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3 years 29 weeks ago We match up well with OSU? 

We match up well with OSU?  They run the same offense as the three teams that hung 45+ points on us.  And since when have our blitzes ever worked?
3 years 29 weeks ago I have nothing but the utmost

I have nothing but the utmost respect for the players who sacrifice their bodies and have to be full-time students as well, with no financial compensation beyond their scholarship. I don't feel nearly as sorry for the grown men who are paid extremely well to coach a child's game, especially when the results are extremely poor. I will grant the offensive coaches a pass because of the circumstances, but I won't be as charitable on the D. I don't believe that our defensive staff is the optimal one for this program, so why should I blindly support them? If the posts above are correct, the players are drawing the same conclusions.
3 years 29 weeks ago Last year's D wasn't great,

Last year's D wasn't great, but it was respectable. It gave up 21.4 points per game against a pretty tough schedule. (I don't consider giving up 35 points to Florida and Tebow to be that bad.) This year's D, with much more experience, is giving up 30.9 ppg. Next year we'll lose basically all of our good defensive players. Anyone who sees us improving defensively next year is operating on blind faith.

RichRod is NOT a defensive guy, by his own admission. His DC is by far the most critical of his assistants. Right now the early returns on Shafer are very, very discouraging.
3 years 29 weeks ago We need to redo the ND

We need to redo the ND contract and put in some breaks in the series, like we had in 1995-96 and 2000-01.  Playing them every year is really limiting what we can do with the rest of the schedule, given that seven home games is apparently a financial necessity. 

3 years 29 weeks ago I love Odoms, but calling

I love Odoms, but calling him "Breaston with hands," I don't quite agree with.  Did Breaston ever muff a punt?  I remember him regularly getting clocked by opposing gunners while somehow managing to hang on. 

But anyway, it's really good to see the special teams giving the offense shorter fields to work with.  In many games, our O has had consistently bad field position, which has not done it any favors. 

And Minor is clearly coming into his own.  He's not just running with authority, he's also showing improved vision and is hitting the correct hole more than he used to.  

As for Threet, I think he's gutting it out on a bad arm.  He had more zip on the ball earlier.   

3 years 29 weeks ago Does it really benefit a

Does it really benefit a weak offense to play passively on D and repeatedly concede first-down yardage, even if it doesn't give up huge plays?  One could argue that a weak offense really would benefit from a defense that is designed to make big plays itself and force turnovers and 3 and outs, to give the offense better field position to work with.  As it is, we force very few 3 and outs, and when we do manage to force a punt, we're regularly backed up very deep in our own territory.  We also force very few turnovers (especially interceptions). 

Regardless of whether it makes sense in theory, in actual games our defensive schemes result in our opponents repeatedly going on long, clock-eating drives that regularly end in points (or else short drives that also end in points), and opposing QBs consistently having career days.  Anyone think the Purdue kid will perform anywhere near that level the rest of the season?

3 years 29 weeks ago Last year the defense was

Last year the defense was lousy, gave up the 2nd most points (1 point short of 2004) in Michigan history, but was bailed out by an NFL laden offense. 

Don't look at total points surrendered.  The 13-game schedule has only been in place for a couple of years, so that skews the data.  Last year's D gave up 21.4 points per game, which is respectable for a young unit that faced a pretty difficult schedule.  Several of Carr's teams surrendered more ppg, as did Gary Moeller's final team. 

This year, with far more experience than we had a year ago, we are surrendering 30.9 ppg, by far the worst in school history.  And even that hideous average is kept down by our two MAC opponents.  Take them away and everyone else is scoring 37 ppg against us.  You cannot tell me that you "saw this coming."  We have the Big Ten's worst defense right now.  I don't remember anyone stating before the year that the D would be anything but a strength.

Are you really going to argue that the loss of Crable, Englemon and Adams was THIS crippling that it outweighed the gains that should have been made from having everyone else back a year older?

3 years 29 weeks ago Much like the offense this

Much like the offense this year, the defensive unit next season has to lean on either freshmen or first time contributers on the field. Unlike, their counterparts on O this year, however, this can be looked at as a positive.

Wishful thinking.  Next year we're going to miss our DL bigtime.  Martin's a stud, but he's going to be double-teamed all year.

3 years 29 weeks ago While there is reason to

While there is reason to believe that the offense will get better in the coming years, anyone who believes the D will dramatically improve is acting on blind faith. We won't be this experienced again on D for a few years, and this defensive coaching staff hasn't exactly distinguished itself. Next year, without the studs on the DL, could be worse.
3 years 29 weeks ago Chitown: and the scary thing

Chitown: and the scary thing is, we suck worse this year.  We have given up as many rush TDs even though we didn't face Rashard Mendenhall or Oregon's running game, we haven't yet faced Beanie Wells, and we won't get the chance to face Tim Tebow.  And the run defense is the supposedly the STRENGTH of this year's D!

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