Sep 21 | Michigan State

[Booslum31]

If we can establish a running game, we'll actually be in decent shape. I am flummoxed as to why we can't though.

Love that word...flummoxed. I think that half of the reason we aren't running the ball well is that the opposing defenses know when we are going to run the ball. And depending on which back we have in there...they can tell where we are going to run the ball. Too predictable. The other half of the equation is that our guys aren't "beating" their guys. Carlisle does break tackles, GAIII is too slow to turn it up-field. Cam runs the hardest and we all love his heart but make no mistake...he strikes no fear in the eyes of our competition. Want to see more of GB. Sometimes a RB can be a catalyst for better execution from an Offensive Line.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

You mean like
Theo Riddick - 5-11, 200
Cierre Wood - 6-0, 215

Our guys aren't Gurley, but they're big enough.

This isn't even going into the fact that those teams have NFL players on their offensive lines.

 

[wizards8507]

This isn't even going into the fact that those teams have NFL players on their offensive lines.

Are you arguing against my anti-running back post? You're actually furthering my point. We just don't have the PLAYERS, whether it's at running back or offensive line. Sure we get plenty of recruiting "stars" but we don't get the freaks.

 

[GoIrish41]

Love that word...flummoxed. I think that half of the reason we aren't running the ball well is that the opposing defenses know when we are going to run the ball. And depending on which back we have in there...they can tell where we are going to run the ball. Too predictable. The other half of the equation is that our guys aren't "beating" their guys. Carlisle does break tackles, GAIII is too slow to turn it up-field. Cam runs the hardest and we all love his heart but make no mistake...he strikes no fear in the eyes of our competition. Want to see more of GB. Sometimes a RB can be a catalyst for better execution from an Offensive Line.

I think Folston looked pretty good for the few plays he was in there. I'd also like to see more of Bryant. Everyone loves Cam, but in the last couple of games where he led ND in carries, he had 100 yards on 32 carries for a whopping 3.1 YPC.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Are you arguing against my anti-running back post? You're actually furthering my point. We just don't have the PLAYERS, whether it's at running back or offensive line. Sure we get plenty of recruiting "stars" but we don't get the freaks.

I wasn't arguing anything. I'm a lover. Was just pointing out that the o-line of those programs is better. If someone was trying to argue that Wood and McDaniel are up to snuff with the aforementioned two (Yeldon and Gurley), then what's the point of arguing? They clearly aren't thinking clearly.

 

[stlnd01]

I wasn't arguing anything. I'm a lover. Was just pointing out that the o-line of those programs is better. If someone was trying to argue that Wood and McDaniel are up to snuff with the aforementioned two (Yeldon and Gurley), then what's the point of arguing? They clearly aren't thinking clearly.

I believe you were responding to my post noting that our RBs this year aren't really any smaller than our RBs last year. Or than most RBs. You shouldn't need a Todd Gurley-sized freak - or a line full of top draft picks - to have a running game that can convert the occasional third and short.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I believe you were responding to my post noting that our RBs this year aren't really any smaller than our RBs last year. Or than most RBs. You shouldn't need a Todd Gurley-sized freak - or a line full of top draft picks - to have a running game that can convert the occasional third and short.

I agree. Our current line and RBs are capable of doing that much more consistently than they are right now. It can, and hopefully will, be fixed, and that better be sooner (no pun intended) than later.

 

[Irish Insanity]

I wish we would just pick a main back. I don't care who, just make someone #1. Allow them to find a groove. Thats hard to do when they each get a few carries sprinkled thru out a game.

 

[Kak7304]

I think Folston looked pretty good for the few plays he was in there. I'd also like to see more of Bryant. Everyone loves Cam, but in the last couple of games where he led ND in carries, he had 100 yards on 32 carries for a whopping 3.1 YPC.

A lot of Cam's carries have come while icing leads when everyone knows it's going to be a run. This negatively impacts his YPC.

 

[koonja]

I wish we would just pick a main back. I don't care who, just make someone #1. Allow them to find a groove. Thats hard to do when they each get a few carries sprinkled thru out a game.

Amir was quietly squeezed out of the rotation today. Only 3 touches.

 

[GoIrish41]

A lot of Cam's carries have come while icing leads when everyone knows it's going to be a run. This negatively impacts his YPC.

He carried the ball throughout the game today and had 44 yards on 16 carries. 4 or 5 of those carries were at the end, but they were spread out throughout the game against MSU.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

I think you could argue the entire offense other than Rees and Daniels were squeezed out today.

 

[anarin]

Watching the game now for the first time...

 

[Irish Insanity]

Watching the game now for the first time...

Do yourself a favor, don't. If you do, wear those weird tanning bed glasses so your eyes don't burn.

 

[anarin]

Do yourself a favor, don't. If you do, wear those weird tanning bed glasses so your eyes don't burn.

