MGoPodcast 10.5: Where's the Fullback?
1 hour and 32 minutes
We are once again at the Residence Inn Ann Arbor Downtown. The poster in the cover is the work of @CWReade,
The Sponsors
We can do this because people support us. You should support them too so they’ll want to do it again next year! The show is presented by UGP & The Bo Store, and if it wasn’t for Rishi and Ryan we wouldn't get to do this for a living.
Our other sponsors are also key to all of this: HomeSure Lending, Peak Wealth Management, Ann Arbor Elder Law, the Residence Inn Ann Arbor Downtown, the University of Michigan Alumni Association, Michigan Law Grad,Human Element, and Lantana Hummus
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1. Offense
starts at 1:00
Shea was shaky, couldn't find his receivers despite coverage sack-level time. Tackles mostly held up against the Gaz. We must be the only spread zealots who demand more fullback dives. Shea's legs are a Threat, got the Mitch Leidner throw down. Drops at inopportune times. That holding call on Higdon might be the worst holding call in the history of football. Section on Nico Collins.
2. Defense
starts at 33:11
Northwestern bunched their yards in the first quarter and didn't do anything else. Clayton Thorson was hitting small windows. Michigan get everyone's best shot. Kinnel was less solid this game. Dwumfour is still a bad run defender, becoming a useful pass rusher, could be a player next year. JUCHE! Chase Winovich is unblockable, but you should still try to block him.
3. Special Teams & Feelingsball
starts at 54:07
Will Hart is a Ray Guy candidate. Pooch kicks. Tacky blocks in the back. Redshirt counter. Game theory: now or never drive took its time. If you're going to line up to draw them offsides, snap it when they're offsides. All 4th down situations were good.
4. Around the Big Ten with Jamie Mac
starts at 1:09:57
How's the school of Dan LeFevour been reduced to this—MSU could have lost if CMU had even a decent MAC QB. Jamie doesn't like the second trip through Borgesland. Lol Frames Janklin, burning a chance to get the ball back to get in the world's worst playcall. Miles Sanders came down, PSU still giving up TFLs. Gus Johnson called Gaziano "The Gaz." The OSU comeback was 85% screens, they're not automatic to convert 4th and 1 anymore.
MUSIC
- "Mama Said Knock You Out"—LL Cool J
- "Help I'm Alive"—Metric
- "Go It Alone"—Beck
- “Across 110th Street”
THE USUAL LINKS
- Helpful iTunes subscribe link
- General podcast feed link
- Direct download link
- What's with the theme music?
I do love watching Pat Fitzgerald getting all pumped up and having to kick rocks after
October 1st, 2018 at 7:17 AM ^
"The OSU comeback was 85% screens."
Pep Hamilton is like what's a screen.
October 1st, 2018 at 9:49 AM ^
We ran a few screens against NW, none of them worked all that well.
If you really want to complain, I think a legitimate complaint is why we aren't running slants. We get torn up by slants, but never seem to run them ourselves.
October 1st, 2018 at 10:18 AM ^
I’d like to complain. I think a legitimate complaint is the price of cheesy pita bread loaf. Have you seen that lately? Sheesh.
October 1st, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^
Running WR screens on 3rd and 2 to the far side of the field when the other team is within 5 yards of the LOS usually doesn't have a high success rate.
When's the last time we ran a RB screen or threw a WR screen to someone other than Nico Collins.
October 1st, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
I can see their logic. NW is a very aggressive, downhill defense with a very good front, and we have ents for WRs so the gamble is, whether they're near the LoS or no, we have better athletes so put the ball out in space and dare NW's scrappy secondary to stop it. It didn't pay off, but whether you're mashing up front or matching WRs with DBs, the gambit is the same -- "we're better than you and you can't stop us". . . well, they stopped us.
But I think Brian has a point. Teams haven't consistently stopped ol' Murderface. We don't want to grind him into the ground, but their usage of FB dive seemed conservative, especially on key downs.
October 1st, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^
The slant isn't some magical play. Opponents run slants against UM because Brown doesn't give them much else. The DBs play a lot of press man and the front blitzes often, so OCs will try their hand with some rub routes into slants behind any blitzing LBs, get the ball out quickly, and have had some success with it. It's a good sign when the defense forces the opponent into a particular dink-and-dunk play. It's not like it loses us games; I'd rather be somewhat vulnerable to slants than, say, 50-yard TD passes. Brown just has us in a spoiled world where we get mad if the opponent gets 5-7 yards, plus the defense tends to dorf about 1-2 times a game.
We didn't run as many slants against NW because we chip the DE with a TE and they're more of a zone team. That's not to say we can't send someone on a slant, but it's just another route for our offense.
October 1st, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^
The complaint about slants always drives me crazy because it is premised on the false notion that there is some defensive system that can stop everything. Like you said, teams throw slants because Michigan won't let them go over the top, which means you force teams to dink-and-dunk their way down the field but they can semi-consistently grab 7-8 yards if they're patient. Sometimes you get a KJ Hamler and break it for 93 yards; other times it gets batted down or picked off.
Michigan somehow held a team to barely 200 yards even with a prevent defense on that last drive and yet people are freaking out because they got a couple of chunk plays early on. People are spoiled by Brown.
