Michigan Football

<div id="headline" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div id="article-title-wrapper" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h1 id="article-title" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #222222; display: inline; font-family: 'Francois One', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: -1px; line-height: 42px; margin: 10px 10px 5px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Michigan Football: Offensive Line, Pass Rush Still Biggest Issues for Wolverines</h1></div><div class="module" id="author-info-area" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="header" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h3 style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #999999; float: left; font-family: 'Open Sans Condensed', sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 6px 0px 0px; position: relative; text-shadow: none; text-transform: uppercase; top: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">BY <span class="author-name-and-title" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #555555; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="article-author-link" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="author" href="http://bleacherreport.com/users/42839-zach-dirlam" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #373737; float: none; margin: 7px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;" target="_parent">ZACH DIRLAM</a></div> (FEATURED COLUMNIST) </span>ON NOVEMBER 4, 2013</h3><div id="article-stats-info" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: left; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px 0px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: none; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="number" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">1,037</span> <span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">reads</span> </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; float: none; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a class="comments-anchor" href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1835461-michigan-football-offensive-line-pass-rush-still-biggest-issues-for-wolverines#comments" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #373737; float: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="number comment_count" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: inline; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">20 </span><img alt="Icon_comment" src="http://static.bleacherreport.net/images/redesign/common/icon_comment.png" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;" /></a></div></div></div></div><div id="article-share-area-header" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: right; height: 32px; 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border: 0px; color: #373737; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="next-article-bar" style="-webkit-box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 20px inset; background-color: transparent; border: 0px; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 0px 0px 20px inset; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #999999; font-size: 15px; line-height: 32px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Use your <span class="arrows" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 18px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">← →</span> (arrow) keys to browse more stories</span><a class="control-next png-fix" href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1836221-michigan-reeling-after-defeat-by-rival-michigan-state" style="background-image: url(http://static2.bleacherreport.net/images/redesign/articles/buttons.png); background-position: -144px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; color: #003366; display: block; float: right; font-weight: bold; height: 32px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -9999px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 108px;">Next</a></div><div id="article-body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden !important; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="media-slot photo-slot" id="primary-photo" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; height: 350px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline; width: 630px;"><img alt="Hi-res-183178867-fitzgerald-toussaint-of-the-michigan-wolverines-runs_crop_north" height="440" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/002/592/235/hi-res-183178867-fitzgerald-toussaint-of-the-michigan-wolverines-runs_crop_north.jpg?w=650&h=440&q=75" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /><div class="caption-overlay" style="background-image: url(http://static2.bleacherreport.net/images/redesign/modules/overlay/bottom-117.png); background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; height: 117px; left: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; position: absolute; vertical-align: baseline; width: 630px;"></div><span style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; bottom: 0px; color: white; font-size: 11px; font-weight: bold; left: 0px; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; position: absolute; text-shadow: rgb(0, 0, 0) 0px 0px 2px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 610px;">Michigan's offensive line has some serious issues to work out.<br />Leon Halip/Getty Images</span></div><div class="article-body" data-twttr-id="twttr-sandbox-0" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px 20px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="ui-droppable" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; margin-top: 29px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Michigan football teams are not supposed to lose games in the trenches. Not to anyone, no matter how good the opposing defensive or offensive lines may be. Time and time again this season, though, the Wolverines have been outplayed and<span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">outmuscled</span> along both lines of scrimmage.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Since the beginning of the 2013 campaign, two weaknesses have continuously plagued Michigan. </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The offensive line has been abysmal against every team not named Indiana, and the defensive line far too often fails to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Both are causing several other problems on their respective side of the football.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Unless the Wolverines improve in these areas, they are going to have a tough time winning any of their final four games.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image " style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; display: inline; float: right; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 340px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 340px;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="227" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/165/hi-res-7817954_crop_exact.jpg?w=340&h=227&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="340" /><span class="article_image-accreditation" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Mike Carter-USA TODAY Sports</span></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Michigan running backs have not had any room to run this season.