Crossing Routes
Did anyone else have PTSD (like me) watching this crossing route?
What is the way to defend this? Especially now with our young, questionable CB's? I did see that we played a lot of zone coverage but their TE's were wide open during those coverages. Or perhaps there were a lot of other crossing route attempts that we defended well but I was not aware?
Even though the team played well, the underlying uneasiness never went away for me.
Until we can solve this puzzle, I don't think it will be possible for Michigan to make the playoffs.
Sorry, if this is really just another snowflake...
October 25th, 2020 at 3:07 PM ^
There is no defense that is not susceptible to something. It's an offensive game. Holding a good offensive team to 300 yards and 24 points is absolutely a win. We have personnel issues but the scheme was fine and Green honestly looked fantastic last night.
October 25th, 2020 at 3:11 PM ^
This.
I'll take the short field freebie 7 points away and it was a good defensive performance holding Minny to 17.
Lest we forget, Bama gave 600+ to Ole miss not two weeks ago.
October 26th, 2020 at 6:51 AM ^
And Saban fired his DC less than 24 hours later
October 25th, 2020 at 3:18 PM ^
I think Green looked much better than I was expecting. Zordich really knows how to coach CB's.
However, I was expecting CB's, especially for slot, to play more inside leverage since the RPO action was going to suck up the linebackers a lot. But they played them straight up from what I can see. Shouldn't we be leaning much more towards inside leverage as our base play?
October 25th, 2020 at 3:27 PM ^
My take, which may or may not hold up, was that linebackers were helping the CBs on the inside a lot. Effectively, they were encouraging the Gophers to take the "Run" in the Run-Pass-Option, because that matchup was much more to Michigan's advantage. Will be interesting to see if this was a Minnesota-specific scheme, with their depleted OL and excellent receivers, or if it persists to more run-focused teams (before Saturday, I would have said "Wisconsin" here.)
October 25th, 2020 at 4:38 PM ^
I think that’s exactly what happened as well, and will look for the UFR to confirm. Seth noted in Neck Sharpies that they basically just wait for you to sell out on the run to try to stop them from bleeding down the field on 5 yard runs, then they nail you with a big play. Credit to our guys for staying disciplined. They had very few big plays. And Bateman basically had none.
October 25th, 2020 at 5:21 PM ^
Helps when you’re up 3 scores and you can just LET them run and bleed the clock themselves
October 25th, 2020 at 3:29 PM ^
Green looked super solid to me, and just missed at least 2 interceptions...lookin' good tho
October 25th, 2020 at 3:19 PM ^
This a thousand times. So many on this blog are stuck in the past. Even the best talent and coaching isn't going to just shut down good offenses anymore. Times have changed.
Look at Clemson vs LSU last year. Clemson has as much talent as any team and arguably the best DC in the game, and still gave up 42 points, which could've been more. Same against OSU, if not for OSU consistently shooting themselves in the foot they also would've put up 40+. Or how about Ol' Miss putting up 40+ and the most yards EVER allowed by an Alabama defense against one of Saban's most talented teams in recent memory?
You can't play every scheme, and the ones you run will always be susceptible to something, that's why there's a rock, paper, scissors metric in the UFR's, you just get got. Plus, as Brian says, if the offense executes perfectly sometimes it just can't be stopped regardless. Today's game is very slanted to favor the offense and people need to get this new paradigm into their head.
October 25th, 2020 at 4:29 PM ^
Yep, 17 to 13 games are a thing of the past, especially the perennial Top 25 ranked teams. Too many 4* and 5* players out there on offense. It's getting to be basketball on grass type of game these days.
October 25th, 2020 at 9:10 PM ^
Yep, you're gonna get got, so the key is to make sure you get their D, too, and more often. Nice to see Michigan starting to learn. Foot on the gas, boys.
October 25th, 2020 at 3:36 PM ^
I'm not sure what people expect. If you play man you will give up some big plays. It's happened with every CB we've had, if you play zone there will be passes completed underneath and in the soft spots. No defense just shuts down any capable offense for the whole game.
October 25th, 2020 at 4:51 PM ^
The shift is even happening in the NFL to high scoring games and high octane offense. It’s just the way football is headed. I’m just happy Harbaugh was smart enough to recognize this and commit to the shift last year. Wish he had done it sooner, but better late than never.
October 25th, 2020 at 3:15 PM ^
When will we finally be able to call The Good Play on every snap?
October 25th, 2020 at 3:19 PM ^
Yup, the 28-7 blowout and great defensive performance is now 49-20.
I really enjoyed going to a couple of those "3 shutouts in a row" early in Harbaugh's tenure, but it looks like those days are gone for all football teams, not just UM.
