Iowa Snowflakes: Special Teams / Coaching

Submitted by LSAClassOf2000 on December 3rd, 2023 at 1:00 PM

This will be the thread for snowflakes regarding the special teams / coaching performance in the Big Ten Championship Game. 

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MRunner73

December 2nd, 2023 at 11:43 PM ^

Doman's punt to 6 yd line in the 3rd quarter pinned IA deep then Sainristil's penetration to Hill to force the fumble. It was Harbaugh's call to review the play to get the fumble call after the review. Jim made is huge difference on the sideline. Blake run it in for his 2nd TD.

That was the big turning point and knocked IA out of contention or hope to win.

Turner's 4 FG is icing on the cake.

First TD set up with the huge punt return for a very short field. Too bad Samaj ran out of gas on that play.

Joined: 11/11/2018

MGoPoints: 16883

stephenrjking

December 3rd, 2023 at 2:32 AM ^

Morgan was out for the most significant and damaging one. 

There's a reason Morgan hasn't gotten much play back there before. He brings a lot as a returner, but part of the returner's job is to make the right play catching the punt and preventing significant yardage losses. I don't think anybody expects Thaw to make a big play running the punt back, but he is used to make good field position decisions (I believe Harbaugh all but explicitly stated this in one of his postgame interviews). Jabrill Peppers, to use a pertinent example, was athletic and shifty, but he was also exceptional at making the right decision to save Michigan yards.

Morgan is a freshman and these things are hard to read; he'll learn and he'll get better at it.

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143872

stephenrjking

December 2nd, 2023 at 11:45 PM ^

The offense hasn’t looked as good the last four games.

But then Michigan is 4-0 and #1 in the country. Properly aggressive on fourth downs. Properly cautious avoiding risky mistakes.

The record doesn’t lie. Harbaugh and his staff have won 3 conference championships in a row. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20143872

HAILtotheVICTOR33

December 3rd, 2023 at 12:35 AM ^

I think Harbaugh picking Zinter was perfect. How many times was "health and safety of players" mentioned and parroted by Pettiti as a reason Michigan had to be punished? And yet, if I recall correctly, the only person who had to be carted off a field during a Michigan game this year on either side, especially since MSU, was Zinter.

Zinter getting that trophy was a giant F YOU to Petitti's BS "healthy and safety" argument. The fact he had to hand it off to a seriously injured player whose health and safety he patently ignored when Michigan PROVED OSU had their signs in the past, should be a moment Pettiti should never forget during his hopefully short, miserable stint as Big Ten Commissioner, but that's just my opinion.  

Joined: 08/12/2015

MGoPoints: 425

lhglrkwg

December 2nd, 2023 at 11:49 PM ^

Tory Taylor is annoying. Flipped the field multiple times

Felt great to win the special teams battle though with the Semaj return

James Turner suddenly looking like Moody with a slightly bigger leg out there

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 87934

901 P

December 2nd, 2023 at 11:51 PM ^

One thing that seems so different this year (or maybe the last 2 years or so): they do a much better job with the clock. They get to the line with plenty of time on the play clock to make adjustments. But if they are protecting a lead, they also let the clock run down to shorten the game. That was such a huge problem a few years ago! 

Joined: 01/12/2015

MGoPoints: 9973

brad

December 2nd, 2023 at 11:59 PM ^

Coached pretty tight on offense when loosening things up over the top may have helped, but also no turnovers so it worked out very well.

Florida State in the Rose Bowl please.

 

Also, seeing Petitti's moronic gaze while standing up there, milling around behind three rows of Michigan Men completely ignoring him, trying to figure out what he's supposed to do up there was somewhat surprising and also satisfying.  Nice work by Harbaugh to arrange the snub.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 15727

J. Redux

December 3rd, 2023 at 12:12 AM ^

Punting is winning.

Iowa is 10-1 when Tory Taylor punts eight times.  Between the turnovers and the large deficit, Iowa was only able to punt seven times tonight.  Therefore, Michigan victory.  QED.

Survive and advance.  I assume now that Michigan is super unlikely to play Washington, they’ll pick the Rose Bowl rather than the Sugar Bowl, which would presumably give their opponent a home-field advantage.

Joined: 10/15/2020

MGoPoints: 21468

BlueChitown

December 3rd, 2023 at 12:15 AM ^

Generally conservative. But that's what you do to beat Iowa. If you get impatient that's when they punish you for your mistakes. Instead, Michigan out-Iowaed Iowa with booming punts, 4 FGs, 3 TOs, and the SHUTOUT. Great win. 

Joined: 06/26/2009

MGoPoints: 1718

Tunneler

December 3rd, 2023 at 12:31 AM ^

I think the best thing Harbaugh did, was after the game when he brought Semaj Morgan out to speak like a Michigan Man to the masses. Kind of a revelation really. Of Harbaugh. And Semaj. And his future.

Joined: 08/01/2013

MGoPoints: 26026