IlliniKrush Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 QUOTE(Brian @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 09:56 PM) You and I are the only ones that realize this. Don't be so sure. However, honest question, wanna get Michigan fans' take on this. Why hasn't Chad Henne improved over the last 4 years? He really seems like the same guy, more or less, that he was freshman year. Just my opinion from watching hm. I thought he'd eventually really challenge for a Heisman when I saw him freshman year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 The biggest key for Michigan is they have been really smart in using zone and blitz schemes and avoiding dangerous man to man situations on defense. Their defense is still amazingly slow for a school that recruits that well, but Ron English is doing a great job hiding it. With that said, I think Ohio State will expose their defense big time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 QUOTE(whitesoxfan101 @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 12:23 AM) The biggest key for Michigan is they have been really smart in using zone and blitz schemes and avoiding dangerous man to man situations on defense. Their defense is still amazingly slow for a school that recruits that well, but Ron English is doing a great job hiding it. With that said, I think Ohio State will expose their defense big time. I've tried to explain this before. The defense is NOT slow. It plays slow sometimes when it is making the wrong decisions or playing tentatively in order to not get burned. Of course that is when they get burned. Getting burned does not make one slow. That said, their two linebackers aside from Crable, are not great playing the pass in zone coverage. Put a slot wide receiver against Chris Graham and yes you see slow. But aren't most LB's, especially ones whose strength is playing the run? Obi Ezeh has gotten more PT with the injury to John Thompson. Thompson is more like Graham, better against the run. Ezeh is quicker and more athletic, but still uncertain. He was a redshirt last year as a running back, so his switch to LB and immediate PT has increased the need for a fast learning curve. Morgan Trent, Donovan Warren and Brandon Harrison are fast by most any standards. Warren is a true frosh, Trent is still learning to play CB (2nd year after switching from WR) and Harrison has a tendency to run past plays. What this shows is a lack of depth that these guys are pressed into action. Warren will be a big-time player, however. At safety, Englemon is not as speedy as Stevie Brown, but more steady. Brown was over-running plays early in the year and getting burned. Taking a bad angle against a guy with speed will get you in trouble right away. Jamar Adams the other S is not slow, but not fast. He has typical safety speed. The others include Crable a very fast LB/DE hybrid and Brandon Graham, a quick DE. Terrance Taylor and Will Johnson aren't sprinters at DT and Tim Jamison is certainly respectable at DE. So Michigan's problems on D have been more due to inexperience, bad judgements and missed assignments more than a lack of speed. With Brandon Graham in the doughouse the first two games, Crable had to line up at DE, taking the fastest LB out of coverage against two spread offenses. Ezeh was hurt the first two games, so they were stuck using Graham and Thompson exclusively against Appy St and Oregon, not their strengths. Johnny Sears started at CB in the first two games and was promptly kicked off the team (pot??). The year certainly didn't start well on D which isn't good considering they lost five NFL players from last year's defense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 10:42 PM) Don't be so sure. However, honest question, wanna get Michigan fans' take on this. Why hasn't Chad Henne improved over the last 4 years? He really seems like the same guy, more or less, that he was freshman year. Just my opinion from watching hm. I thought he'd eventually really challenge for a Heisman when I saw him freshman year. That is a common conception and while I think it is fair, I'm not sure it is accurate. Part of Henne's problem is he was so good as a freshman. He is a quiet, steady player, not the vocal leader like Hart. I think Henne has gotten better, but its fair to say most thought he would be better than he is. He had a rough first game and a half before he got hurt. Keep in mind he has had Hart to lean on for four years. His best season was arguable his sophomore year when Hart was hurt. They've added the shotgun and some 4 and even 5-WR sets, yet he's been hurt so he hasn't really gotten the chance to dig into them. I'm hoping you will see Henne put it all together as he finishes his senior season. Watch to see how he plays against Wisconsin and Ohio State and that will be more telling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 (edited) QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 09:54 PM) Why is that too high? Other teams have been losing left and right. Michigan has won seven in a row. I don't see how you can just eliminate Michigan solely because of their start. USC lost in a game where they were favored by more than 40 points, the largest such spread in college football history, yet they only fall a few places. Michigan is far from the team that started this season. I know they have no chance at a National Championship, but a Big Ten Championship is a real possibility and they could end up in the Top 5 when all is said and done. One week at a time, but its possible when they start clicking on all cylinders and have a healthy Henne and Hart. Funny, I dont recall ever mentioning USC. Their jump from 20-12 was a little much. Teams like Hawaii, UCONN, Bame and Texas should have been above them. There was no reason for Mich to leapfrog teams that also played well and won. And every team in the nation is not the same team that started the season. If they played App St right