No Asaph=No Win

[A2McGowan]

This was painfully apparent last weekend. McConnell is not the proper blocking back. Schwapp is the cog in the running game and I expect the same ineptitude this weekend without him. He is still questionable, but I hear his knee is the size of a grapefruit. I really think we will see multiple backs this weekend, including Aldridge and Prince. They must run the football. What do you fellas think?

 

[scooper]

Aldridge won't be back this week.

I agree with you on the impact of missing Ace, though.

 

[BigIrish]

Weis said in his wednesday presser that although Schwapp is "day-to-day," he expects him to play on saturday.

 

[NDAlumSon]

No Asaph=No Win?
I'm not sure about this math.

 

[jiggafini19]

McConnell is not the proper blocking back

That's why he is second on the two deep.

If Schwapp can't play, I would expect to see some double tight end and/or single back sets.

The drop off of talent from first string to second string on this team is absolutely nightmarish.

 

[solo]

This was painfully apparent last weekend. McConnell is not the proper blocking back. Schwapp is the cog in the running game and I expect the same ineptitude this weekend without him. He is still questionable, but I hear his knee is the size of a grapefruit. I really think we will see multiple backs this weekend, including Aldridge and Prince. They must run the football. What do you fellas think?

My refeernce point is last years game (which we couild have gone either way). BQ threw for 487 yards (60 pass attempts). DW also got 116 yds rushing. But as a team we rushed for 108. So even if we can't rush the ball well, Ifeel that we can still succeed offensively. Though I would much rather run the ball 40 times than pass it 60 times.

Now, the real keys to the game in my opinion are on D. Can we:

1. Stop Trannon...he torched our secondary last year
2. Contain Stanton...can't let him run the option effectively or kill us scrambling
3. Contain their RB...they have a big, fast RB who is having a good season
4. Limit big plays...can't give up the long TD passes like last week
5. Get some turnovers

 

[jiggafini19]

Schwapp is listed as "doubtful."

 

[A2McGowan]

No Asaph=No Win?
I'm not sure about this math.

Funny math eh? It's a massive absence to this team. It's a subject that no one touched upon after last week. He picks up the blitz, and is the difference maker in the running game. If he does not play on Sat., you'll really notice his absence. MSU will be in the backfield all day due to the complete inability to run the ball and pick up the blitz. The depth issue was incredibly apparent when UM and ND were standing next to each other last week during warmups (the shield line).

 

[tgolden]

Last week, we didn't use a whole lot of 2 back sets, although that may have been because of the absence of Schwapp. I thought McConnell played pretty well.

As of Wed. Schwapp was wearing a red jersey at practice. While I hope he plays, I don't think we'll necessarily lose if he doesn't.

 

[domerfor life]

Schwapp is listed as "doubtful."

Schwapp is very important to our running game. Ashley McConnell is a big drop off. I don't think that Ace's absence equals an automatic loss though. It just means we can't run a power game without his lead blocking.

 

[bmf175]

I think if our winning games depends on one person we are not that good of a team to begin with. I dont think anything Asaph could have done would have made up a 20+ point difference.

Weis claims he makes his game plan around who he has playing, so I doubt a player that doesnt rush for too many yards in a game and misses half his blocks is going to dictate if we win or lose every week.
Im not saying his back ups are better Im just saying put in another TE or have a WR in motion to lead block. But under no circumstances can a good team, with BCS aspirations, experience that big of a set back from the loss of a 2nd year FB. He isnt exactly Marc Edwards mind you.
With that said I wish him a speedy recovery and hope he IS back on the field. Im just saying No ASAPH-does not equal- a loss.

 

[jiggafini19]

This game has become more and more intriguing with each passing day closer to the actual kickoff.

I'm really interested to see how this all turns out. Personally, looking at this game I get an uneasy feeling much like I did a week ago Friday.

 

[domerfor life]

This game has become more and more intriguing with each passing day closer to the actual kickoff.

I'm really interested to see how this all turns out. Personally, looking at this game I get an uneasy feeling much like I did a week ago Friday.

I got an uneasy feeling too Jiggs. Before the game on last Saturday, I felt uneasy. This game concerns me. Our team has a lot of questions that just haven't been answered yet. If our offense can get it together, we should be fine. Last week our D just got tired from being on the field too long as a result of 5 turnovers. Will this be the week our offense finally gets it together (i.e.-establish run, good protection, receivers make "crucial catches")? We'll see. It's just that I don't know right now. It really depends on the first 5-8 minutes of the game. If ND comes out strong and scores a TD to get an early lead, my worries will be vanquished. If they come out go 3 and out or have a drive-killing penalty, I will be very uneasy for the remainder of the game. It's extremely important that we get up on MSU early.