October 1st, 2018 at 10:49 AM ^
and you'd like to know what it's like to have a positive thought pop into your head
October 1st, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
Diagonal Blue is like what's a troll.
October 1st, 2018 at 8:13 AM ^
If we’re really going with Juche for Uche’s nickname, I have an excuse to post my favorite YouTube video of all time.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=lwoSFQb5HVk
Hopefully we’ll have Juche dance parties regularly in the opponents’ backfields.
October 1st, 2018 at 9:19 AM ^
This isn't showing up in my Downcast app. Is that true for anyone else?
EDIT: Deleted the podcast from feed and re-subscribed and it downloaded.
October 1st, 2018 at 12:31 PM ^
It doesn't show up on stitcher any more for some reason. Hasn't for quite some time.
October 1st, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^
I visit the podcast each week if for nothing else than to groove to the old school Michigan Replay song.
October 1st, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^
From now on, I suggest we refer to Northwestern’s coach as, “Pat, ice-the-punter, Fitzgerald.”
October 1st, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^
I do like this new trend of opposing coaches wantonly burning timeouts to ice players at positions not often iced. Here’s hoping Penn State decides to ice our kick-off specialist when the time comes.
October 1st, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^
Hey now, I listen to the podcast every week and I’m a woman. We exist!! :)
October 1st, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^
Joined: 11/07/2011
MGoPoints: 29
Well, someone's gotta represent or we won't know! If you're a lurker by nature then rest assured I'm not out to throw anyone into the deep water, but I hope we're not making some of our fellow MGoBlog readers into wallflowers out of hostility or misogyny. That would make me sad, especially in light of recent events.
October 1st, 2018 at 10:45 PM ^
Thank you, your comment made my day! I do prefer lurking, I can’t keep up with these crazy comment sections. But I appreciate the welcome!
October 1st, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
I was disappointed in the coaching of the 4th & 1 trying to draw them offsides... If you decide you're just trying to draw them off, the ball should never be snapped, because bad things could happen if the refs don't call it. But every other OL should be ready to react to someone jumping. Onwenu should've jumped after the Northwestern guy went into the neutral zone. Worst case, they call you for a 5 yard penalty which you are already content with taking.
October 1st, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^
This is a great point. Knowing the ineptitude of Big Ten refs, relying on them to properly flag an offside penalty seems like a bad proposition.
October 1st, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^
I remember during the 1995 M-OSU game, Rod Payne got M a couple offsides penalties by snapping the ball when OSU defenders were in the neutral zone, even though Griese hadn't called for the snap.
But then, there was a game in 2009 when Molk got hurt (I think it was Penn State, might have been IU); Moosman took over at center and tried to do the same thing--snapping the ball when the opposing team jumped, even though Forcier hadn't called for it. Those were shotgun snaps and I think both times Forcier had to dive on the ball or there may have been a turnover, not sure--but the officials didn't call the offsides and Rich Rod tore into Moosman on the sidelines.
I guess my takeaway is that snapping the ball prematurely to draw the offsides penalty is probably an advanced-level move that you can do as a black-belt ninja center--maybe not the thing to try in your fifth college start (let alone your first appearance as a backup when the starter is injured).
October 1st, 2018 at 12:34 PM ^
Al Borges failed in so many ways during his tenure at Michigan. However, he had some trick that he used to draw opposing teams off-sides (Gardner hinted at it during an interview), and my non-scientific survey indicates that Borges was pretty successful at it at a rate some deviation greater than standard. Does anyone on the board have insight as to what the trick was or have data that supports my eye/memory test?
October 1st, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
I almost blew a gasket when Ruiz didn’t snap the ball, but on second thought, rc15 is right...that’s on the rest of the line to move after the dlineman jumped.
October 1st, 2018 at 11:31 AM ^
Meta hot take: this may be the best stretch of podcasting the site has had. The content, production, and the rapport all stand out. Really impressive.
October 1st, 2018 at 1:33 PM ^
I want to tell a short story about Chris Reade, the creator of the J.Uche poster.
Chris and I became friends as freshman dorm neighbors in East Quad. I was in 302 Tyler, he was 410 Tyler-Green.
Years later, I attended graduate school in Singapore from 2012-2014. Chris and I had remained close and he hit me up on FB Messenger one evening just before graduation. What are you doing this Saturday? he asked.
I am graduating, I replied. My parents have flown out and we will have a nice time.
Sounds nice, he said. Want to get lunch?
Well, always, Chris, but I am in Singapore, so it might be difficult.
Where are your parents staying? I'll meet you there.
A few days went by and I wasn't sure if he was serious. But then Saturday morning arrived in Singapore and so did Chris. He had accumulated a ton of airline miles flying for work and needed to spend a pile of them before they rolled over or expired or something.
Chris and I spent the whole day together exploring Singapore before heading back to the airport.
He flew across the planet just to hang out for one day.
Later that summer, I was back in the States and preparing to move from DC to Los Angeles. I was going to drive my Volvo cross-country. Again Chris flew all the way across the continent to be my copilot.
Chris Reade is one of the best and most interesting people you could ever meet in your life. I am very very lucky to call him my friend.
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