3 Michigan players on ESPN's Preseason All-BIG team
Devin Funchess, Jake Ryan, and Blake Countess. Blake Countess might not even be the starter at CB week 1, has this ever happened before in the history of football?
August 21st, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
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August 21st, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
that the OP can "count" on that...
August 21st, 2014 at 12:39 PM ^
It is unlikely that the coaches would give Countess the #2 jersey if they didn't expect him to start and be a solid contributor.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
It probably has. Rafael Palmeiro won a gold glove when he played about 20 games in the field and spent most of the season at DH, and that was voting done AFTER the season.
With two or three returning starters who were actually quite good potentially being beaten out for their jobs, you have to think the back 7 is going to be pretty damn good this year.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
and not only that, they talked about Hackenberg and Indiana's qb as being passed over for Cook. Anyone else think that Gardner is clearly better than everyone except for maybe Miller?
August 21st, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
They had Funchess listed as a TE. Mentioned that he may play mostly receiver. This list is not well done.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:31 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 12:37 PM ^
hmmmm, not ringing any bells.
August 21st, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Kind of hard to dismiss Cook at this point.
August 21st, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 2:11 PM ^
He was the B1G Championship game and Rose Bowl MVP. Pretty hard to make a case against that from the outset of the season. Second half of the season was clearly Cook's better half. In the second half of the season outside of the Ohio State game, a loss, Gardner does not have anything to build a strong case with.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:41 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 3:58 PM ^
Average QB ratings over the last six games of the regular season plus the post season games leaves Connor Cook at 150.3 and Gardner at 147, add in the fact that Michigan State actually won some pretty big games to end the year and it's really not hard to see why Cook should be on top of the list to start the year.
August 21st, 2014 at 7:13 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 2:42 PM ^
yea and if Stanford doesn't drop 2 inexplicable easy INT's that Cook threw right into their chests he probably doesn't win any kind of award..
They couldn't give the award to their entire defense who saved Cook in virtually every game last year, so someone had to get it
August 21st, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 11:31 PM ^
MSU's offensive line was even worse than Michigan's early on in the season when they had a bunch of injuries. Cook's QB Rating over his final six games were 265, 123, 111, 205, 117, 144, and 151 for an average of 186, compared to 110, 140, 108, 99, 185, and a "Did Not Play" for an average of 128 for Gardner. And it's hard to use the argument that Gardner's ability on the ground makes up for that, considering in those same games he had negative 37 total rushing yards.
These are stat-driven awards, and people think Michigan's suspected offensive line issues are going to continue to hamper Gardner's stats. Cooks stats have skyrocketed ever since MSU got over their offensive line issues, and people don't think those issues will be recurring.
It's hard to feel slighted. Fix the offensive line issues and you don't have to argue that Gardner could be better if only he had a better offensive line.
August 21st, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^
I'm thinking Gardner is a way better pick for All Big Ten than Miller this year.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:29 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 12:41 PM ^
How will Sparty mantain their chip on their shoulder if everyone keeps talking them up like this?
August 21st, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
They didn't pick MSU players for all 26 spots. INJUSTICE!
August 21st, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
I've been wondering this for real though. The entire MSU persona has been built around this direspected, underdog, "Little Brother", etc., image. Dantonio has used this to great affect and he, the players and the fans all took this attitude. Now that they have actually had some success and gained national attention, I wonder if they'll be able to keep that motivation?
August 21st, 2014 at 1:35 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
Because we generally beat them in the game of life. MSU alumni will not let their players forget this.
August 21st, 2014 at 7:09 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^
I've mentioned, to two different MSU fans, how difficult it is going to be to win at Spartan Stadium this year. Both of them turned the conversation to basketball and how the BIG tournament should decide the BIG champ...Chip remains.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:36 PM ^
And OSU with only one named? Huh? Clearly Miller would've been the QB, but I would assume mroe than one of their d-linemen would've been named, but what do I know.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:44 PM ^
UM needs to play a 4-3-6 Over. Only way to get Lewis/Taylor/Peppers/Countess out there at the same time.
August 21st, 2014 at 12:55 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 1:02 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
A 5-6-7 myself.
/s
August 21st, 2014 at 1:34 PM ^
A man can dream.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:49 PM ^
4-1-2-1-2 diamond formation is all the rage in the other football.
August 21st, 2014 at 2:02 PM ^
August 21st, 2014 at 5:09 PM ^