How is the team simulating away game noise?
From what I've read the team is playing loud music to make it difficult for the offense. I hope it isn't songs that these guys like. Does anyone think it would be a good idea to actually have a loud and screaming crowd recording or recordings inside the field house? I bet they can crank it up in there. It probably sounds crazy but it would be the closest thing to the real thing. Being that we've struggled on the road because of the noise factor, I think the team needs to try all options. Maybe they are already doing this though.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:26 PM ^
They're probably jamming out to some 90s Britney right now.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:27 PM ^
If this is our main concern Saturday will be a great night.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:30 PM ^
It still is a concern though. We want every edge we can have. Prepare for everything.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:45 PM ^
You should email the coaches and alert them to this important potential oversight. If that doesn't work stand guard outside Schembechler and accost Brady Hoke as he gets out of his car at 5 AM
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:39 PM ^
Probably should be shining laser pointers into the players' eyes and using fake whistles (non-ref whistles) to simulate conditions at ND, instead.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:36 PM ^
They blast crowd noise through the speakers at pratice as well as music. At the night scrimmage a couple weeks back, they did that with the offense backed up inside their 5 yard line.
I think all teams prepare this way for away games.
September 3rd, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^
They also (at least used to) drive a golf cart around with speakers on top blasting all sorts of shit.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:37 PM ^
They were playing crowd noise + music at the open scrimmage/practice... it seemed to be loud enough for a normal game throughout, and when they cranked it for the Victors the stadium was definitely loud.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
They've been playing the ND fight song actually
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/index.ssf/2014/09/still_in_search_of_an…
In 2014? Brady Hoke's turned to music, among other things. The Notre Dame fight song, to be specific. Played over, and over, and over again -- at a high volume -- every practice.
September 3rd, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^
Was used to make so sick of the song they'd do anything on Saturday not to hear it again.
September 3rd, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
Why do you have against Yanni being played full blast all practice?
September 3rd, 2014 at 9:43 PM ^
September 3rd, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^
September 4th, 2014 at 4:05 PM ^
September 3rd, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
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September 3rd, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^
September 3rd, 2014 at 10:29 PM ^
Not sure what they use, but Michigan has yet to play a road game under Hoke where they look really good. Even the wins are struggles. Now, some of this may be due to other issues (bad gameplans, personnel weaknesses, etc) which were either coincidently on the road or compounded by the environment, but it is still a problem.
Great teams play great on the road. Michigan isn't there yet, though they have a big opportunity to change that narrative this year. I can't necessarily say this is a Hoke problem (OSU in 12 was more a Borges/injury problem, after all--they started quite well) but I would love to see Hoke find a way to produce better road performances.
Back when Lloyd's teams were stinking up the first road game every season (ND 98, UCLA 00, Washington 01, ND 02, Oregon 03, ND 04, Wisco 05--you didn't have to look up this list, either) I used to wonder if it would be worthwhile to take the team to somewhere like an indoor soccer field (hockey rink sized) and hold a practice in there, just to get the team used to executing in an environment where things flustered you and not everything worked the way it was supposed to.
I still wonder if that's a good idea sometimes.
September 3rd, 2014 at 10:38 PM ^
September 3rd, 2014 at 10:39 PM ^
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September 3rd, 2014 at 10:59 PM ^
ISn't ND a pretty quiet stadium? I mean it's like a smaller old Big House, doesn't whatever noise they make just go out the top? I'd imagine MSU, OSU, PSU, etc are significantly more challenging
September 3rd, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
Believe me, they weren't playing Fleetwood's fav jams out there and it wasn't piped in music like we hear in the stadium
September 4th, 2014 at 5:21 AM ^
September 4th, 2014 at 12:28 AM ^
in large fans and blow trash around during MSU week?
September 4th, 2014 at 3:01 AM ^
September 4th, 2014 at 5:20 AM ^
September 4th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
Playing music the players like might actually be more effective as a distraction than playing white noise is: not only does the volume inhibit verbal communication, but catchy songs you like are also more likely to demand your attention and interrupt your concentration than white noise is. Sure, it's not as 'realistic,' but then again, the Michigan Drill isn't a perfect representation of an in-game situation either. It's a drill that distills out an important part of an in-game situation and therefore makes an effective practice tool. Anything loud and potentially distracting can serve the same role in prepping for crowd noise. So I don't really have a problem with playing music as preparation, especially it's just one of the tools they use (along with playing the ND fight song on repeat, etc, as discussed up-thread).