Upon Further Review: Offense vs Miami Comment Count

Brian
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M23 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Pass Bubble Screen Odoms 50
This is the first in a series of completely terrible play by Miami on the edge: the outside linebacker to Odoms' side crashes in on the zone read fake, leaving one guy and a safety out on the edge. Hemingway's block is pretty awful but just good enough when combined with the enormous vacancy left by the OLB; Odoms has enough speed to kill the safety's angle; he then breaks a corner's tackle and stiffarms the other safety for a total of twenty extra yards. Great YAC from Odoms. (CA, 3, protection N/A, screen)
O27 1 10 Shotgun Trips Nickel Run Zone read counter McGuffie 5
Counter action on the zone read with Ortmann pulling around; the double from Molk and Moosman on the DT gets him to cede ground and there's a nice hole. I actually think the ideal for this play is for McGuffie to bounce it outside given the vectors of Odoms and Hemingway, who are clearly boxing out in case McGuffie heads for the corner, but the Miami DE has fought outside of Schilling and kept contain. This provides McGuffie the hole up themiddl , but the attempted fence the outside has allowed the LB lined up over the slot to close in and he holds this down to only a reasonable gain.
O22 2 5 I-Form 3-wide Base 4-3 Run FB Dive Moundros 7
This is coupled with the requisite outside pitch fake to McGuffie, which holds the unblocked, blitzing OLB outside. Meanwhile, Molk(+1) has booted his guy right out of the hole—good block—and Schilling manages to control his guy well enough. Moundros(+1) has to cut behind Schilling; he meets an unblocked Miami LB three yards downfield and plows through him for the first.
O15 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Run QB sweep Threet 5
Well, jeez. This kind of works. The good: Molk manages to get his face across the playside DT, falls, and his legs kind of trip the guy as he's attempting to get to Threet. Not the most inspiring block but it works. The bad: Carson Butler just kind of shoves the weakside DE and moves downfield. This could maybe be the play design and it's just kind of bad, but given Butler's history I kind of doubt it. The guy Butler whiffs on is the eventual tackler; without that Threet looks like he has something near a first down.
O10 2 5 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Run Zone read keeper Threet
A zone read wet dream here with the OLB over the slot heading out to cover the potential bubble screen and the backside defensive end selling out like whoah on the RB. Threet pulls the ball out and there's acres of open space, touchdown. VIVA LA REVOLUCION.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 7-0, 11 min 1st Q. That was fun. I bet we'll do that like eight more times.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
O35 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 5
Think this is a wrong cut as McGuffie(-1) could have gotten outside here and run for ages; as it is the backside DE is now more wary of a Threet keeper and this keeps him outside long enough for McGuffie to head up in the crease between him and Schilling for a decent gain. Good block from Schilling(+1)
O30 2 5 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 0
Our scissors, their rock as they blitz the corner to the side of the zone read. He gets inside of Stonum and fouls what otherwise was a well-blocked play, Maybe a minor ding to McAvoy for letting his guy come from underneath him and help out on the TFL, but if Stonum runs a fly and the corner goes with him this is a major gainer. High risk from Miami. Well, moderate risk given what we'll see from Threet in this game.
O30 3 5 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Pass Rollout stop Hemingway Inc
Okay, McGuffie's blocking here is problematic: he makes contact with the guy to the outside but doesn't have the bulk to slow him much. He's bowled over and the pressure might make Threet throw this route, open for the first down, in the dirt. (IN, 1, protection 1/2, McGuffie -1)
Drive Notes: FG(47), 10-0, 9 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M19 1 10 I-Form 3-wide Base 4-3 Pass Waggle Moundros Inc
The crappy thing is this: this would have worked as one of those counter-stretch plays we ran against Oregon and other teams last year, as both Miami LBs sold out to the stretch side and Moundros shot backside. After a brief—too brief—attempt at blocking the backside DE Moundros heads out into a pattern, which is covered by the weakside LB. Threet tries it anyway, under duress, and the ball falls incomplete. Odoms was wide open; Stonum was pretty open, too. (BR, 0, protection 0/1, -1 Moundros)
M19 2 10 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read keeper Threet 9
