Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M14 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Hitch | Odoms | 1 |
Michigan will go with this formation for much of the game: slot receivers on the LOS and the outside ones off the line with Minor in the backfield next to Threet. On the first play, Threet hits Odoms on a hitch for about four yards plus whatever Odoms can get after the catch; Odoms tries to get around the corner over Mathews—also running a hitch—and to the outside but is run down after giving back three yards. Actually a good idea; Mathews took a crappy angle, stepping upfield and allowing the guy right past him. (CA, 3, protection 1/1) |
M15 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read veer | Minor | 20 |
The other formation they used a lot is a formation with the slots off the line nearly stacked over the outside WRs, obviously an attempt to combat the Illinois-style bubble defense employed earlier this year. There's no special trick to this play: it's the same zone read veer they've run a lot so far; the weakside defensive end stumbles and Minor shoots into the secondary. Poor play from the PSU LBs; good blocks by Ortmann (out at tackle again; McAvoy is back at guard) and Molk. Minor(+1) then clocks the safety after 11 yards and runs through a linebacker, picking up another ten. |
M35 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Bubble screen | Mathews | 6 |
Or whatever: Mathews doesn't actually go anywhere; he does have Koger as a lead blocker. Safety fills pretty quickly but still a decent gain. (CA, 3, screen) |
M41 | 2 | 6 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read keeper | Threet | 5 |
Exact same play Minor took for 20 but Threet keeps it this time; the DE crashes down and Threet can meander for a few yards and the first down. |
M46 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Wheel | Koger | 16 |
This is only vaguely a wheel, but the idea is the same, with Koger moving up the sideline as Mathews draws coverage to a short post. Threet's pass is well behind Koger, forcing him to come up short and make a sliding catch. Thrown in stride, this could have gone for 10, 20 more yards. (MA, 2, protection 1/2, team -1). Real late blitz recognition and pickup from the line on this, BTW. |
O38 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Dive | Minor | 3 |
This is not zone blocked, it's gap blocked, with Moosman pulling around Molk and into a hypothetical gap between McAvoy and Molk. This gap doesn't really exist as Molk(-1) lets his guy get to the spot. Minor(+1) does a good job of making two yards after contact. |
O35 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 5 |
Same play we saw Sheridan run a few times last week. Michigan gets a major gap as the playside DT steps upfield, expecting a Minor run that would go to the other side of the line, and gets himself sealed. Unfortunately, McAvoy(-1) completely whiffs on the linebacker; he closes and tackles after just five yards. |
O30 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read keeper | Threet | 1 |
Veer action this time; DE crashes down and Threet keeps it; S Scirotto shoots up, however, chopping Threet down a yard from the sticks. If Threet isn't a gimpy gumpy guy probably a first down. |
O29 | 4 | 1 | I-Form 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Iso | Minor | 1 |
Man press with one deep safety; Minor(+2) gets met two yards in the backfield by two tacklers... and bounces out of it, making the first down by half a length of the ball. On replay it's clear a slant from PSU's D beats McAvoy and Moosman, maybe Molk too, and gets a DL and a blitzing linebacker into Minor. |
O28 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 5 |
Looks like the same playcall from PSU, as the line slants left and there's a linebacker shooting to backside; Michigan runs right at it. The the slant gives easy angles to block the DE and DT; Schilling reads the play correctly and picks up the blitzing OLB; Minor punches the MLB back. Scirroto again charges up, tackling too soon; Threet did slip as he attempted a cut. |
O23 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read veer | Minor | 9 |
Same thing—DL slant plus backside blitz—on this play but the other direction, as Minor is lined up to the other side. Michigan runs the veer at it, which holds the OLB outside just long enough for Minor to shoot through the hole; with the blitz/slant there's no one until the second level. |
O14 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 5 |
Flooding the wide side of the field here with three WRs and Koger; Koger is covered up and can't go downfield. They back off on this snap but still are shooting the DTs right upfield in anticipation of a stretch or something, and sealing themselves right out of the play. The DE isn't handled very well, as he drives into the backfield against two players and delays McAvoy's downfield release but the DT's cooperation has made that moot. Koger(+1) has gotten a great block on the MLB; McAvoy gets an OLB, but Minor peels off because he thinks the OLB is going to get through and ends up blocking no one; the safety comes up to tackle. |
O9 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | 4 |
Same gap-blocked dive from earlier; Moosman(-1) is beaten by his guy to the outside; Minor(+1) runs through his diving tackle attempt and picks up four. |
