Poor Special Teams On the Punt Return for TD (Also a good indicator that we should go to the spread punt formation)
Did anyone else realize that Michigan only had 10 guys on the Utah punt return for TD? I am at a loss. Usually the first thing you do upon sending a unit on the field is making sure you have enough guys. This makes me . How about you MGOBLOGGERS?
September 21st, 2014 at 12:43 AM ^
It's just one of many issues...and they all make me sad
September 21st, 2014 at 12:43 AM ^
Poor coaching once again
September 21st, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^
Looking at the picture and the video, unless there's a gunner I'm missing at the bottom of the screen, you're right. 10 guys.
Despite only 3 rushing yards, the Utes lead Michigan 13-10 at the HALF http://t.co/qrGj0n7uQO #UTAHvsMICH
— ESPN CollegeFootball (@ESPNCFB) September 20, 2014
September 21st, 2014 at 1:17 AM ^
I just re-watched it multiple times.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^
The spread punt formation is communism. Manball today, manball tomorrow, manball forever.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:47 AM ^
When I see this picture, I see a clear alley for the returner to go through. When watching the Utah punt crew, they have about 5 people forming a wall at about the level Chesson is on the punt coverage (if you can call it that) that we implement. Another reason that the "traditional style" punt formation has got to geaaaaux
September 21st, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
You have got to be kidding me. Just when I think Hoke cant set the bar for incompetence any lower
September 21st, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
Where was the contain on that side? Why is 5-6 165lb Norfleet a gunner? Another guy got crushed by the Utah blocker and the Punter's effort was poor.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:03 AM ^
Disagree. The punters effort was good, his execution was poor. But, he is, afterall, a punter.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:51 AM ^
Brady doesn't want to talk about it. This is the way he knows how to punt. Next thread.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:52 AM ^
New ideas? But I already know how to play football!
September 21st, 2014 at 12:52 AM ^
So we're under manned on the field and on the sidelines? Inexcusable.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:54 AM ^
They literally have a rubber mat on the sidelines marked 1-11 to make sure this doesn't happen on special teams.
And it happened anyway.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:04 AM ^
Do they actually use that mat? I've seen the mat, but never noticed it being used.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:08 AM ^
Ordinarily, it's where the punt team stands when they're ready to go onto the field.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:55 AM ^
Only two Michigan players within 30 yards of the punt returner as he catches the ball. Wow.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:08 AM ^
In comparison to Norfleet who has to fair catch everything surrounded by 4-5 defenders.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:55 AM ^
Wellllllllllllllllllllll, we just didn't execute.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:56 AM ^
Just stopping by to say every team that played in the B1G today won - besides us, but that's okay since we were playing a NFL factory like Utah.
We'll get 'sm next week after we go back ro work. *claps hands* *puts on headset*
September 21st, 2014 at 1:00 AM ^
Yes, I has sad. Utah used most or all of their return possibilities to shred our kick teams. They had 118 return yards including the TD.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:06 AM ^
Good thing we didn't score much or they could have broken 200.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:01 AM ^
Our punt formation needs to die - this happens every single time.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:05 AM ^
I honestly thought that our special teams would be a strength this year. I also am suprised that Wile hasn't been put into punt. Hagerup just isn't showing that he's a good punter.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:34 AM ^
The announcers said the hang time on Hagerup's punt was 2 seconds. That's why coverage can't get there. They specifically noted that one of his next punts was a very returnable line drive punt, and sure enough, there was a pretty good return on that one, as well. Hagerup just does not get it up into the air with good hang time (unless he is kicking it into the end zone to find another way to leave us with a 20 - 25 yard net punt. He has been a disaster, and the coaches said (I thought I heard this) that they were going to start using Wile on closer punts. What happened to kill that good idea?
September 21st, 2014 at 1:07 AM ^
Just not playing Michigan football right now
September 21st, 2014 at 1:09 AM ^
is worse than Purdue this year.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:10 AM ^
when you just have to wonder what the fuck they work on all week long.
