The Bucket Problem

The Meet at Midfield subscriber-only podcast isn’t subscriber-only because it’s FREE WEEK. This week’s second pod is a solo mailbag endeavor.

Topics:

A personal announcement.

The issues at linebacker and which non-OSU opponent could give them the most trouble.

Getting the WRs more involved.

The wrongest I’ve ever been about a non-Michigan coaching hire.

My dream neutral-site-only schedule.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for Meet at Midfield for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage. Subscriptions are 5% off with promo code EXTRA.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I have no idea what’s in this one! Iowa stuff, probably? — Ace.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

After Dan graces us with a voicemail intro, Connor and Taylor join Ace to break down Michigan’s closer-than-anticipated win over Maryland, discuss how it impacted our outlook on the Wolverines, name our Big Ten teams of the week and more.

Topics:

Dan leaves a voicemail. Actually, two voicemails.

The respect bit is over.

Warm and fuzzy homecoming feelings.

An extended discussion of playcalling, game management, the nature of watching games in particular settings and the challenge of separating that initial experience from our postgame analysis.

We very much agree that the sequence to being the second half was bad.

Please don’t stand in the pocket forever, J.J. McCarthy.

Blake Corum: great! The backups with Donovan Edwards out: a problem!

Ace is fed up with Iowa and respecting their chances of winning and we kinda lose the plot for a bit.

Max Bredeson: legit.

Was the pass rush worrisome or was Taulua Tagovailoa just really dang slippery?

Mike Barrett >>> Kalel Mullings right now. Get well soon, Nikhai Hill-Green.

The cornerbacks in particular and the secondary in general were excellent, especially against Maryland’s talented receiving corps.

Gemon Green has been just as good as D.J. Turner this year.

The defense needs to do better getting lined up before the snap.

Connor called shotgun, which means he led the Michigan State discussion.

The Big Ten West is very bad and it should feel bad. Except for Minnesota. Maybe.

Northwestern is go 1-11 with a win over Nebraska.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this week’s podcast, Ace, Connor and Taylor discuss the UConn game, each pick a Big Ten team to highlight for the week and much more.

Topics:

We question the timing of a major sporting event.

Josh Allen is worked into the podcast in a relevant way.

Talking Taylor out of the desire to see Lance Leipold at Wisconsin because that’d be terrifying.

A brief history of recent Kansas coaches.

The FOX pregame show’s extreme divorced energy.

Eastern ended Herm! We report on Ypsilanti’s reaction.

Fine, the UConn game. We love how the team looks and try to take away what we can from a non-conference schedule of three teams ranked 120th or worse in SP+.

Losing Cade: not fun. A.J. Henning: fun.

A minor recruiting conspiracy theory.

Speaking of conspiracies, U-M’s PFF grades make zero sense again.

The defense gave up 2.1 yards per play. Not bad.

The phenomenon of overanalyzing and underrating young returning starters, inspired by Junior Colson.

We collectively love Mike Sainristil.

Thoughts on Maryland-SMU, Nebraska-Oklahoma and the market on NFTucks.

RGIII is taking horny too far.

HODL.

Is Bob Stoops a big Degrassi guy?

Urban to Nebraska? Sure! What could go wrong?

The REAL long-term ramifications of the 1997 national championship votes.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for Meet at Midfield for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ace, Alex and Taylor eventually get around to breaking down Michigan’s call-their-shot blowout of Hawaii. Before that, though, did you hear about Scott Frost?

Topics:

The 2017 UCF team that built Scott Frost’s reputation was really talented!

This non-conference schedule: significantly less talented.

Taylor might go to church next week. Thank you, Marshall.

Scott Frost got so fired Nebraska paid an extra $7.5M to do it now.

We debate whether Nebraska is a better job than Kansas.

You know what’s definitely a better job than Nebraska? Wisconsin.

Okay, fine, we’ll talk about the Hawaii game.

It’s J.J. McCarthy and it’s not a conspiracy.

We spend a lot more time on the offense than the defense because Hawaii is very not good.

Jake Butt really knew the roster. Nice BTN debut.

Jim Harbaugh hates providing early-season clarity about the receivers.

Did we learn anything? It's debatable.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ace, Connor and Taylor review Michigan’s 51-7 win over Colorado State. There were a lot of reasons be to be encouraged on only a couple minor missteps in an easy win over, admittedly, a bad team. 

Topics:

The cold open worked this time!

Connor passes up the tempting OSU-related big mood for a good Michigan vibes big mood.

The QB battle now includes possible Instagram drama. Also, like everyone else, we were more impressed with J.J. McCarthy and it’s okay for this to be playing out this way.

