Formation Notes: I called this UW look 5-1 Odd (D Package is 3-3-5) because I wanted to see how they do a thing Macdonald has been doing, except Mac has the benefit of Aidan Hutchinson. 

And I called this one with two LBs standing up inside a 1-5-5 spread.

Naming conventions: Mine might differ from Brian’s. Formations go [QB alignment (relative to RB)] [Personnel] [Modifier] and assumes the base is 3-wide. I use “H” for slot receiver, “F” for an offset TE, “Y” for an inline one, “tight” for a WR. “Wing” means an F on the same side of the QB as the RB. This is Pistol H Y-Flex because the H (Sainristil) is in the backfield, and the Y is flexed.

When I add positions after a power play it’s who’s pulling, e.g. Counter GT is the backside G and T.

Substitution Notes: Zinter started, Filiaga got in for a few drives, but once the pass was abandoned Zinter stayed in for the duration. TE was All, Honigford, Schoonmaker and Carter Seltzer. WRs were Johnson and Wilson virtually the whole way, with Sainristil and Henning at slot. Corum and Haskins switched off except when Corum got clunked with an uncalled targeting on one return. He came back after a few Edwards runs. McNamara went the whole way. Crippen came in for Vastardis when he left late with a cramp.

One with the show!

[After THE JUMP: I want you all to know that the way we chart, a run takes so much longer to diagnose what happened, and a wad of bodies run takes even longer]

Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M12	1st	10	Pistol Heavy	3-4-4	3-4 Under	1	Penalty	7.5	Dbl Split Zone	Vastardis	-5
Vastardis(-1) misses the hard count by a second, rest of the team goes before he can snap. They choose Zinter to throw the flag at.
M7	1st	15	Pistol 2TE Twins	3-4-4	3-4 Over	1	Run	9	Counter	Haskins	7
If this is what the night's like I'm in trouble. They pull the T and C. Schoon(+1) (RPS+1) zone blocks this DT expecting to get blocked down, but Hayes(+2) removes the other DT (Tuli), deposits him safely into Keeg's custody, then gets to a safety. C gap is open for business but Stueber(-1) overruns it and can't help. So did the LB a little and Haskins(+1) uses a jab to encourage this and keeps his balance for 7 yards. All(+1) kept the OLB's attention to set up the C kick then turned out a CB to give HH space in the backfield. Neck Sharpies. McN(RPO+1)
M14	2nd	8	Pistol 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	1	Run	9	Split Counter	Haskins	9
Funky play where TE is crossing on a split and the LG pulls the opposite direction with a motion WR trail. Ravensesque. Unfortunately it walk right into a DT stunt (RPS-2). Vastardis(+1) manages to fight off Tuli trying to cross him while Zinter(-1) chases Taki around instead of moving on. I think this was meant to cut back behind the split and draw a LB with the puller but the stunt has everyone in the wrong spot. So they improvise. All(+.5) cuts off his cross and lends Vas a hand. Haskins(+3) bounces. Over there Stueber(+1) cleared out a third DT, and Keegan(+.5) turned and buried the FS edge, but now it's a second later and Keegs has to let go or hold. Wilson(-1) waves at a LB who comes to TFL. Haskins stiffarms that guy, gets outside, puts a shimmy on the CB Johnson(-1) wasn't blocking, meets Keeg's guy five yards downfield, and carries him another four, through a CB, for the first down. These two plays took me 30 minutes. I'm in so much trouble.
M23	1st	10	Pistol 2TE Twins	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	2	Run	6	Dbl Split Zone	Corum	5
The 5-1 Odd puts the lone LB at 7 yards depth and 2 safeties who don't activate until RB is in the hole. Dbl SZ is just SZ plus a WR crosser. Looks like a designed cutback (RPS+1) because Hayes(+1) immediately turns out his DE and Corum is aiming for it. Keegan (+.5) and Vastardis (+.5) blow out NT, Schoon(-1) can't get to the lone LB and he sticks.
M28	2nd	5	Pistol H Y-Flex	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Screen	6.5	HB Swing	Corum	-4
UW blitzing backside CB with a 6'1/280 OLB guarding the edge on the FS. This might be on All(-2) because it makes more sense for him to crack the OLB than leave Sainristil(-.5) whom you'd like to see do better but that's not what he's expecting, and he at least continues downfield in case Corum does some magic. McN(-1, RPO+1) rotely puts the ball inside the hash when a little bit of air might get Corum around this 6'1/280 guy. Corum collects it with an OLB in his face, and spins inside, where there's no hope, instead of bending around a DE type he might well edge. Discussed at length in slack and I want it known Brian talked me out of my first-ever Corum minus. (MA, screen, Prot n/a)
M24	3rd	9	Gun 3-wide	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	1	Play-action	6.5	Fly	Wilson	Inc
McN(-2) rushes this when he has all day vs a 3-DT rush, and never looks backside where Sainristil has the seam all to himself, instead trying a well-covered fly to Wilson(route-) who doesn't make a play on the ball (which might draw a PI). The CB does. (BR, 1, Prot 1/1).
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M46	1st	10	Gun Wing Offset Tight	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	1	Run	6	Counter GT/TE read	Haskins	16
Backside read is a pass to TE not an arc but succeeds in holding the DE. Again Hayes(+2) is the key, creating both sides of this gap by getting enough of a DT then kicking out an LB. Zinter(+1) turns in an DE who shot inside him and Stueber(+1) kicks another. Haskins(+1) waits for it to develop, scoots through a gap that's closing because Keegan(-1) never got control of the DT, then shimmies a safety for 5 extra then dives into/over the CB for a few more.
O38	1st	10	Pistol H Twins	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	1	Play-action	8	PA HB Swing	Corum	Inc
P&P GT isn't a post-snap read bc OLB is already outside the hash, and there’s no mesh point. Calling this PA not RPO. McN(-1) throw is behind Corum, who drops it. (IN, screen, Prot n/a)
O38	2nd	10	Gun 3-wide	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Run	6.5	Power	Haskins	4
Hayes(-1) gets chucked trying to do that backside reach that EA Sports can never program right. Keegan(+1) gets under a hard-shuffling DE on the other side and Honig(-1) gets ripped by the LB he was turning. Stueber(+.5) got enough movement on DT that Haskins can fall forward for 4.
O34	3rd	6	Gun 4-wide	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	1	Pass	6	Mesh	All	Inc
Nk blitzes, McN(-1) should have a hot to Johnson at the sticks, but waits and throws too far inside to All (whom he's looking at), even though the trajectory would take it to CJ if All doesn't try to reach back and catch it. Could BR or IN here. (BR, 1, Prot 0/1, TEAM-1)
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M40	1st	10	Pistol TE Trips Tight	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Pass	6	Dumpoff	Haskins	0
McN(-1) throw goes to Haskins in the flat right when Henning appears to be clearing the LB who's staying on the RB. Needed just a bit more pratience. (TA, 3, Prot 1/1)
M40	2nd	10	Pistol 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	2	Run	7	Dbl Counter	Haskins	8
Counter with an extra WR crossing is the answer to the Army crash/replace on the backside (RPS+3). Keegan(+.5) finds that guy late and All(-1) hesitates, so Haskins has to bend and can't use the two lead blockers this won him. He starts to stiffarm All's LB but just taps the guy's shoulder and turns the corner, getting what he can before the LB wraps up.
M48	3rd	2	Pistol 2TE Tight	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	2	Run	7	Belly Give	Haskins	4
Tempo (RPS+1) gets a 2-high D slanting hard FS vs belly. DT washed out, Honig(+.5) bumps a LB and that's all Haskins needs to bang for 4.
O48	1st	10	Pistol H Heavy	3-4-4	3-4 Over	1	Play-action	7.5	PA TE Seam	Johnson	Inc
Three-man route, early window to Schoon that McN misses bc he's staring at a dig/wheel combo. Haskins(-1) lost a blitzy LB who hits McN mid-throw as CJ is coming open, benefit of the doubt. Two blockers unused on the other side. (PR, n/a, Prot 1/3, Haskins-1, TEAM-1)
O48	2nd	10	Gun Wing Offset Tight	2-4-5	4-3 Under	1	Penalty	6.5	False Start	Stueber	-5
Oops. Stueber(-1)
M47	2nd	15	Gun Wing Offset Tight	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	2	Pass	6	TE Delay	Schoonmaker	Inc
Good grief. This is out quickly to Schoon vs 2 LBs staring right at it. McN(-1) and RPS-2 if this is complete gets anything it's 5 yards on 2nd and 15. It misses. (IN, 1, Prot 1/1)
M47	3rd	15	Shotgun F Flex	1-5-5	146 Spread	1	Pass	5	Back Shoulder Fade	Johnson	33
Upon further review the Slick is confirmed. McN(+2) recognizes the CB playing over and launches where Johnson(+2, route+) can come back. CJ then goes on a Junior Hemingway-esque YAC-a-thon. (DO, 2, Prot 1/1)
O20	1st	10	Shotgun 2TE Twins	3-4-4	3-4 Over	1	Run	7.5	Counter C/T Read	Corum	2
