play action

Why is this coming out in May? Because I need the grades for HTTV.

Why isn't Brian doing it? Because it's May.

Where's the B1GCG? Brian already charted it, will write it up soon.

FORMATION NOTES: TCU runs out a 3-3-5 base personnel with a couple of hybrids, and moves them around for different looks. Often one of the hybrids is a 3rd safety, but one (or both) can also become 3-4 OLBs. It's most obvious against this covered formation:

This also lent itself to something like Mint fronts, usually having the hybrids follow Michigan's TEs and walking down another safety to get 8 in the box from a deceptively light pre-snap look. I just called this 335 Over:

And when Michigan showed a spread formation the same personnel became a Tite front. TCU calls #13 Dee Winters an "OLB" but I used "SAM" whenever referring to him.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES: Normal. Schoonmaker went out for the game after his long catch and Loveland-Honigford-Hibner were the TEs except when Bredeson was in for heavy stuff. Edwards the whole way at RB except short situations for Mullings—the one he fumbled he lined up as an offset fullback. Trente Jones came in as a 6th OL, and El-Hadi got a snap as a 7th OL. Wilson went out with a stinger early but came back. When they went 5-wide they just had Edwards and Loveland line up as receivers.

[After THE JUMP: Nose tackle got whupped and he don't care.]

The defensive UFR was getting a little long so I thought I might pop out a chunk about Iowa’s heavy formation package, why Michigan was getting beat by it earlier in the game, how they adjusted, and how they caught Iowa trying to take advantage.

So Iowa finally has the ball moving after a stretch of 20/22 unsuccessful offensive plays, and gets to the Michigan 8 yard line, with 4th down and 3. Michigan broke through last drive to make it 21-3, and this drive has consumed almost 8 minutes of the 3rd quarter, so Iowa has to score to avoid going into the 4th quarter down three scores without the ball.

This was the result:

Let’s talk about how they did that.

[After THE JUMP]

Things discussed:

• WMU preview, Seth gets the Broncos QB’s name wrong. Likes their DT and Anchor, not their secondary.
• Skyy Moore is their dangerbug.
• I would pass deep against them.
• Michigan wants to run.
• Seth is very mad that they don’t read with their starting QB, and it sounds like they’re going to do that again.
• Sam thinks they’re better at running the ball than slinging it.
• Play-action maybe?

[Hit the JUMP for the player, and video and stuff]