WTKA Roundtable 8/1/2019: Don't Get Me Started
Things discussed:
- Ayden Owens: USC transfer is #16 in decathlon rankings. One of the best athletes in the world is now at Michigan. Michigan's new indoor track has banked corners on hydraulics.
- Football camp opens: two helmets & shorts, then two helmets and shoulderpads, Tuesday is full pads.
- Sean McKeon and the tight end depth chart. Finally hearing nice things about Muhammad
- Fullback doesn't exist. They count as backs now.
- Spread H is going to get five carries a game. Sainristil or Giles Jackson?
- NOW can we have some RPOs?
- Right tackle battle: tie goes to Mayfield. Starting as a tie. Warinner thinks this is a great OL. Depth exists! When was the last time we had OL depth?
- Running back: Tru can go the distance because blocking is a big deal. Jay: Turner the fastest guy they've had in Harbaugh era. Charbonnet a ball of potential.
- Defensive tackle: Dwumfour could be our dude if he can defend the run. Kwity as a DT?
- Uncomfortable with the secondary: Vincent Gray is #2 until Ambry is well again. More Cover 2 this year.
- Jordan Glasgow will get some time at WLB.
- How to read practice reports.
You can catch the entire episode on Michigan Insider's podcast stream on Podbean.
Segment two is here. Segment three is here.
THE USUAL LINKS
- Helpful iTunes subscribe link
- General podcast feed link
- Direct download link (right-click/save as)
- What's with the theme music?
Don't believe anything you hear before Tuesday.
"When was the last time we had OL depth?"
It has been a long time. Here's an MGoBlog (!) piece from 2008 (!) that discusses the two O-line eras of Lloyd:
https://mgoblog.com/content/jake-long-little-miracle
It's tempting to say "Everything went to hell when we hired Dick Rod!" but things usually aren't that simple.
Our secondary depth is terrifying. Like every year our season is going to come down to beating OSU and we all saw what only having 2 functional cb's looks like against OSU. We better be practicing some zone looks all year.
August 2nd, 2019 at 10:22 AM ^
OSU game came down to not being able to get pressure on the QB. Keeping up on rub and rub routes even with NFL CBs is a tough ask, and zone is also asking to be picked apart by a QB with time. I know we lost Chase and Gary so on paper this line should be worse, but honestly I don't think either of those guys were playing anywhere near their peak that game due to injury and/or NFL distraction.
August 2nd, 2019 at 11:04 AM ^
I'm not sure I understand why it has to be one or the other. Yes, our DL was inexplicably stoned by an average OL, but there's also a reason OSU repeatedly abused the hell out of Brandon Watson and not the other two CBs. They knew he wasn't very fast, so they put one of their multiple 4.3 receivers against him all day and roasted him. The second problem was exacerbated by the first problem, but both were still problems.
August 2nd, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
In this case, it is one or the other. If their is constant pressure on the QB, it likely doesn't matter if OSU WR's win the matchup with Watson. Haskins had like a 50 QBR when under pressure.
August 4th, 2019 at 12:50 AM ^
It's impossible to get pressure on a QB who is getting rid of the ball immediately. Our CBs were getting burnt on drags because we depended on getting our hands on guys to press but failed so we were consistently chasing their WRs instead of covering them.
The osu game was not lack of pressure but very poor defensive strategy. You will never get QB pressure against 3 step drop routes when the ball is delivered on time. I love Don Brown but he had his worst game of the year against osu.
Which is why sometimes you need to outscore the other guy to win a big game, and not just rely on your defense and a "game manager" quarterback. That may have been a recipe for success 15-20 years ago, but it isn't any more. Unless Harbaugh is really willing to use his offensive talent to the fullest, and not be a "run first" offense like always, we will have the same problem this year, but magnified, because our defense will not be as good.
the last game of November last season is Don Brown's PSU game from the season before. You can bet your fourth point of contact he won't allow the same weakness to be exploited this season.
PSU out schemed us. OSU out talented us, its a little more of a problem. Nothing about the OSU game plan was innovative, they used the exact same crossing routes with the third wide receiver that they used to beat us in AA when Haskins came in in 2017. The problem we had is nobody healthy with any game experience could keep up with that guy.
you're not wrong. Don will still have an answer, it may not be a 100% solution, but still better than last game.
August 2nd, 2019 at 10:03 AM ^
Right on the money there. Watching that OSU game it was obvious the talent and speed difference and they wisely used it to beat us.
Yes, it really is effective to put more than 2 guys in the pattern on 3rd and 12. Hopefully that lesson sunk in with Harbaugh.
You're right, OSU out talented us, but they also out schemed us. Here's a link to a Space Coyote article about how OSU figured out what adjustments Michigan was likely to make and how they were able to beat those adjustments. I was never as down on Don Brown as after I read this article, but I think he'll come up with something to limit the damage OSU can cause this year. They (OSU) will still be extremely talented, but Fields is still a bit of an unknown.
http://breakdownsports.blogspot.com/2018/11/coaching-points-michigan-vs-osu-2018.html
August 4th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
So 2017 OSU gave 2018 Michigan a "sneak preview" of the game plan with Haskins in the game and then proceeded to give up 62 points. That isn't just a talent issue.
They played the man defense they had played all year against a team with better athletes and good coaching. Crossing routes that were 5 yard completions became 30 yard plus plays. They went to some zone and everyone looked lost in the back 7--remember the wide open completion in the EZ in the 2nd quarter I believe.
Don Brown is an excellent coach. He got his ass kicked against Ohio State.
August 2nd, 2019 at 11:57 AM ^
Ha. Everyone talking more cover 2 zone coverage this year.
Maybe Marcus knew what he was talking about.
Is the OL looking this good also partly a function of this being the worst returning DL in 5 years at Michigan? We do finally have some experience on OL, but I am hesitant to trust some of the hype because of the DL they are facing in practice.
August 4th, 2019 at 12:57 AM ^
That is a fair assessment but I believe 4 of our 5 OL should....not could...should be 1st or 2nd team all conference. I would not be surprised if we have four NFL draft picks starting on our OL this season.
Is there any sense as to whether Ambry’s issue is a first few games type of thing or a half the season (or worse) type of thing?
Mono, or something like it, is the rumor/noise.
Comments