Is the B1G too Physical?

[Auger]

IMHO hell no I love this balck and blue style of power football. However you have to look at the amount of injuries that are starting to pile up for all the teams in the league that play that smash mouth style and start to wonder if it will be the walking wounded by the time its bowl season.

This weekends game should be another very physical game between Iowa and Northwestern and both teams are losing guys now every week. At Northwestern the black and blue games are starting to take their toll and I fear Iowa may start to slow down now as well. Iowa has two banged up starting OT's and a QB that is getting nicked up. Northwestern has very physical DE's and overall a very physcial DLine. Here's hoping Iowa can escape this weekend without any major injuries to its backfield.

With Harbaugh Michigan has brought back a very physical style to its football program. Utah who along with Stanford are thought of as the two most physical teams west of the rockies have said this week that Michigan is by far the most physical team they have played all year. And as a guy who watched the Utah Michigan game I can say that was the most physical game I have seen all year. Michigan St who has seen the D ripped apart by injuries all year could be in for a long game.

I think it will be tougher and tougher to get through the season without losing atleast one major star on your team in the B1G. For teams like Iowa that could kill off a great season. Just think if Iowa lost Beathard or Canzeri. Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan St, Ohio St and Penn St all play a very physical style and try to win through the trenches. Most seasons you will have 5 or more of these teams on your schedule.

 

[td77]

How is this any different than the past 50 or 60 years? Injuries are part of the game and depth becomes important. To your point, more so in the B1G than other conferences.

 

[Auger]

I think the B1G is awesome for having such a physical style of play but I think it hurts the conference some come bowl games. Usually the top 2-3 teams at the end of the year were able to keep the injury bug away from taking any of their stars. However every year teams 4-8 seem to have some major holes because of injuries. Michigan St and Northwestern could be perfect examples this year. both teams just keep losing guys to injuries and by the end of the year they will likely be worse then they were at the begining because of injuries. Northwestern right now doesnt seem as strong as Northwestern that faced Stanford and Duke.

 

[Auger]

How is this any different than the past 50 or 60 years? Injuries are part of the game and depth becomes important. To your point, more so in the B1G than other conferences.

Injuries are always a part of the game but its been a while since the B1G has been this physical IMO. I would wager that Michigan St and Northwestern will be weaker teams at the end of the year then they were at the start of the season. I think Northwestern will fall outside the top 25 and Michigan St will go from a top 5-10 team to a team that is in the 20's. If Iowa and Wisconsin lose a couple more bodies they could be borderline top 25 teams at best.

My point is almost every week B1G teams line right back up with another smash mouth football team and dinged up bodies become injured bodies as the season wears on. No other league plays that type of style that consistently. Utah is thought of as a B1G style team that is the most physical team west of the rockies. But Utah only has to play a true smash mouth game 1-3 times a year. Its harder for B1G teams to keep their teams healthy then in other conferences. By the end of the year coaches in the B1G are using just about anything to patch, glue or otherwise hold their teams together.

 

[SiouxCityHawkFan]

Good timing for a bye week and Maryland after this week.

 

[MepoDawg#]

Not all the injuries have been in B1G games. Ott's injury could of happened at anytime.

 

[bigfridaynite]

I think the B1G is awesome for having such a physical style of play but I think it hurts the conference some come bowl games. Usually the top 2-3 teams at the end of the year were able to keep the injury bug away from taking any of their stars. However every year teams 4-8 seem to have some major holes because of injuries. Michigan St and Northwestern could be perfect examples this year. both teams just keep losing guys to injuries and by the end of the year they will likely be worse then they were at the begining because of injuries. Northwestern right now doesnt seem as strong as Northwestern that faced Stanford and Duke.

Physical travels well and in the Midwest that is what you have to have.
If you don't win during the season playing in bad weather you don't go to a bowl game.IMO

 

[The_Joker13]

How is the B1G any more physical than the SEC?

 

[Auger]

Not all the injuries have been in B1G games. Ott's injury could of happened at anytime.

True injuries happen at anytime but I don't think you would argue the physical nature of the B1G puts a lot more stress on the body then one might have playing against other styles of play. Just look at all the injuries that have been piling up around the B1G. Northwestern decided to play two teams in out of conference play that play B1G style football that decision may come back to haunt them.

 

[Auger]

How is the B1G any more physical than the SEC?

In terms of which leagues are the most physical the SEC would be 2nd behind the B1G. However a lot of SEC teams don't play through the trenches and avoid a physical style game. Right now the SEC is about half and half. Half the teams play a B1G style half the teams play more of a spread the field style. Also th SEC likes to have a cupcake game in the middle of the season to utilize almost like another bye week to rest banged up guys. Therefore a lot easier for teams to relieve physical stress week in week out in the SEC than in the B1G.

Also many of the teams in the SEC get 10 or more 4 and 5 star recruits every year so the backup a lot of times is a four star sophmore rather then a 2 star developmental sophmore/RS frosh. Therefore teams like Michigan St and Northwestern could start looking like swiss cheese during the second half of the season on defense.

