Simple changes you'd like to see
We are all frustrated right now and the board is full of "fire Coach XXXX" comments. What I'm trying to do in this thread is identify some simple things that the coaches could adjust in the next game that you'd like to see. Obviously we're not going to turn into a full spread offense and we're not going to run the Texas Tech spread pass offense. So what simple things could we adjust that might help?
For example, here are some things I'd like to see:
- We need to flip our tendency on first down from 75% run to >50% pass. Regardless of whether our formations are tipping things to the defense, our tendencies sure are. Pass more often on running downs.
- Dileo and Chesson should have more snaps than Kerrige and Williams. I'm not sure how this shook out on Saturday, but we need more playmakers on the field.
- Gardner should be given several throws <7 yards that help build his confidence, get the ball in the hands of a playmaker, and help him avoid the blitz. Too many of our plays are slow to develop and involve deep drops. It doesn't have to be bubble screens, but quick slants, flares to a RB, 5-yard stop routes to Dileo, etc.
- A trick play. Name one trick play we've run all season....I'll wait......still thinking? Gallon was a high school QB and Gardner played WR last year. How about a double pass? Flea Flicker? Hook and Ladder? Fake FG or Punt? On-side Kick?
- Try at least one drive randomly with hurry-up. Even if our hurry-up looks slow compared to Indiana, try preventing the D from making substitutions. We've seen several opponents use unusual alignments because they can sub to our personnel. Punish them for putting more DL on the field by going hurry up....at least once!
- On defense I want to see more aggression - fake blitz or blitz more often and go with a high-risk and high-reward play for a while.
The other one I'm tempted to suggest but haven't pulled the data on is to go back to Miller at center. We're clearly getting worse on the OL and Glasgow is good for 1-2 drive-killing snaps per game. Miller was bad....but so is everyone else? I'd like to see the rushing/sack numbers from when he was at center, but I think moving Glasgow back to guard and then having an open competition between all other players for the other guard spot would help.
I'm curious to hear what people more educated than me would suggest. (Zone blocking? Man blocking?) And let's keep this as constructive as possible.
November 11th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
Maize uniforms. We need to spice things up! /s
November 11th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
Has a mascot been discussed? I feel like our team is down a bit, and who doesn't like mascot hyjinks? Could be a really good pick me up.
I also feel like this website (link) should get a facelift. It seems too utilitarian. Needs a bit more pizzazz.
November 11th, 2013 at 11:51 AM ^
Because as people, I like them.
But they need to take some summer classes or something and become better coaches.
November 11th, 2013 at 1:30 PM ^
Funny stuff...
November 11th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
Nope hoke will not do any of this, he will run the ball and get his qb sacked, hoke cant game plan for the opponents. Even his coordinator (gmat) is getting worse at game planning for opponents and taking away the offense best weapon, that is what he did in the NFL. Try to eliminate one thing that the opponent does well, at least try. But he does the best job on the staff by a lot of miles
November 11th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
or was it a result of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Terrell Suggs, Haloti Nagota, and the rest. It looked like Ray frequently changed the D while on the field especially against Peyton Manning.
While Borges deserves lots of the blame, we would still be 8-1 (worst 8-1team in the country, but 8-1 never the less) if Mattison and the D came up with stops against PSU and Nebraska on their last drives. We came back in the second half of the PSU game by pressuring the freshman QB then stopped and allowed them to march down the field by playing "prevent the win" D. Pretty much the same against Nebraska giving 8+ yard cushion on fourth and 2 and having the same freshman DB victimized in both games.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
was Nebraska's lowest point total of the season. I would have tought holding them to 17 would have given us a 2 touchdown victory - since their defense hasn't stopped ANYONE.
Go Blue!
November 11th, 2013 at 7:19 PM ^
November 11th, 2013 at 1:17 PM ^
Against PSU, we had not one, but 2 mis-timed jumps on the last drive thats could have ended the game. When you consider how many 3 and outs the offesnse has had, the defense has stood up quite well. I'm not saying they're great, but considering how young they are, its crazy to expect much more than they have given us so far. I know the blitzing (or lack there of) has frustrated some people, but remember, we dont have kovacs back there to keep us safe. Blitzing puts a lot of pressure on the safties to be sound. Once we have some experience I would be expecting more agressiveness on D.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^
The offense's best weapon was Ameer Abdullah, who nudged over 100 yards and averaged 3.9 yards/carry on Saturday. That's not totally shutting him down, but that's a pretty good job. If Michigan could have done anything offensively to put Nebraska in poor field position or force them to air it out, things might have been different.
November 11th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
Never, ever line up in Pro I again.
Never put Devin under center again.
3 receivers at all times.
Get Rawls some carries.
Fire Al Borges.
November 11th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
Cowbell
November 11th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
one of Peyton Manning's early games with the Colts, and back then they had a decent running game with James or Dickerson, but in this game they threw something like 26 straight passes. Not a single running play until just before halftime.
Yeah, that would be something no one was looking for ...
Go Blue!
November 11th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
4 wide at times would help so you can get Gallon, Chesson, Funchess, and Dileo on the field all at the same time. Definitely throw more on first down and throw more period with a lot more quick passes.
Get Bryant back in the starting lineup and work with him. He appears much stronger than the others.
Promote Stenavich to interim O-Line coach (can only get better than what we have now) and hire Ron English to help with the defense.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:06 PM ^
Bryant can't be out there if we're not going to line up under center and run power.
IMO, Bryant should probably transfer while Michigan runs spread for the rest of 2013 and 2014. He's just not a good fit for what Michigan SHOULD do.
But since Hoke/Borges are so dead-set on running power, I hope he sticks around.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:32 PM ^
Any idea why Bryant isn't out theremore often then? IS he hurt?
November 11th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^
Supposedly, yes, he got hurt in the Penn State game. Regardless, with all the shotgun snaps/running we're doing - which is more than at the beginning of the year - he's no longer the best fit for Michigan's offense. If they put him in when Michigan is under center and then take him out in shotgun, well...that would be unorthodox and probably counterproductive.
November 11th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
Wins instead of losses
November 11th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
I'd like it to be 2015, with minimal attrition. Maybe Tyrone Wheatley as the RB coach. Other than that, good luck.
November 11th, 2013 at 11:58 AM ^
Since we barely use QWash on D anymore, would anyone object to moving him back to Oline?
November 11th, 2013 at 12:04 PM ^
Because he has a lingering injury going on with his back (I believe). So moving him to OL is probably not realistic even beyond not being realistic to begin with.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:15 PM ^
I know I am reaching, but in my defense there is not much else to reach for
November 11th, 2013 at 12:16 PM ^
Was more or less trying to explain why Q Wash hasn't been on the field more.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:19 PM ^
I would.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
INGREDIENTS
2 oz Malibu coconut Rum
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6 oz Ocean Spray cranberry juice
INSTRUCTIONS
1) Shake ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice
2) Strain into glass
MAKE IN HIGHBALL GLASS
November 11th, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^
The annexation of Puerto Rico just brought back so many memories. Thank you!
November 11th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^
When your own opponents call you out and say that they know exactly what you're going to do before you even snap the ball, you know you've got a big problem with your play-calling.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:05 PM ^
I think we need to put some horses out on the field. No, not a euphamism, literal horses. At the very least, it'll give us an edge in the Iowa game.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
- Pass more on first down. 2nd & 12 or 3rd & 9 is not manageable really, and it puts Gardner in a stressful spot. I'd go with something like 70% passing on first down (it's the only way we've been able to get yards the past two games).
- More 3+ receiver sets. Spreading the defense is the only way we can even hope to open holes for the run game because we all know how well our offensive line can block
- A trick play or two, as you said
- More blitzing from the defense -- this isn't the NFL, backup QBs and first year starters aren't going to make us pay for blitzing
- Running plays to the edge -- seems like the strength (relative term here) of our OL is on the outside with Lewan and Schofield, I'd focus more of the run game on the outside (although it hurts when your TEs and RBs struggle with blocking)
- Zone read. We have a zone-read QB, run some of it, I know it's dirty to Hoke & Co. but I don't see why we shouldn't play to our team's strengths (may not be a strength so much anymore with Gardner getting drilled for losses 7+ times a game, not sure how his legs are)
- Go hurry-up randomly to prevent the D from substituting and to throw them off
- No more play-action (at least until we can run for positive yards)
- No more I-form
- Stop being predictable. Alright, this is broad, but the rumblings since after the MSU game have been that the opponent knows exactly what we're going to do when we line up to do it -- run some pass plays out of our usual run formations and vice versa.
Full disclosure: I'm not as football-savvy as many people here, so these are just casual observations (that I am sure I share with others).
November 11th, 2013 at 12:07 PM ^
Is there any way to get future opponents to agree to not make us play on offense? Maybe we can just switch back and forth between defense and special teams.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:10 PM ^
Complete change of culture. Enough of the this is Michigan fergodssake crap, talking about what Bo would have done incessently, insisting upon a specific style of play when it's not working for you just because it's the way things have been done.
