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WTKA Roundtable 9/7/2023: Half Your Plays Look Brilliant Comment Count

Seth September 7th, 2023 at 12:00 PM

Things Discussed:

  • WHY U NO RUSHING YARDS? Because ECU was so committed to stopping inside runs that they run blitzed after every time they got nailed by play-action. Michigan, you're allowed to run PA twice in a row guys.
  • WHY U NO SACKS? Because ECU was so committed to not getting their QBs hit that they threw dinks and quick fades; when they did run actual pass plays Michigan stunted a DT into their faces and they had to throw it away.
  • WHY U NO RUN OUTSIDE? Michigan got the Corum run on stretch but not their identity. Brian: they should make their identity "Pick your poison" because JJ is so good. Also tried Arc without the QB part and planned cutbacks. Michigan should bring back that pitch they used in 2015-'16.
  • WHY U NO RPO? Sam: They're in there but they aren't going to use them. Seth: Because they're expensive to install and they're not as repeatable against different defenses. Maybe not a great idea in Week 1 when you don't have the other team scouted, because you need to be able to find the guy to read.
  • Hat tips to ECU: that is a *well-coached* defense.
  • Break talk: Bryce Underwood to visit Colorado? 500 yards speaks; let's make sure we see that JJ McCarthy is succeeding financially and on the field.
  • Who's QB next year? Jadyn Davis is tearing it up but a true freshman starter? They'll go portal.
  • Defense: Ernest Hausmann is a dude. Colson made ZERO mistakes. Michigan switched on a rub route.
  • Wallace: Looks very smart, set a good edge, no athletic concerns, great INT even if it was incomplete by rule. Much more comfortable with him. But I saw you Jyaire Hill.
  • Keon Sabb: Is a safety, not a LB, not a CB (?!!?? who's saying that?). The second play he showed his athleticism to make up ground and rake that out.
  • Sainristil: Boringly good. Beat up on bigger players this game.
  • Grant: Oh LAWD.
  • Ohio State: Their LT isn't up to their standards, McCord couldn't find Harrison—IU knows how to coordinate a defense, left them a lot of Cade Stover so that's what they used. Interesting that OSU went under center and couldn't get their run game going.
  • GOOOOOOOOO LIIIIIIIIONS!

[Hit the JUMP for the player, and video and stuff]

Segment 2 is here. You can watch the video here:

The Usual Links:

Urban Meyer coaches Ohio State in 2024!

Comments

Qmatic

September 7th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^

QB next year? If JJ leaves which is most likely, it will be a transfer. I don't think Warren or Orji have shown that they'll be ready or able to be the starter next year, and it would be tough to throw Davis into that situation with an entirely new OL, top two RBs gone, one of or both of our top 2 receivers gone as well.

You can find a real good QB in the portal with a lot of experience; especially if it is a one year rental type player. I say you look for a guy like Sam Hartman, Devin O'Leary. There will be multiple year starters in the portal; some from even the Power-5.

Even outside of the Power-5 you have guys like Kurtis Rourke from Ohio, Grayson McCall from Coastal, and Michael Pratt from Tulane who may look to up their competition for the last year of eligibility. 

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mwolverine1

September 7th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^

The obvious answer may be Dante Moore, but there will be some other high P5 guys who will find themselves in tough spots on the depth chart:

  • The loser of Miller Moss vs Malachi Nelson at USC
  • The loser of Maalik Murphy vs Arch Manning at Texas
  • The loser of Brock Vandagriff vs Gunner Stockton at Georgia (with Dylan Raiola entering the mix as well)
  • Tyler Buchner or Ty Simpson at Bama (especially if Jalen Milroe sticks around)

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kyeblue

September 7th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^

I am not sure if a portal QB necessarily fit better than Davis or Orji, who have been working a lot with the 2nd units of OL/WR/RBs. They have more real game experiences, but they have more to learn too.  

I am also worried that Michigan is attractive enough next season for a top portal QB with a completely new OL. 

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Blue Balls Afire

September 7th, 2023 at 3:51 PM ^

I just think running the ball against a 3-3-5 is difficult if you're primarily a gap blocking team like Michigan. The key to attacking a 3-3-5, IMHO, is not so much running outside instead of inside, but running zone blocking plays instead of man blocking plays, whether inside or outside.  My .02.

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Blue Balls Afire

September 8th, 2023 at 12:42 AM ^

I have no idea how you don't.  Further, not all teams have put 6 - 6.5 in the box, and when they do, Michigan does not run IZ/Duo every time, notwithstanding that, Duo is in fact a gap blocking scheme, and Michigan runs a lot of pin/pull, power, counter, slide-traps--old school Harball.  They don't run gap all the time, but they run it more than I've seen them run zone.  I'd say Michigan runs gap about 65% of the time in recent seasons. 

As an aside, I wish they'd run more zone against 3-3-5 teams that stunt a lot with linebackers blitzing from various angles.  Effective zone read and outside zone would destroy what ECU did.

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Go Blue Beat T…

September 7th, 2023 at 10:43 PM ^

Ryan day so worried about trying to beat Michigan that he’s trying to be Michigan. Can’t force a complex run game on a finesse team. He’s lost his sense of self and so has his team. Outback bowl is optimistic I’d say. This feels like an Alamo kinda year with a huge fork in the road in Columbus. 

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AlbanyBlue

September 8th, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^

Brian said it best about the offense....

Paraphrased, he said that grinding it out and then going for big plays is great when you're being risk-averse, like last year, but this year Michigan should be maximizing what they are able to do on offense, because there's so much ability on offense.

Harbaugh, et al. -- THIS is the year to go for it, and keep on going for it, because there is no ceiling if the game plans are good enough. The offense is stacked and the defense, even at CB2, is apparently quite solid. Go for it all, full stop.

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