SMU Snowflakes - The Overall Coaching

Submitted by LSAClassOf2000 on

This will be the thread for hot takes and snowflakes about the overall coaching performance 

borninAnnArbor

September 15th, 2018 at 9:19 PM ^

SMU has a bad passing defense.  Michigan has an accurate former 5* quarterback.  The SMU linebackers 9 out of 10 times run straight to the line of scrimmage leaving the middle of the field open, and are very susceptible to play action.  Michigan had their first string running back out of the game.  SMU had 8 in the box.  Michigan went to their jumbo package and pretty much ran it the entire first quarter.  This did not work.  I am not sure why they thought it would work.  I am starting to think that Michigan's offensive game plan was made by this guy.

https://youtu.be/rblfKREj50o

Building_7_Free_Fall

September 16th, 2018 at 1:55 AM ^

Didn't we hear the same thing last year about vanilla play calling when we were scoring 36 and 29 points against cupcakes?  This year it's 49 and 45. 

And then last year Harbaugh's play calling so thoroughly kicked Urban Meyer's ass that one of the youngest teams in all of college football was only a C- (or better) quarterback away from beating OSU.

I know I could be going out on a limb here, but Harbaugh's play calling might improve when the quality of the opponent improves.

G. Gulo of the Dale

September 15th, 2018 at 7:41 PM ^

This might be true.  On the other hand, in interviews players have mentioned a greater emphasis on hydration under the new s & c staff, and, at least during the ND game, more of the Irish players were going down with cramps than our players were.  (Not that this rules out an issue that needs to be addressed) .

Navy Wolverine

September 15th, 2018 at 7:14 PM ^

With all the bad karma in the B1G today, I'll take a 25 point win.

Refs were terrible. 13 penalties for 137 yards. Please.

SMU played better than expected.

Offense is improving. Not sure what's going on with Higdon.

Defense struggled - the DBs are very grabby and some crews will call them on it like today. Maybe need to mix in a little zone?

Not terrible but we got a ways to go before we are better than OSU. 

MGoStretch

September 15th, 2018 at 9:38 PM ^

Oh boy, if that drives you nuts, just wait until you see what's lying in the weeds for the team up in E. Lansing.  You're going to have to change your name to FuriousMatt.  Only sort of joking, but I am fully expecting their DB draping our WRs like backpacks and getting 1-2 PIs only because the refs just won't have it in them to call it on every, single, play.

quercus99

September 15th, 2018 at 7:17 PM ^

I am just north of 100 points, so I don't want to start a topic until it is truly worthy, so I will place this here.  I noticed the cramping issues this season seem disproportionately Michigan.  It has been humid in the games this year, but that doesn't seem to have affected the opposition as much as us.  I wonder if something is amiss in conditioning/hydration, or is it scheme/lack of player rotation??? 

MGrether

September 15th, 2018 at 7:19 PM ^

This felt like we were trying to win with our Vanilla, while SMU threw the kitchen sink at us. We acted like it was a scrimmage, they acted like it was the Super Bowl. 

On a day when Wisconsin, Maryland, Nebraska, Illinois & FSU all lost... I will take the 25 point win. 

ih8losing

September 15th, 2018 at 8:00 PM ^

Yeah watch OSU drop 60 on TCu... that’s what makes me more upset about all of it. We just aren’t on the same level as the top tier yet we keep hearing how the team wants to compete for national championships. Reality is we’re a 10-2 team yearly with the chance to beat OsU maybe once or twice every 5 years. 

We don’t have their talent not depth and the offensive staff isn’t creative enough to make up for (clear) deficiencies. Need big wins to get top recruits but need top recruits to get big wins... chicken and egg. 

AZBlue

September 15th, 2018 at 7:23 PM ^

Michigan O. coaches too stubborn trying to establish a tone with the run game early in games.  I love it concept but it is clear the OL isn’t up to the challenge yet.  

On D . I hope Brown wanted to use this as teaching and growth against a lesser opponent, BUT would hope we would create a scheme to cover better against a tougher opponent WHEN THEY ONLY HAVE ONE FUCKING RECEIVER! — On the plus side they won’t be overlooking Nebraska with their Mobile QB after this game.

Ref’s sucked.............After clearly giving M a bogus first down on the early Evans 4th down carry they seemed to spend the rest of the game trying to make it up to SMU.  Not all the PIs were bogus but they were calling things very ticky-tack.   The targeting, late SMU spot (over turned), and the late PI on the QB hit were just awful though.

UMfan21

September 15th, 2018 at 7:24 PM ^

This is more META than coaching but:  I think we need to start a GoFundMe for Brian having to do the UFR this week.  That was an awful, boring, frustrating slog of a game.  I do not envy those who have to rewatch it again.