What have you heard about our opponents? Fall practice info, injuries, etc.
Like many of you, I have been refreshing this site excessively as the inevitability of football season approaches.
What have you folks heard about the teams on our schedule? I read the OSU insider reported Fields has matured significantly . . . in 3 weeks time. I also saw the thread about Michael Young breaking his collar bone (all injuries to CFB players are bad things).
Anybody heard any other info that may not be "big enough" for it's own thread?
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
I heard their mothers wear combat boots.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:04 PM ^
...and smell like pickles
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:13 PM ^
and swim after troop ships.
August 22nd, 2019 at 5:15 PM ^
And...
OSU cheats and the entire community is a football cult covering for the program's degeneracy
MSU covers up scandals (sex and violence) and shoots up their inferior recruits with PEDs
PSU remains morally bankrupt and excuses the Joe Pa Pedo scandal still
ND has a purple faced coach that killed a cameraman and covered up sexual violence cases
August 23rd, 2019 at 12:39 PM ^
The are big but all lied about just how big they actually were in high school.
They have matching away uniforms with individual numbers.
That's all I have at this point but will keep digging........
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
MSU's offensive line continues to be in flux, it seems. Cole Chewins continues to miss time or at least be limited, and he's their best OL by far. If he can't go at tackle, forget any improvement from last year, they'll be awful on offense full stop. Jordan Reid is their starting right tackle, and though he can't run block worth a damn (can't get movement on anyone), he was a decent pass protector. The shuffles I've seen mentioned on their boards have him being replaced as a starter, which is interesting. I think that speaks to the desperation of the staff to get some lineman who can move DL, because the run game is dead without it. I don't think any of it will work for them.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^
I will never wish for injuries, but hearing that their Oline is having a hard time with alternate lineups sounds great. I know their defense is going to be very good, but it's all connected, obviously. Dlines get a lot less fierce when they are looking at 90 snaps a game.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Wait -- so you mean Mork not firing anyone but instead giving every guy a new position might not work?
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
But Brian Jones of CBS Sports Network told me that that was a great move and MSU is gonna be in the playoff.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:46 PM ^
It is classic old guy logic. Dinardo hinted that the staff reshuffle was loyalty and you could see his boner on the BTN broadcast hoping it would work.
August 22nd, 2019 at 9:09 PM ^
yes! ROTFLMAO!
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^
I don't think Chewins is the best OL by a longshot, but he I think is the preferred LT starter if he can go.
They've talked all fall camp about "managing" him, which seems like he's got a long term or chronic issue. I wouldn't be surprised if he loses that LT job at some point this year.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:35 PM ^
I would be curious to know who you believe is the best OL. Chewins is the correct answer by some distance, which admittedly isn't saying much. The last Allen brother has been a disappointment, Higby was sitting in Lewerke's lap and/or not doing much of anything when in. Reid I mention above. Jarvis was a 4*, so I know the MSU fan base thinks he's special / has potential, but he's just a guy.
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:55 PM ^
You're right that Allen isn't what he brothers were. But I think it's Reid or Jarvis, potentially followed by Allen.
My argument for that is: Reid and Jarvis were the only two players who's starting job was never questioned last year. Everyone else shuffled around even when healthy, but those two seemed very locked in to their starting jobs. Allen once he took over in week 3 (ish? hard to remember) also seemed locked in until he got hurt late in the season.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:32 PM ^
Chewins' job was never in question from what I understood, he was only out when he was hurt. You know this because he was hurt for several games, then magically returned for the Michigan game. They were resting him for that one. Unfortunately for MSU, he must have still been hurt, because Uche (I believe) went around him like he was nothing on an early drive and back to the hurt bench he went.
I think Chewins is a legitimately good player, both run and pass blocker, when healthy. I can't say that about anyone else: Allen poor run, OK pass; Jarvis poor run, OK pass; Reid poor run, good pass; Higby poor run, poor pass; Campbell lol pass lol run (though he was a decent run blocker a couple of years ago at right tackle, what happened to him? terrible pass protector, but why not move him to guard)
I do appreciate your view though. Do you see any way the OL improves for MSU this year? I could see the hope that Jarvis takes a leap, but based on the spring game he's just a guy.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:55 PM ^
Man, the way the MSU coaches were talking up Campbell in fall camp last year just to see him flail around last year was disappointing.
