Unfortunately Michigan still has seven more games to play this season, including one tonight at Rutgers.  For some reason I am previewing this one (probably because I wrote half of this before the Minnesota game, back when I considered it realistic that M might turn the ship around, and don’t want that work to go to waste).  Out of a coping mechanism I’m only going to DVR the game, and will spend the afternoon picking Asian pears in the Cascade foothills; then I’ll decide whether to actually watch the thing when I get home.  Anyway, I am going to have to cut this intro short on account of a screaming child and the fact that I’m not sure anyone really cares this week anyway. 

Well, Go Blue.

When Michigan has the ball…

Run and hide and close your eyes.

1.     Inside Zone

With Magnuson injured, Michigan moved Graham Glasgow to LG last week and inserted Kalis.  Nobody really noticed because the problems on the field seemed to be the least of M’s problems.  Anyway, usually when a team is constantly getting its ass kicked, it’s best to stick to basics (c.f. Al Borges; sigh).

Rutgers runs a 4-3 Under front and usually gets decent penetration with their undersized guys. 

Assignments:

LT Mason Cole: Covered; block DE David MIlewski

LG Graham Glasgow: Covered; block DT Darius Hamilton

C Jack Miller: Uncovered; chip DT Hamilton or NT Kenneth Kirksey, block WLB Steve Longa

RG Kyle Kalis: Covered; block NT Kenneth Kirksey

RT Ben Braden: Uncovered; chip DE Djwany Mera, block MLB L.J. LIston

TE Jake Butt: Covered; block DE Djwany Mera

RB – Derrick Green: Receive handoff and head for B-gap outside LG; make one cut and turn N/S

Advantage: Rutgers

Probably gonna be ugly.

2.     Post-Wheel

Though Michigan isn’t likely to enjoy much success on the ground against Rutgers, it could be a different story through the air if Devin Funchess is healthy enough to play.  Rutgers likes to run Cover 2, which is designed to ensure that corners get help over the top on deep routes.  But plays like the Post-Wheel can beat Cover 2 by pairing an inside-breaking route (to occupy the safety) with a deep sideline route (which the corner or other man defender must play one-on-one). 

Assignments:

XWR Devin Funchess: Run post route vs. BCB Nadir Barnwell, FS  Andre Hunt

RB Derrick Green: Run wheel route against SLB Quentin Gause

LT Mason Cole: Pass protect vs. SDE David Milewski

LG Graham Glasgow: Pass protect vs. DT Kenneth Kirksey

C Jack Miller: Pass protect vs. NT Darius Hamilton

RG Kyle Kalis: Pass Protect vs. NT Kenneth Kirksey

RT Ben Braden: Pass protect vs. WDE Djwany Mera

UTE Jake Butt: Pass protect vs. WDE Djwany Mera, then release to flat

YWR Dennis Norfleet: Run wheel route vs. NCB Anthony Cioffi

ZWR Jehu Chesson: Run post route vs. FCB Gareef Glashen

QB Devin Gardner: 3-step drop from SG; read is on free safety; the post should hold him to the middle of the field—if so, then look for YWR to come open on wheel; if FS widens to pick up wheel route, then XWR should come open on post.  If covered, check down to TE in flat.

Advantage: Even

Funchess & Co. have to like their chances against a Rutgers secondary that’s been banged-up and may have a freshman backup playing FS, but Rutgers has a strong pass rush and has to be equally excited to face the rickety Michigan offensive line.  As always, the X-factor is Devin Gardner: if he’s on, M could put up 300+ yards on this D and win going away, if he’s off, well, you’ve seen what happens when he’s off.

When Rutgers has the ball…

3.     Outside Zone

Smart Football broke down Kyle Flood’s Outside Zone play in detail before the 2012 Russell Athletic Bowl, in which a 6-6 Virginia Tech team squeezed out a 13-10 victory over 9-2 Rutgers. 

Yes, Rutgers really does leave the backside DE unblocked on its Outside Zone play.  I don’t know how common this is, but here’s an example of Rutgers running it against Arkansas from a few years back.  Guess who makes the tackle?  That Arkansas DE looked a lot bigger and slower than Frank Clark; I wouldn’t be surprised if they do things a little differently against M.

Assignments:

WDE Frank Clark: backside pursuit of RB Desmon Peoples

NT Ryan Glasgow: defend backside A-gap

3T Willie Henry: defend playside B-gap  

SDE Brennan Beyer: defend playside C-gap

WLB Joe Bolden: defend backside B-gap 

MLB Jake Ryan: defend playside A-gap

SLB James Ross: defend playside D-gap (outside TE); set edge (2 yards wide, 2 yards deep) to force run back in, or spill to sideline

Advantage: Michigan

I’d probably call this even (or, after last week, maybe even advantage Rutgers) if Paul James was still at RB, but unfortunately he tore his ACL a couple weeks ago and won’t be available.  Kyle Flood is a respected OL coach and I expect his guys to play with good technique, but M has a pretty serious edge in raw talent.

4. Smash Corner Flat

The smash-corner concept is ordinarily thought of as a way to hi-low a cornerback against a Cover 2 scheme: the corner route will put a receiver under the safety help, so the CB must decide whether to “sink” and take away the corner route (leaving a receiver open in the flat) or play tight on the flat receiver (opening up space for the QB to hit the corner route).  But as Jimbo Fisher explained in a tidy little article , the smash-corner becomes an effective concept against practically any coverage scheme if the slot receiver is able to adjust his route based on how the defense is playing him.

In their last game (against Tulane), Rutgers ran a smash-corner concept off play-action; they caught Tulane in a blitz, and Nova hit the back in the flat for a big gainer.  The diagram above shows the same play, as defended by Michigan in its "Quarter-Quarter-Half" scheme (Cover 4 to the field side, Cover 2 to boundary).

Assignments:

BCB Jabrill Peppers: Man coverage vs. WR Janarion Grant

WDE Frank Clark: Pass rush vs. LT Keith Lumpkin

3T Willie Henry: Pass rush vs. RG Chris Muller

NT Ryan Glasgow: Pass rush vs. C Betim Bujari

SDE Brennan Beyer: Pass rush vs. RT Taj Alexander

WLB Joe Bolden: Defend curl/flat zone on weak side

MLB Jake Ryan: Defend underneath middle zone

SLB James Ross: Defend curl/flat zone on strong side vs. RB Desmon Peoples

FS Jerrod Wilson: Cover deep ½ zone vs. WR Janarion Grant

SS Jeremy Clark: Man coverage vs. TE Tyler Kroft

FCB Jourdan Lewis:  Man coverage vs. WR Leonte Carroo

Advantage: Michigan

Say what you want about Michigan’s defense not quite living up to expectations, but from what I’ve seen the corners are the real deal.  A better QB than Nova (such as Mitch Leidner, groan) might be able to pick on Michigan’s LBs and safeties, but with Nova I expect a few balls to wind up being caught by guys in yellow pants.

Conclusion:

Fire Brandon