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Topic: Weakness of certain B1G teams
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Hawkinole · « **Reply #14 on:** August 24, 2017, 01:29:30 AM »

Iowa:

Wide Receiver: Iowa had huge problems at this position a year ago. Matt Vandeberg was sidelined in the 3rd game last year with an injury. Starter Jerminic Smith left the program for academic reasons.

Matt Vandeberg, Iowa's leading receiver 2-years ago, is back for his 6th year of eligibility. He did not participate fully in the Kids Game open practice a few weeks ago. He is not doing a full load of practice, yet. He broke the same bone in his foot 2x in a year. We'll see.

Ron Nash returns -- a walk-on -- the only WR to actually receive a pass in his Iowa career, other than Vandeberg. He caught two.

Iowa got a graduate transfer WR from New Mexico in Matt Quarels. He had 13 catches in 2-years there. New Mexico ran the triple option. Quarrels was a 3* receiver out of high school. We will see.

Iowa also got a junior college transfer Nick Easley. He was a junior college All American -- we'll see if he can transition to FBS.

Quarterback: This position is an open competition. It appears Nathan Stanley, last year's backup has the upper hand on the strength of 5 of 14 passes for 24 yards in the spring game - sheesh. Tyler Wiegers was 10-of-30 for 80 yards with 3-interceptions.

Defensive Back: Brandon Snyder starter at FS is out for the season with a torn ACL. Iowa is replacing both corners (Desmond King and Greg Mabin). Manny Rugamba is suspended from corner back for the first game against Wyoming. Wyoming's QB is supposedly favored to be the top pick in the NFL draft. Phil Parker is a great defensive coordinator, and coached DBs. I think Iowa will be alright at DB, after the Wyoming game.

Temp430 · « **Reply #15 on:** August 24, 2017, 08:00:10 AM »

Quote from: Mdot21 on August 23, 2017, 03:50:09 PM

c'mon now, let's not go there, shall we?

There is a TON of talent on Michigan's roster. But it's young. It's going to take time to develop.

The saving grace is the schedule. Most of the games are at home and the OOC schedule is pretty light.

DL depth is definitely a real weakness. Lawrence Marshall is a JR who hasn't done squat and the rest of the guys are highly rated but they are all first or second year players. Takes a couple years for DL's to really develop.

CB and WR is LOADED with young talent, but those guys haven't played. They aren't going to come out of the gate playing like stars. It's going to take all of them time to adapt.

And OL is definitely a concern. The only saving grace there in my eyes is they have not one but TWO really good OL coaches in Frey and Drevno. Offensive tackle is a huge concern. They had to move Mason Cole to LT because of the injury to Newsome. With Newsome, the OL is probably a different story. Mason Cole can get by at LT, he's a startable LT, but he's not a future NFL player at LT. Newsome was looking like he was on that track to be the next one since Lewan to get serious NFL attention. OL is definitely a concern.

Pick who you think will be the starters for Michigan at OL, CB, WR, and the two deep at DL. Now what equivalent units at which B1G schools would you swap them for?

MaximumSam · « **Reply #16 on:** August 24, 2017, 10:36:10 AM »

Buckeyes were one dimensional on offense last year, though they still led the conference in total offense. Losing Samuel doesn't help, but they have guys who can make plays. The real issue is whether Kevin Wilson can bring the passing offense up to be efficient.

Secondary is a question mark for OSU. Don't expect them to be bad, but losing three first rounders doesn't help. Also, punting could be an issue. Cam Johnston was pretty reliable, not sure what we have there now.

betarhoalphadelta · « **Reply #17 on:** August 24, 2017, 12:59:37 PM »

Quote from: integrinB4 on August 23, 2017, 10:20:18 PM

Agree with all this. After reading about camp, I'd be happy if we win more than 1 game. Roster is completely destroyed.

I'm still putting the o/u at about 3 games.

I think we beat Ohio.

Rutgers may be trending up, but they should still be bad. Illinois is IMHO a mess and I have no trust in Lovie. Indiana is breaking in a new coach that is defensive-minded, so the high-flying Wilson offense may be gone. Mizzou is a complete unknown. With the exception of Mizzou, all of those games come in the 2nd half of the schedule when hopefully Purdue is starting to come together.

Could we get 2 games out of those 4? Could we have some shocking upset game where it all magically comes together and beat someone not in the above list?

We're not going to be good, but I think with Brohm's offense, there's upside that we didn't have with Hazell, even if our talent and depth aren't where we want them to be. If nothing else, I expect us to be a lot more exciting in our losses...

Big Beef Tacosupreme · « **Reply #18 on:** August 24, 2017, 01:13:51 PM »

Quote from: Temp430 on August 24, 2017, 08:00:10 AM

Pick who you think will be the starters for Michigan at OL, CB, WR, and the two deep at DL. Now what equivalent units at which B1G schools would you swap them for?

I think you're missing the point of this thread.

Also, that's just crazy talk.

Big Beef Tacosupreme · « **Reply #19 on:** August 24, 2017, 01:30:42 PM »

So I think we've covered most of the contenders. Maybe Minnesota?

