Larry Appleton

January 1st, 2019 at 1:58 PM ^

Makes a LOT of sense.  How could have a month to prepare and have such a bland game plan?

Sounds like the staff needs some steel in their spines.

Joined: 05/15/2014

MGoPoints: 17216

UMProud

January 1st, 2019 at 2:00 PM ^

This doesn't sound like Harbaugh as pissed off as I am over the last 2 games.  Hell i don't even think Hoke would be as bad as what Spath paints a picture of

Joined: 12/18/2014

MGoPoints: 2705

rd2w10

January 1st, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^

Not saying his sources are legit but he makes some valid points. They rather run Evans up the middle instead of getting him in space.

Joined: 02/22/2012

MGoPoints: 1709

gruden

January 1st, 2019 at 2:18 PM ^

The misutilization of Evans is one of the biggest mysteries and frustrations for me this year.  The bowl game was a microcosm in how it has been, where they ran him up the middle for a small gain.  Shortly later they pass to him out of the backfield and he makes a 9-yard gain.  Why do they persist in running him off-tackle?  Higdon can do that, but it rarely works for Evans. 

I just can't understand how obvious it is that Evans is a space player, yet he's had so few plays in space.  A whole month and they couldn't come up with a few more plays to get him in space.  It just never makes any sense to me. 

And during the bowl game the announcers were saying how Mullen utilizes his players' talents and abilities, and it sure looked like it.  Harbaugh & Co... I'm just scratching my head what the thought process is behind what I'm seeing on the field.

Joined: 04/29/2016

MGoPoints: 6063

ChicagoBigHouse

January 1st, 2019 at 2:54 PM ^

I think they get the ball to Collins plenty.  

DPJ normally yes, but didn’t seem to be targeted downfield during the peach bowl.

tarik black obviously wants more touches.

Gentry is used plenty and Mckeon has dropped passes.  Eubanks could be thrown to more. 

Evans gets the ball but not in the way that we think he should.  The FBs are used as well, compared to other programs that use the FB. 

Other than Tarik Black, I don’t see someone who wants/needs more touches.  I’m not sure Chris Evans will ever be used as much as we hope he could be in the passing game.  

The TE and RB screens have seemingly disappeared.  

Joined: 10/25/2008

MGoPoints: 732

njvictor

January 1st, 2019 at 3:07 PM ^

Yep, not sure why we don't have more designed passing plays for Evans on either screens or wheel routes. Not sure off the top of my head, but pretty sure the majority of the touchdowns he's scored have been on wheel routes and putting him in space. It's damn frustrating

Joined: 07/20/2017

MGoPoints: 65263

I Like Burgers

January 1st, 2019 at 4:42 PM ^

Forget which team it was today that did this -- Kentucky I think -- but they had a short little pass to one of their speed guys.  One of those quick little passes where the WR cuts towards the middle after about 3 yards.  Dude caught it, and then went 50 yards for a big gain.

That kind of pass should have been something Michigan was doing with DPJ like 2-3 times a game.  Yet, I don't know if they ever tried it.

Joined: 10/06/2012

MGoPoints: 30575

MadMatt

January 1st, 2019 at 2:07 PM ^

Someone please tell me how you run a jet sweep that comes within an inch of being a long TD, and then never call the play again the rest of the game.

Joined: 11/06/2013

MGoPoints: 13932

Youngharbaugh4

January 1st, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^

Not gonna lie he's probably right. Any of you watch any of the games? This is exactly what happens in every game. The Game was the perfect example of this happening, deer in the headlights-esque gameplan. Same ole gameplan we used playing every other team, not exposing one of their defensive weaknesses, pathetic. When you have a massive amount of offensive talent and you can't put together a creative gameplan to utilize them, there is something going behind the curtains.

Joined: 08/01/2017

MGoPoints: 680

ih8losing

January 1st, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^

Independent of the validity of these comments, there’s a lot of smoke going on it seems. We all have high expectations but my oh my does it seem like the program is falling apart at the seams. Crazy for a team that at one point won 10 straight games. 

