Jon Jansen podcast-Mike Maconald praise
Hey everybody. Happy Labor Day!
Listening to Jon Jansens podcast this morning. I like him. I’m not sure what the board thinks of him as a whole.
Lots of good stuff but the things that stuck out to me were 2 things:
1. The defense gathering around their own position coaches and being taught during the game. Input was welcomed. Seems to be different from the last few years. They said it made a big difference during the game.
2. Macdonald knew the plays that were coming before the play happened. He was shouting to the defense what to look for and he was right. One play specifically mentioned was a pass to the RB and he directed the defense as such and the play ended in a loss.
Here’s to hoping this is a harbinger of things to come. Again, never get too high, never get too low but I saw and heard good things. Vincent Grey was excited in the podcast and I thought he looked pretty good.
Any way, discuss. I’ll hang up and listen. ?
September 6th, 2021 at 9:35 AM ^
Hutch calling him a mastermind after being around some good minds sounds pretty good thing
September 6th, 2021 at 9:39 AM ^
Unlike Don Brown, he doesn't have just one pitch. To the point where he even went "Don Brown" on some plays after starting out in soft zone, because that was what was appropriate.
September 6th, 2021 at 10:08 AM ^
Yeah, I'd be worried if he wasn't doing *some* Don Brown stuff... Don Brown's stuff worked incredibly well against a bunch of offenses. Being able to do a bunch of different things when the situation calls for them is what makes the great teams great.
September 6th, 2021 at 11:24 AM ^
Old school football…offense…multiple…defense…situational. What does that mean? Exactly.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:41 AM ^
The defense looked far more competent. It was nice to see some thing other than the one trick pony play that Don Brown always had. They were a thinking defense, and it showed in their play. Keep in mind that WMU’s only scores came after penalties; had that not happened it very easily could have been a shut out.
September 6th, 2021 at 11:21 AM ^
They had them in a third and long on WMU’s first drive when Michigan got flagged for taunting. I am certain that player is getting reamed.
September 6th, 2021 at 11:26 AM ^
And if your mother had balls, she’d be…? That’s why actual shutouts are hard.
September 6th, 2021 at 1:40 PM ^
"Thinking" defense is a concept I can get behind. Some of the snowflakes were complaining about our DL getting gashed in the run game for that one spell in the first half. Sometimes the defense is set up to smother 15 yard passes and must concede 5 yard runs to ensure that.
Ultimately the object of the defense is to WIN THE GAME, not necessarily to get a tackle for loss on every play. It's managing, it's limiting the offense's options, it's strangling them out on third down.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:43 AM ^
Well, I mean, it's Jon Jansen - if a Michigan football fan doesn't like Jon Jansen, he's not really a Michigan football fan.
Great to hear these takes, though! I've said all summer that the defense would be fine, and this seems to bear that out. First game against a directional MAC team caveats, but it's a good start! I could tell that some adjustments were made after the first couple of WMU series'. They just stopped being able to move the ball, and the soft spots in the zones closed up. And they looked organized - no more of the last second running around trying to get into position.
Lets see how they hold up after the next couple of games. Being ready for a MAC team with a whole camp to prepare is one thing. It's another thing to be ready for a B1G team on one week after a few other games.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:45 AM ^
That’s a great point
September 6th, 2021 at 11:51 AM ^
Michigan did what they were supposed to do against a MAC opponent. I think that’s a great thing. I was expecting WMU QB to throw over 200 yards and help their offense get 21 points. Neither happened. Granted, they did score 14, but that last touchdown was against the backups and on a drive where their punter should win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. Michigan’s special teams blocked a FG. This was a great effort by Michigan all around and it’s something to build on.
September 6th, 2021 at 5:12 PM ^
No. There should be a system in play to overturn bad calls-the official who threw that flag should be fined and flogged...along with that other egregious call.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:44 AM ^
Knowing WMU was going to be getting the ball out quickly outside the tackles, it made sense to play with two down linemen and have extra players in coverage. Now if he rolls that out vs Wisconsin they'll get steamrolled but I'm optimistic there will be a different game plan week by week.
September 6th, 2021 at 11:30 AM ^
Said no coach ever. 2-5 with gap control works just as well (and is more flexible) than a 4-3 with the wrong bodies. Get your athletes on the field and put them in a position to compete. Not the X’s and O’s, etc etc
September 6th, 2021 at 9:49 AM ^
What Jansen said about the defense overall lines up with my own primary take away. Yes, it’s nice to pound a directional MAC team, but what really stood out to me was the way that our defense (and to a large extent our offense as well) looked crisp, well coached, and overall just less chaotic before and during the plays. Last year, players consistently seemed confused and we’re scrambling right up until the snap. I also liked the adjustments. While I am certain that my observations were influenced by the outcome of the plays and game, the team really passed the “eye test” on opening week.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:50 AM ^
He definitely showed a lot of different stuff. I really like this staff. I hope they win enough games they get to stick together for awhile. Defense looked like they knew what they were doing which was great considering it was a new scheme with a ton of different looks.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:58 AM ^
Don’t care for Jansen. He doesn’t have a good radio voice imo.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:59 AM ^
Good thing it's a podcast old man
September 6th, 2021 at 10:16 AM ^
I didn't kill my wife!!!
September 6th, 2021 at 10:19 AM ^
I don’t care.
September 6th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
Sam, there's a guy on the phone claiming to be Richard Kimble.
September 6th, 2021 at 10:30 AM ^
Yea guy I know. He’s on the radio with Stoney on 97.1 in the mornings. Don’t like him as a radio guy so more than not won’t like his podcasts
September 6th, 2021 at 10:34 AM ^
What I like about it so far is it allows the stars to be in a position of impact. Aiden is locking down the edge and applying pressure to the QB instead of crashing inside. Dax is playing nickel allowing him to be closer to the inside to interrupt Rpo slants, attack the rusher as he goes outside and even rush the passer. Before they were just leaving him to do boring safety stuff
September 6th, 2021 at 12:03 PM ^
There was a point in the game where it seemed like every defensive snap ended with Hutchinson or Dax making the play. That tells me MacDonald is putting his best players in position to make plays which is a refreshing change
September 6th, 2021 at 11:58 AM ^
Jansen will be the next color man for Michigan Football.
September 6th, 2021 at 1:48 PM ^
I think you're right. More important they need to get the PBP hire right. PBP is way harder than it looks. A radio listener needs to know down and distance, score, personnel on the field--none of these things are obvious like they are on television. They need to get an experienced professional. It should be a national search. This is Michigan fergodsakes. Don't settle on some local homer or a "Michigan Man." Get the best.
September 6th, 2021 at 5:34 PM ^
Some early candidates for PBP are probably Karch and Kengersky, right?
September 6th, 2021 at 1:10 PM ^
The coaching was great Saturday.
one game at a time.
hail
September 6th, 2021 at 1:41 PM ^
I agree with a lot of the positives that have already been mentioned about Coach Mac’s defense. I would like to add one additional point. I liked the way that he rotated younger players into the game, even when the game was still close. Under Brown, it seemed like younger players never got on the field, and therefore, were woefully unprepared when they were needed due to injury or graduation of older players.
September 6th, 2021 at 2:25 PM ^
I like Jansen, and the podcast is good for what it is. That said, given who his bosses are, I think the value in what he says is directly proportional to the likelihood that he would say the opposite.