This will be a weekend of firsts for four teams. Since all of last weeks winners play each other, and all of last weeks losers play each other, half of the teams will realize their first conference win, and their first conference loss. Between Ferrum, North Carolina Wesleyan, Shenandoah, and Christopher Newport, two will lose their first conference game, and between Methodist, Averett, Maryville, and Greensboro, two will win their first conference game.
Recent history would suggest that Ferrum is having a run of bad luck where North Carolina Wesleyan is concerned. Ferrum has not defeated the Bishops since 2005, and this is the only win in the eight times they have met. Ferrum is probably in as good a position to win as they have been in the last several years, and North Carolina Wesleyan, is possibly somewhat weaker than they have been. For Ferrum, a win Saturday will leave them tied for first in the conference. A loss for Ferrum would make their road to a conference title, bumpy to say the least. Anyone with one loss will require help from another team to keep their chances alive. Any team with two losses will be virtually out of the running, and while not mathematically eliminated, will have almost impossible odds to win the conference.
So what can we expect from the Panthers? Well Ferrum has been playing very strong on both sides of the ball, and while the Bishops have built a solid program, and were picked to finish second in the USA South, they are currently 1-3. They have played some pretty tough competition including Ohio Northern who was ranked 14th in the nation at the time. Look for NCW to emphasize their passing game. This would play their strength to Ferrum's weakness....although so far this season, Ferrum's pass defense has gone from a low of 215th nationally ranked, to its current ranking of 150th. It has also improved from 8th in the conference to 5th. So as for what to look for on defense, look for the Panthers secondary to be tested all day. The Bishops have the overall 75th best passing offense in the country, and are second in the conference to Shenandoah.
On the offense, Ferrum will likely find success running the ball, and should also find success passing. If Ferrum can play a flag free, consistent game, they should come away with a win.
Keys to the game:
Stop the passing game
Create turnovers, and turn them into points
Get to their quarterback.
Control the time of possession
Protect the ball- No turnovers
Protect the pocket- Protect Mayo
Be ready to make something(s) happen on special teams.
Strive for 75% success rate in the red zone.
This is an important game, but relax and have fun....You guys can win this.
Be ready for OT...This could come down to a FG
My prediction:
Ferrum 20
NCW 17
Go Panthers!
The Rest of this weekends games. Bold = winner
Shenandoah @ Christopher Newport University
Methodist @ Maryville
Averett @Greensboro
Picking a clean sweep by the visiting teams!
Rabu, 05 Oktober 2011
What the Columbus Dispatch should look like
Earlier this week, we mentioned how OSU's homer hometown newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch, apparently forgot the Buckeyes had a game on Saturday (granted, it was hard to tell based on what transpired in the 'Shoe vs. MSU).
As we also pointed out, the Dispatch is the paper that has the daily counter keeping track of the "days since Michigan's last victory over Ohio State in football." And it's all done with nary an asterisk or hint of shame to be found in the wake of the latest scandals (plural).
So following the most recent (on top of the other recent) violations -- or as they call them around the OSU athletic department, "individual failures" -- we at the MZone have huddled with our design team to produce a new masthead and sample page of what the Dispatch should look like. Well, what it should look like if they were an actual paper and not a pro-Tosu blog printed on paper.
As we also pointed out, the Dispatch is the paper that has the daily counter keeping track of the "days since Michigan's last victory over Ohio State in football." And it's all done with nary an asterisk or hint of shame to be found in the wake of the latest scandals (plural).
So following the most recent (on top of the other recent) violations -- or as they call them around the OSU athletic department, "individual failures" -- we at the MZone have huddled with our design team to produce a new masthead and sample page of what the Dispatch should look like. Well, what it should look like if they were an actual paper and not a pro-Tosu blog printed on paper.
Selasa, 04 Oktober 2011
MZone Poll: In The Big House
I like it. Hell, I like it a lot.
There, I said it: I like the song IN THE BIG HOUSE by Pop Evil. And in talking to my Michigan friends, they like it, too.
But that can't be. The dean of Michigan bloggers, Brian at MGoBlog, who judging by his posts on the subject would prefer somebody dig up Woody Hayes and place the rotted corpse at his kitchen table, recently declared that "everyone hates" IN THE BIG HOUSE.
Really?
The votes on the two most watched YouTube videos for the song (one with 136K views, the other with nearly 60K) are overwhelmingly "thumbs up" (875 likes vs. 30 dislikes on one, 462 vs. 15 on the other). It received a 5 star rating from listeners on iTunes thus far. And, probably most importantly, apparently the players like it.
Yet Brian likens IN THE BIG HOUSE to, uh, things like...this from ND. Now, you can not like IN THE BIG HOUSE. You can even dislike it. But to compare it to that...song? Seems like comparing apples to orange-colored musical vomit.
I wonder if Brian'sdislike hatred jihad against the song has anything to do with the band behind it. They're some blue collar heavy metal road band from Michigan that I - and I'm guessing most of you - never heard of before IN THE BIG HOUSE. And I don't know Brian personally or his musical tastes. But judging by some of his posts, I wonder if IN THE BIG HOUSE was instead sung by Morrissey and a little more plaintive - rather than by a group that sounds like the opening act on the Kalamazoo stop of Motley Crue's 7th 8th 23rd comeback tour - he'd like it more. Don't know.
Hey, I agree with Brian on most matters Michigan: I'm not really a fan of the numbers on the side of the helmet, but whatever; I loathed the "halo" around the stadium; I absolutely hate the idea of some dude in a fuzzy suit roaming the Big House sidelines calling himself "Michigan's mascot"; and I also went to Bo's gravesite to give thanks when Rich Rodriguez got canned (okay, three out of four).
