I don't believe it's all Carr's fault.

[Ronbo]

From what I am hearing the Michigan players were arrogant and nonchalant about playing a FCS team Saturday. Even snickering after Apps first TD thinking the Mountaineers were lucky and it would be the only TD.

In my opinion a Coach can warn players like Michigan's players till he's blue in the face and they still won't take the game seriously. What's a Coach to do with 100 Rivals150 players that think their crap doesn't stink.

Those players are eating a big dose of humble pie this morning.xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

It's a coaches job to get players focused. The coach told the press that it was his fault that the team was not prepared. Many coaches have the same mentality that a lot of players and ESPN pundits have - you are entitled to a win if your team is larger and has more name recognition xrolleyesx .

[Ronbo]

My experience is that it seems most Coaches worry about their opponents alot more than the players do. You gotta think Carr was worried that App State might at least keep it close and embarrass them. He must have warned the players to play hard and take the game seriously.

[Gil Dobie]

........and App St had a lot to say about the outcome too. xthumbsupx

[Ronbo]

This game was 90% mental. UM was cocky and over confident. ASU was focused and high as a kite. ASU wanted it bad. Look on paper, Michigan has Rivals and USA Today All Americans from top to bottom, dozens of 4 and 5 star recruits. ASU has mostly 1 and 2 star recruits over looked by FBS and a few transfers that couldn't get playing time at FBS. Never underestimate heart! This was won with HEART! ASU had the heart in this one and that won the game over a superior talent.

[ngineer]

My experience is that it seems most Coaches worry about their opponents alot more than the players do. You gotta think Carr was worried that App State might at least keep it close and embarrass them. He must have warned the players to play hard and take the game seriously.

I have to disagree. As I pointed out elsewhere, Carr made comments last week that showed that HE was looking ahead to Oregon and Notre Dame. If the Coach is making public comments like that, that sends a very clear message to his team. He has to take a lot of responsibilty for not having his team focused.

[letsgopards04]

I don't if it was mentioned elsewhere on AGS but Michigan passed up a matchup against Hawaii to play App St. In hindsight seeing Hawaii throw for 400+ yards and 6TD in the first half they may have laid 50+ points on Michigan.

[james_lawfirm]

........and App St had a lot to say about the outcome too. xthumbsupx

YES! Thank you for pointing out that there was another team on the field that had something to do with the win.

[james_lawfirm]

This game was 90% mental. UM was cocky and over confident. ASU was focused and high as a kite. ASU wanted it bad. Look on paper, Michigan has Rivals and USA Today All Americans from top to bottom, dozens of 4 and 5 star recruits. ASU has mostly 1 and 2 star recruits over looked by FBS and a few transfers that couldn't get playing time at FBS. Never underestimate heart! This was won with HEART! ASU had the heart in this one and that won the game over a superior talent.

Good post. During the coin toss, I focused my binoculars on big Ben Long, OT for Mich. All the captains on both teams had their helmets off so I could see their expressions. Mr. Long is like 6'20" & probably weighed 527 lbs. & wore those barbed wire tatoos on his biceps which were the size of small trees. Anyway, he TOWERED over all the other 7 captains & the refs. After the ref announced who was to kickoff & defend which goal, Mr. Long's expression was a smile of quiet confidence and contentment knowing the outcome before it started. I could tell from the 90th row, that Mr. Long did not think ASU had a chance.

Who said, "It's not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it's the size of the fight in the dog." (OK, it was not Michael Vick. But, the message is a good one anyway.)

Ya reckon big Ben Long was surprised at the outcome?

[Appdad]

Coach Carr, as all great coaches do, takes full responsibility for losses.
It deflects pubic criticism from the players.

[Ronbo]

Coach Carr, as all great coaches do, takes full responsibility for losses.
It deflects pubic criticism from the players.

I commend him for doing that but you can't coach heart. Michigan players didn't bring their hearts to this game and ASU players did.

