Michigan's Defense v. OSU's Offense, explained
Found this great X's and O's discussion about the cat and mouse game between our defense and OSU's offense. Actually, the YouTube algorithm found it and threw it up on my feed . . . but I clicked on it all by myself! Sorry if already posted. I checked/searched and didn't see it.
December 15th, 2023 at 6:22 AM ^
This comes to show... How Michigan defense positioned themselves to win with great personnel, development, and schemes... Again, not always happy with what our coordinators do at times but they are good in what they do (even to the displeasure of the fanbase that includes me)...
December 15th, 2023 at 10:01 AM ^
It also shows the benefit of D Linemen who can win against the blocks most of the time. The scheme relies on blocks being made, but you can see our D Line whipping those blocks. Harrell was so much better than we tended to give him credit for. A legitimate beast.
December 15th, 2023 at 12:00 PM ^
The defense over the last 3 years has done its job A+, aside from the Michigan State game in 2021. But even that game should've been won if it weren't for the Hutchinson TD reversal. We were never beating Georgia in 2021 and in 2022 TCU, the offense lost us that game
December 15th, 2023 at 8:15 PM ^
What fans want:
-More 50/50(ish) games scheduled in the OOC (wont anyone think of the season ticket holders entertainment value!!)
-More passing, more deep strikes
-More pouring on to obviously lesser teams
What we end up with:
-38-3
-Three big ten championships in a row
-Three wins in the game in a row
-Three playoffs in a row
These coaches better wake the fuck up!
December 15th, 2023 at 6:29 AM ^
Great video. Thanks for sharing it.
December 15th, 2023 at 7:24 AM ^
Shoutout to Mike Macdonald for bringing this NFL scheme to our Squad. Minter has added his wrinkles and I love that we mix in way more zone than previously. Beat Bama!
December 15th, 2023 at 10:00 AM ^
MacDonald coming to Michigan is the real smoking gun as to why we got over the hump, not some pointless sign stealing - so annoying that no one in the media seems to grasp this. Its evident in how well the Ravens defense is playing. MacDonald is a stud and Minter is just like him. Don Brown's defense was good against the have-nots but got exposed against real talent. Credit to Harbaugh/the Harbaughs for looking at this and making the difficult decision to go in another direction.
December 15th, 2023 at 7:41 AM ^
This is what we are missing here. Slowing it all down and demonstrating what each team is doing. This is the perfect post-mortem video. Thank you.
December 15th, 2023 at 8:02 AM ^
If this video is sent to Nick Saban, would it constitute advanced scouting by the ncaa and espn?
Just asking.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:41 AM ^
Only if he saw it live would it be a risk to player safety.
December 15th, 2023 at 8:05 AM ^
Wait wait wait wait. Are you saying there's ways to succeed without knowing the other team's signs?
December 15th, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^
Or hire a former defensive coach of the other school.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:02 AM ^
Yep like having your DEs stonewall OSU’s five star tackles to contain run plays because they are tougher and more disciplined
December 15th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
You think OSU's tackles were 5-stars? ...pfft!
Both Josh Simmons and Josh Fryar were 3* recruits coming out of HS.
December 15th, 2023 at 7:52 PM ^
The previous OL coach at OSU, Greg Studwara, really phoned it in on the recruiting trail during his last 3-4 seasons. He was never an elite recruiter, but the ended his tenure he was known as a pretty lazy recruiter and saddled our current OL coach with a thin room in terms of depth.
December 15th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
Well, if there are they’re not in the manifesto.
Ill check again and report back.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:00 AM ^
Thanks for posting. Lots more going on during a play than the average fan can grasp while watching. Also clear why safeties typically need to be experienced to play well. Pretty complex stuff.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:14 AM ^
You know the sickening thing is you have about 70% of the football world that are dumb enough to believe Michigan is only successful because they "cheated" all of this time. Never mind the fact they've had two NFL DCs the past 3 seasons.
The lies are corrupting everything this team has accomplished and its sad to see and not fair to these players.
December 15th, 2023 at 10:01 AM ^
You know the sickening thing is you have about 70% of the football world that are dumb enough to believe Michigan is only successful because they "cheated" all of this time.
Very few people genuinely believe that an entry-level staffer making $55K was the secret to our success. This is simply their stick to beat us with.
December 15th, 2023 at 5:01 PM ^
In my old age, I've seen many, many, many times where people show an aversion to thinking. It's much easier to buy into an idea you can fit onto a bumper sticker/meme. They do believe it; it's much easier than actually working through it.
December 15th, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
95%, IMO.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:17 AM ^
Really great game breakdown. Thanks for sharing.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:37 AM ^
Wow, this is a really informative video.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:59 AM ^
Cool. Very informative. Thanks for posting.
December 15th, 2023 at 9:59 AM ^
I saw this on the 11 Warriors forum -- it's terrific. It also shows how stupid the sign stealing accusation is. This shows the unfolding of strategy in a terrific way, with the give and take of act and react.