Again no respect shown Threet on the keeper and he makes them pay... sort of. He's got a ton of open space as both LBs and the backside DE freak out and head for the RB, but instead of cutting back to the open space he heads upfield into a linebacker. Okay, he does juke(!!!) the linebacker and falls forward for nine yards; he could have had significantly more. Pat White turns this into at least 20 and maybe way more.
M28 3 1 I-Form Twins Base 4-3 Run Iso Grady 2
Moundros obliterates the Miami linebacker, but Ortmann(-1) can't get enough push to kick the DE out of the hole and Grady runs into the pair. He does manage to fall forward, picking up the first.
M30 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch Shaw 30
Great, great block by Molk(+2) on the playside DT, getting his helmet across and stalemating him. When the center can do that by himself it's really hard to stop a stretch play. The guards get free releases to the second level and both of them kick their linebackers out of the hole created by Molk and Ortmann; Shaw has a monster hole to shoot up into. He makes a good, quick bounce cut around the traffic... I just wish he didn't slow up as he decided which side of Butler's block to go to.
O40 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Run Triple option dive Shaw 15
Line slants to the left as if it's a stretch play, suckering in one Miami LB and erasing the DL. OLB nominally on Odoms and the backside DE have contain responsibility, so when Threet hands off to Shaw up the middle he's dealing with a crashing safety and no one else. Shaw(+1) sets up the safety, then runs through his diving tackle. The free safety eventually brings him down.
O25 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Pass Zone read bubble Odoms 1
The eternal mystery to me: is this a read? More later. The beginning of this play is obscured by a picture of Rodriguez; when we return Miami has again lost contain on Threet on the zone read, only this time Threet pulls up and throws the bubble screen as he nears the LOS. Unfortunately, a Miami safety read it all the way—whoah—and tackles near the LOS. If this is a read Threet should know to keep the ball here, because he's got the same situation he gained nine on earlier this drive. (CA, 3, protection N/A, screen)
O24 2 9 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Pass Flag Odoms Inc
Odoms is wide, wide open for what should be somewhere between first and goal from the five and a touchdown; Threet throws it so high Tacopants is like WTF. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
O24 3 9 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Pass Post Butler Inc
There's a window here for this; Threet wings it way high again. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Missed FG(41), 10-0, 4 min 1st Q. I know crap about throwing mechanics but it looks like Threet isn't stepping into his throws and that's causing them to sail. Other than that, a great drive from Rodriguez with guys wide open all over the field and multiple easy shots at the endzone.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M14 1 10 Shotgun Trips Nickel Run Zone read keeper Threet 12
This one's actually a small variant on the usual here with the defensive end getting blocked by Schilling; Threet is clearly looking downfield at the linebacker to the playside of the field, reading him. He comes charging up into the hole, looking to pop Shaw, so he keeps it, heading outside for good yardage. He even kind of jukes a safety. Sort of.
M26 1 10 Shotgun Trips Nickel Pass Bubble Screen Odoms 6
ESPN late to this play so it's a little hard to tell what's going on. Butler gets a decent block on his guy, driving him downfield a bit, but can't get the bonus of sealing him inside; also if this got flagged for holding I wouldn't complain. The attempted block on the linebacker flying out to the ball, however, is not made and Odoms cuts it up for decent yardage. (CA, 3, screen)
M32 2 4 Shotgun 4-wide Nickel Run Zone read stretch McGuffie -7
Complete whiff by McAvoy(-2) gets a linebacker in virtually unblocked; McGuffie has no chance.
M25 3 11 Shotgun 4-wide 3-3-5 Nickel Pass Flare screen McGuffie -11
Yakety Sax as the ball flies backwards out of Threet's hand; he recovers and tries to get back to the LOS.  Charted as a BA for Threet.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 12 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M20 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Pass Bubble Screen Clemons -2
Hemingway completely whiffs a block on the outside receiver and Clemons gets crushed. (CA, 3, screen)
M18 2 12 Shotgun 4-wide Nickel Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 19
Another excellent block from Molk(+2) seals the playside DT and allows McAvoy a free release to the second level. He crushes the Miami LB(+1) and Moosman(+1) cuts the other guy to the ground; McGuffie has a major hole he shoots up into.
M37 1 10 Shotgun Trips Nickel Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 0
