This Game is a Measuring Stick
This game, for me, was the measuring stick for RR and his staff. Penn State is a team that has been decimated by injury and is starting a walk on quarterback. I told myself that if we don't have a convincing victory then I cannot support RR anymore. The way things have gone so far it seems as though he has lost me. I have supported him and defended him tooth and nail ever since he was hired but this is my breaking point. How is everyone else feeling about this?
October 30th, 2010 at 9:33 PM ^
Sounds about right to me. Great idea in theory, but in practice in the Big 10, not so much apparently. He was worth a few great moments, and mostly not so much. Live and learn.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:21 PM ^
I've been defending him also, but I'm done. Win or be gone. If he can pull out a decent record somehow (I don't know how with this defense) then keep him around. But if this pitiful play keeps up then bring in someone new.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:33 PM ^
See subject below.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:39 PM ^
I don't buy that it won't work in the Big Ten. But it seems to only work when we make NO mistakes, and the defense comes up with imporant stops, neither of which are here.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^
I was thinking give RR two more years with Denard and this offense, but I don't think I can watch that defense anymore. It is absolutely pathetic. If they give him those two years, he absolutely MUST fire GERG and bring in somebody else. Anybody. Anybody????
October 30th, 2010 at 11:56 PM ^
I was thinking give RR two more years with Denard and this offense, but I don't think I can watch that defense anymore. It is absolutely pathetic. If they give him those two years, he absolutely MUST fire GERG and bring in somebody else. Anybody. Anybody????
October 30th, 2010 at 9:39 PM ^
Time to move on.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:39 PM ^
It is definitely close, but it ultimately depends on how he finishes the season. Finishing the season on a high note (beating OSU, for example) seems a lot less likely, but that is my breaking point, not this. Quit reacting on par with the momentum. That is not true fanhood.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
Did you not read my post? This my the game that I viewed as whether he was the guy or not. Chach
October 30th, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
You chose Penn State? I will not insult your intelligence by believing this claim. This does not even make it into the top five most important games of the year, but you claim that somehow it is sufficient to judge Rich Rod's progression? What if he wins out? What if he beats OSU? You will stand firm? The answer is no. You haven't broke yet, you are just bending with the momentum, and absolutely guilty of all charges which I have waged against you.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:19 PM ^
This is an important game even though you don't think so. We lose to a team like this and you think we win out? Who is delusional?
October 31st, 2010 at 1:52 AM ^
Refer back to my response. I said we postpone judgment.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:22 PM ^
At the rate we are going, we won't win any more games, except maybe Purdue. It's not the losses, it's the same mistakes being made every game and then new ones on top of that. You throw in smith on 3rd & 1 again and you get lots of boiling blood.
The reason this game is such a big game is because we should win. You can get away with losing games you should lose on paper, but when a team is as bad as PSU, you can't lose to them.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:28 PM ^
I really don't.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:39 PM ^
and yet we made them look like national champions.
It is one thing to fall short of the top B10 teams. But to get our asses handed to us by the bottom feeders shows that there has been no material progress.
D still sucks with the season 3/4 done. Special teams is a toxic waste land. The erratic O alone is not enough.
Yeah I know there are excuses. And those excuses are valid . . . for not beating the top teams. They are not valid for not being able to compete with the bottom of the league.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:57 PM ^
"What if he wins out?"
Are you shittin me? Did you catch ANY of the game tonight?
- Penn State started a walk-on quaterback.
- We had TWO WEEKS to prepare
- Royster had been bottled up, for the most part, the entire year.
- We continue to commit penalties at absolutley the most inopportune times.
- We f'd up a kick return and got the ball on the 1
- We f'd up on a kickoff with the game precariously swinging our way, ever so slightly, with yet another 15 yard penalty.
- Our team was the only one in the entire universe who thought PSU was really gonna attempt that field goal.
- We line up in the I on a 3rd and 1 and give it to our smallest tailback on a straight dive.
- We're 4-16 in Big 10 play over 2.5 years
- We've given up an average of 29.7ppg in RR's tenure.
- 0-3 vs MSU. 0-3 vs PSU. 0-2 vs Iowa. 0-2 vs Purdue. 0-2 vs OSU.
- No bowl games
- No winning records
What if he wins out? Holy smokes man. It's time to come out of the ether.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:15 PM ^
true but I think the OP would also agree. Sure, if UM plays great the rest of the year, all is fine. If that includes beating OSU, all is better than fine.
