October 23rd, 2010 at 3:17 PM ^
but good to see them taking steps in the right direction. Or rather, the rest of the conference beginning to play down to their level.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:24 PM ^
First WVU is a decent football team
Second, Syracuse had 5 sacks and 3 picks along with numerous QB hurries and "held" Devine to 120 yds.
Third, Syracuse might have one of the best punters in the country in Rob Long.
All this being said, I don't think the talent on Syracuse's D is that much different from the talent on Michigan, however I would have loved to have seen Schafer get 1 more year instead of GERG
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:56 PM ^
But they, like the rest of the Big East, have all taken a step back. Most years I think the Big East hate is not justified. This year it is.
That said, I won't disagree if someone says West Virginia is about as good as we are. But if the top team from the Big East would be in the middle of any other major conference, then it's safe to say that the Big East is having a down year.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:20 PM ^
No disagreement here, the BE is terrible at foosball this year.
Im thinking the football recruiting impact of playing for a "non-national" conference is starting to take its toll, and compound that with the cold weather and it's got to be difficult to sell a BE school to a talented recruit not from north of the mason-dixon.
This being said, their basketball conference is downright ferocious... I'll be very interested to see how exactly this whole football conference thing plays out....Expansions by major conferences are not done and it seems, only a matter of time until the BE loses 1 or 2 teams to a "power conference" (my guess being the ACC or the B10) It wouldn't surprise me a bit if Syracuse and Pitt end up in the B10.
October 23rd, 2010 at 6:16 PM ^
GERG against UCONN?!
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:19 PM ^
Obviously Shafer wasn't the problem at Michigan. I think it has to do more with players lack of talent than lack of coaching.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
Let's not kid ourselves, there were issues with players taking to the new coaching staff in 2008 and 2009. See: Trent, Morgan.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:48 PM ^
That couldn't have been helped by the Shafer/Gibson + others antagonism.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:57 PM ^
antagonize guys who are giving 100% and worrying about the team more than their draft status.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:07 PM ^
I'm talking about coaches antagonism towards each other affecting players buying in. Not antagonizing players.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:14 PM ^
Are you insinuating too many cocks of the walk on M's staff, who have received their comeuppance?
October 25th, 2010 at 7:55 PM ^
You know, when the coaches don't buy into the other coaches (i.e. when Rodriguez wouldn't let Shafer run Shafer's defense), then I can't really blame the players for not buying into the coaches.
A big part of coaching is setting an example. There were definitely some failures on the coaching staff's part in '08 and '09.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:20 PM ^
There was no doubt that Shafer was good at what he does. His past proved that. The question is was Scott ham strung by the rest of the coaches? That is, did Scott not have the freedom to do what he needed to do while at Michigan?
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:22 PM ^
I've heard that Shafer wasn't able to play defense the way he wanted to play defense while at Michigan. Its an interesting claim.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:25 PM ^
Especially considering that GERG has never run the 3-3-5 before coming to Michigan... coincidence?
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:08 PM ^
Is not true.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:25 PM ^
GERG has never run the 3-3-5 as his base defense.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:54 PM ^
GERG has run everything. You can complain about some other things, but this one is a red herring.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^
Double post.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:59 PM ^
Gerg is like DOUG FM, he plays everything!
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:18 PM ^
I guess Gerg was lying when he said he had run basically the same defense before.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:19 PM ^
IMHO it's pretty much proven. The head coached ordered midseason change to 3-3-5 prior to Purdue basically proved RR is heavily involved in defensive operations. You can debate the merits of it, but really RR has a commitment to installing the 3-3-5.
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:33 PM ^
proved RR is heavily involved in defensive operations
Remember that the next time someone claims RR doesn't spend any time on the defense.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^
might want to ask the defensive players that basically resisted the defensive staffs coaching
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:38 PM ^
Is it even a question anymore?
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^
There has been a lot of talk that the 08 seniors on defense never connected with the coaching, including Rich and the assistants. You see that a lot with transitions. Coach Carr and his style was very popular among the players and these guys choose a coach as front and center when choosing a school.
It is way easier to come in when you aren't replacing a winning regime and get the holdover player's attention and loyalty.
