FORMATION NOTES: All gun, and the vast majority was three-wide with Eubanks and three WRs in.

Indiana responds by having a box that looks light and then sending someone down to either blitz off the corner or adding a safety to the linebacker level. Or just running a light box and hoping to get away with it.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES: With Hayes and Mayfield out the line was Barnhart/Filiaga/Vastardis/Zinter/Stueber. Eubanks returned and got the large majority of snaps; Erick All was involved somewhat but after another drop he barely saw the field.

The usual at WR with Bell leading the pack; felt like Cornelius Johnson slid into the #2 role both by targets and snaps. Sainristil, Wilson, and Jackson were tightly bunched behind. Henning continues to get snaps; here he had more than his previous bare handful.

Same near-even four-man rotation at RB. Ben Mason's role was significantly reduced.

[After THE JUMP: Milton is legitimately promising, at least]

Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M21	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel over	6.5	Run	Split zone	Evans	0
M has Bell tucked in tight to the boundary; IU blitzes off the boundary with a CB. Bell(-1) steps like he expects the guy to be force and then he’s gone because there’s a two yard gap between him and the OT. Dude tackles at LOS. RPS -2. Vastardis(+0.5) and Filiaga got some depth on a DT but Filiaga(-0.5) never gets off the DT and a LB flows through to help tackle. If no CB this was probably enough to send Evans through the other side and get a solid chunk.
M21	2	10	Shotgun 2-back TE twins	1	1	3	4-3 even	7	Pass	Flare screen	Jackson	-2
Jackson motions to backfield, flare action and screen. Bell(-2) gets driven four yards into the backfield so when Jackson tries to go around a safety who started at eight and was always coming up on this flare he loses yardage. RPS -1, this S is coming for this. (CA, 3, screen, dot)
M19	3	12	Shotgun trips	1	1	3	Exotic	5	Pass	Fade	Johnson	Inc
This is lofted, which is a first; Milton sticks it in the cover 2 hole pretty well. IU S is able to get over and get a PBU largely because Johnson does not attack and high point the ball; instead he keeps running so that it hits him in the chest. Zinter(-1) and Vastardis(-1) fail to pick up either part of a DT stunt and Milton’s gotta get this out (CA+, 2, protection 0/2, Johnson -1, Milton +1.5)
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 13 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M25	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	2	1	2	4-3 over	7	Run	Crack sweep	Corum	3
Crack sweep is back. Eubanks turns in the end, or rather that guy just kind of wanders away into the pile. Mason cut to the ground, nothing he can do. That opens up the corner for Corum but IU is tearing hard for the edge and M doesn’t have angles on the LBs; S comes down and hits after three yards. There’s a counter step here, I’m surprised IU didn’t bite even a little. RPS -1.
M28	2	7	Pistol Offset	2	1	2	4-3 even	7	Run	Zone stretch	Corum	-6
M eats another CB blitz. No room on the interior because IU front seven abandons force; they can because of the CB blitz. Stuber(-1) gets thrown past the DE and DE surges up; Corum goes wide of him and then the cornerback takes his legs out. RPS -3.
M22	3	13	Shotgun 4-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Scramble	Milton	10
Three man rush; pocket is okay. Milton can probably stick another second or two. He bugs out. We get about 20 yards of downfield on the screen and it looks like IU covered all of this four verts. (MA, N/A, protection 1/1)
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-7, 7 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M22	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel over	6.5	Pass	Slant	Johnson	Inc
Milton wings a slant way wide of Johnson. He’s mostly accurate but when he misses it’s often by miles. He got lit up by a delayed blitz Vastardis(-2) missed. (IN, 0, protection 0/2, Milton -1). Probably should have gone with Evans in the flat as this is cover 2 and the CB is going with Johnson.
M22	2	10	Shotgun TTE tight	1	2	2	Nickel even	6.5	Pass	Improv	Bell	24
Good pocket; Milton looking left and it appears that all three guys over there are covered. He bugs out at about the right time on a five man rush and keeps his eyes downfield. He finds Bell and hits him for a chunk. (CA+, 3, protection 3/3, Milton +1.5)
M46	1	10	Pistol TTE	1	2	2	Nickel over	6.5	Run	Zone stretch	Evans	2 + 15 pen