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">By far the most disappointing and troublesome group has been Michigan's guards and center. There are often no holes for backs to run through. Look no further than the season box score for evidence of this. Wolverine running backs are averaging a mere 3.38 yards per carry. </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Take away the Indiana game—because let's be honest, anything done against the nation's No. 114-ranked rushing defense is nothing to brag about—and the backs are rushing for 3.13 yards per carry.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Not going to cut it. Not in the Big Ten Conference. Not when the goal of head coach<a href="http://bleacherreport.com/brady-hoke" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #003366; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brady Hoke</a> and his staff is to run a pro-style offense centered around a play-action passing attack. </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The offensive line hit a new low on Saturday against Michigan State, though. Redshirt junior quarterback Devin Gardner was pummeled all afternoon. The Spartans notched seven sacks, seven hurries, 11 tackles for loss and held Michigan to an all-time low negative-48 rushing yards. Somehow, Gardner escaped East Lansing without a major injury. </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"It was almost like Devin couldn't breathe," Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook<a href="http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2013/11/michigan_states_defense_piles.html" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #003366; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">told Josh <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Slagter</span></span> of <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">MLive</span></span></a>. "There's no worse feeling, the defense is down your throat the whole entire game."</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It was not a case of the Wolverines being <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">outmanned</span> up front. In fact, most of the time, they had enough blockers to neutralize the blitz.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Here is an example of the mental errors linemen have been making all year long:</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image image-upload block-level" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 650px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="432" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/171/ScreenShot2013-11-03at11.10.43PM_crop_exact.png?w=650&h=432&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Courtesy of Watch ESPN.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Michigan has six blockers on the line and Fitzgerald <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Toussaint</span> in the backfield to pick up seven Spartan defenders. The problem on this play occurs when right guard Kyle<span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kalis</span> begins to block Marcus Rush, who is the defensive end lined up across from right tackle Michael <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Schofield</span>.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image image-upload block-level" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 650px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="432" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/173/ScreenShot2013-11-03at11.03.51PM_crop_exact.png?w=650&h=432&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Photo courtesy of Watch ESPN.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Rush attacks the inside and should be picked up by center Graham Glasgow. <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kalis</span> tries to help here, though, and as a result, leaves the B-gap open just long enough for blitzing linebacker Ed Davis to shoot through. Davis easily notches a sack.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image image-upload block-level" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 650px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="433" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/175/ScreenShot2013-11-03at11.04.04PM_crop_exact.png?w=650&h=433&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kalis is too late recovering to block Davis. Photo courtesy of Watch ESPN.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Another mistake occurs near the end of the third quarter. Michigan has six offensive linemen in on this play, and Michigan State sends the same amount. With <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Toussaint</span> in as an extra protector, the Wolverines actually outnumber the Spartans seven to six. </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image image-upload block-level" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 650px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="432" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/180/ScreenShot2013-11-03at11.24.16PM_crop_exact.png?w=650&h=432&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Photo courtesy of Watch ESPN.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The error is when left guard Kyle Bosch fails to pick up Davis, who is blitzing from the middle linebacker position. <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Toussaint</span> fails to block the outside linebacker, too.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image image-upload block-level" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 650px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="432" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/186/ScreenShot2013-11-03at11.24.42PM_crop_exact.png?w=650&h=432&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Bosch is already beaten. Photo courtesy of Watch ESPN.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Gardner never has a chance to do anything with the football.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image image-upload block-level" style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; clear: both; display: inline; float: none; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 650px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="433" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/189/ScreenShot2013-11-03at11.26.21PM_crop_exact.png?w=650&h=433&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px auto 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="650" /></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Sacked. Photo courtesy of Watch ESPN.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">An awful shotgun snap by Glasgow also resulted in a 20-yard loss. Yet another fundamental error up front against the Spartans.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">This is what has been killing Team 134 all season long.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Yes, between the tackles, this line is young and lacks chemistry. Six different players have started on the interior of the offensive line this season. Not one started a game last year, and all of them except walk-on Joey <span class="spellcheck" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Burzynski</span> have been underclassmen.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Still, the group has not progressed at all this year and is the center of every problem Michigan has on offense.