cGOBLUEm

April 25th, 2015 at 2:07 PM ^

For me, there's no need to watch MSU's spring game. I am, however, excited to hear if Dantonio is asked questions about ExposureU in the postgame press conference.




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Honk if Ufer M…

April 25th, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^

To be honest, not really. They enthused that it was a great crowd and then added that it was despite the bad weather, which obviously does affect the crowd size, just like Michigan fans noted about our game and how if we had it later in the season the likely warmer weather would've made the crowd bigger. Though as it turns out the weather wouldn't have been that much warmer if it were held today.

xtramelanin

April 25th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^

running onto the field through a 'tunnel' of the players on either side.  good idea.  although, if dantonio is at the end of the tunnel, that'd be like the hamburgler or a green troll waiting to gobble up the unsuspecting spartys.

Honk if Ufer M…

April 25th, 2015 at 2:56 PM ^

I haven't seen an a good full stadium shot to really judge how full it is.

The funny part to me wasn't whether or not they're over enthusiastic about the crowd, but that Cousins actually said the program is really starting to "Paint the state green"!!! That's fucking hilarious!

First of all, just comparing the crowd to the fuckeye crowd shows how ridiculous that is even in the abstract. You're on the not only the best roll in 50 years, but the ONLY roll in 50 years and you can't do better at drawing a crowd than this then you sure as fuck haven't "painted the state" in that EXTREMELY UGLY shade of green!

The real joke of that statement though is that they OBVIOUSLY aren't starting to paint anything dourtonio green, they are ENDING their blippy window of opportunity to do so after having failed miserably at doing so as the very dark and very blue STORM OF HARBAUGH is rolling their way like a great depression dust storm about to blow them away and cover every crack and crevice of their existence in blue, and they will be blue and they will be depressed and life will be a problem! Is he having concussion related brain damage already?

What the fuck is he talking about? The sleeping giant Wolverine has awoken and is not only taking over the state but the nation! Harbaugh has painted national football coverage & the football world blue during the off season of one of our worst seasons in history and during sparties best period, without having coached a single game yet! Meanwhile I don't think a single word has been spoken or written about Dourtonio or the farties in the national media since two days after their bowl game!

Storm Harbaugh has taken over camping and NCAA rule making, major league & college baseball, road rescue, "reality" tv jurisprudence, the chain restaurant world, NFL draft prep, ultimate frisbee, the marching band, Hollywood & insane right wing bloviation radio. It's not even summer yet!

Painting time is over for the green weenies. They failed to even pop the lid on can one when they had the chance! I don't even think they bought any brushes!

This state will be getting bluer and bluer from this day forward.

Honk if Ufer M…

April 25th, 2015 at 6:19 PM ^

Amazing that the quality of my points can change according to whether or not you like my colorful/playful language or see it as playful or not. That's a logic free position. It obviously changes what you think of me but it doesn't change my points an iota of an iota.

I'm not going on one of thier boards and trolling, I'm saying those things on a Michigan board. I don't know why it would bother anyone. The Michigan articles on Mlive are perpetually filled with trolling and stupid name calling from those schools. I've never gone to any of thier sites or articles even to read them, let alone comment or bother them. I couldn't care less. But I don't mind them seeing it returned if they happen to come to a Michigan spot like this.

Big Blaze

April 25th, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^

Everytime I hear his name mentioned i want to throw something :)



Sure hope their defense takes a BIG step back without Narduzzi around anymore.



I miss the days of SpartyNooooooo

bronxblue

April 25th, 2015 at 2:15 PM ^

It continues to amaze me that MSU can't draw fans given the unprecedented success they've had these past half-dozen years.  It's not going to be like this forever guys; take advantage of it now.

Their offense is going to carry them early in the season, as that defense has some big holes to fill.  Last year's unit showed some weaknesses that were exploited by the better offenses they played, and now they'll lose a 1st-round DB, a senior safety, and a very good defensive linemen.  I still think they'll win 9-10 games this year, but the fact their offense is moving the ball as well as they are makes me think some of those losses are being felt.

alum96

April 25th, 2015 at 2:44 PM ^

They were exploited by 3 of the top 5 offenses in the country.  Who exploited everyone in the country most weeks.  TCU's defense gave up 60 to Baylor for example.

I chuckle that whenever an offense works in a spring game it must be due to the not dominant defense.  Cmon.  They have a 3rd year starting QB who is projected to go in the 1st round who has seen this defense day in and day out for 36 months. 

MSU's front 7 has five 5th year seniors on it plus Malik McDowell who by all accounts is surging after a solid freshman year.  Their D line will probably be top 5 in the nation.  In the back 4, Montae Nicholson has 4 picks of Connor Cook in their 2 scrimmages - a guy Hokes passed on.  A guy who found a way to actually start a few games as a true freshman for a team that doesnt start freshman.

 Their main issue is finding 2 corners, which just so happens to be what Dantonio specializes in over the past 20 years.  But if the front 7 does their job they wont have much issue in most games not named Oregon, OSU since they won't have much time - and their run D remains excellent annually.

Outside of cornerback I dont see the defense struggling.  They dominated non OSU, Oregon, Baylor offenses last year and I expect their system to continue to work against a lot of middling offfenses that Big 10 teams play.

I see the team taking a step back in 2016 with losses of Cook, Conklin, Calhoun, and I think 18 fifth year seniors.  But they are going to have the 2nd best OL in the conference and most likely the best DL.  With a NFL QB.  Games are won in trenches and with QBs.  I don't see 9 win season.

Pinky

April 25th, 2015 at 3:25 PM ^

Alum, I appreciate your contributions to the site, but it often feels like you present information in a pessimistic way just to prove how extraordinarily objective you are.  It's very irritating.

For example, you just spent 6 paragraphs analyzing how awesome the MSU defense will be without even mentioning the fact that they lost their defensive coordinator.  That seems sort of significant. Yesterday, you were lamenting the lack of interest from TEs and defensive players almost a year before signing day when Harbaugh's been on the job less than four months.

We get that you're not a homer, but if we constantly wanted the most negative take on all things Michigan, we wouldn't come to MGoBlog.

PeterKlima

April 25th, 2015 at 3:38 PM ^

I always thought this was his schtick. he always tries to see things in the worst possible light for UM and the best for others. super pessimistic guy who lauds others, but claims being a fan (or favoring) Michigan. like Phil on WTKA. it's entertaining! !

alum96

April 25th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^

So its been wrong to be pessimistic on UM's situation the past few years and positive on MSU's?  Actually it's been accurate.

And I am on not high on most Big 10 teams - the offenses and QB play especially is lousy in this conference, so a lot of the defenses have been looking better than they are (incuding ours) by playing each other.   The quality of play is not great week to week with traditional powers PSU and UM down and Nebraska not being the quality it once was.  The big 10 has a lot of M00N games once you get past the top 4-5 teams.

As for MSU it has become a funny meme seeing people come here every year talking about this is the year they are going to suck.   Those people have been correct 1 out of 5 years.  And yet it continues.  Very few want to accept they have a premier coach, and they are not going back to 8 win seasons unless/until he retires or their next QB sucks.  They have 3 first round picks projected on this team.  What other teams in the country have 3 projected first rounders outside Bama?

If Cook gets hurt, my view will change a lot but right now - on paper - they will be favored in 11 of 12 games. They dont even leave the state of Michigan outside 1 trip to Rutgers for the first 2 months of their season.  Yet it's back to "going to take a big step back".  Narduzzi is gone - they replace him with Barnett who has been with Dantonio 10 years.  I dont see it being the death of MSU's D.

