Michigan State Snowflakes: The Offense
October 29th, 2022 at 11:06 PM ^
Nice win, but need to be less predictable in the red zone. Settling for FGs will catch up at some point.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:37 PM ^
That game should have been a blowout. Redzone playcalling was terrible. Only critical thing we can say about the game. Otherwise dominance.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:43 PM ^
It seems the coaches saw something on film that convinced them they could edge MSU. They were proved incorrect, repeatedly.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:44 PM ^
Actual score notwithstanding, this game was a blowout. Redzone playcalling was extraordinarily vanilla because it didnt have to be anything else. Easy win.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:49 PM ^
I’d love to agree with this, but what makes you think that when it’s needed at Columbus, this team will just be able to flip a switch and generate TDs instead of FGs in the red zone? I don’t see why you would limit yourself in easier situations from doing it with the belief you can do it against a tougher environment/opponent.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:52 PM ^
Last year makes me think that.
October 30th, 2022 at 12:18 AM ^
It's not last year.
October 30th, 2022 at 5:27 AM ^
And next week won’t be this week.
October 30th, 2022 at 8:53 AM ^
It's been an issue all year against decent teams.
October 30th, 2022 at 9:36 AM ^
Name one team! One.
October 30th, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
You serious?
Versus PSU we had 6 red zone possessions and kicked 4 FGs with just 2 TDs.
October 30th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
No but last year had a similar pattern in which we seemed to spend the first 11 games putting things on film in order to manipulate the way OSU played us and we were able to use that to our advantage in The Game.
October 30th, 2022 at 9:20 AM ^
Last year we outgained MSU by a similar amount of yards 160 to 190 this year. We also settled for 4 field goals last year, which likely cost us the game.
Imagine last night at the start of the 4th quarter if MSU got a fluke fumble scoop and score to cut it to 14 to 19. It would have felt incredibly uncomfortable at that point.
October 30th, 2022 at 9:37 AM ^
Unimaginable. It's like you could make,"if" possible.
October 30th, 2022 at 9:38 AM ^
Red zone play calling has been very conservative. Fans don't like it but it wins games. Coaches will be less conservative when they are not dominating the defense. It is not terrible play calling just because the fans don't like the strategy.
October 30th, 2022 at 10:18 AM ^
Play-calling was bad. Execution was worse.
October 30th, 2022 at 8:37 AM ^
The victory was the most important thing, but I wonder what the most prominent recruit in attendance thought of our offensive mix?
McCarthy was 15/25 with just 6 catches by 3 WRs for a grand total of 60 yds and 0 TDs.
For comparison, Hendon Hooker was 19/25 with 11 catches by 2 Tennessee WRs for almost 200 yds and 3TDs.
Is that going to persuade Davis—or any elite WRs—to commit to U-M?
*Edit: Welp, according to Wiltfong, it's enough to persuade Davis.
October 30th, 2022 at 11:30 AM ^
Before the season we kept hearing about how deep our WR room was. I'm still waiting to see it come to fruition. Definitely making me nervous.
October 30th, 2022 at 1:21 PM ^
I'll say it--I'm nervous about the pass game. Throwing to WR's seems either difficult or not preferred for some reason. MSU has a terrible pass defense, and we almost never tried to test it-why? Now you might say "we were running well so what would we test it?" Because we will need it is my answer. Also, it's when you are running well that the passing game *should* be easier, yet it seemed WR's were well covered in several behind QB angles I saw during the game. When a talented team like OSU (did you see JTT yesterday BTW?) commits to stopping the run, and we have difficulty there, why would we be confident that JJ can win through the air when we haven't tried it previously?
I admit I might be that stereotypical M fan that worries after a stomping, but I wouldn't be typing if we just attempted a few passes in the red zone and took a few shots downfield, and JJ showed that we were good at that.
October 30th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
It's so weird because we clearly have red zone plays in our bag. It's just a matter of when bring them out. Last night seemed like we were okay with just trying to run it up the middle and settle for a field goal if we didn't get it
October 29th, 2022 at 11:06 PM ^
Wasn't pretty, but I'll take it. Complete 2nd half domination
October 30th, 2022 at 9:01 AM ^
A bit concerned about lack of pass rush. Interested to hear Seth's take. My surmise watching the game is that MSU had a lot of max protect on, with 2-3 receivers and then a chuck up, hence their lack of productivity despite Thorne seeming to often have ample time to throw. Linebacking seems to be improving. DB's looked good. Will Johnson come'n.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:06 PM ^
Ran it down their throats. Crushed them.
Don't choke on your tears, Sparty.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:07 PM ^
I am perfectly happy with a win however we get. that was dominance. Got the monkey off our back. That was important. Now work on passing for the next 3 weeks and get ready for OSU.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:07 PM ^
Offense...was offensive.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:32 PM ^
In the red zone sure. But they moved the ball otherwise and didn't punt until garbage time. It's disappointing that this wasn't a 40 or 50 point margin of victory (which it easily could have been), but they still dominated this game in many respects.
October 30th, 2022 at 9:23 AM ^
Every Big Ten team (aside from Indiana) has dared Michigan to run by having nobody in the box. Not coincidentally Indiana is the one Big Ten team Michigan torched through the air.
Guys, if Ohio State sits back and let's Michigan go for 5+/carry, that's not a flaw of Michigan's offense.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:07 PM ^
We dominated them but we have GOT to get better inside the 20. This game could of been a crazy over 40 point blowout for us. Happy for the win but I hope they work on that BIG time!
