Event notice: Nevermind it's canceled. 

Formation Notes: Iowa lined up their FB/2nd TE in a lot of different ways. I mostly treated him as a TE, so this is “Offset 12 SB” meaning offset shotgun with 1 RB and 2TEs, one of them as a “superback.”

Michigan matched this personnel group with 5-2 personnel then had Jaylen Harrell act as a true LB if they flexed the TE. Sometimes Michigan would substitute Harrell for Michael Barrett depending on the down/distance.

Substitution Notes: A lot more five-man fronts in this one, though Michigan learned to use a 4-3 (with Barrett) when Iowa went two-TE on passing downs. First three-man DT unit was Hinton-Smith-Jenkins, and second unit was Jeter-Speight-Welschof. Morris came in as a passing downs DT or Hutchinson’s backup.

[After THE JUMP: Three! Three plays and out again, ah ah ah!]

Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O26	1st	10	Offset I Z-Return	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Run		Lead Stretch	Jenkins	0	-0.73
This is like varsity vs freshmen. Iowa wants to stretch right but Hutchinson(+1) plants the RT at the hash. Smith(+2) lets Linderbaum free on Colson then blows up the LG while the LT trying to double glances off like he's me trying to take down the Undertaker. Ross(+1) fills behind Linderbaum then hops back to beat the FB lead. Jenkins(+1) is unblocked and flows down to meet Hutchinson and the remains of the RT to stuff at the LOS. Game over, man.
O26	2nd	10	Empty Ace	5-2-4	5-2 Split	2	Pass	4	TE Out	Ross	15	2.08
Just a 3-yard dumpoff until Ross(-2, tackling-2) overruns and gives up 15 yards of YAC.
O41	1st	10	Ace 2TE	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Run		Stretch	Ross	2	-0.53
Tempo(31). Harrell(+2) flings the TE by him so Goodson has to cut back. Smith(+0.5) got enough of Linderbaum that Ross(+1) can shoot the gap and end in the backfield. Also Jenkins(+0.5) shuffled playside late and took on a play-long double. Colson(-1) is playing behind Hinton instead of getting playside so there are a couple of yards to dive for instead of this ending in the backfield.
O43	2nd	8	Ace F Flex	4-2-5	5-1 Under	2	Run		Stretch	Barrett	2	-0.75
Barrett(+2) two-gaps the TE on the edge and that's where they go. Hinton(+1) beat a play-long double to make that the only option, Ojabo(-1) got wrapped so there was a lane if Barrett doesn't take it way then hop outside, though Hawkins(+0.5) came down to mitigate that.
O45	3rd	6	Gun 12 FY Flex Bunch	4-2-5	Racecar Split	2	Pass	5	Slot Fade	Hill	Inc(+15)	2.75
Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) goes inside the RT and is on track to sack if Petras doesn't launch a duck at a well-covered fade. Hill(-2, cov-2) doesn't find it and is still in OSU mode where he thinks it's better to interfere than make the guy make a play. WR feels contact and slows so he'll get run over, flag comes out.
M40	1st	10	I-form Heavy	5-2-4	5-2 Split	2	Run		Lead Stretch	Jeter	2	-0.33
Hutchinson(+1) puts a TE three yards in the backfield to make an edge but Hill(-1, RPS-1) is on the LT and gets manhandled. Jeter(+2) blows up the RG and makes the tackle to make up for Speight(-1) getting put on skates by a double that prevents Ross from getting to the ball.
M38	2nd	8	I-Form	5-2-4	4-4 Over	1	Play-Action	6	Bootleg TE	Colson	21	0.94
Guys, this is what Iowa does. Hutchinson(-1) doesn't recognize the TE is releasing after he gives a good account of himself in blocking. Colson(-2, cov-2) is keying an OL and completely takes himself out of the play, leaving the Moten(-0.5) alone in zone with a crossing WR and the TE dumpoff. Moten could set a stronger edge but I don't get why Gray(-1) is bailing so far when there are just two damn guys in the pattern, so this gets a chunk after the first down. THIS IS WHAT IOWA DOES GUYS!!!
M17	1st	10	Gun 12 Twins	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Play-Action	n/a	RB Pass	Hawkins	Inc	-0.34
Hawkins(-1) and Moten(-1, RPS-2, Cov-3) completely fooled as Hawkins comes up to set an edge and lets the FB run by him, and Moten comes down on run action with no regard for a pass. Guy drops it. Luck+3.
M17	2nd	10	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Run		RB Draw	Ross	5	0.04
No RPO but Barrett(-1) stops when stared at anyways (RPS-1) and Ross(+1) has to wait for the handoff which gets him impacted by the H. Smith(+1) kept a double occupied to keep him free but Hinton(-1) did not so Barrett gets blocked. Ross fights through the crack to keep this to 5 yards.
M12	3rd	5	Gun 12 SB	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Run		Split Zone	Ojabo	-3	-4.12
Hinton(+2, RPS+1) slanted inside the RG who has to commit a "they'd probably flag it if it mattered"-level (refs-1) hold to prevent his RB from going down immediately. Gap behind him is filled by a charging Hawkins but RB can't even get to that because Smith(+0.5) got off the LG. So the back bounces outside, tries to edge David Ojabo(+2, tackling+1) and it doesn't work out for him.
Drive Notes: Missed FG(33). 0-0. 8 min 1st Q. I know it's early but if M adjusts to that TE out, Iowa is dead.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over	1	Pass	5	Fly	Turner	Inc	-0.70
M brings five, picked up long enough to get this off (PR-1) but it's not accurate and Turner(+2, cov+2) has the route dominated and his head turned around to where it's a possible INT if the ball isn't overthrown.
O25	2nd	10	Offset I	5-2-4	5-2 Split	2	Run		Split Zone	Jenkins	4	-0.06
Smithi(-1) lost ground to a double so the RG can get an arm on Ross, but Jenkins(+1) two-gapped the RT to hold this to a minimal gain. Refs(-1) spot the ball a yard downfield and because it's 6 inches past the Iowa 28 it counts as a 4-yard run when it was really 2.
O29	3rd	6	Gun 12 SB Y-Flex	5-2-4	4-3 Over	1	Pass	4	Throwaway	Colson	Inc	-0.16
M shows blitz, Iowa checks to have the RB get the Colson(+2, PR+3) who puts the RB into Petras's chest as Ojabo(+1) is about to sack. Petras can only throw it away as he goes down. RPS+2, cov+2 since Hutchinson dropped into the first read and there was nowhere to go with the ball.
Drive Notes: Punt. 7-0. 5 min 1st Q. Michigan scores in 1 play so defense is right back out there.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	I-form Heavy Z-In	5-2-4	5-3 Split	1	Play-Action	n/a	Bootleg TE	Ross	22	1.98
This is what Iowa does guys. Stretch action draws Ross(-1, cov-2) but not as badly as Colson last time, and entire front (RPS-2, PR-2) which means Petras has time to roll out and sit as Harrell, the backside edge, collects the crossing Z. Hill(-1) is playing conservatively on the long ball instead of coming down on the TE so that Turner, the guy Dax thought he was helping, got there first.
O47	1st	10	I-form Heavy	5-2-4	5-3 Split	1	Run		Iso	Ross	3	-0.41
