ND/Mich <r>A Buckeye rooting for michigan? Just when I was ready to root for OSU against the condoms! <E</E></r>
Well no doubt it's in the best interest of ND for USC to beat OSU handily. That would make our game with them a bigger game if we somehow arrive at that point undefeated. Of course that would also mean that USC is pretty damn good and very tough to beat even at South Bend. But B10 people, at least those here, always root for their conference teams no matter who they play in non-conference or bowls. That was my point that, at least me, I don't put conference loyalty that high. I'm usually going to root against OU even though they are conference brethern.
I was struggling with why you chose that particular direction to take this ND thread.....but I finally figured it out! Coach Holtz and Coach Cooper were both members of the College Football Hall of Fame Class of 2009 inducted this past summer.....congrats to both! 8)
Forcier is going to start on Sat and RR says he's going to play all 3 QB's. I would imagine that we'll see Robinson mainly in some sort of Wildcat version of the UM offense. They say he doesn't tie his shoe laces, I've never heard of that, clearly he can run with untied shoelaces but why? I read Coach D's eval of the ND defense vs Nev and he said that in the Tenuata scheme that the DB's are going to play a lot of soft coverage to prevent the big play. If we have a great year and keep the other team from scoring a lot of points this will fly just fine, but if we lose and give up a lot of yards passing this will be hard to swallow.
The key words being "if we lose." TOK, if it's any consolation this early in a hopeful season, I always recall the famous ND-Miami game of 1988, when Steve Walsh passed for 425 yards but we won the game. It was close, of course, but Lou Holtz said something like (not these exact words) let them complete short passes all day. Just don't let them get behind you. That was my point in an earlier post. You can't have everything. If we are going to blitz aggressively with our front five or seven and play man-to-man pass defense, we can't put excessive pressure on our DBs. They have to give up some yardage to prevent the long completions.That's what happened vs. Nevada and it worked to the tune of a shutout against a very prolific offense. I have no idea what the coaches are thinking vs. Michigan, but I sure liked what I saw last Saturday.
oh my check out the UM punter being knocked down by the banner running out of the tunnel. <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/5IB5Noyv8Vw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/5IB5Noyv8Vw&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
Sid I understand what you are saying, no doubt the only stat that counts is the final score. But I think it's been so long since we have had a great defense that can shutdown the running/passing game, that I am hoping for one that doesn't have to give the big cushion to WR's. A lot of talk has been about the running game that Nev showed and I thought about last years Stanford game where we won but you had the feeling that Stanford dominated the running game and that was uncomfortable. But they lost. I'd just like to have one of those defenses that it's just hard to move the ball on either running or passing. I don't want too much do I?
Believe me, Bro, I understand your feelings. I guess each of us has our own way of dealing with our hopefulness that we've turned the corner. I guess my attempt at bravado about our defense really is a way of saying I hope it is as good as I imagine it to be. Your caution and concern is your way of saying "I hope, but show me."
It was 1 game...and there are more than 1 type of blitz schemes. This isn't Tenuta's first rodeo. I would not be surprised at all to see us go with a mix of soft zone and tight man. We may show one thing and go to another. I had a lot of fear of Nevada's QB (as one who had seen him play many times) to beat the blitz and roam around until someone got open in a seam or deep downfield. We took away both the seam and the HR ball from him and it was frustrating to him. Of Michigan's QB rotation, the shoelaces kid appears to have that elusive gift but I'm not too sure about his arm just yet. (please dont let these be famous last words). We're also going to throw a lot of looks at these young QBs to see if we can get them to check down into something else.. at least that would be my guess. If we can get the young QBs to put a lot of air under the ball on the run, we're going to get picks regardless of cushion. Someone (maybe Gip) mentioned in another section that Nevada's QB was really something special that you don't see a lot of in the game today. He has tools that other QBs on our schedule don't have. What concerns me about the matchup is the experience of RR running this offense. What Tenuta did was give up a soft middle gambling that Nevada wouldn't have the patience to grind it out 3 to 5 yards a time right up the gut...he was right. I'm not sure RR won't just take the yards and move the sticks for 4 quarters. This is where our offense comes in as crucial. If you get up on them a few scores, you force them into a situation in which the clock is now their enemy and they can't play 4 yards a clip up the middle.
I understand how this tyke feels! <object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H-fc5os23mI&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H-fc5os23mI&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>
ND <r>Even kids at that age know Michigan Sucks! Please don't torture that little child anymore!!! <E</E></r>
Corey, Naa, just too friggen busy with work. I am trying to clear of my desk so that I can get away for few days for R&R. This is a weird pre-game atomphere. Michigan fans have gone from the world is ending mindset to BCS here we come based on a thumping of a MAC team. The Domer in our office is about as smug as Tim is about the Irish's prospects of thumping us in Ann Arbor. I don't recall a ND/M game in recent history where the fans of both teams were this confident of victory and happy with the state of their programs. I have no clue how this game will turn out. All I do know is that nobody can accuse Michigan of not practicing hard enough. RR's offense really is a run oriented offense so I expect ND's defensive strategy will be akin to how teams defend a wishbone or an offense with a mobile QB i.e., playing one's area and not taking uncessary risks with blitz schemes that can be exploited by a spread offense whose goal is to find seams in a gambling defense. I think the key for us is to put put pressure on Clausen. Neither Hawaii or Nevada were able to do so and he picked them apart. BT Thanks for flying the B10 flag in my absence. Tears welled up in my eyes by your display of conference solidarity and loyalty. I guess an unnamed poster from Texas holding dual citizenship papers will never understand the the concept of unshakable, bedrock B10 virtue and loyalty. Hope you guys smoke USC.