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">It is tough to do anything offensively without a respectable rushing attack to keep defenses honest. This also leads to longer third downs and forces Gardner to make too many plays on his own.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="article_image article-image " style="background-color: #f1f1f1; border: 0px; display: inline; float: right; line-height: 1; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; max-width: 340px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 340px;"><div class="article_image--body" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="" height="227" src="http://img.bleacherreport.net/img/article/media_slots/photos/001/171/192/hi-res-6976930_crop_exact.jpg?w=340&h=227&q=85" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="340" /><span class="article_image-accreditation" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</span></div><div class="article_image-caption" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; font-size: 11px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">Greg Mattison's defense has failed to generate a consistent pass rush.</div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">As for the nearly nonexistent pass rush, the numbers speak for themselves. In Michigan's past six games, it has recorded just 12 sacks. Eight of the Wolverines' 17 sacks this season have come in two contests (Notre Dame and Penn State). Opposing quarterbacks have no reason to be frightened when they face the Maize and Blue.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Lack of pressure on opposing signal-callers is not helping Michigan's secondary out either. The group already lacks the talent and athleticism needed to be effective in man-to-man coverage. It needs help from the front seven, but it is getting almost none.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Believe it or not, all hope is not lost. Upcoming games against struggling Nebraska and Northwestern give the Wolverines a perfect opportunity to bounce back and salvage what is left of the 2013 campaign.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="module poll poll_module br-texture--angle-stripes team-color-border" id="poll-297650" style="background-image: url(http://static2.bleacherreport.net/images/responsive/textures/background_angle_stripes.png); background-repeat: repeat repeat; border-left-color: rgb(255, 64, 0); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 3px; clear: both; float: right; margin: 10px 0px 0px 20px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 262px;"><div class="poll-ballot" id="poll-ballot-297650" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><h4 class="poll-question" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 23px; margin: 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">How many games will Michigan win to close out the season?</h4><div class="poll" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; clear: both; color: black; float: none; font-family: 'Open Sans', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 252px;"><form action="http://bleacherreport.com/polls/create" id="poll-vote-form" method="post" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><label style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 9px 0px 8px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><input name="vote" style="float: left; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1; margin-left: 1px;" type="radio" value="choice0" /><span class="poll-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 217px;">Four</span></label><label style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 9px 0px 8px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><input name="vote" style="float: left; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1; margin-left: 1px;" type="radio" value="choice1" /><span class="poll-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 217px;">Three</span></label><label style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 9px 0px 8px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><input name="vote" style="float: left; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1; margin-left: 1px;" type="radio" value="choice2" /><span class="poll-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 217px;">Two</span></label><label style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 9px 0px 8px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><input name="vote" style="float: left; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1; margin-left: 1px;" type="radio" value="choice3" /><span class="poll-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 217px;">One</span></label><label style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 9px 0px 8px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;"><input name="vote" style="float: left; font-family: 'Droid Sans', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1; margin-left: 1px;" type="radio" value="choice4" /><span class="poll-text" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 217px;">Zero</span></label><span class="medium-orange button poll-submit team-color-background" style="background-color: #ff4000; border: 0px; color: white; cursor: pointer; display: inline-block; font-family: 'Bebas Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; height: 32px; line-height: 32px; margin: 10px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 10px; text-shadow: none; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: baseline;">SUBMIT VOTE</span> <span class="vote-description" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #777777; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 5px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-shadow: rgb(255, 255, 255) 0px 1px 1px; vertical-align: baseline;">vote to see results</span></form></div></div></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Wolverines defense did a fairly good job of stopping the run against Michigan State. Aside from two rushing plays for 75 yards, one coming when the defense was absolutely gassed late in the fourth quarter, they only gave up 67 yards on the ground. Not a bad day by any means.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nebraska and Northwestern are not nearly the same kind of defensive juggernauts as Michigan State either. The two rank No. 70 and No. 80 in total defense, respectively. Additionally, the Wildcats are the eighth-worst in the Football Bowl Subdivision in tackles for loss allowed, yielding 3.56 sacks per contest. </div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Games against Iowa and Ohio State do not appear to favor Michigan, but there is time for improvement.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">A change at quarterback is not the answer to any of the Wolverines' problems. As a matter of fact, it would be an absolute disaster to thrust true freshman Shane Morris into the starting role right now. A shoddy offensive line and zero running game only sets Morris up for failure.</div><div style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin-bottom: 16px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Given the beating he took on Saturday and the five drops by receivers, Gardner played well—14-of-27 for 210 yards—outside one interception and a couple of missed reads. Considering the circumstances, though, he should have earned the respect of the Maize and Blue faithful against the Spartans. </div></div></div></div>