But I totally disagree with him on this one.
So what do MZone readers think? I'm curious. I know this isn't a scientific poll, but I'd love to know how our readers feel. Below is the song via one of the YouTube videos and in the upper righthand corner of the main page is a place to vote yea/yeah/yay or nay on the song. So cast your ballot then leave your thoughts in the comments section.
There, I said it: I like the song IN THE BIG HOUSE by Pop Evil. And in talking to my Michigan friends, they like it, too.
But that can't be. The dean of Michigan bloggers, Brian at MGoBlog, who judging by his posts on the subject would prefer somebody dig up Woody Hayes and place the rotted corpse at his kitchen table, recently declared that "everyone hates" IN THE BIG HOUSE.
Really?
The votes on the two most watched YouTube videos for the song (one with 136K views, the other with nearly 60K) are overwhelmingly "thumbs up" (875 likes vs. 30 dislikes on one, 462 vs. 15 on the other). It received a 5 star rating from listeners on iTunes thus far. And, probably most importantly, apparently the players like it.
Yet Brian likens IN THE BIG HOUSE to, uh, things like...this from ND. Now, you can not like IN THE BIG HOUSE. You can even dislike it. But to compare it to that...song? Seems like comparing apples to orange-colored musical vomit.
I wonder if Brian's
Hey, I agree with Brian on most matters Michigan: I'm not really a fan of the numbers on the side of the helmet, but whatever; I loathed the "halo" around the stadium; I absolutely hate the idea of some dude in a fuzzy suit roaming the Big House sidelines calling himself "Michigan's mascot"; and I also went to Bo's gravesite to give thanks when Rich Rodriguez got canned (okay, three out of four).
But I totally disagree with him on this one.
So what do MZone readers think? I'm curious. I know this isn't a scientific poll, but I'd love to know how our readers feel. Below is the song via one of the YouTube videos and in the upper righthand corner of the main page is a place to vote yea/yeah/yay or nay on the song. So cast your ballot then leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Senin, 03 Oktober 2011
Michigan RB Coach Fred Jackson: Through the Years
Much has been made around the Michigan blogosphere about running back coach Fred Jackson's longevity on the U-M staff. But we didn't realize just how long he's been in A2 until we started going back through the U-M football archives. His uninterrupted tenure is nothing short of stunning.
So today, we honor this iron man of maize and blue coaches with a look back at his never-ending career in our MZone exclusive:
So today, we honor this iron man of maize and blue coaches with a look back at his never-ending career in our MZone exclusive:
Fred Jackson: Through the Years
 |
| 1902 team photo showing Fred Jackson (far right) during his 6th season in A2 |
 |
| Fred Jackson and Fielding Yost at Michigan Stadium construction site in 1927 |
 |
| Fielding Yost shows off newly built Michigan Stadium to Fred Jackson |
 |
| Fred Jackson praises Tom Harmon in 1939 TIME interview |
 |
| Fred Jackson lavishes more praise on U-M backs in '56 SI story |
 |
| Fred Jackson and Don Canham at the press conference announcing Bo's hiring |
If an Ohio State game falls in the forest but the Dispatch doesn't cover it...
If you've never read it before, The Columbus Dispatch defines the hometown homer newspaper. They have a daily update keeping track of the "days since Michigan's last victory over Ohio State in football"(with nary an asterisk or hint of shame to be found in the wake of the latest scandals). Hell, it was an open secret in C-bus about the tats and other transgressions under Vestocchio, but the paper had its nose so far up Brutus's ass, they never saw a thing.
Yes, what Pravda was to the former Soviet Union, the Dispatch is to Tosu*. Which is why I got a chuckle yesterday after reading an email from our pal, Surrounded in Columbus (who, as his screen name indicates, is a Michigan fan living in the belly of the beast). In the wake of Ohio State's 10-7 loss to MSU, he sent us a picture of the front page of Sunday's Dispatch along with the following:
UPDATE: Something tells me the football team will be on the front page tomorrow!
Yes, what Pravda was to the former Soviet Union, the Dispatch is to Tosu*. Which is why I got a chuckle yesterday after reading an email from our pal, Surrounded in Columbus (who, as his screen name indicates, is a Michigan fan living in the belly of the beast). In the wake of Ohio State's 10-7 loss to MSU, he sent us a picture of the front page of Sunday's Dispatch along with the following:
Sorta like "Where's Waldo?", this is "Where's the Buckeye?" headline.
First time in years that the tosu game is NOT a front page story. Quarter inch banner and reference to the sports section? Unheard of.
It's a very quiet morning in Cowtown.
UPDATE: Something tells me the football team will be on the front page tomorrow!
RB Tire Juke Drill
The Tire Juke Drill is one of my favorite RB drills in that teaches a valuable skill and is fun to do. The juke move requires a back to be able to plant and accelerate once and then again in the opposite direction to lose a defender or "break his ankles" as the younger generation like to say. This requires the core strength to keep the RB's body weight balanced and the core strength and explosive calf strength to accelerate on his first step. Like I said before, all great backs, big and small, have one thing in common: quick feet. Rudi Johnson was a big back but he moved his feet exceptionally well for his size as you will see on the video.
One coaching point is to make sure you have plenty of time and enough bodies to do the drill. It's more of an off-season drill for that reason, but I still like to use it on occasion during the season to break up the normal routine. If you have a fence or a wall on one side, you can get away with not having as many bodies. Also, make sure your players are rolling the tires fast enough or the drill won't be very effective.
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)