Some thoughts on The Game from Space Coyote
Space Coyote analyzed part of the OSU game on Twitter, and I figure most people on here don't use Twitter. You can see it without an account. He hasn't posted much since then, so it really just takes one wheel scroll to get to where he talks about it.
https://twitter.com/spacecoyotebds
He mostly just talks about some individual plays. He said he was planning to make a more comprehensive post about the strategy, players, etc. overall but hasn't gotten around to it. So it's not the most informative, but there are still some interesting notes in there.
First, Michigan has had problems with gap plays all year. McGrone is shown making some mistakes playing those. He's still young and I don't see any reason to think he can't get that cleaned up for next year. Second, SC said it seems they put a lot on Hudson's plate with more safety responsibilities to make things easier for Dax. Obviously Hudson didn't play well, and jumping offsides on the punt had nothing to do with that, but it really would have been nice to not be out a starting safety. Hooray for Michigan's time-honored tradition of losing a significant player late in the season. Also, Michigan did well strategy-wise on offense attacking OSU's LBs in run/pass conflict since they keep things simple for their LBs.
A lot of the other stuff is about what we already know. The DTs couldn't hold up. Metellus had a huge bust. Patterson kept trying to bounce on his runs. OSU is really good.
December 8th, 2019 at 3:00 AM ^
Maybe you haven't heard, O$U isn't as good as advertised based on only taking total control of the game against Wiscy (a team they crushed earlier in the year) in the 4th quarter. Therefore, Harbaugh is overrated and Don Brown should be fired. Another, up-and-coming coach should be hired to lead us to the promised land. Rich Rod IS available.
December 8th, 2019 at 3:47 AM ^
If only there was a big 12 equivalent to Rich Rod. Someone that came up one game short in a conference that doesn't play defense. Ill be damned if I know the rhule on this one. Anyone have any ideas?
December 8th, 2019 at 4:00 AM ^
Any coach that leaves his concussed QB in the game is fine by me. Worked well the first time.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:04 AM ^
So you would take Dantonio?
December 8th, 2019 at 2:51 PM ^
No...but at least he's beaten OSU.
December 8th, 2019 at 4:36 AM ^
I don't think Baylor is that good.
Grass is always greener, though.
December 8th, 2019 at 3:07 PM ^
Baylor goes 7-5 in the SEC, and 8-4 in the B1G.
Faxts.
December 8th, 2019 at 4:01 AM ^
My only regret is not making a post about how good Wisconsin's defense is and how I wish Michigan could play like that before said post would look really stupid.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
A tradition unlike any other...
MGoPosters posting threads about how our rivals suck while their game is still undecided, at which point said rival immediately turns it around and wins comfortably.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
Wisconsin lost by multiple scores and gave up 500 yards despite Fields being severely injured and were outgained on a per play basis despite OSU missing a top ten draft pick on defense most of the game and even won the turnover battle....but it was different dont you understand??
December 8th, 2019 at 10:36 AM ^
Jim Leonhard woke up today to 25 dozen bouquets of roses in his hotel room, with no apparent explanation beyond that they had all been ordered from addresses in Michigan, specifically between the hours of 8:00 and 10:00 last night.
December 8th, 2019 at 7:36 AM ^
Can you also summarize the Space coyote’s take on The Horror, The Snap and The Spot? I’d like to relive them all.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:10 AM ^
The Snap? I don't need a space coyote to tell me. It was the single most awful moment of my life long Michigan allegiance. And to watch that smug asshole Mark Dantonio running around laughing and jumping up and down in our house.
December 8th, 2019 at 7:57 AM ^
Wait, I thought this was a done deal? I thought we were hiring Jim Leonard because his defense shut down OSU with 2-star players he coached up like Mack D does in EL?
The board was a total shit show last night, and I'll bet will be again today.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:02 AM ^
Big difference in yardage given up. Cheese guys defense outplayed mich d.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:42 AM ^
Doesn't look like a "big difference" in yards give up to me.
Wisconsin Fields 19/31 299 yds 3 tds
Dobbins 33 carries 172 yds
Michigan Fields 14/25 302 yds 4 tds
Dobbins 31 carries 211 yds
December 8th, 2019 at 8:13 AM ^
I'd rather get some thoughts on the game from Brain Cook
December 8th, 2019 at 10:11 AM ^
Is he talking?
December 8th, 2019 at 11:03 AM ^
Good luck with that. You'll get table scraps and you'll like it!
December 8th, 2019 at 8:29 AM ^
All I want to say is that Space Coyote is hands down the best user name on this blog.
December 8th, 2019 at 8:30 AM ^
I think what we actually saw, both in The Game and yesterday, is that Michigan has the talent to run with some pretty big dogs. Sadly, it must be conceded, Michigan does not play to its level of talent.
What we saw this weekend is that the CFP demands a large expansion. There are at least 15-20 teams out there who, on any given day, can compete with that group of 5 or so elite teams that have received unequal benefit from having the CFP held at 4 entries. Looking at Clemson's schedule and watching that game against a totally over-matched Virginia angers me. Why should Clemson be afforded/awarded an automatic spot in the playoff!!!
We all legitimately, whine about Alabama getting the pick of the next crop but here the great benefactor to the current system is Clemson and the auto-bid they have fallen into. If they are going to stick with a 4 team playoff maybe a rule should be made that a team must have 5 teams in their conference in the top 25 in order to get in. Virginia would have been 4th, at best-just as likely 5th or 6th, in either B1G division-the only team they are definitively better than is Rutgers.
December 8th, 2019 at 8:45 AM ^
I think UM has good pieces but is physically out matched by top tier programs. OSU dudes look different. We'll see the same difference when Bama runs UM off the field.
December 8th, 2019 at 8:52 AM ^
Exactly. I'm not sure why anyone wants to line UM up against Alabama. UM will get run over, like it did against Wisconsin, and like it did against OSU. Alabama will truck most teams. Auburn got very lucky to beat them, and even the LSU game was pretty close. UM is not at that level.
December 8th, 2019 at 9:59 AM ^
If I had told you in August we were going to play Alabama in January, you would have been excited, right?
I'm a big Harbaugh supporter and I think people calling for his head are crazy.
But changes need to be made on defense. We're simply not recruiting the right players and we're not developing the ones we have properly.
December 8th, 2019 at 12:08 PM ^
I know you're in the fire Don Brown club, this is a crazy take.
We've recruited and developed significantly better on defense than on offense. In the last 3 years we've sent almost 3 times as many draftees to the NFL defensive side of the ball (14) as the offensive side of the ball (5).
Michigan's defense rankings under Don Brown :
2019: 11 (FEI)
2018: 9 (S&P)
2017: 5 (S&P)
2016: 3 (S&P)
Michigan's S&P offense rankings:
2019: 25 (FEI)
2018: 25 (S&P)
2017: 49 (S&P)
2016: 35 (S&P)
This is the first year that Michigan may end the season outside of the top ten - in a year where we are breakng in a lot of young players, and everyone acknowledged that the defense would take a step back and our upperclassmen-heavy offense would have to carry the team.
Yet the offense has never ended a season ranked higher than 25th - including this year with 5 star senior QB, 3 NFL level junior WRs, a 5 star RB, 3 senior OL, and a senior TE.
I swear only a Michigan fan could look at this a decide "Yeah obviously defense is the main problem here"
December 8th, 2019 at 3:04 PM ^
Offense is a problem here but do you really think the D is that great? Our losses to top teams have all been pretty bad for the D and we only seem to dominate lesser opponents.
I guess what I'm saying is we need help all around by the looks of it or 9-3 seasons will be the standard forever.
December 8th, 2019 at 9:38 AM ^
This piece of yearly tripe (Clemson's automatic bid) comes down to two things. 1. The loss of Florida State, Miami, and Va Tech as national powers. 2. The fact that the selection committee only cares about one thing: losses. If two teams have the same records, perhaps they'll look at SOS and conference to compare. But one loss is always going to trump two losses, irrespective of conference or schedule. That's also how Oklahoma is likely getting in. I would take 3 also-ran Big Ten teams and half the SEC to give Oklahoma a 50/50 or better game.
Of course, Clemson has consistently won the NC or advanced to lose to Alabama in tight contests. So they're going to get the benefit of the doubt based on that. Really, they're doing something that for 5 years no one could- compete with Alabama.
Really, college football needs FSU and Miami to get back up to speed (not to mention Texas and USC). FSU might have a prayer, but Miami seems to have slipped into permanent irrelevance.
December 8th, 2019 at 8:31 AM ^
Doesn’t matter, we are a basketball school.
December 8th, 2019 at 9:02 AM ^
I don't know why i put myself through that. Great breakdown, as always with space, but just hurts to see missed opportunities and busts. Oh well, back to bowl prep i guess.
December 8th, 2019 at 9:45 AM ^
Obviously Hudson didn't play well, and jumping offsides on the punt had nothing to do with that, but it really would have been nice to not be out a starting safety. Hooray for Michigan's time-honored tradition of losing a significant player late in the season.
I appreciate the breakdown, but this really comes down to talent. Matellus has all the experience and was healthy and he still got burned by better players. We've had the players here and there over the years, just not enough of them on one team to match up with OSU's talent. We always have holes that can be exploited by really good teams. They are just more talented and deeper, plain and simple.
The DTs couldn't hold up.
Yeah, same deal here. Hinton & Mazi should be good, but still another few years away from being dominant. Kemp & Dwumfour should be back and Hinton should be able to contribute, not sure on Mazi yet and Jeter may be getting to the point where he just doesn't have it.
OSU is really good.
Yup, every year OSU has a Bosa, Young, elite RB, elite WR, elite DBs, etc. We just don't have the talent to match up. Matellus, Gray, Hudson, Kemp, Dwumfor, and Paye are solid, but not elite. Now if we had Peppers, Lewis, Bush, Glasgow, Hurst, and Charlton all on that team it would be different. It would be like 2016 where it could go either way, but at least we're talented enough to win. Anyways, just talent IMO.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:02 AM ^
So we're not recruiting as well as Hoke did? Huh.
December 8th, 2019 at 11:46 AM ^
On defense? No, we're not. Hoke and Mattison, to their credit, were very good at recruiting on D.
Offense? Way better now overall.
December 8th, 2019 at 2:04 PM ^
Yes and no. 2016 was our best overall team talent at #5 nationally with a combination of Hoke' 2013 class and JH's 2016 class. Unfortunately the 2014 and 2015 classes were meh. Hokes first two classes were good, his next two not. JH's pretty much done the same thing every class. JH is more consistent, Home had the single best class. If we could combine their strengths it'd be fine, but neither are enough to compete with OSU who remains in the top 2 most talented rosters every year now with Bama.
December 8th, 2019 at 9:59 AM ^
Patterson rib protector was the sideline.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:06 AM ^
Space Control to Major Tom
December 8th, 2019 at 10:49 AM ^
Guess we've advanced from the days when Major Tom communicated with ground control.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:12 AM ^
Does it say why other teams (who have less talent) play OSU harder and some (who have less talent) actually beat them? Asking for a friend.
December 8th, 2019 at 10:14 AM ^
Did we ever get any type of official word or inside info on exactly what happened to Brad Hawkins?
December 9th, 2019 at 5:00 PM ^
I just want us to recruit better, not sure what the answer is, but stuff has to change in order to keep up, and im sure its not as easy as get better players