[LOCKED] Per Cornelius Johnson - Plans to "expand" offense

Submitted by bluepalooza on January 6th, 2019 at 10:16 AM

For all of those who thought Shea was "speaking out of turn", sounds like plans are in works to get ball more to playmakers. https://twitter.com/SamWebb77/status/1081927242236727296 [edit:mgowill] This thread is now locked because it has jumped the rails.

Carcajou

January 6th, 2019 at 11:16 AM ^

I know that it is Mgoblog fashion to bemoan offensive playcalling, but please tell me, what pass routes (save maybe the short hard throw to intermediate flat) has Shea shown the ability to be consistently accurate and give the receiver chances at YAC?

For that matter what receiver has consistently shown the desire and ability to put himself between the ball and defenders on a less than perfectly thrown ball?

Yes, Michigan has playmakers with the physical attributes that would allow for success. But when will they live up to that potential?

Joined: 02/26/2009

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njvictor

January 6th, 2019 at 11:24 AM ^

I don't think anyone can really answer your questions because neither Shea nor any WRs were put into those positions this year. There was very little in the short passing game besides receivers in the flat, nothing over the middle of the field, and besides that Shea had to wait ages for his receivers to get open due to long routes

Joined: 07/20/2017

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samdrussBLUE

January 6th, 2019 at 1:26 PM ^

What are you talking about? Nico should pretty damn good body control and ability to go get balls. Shea rarely throws anything perfect/great, so many of the WR catches required some ability to adjust and show “extra” ability. 

Joined: 01/21/2012

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brad

January 6th, 2019 at 1:29 PM ^

Michigan unleashed it's WR's in very short spurts in both of the last two games.  It was very effective when Shea got a throw out.  The several big problems with Michigan's passing game have nothing to do with WR's not reaching their potential.  They've reached their potential, we just have to cut the passing game loose to actually observe it.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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JPC

January 6th, 2019 at 11:17 AM ^

This is the same stuff they said to the class that included DPJ. 

If I see it, I believe it. 

Joined: 10/13/2018

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michymich

January 6th, 2019 at 11:27 AM ^

I don't believe it. Look, I think Valenti said it best.

 

Harbaugh thinks he is a great playcaller. He isn't.

Brown thinks he is a great DC. He isn't.

 

These guys are no different than RR, who back in the day, thought he was a great coach. Hoke, when he first got the UM job, thought he was a big time coach.

 

It's understandable. This is how the human ego works. They were successful and why should they change? Do you really think Harbaugh is going to give up control on the playcalling or Brown is going to somehow start playing a bend but don't break defense?

 

 

Joined: 02/25/2017

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michymich

January 6th, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^

I stand by that quote. Harbaugh thinks he is a great coach as does Brown. Neither of them are great coaches.

 

Who would you say is a great college coach? Saban? You think either one of these two above mentioned coaches are great? In that category?

 

RR thought he was a great coach and it turned out he wasn't.

Joined: 02/25/2017

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Castroviejo

January 6th, 2019 at 2:25 PM ^

It’s easy to coach if you have 8 first round picks every year.  I’m not really sure how good Saban is. He is not a Bill Snyder, Mak Dantonio type coach, ie doing more with less. Saban is a good recruiter, but it’s not clear if he’s 100% responsible for recruiting. Lotta smoke around that program....

Joined: 12/08/2014

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Wolverine Devotee

January 6th, 2019 at 11:32 AM ^

Poor guy. He'll be lucky if we even use him next year in the passing game. 

Until we get rid of all the weak links on this coaching staff and JH has a mindset change, we aren't going to the playoff so get that out of your heads.

Joined: 06/29/2009

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Zeke21

January 6th, 2019 at 11:33 AM ^

Glad we have so many coaches on blog that are better than the M coaches.

Very comforting.

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Arb lover

January 6th, 2019 at 1:00 PM ^

Sometimes analysts have more honest assessments of a company than a CEO, even though (of course) they have far less information. This is for a variety of reasons, not least the fact that admitting fault or that change is needed, runs contrary to human nature to buckle up and buckle down, and often results in change of leadership (especially if a trend is established). It's pretty much no skin off an analyst's teeth to call things based on the numbers. Same thing goes for a head coach.

 

Joined: 11/26/2017

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FrozeMangoes

January 6th, 2019 at 12:39 PM ^

 This take would only make sense if the UM coaches were coaching against the board.  UM coaches know more than us but so do all the coaches that they are coaching against.  Specifically, the ones that keep embarrassing them in big games. 

Rich Rod and Hoke knew a lot more than all of us, too. 

Joined: 08/12/2017

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Don

January 6th, 2019 at 1:21 PM ^

"Glad we have so many coaches on blog that are better than the M coaches."

Marty Mornhinweg knows far more about the details and specifics of football than the vast majority of MGoBloggers.

Yet very few of us would have elected to take the wind instead of the ball in overtime.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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Alumnus93

January 6th, 2019 at 11:41 AM ^

Geez.. glad they are now "planning" to do so ....despite the need being so blatantly obvious this past season....am surprised one of the wrs hasn't transferred out by now because of it ...

Joined: 09/10/2009

MGoPoints: 9684

Perkis-Size Me

January 6th, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^

Heard that two years ago too when we brought in DPJ, Collins, Black, and Martin. And yet this program still spends the majority of its first and second downs trying to run up the gut into a stacked box.

