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You'll hear a lot of noise if, as expected, when Michigan beats Penn State Saturday, Jim Harbaugh has the good idea of real Soccer. That her idea of the scrum-based game, the football clock has returned to a simpler and harder time, is the way it should be played and its style will have been justified.
I think you'll also hear scattered calls for James Franklin's head. That his teams are not physical enough, that they do not play football, but rather a soft and fine game that must be played in a stadium or an athletics competition. And that the game was a referendum on his idea of football.
Everything will be gibberish. And I will tell you why:
What you see now with Michigan football is as good as possible. Under Harbaugh, the Wolverines will never maximize their offensive weapons and will never divert their quarterback. They will not be able to win games in different ways, only their way. I've already seen this movie under Bo Schembechler. And Harbaugh is his voluntary child, his fashionable twin.
And what you see from Penn State is an unfinished product with a higher ceiling. I do not know if Franklin can finish it. But I know that if he does, it will be a versatile way to play. The team will be able to both run and pass efficiently, defend the air and land game and fight you in different ways.
The first is the way football has been played. The latter is like that. That's how the championships will be won.
Franklin has already won one. Maybe Harbaugh will have his this year.
I am well known in the league for my statement, when Harbaugh was hired three and a half years ago, never to win a Big Ten title, let alone a national championship. My reasoning was that with three accomplished but disparate coaches, with different styles within his own division – Franklin, Urban Meyer and Mark Dantonio – it would be pretty hard for him to just win the East. I also knew his story as a quirky man and the high turnover rate of his staff and I doubted that he could ever build a consistent machine.
In summary, I thought that Harbaugh 's old – school methodology would never be versatile enough to negotiate with both East and then defeat the West Indian Champion in Indianapolis. I saw Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan State, Wisconsin, Iowa and Northwestern and I thought: someone & # 39; a always go get it. Because it's so predictable that someone will discover it every year exactly at the wrong time.
Well, we are here with all the other members of the Big Ten quite flawed, enough for Michigan to be clearly the favorite to beat the one who is in front of them for the rest of the year. Who knew?
Penn State and Ohio State contracted the same illness at the same time: a lack of physical appearance and defensive skills in defense and erratic racing games in attack. I also do not see Michigan beat this year; both teams are bad confrontations.
Michigan State is a virtual infirmary with a number of generational injuries in one season. "Little Brother" has to beat "Big Brother" at his own game and it was not possible this year. Result 21-7 at East Lansing was a non-contest.
Among the possible champions of the West: Iowa is physical enough to hang out with Michigan, but has a schizoid quarterback who can show up as a thoroughbred a week and a contender the following week. Wisconsin was crippled by injuries he could least afford – in the middle of his defense and in the quarter. Purdue is much better with Upstart and has an offensive speed, but continues to play the 2 stars in places where Michigan has 4 and 5. Northwestern hung three quarters with Michigan, but did not have the firepower needed to finish the job.
Nobody is very good, all at once. The best case of Michigan under Harbaugh is exactly like a tough year in the league. It seems like I could have my comeuppance.
Well. My biggest affirmation remains. It's not because Harbaugh's methods have worked this year in this league that his approach is good in the long run.
In addition, I believe that if Michigan faces an advanced and fully equipped offensive in the college football playoffs, as it has never seen at a Big Ten of the year and is found in a shootout, the situation will escape. Michigan can not beat you in such a match and will never do it.
Harbaugh is a reincarnation of Schembechler. If one or more dominoes fall unexpectedly over Michigan in the PFC rankings, they sort of find themselves at # 2 or # 3 instead of # 4 and suddenly lined up against, say, l? Oklahoma? Wrong style for the Wolverines to fight.
Ohio and Penn State are clearly moving towards a more modern football model than the United States. can play against such an opponent. It's a trend that does not falter.
Now, does Penn State need to better recruit and add two-way talent? Yes, but I think it will be fine. And when that happens, Lions will be much closer to a full team than Michigan. Because Harbaugh will always have a stuck state of mind in the 1980s, even by training 2020 talents.
So, look what seems to be an inevitable result Saturday with a calm eye to the future.
To defeat Michigan, you must control the game on land on both sides. The Nittany Lions can not do this this year. The Buckeyes either. But both have.
Penn State did last year and will be again. And when that happens, he will always have the advantage over Michigan. Because the rest of his offer will target the future of football rather than the past.
EMAIL / TWITTER DAVID JONES: [email protected]
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