Watching how beautifully executed the 2007 Capital One Game against Florida was makes me wince in pain at how much was wasted over the years had we opened up our offense. Mike Hart running out of shotgun wtf?
Shut up, line up and win. Let the current results on the field do the talking.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
That game was awesome and infuriating. What could have been...
November 11th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
pass on first down.
pass on second down.
pass on third down.
Don't run for at least the entire first half, just pass every play. And not deep drop slow to develop plays either. Quick outs, screens, and short passes. If we pick up 5-10 yards every play, then perfect. Once the opposing D has finally backed way out of the box to respect the pass, then and only then do you start running the ball. & even then, no more than one run for every three plays. If the D starts stacking the box again, then go back to all passes all the time.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:38 PM ^
November 11th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^
PSD's cut in half.
Face value of every ticket back to $50.
No Dave Brandon on the jumbo tron every game.
Winning.
Big Ten Titles.
Those are my changes.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:13 PM ^
and this goes along with the tendencies point that has been beaten to death, but it feels like the coaching staff limits the skill position players to a role that becomes very predictable. AJ Williams is a great example of this. When he is in the game, he is going to be blocking. It doesn't necessarily mean it's a run play, but his job is to block. Imagine the shock and awe from the defense if we ran a throw-back TE screen to AJ Williams. Just sending him out in a route would be a start. This offensive coaching staff doesn't force the defense to defend the entire field or even every offensive skill player. This allows them to cheat to our tendencies and makes it much easier for the defenses we play. We simply do not sufficiently stress the defenses that we play. Having said this, the pass to the fullback on Saturday was a great example of using an offensive skill position player in a way he isn't usually used and it had great success (at least the first time). We need much, much more of this.
November 11th, 2013 at 8:07 PM ^
No one expects Williams to run routes. When it's short yardage do a fake run play. Have him chip block then take off. Or do the sweep we did with Gallon and have him pass to Williams. Also, back when Griese was QB they use to fake a stretch play and have Griese bootleg the other way hitting the WR down field on a deep crossing route. Worked everytime. Borges play book is so bland.
November 11th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^
And I'm almost certain that this was eventually going to be a part of tackle over if the blocking up front gelled and the run game did anything positive. There were a couple times they did the full roll with a lead block from the RB. It's actually the exact same play as the RB throw back. The backside TE hinge blocks, "whiffs" and then gets lead blockers in front of him. Just think the stuff around it never developed enough to run.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:18 PM ^
Start Derrick Green
Fire Al Borges
November 11th, 2013 at 12:28 PM ^
but Adrian Peterson couldn't average 3 ypc with this line. So don't hold your breathe on that improving things.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^
Green is not a better back than Toussaint right now. They're starting the right guy.
November 11th, 2013 at 2:53 PM ^
November 11th, 2013 at 3:34 PM ^
He's better at everything. Don't let your frustration with the team fool you.
November 11th, 2013 at 3:39 PM ^
He's better at everything. Don't let your frustration with the team fool you.
EDIT: So nice I had to say it twice.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:19 PM ^
I know that goes against all the max protect stuff that we think we need. But to me a 5 wide set with some quick hitters is as good as, or better than max protect.
When we go max protect with 2-3 guys running routes, that was just begging MSU & Nebraska to bring more players at the QB.
Some of the really terrible blockers are our TEs, and running backs right? So swap out AJ williams with Butt, or out wide with Chesson. Have Funchess, Gallon, & Dileo out wide. Let Toussaint run flat routes instead of doing nothing in the backfield. Or swap him out for a Butt, or any WR left on the roster.
This would require our O-line to keep the pocket clean for 1.5-3 secs instead of 3-5.
Once you get the LBs heading away from the LOS hit them with draws, etc.
November 11th, 2013 at 12:22 PM ^
November 11th, 2013 at 12:27 PM ^
8 guys against 4-6 is just as effective as our 5 guys against a 4 man rush. We might as well have more targets right?
November 11th, 2013 at 12:43 PM ^
I promoted this idea on TTB, too. Michigan needs to go five-wide and spread the field rather than packing everything in tight. Even in their shotgun "spread" formations, they have at least one receiver tight to the line.
Borges visited with San Francisco's staff last offseason. This year I hope he visits Washington State (unless, of course, he gets fired, in which case I don't care where he visits).