2010 College Football Thread (1 Viewer)

[Steve_Tk]

I figured it was time to get this started. Any games worth mentioning this weekend or is all the top 25 playing gimmie games?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

As a Michigan fan, all I have to look forward to this season is the eventual firing of our slimeball coach. Thankfully, this horror story is nearing its conclusion.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The Big Ten announced its divisions for 2011:

 

Division A:

Michigan

Michigan State

Nebraska

Iowa

Minnesota

Northwestern

 

Division B:

Ohio State

Penn State

Wisconsin

Illinois

Indiana

Purdue

 

This appears to be pretty balanced. Each school gets to have a "protected" crossover rivalry with a team in the opposite division, so Michigan and Ohio State will still play each year. Other "protected" rivalries include Penn State & Nebraska, Illinois & Northwestern, and Wisconsin & Minnesota.

 

For 2011, the conference will stick with 8 conference games, but this will probably get expanded to nine games soon. That could mean bad news for Notre Dame, whose non-conference games with Michigan, Michigan State and Purdue could be at risk when the conference schedule is expanded.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

While I always enjoy watching Michigan beat Notre Dame, I think UM is very fortunate to have won the game. Had ND's quarterback played the entire game, I think this would have been a blowout. The Wolverines defense is terrible.

 

On the positive side, Denard Robinson has been amazing the first two weeks, compiling approximately 900 yards of total offense. That is insane. Unfortunately, UM's collection of tailbacks are the worst I have seen in 40 years of watching Michigan football. Once the Big Ten conference schedule begins, UM is really going to struggle with this one-man show.

 

[KevinGress]

Yes, Denard is certainly a specimen, but just like you said, once B10 play starts they'll struggle - hopefully he won't go down ala Baylor's Griffin last year.

 

I'm very hopeful for my Nebraska Cornhuskers - don't see anyone on their schedule they can't beat (OU isn't on schedule unless both make it to B12 Championship), the defense is coming along and the offense is better (Martinez is no Denard, but he doesn't need to be). The big thing for Nebraska is to clean up the sloppy play; too many fumbles and penalties.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Nice to see the ACC football conference take the 2nd weekend off. Not.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Notre Dame went winless against the Michigan schools, getting beat by a trick play in OT. While I always enjoy seeing the Irish get beat, I think they were done under by the "magic" Spartan Stadium clock. Replays showed that MSU's fake field goal in OT should have been flagged for delay of game, as the play clock had expired 1-2 seconds before the ball was snapped.

 

I cannot feel sorry for ND, although I know how it feels to be screwed by the clock at Sparty Stadium. UM lost a game several years ago when the MSU clock operator stopped the clock with 1 second left when it should have run out. MSU got one more play from the UM goal line and ran it in for the "winning" TD.

 

Gotta love the Sparty magic clock!

 

 

[KevinGress]

 

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield " width="1" />

 

Huskers looked good again this week. Gotta temper my optimism by reminding myself that Washington's still a year or two away, but it's a nice win on the road in a loud environment.
 

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Made my first trip to The Big House this year -- the completed renovation looks great. Too bad they didn't do anything for us common folks who sit in the 100,000+ regular seats -- they are still those uncomfortable benches with the seats spaced too closely together. I bet the new luxury boxes are comfortable, though.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Not much activity in this thread.


The official countdown to the firing of Rich Rod in Ann Arbor has begun. I cannot see him surviving after this season. There are only two games left on the schedule they even have a chance to win -- Penn Sate and Purdue -- and they will probably lose at PSU anyway. He will be 0-6 against conference rivals Ohio State and Michigan State, and the NCAA should announce their sanctions for Rodriguez's infractions by the end of the year. Additionally, the defense is once again terrible and he has publicly admitted he doesn't spend any time with that unit. His defenses have been terrible everywhere he's coached, so this comes as no surprise. Finally, UM has a new athletic director -- David Brandon -- who played for Bo in the '70's (he is also a former CEO at both Vlassic and Dominoes Pizza).


I expect the new AD to make another run at Les Miles, and if that doesn't pan out he will go after Jim Harbaugh.

 

[Patrick Sun]

Actually, this might be one crazy finish with a lot of teams with 1 loss, and then the TCU/Boise's with no losses, and then the BCS has to make some unpopular invites to the BCS Championship bowl.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Originally Posted by Patrick Sun /forum/thread/303528/2010-college-football-thread#post_3741133

 

[DavidJ]

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield

Not much activity in this thread.