Ironically you mentioned recruiting - the just got a top 150 WR commit today to add to another top 200 WR they already had in the fold for 2016.  We are getting 100% crystal balled with guys in the 800 to 1000 range at WR.  It's curious and I noted it - should I have just said "Harbaugh" (I know that's the easy answer).

I have a lot of confidence in Harbaugh to turn this around over the medium term.    That doesnt mean UM is going to saunter in, turn into a goliath and MSU will suck.  Hell we need to make strides just to get back to competitive - we've been sad v them 2 years in a row.  Uncompetitive - we need to take steps just to be competitive - thats the legacy Hoke left.   It also doesnt mean MSU is going to go back to 8 wins a game because of 1 game played vs Michigan.

It's not a schtick - talking realistically about opponents is a lot more interesting to me than saying for the 5th year in a row "no way they can keep this up!!!"  and gettting 20 upvotes.   OSU and MSU right now are the 2 quailty teams in the conf - I expect Wisconsin to take a step back to a degree and everyone else in the conf ranges from decent to mediocre to bad.  OSU and MSU have the 2 best trenches and the 2 best QBs in the conf - that's where quality teams are born.  If Cook goes down - another discussion, because MSU doesnt have OSU's army of QB backups.

If MSU sucked I'd gladly say they look mediocre - like I say with plenty of teams in the Big 10.  When UM has what looks to be a top 2-3 team in the conf, I will also say that.  I don't see that now.  And hasn't been wrong to not be on that ship for many years now with 1 exception (2011).

PeterKlima

April 25th, 2015 at 4:31 PM ^

When it rains the pessimist points out the window and feels vindicated.  "See, I told you."

Your far from being "realistic."  You have not given an objective assessment of MSU, rather you choose hyperbole and storylines that are trumpeted by the most optimistic MSU fan.  McDowell has "by all accounts" been rising since his last year?  Whose accounts are thoise?  Practice fluff that most fans discount heavily?

How about your failure to mention any weakness for MSU other thant "cornerbacks" which was quickly followed with a comment that Dantonio thrives in that area (i.e., they will be okay).  No mention of the change from Narduzzi to others and, even if they are similar coaches, how much it might affect the result based on Narduzzi's personality and in-game decision making. No one knows how it will affect the team but Spartanf fans say they won't miss a beat and Michigan and other fans are more likely to suggest it could be a problem.  You don't see it as even a potential issue (nor any other issue facing that team).  Why?

Re-read your post.  You You say that people here keep saying"take a big step back."  How Michigan fans are a "funny mem" about MSU.  You also make a joke that you should have "just said Harbaugh" instead of point things out.  You also say Michigan fans are saying "no way can they keep this up.."  Etc.  Your post is littered with your biggest concern.... overly optimistic fans.  You exaggerate their pressence in order to defenda your negative take.

Maybe you are a Michigan fan protecting yourself from being too optimistic.  You've been burned and you're bitter.  Maybe you just enjoy being contrrian or seeing the glass half-full.  Who knows what motivates you to be so pessimistic about UM and positive about rivals.  I have no idea. 

But, you are far from realistic.  There is no realism in seeing only positives of others and negatives of UM.  You are a pessimist pretending to be "keeping it real."  Its a cheap schitck, but you do it well.  Keep on hating.  Let the dark side feul you.

Brady Elliott

April 25th, 2015 at 9:03 PM ^

I don't have a dog in this fight but alum96 adds some pretty obJective value to this site. I very much appreciate his analysis and contributions and Ive never thought he was a purposeful anti homer so that he could come back and tell us, "I told you so." You and pinky seem to have more of a Schtick than alum.

alum96

April 25th, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^

McDowell has won the starting job over 5th year SRs and true SR types.  That's not practice fluff.  He played in a role like Mone last year but even more playing time.  Why is that so surprising - he is a very good player, and played early (a lot) for a team that rarely cracks open true freshman.

