OT: Franklin and PSU prepping for Michigan's 2023 game
It seems like we could all use a distraction from the events of the past 18 hours, and I hope this helps.
Another thread focused on the SP+ rankings for the upcoming season. While looking at the thread, I not only noticed Penn State's position in the Top Five, but also took a look at their schedule. Michigan visits Happy Valley on November 11th.
So, what is Franklin up to? I think he's using a technique to familiarize - and make his team comfortable - with the "Michigan look", during their OOC schedule. Yes - Maize & Blue is a fantastic combination that we all appreciate and enjoy. He appears crazy as a fox - scheduling another Maize & Blue (or very close to that) team - on September 9th. Take a look at the uni's of their opponent - and, particular attention to the helmets.
Yes it resembles the winged helmet that Michigan wears. And, the opponent is the University of Delaware - who will face PSU in Happy Valley on September 9th.
Franklin seems to trying everything he can to get his squad ready - right down to an (almost) look a like opponent. Oh, very clever Frames. Very, very clever.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:29 AM ^
So he's playing Delaware to prep for Michigan?
February 14th, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
Delaware is the team that, from a uniform perspective, resembles Michigan more closely than any other college team.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:52 AM ^
When Washington State was preparing for Michigan for the 1997 season Rose Bowl, they painted and taped one of their scout team DB's helmet to look like Charles Woodson's winged Michigan helmet.
When Woodson heard about that, he said "That's not going to give them the look they think it is."
Same thing here.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
Immersion therapy for the PTSD. Bold move cotton.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
Curious how Delaware over the years has gotten away with this obvious copy of our uniforms. Where is the cease and desist coming from us ? Can't we do that ?
February 14th, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
I forget the specifics, but we had a friendly relationship with their program. They hired a coach from Michigan, IIRC.
February 14th, 2023 at 2:28 PM ^
Their current AD is a UM alum and former athlete here:
February 14th, 2023 at 1:24 PM ^
Nooo.
First, UM didn't invent the winged helmet. IIRC, Princeton used it first, and IIARC, it was fairly common (or at least non uncommon) a century ago. So we have no unique claim to it. It's also used a lot in high schools, often with different colors. Given the history and use of the helmet, I suspect UM does not have a legally-protected right (e.g. trademark) on it.
Second, it's not our colors. The blue is bluer. And I doubt we have a legally-protected shade of Maize (like Tennessee does its orange) b/c our maize keeps changing every now and then. Maybe the current color is trademarked. But we have no unique claim to "gold/yellow-ish and blue-ish."
Third, by this point in time, any right UM ever would have had to complain has long been lost. The Blue Hens have, as another person pointed out, had the colors & scheme for many years after one they took one of our coaches.
Interestingly, West Virginia's color scheme also was implemented in the 1970s when their "founding father"-type coach Don Nehlen left Bo's staff, and he wanted to replicate somewhat UM's colors.
February 14th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
IIRC, Princeton used it first,
Specifically, Fritz Crisler did. His innovation wasn't the wings (that was part of the standard design of that brand of helmet - there was extra padding for the forehead) but the three stripes, which he added so that quarterbacks could identify their receivers more easily.
We then hired Crisler, and he brought his design to Ann Arbor. As for Princeton, they abandoned the design as soon as Crisler left, and did not return to it until 60 years later.
When plastic helmets were introduced, only Michigan continued to paint wings on them (as well as the three stripes). We might not have a legal claim, but in the court of popular opinion we can justifiably take credit for this look.
February 14th, 2023 at 1:32 PM ^
Fritz Crisler utilized the winged helmet while at Princeton and brought it with him to Ann Arbor. Here's a link of its history.
February 14th, 2023 at 3:15 PM ^
We stole the helmet design from Princeton.
February 16th, 2023 at 1:42 PM ^
Yeah, and people always mistake Dwayne Johnson and I too! At least when we wear our UM gear.
February 14th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
Good luck.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:30 AM ^
As much as I always enjoy football offseason shitposting, I'm concerned you blew your load prematurely, being two days removed from the Superbowl. I still think this is a good post.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
Me, trying to decipher your comment
February 14th, 2023 at 11:21 AM ^
Yeah, I'm not sure if I should upvote or downvote that post
February 14th, 2023 at 11:31 AM ^
I upvoted. It was funny. Next level stuff.
February 14th, 2023 at 12:10 PM ^
Obligatory GIF of Frames working on the playbook - also next level stuff.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
[Bart Scott voice] Can't wait
February 14th, 2023 at 10:36 AM ^
i mean, wouldn't everyone who hears that mascot name (blue hens) seize up with fear of mortal combat?
