Notre Dame Snowflakes: The Offense
September 1st, 2018 at 11:43 PM ^
I can't wait until I don't have to hear about how Gentry's size and speed is going to make him a nightmare redzone matchup.
*crickets
September 1st, 2018 at 11:43 PM ^
The plus is that we now know it wasn’t all Drevno’s fault that this unit stunk.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:45 PM ^
Runyan was horrible. JBB had some issues early. Will be interesting to see the UFR to see if he cleaned it up at all. ND had a hell of a DL. The good news is we probably won't see another DL that good until OSU.
Play calling seemed pathetic, maybe that was due to the OL sucking. Predictable, conservative and mostly short stuff. I don't know if you blame Pep or Harbaugh.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:56 PM ^
That notre dame defensive line had like 16 sacks all last season.
Theyll be the 3rd or 4th best DL that Michigan will face this season. ND will lose 3-4 games this season, book it.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:02 AM ^
^^^^ That. ND does not have any sort of super-duper D-line. We just made them look that way. I watched the Washington-Auburn game today. Auburn's D-line *is* excellent. Fast, strong, and the run sideline to sideline like men possessed.
I swear I saw a tackling dummy in a gold helment run past Runyon today and hit Patterson.
September 2nd, 2018 at 10:31 AM ^
...and Runyon was then downfield with his hands out looking to block somebody, but nobody was there because they ran by him seconds ago.
September 2nd, 2018 at 8:21 AM ^
So exactly what is you point by claiming "ND will lose 3-4 games this year"? Does it give you a warm fuzzy feeling or what. The better team won last night. Do you honestly think UM wins out the rest of the way. If that is the 3rd or 4th best d-line they face then looks there are very serious concerns the rest of the way. UM could easily be 2-3 going into the Maryland game. The Nebraska and Northwestern game are somewhat concerning now. Hell after last night there appears to be no easy/gimme games except maybe SMU and Rutgers.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:05 AM ^
Have you seen the OSU d line play? They're light years better than what ND wheeled out there tonight. This line has to get way better in a hurry
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:47 AM ^
Oregon st disagrees
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:59 AM ^
I wish I was like you and didn't watch them either... Their second level made mistakes but the d line is straight up nasty. Bosa is legit the best defensive end in the country and isn't even close.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:16 AM ^
I don't know if you can just say the play calling was predictable, etc. If you can't block at the left tackle position (or the right tackle position) you won't get to see routes develop.
Last year it was that the offense was way too complicated, until later in the year when is was too vanilla and predictable.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:46 PM ^
Harbaugh says Peters tweaked his knee in practice, which is why McCaffrey was #2.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:53 PM ^
Interesting - thanks for sharing this tidbit. After today, I have a feeling there is a new reason DMC will be #2. He looked very good today.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:03 AM ^
he threw way better than Peters in the open practice. Now given his decision making on two drives. I am convinced he can surpass Peters.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:49 PM ^
Michigan Rushing Yards: 290
For the LAST 4 GAMES COMBINED!!!
Wisc 58
OSU 100
SC 74
ND 58
Yeah, that'll win you a lot of games. Ave 72.5 yds rushing per game. Good Lord.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:34 AM ^
Dierdorf mentioned this in the radio post game. His tone of voice indicated he was definitely not happy, but had to hold in his anger due to being on-air.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:36 AM ^
This is why we don't win on the road.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:49 PM ^
Everyone who has commented in the thread thus far: did any of you read the Offensive Tackle preview post? How the F are you even slightly surprised at what you saw tonight?
EDIT: lay off Runyan. The kid is a guard who is being forced to play LT. You may as well blame him for being a bad punter if they ever roll him out there for that. You think he wants to play tackle? This is entirely on the coaches and recruiting the past few years.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:31 AM ^
As was stated by someone else, ND's tackles got blown up by Gary and winovich almost every play too. ND had a gameplan to actually account for that. It was shocking that our coaches, knowing how bad our tackles were completely biffed on having a remotely decent gameplan to do the same
September 2nd, 2018 at 8:27 AM ^
ND coaches > UM coaches
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:49 AM ^
Well said about Runyan. fish out of water through no fault of his own.
September 2nd, 2018 at 1:12 PM ^
runyan has been playing tackle for at least two years now. he ain't playing out of position. hell, we had a center playing LT the past two years. the coaches ought to be able to groom one of the 15-20 300+ lb guys to play LT by now. they are a joke.
this OL has been soft for many years. until they get more badasses like lewan and molk, they will continue to suck. oh ya, and molk was too small to be any good on the OL. no, it's all about toughness and desire.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:49 PM ^
Nico Collins hype appears to be legit. That kid can play! (and Yes, O line was atrocious)
September 1st, 2018 at 11:50 PM ^
Finding tackles or plays to hide their deficiencies is not rocket science. It amazes that we keep insisting on their being good for a play to be successful. Maybe we should ask App State.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:53 PM ^
It’s all about the tackles.
The play calling:
Inside runs => Cause the tackles can’t block stretch plays
Short passes => Cause the tackles pass block long enough for anything down field
Roll out Patterson => Only if you want to get him killed cause defenses will strat blitzing to the outside cause the tackles can’t block
Sounds terrible to day but the Achilles of this team will be the tackles. So until that can get mitigated. It’s going to be a rough ride.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:55 PM ^
Remember all those points Michigan scored with Jedd Fisch. He's in the pros now.
Who's coaching that dysfunctional passing game Michigan now has?
Oh, it's someone elses fault, not Pep Hamilton.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:07 AM ^
Yeah as a offensive assistant - not an OC or anything. He's not a highly sought after coach right now.
September 1st, 2018 at 11:57 PM ^
O line was terrible and Patterson had to go change his tampon when the going got tough. Back to Oxford for that big blue turd!
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:05 AM ^
Leg cramps are on the training staff and strength team. And yes, no way he should have been cramping like that. Wimbush wasn't. But it's not on Patterson.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:41 AM ^
No, ND had a bunch of cramps too, those just happen in hot weather
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:07 AM ^
You're going to get killed for that comment but it was funny though
September 1st, 2018 at 11:58 PM ^
I don't know how ypu don't pull Runyan. A disaster. A tackling dummy would have been as effective.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:04 AM ^
We heard all summer about how great Shea is at throwing deep & the one time we tried it Nico pulled it in. Why did we not try that more often especially when we were behind 2 TDs in the 4th quarter???
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:06 AM ^
Maybe because our receivers can't run 30 yards down the field in the two seconds it was taking the d-line to get to Patterson?
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:52 AM ^
Born in A2 is a good dude. Had a Michigan party and only I showed up. Don't miss Seattle one bit but this guy is a good dude.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:04 AM ^
It wasn’t any better than last year because the offensive line and not the qb’s were the problem and that’s still true.
Neither Runyan nor jbb are big ten level tackles and either we replace them or win 8 games again.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:09 AM ^
What's frustrating to me is that this looks like a team without an offensive identity. I do think I'm going to withhold from overstating the line play. It was bad but ND's line was always going to be a tough first game. I'm all for more spread looks, but our receivers look slow. It looks as if we can't get play makers the ball, maybe because there are no play makers in the receiving core. In that case I don't know why we haven't been establishing something close to what Harbaugh established at Stanford. Run a gap scheme and play off of it. Instead we get the most basic spread scheme relying on guys to make plays one on one. Gentry also dropped a couple passes, one that could've been a TD, but that's what M football has been for years now: woulda, shoulda, coulda.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:14 AM ^
I agree with what many others have said. The OL play has not gotten better since last year. The tackles were not good at all. We're not going anywhere without better play from the tackles. We need ONE offensive coordinator to call the plays. I think Jay Harbaugh can be sacrificed to open up a spot on the staff for an OC/RB coach.
On the plus side, it's only game 1 and the OL play may improve as the year goes on. The other pieces are there . . . once the play calling gets straightened out.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:19 AM ^
I don't think it's the play calling.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:27 AM ^
You are wrong. Running dives and drop backs w tackles who can’t block doesn’t work. No deception. Little use of qb’s mobility. The second we opened it up because we had to with four minutes left we were running in space,easily. Maybe a little situational, but coaches never gave players that chance earlier. 5 of first 6 plays were basic run plays. If you want to do that go grab us some skrepenaks. If you don’t (which we didn’t), change scheme and play calling to fit personal otherwise you’ll make everyone look like shit because of poor tackle play and stubborn coaching.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:47 AM ^
Almost nothing works consistently when the tackles can't block. There was still a lot of pressure out of the spread looks. After every game, it's always the play calling, even when the game plan is great (see last year's OSU game). The only real fix is to field legit P5 tackles.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:18 AM ^
Jim, please hire a real OC and let him call the plays. That will open you up to manage the clock. You suck at calling plays. Where is Jedd Fisch when we need him?
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:21 AM ^
A couple of “glass half full” observations:
1) O is improving. Last visit to South Bend resulted in 0 offensive points. 10 today!
2). Read an article about Kelly the other day. He was talking about a second coat of paint when he made coaching changes and such 2 years ago. That was 8 years in. Harbaugh just needs a bit more time. Patience is a virtue.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:24 AM ^
Striving to be mediocre Notre Dame now. Yay
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:26 AM ^
Also, really liked McCaffery! He seems to have a good feel for the game.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:23 AM ^
Well the excitement is over... If it was a fun, exciting game and we lost, so be it but that was just brutal. Wake me up when Nebraska comes to town.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:23 AM ^
I guess the nice thing is when we got the ball in the air, it went pretty well? Completed two thirds for 6.9 YPA. Obviously you want more than one explosive play. If you maintain that maybe it pushes safeties downfield and open things up for Higdon.
But man, the fucking tackles. And honestly, Ruiz. I don't think he played very well tonight.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:24 AM ^
My hot take: I REALLY hope that McCaffrey and Peters are 1b and 1c, because we'll need them.
Game 1 and our Oline already is responsible for a dinged up QB. Fuck those guys.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:26 AM ^
11 + years of lurking from this former big ten athlete.
Thank you to Brian and all who contributed over the years.
You got me through so many stressful moments in my career when I couldn't sleep because of so many issues during our great recession after 10 years of economic depression in Michigan. UFRs of RichRod's offense saved me ... and others.
However, tonight the blog and human element and it's lock down and no news on aubrey solomon; and the decision on josh metullus contact, has caused me to finally let go of all sports that require an official.
Pro football has been out of my life for a long time but I wasn't prepared for college sports to "jump the shark" but it happened this evening.
I'll always have 1989 and 1997 but no more lazy as fans in the stands and no more hoping we develop an intimidating home environment.
I'm at peace with letting go. Thank you. God bless.
Looking forward to a fall without football.
September 2nd, 2018 at 12:31 AM ^
What sport did you play?