Every game we win is like another rung on a ladder to nowhere
- Thread starter hawkinn3
- Start date
marbill69
Active Member
Following the Hawks is still optional. Went to my first game in 1954 and still a fan.
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
the OP is right. we gave that win to WUs. absolutely gave it to them.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
I enjoyed yesterday's game. I think a neutral fan would have as well.
We've been bitching since before dirt that our receivers can't make plays.
Well, our receivers made plays.
We've been screaming bloody murder that Brian won't open up the playbook. Well, he did, and we needed it.
Did Michigan up and fold their season in 1985 when they didn't give up a TD to us (they did but that's a different story) and lost a heartbreaker? No, they finished strong, went to a nice bowl game, and won it.
Posters have said that Wisconsin is in the player's heads.
I think they're in some of the poster's heads.
I live I the damn state and I'm past it. Looks like the players are too.
And as for all the injuries we accrued yesterday, many of you out there have been bitching for the younger players to play anyway.
Enjoy a win for Christ sake.
We've been bitching since before dirt that our receivers can't make plays.
Well, our receivers made plays.
We've been screaming bloody murder that Brian won't open up the playbook. Well, he did, and we needed it.
Did Michigan up and fold their season in 1985 when they didn't give up a TD to us (they did but that's a different story) and lost a heartbreaker? No, they finished strong, went to a nice bowl game, and won it.
Posters have said that Wisconsin is in the player's heads.
I think they're in some of the poster's heads.
I live I the damn state and I'm past it. Looks like the players are too.
And as for all the injuries we accrued yesterday, many of you out there have been bitching for the younger players to play anyway.
Enjoy a win for Christ sake.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
OP was predicting a loss all week, saying we don't perform well off byes, stuff like that.
OP was wrong. He's picked against Iowa almost every week this year.
Maybe he took Minnesota plus the points and bet the under.
We did give the damn Wisconsin game away. I wrote a lengthy post about Beyer. It's there if you want to pursue it further.
It's water under the bridge now. IDK, maybe that loss will make us better in the long run.
trj
Well-Known Member
I look at some of these early bowl projections and most have Iowa in the Holiday bowl. I am trying to gauge how I feel about a matchup with a Pac-12 school. I am okay with it if this leads to a better 2019 season with all these kids coming back. If they end up 8-4 next season then I think the OP's comments are fair, but we will not know until then.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
The offense was encouraging, yesterday. I would have gone the NW route and abandoned the run game after 20 carries, but I like to find what works and then do it until it doesn't work any more. We don't know if it was bad boat rowers that made our WRs look good or if it was a shift in offensive philosophy. We'll find out next game, maybe. Encouraging.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
I was hoping they would go to another RB, give Sargent and Young more touches, etc. We will have to see the extent of IKM's late injury.
Minny was missing their top DB, Winfield. That had to hurt them. We were banged up, too, and got more banged up, but depth and Fleck's ineptitude helped carry the day.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
That was the most open I have seen our WRs this season. If I were BF and Stanley, I'd have passed on every down. Multiple guys in the bar I was at, were yelling in frustration, every time they ran the ball. It wasn't just me that noticed it. This goes back to adjusting to in game situations vs scripting and sticking to it. If I can see it, KF/BF certainly should have seen it.
Adam
Well-Known Member
If that is your opinion, feel free to crawl back into your cellar until next year.
Each and everyone of our remaining games is important. If the players had the weak spine that your crybaby post suggests we would be an also ran and we could enter every season with zero hope of winning a B1G championship.
Northside Hawk
Well-Known Member
I would have had no problem with that, either. Minny was selling out to stop the run. We were getting open early and often. That seam pass to Fant is another TD if Stanley puts it on the money.
Stanley was also doing a good job picking up hot read on blitzes; The TD to ISM, the long gainer in the flat to IKM, etc. And Admiral Fleck never really adjusted either. Just kept loading the box and bringing extra heat.
WinOneThisCentury
Well-Known Member
I'm in the court that the jury is still out on Wisconsin. Let's see how they do this week. I hope Gary is back for Michigan. Here is the thing...if Hornibrook plays the way he did yesterday against Iowa, Iowa wins that game even with the mistakes. Hornibrook is terribly inconsistent...just ask BYU..he just threw it well against us for some reason.
Wisconsin had punted on 7 or 9 drives to the point they went on the long drive at the end of the game to beat us. Do you think Michigan's defense is better than ours? Well, I kind of do. It's in the big house...Michigan's offensive line is playing better...and Wisconsin's defense is very very suspect.
I think Michigan beats them. I also think Penn State beats them. I also think Northwestern could beat them...if Thorson plays like he did yesterday. You have to outscore Wisconsin...but if Hornibrook is inconsistent...your chances go way up.
To think the season is over is ridiculous. If it was Wisconsin last year...fine...I'm with you. This defense is no where near that defense...and now they have guys hurt all over that defense.
The problem I have is that, the way Iowa is playing (huge turnovers) I don't think they can run the table on their schedule. Our linebackers are a problem and we are playing two true freshmen at corner (although I loved the way they competed yesterday). Can it come together...well it better this week, because Indiana is better than Minnesota, on both sides of the ball.
Wisconsin had punted on 7 or 9 drives to the point they went on the long drive at the end of the game to beat us. Do you think Michigan's defense is better than ours? Well, I kind of do. It's in the big house...Michigan's offensive line is playing better...and Wisconsin's defense is very very suspect.
I think Michigan beats them. I also think Penn State beats them. I also think Northwestern could beat them...if Thorson plays like he did yesterday. You have to outscore Wisconsin...but if Hornibrook is inconsistent...your chances go way up.
To think the season is over is ridiculous. If it was Wisconsin last year...fine...I'm with you. This defense is no where near that defense...and now they have guys hurt all over that defense.
The problem I have is that, the way Iowa is playing (huge turnovers) I don't think they can run the table on their schedule. Our linebackers are a problem and we are playing two true freshmen at corner (although I loved the way they competed yesterday). Can it come together...well it better this week, because Indiana is better than Minnesota, on both sides of the ball.
Adam
Well-Known Member
The run game was indeed shit. Minnesota obviously sold out in practice to stop it. That has been the smart money for years. That said the passing game was unstoppable unless we stopped ourselves. We ran frequently even when it wasn't working much because we had confidence to convert on the 3rd and longs. Plus all of our arm chair QB's should very well know that you simply must run the ball to keep a defense honest. You can't pass on every down or the DL will eat your QB and the picks will rain from the sky.
All in all we played this game the right way. Offense handled their business. The burden is actually now on the defense. The defense needs to tighten up. They face the 2nd most dangerous offense of the season next week on the road. If the defense doesn't tighten up the zone coverage Indiana will score 42. At least they don't have a defense and scoring 48 on them like Minnesota is a realistic outcome. I'm booking next week as a old fashioned barn burner.
HawkeyeWalker
Well-Known Member
Nah. But it made it more difficult. Gotta keep winning. Wisky wont win out.
I'll be nervous for next week. Indiana will be a tougher matchup.
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But there are ways to basically have running plays when you show pass as a screen pass is like a run and if done well is tremendous, use the draw play, use the quick flare out pass to a running back if their cover man rushes which I think we did a couple of times. The shovel pass to a running back or back in motion is another pass that is a safe run.
Doing these types of things while passing most of the time can keep the defense honest.
Another thing these 15 outside zone plays do each game is wears out the dline especially but also lnbkrs has they have to run side to side while being blocked by 300 pounders, etc. It can help late in the game.
ArvadaHawk
Well-Known Member
Or, maybe we don't give away the WUs game and we're now alone in first place at 2-0 and 5-0 overall. Maybe we're in the top 15. We didn't get beat by WUs, we out played them but gave them the win. If WUs had beaten, then, I agree, water under the bridge. But that isn't what happened. Last season's ass-whoopin' by WUs...yeah, water under the bridge. This years loss, not water under the bridge.
Yes, Nate can be spot on with accuracy like he was a lot in the first half then get a little off way off. That miss to Fant was a yard behind him so was it a mental mistake or just physical like not turning his shoulders or feet correctly.
There were a few drops so Nate could have been at a % of about 65-68 but he also needs to find more consistent accuracy.