Evans(-1) doesn’t have patience here; it looks like Barnhart(+1) is securing a reach on the playside end and that All(+0.5) has a good kickout, so if he pushes outside into the gap he might have something going there. He cuts back and a LB is able to cut back with him to tackle. Why are we running stretch? We have a line of giant people. This just looks awkward all around. IU punching ejection happens here.
O37	1	10	Shotgun twin TE	1	2	2	Nickel over	6.5	Pass	Post	Johnson	37
Barnhart(-1) beaten on the edge but does give Milton the two beats he needs to make this play. IU safety jumps up on a Y cross from Eubanks, opening up the post after Johnson stemmed inside against off coverage and got inside position. Milton takes the shot and puts it about on Johnson’s facemask. (DO, 2, protection ½, Milton +2)
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 7-7, 5 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M25	1	10	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	Nickel even	6.5	Pass	Deep out	Wilson	Inc
Stueber lets his guy around but at ten yards and this is relatively comfortable. I’m conflicted about the throw here, which is a little upfield and glances off Wilson’s fingertips. This is a flood concept where Johnson is also breaking out deeper and it feels like he should probably be beyond this; also this hits about the exact midpoint between the zone defenders. Wilson is a FR and may have run this a little wrong; on the other hand if he puts it a yard or two further upfield this is a completion. (MA, 1, protection 2/2, Milton -0.5)
M25	2	10	Shotgun 3-wide	2	0	3	Nickel over	6	Run	Split zone	Charbonnet	5
IU shooting down on this and using a S to contain the QB; really wish they’d come back to this look and run arc, because there’s no gray area stuff here. Aggressive DE/backside LB mean that no gap on the backside despite Mason(+0.5) stalling out the DE. Charbonnet plunges frontside. Stueber(+0.5) stands up and turns out DE; Zinter(+1) gets movement on a solo block on a DT. Filiaga and Vastardis(+0.5 each) get some push as well; Charbonnet(+0.5) grinds out YAC.
M30	3	5	Shotgun 3-wide tight	1	1	3	Exotic	6	Pass	Hitch	Jackson	Inc
Milton has this at first but is on another read; he comes off it and hitches up twice; IU is able to rally and PBU. Had Bell on a corner route if he got to read #3. (BR, 0, protection 2/2, Milton -1)
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-14, 1 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M17	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	2	1	2	4-3 over	7.5	Run	Inside zone	Haskins	11
Mason(+1) in a wing TE spot and gets a standup DE shooting inside of him, which is a tough situation. He’s able to get on the guy and move him enough that Haskins can cut back behind him. Barnhart(+1) fires out on a double and then disengages to kick out a LB. Filiaga(+0.5) doesn’t do a whole lot else with the DT but gets enough. Vastardis(+1) gets a chip on the other DT and then moves a LB on the second level. Eubanks(+0.5) gets a bit of a freebie as his guy jumps outside; Haskins(+1) runs through all this traffic for the single successful run of the day.
M28	1	10	Pistol 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel over	6	Run	Zone stretch	Haskins	1
Slot CB blitzes and M doesn’t pick it up. This is what IU does, and yet. Stueber(-1) spends too much time on a DE flying outside for force and gets beaten to the inside by the slot CB. Haskins has cut up into a promising hole and then has to spin outside of this block after taking contact. Delay. Zinter(-1) airballs on a guy going upfield of him; Vastardis(-1) also gets zipped by; various Hoosiers rally.
M29	2	9	Pistol 2TE tight	1	2	2	4-3 over	7	Pass	Waggle cross	Bell	12
America’s PA rollout with three options. IU is playing two very conservative safeties. The LB who’s probably supposed to be checking Bell decides to blast at Milton, which means Milton gets lit up but has an open Bell. He stands in and throws a strike. (CA+, 3, protection N/A, Milton +1)
M41	1	10	Pistol twins	2	1	2	Nickel over	7.5	Run	Power O	Haskins	1
IU moves a safety down late to put M -1 in the box since Milton isn’t reading anything. Since this S is on the backside the MLB can be aggressive away from that guy and he beats Filiaga over the top; don’t really think he can do much about it. Zinter(+0.5) kicks the DE; Mason(+0.5) kicks a linebacker; MLB chops down Haskins.This is tactical, RPS -1. Also Barnhart(+1) got a good driving seal on a DT.
M42	2	9	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel over	6	Pass	Seam	Henning	Inc
Milton zings a bullet to Henning that glances off his hands. This is much more in the should-catch range than not. (CA, 2, protection 2/2, Milton +0.5)
M42	3	9	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	Nickel even	6.5	Pass	Fly	Wilson	Inc
