Baumgardner reviews Shea Patterson
Nick Baumgardner, who I think is really the only person in the Detroit MSM that does any type of homework and film review, reviews Patterson here. Nothing really new, mostly consistent with Brian's take though he's a bit more positive.
"I'd caution against anointing him as the answer to all of Michigan's prayers right now, as he needs to learn this offense and keep developing. He also needs to be protected by his offensive line, but that's another conversation.
Patterson has the tools to be special if Michigan can coach him up and keep him upright. But no one should be writing off Peters just yet."
https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverin…
December 15th, 2017 at 4:33 PM ^
I guess I didn't think someone would take my comment so literal. The 95%/5% was clearly an exaggeration.
Also, I was mainly talking about playcalling. Playcalling is in fact a part of the gameplan.
Also, I said MOST of the passes to RB's were scramble drills or a RB sneaking out when the defense was in prevent. You pointing out one play doesn't make me wrong.
Personally, I think the playcalling was very vanilla all year long except for the OSU game. Why didn't we make those changes earlier in the year? Were we saving them for the OSU game? When the defense is loading the box daring us to throw, why didn't we mix in some RB screens? When a QB was struggling why didn't we run some WR screens or short routes to get our athletes in space and get the QB going.
I agree there were some minor changes made, but when you have 2 OC's making a MILLION dollars a piece they need to be able to put a gameplan together better. Not just for the OSU game, but for every game.
December 15th, 2017 at 5:32 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^
Also, I was mainly talking about playcalling. Playcalling is in fact a part of the gameplan.
Sort of. We should clarify definitions. A gameplan is defined as a strategy for achieving an objective. Gameplans are determined prior to the game. The coaches develop and compile plays designed to attack the weaknesses of the defense they will face. A script of the first dozen or so plays is drawn up, against with the objective of attacking the defense, confusing it, and setting up other plays. (Michigan's scripts are quite good, BTW, and even games where the offense struggled the first drives almost always featured plays that opened up holes and sprung receivers into open space). The script is practiced, as well as other plays likely to be used. The plays are placed on a playsheet that is unique for every game, featuring plays divided into the situations in which they will be used, such as short yardage, third-and-long, etc.
Playcalling is then the process whereby a play from the gameplan is selected. As already established, the first handful of plays come from a script; the rest are chosen from the playsheets.
The gameplans have generally been fine. Most criticism of playcalling comes from fans who don't know what they're talking about. The fade to McDoom in the endzone against MSU, for example: people were merciless about it. Then Brian did the UFR and discovered that the playcall was identical to a call earlier in the drive that gained yards when O'Korn threw to Perry. The same play sprung Perry wide open in the middle of the field; O'Korn was spooked and decided to throw a fade before the snap. The play was fine, the execution was bad.
Personally, I think the playcalling was very vanilla all year long except for the OSU game.
It was vanilla in the middle of the year because the QBs couldn't complete passes. Remember when Michigan tried to stretch out the defense against MSU and O'Korn threw 95 interceptions? People were complaining that things weren't vanilla enough. Michigan had a very good defense and a good running game and an awful passing game; the logical move in this situation is to keep things conservative.
Why didn't we make those changes earlier in the year? Were we saving them for the OSU game? When the defense is loading the box daring us to throw, why didn't we mix in some RB screens?
They did.
When a QB was struggling why didn't we run some WR screens or short routes to get our athletes in space and get the QB going.
They did.
when you have 2 OC's making a MILLION dollars a piece
The offense certainly should be better next season, and if not, people should be held accountable. However, it is helpful to know why things did not work well so that one can correct the issues properly. If someone were to fix the gameplans and not the OL or QB play, that would be foolish. Gameplans don't fix an OL that can't block stunts.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:17 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
Peters has two years into Harbaugh/Drevno's system. I think that Patterson will really have a tough time getting mastery of the system - and Harbaugh's replacing Speight with O'Korn at first suggests that the coaches demand mastery of the system. Peters looked much better than O'Korn, but the feeling I get is that Peters was not ready for prime time when Speight took the filthy hit.
The other thing I hear is that Harbaugh/Drevno's system is not particularly easy to learn, compared to - say - OSU's. That stated, the long-term upside is great for Michigan with Patterson (and great for Patterson if he wants to be more pro-ready than his peers come graduation time).
December 15th, 2017 at 10:51 AM ^
I think the ability to learn Harbaugh's complex system is becommig an MgoMeme at this point. Yes, Harbaugh/Pep/Drevno use the NFL route tree and option routes that read the coverage. Can a QB learn the majority of the system with an entire offseason, spring, and fall camp to prepare? I'd say it's possible. It's not like Peters has been getting 1st/2nd string snaps and attention the entire two years he's been at Michigan, he was third string until 3 months ago.
