that's what that's what I'm looking for hey I get it you're dog tired but I'm going need for you to dig a little bit deeper in the tank that's why we did all the extra running and we lift all the weights and all the things that we do in the offseason for games like this right now this game to me almost mirrors the Colorado game in 1994 and I was starting Right Guard in that game and that the way we lost that game really put a a a dark cloud over our season I think this game right here was that the slash to Westbrook heave yeah that was that was the hill man and in in the South End Zone so that definitely put a damper on our season I think and again early that might have been our second game of the year second or third game so to me this kind of has that sort of vibe based off of everything we did last year right we're still riding that wave haven't lost a game now all of a sudden you have a a highly touted Texas team a team that possibly should have been in the playoffs last year based off their history and everything else they bring to the table and we come in here and or they come into the big house and you know like I said I just need for us to be competitive yes are we going to get the W Hart's going to say that all day but competitive side and what I mean by that is this for whatever reason if we do end up taking an L did we compete did we compete at a high level and did we make Texas earn everything they got that's what I'm looking for because of how the the new situation is right now I think an early season loss that was a highly competitive game to Texas and we do and we finish out how we should finish out and especially if we go down to Columbus and get another W down there I think we'll be just fine all right I'm going to put you on the spot real quick you said it earlier but do you have a a score prediction for the game on Saturday what do you think it looks like I'm going to say 28 24 we are in a very similar boat I am going to say 24 to 20 but I think it's Texas don't don't throw anything at me I think Texas gets the win man I just think because of the quarterback I just I think Quinn ERS is is is that good you know he's a Heisman candidate he's and I just don't know what to what you're getting out of that position from Michigan right now you know I just with that back and forth and how is orgy going to be used and what's it going to look like and can you stretch it down the field at all can somebody step up besides coulston Loveland and catch something I don't know man I hate to say it I mean that's what I said before the season started I think Michigan's you know got those five losable games I thought I thought Texas and Ohio State were the two L's and you try to get two or three of the other one two two out of three of the other ones and you finish nine and three or 10 and two and that's a great first season for Chiron Moore and the team after they've lost all the stuff that you've you've mentioned you know multiple times all that talent to the next level so that's that's where I'm at man I got it 2420 Texas I hate to I hate to say the word and I love when I'm wrong about this stuff and I'll get a I'll get a bunch of crap from fans and I'm okay with that but that's what I see that's where I'm at no I I mean but you have made a very um educated guess based off what we've seen and and where we're at right now um is it Apples to Apples I don't know but my biggest thing right now is as I say week in and week out if we win it up front on both sides keep our guys safe no turnovers and we get to their quarterback I think we'll be all right I saw that the Rams were able to get to um the Longhorns quarterback on a couple occasions pressures a sack or so in there so if we're able to do that consistently I think we'll I think I won't say we'll be just fine but we'll definitely be in the mix to be competitive so as I said before the heart's always going to say the W intellectually analytically speaking it's going to be a question Mark and uh a hope and a prayer there you go again he's Thomas G I'm Brandon Brown we'll be back to talk about the Michigan Texas game when it's over at some point even this week see this last weekend was a little unfair it was it's the opening weekend but it's Labor Day we got we're traveling we got going on we'll try to be a little bit more locked in coming up after this big one on Saturday uh and yeah let's uh you know excited could not be more excited about this match up for Michigan against Texas we'll be back to talk about it in a few days take care