After a great deal of preseason hype and media love the badgers of Wisconsin have fallen flat on their collective faces. At 4-4 (1-4 B10) the baaa-dgers finish the season with a schedule that favors their being bowl eligible. Their lone B10 win came against Illinois last week (I bet your envelopes won't come up light this week will they Zook?).
Wisconsin is a tough matchup. Not in the Ohio State, Penn State too much talent way. Wisconsin will be difficult in the Iowa way; similar styles, similar goals, line 'em up and see who's tougher. Wisconsin wants to run the ball, hit the tight ends, throw screens, and keep the chains moving. Calculated shots down field and reverses/qb runs keep the defense honest and long drives wear down the defense and run up the time of possession. Sound familiar?
Big plays will be the difference. Kicking, punting, tackling and turnovers will decide the game.
Wisconsin's qb Sherer is shaky but seems to gain confidence by running the ball. He's mobile and has a very good running back behind him. What could turn out to be the biggest factor in this game is how healthy and focused Otis Wiley is coming off his injury.
I predict field goals, fumble recoveries, and a Ringer TD.
MSU - 20
Wiskey - 17
Friday, October 31, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
4th Quarter Rant
I come to you from the 4th quarter of this game to let you know that THIS is why Hoyer is on my OGD do you suck list. Play someone else.
You can't take these bad sacks. You can't throw the ball into the middle of the line on a screen. You can't eat the ball, not tuck it, and set up a fumble. Oh wait, you can. And you did.
Swenson is not at fault for these misses. One is a missed block. One is a 50 yarder that was dead on. One was a bad snap and a delayed kick, where he held back his legs but rotated his upper body and hips. The result? Pulled it.
Please put in a QB. Now. Please.
PS there is no chance that was a TD in the first half. The pylon is used for running plays where the BALL hits the pylon. Not the receivers foot. Absolute horse hockey.
As we speak Ringer scored. Hoyer may yet be saved. I'm not holding my breath.
You can't take these bad sacks. You can't throw the ball into the middle of the line on a screen. You can't eat the ball, not tuck it, and set up a fumble. Oh wait, you can. And you did.
Swenson is not at fault for these misses. One is a missed block. One is a 50 yarder that was dead on. One was a bad snap and a delayed kick, where he held back his legs but rotated his upper body and hips. The result? Pulled it.
Please put in a QB. Now. Please.
PS there is no chance that was a TD in the first half. The pylon is used for running plays where the BALL hits the pylon. Not the receivers foot. Absolute horse hockey.
As we speak Ringer scored. Hoyer may yet be saved. I'm not holding my breath.
Friday, October 24, 2008
MSU v U of mush-again
The leaves are falling, Halloween is around the corner, and Michigan State plays michigan this week. Outside of basketball season this is my favorite time of the year.
michigan is not a very good football team. They have great individual players but as far as teams go, michigan is bad. The one thing that makes this michigan team look vintage is the defense. Much like the Ohio State team last week, people expected more from the loaded roster in ann arbor. Lets hope (for a second week in a row) another team doesn't find their rythm.
I don't know what to think about Hoyer. I mean, I know what to think, but now I'm in the majority. I always stop to question myself when I'm in the extreme majority. Pointing at B. Hoyer as the problem is en vogue. I have not liked him for a long, long time (see: day one). Not because he's bad but because he is predictable, safe, and underwhelming. Those things are fine when they come along with being technically sound and consistent. He just plain misses throws and holds the ball too long. Let's hope all the rave reviews were more than just hot air to boost his ego. Hoyer will need to have a big game.
Ringer will have trouble finding space early in the game unless the passing game is at least a threat. Ringer is strong and has amazing stamina. He should break 100 yards by the 3rd quarter if the rest of the team makes catches and doesn't fumble. I think last week could have been a lot different minus the big turnovers.
