Herbstreit says No Way Wolverines beat Buckeyes
Posted on 2006 under Analysis, BCS Conferences, Big Ten, Commentary |1 Nov
It is really nice being a blogger sometimes because we don’t have to worry if we let our team bias come out. We are just the regular fan trying to talk about the great sport of college football, and giving our perception of what we think is happening. So when we turn on the TV to hear some “real” analysis, we expect it to be insightful and non-biased.
Well as we know that’s not always the case. We have Lou Holtz who when he is not drooling on the set, he is drooling all over Charlie Weis and Notre Dame. Next we have Mark May and his love for his alma mater Pittsburgh. Over on ABC we have the two babbling fools of Craig James and Doug Flutie. James is still bitter about losing out on the National Championship in 1982 to Penn State that he takes jabs at them everytime we can. Craig, there is a reason SMU was given the death penalty a few years later, it is because the players were paid! And Flutie, I really liked him as a player but he can’t stop talking about Boston College. They could be the best team in the ACC, but that is not saying much since they are the worst BCS conference right now.
Although Game Day can get a little over advertised, I really like how they tried to stay balanced. Well that was until I read this article on the Detroit Free Press about how Herbstreit…I mean Kirk rips apart Michigan’s chances against Ohio State. Let’s go through some of his comments from his radio show on “The Big Show” on WBNS 1460 in Columbus
On the Michigan defense
“I personally don’t think their defense, the way Ohio State will spread them out, can just dominate the game and shut Ohio State down.”
The Wolverine have one of the best defensive lines in the Big Ten and Ohio State has shown to have some problems protecting Smith against quality teams.
On Michigan not being able to score enough points to beat OSU
“The way they look right now, I don’t think anybody can see that.
“(Receiver) Mario Manningham coming back, one guy doesn’t make a big difference in most cases, but the reason it does in Michigan’s case is because it’s like a domino effect.
“If Manningham’s able to come back and be the player that he was before the injury, (receiver Adrian) Arrington can go back to doing what he does, instead of being the go-to guy.
“(Receiver Steve) Breaston can go back to whatever he’s doing these days, if they could ever find a way to actually apply him in the offense. He’s worthless in my mind, outside of returning a few punts. I’ll say that, and he’ll end up winning the game for them on Nov. 18. But he hasn’t done anything since his freshman year.”
Breaston worthless?? He is as good, if not a better returner than Ted Ginn Jr. And Michigan’s offense is a completely different animal with Manningham in the lineup. Why do you think he is playing this week? To get back to game speed.
On what would happen today if U-M and OSU met
“If those two teams were to play right now, just the way they’re playing, I don’t even think it would be close. Ohio State not only wins that game the way they’re playing right now, maybe by a few scores.”
Herbie you are out of your mind?? Have you seen Ohio State struggle stopping the run? Ohio State beat Texas, yes that win looks good right now but Texas is a much different team than they were in September. Don’t forget that Garrett Wolfe ran for 170 yards against Ohio State in Columbus and Tony Hunt also went over the century mark in Columbus. Michael Hart will be the best running back Ohio State has seen this year and he runs behind the best offensive line in the country. If Michigan is able to use him to control the tempo and keep their defense off the field, it will not be as easy as you think. And don’t think that the Buckeyes’ are going to be able to run the ball on Michigan. The same Tony Hunt who ran for over 100 yards against the Buckeyes, only ran for 33 against Michigan. That Wolverine defensive line will not let Pittman run anywhere but backwards.
On Michigan’s fans not sticking around for last Saturday’s game against Northwestern:
“If you’re a Michigan fan, honestly, help me to understand, you have a team that is No. 2 in the country, you only get a chance to see them play at home six or seven times and you bail in the second quarter?”
I don’t think you’d be saying this stuff if the game was in Ann Arbor this year and you and your Game Day crew had to be there to cover the game. All in all that’s some pretty bold statements by Herbie. I for one can’t wait for this game, but I already know ESPN is going to hype this game so much that we are all going to be sick of it. But at least we know where one of their analysts stands on it.
by Brian Sakowski
by Mr. Fumbles, on November 1 2006 @ 4:51 pm
You have to put your hands together for these two teams. Undefeated, both in the top 5 in the BCS. Wow, who would have thought? West Virginia has a 14 game winning streak, which might I add, is a school record. WVU can move the football against anyone when they want? That’s for real! Louisville has a stellar defense along with a good offense; both prove they can pack a punch. Thursday night’s game will be a memorable one. Who will come out on top?
by The Seminarian, on November 2 2006 @ 3:15 pm
1. It is inconsistent to say that OSU’s domination of Texas should be discounted because it was early in the season, and then cite Garrett Wolfe’s performance against the Buckeyes as proof that their defense can be run against, when the Wolfe/NIU game was the week before the Texas game.
