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Michchamp
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Saturday, September 14, 2024 @ NOON ET ON BTN, MICHIGAN HOSTS ARKANSAS STATE!
Line: UM -23.5; o/u 47.5
Sagarin predictor: 24 point Michigan win.
Game: FIRST all-time meeting between these schools.
Well, my prediction and analysis from last week was VERY VERY WRONG and BAD. we got our clock cleaned, and - in my mind at least - the biggest issue was the poor tackling and positioning on defense. I mean, they simply could not stop Texas' run game at all in the first half. And we're going to need to rely on our defense this year, which shouldn't be any surprise to anyone, and so them being gassed in the first half is not an excuse.
Davis Warren isn't a world beater, but you know what? He didn't get as many reps during the offseason as he should have, because the coaches thought Orji could be the guy - BUT ORJI CAN'T THROW - and so now we have to hope Davis Warren improves during the season with PT. Personally, I think he can get it. That throw in the 3rd Q to beat the blitz on 3rd and long was solid. He needs to get that sort of confidence / and rhythm going earlier in the game though.
I'm trying not to overreact based on one game against what may be the best team in the country, but - as opposed to our offense - there's just no way our defense should've gotten pushed around like that, and if it's a problem now, the defensive coaches either didn't or couldn't do their jobs... and that's not something you can fix DURING THE SEASON.
About our Opponent
Arkansas State was founded in 1909 as the "First District Agricultural School." There's really not much else there. The state today should be seen as a private fiefdom of the Walmart Corporation and its ruling family, the Waltons. And so the current version of Arkansas State exists to provide a local training ground of mid-level corporate factotums and store managers for the chain, not farmers.
Famous Alumni
I expected this to be as boring and pathetic as Fresno State's list, but there are actually two famous alumni of note; one for the old guys here and one for their grandkids! Nothing for us Gen Xers in the middle though.
Former Detroit Tigers great and announcer GEORGE KELL is an Arkansas State alumnus.
Also from Ark. State... RODGER BUMPASS, voice of Squidward on Spongebob Squarepants!
Okay, now about their football team...
Arkansas State plays in the Sun Belt and is currently 2-0. They have two one-score wins against an FCS team (Central Arkansas) and Tulsa.
Their mascot is the "Red Wolf" not the pig. This isn't the school where the fans yell "PIG SOOOOOEY!" that's the other Arkansas team. But they're all Arkansas people, so they probably do yell that too, just for fun. Their head coach is a guy we know: BUTCH JONES.
A Saugatuck, Michigan native, and one-time CMU, Cincinnati, and Tennessee HC. He got fired in 2017 before the season even ended, after going 0-6 in SEC play (remember Brady Hoke was named interim coach, and lead them to an 0-2 finish.) Butch could be considered very S L O W L Y turning Arkansas St. around. 2 wins, 3 wins, 6 wins, and now a 2-0 start.
Also, his real name isn't "BUTCH"... no one in Michigan would name their kid Butch. His real name is "Lyle," though, truth be told, that's another name I didn't think anyone in Michigan would name their kid, but I didn't grow up near Saugatuck...
He cried after his first game at Arkansas State, when Oklahoma beat them 73-0. "Butch Jones Crying" is the second result when you search his name. I hope we also beat them by 73 points, but I hope for his sake he doesn't cry again.
I don't know who their players are and don't care. You can look them up.
Our players should be the same this week as last week, but hopefully Wink and his staff put in some extra time on the defensive side and keep Mason Graham in the interior of the DL. WTF was up with moving him to the edge on some plays?
So go ahead and make your picks and post some meaningless and wrong analysis if you so choose, but as always leave the woofing and barking for other threads!
Line: UM -23.5; o/u 47.5
Sagarin predictor: 24 point Michigan win.
Game: FIRST all-time meeting between these schools.
Well, my prediction and analysis from last week was VERY VERY WRONG and BAD. we got our clock cleaned, and - in my mind at least - the biggest issue was the poor tackling and positioning on defense. I mean, they simply could not stop Texas' run game at all in the first half. And we're going to need to rely on our defense this year, which shouldn't be any surprise to anyone, and so them being gassed in the first half is not an excuse.
Davis Warren isn't a world beater, but you know what? He didn't get as many reps during the offseason as he should have, because the coaches thought Orji could be the guy - BUT ORJI CAN'T THROW - and so now we have to hope Davis Warren improves during the season with PT. Personally, I think he can get it. That throw in the 3rd Q to beat the blitz on 3rd and long was solid. He needs to get that sort of confidence / and rhythm going earlier in the game though.
I'm trying not to overreact based on one game against what may be the best team in the country, but - as opposed to our offense - there's just no way our defense should've gotten pushed around like that, and if it's a problem now, the defensive coaches either didn't or couldn't do their jobs... and that's not something you can fix DURING THE SEASON.
About our Opponent
Arkansas State was founded in 1909 as the "First District Agricultural School." There's really not much else there. The state today should be seen as a private fiefdom of the Walmart Corporation and its ruling family, the Waltons. And so the current version of Arkansas State exists to provide a local training ground of mid-level corporate factotums and store managers for the chain, not farmers.
Famous Alumni
I expected this to be as boring and pathetic as Fresno State's list, but there are actually two famous alumni of note; one for the old guys here and one for their grandkids! Nothing for us Gen Xers in the middle though.
Former Detroit Tigers great and announcer GEORGE KELL is an Arkansas State alumnus.
Also from Ark. State... RODGER BUMPASS, voice of Squidward on Spongebob Squarepants!
Okay, now about their football team...
Arkansas State plays in the Sun Belt and is currently 2-0. They have two one-score wins against an FCS team (Central Arkansas) and Tulsa.
Their mascot is the "Red Wolf" not the pig. This isn't the school where the fans yell "PIG SOOOOOEY!" that's the other Arkansas team. But they're all Arkansas people, so they probably do yell that too, just for fun. Their head coach is a guy we know: BUTCH JONES.
A Saugatuck, Michigan native, and one-time CMU, Cincinnati, and Tennessee HC. He got fired in 2017 before the season even ended, after going 0-6 in SEC play (remember Brady Hoke was named interim coach, and lead them to an 0-2 finish.) Butch could be considered very S L O W L Y turning Arkansas St. around. 2 wins, 3 wins, 6 wins, and now a 2-0 start.
Also, his real name isn't "BUTCH"... no one in Michigan would name their kid Butch. His real name is "Lyle," though, truth be told, that's another name I didn't think anyone in Michigan would name their kid, but I didn't grow up near Saugatuck...
He cried after his first game at Arkansas State, when Oklahoma beat them 73-0. "Butch Jones Crying" is the second result when you search his name. I hope we also beat them by 73 points, but I hope for his sake he doesn't cry again.
I don't know who their players are and don't care. You can look them up.
Our players should be the same this week as last week, but hopefully Wink and his staff put in some extra time on the defensive side and keep Mason Graham in the interior of the DL. WTF was up with moving him to the edge on some plays?
So go ahead and make your picks and post some meaningless and wrong analysis if you so choose, but as always leave the woofing and barking for other threads!
