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And to reset each teams'…

And to reset each teams' allotment of timeouts.  Those were the only reasons I could think of while having this same discussion as it unfolded.

The factors are slightly…

The factors are slightly different at the end of the half.  One of the factors in favor of going for it down near the goal line is that if you don't get it you stick them with a long field.  At the end of the half, you don't have that factor in play. So not necessarily comparing the first half situation to the second half one, but in that late first half scenario that extra bit of thinking has to come into play. 

Just grabbed myself a permit…

Just grabbed myself a permit in that lot.  Much appreciated!

Yeah, even booking in like…

Yeah, even booking in like May it wasn't cheap.  But AA is no different in that regard.

Luckily, the hotel was…

Luckily, the hotel was booked months ago.

Yep, 100%.  Also, Arlington…

Yep, 100%.  Also, Arlington Heights is pretty much O'Hare-adjacent, meaning you're within like 10 minutes of all the surrounding airport hotels and convention centers.  Not to mention the NW side is probably the most densely-packed set of suburbs in the area, so even you're not right in Arlington Heights there are plenty of other places not far away.

As a Lions fan living in Chicago for 15 years, I've only been to a handful of Bears games, but even when I lived in the South Loop or Printer's Row, it was STILL a huge pain in the ass to get to Soldier Field.  And that is the sentiment of every person in Chicago I've talked to, Bears fans or otherwise, without exception. Basically, it was buy an expensive parking pass or plan for a long ass commute no matter where you're coming from.  

Yeah, this.  He looked…

Yeah, this.  He looked completely unfazed live, so hard to expect the staff to catch that immediately, especially with it happening on the opposite sideline and no targeting call to draw attention to it. 

I was there, and can confirm…

I was there, and can confirm the point about Iowa fans being giant babies about the refs.  They were all very friendly to all the Michigan fans they encountered, but they were ridiculous about the whistles. And it wasn't legitimate "that was a bad call" crying, it was all (at least around me) just angry insistence that calling penalties on Iowa was wrong, and all penalties should only be called on Michigan.  This was really only a mild annoyance that probably would have been a lot worse if we weren't winning. 

I actually think an…

I actually think an appropriate (and not realistic or legal) baseball analogy would be to have two different hitters rotating in and out of the batter's box during one at bat.  One guy gets a pitch or two, then you switch for one or two, then switch back... Neither guy would benefit from that, even if they're both great hitters. 

It partially the sort of nebulous "rhythm" thing but also learning from the information you've gathered.  A big part of both hitting in baseball and playing QB is processing what the other team has done so far, using that to predict their future behavior, and reacting accordingly.  It's why hitters generally fare so much better against a pitcher the second time through a lineup.

I think good QBs learn a lot early in a game and use it to exploit a defense as the game goes on.  The more you're rotating in and out, the less information you're giving both QBs to react to.  And, you could say that applies to all positions but the other ones rotate just fine. That's kind of true, but I don't think any position processes as much information as a QB or has as much to gain by exploiting that in the way they play.

Yeah, this.  Getting the…

Yeah, this.  Getting the ball to Edwards in the flat is presumably something they will be trying to do multiple times a game.  He's a huge threat to the defense on his own there.  I don't think any defense can presume that Edwards heading toward the edge is first and foremost a passing threat. 

Completely agree.  Michigan…

Completely agree.  Michigan is very much not Butler in that part of the equation.  And then I guess if we acknowledge that he might leave anyway, we have to acknowledge that the reason he might leave anyway is because just being able to pay him more doesn't solve the other built in disadvantages.  So it just becomes a question of whether you empty the pockets to be a fairly relevant high mid-major or you don't and see where you land.

Just playing devil's…

Just playing devil's advocate here because, like you, I'm not sure I'm convinced either way on this. But doesn't this view of recent history just kinda make us Butler?  I mean, they did that *two years in a row* and it's not like that magically turned them into a power.  I think the point is that if the deck is stacked against you, you can have a good run now and then, but it's just nearly impossible to sustain.

The concept of having those…

The concept of having those two different measurements (with and without shoes) has always been so absurd to me.  There is literally zero possible value in that.  Some of them get taller by an inch, some by two, and a bunch in between.  Why on earth does anyone think that's worthwhile??

For FAVORITE games, it's…

For FAVORITE games, it's hard for me to put in anything I didn't attend, because that live atmosphere is just hard to beat (which is why 2021 OSU isn't on my list).  That leaves:

2002 Washington - The Phil Brabbs game, and my first game as a student

2004 MSU - Braylonfest

2011 ND - The original UTL

2016 Citrus Bowl 

2021 B1G Championship

When you say "size" do you…

When you say "size" do you mean because Edwards is taller?  They both have the same listed weight.  It's strange to me that there's this conventional wisdom that Corum is a small guy who can't be an every-down back.  It is because he's short?  Or because he's fast?  I don't get it.

