miami of ohio (not that miami of ohio)

1/9/2009    – Michigan 5, Miami 1 – 14-7, 9-5 CCHA
1/10/2009  – Michigan 64, Iowa 49 – 13-3, 3-1 Big Ten 
1/10/2009  – Michigan 4, Miami 0, 15-7, 10-5 CCHA

So one of the parents in the Miami student section forlornly held the above banner aloft throughout Michigan's 5-1 asskicking on Saturday. About halfway through someone told her she was making an idiot of herself and she pointed it the right way, but it was too late: Fun With Palindromes was born.

Hello, weekend. You start late but finish smoooooth. Three Michigan sporting events lead to three blowouts, two of them absolutely critical, and it's all endorphins. I find it really hard to write columns I think are worthy of the "column-type thing" tag week in and week out during the longer and less intense hockey and basketball seasons, so this one's an assemblage of bullets.

Hockey

Hell, yes. Michigan got a little lucky this weekend when Miami lost Carter Camper and Justin Mercier, their #1 and #3 scorers, for the Sunday matinee, but 9-1 over the course of the weekend brooks no serious "buts." Michigan owned the Redhawks, flat out, and that's a huge step forward from their series earlier in the year when it was the Wolverines scraping one goal across 120 minutes.

Michigan is still way, way behind Notre Dame in the race for the CCHA title, but they cleared one huge hurdle with that sweep. Sweep ND in a home-and-home in three weeks and Michigan is six back—assuming equal points in the next four—but with two in hand. That's a hill to climb; it's doable, though.

More realistically, the sweep puts Michigan in a strong position to finish top-four in conference and get a first round bye; it also will be very helpful at the end of the year when the pairwise somewhat arbitrarily hews the weak from the strong and assembles a tournament field. The PWR is still extremely unstable—even at the end of the year it's moderately unstable—but at the moment Michigan is a shocking sixth despite their rough start. If only Miami hadn't gacked away its holiday tourney despite outshooting their opponents by about 3-1 each night.

Hogan. This weekend was the first during which I felt Hogan seemed a superior alternative to Sauer. Lost amongst the Mingo-witnessed flurry of goals on Saturday was Hogan's solid play on a number of quality Miami chances that kept the door shut; that game could easily have been 3-3 after five minutes instead of 3-0. On Sunday Hogan didn't have a lot of rubber but when Michigan led 1-0 he made an outstanding stop moving side to side by closing the five-hole.

Yost Built mentioned this:

He's not remotely flashy, but he goes out and wins. Also, he hasn't given up a soft goal since the game at Munn over a month ago. Then again, he's only given up two goals since that game at Munn, which is kind of awesome.

Yes. Hogan was giving up a soft-ish goal per game early in the year, and now he's not, at all. I think that's at least somewhat luck; it's not all luck.

Skaters. I was feeling very good about calling Brandon Burlon the breakout player of the second half when he had a goal and an assist five minutes into the weekend, but did anyone else think the rest of his Saturday was kind of rough? Miami's heavy forechecking forced a lot of turnovers out of him, and the rest of the team. On Sunday it appeared that Michigan had figured it out (or Miami was tired or losing Camper and Mercier was a death blow) and was breaking the zone with ease; on Saturday there were a lot of ugly turnovers.

The other guy who leapt out did so on the penalty kill: Tim Miller, who got multiple standing ovations whilst sucking away Miami PP time in the corners. He would have had a great shorthanded goal if Langseth hadn't taken it away, which Miller was still bitching at him about as the team left the ice on Sunday. Miller was making a hockey stop as the pass came across the ice and deflected the puck into the net, a situation that is explicitly allowed by the change in the rule:

To make this rule as clear as possible, the group proposed adjustments to its rules that will allow all goals scored as a result of deflections. This will include deflections off an attacking player who is in the act of stopping, provided neither skate is used to direct the puck into the net. Pucks that are directed or kicked with the skate moving toward the goal will not be allowed.

Yost Built saw the thing many times on replay and sayeth:

Now, I can't remember how the rule reads, since I'm pretty sure they changed it after the title game last season. If the puck can't hit off a skate and go into the net at all anymore, then it was the right call, and just a stupid rule. If it's allowed to hit your skate and you just can't kick it, then it was a terrible call.

The rulebook sayeth: terrible call. Note: this is the second straight year Langseth cost Michigan a goal against Miami.

I bet this seemed like a good idea at the time. The program for the Miami game was very fussy about what you can call Miami of Oh—

Who's up for never calling Miami anything but Miami of Ohio (Not That Miami Of Ohio)?  This guy.

Basketball

Strategy. Here's a tip I've picked up from the local scribes: if a team completely destroys a respectable opponent mere days after you question how good they are, claim it was your criticism that focused them, forging them into the towers of steel they became. Y'all can thank yrs truly for that performance.

[/sharp]

More seriously: yes, that was more like it. Michigan made a concerted effort to go inside to Sims, and though the reward was a lot of shots that went down and then infuriatingly rimmed out, the overall quality of looks they got was greatly increased.

One downer, and I again hate to bring this up given the box score, but I didn't like Manny's game in this one much more than I did in the other Big Ten games. He took four three-pointers, each of them with a hand in his face when he just decided to chuck instead of drive, and a lot of his offense came off of turnovers. Take those away and his shooting percentage dips precipitously. OTOH: Harris was super-active in the passing lanes and was the cause of at least four Iowa turnovers that turned into fast-break buckets, mostly by Harris.

I just worry what happens to his offensive efficiency when the opponent isn't as generous, is all. He has not been effective in the halfcourt in conference play.

Stu and Zack. The relative stars of the two Indiana freshmen have crossed since it looked like Douglass was going to be a gritty, tough-nosed gym rat with a high basketball IQ and Novak couldn't buy a bucket. Now it's Novak destined for vaguely uncomfortable praise and Douglass who looks like he'll be in a battle for playing time when Vogrich and Morris arrive (and, hopefully, no one leaves unexpectedly).

This is a really easy observation to make after Douglass took a couple threes from 27 feet and seemed largely responsible for Iowa's garbage-time comeback, but sometimes you have to pick the low-hanging fruit. Douglass' basketball IQ doesn't seem particularly high.

Or, rather, it seems wildly variable. He made two excellent passes in this game, and seems to thread a needle or throw an accurate bounce pass on the break just about every time he gets an opportunity; he also made a great cut to the basket when Novak was trapped and got a layup for his troubles. His future is up in the air. If Good Stu wins I think he can be a significant role player the next couple years and a solid starter as a senior. If Evil, 27-Footer-Chucking Stu wins he's likely to get the Shepherd treatment.

Novak, on the other hand, is the unathletic white guy who actually deserves the "he's white!" praise that will no doubt be heaped on him the next three and a half years. He harasses people into bad decisions, rebounds very well, and does—ugh—the little things that don't show up on the box score.

Great, now I have to take a shower to wash off the sportswriter cliche.

Wha? That was a charge on Manny—you know what I'm talking about—and a blocking foul on Gibson—you also know what I'm talking about. Not like it mattered, but, man… Big Ten referees, folks. Also, what was with the foul on the follow-through of a Novak three that wasn't a shooting foul? Have you ever seen that before? Will you ever see it again?