December 15th, 2017 at 10:55 AM ^
Jake Rudock
December 15th, 2017 at 10:57 AM ^
I think the difficulty of mastering the offense is a little overblown, Rudddddddock after all mastered the offense in about 5 weeks.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:03 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
Kind of. Starter Grant Perry was out there running high school-caliber routes against Utah in game 1.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
Ruddock was a 5th year senior who had been around the block for a while though which does help. I do agree with you on the fact that learning the offense is probably being overblown given the fact that Patterson is deciding now to come so he shouldn't have an issue getting the offense down. He will have the playbook in January, spring practice, all of the rest of spring and summer to nail it down, and summer and fall practices all before the season. I'm not worried about him catching up in terms of the offense.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:19 AM ^
had the benefit of running a pro-style offense with similar concepts. Patterson will have a lot more to learn.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
Two things:
1) It was Harbuagh's first year, and he didn't have a quarterback with 2 years of experience and good arm talent in his system, so Rudock won more or less by default.
2) Jake, for as good as he was at the end of the season, really struggled at the beginning of the season. It was a little painful at times.
We don't have the evidence, and won't until we see the competition, but I'm wary of all the transitive property justification going on as the reason why Shea has the leg up to be the starter. Just because he was good in one offense doesn't necessarily mean it will translate when the players and system are completely different.
Many articles breaking Shea down, including on this site, have pointed out the stark disparity between the two offenses, and the quarterback responsbilities for those offenses. Shotgun vs under center is one, but at Ole Miss, the offense didn't often huddle, and looked towards the sidelines for plays and reads. Also, Shea has a habit of being errant with his throws because he is inconsistant with setting his feet.
I think Shea has slightly more natural talent, but he's got alot of work on his plate to take the job away from Brandon.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:34 AM ^
Jake showed up on campus a couple weeks before the beginning of fall camp. Patterson will be here for all of Spring ball. That's a massive difference.
December 15th, 2017 at 10:46 AM ^
Meant as reply above
December 15th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:01 AM ^
McCaffrey isn't jumping either unless he packs on another 20 lbs and even then both Patterson and Peters have significantly more in-game experience.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
The McCaffrey hype train seems a bit premature. There's plenty of talent above him on the roster and he is somewhat of a developmental prospect.
This time next year, I might be signing a different tune
December 15th, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:02 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
drevno is still calling plays . So predictable and never adjusts
December 15th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
I mean, Drevno coaches the interior OL which was a group of relative strength and depth all year. The playcalling left a lot to be desired, but that was after the best QB and WR on the team went down and the OT position was a significant liability throughout.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:21 AM ^
doesn't square with the opponent's opinions at the B1G conferences the past couple of years that said Michigan was very unpredictable.
If we became more predictable this year I think it has more to do with youth rather than Drev.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:26 AM ^
Did you watch the same Ohio State game I did? Definitely don't think that Drevno is a perfect coordinator but A. he had very little to work with this year, and B. he doesn't call the plays, it's done as a unit.
December 15th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^
I do.
December 15th, 2017 at 1:29 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
Definitely has all the tools to be a bigtime QB, but it depends on how fast he picks up the offense. Perhaps more importantly, and sadly something that is beyond Patterson's control, his success (or Peters') is contingent on the OL finally playing like a competent OL. If it's more of the same with the OL next year, Patterson or Peters will be spending the whole season running for their life as we limp to another 8-4 to 9-3 season.
If the OL can finally take a big step forward, and if Patterson can pick up the offense and make smart decisions (or if Peters continues to make progressions), there's no reason the team can't compete for a championship next Fall. We know how good the defense will be, and they'll keep the team in every game. Per the usual, success next year will live and die by the play of the OL and the QB.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
Baumgardner gets a lot of flak for being an MSU grad, but he's truly the only beat writer I know/follow that does work this in-depth. He is the only reason I will ever click on the Freep.
I know it's a slim chance, but I'm not counting McCaffrey out of this. The fact that Harbaugh awarded him Scout player of the year really says something.. maybe not as much as inventing an award for Ben Mason (Toughest Player Award was not around last year) but still, if he can gain the weight needed, this may be more of a 3 headed battle than people are expecting.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:18 AM ^
I hate listening to him. I realize that is subjective and unfair. But every time I listen to him he comes off as just bitching about his job.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:25 AM ^
I completely agree with you, I like his writing but can't listen to his podcasts. He sounds tired/frustrated and like he hates his job.
December 15th, 2017 at 12:51 PM ^
I've met him in person. He's just that type of personality. Likes to complain, but is a great guy. Tells lots of great stories and is pretty funny at times.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:28 AM ^
I didn't know Baumgardner was an MSU grad. I don't mind his articles and I think he does a pretty good job. With that said, he rarely delivers anything truly insightful.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:19 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:22 AM ^
May at least one of Peters or Patterson be healthy for OSU..
December 15th, 2017 at 11:20 AM ^
The most common knock on Patterson that I see is whether or not he will be able to pick up the offense.
Last year Bama went to the playoffs with a Freshman QB. This year Georgia is going to the playoffs with a Freshman QB. Auburn went to the SEC championship with a QB who is in his first year in that system.