O5 | 3 | 1 | I-Form twins | Base 4-3 | Run | Off tackle | Minor | 5 |
They again get the jump on the PSU DL, hopping outside—away from where Koger is lined up, this breaks a tendency—and getting McAvoy(+1) to seal the weakside DE. Ortmann blocks off the OLB—who must contain to the outside and does—and Moundros shoots up into the hole, chopping the safety. The MLB can't quite get there in time—I think Moosman got a tug on him that went uncalled—and Minor leaps into the endzone. |
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 7-0, 6 min 1st Q. 14 play, 86 yard touchdown drive. Jebus. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M45 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Wheel | Odoms | Inc |
Poor snap from Molk delays Threet's rollout here; Odoms runs a short out, then wheels upfield against the safety. He's open by a good step or two; Threet, unset, chucks it at him. The ball is dangerously short and inside, falling incomplete. Threet had time to get his body moving to the LOS and could have taken another second, then taken the shot deep. (IN, 0, protection 1/1) |
M45 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | 36 |
Zone blocked here and not the veer; Minor takes the handoff headed upfield and Penn State's defensive tackles fight inside. This provides a major hole between Molk and Ortmann. Meanwhile, the MLB has started heading backside to contain Threet as the DE is selling out on Minor; the SLB is ably blocked by McAvoy. We actually get a hat on a safety—Koger this time—and Minor shoots into the secondary, running over the linebacker in the process. |
O19 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Nickel | Pass | Long handoff | Stonum | 3 |
Pretty quick reaction here by the CB holds it down. (CA, 3, screen) |
O16 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun trips | Nickel | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 3 |
Crease here is considerably smaller but still exists as Molk gets to the correct side of the DT and manages to hold his ground just well enough. McAvoy and Minor, however, both run past the SLB; he comes in and tackles from an angle. |
O13 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 2-back | Nickel | Run | Zone read stretch | McGuffie | -1 |
Think this playcall might be a little too obvious? They've seen quite a bit of McGuffie on the zone stretch and this is the first play he's seen. Penn State freaks out as soon as they see the action of the play. With the WLB shooting playside and the DE's shoulders turned, Threet really needs to keep this. If he does, first down easy. Instead he hands off. The WLB's quick reaction gives Schilling little chance to cut him and there's no frontside crease with Molk losing the battle against the DT this time. He's forced to try, though, and ends up losing a yard. |
Drive Notes: Field Goal(26), 10-0, 4 min 1st Q. Penn State gets an illegal substitution penalty, taking the ball down to the nine, and Rodriguez still kicks. Error, IMO. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M22 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2-back | Nickel | Run | Zone read stretch | Minor | 3 |
Molk(-1) does not get the DT sealed this time, causing a lead-blocking McGuffie to try to help out on that instead of blocking the crashing safety; McAvoy's downfield block is a poor one and the two LBs converge. |
M25 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 2-back | Nickel | Pass | Skinny post | Rogers | 23 |
James Rogers? Okay. Penn State blitzes two; the line picks it up. Threet waits for a moment, finding Rogers coming open as he clears the short zone. Good throw and catch. (DO, 3, protection 2/2) |
M48 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read veer | Min | -1 |
Again, Threet needs to keep this as the DE has given up contain. He doesn't and Minor tries to find a path more up the middle. No dice, as the DT has beaten Molk(-1) and the other one has blown back Moosman(-1). |
M47 | 2 | 11 | Shotgun 2-back | Nickel | Pass | PA wheel | Odoms | 27 |
They do triple option action, faking the dive and sending McGuffie into the flat. By the time the safety-LB guy on Odoms recognizes it Odoms is already to him and he's reduced to chasing; Threet hits him for major yards. (DO, 3, protection 2/2.) They love Odoms on this route, especially against these LB/safety types, and you can see why: dude is open all day. |
O26 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 1 |
Ortmann(-1) beaten by the linebacker who comes up tight to the LOS; the other LB is attacking the hole from the snap and delivers a blow to Minor instead of the other way around. |
O25 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read keeper | Threet | 6 |
Slightly different variation here as the backside DE does get blocked; the MLB bites heavily on the dive action, allowing Threet outside of him. If Threet's faster, blah blah you know the drill. |
O19 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun empty | Nickel | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 14 |
Great block by Molk(+2) here, getting playside of a DT lined up a foot outside of him and holding him off long enough for a crease to form. McAvoy's excellent cut block on the MLB is almost unnecessary since Moosman is out there with a great angle to block the same guy; Minor(+1) does an excellent job on the safety-type object. |
