The UFR Glossary.

Substitution Notes: Smith most of the way, Jenkins was in for about half, Graham got his usual quarter-ish, and Rayshaun Benny got more play than usual, with Grant and Goode getting some run late. End was a rotation led by Morris. Harrell got in first and as much as Okie but the balance shifted towards Upshaw later, with 2 drives for D.Moore and McGregor. Linebacker was Colson and Barrett until garbage time. At CB, Turner went the whole way, and Sainristil most of it moving outside for a few snaps as Gemon Green gave more time to him and Johnson after the TD drive. Moore and Paige held down safety, spelled for a drive each by Moten, who adding another third of his ~20 snaps at nickel when Sainristil moved out.

Formation Notes: ESPN/ABC missed the start of a lot of plays while doing replays or following players/coaches around, which is a common old issue that I had forgotten about so remind me to write a kind letter to Fox thanking them for not missing plays. MSU had a bunch of funky alignments that I mostly shoehorned into old boxes. This half-bone/half-Fritz got called "Pistol WF" since the TEs are linked up like a wing and a fullback, though both at fullback depth.

Often a TE would then motion across the formation to an offset fullback position (Pistol WF-Cross) like so:

...which usually indicated a lead zone to that side. The other fullback weirdness was a thing in my NCAA playbook as "F stack" so that's what I called it:

They also sometimes lined up the RB in front of the QB, which is a thing that "Yes we are passing but we can't pass protect either" teams do. I called it Empty RB since it's not really shotgun once the back is no longer in a spot to get a handoff.

[After THE JUMP: Another short show]

Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	5-1 Under	2-off	Run		Split Zone Duo	Colson	7	0.60
Backside is stunting here and Harrell(-1) gets cut off by the LT on his way to replace Jenkins. Smith(-0.5) gets washed by a double. Morris(+1) crushed the kickout and Colson used Smith's double to shoot into the backfield so they had a TFL if Harrell got to his gap. RPS wash: stunt contributed to Harrell's problem and wasted Barrett but stacking the box with Paige should have made up for that.
O32	2nd	3	Pistol Wk	4-2-5	4-3 Even	1 fld	Run		Reverse	Barrett	17	1.93
RT isn't set but refs-1 miss it. July play that M ran against MSU in Gardner's day that gets Harrell(-1) and Barrett(-1) to bite inside. Harrell can't get outside a block from the QB and Barrett gets edged so this gets a chunk until Turner(+0.5) arrives to hold it down. RPS-2.
M46	1st	10	Gun 2RB Flex H-Flare	4-2-5	5-2 Odd	2 off	PRO	n/a	Bubble/OZ	Colson	-10	-3.24
The 2nd RB is Reed and the read is Colson. Flexed TE catches Sainristil lined up like a 4-3 SAM and he's blocked (RPS-1). I'd show a clip if ABC wasn't in pore-o-vision, but this was saved by Moore(+1) jetting down super fast and getting Reed out after a short gain. Comes back for the LT slamming Harrell down after the whistle--would show you that too but ABC was showing Mel Tucker being screaming mad.
O39	2nd	20	Gun Str Y-Cross	4-2-5	Nk Splits	2 fld	Penalty		False Start	n/a	-5	-0.35
Oops.
O34	2nd	25	Pistol Twins	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 off	Run		ZR Counter GT	Morris	-4	-0.22
As dominated as a play can be. M is blitzing Sainristil, slanting to the playside, and scrape exchanging (RPS+3) so Morris(+1) can take out the RB then come off to help Colson(+1, tackling+1) and Sainristil(+1) wrangle Thorne down in the backfield. Even if they ran this without the reversed read Jenkins(+2) hopped past the TE's downblock to interfere with the first puller and take out the second. Gets full credit even if it didn't affect the play because that's badass.
O30	3rd	29	Gun Str Stack Y-Cross	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 off	Pass	4	Bubble Screen	Sainristil	10	0.09
Give up and punt, Sainristil(-1, tackling-1) overran a bit but Colson(+1) cleaned up. Penalty for illegal shift (TE started higher in the backfield) is declined.
Drive Notes: Punt. 0-0. 12 min 1st Q. Would have liked to see the penalty that killed the drive, ABC.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O37	1st	10	Pistol Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 press	Run		Inside Zone	Smith	1	-0.87
Double Jenkins(+1) ends with the 2nd guy jumping on his back and taking him down but this still causes a good mess and Barrett(+0.5) is able to thunk the C in a good spot. Okie(+0.5) rocked back his RT so now he's standing on Jenkins too and there's not much room. Smith(+2) blows through the LG who had ideas of scooping, drives him into the backfield, and stuffs at the LOS.
O38	2nd	9	Pistol Twins	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 press	Pass	4	RB Flat	Green	6	0.30
Moten in for Sainristil. Jenkins(+1, PR+1) puts the RG deep in the pocket and a bunch of quick sticks are covered (cov+1) so Thorne dumps to his RB in the flat. That's on Green(-1) who was coming off a TE hitch but fell down so this can get a few yards first.
O44	3rd	3	Pistol Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 press	Run		ZR IZ	Colson	2	-0.55
M slants at this so RB cuts backside behind Benny(-0.5), who wants to get what Mazi did earlier but gets too far upfield. M has two guys outside which I think is on Okie(-1) since Paige formed up. So of course the LBs fix it! Barrett(+1) rocks back the guy Benny let through and Colson(+1) shoots past his blocker to stuff this. Or not? I've watched it lots and either the refs+1 marked him a yard short or they saw his knee touch down--our angle is just a wad of bodies.
O46	4th	1	Pistol Twins	5-2-4	Goal	0 press	Run		Split Zone	Smith	0	-4.28
Smith(+2) rocks through the C and gets on the RB's back. Jenkins(+1) rips through and takes out the back's knees. Paige(+2) gets his head on the ball to prevent any last push. Linesman tries to give MSU a very favorable spot but it's so bad a review overturns it.
Drive Notes: Turnover on Downs. 0-0. 7 min 1st Q. Tucker again very very mad at a correct call.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Pistol WF	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2 press	Play-Action	5	Scramble	Smith	12	1.03
Thorne wants a TE wheel that Barrett(+2, cov+2) got on top of. Graham(-1) converts to a pass rush that pressures(PR+1) but it's a gamble to go outside his G, leaving a huge lane in the process that Thorne can escape from. Smith(-1) can't disengage from the C in time and goes down. Colson(-1) got too far upfield so this is run out after a 1st down despite having a spy.
O37	1st	10	Gun Str Stack Y-In	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 fld	Run		Counter GCT Pitch	Moore	2	-0.51
This is supposed to be clever, but Michigan is more so (RPS+2) as MSU has the TE motioning in throw a downblock on the edge and pulls the frontside G, the C, and the backside T with a look-pitch QB read. Morris(+2) sees the extra pullers and takes out the 2nd one, which stacks up the third and brings the TE way upfield. Colson(+1) was blitzing inside so this looks scary for a moment but he's able to spin back outside and get to the RB at the same time as Moore(+1) who was rotating down to replace the LB. RPS+1. This week's Neck Sharpies.
O39	2nd	8	Offset 2RB	4-2-5	5-2 Odd	2 fld	Pass	4	Double Screen	Barrett	Inc	-0.98
Sainristil deters the bubble side. Barrett(+2, cov+2) is in man (RPS+1) on the RB and about to blow up the slip screen but Thorne airmails it right to the LB. Barrett's in tackle mode though and can't bring in in the INT. Hat-2.
O39	3rd	8	Gun Str Stack Y-In	4-2-5	Nk Wide	2 press	Pass	4	Fade	Green	29	3.67
That is why you intercept when you have a chance says the one-armed man. Max pro vs a stunt has a clean pocket (PR-1) for Thorne to throw a jump ball to his 6-4 basketball player. Green(+1, cov+1) has an arm inside Coleman's arms and his hand is the first to touch the ball, but Coleman makes an unbelievable catch, mostly one-handed. Hat+3.
M32	1st	10	???	4-2-5	Nk ???	1 press	Play-Action	n/a	PA RB Flat	Moten	6	0.22
Tempo. We miss the start of this with the replay so I'm going on memory a bit here but fortunately I remember this one well. Moten(-2, cov-2) is down next to Colson because he bit hard on PA. Moore(+2, tackling) arrives from way high and the other hash to hold this down, with help (Hat-1) from a pass that was a little upfield.
M26	2nd	4	Gun Trips Bunch	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 off	Pass	4	Fade	Green	26	2.60
Tempo (32). MSU has all but the RB way to the boundary to let Coleman (Hat+2) try another jump ball. This time Coleman gets away with very clear OPI (Refs-1) but also Green(-1) isn't looking back or trying to make a play on the ball so he earns a minus. Paige(-2, cov-3) was slow to get depth and help out despite starting nearer to that hash so he's not there to help or even tackle after.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 3-7. <1 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk F	4-2-5	Nk Under	2 fld	Run		Dart Insert	Barrett	8	0.91
Barrett(-1) is late to find the Iso gap because he's watching Thorne read a fake RPO slant (RPS-1), which is good 2022 football. He runs into the FB softly then Collins plows into his FB's back to fall forward for a good gain.
O33	2nd	2	Pistol WF-Cross	5-2-4	5-2 Under	2 press	Run		Stretch	Jenkins	3	0.02
Jenkins(+1) has his guy in the backfield so RB bounces into him. Paige(-1, tackling-1) rolls down but gets passed up by the TE who walls off Colson instead. Want Paige to go low for the stick instead he's surprised he's not blocked and just hugs the RB who can fall forward for the 1st down.
O36	1st	10	Pistol Twins	5-2-4	4-3 Split	2 off	Pass	4	TE Out	Turner	Inc	-1.04
Quick out before pass rush matters, Turner(+2, cov+2) is out there quickly and breaks it up.
O36	2nd	10	Gun Str Stack Y-Cross	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 fld	Run		ZR Buck GCT	Jenkins	1	-0.53
First time they ran this I Neck Sharpied. This time M slants the line with it (RPS+1) and it's blown up by Jenkins(+2) who gets across the guy who's supposed to block down on him, soaks up the center, and makes the tackle himself. Harrell(+1) plunked the TE and took on a play-long double from the kickout blocker so the LBs were free to track all the way.
O37	3rd	9	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk over	1 press	Pass	4	Hitch	Turner	27	3.71
Tempo(25). They didn't call the last one so Coleman goes full OPI, chucking Turner(-2, tackling-2, Refs-1) at the sticks. Turner then weirdly starts guarding like a basketball player instead of tackling. Paige(-1) was playing behind him and actually crosses Turner to try to tackle. Sainristil arrives to get him down.
M36	1st	10	???	4-2-5	Nk ???	2 off	Pass	4	Comeback	Paige	22	0.46
Tempo. Come back to this one late too. McGregor(+1, PR+1) has beat a TE who shoves him down then gives a hands-up "not me"--Question for the crowd: Is that an illegal block because a TE is by definition outside the tackles or is "tackle box" just a loose description? Harrell(-1) got lost on an aborted stunt and falls down so Thorne can roll out to the side and heave it at Coleman underneath Paige(-2) who's not close enough to affect an accurate throw. Not issuing a coverage grade because guys were covered until scramble time.
M14	1st	10	???	4-2-5	Nk ???	???	Run		???	Colson	3	-0.10
Tempo. ESPN misses this one too, and I'm starting to miss Fox. We come back to find Colson(+0.5) wrapping up with an OL unable to get downfield because Paige(+1) is under the TE.
M11	2nd	7	Gun Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2 press	Run		Split Zone	Smith	4	-0.02
M is blitzing the edge which should deliver a DE into this (RPS+1) but Jenkins(-1) is blown out by a double and Harrell(-1) is cut by the crosser so there's a big wedge forming. Smith(+2) swims through a double, grabs the RB's foot, and won't let go.
M7	3rd	3	Pistol WF-Cross	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Run		Lead Stretch	Jenkins	2	-0.18
Jenkins(+2) rocks his OL back and gets across him to initiate the stuff. Smith(+1) fought across the center to keep Colson(+1) clean enough to fly into the backfield and be relevant. Graham(+0.5) had his guy beat. (MSU Timeout)
M5	4th	1	Ace Heavy Z-Fly	6-2-3	Goal	n/a	Run		IZ Counter	Moore	-2	-4.27
Crowd is amped because they just brought out Carol Hutchins and Jennie Ritter during the timeout (Softball+4). Tucker tries to earn his contract with a clever counter action by the RB, who steps the direction they motioned Reed then goes the other way. Line is blocking down, doubling Smith and Morris, except one backside kickout. M has 4 guys out there (RPS+2). They also get Jenkins(+1) blasting off at Hurst speed through the backfield, taking a TE with him. Graham(+0.5) dominated the C and is coming through a hold. Barrett(+2, tackling+2) shot inside an off-TE on the motion side and went right for the RB's path. An unblocked Moore(+1) who picked his way through the blocking quickly joins him, followed by Paige and Colson.
Drive Notes: Turnover on Downs. 10-7. 7 min 2nd Q. This play made the ref drive so much less annoying. Also less annoying: the rest of this game since SPOILER: there's only one more 1st down until the Defeat with Dignity time.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun 2RB	4-2-5	Nk Wide	1 fld	Run		QB Draw	Upshaw	4	-0.11
1:08, 0 TOs. MSU catches Smith stunting (RPS-1) and this looks dangerous until Upshaw(+2) spies what's going on. Looks like he's going to get Thorne down for no gain but Thorne is quick and Upshaw is not so he only gets a leg and it gains 4.
O29	2nd	6	Gun 4w	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 off	Pass	4	H Out	Johnson	3	-0.27
0:55. Morris seems to have the RT beat then doesn't--might have gotten facemasked?. Okie(+1, PR+1) is making things unpleasant vs the LT so Thorne gets this out to a quick out under Cover 3 that Johnson(-1, cov-1) isn't close to. WR steps out of bounds after catching it. (Hat-1)
O32	3rd	3	Gun 4w	4-2-5	Nk Over	1 fld	Pass	4	Crossers	Sainristil	Inc	-0.51
0:50. Morris goes on the clap but is doubled and nobody else is getting much (PR-1) so Thorne can wait for this to develop. He chooses a crossing route that Sainristil(+2, cov+2) PBUs like Nope!
Drive Notes: Punt. <1 min 2nd Q. Michigan jumps offsides so MSU gets the ball back.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O37	1st	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Racecar Wide	2 press	Penalty		Delay of Game	n/a	-5	-1.12
Oops.
O32	1st	15	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Racecar Wide	2 press	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Sainristil	0	-0.63
0:42, 0 TOs. TE is supposed to chip Morris and rips him down (Refs-1). Smith(+1, PR+1) was trying to free Upshaw on a stunt and finds himself past the C with a clear path to the QB. That forces Thorne towards where Upshaw is going upfield so Thorne chucks it at his RB but it floats and Sainristil(+2, tackling+2) is like Nope, getting out there to bring the RB down inbounds for a TFL.
O32	2nd	15	Gun 4w	4-2-5	Racecar Wide	2 fld	Pass	4	Sack	Morris	-5	-0.49
0:23. Morris(+3, PR+3) hops inside the LT who's still getting in his pass set when it's over. LG reaches back for a shoulderpad and gets brushed off as Morris gets right to Thorne for the takedown. It's begun with Smith(+1) comes around on a stunt to prevent Thorne from fighting to make it 3rd and 19. State lets the clock run out.
Drive Notes: EoH. 13-7. The sudden pressure made silly penalty on the punt less annoying.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk F Stack	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 fld	Play-Action	4	PA Fly	Turner	Inc	-0.70
They try Reed deep. Smith(+1, PR+1) is ripping through a double which makes Thorne put this off his back foot. Turner(+2, cov+2) runs Reed's route for him, putting him in the sideline as the ball falls just inside the numbers.
O25	2nd	10	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Splits	1 press	RPO		Stretch/Slant	Smith	4	-0.06
Haha in Soviet Big House nose tackle reaches YOU. Smith(+2) flashes past the RG who lined up playside and had designs on a scoop so the C releases to Barrett. Colson(-1) has a free shot at a TFL but dances behind the guy Mazi beat. Jenkins(+1) also shucked the LG to fill in behind the C and combine for the tackle. They have him at 2 yards but Smith is pushed past and the two OL sorta carry him another 2 yards.
O29	3rd	6	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk ??/	2 press	Pass	6	Fly	Turner	Inc	-0.31
Tempo(28). ESPN/ABC again misses the start of the play. M sends both LBs on delayed (dog?) blitzes but it's Morris(+1, PR+1) who gets through before Thorne can launch this. Turner(+1, cov+3) is in good position until a shove from Coleman creates some separation but Moore(+1, RPS+2) was hanging out at the hash ready to get over this and bat it down. Coleman laughably asks for a penalty. Sparty on, there Spart.
Drive Notes: Punt. 16-7. 8 min 3rd Q. Looks like Michigan adjusted to Coleman.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Pistol WF-Cross	4-2-5	5-2 odd	1 press	Run		Lead Stretch	Colson	5	0.09
M has all-rookie DL (Okie-Benny-Graham-DMo) in and nickel personnel with Sainristil effectively the DE. MSU runs at him and it's fine but D-Mo(-1) gets a double. He gives up a lot of ground but keeps Colson(+1) clean to hit the lead blocker, shed, and make the tackle. RPS-1.
O30	2nd	5	Gun Str Stack Y-Cross	4-2-5	5-2 Odd	2 fld	Pass	6	Flash Screen	Johnson	-1	-0.86
Baylor quarterback Jeff Watson shows the ball to his fullback then forms up and passes out to Morris Anderson. Marcus Ray(-1) is in the slot and bites on the PA, so it's Anderson and Derrius Thompson all alone vs Woodson. He flies past the blocker and sticks as the ball arrives for a mean TFL. The next time this happens Sainristil recovers and gets out there to occupy the blocking WR, and Johnson(+3, cov+2, tackling+1) brings Reed down by the ankles.
O29	3rd	6	Gun 4w	4-2-5	Nk Under	1 bdy	Pass	5	TE Slant	Paige	Inc	-0.31
M shows blitz with Colson he drops and Barrett(+1, PR+1) joins and starts running through the RB with a hand in the QB's face. May cause this to be inaccurate. Paige(+1, cov+1) gets the TE's left arm pinned against his hip and the guy turns downfield trying to use that to draw a flag instead of trying to catch it as the ball whizzes over Tacopants.
Drive Notes: Punt. 19-7. 2 min 3rd Q. Michigan has run 20 plays this quarter; MSU: 6.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Pistol FW	4-2-5	4-3 Split	2 fld	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Turner	6	0.33
Morris(+1, PR+1) comes through the LT and an RB chip to get near Thorne but Upshaw(-1) is locked way outside by two TEs. One leaves and Upshaw doesn't get any closer so Thorne can roll away from Morris and dump it to the TE in the flat. Turner(+1, tackling+1) is playing off situationally but flies down to hold this to a medium gain.
O31	2nd	4	Pistol Str	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 press	Run		Duo	Jenkins	-2	-1.10
Bust by MSU (Hat-2) as they triple Smith and there's nobody for Jenkins(+1, tackling+1). Also Colson(+1, RPS+1) was blitzing behind Smith and arrives with Jenkins for a free stuff.
O29	3rd	6	Empty RB 4w	4-2-5	Nk ???	2 fld	Pass	5	TE Stick	Moore	Inc	-0.31
Game is broken. LG is standing up pointing and the C snaps it into Thorne's belly. Morris(+1, PR+1) is late to start because of this but quickly gets outside of the LT who gets a hand in his face, and Thorne chucks it at the feet of a TE who is just plowing into Moore(+1, cov+1 ...uh, do we + that?) and not really looking for it. Refs I don't know they could have called hands to the face or OPI or blown it dead for MSU not being set and saying nothing is fine too.
Drive Notes: Punt. 22-7. 13 min 4th Q. State has trouble with the snap, and we're back after 2 Corum runs and a TD.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Str Stack Y-Cross	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 fld	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Barrett	8	0.91
Backup DL in, Goode(-0.5) and Harrell(-1) are stonewalled (PR-2) so Thorne has all day but nowhere to throw (Cov+2). He dumps it to his RB and this should be a 1-yarder but Barrett(-2, tackling-2) whiffs the tackle and Turner(-0.5) comes in gingerly to turn it into a good gain.
O33	2nd	2	Gun Double Stacks	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 press	PRO	n/a	Flash Screen/IZ	Turner	5	0.21
Tempo(29). Turner(-1, tackling-1, cov+1) is playing way off, actually gets there, but then forms up and gets run over for 5 yards, giving up the first.
O38	1st	10	Gun 2RB Flex RB-Flare	4-2-5	Nk Over	1 fld	Pass	4	Throwaway	Moore	Inc	-1.09
Finally an Amoeba even if it's just dropping McGregor and bringing Moten off the edge, which is enough to force Thorne to get rid of it (PR+2, RPS+2, cov+2) out of bounds. Rod Moore does not leap 10 feet in the air to one-handed stab it for an interception, but I've seen a man do that.
O38	2nd	10	Empty Quads	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 fld	Pass	4	Sack	McGregor	-5	-1.07
Alignment suggests 500 to Coleman and MSU is probably expecting Turner(+1, cov+2) to bail as they run a slant under him. Instead M has Barrett(+1) dropped right into that (RPS+1). I think Sam is wrong--there's no missed hold on Horst--maybe one on the RT as Harrell(+0.5) twists out of a stunt, which doesn't threaten but does occupy Thorne as McGregor(+2, PR+2) gets a clean win on Horst outside and sacks. (MSU timeout)
O33	3rd	15	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 press	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Turner	Inc	-0.16
A long loop by Okie is picked up by the LG but Morris(+2, PR+2) creates some havoc by chucking a TE chip then coming inside Horst. Also MSU has two routes near the LOS on 3rd and 15. Thorne steps up and has to dump it to one before Morris sacks. TE drops it then gets lit up by Turner(+2, cov+2). Same winners who were crying for PI on the Moore PBU now want targeting. Way to Spart.
Drive Notes: Punt. 29-7. 11 min 4th Q. Next drive is mostly backups vs Dignity but the refs put a ball fair caught at the 19 at the 20 literally stealing money from kids with cancer.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O20	1st	10	Empty RB Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 fld	Pass	4	Snag	Turner	3	-0.24
Okay the RT needs to get flagged now he's just facemasking Okie the whole play (Refs-2). This is a quick dump for nothing yards that Turner(+1, cov+1, tackling-1) is on immediately. Reed backs up to his LOS to try to stiffarm his way around this which gets back to where he caught it. Then he dives OOB and the Sparts cry for a late hit. Sparts.
O23	2nd	7	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over	1 press	Pass	3	Post	Sainristil	51	3.90
Benny(+1, PR+1) is coming through a G and has his hand up but it's a bust deep. ESPN's second-rate director never shows us the all-22 so it's hard to figure out whether Colson(-2) let the guy behind him by covering grass or Sainristil(-2, cov-3) peeled off to double Reed when he's supposed to stay high on this. I think it's Cover 2 which means Sainristil but Colson certainly looks guilty. Sharing blame.
M26	1st	10	Pistol F	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 off	Run		Lead Stretch	Graham	1	-0.36
Tempo(29). Come back to this a moment late but I can extrapolate the setup and there was probably TE motion since they're lead stretching again. Backside G tries to cut Graham(+1) who stays upright and inline like a pro. Benny(+2) shows why he's murder on zone by controlling the G and C trying to scoop him, putting the G in the backfield then chucking him to take out the lead blocker. Sainristil(+1) flies down and adds himself to the edge to stop the slide at the hash and Graham can jump on the RB's back to end it.
M25	2nd	9	Empty RB 4w	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 off	Pass	7	TE Corner	Paige	Inc	-0.59
House brought, which is one more than they have guys for (RPS+1, PR+1) and Paige(+2, cov+2) is on top of and dominating the only place Thorne can throw it before he's lit up by Sainristil(+1). Sparts want a late hit for a shot that began when the QB still had the ball. Sparts!
M25	3rd	9	Gun 2RB H-Flare	4-2-5	Racecar	2 off	Pass	4	TE Tunnel	Morris	Inc	-0.74
MSU trying to set up a tunnel screen to the TE and Morris(+2) bats it in the air. Okie is under it and Thorne has to PBU. M has three guys for 2 blockers so screen's probably not getting far.
M25	4th	9	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nk Wide	2 off	Pass	5	TE Flag	Moore	9(-15)	1.57
M tips Double-A blitz and Thorne checks into a protection that picks it up, minus Upshaw(-1, PR-2)'s loop that is so slow Thorne has time to watch this develop. Moore(+1, cov+1) does everything he can but Baker (Hat+2) muscles it away from him. Moore has an arm around the ball and is still fighting for it on the ground, which induces Baker to thwack Moore away, which gets flagged. A bit ticky-tack but given this is garbage time and MSU it's 100% warranted.
M31	1st	10	Gun 4w	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 fld	Pass	4	TE Out	Johnson	Inc	-0.58
Refs(-1) miss the C with a snap infraction. Pressure comes from Smith(+1, PR+1) which creates a throw to Tacopants as Thorne's getting run into. Johnson might have a play if it's accurate but can't tell so push. Sparts trying to gin up a roughing the passer again.
M31	2nd	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 off	Pass	4	Dig	Moore	INT	-5.92
I think one of the DTs (Smith-1, PR-2) screwed up a stunt since there's nobody with contain and nobody close as Thorne can step up when Morris is around at 9. They have an RB chip for Upshaw(-1) that's not needed since he's completely stonewalled by the LT. Thorne could scramble for the 1st and lots more but thinks he has a dig open downfield to Coleman. In truth Rod Moore(+3, cov+3) is baiting this, stepping in front of the pass and taking it back to midfield.
Drive Notes: Interception. 29-7. 4 min 4th Q. End of game for defense.

Screw those guys.

This isn't about the tunnel.

It's all the tunnel. Toxic fanbase. Toxic team. I take joy in watching them get their asses handed to them. And when everything they get is off of cheap bullshit they didn't do anything to deserve I only think that harder.

I happen to know some pretty nice Spartans.

Okay so what did they do this game that you were like "Okay, that's pretty good"?

They ran even fewer plays than Penn State, meaning I was able to go trick-or-treating with my kids and still get the charting wrapped up in a reasonable time.

Anything that cannot be accomplished through ineptitude?

They had ten drives, three of which gained more than 10 yards, and only one of those scored any points. The only drive to get to double digits in plays was mostly ref-assisted. There's a LOT of ineptitude here.

Okay so the one drive that got points.

They got two big plays by throwing it up to a well-covered Keon Coleman, a 6-4 basketball player with incredible strength, length, body control, and vertical. That dude was outta control. Mad respect.

And how many times did he commit an uncalled pass interference?

Two or three but that is fewer than the number of Hat Tip points I handed out to him. Like, I don't know what else you can do about a guy who does this:

I gave Green a +1 here and even that feels light because his hand is the first to touch the ball, and Coleman has basically catch this, while still airbound mind you, with his right hand because Green's arm is inside Coleman's left one. Dude.

The touchdown two plays later required a push-off but as Brian said it was one of those minor ones that rarely gets called.

It also required another acrobatic stab, and then Coleman also managed to stay on his feet to score when a 1st and Goal at the three was hardly a guarantee of points. The other OPI that led to a 1st down and extra on a 3rd and long was against Turner, and again when you have that kind of size/length/strength you can make pass interference look like mutual hand-fighting.

Would I like that to be called? Sure. Refs-1. But I don't really expect it to be, and would encourage Michigan's receivers to try this cheat as well, except none of them could probably pull it off like Coleman, hence Hat Tip!

So why didn't they just keep doing that?

For one because it's a gimmick. Big fade merchants have been a Michigan State staple for years--Cody White, Felton Davis, Donnie Corley, Aaron Burbridge, Tony Lippett, BJ Cunningham, Bennie Fowler, Mark Dell, Blair White, Charles Rogers...how far back do you wanna go? It makes sense for MSU because they probably can't come up with a run that's going to get more than 2 yards on 1st down, so why not burn that down on something with more upside?

But unless they have 4.5 speed as well these contested ball catchers are the Just-a-Shooters of their sport: you can't just leave them alone on a corner, but that's really the only threat they pose. You might get away with some Ahrens push-offs, but you can't build an offense out of that.

And you'll note that was the story in this game. State got a chunk play and then a touchdown on tempo, Michigan adjusted, and that was it. Late in the game MSU tried to attack Turner with a look that threatened Coleman over the top then came underneath and he wasn't buying.

#5 CB at the top

If MSU's thing was going to be max protection and lofting the ball up to their receiver who's never covered even if he's covered, Michigan was just going to have a safety get over him. Note where Paige was at the start of the first two throws, and then where they have Rod Moore set up on this one.

Coleman got some separation with a mid-route arm bar again but it doesn't matter because Moore is tracking it. This throw might even be shorted, because all of them have to slow up to get it. Coleman begging for a DPI call after this is rich though. Sparties gonna Spart.

Will you admit that Moore should have intercepted that?

The argument that it's 3rd and 6 has some merit but more than that I think it's about the angle that Moore goes up with. Coleman's a big boy, and Moore isn't, and the worst things he can do here would be to run over Turner, allow the ball to get plucked above his hands, or do something that could be called interference. Coming in sideways for an authoritive PBU is the safest choice.

He got a +1 for this. Asking more is asking for Woodson.

So Rod Moore is not going to win the Heisman over the Tennessee quarterback this year?

No, because Moore could not bring this in with a one-handed stab and then get a foot down inbounds. Woodsons are known to do that.

But I liked him all the same. After weeks of wheel spinning that I thought might be related to his lingering injury I'm even more inclined to go with that theory, because Moore was flat out fast again this week. I couldn't grab all of the clips but this game was a return to what I loved most about him as a true freshman--the zooming down from on high to matter in the run game--with a side of that pick-hunting dawg from his recruiting profile.

Perhaps you can represent that performance arithmetically.

I can give you a chart with Moore in it.

Moore Chart!

Defensive Line
Player	Snaps	+	-	T	Notes
Mazi Smith	41	13	1.5	+11.5	Feasted.
Kris Jenkins	27	13	1	+12	Unstoppable.
Mason Graham	16	2	1	+1	Half-points vs backside single blocks + a Fr moment.
Rayshaun Benny	10	3	0.5	+2.5	You tried to stretch Benny how did that work out for you?
Kenneth Grant	2	0	0	-	No rush.
Cam Goode	4	0	0.5	-0.5	Got in late.
Michael Morris	35	14	0	+14	Demolished then left alone.
Jaylen Harrell	23	1.5	4	-2.5	Not his kind of game.
Eyabi Okie	22	1.5	1	+0.5	Present but rarely used.
Derrick Moore	8	0	1	-1	Not a DT.
Taylor Upshaw	18	2	3	-1	This was the gameplan apparently.
Braiden McGregor	8	4	0	+4	Hello again.
TOTAL	214	54	13.5	+40.5	Smith+Morris+Jenkins=Hutchinson.
Linebacker
Player	Snaps	+	-	T	Notes
Junior Colson	52	7.5	4	+3.5	Barely tested in coverage but I will take it!!!
Nikhai Hill-Green	0	0	0	-	DNP
Michael Barrett	35	9.5	4	+5.5	Strong day in coverage vs TEs and TE-like RBs.
Kalel Mullings	6	0	0	-	DNC.
Jimmy Rolder	0	0	0	-	DNP
TOTAL	93	17	8	+9	Quietly good day might just mean MSU is lousy.
Secondary
Player	Snaps	+	-	T	Notes
DJ Turner	52	10.5	3.5	+7	If that's the guy you wanna pick on.
Mike Sainristil	47	7	3	+4	Played outside some, blamed him for the one breakdown.
Gemon Green	30	1	2	-1	Mossed twice, which led to more time for WJ.
Will Johnson	19	3	1	+2	Didn't try him, slammed down a WR screen.
Rod Moore	49	11	0	+11	OH DERE YOU ARE PETER PAN
Makari Paige	48	6	6	-	Not boring enough, also not appreciated enough.
RJ Moten	19	0	2	-2	Tried at nickel, only event was eating a PA.
Quinten Johnson	0	0	0	-	DNP
TOTAL	264	38.5	17.5	+21	Moore and Turner took over the game in the 2nd half.
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Pressure	23	8	47%	Mendoza line is 67% so this isn't cutting it.
Coverage	33	9	+24	Sure, try those guys.
Tackling	8	8	-	Only one really bad event. Lots of Elijah Collins falling.
RPS	18	6	+12	A lot less July than I was expecting.
Hat Tip	7	6	+1	Keon Coleman made up for his teammates.

Those five DBs that OSU took over Rod Moore must have been amazing.

I sure hope not.

Can I try to guess when's the last time we had a safety score like that?

Sure, the database goes back to 2008. Guess away.

Never.

Not quite never. Not counting linebacker hybrids (Peppers, Khaleke) there's Jordan Kovacs against Western Michigan in 2011 (+13), and Delano Hill vs Hawai'i (+11). Metellus was close a couple of times but never cracked double-digits. Also this list I just generated is littered with Peppers games, so that's the level of impact we're talking about here.

If you're going to make that list a game-ending (for the defense at least) interception is a good way to start. Not all interceptions are equal; often it's more on the quarterback for missing a read or getting thunked or batted. I believe this is the other kind: where the defender induces the throw he knows he can get to. Try looking downfield like you're Peyton Thorne.

Moore is #19 the deep safety on the right hash.

It's subtle but Moore is giving you signs like he's worried about getting over a corner route. After all, most of State's yards this game have come on fades. There's a hesitation move to sell it and then as soon as the QB is committed Moore is driving. He knows he's going to steal this from the moment it's thrown. I want to +4. I did +3.

That and ending the Keon Coleman fades weren't even half of his day. There were a lot of reasons for the second, comprehensive 4th and short stop, but one of them was the deft way Moore managed to weave his way into the backfield.

bottom of the formation behind the yellow line, just inside the CB

In a game where 3rd or 4th and short was far from a sure thing, Moore was responsible for several critical stops short of the sticks when a player had the momentum to get there or near enough. For example there was a ton of planning put into this play that ultimately got a big RB with a head of steam heading at a little safety. It got 2 yards.

Rod didn't even get a score for tracking down Coleman after the 51-yard pass earlier on the last drive, but he did that too. He also held the play when Moten bit on play-action to just 6 yards when the same play-action pass set up MSU's tying points against Wisconsin.

That was the only Moten event I charted despite #6 getting more playing time this game. Paige continued to hold down the other safety spot and was eventfully medium. To the bad: he got beat once by coming unattached to Coleman on a comeback and I wanted him to get over faster on the touchdown. To the good, he had a hand--actually a helm--in stuffing the first 4th and 1.

The (relatively) big scores from the safeties is noteworthy because usually they're not that involved.

I take it you have a theory why they were in this game?

Well now I have to come up with one. But I think I know where to look. Or at least I think I know what was missing, e.g. from the Moore pick.

Are we guessing?

We are guessing.

Pressure.

Good guess. Here's that play again without the coverage part:

This isn't the best example because it's from the part of the game when Michigan was actually trying to pass rush, and because I thought Jenkins and Smith messed up a stunt to leave a gaping hole Thorne could have run through instead of testing Rod Moore. But it's also a good example because Morris is doing an okay job and nobody else is getting anywhere near Thorne, particularly Taylor Upshaw, who's rushing from the bottom edge.

Michigan seemed to respect their opponent's legs to give Thorne the Sean Clifford treatment, where they have one guy trying to reach the quarterback and the rest on contain (a reverse of their approach against Iowa and Indiana). Michigan State also seemed to respect their opponent enough to have Thorne getting rid of the ball as soon as he felt even a wee bit of pressure. As with the 2020 game, until forced to throw downfield the passing game was either jump-ball fades to guys in single coverage or dump-offs; they do NOT trust his accuracy in any kind of real traffic.

I am also workshopping a theory that "Sean Clifford style" is just another way of saying "playing Taylor Upshaw." Brian questioned whether I meant Jaylen Harrell when I kept bringing up Upshaw on the edge on the podcast. Yes, I meant Upshaw, who was consistently placed on the edge in pass-rush situations. This happened against Penn State as well, and my guess is this is because they trust him most with contain and feared Thorne's legs more than the possibility he might get to third reads.

The issue here is when he goes against even a remotely competent line (read: anyone but Indiana), Upshaw can't even provide a D+ level of pass rush. This one is against two tight ends, at least until one of them is like "Uh, do you need me or should I go run a route"?

#91 DE at the top of the screen

Here he's the DT at the bottom and looping to try to get Okie into the guard, but that guard is so unworried about Upshaw that he's looking at Okie the whole way.

Michigan got some good plays out of Upshaw in the first half of the season by having him start at DT and do things like loop or drop into coverage or thwack a lineman who's supposed to be picking up Okie, but now that's been scouted. He's effective for a DT so I don't have an issue with him spotting Jenkins in Michigan's racecar package. He's the bottom DT here:

Using Upshaw like that is fine. Using him as the weakside DE opposite Morris however is a tradeoff, and in this game Michigan didn't get to see the benefits side except in things that didn't happen. They didn't give up a chunk on a screen. They didn't lose contain on Thorne but the one time (more on that in a minute). They didn't really have many opportunities for sacks anyways.

When they did, we got to see Braiden McGregor again. He wasn't in for many snaps--enough really only to fuel my pet theory that Michigan finds ways to get guys on the field against home state teams--but he made an impact. This might have been a sack but the TE gets a last shove on his back.

This was a sack.

The guy generating most of their pressure was, as usual, Mike Morris, who collected the other sack in this game.

He's been doing the Aidan Hutchinson snap-timing thing more lately, and saving his inside attack--which is better than this outside rush because obviously--for special situations. It's quite deadly.

Morris is also tracking in Frank Clark territory as Michigan's best pass-batter, this time knocking down a tunnel screen that Okie nearly caught. And this is coming from their best run-stopper, the guy who can recognize a weird version of counter and remove three offensive players when his job description was supposed to just be "go through that gap inside."

#90 at the bottom edge

The odd man out this game was Jaylen Harrell. Michigan State used plenty of 2TE personnel, but those tight ends have some meat on the bone and MSU was leaving in a lot of material to pass block. That meant Harrell was doing the two things he's not great at: pass rushing and trying to wall off the edge of an outside zone play. Upshaw can't pass rush either, but he gave them a little more heft in this department.

What was missing, along with Harrell for most of the 2nd half, was Michigan's Amoeba game. They ran a few blitzes but the most they got out of them was a hurried throw against a 7-man pressure. MSU's clapping system caught a few blitzers giving away the plan, which was why Thorne was snapping the ball with only a few seconds a bunch of times this game. This couldn't have been the first time they dropped a DE in coverage but I think it was?

I'm guessing this was tactical: MSU probably burned a ton of practice time preparing for every look that Michigan has thrown, and also, as I mentioned, burned a lot of RB and TE routes to keep more protection in the backfield. Michigan ran a few uncomplicated stunts to let their tackles or Morris force the issue, which they did, eventually, because MSU's experienced interior linemen have only gotten worse each season they've played. That left things in the hands of the coverage, which when they weren't getting Randy Mossed by the 6-4 basketball player were pretty good.

How can you say you liked the cornerbacks when that guy was going Ricky White on them?

I already showed the two mossings on Green, and there isn't much more to say. He's had issues in the past with making a play on the ball when it arrives but what part of having an arm between both of the receivers' does he need to fix?

And the touchdown was a push-off. It's true that the referees don't call this all the time. I'll even throw in that he should know that it's even less likely to be called in a rivalry game. I'm not super mad that they didn't throw a flag. Please don't put it in the newspaper that I'm mad.

The point isn't "CHEATERS" but how relevant this is to Green holding up against, say, Marvin Harrison Jr. These two back-to-back events brought up a lot of old concerns, yes, but there's a big difference between Green's present and OMIGOD 2020 ALL OVER AGAIN. For one, he used to get lost while turning around, and here he's doing as Brian's always wanted him to and playing the receiver's reaction. Then the receiver makes a great catch. Hate the game, not the player.

Green is probably going to sit out Rutgers since he reportedly suffered a concussion from Michigan State's latest assault, so we'll get a full game of Johnson to grade this weekend. As of now he's been upgraded from Definitely Not Passing Green to Third Corner.

#2 at the bottom

I did notice he got more run after Green got torched a couple of times, but he wasn't getting targeted much. The other two times he was possibly relevant were underneath throws during Dignity Hour, one which wasn't accurate enough to matter and the other when the WR accidentally stepped out of bounds before we could see if Johnson could close the gap.

Turner on the other hand had a busy day. I still defend my decision to remove the shield but he's also still on the upper end of a star and should be 1st team all-conference if he can keep it up against Ohio State. He incremented his way back towards All-American after this one, though here's the only play we got from the promised Jourdan Lewis vs Aaron Burbridge Battle Royale 2.0.

For some reason MSU didn't try to throw a fade to their leading receiver again after that. Jayden Reed got an early end-around and the 3rd & 29 give-up-and-punt bubble screen, this throw at the top of the 2nd half, and then we didn't see him again until he was noping the hell out of what his teammates were doing in the tunnel.

Turner also took his turns with Coleman, but got the plays where MSU was trying to use his vertical threat to open up other things. You can see Michigan's Coleman reaction again from the FS, Makari Paige, on the top hash, but give this one a watch to see Turner flying back down to take away the thing it was supposed to open up.

This isn't something we've seen much of because when Michigan's gone Cover 2 it's usually not underneath the corners that opponents were attacking. That's an MSU thing though, and Turner was excellent at taking it away.

He does have a weakness, however, in being small.
 

He does have a weakness, however, in being small. Legality of doing so aside, Coleman was able to thoroughly chuck the smaller cornerback to open up a big 3rd & long conversion. More egregiously, Turner didn't seem to trust himself to get Coleman down after.

Turner's gotten much better as a tackler, but he's no Ty Law out there. When he hits guys they usually keep moving for a few more yards.

That's not going to change and it's not that big of a deal. It's just that this matchup managed to make what makes Turner great and not the greatest amply clear.

Is Sainristil still the greatest?

There's some controversy after I declared him super awesome last week, because he has a great nickname--Sweetness--from back home, and an official NIL one--SubZero--from his new number. My nephew was calling him Swatristil. Norse history buffs are all like Sweignristil.

But I've got one that's been stewing in my head that I can't let go so I'm going to pass it on and see if it sticks:

Nope.

 

You know...like: Nope!

Like any time you see the guy, you look at him and the word that comes to mind: Nope!

Got any problems playing receiver? Starting behind Giles Jackson? Switching to cornerback? Playing outside cornerback? Playing outside linebacker in a 5-2? Nope.

Unfortunately Nope didn't have a perfect score in this game, but that was because I pinned the big late bust on him.

