Sep 7 | Michigan

[koonja]

True. But they didn't have to double or triple team a nose guard like they will this weekend. Lewan will be tied up with Tuitt, and their interior OL (again, 3 in a row played one game together) will have their freaking hands full.

I agree it was tough to gauge from one game. I certainly don't see Gardner getting that much time again, and you probably don't either. As we saw from him struggling to go through his progressions, it will be interesting to see how much he takes off on his own.

I wonder if Tuitt will line up on Lewan all night or if he'll move around? As a D coordinator, do you put strength against strength? Or do you put Shembo there to try to beat him with speed.

If Nix has to get double and tippled, that's great, but the other guys NEED to make plays this week. I was unimpressed with the rest of our front 7.

 

[T Town Tommy]

True. But they didn't have to double or triple team a nose guard like they will this weekend. Lewan will be tied up with Tuitt, and their interior OL (again, 3 in a row played one game together) will have their freaking hands full.

I agree it was tough to gauge from one game. I certainly don't see Gardner getting that much time again, and you probably don't either. As we saw from him struggling to go through his progressions, it will be interesting to see how much he takes off on his own.

That's why I think ND will use a containment type rush on Gardner and bring a few timely blitzes. It is more important to not let him get outside than it is to sack him. He is not a real dangerous threat to run but will make you pay if you overplay him. Make him sit in the pocket and go through his reads. The DL can't get overzeolous on trying to sack him. In his face pressure with containment will work. The delayed blitz will also help make him make his mind up quicker.

 

[koonja]

That's why I think ND will use a containment type rush on Gardner and bring a few timely blitzes. It is more important to not let him get outside than it is to sack him. He is not a real dangerous threat to run but will make you pay if you overplay him. Make him sit in the pocket and go through his reads. The DL can't get overzeolous on trying to sack him. In his face pressure with containment will work. The delayed blitz will also help make him make his mind up quicker.

You're as unbias as it gets on this thread, who wins and why?

 

[T Town Tommy]

You're as unbias as it gets on this thread, who wins and why?

Hard to pick against UM in the Big House but I will go with ND. I like the way ND matches up against UM and think the Irish can get a few turnovers to turn the game in their favor. Rees must play solid and not make any mistakes. I also think ND can run the ball on UM and that will help Rees not have to feel like he has to do it all.

Irish 23-17.

 

[ulukinatme]

Hard to pick against UM in the Big House but I will go with ND. I like the way ND matches up against UM and think the Irish can get a few turnovers to turn the game in their favor. Rees must play solid and not make any mistakes. I also think ND can run the ball on UM and that will help Rees not have to feel like he has to do it all.

Irish 23-17.

I'll take a win in the Big House at night, final away game with scUM on the schedule.

Can't rep you again yet

 

[Jebediah Springfield]

Anyone have a link to the Mich game from Week 1?

 

[JDAtlanta]

I like to think of myself as a pretty open minded college football fan, but I know that I can be a little bit of a homer sometimes. But my god are Michigan fans the biggest bunch of cocky a$$holes I have ever witnessed. I read Mgoblog for $hits and gigs and I end up wanting to reach through the computer screen and strangle the fools who post on there. They really think they're an elite program again. Also for some reason they believe that our schedule is pathetic compared to theirs even though they play in the biggest pile of crap conference with no real opposition other than "Ohio".

Just had to get that off my chest...

That whole elite program thing is BS. They have 1 NC since 1948. That is not elite. And people say ND is living in the past.

 

[ACamp1900]

I wonder if Tuitt will line up on Lewan all night or if he'll move around? As a D coordinator, do you put strength against strength? Or do you put Shembo there to try to beat him with speed.

If Nix has to get double and tippled, that's great, but the other guys NEED to make plays this week. I was unimpressed with the rest of our front 7.

That's where a dominant D linemen can really open things up, either you leave him one on one and let him disrupt things or you double him and open doors for others… one would think between Tuitt and Nix we will see a lot of doors opening for other members of the front seven…

 

[NDPhilly]

That whole elite program thing is BS. They have half a NC since 1948. That is not elite. And people say ND is living in the past.

FIFY

 

[koonja]

That's where a dominant D linemen can really open things up, either you leave him one on one and let him disrupt things or you double him and open doors for others… one would think between Tuitt and Nix we will see a lot of doors opening for other members of the front seven…

That's what I expected and was pretty disappointed with against Temple. Nix swallowed up doubles all game, and Tuitt and Day weren't making plays against single teams. Tuitt got through a couple time by a speed rush, but the OL effort on those were atrocious.