This is likely the play that Wilson was talking about when he said he messed up a read. IU S comes up to press late, Milton seems to notice, M must have an auto-check to a fly route here; Wilson runs a hitch. IU gets late pressure through as a DE drops out short and an LB comes. (not charted, N/A, protection ½, TEAM -1, Wilson route-)
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-14, 11 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M25	1	10	Shotgun 2TE tight	2	1	2	4-3 even	7	Run	Split zone	Haskins	3
Vintage MSU stuff here as Michigan blocks this and Haskins gets chopped down by a safety at 3 yards. Zinter(+1) moves and finishes a DT mostly by himself, although I think the DT trips. Stueber(+0.5) almost loses his kick but does get him and puts him down. S backs up and then charges hard, putting Haskins(-0.5) down immediately, no YAC.
M28	2	7	Shotgun 2TE twins	1	2	2	4-3 over	7	Run	Inside zone	Haskins	2
M motions Bell tighter to the LOS and then watches the CB blitz off this guy and that more or less nerfs the play. Also every Indiana player except one is charging at the LOS at the mesh point type substance. RPS – one million (actually 2)
M30	3	5	Shotgun empty twin TE	1	1	3	Exotic	6	Pass	Hitch	All	Inc
Milton hits All in the chest and it’s dropped. (CA, 3, protection 1/1, Milton +0.5).
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-17, 4 min 2nd Q. Next drive starts with 56 seconds.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M25	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	7	Pass	Dumpoff	Evans	23
Milton has a read or two and then checks down to a wide open Evans; Vastardis(-1) came off a DT as Filiaga secured against a stunt and he comes through. Evans(+1) just runs around a LB coming up hard. (CA, 3, protection ½, Milton +0.5)
M48	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Seam	Jackson	Inc
M picks up a four man rush; Milton fires at a bracketed seam route. LB under it almost intercepts; Jackson has a vague chance at a catch after he deflects it. (BR, 0, protection 2/2, Milton –1.5). Given the time I’m willing to not give this an X.
M48	2	10	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	Nickel even	6.5	Pass	TE post	Eubanks	Inc
This is a strike from Milton, directly on Eubanks’s faceplate, more or less. Really good coverage from the IU S as he gets a rake in and I think forcibly PBUs this. Eubanks still has a shot; he does not take it. (DO, 1, protection 2/2, Milton +2)
M48	3	10	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Sack	N/A
M sets right when the dangerous blitzer is the overhang CB; slot guy is four yards off the LOS. IU sends overhang and a LB and it’s academic. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3, TEAM -3)
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-24, EOH.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M20	1	10	Shotgun 2TE tight	1	2	2	4-3 over	7.5	Run	Arc read give	Charbonnet	3 (Pen -10)
Genuine arc attempt that IU has defeated. End goes straight upfield underneath the pulling TE and forces a give. MLB times the snap and charges at Vastardis(-1), who holds the guy but I get why this is a bear. Charbonnet cuts away from this guy and into an unblocked LB. RPS -1.
M10	1	20	Shotgun trips tight bunch	1	2	2	4-3 under	7	Pass	Quick post	Bell	23
IU bails a safety late; the LBs suck up on underneath routes and Milton fires a strike to Bell in between. Bell(+0.5) is able to slip most of a tackle and get some YAC. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, Milton +1), RPS +1.
M33	1	10	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	Nickel over	6	Pass	Improv	Bell	47
Another strike. IU sends a corner and a LB, backing out a DT for screen purposes. Barnhart and Corum get enough of their guys to allow Milton to move up in the pocket, and he finds Bell on a Y cross that he puts on him in stride for a giant catch and run. (DO, 3, protection 2/2, Milton +2)
O15	1	10	Shotgun empty 3TE	1	2	2	4-3 over	7	Pass	Scramble	Milton	1
Milton’s other non sack run starts off as QB PNP and then he bails out of it to throw a slant. LB is under it. He bugs out; he just needs to wait another beat and then throw. Instead he breaks to the backside of the play. After a lot of fooferaw he’s got a yard. (BR, N/A, RPO, Milton -1)
O14	2	9	Shotgun TTE	2	1	2	4-3 over	7.5	Run	Inside zone	Haskins	1
No read, this sucks. IU MLB shoots the gap in an instant as soon as meh M doubles happen. DE dives inside of Eubanks because he’s got an overhang guy that has no thought to keep or flats.LB forces into DE. RPS -2.
O13	3	8	Shotgun trips tight bunch	1	1	3	Nickel even	7	Pass	Post	Wilson	13
