MichiganMan14

April 9th, 2017 at 6:06 PM ^

And contrary to news outlets...he's been running with the 1s alongside Chris all spring. I would take much of the "insider" info with a grain of salt. Complete knowledge of the offense and our fastest and strongest back. Will be very competitive this fall. Ty has done solid also. Big key this year will be who can run "tough". The holes are smaller and are closing quicker. Karan will have a shot to improve. Hopefully everyone keeps the clean health bill into the season and there should be carries to go around!

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

MichiganMan14

April 9th, 2017 at 10:17 PM ^

Dline has dominated. Oline will be much better and stronger by August and I think the new scheme will better feature our talent. We don't have a true bruiser back and the new scheme will feature some more outside tackle stuff and play to the slashing ability more than likely. Still have to maintain the A and B gap threat so those carries will go to who is running behind their pads, not fumbling and not going down on initial contact.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

MichiganMan14

April 9th, 2017 at 11:38 PM ^

This delay features the right tackle leading out to the right after delay block down. Mason waits too long to go get the backer... which is his man. He doesn't get to him in time and the hole you think you see on the left side isn't actually there until it's too late to cut back to it. Again....why do you think big #78 is heading out to the right as a lead blocker? Probably to lead block. The play appears to be designed to go to the right and a late and missed block negated the option to cut back. If we want to pile on players for missed assingments....you picked the wrong play and or player.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

MichiganMan14

April 10th, 2017 at 12:12 AM ^

It looks like this because the block was missed. Where do you think #78 is going? That's your lead blocker. Mason's block is throwing you off because he missed it and ended up blocking the backer into the play. You are right though....this could have been a huge gain. Youre trying to pin in on the back for not cutting back against the grain and design of the play. Every delay went to the play side last year. Was this some strange wrinkle? I don't think so...but I'm also not the Oline Coach to say definitively. Watch the play over and watch Mason. If you think he did his job then we have a different opinion.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

corundum

April 10th, 2017 at 12:26 AM ^

That LB already had inside levrage before Cole even released on the draw. Higdon needs to read the block, it would have been impossible for Cole to seal the LB off to the inside when the LB is already shaded to the play side before the ball is snapped.

Joined: 05/10/2012

MGoPoints: 47323

MichiganMan14

April 10th, 2017 at 12:41 AM ^

He didn't drive the block at all. The design of the play appears to be to the right. You're asking for one hell of a read to anticipate what actually happenEd on this play. It's actually a great defensive play.....maybe why Ohio state linebackers are getting drafted every year.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

MichiganMan14

April 10th, 2017 at 1:00 AM ^

I just confirmed that this was in fact a designed outside delay. Mason was not supposed to have the backer cross his face and there is no cutback feature at all to this designed outside run. This is the same play that resulted in a touchdown in both the Rutgers and Penn state games. OSU obviously has better linebacker play and coaching. Pinning this on the back is 100% wrong in this instance.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

Fezzik

April 10th, 2017 at 2:53 AM ^

I agree with you on the design of the play and where it's intended to go. Mason did release slightly late too. But cut backs are called cut backs for a reason. Sometimes they are designed in a play but usually they are done because the RB sees more green in a cut back lane rather than to the play side hole. This should of been one of those instances. He had plenty of green if he cut back inside off Cole's butt. Hard to fault a guy for running a play as it is intended but this was a missed opportunity.

Joined: 09/11/2015

MGoPoints: 5552

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

April 10th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^

He ran the play as designed but that was a misread in this case. He missed the read AND he failed to elude Raekwon (who is an outstanding athlete and LB) as the only guy in very open space. Regardless, one play does not define his ability. He has shown burst and balance with limited touches. We have 4 talented guys and we need 1-2 to be highly reliable and occasionally explosive. Hopefully Karan and all the backs are raising their game because the OL will need some help early in the season.

Joined: 11/01/2012

MGoPoints: 18054

JTrain

April 10th, 2017 at 7:29 AM ^

Pretty sure he saw the zebra on the left...and by this point in the game, knew that the zebra was pretty much an Ohio state player and would've tackled or tripped him anyway. Therefore, he went to the right. End of story.

Joined: 12/08/2012

MGoPoints: 8459

Qmatic

April 9th, 2017 at 7:03 PM ^

Karan with the delay/draw play is money. Just like the old school throwback screen to Vincent Smith. Higdon scored on either 3 or 4 of those plays this year. Poor use of him at the end of the year as he only was used for sweeps it seemed, and the D knew it

Joined: 01/09/2013

MGoPoints: 32790

MichiganMan14

April 10th, 2017 at 2:32 AM ^

The back is supposed to follow #78 to daylight. Nowhere in the execution of this play is there a cutback. (which would have to be anticipated before even being an option on this play) This same play went for Tds in the PSU and RU game. #78 is not running out to open grass to the right for his health. Mason paused too long and wasn't able to get to the backer, who made a great play on this snap. There was no "Huge" hole missed. The back did what he was supposed to do.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

geewhiz99

April 10th, 2017 at 9:05 AM ^

Agree with MichiganMan14 on this one - the play blew up because the OSU middle linebacker blew by Cole. If you watch the video slowly, you would observe that at handoff, the MLB is already flowing downhill. Higdon takes a couple of steps following his lead blocker to the right and is tackled by the MLB who blew by Cole. Higdon simply did not have time to react to the blown assignment by Cole.

http://imgur.com/a/TrCy7

Joined: 01/31/2012

MGoPoints: 409

MichiganMan14

April 10th, 2017 at 10:22 AM ^

He would have had to anticipate the missed block as soon as he got the ball. An impossible read? No. But a very difficult one. For a guy that had limited opportunities I wholeheartedly understand why he ran the play as designed. The hole that opened up opened after he already committed to running the play right and McMillan crossed Coles face. Great indo LB play.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

MichiganMan14

April 9th, 2017 at 10:23 PM ^

Unfortunately an injury stutter-stepped his freshman year. He was inline for big playing time if he would've been healthy. Unfortunate situation but he outperformed those aforementioned guys in camp. Just got hurt....because....Football.

Joined: 02/21/2012

MGoPoints: 19111

Champeen

April 10th, 2017 at 9:16 AM ^

If the old addage 'the unit is only as good as its weakest link' is true, then yes .... our OLINE will be mediocre at best.

However, i also believe we can hide that spot (run 75% of plays to othe side, chip with TE for help, FB/RB double etc..) and i am very confident at our other 4 spots.

That one spot though. It might be the weakest we have been at that spot since i have been watching Michigan football.  

Joined: 04/07/2011

MGoPoints: 14975

Ron Utah

April 10th, 2017 at 5:16 PM ^

Thanks for the highlights.

Higdon has some serious chops as a runner and I am excited about the Higdon/Evans show in '17.  Would like to see him continue to develop as a blocker, route runner, and receiver.

Joined: 02/28/2012

MGoPoints: 8375