Ha!

 

[IrishSteelhead]

Watching the game now for the first time...

No need to specify. You'll find out quickly it's a one time viewing.

 

[Buster Bluth]

Amir was quietly squeezed out of the rotation today. Only 3 touches.

At the same time, he's not exactly built for that kind of play.

 

[Bogtrotter07]

I am not going back more than a page or two to get a feel for this thread.

I have had a great weekend, thus far. Three thoughts I would like to leave you with.

DeShone Kaiser is a man among boys.

I called back all of my U of M fan friends who's calls we didn't take during the game, right around half time with the Wolverines down 21-7 to the Huskies and Fred Flintstone sputtering into the reporters mike.

If Tommy would ever look at the underneath route, he would double his passing yardage. Mark Mayock pointed that out. Other than that one salient point, Mayock should be fired.

 

[Patulski]

They have a good defense. They might not be top 7, but it wasn't just because we were bad on offense, but that they were pretty good on D, too.

Rees had guys wide open in the first half, but was not up to the challenge. Then, we tried to establish a run game. No dice. Then, our offense resorted to jump balls. Awful.

 

[Irishman77]

Rees had guys wide open in the first half, but was not up to the challenge. Then, we tried to establish a run game. No dice. Then, our offense resorted to jump balls. Awful.

Careful...I got neg rep'd by old man mike for saying something similar. Very sensitive fans these days.

 

[Patulski]

I wish we would just pick a main back. I don't care who, just make someone #1. Allow them to find a groove. Thats hard to do when they each get a few carries sprinkled thru out a game.

With a better offensive line, any of the backs would look better. They remind me of a Weis line the way they run block. No drive. No toughness. Weak.

 

[koonja]

Careful...I got neg rep'd by old man mike for saying something similar. Very sensitive fans these days.

He's neg-rep happy.

He neg repped me when I put 'Cam Mcdaniel - bruised ego- Day to Day' in the 'Injuries' thread, right after Cam went through the tackling machine backwards, lol.

 

[Irish Insanity]

With a better offensive line, any of the backs would look better. They remind me of a Weis line the way they run block. No drive. No toughness. Weak.

I agree. But I also think that allowing one back to get into a groove could help a lot. And our line has great pass protection, but run blocking is not good.

 

[johnnycando]

I Love OMM

I Love OMM

You boys straighten up and lick them wounds.

Get back on.

 

[IrishSteelhead]

He's neg-rep happy.

He neg repped me when I put 'Cam Mcdaniel - bruised ego- Day to Day' in the 'Injuries' thread, right after Cam went through the tackling machine backwards, lol.

I would have repped that the good way.

 

[Emcee77]

If Tommy would ever look at the underneath route, he would double his passing yardage.

I thought the same thing today. I laughed at myself when I realized that I criticized him earlier in the season for not looking down the field.

I'm really disappointed with his accuracy today. He just missed passes that he has been hitting lately. I don't understand it but it definitely worries me, unless it can be chalked up to the physical play of the MSU DBs, knocking our guys around and preventing them from running routes the way they want to.

 

[cody1smith]

Poor play all the way across the board. Sad sad day.

Zaire Plays this year.

Cam is so average its not even funny.

No chance at 8 and 4

Oklahoma puts up near fifty on us.

 

[woolybug25]

Poor play all the way across the board. Sad sad day.

Zaire Plays this year.

Cam is so average its not even funny.

No chance at 8 and 4

Oklahoma puts up near fifty on us.

Go to sleep. You're terrible right now.

 

[Patulski]

Love that word...flummoxed. I think that half of the reason we aren't running the ball well is that the opposing defenses know when we are going to run the ball. And depending on which back we have in there...they can tell where we are going to run the ball. Too predictable. The other half of the equation is that our guys aren't "beating" their guys. Carlisle does break tackles, GAIII is too slow to turn it up-field. Cam runs the hardest and we all love his heart but make no mistake...he strikes no fear in the eyes of our competition. Want to see more of GB. Sometimes a RB can be a catalyst for better execution from an Offensive Line.

I think the "too predictable" notion is just an excuse. Teams knew what Ara and Lou were going to run but couldn't stop them because the O-line would punch them in the mouth and we had a bunch of bad *** running backs. Our running game is soft. Both the line and backs are soft. I have no idea why, but we're not going anywhere with this running game.

 

[TheSunIsRising]

I think Folston looked pretty good for the few plays he was in there. I'd also like to see more of Bryant. Everyone loves Cam, but in the last couple of games where he led ND in carries, he had 100 yards on 32 carries for a whopping 3.1 YPC.

Taean is averaging 2.8 ypc (and averaged 3ypc today with a long of 5). Not sure what you saw that made him look pretty good in comparison to Cam (who is averaging 4.3 per carry for the season