M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[hack]

Miller before he's done is going to have a moment or two that belongs in the pre-game M/OSU montages. He is to be feared.

[iam416]

The defense was far better in the 2nd half. The whole team was total shit in the 1st quarter. Fickell is definitely schooled in the Heacock "keep everything in front of you" approach to dealing with the passing version of the spread. A decent approach, I suppose, when you're forcing bad players to make plays. But UFM was obviously frustrated with the shitass pussery and they were far more aggressive getting pressure on the QB in the 2nd half. Even though they gave up a TD, I thought the defense was much better.

Miller's upside is nice. He's still learning coming around as a passer. I'm not going to get too excited about dominating Miami, but I'll take it. He's obviously a good runner. Of course, he should have redshirted last year. TP's final parting gift -- a year less of Miller. Bah.

[iam416]

BTW, it's going to take me a long time to get used to this offensive scheme. There are so many thing that are so different. God willing, they'll get some more game-breakers into the offense in the next season or two and Miller won't have to be, well, the only game-breaker.

[SeanB]

BTW, it's going to take me a long time to get used to this offensive scheme. There are so many thing that are so different. God willing, they'll get some more game-breakers into the offense in the next season or two and Miller won't have to be, well, the only game-breaker.

I remember feeling this exact same way 4 years ago.

While I'm quite certain meyer's stint at osu will be more successful than Rodriguez's at M (I know, really going out on a limb there), the irony is almost too rich to ignore. What with all the flak a lot of M fans got regarding the spread offense during Rodriguez's tenure.

I texted my Dad Saturday while I was watching the osu game, basically saying "Rodriguez's offense has landed in cbus". I'm sure there are a myriad of differences from a systematic standpoint, and I don't know enough about CFB to see the subteties, but with the "eyeball test", they are very, very similar.

I think meyer's advantage is that he's taken his success everywhere, and he understands that there is, in fact, a defensive aspect to CFB. Also in his favor, Miller >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Threet/Sheridan!

[hack]

Meyer's got the support, too. Presumably there are no trap doors set there. IMO the offense had nothing to do with RR's success and failure, and Meyer's won't either. The spread worked for RR and will for Meyer.

[iam416]

Also in his favor, Miller >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Threet/Sheridan!

Jebus, yes. My desk chair >>>>>> Threet/Sheridan.

It will be interesting. There isn't much to take away from Miami, but it does seem like they want to run the ball between the guards. Hyde, god bless, runs hard and is decent, but lacks the vision, at the moment, to be really good (Dunn does not). And another major difference between UFM and RichGOD is that UFM isn't recruiting 3* speedy shrimps to play in the offense, he's recruiting big-time players. Thank god. I recall, vaguely, that my meme during the RichGOD era was that a "system" can't overcome a lack of talent. If you have good coaches and good talent, whatever system you run, you can be successful. That, and as noted, RichGOD didn't give a flying fuck about defense, except to tell the DCs what to run. Heh.

God, it's really hard to fully comprehend what a fucking train-wreck that experiment was. Objectively speaking, when I actually think about the damage inflicted, I shake my head and wonder how M could do that to itself. It's really stunning.

[lineygoblue]

Those are the two huge differences between how Meyer is starting out, and how Rodriguez got started.

Rodriguez was being undermined from day one. Meyer has been welcomed as being even greater than the departed Saint Jim.

And, the QB that Meyer inherited is a classic spread-type QB. Michigan didn't have a single spread type QB on their entire roster. They might have, had Antonio Bass not blown out his knee.

And, I'm not making excuses for Rodriguez. His failure to pay attention to the defense was his downfall more than anything. He could have overcome a lot of the internal crap had he been as dedicated to playing great defense, as he was to playing great offense.

[iam416]

The guy can coach offense, just as Hanni rightly points out when the RichGOD bashing goes a bit overboard. Though, at M, his points to yards ratio was way low; they were consistently finding ways not to score.

That said, my one criticism of the spread is the tendency to go with "leaner" OL. I understand the thinking, but at some point, you run into a badass DL that eats your fucking lunch. The king of spreads, Oregon, has had it happen to them against OSU in the Rose Bowl and against Auburn. I'm a bit concerned OSU will run into that problem at some point in conference play -- in future seasons, that is. I already know MSU is going to eat their lunch. God-willing, OSU returns the favor and scratches out a 6-3 win or something.

[hack]

Objectively speaking, when I actually think about the damage inflicted, I shake my head and wonder how M could do that to itself. It's really stunning.

Hubris on the part of MSC, LC and some others.

[UMStan White]

That's just a bunch of crap based on unfounded innuendo. Same old same old "conspiracy" theory that the Pres and her minions intentionally tanked the program.

[hack]

Did I say ``intentionally''?

[Dr. Strangelove]

When is Jordan Hall expected to return?

[iam416]

I thought he'd miss 3-4 games. I think they'd love to get him some reps against UAB to get him ready for MSU.

But Hyde will still be the TB most of the time, I think.

[iam416]

BTW, Bianchi continues to beat the drum.

I was half hoping he'd write an article about how Florida's woeful offensive showing against shitass BG was all UFM's fault -- while UFM was out hanging 56 on a shitass Miami team. Heh.

I wonder if it ever occurs to him that the reason Florida's offense/program is "broken" isn't because of a lack of talent, but because of a lack of UFM. Heh heh heh heh.

[hack]

That very well could be. Whoever Bianchi is, the Columbus writers should be reading him close in order to know what to do when its their turn.