Sunday Snowflakes

Submitted by MaizeMN on

No Wheaties were harmed (or eaten) in the creation of this thread. My thoughts: Devin + Devin = Good. OL improved a bit. JR III solid game. No TOs, yea! Commence...

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StoneRoses

October 6th, 2013 at 1:42 PM ^

I may be too optimistic, but I think this team will improve in every game that we play. This is a trend in every Brady Hoke team that we have had. They improve throughout the season. Look at last year, the team that played South Carolina in the bowl game was a much better team than the one that played Alabama in the kickoff game. I think we will be firing on all cylinders by the time we reach the finale against Ohio State and I think it all started today.

Edit: YESTERDAY

Joined: 05/30/2012

MGoPoints: 510

Soulfire21

October 6th, 2013 at 8:36 PM ^

I would say not too optimistic at all, in 2011 and 2012 both the offense and defense improved over the course of the season noticeably.  Perhaps it is unsurprising that teams should improve over the season (after all: more practice, more games, more experience) but after the troubles between 2008 and 2010 and watching our teams seemingly regress, especially defensively, it is a welcome and refreshing change.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

Zone Left

October 6th, 2013 at 1:43 PM ^

Kansas State, Iowa State, Kansas. That's Baylor's remaining October lineup. They were up 56-3 on West Virginia at halftime before putting in the second team and making the game look like a shoutout instead of an obscene blowout. They've played no one, but when your lowest point total after 5 games is 69, I'm impressed. About Michigan...much better. We were at 5 yards per carry against an average FBS defense before we spent 1.5 quarters running into nine man boxes. Running game was much better. Gardner was somewhat inaccurate, but played within the offense and threw with authority all game. Overall, the offense's best performance outside of ND. The defense had trouble getting off the field for a good chunk of the game. Their overall strategy of keeping everything in front and forcing teams to execute down the field is working and showing up in the box score. Once Ryan returns, I think we start to crank up the pressure, but Mattison seems to want to hold off to let Wilson grow and hide information from Meyer and Pelini later in the year. Braxton Miller is a player, but that OSU team presses when they can't get huge chunks of yards.

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 16428

mGrowOld

October 6th, 2013 at 1:48 PM ^

My observation is that it seems that we need to schedule nothing but night games from now on if we want the student section filled with students before the game.  Noon games against crappy teams (Akron) leave the section about half empty at kickoff and 3:30 games against conference teams (Minnesota) leave it about 1/3 empty so the solution is obvious.

Schedule all night games.  They seem to be able to show up on time for those.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 212829

GGV

October 6th, 2013 at 2:08 PM ^

 

I’d love to ask them why they are not showing up for the games, but I doubt they could answer that question even if they wanted to.
 
Is it a generational thing? Back in the early 70's, the stadium was rarely full, even when the team was good.  Some of that stemmed from a rejection of tradition and authority but many other organizations saw similar declines on campus (Men’s Glee Club, Greek System, etc...)  I don’t think that’s the case this time. 
 
Are they so ADHD that they can’t focus on the game?
 
Does this generation just not care about anything other than a party? 
 
Do they not really care about football? Maybe they weren't indoctrinated at a young age?
 
I know this problem isn’t just confined to the U of M but I just can’t imagine missing even a single game if I were a student again.
 
I know it’s their choice to go or not go, but at this rate, I say cut the student section in half and bring back Band Day.
 

Joined: 09/06/2010

MGoPoints: 1243

mGrowOld

October 6th, 2013 at 2:12 PM ^

I took a couple of pictures I'm going to post later today.  Both taken one minute to kickoff - one of the student section (about 2/3 filled) and one of the alumni section (completely filled).  Clearly there is a problem and positive reinforcement (The Hail program) didnt work and then negative reinforcement (General Admission) hasnt worked so the time has come to start cutting the number of tickets sold.  

 

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 212829

GGV

October 6th, 2013 at 3:02 PM ^

 

On TV, they couldn’t hide the shame that is our student section at times with creative camera angles...and I’m glad.  Really drove the problem home.
 