The near future. With Michigan's two must-wins against the lower echelon of the Big Ten out of the way, they've got a tough road game against Illinois that seems like a freebie. Win and that's great. Lose and, okay, you're still on track.

After that, though, is four game stretch with two against a struggling, depleted Ohio State team that seems NIT caliber at best and one each against Northwestern and Penn State. 3-1 is good, but 2-2 against those four teams with a fairly daunting homestretch (Purdue x2, MSU, UConn, Minn x2, @ Wisconsin with PSU, NW, and Iowa sprinkled in) and it'll be touch and go. I expect/hope they'll be 6-3 in conference at the midway mark.

Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M23	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Bubble Screen	Odoms	50
This is the first in a series of completely terrible play by Miami on the edge: the outside linebacker to Odoms' side crashes in on the zone read fake, leaving one guy and a safety out on the edge. Hemingway's block is pretty awful but just good enough when combined with the enormous vacancy left by the OLB; Odoms has enough speed to kill the safety's angle; he then breaks a corner's tackle and stiffarms the other safety for a total of twenty extra yards. Great YAC from Odoms. (CA, 3, protection N/A, screen)
O27	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Run	Zone read counter	McGuffie	5
Counter action on the zone read with Ortmann pulling around; the double from Molk and Moosman on the DT gets him to cede ground and there's a nice hole. I actually think the ideal for this play is for McGuffie to bounce it outside given the vectors of Odoms and Hemingway, who are clearly boxing out in case McGuffie heads for the corner, but the Miami DE has fought outside of Schilling and kept contain. This provides McGuffie the hole up themiddl , but the attempted fence the outside has allowed the LB lined up over the slot to close in and he holds this down to only a reasonable gain.
O22	2	5	I-Form 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	FB Dive	Moundros	7
This is coupled with the requisite outside pitch fake to McGuffie, which holds the unblocked, blitzing OLB outside. Meanwhile, Molk(+1) has booted his guy right out of the hole—good block—and Schilling manages to control his guy well enough. Moundros(+1) has to cut behind Schilling; he meets an unblocked Miami LB three yards downfield and plows through him for the first.
O15	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	QB sweep	Threet	5
Well, jeez. This kind of works. The good: Molk manages to get his face across the playside DT, falls, and his legs kind of trip the guy as he's attempting to get to Threet. Not the most inspiring block but it works. The bad: Carson Butler just kind of shoves the weakside DE and moves downfield. This could maybe be the play design and it's just kind of bad, but given Butler's history I kind of doubt it. The guy Butler whiffs on is the eventual tackler; without that Threet looks like he has something near a first down.
O10	2	5	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read keeper	Threet
A zone read wet dream here with the OLB over the slot heading out to cover the potential bubble screen and the backside defensive end selling out like whoah on the RB. Threet pulls the ball out and there's acres of open space, touchdown. VIVA LA REVOLUCION.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 7-0, 11 min 1st Q. That was fun. I bet we'll do that like eight more times.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O35	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	5
Think this is a wrong cut as McGuffie(-1) could have gotten outside here and run for ages; as it is the backside DE is now more wary of a Threet keeper and this keeps him outside long enough for McGuffie to head up in the crease between him and Schilling for a decent gain. Good block from Schilling(+1)
O30	2	5	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	0
Our scissors, their rock as they blitz the corner to the side of the zone read. He gets inside of Stonum and fouls what otherwise was a well-blocked play, Maybe a minor ding to McAvoy for letting his guy come from underneath him and help out on the TFL, but if Stonum runs a fly and the corner goes with him this is a major gainer. High risk from Miami. Well, moderate risk given what we'll see from Threet in this game.
O30	3	5	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Rollout stop	Hemingway	Inc
Okay, McGuffie's blocking here is problematic: he makes contact with the guy to the outside but doesn't have the bulk to slow him much. He's bowled over and the pressure might make Threet throw this route, open for the first down, in the dirt. (IN, 1, protection 1/2, McGuffie -1)
Drive Notes: FG(47), 10-0, 9 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M19	1	10	I-Form 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Waggle	Moundros	Inc
The crappy thing is this: this would have worked as one of those counter-stretch plays we ran against Oregon and other teams last year, as both Miami LBs sold out to the stretch side and Moundros shot backside. After a brief—too brief—attempt at blocking the backside DE Moundros heads out into a pattern, which is covered by the weakside LB. Threet tries it anyway, under duress, and the ball falls incomplete. Odoms was wide open; Stonum was pretty open, too. (BR, 0, protection 0/1, -1 Moundros)
M19	2	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read keeper	Threet	9
Again no respect shown Threet on the keeper and he makes them pay... sort of. He's got a ton of open space as both LBs and the backside DE freak out and head for the RB, but instead of cutting back to the open space he heads upfield into a linebacker. Okay, he does juke(!!!) the linebacker and falls forward for nine yards; he could have had significantly more. Pat White turns this into at least 20 and maybe way more.
M28	3	1	I-Form Twins	Base 4-3	Run	Iso	Grady	2
Moundros obliterates the Miami linebacker, but Ortmann(-1) can't get enough push to kick the DE out of the hole and Grady runs into the pair. He does manage to fall forward, picking up the first.
M30	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	Shaw	30
Great, great block by Molk(+2) on the playside DT, getting his helmet across and stalemating him. When the center can do that by himself it's really hard to stop a stretch play. The guards get free releases to the second level and both of them kick their linebackers out of the hole created by Molk and Ortmann; Shaw has a monster hole to shoot up into. He makes a good, quick bounce cut around the traffic... I just wish he didn't slow up as he decided which side of Butler's block to go to.
O40	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Triple option dive	Shaw	15
Line slants to the left as if it's a stretch play, suckering in one Miami LB and erasing the DL. OLB nominally on Odoms and the backside DE have contain responsibility, so when Threet hands off to Shaw up the middle he's dealing with a crashing safety and no one else. Shaw(+1) sets up the safety, then runs through his diving tackle. The free safety eventually brings him down.
O25	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Zone read bubble	Odoms	1
The eternal mystery to me: is this a read? More later. The beginning of this play is obscured by a picture of Rodriguez; when we return Miami has again lost contain on Threet on the zone read, only this time Threet pulls up and throws the bubble screen as he nears the LOS. Unfortunately, a Miami safety read it all the way—whoah—and tackles near the LOS. If this is a read Threet should know to keep the ball here, because he's got the same situation he gained nine on earlier this drive. (CA, 3, protection N/A, screen)
O24	2	9	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Flag	Odoms	Inc
Odoms is wide, wide open for what should be somewhere between first and goal from the five and a touchdown; Threet throws it so high Tacopants is like WTF. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
O24	3	9	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Post	Butler	Inc
There's a window here for this; Threet wings it way high again. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Missed FG(41), 10-0, 4 min 1st Q. I know crap about throwing mechanics but it looks like Threet isn't stepping into his throws and that's causing them to sail. Other than that, a great drive from Rodriguez with guys wide open all over the field and multiple easy shots at the endzone.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M14	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Run	Zone read keeper	Threet	12
This one's actually a small variant on the usual here with the defensive end getting blocked by Schilling; Threet is clearly looking downfield at the linebacker to the playside of the field, reading him. He comes charging up into the hole, looking to pop Shaw, so he keeps it, heading outside for good yardage. He even kind of jukes a safety. Sort of.
M26	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Pass	Bubble Screen	Odoms	6
ESPN late to this play so it's a little hard to tell what's going on. Butler gets a decent block on his guy, driving him downfield a bit, but can't get the bonus of sealing him inside; also if this got flagged for holding I wouldn't complain. The attempted block on the linebacker flying out to the ball, however, is not made and Odoms cuts it up for decent yardage. (CA, 3, screen)
M32	2	4	Shotgun 4-wide	Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	-7
Complete whiff by McAvoy(-2) gets a linebacker in virtually unblocked; McGuffie has no chance.
M25	3	11	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Flare screen	McGuffie	-11
Yakety Sax as the ball flies backwards out of Threet's hand; he recovers and tries to get back to the LOS.  Charted as a BA for Threet.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 12 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M20	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Bubble Screen	Clemons	-2
Hemingway completely whiffs a block on the outside receiver and Clemons gets crushed. (CA, 3, screen)
M18	2	12	Shotgun 4-wide	Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	19
Another excellent block from Molk(+2) seals the playside DT and allows McAvoy a free release to the second level. He crushes the Miami LB(+1) and Moosman(+1) cuts the other guy to the ground; McGuffie has a major hole he shoots up into.
