2004 OSU vs current team, happy times.
Ok, I get it. The 2009 edition of Michigan isn't that great. The D sinks and the O can't hold onto the ball but check out the 2004 Ohio State squadron:
September 4 Cincinnati W 27-6 1-0 (0-0)
September 11 Marshall W 24-21 2-0 (0-0)
September 18 at North Carolina State W 22-14 3-0 (0-0)
October 2 at Northwestern L 33-27 3-1 (0-1)
October 9 Wisconsin L 24-13 3-2 (0-2)
October 16 at Iowa L 33-7 3-3 (0-3)
October 23 Indiana W 30-7 4-3 (1-3)
October 30 Penn State W 21-10 5-3 (2-3)
November 6 at Michigan State W 32-19 6-3 (3-3)
November 13 at Purdue L 24-17 6-4 (3-4)
November 20 Michigan W 37-21 7-4 (4-4)
December 29 vs. Oklahoma State W 33-7 8-4 (4-4)
(Remember this is 4-7 Penn st. in 2004 not current penn st)
Right you say, but ill bet this team didnt get outgained by everyone in the Big Ten like Michigan has Well you would be wrong:
Yarage
Nc State 256 - 137 Osu
Northwestern 444! - 308 Osu
Wisky 344 - 244 Osu
Iowa 448! -177 Osu
Penn St 246 - 202 Osu
Sparty 407 -307 Osu
Purdue 384 338 Osu
So Ohio State was out-gained by every BCS team other than Indiana heading into the Michigan Game. Also in 5 of 7 games they were outgained by more than 100 yards. Remember this is all with an eventual Hiesman winner at QB.
I remember thinking what a mess this team was when they lost 3 in a row to Big Ten opponents. Including an absolute thrashing by Iowa, where they were down 33-0. I thought there was no way this mess in Columbus could beat the Big Ten champion Michigan Wolverines in 2004.
This looks very similar to Michigans current season right up to the Illinois game. Now I know you cant just throw that game out. But if Minor keeps his elbow up on 4th down we are talking about winning 9 games and how the team is back on track.
No one likes the way the team folded vs Illinois, but honestly if Minor gets in and we win, this is still the same team for the rest of the year. I think Michigan can get 2 of the next 3. Go to a decent bowl game, get lots of practice for a young team and win big. Setting up a decent 2010. The safety and LB hole isnt gonna get fixed overnight, but I still think this team can have sucsess.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:19 PM ^
If Minor gets in the game is different, but you can't say we win. I take that back, you can, but I will think you are wrong and will have nothing but my opinion to back up that statement. So, continue thinking that. Also, I hope we beat OSU. That will make me happy.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:47 PM ^
I love this blog and the community, but sometimes I get so agravated at the lack of perspective and willingness to recognize the college football world beyond the 'we are michigan' arrogance. Frankly, I am just as guilty as everyone else.
But, this post really shows just how average you can be, or poor, statistically and still not really be that bad of a team and not that far away from being a great team. I dont think we can expect to make the leap to a BCS Bowl the way OSU did from 2004 to 2005, but we're on our way to being good team, despite what weve seen the last weeks. Hopefully posts like this will help create the patience that's needed to get there.
IIRC, in that Marshal game, either OSU kicked a long FG to win or Marshall missed one to tie at buzzer.
November 5th, 2009 at 4:52 PM ^
Yeah Nugent hit a 55! yarder to win 24-21 as time expired.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:32 PM ^
this cheers me up a little bit. Thank you.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:41 PM ^
than most on this site, i still agree that we can go 2 outta the next 3.
if theres something this team has been its inconsistent. lately we've been inconsistently bad, but theres nothing to say that we cant be "inconsistently" good either.
November 5th, 2009 at 5:48 PM ^
That 2004 Iowa/OSU game was epic - just a complete beat down.
I remember thinking that we were gonna beat OSU that year.
After we lost, OSU fans were telling me how Michigan wasn't going to beat them for a long time...
November 6th, 2009 at 12:01 AM ^
Troy Smith didn't start until after the Iowa game, before that it was Zwick. After switching QB's they finished 4-1, as opposed to the current current team that may have peaked a little early.
In the final 5 games Troy Smith threw 3 interceptions, all in the 1 TD loss at Purdue. The current UM team has thrown 10 interceptions in 8 games (excluding DSU, but the Illinois game was pick free, so here's hoping).
Ted Ginn Jr returned kicks and eventually started at wide receiver. His 4 kicks returned for a TD were a significant portion of the Ohio State scoring. The current UM team has 1 against ND, praise be to Stonum. The Ohio State returns were relatively more valuable because their defense didn't allow as many points as this UM team has.
Against UM in 2004 Ohio State was starting a three wide set of Santonio Holmes, Ted Ginn Jr and Anthony Gonzalez.
The similarities between 2004 OSU and 2009 UM are that each team had a unit that dramatically underperformed during the course of the year, keeping the team from being good. The 2004 Ohio State team was lucky in that their offensive weakness could be compensated for by combining good defense (excepting Iowa and Northwestern) with kick returns and big plays from the wide outs. 2009 UM needs the offense to score enough to cover for the defense, the recent (since MSU) increase in turnovers is not allowing this.
An important question remains, 2004 Ohio State got better as talented individuals on the under performing offense got experience: Are the individuals on this 2009 defense capable of the same growth?
November 6th, 2009 at 10:31 AM ^
Can Rich Rod out coach the vest? In 2006 Carr never saw the 5 wide sets coming. We went down early and played catch up all game. This year will depend on how well he prepares the team for TP. If that knuckle head plays well we are in trouble. If he plays like he did at Purdue we have a chance to win. I just remember Troy Smith running all over the place in 2004.
We need this game BAD!