Next week @ IU

Submitted by TheOracle6 on

Is anyone else as worried as I am about the Inidana game next Saturday? I know our offense is much improved from a year ago and we should be able to have our way with them in that aspect.  I'm very worried about their pistol offense and how it combines a power running game and decent passing game. The pistol is something we don't see much of, and Indiana hung up 33 on us last year and we had to come from behind to win it.  I know we will certainly get their best shot since they haven't beaten us since 87'.  Even though we are 4-0 I view this game as a must win for us heading into the battle with little brother. 

Is anyone else concerned ?

Michigan Arrogance

September 25th, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^

1) Mellencamp
2) Rocks, they must be defended...
3) ... and there's a lot of limestone down there...
4) ... so they're probably good at it
5) denard can't move his left leg, allegedly*
6) cutters
7) kelly leak was a cutter
8) that dude from enemy mine was a cutter
9) wonder years voice over guy was a cutter
10) *OFFICIALLY CONCERNED

BlockM

September 25th, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^

I'm as nervous as I always am before a B10 game. You never know what's going to happen, but if our defense is just as good as this MAC team, I'm pretty sure we can put up at least 35.

wildbackdunesman

September 26th, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^

Updated Sagarin Predictor Poll:

#84 Massachusetts - #85 Indiana

I think if they played a best of 5 series, it could go either way.  Remember, computer polls had Massacusetts ranked ahead of Indiana BEFORE they gave us a close game.

Webber's Pimp

September 25th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^

Anybody who saw last year's game should have next Saturday circled on the calendar as a possible  trap game...I feel much better after witnessing today's 700+ yard offensive explosion but I worry that Indiana will also score at will against our defense. The game is on the road and I expect a shootout...

Wolverine318

September 25th, 2010 at 11:58 PM ^

really? If there is any team in the Big Ten with a worst defense than ours, it is IU. They are trash. Just like their two toothed hill billy fans. 

When you have the worst rushing defense going up against the best rushing offense, not a lot of good things are going to happen for that defense. Plus their running game has not been setting the world on fire against their mac competition. I know the team is not looking forward to MSU, but I am. 

I find it pathetic as a Michigan we are suddenly worried about a shitty IU team. I guess that is just my Michigan arrogance coming through. 

Maize and Blue…

September 26th, 2010 at 8:26 AM ^

You sir are being generous.  First opponent Towson giving up 40.8/game and Western Kentucky giving up 43.5/game and those averages came down this week as both teams only gave up 24.  Western Kentucky is in their second year of D1 and hasn't won a game yet.  Towson is 1-3 and a bad FCS team.

IU's MAC opponent Akron is giving up 37.3/game and is 0-4 with losses to Cuse (29-3), Gardner Webb (38-37), Kentucky (47-10), and IU (35-20).  Basically, IU's opponents are 1-11 with the only win being over a FCS school.  They may have had the easiest schedule in the country so far.

lhglrkwg

September 25th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^

indiana has been good, but not great in it's first 3 games which were played againt pernennial powerhouses Towson, Western Kentucky, and Akron

i know we're concerned with our D, but if I was an indiana fan i'd be terrified. they allowed:
17 to Towson
21 to WKU
20 to Akron

and now they have to play a denard robinson led offense fresh off lighting up BGSU for 700+ yds. (i know it's just bowling green but it's also just akron)

indiana should be the worried ones

lilpenny1316

September 25th, 2010 at 11:46 PM ^

Their competition has been poo-poo to say the least.  Even though our D is still in the works, it's bigger and faster than what they've seen so far.  Plus we should have a healed up Denard and a more confident stable of running backs. 

It still all comes down to the basics.  If we win the turnover battle and don't let the kicking game factor in this one, we should have a nice win in the books.

clarkiefromcanada

September 25th, 2010 at 11:50 PM ^

...that it took about 7 hours post game for the weekly:

"I am worried about (insert next week's opponent)" thread to be posted.

Usually, the latent insecurity of the fanbase doesn't take so long to be posted.

uferfan1

September 25th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^

We have to play every down not just every game as if it is responsible for a bowl game. I think we all remember the last three years losing games by overlooking our competion.

kind of a big deal

September 26th, 2010 at 12:00 AM ^

I'll be worried the entire Big 10 schedule because our Defense is putrid.  Gerg needs to perform magic to make me believe he's earning his paycheck.  If we see progress from a tackling, gap responsibility, and coverage standpoint I can deal with the breakdowns.  However, I've seen nothing to date that alleviates the puckering of my arse every time the other team has the ball....

wildbackdunesman

September 26th, 2010 at 8:58 AM ^

We can't take any team lightly, but I am confident about the team's chances against Indiana.

Indiana has not been impressive at all.  Granted these Sagarin ratings (predictor) have been updated yet, but here it goes:

Game 1, beat #196 Towson 51-17, Towson had 32 more yards.  Seriously.

Game 2, beat #140 Western Kentucky 38-21, plus 172 yards.

Game 3, beat #161 Akron 35-20, plus 91 yards

Indiana is ranked #85...Michigan is #28

Indiana can pass the ball, which does scare me, but we are the first decent team that they have faced all year and they are the worst team (no longer accurate) that we have faced all year according to Sagarin.

Michigan:

Game 1, beat #67 UConn 30-10, plus 130 yards

Game 2, beat #60 Notre Dame 28-24, minus 3 yards

Game 3, beat #84 Massachusetts 42-37, plus 86 yards

Game 4, beat #94 Bowling Green 65-21, plus 438 yards

I like our odds, they may get a lot of passing yards, but I think we'll stop them more than they stop us.

 

EDIT - to update rankings.

Wolverine318

September 26th, 2010 at 12:16 AM ^

yawwwwnnn.....wake me up when the spartoons come to town

In all seriousness. The last two seasons should have taught us to never take any team lightly, especially after the Toledo game. 

I did like what I saw from the D when William Campbell played. 

SysMark

September 26th, 2010 at 12:05 AM ^

Always nervous.  However, I think we will score 40+ points against Indiana and our defense will improve every week.  In my humble estimation that points to win in Bloomington.

Papochronopolis

September 26th, 2010 at 12:15 AM ^

Would you trade our offense and defense for theirs?

Cleary wouldn't trade our offense with anyone right now...

No way I'd trade our defense for theirs even with how bad we've played...

It won't be a cakewalk but it shouldn't take heroics.  I look forward to win #2 on the road and being only one win away from bowl eligible.

Firstbase

September 26th, 2010 at 12:21 AM ^

...worries me this year 'cuz of our inconsistent defense. Defense wins championships, and if we're suspect in that department moving forward in the B10, we could be in for more than a little frustration.

switch26

September 26th, 2010 at 1:00 AM ^

I watched the IU game, at least parts of it.  Akron could of easily beat them had their WR actually caught the fuckin ball when it was thrown to them.  IU's pass and rush D is terrible, we will score over 40 on them easily, unless we have a major meltdown and can't focus on the road.

twohooks

September 26th, 2010 at 1:23 AM ^

Last Year: No Molk, No 2010 Denard, Moosman tried to hit Pluto with what seemed to be 1 million center snaps. Minus 1 in turnover battle. The only "pistol" firing was that of ourselves in the foot. If half of this is corrected then Im feeling pretty good.

M_Born M_Believer

September 26th, 2010 at 1:23 AM ^

I will give the coach speak...

"1 game at a time..."

"Take every game seriously....."

"Never under estimate the opponent...."  Blah Blah Blah....

OK, seriously IU's defense is horrible, I believe they have 8 or 9 new starters this year from a defense that was simply awful last year.

Will they score some points, yeah somewhere between 28-35, but.....

What is becoming evident is that our offense puts so much pressure on the opponents to keep up in the scoring they eventually make mistakes.  Mistakes that put us further ahead on the scoreboard.  The opposition knows that they have to score 40 to have a chance....

I feel confident about next week, but not overly confident....

uminks

September 26th, 2010 at 2:07 AM ^

I don't think IU has the defense to slow our offense down. As long as IU has to play catch up with our offense, then I think their offense will make some turn overs.  Hopefully, our defense will not let IU have long time consuming drives!  I think we will score more than 40 points on them, unless we turn the ball over a lot (I hope those days are long over).  I see a 45-33 UM win.  I don't see UM getting rattled after mistakes like they did last year during big 10 play. They will just recover from any mistakes and get the job done and win. 

Trepps

September 26th, 2010 at 2:33 AM ^

the rest of the year (including at Purdue) so I hope no one on the team is complacent.  Until we start winning some Big Ten games this is no reason to be confident playing any Big Ten team.

learmanj

September 26th, 2010 at 6:41 AM ^

My only worry: I am going to the game and don't know where I am going to tailgate.

As far as the game, Denard won't be playing in the 4th quarter and we will be subjected to another week of Tate should be the starter talk.

goblufucabuc

September 26th, 2010 at 8:54 AM ^

Well here we go, the start of the B10, and this one gives me the Willies, Im not to worried about the offense but the D...still can't  tackle confidently in space, the senior linebackers still misread, not to even mention the young pups in the secondary, and with all away games theres always the factor of the crowd and the unexpected yes I'm alittle worried..