M37	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	0
I believe Threet misses his read on this play, as both linebackerse crash to the stretch and the DE also crashes down. Threet keeps the ball, McGuffie cuts back into the unblocked backside DE, and Threet claps his hands, disgusted at himself. McGuffie probably should have tried to shoot up through a gap towards the frontside—play was blocked decently—but if he expects that DE to be farther outside I can understand the cut.
M37	2	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Flare screen	Shaw	3
I don't think this pass is located right, as it would make more sense to throw it in front of Shaw so he's a little nearer the LOS when he catches it and is already moving forward. I think it's the difference between Shaw shooting between a gap in the defense caused by the offensive linemen moving downfield what actually happens, which is the linebacker Moosman(-1) tries but fails to cut getting off the block and making the tackle a few yards downfield. (CA-, 3, screen).
M40	3	7	Shotgun Empty		Pass	Dig	Clemons	Inc
A rare straight dropback and I think Threet finds an open Clemons about 12 yards downfield. Unfortunately, the pass is batted. Looked accurate, though it's hard to tell when you only get a few yards of trajectory. (BA, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 9 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M14	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Triple option dive	Grady	1
Sheridan in. He reads the end keeping contain and makes the correct handoff; Miami has slanted to the stretch side; Grady doesn't have the vision or agility to cut behind Ortmann to exploit the cutback lane opened up by the triple option fake.
M15	2	9	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Pass	Flare	McGuffie	-2
Miami's DE to that side is dropping off as part of a zone blitz and he's in perfect position to read this and kill it, especially because this gets out slowly and doesn't have McGuffie moving upfield. (CA-, 3, screen)
M13	3	11	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Run	QB Draw	Sheridan	9
Sheridan holds the ball out like he's going to hand it off to Grady, oddly, despite this appearing to be a legit QB draw with Grady as a lead blocker. McAvoy's downfield block is weak; this and the general non-Pat-White-ness of the QB keep it from being a first.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-3, 2 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M31	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Reverse	Odoms	1
With Miami's DE crashing inside there's only an OLB between this and a big gainer; Threet should be in position to get a block but instead slows up, thinking he might take the DE with no shot at the play. Meanwhile, Hemingway sees the situation, thinks it's handled, and looks for someone to block downfield.
M32	2	9	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Run	Read counter	McGuffie	-2
Not zone blocked here, with Michgian pulling Schilling and Butler around Moosman. Unfortunately, a blitizng linebacker splits the pair and is right in on McGuffie before he can get going.
M30	3	11	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Fly	Hemingway	Inc
Wide, wide open; completely overthrown. Maybe a DE diving at Threet's feet had something to do with it, but not IMO. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-3, 13 min 3rd Q. All three of these plays could or should have worked but for execution errors, two by Threet, one by either Schilling or Butler. Rodriguez must want to murder people sometimes.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M29	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Bubble Screen	Clemons	5
This looks horrible, with Clemons actually coming to a full stop instead of running the full route, and it allows the OLB and safety to come up and meet him a couple yards downfield. Clemons still powers forward for five. (CA, 3, screen)
M34	2	5	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	8
Well blocked as McAvoy(+1) kicks out a blizing linebacker and Molk again gets playside of a defensive end he doesn't have position on. Schilling had some issues with his guy, though; he reaches out an arm and impedes McGuffie's progress; McGuffie breaks free for a few more yards. Ortmann is injured on this play.
M42	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Triple option pitch	McGuffie	2
Well played by Miami as the MLB doesn't buy the belly fake and shoots out to contain Threet, allowing the OLB to focus on the pitchman. Threet makes the pitch and it looks like McGuffie is doomed to a major TFL. HOWEVA, McGuffie makes an impressive cut up through the two linebackers and reaches the LOS before coming in contact with a safety.
M44	2	8	Shotgun Trips	Base 4-3	Run	Speed option pitch	McGuffie	-1
Looks like this will break big until Carson Butler(-2) completely whiffs his block. I mean... jesus, this is terrible. Nowicki(-1) whiffs his guy, too, forcing a slightly early pitch.
M43	3	9	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Pass	Fly	Stonum	Inc
Well overthrown as per usual. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-6, 4 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M22	1	10	Ace Twins Unbalanced	Base 4-3	Run	Pitch sweep	McGuffie	25
Sheridan in. Butler covered up by a receiver so he can't go downfield. We shuffle a fullback. We run that way. I would ask if Debord had konked Calvin Magee on the head and taken over playcalling duties but this is an outside pitch we never saw in his day. Or, at least, never saw go for more than three yards because the pitch guy was always Kevin Grady. Anyway: playside Miami DE shoots inside Schilling, removing himself from the play no problem. Hemingway and Butler double the SAM, Moundros(+1) clubs the MLB, and woop off to the races for McGuffie. He smokes a filling safety and gets to the sideline for a good gain.
M47	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	1
Butler still covered up, this time to the backside of the play. Molk's getting pretty good at getting playside of these DTs and not getting his ass blasted into the backfield, so there's a major crease for McGuffie to exploit... except Moosman(-1) totally whiffed on his linebacker. He tackles.
M46	2	9	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Pass	Backside flare	Minor	Inc
We saw this a couple times in the first game with Shaw—the opening touchdown, for example. This time Sheridan gets pressured by the backside DE and throws it low; Minor can't dig it out. If accurate this is another 10+ yard play. (IN, 1, protection N/A)
M46	3	9	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Out	McGuffie	7
It's open but there's no way it'll get the first down. Butler was breaking open on a wheel on the other side of the field, but given Sheridan's tendencies... well, this is okay, I guess. (CA, 3, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-6, 1 min 3rd Q. I cannot believe how unbelievably moronic these announcers are. You f-ing punt. What would Lloyd do? Do that.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M13	1	10	I-Form Twins	Base 4-3	Run	Inside zone	McGuffie	12
Still Sheridan. Eight man front, and they run it up the gut looking for openings, shooting Moundros to the backside. Both Molk(-1) and Schilling(-1) let their guys to the inside, so McGuffie cuts back. Moundros(+1) did a good job with the backside DE; McGuffie(+1) makes the OLB miss, gets the corner, and picks up a first down. Late hit adds 15.
M40	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Pass	Bubble Screen	Stonum	9
Caught Miami in an OLB blitz, so there's no one within yards of Stonum when he gets this. Iffy but I guess okay blocking from Savoy and a good gain on first down. (CA, 3, screen)
M49	2	1	I-Form Twins	Base 4-3	Run	Iso	Grady	3
Good read by Grady to see the DT spinning to one side of the double team and opt to cut the other way behind the block. Then it's a mess of bodies, but also a first down. Good thumping block by Moundros here.
O48	1	10	I-Form Twins	Base 4-3	Run	Pitch sweep	McGuffie	5
Credit where due: Carson Butler(+1) with an excellent block on the OLB, pushing him back and eventually to the ground, opening up the corner. Unfortunately, Stonum(-1) didn't seal his guy and he tackles after a moderate gain.
O43	2	5	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read keeper	Sherdian	1
Middle linebacker is sitting on this, waiting, and Sheridan pulls it out because the DE crashes down. He looks for a moment like he'll throw the bubble screen—and probably should—but instead takes it up for a minimal gain.
O42	3	4	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Flare screen	McGuffie	27
Screen all the way but Sheridan does a good job of looking like he's surveying the field, which hold the linebacker for a fatal second. As he comes to McGuffie, Odoms slips out and is in position to cut him; Nowicki gets out and slices down the MLB, though I don't know if he had much of a shot at making a play. McGuffie then evades a safety who's coming up too hard and breaks into the secondary. Probably a touchdown if a Miami corner doesn't slow him with a shoestring grab. (CA, 3, screen)
O25	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	Minor	25
I've given Minor a lot of stick here, but this is an excellent run featuring something not often seen this year: a broken tackle. Good seal by Molk(+1); Nowicki does just meh, losing contact with his guy but to the outside; said guy dives at Minor's feeed but by hopping out he's provided a lane to cut into; Minor cuts it up, runs through the MLB's tackle, and vaults into the endzone.
Drive Notes: Touchdown(XP blocked), 16-6, 8 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M49	1	10	Shotgun 2-TE	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read dive	McGuffie	0
Crappy blocks from Schilling(-1) and Nowicki, but everyone contributes. Mostly whatever, run run run punt, guys.
M49	2	10	I-Form Twins	Base 4-4	Run	Pitch sweep	McGuffie	1
They should probably get another play from the I.
50	3	9	Shotgun 4-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	McGuffie	0
Actually well blocked save for McAvoy's poor job on the LB, who smacks McGuffie at the LOS.
Drive Notes: Punt, 16-6, 2 min 4th Q. This was a place for Lloydball. The last drive is kneeling and is not charted.