Michigan Football

Michigan Football: Offensive Line, Pass Rush Still Biggest Issues for Wolverines BY  ZACH DIRLAM  (FEATURED COLUMNIST)  ON NOVEMBER 4, 2013 ...

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Brad Ausmus

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margin: 0px 3px 16px; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; position: relative; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="videoplayer videoplayer-story09 videoplayer-show" style="border: 0px; float: left; height: 324px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px !important; outline: 0px; overflow: hidden; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div id="videoInfo" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; float: left; margin: 0px; min-height: 78px; outline: 0px; padding: 10px; vertical-align: baseline; width: auto;"><h5 style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px 0px 6px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tigers To Hire Brad Ausmus</h5><div class="mod-video-tags" style="background-color: transparent; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: 0px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 5px; vertical-align: baseline;">ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick discusses the Tigers' decision to hire Brad Ausmus to be their next manager.</span><strong style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Tags: </strong><a href="http://search.espn.go.com/tigers/video/6" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Tigers</a>, <a href="http://search.espn.go.com/brad-ausmus/video/6" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brad Ausmus</a>, <a href="http://search.espn.go.com/jerry-crasnick/video/6" style="background-color: transparent; border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Jerry Crasnick</a></div></div></div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">DETROIT -- When <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/2937/brad-ausmus" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Brad Ausmus</a> was a player -- which wasn't that long ago -- the mental aspect of the game always came pretty easily.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I always enjoyed the cerebral part," Ausmus said. "It was much more difficult to hit -- that was the part of the game I didn't really enjoy."</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Perhaps it was inevitable that Ausmus would become a manager, and he'll have that chance now. The <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/det/detroit-tigers" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Detroit Tigers</a> hired the 44-year-old former catcher to replace Jim Leyland at the helm of the three-time defending AL Central champions. Ausmus has little managerial experience, and the Tigers will entrust him with a talented roster that is expected to keep right on winning.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div class="mod-inline image image-right" style="border-left-color: rgb(194, 194, 194); border-left-style: solid; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 1px; color: #333333; float: right; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px 0px 10px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 0px 10px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"><a class="enlarge" credit="AP Photo/Paul Sancya" href="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/1103/mlb_a_bradats3_600x400.jpg" style="border: 0px; color: #999999; font-weight: normal; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[+] Enlarge<img alt="Brad Ausmus" border="0" height="200" src="http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2013/1103/mlb_a_bradats3_300x200.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 4px 0px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="300" /></a><div style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 300px;"><cite style="border: 0px; color: #ababab; display: block; margin: 0px 0px 4px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">AP Photo/Paul Sancya</cite>New Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Sunday he's "not going to be Jim Leyland," the man he's replacing.</div></div></div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I'm well aware that you don't generally get dropped into a situation like I will be this coming season," Ausmus said. "I understand I'm very fortunate. That being said, I'm not taking anything for granted. No details will be glossed over. I'm not assuming anything going into the job."</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ausmus, who worked in the <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/sd/san-diego-padres" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">San Diego Padres</a>' front office as a special assistant to the general manager, emerged as Detroit's pick less than two weeks after Leyland stepped down. He takes over a team that has reached the AL Championship Series three straight years and should be well positioned for another big season in 2014.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Tigers lost to Boston this year in the ALCS.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"We're not going to reinvent the wheel here. This is a pretty darn good team," Ausmus said. "I think I would be foolish to come here and try to make sweeping changes."</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ausmus managed Israel's team for the World Baseball Classic, but he's inexperienced as a manager compared to some other potential candidates. Ausmus played in the majors from 1993-2010.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The Tigers also interviewed Padres bench coach Rick Renteria and <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/lad/los-angeles-dodgers" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Los Angeles Dodgers</a>third-base coach Tim Wallach -- as well as Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski said he'd planned to interview former <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/cin/cincinnati-reds" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Cincinnati Reds</a>star and current ESPN analyst Barry Larkin, but Larkin decided not to interview because he wasn't in a position to make the time commitment necessary for the job.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">If continuity was Detroit's main concern, McClendon may have been the choice, but the Tigers acted a bit more boldly in hiring the Dartmouth-educated Ausmus, whose name also recently surfaced in connection with the <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/chc/chicago-cubs" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Chicago Cubs</a>' job.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"When we interviewed, we were -- not just me -- taken back at how impressive he was," Dombrowski said. "It really became quite clear for us, that he would do an outstanding job for us. It was probably not where I started, but it's where we ended, and we feel very good about that."</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">There will be one important holdover on Detroit's coaching staff. Leyland's bench coach, Gene Lamont, will remain in that role. Ausmus agreed to a three-year deal with a club option for 2017. Lamont agreed to a two-year deal.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ausmus is 24 years younger than the man he's replacing, and he inherits a roster with a high payroll and several big names, including <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/6341/justin-verlander" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Justin Verlander</a> and <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/player/_/id/5544/miguel-cabrera" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Miguel Cabrera</a>. He'll have a chance to win right away, and he'll have to deal with high expectations.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"Anybody you hire has some risk attached to it," Dombrowski said. "Even a veteran manager that you bring in with a new club, where they are in their life, there's risk attached to that."</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">The contrasts with the 68-year-old Leyland are obvious, and Ausmus will have to prove he can guide this star-studded team through the inevitable rough patches -- but it wasn't long ago that Ausmus was on the other side of that player-manager relationship. He played in 1,971 games with four different teams. He played for the Tigers for part of the 1996 season, and again from 1999-2000.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I've got to be me," Ausmus said. "Jim Leyland -- great, Hall of Fame manager. I'm not going to be Jim Leyland. I would never make an attempt to be Jim Leyland. I'm going to be who I am."</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Detroit is one of at least three teams with first-time major league managers who should have a chance to win right away in 2014. The <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/wsh/washington-nationals" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Washington Nationals</a> hired Matt Williams to replace Davey Johnson. The Reds, who fired Dusty Baker after a 90-win season, went with pitching coach Bryan Price as their new manager.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Ausmus is the latest former player to take over a contending team with little managerial experience. Mike Matheny succeeded Tony La Russa in St. Louis after the Cardinals won the World Series in 2011, and Matheny reached the NL Championship Series in 2012 and won the National League pennant this year.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Former <a href="http://espn.go.com/mlb/team/_/name/nyy/new-york-yankees" style="border: 0px; color: #225fb2; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">New York Yankees</a> star Don Mattingly is the manager of the Dodgers, the team the Cardinals beat in the NLCS this season.</div><div style="border: 0px; color: #333333; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 10px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"I was just playing the game three years ago," Ausmus said. "I have a pretty good understanding of how the locker room dynamic is."</div></div>

