Alright, so I decided I needed to get out to Ann Arbor for the Michigan Spring Game this year. After that whole championship run, you know, gotta see what the next chapter looks like. Heard lots of talk, but I like to see things with my own eyes. Woke up Saturday, looked outside, wasn’t raining or anything crazy, so figured, why not?
Getting there was, well, Ann Arbor on a football day. Even for a spring game, traffic starts to build up. Took me a bit longer than I hoped. Parking was the usual adventure, drove around for a bit, finally found a spot. Yeah, it cost a bit, but that’s just how it goes, right? Started walking towards the Big House, and you could feel the energy picking up. Lots of maize and blue around, people smiling. Felt familiar, felt good.
Got near the stadium and just hung around outside for a while. Grabbed a quick hot dog from one of the vendors – gotta have a stadium dog. Wasn’t the crazy buzz of a fall Saturday, more relaxed, but still a nice vibe. Lots of families. People just seemed happy to be out, enjoying the sunshine and ready to see some football.
Went inside, found my section without too much trouble. It’s always kinda cool walking into that stadium, even when it’s not full. Field looked great. Players were already out, warming up, throwing passes, doing drills. You try to see who looks sharp, who looks bigger, you know the drill.
Watching the Scrimmage
Okay, the game itself. It’s a spring game, so you gotta take it with a grain of salt. It’s more about seeing individuals, how guys move, who’s getting reps.
The Quarterbacks: This was what everyone wanted to see, right? Watched them pretty close. Honestly? Hard to say who’s got the edge right now. Each guy made some nice throws, then maybe missed an easy one or held the ball too long. Looked like a competition that’s definitely not settled. They’re still learning the system, I guess. No one really jumped out and screamed “I’m the guy!” but no one looked terrible either.
Offense Overall: Running backs looked decent. Saw some tough runs, guys breaking tackles. Seems like we’ll still be able to run the ball, which is good. The offensive line, well, they’ve got new faces. Sometimes they opened holes, sometimes the defense was in the backfield real quick. That’s gonna take time to gel, for sure.
Defense Notes: Defense seemed fast. That’s the first thing I noticed. Guys were flying to the ball. The defensive line looked like they were getting a good push pretty often. Secondary broke up a few passes. They looked aggressive, playing with energy. Hard to really judge against your own team’s offense, but they looked solid enough for spring.
The Vibe and Heading Out
The crowd was decent, not packed, but good energy. It felt more like a community event, a big open practice. People were chatting, enjoying the weather, just glad to be watching Michigan football. Less stress than a real game, you know? Just kinda observing.
Game wrapped up, players met with fans on the field after, which is always cool. Headed out with everyone else. Overall, felt pretty positive. Yeah, there are question marks, especially at QB and on the O-line. But there’s talent there. They looked like they were working hard. It was just good to be back, see the team, and feel that game day atmosphere again, even if it was just for practice. Glad I made the trip.
