ND & MSU...

[tarun262]

my god, how far they have fallen. It's very rare you see that big a fall with the same coaching slate on the staff - don't remember the last time I saw that big a drop-off other then after Auburn won the NC a few years ago. Both teams are 4-9 combined.

ND's schedule is no cupcake - they could easily go 2-10 (which would be awesome) as they still play Miami, Navy, Army, VT & @USC. Lots of home games but all those teams are pretty good.

MSU has an easier schedule @MD, Michigan, @Ill, Rutgers, OSU, @PSU. I expect 2 losses and 2 wins for sure. They likely end up at 5-7 or 6-6. It's not like their team is super young either, most of their guys are Jrs so I think this does not bode too well for Sparty long-term right now.

Either way, hope we really beat them!

 

[rnum]

my god, how far they have fallen. It's very rare you see that big a fall with the same coaching slate on the staff - don't remember the last time I saw that big a drop-off other then after Auburn won the NC a few years ago. Both teams are 4-9 combined.

ND's schedule is no cupcake - they could easily go 2-10 (which would be awesome) as they still play Miami, Navy, Army, VT & @USC. Lots of home games but all those teams are pretty good.

MSU has an easier schedule @MD, Michigan, @Ill, Rutgers, OSU, @PSU. I expect 2 losses and 2 wins for sure. They likely end up at 5-7 or 6-6. It's not like their team is super young either, most of their guys are Jrs so I think this does not bode too well for Sparty long-term right now.

Either way, hope we really beat them!

HOPE?????

 

[tarun262]

Guess after going 1-5 against them and the game being at home I'm assuming it'll still be a tough game, so hoping. Nothing would give me more pleasure then a whooping of MSU in EL

 

[anon_sg4bgyiuileo1]

You're still snake bit - the poison has left my body so I'm good with bravado when it comes to this game.

The OSU poison remains, however...

 

[tarun262]

Yes indeed - the wounds from the game last year still linger. I was numb to the OSU game but MSU, I have not gotten over. I see all the confidence about how we will waltz through them, but I am just going to hold off on the enthusiasm until game day. I think JH has this team playing at a very high level but I am sure Dantonio will use "MSU losing makes Kalis very happy" as his motivation for the next 2 weeks Good news is that MSU is starting to get healthy again so I would rather play a full healthy team and beat them versus hearing about excuses.

OSU looked really beatable to me this past week. Wisconsin just made some dumb plays otherwise they should have won the game. If our defense can keep up its standard and stay healthy, I think we have a chance. JT was bailed out by his WRs constantly and I would argue that our corners (Lewis and Stribling) are probably better. If Lewis can pretty much shut down Noah Brown, I think OSU will struggle against the Michigan D.

Either, way first things first - hope Illinois is another snoozer of a game that is over by halftime.

 

[michigangoblue999]

Mike Valenti took a closer look at MSU's downturn on the radio yesterday. Basically the peak for that team was 2013. They have been worse each year since then. The wins masked the decline that was happening in the program. Defense has gone downhill without Narduzzi. MSU fans have been bitching about their offense for several years. The deficiencies were hidden by an NFL QB who was great at converting 3rd and long.

 

[goblue31602]

Mike Valenti took a closer look at MSU's downturn on the radio yesterday. Basically the peak for that team was 2013. They have been worse each year since then. The wins masked the decline that was happening in the program. Defense has gone downhill without Narduzzi. MSU fans have been bitching about their offense for several years. The deficiencies were hidden by an NFL QB who was great at converting 3rd and long.

You take Cook and/or Burbridge out of a few of their games last year and they lose them. A few insanely acrobatic catches were the only reason they hung around against us.

And to my above point, you are seeing this year what happens to that team without Cook/Burbridge.

 

[tarun262]

You take Cook and/or Burbridge out of a few of their games last year and they lose them. A few insanely acrobatic catches were the only reason they hung around against us.

And to my above point, you are seeing this year what happens to that team without Cook/Burbridge.

Their biggest win last season was without Cook actually - they smacked OSU in the mouth at Columbus. I think you are mistaken about where the strength of the team was. It was in the trenches. They had a stud O-line last year - remember how they kept pushing people out of the way against OSU and Iowa? On defense they had Calhoun and Malik - 2 guys with NFL written all over them. Cook/Burbridge, etc were all big losses but the biggest ones were Conklin, Allen, Clark and Calhoun.

 

[goblue31602]

Their biggest win last season was without Cook actually - they smacked OSU in the mouth at Columbus. I think you are mistaken about where the strength of the team was. It was in the trenches. They had a stud O-line last year - remember how they kept pushing people out of the way against OSU and Iowa? On defense they had Calhoun and Malik - 2 guys with NFL written all over them. Cook/Burbridge, etc were all big losses but the biggest ones were Conklin, Allen, Clark and Calhoun.

That game was handed to them by a combination of Mother Nature and OSU's playcalling.

Yes, they've done well in the trenches and it's absolutely part of their success, but Cook/Burbridge bailed them out of a TON last year.

 

[michigangoblue999]

Their biggest win last season was without Cook actually - they smacked OSU in the mouth at Columbus.

You sound like an MSU fan. They have talked non-stop about that game as evidence of how good O'Connor was going to be this year.

Guess not.

 

[tarun262]

You sound like an MSU fan. They have talked non-stop about that game as evidence of how good O'Connor was going to be this year.

Guess not.

You can think what you want. If you read what I wrote - they lost a lot from their O-line and D-line and that team has mightly struggled since. Yes Cook was a better QB then O'Connor, etc but still. Not even going to comment on your "you sound like a MSU fan" since you are entitled to think whatever you want man. MSU is going to struggle this year, but I personally don't see how MSU will continue to become a perennial 10+ win team down the road - I think the talent gap between Michigan & OSU versus them is only going to keep increasing and I think teams are not overlooking them either. I know Sparty fans with think otherwise, but I think Dantonio reached his peak as a coach at MSU last year. Regardless of how lucky or unlucky you are, you can not take away a 12-2 season with a BIG championship from anyone. We could have easily lost to IU and Minn last year and things could have been different but that's the way the game works, one bad play can sometimes make a game.

So, I personally think Dantonio is a fine coach and I give props to Sparty for what they have accomplished over the past 5+ years - it's impressive, but I think that all is about to end. Having said that, Sparty will still play hard and it will still be a dogfight - I expect a W for Michigan but think it will closer to the games we played against Colorado and Wisconsin versus some of the other uncontested games we have had.

 

[BigHouseBallin]

Mike Valenti took a closer look at MSU's downturn on the radio yesterday. Basically the peak for that team was 2013. They have been worse each year since then. The wins masked the decline that was happening in the program. Defense has gone downhill without Narduzzi. MSU fans have been bitching about their offense for several years. The deficiencies were hidden by an NFL QB who was great at converting 3rd and long.

The elephant in the room & why I don't think MSU will rebound next year. Losing Narduzzi hurt that program tremendously...

 

[michigangoblue999]

The elephant in the room & why I don't think MSU will rebound next year. Losing Narduzzi hurt that program tremendously...

This. Narduzzi + NFL QBs were able to mask a lot of deficiencies in the coaching staff. That staff flat out sucks. MSU fans want to fire at least half of them. Contrast that with Michigan's staff.