Colson(+0.5) pops the FB to spill to Ross(+1, tackling-1), who flowed before Linderbaum could get down to him to make the stop but also tackled high so this can pile for an extra 2).
50	2nd	7	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Pass	4	Grounding	Turner	Inc	-1.13
Hilll(+1, RPS+2, PR+2) blitzes and gets in Fast. Petras has nobody because Turner(+1, cov+1) jammed his guy good and tosses it 15 yards downfield. Refs-2 discuss and decide they're too chickenshit to call that intentional grounding, which is the difference between 3rd and 7 and 3rd and 15.
50	3rd	7	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Racecar Split	2	Pass	5	TE Angle	Colson	10	2.44
And here's why the no call annoys because this play isn't available otherwise. M brings 4.5 with Barrett peeling with the RB, Hutchinson(+1) beats the RT, but Colson(-2, cov-2) took two steps outside after this TE came inside, and with five guys behind the LOS and two safeties deep there's no inside help (RPS-1).
M40	1st	10	Ace Str	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	2	Run		Stretch	Colson	3	-0.27
Iowa sees Hill blitzing and motions the TE to the other side. Ojabo(-1) shoots upfield and gets stuck up there and Jeter(-1) gets run out by a single-block, but Welschof(+1) armed the RG into the backfield, Ross(+1) dodged a free Linderbaum behind that, and Colson(+1, tackling-1) two-gapped the TE and has a chance to stuff for no gain. He tackles high instead of wrapping up which turns zero yards into 3.
M37	2nd	7	Empty 12 5w	5-2-4	Nk Odd	2	Pass	4	Sluggo	Ross	28	1.03
Harrell ends up playing HSP but this is on Ross(-3, cov-3) who lets the WR come inside the TE and turn upfield without touching the guy or getting any depth. RPS-1 since this is a cov2 beater and caught M with their 2nd team 5-2 personnel.
M9	1st	Goal	Ace Y-Flex Z-Jet	5-2-4	5-2 Split	1	Run		Stretch	NHG	2	-0.18
Ojabo(+1) sets an edge, Hinton(+0.5) reset his gap at the LOS: cutback. There Welschof(+2) has shed the RT who grabs at Welschof's legs from the ground (refs-1) to prevent a super stuff. NHG(+1, tackling+1) flows to end it.
M7	2nd	Goal	Offset I	5-2-4	5-3 Under	1	Run		Split Zone	Jenkins	3	-0.09
Smith(+0.5, RPS+1) is aligned playside of Linderbaum and plants him in the backfield, flowing to close the gap created by letting the RG get to Ross. Jenkins(+1) fights back to this gap to help stuff and Hill(+0.5) is there as well because it's goal to go.
M4	3rd	Goal	Gun Ace	4-3-4	4-3 Over	0	Pass	6	Fade	Turner	Inc	-4.30
Turner(+1, cov+1) gets inside position, might have a little hold but rubbin's racin-type stuff. WR then flops Badger-style, trying to draw a flag by bending over and slowing down, then gets mad like a Buckeye. Love to see it.
Drive Notes: FG(22). 14-3. 1 minute 1st Q. Iowa gets the ball back on the freak INT.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O33	1st	10	Offset I Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1	Pass	3	Fly	Gray	Inc	-0.96
Three-man rush meets max pro (RPS+2). No pressure (PR-2), but also just three guys in routes so Petras throw it over the #Buttzone of a guy Gray(+1, Cov+3) is all over.
O33	2nd	10	Offset I Z-Return	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		Jet Sweep	Ross	2	-0.35
Harrell(+2) sets a solid edge at the hash, then comes inside to tackle with Ross(+1). 1st Q finally ends after 27 plays (24 charted).
O35	3rd	8	Gun Trips Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split A	1	Pass	4	TE Dumpoff	Hill	Inc(+15)	2.90
Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) puts the RT into Petras who throws as he's getting hit to a TE who would get lit up well short by Hill(+1, cov+1) if accurate. After the play Upshaw(-3) yaps in Petras's face and picks up an unsportsmanlike, a -3.26 difference in expected points, IE the equivalent of a turnover, if you're wondering.
50	1st	10	Ace 2TE	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Run		Stretch	Jenkins	2	-0.48
Jenkins(+1) makes this himself by getting around the LG who tried to scoop him. Linderbaum(luck+1) fell down anyways and RPS+1 Michigan had 8 in the box so Hill is sticking his nose in on the edge besides.
M48	2nd	8	Empty 12 5w	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	4	TE Out	Hawkins	1(-15)	-2.67
The other thing Iowa does: TE out for 1 yard on a passing down (RPS+1 I guess?) Hawkins(+2, cov+1, tackling+1) lets him catch it then runs him upfield and OOB for basically no gain. LT picks up a tripping for sticking his leg up after failing to cut Morris(+1) that wipes out the play for the penalty.
O37	2nd	23	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	RPO		Stretch/Bubble	Hinton	3	-0.11
Hinton(+0.5) gets moved back but takes on a double all play that allows NHG(+1) to shoot inside of him. Ojabo(+1) shucked the TE to force the issue.
O40	3rd	20	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nk Over	1	Run		Stretch	Gray	7	0.10
Give up and punt (RPS+1). Not negging M for pass-rushing this but Ojabo(-1) tried to two-gap the LT and cut off Colson's path while giving up a bounce. Gray(+1, tackling+1) comes up and finishes it.
Drive Notes: Punt. 14-3. 12 min 2nd Q. Consulting an expert on counting to see if a) a penalty counts as a play for 3&Out purposes, and b) if a penalty after a failed 3rd & long negates a 3 and out or starts a new drive.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O41	1st	10	Ace Even	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Play-Action		Bootleg Z Out	Gray	13	1.12
This is what Iowa does guys. Play-action stretch and bring the Z across the formation. M is in m2m which means a ton of traffic for Gray(-1, cov-2, RPS-1) to get through, though his speed also becomes an issue as the WR has time to catch and edge him. Harrell did a nice job to redirect and pressure but I'd like him to chip the WR as he crosses if they're going to do this.
M46	1st	10	Offset I Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Over	2	Run		Iso	Hill	-2	-1.49
Poor, poor Iowa. Hill(+3, RPS+1, tackling+1) blitzes from over the H and blows this up. Hutchinson(+2) put the LT on his hands and knees and was about to do the same if Dax didn't blitz. Kirk Ferentz(+3) thinks what a good, loyal boy little Brian turned out to be.
M48	2nd	12	Empty 5w	4-2-5	Nk Over	1	Pass	4	Hitch	Turner	4	-0.17
Blitz gets Ross in free (RPS+1, PR+1) so Petras has to offload this. Turner(+1, cov+1) is there to tackle on the catch after a short gain he's happy to give up.
M44	3rd	8	Empty 5w	4-2-5	Nkl Wide	1	Pass	4	Slant	Turner	Inc	-1.80
Morris(+1, PR+1) puts the LG in the backfield and his hand is in the way. Ball out to a slant that Turner(+2, cov+3) is in position to break up and Colson(+1) could intercept, but he kind of just walks into this and smushes the guy after Turner knocks it down. RPS+1 they dropped Colson right into both of these slants to create that opportunity.