I look for an emotional bounce back game from MSU. We are coming off an ugly game against OSU that the team would like to erase. Mike Midget Hart ran his mouth last year after squeaking out another win (which, w/ top 10 recruiting classes each year for the last 10, you would think Michigan could win a few more games. But that's for another day). Dantonio knows the effect an MSU win would have on recruiting. Rodriguez is a turd. That really has no bearing on the game but needed to be said. Finally, B. Hoyer needs this and Ringer WANTS this.
McGuffe is a fast back but appears to be soft. I expect him to get hit by Ware a few times (bad news, he's a safety/corner) early and Greg Jones and Trevor Anderson (in the backfield or after modest gains) as the game wears on.
Make it:
MSU - 21
michigan - 17
Friday, October 17, 2008
MSU v tOhioState
What school has the nerve, the audacity, the pomp to call themselves the University?
No, it does not originate in AnnArbor. The Ohio State University comes to East Lansing this weekend as reigning BigTen champion and undefeated in the conference. Although the precedes the name of the university their recent bowl games have grounded this team.
There is no crying in football!Unless you've been derailed from your championship run by a team like, oh I don't know, Michigan State.
In 1998 the Buckeyes, playing in front of a home crowd, entered the night game #1 in the land. Leading 24-9 in the fourth quarter OSU fell apart. A late interception sealed the MSU victory. Tears followed.
The secondary coach for the 1998 Spartans? Dantonio. The 2007 matchup was headed towards a blowout until 2 turnovers turned into 14 quick points.
The 2008 game will depend primarily on 3 things.
1. How will Pryor perform (will OSU move the pocket, turn him loose, or make him stand and throw?) If Pryor moves the pocket and tucks the ball to run MSU will have a long day.
2. Will MSU's play calling keep the OSU linebackers on their heels? If throws to the tight ends and WR's on slants are accurate Ringer should find some room to run. I don't trust opening up the pass by throwing deep; the OSU corners are too good.
I predict a close game that turns on kicking, punting, and capitalizing on turnovers.
3. MSU's defense containing the run. OSU does not have serious deep threats (see: Ted Ginn) and should be able to keep Wells around 100 yards. The combination of Pryor and Wells off end, much like Indiana, could cause problems. Hitting Pryor early and often and switching up the blitzes will be key.
MSU - 23
OSU - 17
Saturday, October 11, 2008
MSU Northwestern
The 5-1 Spartans take on the 5-0 Wildcats today in what should prove to be an exciting game. For my money CJ bacher, as far as a QB knowing and running a system, is the best in the B10. He is accurate, quick thinking, and doesn't get sacked. This is the typical game that bites the Spartans for 3 reasons.
1. That stupid spread. To stop short slants and screens from going for big yardage solid tackling is the key. If the first defender misses a tackle things get ugly. This should be a good test for the much heralded linebacking corps.
2. Ohio State and Michigan loom. Looking ahead has always been a problem. Win the games you shouldn't (OSU, UM) lose the ones you shouldn't (NU, Iowa, Ill).
3. Coming out flat. Against an offense like NU a slow start can mean being down 21-0 in a hurry. When that happens the identity of this MSU team becomes less pronounced; down 3 scores the running game becomes less useful.
Add the very talented RB Sutton to the mix and NU is tough and real.
3 reasons MSU can win:
1. Javon Ringer is the best back NU has seen. Although NU is only allowing 111 rushing yards per game Ringer is coming off a game with only 25 carries so he should be fresh. The defense is also helped by an offense that can score quickly and often. Teams are forced to abandon the run early. That should not happen today.
2. The DB's are [somewhat] healthy. The recent injuries to defensive backs and safeties may prove to be a blessing as MSU now has depth. Should something go wrong, someone blow assignments, etc Dantonio has alternatives.
3. The linebackers are faster and stronger and the DE's contain. Again, tackling is king against NU. Jones, Decker, and Gordon (perhaps Misch, should he see the field) are all quick and athletic. Although the DE's are not getting nearly as much pressure this season it may work to the Spartans favor today. Upfield over-pursuit is a waste of energy against screens and draws. Playing a contain and staying active near the line are key.
