Rex Hudler

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Oct 5, 2010 -> 09:10 AM) Defenses they've faced: Total Defense Rankings UCONN-51st Notre Dame-89th UMASS-FCS Bowling Green-119th Indiana-88th They will play: MSU-41st Iowa-4th PSU-18th Illinois-37th Purdue-58th Wisconsin-25th OSU-5th Not to mention some of the strengths of those defenses is stopping the run, which is basically the Michigan attack since they rank 3rd: Iowa-2nd-63.2 yards per game OSU-8th-80.6 ypg MSU-20th-101.2 ypg Wisconsin-26th-110.6 ypg PSU-31st-118.2 ypg I would say there is a good chance one or more teams hold them under 30 points. Outside of Purdue, they haven't faced defensive teams as strong as the rest of their schedule. Then again, maybe they play up to competition and run those teams off the field. They're not going to run anyone off the field because the best they can do is slow them down on defense. The beauty of this offense is if they make the right reads it is nearly impossible to stop. There is always somewhere to go with the ball. That's why they get so many long plays on short passes because teams have to cheat to stop the run. When Robinson runs on his own, its either in a read option where he reads the defensive end or tackle when they throw a wrinkle into it or when he uses the RB as an extra blocker giving them a numbers advantage. As soon as the secondary cheats to offset that advantage they throw of the top or a quick screen where he only has to beat one guy. The only way I see them getting stopped for a whole game is either Robinson makes bad reads because the defense throws something at him that confuses him or they can stop the run without having to cheat guys into the box. Their DB's better be able to tackle in space too. I just don't see too many defensive lines that can dominate our O-Line to that extent. Keep in mind every run that only gains 2-3 yards is potentially setting something else up. I've gone back and rewatched games and its fun to watch. It's truly a numbers game with the defense and if the reads are right, any given play can go the distance. I don't expect them to dominate the better teams and you are right, they are ahead on the schedule. But they'll score. To be safe, I'd plan on scoring at least 30 to beat them. 40 wouldn't hurt. At some point, special teams will bite them in the ass and they will lose a 37-34 type game. Maybe a few. But I don't see this team folding like a house of cards as last year's team did.

Will anyone hold Michigan to less than 30 points this year? Will Michigan hold anyone else on their schedule to less than 30? This team is not for the faint of heart.

Strange mix of games this weekend. The Big Ten games sucked. I wish they would move up some conference games like the SEC does instead of waiting until week 5. It would at least allow them to spread out all of the cupcakes instead of loading them all into one weekend. As a conference, I think you need good games with more than local interest every week. Michigan drops 65 on Bowling Green and only scores the 3rd most points amongst conference teams. When is the last time you can say that about the Big Ten? I hope Saturday night was the last time I ever watch a game at Boise. We were watching in a bar and you couldn't see the Boise players in their blue unis on that stupid turf. Eastern Washington now has a red field. PLEASE tell me this is not going to become a trend!!! Michigan looks good right now. Now come the real tests. I truly believe they CAN win their next 6 games. Will they? Probably not. I guarantee you from this point on there will be at least 3 if not more games where they will simply have to outscore the other team in a track meet. How many 45-41 games can they survive?

