October 29th, 2016 at 3:51 PM ^
Seems like we went into a shell in the 2nd half to run out the game and it almost bit us. Bad for my blood pressure
October 29th, 2016 at 4:12 PM ^
Yeah just came to post my thoughts on this as well. We became stagnant in the second half and it was killing me softly. Just glad we pulled it off.
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:28 PM ^
half, but the O was definitely stagnant in the second half. M kept their 1st string in the game, and was still calling diverse plays, but just didn't do anything.
I'm just glad Darboh and Speight's heroics carried the day. If that combo wasn't working at record levels today, M would have lost this one.
Thank you Speight. Thank you Darboh.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:45 PM ^
We did the same thing last year.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:34 PM ^
17-20 leads are really dangerous. You change your play calling to keep it safe and keep the clock running, but it borks your production and lets your opponent hang around. Sure enough, they creep back into it slowly, which at that point makes you want to be even more conservative so you don't gift them points and let them back in even more.
In the end, it worked and we won the game, but gave up style points and a blowout to do it.
October 29th, 2016 at 7:25 PM ^
and pass the ball in the second half. Grossly disappointed in Harbaugh.
State had no answer for our pass attack. A lot off PI penalties. Score a touchdown or two in the third and they fold up their tent.
We let them back into the game.
October 29th, 2016 at 8:07 PM ^
seems to be the story of that second half. We really had MSU on the ropes and let them slip back in. 4 quarters of effort or we'll never get past Alabama. ;-)
October 29th, 2016 at 3:53 PM ^
Welcome back the Paul Bunyon trophy to Ann Arbor , where it belongs!!
October 29th, 2016 at 6:12 PM ^
Ugly and artificial trophy, without a true story and legacy behind it (unlike the Jug). I'm glad we have rights to it, but throw it in a closet and forget about it until next year.
October 29th, 2016 at 3:56 PM ^
and tough, despite forcing two passes, one of which was picked. Very good performance.
Needed a little more from the running game today. Sparty played lights out for them, and now it is lights out for them this season.
October 29th, 2016 at 3:58 PM ^
A guy you win with, to a guy you win because of
October 29th, 2016 at 3:57 PM ^
Lloydball deja vu during 4th quarter.
Speight was very good, despite the INT.
More Evans/Higdon, less Isaac por favor. Also, please, no matter of that Morris package.
October 29th, 2016 at 3:59 PM ^
of that play where Shane Morris acts like a pulling guard. Has that ever worked?
October 29th, 2016 at 4:42 PM ^
It worked in Remember the Titans
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November 2nd, 2016 at 11:18 PM ^
and he was a left hander too!
October 29th, 2016 at 11:21 PM ^
I think Harbaugh is clearly setting up a big play off of the 29 toss QB lead play. Honestly, there is no other reason to continue to run this play each week, unless Harbaugh has a trick up his sleeve.
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October 29th, 2016 at 3:59 PM ^
Way too conservative in the 2nd half. All we needed was 1 TD and they would have folded up like lawn chairs. We let our D down a lot today and I hope the playcalling gets less conservative as we go forward. I would have liked to see some more short passing and maybe 4-5 wide sets ...
I need a drink....that was too stressful.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:01 PM ^
Game in the 2nd half, I thought we should have just started passing on pretty much every down. Our pass pro was pretty good mist of the game and MSU'S passing defense sucked. Very frustrating 2nd half.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:02 PM ^
Game in the 2nd half, I thought we should have just started passing on pretty much every down. Our pass pro was pretty good mist of the game and MSU'S passing defense sucked. Very frustrating 2nd half.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:05 PM ^
We do not yet have an OL of a top 10 team. Hopefully things will improve through the remainder of the season. OL needs to get better to win in Columbus!
October 29th, 2016 at 7:38 PM ^
I believe you are incorrect sir. You see, we are a top ten team and have an OL, ergo an OL of a top ten team. There are 2 or 3 draft picks on that line.
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October 29th, 2016 at 7:53 PM ^
And yes, the guys are trying hard and we can see incremental progress. But I think it overly optimistic to expect a quantum leap betterment in the last four games. I hope I'm wrong.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:06 PM ^
The same as last week, we were extremely conservative on offense in the second half. Why Harbaugh why?
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^
Because W
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:06 PM ^
Speight looked very good. The Shane Morris package is fucking terrible. You put in a qb who isn't a plus runner and is a bad thrower. Why? What possible benefit does that give you? I'd rather see a base formation run than that thing.
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:31 PM ^
That FB trap on 3rd & 3 late in the game that McDowell stopped single handedly. They were all outside plays before, then on that play they set up Evans like he's going to take a pitch on that big looping action but Shane turns around and gives it to the FB for the dive. Unfortunately Cole got pantsed by McDowell and it got stopped.
