Looked like Brown found a fix for our edge issues
I thought that Brown made an easy adjustment to help fix our edge issues defensively. Looked like he put one of our DE's in a ghost 9 and then walked Peppers up to the line on the opposite side. Indiana never got the edge after that adjustment was made. Then McCray and Gideon did not have as much pressure on them to get the edge and were essentially cutback players. Thought it worked well for the most part. Will require great inside linebacker play inside the box, but alleviated some of the problems we have been having outside by relying on DB's to set force.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:40 PM ^
Unless he hits Samuel on some simple drags where he's man'd up by a S or LB.
That's my only big fear. Samuel gets lose on a couple easy passes which gives Barrett and the O confidence.
November 21st, 2016 at 2:13 PM ^
LB's forced to cover quicker RB or Slot coming across has been a problem all year long. I'm sure Coach Brown is aware and has an answer as well.
November 21st, 2016 at 10:41 AM ^
D line will have to dominate OSU for the best chance of victory, especially if no Speight.
November 21st, 2016 at 11:48 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 12:35 PM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
But it was mostly mitigated. Indiana attacks the edge a bit different than OSU though; lots of pin and pull and without a real interior keep threat. I think OSU with Barrett will be a bit more of a challenge, and I don't think the adjustment Saturday is necessarily the same adjustment that will be needed this up coming Saturday.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:39 PM ^
Hey Space Coyote -- Do you think we will see similar issues against OSU as we saw last season? I know we have Glasgow/Mone back this season which should help staying stout up the middle, but is that enough? I don't have a good enough grasp of their O to understand how they exploit weaknesses
November 21st, 2016 at 10:51 AM ^
Poke and prod, poke and prod, poke and prod with the zone read, then 65 yard touchdown.
I'm hoping that Glasgow and Hurst live in the backfield and disrupt the timing of the handoff so our defensive ends can contain and clean up.
I'm assuming they're going to try and slant, seam, sweep and screen us to death to get our LBs in space and our safeties in one on one situations.
Peppers needs to have the game of his life, and return a punt. We need to have sustained drives to shorten the game.
November 21st, 2016 at 10:53 AM ^
slant down on Weber and just kill these guys.
Copy MSU's gameplan please.
Win the game
November 21st, 2016 at 12:08 PM ^
So OSU's offense is either like a porno or a prostate exam.
November 21st, 2016 at 1:08 PM ^
I'd say in recent years it's been much more like a prostate exam.
November 21st, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
The good news is that OSU's offensive line is probably the weak spot on their team. When they've struggled, it's been because JT has been under constant pressure and they haven't had a run game to counteract that. I like Glasgow and Hurst against a true freshman guard.
November 21st, 2016 at 10:57 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 11:07 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 11:16 AM ^
We'll find out for sure how much he mitigated those issues on Saturday. OSU will have, by a considerable margin, the best athletes we've played against all year. They have some FAST guys on that side of the ball.
The defense will need to play its best game of the year for us to have a chance. Especially if O'Korn is the starter.
November 21st, 2016 at 11:52 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 1:28 PM ^
Marcus Baugh could be a matchup problem for the LBs. While he isn't going to burn them, by any stretch of the imagination, his size and ability to settle down in space, make him a valuable tool against an aggressive defense.
Samuel is clearly the focal point but they've got some ponies - they'll be faster, bigger, and stronger, than Colorado.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:13 PM ^
I am more concerned with their speed and athleticism in the back end of their defense.
November 21st, 2016 at 11:20 AM ^
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November 21st, 2016 at 11:23 AM ^
While I think the Michigan D will give up a couple big plays to Samuel or Weber, I think they are good enough to shut most of that down. No one is completing a pass on Lewis these days and even when it appears Stribling has an iffy game (which I thought this past week and TTB pointed out as well), that equates to maybe one legit completion, one fluke completion, and one setting edge poorly. That's light years from the days of Johnny Sears and JT Floyd.
Anyway, this comes down to what it always has for Michigan versus OSU and other dominant spread teams - the QB's legs. With JT Barrett I'm most worried about the improvisational passing. I've been scarred ever since the Troy Smith 2006 game and I think it holds true here. LB and DBs leaving their coverage to chase the QB.....and giving up a completion. LB and DBs holding their coverages....and giving up a 15 yard gain.
