Penn State Snowflakes: The Offense
November 13th, 2021 at 3:35 PM ^
YES!!!! I want crow!!!
November 13th, 2021 at 3:50 PM ^
After Penn State scored their touchdown to tie the game up, I turned the game off and left. I didn't see any way Penn State didn't go ahead and win the game at that point. I cannot recall a game that was supposed to be close that Michigan came from behind to win late in the 4th quarter. The only come from behind late in the 4th quarter win I can even remember is Nebraska. Is my age and memory giving me recency bias? Under harbaugh I would have said that was an automatic loss. Just like the Michigan State game. Lead. Have the game tied. Fall apart. Lose.
November 13th, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
Coach Harbaugh (and we) got dang lucky that play went how it did and Eric ran it the rest of the way to the endzone. It might have been less Michigan luck then Penn State luck, but it counts!
November 13th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
On the contrary - that's exactly what happens when you scheme your playmakers into space, and All made it count. It was a great playcall, finished off by a great playmaker, and that's what good offenses do. To be a great offense, Michigan just needs to do that more often.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:25 PM ^
To be a good/ great offense we need more talent.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:26 PM ^
Talent doesn't fix burning downs doing the same dumb things that don't work
November 13th, 2021 at 4:35 PM ^
Plenty of teams with less talent score more points more consistently. Michigan burns too many downs assuming they have better talent, running plays where "better talent" buys you maybe 2 yards, if nobody has a brain fart and the DC doesn't call the perfect response.
All's TD is what happens when you combine + talent with a playcall that even a mediocre player would have turned into a 1st down.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:11 PM ^
Can't even count the number of doomed series that began with a run up the middle for 2 yards. Maybe mix it up on first down more, for pete's sake. So predictable.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
Excellent comment. Can;t say it any better than that.
We can't sit here and say we get out-schemed (which is true some of the time) and then not give credit to our scheme wins.
As gbdub said, improvement in this offense will come when we scheme like that more often.
November 13th, 2021 at 5:33 PM ^
Nah it was a cross against man coverage. That's what's supposed to happen. In the past, we learned this the hard way.
November 13th, 2021 at 10:36 PM ^
Sure felt like the defense was in conflict on the All TD play, and I am talking about pre-snap and not after. It looked like they were not set. So for once we caught a team off guard and made them pay, instead of the other way around.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:31 PM ^
This was one of the first games that came to mind. https://mgoblue.com/news/2020/9/16/michigan-football-classics-2005-vs-penn-state.aspx
November 13th, 2021 at 8:16 PM ^
That thought also crossed my mind, turning the TV off and taking a mental health break!
For reasons unknown, I watched. Maybe I'm getting older and letting a potential loss beat me up less.
We won! Honestly didn't think we would after Cade's fumble.
November 14th, 2021 at 8:11 AM ^
Wow lots of assumptions on play calling and talent. Penn st’s defense is a top ten scoring defense in the country. Play calling looks painful at times playing really good defenses. Play calling is much better than credited for but execution has been a big time issue. Namely with QB/WR’s.
Cade to Wilson or Cade to All for td’s is how it’s done and how it was drawn up. Many others were drawn up and executed and Cade couldn’t get them the ball or the rec ran a bad route or didn’t catch it. Overall our biggest weakness on offense is wr play. Has to get better and I’m not sure how to fix it in two weeks before osu. Too many bad routes, dropped passes, sloppy play from them and that affects the qb play as well. Cade, his issues are when he holds the ball to long and doesn’t see the play coming open. Then throws off balance, something he can’t do. But when he sets his feet he has good velocity and is accurate. When he sets his feet and delivers the deep ball he is good but when he aims on the deep ball he throws it like Navarre….
November 14th, 2021 at 1:10 PM ^
Cade, his issues are when he holds the ball to long and doesn’t see the play coming open. Then throws off balance, something he can’t do. But when he sets his feet he has good velocity and is accurate. When he sets his feet and delivers the deep ball he is good but when he aims on the deep ball he throws it like Navarre….
You could probably say this about any collegiate QB. When Cade has time to allow the WRs to run their routes and sets his feet he has shown great ability to get them the ball. He has also been good at escaping the rush. But he got blindsided on the strip sack and that is a tough play for any QB. Credit the PSU DL for creating havoc there.
November 13th, 2021 at 3:36 PM ^
This scheme will never compete with elite teams. Hate to rain on the parade, but we all know it’s true.
November 13th, 2021 at 3:54 PM ^
The underneath routes were clearly an emphasis but man it got ugly in the middle of the game. Maddening even when Cade would throw 3-5 yards on 3rd and longs.
Good to see Roman Wilson get some shine along with All.
Hassan is the MVP. Harbaugh should donate his salary to him.
Offensive line tho… oh boy… Zinter, Hayes and Vastardis did not have good moments.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:12 PM ^
Orlovsky made a good point on one of those where Cade threw it to the short cross for CJ instead of the long cross for All. All was definitely coming open, but Cade needed the patience and confidence (and understanding of the field position) to thread that throw through the defense.
November 14th, 2021 at 4:03 AM ^
“ thread that throw through the defense.”
+1 (alliteration)
November 13th, 2021 at 5:01 PM ^
I got killed on these blog a few games ago when I said this oline is average. This oline is 100% average at best. Gattis had a great call on the All TD, but that doesn't negate the awful play calling for large portions of this game
Why why why does this offensive staff constantly turtle when the game gets tight??
Nice to see the win, but this staff still stinks imo.
November 13th, 2021 at 5:26 PM ^
The o-line is average?? Based on what objective measures exactly? What a miserable douche
November 13th, 2021 at 6:04 PM ^
Name calling huh. Fuck you. This oline is absolutely average, no push up front, Haskins got hit at the line on almost every attempt. MSU owned it, psu controlled it and so did Wisconsin. The only 3 good teams Michigan has faced.
November 13th, 2021 at 7:44 PM ^
Lol, yes, Wisconsin was definitely owning the line when we had an 11 play drive that resulted in a TD, 9 of those plays being runs. This is an awful, awful take.
November 14th, 2021 at 3:36 PM ^
I appreciate that monkey house is willing to state his bad opinions even after a victory unlike some of the other trolls who hide after wins and come out only after losses.
November 14th, 2021 at 3:11 AM ^
Madening when the wind, precip werent working for deep shots? Did you see how those punts went?
November 13th, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
"This scheme will never compete with elite teams. Hate to rain on the parade, but we all know it’s true."
I don't think it's true!!!! If you believe what you said, then PLEASE, ignore the next statement!
GO BLUE!!!!
November 13th, 2021 at 4:05 PM ^
The thing is, there are probably only 3 teams that I wouldn’t like our chances against on a neutral field. So you may be correct, but only 2 or 3 teams in the whole country have a clear superior overall team than us this year, in my opinion. Sure we have some weaknesses, but everyone does, except for maybe Georgia, and even Tennessee is giving them a go so far today. I understand feeling reticent about the future of the rest of this season, but to be 9-1 at this point, with the schedule we have had, is very impressive, warts and all.
November 13th, 2021 at 5:22 PM ^
You think there's only 3 teams better than Michigan?? Which 3?
November 13th, 2021 at 6:00 PM ^
Georgia, Alabama, Ohio St.
November 13th, 2021 at 7:26 PM ^
Exactly, Yeoman. Those are the only 3 I think would be favored against us on a neutral field.
November 13th, 2021 at 8:28 PM ^
I've got the Massey power index pulled up and here's how his computer has us (well, had--this is before today's results) against everyone else in the committee's top 10, on a neutral field:
- -8 1/2 over Oregon
- -8 1/2 over Cincinnati
- -7 over Michigan St.
- -3 over Oklahoma
- -6 1/2 over Notre Dame
- -6 over Oklahoma St.
That feels about right to me. I think it's probably overrated Oklahoma somewhat but that'll be corrected after today.
November 13th, 2021 at 8:50 PM ^
Wow, even better than I thought. Especially the Oregon line.
November 13th, 2021 at 9:55 PM ^
I suppose I should list the flip side:
- +4 vs. Ohio State
- +5 vs. Alabama
- +6 1/2 vs. Georgia
The Wisconsin win carries some weight. His computer really likes them, has their defense #2 in the country behind Georgia's. 112 yards rushing might not have seemed like much at the time but nobody else has run the ball a lick on them outside garbage time.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:07 PM ^
OK, whatever. 9-1.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:11 PM ^
We can't win big games on the road. Now this scheme won't win against elite teams. Can't you be happy for at least a Saturday. I was unhappy during the game and nervous. Now it is time to relax. You can always create a thread on Sunday and bitch about it. You don't hate to rain on our parade. You love it.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
Remember, it's only a "big game" if Harbaugh loses.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:46 PM ^
Yeah, Michigan wins, PennSt falls out of rankings, and it's just another game Michigan was expected to win.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:54 PM ^
I think it is a feeling that the team is not being optimized, not that we don't appreciate wins.
NE and PSU were coin flip wins and MSU a coin flip loss, but all seem like we had better talent and more potential to be up several more scores than we were.
I agree there is always a negative nelly sentiment, so just trying to provide a middling perspective here. Love the team, hope to see more variety in play-calling so long as the team is able to handle it without confusion.
November 13th, 2021 at 5:00 PM ^
When we started going play action pass in first down things opened up in the running game.
as noted during the week is it Harbaugh mucking things up or Gattis?
hard to know for sure
November 14th, 2021 at 12:25 AM ^
This is well articulated. You summed up my sentiments perfectly.
November 13th, 2021 at 5:15 PM ^
Be honest. If he creates a thread to make this same point he will be flamed for creating a thread on a topic that was supposed to be in the post-game threads. You know it is true.
November 13th, 2021 at 5:07 PM ^
The scheme isn't bad, it would be better with less, 'You know what we're going to run, try and stop it' and more 'Whoop! There it is!'
November 13th, 2021 at 5:18 PM ^
Really? I thought that 'you know what is coming try to stop it' was the scheme. Is there more?
November 15th, 2021 at 11:53 AM ^
Did you see the game winning TD? That wasn't "you know this is coming"
November 14th, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
Thought it would be much better if we just removed the read-option element altogether with Cade as defenses don’t even respect him and they just crash to get to the RB. Go more to a play action game to freeze lbers and safeties to help the down field passing game. Little late this year for that but who knows and could do both read option and play action with JJ…
Bigger issue is odd play calling and letting defenses leverage them. Don’t know if Cade has freedoms to check to other plays or not but would go a long way to helping get out of some bad plays. One area I miss having a big time QB…
November 15th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
You are right. You can tell by how many downvotes you get from the people who don't really understand.
November 13th, 2021 at 3:37 PM ^
Gattis…. Yikes.
November 13th, 2021 at 3:53 PM ^
Coincidently, “yikes” is what a bunch of PSU people were saying when Gattis got Erick All wide open streaking down the sideline into the end zone.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:38 PM ^
The most underrated part of that play is to the left, wide receiver open and would have been a good gain. But Cade threw it to the right place. He deserves a ton of credit for that. It’s a whole lot more than just a short pass with a long run.
November 13th, 2021 at 4:55 PM ^
Yeah that was a great play that saved our ass. But where were those plays the rest of the game? Running Haskins into the middle of the D on 90% of first down plays gets a little predictable. We're constantly in 2nd and long. Add a false start penalty in there, and an incomplete pass (or one thrown way under the coverage) and we're in 3rd and long - when we seldom convert. With McNamara's mediocre accuracy, we have to be better at play calling to have a chance against really good teams.