Wisconsin is good. After this past weekend, they are still good.
I just thought I would throw up Wisconsin's offensive numbers for the year to see if everyone actually realizes how good they are:
YPG - 440.3
Pass YPG - 207.6
Rush YPG - 239.9
PPG - 40.9
I get that our defense didn't play well against Wisonsin's offense this past weekend, but with 1 game left in the season, they have the 7th best scoring offense in the nation (which is better than our offense). It is almost like everyone disliking GERG and RichRod are acting surprised and shocked just so they can find something to bitch about with the team. Wait, it isn't almost like that, it is exactly like that. The Wisconsin offense is one of the best in the nation. They gained more rushing yards against us than they average and had one score more than they average. Did you really expect our horrid defense to hold them 10 or 15 points under their season average?
And before you bring out the Indiana debacle, even without that game, they are still averaging 37 points per game. That would put them at 14th in the nation right ahead of our offense.
November 21st, 2010 at 5:21 PM ^
We live in interesting times when those who are concerned about our future with a coach who is 15-20 and 6-17 in conference are the "walking stupid."
November 21st, 2010 at 5:46 PM ^
doesn't make you stupid. Rehashing the same arguments over a season does. I am concerned but I trust that RR and DB are making the right decisions. We aren't going to be a superior team in 3 years when you completely change the organization. Everyone knows the defense lacks experience, players, and good luck. We have been over this so many times. What are we supposed to do in the season? There is no free agent system in college football so when can't pick anyone up to improve the situation. We don't own a time machine, so we can't send experienced players back or forward to this year and GERG's stuffed animal is obviously not a lucky rabbits foot blessed by a voodoo priest. What in the hell is firing coaches going to do exactly? I would like to hear someone bitching about this constantly to lay down their infallible plan that is better than the one we are on.
Our offense can't work against "tuff teamz"? Tell that to Standford and Harbaugh after Oregon shit kicked them. Or Lloyd Carr after the Horror. Or Auburn and whoever they play. If you have the right personnel, you can beat anyone with any scheme of offense. It is a preference of RR to run the spread. It has worked at every school he has been at so far.
Doesn't work in "Big Ten weather". I am sure it is always sunny in the Pacific Northwest for Oregon.
RR is responsible for the defense too! Well no shit, but do you think he is going to sit back an do nothing about it? Do you think he enjoys constantly losing games because of our lack of defensive competitiveness? What does he have to work with? So when people say next year and 2012, that means he will have to prove himself when recruits are older and have been through Barwis' Bataan Death March of a program. These kids playing defense months ago, were attending a prom. You expect high school seniors/college freshmen to be able to compete with the meat machine in Wisconsin yet? How do they get off stalk blocks when heavily outweighed, out experienced, and out strengthed?
We have two more games. Get on board and save it for the off season when I am sure DB will surrender to all of our demands.
November 22nd, 2010 at 5:19 PM ^
Uh, so rehashing the same arguments throughout the season does make you stupid. That's what you're saying, right?
Because I seem to recall hearing the exact same excuses and arguments for over two years now by countless people. I don't think these people are stupid, but in terms of sheer relentless repetitiveness, you can't beat the 100% pro-RR crowd.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:26 PM ^
... but we were non-competitive, yet again, against a legitimate team. We looked like shit out there yesterday. To be very clear, this is NOT an OMG fire richrod post... at all. He's bought himself another year, IMO, and gives us the best chance to capitalize on a potentially Oregon-level offense.
THAT SAID-
This was a shitty game, and a shitty reminder that we are (barely) a middling football team right now.
Our only hope against OSU is Tresselball and a lights-offensive performance. Probably not going to happen, which fucking sucks, and this realization on Sunday isn't going to make a loss any more bearable.
Also, what the fuck is up with our receivers being so streaky? It's absolutely russian roulette now anytime a ball leaves the hand of Denard Robinson. One second, Daryl Stonum's making legitimately tough catches in clutch situations, and the next, we can't catch a perfectly thrown ball. add in the batted-ball interceptions, and it's incredibly frustrating to watch this team.
Whatever, on with the Buckeyes.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:42 PM ^
There's some rousing arguments going on, and while heated, it's some fine debate. So I'm going to just have a statement overall here.
