One Frame At A Time: Iowa
Most children possess what is, to us adults at least, a remarkable ability to stay in the present and worry about the future later. While we're hand-wringing about the state of the offense and what it means for yet another iteration of The Game that doesn't look promising, they're probably not thinking about football at all, because football isn't on at this moment. Meanwhile, on Saturday, the defense brought genuine joy:
Kids: smarter than you think.
[Hit THE JUMP for SACK TIME.]
THE WHOLE ALBUM
10. Did An Offense
Should do more, in my opinion.
This is the last you'll see of the offense in this post.
9. Paye Beats Alaric Jackson
Tim Drevno, absolved!*
*just kidding, absolutely not
8. Solve Your Problems With Five-Stars
One way to shut down a fourth-down crossing route is to be able to close a two-yard gap in two steps. Ambry Thomas, meanwhile, couldn't turn off pure instinct, and it's hard to blame him.
7. Reroute
Really impressive from Jordan Glasgow to convert this from a run blitz to a free run at Nate Stanley.
6. Over the Top
This doesn't show Josh Metellus getting all the way over the top of a slot fade but I couldn't resist the slow-mo replay angle of him just ripping the ball away.
5. Juke and Sack
That doesn't seem fair.
4. I Run Your Route
Hit him in stride. First down!
3. Jubilation with a Mild Heart Attack
ANOTHER ONE GET SOME what in the left-handed hell OH GOD there's nobody home why does this always happen to us wait is that the line of scrimmage oh there's Dax we're good never mind can someone be so kind as to fetch me a defibrillator.
2. Buried
Wheeeeeeeeee.
FRAMES OF THE GAME: IOWA FANS
Imagine being one of these guys. They've come a long way, presumably, only to watch their beloved Hawkeyes fail to crack 300 yards or score a touchdown. Last-ditch efforts by Iowa to break through are not going well. They're surrounded by fans of the other team, one of whom is a young man who seemingly appears out of nowhere to ask what just happened. These guys look miserable. And yet, almost in unison, they helpfully answer the young man's query. Iowa fans, man.
For his part, the young man had quite the reaction, and he also confirmed that the Iowa fans were indeed Iowa fans:
That game was fun and those guys were nice. I didn’t even know it made National Television.
— Derek wohlfeil (@WohlfeilDerek) October 8, 2019
(Bleep.)
VOTE
October 9th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
“Wholly crap, what just happened? Did you just get a rushing Rutger? FUCK!”
October 9th, 2019 at 10:33 AM ^
I vote to retain the Joyous Child GIF for future deployment along with the Muppets, should the occasion ever arise again. We could use more of that sort of unbridled enthusiasm around here these days.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:52 AM ^
That kid is awesome.
Fuck it dude...lets go bowling!
October 9th, 2019 at 11:58 AM ^
She reminds me of Yoast’s daughter in Remember The Titans.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^
Came to say this, instead +1
October 9th, 2019 at 12:03 PM ^
Anybody have any idea what's she's saying?
October 9th, 2019 at 12:14 PM ^
I saw it as a “Let’s Go Blue” chant
October 9th, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
I think it was "I'm being followed by an Imperial Storm Trooper!"
October 9th, 2019 at 3:17 PM ^
Anybody have any idea what's she's saying?
"FUCK IOWA"
October 9th, 2019 at 1:46 PM ^
That kid gets it. Just start engraving the Parents of the Year trophy for her mom and dad now.
October 9th, 2019 at 10:41 AM ^
What was crazy to me was that after the Lavert Hill interception the announcers were talking about how Stanley getting hit effected his ability to throw the ball and not that Hill had run the route for the wide receiver. Because Stanley stepping into that one gets Hill a touch...back?
October 9th, 2019 at 12:19 PM ^
Joel Klatt mentioned Hill running the route when the replay was shown. Gus Johnson mentioned the hits. They’re the most enjoyable announcing team in CFB to me, but occasionally Johnson picks up the easier or more compelling narrative than he does the correct one. Even Keith Jackson did this to some degree. No big deal - it’s an acceptable trade-off to me if I get drawn even deeper into the action by the the announcers.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:03 AM ^
the juke sack was amazing....there was an even better angle shown during the game
October 9th, 2019 at 11:04 AM ^
And yet, almost in unison, they helpfully answer the young man's query. Iowa fans, man.
For me, that kind of civility and sports camaraderie is one of the most enjoyable aspects of watching games together.
I remember a Michigan v. Notre Dame game in 1991 ... I was watching the game from a bar in Ann Arbor, and there was a table of Notre Dame fans next to me. When Michigan scored a touchdown, I bought that table a pitcher of beer. When Notre Dame score, they bought my table a pitcher. By the end of the game we were having a lot of fun being sports fans in a sports bar. Michigan won that game, and I recall complimenting their team on the play and wishing them luck the rest of the season. It was a great time. Obviously memorable, as I can recall it well to this day.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:09 AM ^
The addition of Dwumfour, McGrone and D.Hill to the lineup has really made a huge difference. Way more explosive and also frees other guys to make plays. I voted for Buried because that right there captured everything - great scheme, awesome speed blitz, and then everyone joined the fun. What a huge improvement in the defense, just so gap sound versus that junk we played in Madison.
