Practice for OSU the rest of the year
As soon as we lost Indiana (and any chance of the Big Ten) why didn’t we take a page out of states book and just start practicing for OSU? It’s pretty clear at this point in the season that MSU spent all their practice time on Michigan this year and it paid off. What if for once we only did things in games to prepare for OSU?
Set up plays and counters for what will be best against OSU, run and practice defensive schemes that will work best against OSU, save all the trick plays and decent play calling for OSU (maybe this is the explanation for 4th and 1 shotgun and running into stacked boxes lol).
Of course this rests on a big assumption that the coaches can identify what would actually be good against OSU but I figure they should at least try at this point.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:10 AM ^
Wouldn't make a difference.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:15 PM ^
Exactly. We lose that game in a landslide, no matter what we do.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:28 PM ^
Tbh it probably wouldn't make a difference in the other games either. It doesn't look like we've practiced for a specific opponent all season.
November 22nd, 2020 at 5:17 PM ^
If by "all season" you meant "last 4 years", you'd be correct.
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:17 PM ^
That is exactly what I was going to say. They will destroy us no matter what. However we can still beat PSU and Maryland so try to get those so we at least don’t have a loosing season this year
November 22nd, 2020 at 2:41 PM ^
Woah, wait a minute now.
Other than Clemson in the CFP, OSUs last few losses were against:
3-3 Purdue
5-3 Iowa
3-2 PSU
and MSU.
You could argue they have strategically placed themselves in the "OSU upset special blindspot"(tm).
November 23rd, 2020 at 7:11 AM ^
The difference is OSU won’t overlook Michigan. They will be at max power for Michigan and they will have started prepping for Michigan weeks before, if Harbaugh wants to we he needs to do the same.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:11 AM ^
Practice all year for them so we only lose by 35.
lets just go with the FSU plan and claim that OSU didn't follow Covid Protocals and cancel the game like they did vs Clemson.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:24 AM ^
Or just claim our own COVID outbreak, real or not. More of a sure thing
November 22nd, 2020 at 3:22 PM ^
At least we could say we didn't lose to OSU in 2020 which means OSU wins against us 'drops" from 16 out of 17 to 16 out of the last 18 - or whatever it is now. I like that strategy
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:22 PM ^
Other than firing the coaching staff, this is the best idea I’ve heard all year. The OSU game needs to not happen.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:13 AM ^
How about we make PSU 0 - 6...
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:19 AM ^
Yes, PLEASE!
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:05 AM ^
this is the correct answer
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:11 PM ^
You got my vote, amen to that!
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:15 PM ^
Yeah I definitely want to beat PSU. That would make the season better. It won't MAKE the season, but it will salvage it to a point I can live with. Would beating OSU do that more? Sure. I don't see that as reasonable (nor do I really see those two as mutually exclusive anyway). Go out and beat Penn State to get to .500, ensure they are the laughing stock of the division, and figure out the rest in the off season.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:18 PM ^
Yes. Keep Frames staring at a winless season. Can't hide that from the cops...
November 22nd, 2020 at 3:44 PM ^
Beating PSU is very doable. As bad as we've been, they're far worse. They might beat - maybe - Rutgers this year for their only win
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:15 AM ^
Could be an interesting game as their secondary is clearly vulnerable.
Hoping Cade can pull it out after sitting on his arse the whole first half.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
Sat on his arse for half of the season.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:15 AM ^
I’m honestly not sure it would make any difference. I’m sure Gattis can start crafting up some plays that’ll put points on the board, but there is absolutely nothing we will be able to do to slow OSU down. IU has an amazing defense, and OSU still put up 42 points on them. What do you really think we’re going to be able to do?
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:25 AM ^
When they beat you mentally before you sit down to watch the game, you can see the effect osu has had on our fans.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:37 AM ^
that effect is called "being rational"
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:57 AM ^
You can't talk rationalism with Catchafire, he still believes Harbaugh will somehow magically turn things around after exponentially regressing for 3 straight seasons.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:47 PM ^
AndrewG, you are quite wrong. Don't you know that what Catchfire and WD propose it true....if we as fans just "believed" we could will a win against OSU into existence.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:58 PM ^
Have you watched a single game Michigan has played this year? What have you seen that makes you rationally think Michigan can do anything on defense to stop those guys?
This defense just gave up 42 points to Rutgers. RUTGERS. Their QB just had a career high game, and he’s a nobody.
This is not OSU getting in our heads. This is being logical and looking at the facts. Past performance is usually a great indicator of future results.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:41 PM ^
Worth adding that OSU put 42 even with a “bad” day by Fields including 3 INTs. This quite possibly was the typical one OSU game per season where they could/should lose because they weren’t motivated - ala MD a few years back.
