Illinois Snowflakes: The Offense
November 19th, 2022 at 4:00 PM ^
Is it possible that the wind was a bigger issue today than JJ in terms of inaccurate throws? Asking honestly, not being snarky.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:06 PM ^
No, Their QB had no trouble throwing it all over
November 19th, 2022 at 5:44 PM ^
JJ had more yards and yards/attempt and got the win. Our fans can be on myopic in their misery.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
The stuff we worried about in the passing game: yep. JJ is… not sharp. And the receivers… not sharp. Andrel had a TD in his hands, easy drop. That’s why he’s not getting more targets.
And yet, Michigan *needed* this kind of tense pressure. Fire forges steel. Lots of worries, but there were key stretches where the offense had to gain yards and they did. With the third and fourth string RBs. With second and third string TEs.
It wasn’t great. But some of this stuff is stuff that has a “game before OSU with dinged players” penalty.
It is a win. A troubling win, but a tough win, and I think the punch in the mouth is what the team needed. It’s what JJ needed. Maybe what the coaches needed.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:58 PM ^
Obviously depends on when you start counting, but I'd argue it was 3rd & 4th string TE (counting All as #1). Also down two OL starters.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:03 PM ^
Good point.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:59 PM ^
Yeah. All season I’ve wondered why Andrel isnt cutting into CJs time. When he let the ball go right through his hands I was like ‘ah. There it is’
November 19th, 2022 at 5:20 PM ^
You add that to the fact that CJ is an A+ blocker and you see why he plays so much. If the receivers aren’t going to catch the ball, you might as well find the best blockers of the bunch.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:06 PM ^
3rd and 4th string TEs. Don’t forget about All.
edit: yeah. What others said. I’ll just add that people whine too much.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:41 PM ^
I’m not sure it’s so much whining, rather we have seen this offense regress so much. Without Corum, edwards and TEs there is a lack of creativity. WRs not stepping up in literally the only game that they asked them to and it’s nothing but dropped passes and inaccurate throws. I’m hoping it was a rest game for all the big players, but if UM has them sitting out next week, they’re in trouble
November 19th, 2022 at 10:31 PM ^
Well stated. I agree with so much of this take and hope you are right.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
Offensive
November 19th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
Only if i were drunk enough I'd post that we were holding everything back for Ohio. Heading to get more alcohol. See yutes later
November 19th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
Get well Blake. Thanks for the 100 + yds you managed today. Thank you Roman Wilson. Get well Trevor, Donovan, Luke, and everyone. Everyone played hard to the end. Struggle was real in the cold and Illinois played very hard. Hoping growth comes from the challenges today. 11 & 0 means and says a lot.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
I'd just like to say that that game turned my hair white.
and yes, I mean my pubic hair.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:46 PM ^
Stay healthy! We need the silver fox next week!
November 19th, 2022 at 7:07 PM ^
It’s 2022, who has pubic hair?!
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
These WRs are not ready to win a NC.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:48 PM ^
Neither is the QB or the structure of the offense.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
Honestly, we won. That is all I care about right now, unlike that Iowa game I remember. They made plays when needed. My heart is still pounding. Get everyone healthy. Get ready for OSU. Gutsy win with fourth string RB and no starting TE. With all the deficiencies we saw today, this team got steel in it's spine. Go Blue!!
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
Offense is awful. WRs are not good and JJ has fallen off a cliff to be a below average B1G QB.
Please fire Weiss.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:04 PM ^
We are 11-0. Our offense is amongst the top 20 in many categories, including points scored. Probably an overreaction to fire the co-OC. That said, the WR development has been putrid. Maybe take away WR technique coaching and bring in someone who can do that better, while shifting other responsibilities to Weiss. As an aside the TE are all really good at catching the ball and getting open, so I’m just not sure what the issue is with the WR room.
November 19th, 2022 at 5:35 PM ^
I'm with you. Play calling has been great this year.
I think people are kind of in denial how bad JJ played. Hard to call a game with an erratic QB.
November 20th, 2022 at 4:14 AM ^
Play calling has been great this year.
Has it though?
Run play formationing and blocking scheming has been quite good, but playcalling has been rather mediocre in my opinion, relative to talent disparities. The offense has been too reliant on Corum, manballing, with the occasional throw to the flat sprinkled in. I seem to remember mostly running the ball on 2 and short (rather than taking a shot), and throwing downfield to WRs has been neglected till rather late in the season. Not much challenging the defense deep.Still hoping it comes together this week, but there is a lot more wishing for such things than I am comfortable with.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
Why did they even have corum run one play in 3rd
November 19th, 2022 at 4:31 PM ^
I’d like to know. Must have been testing it. If so, not a great sign.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
On the plus side, that's the best defense we'll see in the regular season
November 19th, 2022 at 3:51 PM ^
That defense was playing without several players in the secondary and the offense still couldn't take advantage. The passing game is brutal in every way.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:56 PM ^
Better than OSU?