Drive Notes: Punt. 14-3. 9 min 2nd Q. Third three-and out in a row.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O45	1st	10	Ace Even	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		Stretch	Jenkins	3	-0.42
This time Harrell's edge isn't as hard, Jenkins(+1) strings out along the LOS but Colson(-1) gets caught on the RG so it's 3 yards instead of a stuff.
O48	2nd	7	Empty 12 5w	4-3-4	4-3 Over	1	Pass		TE Fade	Hawkins	Inc	-1.11
Upshaw(+1, PR+1) gets around the RT from a wide 9 to force a throw that Hawkins(+2, Cov+2) is dominating from the snap. Ball lands harmlessly overthrown by 5 yards.
O48	3rd	7	Gun Wk Bunch	4-2-5	Nk Wide A	0	Pass	4	Scramble	Ojabo	10(-20)	-1.25
Not negging because everyone saw the flag after Hinton(+2, PR+2) blew through the RG and was about to sack until the guy rips him back by the shoulderpad. If you're mentally grading what happens when everyone knows it's coming back, Ojabo (-1) got out of his lane when chasing outside and then Colson (-2) got lazily run by when he set up too far back. They review for targeting at the end because Moore's helmet lightly glances off of Petras's though it's clear there's no intention.
O38	3rd	17	Gun 12 Empty 3w	4-2-5	Racecar Wide		Pass	4	Deep Hitch	Gray	13	0.06
Gray(+1, cov+1) had a hand in there but WR#6 manages to corral it…with help from the ground. Think I'd call that a catch on review but wouldn't be surprised either way. No review. Also no go on 4th down.
Drive Notes: Punt. 14-3. 5 min 2nd Q. This is a punt on 4th and 4 from midfield FYI. Also since the hold didn't count: FOUR! Four three-and-outs in a row, ah ah ah!
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O20	1st	10	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	4	Slant	Gray	Inc	-0.56
1:21, 3 TOs but it won't matter. Smith(+1, PR+1) shoves Linderbaum into the backfield to force a throw that Gray(+2, Cov+2) is all over and breaks up. Also LT blatantly chop blocked Hutchinson (refs-2) while he was engaged with the LG. This might have made him angry.
O20	2nd	10	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Pass	4	Sack	Hutchinson	-10	-0.43
Yeah he mad. Hutchinson(+4, tackling+1, PR+3) races by the RT, hops inside of the RB, and sacks all on his own. M uses a TO.
O10	3rd	20	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Racecar Over	1	Run		Stretch	Colson	7	0.38
Morris(+1) takes on then comes through a double to keep Colson(-1, tackling-1) clean. Colson whiffs the tackle but it's enough delay for the rest of the guys to rally after 7 useless yards.
Drive Notes: Punt. 14-3. 1 min 2nd Q. Just want to point out Iowa has had one successful offensive play in their last 21 snaps.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Offset I Z-Return	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Play-Action	6	Bootleg Z Out	Gray	Inc	-0.70
Iowa catches M in a run blitz (RPS-2) that dropped Smith+Hutchinson, which sucks because if Dax goes for the QB it's an insta-sack. Harrell(-1, cov-1) gets shook by a convincing TE block and when that guy releases Turner has to take him as Gray(-1, cov-3) falls behind the deep crosser from his side that he was supposed to be relieved of except Colson(-2) is lost, hanging out in the box still where he can only help on an RB that four other guys can get. Throw is to that the crosser, low, and dropped (Luck+2).
O25	2nd	10	Ace Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Split B	1	Pass	4	Dig	Turner	Inc	-0.35
Hutchinson(+1) and Hinton(+1, PR+2) break inside but Upshaw(-1) got run out way deep so Petras can get the ball out on a dig that Turner(+2, cov+2) played so perfectly he almost intercepts it.
O25	3rd	10	Gun SB Y-Flex	4-2-5	Racecar Wide	2	Pass	4	TE Comeback	Moore	11	1.98
Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) knocks the RT over. The FB was releasing but stops and form tackles Hutchinson around the waist; he goes down over the prone T (refs-2). That frees Petras to roll out where he finds a TE coming back and Moore(-2, cov-2) trying to intercept instead of tackle, when the latter would have been well short of the sticks. Freshman mistake.
O36	1st	10	Offset I Twins	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Run		Split Zone	Speight	5	0.11
This is just Speight(-2) getting put on a cart by Linderbaum. Eight in the box (RPS+1) so the RB meets Hawkins(-0.5, tackling-0.5) who gets run over for a few.
O41	2nd	5	Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1	Pass	5	Bootleg TE	Harrell	Inc	-1.09
Solved the Bootleg. Harrell(+1, PR+2) is sent off the edge at the QB, Welschof(+1) and Colson(+1, cov+2) tag the TE when he releases. Ball goes off the TE's hand and if Colson is watching the ball he's got another gift interception. Incredible that M has thrown two INTs at this point and Iowa none. Should be 3-0. RPS+3 that was set up.
O41	3rd	5	Gun Wk	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	1	Pass	3	Throwaway	Turner	Inc	-0.87
Stunt has Hutchinson(+1, PR+1) coming up the middle and even with two guys Petras doesn't like it and chucks it OOB at a guy Turner(+2, cov+2) had blanketed.
Drive Notes: Punt. 14-3. 13 min 3rd Q. Uh oh, now the bootlegs are off.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	I-Form Z-Return	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		Lead Zone	Colson	2	-0.35
Padilla in. Smith(+1) takes on a double, Hinton(+0.5) hopped over a gap and gave Colson(+0.5) a clean shot at the FB lead. This becomes a pile of humanity as Hutchinson(+1) shakes a T trying to kick him and ensures the pile can't lurch forward.
O27	2nd	8	Offset I	4-3-4	5-3 Under	2	Play-Action	5	Bootleg TE	Barrett	Inc	-0.58
Barrett(+2, PR+2, RPS+3) lines up off the edge in the role Harrell played last bootleg. He and Hutchinson both blitz the QB, which is unnecessary but funny. Rather have Hutchinson tag the TE but Ross(+1, cov+1) has him and Barrett got there so fast this was just a throwaway to avoid a sack.
O27	3rd	8	Gun Str	4-2-5	Racecar Split	2	Pass	4	Slip Screen	Colson	17	2.64
Yikes. The H motions to the strong side, Dax travels and Colson(-2) has to get yelled at by Barrett to switch to the other side bc he's on the RB. Of course Iowa has this set up to screen and Colson is nowhere close. He does get into the blockers, gets knocked down, and gets back up again. Also Upshaw(+2) read the play and was about to tag the RB when Linderbaum grabs his chestplate and throws him back (refs-1).
O44	1st	10	Ace Wk	4-2-5	5-1 Split	2	Run		Stretch	Barrett	3	-0.43
M blitzes Hill off the backside hunting for a bootleg. Barrett(+1) put the playside TE in the backfield and came inside but got tripped up by the OL who went down over Ojabo's back. Actually Ojabo shed him so this RT brought his elbow down on on Ojabo's neck, then fell over him. Don't know how to grade that--block in the back?--but the edge is open now. Doesn't really matter since Welschof(+1) came through his G and Hawkins(+1) was free in the box to gather any spills (RPS+1).
