Timeout, we know that you can run the ball...right?
Outside of the drunken thread on Joe Milton...there still are a lot of people saying we're going to be mediocre because Milton isn't accurate, won't be able to lead consistent drives...yada yada yada.
But we do remember that we can run the ball, right?
I realize passing is sexy and I'm not suggesting we turn into Army. But why do we need Milton to throw 40 times/game?
To me, the question of whether or not he can complete 3rd and 7 will be FAR more important than can he go 26/30 for 350 yards 4 TDs and 0 INTs.
If we're moving the chains...what's the problem being a run first team?
Also, an effective short passing game with a guy who can threaten you vertically and throw it 70 yards sounds pretty nice.
We have all of this speed in space, USE IT. Easy stuff for Milton, why does he have to be a 5 step, dropback Peyton Manning?
JUST GET THE BALL OUT QUICKLY!!
So if you have doubts on Milton (which I do), don't you think we'd adjust the offense to highlight his strengths? (which I do)
If this OL can block...why are we relying on Milton when we have Charbonnet, Evans, Corum and Haskins? And a ton of speedy WRs who can take a slant 60 yards to the house?
That's the part I don't get with all of the doubt and skepticism. When Speight was QB, no one was trying to make him Trevor Lawrence. It was don't lose the game. I think Milton is better than Speight and I think the offense (players) and system are better than Speight's.
TL;DR...quit worrying about Milton so much and focus on Hayes, Filiaga, Vastardis, Stueber, Mayfield and Barnhart. Focus on Charbonnet, Evans, Corum and Haskins. The better those guys play...the better Milton plays. Get the ball out quickly and let the guys around Milton move the chains, then hit on your opportunities down the field.
(Which is pretty much what Bama did to us in the bowl game, Jones wasn't CLOSE to the QB he is today. He managed the game and took advantage of his opportunities. No reason Michigan can't use the same recipe with Milton.)
October 18th, 2020 at 10:30 AM ^
We'll see.
October 18th, 2020 at 10:44 AM ^
Ban please
October 18th, 2020 at 10:49 AM ^
How can you conquer ponies if you aren't clairvoyant?
October 18th, 2020 at 3:35 PM ^
#BRINGBACKOPPONENTWATCH
October 18th, 2020 at 10:36 AM ^
I think joe will be a pleasant surprise. Maybe he won’t be a Tom Brady but he has an ability to make things happen when plays break down, that we haven’t had in awhile. Shea was scared shitless to take off, I think Milton will make teams respect his ability to scramble which should open things up down field. Now if he can be accurate with the arm punts that’s a whole level of offense we aren’t accustomed to.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:04 AM ^
Tawm brady! But fawckin' fastah!
That's a Fred Jackson superlative with a Boston accent FYI...
October 18th, 2020 at 11:08 AM ^
Not getting the comments about Milton's scrambling ability. He ran the ball 182 times in high school averaging 2.0 yards a carry. And this was against many defenders who probably were smaller than he is. He's only run the ball 12 times at Michigan during garbage time, so it's too small a sample size to determine how effective he is running the ball. And, given the QB roster now, I imagine he's going to be encouraged not to run much and risk injury.
October 18th, 2020 at 4:02 PM ^
It’s been this weird narrative about him since he was a recruit, and I honestly think it’s because he’s black, which is sad. That’s not to say he can’t scramble, but more of an old school good scrambling quarterback than one of these guys who is a true dual threat
October 18th, 2020 at 7:02 PM ^
I was skeptical of his running until we put him in the game and he made some nice runs. He’s no Lamar Jackson, but with his size he should be able to keep that threat alive to occupy a defender. He can outrun d-linemen and knock secondary players on their asses. That means linebackers will have to keep an eye on him, which will prevent them from crashing down at the snap.
October 18th, 2020 at 10:47 AM ^
First one to 30 usually wins in this era, you better be able to throw to set up the run. Very few exceptions to this rule meaning the Wisconsin's of the world. If you think Michigan is going to win games running to set up the pass get ready for a 4-4 season. The Bo Schembechler way of football in this era is dead and Michigan needs to understand that.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:02 AM ^
See the issue with this post is that OSU beat us a few years back behind a 250 rushing yards combined day from their running backs/QB as we chased and injured a QB who was 2 for 12 at the time he left. and the backup still only threw like 15 times in that game...
Meanwhile Najee Harris just had a 5 td 150+ yard game for Alabama to win a shootout over Ole Miss. You can talk about it like the run game isn't important but outside the Big 12 throwing 50 times a game.. the Bama's and OSU's and Clemson's of the world have put their RB's into the first 2 rounds of the draft year in and year out over the last few years and have had 1000 yard rushers. You need a good QB but a QB without a run game will get you looking like the Detroit Lions.
October 18th, 2020 at 4:42 PM ^
OSU is a power running attack. Urban Meyer often said this. Even when OSU was running over teams, they could always rely on their passing game.
Mentioning Alabama’s running game without recognizing the ridiculous number of NFL WR’s they have had is silly. Alabama can beat you either way and more and more relies on passing to open up the run game.
Mentioning Clemson’s running attack without recognizing they had DeShaun Watson and then Trevor Lawrence as QB’s is silly. If you watched the Championship game last year, it was clear despite what the final stats were, Clemson relied on their passing game to win and then used the running game as the change up.
Michigan fans who grew up in the Bo and Lloyd era (like me) need to get over this idea that Michigan is better than everyone else because they are Michigan and will eventually beat teams into submission. Those days are gone. Dead. Buried and shat on.
You have to have a balanced team that can win multiple ways to compete at the highest level today. That means putting up 45 points primarily through the air if needed or playing a defensive slug fest while still scoring 25+ points with a balanced offense. Every week will be something different and the best teams are prepared and adapt. Look at Alabama vs. Ole Miss one week and then Alabama vs. Georgia the next.
October 18th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
Bo liked the run plays through the middle of the line. That works if you have a big O/L and and strong running backs. Something that has been lacking in recent years. Would like to see more of the option runs. Might keep the defense honest.
October 18th, 2020 at 2:07 PM ^
I found this take to be fresh, and well thought out...
October 18th, 2020 at 2:47 PM ^
Let me explain in more detail. It's a game of "cat and mouse," if you will. Let's say on first down your team runs the ball. Then on the next play, the quarterback fakes a handoff to the h-back as a means of enticing the linebackers to lurch forward as if the play were going to be a similar run. But here's the rub: the play is actually a forward pass to a receiver! The offense here has the advantage because they've put the other team "on their heels" as this astute poster has effectively phrased it. I believe the football term for this type of trickery is "play action."
October 18th, 2020 at 12:03 PM ^
Bo liked the run plays through the middle of the line. That works if you have a big O/L and and strong running backs. Something that has been lacking in recent years. Would like to see more of the option runs. Might keep the defense honest.
October 18th, 2020 at 2:08 PM ^
...I found this take to be redundant, simply regurgitating something that has already been expressed.
October 18th, 2020 at 10:48 AM ^
I’m with the op. Run on these clowns like we did against Notre Dame. The passing lanes will open up. The o line and Charbonnet need to get this win for Joe on the road
October 18th, 2020 at 12:00 PM ^
Yeah but we arent going to have missed tackles on many of our positive runs like we did against notre dame. That was some weird flukey shit.
October 18th, 2020 at 1:23 PM ^
How do you know? Minnesota is replacing their entire defensive line save 1 player.
They only have st. Juste and another guy in the secondary and he couldn't even get playtime at michigan.
I definitely think our running game will put us in a lot of third and shorts.
We have too much running back talent to be stuck in 3rd and long
October 18th, 2020 at 6:47 PM ^
October 18th, 2020 at 10:53 AM ^
"If we're moving the chains...what's the problem being a run first team?"
Because that's not how you win football games anymore. I suggest watching other teams play football occasionally. You can start by looking at the playoff scores for the last few years.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:55 AM ^
I've just watched 4 weeks of the most God awful QB play I've ever seen, courtesy of the SEC. You can win running the ball, I've seen it. Kinda made me miss the Pepbaughfense a little.
That being said, the difference between a Bama and Georgia is Bama has both a QB and a run game you have to respect.
October 18th, 2020 at 12:06 PM ^
Yes you can win games running the ball against bad to goodish teams. To beat real teams, to compete at a high level, you have to be able to score points sometimes quickly. There is plenty of evidence for this, most recently when Alabama scored 41 points with 400 yards passing and multiple big plays.
October 18th, 2020 at 8:39 PM ^
No, that's how YOU want to win football games.
1. Plenty of team still win with ball control.
2. No one is saying we need to be Army.
But look at even what ND is doing. Name 2 of their RBs without looking. Unless you're an ND fan, you may not be able to name ONE.
Now go look at what they're doing on the ground...
178, 281, 353! (against FSU), 232.
Notre Dame is ranked #4 in the country. Are they Bama, OSU or Clemson?
No.
