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Topic: #8 Michigan (1-0, 4-0) at Purdue (0-1, 2-2) Post Game

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grillrat

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2017, 03:21:51 PM »
I have seen a lot of three-man-rushes from Purdue.  They tend to let the linebackers float around for run tackling and intermediate passing defense.  It has resulted in pretty decent bend-don't-break defense, but doesn't generate many sacks.

WhiskeyM

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #15 on: September 19, 2017, 05:25:51 PM »
I have seen a lot of three-man-rushes from Purdue.  They tend to let the linebackers float around for run tackling and intermediate passing defense.  It has resulted in pretty decent bend-don't-break defense, but doesn't generate many sacks.
This. 
Against Louisville the strategy was to contain Jackson.  Even on plays where a 4 man rush got penetration, they tended to coral him.
Against Ohio they played to stop the run and force the Bobcats to throw.
They were a bit more aggressive against Mizzou, but didn't sell out to blitz.  They focused more on defending the middle of the field.
I think the Boilers will employ the same run stop strategy on Michigan, while covering the middle intermediate routes against the pass.
Most probably won't agree with me, but I think this front 7 is underated.  

TyphonInc

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #16 on: September 20, 2017, 08:00:18 AM »
I hoping for an entertaining game. Too much of the narrative will be on TTUN; are they a title contender or broken?

bayareabadger

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #17 on: September 20, 2017, 08:41:16 AM »
I have seen a lot of three-man-rushes from Purdue.  They tend to let the linebackers float around for run tackling and intermediate passing defense.  It has resulted in pretty decent bend-don't-break defense, but doesn't generate many sacks.
Thus far, obviously a small sample, they've been bend-don't-break vs pass and kind of the opposite vs the run. Their ability to force short runs has been pretty OK. 

HailHailMSP

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #18 on: September 20, 2017, 12:37:08 PM »
I hoping for an entertaining game. Too much of the narrative will be on TTUN; are they a title contender or broken?
Can I vote that they are somewhere in the vast landscape in between those two. I don't see them as broken given how young they are, but I don't think this team is a legitimate title contender. 
My favorite part of Michigan this year has been the play at the MLB position. It's been a long time since I have seen a ball hawk MLB at Michigan (David Harris maybe). Devin Bush has been lights out. Slightly undersized, but he flies to the ball. 
I also like the running game. Its not great yet, but it is good. Much better than the past few years. Still too many zero to low yardage plays on first down, but there is some improvement with moving people off the line and RB's reading lanes more effectively.

betarhoalphadelta

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #19 on: September 20, 2017, 04:11:43 PM »
So play this game 10 times... What's the O/U on Purdue wins?

Obviously Michigan has a more talented roster top to bottom, great coaching, etc. Michigan is favored with good reason, as they should win this game. But they seem to have offensive problems and Purdue has a real live offense this year, and in low-scoring battles like this I think the team with the better offense has more opportunities for positive variance compared to "expectation". 

I'm saying ~2.25. I think these teams are close enough that Purdue has a puncher's chance with their offense to win 2 out of 10, and 3 wouldn't shock me.

Mdot21

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #20 on: September 20, 2017, 04:22:02 PM »
Sounds like it might be a season ending foot injury
broken foot. out for the year.
DPJ should've been playing more than Black IMO. Both of them are raw. DPJ is the far superior athlete. Just watching him against Air Force when they finally had to give him more chances to touch the ball- he looked like Ted Ginn but with 3 inches and 20 pounds. DPJ is fricken special. They need to tool that entire passing offense around him, then the TE's, then Perry. Speight is terrible and Dylan Crawford is a bust. Great athlete, terrible route runner and piss poor hands.

This game will be a lot closer than it should be, because of Speight's inaccuracy and ineptitude.

Mdot21

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #21 on: September 20, 2017, 04:34:14 PM »
Michigan has a heck of a defense and maybe the best kicker they've ever had.

Speight needs to pull his head out of his ass and throw the damn ball accurately.

MichiFan87

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #22 on: September 20, 2017, 11:33:08 PM »
I finalized my trip today. I'll be getting there before Noon and staying overnight. I was surprised that there are still so many tickets in the visitors section which I understand to be the left corner of the endzone (mine is section 119), but I certainly made paid my dues to the West / Lafayette economy in my hotel room, alone, but I at least get to watch the night games, this way.

I'm looking forward to it. Michigan's passing game is the biggest uncertainty but the running game will be most important.

My final prediction is a 33-20 win.
“When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing”
― Bo Schembechler

Mdot21

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #23 on: September 21, 2017, 01:15:00 PM »
I hoping for an entertaining game. Too much of the narrative will be on TTUN; are they a title contender or broken?
they are pretty much the same team as last year except they have a MUCH better kicker in Nordin and the defense looks more opportunistic and more athletic. In 3 games they already have more defensive TD's as they did all of last year, and the safeties and LB's look even more athletic in terms of running sideline to sideline to the ball.

