October 3rd, 2015 at 3:28 PM ^
Particularly the first half. Must do much better against Northwestern next week.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:29 PM ^
It's gonna be dicey once Michigan runs into somebody they can't just shut out.
October 3rd, 2015 at 5:54 PM ^
another great defensive showing but you can see what we're not great at even on that side. Any team that has shifty WRs and a QB to get it to them will score enough to win if we can't keep up. Offense has to hit those open deep balls and we can't be as weak in the running game. I think we're good but closer to the back of the top-25 than front. BYU seems to be an above average team but Maryland is a joke and hung with us for an entire half even with very advantageous turnovers, the big Butt (couldn't help it lol) play, etc. We can't stall like that.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:31 PM ^
Smith is the MVP for this team. Without him, the offense cannot sustain, especially when they need less than three yards for a first down. Hope Drake gets it going... That would be wonderful having both Smith and Drake. Rudock has to get better. However, I don't see too many teams challenging M.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:33 PM ^
Especially noticed Smith's absence in pass protection. Isaac cannot block anyone.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^
neither can Green.
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:27 PM ^
Ask any offensive line coach. Pass pro is 75 pct "want to" and 25 pct technique.
October 3rd, 2015 at 9:00 PM ^
He also sets the tone and attitude for the whole team. He's going to stick his shoulder in someone's chest even if it's just for a two yard gain.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:31 PM ^
This game reminded me of the last couple of second halves. We don't look great but when we call an interesting play we get huge yardage. I'm not too concerned
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:31 PM ^
Two wins to bowl eligibility. Woo hoo.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:32 PM ^
Played vanilla, knew that was enough to win. Made halftime adjustments. Got the W.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:53 PM ^
Did we, though? Looked like we ran some screens, bubbles, deep routes, and receiver end around to me. Is chocolate only when double throwbacks or eligible lineman are involved??
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October 3rd, 2015 at 4:07 PM ^
I like that the adjustments are parts of the base offense, just tweaking things. You don't need fancy gimmicks if the constraint plays in your new offense are effective. I feel like that's something we've been missing since forever.
October 3rd, 2015 at 6:44 PM ^
Exactly, the only thin vanilla about the offense was the execution.
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:34 PM ^
Meh
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
Couldn't have said it better. Thoroughly uninspiring. Lots of work to do. Definitely don't feel confident going against NW's D.
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:36 PM ^
2nd half was good, first half not...
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
The offense needs to pick it up if we are going to win anything and it starts at QB.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
Isaac is done. Rudock is on thin ice - he just doesn't seem smart enough to handle his responsibility.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
Issac won't be done, but he's got an uphill climb now.
Rudock is a game manager. He's not going to go out and win us games with his arm. I don't think he's on thin ice at all.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:44 PM ^
I know - I'm overreacting.
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:08 PM ^
A game manager who turns the ball over twice a game isn't much of a game manager. Also, I don't think asking him to hit any of the 2-3 wide open deep guys he gets a game is that high of a bar to clear. If he could even threaten to do that it would open up this offense so much.
All that having been said, I don't know if thin ice is the right way to put it. If Shane was even close to being better we would have seen something from him by now.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:43 PM ^
Thin ice to whom?
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:51 PM ^
The viewing public
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October 3rd, 2015 at 5:56 PM ^
thin ice? how do people still not understand Morris is not anywhere close to being game ready yet?? yes Rudock has some then overs but un like Morris and boo's turn overs Rudock has pocket awareness and you know, touch downs.
October 3rd, 2015 at 6:41 PM ^
Hard to throw touchdowns sitting on the bench.
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
Hey Magnus, do you want to revise your statement that Isaac is better than Smith?
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:38 PM ^
28 points, I can't complain too much. They didn't look great but it also didn't look like they were opening the playbook at all.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:39 PM ^
Rudock struggles with the deep ball. It's to the point where I believe that he completes one and his confidence soars!
P.s. Less Stafford more Tex Mex commercials.
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:14 PM ^
He has had opportunities but has yet to show any ability to catch a ball downfield. At least one of his attempts he got a hand on it and I'd argue should have been caught.