So I didn't watch too much MN football last year. Although they return a lot of starters, they lost their QB. Leidner wasn't that good last year (11th in the conference in QB rating, 10th in completion %, 3rd in interceptions), which tells me the second string guy was probably a worse option. If so, I don't see MN getting over the hump this year, even though they return a fair amount of starters.

ELA · « **Reply #20 on:** August 24, 2017, 02:06:44 PM »

Quote from: Big Beef Tacosupreme on August 24, 2017, 01:13:51 PM

I think you're missing the point of this thread.

Also, that's just crazy talk.

WR and CB? Long term? Sure. This year? At least half the conference for both.

Honestbuckeye · « **Reply #21 on:** August 24, 2017, 05:15:00 PM »

Quote from: Big Beef Tacosupreme on August 23, 2017, 01:46:46 PM

So enough of the "haven't played a single game yet" optimism. I figured I'd start a thread for the "glass is half empty" crowd.

For Penn State: Linebacker depth is still a huge concern. Penn State played 3 games when down a significant number of starting linebackers. Pitt (42 points allowed), Michigan (49 points), and USC (52 points).

Cabinda is back, and should be solid. Manny Bowen is average. Koa Farmer was a safety playing linebacker last year, and has now bulked up to be a linebacker full time. Brandon Smith (walk on) played admirably last year filling in for injured players. Beyond these 4 players (which is a below average B1G LB unit, IMO), is pool of true freshman and walk on players.

For Ohio State: I had the opportunity to download and watch some OSU games. It was absolutely stunning to see how much of the offense went through Curtis Samuel. Now he's gone.

The offensive line looked average, and the wide receivers (outside of Samuel) weren't exactly great. JT Barrett is amazing at extending the play and getting yards with his feet, but he really struggled to find open guys. Weber is OK, but there's probably 5 better backs in the league.

For all of the recruiting stars Ohio State has, I'm actually shocked at how average their offense really looks. Granted, maybe a lot of their problems will be fixed with the new offensive coordinator.

Let's hear some of yours. I've got more I'll add later.

OSU had as good a run blocking line as their was. Their issue was one weak link in pass blocking on the right side. That player is going to be key this year...allegedly back and much better technically and confidence wise. We shall see, because JT was 75% completion rate when kept clean. WRs look much better when the timing works.

I also like their RB tandem a lot more than you do, and even more if McCall gets carries and doesn't just play the H spot.

Inexperience in the secondary and WR is their two clear areas to watch. Tons of big recruits but not much game production in a couple of the spots, besides Ward and Webb on corner and Safety.

Benthere2 · « **Reply #22 on:** August 24, 2017, 11:16:21 PM »

Quote from: Big Beef Tacosupreme on August 24, 2017, 01:30:42 PM

So I think we've covered most of the contenders. Maybe Minnesota?

So I didn't watch too much MN football last year. Although they return a lot of starters, they lost their QB. Leidner wasn't that good last year (11th in the conference in QB rating, 10th in completion %, 3rd in interceptions), which tells me the second string guy was probably a worse option. If so, I don't see MN getting over

MN' s biggest weakness is its strength PJ fleck we don't know if he will try to rebuild the whole team or coach them to their potential

QB is an unknown but it was last year too. Leidner sucked so any improvement will be welcomed there are a couple sot razor thin in depth. OL and DB and of course qb but QB is a total unknown so it is what it is

if things fall into place they could win 8-9 games but if not then 4-6 games

Mdot21 · « **Reply #23 on:** August 25, 2017, 12:21:14 PM »

Quote from: ELA on August 24, 2017, 02:06:44 PM

WR and CB? Long term? Sure. This year? At least half the conference for both.

agreed. I think the young guys take their lumps this year. Going forward though, they could be extremely dynamic with lots of depth.

WR corps is just astounding to me thanks to that 2017 class. Eddie McDoom, Dylan Crawford (6'1+), DPJ (6'2+), Tarik Black (6'3+), Nico Collins (6'4+), and Oliver Martin (6'0+). Holy moly that's some raw talent. And size. The little guy in that group is McDoom and he's 5'11, 180. And all of them can run- McDoom, Crawford, and DPJ can fly. 2018 and 2019 this WR corps will be something to see. This year they'll take their lumps as they develop.

FearlessF · « **Reply #24 on:** August 25, 2017, 10:11:05 PM »

Half of the Big Ten’s 14 teams, including Nebraska and Iowa, have already lost a starter for the season to a major knee injury.

Here’s a list of those who are sidelined, in chronological order of when injured:

» Brandon Snyder, Iowa, free safety: The senior led the Hawkeyes last year in forced fumbles (three), tied for the team lead in interceptions (three) and was third in tackles (85). Snyder was injured in spring practice.

» John Reid, cornerback, Penn State: The junior started three games as a true freshman and 14 as a sophomore while earning honorable mention All-Big Ten. Last year, he led the Nittany Lions in pass breakups and was third in the Big Ten in punt return average at 7.5 yards. Reid was injured in spring practice.