Dude, Tacopants is going to catch 400 balls this year.

No, because even he’s watching these sail over his head, and he can be whatever height he wants to be because he is made of dreams and snails and puppy dog tails.

But seriously, folks, this may have been the worst quarterbacked game in the modern era(defined as Moeller forward) of Michigan football. Let’s go to the…

Charts?

Charts.

If you saw above, there’s a small change in the grading system made mostly for my own benefit: instead of “protection N/A” I’m scribbling “screen” down so I can distinguish between balls actually thrown downfield and, well, screens.

These are your quarterbacks so far:

STEVEN THREET

Opponent	DO	CA	IN	BR	TA	BA	PR
Utah	1	11	5	1	3	2	1
Miami	-	6	4	1	-	2	-

NICK SHERIDAN

QB	DO	CA	IN	BR	TA	BA	PR
Utah	1	11	4	5	-	-	1
Miami	-	4	1	-	-	-	-

And these are your results when they were suffered to throw it past the line of scrimmage:

QB	DO	CA	IN	BR	TA	BA	PR
Threet	-	-	4	-	-	-	-
Sheridan	-	1	1	-	-	-	-

Six total attempts, five of them uncatchable or nearly so. The other was a seven-yard stop to McGuffie on third and eleven. Michigan got literally nothing positive out of passes that crossed the LOS.

One not-insignificant point to make in Threet’s favor: he smoked Miami on the zone read multiple times, scoring a touchdown and running for a couple other first downs. Just Miami etc etc but an encouraging sign. He also found those open receivers he hilariously overthrew. He had a great game mentally. Now if he could only throw passes at people.

So, the Protection Metric is almost irrelevant but here it is: 11/13, Moundros –1, McGuffie –1. Small sample size against a poor team, maybe, but I’ll take it.

The receiver metric is boring and not worth discussing:

	This Game					Totals
Player	0	1	2	3	0	1	2	3
Clemons	1	-	-	2/2	2	-	-	2/2
Stonum	-	-	-	1/1	3	0/2	-	2/2
Mathews	-	-	-	-	3	1/1	-	3/4
Hemingway	1	0/1	-	-	1	0/1	2/2	-
Odoms	1	-	-	3/3	1	-	1/1	7/7
Massey	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Butler	1	-	-	-	1	1/1	-	1/1
Webb	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
McGuffie	-	-	-	3/3	2	-	-	5/5
Shaw	-	-		1/1	-	-	-	3/3
Minor	-	0/1	-	1/1	1	0/1	-	1/1
Moundros	2	-	-	-	2	-	-	-

Everything caught was a screen except the one McGuffie thing.

Anything positive?

Well, yeah, actually. I know it was just Miami (Not That Miami) but it seemed like Michigan was one block away from gashing the Redhawks on half of their crappy plays. I really like the design of the offense. It has six or eight core plays that all play off each other; it places opponents in space—even the defensive linemen—and turns a missed read or missed tackle into a big chunk of yards.

It’s not so much the change to the run game, because honestly the zone stretch plays Michigan is running are so similar to the ones Debord ran it’s freaky, but that the misdirection threats are much better conceived and used more frequently. Last year Michigan’s big “gotcha” when opponents sold out on the zone stretch was a waggle that occasionally worked for a first down or something but was also a tough pass made on the run with a defender in the face of the quarterback that got the ball in the hands of a tight end.

Woopty do. Yeah, it was great in 1997. Things change.

Under Rodriguez, Michigan either has a quarterback just take off—easy to do if you’re a fast guy and even functional if you’re Threet, apparently—or throws a bubble screen to a guy like Odoms and hopes he gets a block. The results so far are ugly but that’s because Michigan is failing to execute really simple things like “get in the way of this linebacker.”

Any players improve significantly?

I thought David Molk was great a week after being hurled back into the ballcarrier more than once. Against Miami he consistently got across the face of the defensive tackle lined up to the playside, allowing the guard a free release into the second level where he would either whack a linebacker and someone would run for 20 yards or whiff that linebacker and Michigan would get zero.

And it does make some sense that Molk would be good in this role. Michigan switched to a zone run game two years ago and immediately saw their offensive line recruiting implode—events probably not related. Molk was the only non-MAC prospect Michigan picked up that year, a guy ND ignored because of his size but also someone pretty well regarded by the recruiting gurus; you could see him as the first of the new generation of light, nimble Michigan offensive linemen.

The lingering fear is that this is more a function of the opponent than any great leap forward. In retrospect, against Utah Molk was getting the same excellent position on his man but after he got that position the DT picked him up and dropped him in the RB’s lap. He’s undersized and a redshirt freshman; he could end up physically overmatched by opponents outside of the MAC. We’ll see.