O5 | 1 | G | Shotgun 2-back trips | Nickel | Run | Busted play | Threet | 2 |
The formation in which Mathews is covered up. Shaw is in on this and I think he's supposed to take a dive handoff but instead just shoots forward looking to block someone. Threet follows for a couple yards. |
O3 | 2 | G | I-Form twins | Base 4-3 | Run | Iso | Minor | 2 |
Koger covered. Molk sort of beaten on this one but manages to recover okay and get the DT's motion stalled, at which point Moundros(+1) blows into the pair of them, shoving them backwards. That provides enough of a crease for Minor to thump up into the hole; he falls just short of the goal line. |
O1 | 3 | G | I-Form twins | Goal line | Run | Iso | Minor | 1 |
DT shooting forward and falling in an attempt to get instant penetration; Michigan is running off the guard so this is an advantage. Big crease, but an unblocked linebacker in the hole. Minor hammers him, falling into the endzone. |
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 17-7, 13 min 2nd Q. It was fun while it lasted. Goodbye, offense. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M24 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Hitch and go | Stonum | Inc |
Straight dropback with good protection; Threet is staring it down all the way, but there's a reason: he pumps. Double move coming. It comes, and... it's blanketed. Threet throws it anyway, and it's long and OOB. Should have come down to someone else, IMO. This could be IN, TA, or BR. Uh. (BR, 0, protection 2/2) |
M24 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | 4 |
This isn't actually a veer but ends up turning into one, basically, as the backside DE gets blocked but is replaced by the weakside LB, held outside by Threet. Schilling(+1) gets an excellent, driving block on the DE, providing the space and momentum for the yardage here; the frontside was jammed up. |
M28 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Sack | -- | -3 |
Threet has decent protection, decides to throw... and changes his mind a the last second, awkwardly bringing the ball down. After some scrambling around he's sacked; he tries one of those crazy Mallett plays, flipping the ball to Minor, but it's after his knee is down. (TA, 0, protection 2/2) |
Drive Notes: Punt, 17-7, 10 min 2nd Q. McDonough says “that's the kind of risky play this young offense might want to avoid,” which is about as gently as you can put it. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M28 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read stretch | Minor | 1 |
We're back to the stuff we did a lot against Notre Dame with a scoop on the playside DT effectively sealing him. The playside DE runs right out of the play, opening up a big hole, but Koger(-1) gets owned by the LB to this side, shucked and destroyed, and Minor's cut(-1) is pretty stiff, allowing the guy to close and tackle near the LOS. Minor's done a lot of things McGuffie can't do in this game but this is a play on which we'd be better off with the little slasher (and even better off with, say, a junior TE who will hold this block and turn it into a big gainer). |
M29 | 2 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Pass | Miscommunication | Odoms | Inc |
Threet thinks Odoms is running the wheel again; he pulls up on a hitch. Uh... (TA, 0, protection 2/2) |
M29 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel | Pass | Seam | Koger | Inc |
Ortmann(-2) smoked one on one by the DE, forcing an early throw from Threet. Hit as he throws, the ball sails. (PR, 0, protection 0/2) |
Drive Notes: Punt, 17-7, 5 min 2nd Q. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M24 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read stretch | Minor | 5 |
Another good hole as Molk seals off the PSU DT. Koger gets beat, though, forcing Minor upfield into the hole and away from the attempted downfield blocks of McAvoy and Schilling. |
M29 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun trips | Nickel | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | 1 |
Penn State just smokes this play. Molk beat, no downfield release, Schilling beaten too. Four PSU defenders meet Minor at the LOS. |
M30 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Draw | Minor | -2 |
Penn State blitzes right into this; not a big fan of this on a third and short-ish when you've been running it all day. |
Drive Notes: Punt, 17-7, 2 min 2nd Q. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M17 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Busted play | Threet | 2 |
Possibly the worst two yard gain in history: Threet fumbles a bad snap, rolls out as a blitzing linebacker overruns him, fumbles the ball again, and then falls on it. |
M19 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 4-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Zone read stretch | Minor | 12 |
Penn State caught slanting away from the play; the playside DT helpfully shoots past Molk going the wrong way. Gaping hole on the frontside, then, and easy blocks downfield for Koger and McAvoy that they actually make; I'll even provide McAvoy a +1 for his. Minor into the secondary. |
M32 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | PA Hitch | Stonum | 6 |
Almost a long handoff except Stonum actually runs like three yards downfield. (CA, 3, protection N/A) |
