Positives from yesterday

Submitted by Nosce Te Ipsum on

I wanted to do my part to clog up the board.

  • Kenny Demens played an awesome game and I am really enthused about him
  • Hopkins should be the feature back and add some extra weight so he can run people over a la Ron Dayne
  • KILL THE KICKER!
  • Throw the ball up to Junior!
  • Tate is the best back up QB in the country.
  • The Hawkeye fans I was sitting next to were extremely friendly and cheered the right way.

Feel free to add some positives you took away from yesterday because if we're not positive it's gonna be a long two weeks.

DGDestroys

October 17th, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^

Yes I was a dick, so I edited. 

Was anyone else impressed with Hemingway's speed? I always considered him slow as molasses, but he was getting down the field pretty quickly. 

mxair23

October 17th, 2010 at 10:22 AM ^

I liked the intensity down the stretch. The guys never quit despite being down 3 scores.

I just wish they would have made a QB change last week.

SanFrancisco_W…

October 17th, 2010 at 11:28 AM ^

I like Tate's focus and skill set, it's just hard to pull Denard out of a game though.  He always seems to be one step away from breaking one.  Tate will get his reps, and I love the kid, but Denard just has such a drastically better upside IMO.  That being said, Tate was the reason this game got close.  I don't think Iowa was prepared to face him though.

MileHighWolverine

October 17th, 2010 at 12:04 PM ^

though I would love to see Tate line up as the QB with Denard as the RB.  I think opposing defenses would shit their pants as they wouldn't know what to do when facing the threat of Denard running or Tate throwing.  Even if just for a few trick plays, it would be nice to see what they could come up with and it would make anything in the 5 yards or less an automatic 1st down.

MeijerWolverine

October 17th, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^

Tate can run the offense with more consistency because he has better decision making. I also think it's interesting that tate looks like a better scrambler when no WR is open. Denard has a much higher ceiling but Tate is a better option against good defenses. 

ElGuapo

October 17th, 2010 at 2:15 PM ^

I don't know about that.    I understand being excited about Tate but a little perspective is in order.    Tate's decision making yesterday was not all that great.    Not saying that Denard's was either but I don't see how any reasonable person can say one has better decision making than the other.     Case in point:    Tate really should have had 3 picks yesterday.     That ball that he threw into double (possibly triple) coverage (the first pick), the ball that he threw into double coverage (the second pick),  and the ball thrown to Junior in double coverage which was clearly underthrown and right to the Iowa defender.    How that Iowa defender does not come up with the ball is beyond me and was completed due to what seemed to be a combination of poor footwork by the Iowa defender and the tenacious ability of Junior to fight for the ball.    But if that Iowa defender gets his footwork together, plants himself and comes forward he catches that ball because he was much closer to it.... but instead he fell backward.    In short, from a coaching stand point, all 3 decisions were poor.  

And for the life of me, I still can't understand why Tate carries the ball like a loaf of bread.   Jeez.... you would think that in all this time he would finally have gotten that corrected.    The way he runs around back there carrying the ball like a loaf of bread is a fumble waiting to happen. 

That said, overall, I think Tate did a good job.   Certainly better than Denard yesterday who seems to being going through something of a slump.    But to say one makes better decisions than the other is merely opinion devoid of the facts imo.    Both of these guys have made poor decisions.  

Indiana Blue

October 17th, 2010 at 11:04 AM ^

after the game yesterday.  I actually didn't even leave the stadium until the band marched out.  Just a few hundred fans left ... sad ... but absolutely NO COMPLAINERS !!  Nice change of pace to not hear all the negatives after a loss.  The team competed very hard and really outplayed Iowa (again) ... save for the turnovers.

The Iowa fans I bumped into still hanging around after the game were very well behaved  -  one group wanted to get their pictures taken everywhere they could because they were so impressed with Michigan Stadium.  I heard no gloating ... contrary to MSU fans.

Staying positive ... when it is hard to.

Go Blue !

MgoMatt

October 17th, 2010 at 11:12 AM ^

We had success out of the I formation, traditional play action, bootlegs.  That first drive was great.

Our athletes can run a pro-set.  Transition will come easy.

GunnersApe

October 17th, 2010 at 11:29 AM ^

5-2 with a bye week.

The next 3 look winnable (ILL looks good though) if they can work out the kinks, rest up and coach up the young guys on D.

As said on another thread, K. Demens looked good.

I worry no matter who UM plays so it doesn't matter, but it's nice to be playing vs. young QBs for the next three weeks.

switch26

October 17th, 2010 at 12:13 PM ^

I agree here, i remember reading the boards before the season and people said they would be happy getting through the first three games with 1 loss.

 

We lost to two teams with pretty good defenses.  Add in the fact that our players just made stupid mistakes in both games.

 

I think we should bounce back pretty well against PSU.  I don't care if it is at home at PSU,  they have some bigger problems.  I hope it doesn't turn out like the Illinois game though last year.

ronin

October 17th, 2010 at 12:21 PM ^

Both guys are good. Both are different. Both are effective. Neither is durable (if they get repeatedly tackled).

So make every defense out there shit bricks by using them if not on alternate series, at least alternating by quarter.

If Forcier doesn't come in yesterday, the game isn't close. And that is NOT an indictment on Denard, who was amazing. It's just that no team can possibly scheme and practice to stop both these guys effectively. We saw that yesterday.

kmanning

October 17th, 2010 at 12:58 PM ^

Demens was faster than I was expecting from reports. He's not a blazer sideline to sideline type guy, but he's got some decent speed. I'm excited to see what he can do with a few weeks working with the 1s. 

I really like Thomas Gordon. Very good speed and seems to generally be decisive on making a play once he's read it. 

Hagerup had his best day so far, which is a good sign. Seems to have gotten over his jitters. I think the punting game can at least be thought of as average now.

Gallon is a pretty exciting player once he gets the ball. If he can stay healthy, he's going to be a deadly KR/PR/Slot Receiver. I'd like to see more 4 WR sets with Stonum/Hemingway on the outside and Roundtree/Gallon in the slot. 

UMAmaizinBlue

October 17th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^

Ohio State lost. Does that count as a positive? 

 

If not, then I guess I was impressed with the Mr. Pizza I bought on the way back home. It was delicious. That, and I also like how 3:30 starts means the sun goes down behind the suites and the student section gets a break from the heat.

Sobinator

October 17th, 2010 at 1:10 PM ^

The team kept fighting.  It shows a team that is together and that the coaches are doing a good job.  A little more talent and experience and all will be right again.