The Official THE GA][V][E Game Thread

[bphillips4gg]

OSU has 13 5stars and 47 4 stars

Michigan has 4 5stars and 36 4 stars

Michigan has to recruit better. The coaches have to.

Of course, you can't shoot yourself in the foot either. Better players don't shoot themselves in the foot...

Just out of curiosity is that the current roster or the last 3-4 years of recruiting data? If that's recruiting it's probably even worse because most of the players that left the program were 4 stars and Solomon was a 5 star. I haven't paid a lot of attention to OSU but I don't think they've lost nearly as many players. The ones that have left haven't hurt them.

And for what it's worth, Fields didn't impress me all that much with the exception of the TD pass right after he came back from his injury. Dobbins killed Michigan but most of the passing yards Fields had were dumpoffs that had a ton of YAC. He's got the stats, but I think it's mostly a product of the system and extremely talented guys picking up a ton of yards on their own.

 

[Michlady]

Justin Fields quote:

"We take it more seriously than they do," Fields said. "Like (strength coach) Mickey Marotti said, 'We're preparing for them next year right now.' It just means more at Ohio State. That's pretty much the big reason.

"I know a few players on (Michigan) and I just know the things we do in terms of work outs and how serious we take it at Ohio State. So talking to those guys, and getting their perspective on things, I definitely see we take it more serious."


Hit the nail on the head. We're going to keep getting our asses kicked if it stays that way too.

This has been said for the past 12 years

Something is missing

 

[hungry]

Just out of curiosity is that the current roster or the last 3-4 years of recruiting data? If that's recruiting it's probably even worse because most of the players that left the program were 4 stars and Solomon was a 5 star. I haven't paid a lot of attention to OSU but I don't think they've lost nearly as many players. The ones that have left haven't hurt them.

And for what it's worth, Fields didn't impress me all that much with the exception of the TD pass right after he came back from his injury. Dobbins killed Michigan but most of the passing yards Fields had were dumpoffs that had a ton of YAC. He's got the stats, but I think it's mostly a product of the system and extremely talented guys picking up a ton of yards on their own.

I'll guess and say that it is the current roster of both teams. I saw this information on a post over at MgoBlog. I didn't research and see if it is accurate.

 

[hungry]

This has been said for the past 12 years

Something is missing

They say it, but I don't believe it. Justin Fields isn't in the locker room with the Michigan players and he doesn't practice with the Michigan players

He says he got this from bs'ing with a few players on the MIchigan team. That's a big whatever to me.

I'm willing to bet that the coaches stress this rivalry game and want to win. Harbaugh "fired" one of his buddies last offseason just so he could hire Gattis and try to keep up with OSU's offense. It didn't work, but that doesn't mean that they don't emphasize the game.

 

[bphillips4gg]

Here's a great article that covers everything we've been discussing this morning. My favorite part is when the author points out that OSU has 8 recruits that are rated higher than Michigan's highest-rated recruit.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...ball-ohio-state-talent-recruiting/4343118002/

 

[hungry]

Here's a great article that covers everything we've been discussing this morning. My favorite part is when the author points out that OSU has 8 recruits that are rated higher than Michigan's highest-rated recruit.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...ball-ohio-state-talent-recruiting/4343118002/

I wouldn't say it's my favorite part...

 

[bphillips4gg]

They say it, but I don't believe it. Justin Fields isn't in the locker room with the Michigan players and he doesn't practice with the Michigan players

He says he got this from bs'ing with a few players on the MIchigan team. That's a big whatever to me.

I'm willing to bet that the coaches stress this rivalry game and want to win. Harbaugh "fired" one of his buddies last offseason just so he could hire Gattis and try to keep up with OSU's offense. It didn't work, but that doesn't mean that they don't emphasize the game.

I don't buy it either. Every single change they made this past off season was to win this one game. It was the reason they overhauled their offense, it was the reason they stopped playing man to man on every play on defense. It's why they are trying all the cute shit at times that don't seem to make sense all year because they are trying to put more shit on tape for OSU to have to prepare for. It's the reason why Harbaugh has bitches about officials after they beat someone by 30 so that the league doesn't assign another shitty crew for this game.

And they all said that they dedicated time each week to prepare for this game. I don't know who Fields is talking to but he should focus on his team and stop spouting off about what Michigan does or doesn't do.

He is right though. Michigan doesn't sell their souls to win on the field. They don't cover up spousal abuse or improper benefits to win. They don't sit on knowledge that their star player took a "loan" from an agent until they get to the most convenient place in their schedule for him to sit out. We don't have former players telling NFL rookies to get a fall fuy for when they're doing illegal shit. I guess we should start providing Escalades for our players, give them free tattoos and start arranging for hookers to throw parties for recruits if we want to "take it seriously".

 

[thewolverines24]

I don't buy it either. Every single change they made this past off season was to win this one game. It was the reason they overhauled their offense, it was the reason they stopped playing man to man on every play on defense. It's why they are trying all the cute shit at times that don't seem to make sense all year because they are trying to put more shit on tape for OSU to have to prepare for. It's the reason why Harbaugh has bitches about officials after they beat someone by 30 so that the league doesn't assign another shitty crew for this game.



And they all said that they dedicated time each week to prepare for this game. I don't know who Fields is talking to but he should focus on his team and stop spouting off about what Michigan does or doesn't do.



He is right though. Michigan doesn't sell their souls to win on the field. They don't cover up spousal abuse or improper benefits to win. They don't sit on knowledge that their star player took a "loan" from an agent until they get to the most convenient place in their schedule for him to sit out. We don't have former players telling NFL rookies to get a fall fuy for when they're doing illegal shit. I guess we should start providing Escalades for our players, give them free tattoos and start arranging for hookers to throw parties for recruits if we want to "take it seriously".

We could start by recruiting DT and CB depth. There's a dearth of talent at those two spots. It's going to continue to get us killed when we play them.

Smith and Hinton are supposed to be promising DTs, but they basically got zero game experience this year and we have no depth behind them next year.

CB next year is Thomas, Gray, and ?\_(ツ)_/?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[rumseyhouse77]

Well we have to try something because Jim is not working. And sadly this is just the last 8 Thanks Michigan. We need our guys to take it as seriously as they do.

2019 osu 56-27
2018 osu 62-39
2017 osu 31-20
2016 osu 30-27
2015 osu 42-13
2014 osu 42-28
2013 osu 42-41.
2012 osu 26-21.

I didn't realize that some of these games were quite close (2012, 13, 16). I went into the last two years feeling like they actually had a reasonable chance at winning. Instead they turned out to be big losses.

 

[bphillips4gg]

We could start by recruiting DT and CB depth. There's a dearth of talent at those two spots. It's going to continue to get us killed when we play them.

Smith and Hinton are supposed to be promising DTs, but they basically got zero game experience this year and we have no depth behind them next year.

CB next year is Thomas, Gray, and ?\_(ツ)_/?

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

They've had a lot of attrition from those 2 spots in particular but I do agree that they have a tendency to recruit reactively instead of proactively. Instead of looking last cycle and saying we're losing hill then Thomas next year, we should recruit a couple of CBS now, they wait and hope the freshman will be able to start right away. Meanwhile they have about 10 safeties and more in this class. It's frustrating to say the least.

 

[lostleader]

There?s little chance that making a change will make things against OSU any better.

There?s a substantial likelihood it would make everything else worse.

Just the same way it happened when Lloyd Carr was replaced.

I still say that if we would have had Les Miles as the head coach after Lloyd instead of Richy Rod, there is no way we are in this current position.

And I agree with what Fields said, heck every OSU fan I know is all excited about being undefeated, but beating UM is the top priority. I just appears that Harbaugh and company are just content with looking the part of being awesome, but don't want to put in the actual work that it takes. Its hard work and a lot of focus and UM has other priorities. They concentrate just as hard or harder to beat MSU then they do OSU and it didn't used to be like that. Beating MSU was almost always a given and OSU was the game, and unfortunately, and no offense to MSU, but UM has slipped to their level and left OSU alone at the top.

So as long as things stay the same, us fans will have to be content of years of doldrums football with small streaks of greatness that may last a season or two, followed by a severe drop off. Just the way it is.

 

[wlvrnstlr4life]

Staying with the gameplan for the 2nd half and we win 2012. A more thought out 2 point conversion wins 2013. And the right call from the refs bags us 2016. This streak is a bit of bad luck, too. Put those 3 wins in and our recruiting becomes more even and the rivalry is an actual rivalry.

One day......

 

[biggunsbob]

I didn't realize that some of these games were quite close (2012, 13, 16). I went into the last two years feeling like they actually had a reasonable chance at winning. Instead they turned out to be big losses.

I think we went for 2 in the 42-41 game. Meyer called time out . We didn?t change the play or formation if I am remember it right. Gimpy Gardner gets stopped sadly.

 

[biggunsbob]

Staying with the gameplan for the 2nd half and we win 2012. A more thought out 2 point conversion wins 2013. And the right call from the refs bags us 2016. This streak is a bit of bad luck, too. Put those 3 wins in and our recruiting becomes more even and the rivalry is an actual rivalry.

One day......

Agree .Pretty Much SPOT on. If you get my meaning on the spot.

 

[Spartanmack]

I still say that if we would have had Les Miles as the head coach after Lloyd instead of Richy Rod, there is no way we are in this current position.

And I agree with what Fields said, heck every OSU fan I know is all excited about being undefeated, but beating UM is the top priority. I just appears that Harbaugh and company are just content with looking the part of being awesome, but don't want to put in the actual work that it takes. Its hard work and a lot of focus and UM has other priorities. They concentrate just as hard or harder to beat MSU then they do OSU and it didn't used to be like that. Beating MSU was almost always a given and OSU was the game, and unfortunately, and no offense to MSU, but UM has slipped to their level and left OSU alone at the top.

