text:
"What (Michigan coaches) told me is that they're focusing on point guards right now, but if anything opens up, they'll definitely come back on and recruit me as hard as they were," said Towns
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One Frame At A Time: Purdue & Minnesota (GRIII Edition)
Between game-winners, Showtime-esque fast breaks, the alley-oop bonanza, and the many other plays of note from Purdue and Minnesota, OFAAT is split into two parts. Part one belongs to Glenn Robinson III.
GRIII dunk photo via @umichbball
Glenn Robinson's alley-oop finish over two Minnesota players elicited reactions normally reserved for Cirque du Soleil, the Top Thrill Dragster, or the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. The above screencaps come from one replay of GRIII's slam. So does this:
The man on the left reacts to this spectacular feat with a golf clap. The woman on the right is... dead? Even her reserved husband(?) appears concerned:
"Honey? Honey? ... Well, it was a hell of a way to go."
Keep this clearly deceased woman in your thoughts as you watch GRIII inflict pain and suffering upon all who dare cross his path, after the jump.
[JUMP, but not as high as GRIII or your knees will literally explode into a confetti of ligaments and bone shards.]
One Frame At A Time: Jabrill Peppers, Wizard
Jabrill Peppers and his Paramus Catholic squad scrimmaged against Red Bank Catholic today. I don't know the final score, nor do I care, because HOLY MOTHER OF GOD LOOK AT THIS RUN:
[Video version here for the GIF-averse.]
A smattering of Twitter reactions that didn't contain totally-justified expletives:
@AceAnbender @JabrillPeppers Should be on Sesame Street. NINE broken tackles! One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine!
— Paul Bloem (@pnbloem) August 27, 2013
NOT FAIR. RT @AceAnbender: GIF of that absurd, video-game-in-real-life TD run by @JabrillPeppers: http://t.co/4QGGV79bOb
— Adam Jacobi (@Adam_Jacobi) August 27, 2013
Ridiculous! RT @AceAnbender: GIF of that video-game-in-real-life TD run by @JabrillPeppers: http://t.co/vRBuIHUVku
— Sam Monson (@PFF_Sam) August 27, 2013
OH MY SCIENCE #team135 RT @AceAnbender: GIF of that absurd, video-game-in-real-life TD run by @JabrillPeppers: http://t.co/QlJv0B4QF2
— Jake Smith (@smithjb) August 27, 2013
247's JC Shurburtt went so far as to suggest that Michigan should play Peppers at running back, even with the presence of Derrick Green on the roster. If you've got the time, our whole conversation is worth checking out:
@AceAnbender I think he's worlds better than Green and Green/Smith could compliment him well in a two-back Brown/Cadillac/Borges deal.
— JC Shurburtt (@jcshurburtt) August 27, 2013
Anyway, just wanted to post that our cornerback recruit—whose next-best position is supposedly safety, followed by wide receiver—just broke the internet as a running back. Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee.
UPDATE: Slow-motion with me...
From the top: Broken tackle, immediate juke right, juke left, dip shoulder, broken tackle, stiffarm(!), reverse field (time elapsed: 3.3 seconds thus far), broken tackle, spin move, spin move, spin move to break tackle, stiffarm, waltz into end zone. All of that happened in 8.5 seconds. I keep trying to write words and then get distracted by the pictures, so I'll just stop trying and let you do the same.
Upon Further Review 2012: Defense vs MSU
Formation notes: Michigan is doing a thing where they have a nickel package in and go with a five-man line and one guy behind it:
The guy on the line at the top of the screen is Avery, in man on the slot guy, so he is not, you know, a lineman. That is denoted 5-1 nickel. A full okie package would also put that LB on the LOS.
Michigan was mostly in the under. This is what happens when the under faced off with a 3-wide formation:
Ryan flared out over the slot and Michigan usually walked one of their safeties down. I still called this a 4-3 under, FWIW.
Substitution notes: Secondary same as it always is until Taylor went out, whereupon Avery moved over to the second corner spot and Jarrod Wilson was the nickelback—in that situation they would move Gordon down over the slot and use Wilson as a safety. This happened once, IIRC.
Linebackers same as they usually are. No freshmen in this one, though, all Morgan/Demens/Ryan. Cam Gordon also was left out of the lineup.
There was some rotation on the line. Black and Pipkins saw some DT snaps, with Black getting both some regular duty and his usual nickel appearances. Heitzman saw a few snaps spotting Roh, and Clark and Beyer rotated regularly. Ojemudia did not appear.
The defense is pretty much settled at this point. The only spot at which there is any debate is WDE, which looks like a Beyer/Clark run/pass platoon until one of them (or Ojemudia) emerges. The other ten spots—eleven if you count nickelback—have rock-solid starters.
Row row.
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O44 | 1 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Pitch sweep | Roh | 1 | ||||||||||
W/ a slot receiver Ryan is flared out, not on the LOS as he would be against a TE. Roh(+2) beats a crackdown block from a WR who has motioned in and starts flowing down the line. Ryan also beats his block, though not as quickly or authoritatively as Roh. Taylor(+0.5) contains; Gordon(+0.5) beats a cut block and flows to the hole with Demens(+0.5), where those two, Roh, and Ryan gang-tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
O45 | 2 | 9 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Taylor | 5 | ||||||||||
Ryan comes down late, showing blitz with one high behind it. MSU throws a dink hitch in front of Taylor(+0.5, tackling +1), who makes contact before Burbridge can turn it upfield; Morgan comes over to prevent anyone from falling forward. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Penalty | N/A | False start | N/A | -5 | ||||||||||
New LT moves early... probably should have been called on M as it looks like Roh entering the neutral zone causes it. Refs +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
O45 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Out | Morgan | 5 | ||||||||||
Ryan(+1, pressure +1) beats the LT and forces a throw. It's an out short of the sticks that Morgan(+1, cover +1, tackling +1) is out on; looks like they were trying to pick off Taylor and get the corner here but Morgan's all over the circle route from Burbridge. Morgan slings him to the ground with ease. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 12 min 1st Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O33 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Flare | Ryan | 2 | ||||||||||
Maxwell has more time here (pressure -1) to find someone but dumps it down to Bell anyway. Coverage(+2) was good downfield as three MSU guys are blanketed. Ryan(+0.5 tackling +1) comes up to force Bell out of bounds after a minimal gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
O35 | 2 | 8 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Roh | 2 | ||||||||||
Roh(+1) is left unblocked temporarily. He takes on a fullback inside, then disengages to pop the pulling G. Washington(+0.5) has split a double but that's more MSU derp than anything since both guys peel off to do other things, one of them bizarrely. No holes in the center. Ryan(+1) beats another WR block and pops up on the LOS outside of Roh; he tackles(+1). | |||||||||||||||||||
O37 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 2-back | 5-1 nickel | Pass | 3 | Wheel | Demens | Inc | ||||||||||
Demens and Ryan flanking three down linemen with Morgan behind them. Morgan pokes his nose in as if he will blitz; Kovacs comes down; both back out. Michigan only sends the interior guys; both LBs are looking to deal with backs out of the backfield. Caper delays as if to pass block, then goes on a wheel that Demens(+1, cover +1) is able to cover, basically. Despite epic time (pressure -1, three man rush) no one pops open and Maxwell's attempt to hit the wheel is well long. Black(+0.5) did force a flush, FWIW. Everything other than the wheel was covered(+1), FWIW. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 9 min 1st Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Roh | 6 | ||||||||||
They motion a TE and then run away from it. Roh(-2) gets blown out by a double. He lets one guy through and gets shoved as he tries to spin out of his mess to no avail. His attempt to rescue it makes things worse and prevents Washington(+0.5) closing down the hole and Demens(+0.5) popping the lead guard in said hole to matter. Roh's just all out of position and despite everyone else playing it right there's a gap Bell can hit for a few yards before the world converges. | |||||||||||||||||||
O26 | 2 | 4 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Penalty | N/A | Illegal sub | N/A | -5 | ||||||||||
lol cant count lol | |||||||||||||||||||
O21 | 2 | 9 | Ace 3-wide | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Floyd | 7 | ||||||||||
Same quick hitch. Floyd(-0.5) is a yard or two off and would probably give up the first if Burbridge was more decisive after the catch; he delays and Floyd and Ryan combine to tackle for minimal YAC. No pressure opportunity, cover push. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Floyd | 8 | ||||||||||
Ryan flies down from the edge to blitz, LT biffs, Ryan gets a free run at Maxwell's blind side (pressure +2); Floyd(-1, cover -1) is way off a meh route and gives up a first down completion. Easy. | |||||||||||||||||||
O36 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Morgan | 3 | ||||||||||
This is not aligned well from M as they are in an even front with Kovacs overhanging and this looks pretty good for State running at the weak side of the M line without a shift on. Morgan(+2) screams downhill, takes on a free releasing tackle, sheds, comes inside, forces the G outside, makes Bell stop in the hole, and then gets buried. Ryan has come from the slot and Campbell has come through a double thanks to the delay and Bell can only pick up a few. RPS -1; heroic effort from Morgan required to prevent something big. Kovacs(+0.5) helped cut the hole down. | |||||||||||||||||||
O39 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun trips TE | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Counter | Beyer | 2 | ||||||||||
Beyer(+1) beats a TE trying to kick him inside, absorbing the pulling G; Bell decides to go outside. Floyd(+1, tackling +1) fills well, making contact at the LOS and getting Bell to the ground with help from Morgan, who'd had a free flow and is just helping on the bounce so no soup for him. Campbell(-1) got blown up badly on the backside FWIW. | |||||||||||||||||||
O41 | 3 | 5 | Shotgun trips | Okie one | Pass | 5 | Fly | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Michigan shows press with a single high safety, sends five. MSU tests it. Blitz picked up (pressure -1). Floyd(+1) is in decent coverage, but has given up a step or two. Throw is on the money, Burbridge juggles it, and I think Floyd takes the opportunity to whack it out but I can't quite tell with the torrent quality. A bit fortunate, results based charting, was there to futz with the guy's arm, kinda PBU. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, EO1Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O25 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 5 | Sack | Ryan | -10 | ||||||||||
Ryan(+3, pressure +3) beats Bell as he blitzes up the edge, delivering a thunder-sack. Washington(+1) and Roh(+1) had also beaten blockers and arrive to confirm the kill. | |||||||||||||||||||
O15 | 2 | 20 | Shotgun 2-back | 4-3 even | Pass | 4 | Fly | Gordon | 45 | ||||||||||
Roh(+2, pressure +2) beats the RT around the corner and seems to be held. Maybe enough for a call, maybe not. It slows him down just enough for Maxwell to launch a deep middle of the field fly route as MSU just went three verts against Michigan's coverage. Gordon(-2, cover +1) is step for step, never locates the ball, gets recepted upon, tackles, sad. | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 1 | 10 | Ace | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | End-around | Floyd | 3 | ||||||||||
Inside zone fake to an end around to Burbridge. MSU trying to pull their C, who never gets there. Black(+0.5) may have helped that but mostly incompetence, I'd wager. Floyd(-1, tackling -1) is unblocked as a result and fills behind the LOS at the numbers; Burbridge flings him to the ground and gets some yards before Morgan(+0.5) cleans up after a few. | |||||||||||||||||||
M37 | 2 | 7 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Morgan | 4 | ||||||||||
Kovacs shows man on a TE that goes in motion and is a straight up ninth guy in the box with Gordon also hanging out in there. M pinching down from both ends. Black pops out into a TE, which means a tackle releases but has no angle on Morgan. Heitzman(+0.5) is trying to spill the thing by getting into a lead blocker and jamming up the pulling G. He does an eh job but does delay the puller. Morgan(+0.5) gets into him at the line well. Demens(-1) got caught in the wash after not reading the play. Actually a surprise when this happens now. He's not there when Morgan funnels. Black(+0.5) has spun off a block and come back to help tackle even without the linebacker getting involved; Gordon and Morgan help. | |||||||||||||||||||
M33 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-3-5 nickel | Run | N/A | Quick pitch | Kovacs | 3 | ||||||||||
M blitzing and looks like they might get caught but it's sound behind the rushers. Roh shoots inside the guy blocking him extremely fast; he slightly delays the quick trap block outside. Demens can flow free as a result; Kovacs is a free hitter but has to come around Taylor backing off trying to cover the outside WR. Those guys get there to tackle; Bell squeezes out the first down. Um. They can't prevent the conversion but usually three yard runs are a little positive. Half points for Roh and Kovacs. | |||||||||||||||||||
M30 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3 | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Power | Pipkins | 8 | ||||||||||
Bell's longest run of the day. Pipkins(-2) momentarily doubled until he's shoved out of the hole and pancaked. Roh(+0.5) and Campbell(+0.5) actually do a good job to fight to the now-gaping hole and get in slowing arm-tackle attempts. Morgan is in tough after the G released immediately. He's held a bit—arms outside the shoulder pads by the OL—and can't really disengage to tackle. Floyd(-1, tackling -1) comes in since his WR slanted and kind of flings himself at Bell without using his arms or bringing his feet. Textbook tackling technique... IN HELL. M recovers thanks to the triple slowdown and tackles. Refs -0.5. | |||||||||||||||||||
M22 | 2 | 2 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Morgan | 1 | ||||||||||
Same bit with the other I form big on this drive, but to the other side. Roh(+1) drives outside, disengaging to pick off a lead blocker and getting his 2for1. Gordon(-1) blows that by continuing to head outside and not reacting to what's in front of him. Morgan(+2) is now the next guy inside. He bangs McDonald at the LOS and drives him back, then disengages to grab Bell with an arm... and Bell slows. Wow. I expected him to blow right through this but he's suddenly in molasses, allowing Campbell(+0.5) and Beyer(+0.5) to converge and set up third down. | |||||||||||||||||||
M31 | 3 | 1 | I-Form | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Ryan | 0 | ||||||||||
Roh(+1) and Ryan(+1) shoot under their blocks on the snap, forcing a very slight cutback from Bell. Bell trips over Ryan's guy; Gordon(+1) and Demens(+1) are screaming down behind the slant and put Bell to the ground at the LOS. RPS +2, slant FTW. Inspired a Hokepoints. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Missed FG(38), 5 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
M44 | 1 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 even | Pass | 4 | Fly | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Floyd(-1, cover -1) is beat over the top on this, but it's long. No pressure but this is max pro and the ball is out pretty quickly. | |||||||||||||||||||
M44 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie one | Pass | 5 | Fade | Taylor | Inc | ||||||||||
Super aggressive look from with seven guys on the line; two back out into shorter zones. Taylor(+1, cover +1) forces the WR out of bounds as he tries to release upfield on a fade. Kovacs(+0.5) had shoved a RB back and come off underneath to force a throw (pressure +1), which is OOB and may just be a throwaway. Gordon(+0.5) was over the top. | |||||||||||||||||||
M44 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun empty | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Out | Clark | 7 | ||||||||||
Stunt gets Clark(+1, pressure +2) in basically clean as Roh(+1) takes the LG way upfield and there's no chance the tackle can do anything with Clark plunging inside. Maxwell has to dump it short of the sticks where Avery(+1, tackling +1) is there to force the punt. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 3-0, 2 min 2nd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-3 even | Pass | 4 | Flare | Ryan | 3 | ||||||||||
A called dink pass as the RT just cuts Roh and the guys on the playside are blocking from the start. Ryan(+2) pops his blocker, comes around him really fast, and eventually forces Bell OOB for minimal yardage. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | 5-1 nickel | Pass | 5 | Hitch | Taylor | 6 | ||||||||||
M sends a blitz that looks like it gets picked up and another dink pass to the flats is fired. Burbridge again hesitates as he turns it up and makes a probable first down into third and short. Taylor(+0.5, tackling +1), I guess. | |||||||||||||||||||
O34 | 3 | 1 | Ace | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power | Ryan | 1 | ||||||||||
Roh(+0.5) gets under the LT and gets some movement back but not quite enough to take out the pulling G. Ryan(+1) takes on a FB kickout block, chucks the guy past him, and tackles Bell a yard in the backfield. Demens popped the G at the LOS but tries to spin off of it and gives up just a tiny bit of ground, allowing Bell to eke out the first. | |||||||||||||||||||
O35 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Slant | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Floyd(+1, cover +1) is there to bang on the catch and separate Burbridge from the ball. Still could have caught it if the throw was a bit better, so no +2. | |||||||||||||||||||
O35 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Fly | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Roh(+1, pressure +2) stunts around Black and comes through when one of the OL moves to Black and no one pops out on him. Ryan(+0.5) has beat the RT around the corner and threatens to sack, Maxwell must throw. He chucks it deep at Floyd(+2, cover +2), who is step for step with Burbridge and gets a PBU. | |||||||||||||||||||
O35 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie two | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Taylor | 7 | ||||||||||
Maxwell takes a hitch before the pressure can get there; Taylor(+0.5) escorts the guy OOB before the sticks. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 6-0, EO1H | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 over | Run | N/A | Iso | Morgan | 5 | ||||||||||
Washington(-0.5) gives some ground, allowing Bell time to pick a gap backside or straight up the gut. Morgan(-1) gets cut to the ground by the FB. Campbell(+0.5) comes through his block and initiates the tackle once Bell picks; Morgan is there to grab legs; pile lurches forward. | |||||||||||||||||||
O25 | 2 | 5 | Ace twins | 4-3 over | Pass | 4 | WR screen | Gordon | 5 | ||||||||||
Michigan pretty well prepared for this as Gordon(-1, tackling -1) breaks down at the LOS after the catch. Unfortunately he overran it and the WR can move inside of him for a decent gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
O30 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Pass | 6 | Deep slant | Kovacs | 19 | ||||||||||
Michigan with a double A gap blitz of their own right into iso play action. Kovacs(-2, cover -2) sucks up an unreasonably large distance and never starts dropping back into a middle of the field robber zone that seems to be his assignment since Taylor lined up with outside leverage and seemed to expect interior help that was never there. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
O49 | 1 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | End-around | Kovacs | 14 | ||||||||||
Beyer doesn't see this coming and lets the edge guy go. Kovacs(-2) is not prepared, either, and gets blindsided by the WR cracking down. Worse, he gets shoved upfield and Burbridge can get a shove on Morgan when he tries to flow out. Taylor(-1) doesn't read this until way late and can't contain so there's an alley between him and Morgan. RPS –1. | |||||||||||||||||||
M37 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 5 | Out | Taylor | 12 | ||||||||||
Both backs stay in, three guys in the route. This is essentially a pick route, with Burbridge going straight upfield and Mumphery cutting out near the sticks and using Burbridge as a screen.. Taylor(-1, cover -1) got beat by that. | |||||||||||||||||||
M25 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Demens | 2 | ||||||||||
Gordon rolls up to the LOS. M slants away from the play; Gordon(-1) gets cut by the H-back. His inability to stay up allows Bell to leap over that block away from all the people; Demens(+1) flowed behind the slant quickly, took on a TE trying to peel off onto him, kept his feet, and grabbed Bell at the LOS. Morgan(+1) is also flowing behind, cognizant of the slant, and gets from the backside to Bell, finishing the tackle(+1). Pipkins(+0.5) made it impossible for anyone to get out on Morgan, BTW. | |||||||||||||||||||
M23 | 2 | 8 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Floyd | 7 | ||||||||||
Quick hit in front of Floyd(-0.5), who's a long way off this time. Throw is marginal and takes Burbridge off his feet, so no YAC. | |||||||||||||||||||
M16 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power | Campbell | 4 | ||||||||||
Campbell(-1) gets blown back by a double; Washington(-2) is turned and pancaked when he is engaged with the C and takes one shove from the RG. Morgan(+1) nails the two lead blockers in the backfield, which could lead to another stop but the DT dissolution provides a cutback lane for an easy conversion. Bell has to slow down to get around all this traffic, giving various folks time to converge. | |||||||||||||||||||
M12 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Trickeration scramble | Ryan | 10 | ||||||||||
The reverse throwback play. Gordon(+1, cover +1, RPS +1) has the throwback to the QB covered; Kovacs is shooting directly at the WR trying to throw when he gets blocked... almost in the back. But not quite. His momentum's off now and the WR dodges him. Ryan(-2) has the next shot and overruns it badly; Roh was coming from the edge and got blocked past the play. Now he's all running in a chaotic broken field and gets down to the one. | |||||||||||||||||||
M2 | 1 | G | Goal line | Goal line | Pass | N/A | PA TE corner | Morgan | 2 | ||||||||||
Morgan(-1, cover -1, RPS -1) sucks up on the play action, open guy, TD. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 6-7, 7 min 3rd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Washington | 1 | ||||||||||
Washington(+1) stands up McDonald; the play is going away from the H-back, who hits a backside gap Morgan is not in. Morgan gets a free flow as a result. Bell decides to run away from that; Washington sheds. That's a TFL but Bell bounces it outside. Roh(+0.5) disengages from the tackle to chase. Floyd(+1, tackling +1) charges up and chops Bell down at the ankles, preventing any YAC. | |||||||||||||||||||
O21 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 2-back | 4-3 even | Pass | N/A | Screen | Ryan | 7 | ||||||||||
A pretty much normal screen with a flare fake to Bell and then Caper slipping out on the other side. Entire DL sucks up with no pursuit except Campbell. Roh(-0.5) and Washington(-0.5) go for the QB and eliminated themselves. Caper now has three blockers in a lot of space. One peels off for Campbell. A second goes for Demens. A third takes Ryan. Ryan(+2) does what he does, which is look like he's going outside and then redirect under a slower player to show up after he cuts upfield. He keeps leverage AND makes the tackle. Boom. Tackling +1; RPS -1. Took a badass play from Ryan to prevent this from being big. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun twins TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Throwaway | N/A | Inc | ||||||||||
Bell motions out for a trips TE look. They roll to the trips. Maxwell biffs here; Taylor(-1, cover -1)) bugs out deep on a guy who is covered deeper and leaves Bell open; Maxwell hesitates, starts rolling further outside the pocket, and chucks it OOB. Had Bell for the first. I guess Beyer(+0.5) gets some credit for holding the edge and getting up in his face. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 6-7, 4 min 3rd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O48 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Pipkins | 3 | ||||||||||
Pipkins(-1) gets blown out by a double. Black(+1) and Roh(+1) are single blocked and both take their guys into the space vacated by Washington, closing off the hole before Bell can reach it. Bell stops. He can bounce to the outside because Roh crashed to cut off the hole and Pipkins got blown downfield so the linebackers can't flow. Demens again eats two OL. | |||||||||||||||||||
M49 | 2 | 7 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 under press | Pass | 5 | Hitch | Taylor | 3 | ||||||||||
Always going to be a nothing pass as all the routes are hitches against man. Taylor(+1, cover +1) is there to tackle on a three yard catch. Ryan(+0.5) avoided a cut and harassed. | |||||||||||||||||||
M46 | 3 | 4 | Ace | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | TE Dig | Black | INT | ||||||||||
Clark(+0.5) gets a little bit of pressure from the edge, causing Maxwell to step up in the pocket a bit. Black(+0.5, pressure +1) is now leaping at Maxwell as he tries to throw. Avery(+1, cover +1) is in the TE's back pocket here and has a play on almost any well-thrown ball. The ball sails to Tacopants, and eventually falls to Kovacs(+1), who makes the INT. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Interception, 6-7, 2 min 3rd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O9 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Campbell | 1 | ||||||||||
Campbell(+2) blasts McDonald back one on one and forces a Bell cutback. Washington has given ground but took two blockers, push. Demens(+0.5) is free and sees the cutback; he tackles in the hole. | |||||||||||||||||||
O10 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Power | Beyer | 2 | ||||||||||
Gordon comes down late for a seventh man in the box as M goes man free on the back end. Beyer(+1) knows he's got help outside and fights inside a kickout. Roh(-1) got blown up by a double as a DT, but that'll happen. Beyer rakes the ball out; Morgan(+0.5) and Demens(+0.5) had constricted available space to likely make this a third and medium anyway. MSU somehow recovers. | |||||||||||||||||||
O12 | 3 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | 5-1 nickel | Pass | 5 | Slant | Taylor | 10 | ||||||||||
Avery comes down of the slot and blitzes. Maxwell picks the outside slant correctly and hits it. Taylor(-1) came up hard but to the inside, apparently expecting short hitch #1000. RPS -1, Pressure -1... this got picked up. | |||||||||||||||||||
O22 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 over | Pass | 4 | Dumpoff | Ryan | Inc | ||||||||||
Time is good for MSU; Campbell does come under a guy and start moving into the pocket with Clark also arriving (pressure -1) to make it not horrible. Coverage(+2) is excellent downfield, Maxwell checks down to a fullback who drops the ball. He was getting nowhere anyway as Ryan(+0.5) and Demens(+0.5) were about to crush this. | |||||||||||||||||||
O22 | 2 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Power | Ryan | 1 | ||||||||||
Ryan(+1) looks to take on a kickout, pops upfield of it, and falls over as he beats the block, grabbing Bell's leg as he does so. Demens(+1) clubs the pulling G at the LOS and stand him up; Black(+0.5) comes from the backside to wrap up after Bell finally steps through the arm tackle attempt. | |||||||||||||||||||
O23 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 2-back | 5-1 nickel press | Pass | 5 | Slant | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Mumphery against Floyd on the slant; Floyd(+2, cover +1) does give up the inside a bit but rides him and is in position to make a play on the ball as it arrives. Meh throw; didn't really matter. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: FAKE punt, 9-7, 10 min 4th Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O49 | 1 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | 4-3 under press | Pass | 5 | Fly | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Burbridge has exactly one step on Floyd(+0.5, cover +1) and this throw would have to be perfect. It's long. | |||||||||||||||||||
O49 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun trips TE | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Slant | Taylor | 12 | ||||||||||
M shows man. Taylor(-2, cover -1, tackling -1) takes a crappy angle to the slant and ends up upfield of the WR; his off balance tackle attempt is run through. That is baaaad. Gordon(+1) is there to clean up, thankfully, making a solid tackle that prevents anything big from going down. | |||||||||||||||||||
M39 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power | Beyer | 5 | ||||||||||
Beyer(-1) in at SDE and the difference between him and Roh is noticeable. He gets blown off the ball by a double; LBs blocked by the TE and pulling G as FB kicks Ryan. Demens funnels; Morgan takes on a block, folks tackle after five. Basically standard stuff once you've lost that double at the POA. | |||||||||||||||||||
M34 | 2 | 5 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power | Campbell | 4 | ||||||||||
At the other side of the line. Campbell(-0.5) gets creased a little bit. Heitzman(-1) runs straight upfield past the kickout so the gap is pretty big. LBs take on blockers as well as they can but Bell is just running up the backs of his OL and can push the pile. | |||||||||||||||||||
M30 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power | Roh | 2 | ||||||||||
M slants playside. Roh(+1) gets under the guard and drives in to the backside of the play, forcing a cutback behind him. Ryan(+0.5) is there in that gap to stall that initial cutback. Demens comes up to start pushing; Bell manages to find a tiny crease and pushes through it. | |||||||||||||||||||
M28 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Pitch sweep | Kovacs | 2 | ||||||||||
Quick pitch with a motioning TE blocking down as the tackle pulls around him Kovacs(+2) is initially hesitant as he follows the TE motion since he's in man on the guy, then realizes it's a run and attacks outside. WR cracks down on Demens. Ryan(-1) tries to shoot upfield of the pulling T and gets shoved past the play, the T is delayed but continues his pull, dangerous. Floyd(+1) is trying to contain against two guys now. He avoids a cut and spins outside; Kovacs(tackling +1) screams through the gap between the two OL that Floyd helped create by not going down to the cut and needing another blocker to deal with him; he's charging fast but manages to hang on and tackles; everyone's falling forward but whatever, great play. | |||||||||||||||||||
M26 | 2 | 8 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Pass | 5 | Corner | Taylor | 14 + 6 Pen | ||||||||||
Maxwell has to throw as Ryan(+1, pressure +1) is shedding a blocker and about to hit him. Campbell(-1) is also coming from behind after dodging a blocker with agility(!) and would get a plus… if he didn't rough the passer after Maxwell dumps it. Alas. The corner route is to a blanketed receiver; Taylor's got the coverage. He wraps his arm around the guy and gets a penalty call, but he's also in great position. This throw has to be inch perfect and a great catch; it's both. Taylor(-1, cover +1) gets a minus for a legit PI call but he was in the right spot to make a play, which is what coverage attempts to measure. Taylor goes out on this play. Avery replaces him. | |||||||||||||||||||
M6 | 1 | G | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Pass | 5 | PA TE delay | Gordon | Inc | ||||||||||
Ryan(+1, pressure +1) beats the RT and hits Maxwell either as or just after he throws. Beyer(+0.5) and Washington(+0.5) also surge up in the pocket, demanding a throw. That throw is a highly delayed pass to the TE that Gordon(+2, cover +2) is waiting for and PBUs. | |||||||||||||||||||
M6 | 2 | G | Ace twins | 4-4 under press | Run | N/A | Power | Demens | 2 | ||||||||||
TE kicks Ryan; Beyer(+0.5) slants inside the tackle, which makes the tackle hesitate. Demens(+1) plugs the pulling G at the LOS; Morgan(+0.5) is there as Demens funnels to him, many people stop Bell's momentum. | |||||||||||||||||||
M4 | 3 | G | I-Form Big | Goal line | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Floyd | 2 | ||||||||||
They motion a TE to Floyd's side and run at him. Floyd(+1) fights outside the block. Morgan(+1) is flowing hard at the play and Bell has no choice but to try and run up the back of the blocker; Floyd and Morgan tackle(+1). Kovacs(+1) shot a gap that made the outside the only possible place to go BTW. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: FG(19), 9-10, 5 min 4th Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O9 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Outside trap | Campbell | 0 | ||||||||||
MSU trying to get a quick trap block on Campbell(+2) by blocking down with the tackle, bringing the G around him, and hitting the bubble between Campbell and Roh. Campbell blows through the down block and gets into the trapper. Roh(+0.5) has contain. Gordon and Morgan are both in the hole against one blocker; Bell tries to cut back and hits the guy blocking Campbell. Beyer(+0.5) avoided a cut and flows down the line to tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
O9 | 2 | 10 | I-Form | 4-4 under | Pass | 4 | PA slant | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Two man route. Primary is a slant Floyd(+1, cover +1) is in excellent position on; Gordon(+1) is rolled up in the box but drops off in time to make a delayed throw a bad idea. WR tries to break back outside, stil covered by Floyd(+1, cover +1) and the ball sails wide. Pressure -1, all day but two man route. | |||||||||||||||||||
O9 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | 3 | Screen | Morgan | 4 | ||||||||||
Morgan(+1) gets outside of the lone OL blocker already out and forces the play back into Ryan(+1) who showed blitz and backed out. Ryan tackles after a meh gain, punching the ball out, MSU gets it back. RPS +2, screen in to three man rush had no chance. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 9-10, 2 min 4th Q |
I'm already bored with this.
Not enough points. This isn't boringsball. It's football.
You can't be serious.
Whatever happened to games that ended with 70 points being scored?
