State of Bielema Address

Yes, I know it's been a couple weeks since the last football post. Everyone goes through attrition at some point, even us. However, this isn't about the recent changes here or myself. No, this is about the sudden upheaval that is head coaching in the Big Ten. Specifically I'm talking about the recent decision by Wisconsin's Bret Bielema to jump ship to Arkansas (Purdue had fired Danny Hope and hired former Tressel assistant Darrell Hazell but that's pittance compared to this). Keep in mind that when it comes to Bielema, he was hand picked by Barry Alvarez. He's amassed a record of 68-24 in 7 years, with going to the Rose Bowl 3 straight years. He's gone to a bowl every single year at Wisconsin, and in doing so he's maintained a good program which is difficult in any sport, much less where the team might lose 15-20 players a year. Everyone has their thoughts as to why he has chosen this new avenue---and so here are mine:

Preview And Prediction: Ohio State

"The Game" is here. We've waited so long so one of the greatest rivalries in sports to kick off once again, and the wait is finally over.

This chapter of Michigan - Ohio State takes place in Columbus, and that is bad news for a Michigan team that hasn't traveled particularly well this season. But, as Brady Hoke put it, "it's almost personal," talking about what this game means to him. In other words, it's not your average hop-on-a-bus-to-play-football kind of game. It's hop-on-a-bus-to-play-Ohio.

Here are the keys to the game.

Michigan

The Wolverines have looked like a completely different team these past few weeks, compared to what we were seeing earlier in the season, and it all has to do with the play of Devin Gardner. He has revived the Michigan offense into something to be feared. Couple with that with the play-making ability of Denard Robinson, and you have one of the most electric offenses in the Big Ten.

Michigan's Most Important Game In 2012

Before writing this article, I took a long look over the schedule and thought about the impact each game could have on both this season and the future.  I say this because there are some pretty big differences between a game’s impact on this season and its impact on the future.  A win that may seem huge at the time may turn out to be much smaller than originally thought and the reverse scenario can be true as well.  To explain what I mean, I will go through a couple examples.

Flash back to 2009.  Two key games of the season were Notre Dame and Illinois.  When Michigan played Notre Dame and upset the Irish, Notre Dame was ranked and the win appeared to be the one that would put Rich Rodriguez’s Michigan on the map.  Without a doubt, Michigan was one of the stories of the nation after the win and actually ended up ranked.  However, the 2009 win over Notre Dame looked pretty unimpressive when Notre Dame flopped the rest of the year and Michigan ended up going 5-7 overall and failed to make a bowl game for the second straight season.  The win was huge for the season and the team, but had little, if any, impact on Michigan’s long-term program.

Previewing Big Ten Football: Ohio State

Ohio State football will be ushering in a new era in 2012. The Urban Meyer era. Gone now is Jim Tressel and his notorious sweater vest. Also gone is Luke Fickell, as the head coach who coached the Buckeyes to a surprisingly disappointing 6-7 record last season, which was their first losing season since 1999 (He is staying on as LB coach and co-defensive coordinator). The free tattoo scandal is trying to be viewed in the rear mirror as they move on, ironically, to a spread offense. I say ironically because they laughed at Michigan when they hired Rich Rodriguez, saying that brand of football is not going to work in the B1G Ten. Along with this, due to NCAA sanctions, they will not be able to participate in a bowl game or even the second B1G Ten Championship game.


2011 Record: 6-7, 3-5 Big Ten

Returning Starters: Offense – 7, Defense – 9

Hot Topics: Can The 'Ten Year War' Be Repeated With Hoke And Meyer?

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