QUOTE (fathom @ Sep 18, 2010 -> 09:37 PM) How is it possible for a Big 10 quarterback to not know you can't go past the line of scrimmage and then try and run back behind it so you can throw a pass? The black line isn't actually on the field.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 17, 2010 -> 06:54 PM) You did get into it though, but dont take me as an OSU fan as a negative. If anything I hold UM higher than most other fans across the country. Not only did I live with 3 die hard UM fans in college including one whose family was close personal friends with Bo (this is how I met him a few times), but I always was taught by my family to respect our main rival because they are who made us great. You are knowledgable which is why I called you on certain things. Using the term DickRod seems to contradict what you just stated. All I am saying if you want to slam Rodriguez for the NCAA stuff, know the whole story, not just what you get on ESPN in 10 second snippets. I know its only a message board. If Michigan sucks, I'll admit it. But I like to at least consider all the facts.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 16, 2010 -> 05:08 PM) You really think RichRod is good for the UM program? I personally think that UM is one of the best and classiest programs ever in college football. Since Rich has taken over the program, he has run quality student athletes out of the school and promoted a culture of non-compliance resulting in sanctions. He's spouted off to UM fans, the media, the students and even other coaches. He's showed a history of scandal and deceit in now two major programs and hasnt had any results on the field at UM. He put together the single worst season of any first year UM coach as well as one of the worst stretches in school history. For fans and faculty to be in up arms over there makes sense to me and I dont think it has anything to do with Les Miles. He has single handedly changed the image of the program from one that was highly revered to one that is at some times mocked in the media. I personally had the pleasure to meet Bo Schembechler, and although he was a firey personality on the field, he was widely regarded as a man with personal integrity and was high revered around football much like his mentor, Woody. I personally think that Bo would roll over in his grave if he saw the things that Rich has done to his program, both on and off the field. Like I said before, I think UM fans deserve better than Rich Rodriguez. This is a topic I don't feel the need to get into with an Ohio State fan. I do appreciate you caring for our program to follow this closely enough to get all of your facts straight and not take all your points from national media snippets. There are gross inaccuracies and exaggerations in what you stated above. To put some things in perspective, I will discuss the NCAA issue. The Detroit Free Press "broke" the big scandal by letting all know how much Michigan was breaking all of the practice time rules. They interviewed disgruntled players who left after the coaching change and current freshman (at the time) on media day asking questions to dig for information without being transparent about their intent. New freshman stated how hard they had been working - now there's a big shock. The reality of it is, the investigation revealed UM has "practiced" 65 hours too many in a year. Do the math, I challenge you. That amounts to barely more than an hour a week or about 15-20 minutes a day. This whole big scandal broke because they were not accurately counting stretching, warm up etc which counted as practice time. 15-20 minutes a day!!! Note, the Freep never interviewed anyone at Michigan, football people, athletic department or compliance. There was never an attempt to get both sides of the story and accurate information. Now Michigan did admit to having QC staffers at some off season workouts and in coaches meetings. Strangely enough, now those staffers are allowed at meetings. UM hired QC staffers which equated to additional strenth and conditioning coaches. It was determined that even though their expertise was in strength and conditioning they offered the kids "football advice or instruction" while on the field for voluntary workouts. I can go into how confusing the definition of QC staffers and their allowable roles was for all schools, but that's pretty well known for anybody that has followed this closely. Lastly, there were forms that UM football support staff did not file for over a year. The non-filing actually began before Carr retired. Rodriguez did not know the forms existed. As head coach, he ultimately is responsible. Emails from UM compliance staff practically begging for the forms from those employees have been printed. Ultimately, compliance and football operations people (athletic department personnel) were not doing their job making sure the practice hours were documented and all of it was kept from Coach Rodriguez. Seven employees, including Rodriguez received letters of reprimand from the AD and the other six all included language stating they failed to do their job but they also withheld information from Coach Rodriguez. The same thing was going on at WVa and continued after Rodriguez left because it was simply a misinterpretation of some rules. Again, we're talking barely more than an hour a WEEK. Of course, all of this is public information so I am sure you have read it all and simply chose to interpret "UM aguilty of major violations" when in fact the wording was "potentially major". Having read what I have read, I sleep very well at night not worrying at all about Rodriguez and the NCAA. The key will be if Rodriguez can win. I am quite confident he will and will do so with class. UM like any school has always had kids that admissions had issues with. That existed under Carr and farther back. Carr simply had more political clout to get them in. Admissions standards at UM are higher than most schools. Not all kids that meet NCAA requirements will get into Michigan. They're not Stanford or Harvard, but their not the SEC either. If Rodriguez shows enough improvement this year (and I think he will), he'll be back, the necessary depth will be in place and the next two years will be a major turning point. But I'll focuse now on handling UMass this week first.

