Michigan 42, PSU 7.

[WingsFan]

Have to take the run away from McSorley, Bush will be spy all game.

[WM Wolverine]

More worried about M's offense against the lions defense... Patterson has glimpses of brilliance than doesn't even attempt a throw to a wide open Collins/DPJ downfield...

M's defense should limit McSorley and company enough provided they aren't gifted short fields, excessive penalties, and hit on more than expected big plays.

[Rocky Bleier]

Worthless Joebot writer gives his $0.02 about Michigan's 2018 success:

https://articles.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/index.ssf/2018/10/penn_state_football_michigan_h.amp

[Jeff Buchanan]

Another sports writer not paying attention ........

Now, does Penn State need to recruit better and keep adding talent along both lines? Yes, but I think it will. And when it does, the Lions will be much closer to a complete team than Michigan will. Because Harbaugh will still have a mindset stuck in the 1980s even while coaching 2020s talent.

So, watch what seems to be an inevitable result on Saturday with a calm eye toward the future.

To beat Michigan, you must control the game on ground on both sides. The Nittany Lions can't do that this year. Neither can the Buckeyes. But both have.

Penn State did last year and will again. And when it does, it will always have the advantage over Michigan. Because the rest of its package will be aimed toward the future of football rather than the past.

I wonder what this guy thinks James Franklin is doing on offense? I'm not sure he is even paying attention to PSU let alone Michigan, which he clearly is not. Is he aware that the NFL has actually adopted some of the game concepts of CFB and CFB has adopted some of the concepts of the NFL? These two leagues have a lot more in common on both sides of the ball than I think they have in the past with the biggest difference being the NFL is more pass heavy than CFB - with a few exceptions, mostly outside the SEC and BIG.

I don't think you can win the BIG or, for that matter, compete with the top teams of the SEC if you can't run the ball. These are arguably the two best leagues. All the contenders in 2018 have good to elite run games that are enhanced with spread concepts and the passing game. The higher the play variation is, the more difficult a team becomes to defend ...... there is balance tilted toward a punishing run game and the teams that have that in CFB are more likely to grab the ring than those that don't. In case he isn't paying attention, Michigan has that for the first time in a while.

Todays' CFB game strategy and tactics is nuanced. This guy hasn't a clue instead relying on a worn out cliche to build a story line. That story line sucks.

[Detroit Dan]

I agree with Jeff regarding the David Jones article which claims that Harbaugh's offensive mindset is stuck in the 1980s. But that really is a key question. I've been greatly encouraged by the zone read looks that Harbaugh has been dialing up more and more, for McCaffrey as well as Patterson. We didn't see much of that from Michigan in the Schembechler era.

[The Oracle]

Have to take the run away from McSorley, Bush will be spy all game.

Michigan almost never spies the QB. Probably won't Saturday either.

[hack]

I agree with Jeff regarding the David Jones article which claims that Harbaugh's offensive mindset is stuck in the 1980s. But that really is a key question. I've been greatly encouraged by the zone read looks that Harbaugh has been dialing up more and more, for McCaffrey as well as Patterson. We didn't see much of that from Michigan in the Schembechler era.

Harbaugh had 94 carries as a senior, and 79 as a soph. Is more than what Patterson's on track to get. Rick Leach ran even more. Different sets and plays against different defenses, but Bo's QBs did run a bit. That said, I'm glad that Harbaugh not only wants the defense to account for his QB's feet, but also that he actually thinks you can make big plays doing that. I like this a lot.

[froot loops]

That dude is ought to lunch in that article, but you guys are missing why he is out to lunch. To win a Big Ten title out of the East you need a little of that 80's manball mindset that he is denigrating. I'm sure Jeff Buchanan is preparing a 1,000 word treatise on Fancy Stats to show why Harbaugh is playing the most modern CFB offense known to mankind, but while that dude may think thats the key to winning national titles, you have to win the Big Ten. To win the Big Ten you need to be able to win a couple rock fights. Just because you think James Franklin is building the modern template to compete with Oklahoma that doesn't mean he is getting past MSU in October.

Its weird that he uses the MSU-Michigan game in his article and conveniently misses out on the fact that MSU with "generational level of injuries" beat Franklin in Happy Valley the week before.

[Hannibal]

I think that I have said this before but to me the hallmark of a modern offense is being able to run the ball against a great defense. Being able to shred a good defense for 250+ rushing yards. This is in contrast to the 80s and 90s, when your QB would almost always win you the big ones. That was when you had a dropback guy operating from under center. You need to spread the field to get guys out of the box and you need to have a QB who is at least a plausible run threat that can scramble for the occasional first down or run an occasional option. I think that I can count maybe on one hand the number of times in the 1990s that a team broke 200 yards rushing against us. You needed a stud RB usually just to break 150. When the spread offenses started showing up, it began happening at least a couple of times a year. Even our 2016 defense gave up over 200 yards on the ground vs. the Buckeyes. Our 2015 defense couldn't stop Indiana.

Our rushing performances in Big Ten play have been very encouraging. Just having Shea run a few times per game on designed running plays appears to make a big difference.

[THE_WIZARD_]

shaddup

[maxreturn]

I agree with Jeff regarding the David Jones article which claims that Harbaugh's offensive mindset is stuck in the 1980s. But that really is a key question. I've been greatly encouraged by the zone read looks that Harbaugh has been dialing up more and more, for McCaffrey as well as Patterson. We didn't see much of that from Michigan in the Schembechler era.

I would not be a bit surprised to see Patterson pull the ball out of the gut of Higdon more often against PSU. Undoubtedly Harbaugh noticed the same thing many of us did in the first half of the MSU game....the ends were often committing early to pinch in. Two of the bigger plays in the second half were runs by Patterson.

[maxreturn]

More worried about M's offense against the lions defense... Patterson has glimpses of brilliance than doesn't even attempt a throw to a wide open Collins/DPJ downfield...

M's defense should limit McSorley and company enough provided they aren't gifted short fields, excessive penalties, and hit on more than expected big plays.

Agreed. Patterson doesn't need to force things as he is apt to do. We got a bit lucky against MSU. Could have been at least 1 or 2 picks in that game. Just take care of the football. If he does that our boys win.

[edindetroit]

We play at Rutgers.

With lots of recruits in attendance I hope.

[Hannibal]

2018 Rutgers is probably the worst Big Ten team since the Northwestern teams of the 70s and 80s. Against Maryland their QBs combined for 2 for 17 for 8 yards, 0 TDs, and 5 interceptions. On the season they are averaging a little over four yards per attempt, with 3 TDs and 17 INTs. They are giving up 224 yards per game rushing, ranking them 115th in the country. That is with a schedule that includes Texas State, Kansas, Buffalo, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, and Northwestern, and an OSU team that is having a bad year running the ball.

[WingsFan]

Michigan almost never spies the QB. Probably won't Saturday either.

True but not this game. Bush will be spying McSorley, who hurt his right knee last Saturday, is participating in practice, with no apparent difficulty.