Let's pretend ZRs are real so McN(-1 read) lets a DE in and Honig(-1) got blown back to cut off the frontside. Room on the cutback lane because Hayes(+2) and Keegan(+1) blew out both DTs. LB yanks off Stueber's helmet after the play and Stuebs has to leave.
O18	2nd	8	Pistol 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	2	Run	7	Dbl Arc Give	Corum	2
McN(-1, read-1) has edge and a lead blocker wasted. Honig(+1) pops the crasher but Jones(-2) beat inside to wipe out a solid Vastardis(+1)/Keegan(+1) gap. Nobody traveled with the WR so free edge now a factor and Corum can only slam into the guy Keegs had sealed inside.
O16	3rd	6	Gun 3-wide	4-2-5	4-2-5 Under	2	Run	6	Split Zone	Corum	14
UW has a safety rotating down to this edge and ^^^ but OLB still sets up outside. When your enemy makes a mistake don't interrupt him. All(+1) thwacks him, Hayes(+1) rides slanting DT into the backside, Corum(+1) to the LBs and runs through a diving attempt to get an extra 7.
O2	1st	Goal	Goal Line	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	Run	NA	Counter	Haskins	0
Dang. Jones(+2) blasts the edge open but Keegan(-2) is popped back which interrupts Zinter(+1)'s pull. He still gets a shoulder on the CB that should be enough but Keegan's DT literally crawls into Haskins's feet. Backside LB now has time to make a great play knifing in as the CB gets loose from his pop and Haskins goes down.
O2	2nd	Goal	Shotgun Heavy	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	Pass	NA	All	Honigford	Inc
Vastardis(-2) snaps while McN(-1) is signaling to Schoon so there's no PA. Schoon has a DT on him and slips open but McNamara never looks backside (ever!). He has more time than he thinks but he's thinking All/Honigford or bust and backfoots it to bust. (TA, 0, Prot 0/1, TEAM-1)
O2	3rd	Goal	Goal Line	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	Run	NA	Power	Haskins	1
Schoon (+.5) and Honig(+.5) scrub past two DL to get to LBs and Steuber(+1) has the inside controlled but All(-1) elects not to kick the CB so he and the DL combine to stop this after 1.
O1	4th	Goal	Goal Line	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	Run	NA	FB Dive	Haskins	0
Haskins(-1) could probably squirt in off tackle but impatiently leaps, is met above by leaping LBs, an inch short.
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs. 3-0. 1 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M21	1st	10	Pistol F offset	3-4-4	3-4 Under	1	Run	8	Split Zone	Corum	5
All(+1) at FB and pushs the EMLOS down. Vastardis(+1) turns a DT, Keegan(-.5) got push but couldn't quite seal and he and Hayes have to get away with some light holding. Refs+1
M26	2nd	5	Gun Trips	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Run	6.5	Counter GZ	Corum	0
It was bound to happen eventually. Filiaga in, he pulls w Sainristil motion. Honig(-2) gets two-gapped by DE and that uses up Filiaga(-1) who then also gets rocked back by this DE. Hayes(+2) has donkeyed a DT, so Corum(-1) could still hit this up inside to get to 3rd and short, but opts to bounce instead, running into Filiaga and two more edge helpers who've arrived.
M26	3rd	5	Gun F Flex	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	1	Run	6	Counter	Corum	4
Hayes(-1) gets wrongsided by the DT and Vastardis bumped into Stueber(-1) on the backside. Filiaga(+1) turns out the edge but the timing of the play is thrown off and Corum(+1) has to go through an unblocked LB to get to 4th and short.
M30	4th	1	Punt	NA-NA-NA	Punt Return	NA	Fake Punt	NA	F Dive	Barrett	3
All(+2) pops a DT and climbs to the LB. Academic from there.
M33	1st	10	Gun Wing Offset	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	1	Run	6	Counter CY	Corum	67
Designed cutback as Vastardis(+1) gets a sustained kick on the DE, Hayes(+2) cleared out a DT to pick off a LB, and Schoon(+.5) got enough of the WLB to get this to the secondary. From there it's Blake Corum(+2) making S #31 a permanent extra in your mental highlight reel.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 10-0. 9 min 2nd Q. Someone check his shoelaces.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M33	1st	10	Gun Y-Flex	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	2	Run	6	Counter GT Read Z cross	Haskins	2
Bring Wilson across, which rotates the safeties away from the PoA, and McN(+1, read+1) reads the backside end who formed up for some reason. Hayes(+1) deposits his DT and turns out an LB Filiaga(+1) gets around to find an end pinching so he turns him in. Stueber(-2) maybe reading Hayes's block is still trying to go inside this when there's just one LB left. With an unblocked BS end HH can't be patient and burrows behind.
M42	2nd	8	Pistol F Tight	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	1	Run	7.5	End Around	Sainristil	7(-15)
Fake dive to Haskins gets the DE to bite. Filiaga(+1) has his DT stoned. Wilson(+1) does a good job with his CB, Stueber(+.5) is riding an LB who got playside early, loses half a pt by not handing off when he's no longer helpful. All(+.5) pops that guy back and Sainristil(-1) could use this lane but hesitates and it closes. He cuts back behind All but that's where the help is. RPS+1. Johnson(-2) picks up an unnecessary low block by rolling on the ground in front of his CB. Cheap, because there was no danger, but also obviously illegal.
M27	2nd	16	Gun Wing 3-wide	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	2	Run	6	Counter Trey	Corum	6
Stueber(+2) blows out DE who wanted to be outside of him but LBs and flying to the ball and don't get hung up on this for long (RPS-1). Keegan(+1) dives and gets his kickout but All(-1) is hesitant and Corum has now caught up. They hit that guy together and get 6 yards that are still 3rd and long. Passing game would be nice.
M33	3rd	10	Gun F Flex	2-4-5	4-2-5 Wide	2	Run	6	Speed Option	Corum	0
McN(-2, read-1) pitches immediately instead of trying to outrun 6'1/280 guy. Nk is way inside Sainristil and was the desired option guy. RPS-3, standard booing.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M12	1st	10	Gun 2TE Twins	2-4-5	4-2-5Over	2	Run	6	Split Zone	Corum	2
Henning(-1, route-) would be open if he takes his RPO slant deeper but he runs it so flat he goes right into the Nk playing run. McN(RPO+1) has to give. Argh! UW does the Army late exchange on the backside and Stueber can't turn that into a release on the LB because he thinks it's an RPO. No backside so Corum just plows into Vastardis, who was doubling a DT but gets ejected into a LB and this allows the play to squirt for a couple of extra seconds.
M14	2nd	8	Gun Trips	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Pass	7	PA Bubble	Henning	1
Pre-snap read (RPS+2) catches 3 on 2 outside. UW has practiced edge defense. McN(push) gets it out a little wobbly but on target—someone who could really zip it might give Henning more time. Safety slams through Wilson(-2) who gets wrecked. Henning(-1) is surprised but tried to go outside and got himself blown up instead of going inside and getting what was there. (CA, screen, Prot n/a)
M15	3rd	7	Gun F Flex Trips	2-4-5	4-2-5 Wide	2	Run	5.5	Arc Counter	McNamara	-3
It is a read! Made wrong! Probably pre-snap. McN(-2, read-1) has an end forming up and keeps. Schoon(-2) is trying to inside-out block the same guy as Henning(-1). Neither does and McN slides down.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M27	1st	10	Gun F Flex	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Run	6	Split Zone	Haskins	4
Hayes(+1) escorts an end out, Keegan and Vastardis move a tackle until he climbs on HH's back. Gain of four. Nice halftime adjustment, Lake.
M31	2nd	6	Gun 3-wide	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	1	Run	6.5	Belly Fold	Haskins	4
Nk shows blitz, McN(RPS+1) changes play. Zinter(+1) and Vastardis(+.5) deal with the slanting DT, Stueber(-.5) can't do the same with his DE and that guy plus the blitzer tackle after a 4 yard gain.
M35	3rd	2	Gun F Flex Trips	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	2	Run	6	Arc Counter GT	Haskins	20
Same play as last half but they get it right this time. Hayes(+.5) locks DT inside, Zinter(+1) turns DE in, and Stueber(+2) gets around to lock out a LB. Haskins takes 20 free ones.
O45	1st	10	Gun 2TE Twins	3-4-4	3-4 Over	1	Run	7	Split Zone	Haskins	11
Paving. Vastardis(+2) is the hero who moves a DT with Keegs then gets to a LB but high-five half plusses to Zinter(+.5) and Stueber(+.5) for blowing their DT down and to Schoon(+.5) for his shoulder of a DE trying to Army the edge. Haskins(+1) runs into Vastardis's LB and the two of them push the pile another 5 yards.
O34	1st	10	Gun 2TE Twins	3-4-4	3-4 Over	2	Run	7	Arc Counter GT	Corum	17
This again. Schoon(+1) gets a good kick on a disinterested CB, Hayes(+1) gets out and locks out a LB, but Honig(-2) has been beaten back and that uses up Stueber. Zinter(+1) gets to the edge to find an LB trying to outside-inside him, so he cuts him. Corum(+2) picked past the Honigford mess and then JUMP CUTS three gaps over to hit this. Safety who just got Haskins down last play takes the same angle and is dusted by a stiff-arm. Then Corum steps on a crab. Don't tell me there wasn't a crab. There were two crabs. They work in pairs.
O17	1st	10	Gun 2TE Trips	3-4-4	3-4 Under	1	Run	8	Zone Stretch	Corum	6
SOMETHING DIFFERENT! Key block is Stueber(+1), missed block is Zinter(-1) and free blocks to Vas and Keeg because UW slanted. (RPS+1)
O11	2nd	4	Pistol 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Over	1	Run	7	Dbl Split Zone	Corum	4
Keegan(+1)'s turn to get a LB while Vastardis(+1) moved a DT alone. That's juuust enough for Corum(+1) to JK Dobbins between a DT who swam past Zinter(-1) and Honig(-1) losing his DE inside.
O7	1st	Goal	Gun 2TE Trips	3-4-4	3-4 So Over This	2	Run	7	Zone Stretch	Corum	7
Lol. UW has both(!) safeties back. The last pass play was in the 1st quarter you guys!!! Keegan(+1) and Schoon(+1) ride their slanters out, Hayes(-.5) missed his a bit though. Vastardis(+.5) and Zinter(+.5) scoop a DT then stay with him all the way as the LB trapped behind this tries to go under. That's enough for Corum(+1) to jet through and meet both safeties at the goal line.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 17-0. 11 min 3rd Q. I don’t have a voice this week because I was yelling "Hey guys, this play is going to be a run!" at Washington this whole drive. Worth it.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M25	1st	10	Pistol 2TE Twins	3-3-5	5-1 Over	1	Run	6	Arc Read Give	Haskins	3
McN(+1, read+1) is right to give despite blitzy edge bc UW is trapping with two DBs out there and slanting the other way. All(+1) wipes out DE, Keegan(+.5) and Hayes(+.5) make a big backside gap with the rest but Wilson(-1) doesn't come close to blocking the blitzy edge guy so Haskins(+1) has to leap over All then drag the blitzer for a few yards. RPS-2 you put Wilson vs a LB taught him to arc.
M28	2nd	7	Gun F Flex Trips	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	1	Run	6	Counter GT	Haskins	1
So that's how the 5-1 works. Nk perfectly times his blitz, pinches defenders off both edges. Stueber(-1) doesn't help Zinter before trying to get to the LB who's way too high for a T to get to. Kickouts hit two big boys waiting for them. RPS-2. UW found something that works.
M29	3rd	6	Gun Empty	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	2	Pass	6	RB Curl	Corum	9
Omigod a pass play! Corum(+.5) sits between zones at the sticks, McN(+1) finds him, and Corum orbits away from CB and gets some extra. This took me 30 seconds to grade and it felt great! (CA, 3, Prot 1/1)
M38	1st	10	Pistol 2TE Tight	3-4-4	3-4 Under	2	Run	6	Power Lead	Haskins	4
RPS+1 as M finally runs where they're overloaded and UW is slanting away. Honig(-1) whiffs on his TE and Vastardis(-1) lost his DT, but Stueber(+1) washed his DT into Tuesday (hi Tuli!) and Schoon(+1) got a play-long kick of the DE so there's a gap. Wilson(-1) stops in the hole to block a safety and that wastes the pull. HH slows and guy Vas lost gets his legs so fall forward time.
M42	2nd	6	Gun 3-wide	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	1	Run	6	Power	Haskins	2
Fake read doesn’t stop a blitzing Nk (these are 6-man pressures), fs pincher gets under Keegan(-1) the puller before he can do anything. Zinter(+.5) and Vastardis(+.5) got rocked back at first but then both plowed under to give Haskins somewhere to burrow for 2.
M44	3rd	4	Gun Trips	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	1	Run	7	Counter Read/Bubble	Corum	3
Think this might be a true read? Bubble is covered, DE shuffled, McN (RPO+1) gives, then runs out like he means it but DE not fooled. Keegan(-1) needs to turn this S who came to get the edge. He doesn't so Hayes has to go outside and Corum(+1) has to dive through a LB to get within a few inches of the sticks.
M47	4th	1	Pistol Heavy	4-3-4	4-4 Odd	0	Run	8	Split Dive	Haskins	1
All comes across but nobody comes with (RPS-1) and there are two edges Hayes(+1) bops off target by just enough. Vastardis(-.5) takes initial pop but Zinter(+1) joins and together they conquer. Stueber(-1) got shouldered under and Jones(-2) got flat beat, so Haskins(+1) has to hop through all of this and squeeze out the first.
M48	1st	10	Gun Wing 3-wide	3-4-4	3-4 Under	2	Run	7	Fake End Around Counter Trap	McNamara	-3
Good idea, terrible execution and timing. Fake to Henning gets LBs to bonk but they're staying in (RPS-2) since UW is ready for an outside run more than anything and slants at this. Mess on the backside as Hayes(-1) was beat by the slant and Honig(-1) crashes into that. Keegan is supposed to trap the unblocked DT but that just adds to the traffic jam. Doesn't matter because McN(-2) fumbled the exchange and has to fall on it.
M45	2nd	13	Gun Empty	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	1	Pass	7	TE Out	Honigford	Inc
Both Stueber(-1) and Keegan(-1) have forgotten how to pass block. Honig is open for a dumpoff but McN(-.5) is a half a beat late to get rid of it before Stueber's guy eats him. He bails, then throws it away. (PR, n/a, Prot 0/2, Keegan-1 Stueber-1)
O49	3rd	13	Gun F Flex Trips	2-4-5	4-2-5 Under	1	Pass	5	Dumpoff	Corum	6(+15)
GUAP. M barely gets this off. UW is just rushing two so it's either this, take a shot at a well-covered Wilson down the sideline, or wait. McN(+.5) isn’t waiting and in context that’s fine since they can’t afford a turnover here. Corum gets to the 50 and if he goes down here it's a punt. Instead he tries to hurdle, gets stood up in the air by the CB as a S comes too. That CB is mad and stands over taunting. That is flagged. Thanks for barking, Dawg. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1)
O34	1st	10	Gun 3-wide	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	1	Run	6	Zone Read	Haskins	9
ZR with a slot option but DE is 1000% inside so McN(-2, read-1) as Honig(+1) correctly turns that DE in. Trouble now but Hayes(refs...) gets away with a little yank, and then Zinter(+2) inside-outs his DT. Lane! Schoon(+1, refs+2) also blocked for the keep and took his LB for a long ride, but now he's wrong sided and has a huge length of jersey right in front of the ump and only hope is to keep riding to sideline. Haskins gets through the Zinter gap and runs into Schoon's guy.
O25	2nd	1	Pistol 3-wide	3-4-4	5-1 Odd	1	Run	6	Zone Read	McNamara	9
McN(+1, read+1) keeps(!!!!). Don't know why we're doing this on 2nd and 1 but yay? UW brought Nk blitz and that guy doesn't believe it, trying to tackle Haskins(+1) who runs through that guy and into the gap made by a great Honig(+) block. Yes I'm plussing these guys away from the play because it keeps them all including the LB occupied and McN can glide to the safety, then tries to shimmy shimmy and goes down like a cocoa puff.
O16	1st	10	Pistol 2TE Tight	3-4-4	3-4 Under	2	Run	7	G fold	Corum	10
Slick design and works (RPS+1), as Keegan(+1) and Hayes(+1) combo around a DT who saw the TE and WR go the other way. Hayes picks off a LB and there's just a safety. Corum(+1) does...something...with his feet that contrasts with what McN did last play and also makes this guy's head asplode. Hayes's LB got free though and wraps up near the 1st down marker. Neck Sharpies.
O6	1st	Goal	Gun 2TE Twins	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	Run	NA	Power	Haskins	6
Zinter(+1) pulls and clocks a guy Schoon(-1) was losing. The rest is Haskins(+2) with a CRAAAAAAAAZY bounce that goes by three edge defenders.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 24-3. 14 min 4th Q. Refs miss a targeting by that safety (#5) on the return. Guy pantomimes a punch to Corum's head after. Maybe have Edwards return kicks?
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M29	1st	10	Pistol F Twins	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	1	Run	7	Split Zone	Edwards	4
UW adds a S to the box finally. RPS off because it's clock-eating hour and 4-yard runs are on the menu. Doesn't matter because Zinter(+2) ejects one DT and Stueber(+2) wrecked another. Edwards takes a gathering step to let them get some push then accelerates like WHOA. Actually hurts maybe because Stueber is about to impact a S who instead can get low on the RB.
M33	2nd	6	Gun 2TE F Flex	3-3-5	5-1 Odd	2	Pass	7	Counter GT/Bubble	Sainristil	-1
UW shows edge blitz again, M has an RPO on, McN(+1, RPO+1) gets it to Sainristil and it's 3 on 2 out there. That same safety blows by Schoon(-2) and is into Sainristil before he can come down with the ball, which he probably didn't need to jump for but it was fine. Wilson(+1) had his CB and got a vicious hands to the face (refs-2) they didn't call. (CA, Screen, Prot n/a)
M32	3rd	7	Gun F Flex	2-4-5	4-2-5 Over	2	Pass	6	H Zip	Sainristil	Inc
Corum is open well under the OLB who dropped out and is an OLB but McN(-1) is focused on Sainristil vs a LB. He should be popping open on the zip though short of the sticks but he's grabbed around the waist. Would believe McN threw this to get the flag but none is forthcoming. Refs-1, payback for the holding play I guess. Harsh charting but this is for locking in on his target and throwing it where even a non-interfered catch is unlikely to result in less than a punt. (TA, 1, Prot 1/1)
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards
M44	1st	10	Pistol F 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	2	Run	7	Counter Trey	Haskins	16
RPS is off; if the scores seem high just keep in mind they're running against an extra guy now. Well blocked by Honig(+.5) who sealed a DT, Hayes(+1) who got the WLB after occupying the MLB, and Zinter(+1) cleared the kickout, also Stueber(+1) read the slant and picked up a backside blitzer to negate extra attacker. Haskins(+2) removes the MLB with a jump cut after making that guy commit. It's now clear to the S with a convoy but but Wilson(-1) negated his inside out turn on a Nk by again standing in the hole where Haskins is running and All(+.5) turned around to bang Hayes's guy and the other defenders converge at the sticks to go on a 5-yard Haskins ride together.
O40	1st	10	Pistol F 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 odd	1	Run	8.5	Arc Read Give	Haskins	2
Are reads off? Were they always? McN(-1, read-1) gives vs shuffled end. Vastardis(-1) beat back so cutback to 2 unblocked guys is the play. Stueber(+2) is holding off two of until All(+1) can turn one, Haskins(-1) trips on Stueber as he's trying to bounce. Hot take: they should run this then have Haskins option the last guy with a pitch to McNamara.
O38	2nd	8	Pistol 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	1	Run	7	Dble Split Zone Flip	Haskins	11
A wrinkle! This time the Z goes first. It's Wilson(+1) and he kicks the OLB huzzah! Honig(+1) has crushed the DE, Hayes(+1) got out on a LB, All(+1) cracked a CB replacing. Haskins(+1) meets a LB at 8 and then it's a Katamari Damacy.
O27	1st	10	Pistol F 2TE	3-4-4	3-4 Under	1	Run	8	Split Zone	Haskins	5
A run blitz! Zinter(-1) doesn't see it but Stueber(+.5) gets enough for Haskins(+1) to sneak by. He has to get and does through a gap carved by a Hayes(+1) kickout and half a Keegan(-1) blockdown that he loses as the extra LB arrives. Haskinsride goes for two more.
O22	2nd	5	Pistol 2TE in tight	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	1	Run	8	Power Lead	Haskins	2
Honig(+1) set up inside Schoon(+1) and they double a DE to a LB and seal both. Zinter(+1) popped an LB trying to pinch the edge. Big gap but extra LB is in it already. RPS is off but don't have the WR tight if he can't get to anyone this is really well blocked and gets 2 yards.
O20	3rd	3	Pistol 2TE	3-4-4	5-1 Odd	2	Run	8	Counter GFZ	Haskins	3
This is goofy hour. Three(!) crossers. UW's other LB is hiding off BS edge this attacks as they blitz/slant against the grain. Schoon(-1) overran a LB. Stueber(+2) obliterated a DE to make room for new bodies. NG is horsecollaring two guys (refs c'mon) until Zinter(-1) goes down with Stueber's block and Vastardis(+.5) is flung into a LB he blocks. Giant OLB tried to get inside Keegan(+1) who lets blobbo fall down harmlessly except his legs get under Keegan and he goes down. Anyway now we're back in business except WILSON(-1) !!!!! again stalk-blocking in the lane. Seltzer(+.5) is around and finds Schoon's old boy and Haskins(+1) moves Wilson out of the way and hops for the first down with 3:30 left in a two-score game. Hope you all enjoyed all of that.
O17	1st	10	Pistol Heavy	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	1	Run	8	Split Zone	Corum	6
Here for Corum(+1) but also Vastardis(+1) got around back and was tugging at the pile as it lurched forward. He leaves the game (cramp).
O11	2nd	4	Pistol Heavy	3-4-4	3-4 Odd	1	Run	8	Zone Stretch	Corum	-1
Keegan(-2) ends up 2 yards in the backfield which wastes a good combo by Crippen(+1) and Zinter(+1).
O12	3rd	5	Pistol Unbalanced	3-4-4	5-1 Under	1	Run	7	Zone Read	Corum	8
McN(+1, read+1) sees OLB coming in from flat, gives. Keegan(+1) has a good kick and Crippen(+.5) turns the NG late or the NG just sorta does this to himself, as Corum(+2) bounces twice to get around that guy and a CB Hayes (no minus) couldn't get to. Just watch.
O4	1st	Goal	Goal Line	4-4-3	Goal Line	2	Run	7	Split Zone	Corum	4
We win. All(+2) really sprung this by getting around and downfield then diving to kick to guys. Also Hayes(+1) and Honig(+1) blew out the edge and blocked to the endzone. Corum(+1) freezes CB outside then squirts in for the score.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 31-10. <2 min 4th Q. End of charting.

Throw the ball!

No.

Pass it!

No.

Please pass!

No.

Are we Josh Gattis and Jimmy Lake?

Yes we are. The story of this game is Michigan thought Washington’s front—including the two big Pacific Islander DTs—could be put on skates. They were correct, and Jimmy Lake did nothing about it until the Wolverines built a lead that his OC who ruined Hackenberg couldn’t come back from. Think about it: Do you remember any Washington run blitzes in the first three quarters? Did they ever stack the box with more material than the offense was putting there? Do you recall a safety making a stick after fewer than five yards? Was anybody open for more than the split second that anybody is?

If we are laying blame for 44 yards passing, it has to start with the opponent. Washington has excellent DBs, especially at cornerback, and smallish safeties who are well versed at match coverages. Lake was determined to keep his forces in reserve, and eventually Michigan gave up trying to earn style points with flanking maneuvers and air attacks. Ace likened it to throwing jab after jab in boxing when your opponent refused to cover his face. I also went with a punched-in-the-face metaphor. Said Napoleon (probably apocryphally), “Quand l’ennemi fait un faux movement, il faut se garder de l’interrompre:” When the enemy is making a mistake we shouldn’t interrupt him.

It was already quite evident that Michigan was capable of running counters with Thunder and Lightning until Washington fell into the sea by the end of the first half. And yet there was no adjustment. Here’s the first mesh point of the second half:

Gattis: You didn’t change your gameplan at all?
Lake: You didn’t either?!?
Carl Grapentine: Hassan Haskins carried the ball for a gain of four yards!

Gattis: I’m running again.
Lake: I don’t know that. You’re probably going to 4-verts my free safety.
Gattis: McNamara doesn’t even LOOK backside!
Lake: Nope. You want throw, you throw.

Gattis: It’s 2nd and 4 from your eleven. Bring them down!
Lake: No. You're just going to RPO me.
Gattis: Bring your safeties down, Jimmy; I need to get Cade some practice!
Washington DTs: OH GOD PLEASE!
Lake: No. No. No. No. No.
Gattis: It’s literally 1st and goal.

And yet,

Michigan fans: Y U NO PASS?

Because Washington was willing to take a hundred jabs in the face to prevent it.

But you said Washington did do something about it in the 4th quarter.

Yeah, and it’s relevant to our interests because it’s the same 5-1 odd front that Macdonald ported over from the Ravens. We only got to see it a few times against WMU and that was with the knowledge that Aidan Hutchinson was going to be blowing up one side by himself, thus negating the need for a second linebacker behind it. Washington had no sons of any Hutchinsons, but they did have a slick linebacker in Olofoshio whom they set back by 7 yards. He’s a very Don Brown type, so when he does see a gap he’s got the acceleration and agility to get there. And back that far it’s really hard to get a lineman on him, since agility matters so much more than size in that kind of space.

Michigan cracked this by having the RBs step down to force the lone LB to commit to a gap, then spring outside.

The other thing Washington did from this front was make it more of a 6-1 than a 5-1, blitzing their nickel off the edge and slanting the rest.

That’s a material choice, and one which should have weakened them against edge attacks, since the offense should now have numbers to that side. They could get away with it because the Huskies were dominating Michigan’s WR screen game. Here’s a run-screen option against that nickelback, who telegraphed his blitz so hard even handoff-happy McNamara had to put it outside. There Michigan now has three guys versus two defenders. And yet,

I was not trying to clip plays where the safeties were being insanely conservative. I grabbed this one because I figured we’d be having a conversation about Vastardis:

…who is indeed boss on this play but how long does this play go on before the safety is CERTAIN there isn’t a pass coming? That’s in the 2nd half.

Was this why Michigan had zero success attacking Washington on the edge? What happened to “Sainristil blocking for Corum swing passes should be our base?”

There were two plays like that but for the most part it was the Huskies came prepared to get after anything that tried to get outside the tackle box and Michigan wasn’t very sharp at it. This is the play we bandied about forever in slack.

We ended up giving All a minus-2 for attacking the nickelback right in front of him instead of using his massiveness to lock the OLB (who again, is 6’1”/280) inside. Is that his assignment? That guy hauled ass out there and whupped Sainristil, whose size/speed advantage was taken away because the ball could only go to one spot.

Michigan could do more to coach around that. McNamara isn’t doing anything on this play but delivering it to the spot. It’s not that hard to have him read the OLB to see how they’re defending the flat, and put the ball outside the hash mark if he’s got a Corum/That Guy matchup. And this goes into our conversation about how Michigan is underutilizing the QB. Washington was super prepared to attack the edges, but I still think it would have worked if McNamara would just play some football instead of making a rote throw.

Gattis and co. also prepared a suite of end arounds and associated plays in case the Huskies ever ventured inside. This was a bungled handoff to Corum after McNamara turned down the edge attack because look how many guys are out there.

In this game at least, Michigan’s edge attacks were a sideshow to them, and the #1 focus for the Huskies.

I’m guessing this is going to be an all-timer for OL run scoring.

My arm literally hurts from tallying.

Careful man you don’t want to blow out your voi—

CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRTTTTTTTTTT

Hhhhhl.

I’m sorry?

Hhhhtml.

Oh right.

Offensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Hayes	22	3.5	+18.5	Plan was to donkey UW's OLBs. Plan succeeded.
Keegan	10.5	9.5	+1	Came out positive vs Tuli & Taki = huge win.
Vastardis	10	5.5	+4.5	Sometimes rocked back by Tuli/Taki, often recovered. Draftable.
Filiaga	3	1	+2	Turned in some edges.
Stueber	16	8.5	+7.5	Rotated +2 obliterations with -1s for getting dug under.
Zinter	15.5	5	+10.5	Agility and strength combo is freakish. Many pulls in his future.
T.Jones	2	4	-2	Did this on 3 plays. Presence is loud.
Crippen	1.5	0	+1.5	Came in late, put the finishing moves on DTs.
All	11.5	5	+6.5	Hesitation issues, but thumpin’. One -2 might not be on him.
Honigford	7.5	9	-1.5	This was charitable. Too easily discarded. Go back to 300.
Schoonmaker	7	7	-0	Not much different than Honigford.
Seltzer	0.5		+0.5	One play at the end.
TOTAL	106	59	+47	This war, like the next war, is a war to end war.
Backs
Player	+	-	T	Notes
McNamara	5	11	-6	Fumbled exchange, QBs missing keep reads remain the #1 killer of Michigan drives.
McCarthy			0	DNP
Villari			0	DNP
Haskins	16	3	+13	In defense of my charting: offense built to give him opportunities.
Corum	14.5	1	+13.5	He Who Comes with the Dawn.
Edwards			DNC	Accelerometer.
TOTAL	35.5	15	+20.5	Thunder plus Lightning minus QB help equals.
Receivers
Player	+	-	T	Notes
C.Johnson	2	3	-1	Under-charted, seems to be doing work offscreen.
Sainristil		1.5	-1.5	UW was focused on taking away M's edge game.
Henning		2	-2	Bad route damaged an RPO.
Wilson	3	7	-4	Not Ronnie Bell. Plase stop stalk-blocking in the running lane.
Baldwin			DNC
Anthony			DNP
TOTAL	5	13.5	-8.5	Bad night to be a Michigan WR, but they didn't make things better.
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Protection	8	14	57%	TEAM -3, Stueber-1, Keegan-1, Haskins-1
RPS	11	16	-5	Was even, M got super conservative when up 2 TDs.

That is some offensive lining.