I just hope it’s a single lost generation and not a sign of things to come.
 
Back around 2000, in the old Victors Valiant board community, we had a discussion about what impact increased ticket prices would have long-term.  One possibility we projected was that families would stop taking their kids to games which would result in such a lost generation.  Since they didn’t develop the game-going habit as kids, they wouldn’t want to go as young adults.  I’m not sure if 13 years later we are starting to see that shoe drop, but it could be part of the problem.  If so, then the trend will continue to get worse.

Joined: 09/06/2010

MGoPoints: 1243

BlueMan80

October 6th, 2013 at 7:26 PM ^

But, it thinned out at half time. My daughter is a senior this year and most of the people she sits with left at half time. They were hungry and getting hung over from all the pregame drinking. I guess it was better when I was a student and we could drink at the game. I didn't party until I got to the game. I also paced myself and concentrated mainly on can cannabis consumption, not alcohol which makes you crash once you've crossed the line. So, I guess the solution is to legalize the leafy stuff. Dave Brandon should get behind that right now.

Joined: 01/21/2011

MGoPoints: 13097

GGV

October 6th, 2013 at 5:27 PM ^

 

I will say that Moeller was a man before his time in many ways. Had he not had the Thunderbird problem, Michigan might have developed a very innovative O rather that putrid Lloydball...
 
One small factor, some students did scalp their tickets if they didn’t want to go to the game back then.  Mostly it was small-scale and not a big deal.  I grew up in A2 also, so occasionally I’d make it down to campus and pick up a student ticket for face value.  Now, obviously we’re not talking 1/3 to 1/2 of the student section doing that, but that practice may have inflated the attendance numbers for our era a little.
 

Joined: 09/06/2010

MGoPoints: 1243

snarling wolverine

October 6th, 2013 at 5:19 PM ^

I'm willing I bet students show up more now on a percentage than they have in past 'generations.'
You would be wrong. Watch an old Michigan game on BTN (or WolverineHistorian's YouTube channel, if any games are left) and you'll consistently see a full student section at kickoff. This business of the student section being 25-50% empty at kickoff is new.

Joined: 12/14/2011

MGoPoints: 98328

LB

October 6th, 2013 at 1:57 PM ^

"Funchess is listed as a tight end, but you played him as a wide receiver. Was that the plan?"

Why, oh why could he not respond with "no, that was Gardner's fault. He kept lining Funchess up in the wrong place."

Joined: 09/26/2009

MGoPoints: 25568

TrppWlbrnID

October 6th, 2013 at 2:17 PM ^

But lewan cannot be a TE based on his number and not being eligible, he is still an OL in that the d does not need to respect him coming of the line. What they were doing was running an unbalanced line, brining a tackle from one side to the outside of the other tackle. They still have 5 OL in the game, it's just that the center isn't in the center. Also they have brought in magnusson to be.a 6th OL at times and run an unbalanced there as well.

Joined: 10/29/2009

MGoPoints: 9847

LSAClassOf2000

October 6th, 2013 at 2:30 PM ^

This is what I thought too - that's the unbalanced line in the "I", and I think here they go with a back offset on the strongside with a single WR, as I recall. I could be wrong there though. It looked like a variation on something that I know Stanford does a fair amount, and Wisconsin has its own version, I think, which they call "The Barge". 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130608

ohioNblue33

October 6th, 2013 at 2:02 PM ^

Thought the offensive line played better. Devin was a little inaccurate at times, but I thought handled himself well. Defensive line needs a better push. When is Norfleet going to take one to the house

Joined: 02/28/2013

MGoPoints: 3407

TheGhostofChappuis

October 6th, 2013 at 2:33 PM ^

Those critcizing the student section yesterday have no idea what they're talking about.  At kickoff, it was probably 70-75% full, and 5 minutes into the first quarter it had filled up almost entirely.  Yesterday was a good showing by the students, especially against a team like Minnesota.

Joined: 07/13/2013

MGoPoints: 758