February 14th, 2023 at 10:46 AM ^
They're no Creighton Blue Jay, maybe the toughest-looking bird mascot, but I wouldn't want to meet up with one in a dark coop or an illegal cock-fighting ring.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:52 AM ^
i got dive bombed by 2 Blue Jays in my backyard when i was in HS... i was walking to my shed and didn't realize that a baby had fallen out of the nest, i walked right past it and then all of a sudden it was a scene from the movie the birds... ever since i've hated those little shits and get now get angry when they are using my bird feeders...
February 14th, 2023 at 11:36 AM ^
I used to run (jog) a lot and I was attacked by Blue Jays a couple times. Probably when I unknowingly ran under one of their nests. They are very territorial and aggressive. One of them came at me from behind and pecked me on the head as it passed. I never saw it until it was past me.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:42 AM ^
A couple years ago, a blue jay kept attacking my dog and I when we would walk on my driveway. We started taking the long way around the house and crossing the road so it wouldn't attack us on our walks, but it started attacking us when we were on the sidewalk across the street.
February 14th, 2023 at 4:28 PM ^
Daisy BB guns can solve this problem….
February 14th, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
Nothing I appreciate more than a long-play resentment against nature.
February 14th, 2023 at 4:14 PM ^
They're easy to hate as it's more of a dominating of the bird feeder than just using it. Any other species of bird is forced to wait until their done and they're usually not done until it's gone.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:42 AM ^
I can't believe the Franklin sketch pad gif hasn't been posted yet.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:08 AM ^
No doubt that he is drawing up something special just for us....
Sorry, work gets in the way.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
There we go...
February 14th, 2023 at 10:44 AM ^
This should work. I get wolverines and blue hens mixed up all the time.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:45 AM ^
If one is looking for a distraction from the MSU tragedy, check out the Bill Russell, Legend documentary on Netflix just released last week, directed by Sam Pollard. What an amazing man on and off the court. One of a kind.
More recent NBA players including Jalen Rose offer their observations and total praise. Must see for any sports fan.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:45 AM ^
After all this it's going to really suck for him when he loses. He'd be better off forgetting all the nonsense and just trying to get prepared.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:47 AM ^
Blake or Donovan just ran for another 70 yards.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:47 AM ^
Michigan, the Delaware of the West?
February 14th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
SJB - well, we know that Harvard is the Michigan of the East. Perhaps Delaware is the Michigan of the Mid-Atlantic.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:51 AM ^
I love the jokes, but this is exactly what he did when PSU kicked our asses in 2017. Their whole season was prepping for the Michigan game and it worked.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
"I love the jokes, but this is exactly what he did when PSU kicked our asses in 2017."
PSU didn't play Delaware in 2017.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:54 AM ^
thanks for bringing us all down man wth
February 14th, 2023 at 12:06 PM ^
We also had a much worse team that year than now.
February 14th, 2023 at 12:10 PM ^
We were 5-1 heading into Happy Valley
February 14th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
...with a backup QB. If Michigan is playing PSU without a healthy JJ McCarthy, then we will have bigger things to worry about than a road game at PSU.
PSU also had an experienced team that was coming off winning the Big Ten Championship.
February 14th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
We'd played a weak schedule up to that point and had also lost our starting QB (Speight) for the season.
That was the year when we had very little upperclass talent because the 2014 and '15 recruiting classes had been so small. It was probably Harbaugh's least talented team in a non-pandemic season. It's not even remotely comparable to the roster we're going to have this fall.
February 14th, 2023 at 10:52 AM ^
Well, fair is fair. We prep for PSU all season long by emulating their bad clock management.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:05 AM ^
FWIW…Most Delaware fans have long been strongly opposed to changing the UD helmet, patterned after Michigan’s, which was copied from Princeton’s winged design. It was introduced after Dave Nelson, a former Michigan halfback, became UD coach in 1951.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
A friend's son plays for the Bluehens. The team was disappointed when they were told they were making the playoffs, as they weren't expecting too and were looking forward to going home... I was pretty shocked when he said that. That roster doesn't sound like a bunch of go getters!
February 14th, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
- First ever match-up between Delaware and PSU ... which kind of surprises me. I know Delaware is FCS but they're also close geographically.
- Delaware has a current one-game winning streak versus FBS foes (beat Navy last year).
- At the risk of blasphemy, I aesthetically prefer Delaware football uniform's shade of blue, I think they have a sharper uniform versus Michigan's combination of maize and blue.
February 14th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
With a username like NittanyFan, I assume you are a PSU fan and not a Michigan fan. On that assumption, you don't find the same things "sacred" as I do, so it takes some of the sting out of your "blasphemy" in my view.