Diaries

Like i illustarted on my blog a couple of months ago.  I have been employing shaffers coverages for few years.  i listened to him speak years ago when he was a secondary coach at illinois.  and when he was at western michigan iirc.   i have about 4 tapes from him as well. i was always impressed with his secondary technique kowledge. Almost every thing i have drawn up over on three and out, came from shafer.  He likes press coverage, its a little different press coverage then what you are use to though.  You wont see a lot of straight jam technique,  rather the press is an inside shade,  outside foot back, inviting the fade (michigan corners will know how to play the fade better than any other corners int he country) then on the snap of the ball, they execute what is called a shadow technique.  Shafer describes it as imagining that the sun is setting behind the offensive player, and the defender gives ground, with short shuffle steps, and tries to stay in the shadow as long as possible. Forcing the offensive player to make the first move, makes it harder to get a corner off balance with a missed jam.  After the offensive plaeyr has declared whether they are trying to release out or in, the defender will then cross over step, and jam with the opposite arm and foot.  then ride the offensive player.

This shadow technique is what you will see michigan running when playing man, but also when playing a lot of their zones (i broke down some of his main zones as well)

the other press you will see will be an outside shade, bump see squeeze technique,  where defender is on an outside shade, forcing an nside release.  they have about 2 seconds to press the reciever, then they open their hips to the qb and aqueeze their deep zone...   you will see this a lot when michigan runs their zone blitzes and any time that corners are pressig yet have deep zones.

 the other thing with shafer, is that since he has a rep for blitzing, his okie package is so good agaisnt the pass,  because he has 10 of the 11 players sugaring up to the los showing blitz.   once again,  check out some of the stuff i have here www.gsimmons85.blogspot.com

I have a couple of other tapes of shafer, that im getting out of mothballs, about safety play that ill pass along too you. 

The most impressive thing about shafer is his focus on details,  from the correct position your elbow should be in when striking a blow (low elbow is a strong elbow, high elbow is a wet noodle) to the aiming point of your claw hand on a reciever when running in stage. 

Its actually very ironic that he got the michigan dc job. I really had no idea of his conection to RR, and thus never felt he was interested in michigan, or that he had the "pedigree" to be considerd.  The passion he coaches with is as simular to mine of any of the big name guys i know.  The first thing i thought about when i saw him running into the end zone to congradulate a defender for the pic 6 in the spring game, was last year during our first 7 on 7 of the spring in helments, when my olb got a pic 6 and i ran him down in the endzone,  head butted him, and knocked him down....    didnt realize i was bleeding so bad till i started getting light headed....     cant wait till august,  the only thing better then finally getting to watch a well coached michigan defense, is the excitment i feel when the lights go on friday night.

Im not a writer like brian or my friends over on the WLA, but i love to teach the game of football, and im thankfull for brian giving me a little bit of a forum to help teach the game to fellow wolverine fans.  Thats something i never thought i would have the opportunity to do.

later

G

Is anyone else depressed over NCAA Football 2009 like me? I've been playing online and came to several conclusions.

1) Its nearly-impossible to play run defense... A run up the middle will get you at least 3-4 yards provided you make it to the line of scrimmage.

2) Its nearly-impossible to play pass defense... You can consistently roll to the left and throw right(to receivers not even on the screen) succesfully.

3)Every game comes down to a fumble or interception (usually one team will make a bad throw and it won't be intercepted but the other team will make a bad throw for a pick 6... all other drives will result in touchdowns).

 4) The computer AI is terrible. The only defensive player that runs toward the ball is the one you are controlling.

5) It is absolutely impossible to cover the rb as a receiver out of the backfield. I've tried putting safeties, linebackers, and using zones to stop it but its a guaranteed 6-7 yds and probably more if the offense employs a hb screen.

 Has anyone else who bought this game had the same problems? Its really frustrating because scoring is actually easier this year than ever before, and its always been easy.