 

My guess is he was supposed to get deep into a two-shell when these guys swapped, but I suspect that's wrong because he's Nope and Will Johnson's a true freshman, and Junior Colson might as well be. This is why I tell people don't take UFR scores as gospel.

But it might have been Colson?

It might have been Colson covering grass like the announcer said. I gave them both -2s for it pending a way to know for sure. I think it's better news that we got this far without mentioning the linebackers. It's also weird, given everything to date. But they weren't bad!

This game their job was less about seeking the ball and more just flinging themselves into linemen. They're not very big so it wasn't awesome, but against MSU's interior OL this strategy worked well enough.

I'm a little wary of declaring victory here because a lot of the positives for Colson were sorta freebies from the playcall or MSU busting and Colson converting that to a big loss. Also MSU decided the middle of the field was lava and wouldn't let their QB throw near it.

Barrett I thought had a really good game, as MSU played to his strengths as more of a hybrid LB who covers tight ends. The DL loses Thorne on this one but before that MSU wanted to get TE#9 on the left open on a wheel route. Barrett climbed right on top of that route and Thorne had to come up with something else.

Even if Michigan didn't have this counter run on 4th & 1 dead to rights Barrett showed once again he is a master of sneaking into the backfield, Khaleke Hudson-style.

#23 the LB in the middle who goes down to the edge with motion

Barrett dropped an interception that would have ended the one TD drive before the pass to Coleman but I felt that wasn't really a big deal. He was defending a screen and the ball was thrown way over the target's head, so Barrett has to convert from tackle mode to catching it and just can't finish the play. Again: got his +1, not penalizing him for missing a +3 opportunity. That's how close Michigan came to a shutout, though. Barrett's slowly progressing as an inside linebacker. Had circumstances been different he never would have gotten the opportunity to get this much WLB practice, but now that he has it's having an effect.

Did you say MSU wasn't attacking the linebackers?

Or couldn't get to them. Michigan State's base rushing attack, as little as they got to use it in a game where they got just 52 snaps, was lead stretch after rolling a tight end across the formation. This worked for them last year when Kenneth Walker was bouncing out of TFLs, but Jalen Berger and Elijah Collins are just big dudes who would pick an angle outside and run at it.

This would blither along the line of scrimmage, usually with a defensive tackle in front of one blocker trying to get around him and another blocker stuck behind that guy. Then it hit something on the edge.

This one didn't end up needing the safety but it's a good example of the way it felt whenever MSU ran. Watch Makari Paige, the safety at the top.

So that's my theory: MSU was running lead stretches and split zone, and Michigan's front was charged with bottling up their blockers until someone made contact with a ballcarrier or a safety arrived.

That doesn't necessarily mean the linebackers are not going to be involved, but the thing about stretch versus power running or even inside zone is that you don't get to release onto linebackers until you've dealt with the tackles, so you're pretty much at the mercy of the guys up front until they let you go.

And you know about the guys up front.

They're great.

Caveats for an MSU interior OL that only Pro Football Focus could love, but Smith and Jenkins dominated once again. In the above clip you can see Jenkins (the lower DT) making a major nuisance of himself against his double-team. Smith's work is representative of the whole night. He stands up a double-team, doesn't let them get around him or get downfield unless they're willing to release behind him, then sheds, flows, and makes the tackle. Chef's kiss.

Smith and Jenkins played havoc with MSU's stretch game. Jenkins was consistently getting playside of his blocker and standing him up all the way to the edge, while Smith knew he had guys trailing to prevent a cutback and only needed to focus on staying attached to his double.

Jenkins is #94 on the top hash below, Smith is #58 one below him

I wonder if they thought that was a victory. Smith was also the main guy on that first 4th and 1 stuff.

#58 on the hash mark

Yes, Jenkins below him also got through and shed his guard to make the tackle. How can you not love them both when every clip of one has the other doing something awesome?

Nowhere did these two shine brighter than the four line stand at the end of MSU's annual ref drive. Second down caught Mazi Smith swimming through a double on a play that might have broken into the endzone because Jenkins got washed out by his double.

#58 on the hash

Jenkins got him back on 3rd down, another stretch play that he blew up almost single-handedly.

#94 the DT above the hash. Smith is the NT on it.

Once again however if you're watching Mazi you see he's got himself playside of a double-team and the linebacker he's protecting, Junior Colson, is able to wriggle into the backfield to be relevant.

Finally here's the 4th & 1 stop where Jenkins (2nd from the bottom) is exploding through the backfield to cause all kinds of carnage. Mazi Smith (3rd from the bottom) got blown down and didn't get a + for this play, but he did occupy two blockers when Michigan State doesn't have nearly enough to go around so maybe he should have?

Also if you go back through those you can find Mason Graham winning blocks that didn't end up mattering so he only got half points if any. Fortunately for our collective sanity he finally did something to prove he's a true freshman, maybe. That is, he went for the sack here and gave up contain:

Silly freshman.

The other freshman DT getting more run in this one was the Signing Day flip, Rayshaun Benny. Unfortunately for my theory that Michigan plays the hometown boys, Benny was a perfect foil for the team he must be thanking the stars he didn't join. Graham's in this one too of course, but Benny is fun to watch because of the way his feet keep him in a zone battle that you think his upper body might be losing.

#26 is Benny, #55 below him is Graham

Benny also showed his upside as a rusher by nearly getting to the QB on the big bust. He also tried to get one of those Mazi Smith blocks where he hops to the playside of the double that's trying to scoop him, but that's an art that Benny has yet to master, since getting too far upfield on that just gets you sealed.

#26 the nose

I don't think Benny is ready to be an every down tackle like Graham could be if called upon, but they're going to be a great pair to follow the elders.

So that's it?

What more do you want out of 52 plays?

I thought this is Michigan-Michigan State. It's their Super Bowl. The game you could have the worst secondary in America and have only one other win all year against Northwestern and they'll give you $9.5 million a year until you're too old for LSU to want you anymore if you win it. Where's the July Drive? Where's the double reverse pass to the quarterback they saved just for us?

Nobody can prepare all the things you're remembering. Mark Dantonio, who was evidently a much better football coach, would prepare, at most, a drive and a trick play. That drive would still be based on the same principles as their normal stuff, and package things together that messed with what they determined were Michigan's responses. His 2016 drive was the apex achievement of this kind but that was three plays and a bunch of motion mixed together.

That's not too different from the scripted drive that Tucker's crew prepared. After a split duo to *set the tone* they broke out this reverse play that caught both Jaylen Harrell and Michael Barrett over-pursuing what looked like a stretch in the direction the tight end just motioned.

That stretch was MSU's base play the rest of the game, and Michigan duly kept a guy back there to not get edged again like this. The next thing they did was line up Reed in the backfield like a running back, flex the TE in the slot, and run a bubble screen/stretch RPO to get Reed behind that tight end and stress the backside of stretch again.

This was supposed to set up the play I Neck Sharpied yesterday but got delayed by a personal foul by the left tackle that the broadcast didn't replay.

Next drive, MSU has the new thing just for us: a power run from the JT Barrett days except the RB is set up to the playside and gets a pitch instead of crossing the QB on a mesh. The idea is to bring in the TE in to crumple an unsuspecting edge then run the pitch option into the resulting hole with all the blockers coming around from the backside.

This got wrecked because Michigan slanted into it, Morris figured out what was supposed to be happening, and stopped both of those backside pullers from ever getting to the point of attack. As I wrote yesterday, if power was the base thing that MSU did they might have prepared an answer, but they were interlopers in our world and had no idea what to do with a simple slant and corresponding "Liz" rotation.

I also think Michigan State was tipping when they wanted to run power. There were a couple of instances later in the game when I thought Michigan's linebackers weirdly hopped around at the start of a play that made me wonder if they thought they saw a tell. Jaylen Harrell (#32 bottom of the line)'s quick response isn't out of character for him, nor necessary because Michigan had this RPS'd to death, but I kinda wonder if he saw the LG's right foot is oddly far back?

Twice more Michigan got a total knockout off the snap. One was an MSU bust where three guys went for Mazi Smith and Jenkins and Colson got a free trip to the back. The other was [giggle] the most crucial down of the game. Once again, Tucker's big idea is counter action from the back. I really don't know why he thought that was a Michigan key because "Read Your Guard" is a program mantra going back to at least when Gary Moeller was the DC. Here the running back gives a sign that he's going right. Junior Colson (LB directly up the hash mark) reads that the guard just doubled Mazi Smith and plays off of that.

Not that he needs to because Michigan has this beat with both safeties concentrated on this backside gap, Jenkins clearing that gap of blockers by flying past the TE meant to keep him out of it, and Michael Barrett sneaking down to the frontside edge and into the backfield before anyone can stop him.

It's weird to me that Tucker thought Michigan would overreact to Reed's cross and the back's step, because you only call this if you think it's going to get a back walking into the endzone. Maybe the OC is just way out of his depth when it comes to understanding how the other team's being coached.

The other big thing MSU prepared for this game, however, was actually an impressive choice: Tempo on weird downs. Michigan's tempo issues were a part of last year's game so you knew they would pop up again, and sure enough they were part of the story. The touchdown was a tempo on 2nd and 4. The hitch to Coleman when he tossed Turner away from himself was tempo on 3rd and 9. They did it again with the 3rd and 6 that Rod Moore batted down.

That's...actually a brilliant thing to put your extra preparation into. I was only half joking all year that they're the best 4th and 6 team I've ever seen. Because of the tone of things lately in the rivalry I know you're looking for some way this is faint praise but I assure you it's not. Charlie Weiss and James Franklin are bad poker players; Mel Tucker (or his coordinator, since Mel is a defensive secondary guy by trade) may be your example of a good one, because he knows when to play the odds, and when to turn up the RNG. I think back to Penn State always going tempo after a big conversion, which 100 other coaches do. Who goes tempo on 3rd and 8 though? And which down would it make a bigger impact? Maybe the OC should be a poker player instead.

Did you hear the Sparties are Sparting about the officiating?

If you live somewhere other than Michigan or inside the greater Ann Arbor safe zone you probably don't know what I'm talking about and can skip to the What Does It Mean section. Or you can just empathize with how the Sparts are almost as thick in the air around here as talk of fentanyl candy. My guess is they are reacting to the reactions of the MSU sideline trying to overreact every play into a PI, late hit, or other on Michigan. Solari reported that two assistants were jawing at the refs just before Green and McBurrows were jumped:

A handful of Spartans passed the door headed toward their locker room. Then came the referees, who turned the corner and walked past us with an MSU team support staff member following them into the hallway, trying to get their attention to something that happened on the field. One of the refs told him they would “take a look at that” as another MSU staff member yelled down the hallway calling the refs “a bunch of bitches.”

Dollar says they thought they missed a targeting on this play, because there were some hopping mad assistants punching their heads after this hit that wasn't in any way any kind of targeting.

Every sideline tries to gin up calls that didn't happen but not even margins-playing Scott Frost takes it this far. It takes a lot of conditioning to Spart this hard.

That's not to say MSU didn't get a call against them. Mel Tucker was chucking F-bombs on the first turnover on downs, and he might have had a spiritual case, not for the 4th and 1 he was mad about them reviewing, but the play before it, where it looks like the RB got the line to gain.

This was the best frame--and I reviewed them all--that I could find, and you can't see Collins at all except a knee that might be down under the belly of the OL and a ball that is about at Michael Barrett's head just inside the line to gain. If his knee's not down here it's a 1st down, and they got the spot wrong. I believe they did.

The next play was very clearly short and the review changed it; if your complaint is "They shouldn't have gotten it right" that's always a bad take. If your complaint is they shouldn't have gotten it right because they might have gotten the one before it wrong, remember who got you that contract in the first place.

The other "controversial" call that wasn't just the world's most magical thinking program going Spart was flagging Baker for a personal foul. That was a) a pretty clear personal foul, and b) obviously a reaction to Moore battling for an interception long after the play was over. I am 100% for this call. There's 4 minutes left in a 22-point game, and many times in this rivalry's history things have gotten out of hand after the officials let some of MSU's usual goonishness fly. It's also after the play was over, and doesn't get tacked on to the next down's distance, so we're talking about a 0.27 expected points difference between 1st & 10 at the 31 instead of the 16. Stop Sparting about it.

For the record, the rest of the material (e.g. not this false start or hands to the face because they didn't matter) ref events in this game were a TE ripping down Morris, Coleman's OPIs, and a good pass rush by Okie undone by a facemask. Put against what we usually get, we'll take it. The only reason we're talking about it is because the Michigan State program and fanbase live in a state of perpetual aggrievement that is empirically nonsensical, and we live in the state where these people can't stop Sparting in public.

What does it mean for Rutgers and beyond?

Rod Moore for Heisman! This is false because it should go to the guy wearing #2 for Michigan with the quarterback from Tennessee in 2nd place, but I can make a case that the season up until now was prelude. It's a flimsy case but Stardom Path Episode 2.0 is in the books.

Defensive Tackles for Heisman! Again, they're at best #2 to #2, but if you start to tally up the combined effect of Smith and Jenkins you start to get to the kind of output Hutchinson was creating.

Defensive Ends to the Backfield! Any hopes the Indiana game meant Taylor Upshaw moved the Taylor Upshaw line are dashed. MSU spent a lot of guys on protection, this wasn't a game to go hell for leather at the quarterback anyway, and the next three aren't either, but at this point I think the plan to get to Stroud is full Okie or bust.

Except you, Mike Morris, you're cool. So cool. This dude's going in the draft.

Linebackers to the Positive! I sort of believe Barrett has rounded a round corner; Colson is still tracking where he has all year.

2020 is Over! Or is it? Yeah well you think that and then you lose DJ Turner and Gemon Green to the NFL next year and Keon Coleman probably isn't transferring to LSU so keep taking your Ricky White vaccines. I don't think Green's regressed; I do think Johnson can play. We'll find out next Sa... [Alex turns in the Rutgers FFFF notes]...turday at the Big House against Nebraska.

Sparties Gonna Spart. More importantly for us, Tucker seems to be way worse than his predecessor at guessing what's going to mess with Michigan, and they're stuck with him for another 9 years. One of the readers pointed out in the Neck Sharpies comments that they were worried about Harbaugh's plan to overload the OL with stuff that's very complicated, but their ultimate success has paid off in the OL's ability to run their power concepts like a Beilein offense. The simplicity of MSU's run game, and the way it can be blown up by Morris-level reactions, is more fuel for the gratitude fire.