What Would the PSU and Wisconsin Players Say Comparing UM to OSU?

Submitted by xtramelanin on

Mates,

It occured to me that it would be incredibly instructive to hear what the PSU and Wisconsin players had to say about what they thought of the two teams, of course referring to ourselves and ohio.  I would love to hear their candid thoughts about things like offensive and defensive game plans, team speed, hitting, special teams, etc.   Anyone have a pipeline into those parts of the social media world that might shed some light on those thoughts?  

Great day yesterday.    Whose going to EL?   Ticket prices must have fallen through the floor last night.

XM

DrMantisToboggan

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:02 AM ^

That our lines and our secondary is better. That's really what stood out to me. Penn State got a ton of pressure rushing 4, when they didn't get much pressure on us at all. OSU's secondary missed a bunch of key one on one plays that JD and Strib and Crew would make.




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zapata

October 23rd, 2016 at 9:07 AM ^

Can't help it: the first two posts on this thread contain mirror images of the same grammar idiosyncracy (plural subject/singular verb, and singular subject/plural verb). To be 'grammatically correct' this should say, "our lines and our secondary are better," and the next one should read "one of the commentators was gushing.."

I don't care, it's just an interesting juxtaposition.

FauxMo

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:39 AM ^

Well, Wisky players might have some valuable insights, but PSU players have no memory of their game against us. Like someone who has been through an awful trauma and is suffering from PTSD, when asked PSU players will go blank for a moment, then break into a cold sweat, then start slowly rocking back and forth whilst in the fetal position... 

evenyoubrutus

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:22 AM ^

I'm curious how many of those linebackers who were out for our game were able to play against OSU? From what I can tell they only got one back but I'm not sure. We were concerned that this was the sole reason our run game looked so dominant but clearly OSU had a hard time consistently running the ball.

ijohnb

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:37 AM ^

both teams have a lot of talent, but Michigan's talent is primarily composed of 21 year olds while OSU is more like 19 year olds. Michigan will be more like OSU next year. Talented but young and raw.

ldevon1

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:39 AM ^

They would both say, if we played Michigan at home it would have been different. If we both weren't without our best LB, it would have been different. Do you really expect them to give us credit? We could still play Wisky, and Penn St is currently in 2nd in our division.

Mr. Yost

October 23rd, 2016 at 8:40 AM ^

PSU fans would take about how we got them early and their QB wasn't developed and they were basically playing walk-on safeties at LB because their guys were so injured.

Wisconsin fans  talk about it being shit weather and Hornibrook's 2nd start of his career. They also had Vince Biegel, their All-B1G LB out for the game.

We also got both teams at home.

...and all of those are pretty much facts, no Michigan fan can dispute that. Does it change the outcome of the game? No. We're better than both teams. But that's what their fans would say.

Truth be told, we didn't have to play either team on the road, at home, in the super bowl of their team's season. OSU did, both times.

So some folks are acting like we're going to go down to Columbus and walk all over the Buckeyes because of these two games. Have to take the blinders off. It doesn't mean we're not better or we won't win. But the circumstances were NOT the same when we played these two teams and OSU played them.

As for comparing the two teams, I think it's what we already know. We're the better team.

  • Their QB is faster/shiftier and tougher to tackle - our offense is tougher to prepare for
  • They've got a bruising RB in Weber, we have one in Smith. They have a playmaker in Samuel, we have a trio of Peppers/Evans/Higdon
  • Our WRs are better, OSU's aren't terrible, but Barrett sucks at anything over 10 yards in the air
  • Jake Butt is the best TE in the country
  • Our OL is better, Wisky fans would point to how they lined up and blew OSU off the ball, PSU fans would talk about the pressure they got all game with 4-5 men
  • We, next to Bama, have the best DL in the country
  • We blitz our LBs which is tougher to prepare fot, then you toss in Peppers and it's not even close
  • OSUs CBs aren't bad...ours are just better
  • Safety position could go either way...not sure what they'd say, neither team has a QB that really tests safeties deep
  • Wisky would say our kicking game sucked, PSU would say OSU's kicking game sucked

I think all of that is pretty obvious on Sunday, October 23rd. But there's still a month before we play OSU...so it really doesn't matter.

Mr. Yost

October 23rd, 2016 at 9:05 AM ^

Or we wouldn't beat OSU.

...but some of the overconfidence is bleeding into arrogance by being selective at what we look at.

OSU is now going to be in this "tournament" one-and-done mentality (when realistically everyone should be in it every week) and the game is in Columbus. Not going to be a cake walk.

But when I look at the matchup, I see that we have the better team and I know we'll be prepared. I tink we can overcome the hostile environment and OSU playing "UP" to Michigan and being a different team than they've shown recently.

The biggest reason I believe this is because our OL is improving and coming back together post-Newsome injury. Our DL is going to dominate crowd noise and a road game can't do anything to those 8-9 guys we're going to send at them in waves.

They better hope they can iso Samuel on Bolden and not Peppers. Their WRs won't get any separation. It'll just be RPS gains like it's been all year.

My concern for the rest of the year is can Speight keep improving. IMO, he took a HUGE step forward yesterday. I've been very "meh" on him all year because I'm thinking bigger than wins over UCF and even Wisconsin. He wasn't accurate enough and couldn't carry the team in stretches when we needed him to.

We didn't really need him to yesterday, but we didn't have those moments that we even had at the beginning of the Rutgers game. He played REALLY well. He was accurate, he made the right reads, he was extremely Rudockian yesterday...that to me eliminate any doubt I had. I just wanted to know he was capable.

Sure OSU gets a month to get their shit together, but Speight gets a month to improve and this OL gets a month to gel. We'll be ready, no question about it.

Okay, now time to stop rambling and go to work.

maizenbluenc

October 23rd, 2016 at 10:31 AM ^

Either side could have critical injuries (see Glasgow last year). That said, my son and I were pleased PSU was able to get to Barrett. If PSU can do that, imagine what Mattison's hordes can do.

Enjoy the moment. Hopefully our guys stay healthy and focused. There will be a winning game plan when we get there. :-)

sammylittle

October 23rd, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^

I have shared your concern about Speight. IIRC, Harbaugh pulled him for a play after his first throw was errant. The camera did not cut away to the sideline, but I assume that Harbaugh gave Speight a good talking to and rubbed him with some magic Harbaugh oil before sending him back into the game to play flawlessly the rest of the way. My concern has diminished!