Northwestern Snowflakes - The Defense
September 29th, 2018 at 9:24 PM ^
Josh Ross killed a guy.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:25 PM ^
My unprofessional opinion is that teams start off well against Don Brown's defense bc they know what is coming so they can script a couple drives off the bat. They may not know where the blitzes are coming from but they know they are coming and they will get man to man.
Id love to see some zone to start the game. Just to see what happens.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:35 PM ^
As much as K Hudson has frustrated me, the team elevated with him in the lineup.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:37 PM ^
Hello, Josh Uche and Kwity Paye!
That was a weird one but they only gave up like 200 yards in a game where Michigan DL were held and/or tackled on nearly every play.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:40 PM ^
Defense did their job, for 2/3 of the game. Why they seem to take the first 1/3 off is boggling. This team would be undefeated if they didn't do that in two of their five games so far.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:48 PM ^
Thought I had, I'd love for them to move Gary inside to tackle on passing situations and let paye/uche rotate in. I think that could be a monster of a pass rush.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:52 PM ^
This was NW's game of the year. This was circled. Michigan allowed less than 300 yards total offense. Clemson allowed 220 yards in the first half at home against Syracuse in a revenge matchup with allegedly the best Dline in college football. Michigan got challenged on the road. Look at Ohio State tonight. They've scored a TD against Penn State. App State nearly beat them.
If you want to get indignant about life and circumstances and how people respond to certainties in life, then don't watch college football or bet on sure things with large point spreads. Michigan overcame a 17 point lead on the road in the Harbaugh era to win. Be thankful and move on.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:57 PM ^
As much as K Hudson has frustrated me, the team elevated with him in the lineup.
October 1st, 2018 at 1:49 AM ^
He didn't have any standout plays. No big hits, no big tackles, and Brown rarely called his number to dial up a blitz. But the results don't lie. The defense was markedly better with him on the field. As much as the team improved on D from the first quarter to the second, they were easily that much better in the second half, with Hudson in the lineup.
September 29th, 2018 at 9:59 PM ^
Kwity Paye is a dude, and he brought it today.
October 1st, 2018 at 1:50 AM ^
Plays hard and strong. Best name on the team by far, as well.
September 29th, 2018 at 10:23 PM ^
Too many holes on this defense. Gary may be hurt, love the guy, but I haven't seen the hype. Incredible athlete, hard-worker, huge character. With the exception of a couple games in his career, he has been overhyped. I hope he is okay. I wish he would add another rush move besides just trying to run around the tackler 100mph.
Thank goodness for Winnovich, freak athlete. Guy is so good. He and Bush are hands down best on defense. Our secondary, besides Watson is a liability. As soon as the ball is in the air, our hands are all over the receiver, EVERY time. Against a good passer, we are in trouble....MSU will be 1st test? Not sure if PSU is before or after.
Get Uche and Paye more PT, even if it means resting Gary. These guys are making things happen!
We really need Soloman back and good....soon!
Great 2nd half but this defense like mentioned a few times this year, is not as strong.
September 29th, 2018 at 11:41 PM ^
Wisconsin is first big test then MSU then PSU and finally OSU. Could lose all 4 if they play like today
September 30th, 2018 at 8:55 AM ^
Leon Hall was not perfect. He had plenty of PI calls and spoofs. And so did his teammates—particularly Morgan Friggin’ Trent.
Lavert and Long are a better duo than that team, and Metellus and Kinnell are better than Mundy and Adams. To pretend this team has “holes” is simply to look at the bad plays.
This team is filled with great young players. Long is having a down year, comparatively, and we need to eliminate big mistakes against PSU and OSU—the two teams with most explosive WRs and backs—but this team is one of the best in college football.
They have to clean up penalties, but then the refs need to be consistent. If WRs can have hands on DBs, they have to be more discretionary in calling PI or holding. Some of those plays were non-calls. Saw PSU get a PI against OSU in first half that was one of those iffy battles.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:07 PM ^
Gary is playing injured, clearly. How do people not see this? Rabble rabble.
October 1st, 2018 at 1:52 AM ^
That's what I'm saying. People forget how much havoc he causes when he is healthy.
If he gets over his shoulder issues, the guy is going in the first 2 rounds of the draft. He'll be playing in a pro bowl in the next five years if he doesn't retire early due to persistent shoulder problems.
September 29th, 2018 at 11:29 PM ^
That last sack was all young guys. I feel a lot better about our DL next year than I did before this game.
September 29th, 2018 at 11:47 PM ^
Alot of Paye talk, but am surprised that UCHE isn't the talk of the game here.. #6 jumped out over and over, and at critical moments.
mcKeon is a liability. Always seems to chone at the wrong moment .Start Eubanks.
KINNEL blew the play on an early TD and can't wait for Dax...
Higdon has become a complete RB .Am glad to see this...
Our DBs just grab and grab... Penalty after penalty...seems ridiculous...
