minnesota golden gophers

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Four Plays – UM vs. Minnesota 2013

This series examines the probable individual matchups Michigan expects to face against particular 2013 opponents on one of Michigan’s key running plays and one of its key passing plays, as well as defensively against a couple of the opponent’s key plays (assuming first-sting personnel in a base defensive alignment).   This is the third installment of the series; previous: Notre Dame and Connecticut. 

Michigan opens Big Ten action at home this season against a Jerry Kill’s Gophers, who didn't exactly face a murderer’s row in their non-conference schedule but got off to a 4-0 start nonetheless—even despite an injury that deprived Minnesota of their starting QB for two games.  [Edit: The Gophers are now 4-1, having lost 3-7 yesterday to Iowa.  In the game, Minnesota gained only 30 yards rushing and gave up 147 yards rishing to Mark Weisman].  Overall, the Gophers looked well-coached and unlikely to beat themselves, but with the talent differential and Michigan needing to make a statement, this is not a game that should be close.

When Michigan has the ball…

222 Slant-Flat

The slant is a relatively easy throw that gets the ball to a receiver with a chance to gain yards after the catch.  In west coast offenses, pairing multiple slants with a flat route underneath stretches a defense horizontally, while motion is used to help the QB diagnose the defense before the snap.      

When the H-back motions across the formation before the snap, the QB will watch to see if a defender follows him.  If so, then the defense must be playing man coverage—meaning the X receiver is one-on-one with the CB.  If no defender follows the H-back, then the defense is in zone.  The H-back (running the flat route) and the Y receiver (running a slant) will flood the right flat; the QB will read the flat defender (against cover 3, this is usually the box safety) and throw to whichever receiver the flat defender leaves open.

 

Assignments:

LT – Taylor Lewan: pass protect vs. WDE Theiren Cockran

LG – Graham Glasgow: pass protect vs. DT Cameron Botticelli

C – Jack Miller: pass protect vs. DT Ra’Shede Hageman

RG – Kyle Kalis: pass protect vs. DT Ra’Shede Hageman

RT – Michael Schofield: pass protect vs. SDE Michael Amaefula 

TE – Devin Funchess: motion across formation, run flat route (covered by SS Cedric Thompson)

SL – Drew Dileo: run slant (2) route (covered by NB Brock Vereen)

SE – Jeremy Gallon: run slant route route (covered by CB Derrick Wells)

FL –Jehu Chesson: run slant route (covered by SS Cedric Thompson)

TB – Fitzgerald Toussaint: pass protect vs. SDE Michael Amaefula 

QB – Devin Gardner: pre-snap, motion H-back across formation, recognize zone coverage underneath;  receive snap, read flat defender (SS); if flat defender follows Chesson, set feet and throw flat route to Funchess, throw slant to Chesson if flat defender comes up to play Funchess.   

Advantage: Even

Three weeks ago I wouldn’t have hesitated to declare the advantage for Michigan on this play, with Devin Gardner throwing to a solid group of receivers against Minnesota’s underwhelming defense.  But Gardner’s been inconsistent over the past couple weeks, due in no small part to poor pass protection on the interior—and now Michigan has to face arguably the best DT in college football.  That would be Ra’Shede Hageman, Minnesota’s senior DT who entered the season on most first-team All-B1G lists and boasts a first-round NFL draft grade.  To have success against him, the Michigan line that handled Louis Nix and Stephon Tuitt will have to show up against the Gophers.  Another performance like the one we saw in Hartford could spell a long day for Michigan’s offense.

[After the JUMP: it's a trap!]