Others who looked better: McGuffie and Shaw were both impressive when given some blocking; all the WRs basically get incompletes.

And this Nowicki kid?

Yikes. Per his rep he was pretty ponderous; a lot of his playing time consisted of lunging at guys and missing. There were a couple good blocks in there, but this does not appear like it will be a sepia-toned Gameday profile anytime soon.

Heroes?

McGuffie, Shaw, Molk, Steven Threet’s legs.

Goats?

Steven Threet’s arm, Angry Michigan Offensive Line Hating God, the crappy blocking of various receivers and tight ends.

What does it mean for Notre Dame?

I’m not sure how the blitz-happy Tenuta defense is going to match up against the Rodriguez offense, especially because ND runs a 3-4 and I don’t have much experience charting the zone stretch against a 3-4. I think the Molk-Ian Williams matchup will be crucial, and the results of the Gator Bowl…

…are encouraging, but Pat White isn’t walking through that door.

This will be a battle between whiffed blocks and whiffed tackles, IMO. Notre Dame was kind of meh against a zippy short passing attack and dodgy against the run game at times, and as we all know, San Diego State lost to D-III Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s women’s hockey team.

Sorry this is late. I'm just going to throw it up now and add the video in gradually. Thanks for understanding.

Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	I-Form 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Iso	Ezeh	5
Both defensive tackles are effectively single-blocked on this play that goes right up the gut. (-1 Johnson, -1 Taylor.) Ezeh(+1) stands up to the peeling center well but with no help has little choice but to fall backwards when the running back plows into the back of his blocker. RB falls forward, then, for a nice gain.
O30	2	5	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Run	Zone read dive	Thompson	4
Johnson (-1) is bashed to the ground by a double team as the NT here; the call put him in a bad position but he still failed to hold the POA. Thompson(+1) times a blitz well to the backside of the play, diving at the RB's feet. He can't make the tackle but does slow him up enough to turn this into a third down instead of a first.
O34	3	1	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Iso	Taylor	0
This is all Taylor(+2), who gets under the pads of the center and drives him straight back into the path of the running back. The RB bounces off the ass of the center and is lost amid a swarm of Michigan defenders; IMO this is a slightly poor tackling angle from Brown and it's only a timely bit of support from Harrison that prevents the RB from falling forward for the first. Johnson(+1) also held up to a double well.
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 13 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O26	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Base 4-3	Pass	Bubble Screen	Thompson	10
Thompson(-2) bites on a playfake he has no hope of getting to and would be useless on anyway since a cutback would go into the maw of Graham; this gives the split TE a perfect angle to block him and opens up tons of space on the outside. Trent manhandled pretty good by his blocker, too. (Cover -1)
O36	1	10	Ace 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	Yakety Sax	--	0
The center has a wrong snap count; he snaps; the QB fumbles; Michigan recovers.
Drive Notes: Fumble, 7-0, 10 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O22	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Base 4-3	Pass	Rollout stop	Trent	7
Both MLBs blitz up the middle as Miami rolls the pocket away from the pressure. The Miami QB throws a quick stop route on time; Trent tackles immediately.
O29	2	3	Shotgun Trips	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	Johnson	2
Though Jamison basically makes this play I don't think I should credit him for it since he crashed down like a mofo on the handoff and the QB would have been wide open if he kept the ball. Johnson(+1) fought to the right side of the blocker and was an impediment from the front of the play, though. Linebackers nowhere to be found here.
O31	3	1	Shotgun 4-wide	Nickel	Pass	Out	Evans	Inc
Miami's little slot guy is open for the first in front of Evans (cover -1) but flat drops it.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 7 min 1st Q. Telling they pass here, no?
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O24	1	10	???	???	Run	???	???	4
ESPN misses this play entirely.
O28	2	6	Shotgun Trips	Base 4-3	Pass	Bubble Screen	Thompson	9
The other LBs blitz as Thompson slides to the middle of the field; for some reason the Miami guard releasing downfield decides to double back and block Ezeh, so he's got a free shot at the receiver. He whiffs(-1), turning one yard into nine.
O37	1	10	I-Form	Base 4-3	Pass	Fly	Stewart(?)	Inc
This can't be a coherent coverage, IMO. Both corners funnel their receivers to the middle of the field, clearly expecting safety help in a cover two, but only Brown actually drops into a deep zone. Stewart pulls up, covering a TE post, and Warren's two steps behind the receiver. (Cover -3.) I don't know who this is on, so no individual minuses, but this was big play waiting to happen. Also pressure -1 here.
O37	2	10	Shotgun Trips	Okie	Pass	Rollout out	Ezeh	9
Michigan caught in an unfavorable situation here as Miami rolls the pocket towards a couple blitzers and the two outside receivers to the trips side run off coverage. Ezeh is tasked with tracking down Miami's little slot guy from way across the field; he gets open and catches a little out, then makes the first upfield 360 turn of the day, beating Ezeh(-1) as he does it. (Cover -1)
O46	3	1	I-Form Twins	Base 4-3	Run	Dive	Ezeh	2
Taylor(+1) again blows his guy into the backfield, tripping the running back as he passes. Ezeh(-1) got blocked out of the play and there was no linebacker to meet him in the hole.
O48	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read stretch	Graham	-5
Graham(+2) crushes his guy backwards, directly into the path of the runner as he attempts to take it outside. This forces a field reversal and Michigan's defense swarms it.
O43	2	15	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Penalty	Delay	--	-5
Oops.
O38	2	20	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Jailbreak screen	Mouton	2
Mouton(+1) and Ezeh(+1) both read this too quickly for the offensive linemen to react and block them; Mouton gets there first and tackles. (Cover +1)
O40	3	18	Shtogun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Post	Brown	Inc
Michigan sends five and gets nowhere near the QB (pressure -2) and I don't usually give out minuses for guys not getting to the quarterback, but Thompson's(-1) blitz is sad, sad, sad. Meanwhile downfield, Miami gets a guy wide open on a post (cover -2). He drops it. This, I believe, is on a late-reacting Brown(-1). The Miami QB did do a good job of looking off Ezeh to open this up, though.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 14 min 2nd Q. Miami bails us out on a couple of coverage issues here, one a bust, one just poor play from the safety.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O35	1	10	Ace 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Sack	Martin	-9
Yeesh, this time Thompson's in man over the slot, who I think is a TE so it's not too bad. Two blitzers result in miscommunication on the Miami line as the LG gives Martin a bump, then bugs out to pick up Mouton with the expectation the center will pick Martin up. He's busy on the other side of the line; Martin(+1) shoots through and sacks. (Pressure +2)
O24	2	19	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Jailbreak screen	Brown	Inc
Dropped by the receiver; Brown(+1) had read it and was probably going to tackle for loss even if caught. (Cover +1)
O24	3	19	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	???	Ezeh	Inc
Zone blitz sees a safety come as Banks drops off into coverage. It doesn't really get there but the QB is spooked enough to go for a dumpoff which Ezeh(+1) deflects. Brown should intercept; he drops it. Should I -1 this? It's a major missed opportunity.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 11min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O19	1	10	Shotgun Trips	Base 4-3	Pass	Rollout out	Mouton	10
