CW

[1549]

I have to say I was disappointed, not disgusted like my bro who was at the game, but definately disappointed with Michigan's performance. Navarre looked pretty bad for most of the game, something just isn't clicking for him right now. As for Perry, fumbles are never acceptable, but Indiana seemed to bring a lot of defenders up to stop the run, so that could explain his lackluster running (with the exception of his big play).

 

On the flipside, I was impressed with the defense. They have been solid outside of Eugene, which bodes well for the Iowa game. If MSU's defense can shutdown Iowa, then we can too.

 

Did you go to the game? I think you told me awhile back that you had tix to this one, but I can't remember. If you went, how was the atmosphere there? Was everyone a little disappointed, or just content that we won?

[1549]

I forgot to include another question, was the stadium full? On tv they said 110,000 but they did a shot from the air, and I thought I saw quite a few empty seats, it might have just been people that left early (they showed us the shot late in the 4th quarter)

[1549]

CW, I am saving this thread from the thread morgue, so that you can see it.

[cwsox]

1549, will answer later - sorry to be slow

[cwsox]

there were over 110,000 including the kid and me

 

I let the kid run all over the Big House by himself for the first time ever - he is growing up and needs his time to be a wild man, especially now that he knows his way around as well as he does

 

Navarre looked just fine. The person that I was screaming at was Braylon Edwards, as in, "catch the damn ball, Braylon." Notice later in the game that Navarre went to other receivers. If we went to our tight ends at all I do not remember.

 

The defense was excellent.

 

The offense was slugghish overall. Let us hope that awake before both of the next two games. The second intercept was not Navarre's fault, Braylon juggled the ball and flung it into the arms of an Indiana player. Let us hope Perry has all of his fumbles out of the way for 2003. Both seemed lack of concentration more than anything else. Carr must be angry at the offense as he took them out, thought about it, and then put them back in. I hope that was designed tio get their attention.

 

The game was not that close. It was 31-3 until 3 minutes left or whatever. The special team miscue is a concern after the game at Eugene.

 

I have been attending games since 1975. I was not disgusted remotely with the team's performance. It just could have been better. It is impossible to be up for all 12 regular season games. Our next two are huge games so better to be lower key now than the next two games. Noit being sky high is no excuse for the alck of concentration. We looked better in games 1-3 and the 2nd half of game 4 than we we did at any time in game 5. I suspect we (as in the coaching staff) were holding back because of the next two games - I expect a few nerw looks on offense and defense than we showed against Indiana.

 

The Indiana band was ok. They remained for our post game show (very classy) and besides doing a few numbers of their own did their special percussion number akin to our Temptation/Hawaiian War Chant. Very fun to watch. Their band got a very nice response every time they played, from the Michigan fans.

[1549]

there were over 110,000 including the kid and me

 

I let the kid run all over the Big House by himself for the first time ever - he is growing up and needs his time to be a wild man, especially now that he knows his way around as well as he does

 

Navarre looked just fine.  The person that I was screaming at was Braylon Edwards, as in, "catch the damn ball, Braylon."  Notice later in the game that Navarre went to other receivers.  If we went to our tight ends at all I do not remember.

 

The defense was excellent. 

 

The offense was slugghish overall.  Let us hope that awake before both of the next two games.  The second intercept was not Navarre's fault, Braylon juggled the ball and flung it into the arms of an Indiana player.  Let us hope Perry has all of his fumbles out of the way for 2003.  Both seemed lack of concentration more than anything else.  Carr must be angry at the offense as he took them out, thought about it, and then put them back in.  I hope that was designed tio get their attention.

 

The game was not that close.  It was 31-3 until 3 minutes left or whatever.  The special team miscue is a concern after the game at Eugene. 