The official countdown to the firing of Rich Rod in Ann Arbor has begun. I cannot see him surviving after this season. There are only two games left on the schedule they even have a chance to win -- Penn Sate and Purdue -- and they will probably lose at PSU anyway. He will be 0-6 against conference rivals Ohio State and Michigan State, and the NCAA should announce their sanctions for Rodriguez's infractions by the end of the year. Additionally, the defense is once again terrible and he has publicly admitted he doesn't spend any time with that unit. His defenses have been terrible everywhere he's coached, so this comes as no surprise. Finally, UM has a new athletic director -- David Brandon -- who played for Bo in the '70's (he is also a former CEO at both Vlassic and Dominoes Pizza).


I expect the new AD to make another run at Les Miles, and if that doesn't pan out he will go after Jim Harbaugh.

It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Surely, they can put together a better finish than last year.


The defense is awful and they need to address it during recruiting. Part of the problem is that they have been hit hard in the secondary by injuries and transfers. They are without their top talent in the secondary and without much experience. Not really the time to switch to a 3-3-5 scheme (which I've never liked).


The Big 10 record is pathetic. Dantonio has as many (or is it more?) conference wins in Ann Arbor. There is no excuse for that.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Originally Posted by DavidJ





It'll be interesting to see how it plays out. Surely, they can put together a better finish than last year.


The defense is awful and they need to address it during recruiting. Part of the problem is that they have been hit hard in the secondary by injuries and transfers. They are without their top talent in the secondary and without much experience. Not really the time to switch to a 3-3-5 scheme (which I've never liked).


The Big 10 record is pathetic. Dantonio has as many (or is it more?) conference wins in Ann Arbor. There is no excuse for that.

I foresee a similar finish to the previous two seasons. Between the "one man show" on offense and horrible defense, I only see one more victory this season.


As for fixing the defense in recruiting, I do not see that happening. This is Rich Rod's third season, so we should already be seeing the results of his recruiting. I heard on the radio the other day that Rod has NEVER had a defense finish in the top 50 in the NCAA at any of the places he has coached. He also admitted this week that he does not spend any time focusing on the defense. Finally, UM did not just switch to that moronic 3-3-5 scheme. He brought this with him from WVU, and it was one of the big concerns when he was hired.


Michigan needs to end this failed experiment now. Former AD Bill Martin has already set the program back 5 years with this hire, and there is no need to let it continue for another year.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Michigan pulled out a wild one on Saturday, beating Illinois 67-65 (that's not a typo). The local paper actually praised their defense for making some plays! I cannot understand the comments, as this is the most points ever given up by a UM football team -- in over 100 years!


While there was a lot of scoring, I really hate watching this type of football. This defense is horrific. Hopefully Rich Rod's days are numbered in Ann Arbor and we will have a real head coach next season.

 

[DavidJ]

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield /forum/thread/303528/2010-college-football-thread#post_3748133

 

[Dheiner]

So, it looks like Wisconsin vs. TCU in the Rose Bowl.

Does the scoreboard go to 3 digits?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Originally Posted by Dheiner

So, it looks like Wisconsin vs. TCU in the Rose Bowl.

Does the scoreboard go to 3 digits?

Why TCU and not Stanford -- assuming Oregon goes to the BCS title game and Stanford gets an at-large BCS bid (which are both very likely)?


Speaking of Stanford, I really hope new Michigan athletic director David Brandon does the smart thing, fires RichRod and brings Jim Harbaugh back to his alma mater. I cannot stand to watch another season of the crap that Rodriguez is putting on the field, nor tolerate the slimeball behavior off the field.

 

[DavidJ]

Originally Posted by Scott Merryfield

nor tolerate the slimeball behavior off the field.

To what are you referring?

 

[Scott Merryfield]

Originally Posted by DavidJ

nor tolerate the slimeball behavior off the field.

To what are you referring?
[/QUOTE]


Let's see, just off the top of my head (I'm sure to miss some):

1. The first ever NCAA probation for the football program. West Virginia is now also under investigation from his time there.

2. Recruiting very questionable players, including one who had been arrested on two separate occasions for armed robbery. That recruit was denied admittance by the University after Rodriguez offered him a scholarship.

3. Getting sued by West Virginia for failure to pay his exit fee. UM ended up paying the settlement.

4. Allegedly shredding documents when he left WVU for Michigan.

5. He and his assistant coaches were all given rather substantial lines of credit at the bank where then current (and now former) Athletic Director Bill Martin is on the board of directors.

6. Driving away numerous players from the program, including Ryan Mallet, Steven Threet and a starting offensive tackle (can't remember his name, but he transferred to Ohio State). RichRod then claims that former coach Lloyd Carr "left the cupboard bare" as one of his many excuses for the program's losing.


There have been more off field issues in three years under RichRod than in the previous 40+ years under Bo and his successors. It seems like every other month another issue arises. He also is quick to blame anyone and everyone except himself for the program's losing. He continually shows a lack of character and integrity, IMO.