[NU Sports] Around the league (was: Rants and bias ...)

[Jeff Beamsley]

I watched the Michigan/PSU game and the Iowa/Wisky game.

We don't play PSU or Wisky.  The only one that I think we have a chance
against is Iowa and only because they are teetering on the edge of not having
enough players to really field a team.  A few more injuries and they will be
playing mainly true and red shirted freshmen, but we also play them late in
the season so those freshmen will have more game experience than they did
against Wisky when they wilted down the stretch.

Michigan isn't going to look past us.  They've already made that mistake and
won't make it again.  They are on a mission to win out in the BT.  That's all
they have to salvage their season.  The big difference in Michigan between
the first two games and the last two games is that their defense found a
second gear.  We've already seen how our offense deals with a high pressure
defense.  The only possibility to keep the game close is if Henne doesn't
play again, Mallet has a bad game, and we get some points on turnovers.
Right now that seems to be a long shot.

What bothers me most about the OSU game is something I've complained about in
the past.  It's the "deer in the headlights" look of the whole team.  They
weren't ready and they knew they weren't ready.  Rather than flying around as
if they had nothing to lose, they played scared.  NU was a 22 point dog, what
did we have to lose?  Youngstown State and Akron who don't have nearly the
same caliber athletes as NU, were better prepared to give OSU a game than we
were.

IMHO, you have to hang this one on the coaching staff, not on the kids.

Hopefully the coaches will get it together for next week and convince our
kids that they belong on the same field with Michigan.  

Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:nwu-sports-bounces at tssi.com] On
Behalf Of SjT (Stephen J. Truog)
Sent: Sunday, September 23, 2007 4:00 PM
To: nwu-sports at tssi.com
Subject: [NU Sports] Around the league (was: Rants and bias ...)

> I saw most of the other BT games  yesterday- on the
> tube- (couldnt get
> Wisc/Iowa though on the West Coast)and I believe outside of Mich, we 
> could beat anyone ,though every one of them could beat us as

Exactly. I agree that our season really starts in the final seven games. We
should be 3-2, but will likely be 2-3, meaning four is a must, but five wins
are probably necessary.

Can we do that? Absolutely. The best team on the Oct/Nov slate is likely
Purdue, but their defense is pretty porous and we could hang with them if our
offense plays well and defense tightens up. Minny and EMU are gotta wins,
Illinois, Indiana, Iowa and MSU are all could wins and Purdooo a maybe ...
but we have to stop the turnovers, penalties and inconsistent/uninspired
play.

As for a trip around the league yesterday ...

* PSU just has to be heartbroken (no pun intended).
Their D, despite being on the field most of the game, played amazing and well
enough to win. But blasted turnovers early (for the first TD) and some
questionable play calling kept them from the W and allowed Mike Hart to will
Michigan to victory. With OSU, Wisky and Purdue all visiting Happy Valley, I
still like the Nits to go 11-1 and get into the BCS, but they really need to
get over the Michigan mental block and this was the year to do it.

* WISCONSIN has been flirting with disaster lately and sooner or later will
get burned. Somehow, lowly Iowa got a player two steps behind the Badger
secondary on fourth and forever at the end of the game but the pass was a
hair too long. Iowa's young and will be tough by the end of the season, but
will lose some games they should win, too (like the last two weeks). As for
UW, they're 4-0 right now, but unimpressive.

* OHIO STATE is probably the most impressive team so far in the league with a
solid D and improving O. They can coast for awhile, but that game at PSU will
be a huge test to see if they're legit.

* ILLINOIS was inconsistent, but showed a lot of potential. If they cut down
the turnovers, they're 4-0 right now and could give PSU fits next week.

* PURDUE was impressive on O as expected, but their D really disappointed me
in allowing Minny to hang in the game. As I said, it's lucky for them that
only teams east of Toledo seem to be able to play defense in the league this
year, but they gotta improve on that.

* MSU is 4-0, but are games against ND and the Big East really proving much
these days? We'll see with Wisky coming into Spartan Stadium. But unlike a
lot of teams, they seem to be maximizing the talent they have now with
minimal mistakes and smart coaching.

And how appropriate was it to see the Irish fans waving white flags
yesterday? Hopefully Purdue can complete the Big Ten sweep next week and make
the Irish remember why they don't want to join our league
again.:) Bet they're glad they negotiated that bogus B(C)S payout for years
they don't make the bowl scene ... too bad there isn't a clause in there for
no money if they aren't even bowl eligible.

Right now, I'd have OSU/PSU and Wisky still fighting it out for the Big Ten
title. Michigan is dangerous and will be a factor, but really they shouldn't
have won that game yesterday aside for Hart's heart and PSU's mental block
against big M. I think two of them get BCS bids and one heads to Orlando. But
with PSU slipping up again at Michigan and OSU and UW visiting Beaver
Stadium, I doubt we'll have an unbeaten champ this year. Probably at least a
two-team tie at the top.

Michigan probably heads to Tampa now unless they slip up somewhere besides
UW/OSU at the end (maybe MSU?) and that leaves Purdue for the Alamo. All five
are bowl locks.

The rest of the picture is a mess. MSU, Illinois and Iowa seem likely to be
headed for the postseason, while Indiana and NU still have a shot if they get
their acts together. Minny is the longest of longshots.

So let's hope for improvement next week (maybe even steal a game if
Michigan's still celebrating PSU) and then come out firing for the final two
months.

GO CATS!!!
-SjT

* * * * * * * * *
STEPHEN J. TRUOG
sjtruog at yahoo.com
GO CATS!!!


 
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