Next time your local football opinion-having person tells you a game “is won or lost in the trenches” you are entitled to give this person a thousand yard stare then discuss what happened on the Champions of the Western Front back in ’21. If you were a starting lineman in this war you had at least 20 points worth of events. You also came out alive.

When your heroes return from fighting that kind of war, they each get their own salutes. Keegan got it the worst, but was also the first man over the barricade for some of their greatest victories:

#77 LG, one down from the football

Andrew Vastardis was everywhere, combo blocking down to UW’s more athletic linebacker…

#68 the C

…or pulling when they needed an edge popped right:

#68 the C

Andrew Stueber had a few issues with targeting the right guys or letting an OLB get underneath him, but those only half offset a day of mauling and some impressive agility. He was the puller (#71 the RT) in the video above if you want to watch it again (you do want that), and that wasn’t a unique event, including the part where he reached the LB supposed to be setting an edge and turned that guy in:

Zak Zinter (#65 the RG) didn’t have to pass block with that hand very much. When he hits people, they move. He’s the guy who turned the edge on the play above, and did that with consistency. He also kicked well when that was the play. He’s also grades roads.

#65 the RG, second man from bottom of the line

And that brings us to Hayes. Michigan was mostly right-handed against Western Michigan and Hayes only came in for some agile blocks on linebackers and good pass protection. Perhaps they didn’t want to frighten Washington away from trusting Tuli and Taki to hold up? Anyway, Hayes moiderered them. While the coaches used all sorts of tricks for the kickout side of their gaps, the other side of the gap was more often than not Hayes depositing a DT into the care of Mr. Keegan and taking the linebacker out for dinner.

#76 on the far right

#76 far left

#76 bottom of the formation

#76 second from the bottom on the line

His agility and speed are still in tight end range, and that’s a big deal for the kinds of downfield blocks he can get to. He’s also gone two games without a pass minus. The next step towards full donkey mode is to do more than harass the various back seven defenders he can get to. These didn’t earn minuses, but often the guy taking down Haskins or Corum was the guy Hayes was blocking when they passed him.

The tight ends also came in for big numbers, but none of them are really on the level of the guys when Michigan was a base Pin & Pull team than ran off tight end. Erick All is the closest, and he’s really begun to use all of his tools to get the job done. Like, uh, flying.

Of all the TEs All’s kickout blocks were the least memorable because he put a shoulder into them and there was no more drama. Contrast with the other two, neither of whom looked remotely like a receiving threat in this game, and ended up slightly negative in blocking on medium volume. Schoonmaker had the tougher/more agile jobs, but his most memorable block of someone his own size or larger was the one they told him to lose. I was more disappointed with Honigford, who was more featured in the game plan but kept getting manhandled in ways he never was as a 300-pound offensive lineman. Since they never throw at him, having him slim down to TE size seems to have just taken away his best attribute, which was blowing guys up on the edge. Now?

#84 top of the formation

Also that clip was the first time all season I popped a negative on one of the running backs.

Thunder and Lightning!

Right, them. The more film we accumulate the more awesome they become, especially Corum, who’s doing really subtle things that don’t ever get picked up on the game film unless you get one of the rare announcers who actually likes to talk about football.

When we talk about Hart feet, that’s the Hart feet. The way he cuts out of trouble is also right out of Hart. The SPRONG!!!! of this is incredible, but even more incredible is that he used it to lure a linebacker into a stuffed gap first.

And the way he disappears into a pile and all you see is Tasmanian Devil dust as the pile continues to lurch forward.

And the way an arm tackle just glances off of him.

Corum was also Michigan’s most reliable receiver, converting one third and medium by running a curl route between two zones, and picking up a 3rd and long by being so annoying with his hurdle attempt that the cornerback who stopped it picked up a flag for standing over Corum and jawing about it.

And then there’s the jets. If the speed isn’t Denard, it’s up there with the guy who probably would have been the fastest man in college football a decade ago if not for Denard:

#CFB's Top 5 Max Speeds from Ball Carriers: Week 2

1️⃣ UM RB @blake_corum, 22.1 MPH
2️⃣ UGA TE @brockbowers17, 21.9 MPH
3️⃣ ND RB @chris_tyree4, 21.8 MPH
4️⃣ UF QB @GVOaant, 21.0 MPH
5️⃣ MSU WR @JaydenReed5, 20.9 MPH#myRAmaxspeed pic.twitter.com/MIJWoZEJDF

— Recruiting Analytics (@RAanalytics) September 14, 2021

He is the one prophesized. But he’s not the only ta’veren the pattern put forth. You’re dealing with that after a full diet of Thunder. I thought about this a lot and I finally came up the mood for a Hassan Haksins run. It’s Hopping Mad.

Haskins is way more than a guy who can hurt you up the middle. His jumpcut and horizontal acceleration might be better than Corum’s.

That’s the same leg strength that serves him so well when it takes a whole village to get him down.

And he’s very patient with great vision and body control, which is how he manages to turn at least one negative play into a big gain per game.

Brian and I both put forth theories on why “Thunder and Lightning” backs are complementary, and we’re saying the same kind of thing. I believe the hits really do affect players, and the more you get hit the less juice you have to make the kind of all-out play you have to in order to catch lightning. Brian said once you’ve calibrated your angles and momentum for stopping Haskins it’s hard to reconfigure the brain for Corum.

I see it. This safety was an excellent tackler all night but watch what it takes to get Haskins down in the open field. You have to get in front of him, time your attack, and put some momentum into it.

Here’s the same guy trying to do that to Corum two plays later:

You missed.

Okay buddy, but aren’t you showing them a little too much love?

Brian noted I might grade RBs higher than he does, and he and I talked about this on the podcast, but it’s probably most helpful if I just explain how I graded them. This is an early Hassan Haskins run where a DT stunt blew up Michigan’s original idea (pull against a split zone and run behind the crack) and Haskins had to vamp. His vamp is to get six gaps over from his aiming point, then wreck havoc:

I gave him one point for improvisation/vision/agility to bounce this many gaps over from the original attack, one point for stiff-arming a potential tackler, and one point for shimmying past another, and carrying a third for four more yards.

Passing Hart?

Yeah we covered the screen stuff and Corum in the passing game. If anything I think McNamara missed another opportunity to throw his way.

No Hart! Passing Hart! Hhhhhart. With Head On, Hatchable, Had Reads?

Oh Chart! Dude take an Advil for that. Yeah, the passing game this week was some mix of unneeded, ignored, a bad matchup, and bad. It can be all of these things. Sparse chart:

CADE MCNAMARA

	Good				Neutral			Bad					Ovr			Reads
Game	DO	CA	SCR		PR	MA		BA	TA	IN	BR		DSR	GRADE!		RPOs	ZRs
Western Mich	3+	3(3)-						2			1		67%	+5		4/5	2/7
Washington	1	3(2)-			2	(1)			3	1(1)	2		40%	-8		5/5	4/9

Not great, but as with the pressure metric above you have to keep in mind they almost never threw it when it wasn’t a passing down. Context matters more than ever here: Washington was taking away the pass so hard they let Haskins and Corum run inside all night. They wouldn’t bring their safeties down if it was 1st and 10 in the redzone on the last drive and Michigan hadn’t thrown on a standard down since the 1st quarter.

McNamara also does not get credit in the charting for the thing his coaches and scouts like about him the most: pre-snap reads. McNamara changed plays at the line and made pre-snap determinations that mostly got filed as RPS+. He was decisive on his RPO reads, which suggests he knew what he was going to do pre-snap due to alignment keys. His bad reads were mostly from locking onto his first read and not looking backside, and again, that probably comes from reading the defense before the snap. Also I was harsh in grading this week—the Z route to Sainristil could have been a catchable throw and a hold, but I couldn’t get a clip that showed that definitively and was going off my fan brain’s recollection of Corum coming open under the OLB after McNamara gave him just a cursory check. That’s not a bad read, but it’s a throwaway, and those were more concerning. The Steely Eyed Missile Men of the NFL will use the time they are given to make a play; McNamara was following his pre-snap read then getting rid of it if that wasn’t there. He can be a game manager; he’s very far from being a killer.

As for the ZR/RPO game, there was one bad keep read, one good keep read, and three times a handoff was the better option. Thank you Washington.

JJ MCCARTHY

	Good				Neutral			Bad					Ovr			Reads
Game	DO	CA	SCR		PR	MA		BA	TA	IN	BR		DSR	GRADE!		RPOs	ZRs
Western Mich	1+++	2				3		1x		1			60%	-2		0/0
Washington														DNP

Did not play.

Wide receivers?

The scale still goes like so: [0 = uncatchable, 1 = circus catch, 2 = moderate difficulty, 3 = routine] but I changed the headers.

	THIS WEEK					THIS YEAR
Player	Uncb	Circus	Tough	Routine		Uncb	Circus	Tough	Routine
Bell							1/2	1/1
Johnson	1		1/1			1		2/2	1/1
Sainristil		0/1		1/1			0/1		2/2
Henning				1/1				1/2	1/1
Wilson		0/1					0/1
Baldwin								1/1
Anthony
All		0/1				1	0/1	1/1	2/2
Honigford	2					2
Schoonmaker		0/1					0/1
Seltzer								0/1
Hibner
Hansen
Haskins				1/1					1/1
Corum				3/4					5/6
Edwards						1			1/1

Routes: Johnson+, Henning-, Wilson-

Nothing to see here except more Poor Damn Honigford, who’s yet to get a catchable target. The two non-short throws were Johnson coming back under Cover 3 on a back-shoulder, and Wilson getting jammed at the line and blanketed on a fly route where he got no separation because of it. He needs to work on that.

I think this was probably a frustrating game for the receivers, who also came in for a bunch of minuses in blocking because Washington was keying their WR screen game. Still, rather be a Michigan wide receiver than a Husky one today.

Why does the RB always bump into his own guys and give me a heart attack?

Would like the back not to have to stop so often

Different reasons but I agree there’s something off about Michigan’s counter timing from the gun and pistol. Counter is a slow-developing meatball play that tries to overwhelm the point of attack by bringing big blockers from the backside then blasting a LB who made it to the hole and is feeling pretty good about that until he sees the guard (or Stueber) in store for him.

While they’re making their way across you need something for the running back to do. Good ideas include taking a step to the other side to wrong-foot the LBs, having a long mesh with a downfield RPO to read, or pretending to hand off the RB then having someone else carry the ball.

Sometimes Michigan does none of the above—they give the ball to the running back and have him wait on somebody’s butt until the companionway clears. I’ve never seen a team do that before, and it’s not helping. Hopefully they figure out something to do with that time.

The other issue was with blockers getting to the gap and hesitating. Roman Wilson, who inherited this role from Ronnie Bell, was routinely caught taking gathering steps where the runner needs to go instead of popping his guy.

#14 comes in from off-screen left:

Again, a practice thing. Wilson’s been in Ronnie Bell’s shoes one week.

Is #SpeedInSpace dead?

 

 

So Washington mostly took away the RPOs that Michigan had prepared by design. They left their safeties and LBs back, and we already brought up their laser focus on not getting beat on the edge by screens. This all made Michigan’s reads and fake reads more or less equally effective, since the handoff to the running back was the right call.

But there were times in this game when it looked like they were about to do a Gattis thing, and then they blew it two ways. One is the obvious: keeeeeeeeeeeepp.

 

But this isn’t a two-read option; it’s a slant read RPO that Henning took way too shallow on his first two steps. That RPO read is there to hold the nickel outside, and usually in this game he was happy to do so. But he did step down into the box this time, and that should have opened a slant to Henning that ends up who knows how far downfield at the end of the half. He put his hand up, unenthusiastically, and McNamara didn’t appear to notice. Then at the moment of decision, Henning has already made it. He’s thinking we’re running all day, and better get an angle if I want a chance to block this guy.

Maybe they were so used to Washington taking that away they weren’t even bothering. Maybe they had the read turned off and they’re just going through the motions. Seems counterproductive, while Henning with all the space seems like a fun proposition. It’s in the offense. They made the check. They just need to run it.

McNamara is still a giver on lots of plays where he needs to be a keeper. He did keep once, deep into the 2nd half, on a 2nd and 1 of all downs. He ran into the cavern this provided, tried to put a move on the safety after a leisurely stroll to safety-occupied territory, and got planted in the dirt. Shea Patterson he is not. It’s still a free 11 yards they should be taking so that teams not coached by Jimmy Lake will opt to get Jimmy Laked over the alternative.

 

Matt Weiss stuff this week?

I covered the game plan in Neck Sharpies. There were a lot of guys moving across the backfield. Adding a receiver to the mass of bodies switching sides post-snap is a very Ravens thing.

It’s also better when your receivers can block. Wilson has a long ways to go.

Heroes?

The offensive line, Ryan Hayes especially. Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins.

Maybe not so heroic?

The passing game and McNamara. Roman Wilson’s +3/-7 run blocking and 0/1 on circus opportunities was emblematic of a night that wasn’t made for receivers. Joel Honigford remains Just a Guy as a true tight end.

What does it mean for NIU and beyond?

That was a game to keep running what’s working, and they did so. Northern Illinois should be the easiest game on the schedule, and has a horrible secondary that likes to sit way back to live another day, and an offense that throws many incompletes. Give them the business but please use the lead to throw the ball around a bit. The recruits are watching.