[TWIS] "Big Ten’s ref conspiracy..." + [Michigan Monday]
Obviously, neither articles are very favorable towards Michigan this week, but usually people enjoying commenting on these weekly pieces, so the sake of continuity...
The last time Michigan’s defensive line drew a holding penalty was two weeks ago against Michigan State. But I want to encourage this kind of thinking, so I’ll note Brady Hoke’s Michigan teams all finished in the Big Ten’s top three at avoiding penalties, while 2017’s is second-worst.
- Positives:
The Wolverines managed just 103 yards rushing. They actually gained 152 yards, but lost 49 yards to seven sacks. Karan Higdon rushed for 45 yards, Ty Isaac managed 36 yards, and Chris Evans chipped in 17 yards. That’s 98 yards rushing on 25 carries by Michigan’s running backs. None of those 25 carries went for a loss
October 24th, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^
I expected to see more USC than they had this week...but I can't blame them for getting in digs on Big Bret...who deservess every dig he gets...and Tennessee is in it every week...
October 24th, 2017 at 1:14 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^
I mean it's fine and dandy to think we're all whiners, because..well, sometimes we are but when you watch the tape and the no-calls, or blown calls are blatently obvious against Michigan then there needs to be a discussion about it. Gary is held all the damn time, why isnt it called? It's a valid question
October 24th, 2017 at 1:10 PM ^
than other penalties.
One commentator in the comment section pointed out about Bama's Front 7 which is full of NFL players that they generated 1 called holding per season yet they still ball out. Do you see Bama fans complaining about them holding their DL every single week? Nope. As long as they win games, they don't care.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:24 PM ^
If we were winning games the way Bama is, I wouldn't care, either.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:53 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:39 PM ^
"when you watch the tape and the no-calls, or blown calls are blatently obvious against Michigan"
Not "against Michigan"... No one gets holding calls.
Michigan: 5 holding calls against opponents in 7 games
OSU: 4 holding calls against opponents in 7 games
Alabama: 3 holding calls against opponents in 7 games
October 24th, 2017 at 1:11 PM ^
I mean, holy shit - why didn't they just ask me to write the Michigan segment for this one? Seriously.
Worse, this is the second time that thread has been featured after a Penn State loss, which if you had asked me five seasons ago if I thought that would happen, I probably would have said "fuck no".
October 24th, 2017 at 3:53 PM ^
With PSU isn't it more important to say, "No fu---"?
October 24th, 2017 at 1:13 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:40 PM ^
Every year UM Admissions turns down almost 50,000 applications compared to 6,000 acceptances. With 500,000 living alums, we must have created nearly 5,000,000 "turn-downs" who often become UM haters. Face it folks, we are out-numbered by haters more than most and our sports teams are never going to get a break from this inherent wide-spread negative bias. More we complain the worse it gets from the haters.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:21 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:42 PM ^
No way they get pounded. Penn State is legit. This will be a close game.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:01 PM ^
Remind me to never hang around you in Vegas. Your odds making skills are questionable at best lol.
October 24th, 2017 at 2:03 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:24 PM ^
Doesn't sound like a gut feeling. Sounds more like wishful thinkiong. No way in hell PSU gets pounded. They have the best player on the field and maybe the best 3 or 4.
October 24th, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:37 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 3:15 PM ^
I got Penn State in that one too. They are considerably better than I expected them to be and I think they are a legitimate national title game contender.
OSU by 17+? Wha????
October 24th, 2017 at 5:15 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:08 PM ^
Did you say the same thing before the 2015 MSU-OSU game? That was arguably the greatest OSU team ever assembled, and MSU went in there with a backup QB and smacked them around.
OSU is beatable on any given day.
October 24th, 2017 at 2:12 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:41 PM ^
The greatest OSU team ever assembled was the 1969 team coached by Woody Hayes.