Brad Ausmus

Brad Ausmus replaces Jim Leyland Updated:  November 3, 2013, 8:30 PM ET ESPN.com news services 1K 304 154 EMAIL PRINT Tigers To Hire Brad Au...

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Kerry Washington

<header class="wrapped clearfix" style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline; zoom: 1;"><h1 class="heading heading-style-i size-30" property="dc:title" style="border: 0px; color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 30px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: normal; line-height: 33px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">‘Saturday Night Live’ Brilliantly Skewers Diversity Problem With Host Kerry Washington</h1><span class="byline byline-style-a" style="border-right-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-right-style: solid; border-width: 0px 1px 0px 0px; color: black; display: inline; font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 7px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 5px 0px 0px; 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font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="parsys updated-dek" style="background-image: url(http://cdn.thedailybeast.com/etc/clientlibs/dailybeast/img/bg/dots-horizontal.png); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><h2 class="dek" style="border: 0px; color: #363636; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Under fire for the lack of women of color in its cast, ‘SNL’ uses host Kerry Washington to address the controversy in typically biting and hilarious fashion.</h2></div><div class="sharetools" style="border: 0px; 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font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">It’s been a ridiculous problem. For the past six years, Saturday Night Live has had enough white male cast members to have, at any give moment, at least six potential actors to play Matthew McConaughey in a sketch but no one to play the First Lady of the United States.</div></div><a href="" name="body_inlineimage" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><figure class="multimedia section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="Kerry Washington" class="cq-dd-image" src="http://cdn.thedailybeast.com/content/dailybeast/articles/2013/11/03/saturday-night-live-brilliantly-skewers-diversity-problem-with-host-kerry-washington/_jcr_content/body/inlineimage.img.503.jpg/1383503479519.cached.jpg" style="border: 0px; display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;" title="Kerry Washington" /><figcaption class="figcaption" style="border: 0px; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 10px; font-style: italic; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">NBC</div></figcaption></figure><a href="" name="body_text" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The fact that SNL’s cast has included not one woman of color since Maya Rudolph left in 2007 has consistently been a glaring problem these past six years. But the spotlight on the issue has been <a href="http://content/articles/2013/10/17/snl-s-kenan-thompson-and-the-invisible-black-women-of-comedy" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">especially harsh</a> this season: first when six new hires again included not one woman of color, and then earlier this month when cast member Kenan Thompson offensively asserted that the reason for the lack of diversity is that there are no qualified candidates.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_0" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">When <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Scandal</em> star Kerry Washington was announced to host the show this weekend, Thompson’s comments and the persistent controversy loomed precariously over the night. Would the show address the issue? And how? Minutes into Saturday night’s episode it became clear that, to <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Scandal</em> star herself, ”It’s handled”—and in quite brilliant fashion.</div></div><a href="" name="body_snippet_0" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="snippet section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=-tfa-ookpqonkoiguqbzgw" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="512"></iframe></div><a href="" name="body_text_1" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Seconds into the episode’s cold open, Washington entered the Oval Office set dressed as the first lady. “I feel like it’s been years since I’ve seen you,” Jay Pharoah’s President Obama said, winking at the diversity brouhaha. Taran Killam, playing a president’s aide, then enters, announcing that Oprah Winfrey has arrived to pay the first couple a visit. Killam and Pharoah look expectedly at Washington. “Kenan won’t…?” she asks. They shake their heads. Washington then darts out to change into her Winfrey outfit as the following message scrolls on screen:</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_2" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">“The producers at <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Night Live</em> would like to apologize to Kerry Washington for the number of black women she will be asked to play tonight. We made these request both because Ms. Washington is an actress of considerable range and talent, but also because <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">SNL</em> doesn’t currently have a black woman in the cast. As for the latter, we realize this is not an ideal situation and look forward to rectifying it in the near future...unless, of course, we fall in love with another white guy first.”