[therealbigredrules]

I believe this was Michigan's first I-AA (I know its not called that now) game. They have historically played teams like Ball State (who played them close last year) in their "easy" out of conference games. Obviously they failed to realize that there is not much difference when you get to the upper level of I-AA versus the Ball State, Indiana's, and Northwesterns of the world.

I really think they fell for the lower level sub-division B.S. and felt they were playing a team that was far lower quality then even a MAC school. What fun this was to watch!

Again, Great job App St.

[JMU-MRD-DAD]

Simply put.....ASU outplayed them........stop the finger pointing.....and the talk about firing the coach, etc. Eleven on eleven....ASU beat them. I don't buy all the crap being dished out for excuses. If you can't come out of the locker room after halftime with some type of incentive to get the job done.......you simply got beat by the better team.

[Ronbo]

You could not be more off base. If they played ten times UM would win nine. They wouldn't catch them flat footed again. Michigan has HS All Americans three deep and will send a dozen players to the Pros, App. State was only the better team for one magical Saturday. This was similar to any great upset like the 1980 Hockey team. It happened once but lightning doesn't strike twice in the same spot.

[youwouldno]

First of all, Michigan is not the 5th best team in the FBS. They were overrated and a lot of people were saying that before the season. Defense is very inexperienced, and App ate them alive. I don't think Michigan lost because they were cocky, they lost because App was just better.

Did Carr take App too lightly? I think you have to say that he did. If he had prepared like it was Ohio State, would App still have won? Probably not. However, to say Michigan would win '9 out of 10 times' is fallacious. You play once and don't get to rewind time.

[Ronbo]

First of all, Michigan is not the 5th best team in the FBS. They were overrated and a lot of people were saying that before the season. Defense is very inexperienced, and App ate them alive. I don't think Michigan lost because they were cocky, they lost because App was just better.

Did Carr take App too lightly? I think you have to say that he did. If he had prepared like it was Ohio State, would App still have won? Probably not. However, to say Michigan would win '9 out of 10 times' is fallacious. You play once and don't get to rewind time.


We'll see who sends more to the pros. You are just plain ignorant saying App. State is better. It was a huge upset. xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx If they played 20 times UM would win the next 19. The guys at Sportscenter said this won't happen again for 50 years and I agree.

[youwouldno]

We'll see who sends more to the pros. You are just plain ignorant saying App. State is better. It was a huge upset. xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx xlolx If they played 20 times UM would win the next 19.

You can't read. I was said App "was" better.

You don't play 20 times in a row. You play once. And App won the game, end of story. That means App was the worse team?

[Ronbo]

Well eeeeexxxxxccccuuuuussssssseeeee! Me! I keep seeing posts that App. State is better. Is that why they are calling it the biggest UPSET in football history??????? Because the better team won, that isn't an upset.

[youwouldno]

Well eeeeexxxxxccccuuuuussssssseeeee! Me! I keep seeing posts that App. State is better. Is that why they are calling it the biggest UPSET in football history??????? Because the better team won, that isn't an upset.

They're calling it the biggest upset of all time because they think FCS isn't real football.

It's clear you're just jealous... give it a rest.

[Menudo]

I tell you this. If Michigan does not win their next game. Coach will be looking for a new job.

[Gil Dobie]

We'll see who sends more to the pros.

Michigan was kind of like the USA Olympic and International Basketball team of recent years, prior to this year. Lots of stars, but not as great as a great team. :) xnodx

[rOryOs-ASU]

I believe if it was anything but the first game of the season U-M could overlook ASU , but how many 19,20,21year olds will not be ready to play and overconfident going into the first game of the season when it's been 9 months since they've played!!The game I saw they were ready, but we were better,
They were outcoached, and what i saw was when we matched them score for score in the first quarter doubt set in , and we were better than they expected, but I dont think they were overconfident and not ready to play ,they were overwhelmed by a better and faster team!