I assume the OP meant, and I would agree, that this game isn't the final deciding game but rather a game that would say a lot about RR. Weak PSU team, injuries, after two loses and a bye week. This is what we have to show for it. I think it is pretty damning about RR.
I hope we win out or come close. No way do I see that happening.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:58 PM ^
Sure, if UM plays great the rest of the year, all is fine. If that includes beating OSU, all is better than fine.
This team, both sides, are not capable of playing great. We've seen that against Big Ten opponents, the O makes mistakes and the D absolutely caves. The O must play a perfect game to make up for the D's shortcomings. Against the Big Ten teams - we've not been able to do it and I don't see them learning how to in the next 4 weeks.
The only hope, IMO, is that our opponents crap the bed, i.e. commit massive turnovers that will give UM a chance to capitalize. Otherwise, the next win might not come until 2011.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:25 PM ^
Who are you to question anyone’s fanhood? Some of us have seen enough to realize the gaps in coaching, coordinating, recruiting, motivating, etc... I will never stop cheering and supporting but that doesn't make me blind to what's been and is happening. Just because our opinion is different doesn't make us any less of a fan.
There is offense, defense, special teams and intangibles. Which one(s) would you say we are demonstrating well?
October 30th, 2010 at 10:31 PM ^
coaching for the OSU game?
October 30th, 2010 at 11:37 PM ^
Do you really think that we have a chance to beat OSU...have you been watching the season with your eyes closed?!
October 30th, 2010 at 9:40 PM ^
I have been a fan forever and a lurker on this board for a couple of years. I do not think there is any talent on defense but it also seems that there are not any adjustments being made.
The flat is always open for about 12 to 15 yards and a counter seems good for 10 yards most times. Iwas a middle linebacker and I am retired but think I could play on this defense. Something is wrong either coaching and or recruiting, maybe both.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:40 PM ^
And boom goes the dynamite...
October 30th, 2010 at 9:48 PM ^
No, that was Royster. I can see how you'd confuse the two.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:41 PM ^
Sadly, that is just about what I was thinking. Unless we miraculously come back and win this one, we will have to beat Illinois, Purdue AND either OSU or Wisconsin to salvage things.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:47 PM ^
Otherwise, of those four, I think we'll be a pick-em on the road against Purdue and a solid to significant dog in the other three. I haven't given up on RR yet, but the outlook isn't brilliant. 6-6 with only two B10 wins is not going to do it.
I think you can even see it in RichRod's facial expressions.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:42 PM ^
I am done with it. I'm ready for whatever amount of pain is needed to transition to a new coach, but the question is this, who will want to inherit this mess?
October 30th, 2010 at 9:50 PM ^
Yeah, who would want to coach the winningest program in college football history? How about we wait and see until the goddamn game is over?
October 30th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
But why would he leave his dream job ???
October 30th, 2010 at 9:56 PM ^
the game is OVER
October 30th, 2010 at 9:51 PM ^
I don't think it will be as hard as you think to find a new coach. There's a lot of young talent on the team, and more importantly, expectations will be much lower now than they were in 2008. No one was ready for a painful transition then. They will understand it much better now.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
but, as I keep watching games there are too many coaching errors. Example, first drive of the gain on 3rd down and 1 we hand off old fashion I formation when clearly our offense lined up int the spread will at least get us one yard. Why switch then when the defense knows whats coming. Just so frustrating watching our winged helmets perform like this. Are we gonna make Purdue's qb look that good too?? For me 6 wins is simply not enough, when we look this bad.
When we were 2nd and goal from the 20 why wouldn't RRod put in Tate. I know Denard is our guy, but come on. We all know he isn't throwing the ball that good against Big Ten defenses. Especially when the run is taking out of the play. Tate has the touch that is just gifted. Like I said I back Denard fully, but when he is made to a one dementional passer Tate is just better at that.
I know some of this is coaching, and I don't know if a switch is a good thing. But I just see the same things every game going wrong.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:43 PM ^
we will absolutely make Purdue's QB look that good. F'ing count on it.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:43 PM ^
I just can't believe he has gotten away from the formula from the first five games. I font want to see him go but...
October 30th, 2010 at 9:43 PM ^
Oregon makes me FML even more this is just dumb at this point.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:45 PM ^
is that we can only beat shitty teams:
Uconn
Umass
BGSU
Notre Dame
Indiana
and get blown out by the rest
October 30th, 2010 at 9:46 PM ^
The problem is - obviously - our defense is so bad it is giving the offense NO margin of error. Unless the O scores every drive, we have no chance. That is way too much to put on any offense.
