September 20th, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
He used to have Mike Martin drop into coverage...oh, and I believe Henry has dropped back too.
September 20th, 2014 at 3:01 PM ^
It's a defensive football thing. This is done all the time by every team in college and NFL.
September 20th, 2014 at 3:05 PM ^
It's not a Maatison thing any more than its any other coaches. Fire zones are the most common pressures in college and are huge in the NFL, too.
September 20th, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
¯\_(ツ)_/¯.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:14 PM ^
Didn't he have a pick in the Sugar Bowl?
September 20th, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^
Yes, he did.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:21 PM ^
I don't think that was in coverage. I'm pretty sure he was rushing Thomas on the play and just made a great grab
September 20th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
That feels like ages ago
September 20th, 2014 at 2:16 PM ^
Throw Mone in coverage too. That's a great strategy.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
Its much better than dropping him into a hole.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^
If you don't like Clark in coverage you're really gonna hate Nuss's rumored new wrinkle for today's game.
I hear Norfleet's gonna play a bit at center.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:19 PM ^
it back and forth to Comerica between innings?
September 20th, 2014 at 3:32 PM ^
but Kauffman is less likely.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:20 PM ^
for DC's to drop a lineman into zone for a little bit of flavor every once in a while
September 20th, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
Isn't this the "robber" concept? I think I read that in Chris Brown's "Smart Football."
September 20th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
Its part of a fire zone, which is far and away the most common form of blitz found in college and was a huge part of the Pittburgh Steelers winning ways for the better part of 30 years.
Not complicated. Bring an unorthodox pass rusher from point A (like a nickelback) but drop an unorthodox man into coverage (like a DE). It screws with the QBs reads and hots.
September 20th, 2014 at 2:29 PM ^
and I don't think we do it any where near often, but could be wrong. Does this happen more than a couple of times a game?
September 20th, 2014 at 2:34 PM ^
Mattison not only drops DEs, but DTs as well, Glasgow, Pipkins, Henry all have dropped. I always assumed a LB comes into the dropping DL gap that's vacated, but I am guessing. Mattisons philosophy is built around stunts and blitzes
September 20th, 2014 at 2:36 PM ^
I remember dropping Terrance Taylor into coverage too. That was the app st game
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 20th, 2014 at 2:40 PM ^
"He has the coverage skills of Charles Woodson and the speed and agility of deon sanders." - F. Jackson
September 20th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
most DCs commonly drop DL into coverage in various zone games, not too big a deal. the scheme i do not like is when mattison tries clark in MLB type position, just floating around before hitting his designated rush lane - just dont understand it, its not really confusing anyone and not really effective. but i guess he needs to do whatever the heck he can in order to manipulate free rushers bc their pass rush continues to disappoint
September 20th, 2014 at 2:56 PM ^
The timing of this thread is weird.
September 20th, 2014 at 3:01 PM ^
I see no problem with it. Everyone knows he's our best pass rusher. It should surprise QBs into a bad throw if they think he's coming like he has been all day, except on this rare instance he dropped into a throwing lane.
As a change of pace, I like it. Besides, his rush hasn't been hitting home either. And if a QB is going to take 3 step drops, Clark may be better utilized in coverage anyway.
September 20th, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
I don't understand football concept I didn't know existed until Brian wrote about it. Who else thinks this is a terrible mistake?
September 20th, 2014 at 3:28 PM ^
Jeez, does it really matter THAT much?!
Bitch about something else...not something that doesn't even happen very often. Bitch about digusing coverage, or blitzing, or the amount of plays someone gets. But Clark dropping into coverage once or twice a game isn't going to change much. It's not like teams can't score when he's rushing the passer.
September 20th, 2014 at 3:26 PM ^
Do I have the game start time wrong? There's no liveblog or game thread yet!
September 20th, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
This is why we need to play at noon. Senseless threads that are excused by not having shit to do or watch.
September 20th, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^
If Clark has the strength to make that play 2 seasons ago, we beat SC and have a 9 win season in 2012. Great development over his career.
September 20th, 2014 at 8:07 PM ^
Sorry for that thread guys. My dad, a michigan grad, lawyer, who went to the 69 game as a student, who I have gone to every home game with since 1986, who by all accounts of those in our section is a keen observer of the game, explained he thought it was a mistake to drop frank Clark into coverage. I thought he had a good point, seems unnecessary to me, but i am just a commercial attorney whose only client is billion dollar private company. I don't know football that well and to do this right, I should have gone through tape like Brian does and analyze how many positive as well as negative defensive plays came as a result of the practice. I'm sure if I did so I would find that lining up frank Clark as a defensive back responsible for covering a slot receiver has in fact paid big dividends this football season. I mean, where else should an elite pass rusher that weighs 280 pounds line up on Saturday? Clearly, however, I am in over my head here, as I should have at least 17000 more posts that nobody negbangs in order to establish the elite credibility that you all have.