Why is it an obvious letdown game ? no other schools of any significance thinks like that. It happens but for years this has always been a Rutgers board thing. If we lose it will be we got outplayed or made mistakes. This trap game thing is a myth.
MSU comeback …. a game that has RU steamroll IU or causes a nail biter ?
- Thread starter nutfromSEC117
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I'm going to keep going back to this- GW was 13-28...but, he had 4 throwaways 13-24 he had 3 drops 16-24 and 2 tips. One of them a great play by a defensive player who already cleared the throw line but twisted back to make a crazy play to tip it- the throw looked to be on target but will let that go. He also had at least 4 or 5 NFL level throws.
If you stop and really break down each throw - he wasn't bad at all. He had 5-6 throws that were off
I don't think they count the 2 pt play in the stats so it would be more like 17 good throws out of 25.
How good is their D? Giving up 263 yards on the ground to Akron doesn’t exactly seem lock down to me…
Refs make it a nailbiter.
That's my prediction.. there has to be some reason why many different crews of Big Ten officials have absolutely screwed us. I have tried to imagine what it could be.. and I suppose it is a number of things.. but I am convinced some kind of bias is involved at some point. Incompetence should average out. So should, oddly, gambling angles. Hmmm.. in fact, I would think gambling angles should favor the underdog Rutgers more often than not. So, what's left? Bias.
Now what could be the source of the bias? Midwestern-based officials having to trudge it out to Jersey? Some misconception that Rutgers is some kind of urban city commuter school so very different than all those genteel State Universities. City vs Country bias? In most cases I'd wonder if it is respect for coaches over Schiano.
And while Schiano is on top of them regarding rules.. he doesn't seem especially insulting toward them... that's OUR job! It cannot even be the players disrespecting them or their opponents as we do very little of that. When you see it.. it stands out from its rarity.
So.. yeah.. I predict a lot of calls and non-calls going Indiana's way. I will continue to be unable to explain it. But it will create a nail-biter of a game... perhaps by design.
That's my prediction.. there has to be some reason why many different crews of Big Ten officials have absolutely screwed us. I have tried to imagine what it could be.. and I suppose it is a number of things.. but I am convinced some kind of bias is involved at some point. Incompetence should average out. So should, oddly, gambling angles. Hmmm.. in fact, I would think gambling angles should favor the underdog Rutgers more often than not. So, what's left? Bias.
Now what could be the source of the bias? Midwestern-based officials having to trudge it out to Jersey? Some misconception that Rutgers is some kind of urban city commuter school so very different than all those genteel State Universities. City vs Country bias? In most cases I'd wonder if it is respect for coaches over Schiano.
And while Schiano is on top of them regarding rules.. he doesn't seem especially insulting toward them... that's OUR job! It cannot even be the players disrespecting them or their opponents as we do very little of that. When you see it.. it stands out from its rarity.
So.. yeah.. I predict a lot of calls and non-calls going Indiana's way. I will continue to be unable to explain it. But it will create a nail-biter of a game... perhaps by design.
No game is ever easy for the players on the field. Every play you don’t do your best is a play that can either injure you or put you on the bench.
I would believe we have a chance in this game. For a D they have some good players but so do we. Let’s win … CHOP 60 minutes…,and get some rest before our next game Nov. 4th
Have a chance? We’re favored on the road. We have more than “a chance”. We have a chance to shock Iowa. We’re supposed to beat Indiana. That doesn’t mean it will happen. Upsets happen all the time.
For me, it’s not about Indiana being a “lesser team” as much as it seems like a favorable match up for us. Nebraska is having a down year and their record would meet the definition of a “lesser team”. I would want no part of them (being a defense that is yet to give up more than 60 yards on the ground).
Is this an all-time RU message board post?
I would just tend to disagree a bit; you’ve been around presumably longing than me(you ‘72, me ‘89), it’s considered a trap game “mentally”, as we have to quickly get over this huge comeback, and prepare for a road game that we conceivably should win. It’s a game that we have lost in the past numerous times, so while I understand what your saying, the “trap” is the importance of having to win this game to take the monkey off our back before it’s the last game of the season.
It is s not a trap game… Trap game would be what Michigan faces soon …. Penn State - Maryland - Ohio State.That is a real trap game. Seriously going back… Kent State and Cincinnati were trap games. We are only looking to win this Saturday … not looking ahead to Ohio State guaranteed.
I am trying very hard to figure out why anyone is saying this is a tough team we are facing on Saturday. Of course they could beat us. But if they do, it is about as big a WTF game as you can give GS 2.0
Because we’re on the road and playing for bowl eligibility in what is very likely to be our last game of the season playing as a favorite. The pressure is on so to speak.
I agree with you on the last part. If Indiana beats us, it almost certainly means one or more of the following happened: a) we killed ourselves over and over again with unforced penalties and/or turnovers or b) Indiana suddenly finds answers they haven’t found against anyone all season except Indiana St (their version of Wagner).
Bottomline - to this point, Indiana’s D has not been able to stuff the run against an FBS opponent. The scouting report on RU says that’s a big key to shutting down our offense. Indiana has some pieces on D but I’m not seeing it that their line can physically dominate ours the way Wisconsin did, for example. On the other side of the ball, Indiana has shown no threat to this point of moving the chains with their legs either via scramble or QB draw. That’s been the hole in our D. The outcome could’ve been very different if Wisconsin QB doesn’t break through for big scrambles. Meanwhile, Indiana’s run game has produced only about 400 yards total in their 5 games against FBS opponents with 116 of them coming vs Maryland (mostly in garbage time).
