Michigan 56, Nebraska 10.

[Hannibal]

It's tough to say because undisciplined teams do commit more penalties. One piece of data that I was perusing yesterday was first downs allowed by penalty. 17 for Michigan. The next highest in the country is 13.

Some data on holding calls made the rounds over the summer on a few message boards. Michigan was close to rock bottom last year when it comes to holding penalties drawn by the opposing offense. Despite Maurice Hurst and Chase Winovich tearing around blockers on the regular, we got almost no holding calls last year -- data that defies visual evidence.

For funsies, I looked at data for first downs allowed by penalty. Here is Michigan's data:

2018 so far: 17
2017: 25
2016: 24
2015: 31


Hoke era
2014: 10
2013: 9
2012: 20
2011: 15

We're on pace probably to set a program record this year and we are #1 in the country right now. Hoke's teams never had a number above 20. Is this all the refs? Of course not. Hoke's teams were soft. Harbaugh's teams play with more of an edge. Is it all that? I don't think so, based on visuals of the shitty calls that we have suffered over the past few years and how our opponents have not been getting flagged for the same infractions.

[hack]

Good numbers, thanks. Interesting contrast with Hoke period. Under Hoke they went from zone to press/man CB coverage in '14, IIRC. You'd think that would have generated a little spike, at least.

Do you know the national average going back to '15? Would be interesting to compare. Rough indicators, but it's better than nothing.

[Hannibal]

Good question. I don't know what that is. I think that crosses the threshold of having to pay a premium at one of the fancystats sites. But that data might be out there.

But I honestly think, for some reason, that the refring has been particularly biased against Michigan since Harbaugh took over. There are way too many discretionary or just horrible calls that have gone against us. I am biased but I think that I am also realistically able to identify when we benefit from a bad call. (e.g. the Chris Evans spot in the SMU game and the safety call on Saturday).

[hack]

When you go entire games in which every single 50/50 call goes against you, it's easy to wonder. Didn't the '16 team go a month without the DL drawing a holding penalty? That DL rotation featured, what, 5 or 6 NFL players? That's an easy to wonder about too.

[Jeff Buchanan]

In 2015-16, M ranked 12th in committing penalties that resulted in first down. IOW there is a huge difference between 15/16 and 18/19. Many more penalties that resulted in a first down this season as compared to 15/16.

Source: https://www.teamrankings.com/college...ate=2016-01-11

Again you have to ask is this on the referees officiating M games? Is the difference caused by a bias against M/JH by officials that started with Harbaugh's arrival? It appears to be, but, I think the answers to those questions would be very hard to obtain. Is it just by chance that M has a shit-ton more of these penalties this year compared to 2115/16? I remember Linesman talking about how the refs get annoyed by particular coaches and it is indisputable that there are occasions when a call as made to teach a lesson, so to speak. I also know Linesman was clear in saying that should never happen but it does.

I do think that the primary reason for the uptick in M's penalties that resulted in 1st downs is that the complexity of the rules under which the penalties have been assessed in M's last two games, anyway, exceeds the capacity of the crews to understand them and apply them uniformly and or correctly.

To state it in the simplest of terms, Big Ten officials (I think those were BT crews in the last two games) are grossly inept...... at least that has what has been demonstrated to date. I know that the BT has procedures in place to evaluate referees on an ongoing basis but the process and outcomes are not made public. Maybe they should be FOI'ed.

[entropy]

Scott Frost is a turd. Period. In three years, Big Red fans will be sick of him.



Fuck Nebraska.

Perhaps we should start paying rent with how much time UNL is in your head... Frost will be fine, if UNL fan doesn't get in the way.

congrats on the domination. It was a butt kicking, no question.

[UMStan White]

Great about Carter, but my grandson playing little league baseball as an 8 year old did something that 99.999999% of all boys and men playing organized baseball at all levels, including the pros will never accomplish in their careers. He pulled off an unassisted triple play! (no shit i ain't making it up!) Playing short stop, he caught a line drive, tagged second base on the runner who failed to tag up and ran down and tagged the runner who broke from first to second. My only regret is that nobody got it on tape.

[Jeff Buchanan]

That's is supper cool Stan. I absolutely love watching my grandkids do neat stuff and excel at it.

[THE_WIZARD_]

STFU

[AlabamAlum]

Hey, does anyone know the final score of the M-UNL game from this past weekend?

[THE_WIZARD_]

Hey does anyone know how gay Bear Bryant was?

[AlabamAlum]

Simple. Because he was caught topping "Dr." Tom in a North Platte bathhouse.

[THE_WIZARD_]

horrible

[Jeff Buchanan]

Here's how to make a form tackle without drawing a targeting penalty:

[WingsFan]

Nebraska came into the game having out gain their opponents by almost 300 yards. And their defense had 11 sacks, hardly the markings of a typical 0-2 team.