Like beating OSU, I’ll believe it when I see it.

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 106351

Navy Wolverine

January 6th, 2019 at 1:14 PM ^

Two years? It seems like I've heard this now for the last 40 years or so. First it was Bo was going to open things up to get the ball to Anthony Carter more. Then we heard how Lloyd was going to open things up. Then Hoke was bringing in Nussmeier to open things up. Now we are hearing it from JH? Whatever.

Before they focus on creating or calling plays to get the ball to their playmakers in space, I think they need to simply put all those playmakers (DPJ, Nico, TB) out on the field.

Joined: 09/26/2016

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username03

January 6th, 2019 at 11:51 AM ^

In all 3 losses this year the team was down multiple scores late in the game. The staff had the option to either try to score quickly or to effectively concede the game. In each instance they chose to concede. That's how much they hate scoring quickly. Color me skeptical we'll see it in a regular game situation.

Joined: 02/12/2016

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Arb lover

January 6th, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^

The problem with trying to make blanket statements is that one is quite often wrong. I get the sentiment, but the ND game was not like that. Michigan did not choose to concede. Now if your point is the team lacked tempo, well, that was true for every game, and I doubt your argument is we chose to concede vs Wisconsin, MSU and PSU or NW.

Michigan did a 2 minute drill and scored, with 2:49 left to bring it to a one score game. I'm sure they were trying to score before that, but it isn't the point. The did not concede is the point. 

Michigan then held ND and forced a 3 and out and got the ball back with 1:48. 

Michigan proceeded to advance 20 yards to the 45 with a minute left (yes I would have liked to see more tempo, but that's not your point) where there was a fumble. They still had plenty of time to score and tie the game. That's not conceding. It may be poor clock management and play calling, and a young line and new quarterback to the program, they were entirely in that game until the fumble. 

(Side note I think we were really only in that game because of Shea and other playmakers so I don't want to make it sound like I think it was Shea's fault). 

Joined: 11/26/2017

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username03

January 6th, 2019 at 1:42 PM ^

Tempo when down multiple scores is the point. There was very little evidence this year that they were ever trying to score quickly, which is problematic when down multiple scores late.  If you want to quibble over the word concede thats fine I was being a bit hyperbolic.

Joined: 02/12/2016

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PopeLando

January 6th, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^

Harbaugh did indeed debut new stuff for OSU. Unfortunately, that seemed to take the form of "tweaking how we block for runs up the middle."

When it works, like it did in the early season, we are in awe of Harbaugh's genius (he IS a good coach). When opposing coaches realize that you'll be running up the middle no matter what, your "surprises" turn into a farce. 

Oh, and some of his surprises were "surprise! We aren't running RPOs this game hahahahaha"

Joined: 08/01/2015

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MGoBun

January 6th, 2019 at 12:44 PM ^

Add me to the "I'll believe it when I see it" camp.  When my 75 year old mother can predict the plays (run vs pass anyway) accurately and knows 1st down is a run up the middle for 1 yard, there's a problem.  

I could understand the predictable conservative playcalling early in the season, with a new QB and an Oline that was still a mess, but they never got out of it and did the same damn thing every single game, regardless of opponent.  If it was so frustrating for us to watch, I can only imagine how frustrated the players became.

Also, can someone explain to me why it takes so damn long for the plays to get in?  Clock management is consistently god-awful, as others have noted, and I don't understand why.  

Joined: 11/24/2018

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Don

January 6th, 2019 at 1:28 PM ^

"the reason why it takes so long is a combination of over-thinking within the moment and lack of preparation in practices."

I think it's more likely due to the fact that it's offensive play-calling by committee. Committees can have a variety of strengths, but making quick decisions in the moment is not one of them.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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MIGHTYMOJO91

January 6th, 2019 at 2:16 PM ^

What a shame. Your mother could be making 7-8 mil a year with her football acumen. I would be willing to bet she could devise a plan to shut down "the complex" offense Michigan runs.

SMDH...missed opportunities man, missed opportunities!

 

Joined: 11/28/2015

MGoPoints: 4531

Tuebor

January 6th, 2019 at 2:41 PM ^

It takes so long because we huddle.

 

So we are un prepared for up tempo no huddle because it isnt practiced.

 

Huddles are obsolete imo.  Defenses don't use them, all 11 look to the sideline to get the play so offenses should be able to do that as well.

Joined: 03/14/2011

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Arb lover

January 6th, 2019 at 12:51 PM ^

So the tweet links to the 247 interview with Cornelius Johnson:

“There’s definitely talk of that… sort of expanding the offense more, throwing it more to the receivers on early downs,” Johnson said. “Definitely want to get that done this season. I can’t wait. I’m looking forward to it.” “Come in in shape, ready to ball out. That’s all I’m focused on.”

As far as the content, I know there are a lot of naysayers, but lets think back to last year and some of the criticism that came out of the end of last year, and what the staff did to make changes. Did they change everything that needed it? heck no, but our line was so much better even though they were young, our players weren't getting worn out due to diet/lack of proper strength conditioning.

Personally I'm in the trust but verify camp, so I'd like to see Harbaugh actually answer some questions on this and then maybe hopefully see some small or not so small coaching changes to back it up. Otherwise it's just chatter. The kids are excited and want to make it happen, lets do it!

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