This is the final installment of the Kevin Grady story, and also the final time this feature will be posted in the MGoBlog diary section - beginning with the next edition you will be able to find this (with pretty pictures and more profanity!) at http://wolverineliberationarmy.blogspot.com, the vanguard of the Rodriguez Revolution.

 

***Schembechler Hall***

MyFairGrady: coach, what do I have to do to get back on the team?

WizardOfRod: I just don't know Kevin. If I let you back, and believe me, I want to, then I'll be ravaged by the press!

MyFairGrady: thats bullshit coach mcguff threw up on me

WizardofRod: I'm not sure I can take that type of chance. I'm new!

MyFairGrady: a chance?

***The Michigan Dance Team has entered the room***

MyFairGrady: if u change ur mind

im the first in line

im still free

DanceTeam: take a chance take a chance

MyFairGrady: if you need me, let me know

If you got no place to go when you're feeling down

If you're all alone when the pretty birds have flown

Honey I'm still free

Take a chance on me

Gonna do my very best and it ain't no lie

If you put me to the test, if you let me try

WizardofRod: I do enjoy musicals.

MyFairGrady: fuck yea u do

WizardofRod: Well Kevin, this is a tough decision

WizardofRod: I’ve been cheated by you since I don’t know when

So I made up my mind, it must come to an end

Look at me now, will I ever learn?

I don’t know how but I suddenly lose control

There’s a fire within my soul

Just one look and I can hear a bell ring

One more look and I forget everything, o-o-o-oh
Mamma mia, here I go again

My my, how can I resist you?

Mamma mia, does it show again?

My my, just how much I’ve missed you

Yes, I’ve been brokenhearted

Blue since the day we parted

Why, why did I ever let you go?

Mamma mia, now I really know,

My my, I could never let you go.

***TheBarwisAidMan has broken through the office wall***

TheBarwisAidMan: WHAT IN THE FUCK IS THIS PUSSY SHIT

MyFairGrady: hey coach whats up

/puts down feather boa

TheBarwisAidMan: WHATINTHEFUCKWHATINTHEFUCK – PUNCH EACH OTHER IN THE BALLS RIGHT NOW

***MyFairGrady has punched WizardofRodin the nuts***

***WizardofRod has punched MyFairGrady in the nuts***

TheBarwisAidMan: THERENOWTHATSHOWYOUBEAMAN

TheBarwisAidMan: GRADY, YOU GO DEADLIFT THE CRANE THAT FELL OVER IN THE STADIUM PARKING LOT WHEN I PUNCHED IT AND KEEP DOING IT TILL I SAY STOP

TheBarwisAidMan: RODRIGUEZ, GET YOUR JIGGLY ASS DOWN TO THE WEIGHT ROOM AND GIVE ME 100 BURPEES TILL THE GAY IS OUT OF YOU

***TheBarwisAidMan is staring wistfully out the hole in the wall to the lonely Ann Arbor sky***

THERE WAS SOMETHING IN THE AIR THAT NIGHT

THE STARS WERE BRIGHT FERNANDO

THEY WERE SHINING THERE FOR YOU AND ME

FOR LIBERTY

FERNANDO

I'm going to stop screaming like a little girl about mike barwis for a moment and play devil's advocate. My personal opinion is that he's a godsend and exactly what our program needs to break through to the next level. But I was reading some comments on the ESPN articles and realized that every story has two sides. So let's take a closer look at why we think he's so great and why fans of other teams might not agree.

