M-Borg vs. THE Flavortown U Thread, Orig. by Buckeye Paul, absconded w/by talent.

[hack]

Mattison is probably a game, maybe two, from deciding that freshman are going to replace a 5th year senior at MLB and two seniors on the DL in QWashington and BWC.

Thanks very much to those seniors, but, yes. Do it now. Get them seasoned and ready. The coaches won't do the following, which is probably one of the reasons they are the coaches and I'm not, but I'd risk the Purdue and Illinois games to get those kids the reps they need to be ready for 10/20.

[Hannibal]

Mattison is probably a game, maybe two, from deciding that freshman are going to replace a 5th year senior at MLB and two seniors on the DL in QWashington and BWC.

Thanks very much to those seniors, but, yes. Do it now. Get them seasoned and ready. The coaches won't do the following, which is probably one of the reasons they are the coaches and I'm not, but I'd risk the Purdue and Illinois games to get those kids the reps they need to be ready for 10/20.

I dunno. I'm still thinking of 2012 as a "win now" year, although as our seniors disappoint, I'm softening on that. Our victory over OSU last year and the Sugar Bowl win relieve some of this year's urgency, but next year still might be pretty painful, and 2014 could be too. We could use another good year to cement Hoke's goodwill for the '14 and '15 classes.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'm not so sure, Hack. There's a pretty big downside risk to putting freshman out there no matter how talented or how big they are. There is that experience thing not to mention the strength thing.

I'm thinking Mattsion may be happier with adequacy from a DL that understands his scheme and objectives and will also understand when they are coached up on the sidelines in game what to do with that coaching.

[hack]

Well Jeff, which are you thinking? That Mattison is a game or two away from benching upperclassmen, or that he's happier with adequacy? Let's get that set and go from there?

[hack]

Overall I agree that it's risky. But these are, at least on paper, great young players. In the case of BWC, his job is not much more than to be big and in the way. Pipkins can handle that just fine for now. A different case for the linebackers, who have more reads to make. But I don't see how '13 is going to be a rough year. As far as I'm concerned, this year is it. Last year was seniors, luck and coaching. This year's gonna be rough, but next year there will be kids who are in their third year with Hoke and Co., and that's gonna pay off. I haven't looked close at next year's sked, but hosting Ohio, ND and Nebraska is also gonna be a factor. I think that lumps taken this year pay off next year.

[drok]

We're not even in the B1G season yet and as far as I can tell are still legitimate contenders for both the Division and Conference titles. Talk of risking the Purdue and Illinois games is silly at this point. We still really don't have a good sense of how this team is going to perform. Don't throw this season away already because of a beat down at the hands of the current number 1 and defending national champions and a tough win that could be the product of a big game hangover and an unorthodox opponent. The sky is not falling, yet.

[hack]

I'm not really coming at it from that perspective. I don't think the sky is falling. I predicted 9-3 and still expect it. I fully respect your position, and that that a conference title should be the goal, and that it's not fair to the seniors not to play for one. I am however eager for these coaches to get their guys in there so we can actually have some talent out there on the field, and I suspect that if they pick those 2-4 freshmen on defense who can really contribute, and run them out there as much as possible in the next four games, they'll be ready for MSU and of course for Ohio later.

[Hannibal]

The only things propping up the sky right now are Denard Robinson and a really shitty Big Ten. Which we won't benefit from as much as everyone else, because we play against what appears to be the two best teams (MSU and OSU). Anyhow, after losing Denard, Lewan, and the other seniors off of the offense, next year could be really rough on that side of the ball. I'm seeing that as our "big bath" year, and I'm bracing for 6-6 or worse. If that's the case, Hoke will lose a lot of momentum if he is 6-6 this year too.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Let's not shift the meat of this discussion. Does Mattsion dump an adequate DL manned at its heart by BWC and QWashington, arguably two key defenders in Mattionson's scheme, along with 5th year senior, Kenny Demens, to put in talented freshmen?

My point was that I think Mattsion is looking at that and if the freshmen outperform these guys who will start the next two games when they spell them, he may go beyond just thinking about it.

My hesitance in thinking he'll do that is based on my view that Mattison understands the downside risk of doing that this season. Frankly, Hack, I don't think he is thinking at all about 2013 or 14. I think he is thinking about UMASS.

[iam416]

When has Hokatisson every steered you boys wrong? Trust.

[hack]

You're right. I'm thinking about '13 and I don't expect he is.

What's the floor for this DL's effectiveness? Adequate? I don't know yet. It could be a lower floor, or it could not. Too early to tell.

I think there's a big diff between the interior line and LBers. Again: BWC's job is comparatively simple. If Pipkins is strong enough now, then it's easy to imagine that he'll do better very quickly than BWC will. Demens is another story. That's a more complicated job to do.

[hack]

What do you mean, Talent?

[Jeff Buchanan]

Heh ...... Well, let's start with Hoke's clock management at the end of the first half against the AFA.

Doug and I were going freaking nuts ....... And I have no doubt, from about 80 yards away, Hoke could here Doug hollering.

[UMStan White]

On the last two defensive stops Mattison played 7 sophmores and freshmen.

[whodean]

I expect we will see more PT for the freshmen, but not necessarily benching the upper classmen.