Michigan By the Numbers Week 5
I've done this for the last 2 opponents so thought it would be useful to show it for Michigan itself. Listed anything top 30 nationally as "good", and anything 70-127 as meh to bad.
No real surprises - defense leads the way, with passing game lagging. Best attributes on offense are improvements in sacks given up (rudock has much easier life than gardner) and TFL allowed (battering ram Smith usually at least gets you 0 yards rather than -2). Step 1 of a good offense is eliminating negative plays which is the 2015 goal. Doing much more than that is probably going to be a 2016 goal.
Turnover margin haunts due to # of INTs + inability to create fumbles.
2 areas that just missed the cut for meh were punt return defense and punt return yards - both ranked in the 60s. Probably somewhat surprising but Blake is not a boomer, more of a placement guy.... while Peppers (aside from one thirty yarder) has yet to break a huge one.
Things UM is Good At
| Natl rank | Value | ||
| Offense | |||
| Sacks Allowed per game | 17 | 1 | |
| Red zone offense | 12 | 94.1% | |
| TFL allowed / game | 11 | 4 | |
| Defense | |||
| 3rd down conversion % | 1 | 19.4% | |
| Passing Yds Allowed | 3 | 112.6 | |
| Rushing defense | 5 | 71.4 | |
| Total defense | 2 | 184 | |
| Scoring defense | 2 | 7.6 | |
| Passes Intecepted | 25 | 6 | |
| Tackles for loss / game | 17 | 8 | |
| Misc / Special Teams | |||
| Kickoff return defense | 19 | 17.85 | |
| TOP | 6 | 34:20 |
Things UM Struggles With
| Natl rank | Value | ||
| Offense | |||
| Passing offense | 96 | 191.2 | |
| Passing yds per comp | 108 | 10.74 | |
| Passes Had Intecepted | 94 | 6 | |
| Total offense | 77 | 392.6 | |
| Scoring offense | 74 | 27.8 | |
| Defense | |||
| Completion % | 71 | 58.6% | |
| Fumbles recovered | 109 | 1 | |
| Red zone defense | 71 | 83.3% | |
| Misc / Special Teams | |||
| Turnover Margin / game | 84 | -0.4 |
October 8th, 2015 at 10:47 AM ^
Bug: Not enough fumble recoveries
Expected Result: More fumble recoveries for more wins
Actual Result: Only 1 fumble recovery
Steps to reproduce:
1)Opposing QB/RB/WR/TE puts ball on ground
2)Opposing OL/QB/RB/WR/TE falls on ball
3)Observe Referee pointing towards Michigan's goal line
October 8th, 2015 at 11:13 AM ^
Pretty sure it only counts fumbles our team has recovered from the opposing team, haha. We've recovered our own fumbles more than once.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:22 AM ^
That's actually something I would kind of put in the "good" category. If fumble recoveries are roughly a product of dumb luck, I would say that our defense has been this good, even with bad fumbleluck.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
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October 8th, 2015 at 10:48 AM ^
Red Zone Defense LOL
This is way skewed since most opponents never got to the red zone.
October 8th, 2015 at 10:55 AM ^
Small sample size for sure. Most similar team in Big 10 who is doing very well is Wisconsin on D.
Take out Bama for Wisconsin and they have only given up 9 pts in 4 games, much like UM. Their red zone defense % is 55%. Would be similar to judging UM when you take out Utah game (14 pts in 4 games).
So a bit of room for improvement but first world problems.
October 8th, 2015 at 10:48 AM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 10:52 AM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^
If that's true, then that red zone defense percentage has to be incorrect. We've only allowed six scores all season. The 83.3% would then have to mean that opponents are 5-for-6 from the red zone.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:00 AM ^
IT ar A conspiracy!
Honestly I dont have the data in front of me and am surprised someone knew that off top of their head. I dont recall MD getting on our 20 yard line... hmm you'd think they would have kicked a FG to end the shutout at least.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:24 AM ^
Weird number - Through 5 games, Michigan has only allowed 1 field goal.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:11 AM ^
The defense has only allowed 5 scores.
Oregon State never took a snap in the red zone (TD was from the M 21) EDIT: Never mind, they got to the 18, lost 3, then scored.