Alabama says hi.

Alabama says hi.

The difference is that stuff…

The difference is that stuff isn't as likely to burn you for big plays when you're playing zone.  In man, there's no one waiting on the other side of those crossing routes.  Generally against a zone, those plays require you to work down the field slowly and don't break for big plays.

I'm curious about the depth…

I'm curious about the depth of Cade's drop on that lethal strip sack.  Clearly Hayes got beat.  Badly.  But Cade seems to drift back in the pocket and that contact happened at what looks to me to be right at or just beyond 9 yards deep.  I'm not the expert that others here are, but I thought the conventional wisdom was if a guy forces an edge rusher 10 yards deep and edge rushers are targeting something like 7-8 yards.  Does that hold water?  And if so, isn't this play kind of a gray area where you ABSOLUTELY need Hayes to do better but you don't necessarily expect pure carnage if he gets beat at that depth?

(For the record, this is NOT a subtle attempt to find a way to blame Cade.  I'm all in on Cade being the guy.  Just a general execution question.)

It only caught my attention…

It only caught my attention because it was in there twice, but just busting your balls. You have enough complaints to handle on the offensive UFR so didn't mean for this to be another one! 

Is "clearance wrack" a joke…

Is "clearance wrack" a joke I'm not in on, or does Seth really just not know it's just spelled rack?

/\ /\ /\ This /\ /\ /\

/\ /\ /\ This /\ /\ /\

Inexact science =/= luck.  There are countless things that are inexact sciences and people get paid to be good at those things.  A coach can be great, terrible, or somewhere in between at identifying those "other traits" and a coach can be great, terrible, or somewhere in between at developing the physicals traits into the best possible version of that QB. 

We can argue forever about where JH falls on that spectrum, but the idea that coaches somehow have no role in this, which is what the OP's claim boils down to, is nonsense.

I was thinking something…

I was thinking something similar as I was reading this.  I think this idea can also be applied to team and systems, not just players.  We've heard before that some think Harbaugh makes things too complicated, tries to treat college kids like NFL players, etc.  The idea that one small flaw can blow up the whole thing becomes much more pronounced the more complicated the systems gets.  A simplified system that lets good athletes execute simple reads leaves less room to get ruined by one mistake. 

The area between Florence…

The area between Florence and Rome is beautiful.  If you haven't already booked your travel, I'd recommend renting a car and driving between the two.  Make as many stops as you can in Tuscany along the way.  Siena and Montalcino are two of my favorites. 

Of course.  That's why I…

Of course.  That's why I said "in a vacuum."  There are countless other factors, but all other things being equal, it's reasonable to posit that the person with the Michigan degree would be viewed as a better candidate than the one with the Oakland degree.  

Playing devil's advocate…

Playing devil's advocate here, but it could also be that the correlation 5-10 years out is a function of that first position which was a function of the degree.  Could be as much the track someone was started on as anything else. 

I agree with almost all of…

I agree with almost all of this, but I think this point slightly misses the mark:

"but if I'm hiring an accountant (for instance) I wouldn't pay more for a UM degree than I would for one from Oakland University."

The point is not that an employer is going to pay more for a Michigan degree in the same role.  But if your hypothetical Michigan and Oakland grads are up for the same position, it's reasonable to think the Michigan grad is viewed a bit more favorably and is more likely to get the job (in a vacuum), leaving the Oakland grad to take his/her next best option which might pay a bit less. 

Long way of saying that I believe the Michigan degree can still be worth something even in those more generic scenarios that may not be in a specific industry where the Michigan brand is particularly strong. 

This.  

If it's something…

This.  

If it's something he doesn't think should get out, it shouldn't go anywhere on a public forum.  You can't post something on a public message board and then expect some half-level of secrecy.  That's not how the internet works.

If the article is to be…

If the article is to be believed, this is technically correct but a bad take.  He was only "in high school for four years" based on a clerical error.  It appears that he was the age of a normal 8th grader and he and his parents believed he was in 8th grade, but he was technically a freshman because he had been accelerated in the home school system by mistake.

Obviously, if the parents and the school thought they corrected the issue in his first year at WLW (technically is 10th grade year but what they believed to be his 9th grade year) no one would have had any intention to progress him on a path to graduate in three years from that point. 