O47	2nd	7	Ace Z Demi	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run		Jet Sweep	Barrett	6	0.37
M has this called but Barrett(+1) took a gamble he could come inside and stop for a big loss and got too far inside. He did force the TE to turn and chase him however so it's a point. Ross is on his horse first while Hill(-1) doesn't believe it and comes in conservatively. The two collect a yard short of the sticks.
M47	3rd	1	I-Form Heavy	5-2-4	Goal Line	0	Run		Toss Sweep	Turner	10	1.37
The FB dive fake gets us (RPS-1) as Turner(-1) doesn't replace the WR cracking Gray and Hill was shooting inside at the QB.
M37	1st	10	I-Form Heavy	5-2-4	5-3 Split	2	Run		Iso	Ross	4	-0.08
Linderbaum gets to Ross(-1) this time, though with an arm wrap and a subtle trip (refs-1). His friends hold it down with Colson(+0.5) popping the FB at 2 yards and Smith(+1) coming off his block to tackle after 4 yards.
M33	2nd	6	I-Form Heavy	5-2-4	5-3 Split	1	Play-Action	3	Bootleg Z Out	Turner	0	-0.80
Borg have adapted. M brings three and Jenkins(+1) chips the WR as he crosses so Turner(+1) can flag him down. RPS+2.
M33	3rd	6	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Racecar Wide A	2	Pass	4	RB Angle	NHG	8	1.23
Hutchinson(+1, PR+2) blew up the LT and is about to sack as this is thrown. Hinton(+1) destroyed the RT on a stunt so Ojabo is coming free up the gut too. Unfortunately NHG(-2, cov-2) is singled on the RB with no inside help and takes two bad steps outside so he has no chance of stopping this. RPS-1...playing Man 2 here is too bend-don't-break.
M25	1st	10	Ace Trips H-Return	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Pass	4	Flare Screen	Gray	10	0.14
Return action is too fast for Gray(-1, cov-1). Turner can't abandon his WR as long as this guy is still behind the LOS (RPS-1), and Moore(-1) came down inside where he's of no help, so Iowa gets their free 1st down.
M15	1st	10	I-Form	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		Lead Zone	Ross	5	0.07
Colson(+1) shoots up and takes out the FB in the backfield and Smith(+1) did a good job to keep his ILB clean but Ross(-2) wastes it by running into the backside guard and getting stuck there. ILB play today…
M10	2nd	5	I-Form	5-2-4	5-3 Split	1	Run		Split Zone	Smith	1	-0.28
Smith(+1) needs to get reached by Linderbaum if this is to work, isn't (RPS+1). They let the RG release, Jenkins(+1) gets off the RT to force this back into Smith or behind that but Ross is clean because the box is stacked so the releasing G just got Hawkins, and the backside is closed because Hinton(+1) beat the LG so badly the guy is doing some Big Ten holding (refs-1) to stay attached.
M9	3rd	4	Gun 12 F-Cross	4-3-4	4-3 Split A	1	Pass	4	Rollout Out	Hill	1	-0.27
They try to edge Dax Hill(+2, cov+1, tackling+1) in the most Iowa way possible. It doesn't work out for them. Morris(+1) was unblocked and got up in the passing lane which may have pushed the throw upfield. Iowa fan reacts to this.
M8	4th	3	I-Form Heavy	5-2-4	5-4 Over	0	Pass	4	Mesh	NHG	-7	-4.35
Mike Macdonald calls Rick Hoeg, who informs Michigan's DC there are Constitutional issues with establishing legal ownership of another human being, to which Macdonald replies with this clip. In it, Iowa doesn't even bother with play-action. Michigan is slanting and bringing NHG(+2, PR+2) who bypasses the FB, wraps the RB, then forces Padilla back. Jeter(-1) fell down on his stunt but all the guys in routes are bracketed (Cov+3) so Padilla dumps to the RB, 8 yards behind the LOS, where Jeter and Hill would have had him corralled if the throw isn't so low it takes him off his feet. Over Hoeg's protestations, Macdonald contacts Owen Rosen of the Phil Klein Insurance Group to get the title transferred on his new Brian Ferentz.
Drive Notes: Turnover on Downs. 21-3. 1 min 3rd Q. M goes three-and-out so D is right back on the field, but Robbins bombs Iowa back to their own 34.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O23	1st	10	Offset Str	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	RPO		IZ/Bubble	NHG	11	0.87
Life hard on the ILBs (RPS-1) as they slant and bring NHG who's supposed to two-gap until help arrives. Ross(-1) tries to go under the releasing LG instead of funneling to Moten and this creates a lane. Welschof(+0.5) fought back to almost close it down, and gets back to be the guy trying to stop the pile when Moore(tackling-1) shoots down but misses the tackle. Pile falls forward.
O34	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	RPO		Slants/Stretch	Ross	2	-0.48
Welschof(+0.5) and Jeter(+1) keep their doubles and hold up, allowing Ross(+1, tackling-1) to shoot into the backfield for an almost stop. He's got the RB's feet then NHG(+1) arrives to clock him after 1.2 yards.
O36	2nd	8	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	4	RB Out	Ojabo	Inc	-0.88
More annoying Heisman mitigation. Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) jumps the snap, puts the RT on his ass, and is about to murder Padilla who flings it away at his first read, an RB out that Ojabo(+1, cov+1) peeled off to get and which would have been no gain if caught. Take your sacks you cowards!
O36	3rd	8	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Racecar Wide AC	1	Pass	4	RB Angle	Ojabo	Inc	-0.31
More Hutchinson(+2, PR+3) blowing by the RT at the same time Hinton(+2) blew by Linderbaum, putting his arms up to ruin the angle on a pass to his RB who crossed Ojabo(cov: push) but if this is catchable Ojabo also probably tackles well short of the sticks.
Drive Notes: Punt(Blocked). 21-3. 12 min 4th Q. Offense scores in 4 plays, starters start sitting.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	4	TE Out	Ross	4	-0.11
Cowards cut Ojabo and Upshaw to throw a 3-yard out that Ross(+1, tackling+1, cov:push) tackles on immediately. TE stepped back a yard on his own but they give him forward progress.
O29	2nd	6	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Wide	2	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Moten	1	-0.54
Ojabo(+1, PR+1) flushes but nobody else got close. Smith(+1) gave chase to prevent a scramble so Padilla dumps it to a TE near the LOS that Moten(+1, cov+2) is able to shut down immediately.
O30	3rd	5	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Over	1	Penalty	n/a	False Start	n/a	(-5)	-0.39
Oops.
O25	3rd	10	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	5-1 Under	2	Pass	5	RB Angle	Moten	5	0.13
Ojabo(+1) is the one through on a stunt but not before the ball is well out and clean. Moten(+2, cov+1, tackling+1) is over it and slams the RB down for 4th and 5.
Drive Notes: Punt. 28-3. 9 min 4th Q. Iowa has raised the white flag and it's backups the rest of the way so end of charting. Garbage time clips: Kolesar's interception. Rayshaun Benny's tackle. Harbaugh's maize & blue bath.