You mean like last year's OSU game?
You liked giving up 34 points to Jim Bollman.
Uh. CHART
I wasn't… oh fine.
Defensive Line | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Roh | 14.5 | 3.5 | 11.5 | Field day against backup freshman tackle. |
Campbell | 5.5 | 3.5 | 2 | Big play on final drive. |
Washington | 3.5 | 3 | 0.5 | Mostly eating doubles on power. |
Black | 3.5 | - | 3.5 | It lives! |
Clark | 1.5 | - | 1.5 | Eh |
Beyer | 4.5 | 1 | 3.5 | Beyer surges into tentative WDE lead on run heavy day. |
Pipkins | 0.5 | 3 | -2.5 | Blown up once. |
Heitzman | 0.5 | 1 | -0.5 | Eh. |
Ojemudia | - | - | - | DNP |
Ash | - | - | - | DNP |
Brink | - | - | - | DNP |
TOTAL | 34 | 15 | 19 | Little bit of dropoff from Illinois but not much. |
Linebacker | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Morgan | 9 | 2 | 7 | Remember the athleticism worries with him? |
Demens | 7.5 | 1 | 6.5 | Four straight +++ games. |
Ryan | 17.5 | 3 | 14.5 | I AM THE ONE WHO KNOCKS |
C. Gordon | - | - | - | DNP |
Ross | - | - | - | DNP |
Bolden | - | - | - | DNP |
Hawthorne | - | - | - | DNP |
TOTAL | 34 | 6 | 28 | /gapes |
Secondary | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Floyd | 12.5 | 5 | 7.5 | Recovered from meh start to have damn fine day. |
Avery | 2 | - | 2 | May have contributed to INT. |
Taylor | 4 | 7 | -3 | Missed a couple slants; MSU switched to targeting him late. |
Kovacs | 5 | 4 | 1 | Did biff a robber zone, also had awesome Kovacsplay. |
T. Gordon | 7 | 5 | 2 | Gave up the big one. |
M. Robinson | - | - | - | DNP |
Wilson | - | - | - | DNC |
TOTAL | 30.5 | 21 | 9.5 | As a whole, a pass. |
Metrics | ||||
Pressure | 16 | 6 | 10 | Even the deep throws were like one two three chuck. |
Coverage | 22 | 8 | 14 | Maxwell helped here with some indecision. |
Tackling | 12 | 4 | 75% | Bell didn't plow anyone. |
RPS | 5 | 5 | 0 | Meh. |
This has been an interesting experience since every week I look at the numbers I've collected and then think to myself "oh crap those are too high" and then go check the boxscore and think "actually…"
This week's "Actually"…
- Maxwell averaged a Sheridan-like 5.6 YPC and threw an INT.
- MSU averaged 3.3 YPC once sacks and the fake punt are removed; Bell ran for 2.6 YPC.
- The sole play longer than 20 yards was the bomb to Fowler on which Gordon was in position and neither found the ball nor played the man.
- Michigan forced two fumbles that MSU was fortunate to recover.
- MSU scored 10 points on 12 drives.
So, yeah. The DL numbers are down a bit except for Roh, who didn't do much on the scoresheet but as Ace mentioned on the podcast is becoming a guy running backs cut behind into their doom three times a game. He had a super-easy matchup against MSU's 6'3" backup LT and exploited that to his credit. He is really tough to seal.
I can't be the only guy who saw that first playcall and had flashbacks to last year. Well, Roh is a ton better at not getting put away by WRs (and BJ Cunningham isn't walking through that door) this year and he strings the play out until the cavalry rallies.
Ryan… par for the course. Also both ILBs have shed that early-season hesitation and the pesky freshmen.
As for JT Floyd…
Let's talk Floyd. He started off poorly, getting flung to the ground by Burbridge and beaten deep by him—on an incompletion—en route to being –3-ish, and then he ate some spinach. MSU kept going after him with slants
and deep stuff
and slants
and this isn't really going after him but this is a nice fill and tackle.
and then they started throwing at Raymon Taylor. Floyd went from targeted weak point to guy Michigan State is avoiding over the course of a quarter or so. It is really rare for a DB to rack up the kind of numbers Floyd does because the kind of guys capable of racking up a +12.5 to the positive at corner never get the opportunity because they don't get thrown at. You can only get there if the opposing offensive coordinator thinks you suck. Floyd proved otherwise against a hyped athlete.
Have the freshmen linebackers been vanquished for good?
Ah yup. As long as Morgan and Demens are playing like they are, it's wait until next year for those guys aside from a few drives a game against not Nebraska or Ohio State where Michigan tries to get them some experience. Last week it was Demens turning in the highlight reel stuff; this time Morgan led the way with a series of you're-done-now tackles. This one on Bell was the best:
Morgan is taking on a block and can only reach out for an arm tackle against LeVeon Bell going north and south, and Bell's momentum evaporates. The delay lets Michigan rally to the ball, sets up a third and short—against which Michigan is still deadly—and on the next play Roh and Ryan slant under to boot State off the field. A missed field goal attempt follows. In a game of inches like this one, you can point to Morgan being able to just about stop a 250-pound mooseback like Bell with one arm as the difference in the game.
Oh yeah:
That hesitation this site complained about for about a year solid seems gone. Here's Morgan coming from the backside of the play to make a tackle near the LOS:
I'm not sure this happens a few weeks ago. For one, the line has kept the LBs clean. For two, both of the LBs are biasing their motion away from Michigan's DL slant, which is not something they were doing early in the year. Morgan seems to have a better sense of where the ball is going to end up based on the defensive call, and more faith that his defensive line will execute the slant well enough to make the cutback lanes he's hesitated checking for a distant possibility.
With apologies to Wisconsin and Penn State, we may have just seen the two best LB units in the league go head to head. You can make the case, at least, and that's good enough in terms of hot sprotstakes with no definable metric.
Have the last vapors of GERG been chased away?
I think so. Michigan gave up some yards on reverses this game, which okay. Those were 10-12 yard gains. What struck me, though, were three different attempts to fool Michigan into leaving the backside unprotected, none of which succeeded. On the first Kenny Demens was invited to scream into Maxwell's chest, passed, and turned what coulda mighta shoulda been an RPS –2 to play into an incompletion:
Demens ends up getting outrun at the end there and there is a window; he successfully turned that play from an argh-where-is-everybody 20-yard-gain into an extremely difficult downfield completion to a guy who is not a natural receiver.
The second was the trick play that eventually became a first and goal after Lippett ran places and did things; on that one Gordon hung back, taking away the throwback to the QB. Gordon did it again on the final attempt, when MSU released a TE way late and Gordon was there for the PBU. These guys know their assignments and trust that the rest of the defense will execute for them.
A couple years ago we were enduring wheelapalooza against Illinois; these days you get extremely scanty opportunities to hit something easy and pick up free yards. MSU set up one screen that Jake Ryan did his leverage-but-wait-there's-more-FREE-TACKLE thing on that would have been a nice gain and Kovacs sucked up on a post. Other than that, bupkis.
Crappy opponent offenses, sure. Michigan hasn't really blown anything since Air Force, and that was not on Kovacs but a scheme against the triple option that won't be relevant again. That's half a season. Against anyone, that's impressive—ask OSU, which gave up an 83-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage against Purdue on Saturday.
Solid, solid, solid. Michigan is about as good as you can be on defense without having an elite pass rusher on the DL.
Let this also inform all judgments levied on the safety numbers. Yes, the individual numbers. Also look at the coverage—Michigan has not been this consistently good at that metric since I started doing this.
We didn't get any pressure. Worry?
I actually thought Michigan did a pretty good job of getting to the quarterback. MSU had a lot of short stuff; their long stuff was as quickly developing as it can be since it was all throwing it to Burbridge as he ran straight downfield. On a number of those attempts, Maxwell was about to get hit. So it wasn't as dire as the single sack implied.
This is never going to be great until Michigan's getting better production out of its WDE spot, but Ryan and Roh coming off the same edge is decent. If you've got a worry, this is it; scanning the teams left on the schedule doesn't reveal a lot of teams that like to just drop back and bomb it deep.
Roh, Ryan, Floyd, and to a somewhat lesser extent the two ILBs.
For a second week: GTFO. You could maybe pick on Taylor but he is a part of that coverage number, so no.
What does it mean for Nebraska and beyond?
Nebraska will be Michigan's stiffest test since Alabama. They're running the ball all over the place and use a wide panoply of different looks that will put that hesitation lack under the microscope. Don't be fooled by the close game against Northwestern, which was the product of an avalanche of special teams miscues. They've put up over 400 yards on Wisconsin and OSU and Taylor Martinez is much improved as a passer—grumble grumble aging makes people better not worse? They will be a stiff test even if Burkhead is out.
I don't really know what to expect. No one has held Nebraska under 29, and that's a tough number to see Michigan's offense exceeding against a team with one of those pulse things these days unless Michigan takes the O out of the garage some, but that's another post.
Michigan will see its entire front seven extensively tested by the run game and will need to win one on one matchups outside if they're going to make Kovacs the tiny linebacker who was so effective last year. I'm 50/50 on whether that will happen—Nebraska's WRs are one of the hidden secrets in the conference and they're coming off a great game.
Touch and go, touch and go. I think Michigan will hold them to a season low in yards and points since they just don't give up anything big on the ground, like, ever—but if they keep Nebraska under 20 that will be a wow experience.
Hello: Chris Fox
Sorry, the meth hasn't quite worn off yet. In the aftermath of Michigan's program-defining victory over Ohio State last night, the Wolverines picked up their fifth and sixth commitments of the day in Parker (CO) Ponderosa OT Chris Fox and Pickerington (OH) Central DE Taco Charlton. Fox becomes the third offensive lineman to commit in the 2013 class; all did so yesterday, and all are four-star prospects. The explosion of commitments helped Fox come to his decision even though he wasn't on campus this weekend, according to Sam Webb:
"Honestly, it's been Michigan pretty much the whole way," said Fox. "I'm excited. Coach Funk was definitely excited. I just called my grandma (who lives in Michigan) and she's super excited about it too."
That Fox joined the class this evening came as a bit of surprise since he wasn't a part of the commitment frenzy on campus today. But just because he wasn't on the ground in Ann Arbor doesn't mean he didn't take notice.
"I saw that and I was just like, 'dang, and I've known that's where I wanted to go.' I thought, 'why not do it?' "
Yes, Fox be like dang. Rest easy, Shane Morris; you're going to have more time in the pocket than you know what to do with.
Scout | Rivals | ESPN | 24/7 Sports |
4* OT, # 46 Ovr |
4* OT, ESPNU 150 Watch List |
4*, 95, #8 OT, #48 Ovr |
Fox is a consensus four-star and a top-50 player to the two sites that have actually released extensive lists; he made the ESPN top-100 list as well and is one of a handful of players to get a rating from Scout. The general consensus is that he's one of the top linemen—and players—in the country. The four sites are split between him being 6'5" or 6'6", and all but Scout (285) agree that he weighs in the neighborhood of 300 pounds. Scout is the only site to list him as a guard, but Fox has the versatility to play either guard or tackle at the collegiate level.
Fox actually didn't play offensive line until the summer before his junior year, having been a standout defensive tackle for Ponderosa in his freshman and sophomore seasons. Right away, however, scouts took notice of his massive potential, as you can see from this Rivals article dating back to the summer he started playing offense ($):
...he's an athlete for a big man his age and his size--moves well, flexible, is a big time knee bender, and he is a mauler - loves contact - not afraid to mix it up but athletic enough to shut down Stephen Gibson when he tried some moves and speed rushes at CU's camp. Fox plays with a level of violence and passion you don't see very often in high school offensive linemen. It's a beautiful thing to watch.
Fox is one of those guys who just overwhelms defenders with his sheer size and power. His technique is very raw right now but that's to be expected since he never played offensive line until this summer. But that will improve, and watching him at the CU camp and at a Ponderosa practice he clearly learns quickly and is one of those kids who can pick something up the first time he tries it. Even with raw technique it is still clear that he uses his hands very well, and seems to have already become very good at one of the harder things to master as an offensive lineman - timing the initial punch with the hands.
The player William Gartner compares to Fox in the article? Jake Long. This is not done lightly, as Gartner worked with Long at a Michigan camp before Long's senior year of high school. When violence becomes beauty, Long is an apt comparison. By September of his junior year, Fox's game tape was already circulating among scouts, and he continued to impress ($):
Some are already calling Fox the top prospect in the state of Colorado for the 2013 class and while that might be a bit presumptuous, there is definitely a good chance he'll be among the best players just because of his dominance and versatility. Fox played on the defensive line during his freshman and sophomore seasons and now moved over to offense for his junior year and simply dominates with his power, drive and toughness.
Fox has since solidified himself as the top player in Colorado, and his effort and strength have been repeatedly praised. He also reportedly is still growing and has the room to pack on a lot of good weight, as you'll see in Tom Lemming's evaluation:
Has the length, long arms, and quick feet the college scouts love to see in a LT. Needs to get stronger in the lower body but has the frame to weigh 320 in college. Shows the grit and determination needed to play the LT position at the next level. Shows all the tools for future stardom.
It sounds like Fox should mature into a bona-fide tackle prospect, and I'm guessing Michigan sees much the same, as they've already taken two players—Kyle Bosch and David Dawson—who project best to the interior of the line. Fox's high school coach can't find a bad thing to say about him after his first year as an offensive lineman ($):
Ponderosa High School coach Randy Huff can't say enough good things about the star of his team, Christopher Fox.
"The thing that most people have told me that stands out the most is how physical he is," Huff said. "He really is trying to destroy people when he hits them. He's not just a big body. He's a real football player for sure."
So Michigan just picked up a big (and still growing), versatile mauler in the mold of Jake Long, and he's only been playing on offense for a year-and-a-half. Yup, I'm totally okay with this pickup.
Fox chose Michigan over offers from Colorado, Florida State, Iowa, Michigan State, Mizzou, Ohio State, and Purdue. Chew on that, bitter rivals.
No stats for O-linemen.
24/7 lists a 5.50 40 time, which I'll give a two FAKEs out of five since he's an enormous offensive lineman.
There's no junior highlights of Fox available yet, so most of the available film is of him playing defense, though you get a couple snaps of him blocking in the following highlight reel:
You can get a good sense of his athleticism, strength, and general enjoyment of contact from that video. He's certainly not afraid to hit people. Hard.
[UPDATE: Thanks to user jbibiza for pointing out that Fox's junior offensive highlights are posted for free on Rivals.]
Without any junior film available, I can't say with much specificity where I think Fox will end up, but given the above evaluations I expect he'll land at tackle. If Fox really is still growing at 6'6", 300 pounds, he seems like a perfect fit for either tackle spot, especially if Michigan is bringing in both Bosch and Dawson at guard.
Fox's potential is probably the most exciting thing about him; again, the guy didn't start playing on the offensive line until last summer and he's already a top-50 prospect in his class regardless of position. While there will likely be some kinks to work out with his technique, he appears to be a very quick study, and his ceiling is extremely high.
Just like that, Michigan goes from three commits and zero offensive lineman in the 2013 class to nine and three, respectively. As stated above, I think Bosch and Dawson are destined for guard while Fox projects to tackle, and I'd have to think with players like Ethan Pocic and Logan Tuley-Tillman still out there that the Wolverines will try to fit another tackle prospect into the class. The big question is whether or not they'll take five offensive linemen and grab a pure center, though they haven't offered one yet; it's possible they see Bosch or Dawson (more likely Dawson, IMO) filling that role, but somebody in this class needs to come in at center and stay there.
