Who is the B1G's paper tiger?
I'm personally not buying the Nebraska hype this year. I think they have the potential to win a game they shouldn't, but are vastly being overhyped. They are going to be fighting to get a bowl game. Their defense was just sooooo bad last year.
Penn State for some reason is also getting more hype than I think they deserve. I think they could lose 6 games this year (Pitt, @Maryland, @Iowa, Michigan, @MSU, @OSU). Their defense should be a little stronger but besides KJ Hamler what do they have on offense? I think James Franklin gets exposed this year as being a mediocre coach and Nittany fans put him on the hot seat.
Who else is being overhyped?
August 16th, 2019 at 2:19 PM ^
Or, just read Nittany fan and ignore me. Either way...damn
August 16th, 2019 at 1:45 PM ^
So what? Harbaugh beat Franklin 3 out of 4 years...did you watch that OSU in Happy Valley? Some of the flukiest shit I’ve ever seen.
August 16th, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^
Flukes are a part of the game, bottom line is W or L.
August 16th, 2019 at 2:57 PM ^
The play may have been a fluke, but those slugs were good enough to be in the game until the last play. When you let that happen, you leave the door open for anything to happen....and it did.
August 16th, 2019 at 7:19 PM ^
This is Dantonio’s entire game plan against good teams. Play it close and hope the other team fucks up and MAU doesn’t. His plan is essentially to let close games with good teams be decided by luck
August 16th, 2019 at 12:49 PM ^
Don't show too much hubris. This may not age well. I have Michigan O/U wins @ 8.5.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:46 PM ^
Ok, I’ll bet you $100 Michigan wins 9 games
August 16th, 2019 at 2:24 PM ^
Wow, you take the negative against Michigan approach? I am utterly shocked.
August 16th, 2019 at 12:50 PM ^
Wisconsin if they don't figure out the QB situation. They'll run over weaker teams with that line and Jonathan Taylor, but if they run into a defense that can limit the damage on the ground, I really don't know where they go from there.
August 16th, 2019 at 12:50 PM ^
Morehead extended Franklin’s fast talking bs at Penn State but I agree he has a shelf life. I hope he stays.
August 16th, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
I know Franklin makes some baffling in game decisions, but as a coach he has a track record of being successful, so I think Penn St will be fine.
Wisconsin is my pick. The only thing keeping them on top in West the last few years was their QB's uncanny ability to hit the tiny windows needed to make the few big plays they made. With no QB, a relatively inexperienced O-line and a fading defense I see their bully boy days in the West coming to a close.
August 16th, 2019 at 2:13 PM ^
23-16 in his 3 non-Moorhead years at PSU and 3-12 vs. Michigan, MSU and OSU doesn't scream success to me.
Yes, they went 22-5 with a B1G title (and a fluky win vs OSU in there) in his 2 years with Moorhead but they immediately fell back to Earth at 9-4 last year and I'd expect more of the same 8/9 win seasons from him. He's a mediocre coach all the way. He's not a terrible coach, like Brady Hoke was here, but he's absolutely to an above average coach as far as I'm concerned.
August 16th, 2019 at 3:47 PM ^
That's a pretty darn good record considering the tire fire he walked into. Or have we now forgotten the (since suspended) draconian sanctions the NCAA leveled on PSU post Sandusky scandal? PSU has been playing with less depth than the 2008 Lions for most of his tenure.
And don't forget in his 3 seasons at Vanderbilt he had 5-3 and 4-4 SEC campaigns. At Vandebilt. That's not too shabby.
Even if it's just a matter that he's good at picking coordinators, the results speak for themselves.
August 16th, 2019 at 12:52 PM ^
I don't think Wisconsin has greater than a 10% chance to win the West.
I don't think MSU has a great than 10% chance to win more than 7 games.
I don't think anyone other than OSU and Michigan can win the East.
So those are my potential paper tigers, depending on who says what.
August 16th, 2019 at 12:56 PM ^
If you were to ask this question to every fanbase in the country they would all say Michigan.