So to summarize, our upcoming opponent struggles to stop the run, has shown no ability of their own to move the ball on the ground, and does not have a mobile QB. If that’s not the definition of a favorable match up, I don’t know what would be. I’ll be very disappointed if we do not find a way in this one. I think we will.
Pretty much nailed it. The "tough game" comes from being at their house and that we still are not confident that what we have seen from our team is what we really are. Which is a fair point
We would be looking ahead to a bowl game, not those opponents. The trap would be us going in there overlooking their record and thinking it’s a cake walk to a bowl eligibility. The Minny game in hoops is a good example. It wasn’t about looking ahead to another game. If we won that one, we’d have stamped our ticket. The team knew it, We crapped the pot. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen here. This team seems like a team with a mission on a path to destiny. I see parallels to 2014 for this group. Cautiously optimistic about the outlook. This team finds a way.
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I'm worried about the trap game mentality as well but can't compare BBall to Football. If we can impose our will on the lines we win.
Indiana is a bad football team. They currently rank #90th nationally in run defense.
It’s a boring Schiano ball game plan, but all we need to do is run the ball relentlessly, not turn the ball over and keep the ball out of Gavin’s hands and we win by double digits. Real talk, Gavin should have 10 pass attempts ALL GAME.
Wait for them to make the mistake, that’s how we made the msu comeback, their mistakes that we capitalized on!
It’s a boring Schiano ball game plan, but all we need to do is run the ball relentlessly, not turn the ball over and keep the ball out of Gavin’s hands and we win by double digits. Real talk, Gavin should have 10 pass attempts ALL GAME.
Wait for them to make the mistake, that’s how we made the msu comeback, their mistakes that we capitalized on!
Maybe at one time but frankly… it should be on the teams list this Saturday. It is one of several goals set. This hypothetical is another fallacy used as an excuse… that’s all it ever was.
Who said it’s an excuse? There was no excuse for Rutgers basketball losing to Minny either but alas these things occasionally happen when the pressure is on a particular team to win a game where they are substantially favored.
Was not saying you said it was an excuse. Please read what I said. It has been used too many times by teams and most religiously by the media who thinks everything they put out is gospel. Poor play will be the reason IF we lose on Saturday. Teams win on someone else’s home field. Some teams crap the bed. Rutgers has had a number of those in its history. Many posting here care more about “ the odds / spread of the game . Because many don’t really care… remember that many others do care. GO RUTGERS!!!!!!!
I’m not sure what point your trying to make here. Most people think of a potential “trap” game as a game that looks easy on paper, especially following a big or emotional win like the one we just had. In basketball, BAC has referred to these types of games as potential landmines. Perhaps you prefer that term instead?
This. Regardless of how fans may otherwise feel about our conservative play, anything other than “Schiano ball” as the game plan would be poor coaching decisions this week.
I agree with you. On paper that this is not an even match up. There’s a reason Vegas has us favored by 5+ on the road. For perspective, ranked Iowa and Missouri teams are favored at home by only 3.5 and 7 respectively to Minny and South Carolina (2-5).
Indiana State is about as bad as Wagner. Take that out and IU averages 14PPG
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I am going to give some credit to Indiana- I don't know how their current SOS rates but it has to be one of the hardest in the country at this point. You take away the 2 creampuffs- they have played OSU/L'Ville/Maryland/Michigan
Well guess what… that is only part of what constitutes a ”trap” game …. If we were playing OSU next weekend then maybe but since it’s roughly 13 days post Indiana …no it’s not. One more thing PSAL….Indiana is not a bad team based upon several factors. I have never believed in comparing scores and teams played and their wins and losses. I will stand with if we lose it will not be because we were looking ahaed to OSU.
And in the same token, against opponents like psu/osu coming up the game plan can’t be that as we’re not beating those teams by playing “safe, Schiano ball”.
Vs Indiana though who is universally recognized as one of if not the worst football program in the conference this year we just need to not beat ourselves.
Only way we lose is if Gavin throws a pick 6 or some other boneheaded play
I get what your saying, but I think the assumed role that Schiano is playing in hyjacking the offensive play calling when folks think it’s too conservative against top teams is probably exaggerated. Gavin has made big improvement from last season, but there are still major holes in his game that Kirk is managing around in order to set him up for success. When you have a QB struggling with accuracy issues, green lighting vertical throws up the middle off the read is playing with fire. Unfortunately, so are the screen passes if your guy just can’t be relied on to tone down his speed (makes tips more vulnerable - and those are pick 6 balls).
We’re not at practice. But let’s face it - any decent OC is not going to put his guy in a position that could potentially shatter his confidence big time in games that are long shots to begin with. I guess what I’m saying is perhaps it’s not so much Greg commanding to only pass to the sidelines as it is those decisions being made based on the outcomes they are seeing when they try to run other plays against our D in practice reps.
Look in fairness, you seem more reasonable in your critiques than some of the others who literally just look for things to complain about relating to the coach. Regardless of how the rest of the season goes, I just think it’s premature to opine on what role Greg is trying to play with the offense. Hopefully now that we’re not a complete embarrassment we can start to land some pieces to enhance the passing game more.