As for the rest of the class, Michigan has now filled nearly half of the 20-22 spots expected to be available by the end of the recruiting cycle. February isn't over. Just, um, wow.
Upon Further Review 2011: Defense vs Illinois
Formation notes: They did the usual 4-3 under stuff and went to a nickel package against spread sets. On passing downs the seven-guys-on-the-line okie package was a frequent deployment; on short yardage we saw the return of the Beyer/Ryan 4-4 under.
Then they did some weird stuff. If this looks a bit like a 3-3-5, yeah, sort of :
That's clearly a pass defense D with the ends lined up outside of the tackles and both the spur/bandit-type dudes on the strong side of the formation, ready to drop into man coverage.
This is another exotic pass defense featuring nose tackle Mike Jones (serious) and DT Craig Roh (also serious):
Illinois ran at this; Jones and Roh actually forced the play behind them into tacklers; pile fell forward for five.
Personnel notes: Secondary was Floyd/Countess/Kovacs the whole way and mostly Woolfolk but Gordon did pop up from time to time; I'm pretty sure Woolfolk left permanently on the Scheelhaase touchdown since he seemed to aggravate one of his many available injuries. Avery was the nickelback; when Floyd cramped up briefly he moved outside onto Jenkins and Gordon came in at nickel.
Demens and Morgan went the whole way at LB; Ryan played most of the game but gave way to Beyer a little.
The line was mostly the usual RVB/Heininger/Martin/Roh setup with cameos from Black, Clark, and Campbell. Brink got some plays at the tail end.
Show? Show. W00t.
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 over | Penalty | N/A | False start | -- | -5 | ||||||||||
Emblematic. | |||||||||||||||||||
O15 | 1 | 15 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA scramble | Woolfolk | 1 | ||||||||||
Iso fake draws heavy attention but Scheelhaase only has two options in the route and they must both be covered(+2). I find that hard to believe but I'm guessing Woolfolk(+2) jumped the corner route behind Countess and convinced Scheelhaase to scramble. Ryan(-0.5, tackling -1) misses a tackle that would have been a sack, giving up three or four yards. | |||||||||||||||||||
O16 | 2 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Hitch | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
M shows a blitz from Morgan on the outside. Illinois checks, Michigan still runs it. It's picked up. All short routes; Scheelhaase goes to Jenkins on a five yard out that Floyd(+2, cover +2) breaks up. Prelude to ownage. | |||||||||||||||||||
O16 | 3 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Throwaway | Roh | Inc | ||||||||||
Roh(+1, pressure +2) dives inside on a stunt that gets the Illinois OL. He gets held a little and ends up falling just short of the QB's feet (I might be done typing Scheelhaase); Martin(+0.5) runs after to contain, forcing a throwaway. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 12 min 1st Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O14 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2-back | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Triple option keeper | Van Bergen | 3 | ||||||||||
Kovacs rolls down for an eighth guy. M gets lucky here. RVB(+1) stays on QB throughout the play; Ryan(-2) dives inside the slot receiver and gives up the corner. He's got to have the pitchman here. This should be a pitch for a big gain. Instead QB tries to beat RVB one on one and can't do it. Still a decent gain because M had destroyed the dive, which fine. | |||||||||||||||||||
O17 | 2 | 7 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Pass | N/A | Long handoff | Countess | 6 | ||||||||||
Countess(-1, tackling -1) comes up a little hard and to the inside and ends up getting stiffarmed as Jenkins breaks to the outside. He does manage to delay Jenkins long enough for Ryan(+0.5), flowing hard from the inside, to tackle before the sticks. | |||||||||||||||||||
O23 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Iso | Martin | -1 | ||||||||||
Beyer/Ryan package. Heininger(+1) drives his OL a couple yards into the backfield. Martin(+2) takes a pop from the center and still does the same to the backside G, putting him on his knees at the LOS and forcing a cutback. This screws up the blocking angles and forces Ford back into Ryan(+1, tackling +1), who came down to the LOS on the snap and took a good angle into the backfield; RVB(+1) beat a block and comes into help prevent any YAC. RPS +1 for the slant forcing the play back into an unblocked player. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 8 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O23 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2back trips | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Triple option dive | Heininger | 0 | ||||||||||
Covered slot receiver. Michigan aligns differently than normal with DTs over the guards and Illinois runs a triple option. QB hands off since DE is on him and Countess is hanging on the pitch. Dive goes nowhere thanks to Martin(+1) and Heininger(+1) blasting single blocks back; Roh(+0.5) comes in from the side to finish Pollard after he confirms the give was made. | |||||||||||||||||||
O23 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Drag | Roh | Inc | ||||||||||
Roh and Black your DEs. Kovacs rolls down. Straight dropback. Illinois looking for the drag; Roh(+1, pressure +1) beats the tackle to the outside and is held; no call. This along with Black(+0.5) falling at the QB's feet causes some shuffling and a back-foot throw that ends up going wide of Jenkins. Completion likely if accurate but Gordon(+0.5, cover +1) seemed to have this locked down for a not so big gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
O23 | 3 | 10 | Ace 3-wide | Okie | Run | N/A | Down G | Van Bergen | 5 | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase checks from a shotgun formation to an inside run out of ace. They're trying to run at the middle of the line as Morgan drops out into a zone; Martin(+1) fights inside a pulling guard—mismatch—and RVB(+1) comes off a block when the second guy moves downfield. Those two combine to tackle for a meh gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 1 min 1st Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA curl | Woolfolk | 7 | ||||||||||
Beyer in. Illinois runs PA. Play develops with no LBs underneath the Jenkins comeback; QB fires it to him. Immediate tackle from Woolfolk(+0.5, tackling +1) and Countess(+0.5). Coverage push, pressure -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
O27 | 2 | 3 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Penalty | -- | False start | -- | -5 | ||||||||||
Erf. | |||||||||||||||||||
O22 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Hitch | Floyd | 14 | ||||||||||
Kovacs rolls to a slot receiver as M shows one high. Floyd(-1, cover -1) is beat on a ten-yard hitch and can't tackle on the catch. He has to set up and gives up a few more in the name of being safe. | |||||||||||||||||||
O36 | 1 | 10 | Pistol 3-wide | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Stop and go | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
RB motions out into the slot. Michigan sends Beyer off the edge, dropping Roh; stoned. (Pressure -2) QB has all day to pump and then chuck deep. He ends up throwing it away because Floyd(+2, cover +2) was over the top of a double move to the point where throwing it was stupid. | |||||||||||||||||||
O36 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Ryan | 0 | ||||||||||
Ryan(+2) momentarily dives down but recovers impressively to force Scheelhaase outside, outside, outside. Floyd(+1) beats a Jenkins block to slow him, whereupon Ryan tackles from behind. | |||||||||||||||||||
O36 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun empty | Okie | Pass | 4 | Martin | 7 | |||||||||||
Okie package gets the Illinois OL to bust (pressure +2, RPS +2). Martin(+0.5) gets a free run. Scheelhaase actually gets a pass off and completes it but it's off and takes the WR off his feet. Demens(+1) was there to tackle if necessary. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 9 min 2nd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O5 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Iso | Heininger | 7 | ||||||||||
Not entirely sure what the problem is here. Both DTs only take single blocks; Martin fights through his to almost kill this in the hole but can't quite. Morgan takes on the FB basically at the LOS and does funnel to the inside but Demens is getting blocked out of the play since the DTs have not absorbed an extra guy between them. I think this is on Heininger(-1) as the playside DT he's not absorbing a double and doesn't even get an arm-tackle attempt. You would like Morgan(-0.5) to get this closer to the LOS and Demens(-0.5) to not get sealed away totally but they both have tough jobs. RB into the secondary, where Kovacs(+3, tackling +2) puts his helmet on the ball and gets Michigan a turnover. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Fumble, 14-0, 5 min 2nd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O32 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA Hitch | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase clearly late on a lot of these by now but Countess(+2, cover +2) is still there for a quality PBU on a pass that could have been intercepted. | |||||||||||||||||||
O32 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 3 | Drag | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
This may be batted but there's no replay so can't be sure. Demens(-1, cover -1) does get way out of position on another WR's route, dragging well into Morgan's zone. Countess(-1, cover -1) appears to make the same error he did against Iowa, and if Jenkins catches this it's a first down and maybe a bunch more. Jenkins has to delay because the umpire gets in the way; incomplete. Lucky. | |||||||||||||||||||
O32 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun empty | Okie | Pass | 4 | Sack | Ryan | -14 | ||||||||||
Okie set gets Ryan(+1) and Demens(+1) roaring at the QB with one guy to block them (pressure +3, RPS +3); Van Bergen(+1) comes off a block to help sack when Scheelhaase understandably bugs out. QB overwhelmed by three guys on a four man rush == +3. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 3 min 2nd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O21 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Morgan | 7 | ||||||||||
Good time on a four man rush (pressure -1). QB has time to survey and fire to a TE for about nine; Morgan(+0.5, tackling +1) puts him down immediately. Given situation coverage fine. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 2 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Yakety snap | -- | -14 | ||||||||||
Derp. | |||||||||||||||||||
O14 | 3 | 17 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Down G | Van Bergen | 1 | ||||||||||
RVB(+1) shoots inside a downblock and gets enough penetration to force Ford well upfield; Roh is out there on the bounce but gets shoved past the play. Still, that took a long time. Martin flows down the line and forces Ford behind; Avery(+0.5, tackling +1) makes a nice low tackle that takes Ford to the ground immediately. Fumble is ruled but overturned, which costs Michigan seven important seconds. Irritating. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, EOH. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA out | Kovacs | 12 | ||||||||||
Kovacs(-1) hesitates on the play action and only belatedly shoots out on his zone; with the outside WR going deep Countess has other responsibilities. Out open, easy pitch and catch (cover -1, pressure -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
O32 | 1 | 10 | Pistol twin TE | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | Martin | 11 | ||||||||||
Reading RVB; he stays responsible and the handoff is made. Martin(-1) fights to the wrong side of his block and Heininger(-1) gets penetration too far upfield, so Illinois gets a crease without doubling any DL. This means LBs are getting thumped; Morgan(-1) is the guy on the playside gap and he starts moving to the LOS before actually stalling and taking a step back before being engulfed. RB into the secondary. Demens(-0.5) also caught a block. | |||||||||||||||||||
O43 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 over | Run | N/A | Down G | Campbell | 2 | ||||||||||
QB checks into an ace from the same pistol set they just ran. Campbell(+1) takes the guy downblocking him and ends up driving him into the backfield, forcing Pollard away from blocking; the playside G is pulling around outside but Pollard isn't going out there. Live I thought this was a missed cut; on tape it's clear this would be a ++ move from the back to cut up and then immediately back out. So Morgan(+2, tackling +2) gets credit for powering through his blocker and decleating Pollard. | |||||||||||||||||||
O45 | 2 | 8 | Pistol 3-wide | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Speed option | Kovacs | -4 | ||||||||||
Ryan(+2) reads the option action and tears ass for the QB, leveling him just as he pitches. FB makes a mistake, peeling back on Ryan in a hopeless chase, and this opens up Kovacs(+2, tackling +1) to do the thing he does by taking a good angle at speed; Pollard cuts inside and gets TFLed. Martin(+1) had blown through blocking and was there to help if necessary, which is crazy impressive. | |||||||||||||||||||
O41 | 3 | 12 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 4 | Sack | Van Bergen | -12 | ||||||||||
RVB(+2) splits two blockers confused by the okie package; Clark(+1) gets a good drive on a tight end to prevent any lane to move upfield, and Ryan jumps on the QB's back for very large sack. This was a six-man protection on which the QB had zero chance to even look at read one. Pressure +3, RPS +3. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 12 min 3rd Q. Riley O'Toole gets the next Illinois drive. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O25 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 over | Pass | 6 | PA TE Flat | Morgan | 7 | ||||||||||
Roh ends up free on the edge and gets some decent pressure; this means a TE has released behind him and O'Toole hits him for a decent gain; Morgan(+0.5) reads it pretty well and escorts the guy OOB to prevent a significant one. | |||||||||||||||||||
O32 | 2 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | RB flat | Martin | Inc | ||||||||||
Martin(+2, pressure +2) beats two blockers and roars up the middle of the pocket, forcing a terrible throw Floyd(+1, cover +1) is in a better spot to catch than the RB flaring out. | |||||||||||||||||||
O32 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun 4-wide tight | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Quick out | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Quick throw does not allow time for pressure; Floyd(+1, cover +1) is there with a play on a well thrown ball (but not a great one); Toole's ball is too far outside and not caught. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 9 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Scramble | Martin | 12 (Pen-10) | ||||||||||
Roh(+0.5) and Martin(+0.5) pressure(+1) Scheelhaase, forcing a scramble up into the pocket that picks up some yards but probably would have been a sack but for Martin(+1 again) drawing a holding call. Demens(-1) gave up the outside here and turned this from a few into a hypothetical first down. | |||||||||||||||||||
O15 | 1 | 20 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Scramble | Martin | 8 | ||||||||||
Here Martin(-1) gets shoved out his lane without actually getting to the QB; Black(-0.5) gets shoved way upfield, albeit by a double (pressure -1); Scheelhaase can find no one (cover +1) and runs for a good gain. This time Demens is blocked out of the play. | |||||||||||||||||||
O23 | 2 | 12 | Shotgun 3-wide | Dime even | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | Jones | 5 | ||||||||||
Mike Jones lined up as the NT. Yeah, I know. Roh the DT. Yeah. Daring Illinois to run; they run. Jones(+1) actually drives the center back(!), forcing a cutback into Roh(+1), who slanted inside and gets a tackle attempt. He's getting blocked and the attempt is run through; it gives Michigan time to rally to the ball and hold the play down. RPS -1? I don't even know. I guess not. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 3 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 4 | Scramble | Ryan | 7 | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase looking for an out Avery(+1, cover +1) has covered well enough to dissuade; Countess the other guy over there on the deeper route. Zone blitz is coming through now to the outside with Demens(+1) beating a block; Ryan(-1, pressure -1) is out of his lane and allows Scheelhaase to run straight upfield. Martin and Morgan are there to catch him after about five but the pile manages to surge forward just over the line. Impressive power by Scheelhaase. | |||||||||||||||||||
O35 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Fly | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Plenty of time (pressure -1); Illinos goes four verts and everyone is covered(+3); Floyd(+1) is step for step with Jenkins and would have a play on the ball if it was accurate. It's not. | |||||||||||||||||||
O35 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Out | Avery | 14 | ||||||||||
Plenty of time (pressure -2) without Martin in the game; Avery(+0.5) is actually in pretty good coverage here, forcing a throw high and to the sideline that is executed. Made it tough. | |||||||||||||||||||
O49 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Back shoulder fade | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Too much time (pressure -1), though the pocket isn't as clean on this outing. Floyd is in press and they test him deep; he is step for step. He can't quite adjust to the back-shoulder fade but this is still a +1, cover +1 because it required a DO and tough catch to complete. This is basically unstoppable if you can execute it. Illinois thinks they do but on replay it turns out they do not—Jenkins juggled it. | |||||||||||||||||||