QUOTE (kev211 @ Sep 16, 2010 -> 10:42 AM) Then what are they trying to hide, I don't think they would sit Crist for no reason. That's what I am asking. I can't seem to make any sense of the whole thing which is why I am posing the question. Conspiracy theorists could argue it was a way of hiding some kind of suspension, but I would have a hard time buying that. It makes less sense than the story being told now. Did he actually get hurt in the TD celebration and they don't want to admit it? I wish I knew. I just know that typically when you have blurred vision, the natural reaction is to blink or wince. You would see some kind of facial expression. The camera wasn't on him all the time, but there were many closeups of him in between plays that I thought I would see something if I were looking for it, even something small. It just seems weird is all I'm saying. If you go back and watch and look for anything that might tip it off, I think you would agree.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 16, 2010 -> 06:54 AM) Maybe it would cut down on the amount of posts you put in a thread in a row. Easier for the eyes. And OSU generated the 3rd most turnovers in college football last year, they werent handed anything. They completely dominated the wolverines from start to finish and ran the ball out of the game which is why the score was what it was. If you think it was a close game or UM "handed" the game over, you need to either rewatch the game,. I went back and re-read your comment after I posted and my reply was directed right at your blanket statement that they CAN win 2 of those games, just like any team in the country could do against any other team. I mistakenly thought you had made a pointed statement, but in actuality you didnt really say anything of that nature. That was my bad that I read it like you were going out on a limb and actually saying they WOULD win games, when in actuality you said they have a chance to MAYBE win some. And I dont believe UM is tougher at all, in fact you lost your best player who just happened to be on defense, on a team that basically plays zero defense to begin with. We'll see where they are in a month or so, but my money is on DickRod being let go at the end of another disappointing season, which as a UM fan, you should be in favor of. Opinions vary. First, know that I am not dumb enough to come on here and spout off about how great Michigan is going to be. When they do it on the field, I may take a different approach, but for now I am proceeding very cautiously. I don't like putting my foot in my mouth when its not necessary. You are right in that the UM - OSU game wasn't as close as the score indicated last year and it is fair of you to ask for credit for OSU's defense for creating the turnovers. I just felt UM played badly and still kept the score reasonable close. Not winnable close, but close enough that it worked for my original argument. lol As far as this year goes, we'll have to wait and see. I'm confident Michigan will be better this year, both offensively and defensively, which should result in better results. Depth is the biggest difference. How much better those results will be remains to be seen. I know this is a message board and I will ask and ask only once because I have no authority on the matter. But personally I think calling him DickRod (this goes along with all the fat jokes with Charlie Weiss last year) is classless and rude. Perhaps you are using the term for effect. That's your prerogative. But in my mind, a knowledgable sports fan should be able to discuss without having to go there. I happen to disagree with you on Rodriguez getting fired being better for UM. From everything I hear and read, those that have personal interaction with Coach Rodriguez feel he is very genuine and support him. Unfortunately, that is not the case for all UM backers because still have their panties in a wad that Les Miles was not offered the job. It's time to get over that. We're allowed to have different opinions so there is no need to get into a pissing match over him. Lastly, I fire out so many posts because I am only on here once or twice a week. I should probably read all the posts and then go back and reply to a select few, but hell, I have fun stirring the pot on occasion. Give an old man a break, will ya?

I watched the first drive for Notre Dame again three times tonight. I still can't understand the deal with Crist. There were a couple of times on that drive that he got popped pretty good, but after both the cameras were in close on his face and you saw no change in facial expressions. Generally, if someone is having vision problems they will blink naturally. The camera showed none of that with Crist. He looked completely normal. He did get popped pretty good when he made the completion to Rudolph on the second to last play of the drive, but the hit wasn't to the head. I looked for any signs that he was fighting something or changing anyhting and saw nothing. Then, all of a sudden he has blurred vision and has to sit out the rest of the half. But then he's okay to come out and play in the second half? I want to take the team/trainer's word for it, but a clear explanation seems to be elusive. Even ESPN had a small piece on it and the whole article was quotes from Crist and none from ND. Am I wrong not buying what they are selling?

