This Saturday's contest will be against the "Mildcats"??? Once upon a time a game against Northwestern was like money in the bag. (work alert!) But....this year we have fallen down the rabbit hole and up is down and big is small. The Wolverines are 3-7 overall and 2-4 in the Big 10. The Wildcats??? 7-3 overall, and 3-3 in the conference. Their wins have come against the likes of Syracuse, Duke, So. Illinois, Ohio, Iowa, Purdue and Minnesota.
The Wild facts:
Their offense on average this season has produced 4.2 avg yards/rush and 5.9 avg yds/catch with 3.9 yards of YAC tacked on. They have scored 86% of the time from within the red zone. While posting an average 24.6 points per game, they have also allowed their opponents 20.8 push-ups on average. Bloated stats are courtesy of the 37 they gifted Sparty and the 45 tUOS racked up on them. Seriously, these guys won their first 5 games including their Big Ten opener against Nittany-Slaying-Iowa. Uh, ok.
BUT---Northwestern seems to be running a M*A*S*H Unit. Their starting QB and 3rd leading rusher, C. J. Bacher hasn't started the past 2 games. Interestingly, their back-up QB Mike Kafka ran for 217 yards against Minny. Kafka is second in rushing yards on the team behind Tyrell Sutton....who, um, well--hasn't started the last two games due to an injured wrist. Omar Conteh, #4 on the RB depth-chart is now out for the season with a knee injury....Stephen Simmons has started only 4 games for them this year but has only played in three. He had a whopping 34 yards on 14 attempts against the Buckeyes. Kinda reminds me of this.....Coach Pat Fitzgerald is spreadin' the love our way, saying at his presser on Monday: "Looking to this week, we're going to play a team that when you look back to the beginning of the year, with the amount of change they had in their program, is playing their best football of the year. Against Minnesota, they played outstanding in all three phases of the game. Their kicker was the player of the week in the conference, they have the Big Ten's leading punter, punt returner and kick returner. Offensively they went out and made a lot of plays, they're running Rich Rodriguez's offense to the best of their ability. On defense, they're doing a great job of bringing multiple pressures from a lot of different places, playing not only four-down but a three-down defense as well, and they're very aggressive. They're a team I've seen improve each week and it will be a game in a very hostile environment. But the focus this week is on us, we did not play our best football of the year last week and there's a lot of room for improvement."
Thanks Coach!!! You just did all my work for me!!!!! Given all their holes on offense and our D-line's improvement over the past few weeks we definitely stuff the run and dress which ever of their QBs shows up back there. Coupled with Sheridan's SAFE game play against Minny, and the development of our O-line, well, I just may be giddy about our chances again!!!!....
I say we SOOOO win this one and that it will be way fun again just like last week's win. Big smiles on the sidelines for the Boys in Maize and Blue!
GO BLUE
TAME THE WILDCATS
TAME THE WILDCATS
Posts
15 comments:
I was perplexed by his statement that "they have the Big Ten's leading punter, punt returner and kick returner." We can't seriously have the Big Ten's leading punt and kick returner unless he was looking at the fumbles on punt and kick returns stat. But I digress. I too am calling for a victory this weekend. I will be taking my dad to the game for his first experience and I have yet to see a losing game there in something like 9 tries now. If they do lose I will blame him and never take him again.
Anyway I need some help from you MI people. It looks as if the weather will be poor. In this case does that mean that the golf course will be closed? If so where is the best place to park? I've parked at numerous spots before: golf course, the high school down the road, the big concrete jungle right across the corner from the House, I've also gotten lost and parked for FREE on a side street a few blocks South (I believe it was South) from the House and then walked past the tennis courts to get to the stadium. Basically what I'm looking for is my best route in. If the golf course will be open I plan on parking there but if not then need some guidance. Also if anyone's having a tailgate or a Spawn of Mzone get together let me know and I'll get you my cell #.
BAH--
not sure if the golf course will be open or not.
best bets for parking will be in the neighborhoods to the east and west of the stadium.
coming in from Main Street, go North and then head west (left) on Stadium, turning right (north) into the neighborhood.
coming in from State Street, go North up towards the Lacrosse Field/Yost Ice Arena and turn right (east) into the neighborhood.
depending on how early you get in you may find free street parking. otherwise figure 10-20 bucks depending on distance from the Big House.
Dress warmly and with water repellent fabric.....cold and rainy at game time. ;-(
Getting deep under Michael Wilbon's skin with a win would be priceless!
Savor the flavor-
Go Blue!
Hammm: Don't get stuck in the golf course mud. Find a willing "house parker" and pay them $10. Much easier and more authentic experience. Have a great time and stay dry. I am counting on you and your Dad to deliver a win this weekend. Take pics and send them over.
