What’s our offensive strategy in this game?

Submitted by TK on November 11th, 2019 at 2:58 PM

No, I don’t literally expect anyone to know the exact answer, but what I mean is I wonder how we will approach this. I think that it’s quite obvious that we are a better team when we can run the ball and control the clock. It seems like we have gone back to doing what has worked well last year and that’s an improvement. However, undoubtedly the strength of MSU is stopping the run. And unlike years past, they definitely do not seem to have the secondary to shut people down in the passing game. Brandon peters through four more yards versus MSU than Rutgers, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Minnesota COMBINED. I really hope we can establish the run early. If we can, that will certainly open up some play action deep shots. 

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TK

November 11th, 2019 at 3:00 PM ^

Talk to text kind of screwed me there. Should have read threw for more yards, not through four more. Because that doesn’t make sense. My bad. 

Joined: 09/23/2014

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I'mTheStig

November 11th, 2019 at 3:04 PM ^

I think that it’s quite obvious that we are a better team when we can run the ball and control the clock

Says *EVERY* football coach in America.

It seems like we have gone back to doing what has worked well last year and that’s an improvement.

Not an improvement.  It either means Michigan is going to continue to run mediocre stuff against mediocre teams or JH still controls the offense or speed in space is a failure thus far.

Joined: 11/02/2018

MGoPoints: 11373

MichAtl85

November 11th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^

This is beating a dead horse but here we go: they put up some points when that game was well decided. Our offense never put the kind of pressure on opponents defenses like any of the great-elite offenses.

If you were able to shut down our run game we were in major trouble. We need more of a passing threat to win those extra few Big 10 games we’ve lost during the Harbaugh era. 
 

Hopefully we knock those bastards from East Lansing in the dirt and step on the throat. Mork is due an ass beating for all the shit he’s done. Hopefully he finally reaps the whirlwind Saturday.

 

Joined: 09/21/2019

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Watching From Afar

November 11th, 2019 at 7:35 PM ^

"What worked well last year" and what's working well this year is the running game. Gattis' running scheme was bad and didn't work. They need to run the stuff Harbaugh and Warriner succeeded with last season that worked so well against ND and 2nd half PSU.

Keep Gattis' bubbles on the outside, Harbaugh's inside run game, and someone tell them to go deep to Collins.

Joined: 10/10/2016

MGoPoints: 15981

yossarians tree

November 11th, 2019 at 3:08 PM ^

Balls to the wall, attack, attack, attack. Right from the opening whistle. It's a mentality that Michigan must swallow whole or it will never get over the hump. Every got damn team that's been really good over the last several years has played with that kind of attitude.

I love Jim Harbaugh as the Michigan coach, particularly how seriously he takes his job as a leader of young men. 

But on the field he needs to release his football id. Little Jimmy Harbaugh needs to come out with his hair on fire.

Joined: 08/19/2010

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Bluedream

November 11th, 2019 at 6:47 PM ^

I mean it’s mostly out there by now. We’re good at a few things but this is not a complex scheme yet. Still trying to master the basics. Gattis comes from Franklin’s tree, old James isn’t known for deviating from his core offense and Josh sure seems to follow that plan. 
 

meanwhile, OSU was throwing out all kinds of new plays and formations last week against Maryland just to make PSU and Brown think about defending new looks. Hell, they might come out in I formation with a fullback next week. 

Joined: 02/16/2018

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JHumich

November 11th, 2019 at 6:07 PM ^

Ever since my son heard a genius announcer on one of our telecasts say, "They need to run the touchdown play. It's really hard to stop"

We have repeatedly yelled at the screen in subsequent games, "RUN THE TOUCHDOWN PLAY!!!"

(in the voice of the girlfriend at the end of the ATT commercial, "Use the cocktail stick!")

Joined: 02/18/2017

MGoPoints: 52926

AlbanyBlue

November 11th, 2019 at 3:14 PM ^

As the season has wore on, it's clear that JH is scheming around his QB, focusing more and more on the run game. Even though this is MSU's strength on D, this is the approach I'm pretty sure we'll take, at least for the first part of the game. If it works, we might win by 21-24 points, but more likely, that strategy will turn the game into a slog. 20-13 type game. I do think we win though.

Joined: 09/11/2010

MGoPoints: 22040

TK

November 11th, 2019 at 3:15 PM ^

Follow up question. We seem to be “protecting” Shea by limiting the amount of passes he throws in big games. Do we really want to attack their secondary but putting the ball up a bunch of times knowing it could lead to sacks, fumbles and INTs?

Joined: 09/23/2014

MGoPoints: 18078

FauxMo

November 11th, 2019 at 3:16 PM ^

Score 14 points. Assume MSU will Yakkity Sax the ball away on each of their offensive possessions. Win game...

In all seriousness, in some insane number like 49 of the last 50 games, whoever runs the ball more wins the game. I'll bet we run it between 60-75% of plays. 

Joined: 06/17/2010

MGoPoints: 137563

maize-blue

November 11th, 2019 at 3:16 PM ^

The offense seems to be getting back to the Harbaugh 60/40, run/pass split. There have been many threads on Shea. He is what he is. We've seen enough to know he is not going to throw for 300-400 yards nor would the coaches call enough pass plays to reach that mark.

We've been waiting game after game for the air game to explode. I doubt it's going to happen.

If they can get 250 from the ground game, 150 through the air, I'd expect a double digit win.

 

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 44662

m_go_T

November 11th, 2019 at 3:19 PM ^

Speed In Space.  If that doesn't work, then resort to body blows.   The main focus should be sending Dantonio off with the worst taste in his mouth possible.  This will likely be the last time he faces us as CMD, and he deserves a classless beat down to make up for all his classless moments in this rivalry.  

Joined: 11/04/2010

MGoPoints: 5453

Watching From Afar

November 11th, 2019 at 3:26 PM ^

Their DBs aren't very good. Even Scott has come back down to earth after his freshman season that saw him get hit with a lot of under thrown go routes that should have been TDs (DPJ being 1).

If they're playing their normal 1/4s defense and have safety help over the top, it might not be great to throw up a ton of 50/50 balls, but if Michigan can get them to commit a Safety to the box against the run and leave their CBs on islands, then there is no excuse to not throw 50/50 balls to Collins and DPJ like the one that ended the game last year.

Running is going to be tough. Williams is still very good, their LBs scream downhill to take fill any gap they see open. Running last year had some success by eliminating everyone but 1 guy and relying on Higdon to break 1 tackle to bust a big one. Haskins and Charbonnet have proven capable of doing that as well plus they find gaps like Higdon didn't.

Scrap the zone crap, it hasn't worked on MSU in years. Get Onwenu and Bredeson to their LBs and try to get Williams upfield away from the play.

Joined: 10/10/2016

MGoPoints: 15981

Mongo

November 11th, 2019 at 3:29 PM ^

Please no inside / outside zone read option stuff.  It hasn’t worked all season and is doomed against a great run defense like State.

My wish list:

  1. Pin/pull, Down G with counters and traps
  2. Way more Ben Mason to smash Sparty in the f-ING mouth
  3. Play action pass deep to (1) Collins and DPJ like 2 times per quarter (2) then underneath to the slots often enough to make Sparty ? 

That’s it.   Don Brown pitches a shutout would be fun.  Something like UM 35 - MSU 0 ... would be an awesome way to send Dantonio into retirement.  

Go Blue !!!

Joined: 06/25/2016

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