QUOTE (zenryan @ Sep 15, 2010 -> 11:32 PM) I think a lot of bettors talked themselves into MSU last week because of the whole "home underdog on Thursdays" trend. I know a few years ago home dogs were pretty good, especially SU, but it really has evened out the past year. I still dont think the bookies have a grasp on the lines for this season yet. There are a few games I really like this weekend and I will be riding Hawaii again for sure. I almost mentioned the home Thursday underdog thing. I think you're right, people jumped on that and it moved the line.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Sep 15, 2010 -> 10:38 PM) I understand how betting works. Vegas wants to make sure that they get 50% on each side so that they get their take and always win. If bookies make bad lines they dont get action. If an "expert" makes a bad pick no one cares the next week. But in general Bookie lines are far better than "expert" picks. I understand your logic, but if that were the case, one would always pick the favorite to win. We're nitpicking here. I agree with you in principle, but when I read/see/hear 75-80% of sports media which include former coaches and players pick one team, I'm inclined to think they're the favorite. UM was favored on the betting line simply because more people are goig to put money on them at home than UCONN. Personally I think we can both be right here. On another subject, please tell me Wisky is not going to let Steven Threet come to Madison and pull an upset. I'd be shocked if it happened, but I don't know ASU's personnel that well.

QUOTE (nitetrain8601 @ Sep 14, 2010 -> 04:55 PM) True about Doyel. He will blame anything on Illinois. Honestly though, NCAA should come down hard on Pearl. They won't though. Jimmy Collins should come out with regards to him and ask how this is getting little pub considering what Pearl did to the Illini program. I'm jumping in the middle here without a lot of knowledge. What is the NCAA accusing Pearl/Tennessee of right now? What have they done for them to come down hard? Do we have enough info at this point? I know he misled the NCAA, but I don't have a clue what the allegations are. As far as Illinois, I know this won't be popular here, but Pearl did nothing to the Illini program. He made an accusation that couldn't be proven. That doesn't mean it wasn't true. But the NCAA decided to look around while the door was open. Illinois got busted for what they found then. If they weren't doing s***, there wouldn't have been a problem. That's akin to a drug dealer blaming the cops for finding obvious laws being broken when serving a warrant for something else. Don't blame the cops because stuff was going on and they got inside.

QUOTE (Soxbadger @ Sep 15, 2010 -> 10:15 PM) Bookies know more about sports than "experts". Bookies have accountability, "experts" dont. As for the Michigan controversy, they are obviously better than their previous teams. But I think they at best are going to end up 5th in the Big 10, possibly worse. Not really true. Vegas sets a line and it moves based on the action on that line. If they start a game at -7 and the betting is predominant on the favorite the line slides higher to attempt to get an equal number of people to bet the underdog. Often the lines are very close. Sometimes they aren't close to the actual result at all. Regardless of how accurate they are, the lines are simply made to try to even out the betting. For those that don't understand betting, if you bet $50 on a game and lose, you pay $55. If you win, you get $50. If the same number of people win and lose on a game, then Vegas collects the $5 juice and deposits the cash with no risk. Vegas/bookies are only at risk when there are large amounts of money on one side and no bets on the other to even it out. A perfect examble is Mississippi State - Auburn last week. The game started with Auburn as a 3-4 point favorite, but by near game time, the line had moved to MSU -1 on some books. That movement had nothing to do with who they thought was going to win and everything to do with trying to balance the money.