Ryan m'fckn Mundy

• What we think: If Barwis can change this guy from someone we were practically shoving out the door into an NFL draft pick, just imagine what he can do with players that don't inherently suck!!
• What skeptics might say: Mundy wasn't really that bad before. He sucked because of bad coaching.
• Upon Closer Inspection: In 2006 he had a whopping 25 tackles, 1 int, and 1 sack. I can't even find his name for 2005. (In other words; Antonio Bass had one more tackle than him in that year) In 2004 he's credited with 51 tackles, 2 int, and 1 pass breakup. And he got 10 tackles in 2003. After one offseason of training with Barwis he had 62 tackles, 3 int, and 3 fumble recoveries. His sophomore year showed some promise, but the complete regression during 2006 might lend some weight to the bad coaching theory

Gittleson was ancient

• What we think: If your S&C program was designed in the 1970's and only two programs still use it, and the other one is grandpa paterno at penn state, then you are behind the times. Barwis is bringing a modern, cutting edge program, so we're no longer going to be decades behind the rest of the country, we're going to be decades ahead.
• What skeptics might say: One S&C program is just as good as any other. What really matters is how much effort the players put forth
• Upon Closer Inspection: Michigan has had several players taken in the first round of the NFL draft, including Jake Long who was #1 overall this year. But there are quotes floating around the internets (citation needed) about how Michigan players getting ready for the combine were in for a world of hurt because of the backwards training they were used to. Nothing speaks louder than results, and if its true that Brandon graham was only doing 315 but is now maxing out at 475, well brian said it best. EEEEEEEE!!!!

Ninja Offense Scoring

• What we think: Better conditioned players means more scoring!!!
• What skeptics might say: WVU only scored that much because they didn't play anyone once Miami, Vatech, and BC left the big east
• Upon Closer Inspection: I looked at the WVU scores for the past 5 years (since Barwis took over their S&C program) and found that the offense improved its per game scoring every year. In 2003 they scored 28.5 pts/game, 2004 was 30.0, 2005 was 32.1, 2006 was 38.8, and last year was 39.6. This is a good trend. It's true that WVU struggled offensively in the few games it played against the three teams that went to the ACC, averaging just 21.6 points against them. The one year WVU played all three was 2003 when they scored 20, 28, and 35 points against miami, vatech, and bc respectively. In bowl games, WVU scored just 7 and 18 points while getting clobbered by maryland and FSU, but exploded with 38, 38, and 48 points against much higher ranked Georgia, GaTech, and Okla in BCS bowls. Again, this a good trend.

Speed Kills!

• What we think: Barwis will make the players faster! Rich Rod's offense works because of the high tempo and speed of the players.
• What skeptics might say: You can't coach speed. Player's are either fast or they're not. We've recruited players who were designed to be in a slow plodding offense. No amount of running will change that. If you don't have Pat White and Steve Slaton you're screwed.
• Upon Closer Inspection: While it's true that genetics set the baseline for your speed, proper training can help you achieve maximum potential. You can't make a 5.4 guy into a 4.5 guy. But there is plenty of evidence to show that one or two tenths of a second improvement can be made. Especially for linemen who have not been pressured to run as much before. Many of the players we have recruited at the skill positions are already fast enough to run the spread but the incoming freshmen class and next years commits are even faster to begin with.

WVU winning BCS games

• What we think: This shows that RichRod/Barwis can compete with and beat the best.
• What skeptics might say: Those opponents in the BCS games were overrated and the scores were close. USC, Florida, and LSU would have killed them
• Upon closer inspection: Who can say. We couldn't beat USC either. But WVU beating the SEC champ, the ACC runner up, and the Big12 champ in successive years is still pretty darn impressive no matter what the score.