To win the game we have to force Barrett to pass from the pocket. If we can do that, we have a great chance to win. (It would also help if the Defense could recover their first fumble of the year too.....what a crazy fluke.)
November 21st, 2016 at 11:56 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 11:31 AM ^
Can we just play him on special teams and defense? We need to lockdown OSU's offense first and foremost, and those Peppers super duper wildcat-whatever offensive packages simply are not all that productive and they risk injury and stamina.
November 21st, 2016 at 2:46 PM ^
Sorry to say, but I think we're going to need him on offense on Saturday as well...
I don't think he will be used quite to the extent that he was against OSU last season since we are better at the RB position this season, but I do think he will get 10 snaps or so on offense. We are going to need some offensive spark to win this game, and he might be the one to have to provide that.
November 21st, 2016 at 11:54 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 8:50 PM ^
Rutgers = NJ recruits.
Maryland = Don Brown.
Jim Delany is a genius.
November 21st, 2016 at 11:54 AM ^
it will be interesting to see the attack plan on how we matchup Samuels. Does Lewis shadow him all game? Does Peppers shadow him all game? Does Peppers line up across from him in the box, or does Lewis? This matchup is very intriguing. I'm glad we have the 2 of the best of the best coaches calling our plays offensively and defensively. I'm ready for the Checkmate challenge in Columbus. Go Blue!!
November 21st, 2016 at 11:58 AM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
I think Michigan needs to just run their defense - chasing Samuel all over the field with either Peppers or Lewis won't be the best strategy in the long run. Will need Peppers in run support and I think Samuel moves to much, motions, pre-snap adjustments, to have Lewis on him all day.
Stick with what's got the defense this far.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:21 PM ^
that one or two of the most blatant holds on our D get called this Saturday? I know, not ever called, they deal with it... just asking for for it to happen once. Maybe twice.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:31 PM ^
I distinctly remember Gedeon blitizing on IU's 1st play from scrimmage where he tackled their QB for a loss. I also remember thinking "Great - that's exactly what we need more of". Then that aggressive play-calling disappeared for most of the rest of the game. I remember seeing Gedeon do it one more time with the same results, a TFL. Wish we would do more of it - get into the backfield before the play has a chance to develop. Do that and sealing the edges is a lot less difficult. I also think Gedeon is much more effective in that 'attack' mode. Otherwise, he seems to often be jockeying around in space, in 'no man's land', and contributing very little to the defense. Gideon also seems to have difficulty shedding a blocker when he is playing in what I'd call the 'wait to see what develops before I do anything' mode. He's big, strong, and not afraid to hit. He's relatively slow and not that good dancing around in space, waiting for something to happen. So, use his strengths and minimize his weaknesses, attack downhill.
November 21st, 2016 at 8:52 PM ^
When we weren't blitzing, IU was hitting passes.
November 21st, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^
November 21st, 2016 at 12:59 PM ^
We have much better athletes than Wisky and look what their defense did to Ohio
November 21st, 2016 at 1:36 PM ^
Gave up 30 points and over 400 yards??
I'm afraid if our defense has that kind of day that we won't be seeing the result we are looking for.
November 21st, 2016 at 7:04 PM ^
You can't count overtime points lol.
23 points isn't that bad, but we probably need to be below that.
I think Michigan needs OSU at 17 or less to win.
November 21st, 2016 at 8:53 PM ^
Athletes or not, Wiscy has much better linebacker play than we do.
November 21st, 2016 at 1:01 PM ^
I have no idea why but here at 1300 on Monday I just got really excited/confident about Saturday's game. Here we go, boys*!!
*Sorry for identifying you all as boys.*
*Not defining boys in the same way PSU might
November 21st, 2016 at 2:05 PM ^
Can someone explain "ghost 9" ?
November 21st, 2016 at 3:39 PM ^
I entertained the same question
http://smartfootball.com/defense/the-so-called-wide-nine#sthash.D41M7YNX.dpbs
November 21st, 2016 at 5:44 PM ^
I don't know what you just said...but I'm glad it worked!