QUOTE (T R U @ Sep 14, 2010 -> 02:11 AM) Robinson already almost has as many rushes in two games as he did the entire season last year.. Aside from the fact that Crist being out pretty much won the game for Michigan, there is zero chance that Robinson will be able to keep that pace up over the course of the Big 10 schedule.. eventually, that load is going to catch up to him.. you think he is going to carry the ball 30 times for 250 yards against Iowa? Ohio State? Wisconsin? yeah right.. Michigan better get what they can now, because their best weapon is a 190 lb QB who has to be the QB and the RB at the same time.. hes going to wear out, there's just no way he can carry the ball that many times a game and take all those hits and keep it up.. He doesn't have to. The spread takes what the defense gives. Teams will adjust, so will Michigan. How well remains to be seen. How quickly everyone forgets that Crist engineered 4 straight drives in the 2nd half that netted 2 first downs, 51 yaards and 0 points before the last TD to Rudolph, which was clearly a blown coverage. I'm not saying there wasn't a big difference between Crist and the others, but Crist led four scoring drives total and flopped on 5 others. And does Michigan not get credit for ringing his bell to the point he couldn't play? ND may have won w/ Crist the whole game. They may not have. But MIchigan knocked his ass out of the rest of the first half and held him more than half his drives in the 2nd. Maybe just give UM a little credit? maybe?

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 13, 2010 -> 10:56 AM) Convenient you ignore the 21 and 25 point loses to Wisconsin and Penn State, as well as the loses to Mich St, Illinois and Purdue. And really I meant this year, since I think you probably would agree that last year Michigan was not a top 25 team (at least I hope you would). This year is starting off the same - win against a team you should beat at home and a win against a much overrated and overhyped Notre Dame team. Last year Michigan ended up at 5-7. And I think that except for Penn St, the top of the Big Ten is even better this year. Is Michigan better than last year? Maybe. But still not top 25. I ignored nothing. I simply refuted the teams you named. Perhaps you should have done more homework before making your post? I never said Michigan was a top 25 team last year. Nor have I said they will be this year. Read my posts. If you would like my personal belief, it is that Michigan is better this year than last. They have more depth than last year which will help them withstand some injuries they couldn't last year. On defense, they have holes, but they are quicker and tackle better. The secondary is thin and extremely inexperienced. There will be some ugly plays along the way. I'm optimistic they will be better than any of you are giving them credit for. but the proof is in the pudding. I'm not going to tout them as potential Big Ten Champions until they show they belong. After two games, I like the direction they are headed. But anyone that infers they only have one player is missing a lot. Their receivers are solid and their backs catch the ball well out of the backfield. The offensive line is much better and deeper than it has been in the past 3 years. They have two RS frosh tackles that nearly beat out the incumbent junior and senior. Robinson is running for so many yards because that's what the defense is giving him. Watch the film. On read option plays with the zone blocking, most of the defenders are on the half of the line where the RB would go, so he keeps and has open space. That will change. They have good RB's, but no game breakers. They'll have to adjust. How well they do so will determine a lot. But understand when this offense is running well and the QB is reading it correctly, there is always a counter. The key is reading it correctly. That's where Robinson is much better than last year. Hopefully he'll keep getting better. With experience he will.

QUOTE (zenryan @ Sep 12, 2010 -> 03:41 PM) Michigan was a favorite over UCONN. I knew someone would call me on that, however the vast majority of sports media picked UConn. The money line in Vegas is strictly a number to get both sides to bet evenly. Bookies want half the bettors wagering on each side so they can keep the juice. While you are technically correct, I would submit that most football people were picking UCONN at least in spirit proves my point, or at the least makes it a reasonable statement. Fair?

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 12, 2010 -> 02:54 PM) Lol. Did you seriously bring up the OSU game where they were completely dominated as a proof to why they are good? Your team is an avg team at best with Robinson, against ND they lose with their REDSHIRT freshman in for more than a half. Dickrod is gone after this year and their mediocre talent isn't going to win them the conference for at least the next 4 years. How about you re-read my comment! OSU completely dominated Michigan by 11 points while getting 5 turnovers. The game was handed to you on a silver platter. But none of that matters. My point was the original poster acted as if Michigan can't get within 14 points, which they did with 2 of the 3 teams he mentioned. Stupid post. Yours comes in a close second. Unless of course, you would like to read the posts again and retract, rather than try to put words to my name. Hell, go ahead and just start posting for me. Its the same thing.