Can't get 11 guys on the field, but they can recite the history of every player who wore their number before them.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:16 AM ^
I just wish we showed some fire, or a hatred for losing.
September 21st, 2014 at 7:19 AM ^
This.
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September 21st, 2014 at 1:10 AM ^
The 2 second hang time didn't help things.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:14 AM ^
Hagerup has line-drived a couple of them this year. He's having a poor season so far given his talent.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:17 AM ^
You're right on. I figured with such a long time off he would have gotten better at his craft by virtue of practice hours available. Whether or not he used those hours remains to be seen.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:25 AM ^
We need to let him rip a couple of bong hits before the games.
September 21st, 2014 at 7:45 AM ^
Give Lord G the prize for bringing up probably the biggest reason for the TD return. Hagerup's hang time on his punts has been bad all year for the most part. In warmups yesterday the Utah punter was kicking the ball almost 50% higher.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:15 PM ^
50% higher than Hagerup you say? That's impressive on multiple fronts.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:24 AM ^
After supporting both Hoke and RR, it is time for Hoke to be shit canned just like RR! No 201u5 for him or else we will have another fucking losing record!
September 21st, 2014 at 1:38 AM ^
If you're on the punt team, how do you not notice that the player your been standing next to all week in practice and numerous walk throughs is not on the field?
Players can call timeouts too, provided the special teams coach, head coach, and the numerous assistants in the coaches box can't freaking figure it out! Not giving the coaches a pass here at all, but I can't believe that none of the hundred + players and coaches wouldn't have seen something and called a timeout.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:54 AM ^
It is definitely on the coaching staff, but you are right that a player should have picked it up. The player responsible for counting is the punter so that's on Hagerup. Hoke and Crew should have noticed it immediately and called the time out or taken a delay.
September 21st, 2014 at 10:39 AM ^
I think the guy responsible for counting is the player between the snapper and the punter. You want the punter thinking about punting, not counting players. Looking back at the play, it seems like the counter is the guy who is missing. They had 7 men on the line, two flex tight ends if you will, the punter, and empty space.
From the endzone view of the play, you can see the two gunners coming down the field, then 20 yards of open space, then 3 more guys, then another 20 yards of open space. So the alleys were not really alleys, they were wide open expanses of space, screaming run into me, much like the state of Utah.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:54 AM ^
This is a a pretty bad look for the staff. Well-coached teams play well on special teams. Teams that have offensive challenges thrive on good special-teams play and defense to keep games winnable.
Instead, Hoke again declined to learn a new punt strategy in the offseason, and execution is poor, and it changed the complexion of the entire game.
The strongest evidence against Hoke is that the team has never become good at the things he is supposed to help them be good at.
September 21st, 2014 at 2:29 AM ^
How perfect is it that Michigan gives up a punt return for a touchdown after a week of spread punt know-it-all posts here.
/facepalm
September 21st, 2014 at 4:10 AM ^
would not be *relevant* if we don't punt 32 times a game.
And seriously, spread punt? You think the spread punt is why Hoke sohuld be fired? People are just grasping at everything.
September 21st, 2014 at 7:20 AM ^
It's his reluctance to change or even consider it, simply because he has never done it. Same with tempo and not manballing it.
September 21st, 2014 at 7:41 AM ^
Go back and watch film of Michigan games circa 1993-1998. If you didnt see a play or a formation during the game then you arent going to see it now.
Back to the future.
September 21st, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
It's a very glaring example of how Hoke's stubborness & inability to adapt is hurting the program.
September 21st, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
How all 11 fail to get on the field is beyond me? It's the same 11 players every time. How can you fail that?
September 22nd, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
I just saw this someplace else and had to come over here to believe it......Then they follow up with only 10 on the field for the extra point!!!! Coaching, coaching, coaching......yes I know that many kickers do a head count before they call for the snap but......coaching, coaching, coaching!!!!