IU brackets Johnson, who is still open on a corner; they send 5. That means everyone else is 1 v 1; Wilson (route +) wins and Milton makes no mistake. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, Milton +1, RPS +1)
Drive Notes: Touchdown,14-24, 9 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M18	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel over	6	Pass	Out	Johnson	22
The NFL throw™. Cover 3 from IU so CB is bailing hard and LB takes a minute to check an inside route; that is enough for Milton to rifle in an out for an easy first down. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, Milton +1)
M40	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Quick post	Bell	Inc
Max pro, two hole shots at cover 2 available and then Bell over the middle. Milton throws to Bell. Throw is on point. Bell can’t bring it in; he is getting the subtle yank from the DB. Flag is thrown but appropriately overturned as contact was with the arrival. (CA, 2, protection 2/2, Milton +1)
M40	2	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Sack	N/A	-2
Same thing! IU has safeties back off at the snap and bracket; Bell doesn’t seem open, M picks up a blitz mostly but Milton gets flushed. I’d say take a shot but there is literally no one sort of open. RPS -2. (MA, N/A, protection 2/2)
M38	3	12	Shotgun trips bunch TE	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Post	Bell	Inc
The great betrayal. IU blows a coverage; Bell is open for a TD. Milton finds him, steps up, and overthrows him. Furk. This pocket is okay but may have affected him a little. (INX, 0, protection 2/2, Milton -2) RPS +3, I guess.
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-31, 3 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M36	1	10	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Post	Henning	Inc
Henning does have a pocket of space here as he is able to run past one safety before the other comes over. Milton loads up and puts it just past his outstretched hands. Three man rush picked up. I don’t mind this decision, it’s open enough. (IN, 0, protection 1/1, Milton -1)
M36	2	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Run	Split zone	Evans	3
Six man box and can’t get anything done. Vastardis(-1) gets fired back by a blitzing LB; twist gets a DE free as Zinter(-1) and Stueber(-1) fail to ID it and switch. Cutback for Evans is mandatory. DE shuffles down tight to prevent backside gap; Eubanks(+0.5) is able to carve out a lane. Barnhart(-1) never gets off his double so there’s a free LB. RPO threatened FWIW. RPS +1.
M39	3	7	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	TE fly	Eubanks	22
Double A twist blitz not really picked up. Vastardis gets the first guy but Filiaga(-1) doesn’t come over to help so he can’t leave for #2. #2 runs too vertical and hits Filiaga, slowing him. Also Milton drifts backwards to buy time and then fires a throw-him-open rocket to Eubanks. Yow. (DO, 2, protection 2/3, Milton +2)
O39	1	10	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	5-1 nickel	6	Pass	Flat	Charbonnet	4
Looks like M is trying to high-low a cover two corner and gets cover 3; Indiana drops a standup end who’s probably a LB into the flat. Still complete but a meh gain. (CA, 3, protection 1/1, dot)
O35	2	6	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	5-1 nickel	6	Pass	Dumpoff	Charbonnet	14
Good time here as M is able to pick up a twist and give Milton a shot to step up. Milton doesn’t like downfield reads and checks down to a wide open Charbonnet. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, Milton +0.5)
O21	1	10	Shotgun trips	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Slot fade	Bell	21
Its powers for good, finally. One high look and M gets straight man so Bell is on the slot corner; he gets over the top and Milton gives him the perfect ball to go get. (DO, 3, protection 2/2, Milton +2). This is away from the defender and in a spot where Bell can go high-point it.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 21-31, 13 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M35	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	1	1	3	Dime even	5	Pass	Hitch	Johnson	12
Filiaga(-1) swum through but stays attached and keeps pushing. Milton powers through a jersey pull and steps up in the pocket; tight space and awkward throw he can’t step into but he’s got Johnson open and hits him. This is a little high and wobbly but given the circumstances it’s a solid throw.(CA+, 2, protection ½, Milton +1)
M47	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Deep comeback	Johnson	INT