December 15th, 2023 at 10:30 AM ^
This is the most complicated game on the face of the earth.
December 15th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
And yet, still very simple. If you control the line of scrimmage you greatly increase the likelihood of executing your offense and shutting down the other team’s offense.
December 15th, 2023 at 10:53 AM ^
The content is great, thanks for posting.
This is how I love the Game; both teams full of confidence and swagger with excellence on all sides. Hard fought with ebbs and flows and in the end the good guys take it.
December 15th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
Interesting watch but the first sequence of plays is odd because he uses defensive plays Michigan ran in the 2Q to show how Michigan adjusted to run plays OSU was using in the 4Q.
December 15th, 2023 at 12:05 PM ^
The most instructive part to me was the discussion of the final interception. McCord wasn't just chucking it at Harrison ... the play was designed to go there based on previous coverages. McCord reads Rod Moore and thinks Harrison is running to an open spot. The pressure makes McCord hurry, and Moore reads McCord in time to come back, and ends up with the pick.
Good schemes with moves and counter moves, but it came down to the good guys making great plays.
December 15th, 2023 at 12:12 PM ^
Gee! Thanks for making me spend 30 minutes on this. The difference between these two teams are razor thin. One play here or there and we have a different narrative. I would love someone to do UFR of the Dark Days to see how far Michigan was from OSU. Or were they?
December 15th, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
Well M did lead the entire game.
December 15th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
That’s a very well done video.
December 15th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
Super satisfying, thank you
December 15th, 2023 at 1:12 PM ^
Wow again! I had to stop halfway through, when I left a quick comment. Now that I finished it, I'm even more impressed about both sides, played and coaches.
December 16th, 2023 at 8:55 AM ^
Great video! I love this kind of stuff.
That said, I hate how Michigan was defending that last drive. You know OSU is looking for chunk plays and you have two corners playing the outside flat and passing WRs off deep?
Who gives a shit if McCord checks down to the RB or TE?
If Rod Moore wasn't a god'damn SAVANT that was an easy huge gain on the final play.
I don't understand running Tampa 2 in that situation when Minter has shown he will also run Cover 2 Man. Just play man-to-man on all WRs and RBs and you've got 2 deep safeties to help over the top.
If they want to murder you with shallow crosses and pick plays (which beat Cover 2 Man)...be my guest. Enjoy your 8 completion with the clock running because we tackled you in bounds.
Run that Tampa 2 when the field condenses and those flat concepts can hurt you if McCord checks it down to the RB or shallow WR runs for a TD.
Cover 2 Man doesn't work as well when the field condenses because they just Don Brown you with crossing routes and pick plays while you stand there rubbing your mustache. It also makes you susceptible to the QB run because more guys have their back turned to the QB.
I don't claim to be smarter than Minter, but this video shows the danger in what Michigan was doing on that last drive that had me screaming. The Harrison catch shouldn't have happened, the Fleming catch and fumble was the same thing, and the INT was would've been a massive gain if Rod Moore wasn't a star and if OSU could block a stunt by the DL.
Go back to the very first play of that final drive. Same concept and Sainristil is in position to nail Stover for an incomplete pass that Michigan should have WANTED OSU to complete. You want the clock running. The defense was so good that it hurt us on that play.
WHO GIVES A SHIT IF STOVER CATCHES A 3 YARD COMPLETION ON THE OSU 23 YARDLINE?! I was pulling my hair out as Michigan celebrated a big hit on Stover.
Sometimes I wonder if it's the NFL background where the clock doesn't stop after first downs...so there is no difference in hitting a 9 yard in breaking route versus a 17 yard in breaking route. They'll give up those 8 yards to tackle you in bounds.
In college, let's say McCord completes the pass but Harrison doesn't get free, and he's tackled. OSU is now on the Michigan 20 yardline, with time to line up and spike the ball...leaving about 22 or 23 seconds left on the clock.
That's 4 plays from the 20 yardline that Michigan has to stop a TD.
In the NFL, if that ball is caught, they've got to run up, and spike it with maybe 11-12 seconds left.
That's only 2 plays from the 20 yardline that Michigan has to stop a TD.
The risk/reward in the NFL is so much different because the clock doesn't stop after first downs. In the NFL, stop them from getting out of bounds...in college, first downs matter.
In the NFL, you play the check down because you don't want McCord to dump it down for an 8 yard gain and then the guy get out of bounds. And Harrison catching it in bounds for 16 yards isn't a killer. You give that up.
In college if you have to choose between the RB catching it and getting out of bounds or a chunk play...take the RB option. Especially because after he catches it, he kills a few more seconds before he fights to get out of bounds.
Thank GOD that shit worked, but we didn't make it easy on ourselves. We ran Tampa 2 on all 4 plays on that drive...although on the Fleming catch, there were no flat recievers so our CBs dropped deeper down the field.
What a game.