But tell me this...if we turn to the Air Raid, are we?
So yes, I watch football. In fact, I like watch more college football than most considering college sports is my job. But go off, random poster who doesn't know me.
October 19th, 2020 at 9:35 AM ^
Here are the top 10 offensives from college football last season:
https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/years/2019-team-offense.html
There are exactly two teams, LSU - best passing attack in college football history, and WSU - Mike Leach, that did not run the ball more than 50% of the time that made this list.
Of the remaining 8 schools, 5 of those schools ran the ball more than 55% of the time. All 4 of the teams that made the CFB made this list. LSU is the only school - at 47% R/P - that did not run the ball more than they passed.
I am not sure what games you are watching, but this is a pretty strong indicator that a modern rushing attack is still an effective way to play offense in 2020.
Based on the make-up and dynamic of Michigan's offensive roster (new QB, deep and talented at running back), it just makes sense to utilize the ground game as Milton grows in the starting role.
It would be stupid, frankly, not to.
October 18th, 2020 at 10:56 AM ^
a run game builds a passing game. The question is not can Milton throw 40 times (were not in the big 12 after all) The question to me is even beyond the 3rd downs when we are making them commit to the run with a running game that is dominant. Will Milton be able to hit the 30+ yards big plays off play fakes once they commit to the run. Because that is how OSU has burned teams over the last decade. A powerful running game then a QB that can hit the big play once other teams commit to stopping the run. and with WR's of the caliber we have the answer still has to be yes to me for us to have any chance to compete for the big 10..
October 18th, 2020 at 11:03 AM ^
Ok, hold on...Not sure if this has been talked about, and maybe this fits in here?
Has anyone made an AI program to calculate the best play against X Coach. With all the tape out there on how people call their offensive/defensive plays, I'm surprised I haven't heard of this anywhere yet. I'm not complaining either, because I think that would ruin the human element of chess going on back and forth.
October 18th, 2020 at 3:07 PM ^
Since we're talking about football coaches here, I strongly suspect that multiple people have made machine learning models in an attempt to get an edge over opposing football teams.
I also strongly suspect that the football coaches who receive this information either ignore it or use it haphazardly. It may also be a difficult problem to solve and/or may not be any better than a simple analysis of a team's actual play-calling tendencies.
October 18th, 2020 at 3:12 PM ^
Sounds good; makes sense; I agree.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:10 AM ^
80% of the O-Line is new. There are no pre-conference games to develop some chemistry. The running game is precarious, especially during the early season.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:26 AM ^
Wouldn’t pass blocking be equally or more precarious then?
Based on Minn personnel running shouldn’t be harder than throwing unless they stack the box. And even then I still like our athletes over theirs
In regards to Bateman I expect a lot of S help over the top on his side until Minn makes the D do something else.
October 18th, 2020 at 8:41 PM ^
Exactly!
If you can't rely on run blocking because experience. Pass blocking takes MUCH more chemistry and experience.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:27 AM ^
Two of Gattis' offseason points of focus were more explosive run plays and a better completion percentage. I don't think he will forget about the run game. A good balance would be nice, along with a focus on taking advantage of matchup wins against the defense.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:48 AM ^
I want to see more tempo this year. Hopefully another year of practice with the new offensive scheme will help with this. Doesn't have to be full 2 minute offense all the time, I just want them to be speeding things up.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:57 AM ^
I completely agree with the need for tempo. Watching other top-tier teams play you notice that they are snapping the ball almost before the replay of the previous play has finished. Watching UM between plays the last few years has felt like driving in rush hour traffic. Way too much time for the opposing defense to adjust/substitute personnel. If we see the same idleness and confusion next week I’d start to worry real quick.
October 18th, 2020 at 11:56 AM ^
I think Milton is far better than Shea already. Then again so is my dead grandma (RIP).
October 18th, 2020 at 12:25 PM ^
Everyone hates on Shea because he wasn’t the 5 star everyone thought he was coming out of high school. However, he is the best QB we’ve had under Harbaugh minus the last 6 games we had from Rudock. If Shea is our QB in 2016 we go undefeated in the regular season.
October 18th, 2020 at 12:24 PM ^
I don’t see why it seems we are discounting what Haskins brings to the table. I keep seeing him slotted below Evans and sometimes even Corum. Haskins was effective all year last year when he got the ball. He looked like he belonged against OSU and Alabama. While I think Zach is the for sure #1, I don’t see Evans or Corum being the #2 over HH. Evans will have a role particularly on 3rd down and Corum will get a look because Jim loves getting freshman RBs out there early. However, I feel the star gazers are discounting HH and what he brings.
October 18th, 2020 at 1:22 PM ^
Agreed. Haskins is the 3rd and short back. Goal line ect. He will get lots of carries.
October 18th, 2020 at 12:30 PM ^
Milton apparently beat out Dylan & Cade - two pretty good players. I think we are in for a pleasant surprise.
October 18th, 2020 at 1:37 PM ^
A very thought-provoking post, good job OP.
On the one hand, we have a new QB starting on the road. We also have an excellent group of running backs. We can still assume that Harbaugh is run-focused, despite Gattis and speed-in-space. That can be debated, but I'll believe in a switch in philosophy when I see it. Ideally, then, we would lean on the run game.
On the other hand, we have a bunch of new OL, and Minnesota will be keying on the run -- like all good teams do against Michigan. So it may be tough sledding trying to focus on running the ball.
So it's a conundrum, and, to be honest, a real problem for Michigan. Given his mistake-averse nature, I think Harbaugh goes slow and very conservative in this game, as long as he can. I also think that Minnesota will score pretty freely, and this will put Michigan behind in the first half. So we'll need to see what Joe Milton has at some point.
October 18th, 2020 at 1:48 PM ^
I'm checking the rulebook to see if it's legal but I don't think so. I believe the ball can never touch the ground.
October 19th, 2020 at 7:53 AM ^
3 things can happen when you throw and 2 of them are bad!
/s
October 18th, 2020 at 2:09 PM ^
If the goal is to get a win on the road with a caliber team such as Mini, you take what the D gives you while keeping them honest by balanced play calling. But that just isn't enough to become a prolific offense. Michigan needs a balanced offense with the capability to connect down field, crossing routes, wheel routes and yes, run the ball. That kind of offense can win the big games because the defense has to account for the many variables that they can't cheat one or the other.
Milton has to connect with his receivers and marshal the run game. Both have to be potent. We've tried winning with the power game. Its great for TOP but when we try to run with the big boys, not so great.
2019 OSU rushed for 267 yrds a game. Passed for 263 Average yrds per carry was 5.7 with 13.55 yrds a catch.
2019 Michigan rushed for 151 per game Passed for 250 but yrds per carry is 4 with 8 yrds per catch
OSU has a passing game that reaches into the secondary at 13.55 yrds average
Michigan is at a pedestrian 8 yrds and it wasn't like the shorter yards added to the completion percentage.
Milton has to complete into the secondary and the run game has to get more explosive.
October 18th, 2020 at 2:16 PM ^
How old are you? This is literally the kind of thinking that has Michigan stuck in mediocrity for the last 20 years. Let's see how that idea works out against ohio state when we go.three and out our first three drives and see us down 17-0 6 minutes into the game
Did you see the score last year in the game? And you want to run the ball efficiently.and theo 20 times a game...
October 18th, 2020 at 2:22 PM ^
What I don’t understand is how people had so much “faith” in DMac but with Milton our offense won’t be good. Most are going off film from high school. Dylan had very few snaps as well and didn’t look spectacular. There is a chance, that he could have maybe gotten better? I know it is wild thought that a player could improve with better coaching and more reps. Bottom line, seems like Joe put in the work and DMac didn’t. Trust the coaches, including Urban Meyer, who recruited Michigan defense shredding quarterbacks year after year, that they know what they are doing.
October 18th, 2020 at 2:59 PM ^
By all accounts Milton has improved his accuracy significantly in his time at Michigan - so much so that the heir apparent decided to transfer. Now, we don’t know the exact circumstances, but I find it hard to believe that if Milton was still the guy he was in high school — which many in here seem to refuse to let go of — DMac would still be on the roster. Why is it so hard for people to grasp that players improve, and especially players who work as hard and as diligently as Milton has reportedly worked.
I said near the end of last season that Milton was going to be the guy in 2020, and got roasted by the peanut gallery. Well, here it is .. Joe Milton’s show. I’m very excited for him, this offense, and this team. He’s got everything Michigan needs to take the next step offensively. Why the anxiety? Enjoy the season and let’s see where Joe can take the program.
October 18th, 2020 at 8:34 PM ^
I agree with you, but this is MGoBlog. Take that positivity to some blog that didn’t coin the term BPONE.
October 18th, 2020 at 3:17 PM ^
.... because we will be facing OSU who has a QB that will throw for 450 and 5 TDs. A sound running game will be important, but we need more then that to keep up (especially in a depleted secondary)