O49 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 6 | Slant | Floyd | Inc (Pen+8) | ||||||||||
Michigan sends six and is getting there but not in time to prevent a throw here. Floyd(-1, cover -1) picks up a legit PI call for arriving too early but I don't mind this. Much better than arriving late and you don't always get this call on you. | |||||||||||||||||||
M43 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 6 | TE out | Morgan | 11 | ||||||||||
Late blitz from a very deep Kovacs; Morgan(-1) gets a chuck on a dragging WR but does let him past into open space since this is raw man coverage. Scheelhaase hits the guy and he can turn up for some YAC. Pressure -1, cover -1. Morgan does make a good tackle(+1). | |||||||||||||||||||
M32 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | Martin | 0 | ||||||||||
Kovacs rolled up for a seventh guy in the box. Martin(+1) surges through the line and forces it outside. Roh(+0.5) forces it further outside by getting inside and diving at Ford's legs; Kovacs(+0.5) is out there containing. Ford turns it up directly into a scraping, tackling(+1) Demens. | |||||||||||||||||||
M32 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack? | Pass | 7 | Slant | Avery | Inc | ||||||||||
This is kind of stack-y but not really with two pass-rush aligned DEs, three guys in man on the WRs, and both overhang safety types to the same side of the field. M sends every damn body. QB is about to eat Kovacs(+0.5) and Martin(+0.5, pressure +2) as he chucks. He's got a WR on a slant in front of Avery(+1, cover +1), who's tackling on the catch and making life difficult. He may rake the ball out. We can only say may because the WR runs into another Illini WR and goes down as if he'd taken a shot from Reggie Nelson. | |||||||||||||||||||
M32 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun empty | 3-2-6 dime | Pass | 5 | Tunnel screen | Morgan | 19 | ||||||||||
Michigan gets RPSed here with five guys blitzing and no one thinking to peel back. Line is Campbell, Demens, and Roh... so... yeah. Morgan(-1, cover -1) doesn't read the WR screen quickly at all and gets easily blocked; Floyd(-1) is getting blocked but shouldn't let the WR outside like he does. Big gain. RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
M13 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Clark | 13 | ||||||||||
Clark(-3) forms up, then decides Ford has the ball after Scheelhaase pulls it. This opens up the corner; DBs are in man and not in any position to help. Woolfolk(-1) may be able to tackle before the endzone but pulls up gimpy and can't make it. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 17-7, EO3Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O38 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Comeback | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase has this open for a first down and just misses it. Floyd(-1, cover -1) beaten. Pressure was getting there. | |||||||||||||||||||
O38 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Penalty | -- | Offsides | Martin | 5 | ||||||||||
Martin -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
O43 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | Martin | 3 | ||||||||||
Martin(+2) drives his guy so far into the backfield that he impacts the runner three yards behind the LOS; this delay allows Black(+0.5) to flow down and tackle after keeping contain on Scheelhaase. Wish the LBs did a little more here. | |||||||||||||||||||
O46 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Black | 8 | ||||||||||
Black(-3) does the same thing Clark did on the last play, diving down on the back after the mesh point. Juice Williams ninja ballfake reprise. | |||||||||||||||||||
M46 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | Morgan | 2 | ||||||||||
Belly play where the backside DT is getting doubled off the ball. RVB(+0.5) does an okay job holding up; Demens(+0.5) and Morgan(+0.5) react quickly enough to remove creases. Martin(+0.5) flows down the line to tackle after his second blocker releases into Morgan. | |||||||||||||||||||
M44 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Drag | Roh | 4 | ||||||||||
DT stunt gets Martin(+0.5) in thanks to RVB(+0.5) threatening to dart past the G. Roh(+1) beats the tackle straight up and Scheelhaase is about to get destroyed(pressure+2) and has to let it go. He's got a quick drag from his TE that Demens(+1, cover +1) is there for an instant tackle on. | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 5 | Hitch | Floyd | INT | ||||||||||
Kovacs late blitz; he is moving right into Scheelhaase's face as he throws but may get blocked. Pressure push. Floyd(+4, cover +3) is breaking on the ball as the WR cuts his route off and picks the ball off; he is one avoided Scheelhaase tackle from a pick six. Monster play. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Interception, 17-7, 10 min 4th Q. M scores and Illinois gets it back with 10 minutes left down three scores, which informs Michigan's defensive style. I'll keep it in mind as I chart Comeback Ishtar. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Waggle scramble | Roh | 9 | ||||||||||
Roh(+0.5) cuts off the corner but gets pushed past the play. QB can't find anyone (cover +1) as he rolls up and scrambles; Demens(-0.5) is not reacting very well and ends up running into a guy trying to block Martin as Scheelhaase cuts behind. RVB tackles from behind. | |||||||||||||||||||
O29 | 2 | 1 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Improv comeback | Heininger | 12 | ||||||||||
Heininger(+1, pressure +1) beats an OT around the corner(!) and is held; no call. This does flush Scheelhaase up; Ryan tries to disconnect from his guy and is held as well, so Scheelhaase can fire to a Jenkins comeback for the first. Instant tackle. Cover -1. Refs -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
O41 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Morgan | 3 | ||||||||||
Morgan is over the slot; w/ Roh tucked inside the TE there basically is no backside DE. Scheelhaase pulls as Morgan(+1) comes down on the run. Morgan jukes the TE coming out on him, sliding past the block and forcing the QB to cut up into Demens(+1, tackling +1), who puts him on the turf in space. | |||||||||||||||||||
O44 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Dumpoff | Floyd | 6 | ||||||||||
Illinois lets 27 seconds run off the clock after the play. RT falls; Roh gets a free run. Martin(+1) and RVB(+1) have again stunted and get in Scheelhaase's face (pressure +2). He has to throw hot. That's to the RB leaking out of the backfield. He catches it; Floyd(+0.5) and Morgan tackle(+1) the guy short of the sticks in bounds. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Iso | Campbell | 0 | ||||||||||
Cambpell(+3) in at the nose. He drives the center back and does not give ground when the FB impacts the block. RB cuts back and he sheds, making impact in the backfield. Heininger(+2) beats a blocker as well and is there to help; Roh(+0.5) is getting his body in the way as well. Dang third and one. Dang Campbell. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 4 | 1 | Goal line | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Down G | Demens | 1 | ||||||||||
Roh gets sent inside by the TE as M's interior line prepares for something in there; Illinois is going outside the tackle. Not a big problem and he does have awareness to spin back outside. Beyer(+0.5) takes on a kickout block in a pretty good place; Morgan(+1) gets the pulling G at the LOS and forces it back inside. Demens(+0.5) scrapes over and makes contact with Ford in the hole but can't get square to him and Ford just manages to fall forward. Even when they make it it's not easy. | |||||||||||||||||||
M49 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Dumpoff | Floyd | 1 | ||||||||||
Happy feet; no immediate pressure for the line but Scheelhaase goes to the RB dumppoff; Floyd(+1, tackling +1, cover +1) is there on the catch to tackle in bounds for a meh gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
M48 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Throwaway | Kovacs | Inc | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase fires OOB; seems he didn't have an immediately open guy and I think he does not trust his OL to go to the next read. Kovacs(+1, cover +1) over the top as this s again Floyd vs Jenkins. Another cover +1 for good stuff everywhere else. | |||||||||||||||||||
M48 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 4 | Improv comeback | Martin | 12 | ||||||||||
Martin(-1) gets a free run but for the peeling back, who chops him to the ground. This lets Scheelhaase outside the pocket, where he can wait and zip it to Jenkins in a lot of space (cover -1, pressure -2). | |||||||||||||||||||
M36 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Dig | Gordon | Inc | ||||||||||
Backups on the DL give Scheelhaase a lot of time (pressure -2); he steps into a deep in to his tight end that Gordon(+2, cover +2) breaks on and nails on the catch. I think this is complete but it's ruled to not be so; in any case this is a safety making life as hard as possible for a WR. | |||||||||||||||||||
M36 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie | Pass | 4 | Improv comeback | Van Bergen | Inc | ||||||||||
Okie business gets RVB(+1, pressure/RPS +1) through the line, whereupon he jerks back as if held; no call. Scheelhaase has to scramble and gets the corner; Roh is coming hard and he has to throw. It's back across his body to Jenkins with Floyd coming hard but not quite there to make a play; ball is too far out in front and eventually dropped. Floyd cramps up and has to come off briefly. | |||||||||||||||||||
M36 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Sack | Roh | -16 | ||||||||||
Four man rush annihilates, with Roh(+2, pressure +4) roaring around the corner as Clark(+2) does the same and a stunt gets RVB(+1) up the middle; with nowhere to go Scheelhaase tries to back out and is engulfed. | |||||||||||||||||||
O48 | 4 | 26 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Post | Clark? | 32 | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase has time and steps through the line, which is bad because it makes this into fourth and 16 instead of fourth and 26 (pressure -3). RVB(-2) and Clark(-2) get way outside. Martin does too but he is stunting and supposed to. Would like Mattison to have a guy close to the LOS on a delayed blitz to prevent this; no dice. Scheelhaase steps up and rifles it to Jenkins in front of Kovacs(cover -2); this is really all about letting Scheelhaase through the line and not pressuring him at all. | |||||||||||||||||||
M20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | TE Drag | Demens | 5 | ||||||||||
Michigan in man so this is a tough cover with a sort of pick route taking Demens a little off an ideal path. He still gets in position to force this OOB after an okay gain. Cover push, Demens +0.5. | |||||||||||||||||||
M15 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Morgan? | 11 | ||||||||||
Scheelhaase keeps and sees Clark has kept contain this time; he screwed up. So he just runs the RB's play. This works so well I think M should put it in the playbook. Michigan defends the RB fantastically but this pulls RVB out of the middle of the field as he tackles his assignment. Morgan(-1) takes on a block and doesn't shed it; he's really the only guy with a shot at holding this down and can't do it. Scheelhaase into the secondary, where Kovacs forces him into a good tackle from Countess(+0.5, tackling +1). RPS -1? | |||||||||||||||||||
M4 | 1 | G | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | N/A | 3 | ||||||||||
Going backside and with no scrape it is really hard to hold this down without giving up contain on the QB. Clark keeps contain and then comes down, making a good play to tackle as the guy passes the LOS but this can't prevent him from picking up three. I won't RPS this but I kind of want to. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 2 | G | Ace 3-wide | Nickel even | Run | N/A | QB sneak | Martin | 1 | ||||||||||
They don't get it. RVB(+1) and Martin(+1) are basically the whole play. Illinois does get a yard, but they needed slightly more than one. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 3 | G | Goal line | Goal line | Run | N/A | Iso | N/A | 1 | ||||||||||
They get it. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Pyrrhic touchdown, 24-14, 3 min 4th Q. Oh, all right, I'll do the last one because it's fun. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | DForm | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Sack | Van Bergen | -8 | ||||||||||
M stunt gets Martin(+1) and RVB(+2) through (pressure +3) and RVB gets there first. Two guys block air and one tries to block Martin. | |||||||||||||||||||
O12 | 2 | 18 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | TE out | Roh | Inc | ||||||||||
Roh(+1, pressure +1) gets driving pressure that forces Scheelhaase out of the pocket; Scheelhaase has a TE breaking open but has to float it because underneath coverage(+1) is there and overshoots. | |||||||||||||||||||
O12 | 3 | 18 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Scramble | Martin | 1 | ||||||||||
Avery comes from the corner; Martin(+1, pressure +1) shoves a tackle into him and then bursts upfield. Scheelhaase can scramble out because of some dudes falling and stuff, but cannot find anyone open(cover +1); Avery comes back to tackle. Would be a sack but the guy manages to fall over the line. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt. 31-14, EOG |
So who do we pick up next?
We have Woodson. Now we need to go back to medieval Europe or ancient Greece to pick up babes and/or Socrates.
Wouldn't it be better to go get other people who can play football?
Do we need any?
I don't know. I just don't know what to do with myself when there's a three play series on which:
- Morgan decleats the RB in such a way as to get Craig James hootin'.
- Ryan decleats the QB on a speed option in such a way as to get the stadium going "ohhhhhhhh I hope he's not dead."
- Later on that same play Kovacs makes a textbook tackle in space.
- Ryan Van Bergen roars up the middle of the pocket and jumps on Scheelhaase's back like he expects to round up cattle on the sideline.
It almost can't be real. By the time the punter hit the field I was afraid I would wake up to someone rubbing a beaver in my face.
No… no… NONONONO… It was all a dream… no… no… I want to go back
So we're totally getting ahead of ourselves, right?
We have to be. I mean, last week's performance was exactly acceptable and we were happy with this. We are not the '86 Bears. We must not get hopes up. Illinois couldn't score on Purdue until there were 10 minutes left.
Hopes are totally up.
I can neither confirm nor deny that statement. I can only point you towards the most insane, ridiculous, beaver-pelt-laden congregation of numbers I may have purveyed in the history of doing this. I present
Defensive Line | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Van Bergen | 14.5 | 2 | 12.5 | To be fair, two points in garbage time. HAHAHAHA |
Martin | 19 | 3 | 16 | HAHAHAHAHAHA |
Roh | 9 | - | 9 | Oh… oh wow. |
Heininger | 5 | 2 | 3 | Didn't get in on the sack explosion largely because he's lifted in the nickel. |
Clark | 3 | 3 | 0 | Zone read WTF was kind of magnificent. More later. |
Black | 1 | 3.5 | -2.5 | Other guy to WTF a zone read. |
Campbell | 4 | - | 4 | Time to get excited about him again until next week. |
TOTAL | 55.5 | 13.5 | 42 | That is nuts. |
Linebacker | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Morgan | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1 | Step forward from last week; still freshman. |
Demens | 7.5 | 3.5 | 4 | Second consecutive solid game. Pretty good in coverage. |
Ryan | 6.5 | 3.5 | 3 | Showed the guys above how to do it on the zone read. |
Fitzgerald | - | - | - | DNP |
Beyer | 0.5 | - | 0.5 | Few plays. |
Hawthorne | - | - | - | DNP. |
Jones | 1 | - | 1 | Charts as a DT. HAHAAHAH |
TOTAL | 21 | 12.5 | 8.5 | I'll take it from two freshmen and a junior. |
Secondary | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Floyd | 14.5 | 3 | 11.5 | You think the DL is nuts, Floyd thinks. I'll show you nuts. |
Avery | 3 | - | 3 | Good day. Quality option as a third guy. |
Woolfolk | 2.5 | 1 | 1.5 | Floyd made him not entirely necessary. May still be hurt. |
Kovacs | 7 | 1 | 6 | Forced fumble, good tackling, is Kovacs. |
T. Gordon | 2.5 | - | 2.5 | Thumping hit forced technical incompletion. |
Countess | 3 | 2 | 1 | Also had a jumped Jenkins PBU. |
Van Slyke | - | - | - | DNP |
Metrics | ||||
Pressure | 31 | 18 | 13 | Stunts and okie annihilated OL. |
Coverage | 30 | 12 | 18 | HAHAHAHA. |
Tackling | 13 | 2 | 87% | I can't even remember a broken tackle. |
RPS | 11 | 3 | 8 | Annihilation. |
So… yeah. There is something seriously wrong with the Illinois offense. There has to be, because you can't do the above without the offense helping you out quite a bit. I think Scheelhaase is perpetually late on his throws, and that they're tipping their passes, and that their offensive line is a total sieve. All that makes their offense really, really bad.
Even so… good gravy. Michigan had two DL at Brandon Graham levels of performance and a third not far off. I can't remember any cornerback ever hitting double digits before, and I can't remember a near 75% coverage day. I'm usually happy when coverage is a push. On Saturday, this is what they did to four verts:
There's a dude behind the one slot guy that you think might be open. He is not open. No one is open.
That is easily the best performance since 2006.
Word. Guy may not be the fastest player in the world but has he been beaten deep once this year? Not really. Michael Floyd got a 30-yard fade on him but even on that play he was there making life difficult and I +1ed him. He's had problems in run support… okay. He just spent a day breaking up a ton of short stuff, never getting threatened deep…
…and putting the cherry on top:
Even when Jenkins did get something on him it was often tough:
That guy is right on the sideline, which contributes to the overturn when he juggles it. If that's what Floyd's giving up, okay. I'll take that and a PI on which you broke for the ball too early.
