Doug Skene Offers Tremendous Analysis
I consider former OL Doug Skene to be the leading analyst when it comes to Michigan football. The guy provides cogent, thoughtful insight to the game better than any other commentator. He also has strong opinions on the program which shouldn’t be overlooked. A few snippets from his most recent podcast w Chris Balas:
1. snap count at PSU never changed, which gave PSU D a great advantage in pressuring UM’s O. Calls out coaches for not making a simple adjustment;
2. Much like Jake Long, he laments the OL for walking from sideline to huddle, and really blasts them for contributing to a delay of game penalty before first snap;
3. Detests ND and wants them off schedule permanently;
4. Questions effort of some of the guys (doesn’t mention by name) who are interested in self not team w an eye toward NFL.
A great listen for those of us who want to hear insightful commentary from someone who played the game at UM. Far superior to the mindless prattle from WTKA or even podcasts found here and elsewhere.
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:31 AM ^
Skegemog Point-Lake Skegemog? That's a beautiful area, how can you be so negative?
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:46 AM ^
I figured he misspelled his username and this was Doug Skene's account. He didn't even provide a link.
October 22nd, 2019 at 7:38 AM ^
Doug Skene has a son who plays high school football. Skene is big on boating, and I am racking my brain to think if I remember if he specifically mentions:
Lake Skegemog/ Skegemog Point, Home of Elk Rapids high school
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:57 AM ^
Looks like this code has been cracked. Nice try Skene. Next time at least provide a link to your podcast.
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:28 PM ^
Wait, did he like the pre-game TO?
New M record....
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Wait, did he like the pre-game TO?
New M record....
October 22nd, 2019 at 1:35 PM ^
Lake Skegemog is forest consumed by water. Always thought the fishing should be better there.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:08 AM ^
Skegemog point is beautiful. Elk Lake and Torch Lake are beautiful. Lake Skegemog can kiss my ass - it has DESTROYED 2 props on my boat from stumps cutoff just under the water level. And I take it nice and slow through there, stay in the marked channel, and pay attention. Thankfully I always carry a spare and tools on board.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:34 AM ^
Sounds like someone needs a Nav Chip on their fish finder/gps on their boat for Skegemog lake. Could I perhaps recommend one? Lakemaster? Navionics?
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:41 AM ^
Does he have anything good to say?
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:38 AM ^
Does he have anything correct to say?
Harbaugh says that we did alter snap count. Results agree with Harbaugh. A couple lucky timings vs keeping the QB relatively clean.
We didn't even take that penalty. It was a timeout that no one could hear because of the crowd. Delays and false starts were almost zero the entire game IN A WHITEOUT. A remarkable and underrated component of our offensive success.
Playing Notre Dame is great. Thank God that Michigan's goal in scheduling isn't to satisfy Doug Skene.
I saw great effort from everyone. Do you know who I didn't see lift a finger on a single snap? Yup. Doug Skene.
0 for 4, buddy. Stopped in the backfield every time.You turned it over on downs. Maybe even took a safety.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:15 AM ^
Also it’s hard to keep changing snap counts in a hostile environment like PSU Saturday night, that place was rocking all night, it only started to calm down late in the 3rd and some of the 4th quarter.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:51 AM ^
Also, what pressure? Shea faced more pressure against MTSU and Army, and Penn State led the conference in sacks coming into the game. I thought this was the OL’s best game of the year, given the opponent. Penn State certainly was not benefiting from timing the snap count.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:53 AM ^
The corners and safeties were timing snaps on some Plays, the O line did great a couple times Shea didn’t even look over at the corner coming. Michigan stopped the corner blitzing by using screens in the 2nd half. No real issue here Doug just like everybody else is just trying to pile on.
October 22nd, 2019 at 11:05 AM ^
Right
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:48 PM ^
Zero sacks and only a handful of pressures is pretty miraculous performance by the OL in that atmosphere, against that defense, especially since we were in catch-up mode.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:23 AM ^
Bravo. Mike drop. Too many weenies with too much time on their hands. Let's white ND's behind!
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:59 AM ^
I'll give OP the effort thing. My 8th grade son even noticed one of the players that could've come up and hit a RB (or QB) on a couple critical 3rd downs, but stood watching as the runner picked up a few extra yards for the first downs.
It was the same player both times. Now, that's two plays, so I'm not going to say lack of effort the whole game. But, those were big plays. I'll leave it at that.
October 22nd, 2019 at 11:05 AM ^
It makes no fucking sense to schedule ND, let alone in the middle of the season.
In fact, it’s downright stupid. Real stupid.
October 22nd, 2019 at 12:44 PM ^
Mostly agree, but I thought it was painfully obvious that DPJ was playing not to get injured.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:29 PM ^
Skene and Balas are so bad
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:32 AM ^
Pretty much everything coming from Rivals is this way.... Positivity?!?! - Reminds me of the scene in American Beauty..”Great job with the dance team honey! You barely messed up at all!”
I spend a lot of time in a car so I listen to a lot of podcasts including the one mentioned. My impression is that Doug Skene is obviously very knowledgeable but also very old-school in how he feels football SHOULD be played which colors many of his opinions - including those on specific players.
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:47 AM ^
By "tremendous" do you mean "something I don't want to listen to"?
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:42 AM ^
I think we found Doug Skene's burner account.
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:53 AM ^
1) I didn’t feel like the PSU D got much pressure.