October 25th, 2020 at 3:32 PM ^
October 25th, 2020 at 3:59 PM ^
And even those 17 points were helped by unsportsmanlike penalties on our part. Plus, apparently it's OK for Minnesota to get away with massive holding.
October 25th, 2020 at 4:52 PM ^
The reffing wasn’t atrocious but it did feel like Minnesota was getting away with a lot while one of those TD drives had a phantom PI on 3rd down iirc
October 26th, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
I haven't seen the game stats, but I don't recall a single holding penalty being called against Minnesota. When you have 5 sacks from the defense and six speedy receivers on the offense, I can absolutely guarantee you that there were a lot of penalties that weren't called on our behalf. Atrocious officiating to say the least!
October 25th, 2020 at 4:58 PM ^
Durkin Donuts....ah the days...
October 25th, 2020 at 3:22 PM ^
Sprinkling in some zone should/could help. This game was arguably the most zone D.Brown played since he came to Michigan.
October 25th, 2020 at 3:34 PM ^
Call the obvious offensive PI
October 25th, 2020 at 4:22 PM ^
Surprised it took many comments to hit the nail on the head. If you watch the play from start to finish it is a blatant offensive PI as the crossing receiver sticks his hands out and impedes the defender.
October 25th, 2020 at 5:13 PM ^
WR even reached out toslow the CB and free up Bateman. He did an atrocious job and the officials still swallowed their whistles.
October 25th, 2020 at 5:37 PM ^
It looked like it, but it wasn’t PI. The pass was completed behind the line of scrimmage, so blocking before the catch is legal.
October 25th, 2020 at 3:52 PM ^
The key to slowing all offenses is to have DBs & LBs can can cover TEs, WRs, & RBs in single coverage, having d-lineman & LBs that can take on blocks and get off them and tackle RBs & QBs, & d-lineman & LBs that can beat blocks to get into the backfield on passing plays. If your players can do this without needing numbers you can beat the opposition in every scenario. This also means you need to be more talented than your opposition at every position. OSU has this over every team in the B1G, UM does not. When you don't have this talent advantage you need to cheat to your weaknesses. IMHO UM's biggest keys to their defense this year is can the DTs be good enough for the DEs to rush the QB and can the DEs beat single coverage to get pressure on the QB without needing to blitz so the DBs and LBs can sit back more in coverage without blitzing. I think they can do this more often than not, but the better o-lines like OSU & Wiscy will be able to run the ball and force UM to commit more guys to the running game. When that happens can the DBs cover on the back side without help? Personally I don't think so since Fields and Mertz looks so accurate. But, I think they can against everyone else even PSU. But, Dax Hill went out with an undisclosed injury and didn't play in the second half. If he's gone that is a BIG problem.
October 25th, 2020 at 6:19 PM ^
As others have mentioned there is no perfect defense.
The other thing is slants weren’t really Mann’s thing. The concern coming in was Bateman deep. So the game plan was around that not slants.
And there’s no reason to put your slant adjustments on film yet. Especially if you’re still repping it with new starters.
October 26th, 2020 at 1:53 AM ^
Crossing routes are by far the hardest thing for a defense to cover. Cover 3 is the best way to cover these but thats not what we do often, I'll explain.
Cover 3 has 4 under 3 over the top. Against a spread 2x2 formation 1back, here' are the important players.
The curl-flat player (OLB 3-4, Safety/OLB 3-3-5, Safety 4-2) to the strength (2 WR/ 1 Back side) has a 2 to 1 read. Meaning, they get hands on 2 if he goes vertical or an out, then gets under #1. If #1 goes vertical, they get depth and look for a crosser coming back across.
The hook-curl player to the strength (MLB 4-2, 3-4, MLB/OLB 3-3) (2wr/1back) has a 3 to 2 read. They open to # 3, back releasing or 5th wr and try and get under #2. If #2 crosses, the back becomes #2 if he opens to his side. The hope is the back become #1 and the curl-flat player picks him up. If that happens, the hook-curl player has to find a new #2 coming from the other side, where he is usually out of position. The ball will come either inside or outside of him.
The Hook-Curl player on the weak side(OLB or Safety) (2 wr/ opposite back) has a #2 read. Get underneath #2 as he comes across. He has to identify which receiver is coming across the slot or outside guy. Once he crosses his face, the #2 comes from the opposite side. If he follows #2, he's out of position for the new #2.
October 26th, 2020 at 4:03 PM ^
Don't give up on the defense keeping the other team from scoring. We may be in for one of those blasts from the past this weekend. I'm calling it now Michigan wins 52-0 this weekend. I'm all in on this offense and Joe Milton, and MSU is a dumpster ?!!!
October 26th, 2020 at 5:56 PM ^
Michigan wins 52-0 this weekend
So you're saying our FG kicking issues will be solved...??? ;-)