USC I mean at least these are two iconic programs representing iconic conferences and so uh it's going to be amazing with Texas going into that building we're going to have uh right now Sam web the publisher of Michigan Insider for 247 Sports and the host of Michigan Insider on big 1050 wtka and Sam we had a chance to talk to you last year you crushed it you were telling us about this Michigan team we should have believed you a little bit more and here we are walk me through it what's the Vibes like with Texas headed in and all of the kind of changes that we've seen up in an arbor yeah I think they're trying to figure out who they are offensively uh you know I think that there were a lot of miscues up front along the offensive line uh maybe more miscues than they expected but probably maybe what they should have expected given that they replaced five offensive linemen uh you know they they have guys who started games but not guys who have started games together and given that that this was the first time they were all on the field at the same time maybe they should have expected there were going to be some chemistry issues and there were a lot of them they left four or five explosives on the field because guys just had some technical breakdowns and you know this is the kind of offense that just can ill afford to do that uh you know you had Davis Warren getting his first start last last week guys and I think that was a nod to him him being the superior passer they said he last couple of weeks of practice he was had an 87% completion rate and I I think that that's a sign that they were uh sort of hey they want to they want to throw the football more uh but I think this week given what we saw from Alex orgy and what he was doing running the football I would be surprised if we didn't see him get a few more snaps at the very least him get a few more consecutive snaps because they used him as spot Duty he was getting in a snap here and a snap there and if you're going to be running in the in the loaded boxes like they like to do I I just you know to have a quarterback that can that can account for that that can help you do that a little bit better I I think that that calls for maybe giving Alex orgy a few more snaps and I think we're going to see that this week against Texas yeah Sam I was shocked to not see more Alex orgy after being at the Rose Bowl and hearing all the Michigan fans excitement about Alex orgy's future and and seeing him on the field and how big his legs were man he he seemed to be the air parent maybe that still happens down the road but you mentioned Michigan trying to figure out who they are and wanting to be maybe more of a passing team it seems like against Texas though the game plan should be to be more ball controlled try to use maybe a page out of the script from last year's offense a little bit more I mean what do you see as the recipe offensively for how you you you beat Texas because I just I don't see that they're able to score with what the Longhorns are typical typically able to put up on the board so you know it's an interesting question question because remember they won the Big 10 Championship a couple years ago with Kate mnir as quarterback and I don't mention as as a slight it's more of an observation uh you know Michigan could really with their offensive line block loaded boxes right you would think that a team could stack the Box against uh Kate mnir a quarterback and they would be successful with slowing them down but they were just really Adept at blocking that extra man and you got to figure out if you can do that with this offensive line and if you can't how do you account for that Michigan with their offensive line wasn't as Adept at doing that last year fellas and so JJ McCarthy was able to account for that extra man right I mean they started reading that that guy you know that's how they were able to start running the football a little more effectively after three or four games you know using JJ McCarthy as that as that guy to account for that eighth Defender and that that was the The X Factor well okay can your quarterback do that this year you know if he has to be that if it's Davis Warren it's not GNA be the same I mean maybe you got to RPO it if it's Davis Warren and it's not gonna be Davis Warren and and it's Alex ory all right well you're gonna have to lean into that and run the football a little bit more to me it that's what it all boils down to is how can you get to the point where you're running the football more effectively Whatever Gets you to that place whether it's Alex ory uh you know know as the as the quarterback that is running the football a little bit more in the game or it's Davis Warren hey running some rpos and getting the Box lighter that way however it gets you to the point of being able to run the football more effectively that's what Michigan needs to do Sam is it is there a worry that y'all don't have the cheater Conor stallion on the sidelines anymore going forward I mean how how I mean again now that you guys have to line up and play football without stealing the signals and stuff like that how does that play out so I would say to you that cter stallions was on the field last year for East Carolina he was on the field last year for ruter Minnesota Nebraska and UNLV he was not on the field for any other the rest of the games so that would say to me that they were pretty all right without Conor stallions around and they're pretty uh effective without Conor stallions doing what he did and doing what what sence Steelers around the country are doing I think that you know for for Michigan it really boils down to like I said before they have the kind of Defense in this game that if you don't leave them out the drrive like they can play with anybody in the country like this they are not as deep as they were last year and that that that was the secret sauce like they are as talented maybe up to 15 15 players deep but they aren't as talented out to maybe you know 20 or 22 uh and so that being the case if they lose the time of possession battle if you leave this this defense on the field 35 40 minutes fellas that's a losing proposition for for Michigan so they have got to figure out way to balance that equation the the offense has got to do their part they got to be able to control the line of scrimmage they got to be able to to to possess the ball some and close out some of these drives so for for the defense that that means limit explosives get off the field the offense control the line of scrimmage and get some explosives there are some explosives on the field there were a couple of times where you know Donovan Edwards should have been one-on-one with a safety Alex orgy should have been one-on-one with the safety and they didn't get those opportunities because the offensive line or maybe another blocker missed in assignment that cannot happen against Texas because if it does they'll be in trouble Sam last year when I was at the the rosebowl press conference out there every player I talked to every coach I talked to talked about how tight this team was and how much they they loved each other and how great the chemistry was obviously a lot of those leaders have have moved on uh JJ McCarthy being the most noteworthy Jim Harbaugh no longer there what's the feel amongst this locker room now and I I really feel like that was the reason why they did nothing in the second half against Alabama and then put the one drive together when they needed it like if things get tight in this game against Texas and they need to make a play do they have that same chemistry and continuity that they had last year do they know yet yeah I think look I I don't think that they lack for leadership of culture I I just don't think that that is an issue that part is really carried over in a very effective way um I think it I don't think this team stays together if it didn't uh you know when when when the coaching staff leaves when the strength staff leaves uh it was a recipe for a mass Exodus of the stars of the team but they decided to stay together uh at a time where there are real offers real substantial offers on the table for all those guys to leave so uh the culture and the leadership base I is really here for when the chips are down for those guys to to really respond to me it boils down to the identity on offense what are they who do they go to who are The Playmakers when the chips are down and uh to me that has to be established right uh you know like I said before I I think they're sort of in an in betweene space about what they want to be offensively I think that really manifest in in in the quarterback right they they went with and this is not me disparaging the the choice of quarterback and I don't want to be taken as such but Davis Warren was a superior passer in Camp 87% tells you all you need to know there's no question about it that he it was was was the guy but who gives them the best chance who was the best guy when it came to running the football I don't think there's any question that that was Alex orgy so you know what are you going to try to lean into I think they were trying to get to the point where they can throw the football more effectively is that going to lead to them being a more successful offense I think they're going to find out really quickly in this Texas game whether they can do that because you can't get behind against Texas if if Michigan Gets behind a couple of scores against Texas Early the game is over they can't play behind against this team they can't come from behind against this team so you know the rubber meets the road really really quickly they got to be able to run the football whatever gives them I'm going say it again whatever gives them the best chance to run the football is what they have to do and I think they're going to figure that out early in this game we will see Sam great Insight man I always give you some hell and you always roll with the punches extremely well and you're talking about a national championship team that's fun and you guys do a great job covering it we appreciate the time all right thanks a lot there it is Sam we have joining us um I would argue with Sam that you know Conor may not have been on the sideline but he already got the advanced Scout Ting that they needed in those games right Hey listen all joking aside he wasn't there against Alabama and Alabama had a chance to beat him and they couldn't do it so kudos to them for being able to get that dub all right uh