November 2nd, 2013 at 8:23 PM ^
They're well coached, they play physical defense that goes after the ball play after play after play, they have good special teams, play annoyingly consistent field position mindgames, and execute when they need to. These days, we pretty much don't do any of these things. And that's scary.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:54 PM ^
If you changed uniforms and inserted a better QB in, it would look like a lot of UM teams of the 80s til late 90s. Talk about role reversal. You can see it even in the small details - their punter pinned us inside the 10-15 over and over, our sshanked multiple punts or "boomed" 37 yarders. Amazing a program of this nature cannot find elite kickers. Gibbons almost missed his easy kick as well.
There is not a single position group other than QB and maybe WR UM has an advantage on MSU right now. And that includes coaches. Sad.
Biggest "fear" here is MSU could be on the cusp of building a Wisconsin in house. Not a top 5 team nationally but one that is top 10-15 year in and year out and doesnt need high end recruit to do it. They get classes in the 30s like Wisconsin and find a lot of gems and coach them up into a system and just win baby. Assuming a loss to OSU in the Big 10 championship, this will be the 3rd year in 4 of double digit wins. Been a long time for us to say that.
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:32 PM ^
They will take a hit when Narduzzi leaves, it is unfortunate though that we will probably never get "revenge" against his defense...
November 3rd, 2013 at 8:51 AM ^
I would not automatically assume a loss to OSU for MSU. That will be a very interesting matchup.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:23 PM ^
getting too old to look forward to next year, year after year
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
Basketball season starts soon enogh. We have basketball coaches.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:24 PM ^
but I still fucking hate that program.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:25 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:25 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:26 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
I agree.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:35 PM ^
I don't even want to think about it but at the end there I almost felt...envy.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:59 PM ^
cheaper parking (way cheaper), and a better football team. Go figure.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
Really?
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:37 PM ^
Yeah, we try to do our best not to verbally abuse fellow MGoBloggers in this manner. We don't always see it in the mod world and rely a little on reporting, but since you asked, Bolivia for a year.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:40 PM ^
and you curse him out.
Yeah, that's wrong.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:47 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:54 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 9:07 AM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:59 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:04 PM ^
to do the right thing
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:07 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:36 PM ^
look into it.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:45 PM ^
Damned troll
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:56 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:28 PM ^
Have to agree with the OP. Michigan was beat by a superior opponent today, and it wasn't anywhere near close. Have to respect what is being done over in East Lansing. They certainly talk a lot right now, but I think they are doing a fine job of backing that up on the field. Respect for opponents seems to be something that exists less and less in today's sports, of all levels and ages.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:28 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:31 PM ^
I see nothing wrong with admitting the obvious. MSU badly outplayed and outcoached Michigan. The result speaks to that.
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:14 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:29 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:29 PM ^
That is for the players to show good sportsmanship. As a fan, I just try to move on to the next game. Am I a sore loser, dang skippy, and will be one until I die probably...
A bitter pill is being swallowed and we will just leave it there. It is bad enough living in Ohio and watching them gloat...the only consolation is that either we have a chance or maybe Sparty's D will be enough to shut those jokers up...
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:29 PM ^
Credit where credit is due--that's a damn good team.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:30 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:31 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:31 PM ^
Fuck Staee now and forever but fire Funk.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:31 PM ^
Also thanks in advance my "little brother"(or now should i say big brother) for now having to put up with your crap for another FULL LONG YEAR. I can't wait!
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:33 PM ^
I completely agree. I personally find it embarassing to lose to State - but frankly they were the better team today. Their D was outstanding. Unfortunately, I will be repeating this same mantra to all my Sparty friends at work. :(
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:50 PM ^
Out here in New Mexico my consolation was that we won't have to deal with Sparty boss, Sparty sister-in-law or Sparty whoever for a whole damned year. Gonna be rough on the troops back home, but we'll be back. Beat 'em in E Lansing next year (because yes, we'll have to play them there again!)
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:16 PM ^
Sparty boss? Never heard of it.
There's a sparty guy who sends his kids to my kid's daycare. But other than him, I haven't met a single sparty fan out here in 7 years.
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:41 PM ^
Oh I can hardly wait until Monday. What makes it worse is how bad we looked! It was OBVIOUS they were the better team and that is a bitter pill to swallow.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:34 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:46 PM ^
that it doesn't happen overnight, right?
When we are loaded with upperclassmen on both sides of the ball, and we only start underclassmen b/c they are too good to keep off the field (rather than out of need), and we are still getting handled, THEN we can talk about how bad the staff is.
Too many are evaluating them on their ability to change the laws of time, space, and physics. Recruits might end up bailing b/c they don't want to play for this unreasonable, entitled fan base.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:53 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^
with three new starters, all on the interior of the OL, all underclassmen. Something else they have in common: they are starting due to need, not b/c they beat out experienced uppderclassmen for the job. And, of course, nearly all the OL depth behind them are frosh and RS frosh.
RRod's recruiting fail for that position group was not only catostrophic, it was also a time bomb. When a coach whiffs on 2 or 3 consecutive classes of OL, it wouldn't show up on the field right away since OL rarely see the field until their 3rd year at the soonest. You would start to feel the pain of it when all the OL that he should have brought in would have been upperclassmen. For us, that time is now.
Can you name a coaching staff anywhere that has inherited this kind of situation and "coached 'em up" so that they could beat the other guy's varsity with their JV?
You can't just say "but their tackles are great, the line should be more solid." You could put a pair of veteran pro bowl NFL tackles out there, they would still only be able to block their own assignments.
What this blog really needs is a diary entry from a knowledgeable person on the normal development of college OL. How long does it usually take? What are the implications of having multiple underclassmen OL starters? Has anyone out there succeeded although starting mostly underclassmen on the OL? Etc. Maybe this would right-size our expectations before we start saying that this staff is a disaster and should be fired.
November 2nd, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^
November 2nd, 2013 at 10:06 PM ^
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:26 AM ^
Be careful what you ask for. You might well be confused about who will do the filtering and who will be filtered.
November 4th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^
Very good point. That could give the inmates complete control over the asylum