Four-man rush; rolling pocket that makes three zone defenders pretty useless. The QB rolls out, finds a receiver in front of the coverage, and hits the guy for a first down. (Cover -1, pressure -1.) These rollouts are very frustrating.
O29	2	In	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Zone read dive	Sagesse	5
Linebackers blitzing in the hope of making a TFL; they absorb blockers but aren't in the path of the play. Sagesse(-1) effectively single-blocked, opening up a lane for the first down an a chunk more.
O34	1	10	Ace 3-wide	Nickel	Run	Zone right	Van Bergen	0
Thompson(+1) blitzes at the snap and just happens to go into the right hole, occupying the guy who's supposed to move to the second level to make a block. This leaves Ezeh(+1) unoccupied; he and Van Bergen(+1) combine to first dissuade the RB from cutting up immediately, then tackle him when he tries to break outside.
O34	2	10	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Triple option shovel	Ezeh	3
Hard to tell exactly what the idea is here; Banks is unblocked and comes up on the quarterback quickly, he shovels it inside to the little slot guy and Michigan linebackers converge immediately after tracking the play. Ezeh +1, I guess.
O37	3	7	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Curl	Brown	12
Little dreads guy's second curl + YAC turn; this time it's Brown(-1, cover -1) who's late arriving and whiffs on the tackle. If he just closes this guy out and tackles immediately they have to punt.
O49	1	10	Ace	Base 4-3	Pass	Post	Brown	42
I'm sorry, but I think this is Brown's fault, too. You don't just let someone to the inside here like Trent does unless you're expecting safety help, and I think Brown is supposed to be in a deep zone here but gets sucked up on the underneath routes. I'm not sure, though, so if someone has a different opinion upon viewing the video let me know. (Brown -2, cover -2) Meanwhile, the QB is about to get hammered if he doesn't have an open guy. Martin(+1) gets good pressure.
M9	1	G	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Off tackle	Thompson	3
Very good by Thompson(+1) to read the pulling guard/TE and scrape to the hole; meanwhile, Ezeh(+1) beats a block and shows up there, too. The two linebackers converge; kind of wish they'd tackle more authoritatively.
M6	2	G	Ace 3-wide	Base 4-3	Run	???	--	-3
Fumbled snap
M9	3	G	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	???	Graham	Inc
Graham(+1) runs over the left tackle and meets Jamison(+1) at the quarterback; the QB is hit as he throws and flings one into the turf. Three man rush, too. (Pressure +2)
Drive Notes: FG(26), 10-3, 4 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O26	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Okie	Run	Zone read dive	Mouton	2
Mouton(+1) gets a big favor from Miami here as the OL releasing chooses to ignore him, but he does attack and tackle well; help came from a backside blitz.
O28	2	8	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Jailbreak screen	Thompson	14
Thompson's got an angle here but he takes it too far upfield(-1), whiffing on the tackle and turning this into a first down. Brown misses a tackle, too, adding four on. (Cover -1)
O42	1	10	???	???	Pass	Rollout out	???	9
We're looking at some pink-shirted studio bobblehead with a tiny window that actually shows the play. This is another frustrating rollout completion in front of zone coverage. Grrr. Arrgh. (Cover -1)
M49	2	1	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Curl	Trent	3
Wow, Trent is playing way off this. (Cover -1.) Guess it makes sense given the situation.
O46	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Out	Mouton	Inc
Three man rush gets nowhere near the QB(pressure -1); there's no one open, though. (cover +1)
O46	2	10	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Run	QB Draw	Johnson	0
Johnson(+2) discards his blocker and makes a diving tackle on the QB.
O46	3	10	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Dig	Harrison	Inc
Harrison(+2) blankets the receiver, knocking down the pass as it gets there. (Cover +1).
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-3, EOH.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O34	1	10	I-Form	Base 4-3	Run	Iso	Thompson	1
Well-timed blitz from Mouton(+1) takes out the fullback; Thompson(+1) again reads the direction of the play and scrapes to the hole in time to meet the ballcarrier head-on.
O35	2	9	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	Johnson	4
Defensive line is crushing this: Taylor(+1), Johnson(+1), Jamison(+1) all close down whatever running lane there's supposed to be and meet the ballcarrier a yard in the backfield. With blockers draped all over them no one can get a really clean shot and bring him down without him falling forward; good job by the running back to turn nothing into a few yards.
O39	3	5	Shotgun Trips	Nickel	Pass	Out	Brown	25
Brown in man coverage on the little dreads guy; he runs a simple out, catches it for a first down, and heads off downfield. The reason he can do this: Brown dove at the ball in an attempt to break the pass up. Good that he was there, but there's a reason defensive backs are coached to always have an arm around the guy if they're going to try a move like this. (Brown -1, Cover -1)
M36	1	10	Ace Twins	Base 4-3	Pass	Waggle	Harrison	3
Harrison's sitting in a short zone to the receiver-free side of the field and reads the tight end releasing into the flat. He comes up hard, making a good tackle just as the catch is made(+1, cover +1)
M33	2	7	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	Mouton	5
I just don't like the 3-3-5 in a reasonable down and distance to run. Here Johnson is doubled at the same time a guard gets a free release into Mouton, so there's a big damn hole and it takes a great play from someone to prevent a decent gain. No one makes said great play.
M28	3	2	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	Out	Stewart	3
Jebus, Michigan sends seven, leaving everyone manned up. Miami again goes to the dreads guy on an out; this time Stewart(+1) makes an immediate tackle. (Pressure -1, cover +1)
M25	1	10	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Off tackle	Mouton	3
I have no idea how Meriwether doesn't get hammered for a loss here, because Mouton(+1) times his blitz perfectly, shooting into the intended hole off tackle and occupying two or three blockers. There's a huge mess a couple yards behind the LOS; Meriwether is forced to cut outside into an unblocked Ezeh(-1), who misses a tackle, turning a three yard loss into a three yard gain.
M22	2	7	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Flare	Thompson	6
Graham(+1) runs over the QB just as he releases this little flare route; Thompson(-1) looks out of position in what appears to be man coverage since he's helping out on this slant, so it's open. Thompson does make a nice tackle to reduce his folly. (Cover -1, pressure +1)
M16	3	1	Shotgun 2-back	Base 4-3	Run	Triple option pitch	Thompson	Inc?
Wrongly ruled a forward pass, so Miami gets a do-over.
M16	3	1	Ace Twins	Base 4-3	Run	Dive	Taylor	3
Taylor(-1) and Graham(-1) blown backwards so Mouton(+1) and his disrupting blitz that gets past the OL doesn't result in a stop, as the RB has a cutback lane. This running back, BTW, is a little reminiscent of Hart.
M13	1	10	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Off tackle	Mouton	1
Taylor and Graham(+1) get push on the frontside, making the whole go “bip” and disappear. Mouton(+1) is intially crashing inside, then reads the cutback lane, gets back outside, and makes a weak-ish but good enough ankle tackle.
M12	2	9	Shotgun Trips	Okie	Pass	Out	Graham	6
Graham(+1) again beats the tackle and crushes the QB as he throws; unfortunately this combo route is open as Warren's dealing with a guy heading to the back of the endzone. (Cover -1, pressure +1)
M6	1	10	Ace 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Fade	Harrison	Inc
Harrison's beaten on the fade but is smart about it, waiting for the receiver to catch the ball and raking it free. (+1, Cover +1)
Drive Notes: FG(23), 10-6, 6 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O20	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Throwaway	Trent	Inc
The standard rollout-short-out they've been throwing all game, but this time Michigan has Trent in a short zone to that side and someone on the deeper receiver; Miami is forced to throw it away (Cover +1)
