Sunday, October 24, 2010

What I learned this Weekend

I think we all know there is a curse on being the #1 team in the nation.  3 weeks in a row the #1 team in the nation goes down.  Besides that here is what I learned this weekend.

Put a Tent on that Team?  Can someone explain to me what is going on with Michigan State this year?  They are winning games on fake field goals in overtime, going down 17-0 and faking punts, juggling catches for touchdowns.   What's next?  Statue of Liberty? They are expected to be #5 in the BCS standings later today.  I don't know if they are BCS contenders (they did beat Wisconsin) or Barnum and Bailey.  If State beats Iowa next week it's all downhill  from there.

Les Miles Timex Award:  Goes to Iowa's Kirk Ferentz when he called his last timeout with 12 seconds left down by 3, in field goal range, after they had a first down.  The play was to spike the ball and try one shot to win the game in the end zone.  The next play the ball was completed in bounds and the game was over.

Iowa's D is a bit Over-rated:  After giving up 500+ yards to the Wolverines a week ago, Iowa struggled at stopping Wisconsin yesterday and gave up 347 total yards.

Wisconsin's Defensive Backs:  Are physical but not really fast.  When Michigan plays them they should focus on passing the ball and trying to beat those DB's deep.  Wisconsin's D is pretty good against the run.

Demar Dorsey Trivia Question:  What does Demar and UConn have in common?  Both teams he signed with this year have wins over UConn (Michigan and Louisville).

What's Michigan's best win this year? I'm not sure.  This weekend: ND got beat by Navy, UConn gets shut out by Syracuse, UMass loses 39-13 to New Hampshire, IU gets embarrassed by Illinois, Bowling Green lost 30-6 to Kent State.   Every team Michigan beat this year lost this weekend.  

Illinois is for real:  One thing I really hate is that we make IU look good every year and they they just implode.  Happen last year, happening again this year.   Illinois beat IU yesterday 43-13.   Michigan will have to play well to beat Illinois when they come to the Big House.  Looks like Zook has saved his job.


Purdue isn't:  If RR can't beat Purdue this year, he should resign.  Going 0-3 vs Purdue the last 3 years would be criminal in my book.  I know it's at Purdue this year but Michigan should and needs to win this game by a lot!


Who will Michigan see at QB for Penn State?  Michigan high school star Robert Bolden suffered a concussion (we believe) against Minnesota on Saturday.  His status for next week is still unclear.  Kevin Newsome a former Michigan verbal commitment is also on Penn State but maybe 3rd string at this point with
Matt McGloin coming in for the injured Bolden.

Oregon is good.  Real Good.  If they don't make the NC game I'm afraid what they would do to a Big Ten team in the Rose and yes, I understand Ohio State beat them in the Rose Bowl last year.    Honestly, does State really want to play Oregon in the Rose?  I'm guessing no.

Isn't it strange that both Iowa and Michigan have two losses?

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Watching Wisconsin and Iowa pile up a decent amount of wins in recent years, I'll have to say that I'm impressed with their coaches. They take mediocre 2 and 3 star recruits and turn them into solid players. Our Michigan coaches take a bunch of 4 star recruits and fail to develop them. This is disheartening ☹. Michigan is not the only school where hyped recruits fail to develop but I wish we were more like Boise State, Iowa, or Wisconsin, where players play beyond their talent level. Michigan - where you do less with more. I’m still hoping that Rich Rod turns things around this season and the next but I’m going to start losing faith with we lose to Penn State next week.

Record
‘09 – Wis 10-3, Iowa 11-2, Mich 5-7
‘08 – Wis 7-6, Iowa 9-4, Mich 3-9
‘07 – Wis 9-4, Iowa 6-6, Mich 9-4



Rivals Recruiting data

‘10 Recruiting
Wisconsin (Class Rank #NR, 0 Four-stars, 21 Three-stars)
Iowa (Class Rank #42, 4 Four-stars, 13 Three-stars)
Michigan (Class Rank #20, 6 Four-stars, 20 Three-stars)

‘09 Recruiting
Wisconsin (Class Rank #21, 5 Four-stars, 11 Three-stars)
Iowa (Class Rank #NR, 2 Four-stars, 5 Three-stars)
Michigan (Class Rank #8, 1 Five-star, 13 Four-stars, 6 Three-stars)

‘08 Recruiting
Wisconsin (Class Rank #41, 3 Four-stars, 14 Three-stars)
Iowa (Class Rank #NR, 0 Four-stars, 13 Three-stars)
Michigan (Class Rank #10, 17 Four-stars, 6 Three-stars)

‘07 Recruiting
Wisconsin (Class Rank #34, 1 Five-star, 3 Four-stars, 10 Three-stars)
Iowa (Class Rank #28, 5 Four-stars, 11 Three-stars)
Michigan (Class Rank #12, 2 Five-star, 5 Four-stars, 12 Three-stars)

Anonymous said...

I think it's too quick to judge on Rodriguez. M has faced a lot of attrition and has gotten unlucky with good players that turned out as busts.

Bielema has had a good run, but he was basically an extension of Alvarez, who had set up a very good program at Wisco. Remember Wisconsin is only 2 years removed from a 7-6 season...

And Ferentz has had 10 years to build a program. he also had losing years in there.

Please judge Rodriguez after 5 years and if at that point his players aren't developing then we can make a case here. i'm baffled why people dont think players are developing. Our offense is significantly improved. Our secondary is a shitshow but that's bc we have no experience. The problem is youth and a converted FB to LB who has finally been reomved from the field (and would've earlier if his backup wasnt in legal trouble).

Also we are gonna wax Penn St next week

maize n blue blood said...

key to winning.
FIRE GREG ROBINSON AKA COACH PISS POOR.

THEN "HAIL TO THE VICTORS" WILL REIGN ACROSS THE NATION ONCE AGAIN.

BYE BYE COACH PISS POOR