The dagger. Milton has all day on a three man rush and tries to throw a bullet to Johnson on the sideline. This is a bit late but more importantly this throw looks like it’s way way off; Johnson goes from running flat out to a dead stop as he reads the ball out of the QB’s arm; if this is more accurate it’s getting past this guy and then the safety may or may not get over in time. (INX, 0, protection 1/1, Milton -3)
Drive Notes: Interception, 21-31, 12 min 4th Q. IU scores, so it’s desperation time next.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	RB	TE	WR	D Form	Box	Type	Play	Player	Yards
M25	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Screen	Corum	21
A screen! To a running back! Against, uh, eight guys in coverage. Stueber(+0.5) in space and does enough on a charging LB; Bell(+1) harasses another into falling after he tries both sides of that block. Zinter(+0.5) and Johnson(+0.5) in the area getting stalk blocks; Corum weaves through traffic ably. (CA, 3, screen, RPS +2 as this had a ton of space despite the coverage drop.
M46	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Dumpoff	Corum	7 (Pen -15)
Another three man rush with deep zone drops; Milton checks down. Milton should be taking shots down 3 scores with 8 minutes left but he just threw a pick trying to take a shot. (CA, 3, protection 1/1, Milton -0.5) Barnhart(-2) gets a PF for jumping on a fallen player so at least they’re calling that now.
M31	1	25	Shotgun trips	1	1	3	Dime even	5	Pass	Hitch	Johnson	11
M sets wrong as CB blitzes. Corum ends up picking between the CB and a LB; he correctly picks the LB and knocks him over(!). Milton has enough time to find the guy the corner left, safeties playing super soft. (CA, 3, protection ½, TEAM -1, Milton +1)
M42	2	14	Shotgun trips	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Hitch	Wilson	Inc
Cover 3; Wilson sits down and if Milton can get it out to him such that the LB trying to get to the flat can’t tackle this will be a good gain and OOB. Milton wings it a couple yards upfield; LB stumbles and this could be okay still but Wilson is concerned about turning upfield before he’s got the ball. (IN, 2, protection 1/1, Milton -1)
M42	3	14	Shotgun 4-wide tight	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Deep out	Bell	17
Inside leverage from IU on tight splits so this window is going to be there; weird coverage decision or maybe a bust. Milton fires a strike. (DO, 3, protection 1/1, Milton +1.5)
O41	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Drag	Jackson	6
Ball snaps at 15 on the clock, cumong man. Eight man drop again; Milton checks down. He’s reading an eight yard hitch, which is certainly a first read down 17. He comes off it to a drag for Jackson, which he throws late. Jackson gets lit up. (MA, 1, protection 1/1, Milton -0.5)
O35	2	4	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Flat	Charbonnet	10
Snap at 15. Another high low but IU playing so far off that this dump is productive. OOB saves some time. (CA, 3, protection 1/1, +0.5 Milton)
O25	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Dumpoff	Charbonnet	Inc
CB blitz as IU sends six and M does not pick up the CB at all because they again set away from the slot CB. Milton still has time to come off a read and see Charbonnet wide open in the flat but bizarrely waves him downfield instead of immediately throwing him the ball; he gets lit up on the throw and it is barely determined that his arm was moving forward on what is other wise a sack/strip fumble. This is hard to put in a bin. (PR, 0, protection 1/3, TEAM -2, Milton -0.5)
O25	2	10	Shotgun 3-wide tight	1	1	3	Nickel even	6	Pass	Drag	Bell	Inc
Four guys in this route and all are within 12 yards of LOS. Milton does not want to take a shot at Sainristil on an out, so he dumps it down to Bell on a drag route where he’s likely to get killed. Milton zips it hard and behind Bell. (IN, 1, protection 2/3, Milton -1) Vastardis(-1) gets hit with a hold as he follows a blitzer all the way outside and doesn’t let go; tough ask.
O35	2	20	Shotgun trips	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Sack	N/A	-5
Love the turn-around PA on second and 20. Barnhart(-2) beat around the edge clean, sack, Milton could have moved up but you took away a second of processing to run a fake no one in the world was going to bite on, RPS -1. (PR, 0, protection 0/2)
O30	3	25	Shotgun trips TE	1	1	3	3-3 stack	6	Pass	Improv	Sainristil	INT
It’s third and twenty five and M sends two guys more than five yards downfield. Both get bracketed. Milton has no options, gets eventual pressure as LBs in short drops come up, and eventually heaves a prayer that’s intercepted. (BR, 0, protection 1/1, Milton -1, RPS -2)
Drive Notes: Interception, 21-38, 5 min 4th Q.

