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Topic: Powder Rankings Week 4

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Hawkinole

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #14 on: September 24, 2017, 04:49:41 PM »
Back to reality this week after sorting out the pretenders


6.  Iowa
Great effort but Iowa has some issues.  Iowa's offense needs to find more weapons than just waiting for Akrum Wadley to save the day.   Defense has a jeckl-Hyde quality that shows up half the time.
The ABC crew of Kirk Herbstreit and Chris Fowler discovered much earlier than Offensive Coordinator Brian Ferentz there was a problem with Iowa's offensive strategy not throwing the ball down field on first down when Penn State's linebackers were moving the direction of Iowa's linemen and eating up running backs on 1st down. Iowa's offense just got gobbled up. Ferentz finally got it when he used that counter play to Wadley for that final score. Iowa has rarely used misdirection plays since Kirk Ferentz arrived, and Penn State (and many other Big Ten teams) know it.

Stanley will get better. He is already pretty good, but his inexperience sometimes showed. I really liked that pass to the left when the blitz came from that direction.

I was surprised how seldom other running backs were used by Iowa, and for that matter Penn State, when it was so warm last night.

WhiskeyM

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #15 on: September 24, 2017, 06:01:40 PM »

MaximumSam

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #16 on: September 24, 2017, 09:14:18 PM »
Wtf, how is garlic not #1?
Baking powder is clearly #1

bayareabadger

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #17 on: September 24, 2017, 10:06:24 PM »
Garlic.
I usually think arguing power rankings is a silly exercise. 
You are right, I was wrong. 

Temp430

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #18 on: September 25, 2017, 08:19:30 AM »
Penn State
Ohio State
Wisconsin
Michigan
Iowa
Indiana
Michigan State 
Purdue
Minnesota
Northwestern
Maryland
Nebraska
Illinois
Rutgers

A decade of Victory over Penn State.

All in since 1969

Brutus Buckeye

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #19 on: September 25, 2017, 10:13:26 AM »
Maryland, since some have questions, or thinks we should have dismantled UCF Saturday, lost its second QB for the year in the first quarter.

We'll be lucky to win another game.

Our only chance is if Caleb Henderson somehow cracks the 2-deep, but I think he's not listed due to something unrelated to football.
Man, that's one of those things that can really spiral out of control. It really takes the wind out of a team's sails. 
You lose the star QB, and the OL just doesn't block quite as hard for the back up for whatever reason. 
Then you lose the back up, and the OL really throws in the towel. 
Then it just becomes a total clown show where the QBs start dropping like flies. 
Seems to happen to my Browns once or twice per decade.
Tough break after a promising start to the season.
1919, 20, 21, 28, 29, 31, 34, 35, 36, 37, 42, 44
WWH: 1952, 54, 55, 57, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 65, 67, 68, 70, 72, 74, 75
1979, 81, 82, 84, 87, 94, 98
2001, 02, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

Big Beef Tacosupreme

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #20 on: September 25, 2017, 10:38:09 AM »
1.  Wisconsin (1) - I still think they are the most complete team. 
2.  Penn State (2) - A little concerning they had so many problems in the red zone..
3.  Ohio State (3) - Suddenly looking great on pass defense and the offense is rolling again.  The improvement is extraordinary.  Urban is crazy good.  They might be the best team in the league at this point. 
4.  Michigan (4) - Struggled with Purdue, but may have found a better QB.
5.  Iowa (8) - Way better than I thought they were.  Hopefully they can play that tough outside of Kinnick. 
6.  Minnesota (7)
7.  Purdue (9)
8.  Michigan State (6) - I actually think they are really good if they stop making crazy mistakes.
9.  Indiana (12) - Unsure of where to put this team.
10.  Northwestern (10)
11.  Maryland (5) - too many injuries.  If healthy, I think this team is much higher.
12.  Nebraska (11)
13.  Illinois (13)
14.  Rutgers (14)

FearlessF

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #21 on: September 25, 2017, 10:44:44 AM »
1. Penn State
2. Ohio State
3. Wisconsin
4. Michigan
5. Iowa
6. Minnesota
7. Purdue
8. Northwestern
9. Maryland
10. Indiana
11. Michigan State
12. Nebraska
13. Rutgers
14. Illinois
"Courage; Generosity; Fairness; Honor; In these are the true awards of manly sport."

HailHailMSP

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #22 on: September 25, 2017, 11:40:59 AM »
My struggle right now is where to put Wisconsin. They have played more completely than the 3 I have above them, and good enough to be #1, but there is no litmus test from which to judge them. Northwestern will be a good gauge where to shake them out. The same goes for MN a little further down the list. Maryland, sans QB #1 and QB#2 may not provide a great sense of where Row the Boat is at though. 

I think Michigan can be better with O'Korn, but the offensive woes definitely aren't solved. O'Korn is a little more mobile and throws the level 2 passes a heck of lot more accurately. The running game is better than last year, but suffers from being boom or bust. They have a nice chunk of 20+ yard runs this season, but have a ton of zero to negative yardage runs that kill drives. 

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

Mdot21

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #23 on: September 25, 2017, 11:53:10 AM »
Michigan and Wisconsin are hard teams to rank. 

