• The Chicago Hustle (Michigan 27, Northwestern 19)

    For good reason, we spend so much energy talking about offense and defense, but you have to take a moment and acknowledge what happened with the special teams unit on Saturday.  Offhand that was the most complete special teams performance I can recall and if not, definitely the most significant as it relates to the outcome of a game.   In the slippery & windy conditions, to cleanly execute all those kicks (save the long FG), punts catches, and coverage during the game was exceptional.  If Northwestern blew this game by not hanging onto the ball, the difference for Michigan was the play of special teams. The coaches have taken a beating since week 3 so give STC Ferrigno and Hoke major credit for the military-style discipline and execution by the special unit throughout the game…all the way to the wire: Hoke called that one of the best single football plays he could remember.  While we’ve seen several ridiculous individual plays over years (and Hoke was there for the best–Woodson’s ‘97 pick at MSU), based on the number of variables that had to cleanly function and fall in place in those few frantic seconds it’s hard to argue with him.   You’ve heard now that Michigan practices that every week, & Gardner joked postgame that he appreciated that they finally got to…