The Snowflake Thread: Defense

The defense should have been worse.  If this was a Nebraska blowout, I could've turned the TV off earlier.

Bend but don't break FUCKED us on that last drive yet again. Bunch of shit from Mattison again. Just as culpable as Borges. O scored 13 straight and gave them the lead only to have it shitted away. Just far too passive.

I dont want to hear any defense of the defense.  They gave up a 15 play drive when they needed a stop.  Mattison needs some examination as well. 

That was a team without their QB, with the 2nd and 3rd string backup QBs playing. Without 2 starting OL, and a 3rd who got hurt, and their best WR Kenny Bell playing at 60%.  Enough with the apologists.

Stribling needs to tackle better.  Other than that, the last drive is frustrating, but we allowed what, 275 total?  With Nebraska's defense that should be a 20 point win.

If you give up just 17 points to an offense like this you played well. We should hope that they don't just pack it up and go home with the offense leaving them out to dry all the time.

They did enough to win. Not having someone cover the pitch-man on almost every single option play was pretty maddening.

Somebody explain to me why Taco Charlton hasn't been playing more before today. I thought he was one of the bright spots on D in this game.

Was he hurt, or did he break team rules again?

They let an inexperienced QB go right down the field.  When they absolutely had to make a stop, they couldn't get it done.

Not going to complain about defense if we could sustain drives it might allow our defense to be more aggressive.

And everyone knew it was going to happen

We are still pretty young and those young players are making awful mistakes. Let's just take true freshman Stribbling as an example. If he makes either of two plays against. PSU, we win that game. If he doesn't give up the 4th down conversion against Nebraska, we win that game. Heck, even if he gives up the conversion but tackles the receiver, we're in OT right now.

I'm not ready to call for Mattison's head . . . but I knew Nebraska was going to get that TD.  This D just hasn't given me any confidence in clutch situations.    

The defense has gotten worse for the third year straight and now players are showing regression. Third down is a nightmare and the calls are safe and predictable.

But not Mattison's fault IMO.  I don't think we have the D-line to generate a disruptive pass rush or the secondary to make dynamic plays.  I think he plays bend don't break because it is the best we can get with the horses we currently have.  I wish we could blitz more, but it leaves a suspect secondary vulnerable.  It's a functional defense in need of play makers that are on the way.  Mattison is the one guy on the staff I still trust.

Played great. He is a play maker. Should be a starter

We hold then we win. But we just couldn't

every them takes advantage of Michigan's OL but Nebraska glues together an OL and Michigan can't take advantage? I will answer my own question by saying Michigan plays afraid on both sides of the ball. Players are not playing instinctively, they are playing not to make a mistake. Coaches are calling the same kind o game, trying to minimize mistakes.

Anyone watch the end of the PSU vs. MINN game?

After Minn handled the PSU offense and their freshman QB  fairly easily with a lot of aggressive playcall and blitzing, they interviewed the MINN coach immediately after the game.  He said: (paraphrased)

"Everyone knows that with a young QB, you have to not let them get comfortable. You have to blitz them and take away the play that is most comfortable for him.  We did that and it worked."

It just reminded me of the terrible defensive play calling by Mattison vs. PSU.  He did the exact opposite.  I just don't understand.

I think Mattison gets a very long leash because he has done suprisingly well in the last two years, but there have been non-aggressive play calling that has really frustrated and confused me this year. 

I think with the offense either turning the ball over and/or sabotaging field position, Mattison's bend but don't break philosophy just hasn't worked like it did in the past.  We'll essentially be better in each and every position on defense next year, so I'm willing to look past the defense.

My eyes are trained solely on the offensive ineptitude.

Our DL lumbered after Armstrong, LBs struggled to tackle on the spot, and DBs were a yard behind. I think we simply stink. Coaches cannot scheme and develop this group to put any pressure on the opposition.

In the doghouse?

I'm just sick of this passive shit. Why not be aggressive? What could he possibly feel the problem would be in being aggressive? How many times do the opposition have to throw the same hitch route until you press? How much time does a QB have to have before you blitz? Why did the stunt that got a sack in the 3rd Q not get called again?

 

/end rant.

The D played okay for the most part. Usually I'm screaming at Taylor and his fifteen yard cushions but Nebraska didn't abuse him today for some reason. Even the 4th and 2 was unfortunate, but that happens. The biggest problem was the fact that we didn't schematically adjust to cover the option. The speed option was consistently giving them 5-7 yards because it seriously looked like Michigan wasn't trained go even know what to do to stop it. And in the fourth quarter on the 5, what else would they run but their one play Michigan simply cannot stop? The failure was Mattison not drilling into his guys at half on option assignments.

Please get rid of this stupid bend and don't break defense and start playing aggressively.  It always seems to pay off when we go aggressive.  Every time we sit back in zone we give up big plays.  There may be reasons why GMAT doesn't want to go all out with more blitzesmore frequently but I sure don't understand what those reasons may be.

Aggression seems to work for pretty damn well. We've got nothing with a 4 man rush so quit trying that chit!

Mattison! Most overrated damn coach on this staff! No balls!! Retire old man! Take your millions and get out if here! The most passive D I seen in 20 years!!!!!

Every game this year we go immediately into a passive, rush-four-and-see-what-happens shell, just waiting to be shredded. We gave up crucial 3rd and longs throughout this game because we refused to pressure the QB. Where is the 2011 Mattison, who drew up creative blitzes? 

Also, Nebraska has about four plays, one of them being an option pitch. We played this correctly once in the 1st quarter. After that, the RB was always free. How do you not prepare adequately for this basic play?

But this is nothing compared to what you could say about the offense. Overall, this defensive performance should've been enough to win the game.

Not this defense, but I did enjoy seeing that Ray Vinopal, former Michigan player, got two INTs to seal Pittsburgh's win over ND.