October 29th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
Disappointing night for JJ and the passing attack. You'd never know that was a triple digit pass defense. 15/25 for 167 against that defense will be one of their best defensive performances of the season. That's not winning you a game in Columbus
Odd decision to keep riding Corum so late in the game. I'd go so far as to call it stupid. That guy is the heart of the offense. Why risk getting him hurt deep into garbage time? Really weird
October 29th, 2022 at 11:22 PM ^
was someone going for a record or trying to win a bet? Corum running even when you'd normally kneel?
October 29th, 2022 at 11:31 PM ^
Complete stupidity by the coaches to keep running Corum at the end. Take a frickin knee. No wonder it got ugly the last few plays.
Lots of dumb stuff at the end.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:32 PM ^
The passing game is pretty sad, and its regressed from last year AND this year in-season. Except for Bell, the WR rarely get open. I mean, against that pass defense and you can't scheme your wideouts open? WTF are they doing in practice? What does Ron Bellamy do all day long? McCarthy too - he threw dimes deep downfield regularly, now he can barely hit short slant. How much has Harbaugh drilled 'ball security' into his head?
October 30th, 2022 at 8:21 AM ^
Are you Troy from Allen Park?
October 30th, 2022 at 4:08 AM ^
agreed that was borderline bizarre, can no one else low down on the depth chart run for a yard or two without fumbling? Even if they did, still not worth risking your best player there
October 29th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
I'm too tired to be lengthy, and too drunk to be rational.
That was like eating a head of lettuce for supper. mostly healthy, somewhat filling, but not entirely satisfying.
October 30th, 2022 at 8:21 AM ^
I can only imagine how clever you are when sober then. Well played! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿
#pithy
October 30th, 2022 at 9:45 AM ^
I can eat tons of lettuce and be perfectly happy as long as I've got some salad dressing.
I'd liken it to eating a pound of plain, uncooked, unseasoned tofu.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
Need to figure out the red zone, obviously. Passing game overall needs to progress from where it is now.
October 30th, 2022 at 11:15 AM ^
yeah, red zone execution and calls clearly the major issue, which im sure the staff will be all over.
pass game will never look like air raid teams bc harbaugh doesnt want it to. they also dont rep that stuff as much - they hammer the run game so OL can handle most looks. remain on schedule, punish teams with corum, protect the ball - always been harbaughs MO where 200 rush/200 pass seems ideal split.
some of last night was as simple as michigan running 4 stop routes at inopportune times with msu sitting to match up underneath. or guys being slightly off like 9 rifling that ball to 86 in endzone.
overall still a tough team. biggest frustration was corum repeatedly taking hits under 4 min
October 29th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
Wasn't pretty but Blake is a beast. Need more more red zone effeincy.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
Only a Harbaugh team can leave you feeling uninspired after a 22 point dominating win over a rival
October 29th, 2022 at 11:17 PM ^
That’s on you. Enjoy the win.
October 29th, 2022 at 11:52 PM ^
Maybe more of a statement about our fanbase than our coach.
8-0. Just destroyed a top 10 PSU team and throttled our rival - but we didn't win 78-0 so it's not good enough.
I, for one, very much appreciate a complete domination of a rival. No drama. A couple more TD's would have been nice, but geez, we're a top team playing great football.
JJ had a pretty tough night throwing the ball, but made some nice runs. Corum may be the finest RB I've seen at Michigan - and that is a VERY high bar. Line is just mauling guys - including MSU's pretty tough DT's. Play calling near the end zone is puzzling, but they consistently moved the ball down the field the entire game - thisclose to another game without a punt!
Well done. I'm happy. 8-0! Beat Sparty!
Go Blue! Welcome home Paul!
October 30th, 2022 at 12:32 AM ^
I love rooting for the players. They are college kids and will make mistakes and life goes on.
I get frustrated by poor coaching decisions and poor playcalling. Finally taking 2 deep shots (1 being a trick play) once the game is in hand with 2 minutes remaining? That's the time you decide to try that? Not when you might be able to complete a big pass to put the game out of reach early.
Instead MSU was in this game up until the 4th quarter, when they are a clearly inferior team. Letting bad teams hang around is how you lose games like this. If this was a one week event, no big deal. But this is life under Jim for the last 8 seasons. I like Harbaugh, he loves Michigan, and he loves football. He's rejuvenated the program from awful times. But we are also wasting a very talented QB and turning him into a game manager. That concerns me.
October 30th, 2022 at 1:02 AM ^
They weren’t in it until the fourth quarter. They were down the entire third quarter and had two possessions and went 3 and out on both. That was their third quarter. Game was over at half time.
October 30th, 2022 at 4:10 AM ^
any time you are within 3 scores you are still in it, fluky stuff happens all the time and it forces you to keep the first stringers in...
October 30th, 2022 at 8:40 AM ^
Was Iowa still "in it" when down 20-0?
October 30th, 2022 at 8:26 AM ^
You're right and I agree but this is where we go to talk about the games, win lose or draw. So...🤷🏿
October 30th, 2022 at 8:26 AM ^
You're right and I agree but this is where we go to talk about the games, win lose or draw. So...🤷🏿
October 29th, 2022 at 11:08 PM ^
That game was like being constipated. It was a long and uncomfortable struggle, both physically and psychologically, that ended in a somewhat limited sense of satisfaction because the utimate result, while a net positive, wasn’t everything you’d hoped for. Also, 2022 Blake Corum is the best offensive player of the Harbaugh era and may be edging 2021 Hutchinson as the best overall.