October 24th, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:50 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:06 PM ^
I see PSU losing, but I do not think it's going to be a pounding. This has the makings of a 35-31 kind of game. I think OSU's defense is going to have some trouble stopping PSU simply due to how much they have to defend. OSU has had nothing but bodybag games since Oklahoma, so I don't know how improved their secondary really is. PSU's passing game is going to test them big time, and of course, that opens lanes for Barkley too.
But I give the advantage to the home team out for revenge, and while I think Franklin will find success against OSU's D, I think Meyer will find more success against PSU's D. Credit PSU for shutting down the teams it's played, but it has not played against an offense this season that is anything beyond meh. OSU and it's team full of well-coached five star talent, fresh off a bye, is a whole other animal.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:35 PM ^
"Even Nick Saban had to give in, and he recruits with a wedding registry gun." I don't know what this means.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^
It means he gets to hand-pick whichever 5* players he wants and someone buys them for him, just like a wedding registry.
October 25th, 2017 at 12:15 PM ^
Ok. That makes sense. Thanks
October 24th, 2017 at 1:34 PM ^
In the TWIS the author wrote regarding the alleged ref bias:
A similar thought at Michigan’s Scout board: Did the ref conspiracy come down from Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany himself, in a bid to infuriate one of the largest fan bases in the country and one of the two most important schools in his league?
It's good that some people have not lost sight of our place in the B1G. This current blip in our fortunes too shall pass.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
Play action on 4th and 11 reminds me of the Hoke years. Is Al Borges running the offense?
October 24th, 2017 at 1:45 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:51 PM ^
I've never understood how that would work. There isn't time for Harbaugh to veto a play and have someone come up with another play, get it approved and called into the game without a delay of game penalty. Especially when he's caught up in the all of the action going on. I think that's more of a "the buck stops here" answer from Harbaugh when questioned about playcalling.
October 24th, 2017 at 4:48 PM ^
he knows the offense by heart and when you are in the game calling plays you kind of have a vision of what will (hopefully) work and the next play or two simmering in your head. so he can make small or significant changes in a play, the blocking scheme, accompanying pass patterns, whatever with relative ease. he might hesitate for a second but trust me, he knows which parts he wants to change or even if he wants to flip from run to pass or vice versa.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:54 PM ^
Al Borges? That draw is a Mike DeBord Special™.
Hell, you might even be able to go back to that short-lived Fred Jackson OC experiment in the mid-90s...
October 24th, 2017 at 2:15 PM ^
but USC did playaction on 4th and long against ND Saturday night as well and...I. don't. get. it.
October 24th, 2017 at 2:25 PM ^
It happens all the time and does not indicate bad coaching. Watch closely and you’ll see it in most games.
October 24th, 2017 at 2:28 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 3:28 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 1:36 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:03 PM ^
you have zero recollection of the hatchet job the ref's did last year in Columbus. Flagrant late hits, and swallowed flags .. not to mention butt patting for ohio players. I am also going to assume that you don't go to the games in person ... where you actually watch jerseys being pulled off, or our D linemen being tackled. Sorry ... but I've been to every game since Florida and the IU and PSU games were unquestionably horrid from a Michigan standpoint. A record number of penalties vs IU (16) - and that doesn't count 2 penalties that IU declined because the refs called 3 penalties against Michigan on one play ! Then actually make a cogent argument how Penn State has no penalties against the offense or defense for an entire football game (this is actually impossible - unless the refs swallow flags).
You can LOL ... but it is happening.
Go Blue!
October 24th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
October 24th, 2017 at 2:04 PM ^
Nice avatar. Is the the WD 20th birthday edition?
October 24th, 2017 at 5:11 PM ^
Bubba: I am not sure who is more foolish. The conspiracy theory guys, or the guy that is trying to use reason with the conspiracy theory guys (you).
October 24th, 2017 at 11:44 PM ^
Delaney will gladly milk the cash cow, and has always noticeably had it in for Michigan.
It's not a conspiracy, just plain old fashioned abuse of power.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:52 PM ^
call play action last year in the OSU game when UM was deep in its own territory? This is not the first time this dumbshit play calling has occured.
October 24th, 2017 at 1:58 PM ^