Maybe the issue here is that the offense is simply too complicated for the college players. Just because an offense is more complicated doesn't mean it is better.
December 15th, 2017 at 11:44 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 12:03 PM ^
An NFL QB's job is to be an NFL QB. They have 10 hours a day for meetings, workouts, practices, etc.
They don't have to juggle class, homework, studying, and other things that a college player deals with. Colleges also have more strict restrictions on practice and meeting times.
The time spent on football isn't even close.
December 15th, 2017 at 12:36 PM ^
Except for the reason that a 23 year old rookie can devote all of his time and energy to football because that is literally his only job. He can spend all day, all night at the practice facility and not think twice about it. There is no one there to tell him that there are practice time limitations, essays to write, exams to study for, etc.
In college you have to make sure you're keeping up with all of that, along with getting in the amount of practice time that you're ALLOWED to take. There's that whole being a student thing too.
December 16th, 2017 at 7:36 AM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 12:06 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 12:10 PM ^
That is my point exactly. If a QB can't come in and pick the offense up in 6-8 months then maybe that means Michigans offense is too complicated for the college game.
December 15th, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
To be fair, I think I could start at QB for Bama and they'd still be a playoff contender. Their athletes are just so much better, across the board, then almost everyone they play. Either hand the ball off to some 5-star stud behind an OL full of first rounders, or throw it up to some 5 star receiver who can catch most anything.
Georgia I have to give credit too, though, considering they weren't very good last year and have become worldbeaters this year. Fromm looks like the real deal.
December 15th, 2017 at 1:46 PM ^
Great points.
The only thing to add is that in addition they are normally not starting all new players each year. It is an exception with truly great athletes that start early in their careers there. And when they do they are surrounded by people that have been in the system for multiple years in a system that has not changed in years.
Curious if Georgia had turnover or is their improvement based on another year's experience for the players.
We had a young team across the board that that were all learning. Every year in fall camp you hear that defense always progresses faster than the offense as the offense has to develop timing. Timing is based on everyone knowing what they should do. Our last interception of the year said we were still learing what to do.
It's hard for any quarterback to develop timing with receiving core when they are not confident that the player will even be where they expect. If they hesitate for a fraction of a second to verify what they see the window is closed.
Key point in all of this is that getting more and better quarterbacks will provide more options and more competition that wil improve The Team, The Team, The Team. It doesn't matter who.
PS: Perkins, you just provided a point to add onto. Not really a reply.
December 15th, 2017 at 2:07 PM ^
For Georgia I think it's a couple of things:
1) Kirby Smart appears to be one of the few Saban disciples (if not the only one) who has actually panned out. The same ferocity that you always saw with Kirby's defenses at Bama is something you can now see with Georgia.
2) Fromm has succeeded this year because he's got two stud running backs to hand the ball off to. He's got a great offensive line that gives him time to throw and gives the running backs wide open lanes. But also, Fromm hasn't been asked to do much besides not lose games for Georgia. That will obviously change over the next year or two as he progresses in the offense, but as a true freshman you can't count on him to win games for you. Just ask him to not lose them.
3) The SEC East was dogshit this year. Absolute dogshit. That's not Georgia's fault, but I don't think there was a team within the division that they didn't beat by at least two TDs. They may have still had some young guys who were learning, but when you get to learn against hapless Florida and Tennessee teams, along with perennial losers like Vandy and Kentucky, that helps you out a lot. Compare that to Michigan, who had to send young guys into the fire against the likes of OSU, PSU, and Wisconsin. All legit top-10 teams and playoff contenders at the time they played.
December 15th, 2017 at 2:26 PM ^
Yeah, Fromm wasn't a dominant force in Georgia's big wins. That eye-opening blowout of Tennessee? 7-14 for 84 yards. The floor-wiping of Florida? 4-7 for 101 yards. When Auburn bottled up the running game in the first matchup he was an unspectacular 13-28 for 184 yards. He was better in the rematch, 16-22 for 183 yards, but Georgia also ran for 238 yards instead of 40-something in that game.
That's not to say that Fromm isn't good, but he isn't winning game with his arm. Georgia is a team built upon great defense and great offensive line play, opening holes for a dominant running game. Fromm has avoided mistakes and can hit the key big plays asked of him (he gets time and has shown the ability to make plays throwing long, giving safeties something to think about), but he hasn't been making complex reads or dominating the offense. Georgia lives and dies with its ground game.
Really, their philsophy isn't all that different from Michigan's this season, but they had better OL play and a QB who could hit the deep shots to keep opposing defenses honest.
December 15th, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 11:14 PM ^
December 15th, 2017 at 1:18 PM ^
I can't find the article, but Harbaugh said himself that Brandon Peters is ahead of schedue on learning the offense because the expectation is that it will take a QB 2 years to learn the full offense. I am looking for the link and I will post it if I find it. My point, the coaches even acknowledge that the offense if very complex.