O20	2	10	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Run	QB Draw	Ezeh	5
This should actually be a big gasher because not only do we have a three man line but we're stunting Taylor all the way around Jamison, basically leaving all three interior OL free to wander downfield picking off Michigan linebackers. Ezeh(+1) shoots past one blocker, who peels back and allows Mouton(+1) to close and tackle.
O25	3	5	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Out	Warren	Inc
Michigan rushes three and drops corners into short outside zones; Miami does the same little dreads guy out only this time Warren(+1) is there; he drops(-1) an easy interception. (Cover +1)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-6, 3 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O7	1	10	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Off tackle	Ezeh	5
This is a tough situation for Michigan as a Mouton blitz takes him out of the play and there's two guys pulling around to deal with Banks and Ezeh. Still, the blitz makes the only reasonable place to go outside; Ezeh(-1) does not read this and gives him the corner. Warren fills ably, holding the gain down.
O12	2	5	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Dive	Thompson	12
There's a TE lined up off the line here who comes inside to act as a lead blocker; this pulls Thompson(-1) out of position and there ends up being a huge hole on the left side of the line. Jamison(-1) got too far upfield, IMO. He peels back and dives at the feet of the RB, but he's gone; Ezeh(-1) is also caught in the downfield wash, leaving Brown the only thing between the RB and a long gainer. Brown almost misses the tackle by overrunnning it... but not quite.
O24	1	10	Ace	Base 4-3	Pass	Improv	Ezeh	5
Miami's QB can't find an underneath receiver because of a good zone drop from Ezeh(+1, cover +1); Martin(+1, pressure +1) has by this point driven into the backfield to flush the quarterback out; he rolls out and manages to find a receiver on a comeback for a few yards.
O29	2	5	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Dive	--	4
This play is just a wad of players. Decent push from Miami but not great, no real crease, no real disengagement from the LBs, just this Hart-like RB basically crawling for four yards.
O33	3	1	Ace	Base 4-3	Run	Inside zone	Banks	4
Banks(-1) gets crushed back in single blocking, providing an attractive cutback lane on an otherwise dodgy play.
O37	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Post	Stewart	Inc
Awful play from Stewart(-2) to way overrun this route when there are two players to the other side of the receiver. QB throws it high or this is six. (Cover -2)
O37	2	10	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	Taylor	-1
This time Michigan sends five guys and has a late-moving safety essentially function as a middle linebacker; IMO this time we're baiting them into a run. Even so, the play here is mostly Taylor(+2) pushing a double team back a yard and into the path of the runner; Thompson blitzed right into the path of the RB but whiffed the tackle; Graham helps out on pursuit, tackling as Taylor's mess slows the TB.
O36	3	11	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Sack	Graham	-1
Graham(+2) comes around the corner immediately on a three-man rush, grabbing the QB's arm, forcing him to scramble, and finishing the job a few moments later. (Pressure +2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-6 11 min 4th Q. Sure, announcer-tard, Michigan has made zero mistakes in this game.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O30	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Out	Warren	Inc
Decent, not great pressure; think this is a throwaway because Warren(+1) is blanketing the receiver (cover +1)
O30	2	10	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Out	Thompson	7
Attn announcers: going 6/15 on third down is not a “miscue.” Okay, this is tough on Thompson as he's got to tackle the dreads guy, but this his third upfield turn of the day on this little out route and I'm cranky about it now. -1. (Cover -1)
O37	3	3	Shotgun Trips	Okie	Pass	Curl	--	8
I'm not too irritated since you're up two scores with 7 minutes left and you don't want to get insanely aggressive or anything here, but this guy is the only one the QB throws to and it's third down, man. Can we get tighter on him? (Cover -1)
O45	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Rollout out	Trent	Inc (+5 pen)
Michigan now prepared for this play with a guy in a short zone here, but Trent(-1) mistimes his move and draws a flag for bumping the receiver before the ball gets there.
50	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Base 4-3	Pass	Wheel	Warren	Inc (-5 pen)
Jamison's charging in, forcing a decision from the QB; he picks the wheel route and fortunately for him badly overthrows it. This is the only thing standing between Warren and an interception; as it is he almost makes a spectacular Woodson-esque grab. (+1, cover +1) Guy was covered up on the LOS so there's a five yard penalty.
O45	1	15	Shotgun 3-wide	Nickel	Pass	Scramble	Mouton	5
Miami QB is spooked by Mouton's blitz and IMO decides to bail out a little early; he manages to get past the chopped Mouton and gets a few yards downfield, whereupon he is hammered by three guys and definitely gets a concussion. The backup enters. (Pressure +1)
50	2	10	Shotgun 3-wide	Nickel	Run	Zone read stretch	Ezeh	4
I don't care if you just put in your backup QB, you don't run the ball down two scores with six minutes left. Ezeh(+1) is unblocked here but does a good job of staying under control ,reading the play, and showing up in the right spot. Four yards here is a fine result with everyone teeing off on the pass.
M46	3	6	???	Nickel	Penalty	False Start	--	-5
Oops.
M41	3	11	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Curl	Graham	2
Graham(+1) hits the QB as he throws; no more time so he has to dump it off, where Warren(+1) immediately tackles little dreads guy. (Pressure +1, cover +1)
M43	4	9	Shotgun Trips	Okie	Pass	Curl	Stewart	Inc
Jamison gets a free run at the QB (pressure +1), but the curl at the sticks is open-ish and accurate; Stewart(+1, cover +1) rakes it free.
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 16-6, 4 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Form	Type	Play	Player	Yards
O19	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	Batted	Jamison	Inc
Graham(+1) comes around the tackle, forcing the QB to step up; Jamison(+1) has spun off a blocker and hits the QB's arm as he throws. (Pressure +1)
O19	2	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	Curl	--	6
Good pocket (pressure -1) and the QB comes down to the dreads guy; poor throw takes him off his feet or this is a first down easily. No coverage penalty since it makes sense to give this up at this stage of the game.
O25	3	4	Shotgun Trips	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Curl	Thompson	5
Dreads guy again; immediate tackle this time. Again, make sense in this situation.
O30	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5 Nickel	Pass	Sack	Taylor	-10
Taylor(+1) gets a free run at the quarterback due to a protection screwup—an insane one, there's no possible blitz that makes Taylor not the center's guy—and makes the most of it. (Pressure +1)
O20	2	20	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	Post	--	Inc
Another opportunity for a receiver running open in a zone; this time it's tough to tell who's responsibility it is since they appear to be in cover three. Might just be an open spot against this D. Throw is a bit low and behind the receiver; dropped. (Cover -1)
O20	3	20	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	Batted	Thompson	Inc
Thompson(+1) fakes a zone drop then comes on a slightly delayed blitz; this coupled with a corner blitz in the right spot gets him in unblocked. He takes a good path to the QB, striking him as he throws; the resulting pass is a floating duck that hits the ground harmlessly. (Pressure +1)
O20	4	20	Shotgun 4-wide	Okie	Pass	Sack	Graham	-8
A fitting ending to this left tackle's day as he gets shoved into the backfield by Graham(+1), then picked off by his own running back as he attempts to get to inside blitzers; Graham sacks authoritatively. (Pressure +1)
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 16-6, EOG.