So I’ve got something important to say.

Shoot.

Are you standing still? Don’t be moving for this.

What is it?

BIG TEN CHAMPIONS SPLOOOOOOOSH!

The incredible thing is they “You can’t have one without the other”d the Gatorade. Of all the things to love about this team, it’s the attention to detail and…this will be sappy…the Michiganness of them. At least what I define as Michigan, IE the only school that could produce this kind of article for well over a decade.

I can’t wait to see the drive chart.

We’ll get to that, but I need to run some things by my accountant first.

Speaking of Michiganness…

Count?

Yes. Yes. What is it you would you like-a to ask *cape flourish* the Count?

I have a few questions about what does and doesn’t count as a three-and-out. 

A three-and-out is kind of what it says on the tin, yes?

But what if there’s a penalty—like a holding or false start—on the offense on 2nd down and then they have to replay it? Does that still count as a three-and-out?

If the Count has four plays then he must count to four I should think. But if one play didn’t count…then four, take away one, is…Three! Three-and-out!  Ah ah ah!

Okay, and what if there’s a penalty on Michigan?

Penalty on Michigan extend drive, is Michigan fault, yes?

Yes but it happened AFTER a 3rd down incompletion.

Hmmm. Dead ball foul this is?

Yes, dead ball.

Then Count say three-and-out, then turnover, and then a second drive that is also stretch to boundary, dumpoff to LaPorta, and desperation throw nowhere near receiver because Brian Ferentz is a disappointment! Ah ah ah!

Thank you, Count, and I must say you know an awful lot about Iowa football.

In Transylvania, Iowa football is favorite form of torture.

Ah. So drive chart:

• 10-play, 71-yard field goal drive
• 10-play, 59-yard scripted missed FG drive that shoulda scored on an RB pass.
• 14-play, 60-yard drive that ate up 7.5 minutes when M was up 3 scores and turned it over on downs
• One 6-and-out.
• The 4-play garbage drive that ate the last 1:25.
• Nine (nine!) 3-and-outs, counting two with offensive penalties, the pair strung together by a dead ball unsportsmanlike penalty after a 3rd and 8 incompletion, and a 3rd down interception.

You could look at that and conclude Iowa probably should have scored 10 points, not 3. Really the way it played out was more like one of those 2008 Rich Rodriguez games, where the offense would have one idea that worked a couple of drives, then the way to defend it would get communicated to the defense, and that was it for the yards. By expected points added, Iowa’s two biggest plays were Michigan penalties on incompletable passes—a deadball unsportsmanlike on Taylor Upshaw and the play on the first drive when Dax couldn’t spot the ball and draped himself on a receiver as the spheroid passed over their heads.

Iowa’s main plan in this game was to avoid Aidan Hutchinson/David Ojabo pass rushes at all costs. If you think it nonsensical to construct an offense that way, you should tell that to an Iowa fan so you can make friends.

The way it manifested was a rock of stretch zone, and bootlegs the other way when it was time to throw paper. I wrote about the bootlegs and the how Michigan adjusted to them yesterday. The one part of that which looked at all repeatable was to put Vincent Gray in a footrace with a guy motioning from one side to the other and back again:

Watch CB#4, who starts at the bottom of the screen:

When I saw that I wanted Harrell (the OLB at the top of the formation) to give the crossing WR a pop before pressuring. When Michigan saw this play again, not only did they have the guy pressuring reroute the receiver to give his trail time to catch up, they used a tackle to do the pressuring so Harrell could help in the coverage.

If you’re saying “that sounds incredibly simple,” well, it was. As much as I love to dog on Big Ten East rivals, doing this game after the offenses of Ryan Day, Mike Locksley, and James Franklin—all accomplished offensive coordinators before becoming head coaches—was jarring. I didn’t have to re-watch plays six times to get all the nuances of how they were trying to screw with defensive keys. It was “here, we are doing this thing” and then Michigan would stop the thing or not. Iowa fans are well aware of this. This is not the reaction of a man who's seen his first throw to the tight end for 1 yard on 3rd and 5.

Michigan in turn didn’t really have to get too clever. They packed the box whenever Iowa showed a run formation, ran a lot of man coverage and doubles, and only stunted when they got bored, since the ball was going to be out to some guy underneath or launched on a prayer down the sideline before any pass rush could get home. It was the MSU 2020 offensive strategy, except neither Iowa quarterback had the downfield accuracy to pull it off, and Turner/Gray 2021 >>>> Green/Gray/Turner last year.

Of course Macdonald couldn’t resist the temptation to take candy from the Ferentzes when they were getting too obvious about their play-calling, or screwed up their formations. Here’s one:

Note the slot receiver is on the NFL hash marks here, not the college ones. In Twins you normally want that slot on the college hash because that pulls the nickel far enough away from the box that he can’t blitz it. Iowa however wanted to compress those receivers a little closer to the box to give the outside guy more room to the sideline. They would pay for putting their hand too close to Daxton Hill.

The other time Macdonald flexed against the inferior coordinator was the 4th down I put in Neck Sharpies. This drive had already killed the majority of the 3rd quarter, and if Iowa doesn’t score it’s 21-3 going into the final frame. Ferentz thought he could line up in a run formation, put three guys in a pattern, and leave two RBs to block the side of the line with Aidan Hutchinson on it. I do not wish to dwell on that last sentence because it doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, either, but this is what he did. The point, I’m sure, was to punish how Michigan was overplaying the bootleg and hit a TE on the backside. Macdonald anticipated this reaction and had an undefeatable coverage prepared.

I can’t get over how dominated that was from the playcall. Both TEs get rubs on their tails, and it doesn’t matter because both are bracketed, with Josh Ross playing rat in between in case there was a brief window after the rubs. Hill-Green’s blitz takes the RB away and pressures the QB into throwing his own doom. Don Brown would have these moments; it gives me great pleasure to see that I don’t have to miss him for them.

A big chunk of the rest of the day was running stretch zone, split zone, and isos into a 5-3 front. If it ever got anything it was because one of the three “linebackers” was a safety, e.g. Dax Hill versus an offensive tackle here:

All Dax had to do there was keep some semblance of an edge, because the DTs were getting single blocks from Iowa’s guards and wrecking them. Iowa’s offensive line is also very Michigan 2008: Tyler Linderbaum is the best center in the country, and the guys next to him are a rotation of recycling bins and stacked Amazon boxes. Most of this season Macdonald’s fronts have been asking the DTs to hold up to doubles and keep the linebackers clean. They did that too, but the strategy for this game seemed to be letting Linderbaum into the second level and then winning individual matchups with the guards.

Watch this clip once for Chris Hinton (#15, 2nd guy from the bottom of the formation) and again for Mazi Smith (#58, the nose) before you celebrate Ojabo:

This all led to my first real opportunity to do some DT grading that wasn’t about how wrinkled the linebackers’ shirts were getting, and some sick DL numbers at the end.

Ohh ooh ooh can we count them up?

Chart.

Defensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Snaps	Notes
Hinton	11.5	1	+10.5	43	A lot of this was against Linderbaum too.
Smith	10.5	0	+10.5	37	Whose idea was it to stretch the wrecking twins?
Jeter	3	2	+1	20	Quiet day until the end.
Welschof	6	0	+6	20	Full rotation player, best outing yet.
Jenkins	7.5	0	+7.5	18	No you shouldn't run stretch against three DTs either.
Speight	0	3	-3	11	Singled against Linderbaum.
Whittley	0	0	0	1	DNC
Hutchinson	19	1	+18	65	Iowa surrendered their entire offense to avoid this.
Ojabo	8	3	+5	32	This too.
Morris	4	0	+4	21	Passing downs jumping man.
Upshaw	3	4	-1	17	Maybe do that between the whistles.
Harrell	5	1	+4	32	Good day in 5-2 edge duty, held up in coverage too.
McGregor	0	0	0	0	DNP
TOTAL	77.5	15	+62.5	-	Abused everyone not named Linderbaum, beat that guy too.
Linebacker
Player	+	-	T	Snaps	Notes
Ross	9	10	-1	54	Never going to be good in coverage, still makes plays.
Colson	7.5	11	-3.5	46	Still no idea what he's doing half the time.
Barrett	6	1	+5	21	Strength an issue, strengths far outweigh that weakness.
Hill-Green	5	2	+3	28	Should be starting over the other two, not by that much.
Mullings	0	0	0	7	DNC
TOTAL	27.5	24	+3.5	-	Preseason fears of ILB issues justified.
Secondary
Player	+	-	T	Snaps	Notes
Hill	6.5	5	+1.5	56	Early hiccups, insane sack.
Hawkins	5.5	1.5	+4	59	Is he a star? PFF seems to think so now.
Moore	0	3	-3	38	Freshman moment, otherwise boring.
Moten	3	1.5	+1.5	17	Generally boring.
Kolesar	3	0	+3	5	Harbaugh reacted more to his INT than any other play.
Paige	0	0	0	7	DNC
Perry	0	0	0	0	DNP
Turner	12	1	+11	63	Officially a good player.
Gray	5	4	+1	64	Not fast enough to cover jets in man.
Gem.Green	0	0	0	11	DNC
McBurrows	0	0	0	0	DNP
TOTAL	35	16	+19	-	Preseason fears of CB unjustified.
Metrics
Pressure	37	5	+32	-	Did this despite Iowa handicapping itself to avoid it.
Coverage	25	22	+3	-	Linebacker level was an issue, the DBs usually were not.
Tackling	9	7.5	+1.5	-	Undersized back seven gets there, gets run over sometimes.
RPS	25	15	+10		Brian Ferentz was a nice break from competent OCs.

Plus 77.5, minus 15 on the DL? Jeebus.

And Hutchinson/Ojabo weren’t even half of it, ah ah ah! Smith and Hinton were a combined +22/-1, and Jenkins also had a solid day. And the best part is the big difference was added interior pass rush. I mean Hutchinson was as rampant as any Michigan DE in history, when they let him be, but while Joel Klatt talks about Aidan on this play watch the DT two guys to (our) left:

Because Iowa was so intent on getting the ball out before any pass rush off the edges could arrive, the DTs were the fulcrum of the game. And it’s not like we can wave our hands at this and say “competition level” because the dude Hinton crossed up in this clip is going to be the first center in the draft.

But competition was some of it, sure. For every point scored on Linderbaum there were probably four at the expense of the guards. It was obvious from Iowa’s first offensive snap that their line was going to cost them the game. From the drop they were letting Linderbaum into the linebackers, then dominating everybody else:

Pick a guy in that clip: Mazi Smith bent the LG back, Jenkins cut off the back-cut then closed the gap in a hurry, Hutchinson planted the RT on the hash mark to restrict all the space, Hinton stayed playside of his guard so that whichever LB didn’t get a face full of Linderbaum could fill in freely behind him, and Hutchinson planted the RT on the hash mark to make sure there was nowhere to run while Jenkins hunted. Linderbaum was legit, and crafty to boot. The rest couldn’t hang with Michigan.

So what did they do about Hutchinson? I mean +18 is a good number but it’s not going to stop the pandemic.

As we’ve said times beyond counting since two Saturdays past, Iowa’s plan this game was to not have Hutchinson be what beats them. That meant passing to guys well short of the sticks, or taking moon shots with little hope of being caught, to get the ball out of the backfield as quickly as possible. When Mel Tucker did that it was smart because it worked; when Brian Ferentz tried it was simple cowardice.

There were a few times when Iowa got in long downs and had no other choice. In those instances they got creative…and more cowardly. The cut block was one method. Getting away with illegal chop blocks was another. A third thing they tried was falling down on your ass with your legs flailing while your fullback tackles from the side.

Needless to say it was hardly becoming of a team ostensibly participating in the Big Ten Championship game. Both tackles are old enough to have been on hand in 2019 when Hutchinson dismantled Tristan Wirfs, so they had no illusions and no pretensions. What I found amazing about their flailing mitigation techniques isn’t that they were successful in preventing Hutchinson from getting sacks, but how unsuccessful they were at preventing Hutchinson from blowing up the play. We mentioned Mazi here, but Hutchinson is into Petras’s shoulder when his first read is making his cut.

This ball was chucked off the fingertips of a well-covered running back a yard behind the line of scrimmage because the RT was already on his back and Hutchinson was coming in for the sack before anybody else had made it five yards past the line of scrimmage.

 

I mean, whose first read is a running back in the flat? Well, a team whose other options can’t possibly get into a route before the quarterback is going to die. And it’s not like the tackle did any better if he remained standing.

 

How many sacks is that? None. No sacks for any of those plays, ah ah ah. He did get the one, pinballing off the RT and the RB sent to double him:

Want to guess how many times Iowa dropped back for more than a quickie in this game? One. One dropback. And this was the result. Somewhere Wirfs is counting down the days until his vacation ends. It’s 261, by the way. 261 days until the best defensive end in the country is the NFL’s problem. Ah. Ah. Ah.

Richt, ‘n’ ah coudnae hulp bit notice thay an' a' mitigated mah laddie fae th' heich land.

Ungh, I felt bad for Ojabo, and then felt even worse when I learned that by some freak of international law he’s not allowed to make any money off NIL or else risk deportation for violating his visa. Seems like something that could get a quick carve-out, and ought to.

I also felt bad charting Ojabo in this game, because the yellow-bellied Hutchinson mitigation protocols advertently included the other great pass-rusher of Michigan. He also wasn’t on the field half the time, as Michigan used a lot of 5-2 personnel, Hutchinson wasn’t coming off the field, and Jaylen Harrell was much easier to convert to coverage in the many instances that need arose.

As such Ojabo’s impact was mostly felt in the run game, where he was his regular, underrated self at setting an edge and both-sides’ing the guy at the end of it. This paid off once when some fool decided to try going around him:

Ojabo got to play the Hutchinson role for the final drive I charted, after Michigan went up 28-3 and sat the projected #1 pick. The cowards cut our gallant Scot one time, a petrified tackle false-started, and then Ojabo picked up a couple of PR+1 events on throwaways.

Speaking of Harrell

This was The Harrell Game alright. Like Ojabo, Harrell’s come a long way since the early rotation. Playing OLB in Michigan’s five-man fronts meant Harrell was often put in the spot that the defense normally uses Daxton Hill for. Harrell did that well.

#32 the OLB at the bottom of the formation:

What precipitated his being on the field in the first place was that Iowa took the field with two tight ends and then went five-wide with them a few times. Not only did Harrell give Michigan more of a coverage guy in those situations, but he held up against stretch as well as Ojabo’s been doing. There weren’t any more pass rush opportunities for Harrell than anyone else, but if that’s part of his game next year I think we can pencil in one starter for life after Hutch and Jabo.

That’s only one, however. Taylor Upshaw got more run than usual in this game as Hutchinson’s backup, since Morris isn’t made to do the OLB stuff. His one good moment was that he recognized and tried to get to a screen, but his efforts were wiped out by a hold. It’s not hard to tell immediately when he’s on the field for one of the starters. He also picked up, for my money, the worst unsportsmanlike conduct penalty I’ve ever seen, walking up and chest-bumping Spencer Petras face after Hutchinson (not Upshaw) caused a rushed incompletion on a 3rd and 8. Refs will let that go to a large degree because assessing the penalty is the equivalent of a turnover, but Upshaw kept going well past the point where they had to throw the flag. Even Petras was just staring at him through the whole thing like “What are you doing man?” Hopefully that’s a one-off.

The guy I actually would like to see get more time on the edge in the 5-2 looks next year is a linebacker.

Who, Colson?

I was going to say Barrett.

I mean, it’s not going to happen because he’s undersized and will never be the kind to bull-rush an offensive tackle the way Macdonald likes. But other teams—Alabama for one—use a hybrid player in that position, and there are certain circumstances, e.g. against a team that uses a flex TE in addition to a burly one, where that’s really the best move. Barrett has good bend, awesome acceleration, and the more he’s played the more I’m sure he’s the best coverage linebacker on the team.

That acceleration, by the way, was the best asset Michigan could turn to when trying to address the bootleg stuff:

The difference between how fast he can get back there versus Harrell or another more lineman-esque OLB is the difference between the QB having time to dump it and getting dumped. With Michigan projected to lose Josh Ross (my expectation, not insider knowledge there) to graduation, projecting Barrett to the WLB position next year would give them a new senior on the second level. They’re already subbing Barrett for Ross on some obvious passing downs, and for the second time this year I managed to clip a play where Colson doesn’t know where to be and it’s Barrett yelling at him.

But now that you mention it—HOT TAKE WARNING—using Colson as the OLB/DE isn’t the worst idea.

With Ross leaving? That *is* a hot take.

Yeah, well for the moment Colson at middle linebacker is a “trouble spot.” It probably won’t last, and is probably to be expected out of a true freshman linebacker, but he is still very much a raw true freshman linebacker out there, and at 13/15 games and 480 snaps into the season  I wanted to see more.

The play I showed above turned into a free 3rd and long conversion because Colson didn’t know where to stand. Part of the thinking behind Michigan’s “Release Linderbaum” strategy in the running game was, I thought, to mitigate Colson’s issues with finding his gap before he’s cut off from it, figuring if he’s soaking up the All-American, everyone else can close the gap behind him.

Colson was also the guy at fault for several of the bootlegs Michigan left open, and the guy most picked on when Iowa had a passing down and needed to dump the ball to a TE at four yards. I’ve been saying all year that linebacker in this system is hard, and certainly covering an RB angle route with no inside help fits that bill. But Colson isn’t even in position to contest on this one because he’s stepping outside when the TE has already taken his second step in.

I know people are going to hate it on the chart, so I’m going to say it now: this is all fixable, and not far behind reasonable expectations for a kid who didn’t know the rules of American football until he was adopted from Haiti years after the earthquake you do not think was that long ago. For now, the true freshman is the defense’s most exploitable weakness, or the spot that the defense is having to imbalance itself in other ways to cover for. I fully expect Colson to grow out of it the same way that various OL who played as true freshmen became stars one or two years later, Zinter being the latest.

If he doesn’t get there, however, use him as the 5-2 OLB and find ways to make that more of a base, because this dude moves like a safety and then plows like a Michigan DE.

#25 the LB lined up inside of Ojabo on the 30 yard line.

There’s a bright future for Colson whether he can take Ross’s mantle next year or not. In this game his errors got him pulled for Hill-Green. It was a step back, and portends not great things for this year, and this year only.

And how did Ross do? You sounded mad at him.

I can never stay mad a Ross for long, but we should probably discuss how he and Colson are kind of a bad fit to be on the field together since they share the same weakness—namely coverage—and strength: blitzing. I mentioned Iowa’s two biggest plays all game were Michigan taking unnecessary penalties. The next four were passing down conversions of 17, 10, 15, and 22 yards on Colson, Colson, Ross, and Ross. The reason Ross got pulled for Barrett on passing downs was very clear: Ross doesn’t get depth in coverage.

Unlike Colson, Ross doesn’t have “is a true freshman from Haiti” to explain why he gave up a chunk play to an Iowan named Charlie Jones. For one, that isn’t a real name, or at least not unless you’re a woman going into country music, your given name of Chaya Koppelman wasn’t going to cut it, and you once read somewhere that the name “Jones” is a Welsh form of “Iowan” (look it up!). Secondly, you already let one deep threat into the secondary so whom do you suppose is going to collect the second one? Thirdly, what are you afraid of here—a scramble from Spencer Petras?

Ross was also a culprit on the bootlegs.

Of the bootleg issues Michigan had this game, I found this play the most bothersome. He’s stepping way down on play-action, but also has time to get on his horse and cover the tight end. Instead Ross is drifting in between a widening space where he’s already too deep to come down on a QB scramble and nowhere deep enough to prevent a pass.

Ross doesn’t suck, and he has enough moments when he picks his way through traffic, tracks an edge play from the inside, or dodges RBs on blitzes, that he’s usually a net positive even before you factor in the leadership qualities and his role in calling audibles. If Michigan’s plan for Linderbaum was indeed to let him into the linebackers, part of that plan is also trust in Ross to deal with that. I really wouldn’t want to lose him. He just doesn’t get depth on his zones. And this late in his career I’m not sure that can be retaught.

As for Hill-Green, my hot take is if Michigan does have to go without Ross at some point down the stretch, NHG will be fine. His play isn’t so great that it distinguishes itself from the two starters, and he doesn’t have the raw attributes that tend to lead to scores of +2 events. But when he’s on the field he makes +1s happen and gets to his gaps. Against a team that runs a lot of stretch zone, he’s superior to Colson for the moment. I get wanting to give Colson reps because that gets you to his upside faster, but Hill-Green is a lot more important to this team than I think people realize.

Did they try to edge Dax Hill this week?

Only in the most Iowa way imaginable:

Yepirree, that there’s a tight end, trying to get around Daxton Hill on an edge play.

Uh, dare I ask how it worked out for them?

Well it induced two (two!, ah ah ah) results, really. The first was this reaction from the Iowa fans.

The second thing that came of it was the 4th down where Macdonald proceeded to—pending a Supreme Court ruling—establish ownership of one Brian Ferentz.

But Iowa did manage to get around Hill with a jet sweep earlier that drive. It wasn’t anything particularly clever or RPS-y. They ran a jet sweep and Hill’s eyes got stuck too long in the backfield.

I was surprised that the scored ended up being what it was, but keep in mind most of Hill’s day was as the deep safety. The above and the pass interference he didn’t need to commit were two-thirds of his negative plays. The other was when he came down to be the eighth man in the box and ended up getting blocked by an offensive tackle:

That’s not his game, and simply being there was enough to be a net positive influence on the result. I’m not down on Dax despite the score.