These posts have started off cautious, moved towards "I know you won't believe this but…," and are now at a crossroads. People: JT Floyd is a legitimately good Big Ten corner. If he maintains this level of performance the last two weeks he should get consideration for All Big Ten.
Minus all of the points.
Are we at Alan MFin' Branch levels on third and one yet or what?
Not quite, but sort of yes. Alan MFin' Branch levels:
You can see 6'6", 330 of angry New Mexican hauling the tail end of that graph down like a black hole in spacetime. That's Alan Branch. 33 percent! On third and one! Six of eighteen! SIX OF EIGHTEEN!
Seth did the legwork for this year on Tuesday and came up with 44%, which isn't quite Michigan 2006. It is, however, insanely good. What's more, when he chopped out the MAC opponents from this year the numbers were six of… nineteen.
If you look at a third and one as an opportunity to boot the opponent off the field Michigan is literally doubling an average success rate and doing better than that against the meat of the schedule. The entire front seven shares in this accomplishment, as does Mattison, but IME the main guy in this success is Mike Martin.
The guy is the center of most of these plays. He gets doubled and he still gets penetration; the tailback cuts back and meets unblocked dudes.
I mean… we're talking about comparing this defense to 2006—the very best part of the 2006 defense—and saying "not quite as good except against real competition." My jaw has made it halfway to the Orb of Zot. Big Ten Wonk has authorized use of the word "stunned." THIS IS SURPRISING.
Remember last year when sometimes we'd line up with a three man line on third and one? And not even blitz anyone? HAHAHAHA
Aren't you a little harsh on those zone reads that got outside?
No. I mean, seriously:
This is cool. We've got this.
That's a nothing play—maybe a loss—turned into a touchdown because Clark's not looking at the ball, which is literally right in front of his face. This is how it is done:
Run at the guy with the ball.
That okie package was lethal, wasn't it?
Check BWS for a breakdown of the different blitzes run from it. Chris identified six, seemingly all of which ended with Scheelhaase running for his life or losing it. Por ejemplo:
Now that Michigan is keeping a deep safety on these things and not offering free touchdowns—Mattison learned that lesson in one try—they are increasingly difficult to deal with as new players and stunts get added to them. It's almost like Scot Shafer was on to something.
This is the week we get excited about Campbell again, isn't it?
Yeah. Check that Morgan decleater and see who forces the cutback into death: Campbell. On a late third and one that Michigan stuffed it was Campbell, not Martin, who blew the play up:
Get push, take on a fullback, shed and tackle… that's a good play right there. Illinois OL caveats apply; we'll probably be back to fretting next week.
What went wrong on the fourth down play?
The main problem was the fact that it turned into fourth and 18, not fourth and 26, when the line split like the Red Sea and allowed Scheelhaase to run up in the pocket:
With another ten yards to close the distance Kovacs probably gets there. I'd like to see a delayed blitzer in there to prevent that from happening.
Have any random notes for Borges he will roll his eyes at?
This botched decision by Scheelhaase worked out well:
Man, I think we should do that. We should run a fake inside zone that Robinson ostentatiously keeps on with the intent of pausing and then running up in the same hole the tailback is hitting. The ol' fake inside the fake.
Everybody. Especially Martin, Van Bergen, and Floyd.
WTF, get out of here with your goats.
What does it mean for Nebraska and the future?
I think we're in for a bit of a letdown; Nebraska's wacky option system does a lot of stuff that Michigan has not seen before—last week they turned the inverted veer into a speed option and I was like "oh that is so cool"—that attacks Michigan's still-youthful edges. I can see Nebraska effectively attacking the outside and making the Martin/Heininger/RVB axis a smaller factor than it's been the past couple games. Also that just can't happen again. My heart has already burst out of its little box; if Michigan holds Nebraska to 30 yards rushing it will emerge from my chest.
That said, it's suddenly hard to envision Nebraska having much success in the air even if Taylor Martinez is on a relative tear. They'll probably pick some stuff up on play action and the like, but Nebraska's had a hard time moving the ball against… quality defenses… like Michigan has. /faints
Anyway: 270 yards against MSU and victory only because they did to the MSU offense what Michigan did to that of Illinois, 331 against Penn State, 335 against Wisconsin. They did put up some points and yards in the frenetic final quarter against OSU; other than that it has been tough sledding.
As for the future… man. Woolfolk and Gordon seem like a push, so if Michigan can find some defensive linemen they are set for next year. Come on, Campbell.
Upon Further Review 2011: Defense vs SDSU
Hey, that's a lady. BTN didn't show any shots of people you'd recognize, so this is the closest thing to evidence that they were holding up pictures of people who left. She must be support staff or something.
Formation notes: Mostly under, which they ran almost all the time when they were actually running what they wanted to. When SDSU went to spread formations the nickel package came in, with a good amount of one-high press…
…and some regular old nickel even. IE: the usual. No funny stuff.
Substitution notes: Kovacs and Gordon went the whole way with Carvin Johnson re-claiming his spot as the fifth defensive back in nickel. Gordon is the nickelback; Johnson came in as a safety. Woolfolk went out with an ankle issue in the second quarter and Avery came in; Floyd went out with a ding in the third quarter and Countess came in. When Floyd returned it was Avery, not Countess, who took a seat.
At LB it was Ryan-Demens-Hawthorne almost the whole way. Morgan, Fitzgerald, and Beyer got a series or two each spelling the starters.
On the DL, the same four starters (Roh, RVB, Martin, Heininger) with heavy rotation from Campbell and Black with lesser rotation from Brink. I don't think I saw much of Washington. In the nickel package they lifted one of the DT types and left Ryan out as a DE.
Show? Show.
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | DForm | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O18 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Iso | Martin | 3 | ||||||||||
RB takes the handoff to the right of the QB as the FB goes left—a bit of counter action here. Martin(+2) pushes the C into the backfield, forcing an awkward cut from Hillman; RVB(+0.5) has also gotten penetration, forcing Hillman to hit it up in the small crease between the two DTs. Martin chucks his blocker and comes off to tackle. I'm trying to figure out why this is three yards instead of zero—think it's the linebackers not being aggressive enough, but no minuses. | |||||||||||||||||||
O21 | 2 | 7 | I-Form twins unbalanced | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Ryan | 6 | ||||||||||
First of many flips by M's DL as SDSU flips the formation. This will have to get sorted out. They actually end up in an even formation with LBs from strong to weak Demens, Hawthorne, Ryan. Given the alignment of the other LBs this appears to be a bust by Ryan(-2), who did not flip when the rest of the line did. As a result they run power off the left hand side and one guy has no one to block. Demens heads straight upfield, taking on an OL peeling off RVB right at the LOS. This forces a bounce that may have been coming anyway because of the Ryan misalignment. RVB gets caught inside but I don't blame him since this is probably how he's supposed to play it when he's got an SLB. M gets lucky that the FB jets downfield instead of trying to block Hawthorne, who is scraping quickly from the interior. Hawthorne(+0.5) shoots between the FB headed for Kovacs and the pulling OL, forcing Hillman outside. He misses a tackle(-1) but his ability to get out in a flash forces Hillman outside into Kovacs(+0.5), who set up in a good spot; Hillman cuts back under where Ryan makes some amends by tackling before the sticks. Not an RPS minus because the error here is w/ player, not call. | |||||||||||||||||||
O27 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Roh | -1 | ||||||||||
Pulling guard trips as he comes out of his stance, which helps quite a bit. Roh(+3) is one on one with a tight end, pushes him into the backfield, and then throws him to the ground. He meets Hillman head-on a yard in the backfield for a thumping tackle. Strong possibility this is still stuffed with the pull since Hawthorne(+0.5) had flown up into the gap outside Roh and was in position to tackle behind the LOS. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 13 min 1st Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Jet sweep | Ryan | 10 | ||||||||||
Ryan(-2) straight upfield again, giving up the edge. When you're let into the backfield without being blocked and don't make this guy at least change his flight path you messed up. There's no way for the LBs to remain responsible on the inside run here and get outside to track the jet sweep down unless Ryan delays the guy; he does not. Gordon keeps leverage forcing it back; Demens is pursuing and Kovacs(+0.5) comes up to tackle at the sticks. | |||||||||||||||||||
O30 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-4 under | Pass | 5 | Throwaway | Heininger | Inc (Pen -10) | ||||||||||
Not really a blitz as this is a two-man route. Deep guy is bracketed by Floyd and Woolfolk; Kovacs is going with the TE who motioned out. I think Lindley sees Hawthorne in his throwing lane and decides to chuck it at his RB's feet, which causes Hawthorne to vacate that lane when he sees the QB's eyes leave. Also, Heininger(+1, pressure +1) got in Lindley's face, drawing a holding call. It kind of looks like the TE hitch might be open, but results-based charting. (Cover +2, Kovacs +0.5; Floyd +0.5; Woolfolk +0.5) | |||||||||||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 20 | I-Form | 4-3 even | Pass | N/A | Long handoff | Woolfolk | 8 | ||||||||||
Played poorly by Woolfolk(-1), who lets the play outside of him and gives up eight yards on a nothing screen. Either have to tackle more quickly or force it back to help; Hawthorne was probably there if forced inside. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 2 | 12 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Out | Floyd | 11 | ||||||||||
SDSU shifts from an I-form and gets a too-easy pitch and catch in front of Floyd(cover -1). Not really his fault as this was a zone blitz they had a good route on for (RPS –1). | |||||||||||||||||||
O39 | 3 | 1 | I-Form big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Martin | 7 | ||||||||||
TEs flip and this time Ryan has his head on straight. Martin(+1) slides through the center instantly. He's into the backfield, picking off a puller. This provides Michigan a free hitter, which is a hard-flowing Demens(+1), who is in position to tackle for loss; Hillman bounces. Woolfolk(+1) is there on the edge but is held to the point where his shoulder pads pop out; no call. Refs -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
O46 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twin TE | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Hawthorne | 7 | ||||||||||
So this is what happens when Michigan does not flip the formation: not good stuff. Michigan's defense makes no sense: they're outnumbered on the strong side so they slant weakside and blitz Floyd(?!?) from the weakside as well. Black(-1) is not done favors by the play call but gets nailed inside; Hawthorne(+1) takes on a lead block and gets crushed but manages to keep his feet and draw the attention of a second blocker, who kicks the poor guy's ass. Hawthorne falls backwards right into Hillman's feet, which he grabs. Woolfolk was also there. Demens did okay considering the circumstances; Ryan(-0.5) was lost on the backside of the play; would not have been available to pursue if needed. RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
M47 | 2 | 3 | Shotgun twin TE | 4-4 under | Run | N/A | Zone read dive | Demens | 7 | ||||||||||
Neither DT needs a double. Brink(+0.5) and Campbell(+0.5) stand up single blocks and get upfield, so the A gap is where the play must go. Heininger(-2) ends up sealed a yard and a half downfield after only a momentary double. The linebackers take on blocks near the first down marker and converge to tackle. Hillman and various OL start pushing the pile, whereupon Hillman fumbles because Demens(+2) ripped the ball out. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Fumble, 7-0, 7 min 1st Q. Not too peeved about this drive since it should have been booted off the field on a third and short but for a hold. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O30 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 5 | PA Deep out | Gordon | 21 | ||||||||||
Morgan in for Hawthorne. Late motion stacks the two WRs over each other; one runs deep and the other cuts out an out route. Deep guy has run off Woolfolk and Gordon is coming from the inside so there's a big hole in the coverage(-2). Martin(+0.5) had gotten some pressure on Lindley to force him to throw it off his back foot a bit; Morgan(-1) sucked way up on the playfake and let Hillman out into the flat with no one around him. Gordon(-1) didn't read this very well. | |||||||||||||||||||
M49 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Ryan | 3 | ||||||||||
Another formation flip, causing Michigan to do the same. TE then motions into the backfield as short side is overloaded. This time Ryan(+0.5) is in the right spot. He takes on his blocker quickly, standing him up at the LOS and further inside than he wants to be. Pulling G impacts him. RVB, Martin, and Heininger all do their jobs without doing anything spectacular, so there are no holes and a wad of bodies forms about two yards downfield. Half points for RVB and Heininger; Martin got pushed back a bit trying to shed and is the reason there's a little push. | |||||||||||||||||||
M46 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 6 | Out | Woolfolk | 10 | ||||||||||
Rhythm throw from Lindley comes too soon for serious pressure unless someone doesn't get picked up; SDSU stones the blitz (pressure -1, RPS -1). Woolfolk(+0.5) is there to tackle on the catch and has a decent shot of raking the ball out; he's about a half step from a PBU. | |||||||||||||||||||
M36 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Pitch sweep | Gordon | 1 | ||||||||||
Both TEs block down as both guards pull. Ryan again flies straight upfield, avoiding the downblock but not doing anything useful. If he slows up here and picks off the pulling G he gets a plus, but he doesn't. Hillman is in business if he cuts upfield but he widens too much and too fast for his OL to keep up with him, allowing Gordon(+1) to flow hard upfield. Hillman tries to cut inside; Demens(+0.5) slows up and is blocked by the guy Ryan did not pick off. He is in a good spot to prevent bad things from happening, though. Hillman bounces back outside, where Gordon has beaten the other G's block. He can't make a tackle but does slow Hillman enough for Demens, Martin, and Morgan to tackle for little gain. One yard gain only gets 1.5 plus because I think this is a poor job by Hillman of reading his blocks. | |||||||||||||||||||
M35 | 2 | 9 | Ace twins twin TE | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Campbell | 5 | ||||||||||
TE motions in and Floyd moves down in as a quasi SLB. Michigan slanting playside; Heininger(+0.5) gets upfield of his guy but Campbell(-1) does not, getting sealed away. Heininger's move robs SDSU of some of its blocking angles; there's an OL out on Morgan but no one on Floyd or Demens so those guys can shut it down after a few yards provided by the Campbell crease. Would like to see Demens(-0.5) hit this more authoritatively; he gives up YAC by making a bleah arm tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
M30 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun trips | Nickel press | Pass | 6 | Slant | Van Bergen | Inc | ||||||||||
Van Bergen(+1, pressure +1) bats it at the line. | |||||||||||||||||||
M30 | 4 | 4 | Shotgun 2TE | Okie press | Pass | 6 | RB flat | Demens | Inc | ||||||||||
So they do leave a guy wide open here, but they might have done it on purpose. SDSU misaligns, leaving a TE covered up. Johnson points him out out Floyd, and, then Floyd ignores him to double the RB coming out of the flat. Is Johnson IDing the guy as ineligible or telling Floyd to cover him and getting ignored? Don't know. In any case, Michigan sends six. Ryan gets a free run(+0.5, pressure/RPS +1) but Lindley has time to try to find a guy. It's his RB leaking into the flat after giving Demens(+2, cover +2) an ole; Demens pivots and is maybe a step behind him, making this throw all but impossible. Lindley has about a yard where the RB can catch it but it won't bounce off Demens's head, and Floyd(+0.5) is coming up to hit him at or near the sticks anyway. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 14-0, 3 min 1st Q. The coverage is just night and day. Sometimes guys get open but this is suddenly a much, much tougher secondary to go up against. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O27 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 even | Pass | 5 | PA TE Seam | -- | Inc | ||||||||||
I don't know what the hell they pulled to get this but Ryan is now lined up over the slot receiver. Michigan runs zone behind a blitz; Lindley throws a seam to a TE who is running an out. With three guys around this TE it was going to be a tough window on the seam. | |||||||||||||||||||
O27 | 2 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Campbell | 4 | ||||||||||