I'd like to see Brown give a changeup and play zone early on... Because every team gashed him the first half, now it's become systemic.
September 30th, 2018 at 8:59 AM ^
Why are you waiting on a player you don’t know will help immediately, and has no chance to be in college this year? I swear, wtf is wrong with people always waiting for the next guy to somehow change a position. Can’t we love in the present? Kinnell is a captain for a reason. But let’s look at one play and then imagine how much better a high school player will be.
Did this team dominate for the last 2.5 quarters? Are we 4-1, only losing to a Notre Dame team that just proved itself as a Playoff contender?
September 29th, 2018 at 11:54 PM ^
Not going to win the big games if the defense keeps spotting the opposition 2 TDs
September 30th, 2018 at 12:09 AM ^
Hopefully Metellus didn't break his wrist.
If he does have a fracture maybe he still can play with one of those club looking wrap jobs they do.
September 30th, 2018 at 1:03 AM ^
He returned late in the 2nd half fwiw
September 30th, 2018 at 1:18 AM ^
Even better.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:21 AM ^
Rest Gary against Maryland. That shoulder is giving him problems as evidenced by his play today. Uche and Paye can clean up. Give him a little time to recover for Wiscy and MSU.
Shout out to Dwumfour. Man that dude was LETHAL this afternoon! Baby Mo!
September 30th, 2018 at 12:42 AM ^
Only two teams to move the ball on us had all summer and two weeks to prepare. Once all their stuff was exposed its been lights out.
DB's having trouble defending without grabbing, and slants will be a problem all year.
Interesting watching teams try to neutralize Bush, some are effective some not so much. We have a strong defense full of playmakers, isolating him doesn't seem to work much.
September 30th, 2018 at 9:01 AM ^
Grabbing is allowed. They can keep a hand on the WR as long as they don’t impede his arms or pull him down.
September 30th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^
Looks like our DBs and LBs are right up on opposing players on the slant plays. Our D has been tight on them lately. But the passes have been perfect making it tough to bat the ball down.
September 30th, 2018 at 6:00 AM ^
Yeah, cant sleep watching this replay at 4 in the morning. Devin Gill is very bad in run support. He plays very soft and unsure. Doesn't read the play and react. He most certainly cant be in there on obvious passing plays. Way too slow. I'm sorry but I gotta call a spade...a spade. He is the only option to have in there when Hudson was out? Man the linebacker play was sad early on here. Bush is too small to get off of blocks on the 3rd and shorts and goal-line. Is still the best one out there though. Needed Hudson bad. Gotta get in his ear big time about the helmet leading stuff. Bucnuts will gash this weak link on the D as they always do.
September 30th, 2018 at 8:40 AM ^
Big adjustment on shutting down the slants in the second half. Carry that forward, and the defense’s main weakness is cleaned up.
With strength of opponent caveats noted, UM gave up 200 yards of offense, while PSU and OSU are giving up 400-500 yards. We can hang our hats on the defense.
September 30th, 2018 at 9:10 AM ^
Why does the same game plan continue to baffle us - quick slants, arm punts to draw PI and a mobile QB are the death knell for this D. How are going to hold up against OSU and PSU?
September 30th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^
Northwestern's emotion kept them in that first quarter. When the Wolverines made it a 17-7 game and the Wildcats really didn't have much after that, that surge ebbed and were not for several (some legit and some dubious) flags the game would have been won sooner.
I know this is the defense post but that sequence - Michigan scores and then stops Northwestern maybe a really moment for the team.
September 30th, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^
Defense played lights out in the 2nd half. Brown finally played more zone and stopped sending the house every down and it worked. It's still completely unacceptable our safeties can't cover a simple slant pass. They are not good but asking them to keep doing something they clearly can't isn't their fault. Thought Brandon Watson played a good game. Not sure what else Uche has to do to get all of Furbush's snaps. He was an animal out there. Josh Ross should be paying over Gil. Need Solomon back in the middle of this defense. Can't keep starting slow on the road.
September 30th, 2018 at 12:59 PM ^
The couple of times we could have had a huge defensive stop from up the middle, Mone playing nose, got blasted back every time. He either can't get low, or can't get low enough. I miss Glasgow
September 30th, 2018 at 4:41 PM ^
Winovich has been head and shoulders above the other DL. He is also a motivating force on the sidelines and out on the field of play along with the voice of this team after the games. It has to make you wonder how a guy that is a 5th year senior and came back because he is a true wolverine and wanted to help Michigan reach heights they have not seen in a while wasn't selected as a captain. What he does on and off the field during games is exactly what you want out of your leaders.
October 1st, 2018 at 12:52 AM ^
Not gonna bash but at this point J. Ross really needs to play the majority of snaps at WLB, Gil looks like he has heart but just isn't fast enough to cover RB's out of the backfield. ross didn't start the game and looked to change some speed issues once in.