Bert claims MSU being sketchy with injury info

Submitted by M Vader on November 6th, 2022 at 12:46 PM

https://saturdaytradition.com/illinois-football/bret-bielema-throws-shade-at-michigan-state-for-perceived-injury-issues-in-week-10/

https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2022/11/illinois-coach-bret-bielema-insinuates-michigan-state-players-faked-injuries.html

He is saying that they faked injuries before the game I guess, so that Illinois was not planning on facing them.  But I thought Bert said that Mel Tucker was a "tremendous coach", sure he would not do such a thing?

Seems like sour grapes, tbh, if I consider the MSU suspensions and how the Illini were favored.

Ezekiels Creatures

November 6th, 2022 at 2:09 PM ^

He actually said there were many injuries of Michigan St players during drives by Illinois that were momentum killers. Apparently two Michigan St players were injured twice, and came back into the game. I posted it a comment below.

Joined: 03/14/2019

MGoPoints: 28664

Romeo50

November 6th, 2022 at 3:02 PM ^

Since MSU is an unethical culture of insecure people intent on 60 minutes of unnecessary roughness and gleeful at winning by clock managers and blown calls I would love to have them removed from Michigan's schedule. If for no other reason than our players safety!!!!!!!!!!!!!! F them!

 

Joined: 03/09/2013

MGoPoints: 16750

dbockle

November 6th, 2022 at 12:57 PM ^

He’s not saying they faked injuries before the game so that Illinois wasn’t planning on facing them. He’s saying they faked injuries during the game to stop play so that Illinois couldn’t run the offense with their preferred tempo.

 

This is particularly ironic coming from Bert who, when he was head coach at Arkansas, whined nonstop about high tempo offenses because they result in more plays per game which results in more potential for injury and head trauma. Hint: while Bert was right about that, that wasn’t the real reason he opposed high tempo offenses; he actually just stunk at stopping them.

Joined: 09/12/2011

MGoPoints: 1314

AC1997

November 6th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^

I happened to be on the field for part of the game yesterday.  My son is in the Illinois marching band and it was Dad's Day so we got to be on the field for halftime.  

Bert definitely has a point.  There were at least three moments in the game when Illinois was lining up on offense and a defensive player for MSU went down and then "limped off" with the trainers only to come back a couple plays later.  

Impossible to know for sure and I hate to speculate on injuries, but it was MSU so they can't be trusted.  Seemed sketchy from about 50 feet away toward the end of the half.  

My bigger question for the board is about what the refs did with Tucker.  He declined a penalty, which seemed dumb, the ref announced it to the stadium, Illinois ran their FG team on, then Tucker called the refs over and changed his mind, forcing Illinois out of FG range.  I am sure this happens, but it felt like cheating live.

Joined: 09/19/2008

MGoPoints: 13824

evenyoubrutus

November 6th, 2022 at 1:35 PM ^

Hmm, I don't know if he's correct about that. I remember when Rodriguez got here and people complained about running QBs being more likely to get hit and therefore get hurt, but someone did a study showing that running QBs were actually less likely to get hurt because they got blind sided far less often. I feel like high tempo offenses result in fewer high impact collisions per play, whereas the slower "beefy" man ball offenses have bigger pileup type plays where nasty injuries can happen. 

All that to say, Bert is a big whiner 

Joined: 11/04/2008

MGoPoints: 178366

dbockle

November 6th, 2022 at 2:14 PM ^

The statement isn’t about running QBs, it’s about teams whose offense moves at a quick tempo between plays so there are more plays per game. More plays per game = more hits per game, which means more potential for immediate injury as well as more long term wear & tear on the players’ bodies.

Joined: 09/12/2011

MGoPoints: 1314

flashOverride

November 6th, 2022 at 12:58 PM ^

After taking the opportunity to kiss Mel's ass and take a shot at Michigan this week, I hope he does feel cheated. I also hope, if State ends up finishing with six wins and bowl eligibility, that that loss costs Illinois the division. Though I'll also be happy to beat their ass twice.

Joined: 08/04/2013

MGoPoints: 9070

Midukman

November 6th, 2022 at 1:00 PM ^

Wait till he plays Harbaugh who doesn’t volunteer shit. The whole team could have the flu with no one to take the field and Bert would never know till his team ran out of the locker room.  

Joined: 09/13/2018

MGoPoints: 15906

MRunner73

November 6th, 2022 at 1:02 PM ^

OK, Bert is really Bret Bielema. Given how many stupid plays he called on 4th and long including on his side of the field and even before halftime probably cost him the game. It was amongst the worst coaching I've seen and in long time. To think many of us Michigan fan scoff at "Lame Brain James" at Penn State all these years, our guy LBJ looks like a genius compared to what kind of game Bielema called against sparty and at home no less.

Now he has excuses on top of that. 

Joined: 11/11/2018

MGoPoints: 16912

UMForLife

November 6th, 2022 at 1:07 PM ^

What is this with B1G coaches? Can't they accept defeat and coach better? Franklin complains about tunnel. Bret complains about fake injuries.

I love Harbaugh. Even with everything going against him, he stood tall for so many years and created a dominant team. These coaches can learn a thing or two from him. 

Joined: 11/04/2013

MGoPoints: 63393