The one offensive clip is telling. Our explosion is not coming from speed-in-space RPOs ... more like bigbodies-in-bombs. That is who we are and Gattis needs to adapt the scheme to fit his players. Like that pass by Shea was a thing of beauty ... and it was set up by play action not some new fangled RPO. I am all for developing the read option scheme in order to go up-tempo when needed, but man, our base needs to be a better fit for the QB and WRs that are on this team. More actual called pass plays, more power run plays, and killer play action passing.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:37 AM ^
re: Dax Hill in the clip Ace gif'd of the tip/INT - if you slow that play down, he's two or three steps behind the WR when Stanley goes into his throwing motion and probably still a step behind as the ball comes out as he had to make up some ground as he picked up the receiver in coverage. Then he effortlessly zip to the pass and knocks it away. He and McGrone will be game changers the rest of the season and next year.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:22 AM ^
the enthusiastic kid looks like one of the coaches' daughter character sheryl yoast from the film 'remember the titans'. if they are anything alike that kid in the gif probably knows more about football than me.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:28 AM ^
I voted Did an Offense on principle. I'm disappointed it's lagging behind.
If the throw to Nico wasn't such a unicorn, I would have voted for the Iowa fans. That was quite a moment.
I also love anything with Dax. Thanks for coming here Dax. Even though this is not Bama football, I hope you at least enjoy being in Ann Arbor. We have some nice indie book stores.
October 9th, 2019 at 11:32 AM ^
favorite clip is any clip with Dax and McGrone eating the hopes and dreams of the opposing offense. Those guys are gonna be stars.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:00 PM ^
I see I’m not the only one who, in the chaos of that play, momentarily confused the line of scrimmage for the line to gain. Days later, I still feel the panic attack.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:16 PM ^
Include me in that as well!! Watching the replay, you have to give Stanley credit for getting that pass away!
October 9th, 2019 at 2:37 PM ^
95% of the stadium including myself stayed until that 4th down... because we absolutely thought that something ridiculous like that play could have succeeded.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
What is the Joyous Kid saying? Lip readers, get to work
October 9th, 2019 at 12:22 PM ^
"Let's Go Blue" .. and the bottom one is the Michigan fan telling the Iowa fans they only have one rushing yard.
October 9th, 2019 at 12:33 PM ^
can we all sit back now and acknowledge how unbelievable it was that Stanley, while getting his throwing arm held down by an opposing player as he's being sacked, had the presence of mind to transfer the ball to his left hand, was able to throw it, and actually completed a pass? has this ever happened in a live game before?
October 9th, 2019 at 1:00 PM ^
Things like that only happen to Michigan ... I'm pretty sure.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:55 PM ^
i think i remember favre doing that a time or two back in the day.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:21 PM ^
Didn’t Mahomes do something similar to this, albeit not necessarily under as much duress?
October 9th, 2019 at 1:08 PM ^
Absolutely awesome the way the older guy behind the Iowa fans puts on chapstick, thus triggering the man in the bandana, in front of him, to also put on chapstick, almost in unison. Practically supernatural because he could not have seen the man behind him make the move! Nice.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:13 PM ^
Love the Joyous Child. Looks about 8 to me. Mine is 5 years old now. Rutgers was her 6th game and the first one where she generally knew what was going on, cheered at appropriate moments (half of her experience is junk food and people watching), and lasted until her parents wanted to leave. I am on pace to have mine fully weaponized in 3 more years like that little girl and then, no matter how much an A-hole she decides one day that her dad must be, we will always have Michigan football together.
October 9th, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
FWIW, my dad is my other season ticketholder. I've never actually thought him to be an a-hole, but I have, on many occasions, passed up more fun Saturday plans so that I can spend 7 hours on a fall Saturday afternoon with my dad because, one day, I'll only be able to look back on Michigan football together.
She'll learn to cherish those days. I promise.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:31 PM ^
My fiancé frequently mentions the “looking back” idea as a reason she has weekly phone conversations with her mom and why she forces us to visit her family one weekend a month. Unfortunately, I don’t really share that feeling inherently, so there is more effort needed and it makes me feel guilty. That said, dad took me to many games as a kid (many being like half a dozen or so), but he pushed me and my brothers to work hard so we could all attend the greatest university in the world. Mom too (not trying to leave anyone out).
unfortunately my fiancé and her family are as big of MSU fans as we are UM fans. I just pray my kid makes the “right” decision
October 9th, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^
Jubilation FTW only because that narration is almost literally word for word what went through my head on that play.
Also, because I'm in a really bad headspace right now and any opportunity to literally laugh out loud is a welcome reprieve. OFAAT is my favorite post of the week, every week.
Also also, I like how these clips highlight that new thing we seem to be doing where we actually wrap a guy up to tackle him rather than just throw a few curled fingers in their direction and hope that does the trick.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:01 PM ^
Iowa fans for the win. If you've never been to Kinnick, absolutely go. Maybe the best away experience in the B1G (though I've not done them all - 4 to go).
October 9th, 2019 at 2:40 PM ^
Have you done Lincoln yet? If so, how did it compare to Kinnick?
October 10th, 2019 at 10:20 AM ^
Haven't done Lincoln yet but I hear it's great.
October 9th, 2019 at 2:53 PM ^
I wouldn’t go taunting iowa fans. In 30 years of holding season tix I’ve only seen 2 fights in the stands and they have both involved an Iowa fan whaling on an obnoxious Michigan fan.
October 9th, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^
Yeah, that's pretty much exactly what I was thinking on #3 also. I, too, thought that blue line was the first-down line and was apopletic for that split-second.
October 9th, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
I am pretty sure he is asking something along the lines of, "Holy crap, does Iowa really have one rushing yard?" (Hence the index finger)
Comments