NUTSHELL #1: There are 120 D1 programs spread across the country and still no tangible means of determining who is good, better, and best. Not with unbalanced conference schedules Season schedules with varying degrees of overall strength. Rankings largely influenced by senseless pre-season polls that are based on what exaclty? The worst comparitive metric in all of sports = performance against common opponents. No true playoff system since only 4 teams qualify all of whom are VOTED in by committee - the committee itself influenced by the sports biggest power broker in Jim Delaney and the all mighty dollar of Madison Avenue's price per 30 second advertising spot which is set substantially higher if a team from the north (say like OSU ahem) is a participant rather than say TCU or Baylor.
NUTSHELL#2: There is only one good method, the best method ... albeit still imperfect for determining the best team on the field (at least until there is an 8 team playoff)
SS - take the most accurate measure for defermining a team's STRENGTH of SCHEDELE
GD - take the most accurate measure for determining a team's GAME DOMINANCE.
Multiply and divide by the number of games played.
Now apply this formula to UM versus all other Big Ten Opponents and who is most deserving of being the highest ranked.
So long as the metrics used for SS and GD are objective, the result will be objective.
Will continue to say this until our fan base gets it and stops with this MSU pre-2010 pessimistic attitude. This team is in the the mold of the 1997 team as long as Ruddock develops into the Griese clone that he is capable of becoming by mid-season ...1) Decisive timely playmaker 5th year QB 2) Maulers on both sides of the line 3) Deceptive mixing of blitz packages 4) Shut down cornerbacks 5) Outstanding special teams 6) Nasty chip on their shoulders coming off worst stretch of football for both 97 and 2015 teams in modern UM history 7) Impact Coaching changes 8) Use of Key TE Butt like Tuman. 9) Noticeable fear factor and indecisiveness by the opponent - we are intimidating. The formular is all there!
Makes no sense to pin the outcome of UM games this season on the performance of any opposing individual player. UM has the best defense in the Big Ten hands down and getting better and better with each series of downs. They will be the most impactful unit in the Big Ten and one of the 5 best in the country. The season is unfolding exactly how most of thought it would. Jake needs to be decisive in his play and limit turnovers, UM's now experienced OL and deep group of backs should be able to maul all opponents and the defense will do their part by holding opponents to 14 or less offensive points scored. Hmmm does this sound alot like the '97 team? Has MSU or OSU looked better than UM? If we play OUR GAME tomorrow and win impressively Utah could be the only game we lose all season.
9-3 is not headed in the right direction ... It means we have already arrived back to being Michigan. 9-3 was par for the course with the old Bo and his progeny coached teams with that occasional 10 win season ... This during the years when we played 2 ranked teams in the first 3 games to start the season.
Do not be fooled like most who are blind to the fact that MSU 11 win seasons include 3 wins over glorified high school teams and no wins in a true road game ovet a team that has finished in the AP top 25 (to my knowledge).
It's smoke and mirrors in EL ... Just ask the NFL scouts every year at the combine when they look at those 11 win seasons and then scowl at the lack of talent.
With the lack of NFL talent reflective of an 11 win team we could chalk those wins up to good coaching ... Yea the lack of good coaching on behalf of their opponents.
Ace, Tim, anybody know the actual height on Davis?
We don't need more tailbacks here, we have a slew of capable guys to play TB and we want a burner back there with 4.4 legit speed not another Green and Smith who are slower than the opponents interior DL.
But what we do need is a talented fullback of the Perryman, Bunch, Legette, Floyd variety.
I can see Harbaugh deploy an offense with shifting formations that would use Ty Issac (as an Aaron Shea type) at H-back,ba a versatile weapon at FB, 1 go to burner at TB, and a pair of premeire TE's (Bunting and Wheatley) lots of formations and looks with that group to give teams matchup problems in rbe middle of the field and the flats.
But the lynchpin player in this scary offense is a multidimensional FB of the type we don't currently have on our roster but would be utilized by Harbaugh in in so many ways.
So as long as the Davis kid is just getting bigger simply because he is naturally outgrowing the TB position and not because of poor dietary habits I say let him keep getting bigger even if it costs him a step in a foot race and plug him into that FB role.
Have those clamoring for Winston ever watchrd Winston? He's very good but he isn't Dennis Smith Jr. or Malik Monk. He isn't elite!!!! He was not going to be a starter at UM until the EARLIEST his junior season. He would be caught behind Walton and MAAR as the 3rd and then 2nd point guard his freshman and sophmore seasons. Ever wonder why a player like Winston who lives 45 minutes away would be making so many visits to UM? Do you assume he is more and more insterested in the program with each new visit. Then you are wrong! It is a red flag not for landing that recruit and great sign for the ability level, development and projection of the incumbent's on the roster he would be competitng with for playing timr. Winston kept coming to check out his competition - MAAR ... Winston may have other reasons for not selecting UM but MAAR standing in the way of him playing starter minutes is the main reason ... So read the signs ... Simpson and Ibi Watson are guys who are more likely to be patient in the pecking order for playing time than a Winston or Battle.
Maybe I missed any comments related to Rudock's ability to operate in a pocket? The first QB at UM since Henne almost a decade ago. Rudock acrually know's how to step and slide in the pocket; he is tough enough to hold the ball under pressure long enough to go through his reads and willing to take a hit to make a play while getting rid of it without taking a sack or vacating the pocket at the first sign of pressure. On 50 passing attempts he was never sacked and never vacated the pocket to turn tail and run backwards in the face of pressure. He showed toughness, leadership, poise, and experience in an environment that will be the most difficult he will play in all season. Rudock should have won UM fans over with the way he responded after the pick 6 in leading the team downfield for a score in the two minute drill. Also forgotten is the number of third down conversions he made on passes with the pocket collapsing where he found open receivers (Butt) and fit a pass into a tight window to pick up first downs. I like his mobility he is able to scramble and gain yardage in the right circumstances. There is lots to like about this kid. Lets see how he does in the game this weekend which will what ONLY HIS 6TH WEEK IN ANN ARBOR?
Anybody feeling much differently about the UM performance after the last 48 hours? With all the negative talk is far fetched to say UM could be the second best team in the Big Ten when conference play begins? UTAH looks pretty damn good based on the play of Stanford, ASU, ZONA all higher rated. MSU has a solid front 4 and Bullough but fhe rest of their defense is borderline bad ... No pass coverage and weak at 2 LB spots, they will run the ball well but Cook has not improved at all since last season and still has too many passes that sail on him. PSU cant pass protect. Does anybody other than OSU really look better than what we can realistically expect UM to be once its new coaching staff, its QB and WR, and rest of the roster have time to get on the same page, and we may not play a better opponent until OSU.
Is it correct that Utah led the nation in sacks last season? They did not register one Thursday night. It wasn't for lack of pressure, but Rudock is the first QB we have had here since Henne who understands how to play in a pocket, does not vacate it at the first sign of pressure and is tough enough to take a hit to make a play. Rudock's pocket presence and toughness and the way he led us down the field on the two minute drill plus some terrific third down completions he made where he slid in the pocket long enough to avoid pressure, find a passing lane and fit passes into tight places was incredibly encouraging. Any idea that he is not going to be a good QB for UM this year and Morris should replace him is senseless. Yes we are looking for a QB who can not turn the ball over and put enough points on the board to allow our defense, which is going to be the best in the Big Ten, to win games (some takeaways would be nice) but we also want out QB to be able to demonstrate poise, toughness and leadership and Rudock showed me all of that on Thursday in an environment that will be the most difficult he will play in all season.
