All-22 version via Ace

So much of Michigan's offense this week was Indiana being atrocious at pass coverage, but the the one where Rudock threw Jehu open was…well it was that too but it was also a great play by a QB/WR tandem. Too often this year offense has come from schematic, or rock-paper-scissors wins. This one was just a great quarterback play. So let's draw it up:

[Hit THE JUMP to see how it worked]

1. Diagnosis. In the Harbaugh offense Rudock comes to the line with three possible plays to pick from depending on the defense's alignment. What he sees is Indiana is selling out for an inside run: the SS is rolled down into the box and the linebackers are crowding the middle. The alignment doesn't betray a certain coverage. It could be Cov3, or quarters, or man or cov 2.

Rudock selects a play-action pass.

Butt (on the end of the line) is kicking out the DE while Mags and Kalis double the DT. Houma will come across the formation like he's going to be the lead blocker through the hole.

The goal here is to get the linebackers and the SS to suck up to the play-action to open up space for Chesson's deep in route (which is deeper than the 50 yard line by the way). Rudock will then have to read the free safety—if that guy's over the top of Darboh's route it goes to Chesson. If both are covered, De'Veon has a check route where he looks for a blitzer off the edge before leaking into the flat. That's the safety valve. If nobody buys the PA, I'm guessing his third read is run.

2. Read 'em. At the snap all goes as planned. The linebackers all step toward the line of scrimmage. The MLB's first step is outside with Smith, then back inside as soon as De'Veon pulls up. The other two LBs sucked up as well. The SAM got wide to cover that C gap. Here they are the moment they realize it's PA.

The SS I believe is in a robber zone even though he could well be in Man 2 or Quarters (he is looking at Butt). I'm basing this on two things: 1) he's still stepping forward when the LBs and the FS are all on their heels, and 2) the CB on the bottom of the screen is maintaining inside leverage, like he's in pure man. Contrast with the outside leverage of the CB on Darboh at the top of the screen; he has help short (WLB) and deep (FS).

3. The decision. Anyway back to our SS. Rudock is looking right at him, and he's still dancing around on the hash 8 yards off the line of scrimmage. Now the defense has had time to react to the pass, and the protection is breaking down:

Things here: Houma is watching Butt's block on the SDE and not seeing the MLB coming on the delayed blitz. TE on a pass rusher is already dangerous so I can see why he's expecting to need to assist there, but he's also supposed to be reading inside-out. Also Cole's guy has come inside and Braden isn't picking him up.

Smith is getting into his route; since the WLB is dropping into a middle zone nobody has the flat. A dumpoff would get a big chunk. But Rudock hasn't come of his first read. And Chesson hasn't cut yet. And this is the moment when you see the difference between a quarterback who trusts a) his arm, and b) his receivers to run the designed play and one still getting used to the offense. Because that free safety is still lurking in a deep zone. Rudock gives himself a beat to set and chucks…

…at the same second Chesson is making his in-cut. It's blurry but here's the window:

The FS is fighting his own momentum because he had to get deep enough if the pass went to Darboh, and the CB on Chesson has not yet recovered on the cut. Indiana's last hope is the strong safety, but the play-action took him out of the equation.

FS and CB run into each other, Darboh gets enough of a block on his dude, and Chesson takes his Chesson legs to the house. Take a bow: