Monday morning QB with Devin Gardner

Submitted by ssuarez on September 6th, 2021 at 9:46 AM

Great play by play analysis by Sam and DG. I believe this is a new format for them, and highly recommend. 

 

I'm starved for content and detailed analysis now, and this filled the void for me. 

 

https://youtu.be/JQX30K7TksA

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VaUMWolverine

September 6th, 2021 at 10:05 AM ^

Looking forward to hearing DG’s breakdown. He received high praise from Al Borges as an intelligent person. A student of the game. And he just seems like a very cool guy. 

Joined: 10/19/2009

MGoPoints: 1346

JHumich

September 6th, 2021 at 2:09 PM ^

First 6 and change, first no sound, then Sam fixing the sound, then them talking about the glitch and fix, then restarting from first segment.

8:15–Missed OLine assignment didn't allow Haskins to make his read on 2nd play of game

11:00–Devin talks us through the actual play. Gives it as an example of need to improve OL cohesion, which he said improved throughout the game.

12:35–Play 16, 14:45 2nd. Devin talks through Corum not reading properly, should have taken the edge. Also said Cade should have thrown to Cornelius anyway for huge gain on bubble screen. (Devin was right, Sam was wrong, btw. That was an actual read).

18:20–Sam explaining to Devin how being off air, but still on YT stream, works. Devin sets Sam up for 9:36 2nd Q, 3rd and 3. Dev had seen them go 0 (no safety) with Ronnie Bell 1on1, and knew they'd get the yards there, but loved the beautiful ball from Cade as well.

25:15–Devin explaining that you keep things vanilla for a WMU, but that the principles they showed through the game imply that it was a read

26:30–They do the segment they discussed during break. Dev knew it was a TD before the play and pulled his phone out to tape it (phone clip was not on the show, but Dev says to go look at it on his twitter). Both make the point that this is the direct result of establishing the run.

31:13–Play 48, 13:36 4th. Dev talks through JJ and Henning changing the route together as they run it, turning dig into curl. Dev thinks the communication and read indicate a very high level of preparation and rapport. Thinks it's more impressive than the Baldwin TD.

40:45–Baldwin TD. Dev says JJ does this kind of thing in practice all the time. Says it's just a matter of JJ knowing his abilities and knowing that he can throw the receiver open.

42:45–Another break. They take questions during the break. Is Cade holding back on RPO keeps? Dev thinks he was told to get the RBs going. Talk about JJ? Dev says there are a ton of players with arms like that, but you gotta see him do QB things against someone better than WMU. Then they set up defensive play #1, and Dev is getting ready to say how disappointed he was with Gemon on it.

48:10–10:15 1st. Cover 4. Dax in perfect position, but Gemon instead of his own 1/4 backs up to help Dax. WMU drops, but Dev has visions of an OSU TD on the same mistake.

52:50–Defensive play 14. 2:59, 1st. Dev calls this hero ball. 32 Jaylen Harrell runs into Hill-Green's gap and then misses the tackle, giving up a 1st down. 

56:40–Sam and Dev mention that WMU's passing game is actually very good, which makes UM's pass defense yesterday very impressive to them. Especially that the zone play had a lot of creative variation, things Dev didn't recognize at first but impressively worked.

58:35–12:14, 2nd. 3rd and 2. Everyone does their job. Ojabo hits the TE w/left shoulder, eliminates that gap. Everyone else gets the tackle, but Ojabo's responsible for it.

1:02:00–4:47, 2nd. Dev's favorite play of the day. Last year, this would be a catch, touchdown, and we're in trouble. Dev says the WR is 6'3" runs 4.32. Vincent Gray is behind, but runs him down, has better speed and better footwork than last year, gets there in time to PBU instead of PI. Dev really high on Gray, says he thinks he can play with Olave this year.

1:05:40–Night game against a wounded-animal team? Devin says atmosphere is completely different, higher energy, everyone gets younger, gonna be amazing, etc., etc.

Joined: 02/18/2017

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MJ14

September 6th, 2021 at 6:12 PM ^

Thanks for the type up. I agree with almost everything Devin said. Except Gray sticking with Olave. I believe Gray played a good game and I agree that play was good defense. During the live thread people were mad about it, but Gray played it correctly. However, Olave is a veteran receiver and very-very good. Most DBs can’t keep up with him. He’s more than just fast. He sets DBs up, his breaks are very good and he’s very difficult to defend. Gray will not be able to hang with him consistently. Just being realistic. 

Joined: 01/09/2011

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mgoO

September 6th, 2021 at 10:27 AM ^

On the OZ with bubble action play discussed starting at 14:45. Curious if we think that's an actual read or not.  Devin thinks it is.  Sam doesn't.  I agree with Sam. 

Gattis consistently uses the backside action as window dressing.  Not sure why but that has been the case since he arrived. There certainly isn't much of a mesh point.  Could the reads be turned on later against stiffer competition?  Maybe, sort of like how they allow the QB to run in the 2nd half when in danger of getting embarrassed by Northwestern and numerous other examples.  But then again there is a ton of evidence from the last several seasons suggesting that again, it's just window dressing.

Thoughts?

Joined: 10/11/2010

MGoPoints: 856

MaizeBlueA2

September 6th, 2021 at 11:00 AM ^

This is the type of question that should be asked during the press conference. Actual useful information. 

Instead, they're just going to ask 50 questions about Bell, Cade and JJ and Harbaugh and Gattis are going to give 50 versions of the same answer. 

You're right, Shea could've had video game numbers if he just kept on those read plays. But he only did when it absolutely mattered.

This is another play where there is an easy presnap read, but we run right into the teeth of the defense.

Maybe the answer is that they're trying to set up the reverse that worked last (2x)? I don't know, but someone should ask these questions in a manner that would get real info.

Joined: 11/06/2018

MGoPoints: 49996

MGlobules

September 6th, 2021 at 11:31 AM ^

"This is the type of question that should be asked during the press conference. Actual useful information."

Jeebus Christmas, yes. That is one of my biggest complaints about both mgoblog and umhoops--the way writers sit around speculating, sometimes for years, about these questions. Ask! That's why you're the press. A certain timidity, and. . . forgive me. . . studied amateurism. Also, I think, sign of a certain failure to ever develop a trusting relationship with staff, any kind of insider position. 

I know that everyone's in a very forgiving posture with mgoblog at the moment, and I value this place. With a narrowed focus--football--and some great writers, I think that it is in a better place than it was for a very long time. But more could be happening here. Maybe Brian could lead a real expansion.  

Joined: 11/17/2008

MGoPoints: 47730

Phaedrus

September 6th, 2021 at 1:13 PM ^

Those are the type of questions Heiko would ask. I almost never read the press conference transcripts anymore, but at the time I always had to read the Borges ones to see those great exchanges between Heiko and Borges. It was nice how they bolded the MGoQuestion so I could skip over all the fluff and get right to the good stuff.

Joined: 09/02/2019

MGoPoints: 6538

andrewgr

September 6th, 2021 at 11:56 AM ^

It seems possible, but doesn't fit with what they did with Shea, who had enough experience but still didn't (seem to) get the greenlight.

I do think it's possible that there were two things working against Shea: (1) his experience with the system, and (2) Gattis needing more time to install his full playbook. In this scenario, maybe Shea had (1), but couldn't do much about (2), so the reads never got activated. If that's the case, then maybe (2) is now okay, and once McNamara fulfills (1), suddenly the playbook would be fully weaponized.

If I was a betting man, I'd bet that this isn't the case, and that not allowing those reads is part of Gattis' philosophy for whatever reason. But I wouldn't be shocked if the scenario I described is what's going on.

(And as an aside, it's not like other schemes don't have plenty of window dressing that hardly ever is a real option. It wouldn't be something weird that only Gattis does. Maybe this particular kind of window dressing is less common, and more frustrating because we see other schemes using it for real, but the idea of making the defense account for possibilities that aren't in the offensive skill position players' actual decision tree is pretty standard.)

EDIT: For some reason my paragraphs got removed, editing to try to fix that.

Joined: 11/15/2013

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Phaedrus

September 6th, 2021 at 1:50 PM ^

I think there are a few things that might going on. First, defenses have to at least keep an eye on that guy running out of the backfield because if they go a couple plays completely ignoring him then we can pull the trigger for a Worst Waldo touchdown. This fits the whole "speed in space" idea because if you can make a play 11 v. 10 or 11 v. 9 you do it.

It also might be a pre-snap read and therefore has the appearance of window dressing.

When it comes to Shea, I wouldn't be surprised if he was just bad a reading defenses and his proclivity to go into panic-mode made him ill-suited to run this offense (or any offense, really).

All of this is just my best guess as to what's going on in Gattis' head, not a defense of it. As a playcaller, I'm not all that impressed with Gattis. He's okay, but he appears to be implementing the innovations of others rather than coming up with his own innovations. That doesn't lead to a schematic advantage. Jedd and Harbaugh were the only OCs we've had so far who were real chess players and once Harbaugh's scheme hit some speed bumps instead of modifying it he gave up and handed the reigns to Gattis (I think the switch to the spread was more driven by recruiting than schematic considerations—also, Drevno seemed unable to implement what Harbaugh wanted).

Joined: 09/02/2019

MGoPoints: 6538

BlockM

September 6th, 2021 at 10:34 AM ^

I've heard Devin in a sideline reporter type role and he was great, but this is just fantastic. Seems like the sky is going to be the limit for him, would not be surprised if he's doing play by play for major conference games sometime in the future.

Joined: 07/03/2008

MGoPoints: 40727

Phaedrus

September 6th, 2021 at 1:55 PM ^

Devin is made for TV. He was always comfortable in front of the cameras when he was here. It was such a huge contrast looking at Denard's nervous public speaking compared to Devin's confidence and wit.

Devin is also made to be a great QB. Who knows what could have been had Hoke not crushed his career underneath a pile d-linemen and linebackers.

Joined: 09/02/2019

MGoPoints: 6538

DonAZ

September 6th, 2021 at 11:59 AM ^

That was an enjoyable segment.  I love Devin's enthusiasm. 

Devin highlighted a pass play from McCarthy to Henning where it was designed to be a 15 yard dig route, but McCarthy/Henning turned into a curl route to avoid the WMU safety from having a potential play on the ball.  Gardner was really praising the mind-melding of QB/WR on that play, and how the thing to really get excited about was not the throw itself, but the recognition of the coverage and the adapting to the coverage that was displayed by McCarthy and Henning.  Good stuff!

EDIT -- watching further, Sam relayed a listener question about McCarthy's arm strength.  Gardner said that when you go to the Elite 11 QB camps, you realize that nearly everyone can throw.  What he came back to again regarding McCarthy was "the other stuff," and by that he means the awareness element of being a QB.

By the way, he was complimentary of McNamara as well.  Gardner gushed about the TD pass from McNamara to Bell, and how that ball was perfectly -- and he emphasized perfectly -- thrown.

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