You are UConn Coach:
What is your game plan?
On offense, I would pound the ball up the middle and see if M can stop me.
I would attack the linebackers with short routes over the middle for 8 yards.
I would try to confuse the rookie defensive backs and beat them long.
If they are playing 8 yards off the line, I would throw 5 yard out-routes all day.
On defense, I would try to pressure the young quarterbacks into making mistakes.
Penetrate the line of scrimmage and break up the running game.
Put in a "scrape" to stop the read option.
I would assign 1 linebacker every play to stay in front of Denard.
I would pressure M's rookie punter and place kickers.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:00 PM ^
I'd tell the team to write their wills and make sure to pay up on their life insurance premiums.
Cuz muhfuggaz gon die.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:10 PM ^
Signed,
Jonas "I'm going to bust your gut open and watch you die" Mouton
August 29th, 2010 at 9:35 PM ^
Don't let them forget to kiss da baby!
August 29th, 2010 at 9:53 PM ^
That's more of Mike Martin's thing
August 29th, 2010 at 8:01 PM ^
I would tell them it is almost a waste of time making the trip.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:21 PM ^
I'd tell him to be sure to wear dark colored pants...
August 29th, 2010 at 8:03 PM ^
it doesn't matter what we do Saturday because RRod owns me.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:05 PM ^
I would probably just break down and cry. Then I would pretend I was sick and make one of my assistants do all the hard work.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:06 PM ^
Probably play a soft zone and wait for Denard to make a mistake. I imagine that this is what most coaches will do with Denard.
We will find out quickly how much improvement he has made throwing the ball.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:06 PM ^
"you'll need it when Brock Mealer leads them Wolverines out of the tunnel."
August 29th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^
There are several reasons why I am so pumped to be in the stadium on Sept. 4th but seeing Brock lead the team out of the tunnel is #1! That is going to be one special moment and I just hope that this team rallies around it to dominate the Huskies.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:07 PM ^
RR does have a pimp hand and he aint afraid to use it!
August 29th, 2010 at 8:07 PM ^
is that on offense, you would run the ball at them, you'd throw it deep, you'd throw it over the middle, and you'd throw quick outs. Throw in a couple off-tackle runs, and I'd say you've exhausted pretty much every option without actually saying much at all.
On defense, I can only hope their plan for stopping Denard is a LB spy.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:12 PM ^
Agreed - I don't think A spy is enough to stop Denard. Given his fleet feet, you really need two, about ten yards apart. And then hope like hell that a five yard head start is enough.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^
I feel like there's a t-shirt idea in there somewhere. "Denard: a spy won't stop him. You need a whole central intelligence agency."
August 30th, 2010 at 1:07 AM ^
Can we get some sort of anti- wine and cheese crown t-stirt?
August 29th, 2010 at 8:16 PM ^
Too bad that plan won't work for Denard. His pure dilithium-ness is too much for anyone to cover.
Edit: damn, I was somewhat beaten.
August 29th, 2010 at 11:46 PM ^
August 29th, 2010 at 8:08 PM ^
...to keep thinking about their happy places, because that's not what the Big House will be for them.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:08 PM ^
'cmon man. You get paid for this stuff. Come up with your own game plan!
August 29th, 2010 at 8:17 PM ^
I would be crying because I would have no idea how I would stop Michigan's offense.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:21 PM ^
I would spend more time prepping for another game, one that I was able to win. Also, I'm sure he's thought of all of the things you've posted but with more detail both because he's a coach, and they're pretty obvious strategies (play to your strengths, exploit opponent's weaknesses). Regardless, I like this post. Nice to not be about the quarterback situation or moving the OSU game.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:25 PM ^
I'd spend all week trying to teach my team sign language, and make peace with God. The house is gonna be LOUD, and we are gonna be HUNGRY.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:28 PM ^
So it might also be a good idea to spend some time teaching them to be less made of meat.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:31 PM ^
I could stand on the sidelines and let RR know what they were signing, thus making any form of communication useless. Also, I feel like putting on a #16 jersey and running faster than the speed of light without my shoes tied (and throwing accurately).
August 29th, 2010 at 8:29 PM ^
cower in a corner, repeating "RichRod owns me" over and over, while banging my head against the wall.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:37 PM ^
I would not put the gameplan on the opposing team's blog. Quick, someone pass this on to the team!
August 29th, 2010 at 8:38 PM ^
lots of play action to test the LBs and CBs. on defense I'd pray.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:34 PM ^
After several page reloads, I see no user name for this post--but I do for everybody else. The subject line is just a thin blue bar.
