Bill Plaschke thinks Denard has been "figured out"
November 13th, 2010 at 6:58 PM ^
Stopping Denard:
1. Make sure that he is nursing a number of lingering injuries;
2. Make sure that the weather forecast calls for a monsoon;
3. Make sure that the offensive line executes a stunning variety of whiff blocks;
4. Sacrfice a number of small animals to the Angry Michigan ______ Hating Gods;
5. Pray.
Yeah, they have him all figured out.
November 13th, 2010 at 7:16 PM ^
Even when Denard isn't on his best game, he is still a hell of a decoy for the rest of the offense. Guys such as Vincent Smith and Stephen Hopkins had good days because the linebackers were one step slow because they had to make sure Denard didn't have the ball, even when he was having a bad day. He's fine. He's a hell of a competitor and he'll bounce back for sure.
November 13th, 2010 at 7:17 PM ^
Bill Plaschke is a freaking moron. Don't waste your time with that douchebag.
November 13th, 2010 at 7:32 PM ^
I guess I never understood what there was to "figure out". He is a fast QB. He takes the ball and runs a QB iso, waits for blocks hits the hole and runs.
The read option hasn't been the most effective run for him, and he has stopped pulling the ball down and taking off (QB draw's and broken play's).
I don't think its Denard I think its the play calling. I would like to see the screen game come back, I also think that putting in the option would open it up for Denard more.
RR seems to run a more conservative offence here then at WVU.
November 13th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
He's wrong, nobody figures out how to defend Denard.
But am I wrong in thinking that teams are getting better at cutting down his opportunities? Early in the season he was bouncing out into space consistently, and no defense in the nation is going to stop Denard consistently when he gets space. Now he always seems to meet 2-3 guys.
I know that Denard doesn't scramble much, and I wonder if Denard might be taking himself out of plays by not improvising when the opposition overplays him.
So basically, to people who know the answers to these sort of questions: Is he too predictable, and how do the improvisational skill and knowing when to just take over usually develop in playmakers like him?
November 13th, 2010 at 11:33 PM ^
Purdue committed either the free safety or OLB to DROB on every ZR and usually it was a one on one for DROB if he keeps. I'm still a little surprised he gives when he has just one man to beat (as opposed to the straight iso's he runs when he has to pick a hole). It looks as if there may be more plays out of the formations, but they are keeping it simple hoping DROB simply overwhelms teams with his ability. I think teams are banking on him making a mistake in the pass game and bringing minimal pressure to keep him in the pocket. So, in that regard, he is getting predictable.
The best formation Michigan has used thus far for him appears to be the one they went to on the last drive. They have a double wing look with an H back (Smith or Hopkins) and the TE/W on DROB's side crosses to lead for DROB if he keeps. The TE/W on the H side leads into the hole for the H.
Early in the year, Michigan scored on pretty easy TD's when DROB would keep and the TE that crossed to his side would go to the flats for a wide open pass. I don't know if it a pass / run option but it certainly looks like it.
I'm also wondering if the OC and RR have any ZR's to read to the 3 or 1 tech or simply more of a QB GT/Trap look for DROB to have a better chance. This zone blocking up the gut looking for cutback lanes is not a good thing these days, simply because teams are now keeping their gaps much better.
Anyway, that's probably too much and this will get lost, but I wanted to respond to a good question.
November 13th, 2010 at 7:56 PM ^
It's been said before, but:
Plaschke is an idiot. He is horrible on Around the Horn, and he speaks like a guy who once really cared about sports but is now just treating it as a job. He probably didn't watch a minute of the game, saw the score and the numbers, and made a dumb statement. Yes, teams are slowing down Denard, but the guy is still averaging close to 300 yards of offense a week and will likely break the single-season rushing total for a QB next week. Doesn't seem like people have figured him out; he just isn't going to put together the first 2k/2k season in football history.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:34 PM ^
1 bad game
"OMG FIGURED OUT"
just another fail from another so called journalist who took the stat sheet and drew assumptions from there.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:40 PM ^
How many times did Denard get sacked? I guess he doesn't care that factors into his rushing yardage and ypc. Dumbass.
November 13th, 2010 at 8:43 PM ^
Who? Blue Pulaski?
November 13th, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^
Did Plaschke even look at the scoreboard? Michigan won: on the road, in terrible weather, when they didn't play well, against a team that sees them as a "rivalry game." It may not be enough for him, but it's enough for me.
November 14th, 2010 at 8:26 AM ^
Rain was a huge deal. But, I'm surprised no one mentioned: Have an All-American beast for a defensive end. Give the man the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year right now. Michigan has played a lot of good defensive players, but no one in his class.
November 15th, 2010 at 2:46 PM ^
hasn't figured out how to use a treadmill!