Around the Big Ten

[Jeff Buchanan]

?..... He looks like a stock character in sports, to me: the guy that thinks he can win with his playbook and doesn't pay enough attention to the fundamentals as a result.

Weis.

..... schematic advantage.

There's a reason Borges has been around, as he likes to exclaim, for 30 years without ever becoming something other than a coordinator.

[Chuck Mallory]

And, the players aren't developing.

Have these players gotten better over the last three years: Gallon, Lewan, Schofield?

I realize some haven't: Gardner, Fitz, Barnum and Omameh from last year.

I just think its fair that if your gonna call out the offensive staff on players that haven't improved it should be pointed out the players that have improved. It works both ways.

[Hannibal]

Through 5 weeks...

1. Michigan
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin
4. Northwestern
5. Nebraska
6. Penn State
7. Michigan State
8. Illinois
9. Iowa
10. Minnesota
11. Indiana
12. Purdue

Based on what I have seen through four weeks, here are my rankings...

1. OSU
2. Wisky
3. NW
4. Penn State
5a. Iowa
5b. Illinois
5c. MSU
8. Nebraska
9a. Michigan
9b. Minnehaha
9c. Indiana
12. Purdue

[Hannibal]

And, the players aren't developing.

Have these players gotten better over the last three years: Gallon, Lewan, Schofield? .

Gallon, absolutely. Schofield -- maybe. He is an average to above average tackle who probably won't make honorable mention all Big Ten. Lewan is also somewhat debateable. He was already a dominating stud before Hoke arrived. His only problem in his redshirt freshman year was that he took lots of shitty penalties, and he has cleaned those up.

[hack]

Weis.

..... schematic advantage.

There's a reason Borges has been around, as he likes to exclaim, for 30 years without ever becoming something other than a coordinator.

Yeah. Again, this is a stock character in the world of sports. It's beyond me why guys like this get hired time and again. And it's very clearly an inconsistent approach by Hoke. He likes to joke about how the team has 3 DL coaches. By that logic, why is Borges both OC and QB coach? Borges can ``coach'' the QB just like Hoke and Mattison coach the DL. It kinda reminds me though of when DG went to work with that other QB guru this summer. Borges reacted as if someone else was wearing the same dress as him at the cocktail party.

So, I think it's reasonable to wonder exactly how thoughtful Hoke is in choosing co-ordinators. Mattison -- I don't know that he gets points for that. That's a no-brainer if you can get him, and Michigan opened up the checkbook to do it. Maybe there's something Mattison likes about Hoke that made him want to come here, but it doesn't speak to Hoke's ability to intelligently select an OC.

[Hannibal]

Hoke also had Stan Parrish as his OC at Ball State, another mediocre OC.

[hack]

Has he worked with others as HC, or just those two?

Should we be so lucky as to see a change in the offseason, I'm def hoping for someone willing to work with mobile QBs.

[Hannibal]

He had somebody else when he first took over at Ball State, but I don't know who.

[hack]

Northwestern/OSU is a great game. Two very smart offenses here.

[whodean]

The Big Ten

OSU's smart offense displaying the harm turnovers can do

[hack]

You'd like it better if they all were paid more?

[whodean]

The Big Ten

I think turnovers make an offense look dumb

[lineygoblue]

Looks like OlieO v NW is going down to who scores last.

Neither defense has anything to crow about.

[JRB]

That's a tough way to lose for Northwestern.They couldn't hold up against Ohio State's power game in the second half, and they blow their last drive by fumbling a snap on a fourth and a foot.

[hack]

I like them with Coulter at QB more. But, yeah. Still -- very admirable team.