I have no idea whether this…

I have no idea whether this applies to Johnson or not, but when a high level HS athlete repeats 8th grade, my assumption is that it has nothing to do with academics.  I don't think it's as common as it used to be, but this was often a strategic move to give kids a competitive advantage by being more physically developed than their peers.  Doing this specifically for 8th grade allows the kid to develop with one set of peers as long as possible before bumping him down to compete with kids a year younger just before it impacts actual HS level academics or athletics. 

It's not technically a…

It's not technically a degree that any school would offer but some schools do have pre-law programs that identify helpful courses that go with various majors.  

You're 100% certain?  That's…

You're 100% certain?  That's cool, which NFL team do you work for?

 

You're right about one thing…

You're right about one thing - they were in two different situations.  

However, I think you've got them backwards.  Jake Butt was such a good prospect he was able to get drafted and make a roster anyway.  someone in Higdon's position actually had EVERYTHING to lose.  If Higdon had blown out his knee, he wouldn't even get a look from a team.  No free agent deal, no practice squad, nothing.  The difference between signing an NFL contract and not seems like a lot to lose to me. 

Oh, you didn't hear? The…

Oh, you didn't hear? The funeral is today. 

Yeah, that's exactly what he…

Yeah, that's exactly what he said... 

Love the reference, but the…

Love the reference, but the whole point to that speech is that with that "one lousy hit per week" you are no longer .250 hitter. 

Danny, this isn't Russia. …

Danny, this isn't Russia.  Is this Russia?  This isn't Russia, is it?

Really?  Some random poster…

Really?  Some random poster on a blog has an impact on the state of the program?  Can you tell me more about how this works so I can do my part?

I think they did this to a…

I think they did this to a certain extent already when Brown came in.  Brown's defense IS designed to beat the spread that we see across the country.  But as of just last year, OSU's version of the spread looked very different than what we saw yesterday.  Brown's D is perfect for beating the spread-to-run outfits that featured Barrett. Just look at how well they were shut down last year until he got hurt.  But this offense with Haskins is a different animal and set up perfectly to beat man heavy coverage. 

That said, I agree with the premise that the D needs to be a bit more multiple.  We did see more zone in the 2nd half but it looked bad.  Guys got out of position, didn't see routes breaking into or out of their zones, etc.  It was clear that they were not as comfortable there.  

I'm confident that they will go back to the drawing board and adjust again. 

Agreed.  On the call, Herbie…

Agreed.  On the call, Herbie tried to put that on Shea for being impatient.  I think it was actually Higdon who was impatient.  He saw the ball up high an panicked a little.  If he had not jumped at all, or at least timed his jump better, that play hits. 

How much less could you care?

How much less could you care?

Even trying to take the most…

Even trying to take the most neutral position possible here, I don't see how you could look at this and say the M players could have avoided it by moving.  Where could they have gone?  Once confronted with the full line of spartans, what were they supposed to do, run 30 yards laterally to get to the edge of the stupid wall?  No.  The easy answer is for one person to move one yard, not ask the other to move 30.  

He did not. Burke's was all

He did not. Burke's was all net.

And Michigan didn't even

And Michigan didn't even sniff a 1 seed that year. I havent looked closely enough to have an opinion on Kansas, but I'm not sure that comparison helps the case.

In the early 2000s it was

In the early 2000s it was Thursdays and they had hiked the price all the way up to $1.  But maybe you taught them a lesson, because a don't recall it being cheaper earlier in the night. 

This is an important point

This is an important point that seems to be glossed over in this debate.  Obviously, recruiting is a big part of success in college football.  OSU is doing that very well.  Urban is the one in charge.  So I'm not sure how you can say he's underacheiving "based on the talent level" when he's the one responsible for that talent level.  That's part of his job, and he's doing it really well. 

Also, fuck osu, of course. 

No, OSU would have gone.  PSU

No, OSU would have gone.  PSU would have been knocked out of the 3-way tie with their additional loss, then it goes back to head-to-head between us and OSU.  If our 1 loss was Iowa and we beat OSU, that's where we would have won the 3-way tie.

I think the missing piece

I think the missing piece here is that the clock starts as soon as *anyone* touches the ball.  So you could argue that the time between the touch and the possession is less than a second but there would have to be some amount of elapsed time anytime a kickoff is fielded by any player in the field of play.

I didn't realize he was a

I didn't realize he was a baseball player.  If he's good enough to play at TCU, it seems strange to me that baseball wasn't his first choice. 

He didn't just step out.  He

He didn't just step out.  He ran a good couple yards out without even realizing it.  But yeah, that was him.

Bingo.  The no kids approach

Bingo.  The no kids approach comes in handy when you're still no where near paying off your own education from a decade ago.