QUOTE (Jenksismyb**** @ Sep 12, 2010 -> 08:32 AM) Based on what exactly? Beating an (always) overrated Notre Dame team that had trouble with Purdue (one of the worst teams in the Big Ten) a week ago? When Michigan can stay within 14 of the likes of Ohio State, Iowa and Wisconsin, I'll consider them a good team. Until then, they're an over-hyped team with a name. How stupid is this comment? Michigan lost to Iowa 30-28 on the road last year and to OSU 21-10 (and threw 4 interceptions) last year. By every method of math I have ever learned, both of those scores are within 14 points. Michigan still has a lot to prove but winning these first two games as an underdog was a huge step in that direction.

QUOTE (chimpy2121 @ Sep 11, 2010 -> 01:23 PM) BJ Daniels sure seemed to want UF to win. Someone tell him that his weren't wearing orange and blue. no s***, he could have easily walked them into halftime leading 7-0. Instead he tosses one right into UF's hands. Didn't stop in the 2nd half either.

Where the hell is everybody? No one here to argue with my monday morning quarterbacking? On another note, USF beating Florida 7-0 in the 2nd quarter. I know its early, but seeing Florida struggle breaks my heart.

QUOTE (knightni @ Sep 7, 2010 -> 04:42 PM) Boise St and BYU should join the Pac 10. In a perfect world perhaps, but the Pac 10 has something to say who they are inviting, and Boise and BYU are not in the conversation.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Sep 7, 2010 -> 01:06 PM) A brief playoff round would settle that...fwiw. No it wouldn't. Then the argument would be they don't belong in the top 4 or 8 or whatever. The "controversy" would simply change to who isn't making the playoff. It would not go away.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Sep 7, 2010 -> 12:04 PM) The question is whether its more difficult to consistently face tough competition vs once in awhile. Boise just doesnt have to be perfect as often as a major conference title contender, which pads their record quite a bit. And you have no idea if they would get blown out, matchups are different with every team. True, but do you not think it is reasonable to assume that if Boise were in a major conference and/or playing that type of schedule, they would have more money for better facilities, get better recruits and be able to compete? The playing field is not level and to hold Boise to a standard of the major programs that practically print money isn't fair. Hell, the BCS system in the bowls screws them by making them play TCU rather than splitting those two teams up and giving them a shot at the big boys. The big conference teams want to do everything they can to shut the Boise's and TCU's out and it is all about money. I don't see any of those programs offering Boise to play a home and home series, do you? The bottom line is, if Boise keeps beating teams, you can't keep them out forever. If/when they do, all the big boys have to do is beat them and beat them soundly, put them back into their place. If Boise plays the little sisters of the poor 12 times, but is good enough to compete with the big boys, I don't care. Start beating teams like Boise and this argument stops.

QUOTE (danman31 @ Sep 7, 2010 -> 01:07 AM) Play tough teams three weeks in a row. Run the gauntlet Missouri has this year. @ A&M, vs OU, @ Nebraska, @ Texas Tech consecutively. One or two games don't make a top team. It's consistently playing and beating top 40 teams and still being able to win those top 15 match ups. How often do you see a team make a big statement win and then lose within the next two weeks? The whole argument against playoffs is that every game matters and it's tough to go 11-1 or undefeated in a tough conference. Boise has 2-3 games each season, not exactly what champions are made of. I will never respect Boise until they join a real conference. The Mountain West is an upgrade, but with BYU leaving I'm not so sure it's a big difference from the WAC. What conference do you suggest they join?

QUOTE (zenryan @ Sep 7, 2010 -> 12:32 AM) ESPN lucked out big time tonight. They broadcast 5 more Boise games this season and if they had lost tonight, no one would give a crap about watching them. Maybe ESPN made a call to the refs during a commercial late in the game. I think you're right. I was at Buffalo Wild Wings and they couldn't get through to the referee to send the game to overtime. Said the line was busy.