So... Campbell(+0.5). He gets doubled and holds his ground as NTs are supposed to do. Hurrah. This allows both LBs to flow to the hole unimpeded. Ryan(+0.5) gets into his blocker at the LOS, forcing the pulling G and RB outside; Fitz(+1) takes on the G at the LOS and forces it back to Hawthorne, his help. This should be a textbook stop except Ryan(-0.5) has started to cede ground quickly and is now behind the LOS. Cutback lane opens up. Campbell should be there to cut it off but has spent the entire play just burrowing into his two dudes. Gordon(+1) has flowed down with the time provided by the jam-up on the front and makes a solid-wrap up tackle(+1) to mitigate the damage but this probably should have been zero. | |||||||||||||||||||
O31 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Dig | Gordon | Inc | ||||||||||
This is so good. One: Martin(+2) rips through a double team and forces Lindley to throw to his first read(pressure +1). Two: Hawthorne is ripping upfield as Michigan sends three blitzers up the center as Black peels off to pick up the TE drag. Three: Gordon(+2, cover +2) reads the TE cut and jumps the route, arriving at the destination in front of the TE. If this is accurate Gordon has a shot at an INT; Lindley wings it wide. This is what a damn strong defense looks like. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, EO1Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O17 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | RB flat | Martin | Inc | ||||||||||
Martin(+2, pressure +1) roars up the center of the pocket, eventually pancaking the center(!) and causing Lindley to dump it inaccurately to a flat route Hawthorne(+1, cover +1) had blanketed anyway. | |||||||||||||||||||
O17 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 5 | Out | Woolfolk | 13 | ||||||||||
I think Beyer needs to get some more depth on his drop here but this is a 12-yard out he can't help on. Far too easy for the WR here as Woolfolk(-1, cover -1) is beaten clean and can only shove the guy out after he turns upfield. | |||||||||||||||||||
O30 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Pass | N/A | Waggle TE Flat | Roh | Inc | ||||||||||
Roh(+0.5) and RVB(+0.5) don't bite on a weak fake and are right in Lindley's face(pressure +2), forcing him to turf it. Hawthorne(-1, cover -1) had gotten way out of position and this would have been open otherwise. | |||||||||||||||||||
O30 | 2 | 10 | I-Form twins | Nickel press | Run | N/A | Iso | Van Bergen | 9 | ||||||||||
Michigan goes nickel on second and long versus a standard set, and are one guy away from stuffing a run anyway. Martin(+1) slants under the backside G and just misses taking out the FB. Instead he's in the path of the RB, forcing him to stop and cut back behind. Both linebackers shed blocks and are about to tackle when Van Bergen(-2) gets blown way off the line after standing up initially, providing a cutback lane with no one in it because Black(-1) ran around upfield. Hawthorne nailed with a block in the back; no call. Johnson(+0.5, tackling +1) does fill well. | |||||||||||||||||||
O39 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Iso | Campbell | 2 | ||||||||||
Seems like M is playing this too conservatively, with two deep safeties and the LBs five yards off the LOS. Campbell(+0.5) stands up a G and comes off to tackle but it's not enough with the LBs having to come down from far away. | |||||||||||||||||||
O41 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 4-3 under | Pass | N/A | Post | Woolfolk | Inc | ||||||||||
Good pocket(pressure -1) and Lindley seems to want a post on Woolfolk—you can tell how they're picking on him and avoiding Floyd. The receiver thinks it's a run play and starts blocking. | |||||||||||||||||||
O41 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 3 | Out | Gordon | 9 | ||||||||||
Gordon(-1) allows a five yard out, which fine, but then overruns the play (tackling -1), turning the five yards into nine. He does manage to tackle from behind when the WR slows up. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 3 | 1 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 under | Penalty | N/A | False start | -- | -5 | ||||||||||
This is why you don't talk into conch shells. | |||||||||||||||||||
O45 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 6 | Slant | Woolfolk | 9 | ||||||||||
No time to get to the QB here as it's slants; Woolfolk(-1, cover -1) is beaten, and while I wouldn't usually be so harsh here he's got a WR juggling the ball and if he hits him at all it's incomplete. Instead he's a step away. It's instructive to compare Floyd on the other side—he is covering his very well. Woolfolk leaves the game limping at this point. | |||||||||||||||||||
M46 | 1 | 10 | Goal line | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Hawthorne | 4 | ||||||||||
Nothing on the frontside as Martin(+0.5) and RVB(+0.5) hold up; Heininger(-1) is blown up but Hawthorne(+1) slices into the gap before the guy coming off Heininger can pop him. Roh(+0.5) is flowing down the backside and forces a bounce all the way behind into an unblocked Avery, who tackles. | |||||||||||||||||||
M42 | 2 | 6 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Pass | N/A | Long handoff | Floyd | 5 | ||||||||||
Kovacs is charging hard from the inside and Floyd does play this better than Woolfolk, making a tackle instead of forcing him OOB. This means five yards instead of eight. Still less than ideal. | |||||||||||||||||||
M37 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 46 eagle | Run | N/A | Down G | Fitzgerald | 2 | ||||||||||
Going at Fitz, lined up over the TE. He does an okay job to stay at the LOS but gets no penetration. Playside DE is RVB, who shoots into the backfield and gets blown out of the play. That is something that happens when you're gambling on short yardage. Demens(+0.5) gets to the lead blocker at the LOS and forces Kazee up the back of the TE; Hawthorne(+0.5) comes under a block to tackle but Kazee can fall forward for the first. | |||||||||||||||||||
M35 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA Deep comeback | Ryan | 21 (Pen -10) | ||||||||||
Ryan(+2, pressure +1) is blitzing off the edge and gets inside the fullback; he's held. Otherwise a sack is likely. Lindley steps around the hold and lofts an impossibly accurate back-foot deep comeback that nails a WR at the sticks 16 yards downfield in front of Avery. Dude made a lot of bad throws, but dude... this is dude. Avery(-1, tackling -1) compounds matters by missing a tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
M45 | 1 | 20 | I-Form | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Iso | Campbell | 0 | ||||||||||
Campbell(+1) and Heininger(+1) both shove single blocking into the backfield, forcing the play behind into the unblocked Ryan(+0.5) for a TFL. | |||||||||||||||||||
M45 | 2 | 20 | Shotgun 2TE | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | TE flat | Avery | 2 | ||||||||||
Ryan(+0.5) and Roh(+0.5, pressure +1) bullrush right back into Lindley, forcing a quick throw for nothing that Avery(+1, cover +1, tackling +1) is all over. | |||||||||||||||||||
M43 | 3 | 18 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Post | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Martin(+1, pressure +1) flushes Lindley up into the pocket; he has to throw as RVB threatens to come outside to take him out. It's a post. Similar to the previous incompletion on fourth down, here the Michigan defender is in very good position and Lindley's window is tiny. Floyd(+1, cover +1) doesn't get his head around for the ball and so doesn't pick up an extra plus; if he did you could have filed this under passes Lindley was lucky he didn't throw more accurately. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 6 min 1st Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
M48 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA throwaway | Martin | Inc (Pen -10) | ||||||||||
Martin(+2) blows through the center's block before Lindley can even turn around and his held. Lindley is all like GET IN THE CAR IT'S MIKE MARTIN and chucks the ball away. (Pressure +2) | |||||||||||||||||||
O42 | 1 | 20 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Demens | -2 | ||||||||||
Hoo! Demens(+2) reads the play and roars to the LOS, blasting the pulling OL on his ass. Ryan(+2) set up the FB's block so that it would be in the wrong place, Harris-style, then explodes upfield at about the same time Demens is giving this OL the business, tackling for loss. Greg Mattison, man. | |||||||||||||||||||
O40 | 2 | 22 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Slant | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Lindley wings a slant behind his receiver. Floyd(+0.5) seemed in position for an immediate tackle, which is fine in this D&D. | |||||||||||||||||||
O40 | 3 | 22 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Dumpoff | Black | 8 (Pen +5) | ||||||||||
Black(-1) jumps offside. Lindley checks down (cover +1) despite having a free play. | |||||||||||||||||||
O45 | 3 | 17 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Comeback | Martin | Inc | ||||||||||
Zone blitz with both LBs headed up the middle as the DEs drop off. Kovacs comes late. This is telegraphed and picked up; Martin(+2) quickly battles through the OT's block and gets a hurry on Lindley, forcing him to get rid of the ball. Comeback is well wide. Short of the sticks but in go for it range if complete. (Pressure +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 21-0, 11 min 3rd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
M39 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Power off tackle | Ryan | 2 | ||||||||||
Michigan slants the line away from the strength of the formation. This takes RVB(+0.5) into the playside G, eliminating him from downfield blocking. Ryan(+1) impacts both lead blockers, delaying the lead guy and taking the second one. Fitz's initial burst is taking him outside, where he'll need to be if there is a bounce against this slant, so he can't change direction fast enough to do much other than impact the FB that Ryan delayed. That's fine since the slant has left Hawthorne(-0.5) a free hitter. If he's as fast to the LOS as Fitz this is no gain; as it is he's a little late. He does tackle(+1). RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
M37 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Hitch | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
WR beats Floyd(-1, cover -1) clean and Lindley can throw on rhythm. WR drops it. Pressure was getting there if there was a second read. (Pressure +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
M37 | 3 | 8 | Ace twins twin TE | Okie press | Run | N/A | Pitch sweep | -- | 22 | ||||||||||
Massive RPS here as Michigan is lined up in its okie set with one guy on deep and does not react when SDSU motions in a TE who was already split out. When the Aztecs run the toss to that side they've got Roh, Hawthorne, Kovacs, and Avery versus four OL. Yay. Roh(-1) crushed inside like Lewan is blocking him; Kovacs(-2) takes fatal steps to the interior. Hawthorne manages to spin outside one block only to get buried by another OL. Avery keeps leverage but has little hope of doing anything else. Johnson(+0.5) manages to dive at Hillman's feet as he nears the 15 despite taking on a block; Hillman runs through it but this slows him down enough for a pursuing RVB(+2) to tackle from behind, punching the ball free as he does. Ryan recovers. RPS -3. It is super inane that the replay focuses on Jake Ryan instead of the DT WHO RAN DOWN RONNIE HILLMAN. Guh. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Fumble, 21-0, 9 min 3rd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O23 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Yakety snap | -- | 1 | ||||||||||
Fumbled snap is picked up by Hillman, who rushes to the edge. Ryan gets lit up on a crackback block; Floyd cleans up. He's dinged on the tackle, paving the way for Countess. | |||||||||||||||||||
O24 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 2TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | TE Corner | Martin | Inc | ||||||||||
This is open for a big chunk and just missed; Avery(-2, cover -2) has no threats in front of him and has to get much deeper on this to take it away. Ryan(+1) and Martin(+1) had both beaten blocks to pressure(+2) Lindley, possibly causing the incompletion. If Avery covers this is a sack. | |||||||||||||||||||
O24 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Skinny post | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Time, but no one open(cover +2); Countess(+2, cover +1 again) is tested and is running this skinny post for the WR; he's even got his head around. Ball is well behind the WR and incomplete. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 21-0, 2 min 3rd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
M38 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA something | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Plenty of time(pressure -1); Lindley throws sort of in the direction of Countess and his guy but not, like, near them. | |||||||||||||||||||
M38 | 2 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Iso | Ryan | 4 | ||||||||||
Ryan in space over the slot receiver. Campbell(+1) takes a double and doesn't move, then fights playside of his blocker. Hole is small. Fitz(+1) pops the FB right at the line; RVB(+1) fights outside to keep the bounce from happening; Ryan(-1) is hesitant about the bounce and fails to fill the last remaining crack of space Hillman has; he does tackle but the delay allows Hillman to get four where there were none. It is possible this is on RVB for bouncing out, but I doubt it since he's the senior. | |||||||||||||||||||
M34 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Slant | Avery | 7 | ||||||||||
This seems like about as good as you can defend this. Avery(+1, cover +1) does give up the inside but only barely; he's right on the WR's back and the throw has to be perfect and the catch good since Avery whacks the WR's hand just as the ball arrives, then tackles. | |||||||||||||||||||
M27 | 1 | 10 | Ace 3TE | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | PA TE Wheel | Kovacs | Inc (Pen -5) | ||||||||||
Black(+1) beats a blocker and hurries Lindley(pressure +1), forcing a throw. This one is way off and wouldn't have mattered anyway since Kovacs(+2, cover +2) had run the guy's route for him, forcing the TE OOB of his own volition. Another good-thing-you're-inaccurate-buddy throw. TE was covered up anyway, illegal man downfield. I would not have taken a five yard penalty instead of an incompletion here. | |||||||||||||||||||
M32 | 1 | 15 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 6 | PA RB flat | Hawthorne | 13 | ||||||||||
Blitz gets a guy in but there is an easy dumpoff because of it; Hawthorne(-2, tackling -2) is running out to keep this down to a moderate gain but overruns the play badly, barely touching Hillman. Gordon comes from behind to tackle near the sticks. | |||||||||||||||||||
M19 | 2 | 2 | Goal line | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Waggle TE Flat | Ryan | 3 | ||||||||||
Hillman takes three yards on a TE flat. Okay. | |||||||||||||||||||
M16 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-3 even | Pass | 4 | Post | Avery | 16 | ||||||||||
I actually tend to blame Gordon more than Avery here; as soon as that TE in the slot goes horizontal you are no longer threatened in the deep middle and it's time to find the other WRs. That's speculation from me. Avery does get beat on the post but not by much. He's again on the back of the WR and forces a perfect throw, which Lindley provides. Am I being too nice here? | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 21-7, EO3Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
50 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Black | 0 | ||||||||||
Black(+2) ducks under the OT's block and penetrates into the backfield, forcing Hillman away from blocking lanes and getting a diving arm tackle attempt that brings him to a near halt. Martin(+0.5) has held his position and pops off into a lane that Hillman might hit; he comes back inside, where Demens(+0.5) is there to finish the job. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Slant | Countess | 10 | ||||||||||
Blitz up the middle with dropping DEs. I can't tell if this is Ryan's fault, Countess's fault, or no one's fault. Ryan drops back into the slot's slant instead of the outer slant, leaving it open; Countess is off the line. I'm watching Floyd on the other side play an identical slant and he's in much better position, so Countess(-1, cover -1) gets the ding. He does recover to tackle before the sticks. Also pressure -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 4-3 under | Pass | 5 | Post | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Ryan off the line. He approaches it on a late shift; Gordon comes down over the slot for a one-high look. Play action with the outside receivers going deep; Countess is in man with a guy on a post. He runs it for him (+2, cover +2) and Lindley adds to his list of thankfully inaccurate passes. Pressure -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Big personnel with Hillman spread out wide and a FB next to Lindley. They run a little hitch to Hillman, which might work okay if they'd successfully motioned out a LB on him, but it's Floyd(+2, cover +2), who breaks on the ball for a PBU. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 6 | Fade | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Blitz gets Morgan(+1, RPS +1, Pressure +2) a free run up the middle. Lindley makes a back-foot chuck a la Carder but this one is deadly accurate, a fade outside of Countess's guy(-1, cover -1) that he just drops. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 21-7, 12 min 4th Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O34 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 4-3 under | Run | N/A | Outside zone | Ryan | 14 | ||||||||||