I'm hoping they will be more excited and play with more effort this game.

 

[The Polish Irishman]

Did Tuitt lineup against Lewan last year?

 

[pumpdog20]

I'm thinking 2011, only this time we don't give up the big league. I think we win easily, with our superior wideouts, and the freshman RBs pounding the rock late in the game.

 

[wizards8507]

That's what I expected and was pretty disappointed with against Temple. Nix swallowed up doubles all game, and Tuitt and Day weren't making plays against single teams. Tuitt got through a couple time by a speed rush, but the OL effort on those were atrocious.

I'm hoping they will be more excited and play with more effort this game.

Defensive lineman aren't always *supposed* to make plays. Sometimes their job is literally just to occupy blockers so the linebackers can make plays. This is especially true if we were playing a "vanilla" scheme as many have suggested to be the case. Allow me to quote Remember the Titans.

You can’t run over everybody in this league, and every time you do, you leave one of your teammates hangin’ out to dry—me in particular!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Did Tuitt lineup against Lewan last year?

Tuitt would have lined up opposite Lewan in a 5-tech. He recorded 1 sack for -10 yards against Robinson last year. I think Shembo will go against Lewan more frequently than Tuitt.

 

[felkey72]

I wouldn't mind seeing a 4-3 this week with Tuitt Day Nix and Williams on the front line and Shembo Fox and Smith in the Back. Dont really think Gardner is that big of a passing threat so it would be nice to have speed on the outside for contain and line up with a four front to confuse there O-Line.

 

[IrishJayhawk]

.

 

[AdmiralBackhand]

I would make Jaylon spy Gardner.

 

[felkey72]

How do you figure? 50+ yards in game one and 9 rushing TDs over the past 6 games.

sorry i fixed it

 

[koonja]

I would make Carlo spy Gardner.

FIFY!

 

[felkey72]

All i was trying to say is get speed on the outside and get a push up the middle and i think it would work in our favor much like it did last year against DRob

 

[Whiskeyjack]

I would make Jaylon spy Gardner.

He's definitely got the athleticism for it, but I don't think that'll work for a couple reasons: (1) he's going to be lined up over Funchess most of the time, who will probably be UM's most dangerous weapon; and (2) a "spy" still has to fulfill other duties while he watches the QB. I doubt Jaylon has the ability to multi-task like that yet.

 

[Kanye West]

There were times where Shembo and Williams looked dominant. I can't wait until this week where they go against a more conventional offense. I expect a big game from those 2.

 

[rocket66]

ND- 38
UM-24

 

[ScooterIrish]

ND- 38
UM-24

I would give you $1k right now for that to happen.

 

[SoDakDomer]

ND-27
UM-24

Ann Arbor is a whore.

 

[GATTACA!]

That's what I expected and was pretty disappointed with against Temple. Nix swallowed up doubles all game, and Tuitt and Day weren't making plays against single teams. Tuitt got through a couple time by a speed rush, but the OL effort on those were atrocious.

I'm hoping they will be more excited and play with more effort this game.

I think the lack of pressure had alot to do with how fast temple was getting the ball out. There just wasn't enouh time to get there. I think we will see significantly more pressure against mich.

 

[GreenSox04]

lets beat the god damn breaks off them and go home.

 

[enrico514]

Does anyone know if Hoke has ever been mentioned as a candidate for a NFL job or if he even has the aspiration ?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Does anyone know if Hoke has ever been mentioned as a candidate for a NFL job or if he even has the aspiration ?

To your first question, I don't believe so. He's 67-57 (54%) as a HC, so the NFL isn't likely to come calling any time soon.

To your second question, I have no idea, but would guess not. He'll probably stay at Michigan as long as they'll have him. I expect his UM career to resemble that of a poor man's Lloyd Carr.

 

[Patulski]

True. But they didn't have to double or triple team a nose guard like they will this weekend. Lewan will be tied up with Tuitt, and their interior OL (again, 3 in a row played one game together) will have their freaking hands full.

Lewan will be tied up with Tuitt, but not all game. Last year when Tuitt came out we used KLM over Lewan in our 3-4. We also used KLM in the first haf at NT to spell Nix . In fact, KLM barely came off the field and his motor was strong all game long. He had an amazing game. Will substituting Tuitt with Ishaq Williams be the same as KLM? Or Jones or Rochelle? The offseason hype was that Ishaq could now play as a 3-4 DE. Will we substitute Nix in the 1st half again, and will Kona be as good as KLM?

These are some of the intriguing chess pieces to the game imo.