Unfortunately, UM doesn't have a signature win or even a good win against a truly good team the past 3 seasons. Hopefully that changes in the next 2 weeks.
The win against Wisconsin in 2008 was not a signature win because Wisky finished the season 6-6. So what if they were ranked 10th at the time it's like saying that a win against Texas who was ranked #4 this year is a signature win. Just ask the computers and the voters.
Several weeks ago RR mentioned that Tate was already up to 195 lbs. I saw Donovan Warren measured 5' 11" and 194 lbs. at the NFL combine and he looked ripped. Can't wait to see Tate at that weight or even 200 lbs. It will be a huge change from last year.
The NFL Combine provides true official 40 times. How many times do we hear about a HS or college kid that supposedly runs a 4.3 forty. In reality he probably runs a 4.5 or 4.6 forty. We also get the true height and weight of players.
I understand the thinking that a playoff system makes sense in regards to playing your way to a championship but it just isn't fan friendly. Sounds easy but..... Currently fans have at least a month to make plans to travel to the current bowl games and those that do go make it a vacation. With a playoff you'll have one week between games and if you do make it to the play in games and subsequently the NC game you'll have one week to make arrangements. Anyone with a job knows the problems that this will cause.
Other issues are how do payoffs for each team/conference work? What happens to the current bowls? In the end it comes down to money and no one has shown a viable financial plan that brings in the money that the current bowl games do. With teams hosting games based on the seeding you'll have less positive economic impact on host bowl communities like you do with the current bowl system where both teams fan bases travel.
Maybe it can all be worked out and it's ok if some teams play 15 or 16 games to determine the NC but the devils in the details.
No one has yet to show how a multiple game playoff will work for fans. What fan base will be able to travel to multiple locations across the country on multiple weekends until this so called playoff system plays out? I can see the last 2 teams standing playing in front of half empty stadiums because their fan bases can't afford 3 or 4 straight out of town weekend trips, airfare, hotels and tickets.
Parker supposely loved meeting Monte Kiffin and they spent alot of time together talking football etc. He also has a very good friend on the USC team that hosted his visit. Unfortunately, Parker will be tough to pry away from USC.
I thought there was some debate among RR and the offensive staff whether to use the WVU run type spread or Texas Tech, Texas and Oklahoma passing spread next year. DR is a better fit for the run spread and TF is better for the passing spread.
Unfortunately, until we start winning the battle of the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball consistently we are going to struggle.
We need to start beating Big Ten teams and that is how you do it.
Recruiting involves going after players you want and based on the offers that most 4* and 5* kids receive it's obvious that they are wanted by many of the top schools. Having said that, once recruits start committing it becomes a game of who can we get not just who do we want. The other problem is that top recruits often don't decide until later in the recruiting process and it's critical to have plan B's in place as well.
Sometimes coaches are able to identify talent that is over looked by the recruiting services or maybe a kid that is just the right fit for one program and not for another.
In general, great coaching plus great recruiting classes beat great coaching plus good recruiting classes. And most of the sucessful programs year in and year out have both.
This is smart by OSU. National exposure of night game with no other competition that night. Most importantly it gives them 2 additional days of practice prior to the start of the season and 2 additional days to prepare for Miami the following Saturday.
Thomas was buried in their depth chart. Posey, Sans, Carter, Washington and other red shirt freshmen already to pass him by. Rumor was that Washington was thinking of transferring also but decided to stay.
Need to beat someone with a winning record, get to at least a winning record in the Big Ten and get to a bowl game. Then in 2011 compete for top tier position in the conference and New Years Day bowl game.
Tate improves if the running game improves. Last year he looked good early and that's a combination of things. Schedule, Molk, and team was fresh. As the year progressed UM looked wore out and was manhandeled in the 2nd half of most games. So much goes into the success of Tate and UM but it will come down to execution, depth and if can we compete physically the entire season?
OSU lost M. Jenkins, Lauranitis, Freeman, Beanie Wells and everyone said they would struggle in 2009 to fill the voids. They lose Cordle and Ballard on offense. Coleman, Spitler, A. Russell, Worthington, and T.Gibson on defense.
They return Stoneburner to replace Ballard, a list of OL depth to replace Cordle, a ton of LB experience and depth, Dline is loaded and deep. Maybe the jury is still out on safeties but they will reload very well.
I'd be surprised if they weren't preseason top 5 and could make a NC run.
Iowa will be good also and they play all the tough Big Ten teams at home in 2010.
3-13 in Big Ten games and only 2 wins in 24 games against teams that finished the season with winning records. That's not good and has to get better fast!
I have a neice that had a 3.60 gpa and 26 ACT from a very good high school in Ohio and didn't get accepted to OSU. It is tougher to get into OSU than Miami of Ohio and that's been the case for several years now.
Good coaching and decent recruiting=success...ie Boise, Cincy and TCU.
Good coaching and good recruiting= long term success....ie Florida, Alabama, USC and OSU.
Poor coaching and good recruiting=struggle....ie Illinois and ND.
Just look how overrated the rankings are in determining success.....Florida, Alabama, Texas, OSU, and USC have highly ranked recruiting classes year in and year out and how's it working out for them?
Well maybe those aren't good examples.
The further removed we are from the last game the more confident we as fans get about the future success of our football program. The questions that I have relate to improvement. I remember the excitement and confidence we enjoyed after starting 4-0. Tate was the best QB in The Big Ten and we were getting ready to play "little brother".
From that point forward we went 1-7. We didn't win another Big Ten game and finished last in the conference. By the end of the season freshmen become sophmores and teams are suppose to improve. This didn't happen at Michigan and questions abound. Defensively we are weak and we aren't going to suddenly become good next year.
The measuring stick is improvement and I'm very concerned with the lack of progress and lack of improvement. The Big Ten is a defensive conference and I'm just not impressed with the direction we are going on the defensive side of the ball.
Having said that, RR deserves a chance to turn things around and that means at least two more seasons. At that point we should have a much better body of work to evaluate and determine the improvement and direction of the football program.
Who would want to prepare for a bowl game if they could lift weights instead? Are you kidding me? Practice time is far more important. Kids can lift anytime they want.
Who would want to prepare for a bowl game if they could lift weights instead? Are you kidding me? Practice time is far more important. Kids can lift anytime they want.
Recent Comments
Unfortunately, UM doesn't have a signature win or even a good win against a truly good team the past 3 seasons. Hopefully that changes in the next 2 weeks.
The win against Wisconsin in 2008 was not a signature win because Wisky finished the season 6-6. So what if they were ranked 10th at the time it's like saying that a win against Texas who was ranked #4 this year is a signature win. Just ask the computers and the voters.