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<br>There are two games left. It CAN change a decision one way or another big time. Do I see us beating OSU? Bloody no. But if we do...wow, it's just what this season and program needs. The bowl is gravy. However, if we get trucked by an out of character Tressel, and lose the bowl game...at 7-6, and being embarrassed by our big rival...I'm not sure next year is a sure thing yet.
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<br>For those who say, what the heck, wait a year, and if it doesn't work, oh, well, start over...with who? I've gone into my distaste for Harbaugh here, but even I have to concede fit. Is there anyone you have in mind in 365 days if Harbaugh is in the NFL and Rich isn't working out? It's a precarious time.
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<br>People did say year 2 was when he makes his leap....then it was kinda agreed he should be judges on year 3...what would lead one to believe that (with a schedule not as easy as some act with Nebraska coming in) we wont be hearing "9-3, with losses to MSU, Nebraska, OSU...2012 is the year with a senior QB" (and an impossible schedule)? Different people have said different things, but the Menes for out or keep have both had sliding scales.
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<br>The defense will undoubtably get better with age...but how much? Is anyone concerned by the lack of overall talent, that's not only not being disguised by an awesome system (like any problems with the offense) but maybe even hurt by the system? How many defensive prospects have we been going head to head with the likes of OSU...and not West Virginia? Someone asked what the complainers would like to see...well, I'd like to see better recruiting. That's how you fix this. The reason has always been "well it's good with the bad record", but if you can't win more games, it's still a problem. The answer is more dynamic recruiting by either this staff or another.
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<br>And just a direct thing - I don't really believe "this offense can't work in Big Ten weather", but after a full week of people saying the offense didn't work, because of the weather, just has my contradiction meter going up. Either it works just as well as Wisconsin's style, and we just played crappy vs. Purdue, or maybe it likes turf and sun. I think the former, but it's not really both.
November 21st, 2010 at 6:50 PM ^
Could we save the "oh you FIRE RICHROD people" for the -100 posters who are really saying Fire the coach? Most of the people on here are voicing concerns, or not convinced, but haven't called for anything, and probably won't, at least until the season is done.
November 21st, 2010 at 10:42 PM ^
Wisconsin is not just good, they are very good. We may be good but we are definitely not very good. Wisconsin is in the top tier of the Big Ten. We are in the bottom tier of the Big Ten.
Next week, if we won, it would be a major upset by any standards but if everything goes right it can happen. RR said it at the beginning of the season and his assessment was correct, "We are not good enough to play poorly and win." Simple. Play well and we could win.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:30 AM ^
Michigan message boards revert to the supporters of Rodriguez rationalizing and excusing a terrible product once Sunday afternoon rolls around. And it is the same stuff every week, for three years now.
One question needs be asked: Who, among you (Defenders of Rodriguez) thought, in any way, this program would be a middling, lower-tiered Big Ten team staring down almost certain defeat at the hands of Ohio State in 2010 when Rodriguez was FIRST hired?
Yet, you all act as if you should be given the Nobel Football Prognostication Award for patience and intelligence because you all thought this team would be 7-5 this year. That isn't a prediction. It's an acceptance of mediocrity with one eye on this distant picture of a future when Michigan is "dominating" the college football world, and Rodriguez guiding the ship.
I am not a supporter of Rodriguez. Haven't been for, well, three years. I questioned many moves, the first being Shafer. The second being the firing of Shafer. The rest? A snowball rolling downhill.
I see no reason to be objectively optimistic. As a fan, yes, I am and always will be. But objectively, and after a lot of thinking about the last three years, I just don't see it. The OVERALL product is one of stink. And I don't see how that can be argued.
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^
I sense nobody here is changing anyone's mind.
On one hand, you have Fuzzy Dunlop and jmblue who, though they don't admit it, seem to have reached a conclusion about whether Rodriguez will be successful. I don't disagree with their conclusion out of hand, or think it's entirely unreasonable.
On the other hand, you have people that will ceaselessly defend Rodriguez to the death. Fine.
Me, I told myself that if Riidriguez got to 7 wins, I'd suport his return for another year, and if he got to double-digits, I's support and extension. Well, he's not winning 10, so, to reamin consistent, he gets another year - where I'll be looking for 10 wins.
November 22nd, 2010 at 3:10 PM ^
Rich can. And his team. Win this weekend, and that will change a lot of minds. Not hardly everybody...but a significant portion.
November 22nd, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^
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