Wisconsin hasn't played anybody yet and while Michigan's defense and special teams have been lights out that offense has been a disaster. Liked what I say from O'Korn- but it was one half of football. Going to have to see way more before I buy in. That defense and that kicker should keep them in every game though. And DPJ is a threat to house a punt or kick any time he gets a clean shot on a return.

medinabuckeye1

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #24 on: September 25, 2017, 12:17:34 PM »

I did not realize this.  I haven't had a chance to watch much of Michigan yet so I've mostly been judging from box score averages:
  • 4.4 yards per carry against Florida
  • 5.2 yards per carry against Cincy
  • 4.5 yards per carry against AFA
  • 3.2 yards per carry against Purdue
I didn't realize that they did have some nice long runs:
  • Against Florida Isaac had a 36 yard long, Evans had a 29 yard long, and Higdon had a 12 yard long (only) carry.  
  • Against Cincy Isaac had a 53 yard long, Peoples-Jones had a 44 yard long
  • Against AFA Higdon had a 36 yard long and Isaac had a 32 yard long
  • Against Purdue Evans had a 49 yard long and O'Korn had a 12 yard long.  
Aside from the long carries I listed above Michigan's rushing offense must have been ugly to watch.  

Mdot21

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #25 on: September 25, 2017, 12:38:41 PM »
I did not realize this.  I haven't had a chance to watch much of Michigan yet so I've mostly been judging from box score averages:
  • 4.4 yards per carry against Florida
  • 5.2 yards per carry against Cincy
  • 4.5 yards per carry against AFA
  • 3.2 yards per carry against Purdue
I didn't realize that they did have some nice long runs:
  • Against Florida Isaac had a 36 yard long, Evans had a 29 yard long, and Higdon had a 12 yard long (only) carry.  
  • Against Cincy Isaac had a 53 yard long, Peoples-Jones had a 44 yard long
  • Against AFA Higdon had a 36 yard long and Isaac had a 32 yard long
  • Against Purdue Evans had a 49 yard long and O'Korn had a 12 yard long.  
Aside from the long carries I listed above Michigan's rushing offense must have been ugly to watch.  
Isaac also had a two nice long 50+ yarders called back. They've given their backs some nice lanes to run through.

Problem is the play-calling. Doesn't matter how good your OL or RB is- you keep running predictable run plays on 1st down with 8-9 in the box bc you're not going anywhere. Not unless your RB is Barry Sanders. Michigan didn't get anything going on the ground against Purdue until they switched up the play-calling and throwing a little but on 1st and 2nd down and O'Korn started hitting passes and the Purdue defense was forced to stop crowding the box with 8-9 guys and just attacking the LOS with run blitzes.

Biggest issue I've seen from the run game is the play-calling. They stubbornly try to run right into the teeth of attacking defenses time and time again on 1st down and get 1 to 3 yards max inside or they lose yards when they try to run outside on slow developing run plays to the edge. Also- Higdon's vision seems to be lacking a little bit right now in comparison to Isaac and Evans- but he's way quicker through the hole. If he's got an open lane and sees it he's gone. He's small but he's a way better inside runner than outside runner.

The issues with the run game can be fixed pretty easily if they adjust the play-calling a little bit. I think O'Korn can allow them to do that. He seems WAY more accurate on the short and intermediate throws than Speight could ever dream of being.

ELA

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #26 on: September 25, 2017, 04:14:35 PM »
Last week in parenthesis

1. PENN STATE (1) - no shame in getting a W in the environment, no matter how close
2. WISCONSIN (2) - bye week
3. MICHIGAN (3) - only outscoring opponents 46-40 in the 1st half, but 80-14 in the 2nd, including 43-0 in the 4th quarter, that depth will really pay off in November
4. OHIO STATE (4) - bye week...oh wait, never mind
5. MINNESOTA (6) - bye week
6. IOWA (8) - ok Iowa, I'm back on board, if it's for real, and not just Night Kinnick magic, you'll beat a mediocre MSU team
7. INDIANA (7) - glad they got a should win to replace the cancelled should win
8. MARYLAND (5) - the QB injuries make this team impossible to rank, because I'm not sure which version I'm ranking
9. MICHIGAN STATE (9) - "defense looks much improved from 2015 and 2016, but they can't beat better teams with the turnovers and special teams miscues" - Me in this thread two weeks ago
10. PURDUE (10) - offense would have been better off just punting on first down in the second half
11. NORTHWESTERN (11) - bye week
12. NEBRASKA (12) - if you're asking for what a win that actually makes me think less of you looks like, it's that
13. ILLINOIS (13) - bye week
14. RUTGERS (14) - how do you lose to a team that almost loses to Rutgers?

fezzador

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Re: Powder Rankings Week 4
« Reply #27 on: September 25, 2017, 04:34:36 PM »
1. Penn State - Saquon has to be the Heisman front-runner at this point
2. Ohio State - Did what they needed to do against a patsy
3. Wisconsin - if Northwestern isn't anything special, we might not really know what the Badgers are made of until Iowa comes to town.  If Iowa isn't anything special, then Michigan might be the only thing standing in their way towards going 12-0
4. Michigan - Got a bit more of a fight than they anticipated, but wore down pesky PU late in the game
5. Iowa - Hell of an effort, but couldn't quite seal the deal
6. Purdue - Definitely on the upswing
7. Minnesota - UMD should be a good test for these guys
8. Maryland - Anyone got the number of the truck that ran over the Terps?
9. Northwestern - Probably a mediocre team this year, but they tend to screw someone up this year.  Could it be @Wisconsin?
10. Indiana - UVA win looks better now
11. Michigan State - so maybe ND isn't awful after all, but still I expected a better game out of Sparty
12. Nebraska - Got a badly-needed win, but still too close for comfort.  Just getting to a bowl would be an accomplishment
13. Illinois - big loss @ USF still shows they have a ways to go before being decent again
14. Rutgers - Yuck

 

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