November 20th, 2022 at 4:15 AM ^
More physical? Probably.
More physically talented? No.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
We’re also really missing Erick All this year.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
Felt like poor play calling and a lot of wasted 2nd downs throughout. Weird lack of aggression... sub-awesome.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:47 PM ^
McCarthy's overall poor passing, and not in just this game, makes me understand why Ohio St turned to Kyle McCord and didn't care if they lost McCarthy's commitments.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
He had some overthrows for sure but lots of dropped passes that the WR's should of had as well.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
If Corum was hurt bad, he would not have been on the sideline in the second half. He is playing next week. Watch.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:51 PM ^
I already watched, he played in the 2nd half
November 20th, 2022 at 4:21 AM ^
He played one down in the second half. That doesn't convince me that he is going to be a fully capable player next week. I'm sure he'll play, but I not holding my breath in anticipation of seeing multiple cuts that leave defenders' shorts on the ground, or 30-40 carries dragging the buckeye defense on his back.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
It wasn’t pretty. It was ugly. No, it was very ugly. But they won. And they did it without their best player and other important starters. I remain fascinated by the miserable posters whose comments turn so negative, so quickly, at the first sign of adversity. Is it just sports for these people, because if that’s how they approach the other parts of their lives, I can’t see how they ever succeed at anything.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:57 PM ^
Posters overreact BOTH ways (positively and negatively) all the time. You are correct that there are those who turn too quickly when adversity strikes at all.
There are, however, also those who deny anything is ever wrong on the field. It's been pretty obvious all season long that there are issues in the passing game and the only happy, happy sunshine crew refused to acknowledge any of it.
Fans (and posters) are really strange creatures.
November 19th, 2022 at 4:20 PM ^
Found Doctor Phil’s Mgo account
November 20th, 2022 at 4:28 AM ^
I think there are those of us who merely wish the offense had progressed more multidimensionally than it has: that instead of the repeated bludgeoning overmatched opponents through the soft part of the schedule by running Corum 30 times a game, we had run him 20 times or so and developed the passing attack to be more dangerous downfield, not bogged down in the red zone or settled for FGs, as we know that will definitely be needed over the next several games.
I don't think that's being negative or pessimistic, it's just a sobering look at what is and what might be.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
OSU by 30 next week
November 19th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
Garbage. Not built to do anything without Corum or Edwards. Receivers not great but the scheme doesn’t do them any favors. But we won so we still have something to play for. Frankly though we may not have much of a chance because that was such a bad showing at home that I can easily see the committee keeping us out of the playoff if we lose to the Bucks.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:59 PM ^
To be fair. Most teams would be bad if they lost their top 2 running backs. Two starting Offense Lineman, Their kick/punt returner and 3rd/4thWR and two best Tight Ends, Best DE, starting safety.
November 19th, 2022 at 6:25 PM ^
“To be fair…?” That concept has no place here.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
Well that took some time off my life. Too many people out, too conservative of playing calling. Too many drops. Lots to clean up. Much more nervous about next week now. Which I did not think was possible.
JJ does not look ready to put the team on his back. If Edwards and BC can't go takes a very hard mission to some Tom Cruise Mission Impossible bullshit.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
Sorry Double Post
November 19th, 2022 at 3:44 PM ^
Well…we won…by the skin of the skin of our teeth…against fucking Illinois.…at HOME.
I’m sorry, but the effort today was absolutely pathetic. With everything on the line, they come out and play like this…
And ONCE AGAIN, the WRs dropping pass after pass that hits them in the hands.
Defense plays great and only allows 17 points and the offense shits the bed…yeah yeah I know, no Corum and no Edwards…well the entirety of the offense just can’t only be TWO guys!
This isn’t going to beat Ohio State, the Big Ten Championship, or a playoff game.
The offensive brain-trust, players included, needs to have a deep deep look inside themselves this week and pull their heads out of their ass.
God damn, why is being a Michigan fan so painful??
November 19th, 2022 at 3:47 PM ^
I know. It’s so tough being undefeated. We have won 90 plus percent of our games the last two seasons, beat our rival and are Big Ten champs. The HORROR!!
OR, you are just a negative bitch.
November 19th, 2022 at 3:55 PM ^
Really?? I’m just a negative bitch?
Maybe you’re just fucking blind and couldn’t see how poorly the offense performed today. But I forgot, who cares how shitty we play as long as we squeak out a win, right??
Fuck off with your false fan superiority