Maryland Snowflakes - The Offense
October 6th, 2018 at 4:45 PM ^
Gotta admit it: I was very apathetic about pursuing Shea's transfer here. Thought we were short circuiting our internal QB development processes. Man was I wrong! He's a great leader, and can teach the backups a thing or two about making plays. A great role model. (I think I'll go have another slice of humble pie.)
October 6th, 2018 at 6:55 PM ^
Grab me another beer while you're in there.
October 6th, 2018 at 8:34 PM ^
What is absolutely crazy about this is that while we watch Shea give us the best QB play we've had since Henne, the one's who will follow, McCaffrey, Milton, McNamara, etc have even higher ceilings. God Bless our QB's are going to be good for a long time. Now that the line is taking shape, the mighty blue could be a top tier program going forward. WOO HOO!
October 6th, 2018 at 4:46 PM ^
Becoming a bit of a broken record at this point but the OL once again looked solid.
Tru was a beast today.
Shea so close to 300 yards today but a good day all around for him.
Is it just me or is this offense doing something they couldn’t do at all last year and grind people down and wear them out? Herbert paying dividends.
October 6th, 2018 at 5:04 PM ^
different year, different team, players, and all that, etc - but didnt they bury maryland with like 350 rush yards last year?
i see improvement, no doubt. but well see if they can do it against the better teams. not trying to be negative (they played well today and improved in many areas), just realistic. theyve rushed for something like 2.0 ypc or less vs wisc, msu, etc over past few years and struggled vs better teams. theyre looking improved in that were seeing less TFLs, more cohesion across the front, etc, and obviously a legit QB changes things.
point being that while theyre clearly improved, im not sure maryland and northwestern represent the best benchmark of grinding or wearing down opponents
October 6th, 2018 at 11:52 PM ^
They didn't score over 40 once last year. They've done that in every home game. Go ahead and wait for those games. I don't need to wait to see that this year's offense is obviously better and I don't think they've hit their ceiling.
October 7th, 2018 at 9:48 AM ^
MD wasn't the best B1G defense against the run last year, nor was it one of the best against the run in the entire nation. They are this year. The fact that Michigan still based 35 offensive points on the run game is a testament to how good they've become at running the ball.
And yes, they are grinding defense down every game with long, sustained, time-consuming, play-eating scoring drives nearly every time they get the ball. Good luck beating Michigan if you don't score every time you have the ball...
October 6th, 2018 at 4:49 PM ^
Getting Tarik back would be amazing. Black, DPJ, and Collins would be a nightmare to cover, especially in the red zone.
Loved the blocking from Wilson. Super impressed by him.
Also, Gentry reminds me a lot of Butt.
October 6th, 2018 at 4:51 PM ^
"Black, DPJ, and Collins would be a nightmare to cover, especially in the red zone."
Especially if you throw Gentry in the mix.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:35 PM ^
And Bench too.
October 6th, 2018 at 4:55 PM ^
Really good performance.
1. Stop screwing around with 3rd/4th and short. Line up Mason 5 yards back and give him the ball.
2. Wilson is good enough that you don't need to run Higdon 25-30 times a game. You're going to need him later in the season.
3. Doesn't Shea sort of throw those long passes off his back foot? Great touch on the ball to DPJ, but I swore he was backing away when he threw it, and didn't need to be.
4. As good as Shea is playing, he's still not always leading the receivers so they can run after they catch. A lot of immediate falls to the turf after making the catch today, when there were extra yards to be made.
5. (I realize I'm being hypercritical on #4 and #5, but if you don't hold yourself to the highest standard you'll never achieve it)
October 6th, 2018 at 5:11 PM ^
Thanks dad.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:02 PM ^
I dont think your being hypercritical. Shea has a ton of arm talent but needs a lot more polish to his game. IMO he holds on to the ball way too long. That wont work against really good Dlines that can bring pressure with 4.
October 6th, 2018 at 10:50 PM ^
I'm not sure of whether Patterson holds the ball too long. But he at least seems to be a big upgrade on that, compared with JOK.