2. Tony Hunt had one good run against Ohio State on a draw play in the 4th quarter, just as he had one good play against Michigan, a screen pass in the 4th quarter. Both plays relied on deception and using the opponent’s aggressiveness against it. The difference is that the OSU secondary ran Hunt down and tackled him while the U of M secondary was unable to stop him from scoring. In my opinion Michigan still doesn’t have the speed to compete.
3. Mike Hart, like Tony Hunt, is a great player. Like Tony Hunt, he gets his yardage in short bites because he doesn’t have breakaway speed. If the Buckeyes stop him for 2-3-4 yards on the plays where he usually gets 4-5-6 yards then he is neutralized.
4. I disagree with your assertion that Michigan has the best offensive line in the country. I’ve already said that Mike Hart is a great back, but he is not piling up huge numbers and Henne is not putting up huge numbers. Media Hype has a vested interest in getting “The Fans” to salivate over the possibility that U of M is a great team capable of beating OSU in Columbus, and I think they’ve done a great job of accomplishing that. However, Michigan has not been particularly effective on the offensive side this year, and that is not because of Carr’s conservativism. Back in 2003 the Wolverines had scored 343 points in 9 games, in 2004 they scored 270 in 9, in 2005 they scored 261 in 9, and this year they have scored 255 points in 9 games, and both the 2004 and 2005 versions also featured Mike Hart, Chad Henne, Steve Breaston, and Jake Long. I don’t see the difference, with the possible exception of Manningham, since I think an experienced Jason Avant is better than a still unrefined Arrington.
5. Ron English’s “attack defense” at Michigan is still using the same players that were exposed by Troy Smith the last two years. It looks great against lesser opponents, but the Buckeye O-line is huge, experienced, 2-deep everywhere, and will dominate and exhaust the Wolverines. Check this link, http://ohiostate.scout.com/2/5849673.html
6. Herbstreit may be right in his analysis, but I agree that it was imprudent and inconsistent for him to speak his mind on his local show at this point in time, since it will at least spoil the suspense on Gameday. Since he has publicly stated and adhered to a policy that he will not express predictions for games on which he will do play-by-play and color analysis, I hope that he was not scheduled by ABC to be in the broadcast booth for The Game.
7. Steve Breaston has been a disappointment at Michigan. I live in Northeast OH/Western PA and attend 15-20 high school games every year between Canton/Massillon and Pittsburgh and points in-between. I also go to the Big 33 game every year. Breaston was a great player at Woodland Hills, and he and Tyler Palko were as good as anyone I’ve ever seen in the Big 33, but the Michigan coaching staff has never figured out a way to utilize that raw talent. I suspect that Herbstreit meant that the way the U of M coaching staff uses him is worthless because he doesn’t occupy and intimidate defenses the way that Ginn, Jr. does. Manningham was great in high school, of course, but I am surprised that he has been exceptional. He certainly didn’t light up the field like Breaston did, but that may just be due to the fact that Ohio high school football is a notch above Pennsylvania right now.
8. The great thing is that at least these 2 teams will play this one on the field and not rely on Blogs to fight it out.
9. Have a good one, and enjoy WVA vs. Louisville tonite.
10. I have graduate school degrees from both schools*, and one generality I can confirm about them is that more Michigan fans than Ohio State fans have a pseudo Ivy League mentality and the concomitant attitude that getting really involved in college football is declasse.
*The good thing about this is that if I take the “glass is half full” viewpoint I can’t be disappointed afterwards.
by Dr. Sak, on November 2 2006 @ 3:32 pm
Thanks for the comment and I only have time right now to respond to one part. I got to see both Michigan and Ohio State live and up real close. And Michigan’s OLine is for real. They are big and athletic. You don’t see Henne on his back too often and Hart has put up some real nice numbers. He went over 125 yards in a number of games this year. I would have to say right now that Hart is faster than Hunt. BTW Hunt’s long gain against Michigan came on a screen pass, not a run.
Henne is nothing special but he does what the Wolverines need him to do, make the safe play and take care of the ball. Getting Manningham back will do wonders for this offense. He was starting to light things up before he went down with that injury. My only concern with Michigan is how are they going to cover both Ginn and Gonzalez? They will need to put pressure on Smith to make quick decisions because I don’t think they can cover those two very long before they break open.
Believe me, I don’t like giving credit to Michigan. I am a Penn State fan. But from watching both teams play live, and on TV a few times I would give the nod to Michigan right now. The sideline reporter at last week’s Purdue/PSU game asked the Nittany Lions who they thought was the better team, 70% said Michigan. I never thought the Nittany Lions were in the game against Michigan even though the score was 17-10 but I felt they were in the game (minus the last 4 minutes where Morelli threw the two pick six’s) against Ohio State and really blew some opportunties.
I think it is absurd of Kirk to think that Ohio State will blow them out. It is going to be a close game, probably with a FG determining the winner.