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:38 PM ^
I agree with you. Three of them this year are on him, and there was some contact on Freddy today.
I would love to see him continue to try it though to other receivers.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:40 PM ^
We could see #M00N again next week. Tho it'll feel different this time around. A good #M00N not a bad #M00N. NW defense is good, our O meh at best. UM defense is great, NW O is bleh. Early prediction: we win, 5 to 0, with the points explosion coming in the 4th Q
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
Yeah, it'll probably be the #1 and #2 defenses in the country going at it.
October 3rd, 2015 at 5:32 PM ^
It would be NooM.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:41 PM ^
Although you definitely feel the effects of no De'Veon Smith, we got some good moments from Drake Johnson, I thought. Final line on Johnson was 13 carries for 68 yards, a shade north of five yards per carry. Actually, we got 134 of out 198 yards of rushing from two people, which could be interpreted in a few ways, some of which relate to some bad run blocking in the first half. I would have been interested to see some less vanilla plays, but there was no reason to bring them out really.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
I wonder how much the uncertainties in the weather forecast affected their preparations. It was a bit windy, so not a good day to throw a lot. And lacking De'veon in this situation was a factor. Ultimately, the D and the ST put them in good position and the O got it going.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:45 PM ^
Few things, first our qb is not going to win games on his own. Second, we need deveon and Drake. Three, I thought the play calling was very blah. Fourth, Rudock definitely struggles with long ball, although arguably, chesson should have caught one. Fifth? If like to see more Darboh and Butt.
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October 3rd, 2015 at 6:44 PM ^
We should throw to Butt ten times a game. He's a manimal. And for that matter why not Hill and Bunting? I suspect we'll see more of them in upcoming games.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:46 PM ^
Few things, first our qb is not going to win games on his own. Second, we need deveon and Drake. Three, I thought the play calling was very blah. Fourth, Rudock definitely struggles with long ball, although arguably, chesson should have caught one. Fifth? If like to see more Darboh and Butt.
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October 3rd, 2015 at 3:48 PM ^
We did miss smith, no doubt but other than Isaac fumbling twice our rbs played pretty good. Offensive line struggled to make holes and Rudock continues to play average.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:49 PM ^
We have some work to do...Maryland did prep well for this game
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:07 PM ^
...most teams we play will load the box to stop the run and dare Rudock to beat them with mid-range and longer passes. If he can connect on a couple of 20-yard+ passes per game, defenses will be forced to respect him which will open lanes for the run.
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:09 PM ^
In harbaugh I trust.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:51 PM ^
We only play good offense for half of the game? First half against BYU, second half against MD.
Hell, if we actually play a full game of offense we'll be putting up 50 points.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^
The offense was small flurry worthy. 2nd half brought some redemption, play calling and execution wise.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:57 PM ^
The offense is currently structured as throwing a ton of body blows (power up the middle) that is designed to get the opponent to drop their gloves (cheat inside with linebackers and safeties).
The reason we've been scoring on huge plays after lots of nothing is because that's when Harbaugh is throwing the huge punches to the head (end arounds, screens, PA passes to tight ends) when the opponent finally drops those gloves. He just saved it all for the second half, which is why things looked so ugly to start.
Once we're finally able to get 5 ypc on those body blows (we're not good enough for that yet) we're going to start mauling defenses. We're not there yet but in the next 2-3 years I'm expecting to see some punishing offenses.
October 3rd, 2015 at 3:59 PM ^
I suspect we were playing reserved a bit. I hate to use that as an excuse but it was like we weren't trying much of the game.
Iso up the gut
Iso up the gut
Iso off tackle
Iso up the gut
but when we needed it Harbaugh usually had a little trick to get it moving. Wouldn't surprise me to see some tom-foolery against NW and State
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:03 PM ^
Right now Ty Isaac is trying to stay very very very far away from Wheatley.
October 3rd, 2015 at 4:38 PM ^
Ty may never play a meaningful snap again this year. And deservedly so. Get well soon Deveon
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October 3rd, 2015 at 9:23 PM ^
Seems like he was trying to do too much and skipped over the fundamentals.