We lost games because we sucked in the 4th quarter

• What we think: Our crappy conditioning caused us to lose games in the 4th quarter. That won't happen with Mike Barwis on the job!!
• What skeptics might say: We weren't that bad in the 4th quarter before; in fact we had several comebacks, like 28 pts against Minnesota and triple OT vs. MSU. So even if we lost a few in the 4th, it all evens out, and there won't be much difference now.
• Upon closer inspection: In the last 5 years Michigan has lost 17 of 62 games, WVU lost 14 of 63, 9 of which were during Barwis's first 2 years as head of the S&C. In the 2nd half, Michigan was outscored 20 times, 8 of which resulted in losses after leading or being tied at the half. For WVU the numbers are 17 times, of which only 4 resulted in losing the lead (the others were games in which WVU was ahead by alot or already behind). But if you look at just the 4th quarter, the numbers become more interesting. Michigan was outscored in the 4th quarter 19 freaking times. 6 of those were 4th quarter collapses where we lost the lead, and 4 of them were double digit 4th quarter leads. These all happened in 2004 and 2005. (2005 only had 5 games where we weren't outscored in the 4th quarter or 2nd half, so it truly earned the name 'season of unending pain'). WVU was outscored in the 4th 21 times, BUT ONLY 1 RESULTED IN A LOST LEAD. One! One freaking game did they lose in the 4th quarter. It was Barwis's first game as head of S&C, against wisconsin of all teams. So when Mike Barwis says we're not going to lose games in the 4th quarter, he means it. Conversely, WVU only won 7 games in the 2nd half, 2 of those in the 4th. Michigan won 7 games in the 2nd half, but 9 in the 4th. I think this has more to do with coaching. LLoyd would sit on a lead, lose the third quarter and then open up a bit to win in the end. Whereas with RR he doesn't hold back. He's either going to beat you and put you away in the first half, or just trail for the entire game.

And lastly, Fire and Brimstone

• What we think: Mike Barwis is super energetic! His passion is contagious! It's his way or the highway! If he followed me around at work, I'd become CEO in no time!!!
• What skeptics might say: He's full of hot air. All S&C guys sound like that. He just uses meaningless jargon and doesn't really know what he's talking about. Anyone can swear up a storm, that doesn't make you a good motivator.
• Upon closer inspection: Having only seen and heard a few scattered interviews and not having had the pleasure (hell) of a workout with him, I can't really say. The energetic part is on display in every one of his videos and can't be disputed. Whether or not it is effective is probably best seen in how the people he works with respond to it. But the quotes from people who have met him are all pointing towards legitimate charisma. Even the recruits continually mention positive things about him after only short introductions and demonstrations. Having a young energetic guy around, who attracts NFL alumni back to campus can only be a good thing for recruiting.

Conclusion: Mike Barwis. All your recruits are belong to him. Mike Barwis. Perhaps doing this research has tempered my enthusiasm for this coming season, but it looks like the program is headed on an upward track. Mike Barwis is the real deal. Maybe not a miracle worker, but he's exactly what we needed to move our program into the 21st century.

*ps. if you're interested in the data I used you can get it from mgoblue.com and wvustats.com or you can email me at BlueSeoul at hotmail.com and I'll email you the spreadsheet since I don't know how to upload it to the diary.

Do your self a favor,  when you are Michigan,  switch to multiple front defenses...    becasue if you think shafer is just gonna base out fo the 4-3 against spread teams, you are crazy. 

So I get an email from a buddy today who is perhaps the most rabid, yet sane, WVU fan I've ever met.  He starts into me about the new Addidas uniforms, especially the road unis. 

He starts ripping on them because "they look like WVU's" road togs, and also look like Cal.  He said a few other things of course pertaining to Rich Rodriguez that you could probably figure out. 

Well, I guess this is to be expected.  Of COURSE Rich Rod would want to look JUST LIKE the shop he came from, right?  I mean things went SO well that he can't help but WANT to remember all of that!  And I'm sure he had DIRECT input when these were designed and the contract changed from NIKE to Addidas.  BTW, WVU and Cal use NIKE.  So maybe Addias is guilty of ripping off NIKE!  We have a crime here!!!  Or not.

He even ripped on the home unis, which I can't figure out since they look pretty much the same as the ones before.  I read about the "stripes" but I couldn't even see them.

It's better than the gold-on-gold "ensemble" WVU wore in the game against Pitt.  Whoops!  Shouldn't say that too loud around here!  Remember?  Rich Rod threw that game so he could sweep into A2.  How could I forget?  LOL! 

Anyhow, as long as M doesn't wear Maize on Maize I don't care.  And if that's the biggest criticism left over, then I'm fine with that too.  It must mean real football season is getting closer!