 

[Auger]

Good timing for a bye week and Maryland after this week.

Agree. However would almost rather have it this week. Northwestern is going to be a very physical game whoever wins will win because they won the battle in the trenches. If our two starting OT's can't go I'm worried about our backfield coming away from this game healthy. The Northwestern DE's can get after the QB. Also even Weisman wore down and got dinged up during the 2nd half of the season. Canzeri hasnt been the healthiest of backs in his career. Losing either him or Beathard could really derail Iowa's season.

I expect Northwestern to come at Beathard this week and attack the OT's which could mean another 30 + carries from Canzeri. Illinois did that in the 2nd half against us and our passing attack went extinct.

 

[cedarvalleykid14]

In all sports, there are injuries such as Ott's that almost never used to happen before modern weight training became pervasive. In the Cubs' game last night, 21-year-old Addison Russell pulled a hamstring simply running out a triple. There are far too many examples to mention.

But the point is, when you keep building muscle you strain the tendons and ligaments that connect them to bone. It's like stretching a rubber band.

So the combination of weight training that turns natural 220 pounds into 280 pounders and that turns 250-pounders into 300 pounders is counterproductive in every way imaginable.

There will always be ankle, knee, elbow--joint--injuries. There will be sore muscles, bumps, and bruises, but modern weight training has led to more injuries than ever in every single sport.

Until the 1980s, hamstring and ACL injuries were virtually unknown. Now they are almost a daily occurrence. Perhaps it's only a coincidence that weight training came into all sports about the same time.

We had tremendous athletes and great teams in all sports without the weight training and without all the injuries.

 

[soybean]

In all sports, there are injuries such as Ott's that almost never used to happen before modern weight training became pervasive. In the Cubs' game last night, 21-year-old Addison Russell pulled a hamstring simply running out a triple. There are far too many examples to mention.

But the point is, when you keep building muscle you strain the tendons and ligaments that connect them to bone. It's like stretching a rubber band.

So the combination of weight training that turns natural 220 pounds into 280 pounders and that turns 250-pounders into 300 pounders is counterproductive in every way imaginable.

There will always be ankle, knee, elbow--joint--injuries. There will be sore muscles, bumps, and bruises, but modern weight training has led to more injuries than ever in every single sport.

Until the 1980s, hamstring and ACL injuries were virtually unknown. Now they are almost a daily occurrence. Perhaps it's only a coincidence that weight training came into all sports about the same time.

We had tremendous athletes and great teams in all sports without the weight training and without all the injuries.

I can't buy what you are trying to sell until, you know, you support those assertions with like evidence and stuff.

 

[wyldhawk9]

True injuries happen at anytime but I don't think you would argue the physical nature of the B1G puts a lot more stress on the body then one might have playing against other styles of play. Just look at all the injuries that have been piling up around the B1G. Northwestern decided to play two teams in out of conference play that play B1G style football that decision may come back to haunt them.

I hear what you are saying...but at this point in the season they are healthier than we are...so there's that...

 

[MepoDawg#]

In all sports, there are injuries such as Ott's that almost never used to happen before modern weight training became pervasive. In the Cubs' game last night, 21-year-old Addison Russell pulled a hamstring simply running out a triple. There are far too many examples to mention.

But the point is, when you keep building muscle you strain the tendons and ligaments that connect them to bone. It's like stretching a rubber band.

So the combination of weight training that turns natural 220 pounds into 280 pounders and that turns 250-pounders into 300 pounders is counterproductive in every way imaginable.

There will always be ankle, knee, elbow--joint--injuries. There will be sore muscles, bumps, and bruises, but modern weight training has led to more injuries than ever in every single sport.

Until the 1980s, hamstring and ACL injuries were virtually unknown. Now they are almost a daily occurrence. Perhaps it's only a coincidence that weight training came into all sports about the same time.

We had tremendous athletes and great teams in all sports without the weight training and without all the injuries.

I'd be more inclined to say its from overuse or year around training which includes but is not limited to weight training. Also, many acl injuries went untreated prior to the the 1970's because it wasn't understood as well as it is now. No to mention the increased participation and and 1-2 sport specialization.

 

[BulliesOfTheBigTen]

I think the B1G is awesome for having such a physical style of play but I think it hurts the conference some come bowl games. Usually the top 2-3 teams at the end of the year were able to keep the injury bug away from taking any of their stars. However every year teams 4-8 seem to have some major holes because of injuries. Michigan St and Northwestern could be perfect examples this year. both teams just keep losing guys to injuries and by the end of the year they will likely be worse then they were at the begining because of injuries. Northwestern right now doesnt seem as strong as Northwestern that faced Stanford and Duke.

This doesn't make sense. In another thread a Wildcat fan said they have been lucky to avoid mounting injuries this year. Iowa is far worse in that regard actually.