OH MY GOD MIAMI MISSED SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES KWAME KILPATRICK AUTO PLANTS CLOSING

Bespectacled announcer guy was way, way over the top with that “OMG Miami should win stuff” but there were several dodgy moments during which Michigan let guys run open deep and was not punished for it. This will significantly affect the numbers on the chart, because those things get big negatives without showing up in the box score.

That said: Michigan dropped two easy interceptions, bucko, and made a whole heap of mistakes itself. Physically, Michigan dominated the game. At least there’s that.

Chart?

Chart.

Player	+	-	T	Notes
Jamison	2	1	1	Quite a comedown from the Utah game. Maybe he didn’t have much opportunity with all the rollouts and such.
Johnson	5	2	3
Taylor	7	2	5	Forced a couple third down stops by shoving his guy into the backfield.
Graham	12	1	11	Completely dominated Miami’s left tackle.
Patterson	-	-	-
Banks	-	1	-1
VanBergen	1	-	1
Martin	3	-	3	Good day rushing the passer.
Ezeh	9	5	4	Much better(?) day, with most of the damage in the passing game coming at others’ expense.
Thompson	5	8	-3	An uneven performance with some struggles in pass coverage but seemed more active than Panter.
Panter	-	-	-
Evans	-	-	-
Mouton	7	-	7	He was good, but I was too generous here. More later.
Trent	-	1	-1	Was mostly avoided
Harrison	4	-	4	Two very, very important plays.
Warren	4	1	3
Stewart	1	3	-2	IMO responsible for the two big, scary busts that Miami couldn’t capitalize on.
Brown	1	5	-4	We have a separate Stevie discussion section.
Chambers	-	-	-
"Pressure"	16	7	9	All the rollouts and such were there for a reason; even when Miami got passes off they were usually getting the QB plowed as he threw.
"Coverage"	14	23	-9	Bailed out repeatedly deep and struggled tackling underneath.

Mouton was overrated by the numbers, IMO. I gave him credit for blitzing up into the heart of Miami plays over and over again; that credit should probably fall to Shafer and not Mouton. Overall, though, I did think he played well and was a major upgrade over Evans.

Ezeh played better but was still erratic.

Most of the negatives on “coverage” came from two things: long passes that saw safety screwups and underneath routes to the little dreads guy that were either infuriatingly open on rollouts or little curls that Michigan could not make a tackle on. I don’t mind those curl things as long as Michigan tackles immediately—you don’t have 80 yard touchdown drives off that—but Michigan again struggled with underneath coverage.

The defensive line seemed less active.

Live I certainly thought so and was worried that Tim Jamison didn’t follow up his monster game against Utah with another one, but when I went back over the tape I saw a different story. One: Graham was monstrous. He murdered the Miami left tackle on just about every play.

Two: despite some assertions out in the inter-ether that Taylor isn’t performing at the level he should, he’s been very good. I think that 3-3-5 can work as a run defense as long as Taylor is the nose, since he’s been taking double teams and pushing them backwards in the first two games.

He made a number of major plays just by shoving offensive linemen into the hole; these things don’t show up on a stat sheet but the kind of gaping holes that Michigan linebackers had to deal with last year just aren’t there anymore.

As I reviewed the game my opinion the DL kept improving… I think it’s legit.

Is Stevie Brown the reincarnation of Ryan Mundy?

It’s a bit early to make that judgement but the early returns are distressing. Good things:

• He read a screen well and had it lined up for a loss, but it was dropped.

Neutral things that might not have seemed like it at the time:

• On Miami’s first deep pass, where Warren’s guy was running open past him, Brown was pulled up into a robber zone and didn’t have deep responsibility. This, IMO, was Stewart’s screwup.
• On the little third down out that turned into a 25-yard catch and run he had broken on the route and had a hand out to deflect the ball away. I think he actually got a piece of it, too. This is taking a risk, a good risk, to end a drive.

Distressing things:

• Wide open post is dropped; he was late, IMO.
• Whiffs on dreads guy curl, turning a punt into a first down.
• Gets sucked up on the very next play, opening up the bomb that leads to Miami’s first field goal.
• Missed tackle.
• Almost missed tackle.
• Almost missed tackle.
• Easy interception dropped.

I don’t want to be unduly harsh on the guy, but if I had to pick a weak spot on the defense it would wear #3 and wake up most nights screaming about Armanti Edwards. No, not Kevin Grady.

Of course, the two most frightening moments of the game came courtesy Charles Stewart, not Brown: the aforementioned wide open bomb and then the post route early in the fourth that could have put Miami ahead. That one was egregious on his part.

So… yeah. About that. At this point I’m hoping that either Woolfolk or Cissoko will prove themselves capable of handing nickel duties and Harrison can spend his time at safety exclusively.

Heroes?

Graham, mostly. Warren was very good, as was Taylor. Ezeh improved greatly, and Harrison turned in two monster plays.

Goats, such as they are when you give up six points?

Brown, Stewart, a little bit of Shafer for being slow to react on those annoying little short routes to the dreads guy.

What’s with the insistence on the 4-3 against the spread?

I don’t like it, but I guess it’s working okay. I’ve noticed both of Michigan’s opponents thus far mostly sticking with the 4-3 but given the M passing game that seems way more like common sense. For Michigan, well… I’d rather have a third corner on the field than a third, dodgy linebacker, and suspect that Michigan’s issues with these underneath passes would be a little less severe with a nickelback on the field.

What does it mean for Notre Dame and beyond?

Thompson was much better against the run than Panter and Mouton was deployed to good effect as a blitzer; we didn’t see much other than Larry Foote On Uppers from him but that worked out okay. I assume these are your starting linebackers for the near future.

Meanwhile, the defensive line didn’t put up the silly numbers they did against Utah but as a unit they were nearly as dominant. Graham put on a show, Taylor was immobile against double teams, it was a good time for all. The defense was basically subject to one actual drive, one bomb on a safety screwup, and a few other incidents that were scary… it’s just hard to sustain drives against these guys.

Given Notre Dame’s struggles against San Diego State’s battered, terrible to start with defensive line, I think this portends a domination similar to that we saw last year. The only problem is that with the linebackers as tetchy as they are and with Clausen significantly improved there is the possibility of a dink-and-dunk fest that removes the DL from the game and is extremely frustrating. One good thing: ND doesn’t have a tiny guy with dreads to break tackles; maybe Grimes or whatever but if ND is staking its offense on David Grimes I’m going to watch the game in a little party hat.

One thing to watch: with ND deploying a pro-style offense we might see more man coverage, since Michigan will fear quarterbacks escaping containment far less. I know these guys can keep up; I just want the burden of deep coverage to fall on the corners and not the sometimes… uh… interesting safeties.

The general upshot, though, is positive. We’ve seen a lot of excellent things from the Barwisized defensive line and that points straight at the heart of an offense that traditionally can do little other than throw the occasional screen to mitigate what looks like a major advantage for Michigan.