August 17th, 2019 at 12:27 AM ^
This.... As sad as that makes me sick to admit
August 16th, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
They're all "Paper Tigers" to Murderwolf
August 16th, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
I'm going to go with an individual --- Paul Chryst.
He's perceived as one of the B1G's better coaches. Shoot, he was perceived as a good coach at Pittsburgh too.
But the Panthers were considerably better in the 3-years prior to Chryst, and in the 3-years after Chryst, then they were during the 3-years OF Chryst.
At Wisconsin, he doesn't have many huge B1G conference wins. 2015: 6-2 in-conference but remarkably all 6 wins were against teams under .500 in the conference! 0-2 against the 2 West teams that were any good. 2016: 0-3 against that year's Top 3 from the east. Blew a 21-point lead in the Title Game! 2017: Missed that year's Top 3 from the east (MSU, OSU, PSU) until the title game (a large reason Wisconsin even was 13-0) then lost to OSU. 2018: Their best conference win was probably at Purdue. In Triple OT. Hmm.
I don't think he's ever going to elevate them into anything great.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:05 PM ^
YES. Chryst is ass. I will fight anyone on this hill.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
He beat Michigan at Camp Randall in 2017 after our OL allowed Peters to be vaporized in 2nd half.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^
You are correct - thank you. I edited my post. I meant to say that particular year's 3 best teams from the East.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:47 PM ^
And the other games? He got shellacked
August 16th, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^
I agree, I guess I just have respect for their consistency over the years, especially with OL and RB's. I don't know much about his history before Wisconsin but I think he is what Brady Hoke was to Michigan. Understands what Wisconsin has been but doesn't know how to win big.
August 16th, 2019 at 4:13 PM ^
People loved the Chryst hire, it seemed, but I never saw the excitement. I tend to agree that he won't elevate them to anything great, as you say.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:07 PM ^
PSU isn't receiving enough hype to warrant the 'paper tiger' label.
Has to be Nebraska. Not only are they being hyped as the West favorite, they're coming off a season in which they didn't make a bowl game. They're also replacing most of their skill production on offense outside of Martinez. I could see them winning eight games while losing to all of the respectable teams on their schedule by 10+ points.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^
I see paper tiger to refer to any team that is a perceived threat, when in reality isn't. Lots of people looking at Michigan's schedule and forecasting us to lose in Happy Valley.
August 16th, 2019 at 3:13 PM ^
Lots of people looking at Michigan's schedule and forecasting us to lose in Happy Valley but still win ten or eleven games. How is that a paper tiger? How is that not a threat to the ten or eleven teams they do beat, in these forecasts?
August 16th, 2019 at 7:26 PM ^
Martinez? Buck Martinez? Stole crabs? Snow crabs?
Paper tiger: THEE/AN ohio school.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:19 PM ^
It has to be Nebraska. No team has been undeservedly hyped up more. I agree with some of the other posts that they'll have a good offense with the potential to beat a team or two they shouldn't but I can't see their defense being anywhere near good enough to produce great results this year.
Ohio State - too talented; they will still be able to beat any team in the conference, even if they did happen to have a "down" year
PSU - also very talented, although I don't think anyone is expecting them to win the East
Wisconsin - no one is saying Wisco is a world beater, will probably be slightly down for a Wisco team
MSU - Probably slightly better than .500. Not a tiger.
Michgian - Even if M goes 9-3 with losses to PSU, ND, & OSU (god forbid), it'd be tough to consider them a paper tiger.
August 16th, 2019 at 3:01 PM ^
Even if M goes 9-3 with losses to PSU, ND, & OSU (god forbid), it'd be tough to consider them a paper tiger.
I find that weird because that means Michigan will have beat up on Army, MTSU, Rutgers, Illinois, etc.
So if you're hyped, considered elite, have a top recruiting class, and JH as the coach -- but the winning part of your record is against sub .500 teams, how is that *NOT* a paper tiger?
August 16th, 2019 at 3:15 PM ^
Because a paper tiger isn't a threat to anyone. If a team is overhyped, that's still a long way from being a paper tiger.
