Ohio State at Michigan - 117th Rendition of THE GAME!

IVCguy said:
I actually think that today Michigan proved what has been said about them for several weeks now - that they are the most "complete" team in the B1G, meaning the most solid in all 3 phases.

Ohio St is the most talented team, but the gap is not so big that it can't be overcome by execution.

Wolverines were much better at DE and the O line than Ohio St today. More talented? Maybe, maybe not, but they were dominant in this particular game.

Ohio St was not complete because of some defensive issues - and it bit them bigtime in the butt today.

So, I think Michigan proved today that they are, without a doubt, the best team in the B1G East - and the B1G by implication and assumption - as disgusting as that is to say.

That defense will keep them in the game against anyone. Even tho they are a complete team, I'm not sure they have enough offensive explosion to win a playoff game, but if they execute today's gameplan, they just might.
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A marginally effective run defense is all that was needed for OSU to win. But we were a long way from marginal yesterday.
 
LCL said:
52-20. tOSU up 42-7 at the half. Michgan's never in it...or 35-31 UM. UM up 21-10 at the half...but I'm taking the 52-20 score. I dont see UM DBs keeping up with WRs. Even MSU gave their DBs some problems. But, who knows...its Ohio State-Michigan, anything can happen
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Welp, definitely missed it on this one, lol. Hopefully the Bucks wont get embarassed in the Peach Bowl against Alabama??? Really, I'm glad that there will be a little more fire in the game. Day's recruiting will definitely be exposed next year. Sidenote Michigan did have 2 years to prepare for the game since they chickened out last year. ?
 
Not a fan of either team, but I love the competition and the rivalry. I thought going in that Michigan had to play a really high level game and Ohio State would have to not play to their level and that's what happened. Add the snow and cold in and it was a great game plan for Michigan. They sold out to not give up the big plays over the top that Ohio State thrived on all year. Stroud had a decent game, but Michigan kept the Buckeyes out of the end zone, that was huge.
Offensively, Michigan stuck with the run and made just enough passing plays to keep the offense moving. It's funny how after the Oregon game and early on, Carry Combs, OSU's DC was demoted. They looked like the same defense today. The real telling thing was again, like the Oregon game in the 2nd half, they were run on and run on badly. You rarely see that from Ohio State. They normally dominate up front and Michigan was getting big pushes up front.
Great game, I still don't think either team is a top 10 team, Michigan is very limited in the passing game. I really feel Iowa could get them this weekend. You may not see a big ten team in the playoff, or you could get two if things fall a certain way.
 
It's not been the same for me since they stopped showing half-time. Just another game to watch, none of the pagentry. It's talking heads and lets see how many "celebrities" we can rub shoulders with. More and more, I drift in and out of the game, turn channels, find something else to do.
 
Hammerdrill said:
He had excellent numbers. Weird that you didn't know that. Needed a better defense in that game to win.
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He needed a much better defense and better offensive line. OSU got pushed around in the trenches.

It's been 730 days since OSU beat Michigan in football.
 
Hammerdrill said:
I assume UM loses a lot? The QB has been one of their biggest weaknesses under Harbaugh, Cade seems like he could be really good.
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I looked at their spring depth chart. There are some quirky ways of counting because of injuries and emerging players, but it's not an exaggeration to say that scUM will have, possibly, only 4 or 5 starters returning on both sides of the ball combined. They had a bunch of seniors, 5th year seniors, and covid seniors. They also have juniors Dax Hill and Ojabo who may enter the NFL draft.

The application is that Ohio St played a very old team last Sat and they will playing a much younger, less experienced team next year.
 
It'll be interesting to see how Stroud performs without Wilson, Olave, and Ruckert. JSN is a stud and Fleming looks like he could be good. But behind them will be a bunch of young guys who didn't play a whole lot this year.
 
Crusaders said:
It'll be interesting to see how Stroud performs without Wilson, Olave, and Ruckert. JSN is a stud and Fleming looks like he could be good. But behind them will be a bunch of young guys who didn't play a whole lot this year.
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Keep in mind, Wilson and Olave were studs when they were young, and the kids behind them are just as highly regarded. One is the #1 WR, another is Marvin Harrison Jr, a top 100 recruit. Then coming in for '22 is a 5 star and a 4 star.
 
They rarely throw to the TE, so I don't think losing Ruckert will hurt the passing game much.

WR will have big shoes to fill, but that is the most talented position group on the roster. I think that Fleming, Harrison Jr. and Egbuka will likely be more than okay. Egbuka was dynamite as a kick returner this year, and I could see him being a very explosive player in the offense next year.
 
I don't think they'll lose much there as a pass catcher, and will in fact probably opt to go with a better athlete in passing situations next year with Gee Scott who was a pretty highly rated WR prospect before converting to TE.
 
Harbaugh isn't all bad:

  • Tom VanHaarenESPN Staff Writer

Jim Harbaugh will donate any bonus money earned from his contract this season to University of Michigan athletic department employees who had their pay reduced due to COVID-19 issues.

Harbaugh said on the "Inside Michigan Football" radio show that he and his wife, Sarah, would give the money back no matter the amount in order for it to be distributed within the department.

The Michigan athletic department implemented salary reductions of 5-10% for most of its employees in 2020 to help offset revenue loss from the pandemic as well as salary freezes.