I hated this game all week. I don't like the prospect of Sutton running wild and Bacher scoring 21 in the first half, picking apart the improved but underwhelming secondary. I feel better about the game today. The defensive line needs to pressure and hit Bacher often, tip short passes at the line, and recover the fumble I predict will come from a running back. Wiley and Jones should have plenty of chances to catch tipped balls or jump routes. Ringer should bust a few runs of 30+. Hoyer should be able to pick his spots and hold on to the ball.
MSU - 28
NU - 24
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Iowa wrapup and other news
Last weeks MSU/Iowa game was...more of the same. Iowa has a strong run defense and proved it once again by holding Javon Ringer to less than 100 yards, although he only carried the ball 25 times.
Hoyer looked solid in the first half. He made plays when he needed to and held on to the ball. The second half was, well, perhaps a sign of things to come. Because Iowa's Defensive line was dominant the safeties and corners didn't need to cheat up on the run. Dropped passes (not Hoyer's fault, on the money) hurt but Hoyer again stared down his primary target. You can tell what side of the field he is throwing to immediately after the snap. If you can see the whole field (watching live) you can tell the exact player he intends to throw to. He doesn't seem to check down, look off safeties, or improvise. Pump fakes and thrown away balls usually mean the person he intended to throw to prior to the snap is not open.
Punting. Wow. Our punting situation has gone from bad (blocked, hurried) to worse (almost blocked, 30 yard net). Punt, pass, and kick contestants from the 5th grade level could hit the ball with more force. I don't question Bates ability -- he has the talent -- but something has changed. At least one punt was off the side of his foot last week and the rest were short. He has appeared -- whether it was bad blocking or reality -- to be slow getting his punts off. Perhaps the coaching staff has changed his mechanics. Bates has to get this turned around before playing the tough defenses remaining on the schedule.
Goran Suton likes Panera. I have proof.
Drew Stanton will likely start a game for the Lions before the year is over. I'm sad to have to say that. This team is bad and my guess is (with 1 practice taking reps) he doesn't know the offense. You can study a playbook but knowing takes game speed. One question: Roy Williams - Do you listen in the huddle or just run routes that seem fun? If the latter, could you please tell the rest of the team what personal audible you are calling so they have a vague idea where you might be on the field? How about setting some goals like, say, increasing your catch percentage to around 33%. Catching the ball 1 out of 3 times it hits you in the hands is a good start. Thanks.
I don't like the upcoming Northwestern game. This could be the beginning of what outsiders will call "same old spartans." NU is followed by Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue and Penn State. Looking at 4 potential losses in a row, with a likely win against Purdue, it would be easy to say "see, same old story." However, the program is moving in the right direction. They are winning the games they should, playing close in every contest and getting better recruits. I would like to see MSU move the ball on the ground against NWestern, play Ohio State close -- keeping scrambling qb Pryor under control -- and beat Wisconsin and UM. Penn State is fast and tough to beat at Happy Valley. Purdue is the type of letdown game the old spartans would lose. Winning 3 of the last 6 would probably have to be considered a very good season, 2 a push, and less than 2 a serious dissappointment.
I grade the 2008 MSU defense on par with the 2007 version overall. The Defensive Ends are much less dominant this year, getting almost no pressure on the opposing qb, while the corners and safeties seem to be getting better. At linebacker the 2008 version is quicker and more athletic, but for all his shortcomings Kaleb Thornhill knew where to be without thinking. He was experienced, intelligent, and had the pedigree.
I'm excited to see where this program is going. I am always skeptical of savior talk but the team should get better with Nichol at QB next year. Incoming freshman Maxwell is a standout QB recruit as well. 4 of the top 5 2009 recruits in the state of Michigan are spartan pledges and Dantonio continues to hit the state of Ohio hard. Things are looking up, but much like the coach's demeanor, at a measured and steady pace.