I think Chewins was still hurt when he came back last year, because he was in and out of that position a lot. Not even like missing drives (MSU does like to play 7-8 OL a game), but coming out mid-drive a few times to come back in later. I'm old enough to remember him vs a freshman Gary in garbage time 3 years ago and I thought he was going to be good then.
I don't think MSUs OL gets much better. Maybe every guy improves a little, but that's probably not good enough. I also think they weren't helped at all by the MSU RBs. Scott/Heyward/Jefferson all lack the speed to hit the edge, so every non-jet sweep run just had LBs barreling downhill on them. That's why I want one of our younger RBs to get a shot, I think they could help the OL by just hitting a hole faster.
I saw an article that Bollman thought all the guys were too light, so they're all up like 15lbs from last year, who knows if that's a) true, or b) a good thing.
August 22nd, 2019 at 5:35 PM ^
Appreciate your thoughts, hope you enjoy the season despite a soul crushing loss to Michigan.
I do think MSU will beat OSU this year. I think you guys are a 7-5/8-4 team, with one big win. With a great run D and Fields a questionable passer, I think you shut down their O and Lewerke has an "on" game (he's so inconsistent) and you pull it out.
I am very down on OSU this year though, relative to national expectations.
August 22nd, 2019 at 8:20 PM ^
I appreciate your thoughts state fan but I laughed a little at the sentence that goes "I'm old enough to remember...3 years ago."
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:04 PM ^
Army has tanks and mortars.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
Well, now I'm concerned!
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
Tanks for the update. Im looking mortars this game than most.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:52 PM ^
We should probably wear black pajamas instead of uniforms then.
too soon?
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
Well, we are playing communist football now
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
I don't think coolie hats are safe for football. Maybe in the 60's they were ok.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
Penn State hasn’t seen anything
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
Sparty more than likely will bring a supervisor to the game.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
.....or at least will ask for one.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:15 PM ^
If GameDay were to come for UM-MSU, what would be the over/under on number of "Supervisor" signs?
August 22nd, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
Many, many more stormtrooper march signs.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^
I heard OSU fans shit in coolers.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
I've seen it!!!!
Now you have also. Your welcome!
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:07 PM ^
The conference championship runs through Columbus.
Ryan Day is freaky looking.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:19 PM ^
Jesus Christ, an NSFW tag would be appreciated.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:32 PM ^
He's like a fatter, less good looking seth mcfarlane
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^
and I think he likes his alcohol a little bit more, too.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:54 PM ^
Ryan Day is weird looking, but Seth almost always has a drink in his hand. And 2 joints in this pocket.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^
Your pocket?
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
Yes, my pocket. We're bros.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
only 2?
rookie
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:59 PM ^
Good call. I couldn't place his face. He looks like a horrible animatronic McFarlane.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:26 PM ^
Certainly is aging better than harbaugh though ! Maybe it has something to do with winning the big ten and not sleeping with minors . Or maybe he just isn’t drinking flint water ;)
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:45 PM ^
Ryan Day is 40, and Jim Harbaugh is 55 you dumb fuck.
August 22nd, 2019 at 4:21 PM ^
Damn beat me to the punch. Looks like Seth McFarlane if Seth McFarlane was a pedophile.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^
Oozes Ohio.
Looks like the guy who plays in the foursome behind you on the public golf course. This guy hits his ball while you're only 100 yards ahead of him. At some point he'll tell you that you're not playing fast enough (which, you know, you're not) and you'll kick his ball into the sand while heading to the next tee stand. You could just let him play through, but fuck it. He's also wearing jorts and a dri-fit Under Armor shirt.
August 22nd, 2019 at 2:24 PM ^
screw kicking his ball in the sand. I pull out a 5 iron and fire it into the deepest part of the nearest woods
August 22nd, 2019 at 3:51 PM ^
Funny you mention that analogy because he gives off a distinct Shooter Mcgavin vibe to me.
August 22nd, 2019 at 1:49 PM ^
Eddie Munster grew up.
August 22nd, 2019 at 6:58 PM ^
Looks like the big boy that holds the hamburger