 

[milehighhawkeye24]

In all sports, there are injuries such as Ott's that almost never used to happen before modern weight training became pervasive. In the Cubs' game last night, 21-year-old Addison Russell pulled a hamstring simply running out a triple. There are far too many examples to mention.

But the point is, when you keep building muscle you strain the tendons and ligaments that connect them to bone. It's like stretching a rubber band.

So the combination of weight training that turns natural 220 pounds into 280 pounders and that turns 250-pounders into 300 pounders is counterproductive in every way imaginable.

There will always be ankle, knee, elbow--joint--injuries. There will be sore muscles, bumps, and bruises, but modern weight training has led to more injuries than ever in every single sport.

Until the 1980s, hamstring and ACL injuries were virtually unknown. Now they are almost a daily occurrence. Perhaps it's only a coincidence that weight training came into all sports about the same time.

We had tremendous athletes and great teams in all sports without the weight training and without all the injuries.

Cancer was unknown for a long period of time, doesn't mean it did not happen or exist

 

[C/Seahawk]

It seems like injuries are up in the NFL as well...I think its simply a matter of guys continuing to get bigger, faster and stronger, its an injury prone sport with the type of hits that are occurring on every play. That is why I question the long term sustainability of this sport...its brutal, no other way to put it.

 

[mvhomerj]

Is the B1G too Physical? No, just flat out no. You could spend days trying to dig up data to prove this. We all have seen injuries during celebrations! Iowa has gotten biten, not B1G's extra brutal play. Didn't L. Daneils get hobbled vs Iowa State?

 

[mazda1]

Too physical no. It does give the teams with the most depth a distinct advantage as the season wears on. The ability to bring in more players that are physically ready to play as freshman and sophomores helps. To me that's the biggest difference in recruiting rankings. Higher stars are more ready to play early.

 

[mvhomerj]

Too physical no. It does give the teams with the most depth a distinct advantage as the season wears on. The ability to bring in more players that are physically ready to play as freshman and sophomores helps. To me that's the biggest difference in recruiting rankings. Higher stars are more ready to play early.

Frickin' Yahtzee. Injuries happen, who do you have up next??

 

[iahawkeyes17]

Ironic thing is last season Iowa was pretty injury free and struggled to a 7-6 record and this season been hit hard last few weeks to key positions but still managed to be 6-0.

Usually I dread Iowa's bye weeks cause no Hawkeye football but this year it is very much welcomed to let some of the guys heal up.

 

[td77]

We had tremendous athletes and great teams in all sports without the weight training and without all the injuries.

That of course is it true and you can go back to the ancient Greeks and the Olympic Games is evidence. However, records wouldn't be broken in the entertainment wouldn't be nearly the same without weight training and conditioning. Good luck taking this argument and reversing the trend; it'll never happen.

 

[Hawks_Rock_12]

IMHO hell no I love this balck and blue style of power football. However you have to look at the amount of injuries that are starting to pile up for all the teams in the league that play that smash mouth style and start to wonder if it will be the walking wounded by the time its bowl season.

This weekends game should be another very physical game between Iowa and Northwestern and both teams are losing guys now every week. At Northwestern the black and blue games are starting to take their toll and I fear Iowa may start to slow down now as well. Iowa has two banged up starting OT's and a QB that is getting nicked up. Northwestern has very physical DE's and overall a very physcial DLine. Here's hoping Iowa can escape this weekend without any major injuries to its backfield.

With Harbaugh Michigan has brought back a very physical style to its football program. Utah who along with Stanford are thought of as the two most physical teams west of the rockies have said this week that Michigan is by far the most physical team they have played all year. And as a guy who watched the Utah Michigan game I can say that was the most physical game I have seen all year. Michigan St who has seen the D ripped apart by injuries all year could be in for a long game.

I think it will be tougher and tougher to get through the season without losing atleast one major star on your team in the B1G. For teams like Iowa that could kill off a great season. Just think if Iowa lost Beathard or Canzeri. Iowa, Wisconsin, Nebraska, Northwestern, Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan St, Ohio St and Penn St all play a very physical style and try to win through the trenches. Most seasons you will have 5 or more of these teams on your schedule.

Stanford and Michigan never played so why would they said that ? Btw they did play Northwestern but it was a good story.

 

[Auger]

Stanford and Michigan never played so why would they said that ? Btw they did play Northwestern but it was a good story.

Was mentioning what Utah said about Michigan

 

[C/Seahawk]

We had tremendous athletes and great teams in all sports without the weight training and without all the injuries.

Now your post titled 'getting receivers open' from a couple days ago makes complete sense, where you explained your affinity for the 'old school timing' type of passing. Be honest, you played before the use of facemasks didn't you? Played hoops in Chuck Taylors?

 

[Hawks_Rock_12]

Was mentioning what Utah said about Michigan

" Utah who along with Stanford are thought of as the two most physical teams west of the rockies have said this week that Michigan is by far the most physical team they have played all year " What does along with Standford mean to you ? Time to admit you were wrong !

 

[DarkThunder#61]

How is the B1G any more physical than the SEC?

Because I said so.