PSU RB Noah Cain out for the year
2 big pieces of news here.
This confirms Mertz will miss the Michigan game, and if other reports are true, 3rd string QB Chase Wolf along with others are likely to be out for 21 days as well.
With Journey Brown likely being out for the year, Cain was expected to be the #1 PSU back but went out after 1 drive against Indiana. Devyn Ford will be the #1 back moving forward but this is a big blow as PSU has gone from the deepest or 2nd deepest RB room in the B1G to incredibly thin.
[seth: I changed the title because someone else posted the Mertz news]
October 27th, 2020 at 1:01 PM ^
Ahhhh, much better. Links and accurate information! Thanks Bambi!
ALSO: UW's fourth-string QB is named Danny Vanden Boom:
October 27th, 2020 at 1:10 PM ^
He's gonna ball out with a name like that.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:13 PM ^
Danny Vanden Boom Goes the Dynamite
October 27th, 2020 at 1:25 PM ^
That looks just like him.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:19 PM ^
Board question:
Which Dan would you rather have...
Dan Vanden Boom or
Dan Villari?
October 27th, 2020 at 1:31 PM ^
How could anyone know? I might take Cade and just put him in a space suit unless he is actually needed.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:32 PM ^
Villari.
While Vanden Boom may have a more fun name, he didn't choose Michigan. Hell, he probably wasn't even 'crooted by Michigan! But Villari was both 'crooted by, and chose Michigan - so I choose him!
October 27th, 2020 at 1:39 PM ^
Nothing against Villari, but his other choices were, like, Fordham?
BTW: I'll predict here and now that Villari will play on Sunday. Why not?
October 27th, 2020 at 2:48 PM ^
Check out Villari's recruiting highlights. I think he's better than you give him credit for.
October 27th, 2020 at 4:11 PM ^
UM is going to love him all night long.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:02 PM ^
So many asterisks will be placed on this season.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:09 PM ^
Take advantage of every opportunity. That’s all you can do.
MSU doesn’t complain about a bullshit punt fiasco. OSU doesn’t complain about corrupt 2016 refs.
It won’t be easy but Michigan has enough talent to win every Big Ten Game this year.
October 27th, 2020 at 2:14 PM ^
MSU doesn't complain about a BS punt scenario!!!???!!! They F*cking REVEL in it!
Did you know it was the five year anniversary of the "trouble with the snap" game last week?? You did if you spent more than one minute on Twitter..
It just feels really sad that the BEST thing that has happened to MSU Football in the last 5 years is a M-mistake allowing them to win a game they didn't deserve. And that clock and calendar keep moving with no replacement event on the horizon -- (furiously knocks on wood)
FYI - I do realize the above is VERY on-brand for Sparty but it is still sad.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:11 PM ^
Put as many as you'd like next to any W for Michigan.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:27 PM ^
OK I'm gonna get way out ahead of myself, but if things workout and we finish this (B1G season) undefeated, will they change your view of 2020?
October 27th, 2020 at 1:32 PM ^
I've always viewed this season as a developmental throw away season based on all the unknowns and the fact that all the eligibility is extended.
With that said, if we run the table and beat OSU, you better believe we are hanging that banner up. Any type of momentum change in the Game would be welcomed with open arms.
October 27th, 2020 at 2:35 PM ^
It'll alllllllll have been worth it...
/s
October 27th, 2020 at 1:42 PM ^
Taking the proper preventative measures to avoid getting COVID-19 takes discpline. Just like not getting drunk before the App State Game. If a team can manage to stay disciplined and gain an advantage over a less-disciplined opponent, more power to them. No asterisk required.
October 27th, 2020 at 3:16 PM ^
No other team discounts their wins with asterisks of flukes that influenced the outcome of the game. So I don't see why we ever should. A win is a win and I won't apologize for any win.
October 28th, 2020 at 4:31 AM ^
They'll have to put an asterisk next to the OSU and PSU games against Wiscy too. Wait a second...
October 27th, 2020 at 1:02 PM ^
Dang. Hope he recovers well.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:02 PM ^
Damn hoping for a speedy recovery for both guys, never fun to see someone injured and especially out for the season
October 27th, 2020 at 1:04 PM ^
Asking for the truth - anybody else here want Justin Fields to be banged up during the season and out of The Game?
Barring something that would have long-term impact - I will admit to such a desire...
October 27th, 2020 at 1:06 PM ^
I’m not sure which is worse. Losing by a little more to Justin fields, or losing a close maddening game to their backup
October 27th, 2020 at 1:06 PM ^
I'll take what I can get but we've already got an asterisk on our Fickell win and probably would this year no matter what, but especially if Fields is out. I prefer both teams at full strength.