 

I have been attending games since 1975.  I was not disgusted remotely with the team's performance.  It just could have been better.  It is impossible to be up for all 12 regular season games.  Our next two are huge games so better to be lower key now than the next two games.  Noit being sky high is no excuse for the alck of concentration.  We looked better in games 1-3 and the 2nd half of game 4 than we we did at any time in game 5.  I suspect we (as in the coaching staff) were holding back because of the next two games - I expect a few nerw looks on offense and defense than we showed against Indiana.

 

The Indiana band was ok.  They remained for our post game show (very classy) and besides doing a few numbers of their own did their special percussion number akin to our Temptation/Hawaiian War Chant.  Very fun to watch. Their band got a very nice response every time they played, from the Michigan fans.

No problem with the slow response, I just wanted to make sure that the thread wouldn't die before you got a chance to see it.

 

Sounds like you had a good time at the big house, then again I think it would be impossible not too.

 

As far as the game strategy goes, I think we should have used Massaquoi a little more than we did. I think we threw to him 3 times, 2 catches and 1 drop, that is all that I can remember about Massaquoi's game. Based on the few times he has been thrown too this year he looks pretty good. Not as "sure handed" as Joppuru, but more athletic.

 

Dropping balls has been the theme this year for Edwards, I enjoy watching him play so much, he is fast and is a big play waiting to happen, but if he keeps dropping balls, I have no problem with Avant and Breaston stepping up, they seem to be just as fast as Edwards (even faster in Breaston's case). Tabb also has impressed me in his limited PT, and Bell and Butler are consistent veterans. I was also glad to see Gonzalez get a few plays, one would have been a huge play except Gonzalez dropped the ball.

 

In the backfield, I am on the David Underwood bandwagon, I think he can run wide better than Perry, but I think Perry can take over a game if the line isn't stacked against him, and if he can hold on to the damn ball.

 

This game against Iowa will set the tone for the rest of the way IMO.

 

Go Blue!

[cwsox]

As far as the game strategy goes, I think we should have used Massaquoi a little more than we did.  I think we threw to him 3 times, 2 catches and 1 drop, that is all that I can remember about Massaquoi's game.  Based on the few times he has been thrown too this year he looks pretty good.  Not as "sure handed" as Joppuru, but more athletic.

 

Dropping balls has been the theme this year for Edwards, I enjoy watching him play so much, he is fast and is a big play waiting to happen, but if he keeps dropping balls, I have no problem with Avant and Breaston stepping up, they seem to be just as fast as Edwards (even faster in Breaston's case).  Tabb also has impressed me in his limited PT, and Bell and Butler are consistent veterans.  I was also glad to see Gonzalez get a few plays, one would have been a huge play except Gonzalez dropped the ball.

 

In the backfield, I am on the David Underwood bandwagon, I think he can run wide better than Perry, but I think Perry can take over a game if the line isn't stacked against him, and if he can hold on to the damn ball.

that is the single most impressive game analysis I have ever read of any game

 

last week's scores were troubling - are MSU and Minnesota that good, or Iowa and PSU that bad?

 

Whenever I attend a game with the kid, I miss everything but the scores since in exchange for him doing everything that I want to do at the Big House (pre and post game band shpows, etc) we don't listen to all sports on the drive home. Besides, no radio station in this state does much of a job of it anyway.

 

But I understand from today's DFP that in those two games, as well as Wisconsin/Illinois, there were questionable calls by the officials. So hard to tell if Iowa and PSU (and Illinois) got jobbed or really derserved to lose.

 

The Iowa game is bigger now that they lost since either they will be raging angry or they will show themselves to have been over rated. I really rather they had won against MSU because I didn't want them mad - but then again, they might be a deflated balloon now.

 

And then Minnesota - kind of the same thing, except they will be playing for the Rose Bowl, the biggest game they have played in decades, since who else do they play than us - if they beat us the rest of their schedulke they coast - and we have a short week to prepare - fly home from Iowa and then fly back to Minnesota with a day less. If Iowa bangs us up, we could be hurting against Minnesota.

 

So the next two are pivotal and they are a set in my mind - go 0-2 and we we lose our New Years day Bowl streak. Go 1-1 and we will have to struggle the rest of the year for the title since MSU may be more of a challenge than we thought and OSU, Purdue, and Illinois won't lie down for us. Go 2-0 and our Sugar Bowl hopes as an 11-1 team survive.

[Chisoxfn]

Iowa is extremely banged up. Their entire recieving core is basically out (Well Hinkel and Jones) while they are missing Sanders and a few other key players on defense.

[1549]

As far as the game strategy goes, I think we should have used Massaquoi a little more than we did.  I think we threw to him 3 times, 2 catches and 1 drop, that is all that I can remember about Massaquoi's game.  Based on the few times he has been thrown too this year he looks pretty good.  Not as "sure handed" as Joppuru, but more athletic.

 

Dropping balls has been the theme this year for Edwards, I enjoy watching him play so much, he is fast and is a big play waiting to happen, but if he keeps dropping balls, I have no problem with Avant and Breaston stepping up, they seem to be just as fast as Edwards (even faster in Breaston's case).  Tabb also has impressed me in his limited PT, and Bell and Butler are consistent veterans.  I was also glad to see Gonzalez get a few plays, one would have been a huge play except Gonzalez dropped the ball.

 

In the backfield, I am on the David Underwood bandwagon, I think he can run wide better than Perry, but I think Perry can take over a game if the line isn't stacked against him, and if he can hold on to the damn ball.

that is the single most impressive game analysis I have ever read of any game

 

last week's scores were troubling - are MSU and Minnesota that good, or Iowa and PSU that bad?

 

Whenever I attend a game with the kid, I miss everything but the scores since in exchange for him doing everything that I want to do at the Big House (pre and post game band shpows, etc) we don't listen to all sports on the drive home. Besides, no radio station in this state does much of a job of it anyway.

 

But I understand from today's DFP that in those two games, as well as Wisconsin/Illinois, there were questionable calls by the officials. So hard to tell if Iowa and PSU (and Illinois) got jobbed or really derserved to lose.

 

The Iowa game is bigger now that they lost since either they will be raging angry or they will show themselves to have been over rated. I really rather they had won against MSU because I didn't want them mad - but then again, they might be a deflated balloon now.

 

And then Minnesota - kind of the same thing, except they will be playing for the Rose Bowl, the biggest game they have played in decades, since who else do they play than us - if they beat us the rest of their schedulke they coast - and we have a short week to prepare - fly home from Iowa and then fly back to Minnesota with a day less. If Iowa bangs us up, we could be hurting against Minnesota.

 

So the next two are pivotal and they are a set in my mind - go 0-2 and we we lose our New Years day Bowl streak. Go 1-1 and we will have to struggle the rest of the year for the title since MSU may be more of a challenge than we thought and OSU, Purdue, and Illinois won't lie down for us. Go 2-0 and our Sugar Bowl hopes as an 11-1 team survive.

I didn't watch much of Iowa MSU, saw some of Minn. PSU, and I saw some of Illionois Wisconsin before getting sucked in by Cal vs USC.

 

I don't think that the refs blew the Minn. PSU game. With the seconds ticking away at the end of the second half PSU had the ball on the Minn. 5, the ball was batted and intercepted by Minn. to end the half. Who knows, maybe they would have scored, but JoePa should not have done a draw play with 20 secs left and no time outs, that was a wasted play, then PSU was rushed from then on.

 

I think PSU is really that bad. Minnessota can not beat Michigan with their defense, and there offense was not spectacular against Penn State, so I am not too worried about that game.

 

I think, like Jason said, injuries are killing Iowa. I have seen Michigan state play a few times this year and they look like they can do some things when Smoker is hot but, as you know, they are weak behind smoker.

 

Iowa will play us tough, afterall, they have a lot to play for, but they are too decimated to blow us out of the water. If we the wolverines play mistake free football, then Michigan should beat these guys.

 

I agree these next two games are huge...GO BLUE