this counterintuitive opinion is backed by data

Throwing a quick one up to highlight something that got too long in the UFR. You already know the gameplan against Washington: Run. You probably figured out why they stuck to the gameplan too: Washington was hyperfocused on stopping everything but the run.

Specifically, Michigan was finding ways to get their big burly linemen involved in run blocking the cadre of Husky OLB/DEs they were rotating through, and the main way of doing that was to bring multiple dudes across the formation.

Their base plays this game were Split Zone and various forms of Counter. Here’s the 2nd play of the game (after the false start):

If you caught everything going on here in the first viewing, please apply to Jim Harbaugh immediately because you were born a coaching savant. For the rest of you, here’s what I saw:

Basically it’s Counter Trey except they shifted everything a gap inwards. Here’s how:

1. Kickouts of the overhang CB and the SAM with the F-back (All) and pulling center (Vastardis).
2. A zone block of the frontside Tackle with the Y (Schoonmaker)—block him down if he wants to go that way or kick him out if he tries to go to Schoonmaker’s left shoulder.
3. The biggest lead blocker the can find (RT Andrew Stueber) pulling around to remove the free MLB from whichever gap the T didn’t choose.
4. Downblocks on the other two DL and WLB with the guards (Keegan and Zinter) and frontside tackle (Hayes).
5. An RPO snag concept going on with the backside to keep the Jack from crashing on a long-developing run play.

I wanted to highlight the player matchups because those are important.

[After THE JUMP: Across the formation]

FORMATION NOTES: Michigan spent every snap in their nickel. This was fairly typical.

That also shows what I called "shotgun triangle" for IU. Wynn is lined up in the backfield behind the QB, but it's shotgun depth, not pistol. Wynn would always motion out after a hand-wave from the QB; this was always a decoy.

Michigan did show a few okie packages. This is Okie two; I designate them by the number of safeties.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES: Boatloads. Avery went back to safety and spotted Gordon and Wilson from time to time. This led to a lot of Stribling and Lewis, as Michigan played every snap in their nickel. Countess and Taylor did not leave the field, IIRC.

At linebacker the usual Ross/Morgan/Bolden rotation saw Ben Gedeon join. The line was the usual profusion of bodies. Clark or Ojemudia was usually one end with one of Beyer/Ryan/CGordon the other. On the interior, Washington, Black, Wormley, Henry and Heitzman seemed to split snaps almost evenly. Glasgow also got in some.

[After THE JUMP: go go go go go go go go go go]