</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_3" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">In another self-aware mocking of that latter point, indeed six different cast members playing Matthew McConaughey paraded out later in the sketch while Washington was off-stage changing from Oprah Winfrey to Beyonce.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_4" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">This is <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Saturday Night Live</em>, a show that has built its reputation on three decades of biting into controversies with fang-baring irreverence. But it’s not often that the show chews up its own controversy. It’s not surprising that <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">SNL</em> would be clever enough to address a sensitive issue that sits so squarely on a precarious line—politically incorrect comedy on one side, flat-out offensiveness on the other—with such nimble confidence and hilarity. But it is refreshing, and a relief, that it can walk the tightrope of its own controversy just as skillfully.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_5" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The self-skewering didn’t stop after the cold open. In her opening monologue, for example, Washington talked about how honored she was to host a “show that in 2013 that had the courage to hire a white man to play the president.” Nor did the show’s realization that it could—and should—take full advantage of having a black woman actress in an episode.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_6" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">That, of course, meant ample opportunity to tell stereotypical black jokes. Washington’s first character was a leopard-print wearing, sass-talking assistant. In a riff on Ylvis’s viral “The Fox,” she played an overly-jealous girlfriend. She starred with Thompson and Pharoah in a talk show sketch that made fun of White People Problems for four minutes. It was hilarious.</div></div><a href="" name="body_snippet" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="snippet section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="288" mozallowfullscreen="" scrolling="no" src="http://www.hulu.com/embed.html?eid=rhar9dnfrovscpbmuijfkg" style="border-width: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="512"></iframe></div><a href="" name="body_text_7" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Calling these sketches, characters, and jokes stereotypical isn’t a knock on <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">SNL</em>. The show spoofs stereotypes often, and, as it happens, very well. It’s been too long since black women have gotten in on the fun.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_8" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">In the wake of Thompson’s comments, which were interpreted—perhaps unfairly—as him accusing black women of not being funny, some groups of called the show’s lack of diversity a civil rights issue. There are valid arguments there, sure. But the most egregious byproduct of the problem, as we learned tonight, is the suffocating effect it’s had on the issues and people the show is able to lampoon.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_9" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Attempting to put out the race firestorm, producer Lorne Michaels <a href="http://bigstory.ap.org/article/lack-black-women-becomes-snl-issue" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">told</a> the Associated Press that he hopes to add a black woman to the cast soon. “It’s not like it’s not a priority for us. It will happen. I’m sure it will happen.” The aggressiveness at which it took itself to task on Saturday night’s episode certainly indicates that he’s telling the truth.</div></div><a href="" name="body_text_10" style="color: black; cursor: pointer; visibility: hidden;"></a><div class="text parbase section" style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 20px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">But perhaps, and in the most <em style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">SNL</em> of ways, it’s the Rev. Al Sharpton, who nonsensically appeared at the end of that cold open, who summarized the takeaway of all this—the controversy, the uproar, Saturday night’s response—the best: “What have we learned from this sketch? As usual, nothing.”</div></div></div><div class="storymeta" style="border: 0px; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="storyMeta" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-color: #efefef; background-image: none; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; height: 135px; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 10px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailybeast" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">The Daily Beast on Facebook</a> and <a href="http://twitter.com/thedailybeast" style="cursor: pointer;" target="_blank">follow us on Twitter</a> for updates all day long.</div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">Kevin Fallon is a culture reporter at The Daily Beast. He has written for <i style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The Week, Newsweek</i>  and <i style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">The Atlantic</i>, among other publications. </div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;"></div><div style="border: 0px; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin-bottom: 10px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizelegibility; vertical-align: baseline;">For inquiries, please contact The Daily Beast at <a href="mailto:editorial@thedailybeast.com" style="cursor: pointer;">editorial@thedailybeast.com.</a></div></div></div>