When was the last time any team in the Big Ten traveled out west and beat a goof PAC 12 team? Was god still a boy? I am laughing at all the baffoons in here who are so ridiculously critical of the team or any player's performance ... Get a grip and take a rational look at all the circumstances of this game and expect massive improvements from week to week. This will be a very good team by the time the Big Ten season starts .... Heck the OL didn't yield a sack to the team that lead the nation in sacks last season and some moron posted that Drevno did a terrible job coaching them up! Idiots
Ummm Gentlemen ... This is the most difficult environment and one of the 3 best teams we will play all season and those might be the only 3 games we lose all season. It's easy to criticize the mistakes Ruddock made or missed opportunities but how many times did he stand in the pocket and take a hit to make a great throw on 3rd downs to keep drives alive.
UM outgained UTAH and several long sustained drives where Rudock hit key passes on third down to keep drives alive. Timing and familiarity is most critical in the passing game and did anybody expect that to be clicking under the circumstances? The OL pass protection was very good and Rudock obviously knows how to play in the pocket. I would have like to see more A gap blitz pressure but blitzing off the edge was effective. Butt was exactly what we know he is ... Probably the best TE in the conference but Peppers was the best player on the field ... That is a future NFL all pro strong safety he's special. btw: NO BIG TEN teams go out west and beat good teams in the PAC 12.
Recent Comments
NUTSHELL#2: There is only one good method, the best method ... albeit still imperfect for determining the best team on the field (at least until there is an 8 team playoff)
SS - take the most accurate measure for defermining a team's STRENGTH of SCHEDELE
GD - take the most accurate measure for determining a team's GAME DOMINANCE.
Multiply and divide by the number of games played.
Now apply this formula to UM versus all other Big Ten Opponents and who is most deserving of being the highest ranked.
So long as the metrics used for SS and GD are objective, the result will be objective.
Do not be fooled like most who are blind to the fact that MSU 11 win seasons include 3 wins over glorified high school teams and no wins in a true road game ovet a team that has finished in the AP top 25 (to my knowledge).
It's smoke and mirrors in EL ... Just ask the NFL scouts every year at the combine when they look at those 11 win seasons and then scowl at the lack of talent.
With the lack of NFL talent reflective of an 11 win team we could chalk those wins up to good coaching ... Yea the lack of good coaching on behalf of their opponents.
We don't need more tailbacks here, we have a slew of capable guys to play TB and we want a burner back there with 4.4 legit speed not another Green and Smith who are slower than the opponents interior DL.
But what we do need is a talented fullback of the Perryman, Bunch, Legette, Floyd variety.
I can see Harbaugh deploy an offense with shifting formations that would use Ty Issac (as an Aaron Shea type) at H-back,ba a versatile weapon at FB, 1 go to burner at TB, and a pair of premeire TE's (Bunting and Wheatley) lots of formations and looks with that group to give teams matchup problems in rbe middle of the field and the flats.
But the lynchpin player in this scary offense is a multidimensional FB of the type we don't currently have on our roster but would be utilized by Harbaugh in in so many ways.
So as long as the Davis kid is just getting bigger simply because he is naturally outgrowing the TB position and not because of poor dietary habits I say let him keep getting bigger even if it costs him a step in a foot race and plug him into that FB role.
He's very good but he isn't Dennis Smith Jr. or Malik Monk. He isn't elite!!!! He was not going to be a starter at UM until the EARLIEST his junior season. He would be caught behind Walton and MAAR as the 3rd and then 2nd point guard his freshman and sophmore seasons. Ever wonder why a player like Winston who lives 45 minutes away would be making so many visits to UM? Do you assume he is more and more insterested in the program with each new visit. Then you are wrong! It is a red flag not for landing that recruit and great sign for the ability level, development and projection of the incumbent's on the roster he would be competitng with for playing timr. Winston kept coming to check out his competition - MAAR ... Winston may have other reasons for not selecting UM but MAAR standing in the way of him playing starter minutes is the main reason ... So read the signs ... Simpson and Ibi Watson are guys who are more likely to be patient in the pecking order for playing time than a Winston or Battle.