But yeah, we're going to see lots and lots of play action, I think. The only question is how much UConn will be able to take advantage of it.
August 30th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^
I believe this happens to posts made with the beta MGoBlog app.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:46 PM ^
Offense: Having to replace all 3 starting WRs, that offensive unit would be my priority. And then getting them as many reps as possible till comfortable with the depth there. Have confidence in Frazier, tell the Oline to be ready to pass protect all day and then go 4 wide. If the defense is holding against the pass then have Frazier audible to outside runs with a WR clear out in front.
Deffense: put as many in the box as I can, go man in the secondary and make denard pass to sustain drives. Make him prove he can throw against the secondary.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:52 PM ^
we rotate Tate and Denard?
August 29th, 2010 at 9:00 PM ^
Play a more balanced attack, send a blitz go zone in the secondary and not let him get comfortable enough to make his reads. Get him on the run for the LBs to finish.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:07 PM ^
It will be only one level then to break the big one. The O-line will be better and I like our options.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:17 PM ^
What if we put Tate & Denard in at the same time? There's a dead horse we haven't beaten in a while. :)
August 29th, 2010 at 9:42 PM ^
McGee goes option read all day. Cue the fireworks.
August 29th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
and play man coverage..like this?
August 29th, 2010 at 10:24 PM ^
ka - boom. Now cue the damn fireworks.
August 29th, 2010 at 11:20 PM ^
For once I'm agreeing with Irish. Just go 4 or maybe even 5 wide and attack attack attack that Michigan secondary. Try to figure out where Kovacs is and put our fastest guy in a spot where Kovacs will have to cover him.
On defense .... uh, hope to slow them down just enough to outscore them? ( Michigan's offense should be very good this season).
Special Teams: Michigan has a freshman punter, be sure to pressure him as much as possible.
August 29th, 2010 at 8:53 PM ^
hear a collective gasp from half my team when the ground shook as 100 Winged Wolverines followed Mealer out of the tunnel.
Hit fast, hit often and take your friends with you. As EDSBS said, (Airsoft) guns don't kill people, the Michigan Defense does.
Ok, so he didn't mention Airsoft, I just couldn't help myself.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:55 PM ^
The Linebackers will be to the coach, "Coach, I didn't actually see Denard, but he sure sounded fast." I hope Edsall wears his brown pants.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^
I would be very concerned about the fact that Cincinnati's spread offense racked up 45 points on me and that they don't have a guy like DR.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:15 PM ^
I would play standard Lloyd Carr ball, run, run, run, short pass, run, play action pass TD.
On D, I would make Denard throw as much as possible, by bringing the safeties in to stop the run. With Tate, it would be a more balanced D, but try to prevent Tate from rolling out too much (he's most dangerous here, IMO).
August 29th, 2010 at 9:18 PM ^
Brian has documented a couple of our answers to that scheme. And you know McGee and RR have more where that came from. On top of that, the scrape doesn't do you a whole lot of good with your DE's crashing on every play when we bust out the option. Like others have said, an LB spy isn't going to do anything against Denard. On defense their best bet is to collapse the pocket ASAP, get the D-Line's hands up to break up passes and hope to god that Denard has mercy on them.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:40 PM ^
Scrape exchange won't account for Denard's speed on the edge at all. LB spy is optimistic as well. Further, LB spy opens the soft spot in the zone (hello slot electron off the fake).
August 29th, 2010 at 9:42 PM ^
The inexperience at End is really going to be bad, especially if Robinson has the zone read figured out.
August 29th, 2010 at 9:25 PM ^
I would tell my players "your girlfriends probably shouldn't watch this game. It ain't gonna be good...you are going to look so flacid that your ladies might leave you for I.T. nerds, or become fur traders".
August 29th, 2010 at 10:03 PM ^
I would take the team bus to Ypsi, where we would be sure to beat a team from Michigan and then drive back a hero!
August 29th, 2010 at 10:12 PM ^
...and I would feel a chill in the base of my spine.
I would then remove a bottle of Johnny Walker Green from the cupboard and drink toast to my impending destruction.
August 29th, 2010 at 11:36 PM ^
Well everyone is under the assumption that UConn will "pound the ball" to win the game... Donald Brown had 120 and they got smacked.
If I were Edsall Id ask my safeties to do three things.
1. Wear ankle braces
2. Drop the kids off at the pool before the kick (they might be faster this way)
3. Try not to blink