I think. It's not really stretch blocking but the playside tackle is definitely sealing RVB inside. It bounces outside spectacularly because Ryan(-2) is hacked to the ground by a fullback block, giving up the corner. Demens(-2) is also cut to the ground, meaning there's zero chance anyone can get out there before the secondary. | |||||||||||||||||||
O48 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 4-3 even | Run | N/A | Jet sweep | Van Bergen | -5 | ||||||||||
A tiny little adjustment murderizes the play. Michigan goes to an even front, which shifts RVB outside over a TE. TEs fan out and RVB(+1). goes straight upfield to tackle(+1) for loss. Normally the TEs would block Ryan and the T would get Van Bergen but the shift to the even confused them. More bust than tactical checkmate but still RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
O43 | 2 | 15 | I-Form twins | Nickel even | Run | N/A | Draw | Van Bergen | 4 | ||||||||||
Van Bergen(+1) blows his guy back as they make contact, forcing Hillman behind him and away from his blocking. Countess(+0.5) realizes what's going on and sees Hillman coming; he can't disengage smoothly but does manage to sort of arm tackle him; Demens(+0.5) finishes it off. I'll take a four yard run on second and fifteen when you're in nickel and they're in a regular set. | |||||||||||||||||||
O47 | 3 | 11 | Shotgun 3-wide | Okie press | Pass | 6 | Slant | Countess | 10 | ||||||||||
Countess(-1, cover -1) is beaten a lot easier than Floyd and Avery have been so far this game and can only tackle afterwards; no chance at a breakup. This sets up a fourth down. | |||||||||||||||||||
M43 | 4 | 1 | Ace 3TE | 4-3 under | Pass | 4 | PA TE Seam | -- | Inc | ||||||||||
PA is wildly effective and this guy is wide open (RPS -2, cover -2) but either Lindley misses or his TE turns the wrong way and it's incomplete. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 21-7, 8 min 4th Q. Michigan scores quickly and SDSU gets the ball back with 6 minutes left down 21. Both starting units stay on so I'll keep charting, but with game situation in mind big minuses for chunks will be slim. I'm mostly just trying to get a grip on the D. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O27 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 5 | Out | Kovacs | Inc | ||||||||||
Lindley badly misses on an out or the WR should have run a hitch; either way Kovacs(-1, cover -1) is way far off after a Floyd corner blitz. | |||||||||||||||||||
O27 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Flat | Countess | 2 | ||||||||||
Okay pressure; Lindley has to check down (cover +1). Countess(+1, tackling +1) is the hard corner in the zone and comes up for an immediate tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
O29 | 3 | 8 | Shotgun 4-wide | Okie press | Pass | 5 | Skinny post | Van Slyke | 23 | ||||||||||
Van Slyke in tight man against an SDSU TE and just gets outrun by yards. Man. That guy cannot play in real games, I don't think. No cover because I don't think this is relevant to actual games. | |||||||||||||||||||
M48 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 3 | Dig | Hawthorne | 15 | ||||||||||
Hawthorne(-2, cover -2) busts, flying out on an out route and leaving a big hole in the zone. | |||||||||||||||||||
M33 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Post | Gordon | 14 | ||||||||||
Out and and a post behind it; Gordon starts moving out on the out, then realizes that's not a good idea and sinks back. On the throw he's right there but the WR undercuts him a little and gets to the ball first, making a juggling catch. He's there and he's got a shot at an INT; could have played it better when the ball got there. (-0.5) | |||||||||||||||||||
M19 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Sack | Roh | -8 | ||||||||||
Not instant BG death pressure here as Lindley sits for a second or two before trying a deep corner route, but Roh(+2) does beat the OT and hit the QB as he throws, forcing a drive-ending fumble. Pressure +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Fumble, 28-7, 5 min 4th Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O17 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | TE seam | Demens | 30 | ||||||||||
Martin and Lindley are out there so I guess I'm charting. I have no idea what to do with this one since Demens is in great position and actually has this ball go off his head before the TE Prothros him. I think (+0.5, cover +1) but please get your head around son before you Todd Howard us all. I mean... this throw was really hard and so was the catch and Demens could have done better but he didn't do bad. | |||||||||||||||||||
O47 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Out | Countess? | 13 | ||||||||||
This may be on Countess (-1, cover -1), as this appears to be zone; Countess sits down on a short hitch, opening space up behind him that Gordon and the S can't cover. He should definitely be dropping deeper in this situation; who cares about a little hitch? | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel even | Pass | N/A | Bubble screen | Countess | 1 | ||||||||||
Michigan misaligns and SDSU busts. Opa! Hawthorne(-1) lines up wrong but the WR out on the bubble doesn't block so okay. Countess tackles for a minimal gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
M39 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Slant | Gordon | Inc | ||||||||||
Gordon on the slot; pocket is okay; Black is getting there but Lindley can step up. Zinged to Denso, who makes a one-handed grab with Gordon in pursuit. Gordon was riding him but couldn't make a play on the ball. -0.5. It's dropped because of the tough throw. | |||||||||||||||||||
M39 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Screen | Ryan | Inc | ||||||||||
Ryan(+1) and Campbell(+1) read screen and snuff it out; Lindley turfs it. RPS +1. Black(-1) was offside. | |||||||||||||||||||
M34 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Slant | Gordon | 9 | ||||||||||
Gordon(-1, cover -1) beaten, and fairly easily. | |||||||||||||||||||
M25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Slant | Countess | 6 | ||||||||||
Six yard slant with instant tackle... I usually don't ding these on first down since you have to be wary about longer routes. | |||||||||||||||||||
M19 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 4-wide tight | Nickel even | Pass | 4 | Out | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Wide. Probably right at the sticks if completed. | |||||||||||||||||||
M19 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun trips | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Hitch | Hawthorne | 6 | ||||||||||
Hawthorne in tight coverage but Lindley fits it in and Hawthorne can't rake it out. | |||||||||||||||||||
M13 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Throwaway | Black | Inc | ||||||||||
Black(+1) gets some pressure and Lindley chucks it OOB due to good coverage(+1). | |||||||||||||||||||
M13 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Corner | Countess | Inc | ||||||||||
Corner route against man is a TD if well thrown; this is too far inside. Countess(+0.5) is there and can make a play on the ball as it gets there, though, so there's that. M making it tough. | |||||||||||||||||||
M13 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Okie press | Pass | 7 | Seam | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Unblocked guy, naturally, Lindley chucks it off his back foot inaccurately; Floyd(+1, cover +1, RPS +1) was riding the WR before the throw to make sure that was the case. | |||||||||||||||||||
M13 | 4 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | Nickel press | Pass | 4 | Slant | Gordon | Inc | ||||||||||
Gordon in trail position again and seems beaten but as the WR catches it he double clutches; Gordon(+1, cover +1) punches it loose. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 28-7, EOG. |
EEEEE—all right.
Yes. Right.
Yes. Yes, smooth out the jacket.
Insert bubble pipe.
Adopt calm, professional mien.
How about a chart?
Yes, that will help.
That's not very professional.
I took out the reference to "sex."
You have multiple exclamation points… and did you put the title at a jaunty angle? IS THAT AN EMO-KID LOWERCASE LETTER AMONGST CAPITALS IN THERE?
It's not in comic sans at least.
Pretty soon you'll be referring to Michigan's coaches as "CBH, CGM, and CAB."
Hater. I'm not even going to let you say chart.
Already did.
Oooooh. Fine.
Defensive Line | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Van Bergen | 8.5 | 2 | 6.5 | Forced fumble was big deal; solid otherwise. |
Martin | 15.5 | - | 15.5 | Unblockable today. |
Roh | 6.5 | 1 | 5.5 | Not bad for splitting time. |
Brink | 0.5 | - | 0.5 | Sporadic PT. |
Heininger | 3 | 3 | 0 | I'll take it. |
Black | 4 | 4 | 0 | Not much impact; two offsides calls. |
Campbell | 4.5 | 1 | 3.5 | Keep hope alive. |
TOTAL | 42.5 | 11 | 31.5 | Martin wrecked these guys. Check the pressure metric. |
Linebacker | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
C. Gordon | - | - | - | DNP |
Demens | 9.5 | 2.5 | 7 | Not sure what to do with his Howard-esque coverage but I liked it. |
Herron | - | - | - | DNP |
Ryan | 9.5 | 8 | 1.5 | Paging Jonas Mouton to aisle reincarnation. |
Fitzgerald | 2 | - | 2 | A couple plays. |
Jones | - | - | - | DNP |
Evans | - | - | - | DNP |
Beyer | - | - | - | Did not register. |
Hawthorne | 4.5 | 6.5 | -2 | Half of minuses came on final drive, fwiw, but he did bust a coverage there. |
Morgan | 1 | 1 | 0 | Eh. |
TOTAL | 26.5 | 18 | 8.5 | A better day from most; Ryan makes plays but really needs to settle down on the edge. |
Secondary | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Floyd | 5.5 | 1 | 4.5 | Tony Gibson -1000 |
Avery | 2 | 3 | -1 | Tough completions made against him. |
Woolfolk | 2 | 3 | -1 | Didn't seem right even before the injury. |
Kovacs | 3.5 | 3 | 0.5 | Got him on the long RPS run. |
T. Gordon | 5 | 4 | 1 | All safeties > 0 against real QB. |
Countess | 6 | 4 | 2 | Not as rapturous as we thought but still pretty good, full stop. |
Johnson | 1 | - | 1 | A couple of fills. |
TOTAL | 25 | 18 | 7 | Stunning. |
Metrics | ||||
Pressure | 20 | 4 | 16 | Jeepers. |
Coverage | 25 | 19 | 6 | Flabbergasting. |
Tackling | 5 | 5 | 0 | Could use work. |
RPS | 8 | 10 | -2 | Blitzing reduced as not necessary; did get RPS-3ed on a big run |
To sanity check those numbers, SDSU had thirteen drives and got seven points. Four drives started at midfield or worse. When Michigan punched in their final TD to end the game with about six minutes left, SDSU had 266 yards. Michigan at least sort of forced three turnovers.
I think they're right. With a few exceptions on too-easy short passes and busts on edge contain, San Diego State got dominated.
But Lindley was terrible. This means nothing!
I don't think Lindley was good by any means, but in a way the Aztecs were lucky he was so off. On multiple plays Michigan had defensive backs in position to either get PBUs or intercept the ball only to see Lindley miss by miles. A lot of the time the reason those balls were so off was pressure applied by Martin or others.
Lindley is no joke, either. He is a legit NFL prospect:
Overall, he's got a strong arm, showcases the ability to look off defenders, find a secondary option and when given time he can get his feet around toward his target. However, he doesn't possess the kind of coordination/balance from the waist down that you want to see from an NFL quarterback, especially in today's NFL where you need a QB who can escape pressure both inside and outside the pocket, settle himself quickly and burn a defense that wants to bring the blitz. Something I have a hard time seeing Lindley doing consistently at the next level.
Lindley is certainly worth a draft pick and has the skill set to go somewhere in the early/mid round range, depending on how well he performs the rest of the year/post-season. However, if he doesn't improve his overall footwork/coordination from the pocket, it's going to be tough for him to make plays in the NFL when he doesn't have a clean pocket.
While he's not Tom Brady I don't have to remind anyone reading this of the murderer's row that carved Michigan up last year.
The Michigan secondary held a fifth year senior NFL prospect QB to 5.3 YPA, which is also known as "Threet/Sheridan production." Take whatever coaching-upgrade-based optimism you held going into the season and triple it.
Okay, okay, no receivers and a lot of Mike Martin tearing through the line. Sure. San Diego State is going to backslide this year. I refer you to the above murderers row, though. Upgrade: massive.
Here's where I want to embed several plays that showcased Michigan's newfound talent for making life tough on opposing receivers, but I'm still trying to figure out what my status is there. But, man, even when SDSU was completing stuff they had guys in their grill. Lindley had to make some perfect passes to complete slants on Avery and often just missed because a guy like Demens had given him the choice of throwing it high/wide or throwing it into his helmet.
And the run defense?
There are still problems on the edge. Ryan did end up positive but is dinged for losing contain on three separate occasions that resulted in 30 yards. So there's that. There was also the massive minus rock-paper-scissor run that ended in the Hillman fumble. That was another 30 yards. So the SDSU run game:
- Ryan losing contain on edge (w/ assist from Demens once): 3 carries, 30 yards
- That one RPS play: 1 carry, 30 yards
- Everything else: 24 carries, 77 yards
As a wise groundskeeper in a Snickers commercial once said, great googly moogly. Say what you want about Lindley and his receivers, SDSU returned essentially their entire running game and was shut down when not exploiting one freshman's issues with keeping the edge or running that one play. Those things seem fixable. Even if they aren't, Michigan held the Aztecs to 4.2 YPC.
I'm getting closer to believing that Campbell can be an average three-tech in the Big Ten. Like, a guy who doesn't get blown up and is mildly positive. Weakness at LB outside of Demens is going to be an issue that prevents Michigan from having a really good run defense, but I think they're 80% of the way to the best case scenario already.
So you're down on Ryan, then.
Relative to the rest of the internet, yeah. I think he's promising. I also think he's making four or five really obvious mistakes per game. Maize Pages picture paged the second play of the game, a six yard run that was the first of Michigan's Flip You For Real plays. Notice something?
The middle linebacker is… Brandin Hawthorne. The line is… undershifted. Jake Ryan is… definitely not in position. When Michigan meant to run an even front this is what it looked like:
Demens in the middle, line slid more playside. Maize Pages dinged the D for not adjusting but they didn't have to; a safety slid down when the TE went in motion. If Ryan's where he's supposed to be Michigan probably defends this play.
I'm a little less thrilled than I was on gameday but I'm still pretty impressed. Even more impressive: when SDSU runs double slants and I look across the field at Floyd to see if he's playing it better, he is. Maybe we should be saying FLOYD!
Seriously. When the starters were in there, SDSU went after Woolfolk. When Avery was in there, they went after Avery. Floyd came up with a jumped-route PBU and ended up significantly positive despite being a corner. I'm still leery about the depth of the transformation here but each game adds evidence to the pile indicating Floyd can play now and Pitt fans should get used to shootouts.
Back to Countess: he ran some routes for guys, which puts him in a group with Gordon, Kovacs, Floyd, and not quite Avery. I be like dang.
Speaking of being like dang…
Yes. Mike Martin in full effect, never more so than when he literally ran over the SDSU center en route to the QB. A large number of Lindley's hopeless mortar shells can be directly attributed to Martin ripping through those guys like they were not there. This was a solid offensive line he did it to; with his quietly plus-double-digit day against Eastern (no passes to be devastating on) he seems poised to wreck the Big Ten. I can't wait to see him matchup against MSU's center, who will be a freshman coming off injury or a converted DT.
Why is your eye twitching?
That's a lot of grass, man. That is all.
Mike Martin, JT Floyd(!?!), RVB, and Kenny Demens.
If I had to pick a guy it would be Ryan, but even that is a guy who ended up positive on the day. Black also should be mentioned—if you're going to take two offsides penalties you need to have one big negative play to compensate and he didn't.
What does it mean for Minnesota and beyond?
They should do about what they did to SDSU to Minnesota, a team in disarray that can maybe run a little bit when Gray is in there. I actually expect them to hold the Gophers to not many points.
As far as beyond, it seems like they've plugged a lot of their holes. I'm still worried about what happens when Michigan goes up against a serious offensive line but it's hard to find any until the last couple weeks of the schedule. There has been ever less firedrill confusion as the season progresses and in two weeks when they start the Big Ten schedule in earnest it's not too much to expect it to be largely gone. Then it's just a matter of getting improvement from Ryan/Hawthorne/Campbell/Johnson to bring the starting defense up to "decent to good Big Ten team." There's still a lack of out and out stars behind Martin but it's hard to point to a truly gaping hole at the moment, either.
This could all blow up against Northwestern if they've got Persa back. Right now, though, the defense is currently executing the best case scenario.