So as long as things stay the same, us fans will have to be content of years of doldrums football with small streaks of greatness that may last a season or two, followed by a severe drop off. Just the way it is.

it's been 5 years of top 10 recruiting classes and culture building - it's time to stop blaming hoke and rich rod. there is probably a similar talent gap between Alabama and Auburn but Auburn still gives them a game and even pulls out some big victoiries - and 'Bama is probably more consistently in the top 3 for the Iron Bowl than OSU is for The Game.

 

[bphillips4gg]

it's been 5 years of top 10 recruiting classes and culture building - it's time to stop blaming hoke and rich rod. there is probably a similar talent gap between Alabama and Auburn but Auburn still gives them a game and even pulls out some big victoiries - and 'Bama is probably more consistently in the top 3 for the Iron Bowl than OSU is for The Game.

Yep. Pretty much every other rivalry is competitive. As bad as Texas has been for the past decade they've still managed to beat Oklahoma a few times. Auburn has gotten Bama a couple of times. Of course I'd like to beat those assholes every year but I would settle for 50/50. This 1 win per decade shit is old.

The sad thing is that there aren't any coaches that are available that would be a slam dunk to fix the issues. Jim was supposed to be that coach. But who could you reasonably expect to get that you would have confidence in? Fleck? Fickell? Meyer isn't happening. Neither is Saban or Swinney. And outside of those 3 nobody is going to be a sure thing.

 

[rumseyhouse77]

I think we went for 2 in the 42-41 game. Meyer called time out . We didn?t change the play or formation if I am remember it right. Gimpy Gardner gets stopped sadly.

Yeah, Gardner broke his foot earlier in the game and was not really very mobile by that point. Michigan will beat OSU in the next couple of years and I look forward to seeing it happen.

 

[rumseyhouse77]

Yep. Pretty much every other rivalry is competitive. As bad as Texas has been for the past decade they've still managed to beat Oklahoma a few times. Auburn has gotten Bama a couple of times. Of course I'd like to beat those assholes every year but I would settle for 50/50. This 1 win per decade shit is old.

The sad thing is that there aren't any coaches that are available that would be a slam dunk to fix the issues. Jim was supposed to be that coach. But who could you reasonably expect to get that you would have confidence in? Fleck? Fickell? Meyer isn't happening. Neither is Saban or Swinney. And outside of those 3 nobody is going to be a sure thing.

I don't think getting a different HC is the answer. The offense has been able to move the ball fairly well and put points on the board the last two years, the defense has just been awful. I still think the offensive change during the offseason was unnecessary, The defense was/is the problem. If DB is not gone this year, then it should be made clear to him that he has to come up with a defensive game plan to beat OSU next year or his ass is out the door. I think the offense will be as good next year as this year post PSU. Fix the damn defense.

 

[bphillips4gg]

I don't think getting a different HC is the answer. The offense has been able to move the ball fairly well and put points on the board the last two years, the defense has just been awful. I still think the offensive change during the offseason was unnecessary, The defense was/is the problem. If DB is not gone this year, then it should be made clear to him that he has to come up with a defensive game plan to beat OSU next year or his ass is out the door. I think the offense will be as good next year as this year post PSU. Fix the damn defense.

I just don't see them making a change with Brown because they're happy with his performance the other 11 games of the year. I don't disagree that something needs to change but it's tough to put it on him when they have no DTs on the roster and they get gashed by the two best backs in the country. The problem is and will continue to be talent until they start recruiting better. They have got to start hitting on some of these top prospects for both lines. They have the skill players to be competitive but if they're losing at the li e of scrimmage on both sides of the ball they won't get a chance to utilize those skill players.

 

[biggunsbob]

The sad fact is the last 25 seasons Michigan is only 7-18 verses Ohio State. That is a quarter century worth of football. Offense has changed to a modern offense but the defense has just not shown up in recent seasons. What is strange is they seem to be in this Weird cycle of recruiting. Where some years one side of the ball has way better talent then the other side side of the ball. It really is a shame it took until the last 3 regular season games for Patterson to figure it out the new offense.

He has looked great over the last three games. Not sure what to do. I guess keep plugging away at recruiting. To me it was 4 reason we lost Saturday Fields, Dobbins, Osu coaching better then our coaching staff, and to many mistakes by Michigan. I remember reading on here that elite level talent does not make the mistakes Michigan made in the game. That could be true but Isn't that a cop out of the facts their players are coached better then our players. Cooper Osu teams had a lot more talent then a lot of 90?s Um teams, and we still find ways to win many of those games. That is coaching and having your team ready to play. It really is strange because Jim was a lot closer to Osu his first three season then over the last two season. But again the offense scored 39, and 27. The defense has allowed 118 points the last two Osu games. That just can?t happen even in this era of high power offense.