ESPNs Key Stretch: Michigan
Adam's Take on MSU, IOWA, PSU. Blah,Blah, Blah.
But hey, it's somthing.
http://espn.go.com/blog/bigten/post/_/id/13899/key-stretch-michigan
Last year, RR started out hot but faded miserably in a very Spartanesque manner. In 2010, I suspect RR will do things differently to avoid premature peaking, and just might knock off some highly rated teams later in the season including Iowa (particularly since the game is in AA.) That said, is RR's job secure if he starts out slow but finishes hot...with a piss-poor 6-6 record but including wins over Iowa and Ohio-state? IMO, this is a strong possibility because almost every program trying to make the transition from bad to good passes through a phase/season with a demoralizing overall record but one that conceals key victories. So would you keep RR with such a season in 2010?
Are you suggesting we be cautious early? IMO you have to go flat out to win every game possible, whatever it takes. There aren't enough games in the season to cruise early, especially after what we have been through the last two years.
"Are you suggesting we be cautious early? IMO you have to go flat out to win every game possible, whatever it takes. There aren't enough games in the season to cruise early, especially after what we have been through the last two years."
Only sort of. MSU and ND are rivalry games but ought NOT to be treated as such. Instead do whatever it takes to continually improve over the season and peak towards the latter half -- and do anything to knock off the bucks. IMO, the same mediocre W-L record can prognosticate very very different futures depending on who you beat.
It appears that you think Stanzi is "a garbage." I can only assume you don't mean a garbage American citizen, because his message to you sir is love it or leave it.
Also, yeah. Iowa might be the least impressive Orange Bowl winner I can remember. We were 40 yds away from a game-winning field goal @ their house last year with a banged up freshman QB and his backup freshman QB leading the team. I honestly think Iowa probably scored in the 99th percentile on luck last year. They are a 7-5 team this year and we can beat them at home.
RR I agree will beat Iowa handily this year. Last year, Iowa won only because of home-court advantage bolstered with superior overall talent, RR actual did a fine coaching job.
Secondly, RR's style of play (no-huddle ground game) is perfect to beat a team like Iowa particularly because they do not have elite RBs and instead depend Stanzi. Passing game stops the clock. Every Stazi 3-and out puts Iowa's D back on the field. This is a big deal 'coz Iowa does not rotate their D-line, nor do they have good backs (to keep the clock going to rest their D when Stanzi is on the field).
OTOH, this hurry up mode could be suicidal against tosu (with their grind out backs and rotating D-line).
Kirk Ferentz is the best coach in the conference when it comes to players being fundamentally sound. Also, Stanzi is not "a garbage". He sometimes throws puzzling interceptions, but he has great leadership and intangibles. Iowa looked lost after he got hurt last season. Also, Iowa has 3 very good RB's in Adam Robinson, Brandon Wegher, and Jewel Hampton. They also return their top 2 WR's in DJK and Marvin McNutt. On defense, they won't be quite as strong this year at their LB positions, but DE Adrian Clayborn and S Tyler Sash are big time playmakers and among the best at their positions in the conference.
This is going to be a tough game to win, even at home. Can Michigan do it? Sure. Will they? It remains to be seen.
The thing that scares me about Iowa is just like you said, they have the best coaches in terms of being fundamentally sound. That, and the week before is a by-week; they will come prepared for denard much moreso than last year. If any of their running backs emerges as a stud, they will be very very difficult to take down.
That said, many of their players are reaching their ceilings, and I dont see a whole lot of upward potential for their team. Stanzi will throw interceptions forever, their lines will be big and well disciplined, Iowa will be Iowa. But if our offense comes together like I think it can, no amount of Iowa coaching will stop Michigan from out-athleting every Iowa player one on one, and if we execute well, this is a game we can definitely win.
Iowa is a good team (probably even the best of the three), but I think we will take them at home. Same goes for State, who, quite frankly, will hover around .500 again. However, Cousins and the WR's will keep it interesting against our potentially (i.e., probably) leaky secondary. It's somewhat counterintuitive to me, but if we lose one of these 3 games, I think it's PSU. New quarterback, true, but it's on the road, and by the time we play them, Newsome will have had 7 games under his belt, including trips to Bryant-Denny and Kinnick. 2-1 is a safe bet IME, but 3-0 is far from unrealistic.
If we make enough noise we can take anyone at home...
If it has been said once, it's been said 1,000 times, but Michigan's key stretch of games is UConn and ND. Win these two games and UM is 4-0 heading to Bloomington for their game vs. Indiana, which, if UM is 4-0 is a total "trap" game. Start 5-0 and shit, anything would be possible. So, I take the sports cliche and I start talking about one game at a time. Win Sept. 4th and then let's move on! Go Blue!
The Key stretch is the next game on the schedule. After that, it's the next team on the schedule. I just want the team to play hard, fundamental football and improve as the season goes. We cannot look ahead or take any teams lightly. Any team on our schedule can beat us and we can beat every team. We play to win the games and they are who we thought they were. If you want to crown 'em, crown they asses. I'm a man. I'm 40.
/corchspeak
I think a Penn State fan said it:
"With no Demar Dorsey to help shore up your pitiful secondary, Michigan will have to outscore every opponent they play in order to win."
I find it extremely unfair that in order to win we have to outscore our opponent.......
I'd like to know what Penn State QB plans on torching our "pitiful" secondary.
I just hope our guys know that football is 90% mental and the other half physical. It's going to be a close game and it won't be over 'til it's over. It gets late early out there in Happy Valley. I just hope it isn't deja vu all over again. The other teams could make trouble for us if they win. As long as we don't make too many wrong mistakes, we should be good.
/Y. Berra
I could see a home win against UCONN (may be a tough win)
ND, may be a close game, but we could lose on the road?
UMASS and Bowling Green should be wins at home.
2-2 would not be a disaster. This is the year where we will have to win b10 games at home!!! We need to beat MSU and IL. IA and WI will be tough wins but we need too take them at the big house!!!! Indiana and Purdue are the teams we could beat on the road. PSU and OSU will be difficult to beat on the road.