now they would probably smoke them. And Henne is pretty much the same player Navarre was. He was better earlier, which made for alot of his hype. Edited October 30, 2007 by RockRaines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 QUOTE(IlliniKrush @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 10:42 PM) Why hasn't Chad Henne improved over the last 4 years? He really seems like the same guy, more or less, that he was freshman year. Just my opinion from watching hm. I thought he'd eventually really challenge for a Heisman when I saw him freshman year. He hasn't. Watching him as a sophmore, I thought he could be almost as good as Drew Henson if he kept improving, but hasn't happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 (edited) QUOTE(RockRaines @ Oct 30, 2007 -> 09:34 AM) Funny, I dont recall ever mentioning USC. Their jump from 20-12 was a little much. Teams like Hawaii, UCONN, Bame and Texas should have been above them. There was no reason for Mich to leapfrog teams that also played well and won. And every team in the nation is not the same team that started the season. If they played App St right now they would probably smoke them. Time to get your facts straight. I mentioned USC, you didn't which is why you don't remember it. But I am not sure how that relates to anything. How was Michigan's jump from 20-12 too much? Let's analyze.... The teams above them between 20 & 12 last week were: 12. USC - lost and fell 13. Missouri - won and improved - still ahead of UM 14. Kentucky - lost and fell 15. Virginia - lost and fell 16. South Carolina - lost and fell 17. Hawaii - this is the BCS. They aren't going to make large jumps, nor should they IMO regardless of what team is leaping them 18. Georgia - won and jumped way up - still ahead of UM 19. Texas - played a very lackluster game against reeling Nebraska - not the kind of thing to impress voters. Now, let's look at some of those other teams you mentioned that Michigan should not have jumped: UCONN - They jumped from 23 to 13. According to my math that is a larger jump than Michigan's and they started from BEHIND, so UM didn't leapfrog them. Maybe I should check my math. BAMA - Jumped from 24 to 17 without playing. Not sure how that qualifies as UM leapfrogging a team that played well and won. So basically, I can't find anything in the above post you got right! I guess the astute point you made about no team being the same as when they opened the season. Duh! But if you would actually watch games rather than just toss out anecdotal blather you would see that Michigan is a VERY different team. They are actually quite close to being Top 5 or 10 team people expected them to be before the year started. I guess you won't be convinced of that until your Bucknuts come to Ann Arbor and go home with their collective tails between their legs! /gauntlet throwing Edited October 31, 2007 by Rex Hudler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamTell Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(Brian @ Oct 29, 2007 -> 08:56 PM) You and I are the only ones that realize this. hey don't you worry, I'm a Michigan fan and have also realized this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 (edited) Man I was fiesty last night. Anybody ready to go 15 rounds??? Edited October 31, 2007 by Rex Hudler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 06:49 AM) Man I was fiesty last night. Anybody ready to go 15 rounds??? I wont even respond to your Maize and Blue blabbering. If UM ends up a top 5 team I will hereby bestow some free tix on you this upcoming season. But if you'd like a side bet on the OSUvUM game, im up on that too. You cant be too confident with the thrashing you have taken the last several years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Want to give me 15 for the Badgers. And then if the Badgers lose by 15 give me free tix to so that I can hide my shame? lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitesoxfan101 Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 (edited) I'd give Wisconsin a shot this weekend, but when you combine Hill's injury problems and the fact it's a road game so Smith can't play, their depth at RB is really poor right now (although I do like Zach Brown). I think Wisconsin's defense (which did an amazing job against Indiana last week) will do a pretty good job against the pass, but Beanie Wells should have a big day, and Tyler Donovan has just not been the same guy since Luke Swan got hurt, which IMO was the turning point in Wisconsin's season. Anyways, this could be a very good weekend for Illinois. I would assume they should beat Minnesota, and with the other 2 in league loss Big 10 teams having rough games (Wisky at Columbus, Purdue in Happy Valley), the Illini could very well move into sole posession of 3rd place in the Big 10. I have no idea who would have the tiebreaker between Illinois and Purdue since they don't play, but if Illinois can just win at Minnesota and beat Northwestern at home, they have a great shot at finishing in that 3rd seed in the Big 10 if things go well this weekend, even assuming they lose at Ohio State. Edited October 31, 2007 by whitesoxfan101 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soxbadger Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 They have Brown (who I really like) and Landingham (most natural runner on the Badgers) but the problem is that Bielema never gave those guys meaningful touches for the first part of the season so now if PJ is hurt, they will go in with basically no experience. Lance Smith had the choice of missing the first 5 games, or missing all the away games, the Badgers coaching staff and Smith selected the away game option. Looking back now, it seems to be a horrible decision, but at the time I guess they didnt want 2 true freshman backing up Hill for the first 5 games. After the losses to Illiois and PSU, I really just lost a lot of faith in the team. Sure its great that they played well against NIU and Indiana, but where were those performances 3 weeks ago? Just to inconsistent to be a legitimate pick away from Camp Randall. Now I think theyll keep it closer than 15, but if they dont we may get to see Everidge get some meaningful playing time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoctor Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 got my illinois-osu tix today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 I'm mourning losing big play pig brown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 QUOTE(RockRaines @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 12:02 PM) I wont even respond to your Maize and Blue blabbering. If UM ends up a top 5 team I will hereby bestow some free tix on you this upcoming season. But if you'd like a side bet on the OSUvUM game, im up on that too. You cant be too confident with the thrashing you have taken the last several years. I'll take the fact you completely skipped past the parts where you were wrong and went straight ahead to zeroing in on the game in three weeks as an admission of guilt. As far as the game in three weeks, I like our chances. I certainly wouldn't call myself confident, because that is not my nature. If I am confident, I am confident quietly, nervously. I was just in the mood to pick a fight last night. The fact remains that OSU has to come to the Big House and Michigan is on the verge of playing the way they should have from week 1. Ask me in two weeks and maybe I will be more confident, but I doubt it. Bottom line is I am confident in the direction UM is headed and they are playing much, much better football. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 10:26 PM) I'll take the fact you completely skipped past the parts where you were wrong and went straight ahead to zeroing in on the game in three weeks as an admission of guilt. As far as the game in three weeks, I like our chances. I certainly wouldn't call myself confident, because that is not my nature. If I am confident, I am confident quietly, nervously. I was just in the mood to pick a fight last night. The fact remains that OSU has to come to the Big House and Michigan is on the verge of playing the way they should have from week 1. Ask me in two weeks and maybe I will be more confident, but I doubt it. Bottom line is I am confident in the direction UM is headed and they are playing much, much better football. Nah, I skipped it because no matter what, I will never agree with you and vice versa. Its just the way of the sports world. I think we can both agree that each of our teams is better than the others. When OSU and UM fans start agreeing on this subject, its when you know some ghostbuster out there has crossed the streams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 QUOTE(thedoctor @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 02:19 PM) got my illinois-osu tix today. Ill be there too big guy!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 QUOTE(RockRaines @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 10:28 PM) Nah, I skipped it because no matter what, I will never agree with you and vice versa. Its just the way of the sports world. I think we can both agree that each of our teams is better than the others. When OSU and UM fans start agreeing on this subject, its when you know some ghostbuster out there has crossed the streams. Good point lol I'm still disappointed you weren't online last night and we couldn't fight. We could have provided some good early morning reading for the rest of our college football bretheren. Oh well, moods subside, so I will go back to being a normal irrational, yell at the TV, plan my week around this week's game fan. I'm just disappointed that ABC picked up Michigan at 2:30 because that conflicts with the 4:00 LSU - Bama kickoff. I can either watch the UM game later, or choose to stay at home by myself and skip out on what should be a lot of fun in a really electric atmosphere in a good sports bar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockRaines Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Oct 31, 2007 -> 11:10 PM) Good point lol I'm still disappointed you weren't online last night and we couldn't fight. We could have provided some good early morning reading for the rest of our college football bretheren. Oh well, moods subside, so I will go back to being a normal irrational, yell at the TV, plan my week around this week's game fan. I'm just disappointed that ABC picked up Michigan at 2:30 because that conflicts with the 4:00 LSU - Bama kickoff. I can either watch the UM game later, or choose to stay at home by myself and skip out on what should be a lot of fun in a really electric atmosphere in a good sports bar! One of these nights. Maybe during THE GAME we can slug it out in chat. I would watch the beginning of the UM game then hightail it out to watch SEC madness. Thats got to be a good time down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heads22 Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Iowa State has a legitimate shot to win this weekend. YaY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bmags Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 why are they playing iowa again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Holtz gave Navy his pep talk this week. He'll do anything to get a win for Notre Dame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex Hudler Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 How weird is it to watch Gameday in the dark in Eugene?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rowand44 Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 QUOTE(Rex Hudler @ Nov 3, 2007 -> 09:04 AM) How weird is it to watch Gameday in the dark in Eugene?? Was just going to post the same thing. Pretty cool actually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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