Second Half Breakdowns

I think its easier to make adjustments at half time when you are down because you know what you need to fix and there is more urgency as shown in the ND game. However, when you are up at halftime maybe you get complacent and just keep up with what you are doing which won't work since the other team is adjusting and making changes.

quit making halftime adjustments sometime in 1998. LOL. It's the opposition adjusting to our defense that kills us. The concept of "halftime" adjustments is a wee-bit overrated. A competent staff is able to identify and adjust on the fly, rather than some radical scheme change.

Sometimes it is possible to make them, others it is not. And sometimes you try them knowing they probably won't work because you haven't practiced it in awhile or not at all. For example, if the opponent is beating you with a new offensive wrinkle, what can you do defensively? Well, if there is a simple reminder of concepts and technique, then the adjustment is easy and it works, and you get 2nd halves like ND. If the opponent's wrinkle is something you haven't practiced against and don't have an answer in your package, your choices are limited an unappealing. You can put in a scheme to stop it, but you better have checks ready to go and your players better be able to make them. (This isn't the case w/our talent and inexperience.) And you may not have enough time to put in all the checks at halftime. The other choice is to play base defense and use conceptual rules. You can remind the players of these rules and they'll be able to perform, but now you're limited to one defense, your base defense, and that's something the opponent knows inside and out. So, sometimes you have time and sometimes you don't, and if the opposing coaching staff got you good, well, they get paid, too. They're not idiots on the other sideline. I will say that the set-up for last year's defensive staff didn't bode well for halftime adjustments. Shafer as DC but with 3 former DC's all having schematic input is not something you have time to go through at halftime.

Michigan does not have a proper two-deep on the defensive side of the ball. The defensive secondary rarely, if ever, gets to rotate. Until recently, the D-line rarely rotated players in and out. And the linebackers? I don't think Stevie Brown has been out all year except the Delaware State game. What does this mean? If players have to play 80 snaps, they get tired. I'm pretty sure Donovan Warren would be more effective if he played 60 as opposed to 80 plays. Also, Michigan has been successful in the first halves when they introduce a new scheme to cover for the players on the defense that have physical liabilities (we know who they are, no need to denigrate). By the second half, the opposition attacks those players, it forces Michigan to adjust its coverage to try and assist those players, and it creates big holes where the opposition can attack. And then, once Michigan's defensive secondary is tired because it has no rotation, everything just looks worse. (as an aside: perhaps this can explain a little why this team was doomed when JT Turner was delayed by the Clearinghouse, and when Witty wasn't eligible, and especially once Cissoko was booted from the team. The team is currently at about 7 scholarship defensive backs, 2 of whom were switched there since August). So, just have faith, because in 2010 there will be 8 or 9 more defensive secondary players that can rotate in, such as Justin Turner, Cullen Christian, Courtney Avery, Carvin Johnson, Conelius Jones, Talbott, as well as the returnees.

Here is some footage of RichRod at half....he seems pretty relaxed to me....