Are we WV or are we Glenville State?
So, I understand that no football team is exactly the same, but I feel like people have always been looking for comparisons about RR's previous coaching and hoping that has some translation into his success here.
After last year's season, I heard a lot of talk about him going 3-8 at WV first year to 9-4 his second year. I don't expect him to go 8-4 with the teams we have left to play and the way our team has been performing. It still could happen, but I seriously doubt it.
I wonder if maybe the predictions (read: hopes) about our team being like his WV team are wrong. Maybe we are going to sort out more like his Glenville State team.
1990 Glenville State 1-7-1
1991 Glenville State 4-5-1
1992 Glenville State 6-4
1993 Glenville State 10-3
1994 Glenville State 8-3
1995 Glenville State 8-2
1996 Glenville State 6-4
Considering the increased number of games, we're pretty much on track for a very similar season to RR's second at Glenville state.
I know progress of this sort is too slow for most people - too slow for my siblings who are the bandwagon sort that love RR for the Notre Dame game and are calling for his head after Illinois. However, I would be happy to go 10-3 in 2011. I'm patient.
I know the schools couldn't be more different, but anyone else think the Glenville State pattern is a more modest and reasonable expectation for the future? I know we were hoping National Championship in 2010, but I don't think that is going to happen.
Also, a bit off topic, but Iowa's team this year reminds me of Michigan's 1997 team. So many close calls, so many tight games, could easily lose any of them, but they have what it takes to win them and so far they're undefeated.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:05 PM ^
This is a good post.
November 4th, 2009 at 9:00 AM ^
really is lol. Except for the comparison of the 97 team. Thats crazy that 97 team had the best defense I have ever seen ever. Maybe the USC Defense last year but that is it.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:18 PM ^
Good point, so many people made note of Rich Rod's turnarounds in year 2 but I do think (and hope) his time at Michigan mirrors that of his time at Glenville State. Next year may be another struggle for Michigan standards but I see them coming up big in 2011.
Iowa does remind me of '97 Michigan in some aspects, but that team also had some huge victories (Colorado early in the year, @ Penn State, and of course OSU to clinch the conference). I don't think Iowa has had any real impressive wins like that, although winning at PSU and OSU (potentially) is nothing to ignore.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:31 PM ^
I just don't see them winning at the shoe since their offense isn't really much better than OSU and they will be relying on the defense as OSU will. Hope they do though. Seeing a Big 10 team go run the table in there regular season sched would be nice. As long as they don't get a Championship bid because I think Florida, Alabama & a couple other teams might blow them out. But I think a couple teams playing in the top bowls are very capable of losing to Iowa. Anybody but OSU winning the Big 10 would be nice to me.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:25 PM ^
But I feel like the only comparison is that we had some close wins but overall that team was 10 x better than this Iowa team and I don't think Indiana was luck. More like an atrocity. It was like the referees at that game were like fuck it, Indiana sucks and Iowa is perfect so lets be nice and give them 30 calls. I felt bad for them kids on Indiana's team. A couple blown calls is one thing, what happened to them is another.
You might be right on the Glennville State post as far as arriving. Just hope that with the talent level we are seriously runnin teams out of the building on offense by 2011 & that we see a constant after that. By the time that rolls around all the fans who stayed cool calm & collect will deserve it!
Thanks for the post.
November 3rd, 2009 at 10:38 PM ^
but here's the record of WVU in RR's 2nd year of coaching.
Through 9 games, WVU was 6-3 and Michigan is 5-4(right now). WVU's wins were against Tenn-Chattanooga, Cincy, ECU, Rutgers, Syracuse and Temple. All are bad teams with the exception of maybe Rutgers who were solid at the time. Michigan's wins were against WMU, EMU, ND, DSU and Indiana. WVU's losses were against Wisconsin, Maryland and Miami(FL). Michigan's were against MSU, Iowa, PSU and Illini.
Gives you something to think about. If Michigan can finish strong which will not be easy with Wisconsin on the road and OSU at home. Purdue is a tougher team than their record indicate, after all they did beat OSU and nearly beat Oregon.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:01 PM ^
I think next year will be a lot better than this one was. And, though I had hoped for NC contention by 2010, I now have to agree with those who see 2011 as the year that UM becomes a bona fide contender.
I just want them to stop the bleeding against OSU, PSU, and MSU ASAP. When they do that, everything else will fall into place.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:23 PM ^
Not to completely bash your argument aboout UM 1997 vs Iowa 2009, but no. They are not similar. UM had a dominating defense full of NFL players (many of which are still in the league). Iowas defense, while good, is nowhere near as good and has not faced near the quality of teams UM did. Ricki Stanzi is terrible, Brian Griese was an NFL QB (not a great one, but a solid backup for years). Iowa has won close games against bad teams. UM 97' certainly didn't need a last second TD to beat a .500 team. Can you imagine 97 UM vs 09 Indiana? or even against 09 UM? Iowa 2009 is not even as good as Iowa 1997. The Big 10 in 1997 was much better than it is now. I would say that the top teams in the league were all better in 97 than they are now--(Iowa, UM, MSU, Purdue, OSU, PSU).
Iowa will lose a game this year. They may be lucky enough to go to the Rose Bowl (and have their asses handed to them by Oregon), but they will lose. I am enjoying Iowa's run (except when they beat UM), but lets not kid ourselves here.
November 4th, 2009 at 1:01 AM ^
i'm a little surprised that comparison is made at all. i don't think anyone thinks of the 97 team as one that lucked its way to victories with fortuitous bounces/calls or last second improbable comeback wins against lesser teams, like, say, the 02 buckeyes did (the most common comparison, and a team that was much better than 09 iowa IME).
we didn't even play that many close games. we came from behind against Iowa, and had tough games against OSU and WSU that were close because they were good teams. that's about it as far as games that were truly nerve-racking. in fact other than iowa, off the top of my head i'm not sure we were ever even down in the 4th quarter to anyone.
November 4th, 2009 at 6:23 AM ^
Reminds me of != is as good as
Obviously the Big Ten is crap this year.
Maybe I simply recall too strongly our bowl game that year and how easily it could've gone the other way, but I remember some of those games feeling closer than the score suggests. I remember relying on defense points when the god-child was on our team. I also remember not expecting a national championship that year. We just seemed to keep winning. So far, Iowa has managed to do that. As bad as the Big Ten is, I wouldn't be surprised if they went undefeated in the regular season.
November 4th, 2009 at 11:37 PM ^
94-96's trending doesn't excite me for comparison purposes. All's I know is if Michigan is only 6-4 by 1996, I'm going to be pissed. ;-)
November 5th, 2009 at 3:53 PM ^
Our 1997 team only played in four close games: ND, Iowa, OSU and WSU. That's not a particularly high number.