Same team as last year basically. Speight will hold them back which is why they'll lose 2 or 3 games- maybe even 4 loss. If they had a stud QB they'd be a National Title contender- probably undefeated. If they had even a good, solid QB they'd probably be a 1 loss team- 2 at most.

I am sick and tired of Michigan not having a stud QB. It's been since Drew Henson. That was 17 years ago. Don't give me Henne or Denard. Denard was a RB playing QB and Henne was robotic as hell. My patience is running thin with the QB position at Michigan.

ELA

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #24 on: September 21, 2017, 01:22:39 PM »
they are pretty much the same team as last year except they have a MUCH better kicker in Nordin and the defense looks more opportunistic and more athletic. In 3 games they already have more defensive TD's as they did all of last year, and the safeties and LB's look even more athletic in terms of running sideline to sideline to the ball.

Same team as last year basically. Speight will hold them back which is why they'll lose 2 or 3 games- maybe even 4 loss. If they had a stud QB they'd be a National Title contender- probably undefeated. If they had even a good, solid QB they'd probably be a 1 loss team- 2 at most.

I am sick and tired of Michigan not having a stud QB. It's been since Drew Henson. That was 17 years ago. Don't give me Henne or Denard. Denard was a RB playing QB and Henne was robotic as hell. My patience is running thin with the QB position at Michigan.
Man, if Henne doesn't meet your standard, that's a tough standard.
I would agree they haven't had one since Henne though.

Mdot21

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #25 on: September 21, 2017, 01:39:02 PM »
Man, if Henne doesn't meet your standard, that's a tough standard.
I would agree they haven't had one since Henne though.
Henne was very good. Never lived up to the promise of his true freshman season though. He never really got any better. He was basically the same guy every year. Never saw real improvement from him.

I'd say he was definitely a really good, solid QB. I wouldn't put him in the STUD category though. It was looking that way after his freshman season, but he never really grew. It was actually very disappointing to see. I thought for sure he would just continue to get better but it never happened.

He is by far the best they've had in a long time and nobody has even come close.

Mdot21

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #26 on: September 21, 2017, 02:04:08 PM »
Harbaugh really screwed up by not making a change at QB after the Florida game. I can understand not starting a new guy against Florida on the road. That's a pretty solid defense with athletes all around and it's a road game. But after Speight's performance that game he should've been benched.

At home against UC and Air Force- he should've given the reigns to Peters. Those would've been perfect opportunities to get the young QB's feet wet and help build confidence. Think it's way too late to make a change now playing @ a much improved Purdue team, then Michigan State in a big-rivarly game at home, and then @ an always pesky Indiana squad and then @ Penn State.

ELA

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Re: #8 Michigan (3-0) at Purdue (2-1) Game Week
« Reply #27 on: September 21, 2017, 02:04:49 PM »
The story of the conference thus far (aside from maybe how disappointing Nebraska looks) is how quickly Purdue seems to have bounced back under Coach Brohm.  Is Michigan just sleepwalking or is their offense this blah?  Wilton Speight has gotten the bulk of the blame, but the offensive line has been equally underwhelming.  The loss of Tariq Black and possible loss of Ty Isaac doesn't give much hope of it looking better this week, particularly as Michigan plays their first true road game of the season, and Michigan under Harbaugh has not looked nearly the same in those types of games.  But how good really is Purdue?  The Louisville "close loss" doesn't look nearly as good after watching the Cardinals get run off their own field last weekend.  Then they handled a MAC team at home and a trainwreck of a Missouri team.  But you can only play who you play, and Purdue has done what they've needed to do, and looked very efficient while doing it.  Now they have their stage, and if they pull this one out, the top might blow off the whole thing for a program that's been waiting a decade for this.  When was the last time there was anticipation around campus for a home game like this?  You probably have to go all the way back to October 6, 2007 when a 5-0 #23 Purdue team coming off a road win at Minnesota and a home win over Notre Dame, hosted #4 Ohio State in a night game.    That night the Buckeyes raced to a 23-0 4th quarter lead before Purdue tacked on a late touchdown.  Purdue doesn't have the defensive line play to force a ton of three and outs, so they need to exploit Michigan's red zone woes to force the Wolverines to settle for threes.  That's what Cincinnati and Air Force did to make games that felt lopsided be very much in doubt late.  Michigan's red zone touchdown rate of 10% is by far worst in the conference, nobody else is under 60%.  Fortunately Michigan has probably the best kicker in the conference, or they probably would not be 3-0.  For their part Purdue has one of the better reed zone defenses at forcing field goal attempts.  Of the conference teams who have faced at least 10 red zone attempts, only Purdue is holding opponents out over 50% of the time.  The problem is how can Purdue move the ball without balance?  They want to throw a lot.  David Blough has shown great ball security thus far, with a conference best 76.1% completion percentage and only 2 picks.  But for all of the good he's shown over the past two years, avoiding picks has not been a strength, throwing 21 picks a year ago.  If Purdue can't establish a ground game, Michigan's defense will have another chance to be their best offense.
MICHIGAN 34, PURDUE 17

 

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