The Next 4 games...

[BigHouseBallin]

UNLV
BYU
@MD
NW


This is where the rubber meets the road.. Obviously I'd like to go 4-0. I'm glad UNLV is the next game & I think we win that one easily. BYU is going to be a challenge. Even with the backup QB they can still put up numbers. @MD looks less daunting after BGSU spanked them today. NW is looking like a pretty good team.

I want 4-0 but hopefully no worse than 3-1.

 

[Headwaters]

we should win the next 3 games. The key to the season is the 3 game stretch vs NW, MSU and Minny.

 

[24to12]

UNLV
BYU
@MD
NW


This is where the rubber meets the road.. Obviously I'd like to go 4-0. I'm glad UNLV is the next game & I think we win that one easily. BYU is going to be a challenge. Even with the backup QB they can still put up numbers. @MD looks less daunting after BGSU spanked them today. NW is looking like a pretty good team.

I want 4-0 but hopefully no worse than 3-1.

BYU and Northwestern could be very tough. 4-0 through that stretch would set up the whole season.

 

[BigHouseBallin]

we should win the next 3 games. The key to the season is the 3 game stretch vs NW, MSU and Minny.

Don't overlook BYU. They beat Boise St with their backup QB. I was expecting them to lose this week. They've got UCLA on the road next week so we'll see what the look like then...

 

[tarun262]

What's interesting about BYU is also the fact that their next 2 games will define their season. If they beat @UCLA and @Michigan, they will go undefeated the rest of the way and make the playoffs even as an independent. You beat 3 Power 5 teams on the road, you deserve a shot if you are undefeated. So, they will be playing their hearts out because this is almost like the playoffs for them now. My prediction is that if they beat UCLA, we will be in trouble because they will play very inspired football...however, if they lose to UCLA, look for them to be flat - my 2 cents.

We will not beat BYU with a heavy does of the run - Ruddock will have to lead us to victory and he will have to pass for tons of yards, including a few long-passes which we are 0-8 so far this season I think.

 

[scfanblue]

BYU will not beat UCLA or Michigan. The hail mary wins are over.

 

[jbannan]

The BYU game will be tough. It will be strength against strength, they have a very good front seven and U of M runs the ball a lot. I agree with the earlier poster that this is a game Rudock must earn his scholarship, BYU is very tough against the run. I have always thought N"Western is one of the better coached teams in the BIG, Fitzgerald does a great job of coaching. They cannot stay healthy and lack a lot of depth. They will be a tough game because they beat Stanford and they run an offense similar to U of M's.

 

[mgoblu]

rudock has to pick up his game, get rid of these ints and hit a couple long ones, and the running game will get better with johnson in there and the next four will all be wins.

 

[domer1976]

I've been sayin' for awhile, don't sleep on BYU........

 

[BigHouseBallin]

Anyone still think we're a lock to beat BYU after their games vs Boise St and UCLA? I don't... I am just hoping the D holds up and we don't get behind early or down by double digits. We need to run the ball & limit their possessions.

 

[tarun262]

I think we'll be fine given it's a home game. I think it will be a very close game but I don't expect that we will be in a big hole.

 

[BigHouseBallin]

What concerns me is the slow starts especially on offense. If BYU hits a big play or two or puts together a few drives early it could be a problem. Last week vs UNLV we really didn't put together a good drive (w/o a huge play) until the 2nd half. I'd like to see us come out & put together a few drives in thee 1st quarter. Hopefully Drake Johnson & Ty Issac can play a role in that. Obviously Rudick needs a clean game. He showed some growth in the 2nd half of the UNLV game by pulling the ball down & scrambling for yardage instead of forcing the ball. It definitely wouldn't hurt if the D comes up w/ a few turnovers or Peppers comes up with some big plays on special teams.

 

[tarun262]

If you have watched any of JH's game in his previous tenures, he plays for the 4th quarter. His goal is to keep running and running and get to the point where defenses get so tired that he pretty much can run his will on them in the 4th quarter. I do agree our teams have generally started slow especially on defense. My biggest concerns so far this year with the team has been 3 fold:

1. Smith is a bruiser but completely lacks a feel and patience - he has missed so many open lanes/holes. That will come back to bite us in the butt and did against Utah.
2. Ruddock and the WRs are not on the same page which is evident by how late he is on his throws or the lack of communication on routes. Every single D will line up 8-9 on the line and dare Ruddock to beat them with the deep ball (ala MSU over the past 2-3 years against us) and right now we have not proven that we can do that.
3. Our LBs are ok at best - once a team gets past our D-line, there's a lot of room for them to move.