October 6th, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
Hypercritical of Shea on #4 and hypercritical of being hypercritical of yourself on #5? MetaCritical
October 6th, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
I know we scored a TD, but the clock management at the end of the first half was piss poor
October 6th, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
I agree.
October 6th, 2018 at 5:06 PM ^
Not enough Ben Mason for my liking
October 6th, 2018 at 5:09 PM ^
Play of the game from Shea was the pinpoint perfect throw to DPJ in the end zone to go up 24-7 (that was called back due to yet another inexplicable holding call.)
October 7th, 2018 at 12:03 AM ^
That horseshit call was infuriating. That was a gorgeous throw. But despite not counting it puts fear of God in CBs. Cover Nico and DPJ or get bombed.
Oh and black gonna return soon as well.
M offense about to take off
October 6th, 2018 at 5:11 PM ^
Ronnie Bell was a steal of a recruit.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:14 PM ^
When he stretched out for that TD I legit thought that was DPJ with the ball. Pleasantly surprised to see it was Bell.
October 6th, 2018 at 5:13 PM ^
Hope I'm not wrong but Warriner does appear to be doing wonders with this offensive line group. I don't doubt why after listening to his interview the other day. Its all about holding players accountable and it's very obvious he gets that and does that.
October 6th, 2018 at 5:15 PM ^
There has definitely been improvement. Northwestern and Maryland's D Lines are both pretty solid and our OL held their own in both games
October 6th, 2018 at 5:24 PM ^
Do you think Michigan makes him OC next year to keep him? Or continue as is. Seems to be working with the progress they have shown.
October 6th, 2018 at 11:32 PM ^
OSU made him its OC to keep him, and that didn't go well.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:04 PM ^
For sure. And this will help recruiting. We may have put our line woes behind us for good.
October 6th, 2018 at 5:25 PM ^
When I go to bed at night I say to my self "Shea Patterson" and then I sleep like a baby. He is the difference for this program. Keep him clean boys and the sky is the limit. Go Blue !!!
October 6th, 2018 at 5:56 PM ^
Shea turned about 5 sacks for a large loss into positive or no loss play with his feet. BIG upgrade from last year.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^
How many sacks were there on Shea?
October 6th, 2018 at 6:03 PM ^
Lots of good things today:
Higdon is really good. He keeps those legs churning, and always falls forward. Plus, he's got that burst. Wilson's a better blocker, but Higdon is a trememdous runner.
Bell looks like a gem - good hands and concentration, FAST, and wow, keeping his feet on that hard right cut - incredible body control.
Line! There were times when Shea had a picnic back there before he threw. Great to see. Wonderful improvement. Look, they're not the strength of the team, but if they're not the weakness, it's a huge win.
I disagree with those who say we started poorly. We moved the ball, just failed in the red zone. That's a different issue altogether.
Wow, that play by Shea on the Bell touchdown was magical. I thought he was toast, and he just bamboozled MD's rushers. Then, to throw a pinpoint crossing pass against the momentum of his body - just wow.
I'm happy. Fun game. And down goes Sparty!
October 6th, 2018 at 6:10 PM ^
Quick question for the community: I was out of town with kids today and missed the game. With mgovideo gone, where online can we watch a full game replay/recording?
October 6th, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
Just saw a full version on YouTube! A quick search should turn it up for ya
October 6th, 2018 at 6:11 PM ^
Ronnie bell. I think those critical of taking him need to trust the coaches evaluating players.
very good game on O. Line got pretty good push and Shea had plenty time to pass.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:21 PM ^
Ben Mason hurdling a guy was awesome. You could just watch the guy bracing himself for the punishment and then suddenly...up, up and away!
October 6th, 2018 at 6:21 PM ^
Question I have is why couldn't we decline the targeting penalty so that we could have gotten a block in the back 40 yards downfield and ended up gaining 30 yards? Makes no sense that a huge gain like that ends up as a replay the down because they had a targeting penalty.
October 6th, 2018 at 7:54 PM ^
Discussed upthread. I think they should have been able to do so, but the rules are contradictory so it's a little unclear.