I believe Threet misses his read on this play, as both linebackerse crash to the stretch and the DE also crashes down. Threet keeps the ball, McGuffie cuts back into the unblocked backside DE, and Threet claps his hands, disgusted at himself. McGuffie probably should have tried to shoot up through a gap towards the frontside—play was blocked decently—but if he expects that DE to be farther outside I can understand the cut.
M37 2 10 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Pass Flare screen Shaw 3
I don't think this pass is located right, as it would make more sense to throw it in front of Shaw so he's a little nearer the LOS when he catches it and is already moving forward. I think it's the difference between Shaw shooting between a gap in the defense caused by the offensive linemen moving downfield what actually happens, which is the linebacker Moosman(-1) tries but fails to cut getting off the block and making the tackle a few yards downfield. (CA-, 3, screen).
M40 3 7 Shotgun Empty Pass Dig Clemons Inc
A rare straight dropback and I think Threet finds an open Clemons about 12 yards downfield. Unfortunately, the pass is batted. Looked accurate, though it's hard to tell when you only get a few yards of trajectory. (BA, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-0, 9 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M14 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Run Triple option dive Grady 1
Sheridan in. He reads the end keeping contain and makes the correct handoff; Miami has slanted to the stretch side; Grady doesn't have the vision or agility to cut behind Ortmann to exploit the cutback lane opened up by the triple option fake.
M15 2 9 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Pass Flare McGuffie -2
Miami's DE to that side is dropping off as part of a zone blitz and he's in perfect position to read this and kill it, especially because this gets out slowly and doesn't have McGuffie moving upfield. (CA-, 3, screen)
M13 3 11 Shotgun 4-wide 3-3-5 Nickel Run QB Draw Sheridan 9
Sheridan holds the ball out like he's going to hand it off to Grady, oddly, despite this appearing to be a legit QB draw with Grady as a lead blocker. McAvoy's downfield block is weak; this and the general non-Pat-White-ness of the QB keep it from being a first.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-3, 2 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M31 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Run Reverse Odoms 1
With Miami's DE crashing inside there's only an OLB between this and a big gainer; Threet should be in position to get a block but instead slows up, thinking he might take the DE with no shot at the play. Meanwhile, Hemingway sees the situation, thinks it's handled, and looks for someone to block downfield.
M32 2 9 Shotgun Trips Nickel Run Read counter McGuffie -2
Not zone blocked here, with Michgian pulling Schilling and Butler around Moosman. Unfortunately, a blitizng linebacker splits the pair and is right in on McGuffie before he can get going.
M30 3 11 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Pass Fly Hemingway Inc
Wide, wide open; completely overthrown. Maybe a DE diving at Threet's feet had something to do with it, but not IMO. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-3, 13 min 3rd Q. All three of these plays could or should have worked but for execution errors, two by Threet, one by either Schilling or Butler. Rodriguez must want to murder people sometimes.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M29 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Pass Bubble Screen Clemons 5
This looks horrible, with Clemons actually coming to a full stop instead of running the full route, and it allows the OLB and safety to come up and meet him a couple yards downfield. Clemons still powers forward for five. (CA, 3, screen)
M34 2 5 Shotgun 3-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 8
Well blocked as McAvoy(+1) kicks out a blizing linebacker and Molk again gets playside of a defensive end he doesn't have position on. Schilling had some issues with his guy, though; he reaches out an arm and impedes McGuffie's progress; McGuffie breaks free for a few more yards. Ortmann is injured on this play.
M42 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Run Triple option pitch McGuffie 2
Well played by Miami as the MLB doesn't buy the belly fake and shoots out to contain Threet, allowing the OLB to focus on the pitchman. Threet makes the pitch and it looks like McGuffie is doomed to a major TFL. HOWEVA, McGuffie makes an impressive cut up through the two linebackers and reaches the LOS before coming in contact with a safety.
M44 2 8 Shotgun Trips Base 4-3 Run Speed option pitch McGuffie -1
Looks like this will break big until Carson Butler(-2) completely whiffs his block. I mean... jesus, this is terrible. Nowicki(-1) whiffs his guy, too, forcing a slightly early pitch.
M43 3 9 Shotgun Trips Nickel Pass Fly Stonum Inc
Well overthrown as per usual. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-6, 4 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M22 1 10 Ace Twins Unbalanced Base 4-3 Run Pitch sweep McGuffie 25