Uh, speaking of safety scores, is Brad Hawkins a star?

The flipside of how Michigan used Hill in this game was that Hawkins got more opportunities than ever(?, certainly this year) before to be an in-the-box player. Whereas Hill is an NFL cornerback’s body with a safety brain, Hawkins is more of a (clangy) wide receiver with a linebacker’s brain. Rolling down to the box against Iowa’s 1980s offense brought out Brad’s inner Doug Plank.

Hawkins also doesn’t make many coverage mistakes. He’s in that area now where he’s a good player but not doing things that would make me start saying “great.” PFF’s safety grading is opaque to me—they have only Illinois’s Kerby Joseph, Bama’s Jordan Battle, Cal’s (formerly ND’s) Elijah Hicks, and a Kansas State guy ranked above Hawkins among Power 5 safeties. He was named 3rd team all-conference, though Ross was as well. It’s a weak case, but sure, let’s put Hawkins on star watch, or not depending if you thought the RB pass that this fullback should have caught was on Hawkins or Moten:

My guess was both.

The cornerbacks?

Michigan used more man this game, a sign they thought the cornerbacks could handle it. A lot of their days were chasing receivers on slants and hitches and fly routes that Iowa QBs couldn’t hit. Turner shut them down, emphatically. Gray was in position, except a couple of times when they had him running sprints.

Turner did not have this issue:

I know this is a weird question to ask about a conference championship game, but did we learn anything about the future from the kids who played in garbage time?

Rayshaun Benny looks like he’s going to be a dude.

George Rooks played DT and was blown off the ball pretty badly. He’s more end-shaped at the moment, so it’ll be a minute. The positive that he got on the field is a stronger indication than what happened once there.

And whether or not he wins the job next year I had to include Caden’s interception, because somebody—I forget who, some history geek no doubt—was all about the third generation Kolesar in the season preview sessions. From the reaction of the team after this I think that guy’s not alone.

Who’s Mr. Worldwide for that week?

Having a real good time. [Fuller]

Mr. Worldwide is our chance to recognize a player who made a big impact on the game without necessarily (it’s not disqualifying) earning recognition for it during the game. We theme it for pop musician Pitbull—Mr. Worldwide—because if the Big Ten can give out awards for embodying the spirit of some iconographic individual, we can do the same with a guy from the old Dr. Pepper commercials they play during football games.

Our criteria are thus the attributes that we most associate with Pitbull: Versatility, the ability to make your teammates better, being cool against long odds, and enjoying time spent under highway overpasses. This is decided after the second UFR. Your top three this week:

1. Luke Schoonmaker. Converted QB outta nowhere broke out. Blocked two dudes on one play, brought in two 1-rated catches for 49 yards that were the difference between 7.0 and 5.5 YPA on the day for Cade McNamara, kept pace in scoring with Erick All when Michigan was playing Tight End University for the Tight End Conference championship. As the tallest guy on the team he is a highway overpass.

2-tie. Jaylen Harrell: Nearly matched Ojabo’s score and matched Ojabo’s snaps in the Big Ten Championship game when Ojabo was being billed as the other 1st round pick on this defense. Couldn’t pass rush a team that wouldn’t drop back so he got all his points by setting hard edges on stretch zones for his mates to clean up. Big part of the bootleg solution. The 5-2 defense is kind of like a highway overpass in profile.

2-tie. Donovan Edwards: Points are made up so I can break the rules. Here’s his statline: 3 rushes for 1 yard, long of 2, one TD. 3 cachtes for 20 yards, long of 11. One pass for 75 yards, 1 TD. Also the decoy when McNamara got his long scramble for a first down, and many other plays besides. His TD pass arced so naturally you have to figure he was mimicking the slope of his favorite highway overpass.

3. JJ McCarthy: For the Corum run alone. Not even the starting QB, breaks the game open by simply handing off, because Iowa’s so freaked out about him as a runner. Then he appears out of nowhere, tries to block multiple people by miming a highway overpass, and does affect the last guy who had a shot at stopping this. Mr. Worldwide play of the year. Also looked to be having a real good time.

HMs (full points): Barrett had a strong day filling in every role from DE to safety. Normally he’d be a shoo-in but we had some extraordinary candidates this week.

HMs (half points). Kris Jenkins (+7.5) and Juice (+6) were also quietly effective cogs in the run kills as DE/DTs. Haskins got his two. Turner balled out and nobody noticed. Mazi Smith did more of his +10.5 day against Linderbaum than anybody else. Carter Selzer gave us something to root for all last drive. Caden Kolesar ended it. Aidan Hutchinson wrecked Iowa’s defense before they took the field and got 1 lousy statistic to show for it. Donovan Edwards was the Decoy from Hell.

3-2-1 point system so our standings are:

• 16: Aidan Hutchinson
• 9: Hassan Haskins
• 7.5: Erick All
• 7: DJ Turner II
• 6: Luke Schoonmaker
• 5.5: Ryan Hayes
• 5: Cade McNamara, Donovan Edwards
• 4.0: Andrew Stueber
• 3.5: David Ojabo
• 3: Ronnie Bell, Daxton Hill
• 2.5: Andrel Anthony, Trevor Keegan
• 2: Mike Sainristil, Junior Colson, Josh Ross, Andrew Vastardis, Jaylen Harrell, Mazi Smith
• 1.5: Julius Welschof, Cade Kolesar
• 1: Nikhai Hill-Green, Chris Hinton, Donovan Jeter, Carter Selzer, JJ McCarthy
• 0.5: Blake Corum, Joel Honigford, Chuck Filiaga, Daylen Baldwin, Kris Jenkins

Do you have a screenshot of Brian Ferentz, apropos of nothing?

.

Heroes?

Aidan Hutchinson, Mazi Smith, Chris Hinton, Kris Jenkins, really the whole dang DL save Speight (sorry Speight). DJ Turner II. Mike Macdonald. Brad Hawkins sorta?

Maybe not so heroic?

Junior Colson.

What does it mean for Georgia and beyond?

If any playoff teams run a lot of stretch with bad OL, we’re ready. Hard to take away much from this except the parts done unto Linderbaum.

If any playoff teams surrender to Aidan Hutchinson and dump it to tight ends for 2 yards, we’re ready. Georgia is probably going to try to block him; we’ll see how that goes.

If any playoff teams are operated by nepotism hires with an offense from the decade he was born in, we’re ready for that too. Brian Ferentz was a unique challenge, since John Donovan wasn’t going to stick around long enough to cause fans to make that face.

Except bootlegs, apparently. It’s like waking up on Christmas morning and being upset that someone ate the cookies you left out. This is what they do, man.

If anyone else in the Big Ten wants to step up, we’re ready. Cincinnati, you’ve always wanted to play in Indianapolis; now’s your chance buddy.

If anyone wants to run a screen, we’re not ready. What a weird thing for a zone team to be bad at.

Josh Ross should visit Tampa on his way to Miami. Because they could teach him how an MLB plays a deep zone in the Tampa 2, get it? You did? Nerd.

Figure Harrell into next year’s plans. They’re going to have to be more multiple minus Hutchinson anyways.

Your moment of Zen: