Stanford's Offense
I have yet to watch Stanford play this year but looking how there offense is ranked nationally, they must be pretty explosive.
Stanford is currently ranked 8th in pts/game with 40.3
Michigan is ranked 23rd with 34.3 pts/game
Stanford is ranked 14th in total offense with 467.3 yds/game
Michigan is ranked 6th with 500.9 yds/game
Stanford's starting quarterback Andrew Luck rushing stats look somethin like this:
51 rushes, 438 yards, 8.6 yds/carry, 3 tds
So it does seem as if Harbaugh probably does have some running plays designed for his quarterback. My question though is what offense does he run at Stanford, and if he was to come to michigan in the future, do you guys think he would find a way to utilize Denard like rich rod did this year?
December 1st, 2010 at 9:32 AM ^
Here is a great website for discussing Stanford Football:
December 1st, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
Go look at tape from Michigan in 1978 and that's the offense he runs.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^
if he came here would he demand a return to astro turf?
my favorite thing about astro turf was how it did not dry evenly so there would be huge wet spots in various places of the field
December 1st, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^
Yes on one condition, it must be painted maize and blue.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:10 AM ^
like a candy cane?
also why did someone neg me above? really?
December 1st, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^
1978.....when Michigan won the Big Ten, played in the Rose Bowl and finished # 5 nationally??? That sounds pretty good to me.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:18 AM ^
Actually, I had to look that one up myself. I believe we already run something closer to what was run in 1978 except we use the shotgun instead of lining up under center.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:07 PM ^
How'd that Rose Bowl go? I'm pretty sure it was run-run-run / run-run-pass on our side (or rock-rock-rock-rock-rock MGoBlog-speak). I'm also pretty sure that the Pac Ten team mixed it up in less predictable fashion.
The '70s were a rough decade for the Big Ten. UMich/OSU had to beat only one good team to get to that bowl.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:35 AM ^
And why are we even talking about Harbaugh and Stanford?
December 1st, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^
I stopped reading at "I have yet to watch Stanford play this year"
December 1st, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^
Michigan is ranked 23rd with 34.3 pts/game
Michigan is ranked 6th with 500.9 yds/game
michigan future Denard rich rod.
Or at least that's all I caught.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^
The funny thing (or the problem, depending on how you look at it) is that I'm comfortable in betting that the vast majority of people who are on the Harbaugh bandwagon here could honestly say that they haven't seen Stanford play this year, either. They'll never admit it, though. At least the OP will.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:25 PM ^
I am not on the Harbaugh bandwagon, in fact, i barely know anything about him as a coach at all..just with all the talk about him..i was just curious what offense he even runs because by his stats it looks like his offense is fairly successful
December 1st, 2010 at 12:53 PM ^
Fair enough, I shouldn't have assumed that you were on the Harbaugh bandwagon. While my comment was in response to your post, it was more generally directed at the plethora of posters here (and Michigan fans in general) who would love to have Harbaugh here because he is winning at Stanford and putting up good numbers but who haven't seen any games. The easiest response to your question, in my opinion, are the threads/diaries that have touched on strength of schedule and performance against opponents with winning records this year. To state it most plainly, Stanford played only four FBS teams with a winning record: Oregon, Arizona, Notre Dame and USC.
December 1st, 2010 at 1:47 PM ^
I've watched Stanford play a few times, but then again I'm on the Left Coast. The first one I watched was when Stanford destroyed UCLA and I was like, whoa, Stanford is good.
December 1st, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^
They are, but UCLA is also bad. So it's probably somewhere in between, in my opinion.
December 1st, 2010 at 5:50 PM ^
Well fwiw, Sagarin has Stanford with 8 toughest schedule and Mich at 30 and Montana at 154. He also rates pac-10 at 1 and big ten at 4 and the big sky conference at 14.
December 1st, 2010 at 5:53 PM ^
I'm comfortable in betting that the vast majority of people who are on the Harbaugh bandwagon here could honestly say that they haven't seen Stanford play this year, either.
Come on. How much longer are we going to keep up this "Anyone who wants a coaching change must be ignorant of reality" song and dance? For the record, people have been commenting on Stanford in just about every "Late Night Games Open Thread" this season.
December 1st, 2010 at 11:05 AM ^
because your signature is a Star Wars quote.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:41 AM ^
December 1st, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^
How about we will worry about it if / when Harbaugh is our coach. Until then, who gives a shit what Stanford runs.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:44 AM ^
shut. up. stop.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^
Oh god not another Harbaugh thread (stop)
When is it going to end (stop)
Can we please just concentrate on something else (stop)
like I don't know, our bowl game (stop)
for the love of god (stop)
please stop (stop)
December 1st, 2010 at 9:45 AM ^
Not sure why I am seriously answering your question.. but.
" do you guys think he would find a way to utilize Denard like rich rod did this year?"
NO. RR "utilized" him as the QB in a read option spread O to the tune of the greatest rushing performance by a QB ever and in only 75% of the O's snaps (give or take). This is 100% not how he will be utilized by JH. If JH even wanted D as his QB, Denard would still "run" some but the O is completely different.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:59 AM ^
that IF "you know what" happens, and "you know who" comes........first thing he would do is take the Defensive line out to the nearest all you can eat buffet every night for 30 days. There will be the biggest difference. JH will feed them til they are sick and RR and Barwis will work them til they are sick. Wonder which one works out for the better?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
It's probably not good for anybody to be sick, so, uh, unnamed option C?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
Please be advised that you have violated the Prohibition on Coaching Change Opinions Act of 2010 (hereafter, the "Act"), profligated by Profitgoblue on November 30, 2010. In particular, you have violated Article 2(a) of the Act which states, in part: "Thou shalt not, under any circumstances, discuss Jim Harbaugh in connection with the Michigan head coaching job until Rich Rodriguez has officially been relieved of his current contractual obligations."
Please be further advised that, pursuant to Article 3 of the Act, the minimum fine for this violation is the loss of one (1) MGoPoint, with the maximum to be determined by the MGoCommunity.
Please be further advised that, pursuant to Article 5 of the Act, if you dispute the application of the Act to your threat/post, you have twenty-four (24) hours to "file" a formal written appeal by replying to this post. All appeals will be considered on their merits as soon as practical, unless deemed to be frivolous by Profitgoblue in his sole discretion.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^
You are the man
December 1st, 2010 at 11:10 AM ^
Usually the form of nerdiness most often put forth here is statistical analysis. Fortunately, that is usually accompanied by awesome charts and graphs. Sadly, legalese has no such charts and graphs, and is therefore simply: tl;dr.
Sorry, legalese just isn't as cool as math. It's not your fault.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^
I would guess either Stanford has less Turnovers than Michigan, or they are better in the red zone.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:47 AM ^
WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT? WHY IS THIS NOT OT?
December 1st, 2010 at 9:50 AM ^
Technically he does compare their offense to Michigan's and adds in some speculation about RR and what would happen in Harbaugh took over. In no way am I saying this is a good or necessary post, but I don't have a problem with it not being marked OT.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^
I hope you copy and pasted those.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:48 AM ^
can we focus more on Tom Brady's hair and endorsements please?
December 1st, 2010 at 9:54 AM ^
And Stanford doesn't play against big ten defenses. See what Oregons "explosive" offense did against OSU last year?
December 1st, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^
Technically, no two teams play the exact same schedule, so comparing offensive or defensive statistics is flawed. I think what I can take from the OP's analysis is that both offenses are pretty damn good. Stanford's has a higher scoring efficiency, but Michigan's can move the ball faster.
December 1st, 2010 at 9:59 AM ^
And exactly how did our "explosive" offense do against OSU this year?
December 1st, 2010 at 10:23 AM ^
They didn't get held to 260 yards.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
They also put up more than 7 points. Last time I checked the team that has more points not more yards wins the game.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
They have scored 193 points against Harbaugh in four tries. That is an average of 48.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^
like a Big Ten D.
Jesus.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:08 AM ^
the players don't squeeze the charmin like RR lets them do here at Michigan.
Also, Harbaugh doesn't allow the players to run around with scissors like RR does.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:12 AM ^
All of Luck's rushing yards are on scrambles. They aren't designed, he's just a goddamn beast. I remember him knocking a Cal safety to the ground with a forearm shiver en route to a 50 yard run. He also murdered a USC corner on a fumble return.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4_w-puInqY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF9PFJI_t5I&feature=related
also, no one seems to mention in these threads that Luck is by far the best passer in the country. Any offense is going to work when your QB is NFL ready.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:20 AM ^
I remember watching that game live and I thought some LB had come off the Stanford bench to rock that guy. Then I realized it was Luck. That guy can hit. I don't know much about him, but I'd have to guess he played both ways in high school.
December 1st, 2010 at 10:59 AM ^
I've watched Stanford a couple times, Harbaugh threw in the read once in awhile to throw off defenses. I think he had a a long TD run on it against Washington.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^
I've watched a few Standford games, they run the zone read and the speed option. Luck busted a 30 some yard run keeping a zone read in one game, so yes some yards are designed runs.
December 1st, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^
Too bad our guy's not a goddamn beast.
/s