Sheridan in. Butler covered up by a receiver so he can't go downfield. We shuffle a fullback. We run that way. I would ask if Debord had konked Calvin Magee on the head and taken over playcalling duties but this is an outside pitch we never saw in his day. Or, at least, never saw go for more than three yards because the pitch guy was always Kevin Grady. Anyway: playside Miami DE shoots inside Schilling, removing himself from the play no problem. Hemingway and Butler double the SAM, Moundros(+1) clubs the MLB, and woop off to the races for McGuffie. He smokes a filling safety and gets to the sideline for a good gain.
M47 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 1
Butler still covered up, this time to the backside of the play. Molk's getting pretty good at getting playside of these DTs and not getting his ass blasted into the backfield, so there's a major crease for McGuffie to exploit... except Moosman(-1) totally whiffed on his linebacker. He tackles.
M46 2 9 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Pass Backside flare Minor Inc
We saw this a couple times in the first game with Shaw—the opening touchdown, for example. This time Sheridan gets pressured by the backside DE and throws it low; Minor can't dig it out. If accurate this is another 10+ yard play. (IN, 1, protection N/A)
M46 3 9 Shotgun Trips 3-3-5 Nickel Pass Out McGuffie 7
It's open but there's no way it'll get the first down. Butler was breaking open on a wheel on the other side of the field, but given Sheridan's tendencies... well, this is okay, I guess. (CA, 3, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-6, 1 min 3rd Q. I cannot believe how unbelievably moronic these announcers are. You f-ing punt. What would Lloyd do? Do that.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M13 1 10 I-Form Twins Base 4-3 Run Inside zone McGuffie 12
Still Sheridan. Eight man front, and they run it up the gut looking for openings, shooting Moundros to the backside. Both Molk(-1) and Schilling(-1) let their guys to the inside, so McGuffie cuts back. Moundros(+1) did a good job with the backside DE; McGuffie(+1) makes the OLB miss, gets the corner, and picks up a first down. Late hit adds 15.
M40 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Base 4-3 Pass Bubble Screen Stonum 9
Caught Miami in an OLB blitz, so there's no one within yards of Stonum when he gets this. Iffy but I guess okay blocking from Savoy and a good gain on first down. (CA, 3, screen)
M49 2 1 I-Form Twins Base 4-3 Run Iso Grady 3
Good read by Grady to see the DT spinning to one side of the double team and opt to cut the other way behind the block. Then it's a mess of bodies, but also a first down. Good thumping block by Moundros here.
O48 1 10 I-Form Twins Base 4-3 Run Pitch sweep McGuffie 5
Credit where due: Carson Butler(+1) with an excellent block on the OLB, pushing him back and eventually to the ground, opening up the corner. Unfortunately, Stonum(-1) didn't seal his guy and he tackles after a moderate gain.
O43 2 5 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read keeper Sherdian 1
Middle linebacker is sitting on this, waiting, and Sheridan pulls it out because the DE crashes down. He looks for a moment like he'll throw the bubble screen—and probably should—but instead takes it up for a minimal gain.
O42 3 4 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Pass Flare screen McGuffie 27
Screen all the way but Sheridan does a good job of looking like he's surveying the field, which hold the linebacker for a fatal second. As he comes to McGuffie, Odoms slips out and is in position to cut him; Nowicki gets out and slices down the MLB, though I don't know if he had much of a shot at making a play. McGuffie then evades a safety who's coming up too hard and breaks into the secondary. Probably a touchdown if a Miami corner doesn't slow him with a shoestring grab. (CA, 3, screen)
O25 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch Minor 25
I've given Minor a lot of stick here, but this is an excellent run featuring something not often seen this year: a broken tackle. Good seal by Molk(+1); Nowicki does just meh, losing contact with his guy but to the outside; said guy dives at Minor's feeed but by hopping out he's provided a lane to cut into; Minor cuts it up, runs through the MLB's tackle, and vaults into the endzone.
Drive Notes: Touchdown(XP blocked), 16-6, 8 min 4th Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Play Player Yards
M49 1 10 Shotgun 2-TE Base 4-3 Run Zone read dive McGuffie 0
Crappy blocks from Schilling(-1) and Nowicki, but everyone contributes. Mostly whatever, run run run punt, guys.
M49 2 10 I-Form Twins Base 4-4 Run Pitch sweep McGuffie 1
They should probably get another play from the I.
50 3 9 Shotgun 4-wide Base 4-3 Run Zone read stretch McGuffie 0
Actually well blocked save for McAvoy's poor job on the LB, who smacks McGuffie at the LOS.
Drive Notes: Punt, 16-6, 2 min 4th Q. This was a place for Lloydball. The last drive is kneeling and is not charted.

Dude, Tacopants is going to catch 400 balls this year.

No, because even he’s watching these sail over his head, and he can be whatever height he wants to be because he is made of dreams and snails and puppy dog tails.

But seriously, folks, this may have been the worst quarterbacked game in the modern era(defined as Moeller forward) of Michigan football. Let’s go to the…

Charts?

Charts.

If you saw above, there’s a small change in the grading system made mostly for my own benefit: instead of “protection N/A” I’m scribbling “screen” down so I can distinguish between balls actually thrown downfield and, well, screens.

These are your quarterbacks so far:

STEVEN THREET

Opponent DO CA IN BR TA BA PR
Utah 1 11 5 1 3 2 1
Miami - 6 4 1 - 2 -

NICK SHERIDAN

QB DO CA IN BR TA BA PR
Utah 1 11 4 5 - - 1
Miami - 4 1 - - - -

And these are your results when they were suffered to throw it past the line of scrimmage:

QB DO CA IN BR TA BA PR
Threet - - 4 - - - -
Sheridan - 1 1 - - - -

Six total attempts, five of them uncatchable or nearly so. The other was a seven-yard stop to McGuffie on third and eleven. Michigan got literally nothing positive out of passes that crossed the LOS.

One not-insignificant point to make in Threet’s favor: he smoked Miami on the zone read multiple times, scoring a touchdown and running for a couple other first downs. Just Miami etc etc but an encouraging sign. He also found those open receivers he hilariously overthrew. He had a great game mentally. Now if he could only throw passes at people.

So, the Protection Metric is almost irrelevant but here it is: 11/13, Moundros –1, McGuffie –1. Small sample size against a poor team, maybe, but I’ll take it.

The receiver metric is boring and not worth discussing:

This Game Totals
Player 0 1 2 3 0 1 2 3
Clemons 1 - - 2/2 2 - - 2/2
Stonum - - - 1/1 3 0/2 - 2/2
Mathews - - - - 3 1/1 - 3/4
Hemingway 1 0/1 - - 1 0/1 2/2 -
Odoms 1 - - 3/3 1 - 1/1 7/7
Massey - - - - - - - -
Butler 1 - - - 1 1/1 - 1/1
Webb - - - - - - - -
McGuffie - - - 3/3 2 - - 5/5
Shaw - -   1/1 - - - 3/3
Minor - 0/1 - 1/1 1 0/1 - 1/1
Moundros 2 - - - 2 - - -

Everything caught was a screen except the one McGuffie thing.

Anything positive?

Well, yeah, actually. I know it was just Miami (Not That Miami) but it seemed like Michigan was one block away from gashing the Redhawks on half of their crappy plays. I really like the design of the offense. It has six or eight core plays that all play off each other; it places opponents in space—even the defensive linemen—and turns a missed read or missed tackle into a big chunk of yards.

It’s not so much the change to the run game, because honestly the zone stretch plays Michigan is running are so similar to the ones Debord ran it’s freaky, but that the misdirection threats are much better conceived and used more frequently. Last year Michigan’s big “gotcha” when opponents sold out on the zone stretch was a waggle that occasionally worked for a first down or something but was also a tough pass made on the run with a defender in the face of the quarterback that got the ball in the hands of a tight end.

Woopty do. Yeah, it was great in 1997. Things change.

Under Rodriguez, Michigan either has a quarterback just take off—easy to do if you’re a fast guy and even functional if you’re Threet, apparently—or throws a bubble screen to a guy like Odoms and hopes he gets a block. The results so far are ugly but that’s because Michigan is failing to execute really simple things like “get in the way of this linebacker.”

Any players improve significantly?

I thought David Molk was great a week after being hurled back into the ballcarrier more than once. Against Miami he consistently got across the face of the defensive tackle lined up to the playside, allowing the guard a free release into the second level where he would either whack a linebacker and someone would run for 20 yards or whiff that linebacker and Michigan would get zero.

And it does make some sense that Molk would be good in this role. Michigan switched to a zone run game two years ago and immediately saw their offensive line recruiting implode—events probably not related. Molk was the only non-MAC prospect Michigan picked up that year, a guy ND ignored because of his size but also someone pretty well regarded by the recruiting gurus; you could see him as the first of the new generation of light, nimble Michigan offensive linemen.

The lingering fear is that this is more a function of the opponent than any great leap forward. In retrospect, against Utah Molk was getting the same excellent position on his man but after he got that position the DT picked him up and dropped him in the RB’s lap. He’s undersized and a redshirt freshman; he could end up physically overmatched by opponents outside of the MAC. We’ll see.

Others who looked better: McGuffie and Shaw were both impressive when given some blocking; all the WRs basically get incompletes.

And this Nowicki kid?

Yikes. Per his rep he was pretty ponderous; a lot of his playing time consisted of lunging at guys and missing. There were a couple good blocks in there, but this does not appear like it will be a sepia-toned Gameday profile anytime soon.

Heroes?

McGuffie, Shaw, Molk, Steven Threet’s legs.

Goats?

Steven Threet’s arm, Angry Michigan Offensive Line Hating God, the crappy blocking of various receivers and tight ends.

What does it mean for Notre Dame?

I’m not sure how the blitz-happy Tenuta defense is going to match up against the Rodriguez offense, especially because ND runs a 3-4 and I don’t have much experience charting the zone stretch against a 3-4. I think the Molk-Ian Williams matchup will be crucial, and the results of the Gator Bowl…

…are encouraging, but Pat White isn’t walking through that door.

This will be a battle between whiffed blocks and whiffed tackles, IMO. Notre Dame was kind of meh against a zippy short passing attack and dodgy against the run game at times, and as we all know, San Diego State lost to D-III Wisconsin-Stevens Point’s women’s hockey team.

Comments

msoccer10

September 11th, 2008 at 1:28 PM ^

great work Brian. I didn't think we completed many passes downfield, but just one? Now I really start to question why we red-shirted Feagin. Is his decision making that bad, because he sure as hell should be able to throw the ball 10 yards.

formerlyanonymous

September 11th, 2008 at 1:42 PM ^

RR says he isn't ready to run the offense.  That means he either 1) can't make the reads 2) isn't strong enough 3) isn't talented enough or 4) something extremely weird.  We have 2 QBs that aren't doing that terribly and Feagin apparently has no ability to beat them out.  I'm fairly certain either of our QBs can make a 10 yard pass.  I'm pretty sure I've seen them do it just as many times in the Utah game as I've seen Feagin complete passes against inferior Florida high schools in videos on youtube.

msoccer10

September 11th, 2008 at 3:16 PM ^

and maybe Feagin couldn't run the offense because he is clueless, but I am frustrated with the fact that we don't seem to be able to throw down field at all right now. We are able to get some big holes for a qb to run through. If Threet can get all those yards he did, someone with some legs should be able to get even more. Maybe we need Threet or Sheridan to have the "threat" of a downfield pass. I'm just saying, that if we truly have no one who can pass downfield, and no one has been able to so far (other than one Threet's td in the Utah game), then it seems like we should try Brown or Feagin, just for shits and giggles. (I know, Brown has been hurt and may get his chance at some point). Of course, if they try this and it ends with yakety sax, I will disavow this statement completely.

formerlyanonymous

September 11th, 2008 at 1:38 PM ^

a couple too many Pat White references.  I realize we may one day have someone that talented to run in the QB position, but we don't currently.  If we are just being hopeful of the the future, I'd rather it not be Pat White anyways.  Why not someone who can actually, like, throw too?