If we'd converted that, everyone would've been singing the prasies of setting up that play as that would've basically iced it when it was still 30-17
October 29th, 2016 at 4:40 PM ^
Best post of the day. Someone knows football. Bravo
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:41 PM ^
If the package was meant to set up a run designed to go directly at McDowell then it was even more useless than it appeared.
October 29th, 2016 at 6:19 PM ^
Well I'm sure it was meant to get him flowing down the line and get the LBs to go that way. You hope Cole can hold off McDowell enough to get the by at least but he did not
October 29th, 2016 at 4:54 PM ^
I wouldn't have been singing the praises of a formation that wasted downs on earlier critical drive just because it got us three yards on a fb trap later. Not sure why that matters when the great counter didn't come close to working
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October 29th, 2016 at 5:02 PM ^
Still not buying it. Peppers at QB is far more diverse and effective. No reason to pull Speight for a guy that can't run or block and won't be allowed to throw when you have Peppers.
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October 29th, 2016 at 6:07 PM ^
Even on the replay, it seemed as if we had first down yardage except for Cole not handling McDowell. But, McDowell is their best lineman.
October 30th, 2016 at 9:45 AM ^
You're exactly right. It was obvious as soon as they ran it that it was a great play.
Except it was a terrible play call - because McDowell DESTROYED Cole all day. I believe they identified Cole as a weak point; I know I saw McDowell line up at end a lot more previously. Check out the 3rd and 4th-down plays on the drive late in the 2nd Q just before Smith scored. Cole got beaten to his knees, literally. Just punished, and McDowell was obviously in his head.
Given that, calling the pattern-breaking dive on that play was a bad choice. Anything that relied on Cole doing anything but getting set on fire and hung at the city gates should have been avoided.
I know McDowell is elite. Even so, I expected Cole to be ok. He was not, and he's struggled all year. Hurt? Just not good at center?
October 30th, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^
I think Cole was expecting help on that play. It appeared that Bredeson was supposed to help double team McDowell. He whiffed and ended up blocking nobody.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:09 PM ^
No more Shane Morris packages. Credit to him for sticking with the program though. The 2 Bens seems like a big upgrade. More Higdon too please!
October 29th, 2016 at 4:15 PM ^
Shane Morris simply isn't good enough to get meaningful snaps. I realize he is a nice guy and all, but there is no reason to disrupt the flow of the offense for a lost cause QB.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:21 PM ^
They are working this for a long PA Pass vs. Iowa or OSU. I would say save it for OSU for sure except it might be too obvious at that point.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:27 PM ^
Hmmm. I'd rather take my chances with Speight throwing out of a standard play/formation than having Morris throw deep, even if ithe latter does go against our prior tendency from that package.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:42 PM ^
..and/or Jabrill throw it. Rumor has it he can indeed throw and that WR would be wiidddde open I bet.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:27 PM ^
what a counter to that would look like. Also not sure why O'Korn isn't in if there is really a gadget package. He has better mobility.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:22 PM ^
I keep thinking and hoping that there will be a counter executed at some point, when in this package. At least that's what I want to believe.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:28 PM ^
The 3rd & 3 call in the 4th qtr was the counter of what we've seen from that package so far. But I don't know why they haven't run in passes out of it.
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:44 PM ^
Because there's a really good chance it would end in disaster.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:58 PM ^
pictures of someone.
October 29th, 2016 at 5:33 PM ^
play as a set up. Shane's going to keep it or throw it when we play OSU. Bank on it.
October 29th, 2016 at 5:08 PM ^
I think part of it is to also avoid Speight taking hits. When Morris pulls around, he often seems to be a quasi lead blocker. I'd much rather Morris take those hits than Speight but I'm in agreement that less of that play design in the future would be mucho appreciated.
October 29th, 2016 at 5:37 PM ^
This play isn't "new"; in fact it's quite a throwback. The reason Morris runs it is he's the fastest QB Michigan has, and is actually able to get outside to become a lead blocker. I can totally see the merits of the Hill run being referenced.
Morris was in, the thinking is MSU would expect a run to the perimeter, and they'd get beat by a quick hitting belly run. But McDowell manhandled Cole on the play and it failed.
So now fans on computers can overreact to it.
October 29th, 2016 at 5:50 PM ^
That's the whole point of the play. The only point.
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October 29th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^
Darboh had some amazing catches! This game was won by Speight. Stood in the pocket and took some hits.
October 29th, 2016 at 4:16 PM ^
The offense went vintage Lloyd Carr the second half. All this BS hype about beating Sparty by forty shit got in their heads. They play like this in Columbus it's going to be a long day. A win is a win. On to Maryland!
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