OSU does not have games like that against Michigan — maybe if they beat us by 30+ another 5 years straight.
Despite the above, the result against IU did lessen my confidence that OSU should be a heavy favorite to win it all. The defense is not Elite-elite and Fields isn’t perfect — particularly if he doesn’t have all day to wait for one of the receivers to break open. (I swear some of the earlier OSU games it was like Fields was playing 7 on 7 they way he could stand still and scan the field.)
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:19 PM ^
Alabama or Clemson would torch OSU’s secondary even more than Indiana did.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:21 PM ^
Yes. Even if the offense is fully operational, the only shot our D has to hold them under 50 is if Fields is out or dinged up and we get 20 years worth of turnover and officiating breaks
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:22 AM ^
Practice getting covid right before the game
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:32 AM ^
Even better/ safer, manufacture several sure-fire false positive tests at just the right time
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
Disagree 100%. OSU will woodshed us regardless of how much we prep for them. We don't have a single healthy player who would start for them. Penn State and Maryland are potentially winnable. Recruiting won't be as hard off a 4-4 season (pending the bonus game) as off a 2-6 season.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:49 PM ^
Only downside to a 4-4 season is Harbaugh will be here next year with that record. He has too many excuses now with Covid, players opting out and injuries.
November 22nd, 2020 at 1:40 PM ^
I agree. Finishing behind Maryland in the division is a more avoidable embarrassment than losing badly to OSU again. I also just don't see the relationship between "sacrificing" those games and having a shot at OSU. And who even knows if the OSU game will be played given the circumstances.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:36 AM ^
MSU spent all of their practice time on Michigan? It was the 2nd game of the season. Minnesota had no idea what UM was going to do offensively so MSU had one week to prepare. MSU beat UM because UM is a bad, poorly coached football team.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:11 AM ^
Didn’t you know? MSU knew months beforehand that all you had to do to beat Michigan was chuck deep balls up and the corners either couldn’t cover the guy or they’d get a penalty. So they practiced that and that alone.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:29 AM ^
I mean, all summer the talk was about the lack of corners. All Tucker had to do was peep mgoblog to guess that was the weakness lol
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:13 PM ^
And MSU didn't even have a particularly good gameplan. They didn't come into the game with guns blazing. It only slowly occurred to their staff that they could beat our DBs deep. They kept going away from that and trying to establish the run, which is a big reason why they only scored 27.
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:55 PM ^
I believe there is some truth to that claim actually.
After the Rutgers game Ace and/or Seth noted that MSU did VERY well when Rutgers tried the run plays (pin and pull etc.) that were staples of the M run offense last year. That would seem to indicate that they at least spent a chunk of time focusing on how to stop Michigan’s offense.
There is no good reason why M should have lost that game but it doesn’t mean MSU didn’t prep early and often for Michigan. I suspect Mel Tucker is a pretty smart guy —and winning that game gave him a free pass at least well into the 2021 season with MSU fans and boosters — so I would not fault him one bit for putting outsized focus on their game with us.
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:43 AM ^
How about we put this here crack rock in this here crack pipe and smoke that motherfucker
Mmmmmmmmm damn that's good
November 22nd, 2020 at 10:50 AM ^
Let’s focus on PSU right now and get to .500.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:06 AM ^
We should recruit like we're going up against OSU all year
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:10 AM ^
I can tell you that yes MSU practiced for Michigan all year, but what if I told you it wouldn't have mattered if this team wasn't in complete disarray. MSU has been spiraling going on 2+ years now. You think they're going to take it to OSU? They can practice for them all they want but will they call the right plays in practice? I don't trust the coaches to do that. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if they go, "you know Joe's been scuffling and was rightfully replaced by Cade but he's been putting his head down in practice let's reward him by starting him against OSU."
November 22nd, 2020 at 12:26 PM ^
And yet, with Cade at QB we win that game, at least based on how he looked yesterday.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:16 AM ^
Why? Because futility.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:27 AM ^
Fuck that. They're clapping us either way.
The next two are winnable with Cade. Win those, get boatraced by OSU, and hope for a new coach in 2021.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:33 AM ^
Does a nail need practice before getting hit by a hammer?
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:38 AM ^
Michigan needs to stop obsessing over Ohio State.
This game was a rivalry 2 decades ago because it frequently meant the winner won the conference.
Now it means nothing 9 out of 10 times because Ohio St has already clinched the division.
It gives Michigan players an unearned feeling of accomplishing something by playing in tHe GaMe.
It makes the fanbase delusional in thinking we're on their level. We aren't.
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:49 AM ^
Didn't the Game decide the division at least 2 of the last 5 years?
November 22nd, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
Yes and meant nothing 10 years prior to 2016. So to be more precise, it's meant nothing for 13 out of the last 15 games.