M38 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | QB off tackle | Threet | 13 |
Molk(+1) gets the reach block again, sealing the DT well enough to crease the line. Blitzing WLB falls down and takes himself out of the play; Minor(+1) pops the MLB good, and I really wish we had some fast dude at QB as Threet lopes into the secondary. |
O49 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | 3 |
This is kind of a similar play to the stretch except Minor is lined up on the other side of Threet and just dives straight up the field. This time the PSU DT guesses right and there's no help from McAvoy on the guy; Minor avoids the tackle, but he's been slowed by the avoidance and is closed in on by the unblocked guy on the backside and the DE, who beat Ortmann. |
O46 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Pass | Sack | -- | -6 |
Protection is actually decent, but Threet pulls the ball down for the second time. He had room to roll around, maybe, but since he was trying to throw he didn't take it; he gets sacked. (TA, 0, protection 2/2) |
M48 | 3 | 13 | Shotgun trips | Dime | Pass | Screen | Odoms | 5 |
Koger(-1) completely whiffs his block, which convinces Moosman to try to take the same guy, I guess, and leaves another defensive back totally unfettered as he attacks the ballcarrier.(CA, 3, screen.) |
Drive Notes: Punt, 17-14, 11 min 3rd Q. This is actually a pretty respectable drive right here but it's killed by the opening field position: Avery Horn's crappy return set Michigan back. He gets out to the 28 or wherever the average is—it's around there—and Michigan has fourth and eight from the opponent 36 and should go for it. Note that Horn fields a kick six yards in his own endzone on the next KO, fumbles it, and STILL BRINGS IT OUT. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M15 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read stretch | Minor | 15 (Pen-8) |
Sheridan. Dammit. Molk beaten on this one, driven back such that there will be no crease; Minor tries to hop outside and does, but only because Ortmann(-1) tackled the DE. Holding is called. |
M8 | 1 | 18 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | QB off tackle | Sheridan | 0 |
DT again beats Molk. This can't be a halftime adjustment, because it likely would have happened at halftime. I guess PSU is just guessing right. |
M8 | 2 | 18 | Shotgun 4-wide | Nickel | Run | Zone read keeper | Sheridan | -2 |
DB/LB lined up over Koger shoots forward at the snap because it's Nick Sheridan, right, and he's not going to throw, and thus gets in on Sheridan's keeper immediately. |
M6 | 3 | 20 | Shotgun 2-back | Nickel | Pass | Sack | -- | -6 |
They slide the protection, leaving both backs in against a four-man rush; Ortmann(-1) loses a stunting DE and McGuffie(-1) uselessly piles on a cut DT, leaving him an avenue up the middle. Sheridan does his part by standing around waiting to get crushed. (I'm not charting this guy anymore... what's the point?) |
Drive Notes: Safety, 17-19, 4 min 3rd Q. Sheridammit. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | -3 |
Penn State now in soft man with one deep, keying three LBs on the run. Both Moosman and McAvoy(-1 each) get driven back and there's no crease up the middle; Minor attempts to cut back and is swarmed. |
M17 | 2 | 13 | ??? | ??? | Pass | Rollout hitch | Stonum | 8 |
We miss much of this play for a reply; when we come back Sheridan is tossing a one-yard hitch to Stonum; Stonum squeezes up the sideline for a few more (no damn charts) |
M25 | 3 | 5 | Shotgun trips | Nickel | Pass | Hitch | Mathews | Inc |
This is way inaccurate but I don't know what Mathews is doing on this play either; he doesn't even look for the ball. |
Drive Notes: Punt, 17-26, 2 min 3rd Q. |
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards |
M21 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2-back | Base 4-3 | Run | Zone read dive | Minor | 7 |
Threet back in. As soon as he goes out again charting is over. Grady the second back in the game this time and used as a blocker. Slightly different scheme on this play with the backside DT getting doubled by the RT and RG and blown back; the frontside guy is expecting a stretch and hops to the other side of Molk. Grady shoots backside to block the DE who's normally given the zone read threat. WLB is held outside by the keeper threat, and the MLB, also expecting a stretch, runs himself out of the play. Minor has a crease and uses it. |
M28 | 2 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Run | Zone read stretch | Minor | -2 |
Molk(-1) beaten badly by the DT, ceding ground directly into Minor's path; Minor doesn't have a cutback with the backside DE selling out and unwisely tries to go around Molk instead of slamming it up the middle in an attempt to get like a yard or two. Threet could have kept this, too, I guess, though he's banged up. The announcers keep going on as if anyone would ever put Sheridan in the game by choice. |
M26 | 3 | 5 | Shotgun 2-back | Nickel | Pass | Sack | -- | -7 |
Ortmann(-3) smoked around the corner; Threet gets it stripped from the blindside; Penn State recovers. (PR, 0, protection 0/3) |
Drive Notes: Fumble, 17-26, 13 min 3rd. Sheridan returns with Penn State holding a three-score lead; game over, who cares, I'm not doing the rest of this. |