The Spread Offense
I am sick and tired of hearing about how Rich Rod has done us some great dis-service by installing the spread offense this year. Anyone in the media will simply say Michigan is bad this year "because of the system." This team was going to be terrible regardless of what offense we ran. Would running a pro-style I-Formation make the O-Line block any better? Its ridiculous to blame basic flaws in execution on an offensive system. People have also been complaining about how Rich Rod has been calling too many running plays and refuses to play to the our strengths. What QB have they been watching all year? How can you have Threet throw more when he can't even throw a simple screen. How does the offensive system matter when you a redshirt freshman QB who clearly needs to work on his mechanics. McGuffie and Odoms have shown they will be stables of this offense for years to come. We need Shaw and Stonum to see the field more so they can improve, and the O-line needs to establish some consistent play.
As for the defense I think Shafer is not playing to the strengths of the defense. Basically the only strong part of our defense is the D-line. Our LBs are all terrible at reacting to plays. They can be exploited in outsides runs and pass protection. These players need to be given one assignment when possible, and players should not be passing off coverage. Its become clear that reaction and communication on the field are simply not there. Morgan Trent has not shown the confidence I expected of a 5th-year senior, and is bad in run support. Warren has shown flashes, but is still a sophmore. Brown has been bad early, but he have Harrison have shown to be more competent. We really need out LBs to improve, because there is no depth there. Its unbelieveable that our best LB was a low 3-star running back recruit from a small catholic school with no other big time offers except michigan state. Whoever was in charge of recruiting LBs the past few years really dropped the ball.
October 12th, 2008 at 10:33 PM ^
October 12th, 2008 at 10:33 PM ^
October 12th, 2008 at 10:55 PM ^
October 13th, 2008 at 7:28 AM ^
"My beef with the offense is that it has been sold as this fast-paced offense, with guys hustling back to the ball for every play... and I'm not seeing it."
They're still learning the offense. With all of the current problems they are having with execution and mental errors do you really think they should attempt now to run the offense at warp speed? Do you really believe that that's going to solve anything?
Hell, if anything, I wish the play clock was two minutes or they would give each team fifteen timeouts per half.
October 13th, 2008 at 9:48 AM ^
It's their first year in the system. On top of that, half our offense is made up of freshmen. Those things will come in time. Rodriguez is one of the innovators of this spread offense. His teams run/will run it well. But you can't expect it immediately.
October 12th, 2008 at 11:34 PM ^
October 12th, 2008 at 11:38 PM ^
October 12th, 2008 at 11:39 PM ^
October 13th, 2008 at 2:32 AM ^
To everyone who asks about the "system" is - do you really think this offense would be any better if they lined up in the I-formation and ran right at the defense? With this offensive line?
I will say this, however - I've heard a number of people whose opinions I didn't care to trust say that RichRod should have run something other than his spread in Year One in order to help with the transition and maximize success during the year. But when Gerry DiNardo said it on BTN after the game - and mock his record if you will, but this is a former D-1 head coach at a couple of different programs - for the first time, it made me think twice. I still think that RichRod is well within his rights to install his offense this year with this team, but I no longer think it's out-of-bounds to question him for doing so.
October 13th, 2008 at 8:30 AM ^
October 13th, 2008 at 9:41 AM ^
October 13th, 2008 at 6:05 PM ^
October 13th, 2008 at 10:40 AM ^
if my aunt had nutz she'd be my uncle...
I got news for you jr..Mallet was GONE. he mad this clear at the capital one bowl...you know when we though we were going to get LES MILES. And you blame RR for a quitter like Boren leaving? why b/c of conditioning? c'mon....WEAK.
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