What's the best Bye Week strategy?

Submitted by DelhiWolverine on October 25th, 2018 at 12:32 PM

We have entered into Bye Week after two great performances against ranked teams. The team is performing better than nearly everyone predicted at the beginning of the season and beating OSU and a Big Ten Title are now looking more possible than ever. Awesome.

When it comes to Bye Week, I'm curious to know what the board thinks about the best approach for maximizing the opportunity Bye Week presents. I'm especially interested in the opinion of any coaches and ex players.

Do you take the first week of bye week to just focus on improving problem areas without having a specific focus on PSU? Do you take two entire weeks to prep for PSU, with other game planning (OSU) sprinkled in? Is it better to take it easier this week to allow for a bit of rest and recovery or is it better to keep everything consistent and practice the same as if you had a Saturday game?

To sum up: With the luxury of extra time and no game scheduled this Saturday, what's the best way to capitalize on the Bye and make it an advantage heading into the final portion of the season?

trueblueintexas

October 25th, 2018 at 1:40 PM ^

Since he seemed to answer the question twice on Monday, you can hear what the strategy is straight from the head guy's transcript:

Coach, aside from healing up the bumps and bruises this week, what’s the biggest thing to get accomplished without a game this week?

 

“We call it improvement week. So we’ll set out to do that. We still got a lonng way to go. And a lot of ibg games ahead. Also want to practice some of our younger players. The ones that have really been on the verge of getting playing time, or have had some playing time, and put that over the top. With the work they’re doing throughout this week and next.”

 

Malum In Se

October 25th, 2018 at 1:46 PM ^

Coaches:I believe some, if not all, assistant coaches are set off on recruiting visits, especially if they are the primary recruiter for undecided or waiving prospects.  This is the time to work on or firm up a commitment with a visit.  Besides recruiting it is a good time to self scout on areas to improve/correct and to take deep dive in film study on the critical games remaining (PSU and OSU).

Players: Number one is get their bodies right.  Rest/Rehab/whatever.  Some film study of their own play to look for areas of improvement and that of PSU and OSU.

Practice: In terms of practice, I would think it would be focusing initially on cleaning up on our mistakes and then getting the rotational and back up players more reps before we shift to PSU week.

Me: Visiting local area breweries.  Two of my favorites in Clearwater, FL are (7venth Sun and Arkane Ale Works) will be releasing special Halloween themed beers.  I want to try them all.  

Maize and Luke

October 25th, 2018 at 1:47 PM ^

1. PSU seemed to blind side UM last year with new plays and packages UM wasn't ready for. It's the revenge tour and time for retribution. Work on plays to keep PSU off balance and keep them guessing. Use these 2 weeks to perfect these plays. Don't be arrogant and just plan to impose your will. Move or die, never sit still. 

2. Get the young players more reps. 

3. Get healthy. 

Gr1mlock

October 25th, 2018 at 2:21 PM ^

I plan on going to a concert on saturday, and have been a bit more productive at work this week since I have less mgoblog content to read.  Maybe catch up on some other TV or reading this weekend.

Wolverine In Iowa 68

October 25th, 2018 at 2:36 PM ^

I'll be finishing up my Halloween decorations.  The weather in early October was brutal, 2 weeks of rain every day and miserable wind, so I'm WAY behind, so the Bye week comes at a great time so I can finish up in time before the little beggars come for candy.

 

As far as the team goes, rest up, heal up the nagging injuries, and get ready to hand Franklin his next loss (because I think Iowa drubs them this week too).

MGlobules

October 25th, 2018 at 3:03 PM ^

My house lost a couple of key features to Hurricane Michael, so I'm curtailing travel in Europe to come home and deal. The bye couldn't happen at a better time. I'm starting to feel like this could be our year. 

Jaque From Space

October 25th, 2018 at 5:52 PM ^

Don Brown said he has been thinking about Penn St every day since last years game. That is a good way. Whatever to win.

tybert

October 25th, 2018 at 6:07 PM ^

Depends on the next opponent. In this case, a bit of rest is needed but I'd rather see 100% focus on PSU when not resting. They are still dangerous. If this were Rutgers/Minnesota/etc. then mix in a full day of OSU prep. I think Urban was going 1 day per week full TSON prep since the PSU game and it burned him.

The good news is that Franklin tried to score a TD in the final seconds (failed) - a lot of players will remember that. In 2016 in the 49-10 win, we didn't race people down the field hoping for a score with 10 seconds left. 

Personally, I'm really happy with the schedule maker - Mary at home, UW at home, at MSU, BYE, home vs. PSU -- and then AT RUTGERS. No fear of a letdown if we win vs. PSU. I'd be more worried if we had a road game at NW or Indy after this stretch.