I know we all know to never look past any opponent, especially a rivalry game at the end of the regular season.
That being said we need to ask what is the goal of this team?
1. Focus only on winning the West one game at a time and go into the Big Ten Championship game all beat up with less of a chance to win the game (I do understand and like the fact Michigan and Ohio St get to beat each other up the last week heading into the championship game)
2. Give our big name players limited playing time the next 2 weeks and really trust our back ups and give them some valuable playing time? And then go all out vs. Minnesota until the game is out of reach and then pull all the starters immediately.
What I don't want to see happen the next 2-3 weeks is Watt/Biegel playing to hard for the stat line (Sacks) and then getting nicked even more. We really need to protect Watt/Biegel/Edwards/Sheehy/Peavy/Clement/Tindal/Dixon/Musso to be at their best in Big Ten Championship
Give Farrar,Ferguson, Booker, Shaw, Taylor, Rand, Jacobs and others some quality playing time.
I know I am missing a few players but I guess my point is I think the goal should be to try and keep our guys as fresh as possible for the Championship game and that means go for the throat early against Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota.
I would prefer rest vs. Illinois more so than Purdue as we will need our DB's and pass rush for that game or they could put up some points and make it a game.
The best way to rest our Defensive studs is to have long drives and continue to own the time of possession.
That being said we need to ask what is the goal of this team?
1. Focus only on winning the West one game at a time and go into the Big Ten Championship game all beat up with less of a chance to win the game (I do understand and like the fact Michigan and Ohio St get to beat each other up the last week heading into the championship game)
2. Give our big name players limited playing time the next 2 weeks and really trust our back ups and give them some valuable playing time? And then go all out vs. Minnesota until the game is out of reach and then pull all the starters immediately.
What I don't want to see happen the next 2-3 weeks is Watt/Biegel playing to hard for the stat line (Sacks) and then getting nicked even more. We really need to protect Watt/Biegel/Edwards/Sheehy/Peavy/Clement/Tindal/Dixon/Musso to be at their best in Big Ten Championship
Give Farrar,Ferguson, Booker, Shaw, Taylor, Rand, Jacobs and others some quality playing time.
I know I am missing a few players but I guess my point is I think the goal should be to try and keep our guys as fresh as possible for the Championship game and that means go for the throat early against Illinois, Purdue, and Minnesota.
I would prefer rest vs. Illinois more so than Purdue as we will need our DB's and pass rush for that game or they could put up some points and make it a game.
The best way to rest our Defensive studs is to have long drives and continue to own the time of possession.
