The Rest of College Football

[Jeff Buchanan]

I like IU a lot (for IU), they've a very solid team for '17; I'm taking the over on their win total. They looked like a real B1G team last season in terms of size and athletic ability and have them over Sparty as the #4 team in the B1G East...

They've got a very Michigan like schedule; they play Michigan, Ohio State, @Penn State & Wisconsin. Then a lot of lousy B1G teams: Rutgers, Purdue, Illinois, Sparty, Maryland. 7 wins despite the 4 very, very likely losses in the B1G...

I'll take IU to keep it within 20.

I think you're over rating IU minus K. Wilson.

Serious question: do you know something about the IU staff that eliminates typical HC transition issues?

[Cody_Russell]

If IU beats (@) Virginia, they could easily have a 7-5 regular season.
They return almost everyone, but gain Mike Debord calling plays. Love me some Tegray Scales.

[WM Wolverine]

You maybe right about the Hoosiers minus Kevin Wilson, Jeff. We'll see how important he was... Hoosiers have athletes on both sides of the ball, instead of just on offense when they'd try to outscore you. Plus they have the size to hold up at the line of scrimmage on offense & defense.

Penn State needed a lot of breaks to beat the Hoosiers in '16, just looked it up; IU coughed up 5 fumbles! After the 'big 4' on our schedule; IU is pretty high up on my list of games we could slip up.

[WingsFan]

but gain Mike Debord calling plays.

And Nick Sheridan is the QB coach and Mike Hart is the RB coach.

Lagow threw for 3,362 yards in 13 games, and was one of just two starting quarterbacks (Sefo Luifau, Colorado) to throw for more than 150 yards against Michigan without throwing an interception.

IU has a stong set of DBs that returns every single member that finished 11th nationally in 2016 with a 52.5-percent completion percentage against and ninth with 77 pass breakups (as well as 12 interceptions).

[WingsFan]

IU has a buy before hosting Michigan, this is game that we could get upset. Speight (if he starts) will need to be really improved on the road or we lose this game. Mark it down.

[WM Wolverine]

After M's top 4 opponents; IU is ime the only game I can see us slipping up.

[Hannibal]

They have Mike Debord.

We won't lose to them.

[WingsFan]

You know, your right - what was I thinking?

[The Oracle]

Love reading opposing coaches speak on teams. Haven't gotten to all of them, but most seem accurate.

https://www.si.com/college-football/2017/08/10/preseason-top-25-teams-rival-scouting-reports

[Jeff Buchanan]

Good article from SI.

I thought there were some observations, not necessarily M, that reveals how coaches might look at an opponent.

Aggressive defenses have benefits and drawbacks. As an offense, if you can't beat man coverage, it's going to be a long day.

What that means. I think M is going to give up some big plays through the passing game. There's talent and some depth in Brown's back end D but solid man coverage comes with experience. Florida worries me and I think they'll go with Del Rio and mix in some packages for Zaire. Likewise McSorely and PSU.

On the positive side for a Brown type D, using Florida as an example, you can take the pressure off the back end D and mitigate the long ball threat by getting Gary and Hurst in the backfield with occasional surprise visits from Hudson.

"Harbaugh wants to beat you up (on the ground)"

Interesting perspective but I think it's wrong. M's opponents are going to plus 1 them in the box. That leaves options for JH that I know he'll exploit. Here's the problem for M .......

"Coaches hope that the opponent's QB will make some mental mistakes and put up a few bad balls."

What that means. Speight definitely has the potential to do that. Peters may have a better arm and be less likely to do that if arm and accuracy were the only issues for him. They aren't. Keep reminding yourself when you want JH to pull Speight......he's not taken a single snap in a live CFB game.

Speight's characterization as a solid but unspectacular QB is why I think M will be closer to 9-3 than 10-2. To get to 9-3, M has to beat Florida in the opener because between @ Wisconsin, @ PSU, osu and one other unexpected road loss, like Iowa was last season, there's a high likelihood of 3 losses. A loss v Florida, portends 8-4.

[hack]

I have a feeling we're going to get a pretty favorable whistle in The Game. Two wrongs don't make a right, but this is the world we live in.

[WingsFan]

Ill believe that when I see it.

Desmond Trip - Charles White Fumble - Sparty Clock Bob - JT was Short

[hack]

We've had some calls go our way too. Spartan Bob is in a different category. But, in this case, the conference perceived enough of a problem to send out that lackey so Teddy Greenstein could take dictation and then call it a deep dive in the Tribune. For the refs this year, The Game is circled on the calendar and they know a whole lot of people will be watching carefully.

[WingsFan]

Wizard you can chime in any time

[AlabamAlum]

I'm not Wiz, but I find that the calls even out over the game and definitely the season. Take Clemson's winning last second drive. It's easy to point out the missed holds, offensive PIs, and linemen downfield. My crimson-colored glasses often ensure that's only what I remember. But when I force myself to be reasonable, I note a Bama d-lineman with his hand in the neutral zone a time or two on that series, and at least two uncalled holds and a block in the back on our previous go-ahead drive.

I also remind myself that it is doubtful that there is some grand scheme by the refs to 'keep Bama from winning' - which forces me to view officiatiating like I view funny bounces of the ball and the weather.

That said, let me note how happy I am to see a smattering of football talk here. The season is nigh, and I'm as happy as a small child at Christmas.

I also am going to get to go to an Army game or two this year. A friend of mine has moved to a little town called Poughkeepsie, which is a short drive from West Point, and he's invited me up for a couple of games. Bucket list stuff.