I'm not done with RR yet.
GERG on the other hand.... I'm getting there.
Penn St. is just nickle and diming us up the field with these screens and we have not adjusted AT ALL. That's a coaching/strategy issue, and can't be blamed on the lack of talent.
The problem is if GERG gets shown the door, is there really anyone better out there we can get? Another thread mentioned Casteel, but, the consensus there seems to be he's headed for an HC job, not another DC gig.
This is bad though. My mindset watching this game is while we're on D, just sitting here with a glib expression on my face, waiting for PSU to score, then, hoping our offense does something when they get on the field. That's a terrible state of affairs. Yes, lack of talent. But at some point, some of this falls on the coaches.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:51 PM ^
We still have a half to go but RR is now on my nerves. All we do is run DR. Where is the genius? Where is some D?
October 30th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
FA approves this post.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
The offense isn't good though. Against teams with a pulse, they can't score. Denard appears to be completely unable to pass against Big Ten defenses. So far, he's averaging 4.4 yards per passing attempt!
October 30th, 2010 at 10:35 PM ^
Let's talk about this again after the game.
Denard's been throwing the ball well the past 2 drives, on which we've scored.
And re. mistakes by him, don't forget he's still a soph.
Justified to criticize the D. But criticizing the O is just preposterous.
Are we going to win the game? I doubt it. That would requre 2 defensive stops -at least- at this point. But our O is awesome.
And really, these are all things we knew before the game. Nothing new here. Yet we have meltdown.
Am I happy about this? Not at all. But an implosion of this degree (generally, not you specifically) is overreacting.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:11 PM ^
I maintain this offense really isn't any good against Big Ten defenses with Denard at the helm. They got one long broken play on the pass to the tight end. Beyond that, Denard is completely unable to pass down the field. Yes, he can throw some screens and hitches and sometimes there will be enough downfield blocking to get some yards. But for an offense that was modeled on the two minute drill, this offense isn't capable of moving the ball through the air when it matters against Big Ten teams. Sure, Denard is a sophomore but if he can't pass the ball down the field, should he be playing?
October 30th, 2010 at 11:28 PM ^
I agree completely.
The offense is a paper tiger. The numbers look amazing on the books. The scoreboard does not reflect this.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:44 PM ^
It is more about when we score and put up the yards then the statistical quantity. That is true of any game. Penn State had the luxury of allowing certain plays to be executed without worry because we were way behind.
If we move the ball early in the game, their defense loses confidence and their offense presses. Our defense can more easily anticipate their play calls. Different game. A great offense leads a team with a young defense. Michigan's offense doesn't do that against good teams.
The yards racked up coming from behind are way less impressive and valuable than if they are achieved early in the game when the score is close.
Rich isn't going to make it at Michigan. Makes me sad, because he knows offense and this style is exciting to watch. Maybe I am wrong. Fine if he gets another year, but things aren't looking good for him.
David Brandon said it when he took over: "This is a program that needs to win."
It hasn't in the Big Ten and there has been no sign that it will take it's one great strength and produce against top Big Ten teams at key junctures in games.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:48 PM ^
DON'T JUMP. Seriously. We're one half in and it's been disappointing so far. If the only game Michigan wins for the rest of the year is against Purdue, Rodriguez will be fired, and he'll deserve it. At this point it looks fairly likely we get to that point. But we aren't there yet. Not even close.
October 30th, 2010 at 9:52 PM ^
that is pretty close...
October 30th, 2010 at 9:58 PM ^
We're 2.5 away from 7-5.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^
who are the 2 you see us beating if we can't beat a PSU team with a walk on QB and injuries all over the place?
Purdue is the only winnable game (on paper) and who knows how that ends up. It is looking very very bad around here.
October 30th, 2010 at 10:06 PM ^
I see us beating Purdue and that's it. But I think we should give Rodriguez the chance to prove our assumptions wrong.
October 30th, 2010 at 11:33 PM ^
At this point, my projection for the season is...
Illinois - 20% chance of win
Purdue - 50% chance of win
Wisconsin - 10% chance of win
Ohio State - 5% chanceo of win.
Add it, up, that gives us 0.85 more wins. Maybe we'll get to 6-6, but I think 5-7 is looking at least equally possible and 7-5 seems almost completely out of reach.