Posted on Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 3:58 p.m.
Rich Rodriguez on Iowa: 'We've got to be great on special teams'
By AnnArbor.com Staff
Michigan has its weekly pregame video with football coach Rich Rodriguez up at MGoBlue.com. Rodriguez says special teams, a concern all season, will be a key against Iowa on Saturday (3:36 p.m., ABC). "We've got to be great on special teams. Not good, but great," he said.
Comments
Jaxon5
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 1:38 p.m.
Macabre my interpretation of the MSU Ill game is that Illinois is a much better defensive team than people give them credit for. They were tough on OSU, PSU and now MSU. It's fourth quarter now and MSU is starting to establish its ground game. MSU will be 7-0 after this game. Right on, with Purdue. They are much better than given credit for. UM could very well lose on the road there. Meanwhile, UM cannot be considered in any serious, underscore "serious" discussion of the Big Ten leaders. That distinction belongs to standout OSU, consistently excellent Iowa, resurging MSU, and too strong Wisconsin. I truly believe PSU, Illinois, NW and maybe Purdue are better than UM. UM is just above Indiana and Minnesota.
Macabre Sunset
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 12:44 p.m.
Seeing as MSU has put up only 3 at the half against Illinois, it looks like Sparty may not be quite the juggernaut Michigan made them resemble last week. Purdue looks like it will start the Big Ten season 2-0. so that's probably going to be a challenge as well. Before RR, we had 40 straight seasons with a winning record in the Big Ten. I have no idea how this team will match that by reaching nine wins.
3 And Out
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 1:32 a.m.
Aint gonna happen unless you fire your buddy Tony Gibson, Rod...which we know you wont cause your are gutless. Bo Pellini took over a struggling Nebraska program and immediately turned it around and now they are in the National Title hunt...in the same amount of time, Rich Rodriguez has turned our program in to one of the bottom feeders of the Big Ten.
Blueman Rick
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 12:49 a.m.
CamaroDan: My prediction 6-6.
clarklaker
Sat, Oct 16, 2010 : 12:07 a.m.
its year three and our defense is not improving.its getting a little old
Macabre Sunset
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 11:30 p.m.
I can't recall any Michigan team since 1967 accepting an "auto-loss." Ugly situation we have here. Almost three years into the new regime, and there are teams we still can't compete with. Anyway, yes, Rodriguez can't move the ball against a good Big Ten defense, and the Michigan defense won't keep the Hawkeyes down. Sadly, Iowa 34, Michigan 10.
Blueman Rick
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 9:46 p.m.
I'll settle for UM being great on defense.
CamaroDan
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 7:58 p.m.
J5 Assuming a M loss on Saturday, what is our record at the end of the regular season?
Jaxon5
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 6:14 p.m.
The world won't end if Michigan loses to Iowa because it will be a continuation of the same stuff from 2008 and 2009. I think it's safe to write it in ink: Iowa wins.
CamaroDan
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 6:02 p.m.
81- I don't think the world will end if we lose on Saturday. After the break, I think we can win the next 4 and end up 9-3.
81wolverine
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 4:26 p.m.
I agree with Coach on this one. Iowa is known for playing well on special teams. Kirk Ferentz probably emphasizes it. Anyone remember the Michigan-Iowa game back in the early 2000's I think where Iowa's special teams massively torched Michigan at home? They blocked several punts among other things. I think Carr fired his special teams coach right after that debacle. It CAN make a huge difference in the game. I think we MUST win this game somehow. Losing both of these big home games (MSU and Iowa) would be a real setback.
azwolverine
Fri, Oct 15, 2010 : 4:11 p.m.
"Donating last week's game to MSU"...funny stuff. Just like UConn and ND "donated" the games to Michigan, right? Oh wait, I can't say that or it makes me a "hater." When we mention that UConn turned the ball over constantly and left two scores on the field, or that ND played the first half without their starting QB and failed to kick a FG before the half that might have helped them win, that is "hating" and "trolling." I forgot, it's only fair to make excuses FOR Michigan, not for their opponents. Also, way to make excuses BEFORE the game. I tend to think Michigan has a decent shot to win this game and doesn't need excuses beforehand, but to each his own, I guess. What I can't stand is excuses, though. When we lose, it's because we lost to a better team. When we win, it's also because we are the better team. This is football! Excuses are for soccer or lawn darts.