What's the Best Way to Defend Milroe's Running Ability?

Submitted by WalterWhite_88 on December 13th, 2023 at 12:22 PM

For those of you who know more about the X's and O's of Football than I do: How should Michigan defend against Milroe's running ability? Should we devote a spy or 2 spies on pass downs? I would think that Zone defense is better for defending a mobile QB, but I could be wrong on that.

Anyway, just curious what the experts on this board think, because I feel like stopping him from running all over the field on us is the #1 key to Michigan winning. He frightens me as much as Vince Young did back in the 2005 Rose Bowl. What I'm most worried about are the 3rd/4th and longs when we do a great job of covering receivers, and then Milroe escapes the pocket and scrambles for the 1st down, similar to what Justin Fields did repeatedly against the Lions last Sunday. Those kinds of plays change games and really deflate the defense, and we need to stop that from happening in order to have a chance to win. 

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Buy Bushwood

December 13th, 2023 at 12:24 PM ^

I'm no expert, but I'd say don't do what Georgia did, which was devote 2 spies along with a pretty (intentionally) tepid, constricting pass rush and then get your spies burned all the time anyway, because he got to sit comfortably and pick his lane and moment to scramble.  I really thought UGA needed to give it a full pass rush, with some blitzing to get his mind racing, and have the spy to clean up.  Instead, they had 4 dudes pushing slowly forward like some WWI creeping barrage, with two dudes sitting back doing nothing.  It seemed very predictable, and didn't seem to challenge the QB's young brain much.  

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MaizeBlueA2

December 13th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^

Georgia held Milroe to 29 yards (on 14 carries) and no rushing TDs.

He also was 13 for 23 for 192 yards.

 

...this doesn't make much sense.

 

(and yes, sacks take the rushing yards down, but his long was 28...that's not even close to Vince Young).

Joined: 11/06/2018

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The Baughz

December 13th, 2023 at 1:55 PM ^

Milroe does terrify me as he will be the most dangerous QB Michigan has faced by a mile, but he only has 2 games of 100+ rushing yards.

One of those was against LSU whose D is ranked in the 100s.

Also, I believe the scheme UM has had the past 3 years is better suited to face a mobile QB. No doubt Milroe will get his, but his #s suggest he isnt Denard or Lamar Jackson, etc when it comes to running the ball.

 

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Perkis-Size Me

December 13th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^

The fact that Braxton Miller somehow held onto that ball, got right back up afterwards and just kept playing as if nothing ever happened was absurd. Frank Clark was literally unblocked, was running full steam in a straight line, and that ball still couldn't be dislodged. 

All the proof I ever needed to know that the football gods just hated Michigan, and got some sick, sadistic pleasure out of watching them lose. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

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Yabadabablue

December 13th, 2023 at 12:29 PM ^

Keep sound gap integrity and dont lose your rushing lanes/break contain. Have a DL spy the QB and run somezone blitzes as well.  Running zone coverage helps too.

 

just dont be like auburn and have only three down lineman spy the QB and not rush on the last play of the game. 

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Watching From Afar

December 13th, 2023 at 12:30 PM ^

Stunts that leave open lanes up front will be a problem. Generally speaking, have to maintain pass rush lane integrity and the DEs can't start trying to get around at 7 yards which turns into 9 yards and ways to escape. Fortunately, none of the DEs are really those bendy types that try to get around at 7 anyways. Most of them are more in the Morris bull-rush mode.

Essentially, do what other teams did to JJ later in the year, compress the pocket so he can't escape out the side. Main difference being when JJ escapes he looks to throw and Milroe looks to run.

Additionally, yeah have someone spy him off and on. Don't pull a Lions from last week where Fields kept drives alive by escaping a DL.

The issue I see is Alabama has both good WRs (like OSU) and a mobile QB (unlike OSU) so they're going to have to deal with more threats than anytime before this season and probably last season as well.

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1VaBlue1

December 13th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^

This is what Georgia did, and Georgia is no longer playing in meaningful games.  I would prefer that Minter just runs his defense - stunts, blitzes, and all - as he would (did) against Maryland (who has a mobile QB).  They're still going to run the 2-high shell as a base defense, with a light box, which will leave the LB's relatively free to operate.  I don't think Bama's TE's are anything to write home about (need to read FFFF about this), and I trust the DL to handle the RB's like they have all year.

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Tator Salad

December 13th, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^

This ^^^^^^

The best way for us to deal with Milroe is to use his youth to our advantage. Mix up coverages, blitz randomly, have edges drop into passing lanes, etc. He will probably get a run or three that drives us mad, but he will also throw into coverage and start pulling the ball down early if he doesn't see what he expects to see. I hope we blitz early and often so he starts "seeing ghosts." Once a young QB starts doing that then mistakes are bound to follow.

 

Also, I think we are the rare team that can hang with them one on one. Put Johnson on their best WR, and then bracket the other with Paige. Our linebackers can absolutely cover their TEs. If they go spread then we play zone and bring the Mikes (Barrett and Sanristil) on blitzes from random places.

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ShadowStorm33

December 13th, 2023 at 1:43 PM ^

The best way for us to deal with Milroe is to use his youth to our advantage. Mix up coverages, blitz randomly, have edges drop into passing lanes, etc. He will probably get a run or three that drives us mad, but he will also throw into coverage and start pulling the ball down early if he doesn't see what he expects to see. I hope we blitz early and often so he starts "seeing ghosts." Once a young QB starts doing that then mistakes are bound to follow.

Didn't MHJ say we threw the widest array of coverages at them that he'd ever seen this year? I like the idea of using that to confuse Milroe and get him hesitating...

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Watching From Afar

December 13th, 2023 at 1:48 PM ^

his is what Georgia did, and Georgia is no longer playing in meaningful games.

Mostly because their offense put up 10 points in the first 3 quarters. UGA held Milroe to 29 yards on 14 carries (two 11 yard losses on different sacks so 51 yards rushing) and 192 yards passing on 23 attempts below 60% completion. He wasn't exactly awesome and had some absolutely brutal throws mixed in.

Taulia isn't on the same planet as Milroe as a runner or in how often he opts to run in scramble situations. Taulia is like JJ and looks to pass when he breaks the pocket and isn't likely to outrun a OLB or Safety in the openfield. Milroe puts his head down and takes off.

I'm not saying they need to completely drop their stunts and dedicate 2 LBs to Milroe, but you can't just continue to run your defense with no adjustment to the team and personnel you're playing. We've seen it before. You have to dedicate a guy to Milroe here and there. Not every play, but situationally if I see a Don Brown style alignment with no LBs off the LoS on 3rd and 6, I'm going to scream because a QB run/draw is coming and we all know it.

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Michfan777

December 13th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^

Stadium Sniper.

Tying his shoes together.

Sneaking Kalteen bars into his diet. 

Switch his workout schedule so that he has leg day on the day before the game. 

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