 

[maison bleu]

This game has become more and more intriguing with each passing day closer to the actual kickoff.

I'm really interested to see how this all turns out. Personally, looking at this game I get an uneasy feeling much like I did a week ago Friday.

It's going to be along time before I feel confident against QBs from the VY, Troy Smith, Drew Stanton ilk. How many third-and-longs have I seen these guys convert? And it seems like in every case, the defense hits them in time to stop the play. It's yards-after-contact that kills the D. It's so demoralizing to get a team in 3rd and 13, flush the QB from the pocket, hit him at the line of scrimage and still watch him make the first down.

Sure tackling is a defense's best friend.

 

[A2McGowan]

Let's not forget our friends......the Big Ten refs. I about had an aneurysm last weekend over their officiating. Apparently, UM was flawless in their eyes. Unreal.

 

[jiggafini19]

Troy Smith

This guy is a PASSER now, too. He's twice the threat he ever was two years ago and last year. The kid just has an absolute cannon for an arm. These days, he's sticking in that pocket and throwing the ball down field.

He was my Heisman front runner three weeks ago and he's even more so now. That tOSU-UM battle in Columbus will be one for the ages.

 

[jiggafini19]

Let's not forget our friends......the Big Ten refs. I about had an aneurysm last weekend over their officiating. Apparently, UM was flawless in their eyes. Unreal.

3 games.

ND holding calls: 10
3 Opponents: 0

Either they're THAT bad up front, or they've played some pretty damn good linemen on each side of the ball.

 

[A2McGowan]

Back to basics for the boys.....

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/ncaa/09/21/bc.fbc.t25.norunirish.ap/index.html

 

[Dannyboy Ayers]

My refeernce point is last years game (which we couild have gone either way). BQ threw for 487 yards (60 pass attempts). DW also got 116 yds rushing. But as a team we rushed for 108. So even if we can't rush the ball well, Ifeel that we can still succeed offensively. Though I would much rather run the ball 40 times than pass it 60 times.

Now, the real keys to the game in my opinion are on D. Can we:

1. Stop Trannon...he torched our secondary last year
2. Contain Stanton...can't let him run the option effectively or kill us scrambling
3. Contain their RB...they have a big, fast RB who is having a good season
4. Limit big plays...can't give up the long TD passes like last week
5. Get some turnovers

those are things you need to do in every game, just change the name of the players. we also need to score more points then them

 

[Dannyboy Ayers]

you would think with all the pressure and the blitzes that they would run more screens like against Tenn last year. It makes the defense back up a little bit, enough to run the ball for 3 yards a carry and complete the mid range passes that we need to

 

[marv81s]

I am not feeling all that great either about the game tomorrow night. Just listening to the video clips on rivals of the players talking, something is missing from them. The statements they make sound hallow, they say the game is behind them and that they just take the season week by week, but you can tell that they don't believe that. At least that is what I see. Where's the emotion? They don't seem motivated. I don't know, maybe they are just tired from practice and they are totally different on the practice field, but from what I have seen on the video clips on the rival website, I don't see any emotion and their talk is just talk. I'm just really nervous about tomorrow night, I can't bear to watch another performance like last week, and I don't know what else I can throw around the house to vent my frustrations. I just hope CW's talk with head of the Big 10 officiating crew worked, because like you all have said, the officiating from the Big 10 haven't treated us on an equal plain at all.

And no, I am not jumping if ND loses this game, I am not one of those fans, been a fan for 20 years now, so I am here for life.

 

[domerfor life]

It would help if the officials actually call real penalties. They've been sticking it to us. Win or lose man....just call the game the right way. What we can't do is whine or they will really have an agenda with us.

 

[A2McGowan]

This is to wishing Asaph has a fruitful recovery in the offseason........his absence was gigantic this year. Think Lorenzo Neal important.......a true blocking fullback that would have helped the struggling o-line. His size was a glaring absence at the UM game.

 

[OnwardToVictory07]

Schwapp is great at blocking!

 

[mat33]

While I love the guy, I thought he struggled blocking in passing situations.

 

[tgolden]

wow. how did this get dug up? and I'd agree that schwapp is the best FB on the team, I don't think McConnell did too poorly.

 

[Junkhead]

I was at the UCLA game, and notice schwapp walking the sidelines. Most of the time he was not even paying attention. He looked bored silly. I pretty much figured he was out for the year then.