Do you think we are closer to the team against PSU or MSU?

[billhilf]

I was thinking about this earlier, and I really don't know what to make of this team. With our effort against Michigan State last week, we look like a team who should win 6-7 games, and be able to keep it close with almost anyone. The team that got smoked by Penn State and looked just alright against Kansas looks like they can win maybe 4 games and get blown out by winning teams. I'm not sure which one we are. Maybe it is somewhere in between.

What do you think?

 

[Abro1975]

PSU is about 3 1/2 hours away, but MSU about 12 . We are definitely closer to PSU ! :smiley:

 

[billhilf]

touche'

 

[koleszar]

I believe our base line for level of play should be that Michigan St. game. They showed great effort and intensity in that game, plus backed by a pretty good game plan. I think fans and coaches should expect nothing less. If the coaches can't put together a good game plan and get the players up week to week than that is on them. Then you have to wonder if this is the right staff. Because bad coaches don't get everything out of their players each week. The psu game was a complete failure on the coaches part. There were many extenuating circumstances that I believe caused this performance. But we need to see more MSU type efforts rather than psu efforts going forward. Then you can say psu was an abbreviation. If not then you have to start taking a serious look at the coaching staff.

 

[jerzeyguy]

Closer to Psu. Msu was a Saturday night blackout game against the number #4 team in the country. The team played over their heads because it was a special occasion. Back to reality today

 

[beaced_rivals]

I believe our base line for level of play should be that Michigan St. game. They showed great effort and intensity in that game, plus backed by a pretty good game plan. I think fans and coaches should expect nothing less. If the coaches can't put together a good game plan and get the players up week to week than that is on them. Then you have to wonder if this is the right staff. Because bad coaches don't get everything out of their players each week. The psu game was a complete failure on the coaches part. There were many extenuating circumstances that I believe caused this performance. But we need to see more MSU type efforts rather than psu efforts going forward. Then you can say psu was an abbreviation. If not then you have to start taking a serious look at the coaching staff.

It's ALL about COACHING. HOKE -HARBAUGH is a perfect example.

 

[billhilf]

If it is coaching that determines (and I agree that it is) then this game is a huge test. A good coach would win this game. If not we really need to move on. No excuses.

 

[ag67]

When you lose a game, there will always be reasons, or excuses as you like to call them.

How valid they are is another question.

 

[AreYouNUTS]

I think we got a graduation and injury riddled MSU team whose major weakness we took advantage of, their secondary, with LC.that being said I don't think where as bad as we left against Penn State, either, I think we fall somewhere in between which still gives us anywhere from 3 to 6 wins IMHO. Let's see how Sparty locks today.

 

[Saint Puppy]

1 word - Carroo.....All American caliber WR and captain definitely makes that big of a difference plus add in the craziness the team had been going through leading up to the PSU game with Flood and Carroo.

 

[Abro1975]

The night time Black out games really do a lot of emotion for the Home Team. RU was a bit handicapped for the PSU game with the arrests, suspensions and Flood situation all occuring in the days leading up to the PSU Blackout game. Team had to be distracted. A perfect storm for a bad showing. And it was a putrid showing.

 

[RUInsanityToo]

Closer to Psu. Msu was a Saturday night blackout game against the number #4 team in the country. The team played over their heads because it was a special occasion. Back to reality today

Based on your reasoning the team should be smack in the middle of the MSU & PSU games.

Night Games
Home (MSU) vs Away (PSU)
Both Black Out type games

Somehow people here forget to factor in how difficult it is for a team coming off significant controversy, with a suspended coach and with lack of experience at key positions to perform well on the road when faced with over 100,000 constantly screaming fans. This is not XBox and the players are not robots.

 

[koleszar]

If it is coaching that determines (and I agree that it is) then this game is a huge test. A good coach would win this game. If not we really need to move on. No excuses.

What I look for is the effort and intensity put forth by the players. The game plan implemented and whether or not it's being executed properly. Look football has a lot of weird things that happen through out a game, the football is oblong and bounces the wrong way sometimes. So you may put in a great effort and game plan and still lose. For three weeks this season we did not have great effort(Washington St. close) or game plan. For weeks I was screaming why no blitz and on offense why only limited misdirection plays. Against MSU we saw both. Could this team just have needed more time to learn in live game action? Possibly. This week will tell a lot because now you've seen the good and the bad. If they slide back you can no longer use that excuse because they've done it before. So yes if we lose as a direct result of the points described above you can point the finger at Flood.

 

[RUich]

We appeared to be able to take advantage of MSU's weaknesses with our D. If, we can do the same against Indy, especially against their less than great D, we should be in this game.

 

[brgossRU90]

Somewhere in between--but don't expect the best effort to be replicated again and again, especially in the teeth of a very hard schedule and for away games.

 

[bryanjints]

If Carroo played vs PSU we win. But regardless of that we just match up better vs MSU.

 

[lighty]

We're a far better team with Carroo in the lineup than the one fielded against Penn State. Maybe the offense looking better helped inspire the defense, maybe it was the blitzing -- whatever the reason we looked better on both sides of the ball.

 

[RUwoz]

If Carroo played vs PSU we win. But regardless of that we just match up better vs MSU.

You don't honestly believe this do you? We were slaughtered, Randy Moss in the prime of his career couldn't have made enough of a difference

 

[RU05]

1 word - Carroo.....All American caliber WR and captain definitely makes that big of a difference plus add in the craziness the team had been going through leading up to the PSU game with Flood and Carroo.

I'm going with the Carroo angle as well.

I entered the year thinking we were a good team. Still holding out hope that we prove that thought right.

Have to win today.