Well. Here we are again.

Here we are. I cannot tell you how sick I am of pointing at a flailing Michigan offense and pointing out the various things that make no goddamn sense. Called QB runs in this game: zero. RPOs: maybe two or three. Zone reads: one, I think.

There was a screen, so there's that.

What is going on?

I don't know. I don't know how you can see Milton run against Minnesota, and see the easy touchdown it should have generated, and then completely drop that from the offense. I don't know how you go back to turning your back on the line of scrimmage like it's 1984. Michigan ran play action on second and twenty on which Milton turned all the way around and popped up to find a DE in his face that he could have avoided if he wasn't looking at the wrong endzone for half the play.

You lost to an abysmal MSU team. You're down the whole game against a team you haven't lost to since 1987. Run the goddamn quarterback.

So this was not a tactical win?

God. No, the team averaging under two yards a carry against Indiana is not coming in for a big RPS number. Most disturbing: Michigan was unprepared for Indiana's corner blitzes, which is like playing Dantonio-era MSU and not being prepared for double-A gap blitzes. CB blitzing is Indiana's thing. And the first snap saw a CB invited into the box by a tight split:

IU CB to bottom

That's an RPS item there; Bell is not at all likely to make that play. Second drive featured a six yard loss on another corner blitz:

IU CB to bottom

They ran a stretch right into it, so there's no cutback available, realistically.

At no point did Michigan either block this or punish it. Milton got obliterated on a play that was about 49.9% a fumble:

There weren't any attempts to catch this tendency out. There really wasn't much of anything. Do you remember one notably positive play where you said "huh that's new"? No.

There were no reads?

Michigan is making its life much more difficult on the ground because they are not even threatening to have Milton keep. This manifests in various ways: a step here, an angle there. Here's a no-read power play. A sequence of events:

1. Indiana moves a safety into the box late
2. He acts as a third linebacker since there's no need to contain the QB
3. Since the MLB knows he has support for a backside cut he's able to climb over Filiaga quickly and get to the point of attack.

IU MLB

There is no indecision in this guy. Michigan has not put a player in the wrong gap in the last two games. They have not optioned off a defender. They are back to running Hoke sludgeball in year six.

Remember RPOs? Yeah no bye

Just running minus one in the box with no RPOs, no zone reads, no nothing. Indiana has ten guys moving to the line of scrimmage at the mesh point.

Nobody has any doubt this is a run. Mesh points are supposed to be uncertain. This is a team that runs CB blitzes all the time; Michigan did not anticipate one and take the easy yards by reading it a single time. So much for "a read on every play."

When you don't do this you start getting a lot of blitzball linebackers.

IU MLB

I did not expect to be making the same complaints about Josh Gattis that I had about Al Borges.

So… what's the deal?

I do not believe that this is an issue with Milton making decisions. He is being asked to read zones 40 times a game and has done well enough to believe he can see whether or not one guy is moving forward or backward. I also don't believe that Josh Gattis has decided that post-snap reads aren't worth having in his offense. I have no explanation.

I'm going to grate my face off. Talk me off the ledge.

The ledge is the right spot to be, in regards to football. Happy grating.

Is there anything?

I mean, yeah, Joe Milton looks great, for the most part.