Sommy

September 11th, 2008 at 1:47 PM ^

"No, because even he’s watching these sail over his head, and he can be
whatever height he wants to be because he is made of dreams and snails
and puppy dog tails
."

Beautiful Ed Wood reference there, Brian.

caup

September 11th, 2008 at 1:59 PM ^

The M roster lists Molk as 6-2, 282#.  I will insist that unless the roster is horribly wrong, he is not "undersized."  There are 282-lb centers currently playing in the NFL.

Pro-Bowl center Jeff Saturday is listed at 6-2, 295.  The Broncos starting center is 6-2, 285. The Bears' Olin Kreutz is 6-2, 292. You get the point.

Yostal

September 11th, 2008 at 2:02 PM ^

Brian, I know the UFRs don't focus on special teams particularly, but any comment on the missed field goal and blocked extra point attempt by Lopata, essentially, is there reason to be wary?

kgh10

September 11th, 2008 at 10:51 PM ^

The extra point was a bobbled snap. I'm surprised he got his foot on it at all. Not his fault on that one. On the missed field goal, most kickers are bound to miss a relatively easy field goal every once and a while. Luckily it didn't effect the win/loss outcome of the game.

mjv

September 11th, 2008 at 2:19 PM ^

I hadn't used the pop-up videos previously because I assumed the links went to You Tube or the like and I didn't want to deal with it.  But the in page pop-ups are great.  The ability to immediately see what you are referencing makes an already fantastic service (UFR) MUCH better. 

My perception at the games has been that with Threet in, the vast majority of the throws are down field, where Sheridan's are mostly flares and screens.  And when Threet does throw a screen (excluding the Odom first play), there isn't a great deal of success.  This leads me to two questions. 

1 - are there less screen / flames with Threet in?

2 - Is there something fundamental with Threet and Sheridan that makes Sheridan more effective throwing the flares / screens? Such as Sheridan does a better job leading the receiver.  (Although, he brought McG to a complete stop on his nice gain on a screen to the left in the fourth.)

Charting note: Minor's TD was from the 15, not the 25.

Tim

September 11th, 2008 at 3:19 PM ^

For the record, when Paul made the post on our site about Threet v. Sheridan running the zone-read (with videos of each time either of them ran it), I thought Threet made better decisions, his ball fakes were infinitely better, and his legs were actually more of a threat than the allegedly more fleet feet of Sheridan.

Anonymosity

September 11th, 2008 at 3:24 PM ^

Threet has taken the golf adage "100% of putts left short don't go in" and unsuccessfully applied it to quarterbacking.

If just a couple of those passes connect, we may be looking at a 30 point game...

contra mundum

September 11th, 2008 at 3:45 PM ^

Threet makes better zone reads than Sheridan. If he can start to couple that with an decent passing attack, we can start to scare some folks, and I don't care how slow ST is. He runs as well as many LBs and that is good enough.

To me, Sheridan makes better decisions in the short passing game only.

 I think Threet's high throws can be blamed on two things. 1) a real fear of turning the ball over. 2) A propensity to not step into his throw properly, thereby changing his release point..the nose of the ball gets "up" and the throw sails.

colin

September 11th, 2008 at 4:10 PM ^

I'm pretty sure if you watch Threet you'll see that he doesn't "stay on top of the ball".  Which is to say that right now he isn't throwing over the top of rolling shoulders, but instead dropping his elbow and kind of launching it around shoulder height.  It's a really blatant mechanical error that he falls back on when he isn't set or hurries his throw.  When it's a screen or something that he's got the timing for, the mechanics look pretty okay.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

September 11th, 2008 at 11:59 PM ^

"I just wish he didn't slow up as he decided which side of Butler's block to go to."

Yeah, but honestly Brian, did you ever think a back would even have the opportunity to have that problem to begin with?