He is surrounded by 5 star 5th year SR Lawrence Thomas who really started playing well the back half of last year,  projected first rounder Calhoun, and another 5th year SR (most likely).  That's a hell of a line.  Behind them are 2 5th year SR LBs and another Bullough to replace Taiwan Jones.  So basically it is Bullough and McDowell surrounded by five 5th year seniors, including a 1st round draft pick and Lawrence Thomas who probably will play himself into a 4th round type of grade this year if he picks up where he left off last year.  That's pretty good.

I happen to think our DTs are very good too but that wasn't the topic of discussion.  And our ends are not up to that level.  Or to OSU's (Bosa).

I said the cornerbacks are an issue - they need to find 2.   Hicks stunk last year.  It looks like they are moving 1 of their safeties outside to be a corner (Cox) and then other guys not named Hicks are looking to compete for the 2nd corner.  I didnt say it was not an issue - I said they have a head coach who has a long history of doing well at CB - whether they be high level guys at OSU or nobodies (Dennard and Waynes 2/3 stars) at MSU.  I also said with the front 7 they have it will be alleviated a bit as the corners wont be isolated so much in most games or the QB wont have time.  Every team has a weakness - every team.  They play in a conference with a bunch of sh** QBs so if you want to have a weaknes sin the Big 10, secondary is actually a good place to have it.  Obviously its another issue if you play Baylor or Oregon (or a Big 10 team with a real QB such as OSU).  That applies to every few teams on their schedule.

As for Narduzzi fans want it both ways - when he was there many said it was either Dantonio not him who was the key to the defense or you can't really tell it ifs Narduzzi or Dantonio until they separate.  Now that he is gone - we are to assume it was mostly or all Narduzzi.  Do you think all those 5th year seniors/juniors all will fall off just because their coach left?  If so that's some bad coaching.  If one truly thinks Narduzzi is the bomb and the whole key to that defense than it probably is going to take a few years for it to filter to the system - when all the players he "trained" leave MSU and a much worse DC takes over.  I happen to think position coaches are very important and whatever they are doing doesnt revolve all around the DC.  The HC is involved and the position coaches have been there the whole tenure. 

The rest of your post is a lot of garbage.

ThadMattasagoblin

April 25th, 2015 at 10:58 PM ^

You gloss over a lot. Their secondary was one of the worst ones in the big ten and was propped up by a good front 7. Since nobody in the big ten seemingly can throw an accurate pass for more than 15 yards, they did alright. When they played a competent qb they got burned big time. Baylor lost because they started running the ball when they were up by so much instead of continuing to pass the ball. When Jacksonville State was hitting their passes last year against the MSU back 4, I knew they had taken a step back. They do other things good but they aren't Bama or Ohio State like you make them seem. When they face Oregon or Ohio state, they'll have trouble against those quarterbacks. They also need to find a running back. They're a 10-2 team IMO.

KyleMullins

April 26th, 2015 at 12:17 AM ^

Did you watch the Baylor/MSU game?   Baylor choked that away throwing the ball, they literally ran the ball maybe 20 times the entire game and almost exclusively passed in the 2nd half because they couldn't run it against the front 7.   Something like - 30 yards rushing.   If they would have ran it more MSU would have run out of time. 

alum96

April 26th, 2015 at 8:58 PM ^

Funny you are arguing with me even though you agree 100% with my projected record of 10-2 for Sparty prebowl.  So what exactly are you arguing?

Baylor ran 22 times for -20 yards.  Their inability to run out the clock with any viable run game when they had a big lead cost them that game. 

ThadMattasagoblin

April 25th, 2015 at 4:39 PM ^

Dude we have multiple 4 star WRs that are crystal balled to Michigan right now. Along with multiple 4/5 star guys at other positions. I'm not saying that they are bad but they do have weaknesses such as their defensive backfield that Oregon, Ohio St, and Baylor threw for a zillion yards over. You gloss over everything bad with them and then say why Michigan's not good. What about our DBs in Peppers, Jourdan Lewis and the rest of our defense and the legendary coach we have.