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Michigan receiver Jason Avant beats Trumaine Banks but can't reach Chad Henne's overthrown pass.Can Michigan regroup after jug-ular hit?
Right at the jugular
What has been Michigan's biggest problem this season?
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ANN ARBOR -- Michigan is giving it all away now, everything it once owned, everything it just expected to continue. Any kind of real title contention? Gone. Any semblance of offensive flair or defensive toughness? Gone, gone.
And now also gone is the Little Brown Jug, grabbed with force by Minnesota on Saturday, spirited out of town by the team that deserves to own it.
This might have looked like a Minnesota victory out of nowhere, but the truth is, we should have seen it coming.
The Wolverines lost a little jug and a large game, and in the process, gave up so much, you wonder how they regroup.
The Gophers beat U-M 23-20 on a last-second field goal by Jason Giannini, their first capture of the Jug since 1986. When the game ended, it was so quiet in Michigan Stadium, you could hear an aura drop.
For U-M and coach Lloyd Carr, this is the program's most significant breaking point in years. The Wolverines (3-3) are off to their worst start since 1990, and their offense looks clueless.
And when they absolutely had to have their defense, it committed a colossal gaffe, allowing Minnesota's Gary Russell to rumble 61 yards in the final 90 seconds, setting up the winning field goal.
The Gophers, who lost quarterback Bryan Cupito to a shoulder injury, were just trying to kill the clock deep in their own territory and make it to overtime, before Russell busted through. So this is how far the Wolverines have fallen. They can't even stop a team trying to stop itself.
"Obviously, we're not in a position we're accustomed to," Carr said. "But there's no promises out there. We are where we are. We'll see how we handle this particular situation."
No promises out there. Sometimes, the Wolverines play as if there are. This starts with Carr and his staff, who have too much experience rallying a broken team. Now he has a shaken quarterback, Chad Henne, and a team that clearly can't win by pounding the ball and relying on its defense.
That predictable foundation might have worked for years, 16 straight times against the Gophers, but an innovative adjustment is needed now.
Minnesota and its coach, Glen Mason, deserve loads of credit. The tailback tandem of Russell and Laurence Maroney is fabulous. The offensive line is tough. Several minutes after the game, the only noise in the big ol' bowl were the shouts of Minnesota players, still running around the field with the Jug aloft, stopping to pose for photos. One player planted a flag at midfield.
It might as well have been a dagger.
"You never imagine this happening," said tailback Mike Hart, who rushed for 109 yards. "It's a nightmare, but we just have to come back. ... We'll see what this team is about. Being 3-3, that's enough motivation right there. We can't lose any more or we'll go down as one of the worst teams in Michigan history. And the thing is, we're a great team."
No, actually, they're not.
Minnesota (5-1) stayed close all day, just as Notre Dame and Wisconsin had. The Gophers outgained the Wolverines 403-249, and if not for Steve Breaston's flash, they might not have needed the last-minute miracle.
The fact is, everyone has gotten closer to U-M, so close, the Wolverines no longer can breathe easily. They are where they are partly out of injury misfortune and partly out of complacency. Henne looks like he is regressing, although he sure didn't get much help from his receivers and tight ends, who dropped at least five passes.
Kicker Garrett Rivas, the hero one week earlier against Michigan State, missed two field goals. But should U-M count on scraping by with late field goals?
On the Minnesota side, the mood was giddiness and disbelief. Among the Wolverines, it was equal parts shock and somberness.
"Nobody's feeling sorry for themselves," defensive tackle Pat Massey said. "We realize we got outplayed. There's definitely some frustration, and definitely some anger."
There definitely should be some urgency now. A program doesn't stay near the top just by expecting it, without adjusting. Don't misunderstand. The Wolverines have played hard, for the most part. There is a chance -- sit down for this one -- they're just not good enough or experienced enough in key areas to be consistent this season.
But really, all the explanations sound like excuses. The offensive line is full of holes, the quarterback has lost his accuracy and the offense is too basic.
Hart, still dealing with a hamstring injury, was the only U-M back to carry the ball all day, and he did it 28 times against a defense that knew he was coming. Rising freshman receiver Mario Manningham caught only two passes. The tight ends caught none.
In the absence of dominant athletic ability, Carr and offensive coordinator Terry Malone better show some ingenuity, before everything slips away. Right now, there's nothing special about this team, but something uniquely troubling. The Jug is gone, a bowl trip is in jeopardy, pride is battered. We're about to find out if the Wolverines are willing to scrap for what they have left.
You can reach Bob Wojnowski at bob.wojnowski@detnews.com.
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