Question Re: Road Game Preparation

Submitted by saveferris on

So, much has been made about Michigan's dismal road record under Brady Hoke after our pantsing in South Bend this past Saturday.  The question I want to throw out to all our MGoCoaches on the board is if there is something Hoke and his staff aren't doing properly in game preparation or in-game management that had made MIchigan's road record so disproportionately bad?  We read all the usual stuff, that Michigan practices with simulated crowd noise, silent snap counts, etc.  There's probably not a silver bullet answer here, but are there tangible things we could not be doing well in practice that would explain the big disparity between home and road performance?

stephenrjking

September 8th, 2014 at 8:48 AM ^

I've speculated that it would be good to try some unusual practices (practice in a small space, or randomly play offense shorthanded, or practice without talking, etc etc) to get players used to executing in adverse circumstances. And maybe that would help.

But, ultimately, I think poor road performances are just a function of not being very good.

MGoblu8

September 8th, 2014 at 8:52 AM ^

This has been my biggest question. Why is there such a disparity between home and on the road? I have no idea other than mental preparation. Somehow, our players seem to have a different mindset. They do not appear to be mentally tough, but I don't know why. I think we are more than talented enough to beat every team on our schedule, we just have to do it. I'm at a loss. I guess that's why they pay the coaches the big bucks.

KBLOW

September 8th, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^

Is it your MSW that gives you secret powers to be able to read minds and personalities via a few random camera angles? 

Please. Hoke is mentally tough enough.  Can he translate that to his players? Bouncing back from this loss (or not) will tell quite a bit.  But judging a coach on what he looks like on the TV is just dumb.

chris16w

September 8th, 2014 at 10:29 AM ^

Generally, if you're a teacher or a coach with students, if 100% of your interaction is positive, only parts of what you say or do will be effective. Students and players will be accountable when they know that there are responses they will receive from their coaches that are undesirable, especially if such respones are deserved. They also appreciate being encouraged, a la Brady Hoke, but Brady's inability to actually get angry at his players has a softening effect on their mental makeup. I believe that this rears its ugly head any time they start losing or go on the road - there's no capacity for overcoming adversity. I can't imagine the players would anticipate any external consequences for poor play, for example. If I do my best, that's all that matters!

JTrain

September 8th, 2014 at 9:11 AM ^

Michigan recruits above average talent (the last few years anyway). Developing this talent is obviously an issue. How anyone can say otherwise after this past weekend is beyond me. We have the talent. We have the facility, the tradition...everything. Everything except the ability to teach these players the techniques and strategies to win the one on one battles they face every Saturday on the field. Youth can't be a real excuse anymore. It just can't. Not at a program like Michigan. It won't cut it. Something big needs to change within the program. I'm not sure what it is. But we are nowhere near where we should be.
The one thing I thought Brady Hoke would bring was toughness. A great defense. Guys that would run through walls for Michigan. I'm not sure I see that intensity. I hear the talk. But that's all I hear. I don't see the nastiness.
I don't know. I'm not in the buildings. I'm not a coach. I just can't freaking believe how bad things look right now. I spend way too much time following this stuff. It's starting to seem like a waste of time. Very discouraging.



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michclub19

September 8th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^

You made some great points so I'm going to piggyback one more.  Why don't nearly any of our players seem to show the football instincts you see on other teams?  Very rarely do we have someone break from the framework of the playcall and end up in the perfect position to make a play.  This goes for defense as well as offense.  It seems like they are being coached into robots and all their football instincts are taken away and replaced with "I go to spot X on this play."

Examples are: cornerbacks in position not making plays on the ball, complete lack of pass rush, inability for receivers to get open when Devin is under pressure, etc

I have to believe that some of the 4-5 star recruits have good instincts, which is why they received high-level offers.

CompleteLunacy

September 8th, 2014 at 9:17 AM ^

Look, we all know about Hoke's road record. Part of the problem is, it's fricking hard to win on the road, especially when you're playing a ranked rival at night. It's not an excuse, it just is. The team just does not have the mental toughness and execution level to win on the road yet. That could (and better) change as the year progresses...but I'm willing to chalk that loss up to an offense that is just not fully installed yet, and a defense  having a slew of unexpected injuries. I mean, remember Borges' first ND game? It was a clusterfuck on offense, only turned into a victory by sheer will of Denard and his receivers. IT was a year before the ND defense was really good too (M won the game thanks in part to a monumental defensive breakdown in coverage by ND, and at times sheer dumb luck). Before that 4th quarter, the offense looked about as good as what Nuss showed on Saturday. The difference is, it's easier for special miraculous comebacks to happen at home than on the road. And Devin just does not appear to be a comeback guy...he gets worse the further out of reach a game gets.

One thing I disagree with Hoke though...he says it's not mental, and I don't know if that's just shallow coachspeak and he doesn't believe those words, but he's wrong. It's totally mental. The team looked tentative, afraid to make mistakes. Overwhelmed by the environment, even. You can't play tentative on the road. Notre Dame exploited that over and over again. They were crisp and played fast. The game snowballed out of control. That's totally mental toughness. My biggest criticism with Hoke is that his teams do ppear to be "soft", lacking the mental toughness to win these sorts of games. That's why the 4 remaining road games are so so important...they need to convincingly beat Northwestern and Rutgers, and have bare minimum tightly contested games at MSU and OSU. I can excuse one early road loss to ND, because ND looks better than expected and the offense is still a work in progress with Nuss...but by the time the next road game comes, that can't be a valid excuse anymore.