Kerry Washington

‘Saturday Night Live’ Brilliantly Skewers Diversity Problem With Host Kerry Washington by   Kevin Fallon   Nov 3, 2013 12:56 PM EST Under fi...

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Nick Foles

<div class="storyHeader blogNFL blogPost eyeBlog" style="background-color: white; color: rgb(40, 78, 54) !important; display: table; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; height: auto; margin: 0px 0px 10px; position: relative; width: 640px;"><div class="storyHeaderText fontOrbitronReg fLeft" style="display: table; float: left; font-family: Orbitron, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; height: auto; line-height: 1.5em; padding: 0px 30px 0px 0px;"><div style="display: table-cell; vertical-align: middle;"><div class="superText" style="display: table-cell; margin: 0px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: middle;"><a alt="eye-on-football Home" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football" style="color: rgb(40, 78, 54) !important; text-decoration: none;"><span class="eyeSprite green30" style="background-color: transparent; background-image: url(http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/cbss/ui6/sprite/eyes.png); background-position: -50px 0px; background-repeat: no-repeat no-repeat; 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font-family: Ubuntu, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 5px;">By <span class="name">Josh <span style="font-weight: bold;">Katzowitz</span></span> | NFL Writer</div></div><div class="clearBoth" style="clear: both; font-size: 0px; height: 0px; line-height: 0; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"></div><time class="storyDate" datetime="2013-11-04T00:23:10Z" pubdate="" style="color: #444444; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; margin-bottom: 10px;"><span class="gmtTimeUpdated" data-gmt-format="%B %e, %Y %l:%M %p %Z" data-gmt="1383524590">November 3, 2013 7:23 pm ET</span></time><div class="mBottomStd" style="margin-bottom: 20px !important;"><div class="siteTools buttonBar" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(221, 221, 221); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; height: 20px; margin: 0px 0px 10px; padding: 5px 0px 12px;"><ul style="margin: 0px; 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margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><figure style="display: table; float: left; margin: 0px 10px 20px 0px; padding: 0px; position: relative;"><img alt="Nick Foles had himself quite a day Sunday. (USATSI)" height="400" src="http://sports.cbsimg.net/images/blogs/nick-foles-td-record-11032013.jpg" width="640" /><figcaption style="caption-side: bottom; display: table-caption; font-size: 0.8em; font-weight: 700; line-height: 1.4em;">Nick Foles had himself quite a day Sunday. <span style="font-weight: normal;">(USATSI)</span></figcaption></figure><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;"></div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;">Assuming <a class="playerLink" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1631750/nick-foles" style="color: #6e8dcf; text-decoration: none;">Nick Foles</a> wants to take the <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/teams/page/PHI/philadelphia-eagles" style="color: #6e8dcf; text-decoration: none;">Eagles</a> starting quarterback job for good -- and perhaps fulfill his owner's wish of <a href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/24176359/philadelphia-owner-jeffrey-lurie-eagles-need-a-franchise-qb" style="color: #6e8dcf; text-decoration: none;">finding a franchise quarterback</a> -- he went a long way toward doing exactly that Sunday. Foles, in fact, was historically good, tying an NFL record by throwing seven touchdown passes vs. the Raiders on Sunday.</div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;">With his performance in Week 9, Foles joined former Vikings quarterback Joe Kapp in 1969, former Bears quarterback Sid Luckman in 1943, former Eagles quarterback Adrian Burk in 1954, Broncos quarterback <a class="playerLink" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/12531/peyton-manning" style="color: #6e8dcf; text-decoration: none;">Peyton Manning</a> earlier <a href="https://twitter.com/RLiuNFL/status/397113232386564096" style="color: #6e8dcf; text-decoration: none;">this season</a>, former Oilers quarterback George Blanda in 1961 and former Giants quarterback Y.A. Tittle in 1962 by throwing for that many scores.