I might feel a little differently if I thought Fields being out would actually change the outcome. We haven't had a good history of facing their 2nd and 3rd string QBs as it is.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:32 PM ^
Pat Riley? Is that you posting on this board?
October 27th, 2020 at 1:07 PM ^
.gif)
Rooting for kids to get hurt makes you a special kind of jerk
October 27th, 2020 at 1:07 PM ^
Not even a little. Beat them at their best.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:17 PM ^
I don't want Fields to get hurt, but I also don't want them to be at their best.
They've certainly taken advantage of some times when Michigan quarterbacks (and other players) have been banged up, including Chad Henne, Wilton Speight, Devin Gardner, Denard Robinson, etc. Michigan goes into The Game beaten up at QB way more often than OSU does, at least over the past 15-20 years.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:23 PM ^
Fair enough, I meant their beat physically, not performance wise. I’d be happy to see a healthy Fields throw 5 int. Lol
October 27th, 2020 at 3:22 PM ^
I'll put it this way: I NEVER want to see a player get hurt. With regards to COVID, I certainly don't wish it on anybody. However, if someone is going to ignore all public health guidelines and then becomes COVID positive it is a little more difficult to have a lot of sympathy. If Justin Fields (or any other opponent) chooses to spend their time at house parties or bars and can't play against us then I'll take the win and not give it a 2nd thought
October 27th, 2020 at 1:08 PM ^
As much as I want to return to the days of results similar to the John Cooper era, I don't want to see anyone injured. I'd rather they have no excuses for a loss...
October 27th, 2020 at 2:26 PM ^
Agree on the injury - at this point don't really care HOW we get a win.
Compromise ---- How about if we hope Fields has a cold and takes too much cold medicine which causes him to over-sleep because his phone died and nobody from OSU can come get him because nobody actually knows where he lives (since he is never on campus except practice) so he misses all but the 4th Qtr and falls JUST short (like JT was) in his comeback efforts.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:06 PM ^
Is Merton still playing?
October 27th, 2020 at 1:08 PM ^
No, he tested positve for a second time as well <see thread below>
October 27th, 2020 at 1:09 PM ^
Homer-take warning, but they weren't deeper than UM's.
October 27th, 2020 at 2:28 PM ^
I pretty much agree but Ace was really buying into the Journey Brown hype in his preview - I never saw it from the little I watched PSU last year.
October 27th, 2020 at 9:38 PM ^
Even if you buy Brown he's our Evans, then Cain is Charbonnett, Ford is Haskins and who is their Corum? Even if it's close, this homer is picking UM's backfield all day. (I haven't watch PSU enough to know their skillsets so the matchups could be very different. I just used their experience.)
October 27th, 2020 at 1:09 PM ^
Yikes.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:10 PM ^
This is a much better post than the previous effort at quickness. Thanks, Bambi!
October 27th, 2020 at 1:13 PM ^
PSU RB goes out before OSU matchup. Shocking.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:21 PM ^
He's out before the Michigan game too so....
October 27th, 2020 at 1:30 PM ^
Yes. But point being stuff happening to teams while OSU goes unscathed year after year.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:21 PM ^
OSU was going to win that game by 17+ before this anyway.
October 27th, 2020 at 2:32 PM ^
To add to your post.....Despite what PSU fans or James Franklin would like you to think -- They were losing this before Parsons opted out, before Brown had his medical issues, and before the fans were not going to be allowed in the white-out.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:20 PM ^
Feel bad for them.
Hope that UM somehow avoids it.
I won't feel bad if Michigan drubs these teams, though - and neither would they if the COVID was on the other lung.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:23 PM ^
[seth: I changed the title because someone else posted the Mertz news]
Might want to change Merton to Mertz while your at it ;)
October 27th, 2020 at 1:26 PM ^
Depends on when the 21 days starts. Sounds like he may be available for the Michigan game.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:35 PM ^
From what I understand, the protocol begins after the second positive test AKA today.
Even if it didn't, Wisconsin put out a statement saying no one tested positive prior to their game against Illinois on Friday. So the earliest they could start the protocol is Saturday, which is exactly 3 weeks from the Michigan game. So even if he were cleared for that day, he wouldn't have played or practiced for 3 weeks. Throwing him into a game immediately, especially one on the road against Michigan, seems unlikely.
October 27th, 2020 at 1:27 PM ^
Sucks for these guys. Hopefully they see quick and uncomplicated recoveries.
Also makes you realize how quickly the calculus of Michigan's season could change. Thankfully, there is good depth in the RB room to absorb something like this, and it appears there are enough young skill players at WR to weather a storm too. Same on the o-line. But just about every other position on the team will be quickly hurting if any one, let alone two or more, players go down.