August 16th, 2019 at 4:44 PM ^
Because a paper tiger isn't a threat to anyone
Ummm the VERY DEFINITION is a paper tiger is that they ARE a threat -- on paper.
Which is what Michigan turns out to be given the record against rivals and bowl games.
August 16th, 2019 at 4:45 PM ^
Because those teams are potentially as good as or better than M. If M lost to Army and Iowa as well than that would be the definition of a paper tiger.
August 16th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
Other than Michigan, probably Penn State. Maybe Minnesota as I'm not really convinced that Fleck is going to be able to turn them into any sort of a divisional power (because it's Minnesota, not because of Fleck).
August 16th, 2019 at 2:50 PM ^
Minnesota is the real deal. A lot of young talent, and once they made the switch at defensive coordinator, they cut their yards against in half.
The Golden Gophers will win the West this year.
August 16th, 2019 at 6:13 PM ^
Bold prediction. I would like to see it. I can't remember the last time Minnesota won the division or conference. Probably before I was born & I am old!
August 16th, 2019 at 1:23 PM ^
Penn State
MSU
Nebraska
Michigan
There are far more question marks on this D (and an emerging one on the OL with the recent knee injury and how this will impact depth, especially if there is a 2nd injury on the OL) that makes me of the belief that Michigan is not a Top 10 team in the country.
- The Dbacks are thin already and not very talented outside the Top 2
- The DLine isn't sounding like it will be the anchor to the D we have come to expect of it over the last 3-4 years
- What will the safties be like?
I am hoping/believing the offense will score more than enough points through at least the first half of the season to allow the D to figure it all out - but there are more question marks than you would hope for on that side of the ball
August 16th, 2019 at 1:35 PM ^
Didn't realize Billy Zabka was the lead singer
August 16th, 2019 at 1:36 PM ^
Or Kilborn(1).jpg)
August 16th, 2019 at 1:43 PM ^
OSU
OSU
OSU
August 16th, 2019 at 1:49 PM ^
Honestly, us.
This isn't just paranoia talking. We graduated a shit ton of talent, our incoming talent is unproven. Our offensive coordinator, and his philosophy, are unproven. A lot of the hype is based on the assumption that our WRs have leveled up a couple times over the summer.
Our defensive coordinator has been pantsed a couple times in ways that are repeatable. We lost the best LB in program history* and are starting a true freshman DB...because we have to.
Michigan hype is based on best case projections.
* David Harris called, called that coronation an example of recency bias, and wants to discuss
August 16th, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
Wait a minute ...... who's? replacing:
the best HC they've ever had
best QB they've ever had
best WR they ever had
best OC they ever had
2 OL
RB w/950 yds last year
plus put the guy in charge of their defense that ruined UofM's last year.
And yet you clowns blithely slurp the cooler. lol
Good luck with your QB situation, ever wish Meyer hadn't pissed off Danny Clark with his Taint?
August 16th, 2019 at 2:53 PM ^
man what
August 16th, 2019 at 3:43 PM ^
blithely: it means "without awareness of surroundings"
August 16th, 2019 at 5:30 PM ^
No, like the rest of everything you wrote was so wrong and bad I shared it with friends.
August 16th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
Wow Bro, I'm honored my internet blatherings have so quickly become an important part of the lives and your friends.
One thing though, can I ask, if you ain't scared, why you here?
August 17th, 2019 at 12:42 PM ^
Well, for one, I don't play so it's irrelevant how I feel, and for two, I've been here five years longer than you.
August 17th, 2019 at 1:16 PM ^
And proud you should be, one of the great things about this site is there are a few members of the rival base that aren't just trolling.
So, let me be more clear: why are you in this thread, trying to convince yourself UofM is over rated while blithely ignoring the fact that you are replacing 80% of your offense, lost a top 3 current coach (#1 douchebag tho!) and just hired a DC, who ...well .....let me say that:
"ole Greg Matt, he ain't what he used to be, ain't what he used to ....."
But, please, keep being obtuse, it doesn't make you seem nervous at all ;)