JOE MILTON

	Good				Neutral			Bad					Ovr			Reads
Game	DO	CA	SCR		PR	MA		BA	TA	IN	BR		DSR	GRADE!		RPOs	ZRs
Minnesota		17(6)	1			1			1	2	1		75%	+4		2/2	2/2
MSU (Pending)
Indiana	7	19(2)++++			3	4				6**	4		71%	+10.7
Wisconsin
Rutgers
Penn State
Maryland
OSU
Bonus

Note that the "grade" for Milton was 25.5 – 15 plus a couple dots, so this was eventful both ways.

Milton's game really held up after detailed review. He is regularly uncorking wow throws, even when some of them are incomplete. This is a 20-yard dart that is heroically PBUd by the Indiana DB:

This slot fade is against Taiwan Mullen, who is a legit NFL prospect, and he has no shot at anything because the ball is high and away from him, but right in the sweet spot for Bell:

He is prone to zing balls nowhere near his WRs but he offset that with 7 DOs, which is a ton.

Meanwhile, Milton's pocket presence is one of the most surprising things about him. There are no TAs—throwaways—on that chart, which are often issued for plays on which the QB didn't find an open guy whether there's literally a throwaway or not. Meanwhile there are four + events that I hand out when a QB either stands in against a rush or moves around to buy time productively.

He took a few sacks, one of which is referenced above. That was a guy beating Barnhart around the corner at eight yards while Milton was executing a nonsensical play action fake. A second came on a play where the "nobody's open" announcer canard was actually true. He did not run himself into one. He moves around the pocket to buy time, keeps his eyes downfield, and maximizes his blocking:

Other pocket presence incidents were beyond Milton's years. He sticks in this pocket as long as he can and then goes to make something happen:

Also we got a wide enough shot to make some judgments about whether folks are open. Here Milton's checking a triangle to his left that Indiana covers all of.

This strike to Eubanks sees Milton re-set his feet and throw a guy in relatively tight man coverage open:

There are a lot of quarterbacks whose accuracy goes to hell as soon as they move off their spot. Milton shows little indication of that. Also here he drifts back three yards in the pocket because Indiana has a blitz on that's getting through; he's actively buying time, and his arm lets him do that.

He also made some throws that were like… can you do that?

Milton's arm strength is not just useful on the traditional NFL 15-yard-out to the wide side of the field:

He was also able to fire stuff on a line without stepping into throws. These tended to be a little high but were completions. Here he gets a charging LB on his face and is able to stop and get the throw off:

Here he moves around in the pocket and then casually flicks a bullet while moving opposite his throwing arm:

The potential here is off the charts.

But he missed Milton and threw that terrible interception!

He did. When he misses, hoo boy. Some of his misses are off by yards and yards. He winged a slant nowhere near his WR that was fortunately not near a defender; that interception was probably at least five yards off line, and he added to Poor Damn Ronnie Bell:

That's the closest throw of the bunch but he's just so wide open that you absolutely need to err on the side of slowing your dude up.

The other main issues is that like most young quarterbacks he has his moments where he doesn't read his progressions fast enough. He's got Jackson here but waits on the throw:

If that ball is out when Jackson hitches up it's a conversion.

He is also a little prone to throwing it into coverage. This is a deep shot at a bracketed Jackson; he's got two open options underneath:

At other times he'll have the opposite issue. One of the few RPOs saw him bail and scramble because there was a linebacker underneath the slant. He just needs to wait a second for his WR to clear it:

He's doing a very good job of reading stuff out for a redshirt sophomore, but that qualifier is important when he's the entire offense and the defense is giving up 38 points.

I was torn on a couple of incidents. One was this incompletion at Wilson:

That is outside the frame of Wilson's body and inaccurate relative to the WR. It also splits the zone coverage down the middle.

I wonder if it's the WR in the wrong spot, not the ball. Especially since the WR is a true freshman. I provided a small ding in the grading here.

But if you told me that Milton was going to look like this I would have told you that Michigan's functional ground game and sack-heavy defense were sending Michigan to 3-0.

I suppose there is another chart, a less happy one.

Sort of? When you have under 20 RB carries and many of them are shoved off into RPS land grading on the line gets extremely thin.