Hoyer looked solid in the first half. He made plays when he needed to and held on to the ball. The second half was, well, perhaps a sign of things to come. Because Iowa's Defensive line was dominant the safeties and corners didn't need to cheat up on the run. Dropped passes (not Hoyer's fault, on the money) hurt but Hoyer again stared down his primary target. You can tell what side of the field he is throwing to immediately after the snap. If you can see the whole field (watching live) you can tell the exact player he intends to throw to. He doesn't seem to check down, look off safeties, or improvise. Pump fakes and thrown away balls usually mean the person he intended to throw to prior to the snap is not open.
Punting. Wow. Our punting situation has gone from bad (blocked, hurried) to worse (almost blocked, 30 yard net). Punt, pass, and kick contestants from the 5th grade level could hit the ball with more force. I don't question Bates ability -- he has the talent -- but something has changed. At least one punt was off the side of his foot last week and the rest were short. He has appeared -- whether it was bad blocking or reality -- to be slow getting his punts off. Perhaps the coaching staff has changed his mechanics. Bates has to get this turned around before playing the tough defenses remaining on the schedule.
Goran Suton likes Panera. I have proof.
Drew Stanton will likely start a game for the Lions before the year is over. I'm sad to have to say that. This team is bad and my guess is (with 1 practice taking reps) he doesn't know the offense. You can study a playbook but knowing takes game speed. One question: Roy Williams - Do you listen in the huddle or just run routes that seem fun? If the latter, could you please tell the rest of the team what personal audible you are calling so they have a vague idea where you might be on the field? How about setting some goals like, say, increasing your catch percentage to around 33%. Catching the ball 1 out of 3 times it hits you in the hands is a good start. Thanks.
I don't like the upcoming Northwestern game. This could be the beginning of what outsiders will call "same old spartans." NU is followed by Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Purdue and Penn State. Looking at 4 potential losses in a row, with a likely win against Purdue, it would be easy to say "see, same old story." However, the program is moving in the right direction. They are winning the games they should, playing close in every contest and getting better recruits. I would like to see MSU move the ball on the ground against NWestern, play Ohio State close -- keeping scrambling qb Pryor under control -- and beat Wisconsin and UM. Penn State is fast and tough to beat at Happy Valley. Purdue is the type of letdown game the old spartans would lose. Winning 3 of the last 6 would probably have to be considered a very good season, 2 a push, and less than 2 a serious dissappointment.
I grade the 2008 MSU defense on par with the 2007 version overall. The Defensive Ends are much less dominant this year, getting almost no pressure on the opposing qb, while the corners and safeties seem to be getting better. At linebacker the 2008 version is quicker and more athletic, but for all his shortcomings Kaleb Thornhill knew where to be without thinking. He was experienced, intelligent, and had the pedigree.
I'm excited to see where this program is going. I am always skeptical of savior talk but the team should get better with Nichol at QB next year. Incoming freshman Maxwell is a standout QB recruit as well. 4 of the top 5 2009 recruits in the state of Michigan are spartan pledges and Dantonio continues to hit the state of Ohio hard. Things are looking up, but much like the coach's demeanor, at a measured and steady pace.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
MSU v Iowa
It's homecoming in East Lansing in every sense. East Lansing High hosts Grand Ledge Friday night and MSU hosts Iowa Saturday at noon. No word on what the East Lansing homeschoolers are doing in the Quiz [Bible] Bowl league this Sunday. However, it stands to reason that if you are always at home...you can't...its hard to have a literal...you know what I mean?
Iowa is coming off a tough loss to a very dangerous, very underrated Northwestern team. I could talk about NU for days, as I think they have maybe the best QB in the B10, a top 3 running back, and a very underrated and dangerous defense. Iowa had a 17-3 halftime lead but gave the game away late. Iowa lost their best running back Greene (one of the better backs in a very, very deep RB field in the big [11] ten) in the 4th Quarter last week and could not run the clock out or move the ball effectively. Greene is back and healthy again this week according to reports and could make Iowa a tough match up for MSU.