UNLV was there twice (TD drive, and drive at the end of the game where they made it to the 14 but wound up at the 23)
BYU never got past the 30
Maryland was gifted the ball at the 28, but never made it inside the 20.
So, other than UNLV garbage time, no team has taken a snap inside the red zone against us since Utah's first drive of the third quarter. Utah was 3 for 3, Oregon State 1 for 1, UNLV 1 for 2.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
Thx for clearing that up. How did you get that data so quickly? Or just photographic memory.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:25 AM ^
I can't speak for the other poster, but I always look at the play-by-play on ESPN's site.
October 8th, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 10:58 AM ^
I dont think MD or BYU did, right?
UNLV scored late and Oregon State early.
October 8th, 2015 at 10:50 AM ^
...but what's the WEATHER going to be?!?!?!
October 8th, 2015 at 10:59 AM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 11:04 AM ^
Really hoping that was intended to be a Robert Cray reference.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:01 AM ^
Sunny and 61
October 8th, 2015 at 11:03 AM ^
Northwestern's playcalling is unusually predictable: almost always run on 1st and 2nd, almost always pass on 3rd. They do this because they're so much better at running than passing, and they only throw when they absolutely have to.
On 3rd down they bring out a rs freshman qb to throw against the #3 passing defense in the country, who knows a pass is coming. That is not going to go well for them very many times.
So they have to get a first down on us in two running plays (we're #5 nationally in rush defense), and they have to do it over and over again to put together the long drives they're going to need to score any points.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:51 AM ^
I believe this whole statement, substitute first year transfer QB for RS freshman, could be said about us.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:05 AM ^
I hope Rudock and the receivers have been practicing long ball timing all week.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:06 AM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 12:42 PM ^
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October 8th, 2015 at 11:28 AM ^
The UM Defense would've had another fumble recovery and return for a TD against Maryland if the ref didn't blow his whistle so damn early.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^
I imagine completion % is high because teams resort to short slants and screens against us.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:40 AM ^
It's amazing how much football has changed in the last 15-20 years. Back in the 1990s, to average 392 yards per game would be considered pretty good.
October 8th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
Inflated numbers have skewed the total numbers. Ball control keeps a team from putting up gaudy numbers, even when they are playing at a very high level. I think Chip Kelley might have killed the Golden Goose by taking his offense to the NFL. NFL has the best coaching minds and they have spent a bit of time figuring it out. Look at the adjustments being made like Hockey Line changes have taken away the personnel advantage. Disguing the Defense and making changes after the set from the sideline have taken away the coaches call from the sideline. Now the O coaches will come up with a new schematic advantage.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
Shouldn't our scoring defense be #1 at 6.2? It looks like the NCAA plays on easy mode by not ignoring touchdowns scored by opposing defenses.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:45 AM ^
They are team statistics. The team gave up 38 points even if not all came against the defense. By the same token, if our defense gets a pick-six, our scoring offense is credited with the points.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:47 AM ^
Yes all pick 6s will be counted vs the defense via the way NCAA does it. Just like sacks help the rush defense. UM's total defense was helped by another quirk as well - that buffoon play by BYU that lost them 45 yds on a punt was credited to the UM defense yardage.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
If you remove the pick 6 in game one (which obviously can't be blamed on the D), Michigan's defense has given up only 31 points in 5 games -- for an average of 6.2 per game.
EDIT: Nevermind. Late to the party with this comment.
October 8th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^
The "scoring defense" category doesn't accurately reflect the performance of the defense. UM's defense has given up only 6.2 ppg so far. The 7.6 ppg includes Utah's pick-6 and the ensuing extra point.
Edit: beaten to the punch; argh.
October 8th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
Protect the ball is the watchword.......and a kicking game...and Michigan is by N'western.
For Sparty they will need more consistent QB play...and a healthy D. Smith! MSU will be in for a surprise
October 8th, 2015 at 1:09 PM ^
People have been making comparisons to the 2006 defense. For reference through 5 games, the run defense is slightly worse than the 2006 first five games which gave up only 36.4 ypg (!) and the pass defense is significantly better than the 2006 first five games which gave up 229.4 ypg. Opponents in 2006 were Vanderbilt, Central Michigan, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
October 8th, 2015 at 1:14 PM ^
October 8th, 2015 at 11:46 PM ^