Both Lines were beaten

[RU#1fan]

That early UMass 3rd-6 or 3rd-5 where the team captain #41, the defensive LB transfer from Drake, whiffed on the tackle allowing the 4th-1 that they went for and made. That was the moment we should have all realized this season was going to be bad. Then #41 would follow up with several more misses. That's bad.

#41 should not be on the field. It appears others as well. This again will be the worst D in FBS and probably below many FCS programs.

 

[RU#1fan]

I wondered what the hell was going on when I saw the same two DTs out there that I saw last season getting pushed around like they were on roller skates.
Angoy and Griffin. Also, if our LBs are so weak, how bad are McClary and Archie ?

The Portal additions on D look like FCS level players. Who the hell did this evaluation? Someone on our staff of 120 ?

 

[RUTaxAttorney]

It always seemed to me that Jim Turner was a clear downgrade from Pat Flaherty. Flaherty was able to coach up walk-ons (Pierce) and the under recruited (Zilinskas and Felter) and develop a cohesive offensive line. I felt what was holding back the O Line from taking the "next step" was pure athletic talent, not the quality of the coaching.

 

[Kbe4]

It always seemed to me that Jim Turner was a clear downgrade from Pat Flaherty. Flaherty was able to coach up walk-ons (Pierce) and the under recruited (Zilinskas and Felter) and develop a cohesive offensive line. I felt what was holding back the O Line from taking the "next step" was pure athletic talent, not the quality of the coaching.

#56 at left tackle should have been a huge red flag. Hopefully, this performance ends my buying into the preseason b.s.

 

[Knight Shift]

Exactly. Don't talk about violence and get bulldozed in the trenches on both sides of the ball. This game makes me wonder what exactly was being practiced for all this time. I guess it was putting the word "violence" in every quote. Maybe paying more for parking or contributing to a fieldhouse would have bought enough violence to beat what was the worst team in college football for the last several seasons. Perhaps the magical violence generating powers of the UMass fieldhouse were too much for RU to overcome.

Watching Kyle Whitingham presser live. He emphasized the need for Michigan OL to be more violent.

 

[rucoe89]

That was as much as a surprise as anything. No push to run, sptty pass protection. So so much talk about the new OL coach and all the yelling and what it would produce. Raymond we know to be a good back and had no room.

DL was pushed off the ball. No one seemed over aggressive to try to get to the qb or ballcarrier until the 4th. Allison seems like a slightly bigger Heinsplitter, who didnt have the size for the B10. Walker engaging WITH blockers still, a la LB Beckford, and opening holes and taking himself oput of the play.

And the lower level guys seemed smaller or less althetic than needed. Munn beaten and very small phsyically. Are there too many guys trying to step up--not everyone makes it at the higher level or else they would started there.

The D appeared no different from the first games through oregon of last year. No one seemed eager to hit. All seemed to be taking a step back and trying to defend rather than attacking. Umass seemed to want to play. This team didnt seem fired up for an opener-a one of twelve. Really passive outing.

Beaten doesn't even touch the description of the Rutgers DL and OL. They looked like a bunch of no pride pansies in the way they played. No self respect as to how badly some of them were beaten, especially the 5th years on both sides.

 

[RUTGERS95]

Watching Kyle Whitingham presser live. He emphasized the need for Michigan OL to be more violent.

it' must be in the, 'how to handle the media and scare opponents' pamphlet handed out in the spring to college coaches lol

 

[rucoe89]

In considering more of the line play, yes there were what seemed like Robb Smith era leave your area D (inexplicable both tackles stunting leaving middle wide open see td run) that made things worse, but the difference in physicality is still shocking. It would appear they had more stout lines on both sides.

Further re coaching, with all the pre season platitudes and last two years of improving OL performance, this is shocking. Coaching certainly didn''t help.

But seeing Needham consistently beat and out athleticism'd (new word?) as well as Asamoah...and the rest-wow. That the OL was manhandled was a shock. Were they just thinking too much with new schemes or are they really athletically inferior to Umass?

And speaking of the eye test, appears all of the lower level players were not at least for game one able to make the jump. LBs seemed small, slow and passive. Secondary was small and beat off the ball.

When Umass had the 4th quarter pick it was an athletic play and what hit me was I don't see anyone in the RU secondary who could make such a play. Umass has a more athletic secondary--was there a total miss on talent evaluation? Hopefully not but you can't determine the opposite from game one.

Our OL was supposed be better due to an upgrade in coaching with the great Jim Turner. Turns out you can't make dinner with chicken crap. Same for our DL and the Dennis Dotton-Carter's magic on working with DL. As for Johanson, is he really the second coming of Robb Smith?

 

[RUTGERS95]

Our OL was supposed be better due to an upgrade in coaching with the great Jim Turner. Turns out you can't make dinner with chicken crap. Same for our DL and the Dennis Dotton-Carter's magic on working with DL. As for Johanson, is he really the second coming of Robb Smith?

well if you recall, I did put water on that when he came over. the Dline and specifically the interior, was the weak spot on the defense. He was responsible for the interior

 

[rucoe89]

well if you recall, I did put water on that when he came over. the Dline and specifically the interior, was the weak spot on the defense. He was responsible for the interior

And now we know by Fleck essentially canned him. Maybe that was his revenge to pawn him off to Greg for Greg's poaching of Harasymiak, Ciarrocca, and Heatherman (as LB coach).