</div><table class="data mRight10 fLeft" style="border-collapse: collapse; float: left; font-family: 'Open Sans', Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 20px; padding: 0px; width: 320px;"><tbody><tr class="title"><td colspan="3" style="background-color: #1f3354; border-left-color: rgb(31, 51, 84); border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(31, 51, 84); border-right-width: 1px; border-style: solid solid none; border-top-color: rgb(31, 51, 84); border-top-width: 1px; color: white; font-size: 1.16em; font-weight: 600; height: 28px; padding: 0px 4px; text-transform: uppercase; vertical-align: middle;">SEVEN TD CLUB</td></tr><tr class="label"><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(245, 245, 245); font-weight: 700; padding: 7px 4px; text-transform: uppercase;">PLAYER, TEAM</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(245, 245, 245); font-weight: 700; padding: 7px 4px; text-transform: uppercase;">OPPONENT</td><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(245, 245, 245); font-weight: 700; padding: 7px 4px; text-transform: uppercase;">DATE</td></tr><tr class="row1" style="border-top-color: rgb(238, 238, 238); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 2px;"><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Nick Foles, Eagles</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Raiders</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">11-3-2013</td></tr><tr class="row2"><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">Peyton Manning, Broncos</td><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">Ravens</td><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">9-5-2013</td></tr><tr class="row1"><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Joe Kapp, Vikings</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Colts</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">9-28-1969</td></tr><tr class="row2"><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">Y.A. Tittle, Giants</td><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">Redskins</td><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">10-28-1962</td></tr><tr class="row1"><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">George Blanda, Oilers</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Titans</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">11-19-1961</td></tr><tr class="row2"><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">Adrian Burk, Eagles</td><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">Redskins</td><td style="background-color: #ebebeb; padding: 7px 4px;">10-17-1954</td></tr><tr class="row1"><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Sid Luckman, Bears</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">Giants</td><td style="padding: 7px 4px;">11-14-1943</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;">And apparently it's becoming quite a trend for modern-day signal-callers.</div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;">But here's something special for Foles. The previous best passer rating among those in the seven-touchdown club was Tittle's 151.4. Foles' rating for Sunday was 158.4, the highest possible mark.</div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;">Most disappointing of all, however, was that Foles tossed his seventh touchdown with 4:28 to play in the third quarter. But coach Chip Kelly inserted backup <a class="playerLink" href="http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/players/playerpage/1664140/matt-barkley" style="color: #6e8dcf; text-decoration: none;">Matt Barkley</a> into the game and didn't give Foles one last chance to break the record.</div><div style="line-height: 1.35em; margin-bottom: 0.6em;">Entering Sunday's game, Foles had thrown six touchdown passes ALL SEASON. But he got hot Sunday as you can see by the scoring summary below and by his stat line (22 of 28 for 406 yards and zero interceptions):</div></div></article>

Nick Foles

EYE ON Football By the numbers: Nick Foles ties NFL record with seven TD passes By  Josh  Katzowitz  | NFL Writer November 3, 2013 7:23 pm E...

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