Western's O-Line
Keep in mind that Western's o-line goes from left right RS SR, FR, RS SR, RS JR, and RS SR. And the announcers said that due to COVID and medicals (I presume) that there were actually two 6th year players and one 7th year player (!). So while I don't think the interior d-line really dominated, they still performed at least decently. This was a big and experienced o-line, with 3 - 4 more years in college weight rooms than some of our guys... and while obviously they aren't going to be that innately talented, they were probably pretty crafty and well built by now and have played together a ton. I'll take that d-line performance against this unit and hope to build from there.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:33 PM ^
Western was doing 3 step drop and throws most the game. Not to worried about dline play in that game. The few times he held the ball he got hit.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:36 PM ^
Honestly, hats off to that QB who played pretty well and got the ball out lightning quick. He took some vicious hits from Hutchison and others a second after releasing several times.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:02 PM ^
This. When we got to him he got punished.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:08 PM ^
Ross got a couple good licks in also. I started to feel bad for that QB (once the game was well in hand of course) - he is pretty sore today I'm sure.
September 5th, 2021 at 5:31 PM ^
Dierdorf and the Brandyman were surprised he was kept in the game for so long and I was too
September 5th, 2021 at 7:20 PM ^
The one lick on the receiver was Devin Bush like.
September 6th, 2021 at 4:20 AM ^
He felt James Ross a few times. Ross may not be the best cover LB but dude thumps on impact.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:57 PM ^
Western does have a very good OL and as you stated they did many three steps and drop. Our DL played a good game. Western is probably an upper half MAC team and we dominated them which is a good early sign.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:35 PM ^
I hope you are right. I thought the middle of our D line was the weakest position group of all yesterday - not that they were bad, they just weren’t very good compared to several other impressive position groups.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
I thought the same thing. It feels like we can get to 4-0 but that Wisconsin game is still looming large.
Curious to see how everyone grades out from yesterday.
September 5th, 2021 at 4:14 PM ^
Interesting: RJ Moten played more snaps than any other Michigan player. McNamara lead the entire team in PFF.
September 6th, 2021 at 9:24 AM ^
I was happy to see it tbh with Moten and so many young players on both sides of the ball. Lots of snaps for young guys is how they develop and keep them engaged. It was a huge gripe of mine in 2018 and 2019 not playing young players when we had a 3 and 4 td lead. Start mixing them in for lots of snaps and series. 4 td lead late in the 3rd it’s time to have mostly second teams in, 5 td you better have them all in..
Keeps starters fresh for the season. Gets experience for 2nd/3rd team players that need experience. Ronnie Bell’s injury is exactly why.. you never know when the back up just became the starter so they have to be ready….
September 6th, 2021 at 12:01 PM ^
This and so much more. Player rotation is massive for so many reasons on top of the reasons given above. The one reason i love is i feel it cuts down on transfers. So many leave programs for playing time. Another is a confidence boost for the young players. Starters come off the field and it doesn't feel the same to them getting high fives from everyone else as it does for a 2nd or 3rd stringer coming off the field after a td or 3 and out and getting high fives from the starters. This builds team camaraderie, i feel, as much or more than anything in spring and fall camp or summer workouts. And then to piggy back on the above comment, I've said this many times before, I feel the lack of subs in blowouts in 2016 really cost us big time in 2017.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:44 PM ^
Those holes up the middle right after half time were huge. Not even an arm showing.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:20 PM ^
Fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
Lots of graphics in long-winded posts.
Pimping obscure and shady internet "sports" personalities who have curious connections to other teams.
An insistence that he is not, in fact, James Yoder.
The Ezekiels Creatures Experience.
September 5th, 2021 at 4:07 PM ^
Don't want to offend the great and mighty EC but I rewatched a few of those longer inside runs in the 3rd and noticed there were several backups in -- particularly Jr. Colson -- who ran himself out of the play (into the line rather than the hole) on the first and got swallowed by an OL on the second.
Add to that the fact that the game was "over" barring several major busts so they seemed to be playing the pass first. TLDR - I don't think you should be getting your undies in a bunch over a few runs in Q3.
PS - No shade meant at the true Frosh Colson -- that 3rd and 2 pass he defended was "Jake Ryan-esque"
September 5th, 2021 at 3:49 PM ^
Not that I know what I'm talking about, but I'm gonna act like I do.
It seemed the defense was playing very soft on purpose. Making sure there were no big plays. It was frustrating to watch especially in the first quarter.
Someone made a great post a couple of days ago about it being a new system and a learning curve. We just need to watch for improvement.
By the end of the season, there shouldn't be any excuse.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:58 PM ^
WMU head coach Lester said M was playing the 2nd half with 6 in the box, WMU should have been getting 10 yds a carry but only managing 3 (it was more like 4-5). D-line performance inconclusive but I don’t think it was a tire fire. WMU only had 44 yds rushing at the half.
September 5th, 2021 at 4:18 PM ^
I think what you were seeing wasn’t “soft on purpose” so much as a “bend don’t break.” It looked much more similar to the Mattison defenses under Hoke.
Brown believed in either being aggressive or playing straight up man. After several years of that, zone may look “soft on purpose,” but I’m hopeful that we’ll be more strategically sound and keep offenses on their toes.
September 5th, 2021 at 9:20 PM ^
soft on purpose = bend but don't break
I was going to write bend but don't break but that would remind me of Detroit Lions scheme and I wanted to stay in a good mood. ;)
September 5th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
Hutchinson is going to hurt some people this year. He could have had 3 or 4 sacks yesterday if that QB wasn’t so good at getting the ball out.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:40 PM ^
I thought the d line whipped them pretty badly absent a few Chunk runs
the QB had a dude in his chest and rushers were quite often met with LBs at or near the LOS with decent regularity
it also got better as the game went on imo
September 5th, 2021 at 2:46 PM ^
Outside the Guards it looked fine. Between the Guards, ouch.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:50 PM ^
No it didn't Zeke. The interior D line will probably be a weakness this year but they sure weren't exposed in this game.
You're a good troll but its time to go back to 11 warriors.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:55 PM ^
Soooo, you didn't see any big runs up the middle?
September 5th, 2021 at 2:58 PM ^
WMU had 32 carriers for 129 yards which comes out to 3.9 ypc. With a long of 22 yards.
So it certainly wasn't a great performance, but i think that you can unclench your buttcheeks for now.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:14 PM ^
For comparison, in both 2019 & 2020 3.9ypc would rank 35-40 in FBS. in ‘19 UM ranked 8th with 3.2 ypc and last year was 51st at 4,2 ypc. So not the end of the world but given the level of competition there’s still work to do before going up against better rushing offenses
September 5th, 2021 at 2:59 PM ^
Big runs? Are you referring to 6-9 yards as big runs? If so, yes less than the number of digits on my hand. Dickwad.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:02 PM ^
So this post is about the D Line or the second and third level?
September 5th, 2021 at 3:12 PM ^
This is about the twilight zone mate
September 5th, 2021 at 4:16 PM ^
He's referring to WMU's drive in the early 3rd quarter where they got a couple of back-to-back gash runs up the middle. Went for 22yds on 2nd-and-12 and followed up with 18yds on 1st down.
September 5th, 2021 at 5:41 PM ^
That will be Wisconsin regularly, as we've grown used to .
September 5th, 2021 at 5:41 PM ^
That will be Wisconsin regularly, as we've grown used to .
September 5th, 2021 at 7:44 PM ^
Since you said it twice, it must weigh heavily on you...
Perhaps one day you will get used to it. :)
(Let's hope not).
September 5th, 2021 at 8:09 PM ^
Every defense gives up occasional runs like that now. Ohio State’s Kerry Coombs-led defense sure as hell does
September 5th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
Despite the amount of experience they have , this OL isn’t anywhere near the toughest on the schedule. The starting LT was a center until this year and they’re was a 1st time starter at C. The edge guys played well but the DL wasn’t great in my opinion. I saw a few good plays-Hinton got a QB pressure, both he and Mazi held up blockers but just as often they’d get pushed out of their gap or get knocked back 2 yards
September 5th, 2021 at 6:17 PM ^
Washington's OL is equally experienced and much better. And with their current WR injuries, expect at least 40 rushing attempts next week.
September 5th, 2021 at 8:11 PM ^
Washington’s offensive line was *supposed* to be better, I agree, but I watched that game last night, and they should be turning themselves in to The Hague for crimes against football. If Michigan can’t dominate the line of scrimmage against those guys, we’ve got problems
September 5th, 2021 at 8:04 PM ^
New system, Interior Dl have been taught under brown to get upfield…hard to break that without coaches having a point of reference. As the season progresses and film room gets rolling coaches should be able to show those players exactly what they need to do for wise so that the entire D runs mo betta.
September 5th, 2021 at 2:56 PM ^
Again, it’s important to remember that in this type of defense you aren’t looking for “dominant” performance from your DL. While it’s certainly welcomed, their job is to take on blocks and not get blown back. Keeping the linebackers clean to clean up the ball carrier and generate pressure.
When youre getting Aiden Hutchinson 1 on 1 with a tight end, that’s a win and the goal of this defensive front as long as your three interior guys are holding up.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:05 PM ^
Yeah I noticed they'd do shifts towards Aidens side on obvious pass downs to avoid a double team on him.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:23 PM ^
Yes and no. This scheme still strives for a disruptive push from interior DLinemen. You saw no such push from Hinton yesterday.
September 5th, 2021 at 3:28 PM ^
No, again it’s certainly welcome if you get one. But their job is to take on blockers and double teams and not get blown off the ball. Hold the point of attack. Linebackers stay free and clean up at the LOS. Anything more than that is a bonus. But simply taking on double teams and not getting blown off the ball is their job.
September 5th, 2021 at 6:24 PM ^
Maybe I’m confused on the scheme, but the scheme yesterday was about occupying blocks and controlling the pocket on the interior and bringing pressure from the edge or a blitz. My understanding is that that is the scheme. Pass rush from the interior would be great, but it’s too rare of a commodity to build a college defense around, in my view.
September 5th, 2021 at 7:15 PM ^
You’re not confused. If the goal of the scheme was for the DL to generate a pass rush, it wouldn’t make much sense for the personnel to be three guys at 300+ lbs. Pretty difficult to find guys at that size capable of generating a pass rush. Especially when you’re lining up with 3 DL against 5 OL. Pass rush isn’t really realistic to expect. If you get one, that’s great. But you don’t design the defense around getting it.
Eat blocks. Don’t get pushed back. Free up linebackers to clean up at the LOS. The goal is to get your edge players in a 1 on 1 situation with a tight end or a running back. That’s a battle we win 80% of the time. In a Running situation it keeps your linebackers free from blockers to close at the LOS.
September 5th, 2021 at 9:59 PM ^
Right. The notion that in the new scheme the d-line is supposed to just stalemate and not disrupt is insane.
Has there even been a D scheme that said to d-linemen: 'Nah, we really don't want you to be disruptive at the LOS.'? No. Of course not.
September 6th, 2021 at 12:37 PM ^
You’re putting words in my mouth. Where did I say the coaches don’t want them to be disruptive?
Of course you WANT it, and as I said it’s definitely welcomed if it happens. But that’s not the job of the DL. Their job IS to stalemate. Don’t get blown back. Eat blocks so your linebackers finish. That’s their job. That’s what they HAVE to do for the defense to work. It isn’t designed for the DL to be disruptive. If you can get disruption from your DL, that’s great and makes the defense that much better. That’s not how a 3-4 defense is designed.
September 5th, 2021 at 4:46 PM ^
This is correct. Unfortunately it's such a drastic philosophical departure for a fanbase that has never seen it before (unless they happen to be a fan of an NFL team that runs/ran it) that there is gonna be a ton of THE INTERIOR LINE GETS NO PRESSURE OMG WE SUCK for a long time.
September 5th, 2021 at 8:25 PM ^
Don Brown’s philosophy of setting a goal of holding your opponent to zero or negative yards and never giving an inch was hugely entertaining when Michigan obliterated bad offenses, but it also conditioned the fanbase to lose their minds every time a gap opens and an opposing running back scampers for nine yards. I’d encourage people to watch, say, a Venables defense for a full game and see how many times they get “gashed” in that manner. More often than when Don Brown would hold Maryland to like 78 total yards or whatever
September 5th, 2021 at 3:02 PM ^
Hutchinson and Ojabo will be great and good respectively. Hinton, Mazi and Jeter are still the X factors and I believe they will be solid to good, especially given the expectations and responsibilities in this new defensive scheme.
Depth is the concern here, especially when playing a rugged B1G schedule against the likes of Wisconsin, PSU, MSU, etc, etc week after week.