The way Harbaugh's contract is constructed, he has the ability to earn bonuses up to $3.475 million. That includes $500,000 for winning the Big Ten East, which the Wolverines did on Saturday by beating rival Ohio State.​


Harbaugh would trigger $1 million if Michigan wins the Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday against Iowa, and another $500,000 if it makes the College Football Playoff semifinal.

Any employee who took a voluntary or mandatory pay reduction over the past 18 months and is currently employed by the university will have the opportunity to receive some of the bonus money.
 
nwwarrior09 said:
They rarely throw to the TE, so I don't think losing Ruckert will hurt the passing game much.

WR will have big shoes to fill, but that is the most talented position group on the roster. I think that Fleming, Harrison Jr. and Egbuka will likely be more than okay. Egbuka was dynamite as a kick returner this year, and I could see him being a very explosive player in the offense next year.
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They will, however miss his blocking. Scott won’t be much of a blocker and I haven’t paid enough attention to Stover to know how good or bad he is in that department.
 
IVCguy said:
I looked at their spring depth chart. There are some quirky ways of counting because of injuries and emerging players, but it's not an exaggeration to say that scUM will have, possibly, only 4 or 5 starters returning on both sides of the ball combined. They had a bunch of seniors, 5th year seniors, and covid seniors. They also have juniors Dax Hill and Ojabo who may enter the NFL draft.

The application is that Ohio St played a very old team last Sat and they will playing a much younger, less experienced team next year.
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My sentiments exactly. I knew this was the game Michigan had to win because if they couldn't, they would never beat tOSU. The Bucks are an extremely young team. Next year should be a different story. Michigan is an older team. It was literally a bunch of 22-23 year olds playing 18-20 year olds over most of the team. OSU's defensive line had some age on the line, but all of the linebackers and db's were freshman and sophomores. Another year to grow will do them good.
 
falguin said:
My sentiments exactly. I knew this was the game Michigan had to win because if they couldn't, they would never beat tOSU. The Bucks are an extremely young team. Next year should be a different story. Michigan is an older team. It was literally a bunch of 22-23 year olds playing 18-20 year olds over most of the team. OSU's defensive line had some age on the line, but all of the linebackers and db's were freshman and sophomores. Another year to grow will do them good.
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Yes, but let's also acknowledge that Ohio State got bullied, out-toughed, and dominated at the LOS - and that should never happen.

I tortured myself and rewatched the game, and a couple of head-scratchers were that on Corum's 55 yard run, every single defender was blocked and a few of them were blocked TWICE! Unreal. Not sure I have ever seen that before. It was outstanding effort by scUM and piss-poor effort by the Buckeyes.

DE T Smith spent the entire game getting stood up and stymied - every...single...play. He is better than that. But we did have the DEs make one significant play the entire game: Zach Harrison knocked down a pass.

It was an absolute shiteshow on defense. Just give me a defense that will not give up any more than 26 ppg against anyone and Ohio St will win every game. That doesn't seem to be something that is unachievable. But this year showed that it was not achievable with this coaching, scheme, and personnel. So, changes have to be made immediately, if not sooner, and since you can't fire players... Lol.
 
IVCguy said:
Yes, but let's also acknowledge that Ohio State got bullied, out-toughed, and dominated at the LOS - and that should never happen.

I tortured myself and rewatched the game, and a couple of head-scratchers were that on Corum's 55 yard run, every single defender was blocked and a few of them were blocked TWICE! Unreal. Not sure I have ever seen that before. It was outstanding effort by scUM and piss-poor effort by the Buckeyes.

DE T Smith spent the entire game getting stood up and stymied - every...single...play. He is better than that. But we did have the DEs make one significant play the entire game: Zach Harrison knocked down a pass.

It was an absolute shiteshow on defense. Just give me a defense that will not give up any more than 26 ppg against anyone and Ohio St will win every game. That doesn't seem to be something that is unachievable. But this year showed that it was not achievable with this coaching, scheme, and personnel. So, changes have to be made immediately, if not sooner, and since you can't fire players... Lol.
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Great post.

I rewatched as well and the Buckeye's scheme was awful. My 8th grade nun teacher knew Michigan was going to come in and run the ball. How can millionaire DC's miss it? They started the game with a 4-2 front which made it realitively easy on UM. And one of those backers started the season as RB. Downblock the frontside and pullers whipe out the backside. Nothing new here. Old school TAG football even though UM ran it multiple ways. Sometimes they would zoom motion the TE and he would trap a tackle or end but nonethless this is run stop 101 for any DC. Close down and spill. When the RB is running underneath the pullers all game it is sign the D is being X's to O's and at that point you can have the most talent in the world but if you are not coached on how to stop it, it never really matters.
 
irish_buffalo said:
Great post.

I rewatched as well and the Buckeye's scheme was awful. My 8th grade nun teacher knew Michigan was going to come in and run the ball. How can millionaire DC's miss it? They started the game with a 4-2 front which made it realitively easy on UM. And one of those backers started the season as RB. Downblock the frontside and pullers whipe out the backside. Nothing new here. Old school TAG football even though UM ran it multiple ways. Sometimes they would zoom motion the TE and he would trap a tackle or end but nonethless this is run stop 101 for any DC. Close down and spill. When the RB is running underneath the pullers all game it is sign the D is being X's to O's and at that point you can have the most talent in the world but if you are not coached on how to stop it, it never really matters.
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I can't stand terrible fundamentals. The D ends never held the corners all year. Harrison was horrible imo.
 
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