 

Joined: 12/29/2013

MGoPoints: 15738

ijohnb

January 1st, 2019 at 3:29 PM ^

“Falling apart” is an exaggeration, but on the other hand, a lot of people on here are too quick to dismiss the effect of us getting manhandled continuously in big games.  “We went 10-3” is a cop-out.  We played 3 real teams and got blasted by all of them.  The end of the season was an unmitigated disaster and should not be sugar coated.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

Here2CWoodson

January 1st, 2019 at 3:29 PM ^

Falling apart may be an over statement, but it’s really bad. We have had 4  years (3.5 to the apologists) of Harbaughs recruiting with 4 stars littered throughout the roster and nothing to show for it. The 2016 and 2018 teams were LOADED with talent and came up short. We have been patient for a decade and have not gotten anything from it. Sure, Harbaugh has only been here for 40% of that, but when he comes in touted as one of the best coaches in all of football (college and pro) and is paid like it, he should have to produce. I have committed to one  more year and if it resembles the last 2 I will be done with the season tickets that have been in the family for decades. 

Joined: 11/16/2011

MGoPoints: 2963

jmblue

January 1st, 2019 at 4:16 PM ^

Regarding recruiting, we may want to keep in mind that we had two small, low-rated (by our standards) classes in 2014 and '15 that have just finished cycling through the program.  A year ago, those classes were our juniors and seniors, and this year they were our 5th year and senior classes.  

 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102861

Beilein 4 Life

January 1st, 2019 at 9:03 PM ^

So you are going to give up on financially supporting the team? Why not do that right now? I find it tough to believe you continued to buy season tickets through RichRod and Hoke and now is when you decide Michigan football is a lost cause. Actually, I don’t just find it tough to believe, I find it impossible to believe. As in you’re making this up. Yes, Harbaugh year 5 is when you decide you’ve had enough and finally cancel your family's decade long season tickets. Fuck off.

Joined: 06/19/2018

MGoPoints: 4415

VikingDiet

January 1st, 2019 at 9:31 PM ^

Go fuck yourself, asshole.

Our dad has been buying the tickets since the 70s, after he finished playing football there under Bo on scholarship. He kept paying for the tickets long after he stopped going to the games regularly, giving most of them away to friends, family, business partners, and fellow alums looking for a set.

During the RR years, we were in college, our dad was still paying for the tickets. During the Hoke years, we were still in school or freshly out, and paying $1500 for a luxury was not in the cards.

When our dad fell on hard times, we took over paying for the tickets.

Harbaugh gets one more year of our ticket money simply because of the home schedule. Try shelling out money equivalent to Alabama season tickets and getting a far shittier product.

And, again, go fuck yourself.

Joined: 09/02/2014

MGoPoints: 2116

Honk if Ufer M…

January 3rd, 2019 at 1:54 AM ^

YOU fuck off you scumbag prick. Who the fuck are you to randomly decide he’s lying because his position doesn’t make sense according to YOUR ways of thinking and assessing things? If you just called him a fool or whatever you want to call him for his thinking that’s just your asshole opinion, but to just say he’s lying? Fuck you prick.

Joined: 02/22/2015

MGoPoints: 591

LSAClassOf2000

January 1st, 2019 at 2:17 PM ^

If 97.1 was at any point used as a source, that alone would be reason to discount it.

As it stands, I don't believe that Spath is all that well-connected, so even if it seems plausible, it doesn't mean this came from anyone with any pull. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130663

umbig11

January 1st, 2019 at 2:17 PM ^

A couple of quotes from former players:

Doug Skene:

U-M's scheme and lack of adjustments: "Michigan's protection was breaking down. It felt like Florida came to the line comfortable and adjusted well to what U-M was giving them. We saw that when the quarterback [redshirt sophomore Feleipe Franks] ran right up the middle and into the end zone. 

"There were easy adjustments to what the defense was showing, and yet Michigan would run right into the teeth of a full box. It was stubborn, and they kept doing it over and over. Hopefully change happens, because this old school ball against OSU and Florida just didn't work."

Ryan Van Bergen:

Not involving the wideouts enough: "I've been supportive of the conservative style of play on offense, but I also think they're ultimately conservative in the pass game. When you watch the wideouts, they're hungry and ready to make plays, but Michigan doesn't get them the ball a lot. 

"These guys are big and physical and they make plays when they go to them, but when you wait to get them the ball, what do you expect to happen? It's tough to watch."

When things fell apart: "U-M was competitive in the first half, and I figured they'd make some good halftime adjustments, but they came back out with 'run, run and then pass when needed' mindset.

 

Joined: 07/21/2010

MGoPoints: 115573