2) Lol, if running out is important that’s a simple coaching point. And they were out there in time to get set and snap the ball to start the game. I thought Shea was the one taking his time but I don’t know why they couldn’t get it done.
3) I am over ND too but I don’t want to swear them off forever if we can find reasonable ways to get them on the schedule (which this year is not).
4) I don’t know. Maybe. Probably not.
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:36 AM ^
1) Agree, they were using the silent count because of the noise anyway, how do you adjust that?
2) Exactly, they were looking to the sideline for a play. Looks like they were waiting to see what defense Penn St was lined up in
3) I don't care one way or the other, as long as we win.
4) Don't we hear this every year when things aren't going well?
October 22nd, 2019 at 5:56 AM ^
Sounds about as entertaining as the illiterate mouth breathers that congregate on something called GBMW.
At least I can be amused when something called "coachbt" offers his/her musings. It is a coin flip whether he/she made it through 5th grade.
That site is the definition of the need for more attention to education in our society.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:51 AM ^
You should join them. Your takes are pretty awful too and you might have finished H.S.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:43 AM ^
The fact that your post is upvoted just goes to show how low this place has fallen. Your "opinions" flat out suck. You're barely better than a troll.
But this place is fucking stupid now, so you get upvoted. It's getting harder to wade through the cesspool that the message board has become.
October 22nd, 2019 at 11:13 AM ^
Girly whining.....
October 22nd, 2019 at 12:07 PM ^
Use the troll cave, or do something else with your time. This is college football message board - we're not curing cancer here.
October 22nd, 2019 at 12:43 PM ^
You're one of those I'm referring to. Lowering the level of discourse that used to exist here.
October 22nd, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
More girly whining about a message board? You must be very sensitive.
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:48 PM ^
clearly
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:09 AM ^
I also listen to him each week on Balas’s show and find his analysis very good. Some find him negative but he’s always got positive things to say as well.
He’s insightful and knowledgeable as he’s got something most of us don’t have... experience.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:46 AM ^
Point 1? Possibly interesting. It sounds like a Michigan tradition dating back several years. Predictability.
Point 2? As someone else noted, probably irrelevant.
Point 3? This isn't "analysis." It doesn't make me want to listen to other things Doug says.
Point 4? Even worse. Possibly true, but definitely not "analysis."
October 22nd, 2019 at 7:02 AM ^
I too was struck by how little of what OP mentioned is actually analysis.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:49 AM ^
Funny how guys that played the game can pick up some of these small things. I was watching the game with a buddy of mine who played in college and he was quick to point out that Michigan had a snap issue and that Penn State was getting too quick a jump based on it. Frustrating that we have coaches on staff not picking up those same things.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:13 AM ^
They did initially but midway through the second quarter they seemed to break it up a bit and PSU wasn't getting nearly as consistent a jump.
Michigan also seemed to time up PSU's snap decently. I know people like to point out this low hanging fruit, but these coaches aren't idiots. Oftentimes you'd see a clap and then some time later the ball would come out. It wasn't always immediate, it was varied enough. But on the road in a loud environment it can take some time for guys to get into a rhythm. This isn't a UM-specific issue.
October 22nd, 2019 at 9:19 AM ^
If they were getting "too quick a jump", how did Penn State end up with only 1 sack on over 40 drop backs? Heck, we had more sacks than they did.
Of all the issues in the game (e.g., dropped passes; bad personnel matchups on our D; horrible calls), the snap count/QB protection was way, way down the list.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:49 AM ^
The snap count - this game we will snap it the 1st time I clap, next game we will snap it the second time I clap, we WONT snap it when I move my arms and almost clap but don't - move is one of the most bafflingly idiot things I've seen about this offense. As if the most simple of simpletons couldn't wrap their brain around when the ball is getting snapped. Very basic little thing that puts the offense at a disadvantage every play.
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:46 AM ^
I have said this before, and I will say it again. Even watching the game at home, I know exactly when the ball is being snapped with the dumb freaking clap.
Do it like the professionals do it, just use your GD voice. Alter the count each time. It's not that difficult.
October 22nd, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^
The NFL uses a mic/speaker system for QB snap counts. On the road in a hostile environment in college you need a visual system
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:05 AM ^
I can understand if you just don't like the "clap snap" in general. But to chalk it up as another idiotic thing about the Michigan offense specifically and use it as a reason for why it isn't working, is just a lazy take. 7 of the Top 10 teams in the country use some variation of the clap for their snap count (Alabama, OSU, Clemson, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Auburn and Georgia). There are some pretty prolific offenses in that group.
October 22nd, 2019 at 10:08 AM ^
This is in general. I've never liked it. I have watched them since Shea started doing it last year. And again, if I can identify snap counts from my couch, that's a problem.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:53 AM ^
I didn't notice that about the snap count but for all the great advantage it supposedly offered PSU, we gained 417 yards against their highly-ranked defense, despite multiple dropped passes and having the Collins catch taken off the board. Maybe it made it harder on a handful of plays like the QB sneak, don't know.
October 22nd, 2019 at 7:57 AM ^
Was going to make the same point! Harbaugh said they used the snap count to offset crowd noise. The results - zero illegal procedure moves for the entire game, on the road, in a hostile white-out with 104,000 screaming people. And Shea had all day on the vast majority of his 457 drop backs!
Fuck off with the snap count bitching...
October 22nd, 2019 at 8:31 AM ^
Well, not quite zero illegal procedure penalties. I remember a play on which Mayfield was flagged for moving before the snap. But yes, the O did well, from late in the first half onward.