OSU/ND was… underwhelming. We’re cool with that.

The offense didn’t need to show much or use the receivers. The running backs and O-line were good. This was a very TE-centric game plan.

RGIII got horny on main.

Maybe we see a deep ball before Maryland, maybe we don’t.

Sure, caveats apply to the defense, but we could hardly have asked for more out of the post-Hutchinson/Ojabo pass rush.

Jesse Minter’s passing down blitz packages were downright mean.

The only real hiccup was Will Johnson giving up a deep ball and he almost recovered to make the play anyway. We’re not worried unless it happens repeatedly.

Competing Brad Robbins mustache jokes.

Taylor tries to make Bowl Team Colorado State a thing. We’re skeptical.

Big Ten programs as bad Disney World rides.

We're so sorry, Dan.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ace, Alex, Connor and Taylor run through Michigan’s 2022 football schedule, answer the most pressing questions about the program this year and make our season predictions.

Topics:

We cut most of the cold open! It was awkward. You’re welcome.

Let’s force Nebraska to open every season in a foreign country.

Northwestern is bad and cowardly and could win nine games.

Chase Brown may elevate Illinois from the bottom tier of the conference.

We break the news to Connor that Lovie Smith is an NFL head coach. In 2022.

Maryland’s passing game is worrisome, Mike Locksley is not.

We all greatly respect Michigan State and their remarkable football program. TuckCoin is the future.

The numbers don’t account for Ohio State’s lack of Dog.

We’re split on who we believe will win the QB battle.

Can the all-around progression of the defense make up for the losses of two first-round EDGEs?

Rose Bowl soon come?

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ace, Dan, Connor and Taylor go position-by-position through Michigan’s defense. But first, another lengthy big moods session.

Topics:

Connor only watches movies with subtitles

The most down bad date of all time

The “Faceoff on the Lake” is sadly semi-false advertising

Meltdown August

Remembering Some Punt Returners

We hit the under on our “Caden Kolesar mention” prop bet

Dispelling the myth of Night Kinnick

Connor’s big mood is an accidental self-critique

The defensive line: large, good, might even have instant impact freshmen

Edge: big shoes to fill, lots of players to try

Inside linebacker: solid potential among the starters, not a lot of depth

Cornerback: the strength of the defense, arguably

Nickel: will be a downgrade from Dax Hill but a lot of ways to fill this spot

Safety: should have at least three playable guys, we all love Rod Moore

Special teams: good kicking, please don’t use indispensable players as returners

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ace, Connor, and Taylor go position-by-position through Michigan’s offense. But first, a lengthy big moods session.

Topics:

The cold open doesn’t go as planned

Approaching the season with uncharacteristic optimism

Did anyone who voted in the AP Poll watch Clemson last year? Anyone at all?

The Katzenmoyer Law is still being enforced in Columbus

We needed to get some Notre Dame hate out of our system

Connor reveals another dark family secret

The world’s worst “House Divided” flag

Picturing a brighter future for Nebraska (the Armed Forces Bowl)

We get the same QB controversy quote every year

Please tweet to @HomefieldApparl and ask them why they canceled the final week of Big New Saturdaya

Michigan’s schedule sets up well for an ongoing QB battle

Can Corum/Edwards be an even better duo than Haskins/Corum?

Searching for a No. 1 receiver

The tight ends are really good

How the hell do the coaches utilize all these skill players

Last year’s Joe Moore Award-winning O-line has a very good chance of being better this year

Which units are we most and least confident in? Ace cheats.

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Sign up for www.meetatmidfield.com for much more Michigan content plus Ohio State, Big Ten, and national coverage.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Special guest Ben Mathis-Lilley (@BenMathisLilley), Slate senior writer, joins the show to talk about his upcoming book THE HOT SEAT, which focuses on Michigan football during the 2021 season. This should be of great interest to you. Preorder the book here.

Topics:

That Phil Steele August feeling

Ben’s formative experiences as a fan

How DJing works

The nature of fandom, Michigan, Jim Harbaugh, and other topics you can read about in THE HOT SEAT

Much more

PointsBet is my go-to sportsbook. You too can use (or fade) our bowl picks and take advantage of features like booster odds, same-game parlays, and name a bet. Use promo code BUCKETPROB when signing up for the PointsBet app to get your first deposit MATCHED for up to $1,000 in free bets. Double your betting potential with promo code BUCKETPROB.

Use promo code MEETATMIDFIELD for 15% off your first order at homefieldapparel.com, your home for the best, softest, retro logo-est, dunking mascot-est, most fashionable licensed collegiate gear you can imagine. Yes, they have Michigan—and Slippery Rock.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices