UCF Snowflakes: The Defense

Submitted by LSAClassOf2000 on

This thread will be the repository for any thoughts and hot takes on the defense and the defensive playcalling. 

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J.

September 11th, 2016 at 3:07 AM ^

Gregg Easterbook's TMQ (either you love it or you hate it) has a recurring bit titled "Stop Me Before I Blitz Again," showing how well elite quarterbacks do against the blitz.  In the NFL, rushing more than five is usually a serious mistake, because the opposing quarterback can take advantage.

Brown is making the calculated wager that a college QB will get flustered and will not be able to take advantage of the blitz.  In this game, he was mostly correct -- the only winning pass play UCF had was the scramble.  A blitz-heavy defense absolutely requires good gap responsibility. Somebody was responsible for quarterback containment on those scrambles.  All we can do is hope that the necessary lessons are imparted to keep this from becoming a recurring theme.

If Michigan were to run into an experienced passing QB with an above-average offensive line, this aggression may backfire.  However, the Big Ten isn't exactly a murderer's row of passers...

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MichiganTeacher

September 10th, 2016 at 7:00 PM ^

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned about our D vs Colorado's offense next week. They are moving through ISU like a citronaut through citrus space. I mean, yes, it's ISU. And last week was just CSU. But it's not like I'm jumping off the ledge here. I'm just... concerned.

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SpikeFan2016

September 11th, 2016 at 1:14 AM ^

Agreed. 

 

Colorado has the only offense that will significantly challenge us until the last two weeks of the season. (Not that we won't be challenged before then. It's just, I think if we are to lose to an MSU, Wisconsin or Iowa it will be because their defense shuts down our running offense).

 

This will be a closer game than people expect. 

 

I think it's extremely, extremely unlikely that Michigan loses, but I am expecting us to win by 2 scores or less. 

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BlueinLansing

September 10th, 2016 at 7:09 PM ^

One long run in which two officials decided nah no holding today, on either of you two, a busted QB run in which the QB gets the snap too soon, completely panics, and guesses right on where to run.  And two other runs that were lost containment that happen against teams that run Oregon's spread. 

They did not march up and down the field getting first down after first down, they did not make us look completely silly trying to play defense. 

 

Spread team, two fluky'ish TD's, this is miles better than Indiana last year.

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gbdub

September 10th, 2016 at 7:23 PM ^

Need to see the RPS score. The thing about an aggressive defense is that it will sometimes bust and produce big plays. But he good news is that busts are somewhat competition invariant, and if the cost of not letting OSU march down the field on every drive because we are "bend don't break" is a couple meaningless TDs against the Citronauts, I'll take that.


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Blue in Time

September 10th, 2016 at 9:23 PM ^

We have way more depth than OSU, way more, though they are scary talented at the starting positions. Call me nuts, but I think J.T. Barrett is way overrated. Plus, if they lose Samuels or Weber, they are doomed. Not to mention losing Barrett, which could happen next week.  

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uminks

September 11th, 2016 at 1:00 AM ^

spread offenses and option QBs getting big plays our our D. I think spread teams will continue to give us fits but I hope Brown can slow them down a bit and we can outscore them. Especially when we play OSU.

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brad

September 11th, 2016 at 1:38 AM ^

It looked like Gary blew some of the d line games they were playing and left running lanes open that UCF took advantage of. You have to think that will get sorted out with a little more time.

The db's still allowed themselves to get get run off by receivers on running plays, which opened up a couple other chunk plays.

Credit UCF for being aware and grabbing those yards, but both those issues are fixable with practice and yelling, and the rest of the D performance was pretty stellar.



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Sten Carlson

September 11th, 2016 at 11:41 AM ^

I saw three plays in which UCF did anything that should concern Michigan's defensive staff. One, as noted above, was a confluence of factors: a blatant hold, a bad angle, and a runner with elite speed. Ok fine. 9/10 that play results in a 10 yard loss due to the flag, or at worst a decent gain. The other two plays weren't scripted QB runs, they were broken plays where the defense, sensing blood in the water, got a bit overly aggressive. It wasn't like UCF's QB was running wild with our defense flopping around like dying fish like we've seen in the past. Everything about these three plays is coachable, and I have no doubt that the team will be better, in the long run, for having made those mistakes.

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