Pics will be taken and posted on the yahoo group as were my pics from the Miami OH game. Also will be posting and taking pics of the last game at the Rubber Bowl this evening in Akron. Game will be on ESPNU I believe and I "hope" that the Akron faithful turn out and finally fill that place once for their team. My dad and I have been going to games there since I was born and usually there's no more than 5-7 thousand poeple tops. Usually more for the visiting team than Akron. MI will be a shock to him I am sure.
I will probably bypass the course altogether with the weather outlook and shoot for the concrete jungle across the corner from gate 1 I think it is. WHere the funny traffic cop is. I know it's more expensive but less of a walk. Not sure how early we're going to get there yet since we most likely will not be tailgating and won't want to walk around too much in the horrible weather. Definitely will be wearing layers and trying to keep dry. Hope to get in touch with someone from here there but if not then hope we all see a great win. I will blame my dad if they lose LOL.
Hamm,
I sent a message to T9 on the spawn email and would be happy to have you and your Dad join my son's and I for a tailgate. We part at Pioneer (on the grass) and are close to Gate 1. We have a large group of about 6 different families that always tailgate together and it is what has kept us going this year. It is actually cheaper to park at Pioneer than at the AA Golf and Outing but I am not sure what the price is at the UM golf course. I am hoping T9 gets my message and we can hook up.
T9,
you gave away my parking secrets! I typically park in the neighborhood around Washtenaw Dairy, stop in to say hello to Smitty and get a 24 oz Labatt Blue for $1.75...what do you recommend for a bar on Main St for pregame since the weather is going to suckola?
Pregame bar options on Main are a bit limited as it's gotten pretty foofy. Andy and I found The Arena (the old Metzger's at E. Washington and 4th, one block East of Main) at 203 E Washington St. Perfect in that there is a TV at every table and they have great wings.
But it is a TOTAL dive!
gobluebob
check your gmail--i sent you some 411
T9,
a fraternity bro of mine who is in grad school now, getting his PhD in Areospace Engineering, suggested Conor O'Neils--is that a 'foofy' bar?
T9,
talked to my fraternity brother tonite, you know the one who is getting his PhD in Areospace Engineering (who says "frat boys" are dumb?) and he LOVES the suggestion of The Arena for pregame! could we make it a Spawn of Mzone pregame meeting place? you have my email and Hammm has my cell...let me know...
on a side note, kinda glad I have ONE place to tailgate for this game, was getting sick of "mobile tailgating" this season, was going first to an undergrad tailgate at State and Hoover to meet my nephew, then to either the Victors Lot or golf course where you could actually talk and not worry about "open container" violations walking to/from State Street and Hoover...
Thanx for the info T9 and Gobluebob. I will get in touch with both of you sometime today. Not sure how up to tailgating my dad will be due to the weather but we will see. Now on to other matters...
The game last night was awesome. I must say it was probably one of the most enjoyable Akron games I've been to. It wasn't full but there was significantly more people there than there used to be and for a shocking change they were actually LOUD when needed to be. It was also one of the longest football games I've ever been to going into the 4th OT where Akron fumbled the ball and gave Buffalo the chance to win. Even then I'm not sure what Buffalo was doing since they ran up the middle on 3 straight plays gaining 1 yard leaving themselves with a 41 yard fg. I guess they just had that much confidence in their kicker and apparently deservedly so since he delivered the heartbreak. We then waited in the parking lot for the post game fireworks at 11:35. This is surrounded by a large neighborhood as well so I'm sure that went over great.
Naturally in the "that's the way things go" column my camera batteries died right before the teams ran out on the field so no pictures were taken. My dad got some good video but I doubt I'll ever upload it.
Anyway it was a great game now I have 24 hours to try n get some rest, go to work, and then get some sleep for the long drive tomorrow. I'll email everyone here shortly.
Emailed T9 GoBlueBob and 616. Hope to hear from you further.
Hamm:
I watched the overtimes last night. I have to admit it was the first time I have ever paid attention to Akron or the Rubber Bowl. I was surprised about how dark the field looked, the TV cameras were having trouble catching the action.
Because the Rubber Bowl is built basically on an airport cut into a hill they were never allowed to redo the lighting to be above the stands and therefore give off a better light. So they have their crappy 6 light stands on the sidelines that light up the field fine but since it doesn't shed any light over the crowd it doesn't reflect anymore light onto the field. It has always looked horribly dark when shown on TV. I think the first ever time they were on ESPN about 4 years ago ESPN trucked in the mobile lighting like they have at The Big House and took down the pressbox light stands from the field. It was amazing the difference it made on TV and in watching the game live. Sadly now that they are TV a few times a year they stopped doing that.
The OT was amazing and I will say that in my 29 years of existence and going to Akron games that is the only time I have ever heard the crowd be energized and loud during a game. It was probably my best football experience at The Rubber Bowl (aside from one Canton Mckinley v Massilon HS game we went to that had 34k people) and sadly is the last. I'm sure the new stadium will be ncie but the Rubber Bowl had a mystique to it. Kind of like old Cleveland Browns Stadium if anyone ever saw an Indians or Browns game there.
Post a Comment