Michigan is the new Northwestern
I was just watching the 2000 Michigan / Northwestern game, and I couldn't help but feel like I was watching Michigan's new offense (Northwestern) vs. one of the quintessential michigan offenses of recent history. Here is the link if you want to reminisce about the best of what Michigan's offense used to be, or see how exciting we can be in the future (think Northwestern + better athletes).
Also, keep these things in mind while viewing:
1. Randy Walker was in his second year as head coach at Northwestern
2. Northwestern went 3-8 in 1999, and 8-4 in 2000
3. Announcers routinely stressed the importance of Randy Walker's strenuous conditioning program, and weight lifting sessions.
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:48 PM ^
That sounds great! Consistent sub-par seasons and mix-in the occasional flirtation with mediocrity. That average crowd of 35,000 (too high?)is something to be envied too.
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:50 PM ^
they better not be the new northwestern
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:59 PM ^
let's be honest, we'd all take a 2000 Northwestern like season, yo
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:28 PM ^
dude, i would, brah.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:03 PM ^
I love all those teams, except for the Lions (which means I guess I don't love all those teams, but cut me some slack)
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:51 PM ^
Walker's modeled his offense off Rodriguez. Northwestern even used the same signals.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 PM ^
Actually, you have that backwards.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:21 PM ^
http://smartfootball.blogspot.com/2009/07/former-northwestern-coach-ran…
Also, Michigan's offense in 2009 looks a lot more like Walker's offense in 2000 than Rodriguez's in 2000. Go watch the old Tulane tapes if you don't believe me. Some of you people act like RichRod split the atom.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:23 PM ^
He did split the atom.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:39 PM ^
He was Enrico Fermi's OC.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^
got his offense from RR.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 PM ^
Correction: Randy Walker got the concept of spreading the field from RR, but applied his own offense to that concept.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:52 PM ^
if ESPN is to be believed, it would appear that NW's offense that year was just about a carbon copy of RR's the previous year.
When coach Walk went down there in 2000, I've heard Rich tell some funny stories about, they didn't just come down and studied the offense. They took everything, the hand signals, how he called it.
This quote was taken from Pat Fitzgerald and would imply that Walker just about took RR's offense verbatim.
This was, however, attributed to stories from RR to PF, so may not have been completely factual. But it does give the impression that it took another year before significant modification began. (At least to me)
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:43 PM ^
I actually read both links. The one from smartfootball is obviously a little (or lot) more in depth than the on one ESPN. The upshot of both?
Walker learned his offense from RR. Both articles say that. Perhaps Walker modified it significantly after that, but both sites seem to agree that the lasting impact was Rodriguez.
Smart football DOES say that Walker deserves as much credit as Rodriguez for taking the spread mainstream. But this does not even begin to imply that Walker was the initial mind behind the spread.
The important part of this article from smart football is that Walker helped to make it MAINSTREAM. It does NOT indicate that Walker taught the spread to RR initially. It quite obviously states the opposite. (see first italics) To state otherwise would be something like... yellow journalism?
BTW, I negged you for your lack of reading comprehension and your continued argument about who taught who the spread despite the article that you yourself linked.
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:59 PM ^
Did the first two posters even read the original comment? Idiots.
Northwestern offense + Michigan athletes = exciting, winning football.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:05 PM ^
+1 for reading comprehension!!
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:02 PM ^
Actually I'm thinking more like West Virginia with better athletes.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:46 PM ^
teeth.
And fewer cousin-wives.
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:15 PM ^
this had something to do with academics.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:06 PM ^
Who is Randy Walking?
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:07 PM ^
it's a phrase for walking around with blue balls
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:55 PM ^
lol...wtf
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:12 PM ^
1. Walker and Wilson learn the spread from RR.
2. Walker and Wilson take that offense to NW.
3. NW puts up 50+ against Michigan in 2000. (2nd year)
4. Wilson is now the OC at Oklahoma.
5. Wilson and RR are good friends.
6. RR visited Oklahoma earlier this year.
7. Oklahoma has mad game on offense.
8. Oklahoma uses their TE's.
9. Michigan has TE's.
10. _____________________________ Fill in the blank.
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:38 PM ^
That's not the traditional formulation, but frankly the whole thing is getting a bit stale. I applaud your innovative spirit.
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:51 PM ^
Profit?
Edit - NVM, I have a really slow computer and interwebs connection.
September 2nd, 2009 at 10:48 PM ^
Michigan is back in the Big Three, whether or not the rest of the country knows it yet.
September 2nd, 2009 at 11:00 PM ^
I'm just hoping to see the tight ends used a bit more this year. Michigan has produced a lot of good TE's over the years and I would hate to see that end.
Either way, RR visiting Oklahoma is a good sign he's looking to expand his playbook a bit, making Michigan that much better.