Shafer would have done fine here given time.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:36 PM ^
for the '08 squad, but I don't know how much better things would be if he were still here. I think Coach Schafer can get things done, but he had some decent talent on defense in '08 and they couldn't make it work; he had his shot, he missed, he was released, we moved on...
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:38 PM ^
...up?
October 24th, 2010 at 12:01 AM ^
He "couldn't make it work"?
His defense gave up six points to Toledo. Held UM in the game against Utah. Six points to Miami of Ohio. Held Wisconsin at bay after about 34 turnovers in the first half of that game. Held Minnesota to six points.
And, oh yeah: The worst offense ever was playing the other side of the ball to back him up. You know, like a record for three and outs? Turnovers up the tookus?
But yeah, Shafer "couldn't make it work" LOL
Should have kept him and shit canned Rodriguez.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:28 PM ^
Syracuse also got pasted by Pitt last week 45-14 last week. Not saying Shafer is a bad coach, but clearly nobody missed him last week.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:32 PM ^
That was on the offense and the special teams. They sold the D down the river.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:23 PM ^
Did the offense and special teams sell them down the river when they let up 41 points and 500 yards of total offense to Washington earlier in the year too?
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:28 PM ^
The question was about the Pitt game.
The Washington game just sucked.
I'll take that lapse over GERG's constant EPIC FAIL.
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:08 PM ^
I guess Shafer is amazing then. He held WVU to 14 points. Maybe we should try him out as our defensive coordinator.
October 24th, 2010 at 10:45 AM ^
After what Greg Robinson did to my football program, yes, Scott Shafer is amazing.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^
I feel like Syracuse ended up with the better end of the Shafer-GERG trade. Anyone care to disagree?
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:51 PM ^
GERG recruited the Syracuse team that won today. He left talent there given their record. I will 100% disagree this time next year when he returns a D with some experience. GERG always says the D is only as strong as its weakest link. I'll reserve my judgement when we are not playing true frosh and new starting WRs-oops i mean D-backs- in the secondary.
We gave RR this year, and clearly the O is much improved. I expect the same from GERG next year.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^
Paraphrased interview with Troy Woolfolk:
On 2008 defense: Executed well, defensive schemes not suited to properly defend offensive sets.
On 2009 defense: Proper schemes, lack of execution.
I think he's got a better idea of football reality than any of us.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^
Gsimms disagrees.
October 23rd, 2010 at 4:44 PM ^
Given that, what is wrong this year? It seems like there is plenty of evidence that it is both scheme and execution.
October 23rd, 2010 at 5:13 PM ^
Execution is the main problem. This point was emphasized more during the Iowa game, when Demens performed so much better than Ezeh while being coached by the same person and told to do the same things (I assume).
The UFR shows that several of our players and units finish games with disgustingly negative numbers, yet the RPS has only been truly alarming for one game. This says to me that GERG is calling the right defensive plays for the most part and the players either miss their assignments or aren't capable of making the play.
This defense was never going to be good. Read the three-part Decimated Defense by Misopogon.
I swear, there should be required reading to join MGoBlog.
October 23rd, 2010 at 5:36 PM ^
There should be an exam on the decimated defense which you must pass in order to join mgoblog. :)
October 23rd, 2010 at 6:06 PM ^
Yes, let's make damn sure everyone here follows the company line on why the defense is where it is.
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:30 PM ^
Company line? Please. It's reality. We have converted WR's, true freshmen, and a walk on playing in the secondary.
There isn't any talent back there. Period.
October 23rd, 2010 at 8:46 PM ^
Kovacs is a good player. If you're telling me that James Rodgers and JT Floyd use outstretched arms to give the illusion of attempting to make a tackle, Mouton over pursues religously, Cam Gordon diregards his limbs while attempting to make a tackle, and Obi Ezeh started 5 games because they're so untalented, then you have a case.
October 24th, 2010 at 10:30 AM ^
The talent is there in the secondary but young. Just like the offense plays slowly until they understand the schemes and what they're doing, the same goes on D. These guys are trying to think out there since they got thrust into action.
Position switches happen all the time since WRs play a lot in the secondary in high school as well. I will go with the company line of "give them time to learn the system" though.
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:37 PM ^
I think every week we should pine for the DC whose team played the best defense to come in and replace Greg Robinson
October 23rd, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^
With that reputation as a coordinator.