Offensive Line
Player	+	-	Total	Notes
Barnhart	3	3	0	-2 was for a PF for jumping on a guy, not in total.
Filiaga	1	0.5	0.5	Ceased pulling.
Vastardis	2	3	-1	Had issues with blitzball LBs.
Zinter	3	2	1	Not bad for true frosh, also we're playing a true FR
Stueber	1.5	3	-1.5	Difficult transition to edge.
All	0.5		0.5	Minimal deployment.
Eubanks	1		1
Schoonmaker
Mason	2		2	In about 8 snaps.
Honigford				DNP
TOTAL	14	11.5	55%	Bleah
Backs
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Milton				**QB IS UNUSED ON GROUND**
McNamara				DNP
Charbonnet	0.5		0.5
Haskins	1	0.5	0.5
Corum	1		1
Evans
Turner				DNP
TOTAL	2.5	0.5	2	No carries, no blocking, no points
Receivers
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Bell	1.5	3	-1.5	Couple bad moments early.
Sainristil
Wilson
Johnson	0.5		0.5
Jackson
Henning
McCurry
TOTAL	2	3	-1	speed in NOPE
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Protection	33	18	65%	TEAM –7, Vastardis –5, Barnhart –3, Filiaga –2, Zinter -1
RPS	9	18	-9	Corner blitz never addressed.

There is almost nothing here except a middling to bad pass protection performance on which M had no one attempt to block a blitzer (most TEAM minuses are this) and an RPS item similarly about not blocking guys off the edge.

Wide receivers?

[0 = uncatchable, 1 = circus catch, 2 = moderate difficulty, 3 = routine]

	THIS WEEK					SEASON
Player	0	1	2	3		0	1	2	3
Bell	1	0/1	0/1	6/6		3	0/1	0/1	10/10
Johnson	2		2/3	2/2		2		2/3	2/2
Sainristil	1					1
Jackson	1	1/1		1/1		2	1/2	1/2	2/2
Wilson	1	0/1	0/1	1/1		2	0/1	1/3	2/2
Henning	1		0/1			1		0/1	1/1
McCurry
Eubanks		0/1	1/1				0/1	1/1
All				0/1		2		0/1	2/4
Schoonmaker
Charbonnet				3/3					3/3
Haskins
Corum				2/2					3/3
Evans									1/1
Mason									2/2

Wilson: +-

So Cornelius Johnson went from no targets against Minnesota two a strong #2 behind Bell. He had the TD embedded above and a couple more catches. He did have one issue on Michigan's first third down. Milton puts this in the cover two hole but Johnson lets the ball come to him instead of going to get it:

WR #6 to top

That should have been a eyebrow-cocking conversion for Milton as he fits it in between the CB and S; instead it's a near-INT.

Meanwhile, Wilson is consistently getting open. His touchdown saw him matched up one on one with a safety and that was easy pickings:

WR #14 to bottom

That's a nice bit of separation.

Jackson was relatively quiet but he had another catch where he got lit up afterwards and held on:

He's a real receiver, unlike a number of other waterbug types who've been in the program over the past decade.

Heroes?

Milton had it all put on him and did about as well as could be reasonably expected. Bell and Johnson had good days at WR.

Anything on the running backs?

Michigan's only successful called run—Jesus—was this from Haskins:

Wing TE #42

Michigan had a ton of blocking ID issues last week, many of which were Mason's deal. I get why he got eight snaps in this game, but here he takes a guy shooting inside of him and executes a tough job. I can't blame him too much when nobody else knows what they're doing.

There is nothing else to say about the running backs because none of them had an opportunities to gain yards except for some checkdowns and a screen to Corum. I would like to point out that Corum did this to an Indiana LB coming free on Yet Another Unblocked CB Blitz:

RB #2

Add a notch to the Hart comparison belt. Now start running for 200 yards a game.

Heroes?

Milton did about as well as could be reasonably expected since the game was all on him. Bell and Johnson had good days as his targets.

Maybe not so heroic?

Harbaugh and Gattis. The OL as a whole struggled.

What does it mean for Wisconsin and beyond?

If Milton can improve half as much next year as he did last year he's a superstar. Whang.

Right now he's a B+ QB with issues. The dagger INT and the miss to Bell are both crushing errors.

Our offensive philosophy is once again a confused muddle that throws away everything that worked in the opener and replaces it with standard zone plays Michigan can't really block. If this was a Broadway show it would be Cats because it doesn't make any sense and never goes away.

Johnson looks like he'll be a strike. Just go high point all the balls.

Losing both starting tackles is not good. #analysis