Smith and Poggi

Submitted by Jon06 on

So I just finished watching the game (fell asleep during halftime because it was like 5 am here), and I wanted to try to get clear about when Smith was actually missing holes, and to say something about Poggi.

First, De'Veon Smith had at least 2 and I think 3 plays where he missed huge holes. The announcers noticed one, and I think Brian said there was only one really bad one. But on a play where the announcers spent the time after the play praising Smith's running style for dragging guys to the 1st down line, he ignored a massive lane to run into the defenders in the first place. On the play where Smith got stopped on 4th down, the announcers chalked the play's failure up to the defense, but he didn't follow his blockers at all. (I'm not sure about this because *maybe* Smith wouldn't have been able to hit the hole before one of the defenders coming through the B(?) gap caught his leg.) 

Second, Poggi got a really surprisingly large number of snaps, including some while two other TEs were on the field, but I haven't seen anyone discuss him at all

Anyway, I thought the football team looked pretty good. Hate to lose the game, but you have to feel good about the direction this team is headed.

Edit: My attempt to disguise my snowflake thread failed bc I only barely know who Gus Johnson is, obviously. Oops. Anyway, if that counts as good, I'm glad I don't pay usually attention.

Farnn

September 5th, 2015 at 6:49 PM ^

I think people are wrong on one of the missed holes by Smith.  It looks like a ton of room if he goes outside the tackle, but the DE is on the outside shoulder of the tackle and could disengage to tackle Smith.  Looks like the LT should have driven his guy out to make the hole to his right side that Smith was running to.

Jon06

September 5th, 2015 at 7:12 PM ^

I'd have to check again, but IIRC, on the run the announcers were praising him for, I think the hole was between the LT and the LG. And he had a ton of blockers out wide on the failed 4th down conversion, which is why the guys he decided to run into were totally unblocked.

Rhino77

September 5th, 2015 at 6:49 PM ^

First game of the season for everyone involved. Got to have time to shake off the rust. I work in TV and go 6 months between seasons. It's not always easy to get back into the swing of things.




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AlwaysBlue

September 5th, 2015 at 6:59 PM ^

worse than the over-hype surrounding sports is the criticism from those trying to be the smartest people in the booth, forum or whatever. And the last people I want to hear it from is some unaffiliated broadcast crew. I only care that Harbaugh is evaluating film and addressing the issues he identifies.

CoverZero

September 5th, 2015 at 7:12 PM ^

I like him as a person, but Smith will never be more than average RB at best.  He lacks burst and speed.  Misses a lot of holes because he simply is too slow.

This is the problem with Green and Isaac to some degree as well.   Only Johnson can hit the crease when it opens... perhaps Higdon can too we will see.

Smith is very average.  Runs hard but thats about it.

wahooverine

September 5th, 2015 at 7:18 PM ^

Gus is good. He incorporates the appropriate emotion and tone into his play by play and is very articulate in his pre-snap descriptions. He also weaves in interesting contextual facts about players. He adds to the game.  Def one of the best.

bamf16

September 5th, 2015 at 8:12 PM ^

Poggi a trainwreck.  Absolutely brutal on blocks.  But I will praise the kid for making the position switch.  This is a kid who was an AA on the defensive line, son of a coach, offers from Alabama and other power schools, and instead of transferring, willingly tries a new position and earned playing time in the first game.

 

Rooting for him, hope he gets better.

bamf16

September 6th, 2015 at 10:05 AM ^

If you're trying to make the point that Michigan is the only school that recruited Poggi on the defensive side of the ball, this is an unfair and untrue characterization.  A quick Google search brought back an article on ESPN written before his senior year of high school, which reads in part: 

"Alabama is one of two schools that are recruiting him on offense. Alabama has spoken to the 6-foot-3, 245-pound junior about playing tight end, H-back, defensive end or nose guard. Tennessee is recruiting him exclusively as a tight end.

 

Poggi also had offers from Auburn, Cal, Florida, Michigan State, Ole Miss, Notre Dame, Ohio State, and Stanford among others, to play DL.

 

I'll give you that it's not a brand new position for him, but you went too far.

Sopwith

September 5th, 2015 at 9:08 PM ^

He's going to improve dramatically over the season, I'm sure, but that was a rough start. On Rudock's boots to Poggi's side, Poggi couldn't slow the contain man down much if at all even when he had perfect position. 

Thought the announcers were fine. Better than average. Better than BTN.

BuckNekked

September 6th, 2015 at 9:08 AM ^

I didnt see anything from Smith that was different than last year. His vision and burst are poor at best. Hes slow too but that will never matter because he doesnt see the holes and when he does hes not quick enough to get thru unscathed.

While the line was poor on run blocking we have two 5* and a high 4* and this is the best we get in the running game? Wow. 

poseidon7902

September 6th, 2015 at 9:40 AM ^

Smith runs hard, but seems he misses quite a few opportunities.  I'm not trained enough to say if it's because he's slow or if he has tunnel visios.  What I do know is that the line did an amazing job stopping the pressure on Ruddock, but someone they couldn't open a single hole all game for the run game.  To me, that just doesn't add up.