However, as good as Greene is, Javon Ringer is better. This can be found at espn.com and is beautiful:
NCAA Leaders
Scoring PTS
1. J. Ringer Mich St 72
2. D. Brown UConn 66
3. J. Dillard Rice 60
4. M. Lewis Ball St 60
5. K. Moreno Georgia 60
Interceptions
INT
1. O. Wiley Mich St 4
2. S. Baker Ball St 4
3. D. Charbonnet Texas Tech 4
4. S. Thompson California 3
5. R. Hamilton Vanderbilt 3
I'm pretty sure MSU has never been the leader in those two categories at one time.
Meanwhile Hoyer is completing 46.5% of his passes. And we are throwing the ball about 40% of the time. During, by far, the softest part of the MSU schedule. Which means he should be somewhere near 70%.
Iowa's defense is giving up points like THIS GUY is giving up soup--at a stingy 10.2 points per game average. Iowa has allowed just over 100 rushing yards per game (look for that to get blown up) and 182 passing per game (mostly due to NU's Bacher throwing for 280+, so, unless they cram the box for Ringer, look for that to be fairly accurate). Interesting is when Iowa has given up points, primarily in the 2nd and 4th quarters.
Two things about Iowa are just amazing. 1. That Ferentz still has a job (currently ranked #6 hot-seat coach nationally by these guys). 2. That they still have enough players to take the field. The character of this Iowa team makes Penn State and Bobby Williams era MSU look like the Ivy League. Let's just hope they keep their pants on long enough to play Saturday. You could best sum the Iowa season up like this:
The Hawkeyes should be ready Saturday. This is a make or break game for what should have been a decent Iowa team.
Iowa is coming off a tough loss to a very dangerous, very underrated Northwestern team. I could talk about NU for days, as I think they have maybe the best QB in the B10, a top 3 running back, and a very underrated and dangerous defense. Iowa had a 17-3 halftime lead but gave the game away late. Iowa lost their best running back Greene (one of the better backs in a very, very deep RB field in the big [11] ten) in the 4th Quarter last week and could not run the clock out or move the ball effectively. Greene is back and healthy again this week according to reports and could make Iowa a tough match up for MSU.
However, as good as Greene is, Javon Ringer is better. This can be found at espn.com and is beautiful:
NCAA Leaders
Scoring PTS
1. J. Ringer Mich St 72
2. D. Brown UConn 66
3. J. Dillard Rice 60
4. M. Lewis Ball St 60
5. K. Moreno Georgia 60
Interceptions
INT
1. O. Wiley Mich St 4
2. S. Baker Ball St 4
3. D. Charbonnet Texas Tech 4
4. S. Thompson California 3
5. R. Hamilton Vanderbilt 3
I'm pretty sure MSU has never been the leader in those two categories at one time.
Meanwhile Hoyer is completing 46.5% of his passes. And we are throwing the ball about 40% of the time. During, by far, the softest part of the MSU schedule. Which means he should be somewhere near 70%.
Iowa's defense is giving up points like THIS GUY is giving up soup--at a stingy 10.2 points per game average. Iowa has allowed just over 100 rushing yards per game (look for that to get blown up) and 182 passing per game (mostly due to NU's Bacher throwing for 280+, so, unless they cram the box for Ringer, look for that to be fairly accurate). Interesting is when Iowa has given up points, primarily in the 2nd and 4th quarters.
Two things about Iowa are just amazing. 1. That Ferentz still has a job (currently ranked #6 hot-seat coach nationally by these guys). 2. That they still have enough players to take the field. The character of this Iowa team makes Penn State and Bobby Williams era MSU look like the Ivy League. Let's just hope they keep their pants on long enough to play Saturday. You could best sum the Iowa season up like this:
The Hawkeyes should be ready Saturday. This is a make or break game for what should have been a decent Iowa team.
Wrong Hawkeye.
My prediction:
A back and forth game for a quarter and a half, MSU pulling ahead just before the half and then finishing strong in the 4th quarter.
MSU - 28
IoWa - 13
One last note. If you see these people on the high seas, make haste! They are cornpeople! They will follow you to the ends of the earth.
One last note. If you see these people on the high seas, make haste! They are cornpeople! They will follow you to the ends of the earth.
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