Also, I really really hope the injured defensive players are OK and can get back into action ASAP.

The Baughz

September 8th, 2014 at 10:33 AM ^

Nobody said winning at night, on the road, against a rival is easy. However, to not even be competitive is unacceptable, especially with a roster like Michigan's. This has been the theme for the most part. Almost losing to Uconn last year is unacceptable. Getting crushed by Sparty, who was/is a very good football team, is still unacceptable. They have been competitive against OSU, but have not been able to get a W.

This team does lack mental toughness. I absolutely agree that Hoke and his teams are soft. He coddles everyone. All he does during the games is clap and slap the player's asses. I get it, I am a coach, you want to encourage your players and keep their confidence up, but sometimes you need to get in their faces and let them have it. Spark some kind of fire. I know Im not on the sidelines during the games, so Im not going to pretend I know what he does all game, but it certainly does not look like he really gets after them. He doesnt have to be Brian Kelly or Bo Pelini, but it'd be nice once in a while if he would just rip in to some guys.

Voltron is Handsome

September 8th, 2014 at 9:38 AM ^

I simply don't understand why this team has been playing terribly on the road. Granted, road games are tougher, but my god, man. I have absolutely no confidence against MSU. OSU...maybe. They don't look that great right now, but I won't be surprised one bit if JT Barrett & Co. decide to pick the Michigan game to absolutely gel.

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

September 8th, 2014 at 9:39 AM ^

ball has numerous factors - more so on the road - when an offense becomes one dimensional.

1. Opposing D can play more aggressively; they're typically more energized at home anyway and then sacks and turnovers further fuel the home emotion.
2. Crowd noise affects the visitor's passing game more.
3. Officials unlikely to give the visiting O the benefit of the doubt on pass interference and other D infractions.
4. Visiting D on the field more with typically less energy so mistakes are compounded.
5. Weather conditions can cause more issues for passing teams - rain at ND in 2012, trash bowl at MSU in 2011, rain and cold at MSU in 2013. Get behind, and catch-up is super difficult.

Carcajou

September 8th, 2014 at 10:01 AM ^

I would agree with much of what YoOoBoMoLloRoHo wrote. 



Also, I think that coaches may overthink things on the road and worry. 

So they game plan 'scared'.  They worry a little too much about various factors: the noise, lighting, field, routine being different, that their game plans lack confidence and boldness.  They will experiment less.  Maybe the players pick up on their fear, and they play scared too.

 

 

reshp1

September 8th, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^

I think too much is made about the road game thing. We're not a bad road team, we're a bad football team. It's not like we're putting away people at home with authority and then losing to cupcakes on the road. The truth is we're struggling as much at home as we are on the road, we've just had some lucky breaks at home (i.e. NW 2012) and bad breaks on the road (i.e. Penn State 2013) to make the win-loss numbers look more lopsided that it is. Add in the normal, inherent difficulties of playing on the road (crowd noise, not in familiar routine pre game, etc) and I think that'll account for the majority of the road vs home discrepency.

I'd like to see some data for how our team performs on the road vs home. Something as simple as performance against the points spread or more detailed like opponent adjusted offensive and defensive stats. My guess is that the difference is not as much as we make it out to be.

People are giving Hoke a lot of grief about his answer to the question post-game, but I kind of agree with Hoke on this. At the end of the day, you're still playing football, the field is the same size, the rules are the same. You don't want to make too big a deal about it, because then you make it a mental thing about being on the road when you really should be focusing on just playing good football.

ford_428cj

September 8th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^

Narduzzi went off the fucking hook on a msu guy that made a dumb penalty on sat. Hoke claps like that energizer monkey & never yells at any player.

Princetonwolverine

September 8th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^

If you watch the Inside Michigan Football link in the other post when it shows the players on the sidelines they seem totally defeated after the first missed field goal. 

The coaches seem to be trying to motivate them but there is zero enthusiasm. 

At home we have the crowd urging them on. Away, they need to do it themselves.

Carcajou

September 10th, 2014 at 3:46 AM ^

Sorry, but I will beg to differ.  I think too much snarkiness and sarcasm has been directed at the clapping.  Hoke tries to be positive on the sideline in games, so what?  Beilein is pretty much that way too, but I don't see the criticism.  I would be willing to bet when the yelling and criticism does happen, it is more likely to happen in the films sessions and meeting rooms and closed practices. Like most of us, athletes today would rather hear it in private than in front of everybody,  Just cuz "tearing 'em a new one" worked in 1950 or 1970, doesn't mean it necessarily works today. 

"the players on the sidelines they seem totally defeated after the first missed field goal "  That tells me Hoke and the coaches are reading the mood of the players, and know when they can handle the screaming in their faces, and when they need support.

Tough Love only works on those who know they are loved, and are confident they can do better.  Screaming in their faces because it makes you feel better is the worst kind of teaching and coaching.  It might motivate some kids; but completely turns off many others.



Again, we are not living in the 1950's. Most kids don't respond to be yelled at by drill sargeants.  They grew up with many other options, many of which had reset buttons.

 

State Street

September 10th, 2014 at 8:06 AM ^

Clapping is where the Beilien comparisons need to end.  Johnny is a good fucking basketball coach.  He knows the game inside and out.  He has a system and he runs it well.  He surrounds himself with people he knows put him in the best position to succeed.

Hoke does none of that.  Literally, not one thing.