» Solomon Vault, receiver/returner, Northwestern: The senior has four career kickoff returns for touchdowns and was third in the Big Ten last season at 24.3 yards, including a 95-yarder against Michigan State. He was third-team All-Big Ten as a returner for the second straight season. Vault underwent surgery in late May to repair cumulative knee damage.

» Chris Jones, cornerback, Nebraska: The senior played some as a true freshman and evolved through his career into the Huskers’ top cover corner and strong pro prospect. Last season, he earned honorable mention All-Big Ten while intercepting three passes, including returning one for a touchdown against Indiana. Jones was injured in July in summer conditioning.

(The Huskers also lost true freshman wide receiver Jaevon McQuitty to a torn ACL in fall camp. Though he wasn’t expected to start, McQuitty was in the mix for playing time.)

» Tyreek Maddox-Williams, linebacker, Rutgers: The sophomore started six games as a true freshman and was picked on ESPN.com’s Big Ten all-freshman team, finishing with 47 tackles and a blocked punt. Maddox-Williams was injured in fall camp.

» Jack Cichy, linebacker, Wisconsin: The fifth-year senior was a candidate for Big Ten defensive player of the year and a preseason All-American. Last year, despite playing half the season because of a chest injury, Cichy earned honorable mention All-Big Ten with 60 tackles. He was injured in fall camp.

» Jake Hansen, linebacker, Illinois: The sophomore played in all 12 games as a freshman and started one. He emerged in spring practice and the fall as an impact player. Hansen was injured in fall camp.

MrNubbz · « **Reply #25 on:** August 26, 2017, 08:37:16 AM »

Quote from: Honestbuckeye on August 24, 2017, 05:15:00 PM

Inexperience in the secondary and WR is their two clear areas to watch. Tons of big recruits but not much game production in a couple of the spots, besides Ward and Webb on corner and Safety.

Big holes to fill with the departure of Hooker/Lattimore/Conley.You've mentioned Webb & Ward(4.3 guy).Off the top of my head there's Arnette/Sheffield/Fuller and Fr Okudah & Wade to fill out.I could be missing some one.Last year i felt the DL was a year away & the LB's will again be stout.This year the OSU may have the best line in CFB.With Booker/Baker and Worley backing them up this should give the DB's time to learn on the fly

Not sure why KJ Hill was moved to H back.He seemed to me the most consistent hands on the roster.Wide outs collectively need to step up their game.

Honestbuckeye · « **Reply #26 on:** August 26, 2017, 09:48:37 AM »

Quote from: MrNubbz on August 26, 2017, 08:37:16 AM

Big holes to fill with the departure of Hooker/Lattimore/Conley.You've mentioned Webb & Ward(4.3 guy).Off the top of my head there's Arnette/Sheffield/Fuller and Fr Okudah & Wade to fill out.I could be missing some one.Last year i felt the DL was a year away & the LB's will again be stout.This year the OSU may have the best line in CFB.With Booker/Baker and Worley backing them up this should give the DB's time to learn on the fly

Not sure why KJ Hill was moved to H back.He seemed to me the most consistent hands on the roster.Wide outs collectively need to step up their game.

KJ Hill will not be at H.....that will be mostly Paris Cambell, Demario McCall and Eric Glover Willliams, 3 dudes that should be starting on someone's team in the big ten.
The WRs as a group will look a lot better if the timing is not disrupted by poor pass blocking and by more creative play calling. Separation was only an issue on obvious pass plays or vanilla play calls, generally speaking.

The big " IF" on the o- line is Isiah Prince at RT. A HIGHLY physical and talented recruit who excels at run blocking but who sort of lost his confidence in technique and started bending at the hips last year. Once a guy starts defaulting to that its curtains. Teams started game planning around it very effectively and it actually started to work against OSU in both run and pass game late in the year. They say that has been completely fixed so we will See, because as you say, that and another year of experience for the freshmen Jordan and this could be a monster offensive line.
Barrett, when allowed to throw in rhythm, can actually be incredibly accurate...it is when it breaks down that it gets inconsistent.

MrNubbz · « **Reply #27 on:** August 26, 2017, 11:39:14 AM »

Quote from: Honestbuckeye on August 26, 2017, 09:48:37 AM

KJ Hill will not be at H.....that will be mostly Paris Cambell, Demario McCall and Eric Glover Willliams, 3 dudes that should be starting on someone's team in the big ten.
The WRs as a group will look a lot better if the timing is not disrupted by poor pass blocking and by more creative play calling. Separation was only an issue on obvious pass plays or vanilla play calls, generally speaking.

Hope you are right a few weeks back on Buckeye Boards the talk was KJ to H-Back.Campbell's dripping with talent but doesn't always hang on to well thrown balls.Hope he remedied that

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Topic: Weakness of certain B1G teams

Hawkinole

Re: Weakness of certain B1G teams

Temp430

Re: Weakness of certain B1G teams

MaximumSam

Re: Weakness of certain B1G teams

betarhoalphadelta

Re: Weakness of certain B1G teams

Big Beef Tacosupreme

Re: Weakness of certain B1G teams

Big Beef Tacosupreme

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ELA

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Honestbuckeye

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Benthere2

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Mdot21

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FearlessF

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MrNubbz

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Honestbuckeye

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MrNubbz

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