OSU vs UM Speed Philosophy

Submitted by BornSinner on

I'm sure many have noticed this, but that Elliott kid is super speed on the outside for OSU, which made me think... when was the last time UM had a skill player that quick? (Other than Denard...) 

Even when our RBs have breakaways, the defenders always catch up to them from behind. Where's the speed? Do we just not recruit players like this? Or did we just miss out on them? Does Manball mean no speed? 

Shit who was the last RB UM had that can match this kind of Oregon/OSU quickness?

(I feel like an idiot talking about speed like ESPN always does with their slogan "SEC Speed," but the difference is maddening this year) 

UM just seems so slow in all aspects of the game. 

MonkeyMan

November 9th, 2014 at 12:17 AM ^

Hoke's philosophy is to field a team that is such a effin' joke all year that OSU won't take us seriously or even prepare much- thus take them by suprise!

It almost worked last year, but we had Borges who at least had some imagination and could catch teams off guard- there is no hope at all with dull predictable Nuss.

AlbanyBlue

November 8th, 2014 at 11:44 PM ^

Of course we do...it's from 1986. Manball. Big-boy football. A power game on offense, where we impose our will in the ground game, using our strong, road-grading OL and TEs and our RBs that use superior vision to hit the correct holes and strength to run through tackles. This allows us to avoid turnovers and chew up the clock, keeping our defense fresh.

The problem? We do very little of it well against teams with a pulse. Oops.

ThadMattasagoblin

November 8th, 2014 at 11:24 PM ^

What I want Michigan to be in the future is a blend of speed and power. I feel like we have seen the two extremes in RR and Hoke. LSU and Bama has some Ezekiel Elliots and power guys as well.

SalvatoreQuattro

November 8th, 2014 at 11:36 PM ^

It really should be both as that is what OSU possesses. People talk about their speed, but they are big too. Elliott  6'0 225, Barrett is 6'1, 220..OSU is not small at all.

 

RR;s spread was based on smaller guys whereas Meyer likes bigger guys(look at Tebow and Alex Smith)

Avon Barksdale

November 9th, 2014 at 2:09 AM ^

There is a major difference in getting open because you are fast or getting open because you are quick and a good route runner.

Percy Harvin gets open, because he is fast. Jeremy Gallon got open, because 1.) He played in the Big Ten. 2.)He was an exceptional route runner.

bighouse22

November 9th, 2014 at 12:41 AM ^

That was the weakness of RRs spread.  He went after small and fast players that could not hold up to the pounding in the B1G.  I think that is the main reason they would wilt as the year went on.  I think he tried for guys like T. Pryor that were bigger, but had to settle for the smaller players to fill recruiting classes.

DealerCamel

November 8th, 2014 at 11:45 PM ^

The moment they got down 24, they started moving at warp speed to get back in the ball game.  I feel like 40 points have been scored by both teams in the 4th quarter.  Michigan doesn't hurry up even when they're getting blown out.