October 6th, 2018 at 6:52 PM ^
We had a TE with over 100 receiving yards, and Ben Mason got most of the short yardage snaps. I hate to say that this is an improvement, because it should be a given, but I'll take it. Let's please do this next week, too, with the whole: not tipping plays just by the personnel/formation, thing they we did today.
October 6th, 2018 at 9:25 PM ^
The double fullback formation was money
October 6th, 2018 at 7:04 PM ^
Just couldn’t be happier heading into next week. Patterson is amazing at escaping pressure. My only concern with him is that he seems to be throwing off his back foot. He doesn’t need to. He’s got the arm strength.
Offensive line is looking better every week.
I honestly think we’ve got what we need to beat Wisconsin. If we can just avoid a slow start I think we are good.
October 6th, 2018 at 9:25 PM ^
He backfooted the shit out of the TD pass called back on holding.
October 6th, 2018 at 9:26 PM ^
Yeah, he dropped that in perfectly off the back foot.
October 6th, 2018 at 7:22 PM ^
The mgoblue site game stats makes it easy to filter plays. I counted the number of 1st down runs with < 4y gained. There were 16 first down runs. 11 of those runs gained less than 4 yards. I also counted the number of 3rd or 4th down plays with < 3y to go. There were 8 of those opportunities, 3 of them resulted in a first down. I didn't look at 1st, 3rd/4th down inside the 4.
I think you can look at this data two ways. First, Harbaugh looked at how the Maryland's offense was going, like he looked at the NW offense as well, and decided to pound away with M's O. It paid dividends later as both the Maryland and the NW D's folded late. As well this tactical approach allowed him to keep the tools in his tool box mostly undisclosed (he did show some stuff from his tool box v. Maryland).
Second, you could look at it this way by asking the question, when M faces a good defense, can Harbaugh afford to burn downs pounding away on first down or 3rd/4th and short v. an opponent's offense that is going to score v. M's D? There's a pattern with JH of running an offense that the defense knows what is coming. He doesn't care. I think that is a legitimate issue even though this game was a pummeling - including a F-U, 2 point conversion message to Maryland's dirty play and a program cultivated violent football culture.
October 7th, 2018 at 7:07 AM ^
Great post. Thanks for looking up the numbers on 1st down runs and 3d or 4th down with three or less to go.
You raise a legitimate question about how this sort of play calling will work, and whether it will be a little different, against better opponents.
October 7th, 2018 at 10:01 AM ^
The play selection on 1st down was 18 runs to 11 passes. Taking the 2 runs off inside the 4 that makes it 16 to 11, 17 of those plays went for 4 yards or more. 17 of 27 went for at least 4 yards. 6 1st down plays went for 15 or more yards
October 7th, 2018 at 10:01 AM ^
Maybe Harbaugh is running basic plays because he can? I mean, when you're obliterating your opponent on both sides, why bother unlocking the special section of the playbook? Why not just continue reinforcing the base offense - perfecting things that can be relied on when the pressure is real? It also reinforces tendencies that can be broken when the situation warrants.
Stop whining about play calling against teams that are getting obliterated.
October 7th, 2018 at 11:40 AM ^
Agreed. It's dumb. We have had very little need to break tendency so far this year. Save that for when it's actually needed, so that it works. FFS, people.
October 6th, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
4.2 YPC against a mediocre, at best, team and all of a sudden we are praising the line? They did their job today, yes. Let’s not get overconfident and say they’ve done anything for us to feel like we can dominate in any way against top teams
October 6th, 2018 at 9:30 PM ^
I think much of the o line praise is in regards to pass blocking. It's very clear they are pass blocking much better giving shea a clean pocket and time.
While they are not road graders on the ground yet, they are not missing as many assignments. They just LOOK like they know what they are doing. Execution will continue to improve.
October 6th, 2018 at 9:44 PM ^
I know at this point in the year we are still looking at relatively small sample sizes, but Maryland entered this game as the #5 run defense in the country giving up only 2.67 YPC against FBS teams. I doubt they will finish anywhere near the top 5 in the country, but this isn't SMU or WMU by any stretch of the imagination. This is a run defense at least on par with Northwestern.