The Chesson opening kickoff return
The opening kickoff return has a pretty interesting structure. By the alignment, you can see that Michigan is very slightly shifted to the right, maybe anticipating this play.
Side note - lots of starters out there on special teams, Is playing your starting left tackle on kickoffs a common thing? Also, I think that's Wormley out there, but I'm not 100% sure.
1) As soon as Chesson secures the kick, Butt starts running across the field, towards the M sideline, giving up about 10 yards as he does so (Dark blue circle is his starting spot, blue dashed lines are the path he's taken thus far, and big maize arrows are where players are heading).
This shot gives us a good view of the play design. Five players (Wilson, Kinnel, Gedeon, Houma and Wormley) are forming a wall, while three lead blockers (Peppers, Butt and M. Cole) pull around to the right. Meanwhile, Bolden and Poggi double-team Northwestern's Terrance Brown (circled at bottom of image). Two Northwestern players are left completely unblocked on the left (circled at top of image). Chesson runs his first 10 yards straight upfield, which helps to pull the Northwestern coverage to his side.
2) Moments later, Chesson has just started his cut behind the wall and away from the unblocked guys in front of him. Butt (circled) is about to hit the unblocked guy in front of him. The fact that he came all of the way across the field to block this guy in particular indicates that this is by design. Peppers and Cole pull through to get the next blocks.
3) Cole latches on and Peppers is getting ready to hit Northwestern's safety who escaped the double (circled). Chesson arcs away from one unblocked player who picked his way across the field behind the wall...
4) ... and leaves him on the ground.
5) Touchdown!
Video: http://mgovideo.com/2015-michigan-vs-northwestern-every-snap/
October 12th, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^
That's cool.
I have a whole post on this going tomorrow.
But...that's...pretty wizard...I guess.
October 12th, 2015 at 1:35 PM ^
Woops, didn't mean to step on your toes. Great minds think alike?
October 12th, 2015 at 2:51 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 7:01 PM ^
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October 13th, 2015 at 1:32 AM ^
yep, thought the exact same thing when I saw only 13 seconds ticked off.
October 12th, 2015 at 5:43 PM ^
I'm guessing that film analysis like this happens anyway in MSU and OSU heaquarters, but are we doing our team any bad by posting these on our site? I mean anyone can access this, do you think it makes any difference?
October 12th, 2015 at 8:57 PM ^
Any future opponent that doesn't put far more effort into breaking down a single play from this game is no challenge on the field to Michigan. They have teams of GAs and other assistants whose job it is to break down plays and set it up in easy ways for the players and coaches to study it before the next game.
October 12th, 2015 at 1:46 PM ^
Awesome post!
October 12th, 2015 at 1:48 PM ^
I noted this in the coaching snowflakes, but Chesson said on the radio postgame that they'd seen on film that NW didn't protect the weakside well on kickoffs. As you well described, this is a return play to take advantage of exactly that. RPS +3.
October 12th, 2015 at 1:56 PM ^
... and excellent picture break down. Great post.
Two things:
First, does anyone know enough about kick return plays to comment on how standard or innovative this approach is? I suspect that this sort of play is not so standard, or at least not used on most kick offs. But parlty due to the second issue mentioned below, I am just not really sure.
Next, posts like this really show how ppor TV coverage of football really is. Why doesn't TV give us break downs like this? Instead, all we get are breathless 'Oh my! He ran it back all the way' gibberish. It would be easy for TV to cut to a detailed video break down showing the viewer the play design and why it worked.
They have started using a retired ref to explain the finer points of controversial calls. Why don't they similarly have some retired coach to go to during games to give detailed video breakdowns of key plays during the games? The play-by-play and color announcer cannot do this, but they could cut to some former coach back in the studio very easily.
October 12th, 2015 at 7:45 PM ^
So not only did he not give us the analysis of the play, he missed it entirely and suggested that Chesson only took it left because it was bottled up ahead.
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October 12th, 2015 at 2:35 PM ^
Legitimate question: When was the last time we had an offensive, defensive, and special teams touchdown in the same game? And a fieldgoal, if you really want to get specific?
I'm still bashing my head against the wall about how we didnt get a safety.
October 12th, 2015 at 3:05 PM ^
I was hoping we'd get a passing touchdown as well to go along with the rushing tuchdowns, defensive touchdown, and special teams touchdown.
October 12th, 2015 at 3:35 PM ^
In 1991 Boston College game (the game Desmond Howard announced himself as a Heisman trophy candidate) we scored TDs in all three phases. We did not kick a FG though.
October 12th, 2015 at 3:17 PM ^
Yes, but what kind of wall?
October 12th, 2015 at 3:51 PM ^
Well, I don't believe this type of wall can be described on television.
October 12th, 2015 at 5:24 PM ^
This has to be such a confidence boost for the players, and just more motivation to work hard in practice, knowing the coaches have a plan for everything
October 12th, 2015 at 5:52 PM ^
October 12th, 2015 at 6:21 PM ^
I remember sitting there looking at our personnel and thinking how weird it was to have your starting left tackle and one of your starting defensive linemen out there on kick return coverage. It sure paid off. The Peppers block gets a lot of credit, but Cole just bulldozes his guy right over. Welcome to the Big House, Northwestern.
October 12th, 2015 at 8:08 PM ^
The blocking and wall down the sideline were done so well I noticed it watching the game Saturday(TV). The wall of blockers down the sideline is a thing of beauty when done correctly. You are trying to block 10 guys flying down the field(assuming one safety guy-usually the kicker staying back). Its not an easy task. Hats off to the return team.
October 12th, 2015 at 8:29 PM ^
Posts like this are the reason I don't bother reading traditional "sports journalists" anymore.
October 13th, 2015 at 6:42 PM ^
It is odd - once these sort of articles and insights would come from the main stream writers - because they had the resources and time to look into them. Now many are trying to "break a scoop" or be the first to declare someone is fired.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:20 PM ^
The other thing about the return that amazes me when re-watching it is that after Peppers makes a big block to free the corner, he turns on the jets and gets right back up behind Chesson ensuring any other players trying to take angles at him can't get there.
Strictly speaking, Peppers has already done his job on the play. He just decides he's not going to be satisfied with that. It is representative of how so many players on this team are playing right now.
October 12th, 2015 at 9:34 PM ^
Can confirm it's Wormley. I remember wondering before the return about why we had so many starters on special teams.
October 13th, 2015 at 9:01 AM ^
Great post, thanks. Had no idea that many starters were on the field.
October 13th, 2015 at 10:34 PM ^
This is what amazing scheme plus great execution looks like!
October 17th, 2015 at 3:18 AM ^
I would be very curious to see this as well
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