Upon Further Review 2017: Defense vs Purdue Comment Count

Brian

2017 logoo_thumbSPONSOR NOTES. If you're a Power 5 university that still doesn't have air conditioning in a visitor's locker room in 2017, there's probably a reason. Maybe you're paying a buyout for a guy you hired after one good year in the MAC, that sort of thing. Maybe you've made some poor choices in your athletic department and do not have ready cash to repair the embarrassing thing about yourself. Maybe you need a loan. Well, HomeSure Lending can get you that loan.

Probably. I mean... it's not like you're a part of the Michigan fanbase. No promises. But you'll find out fast if you have sufficient credit to build a marginally acceptable locker room. That HomeSure Lending can promise.

FORMATION NOTES. 15 4-DL snaps versus 39 3-DL snaps; Michigan had a few passing down snaps where Furbush was a DE and they lined up in a four-man line, so call it 1/3rd four-man lines and 2/3rds 3-3 stuff with a heavy stack emphasis. Michigan had three dime snaps with all three CBs on the field, which is a slightly meaningful indicator about the trust they've got in their top three.

They had some more of their weird line slide snaps.

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This was about the only thing of note in the formations. Purdue had a bunch of bog-standard spread stuff. Michigan did what they'd done in their previous games. The end.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES. A little bit more rotation on the interior DL, with Solomon, Kemp and Dwumfour getting several snaps. Winovich was omnipresent until very late. LBs were Furbush, McCray, and Bush the whole way except for one drive Wroblewski got in the first half.

The secondary saw the now usual rotation of Hill, Long, and Watson through the snaps, in approximately equal shares. Hudson, Metellus, and Kinnel did not come off the field.

[After THE JUMP: throwbacks and doom]

Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O25 1 10 Shotgun quads TE 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass N/A Transcontinental Kinnel 24
Trickery to start off and Michigan isn’t ready for it. By the time the QB gets the ball back from Anthrop everyone is gone; Blough has his whole OL set up for a buffalo stampede. It is not a touchdown because Kinnel(+2) dodged a cut block and gets through all five OL to push Blough out; even without that Bush(+1) was going to run this down from behind. RPS -3. I could maybe ding Hudson for not seeing this is a lateral but that would be real rough.
O49 1 10 Shotgun empty 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Press two high Pass 4 Scramble Hurst 11
Bush blitzes and actually gets picked up this time, with a G coming off his man to shove him past. Blough can step up because Hurst(-2) got too aggressive and ends up knocked over five yards in the backfield. Big gap up the middle that only has McCray in it; first down. (Pressure -3)
M40 1 10 Offset I 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press two high Pass 4 PA screen McCray 1
Again this is very bad news. Michigan is in man coverage and once the CB gets run off there’s nobody in front of this for a long way. McCray(+2, cover +1) is able to redirect after sucking up on the PA and runs the back down from behind; an OL peels back to him but too late. On the one hand, free run from McCray and two yards, on the other this is at least a first down if he does not make this play. RPS push, I guess.
M39 2 9 Pistol FB 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press two high Pass 5 Stop and go Hill Inc
Hill(-2, cover -2) fortunate here as he bites hard on the double move and clearly interferes when he realizes he's beat. Interfering is the right move, at least. Blough’s throw is vastly long and Hill gets away with it. Pocket is collapsing but the throw does not appear affected. Gary(+0.5) and Bush(+0.5) had both shot through up the middle (pressure +1).
M39 3 9 Shotgun trips 3-3-5 3-3 LB strong Press two high Pass 5 Screen Bush Inc
Again with the screen business. Bush(+2, cover +2) manages to read it and peels back, nearly intercepting. Another situation where Michigan has one player make a play to rescue a difficult situation.
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 13 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O43 1 10 Pistol FB 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press two high Run N/A Iso Furbush 2
M a bit lucky here as the RB makes a bad cut. Gary slants away and Furbush(-1) replaces as the DE. He gets hit, gives ground, sealed inside, nice hole. Hudson(+0.5) blitzes off the edge and redirects, getting around the TE and possibly futzing with the back’s decision making process. Bush(-0.5) rather catches the lead blocker but does funnel back to help, which would be slow arriving because McCray(-1) thought this was IZ, it looks like, and doesn’t show up in the backside gap. He’ll probably shut it down but for 5-8; bad cut by the back into Metellus for a meh gain. Metellus(+0.5) did fill and tackle(+1) in space well.
O46 2 8 Shotgun trips 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 5 Drag Bush Inc
Furbush(+1.5) drives the LG, and on his blitz he does a subtle thing with a step outside before he plunges into the middle of the line. This baits the LG and now Bush(+1.5, pressure +3) has a free run at the QB; he hits on the throw and the resulting ball is a duck to nowhere. Gary(+1) around the corner at 8 or 9 yards and forces a step up into Bush. Route was open(cover -1) as Michigan was in man against mesh. RPS push, I guess: blitz got a free run but a non-Bush LB maybe lets this pass get off.
O46 3 8 Shotgun 4-wide 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Press one high Penalty N/A False start N/A -5
Oops
O41 3 13 Shotgun 4-wide 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Press one high Pass 5 Fade Long Inc (Pen -15)
Four verts; Clean pocket this time(pressure -2) as Purdue picks up a blitz well; Winovich gets knocked over as he’s on the interior and not edge rushing; Bush gets cut by the back. Blough has a little more time but pulls the trigger anyway on a fade route that Long(+2, cover +2) has blanketed. He’s in perfect position and gets his head around for the PBU. Maybe had a shot at the TE if Metellus wasn’t able to come down on him. Purdue hit with a chop block call on the Bush block; that’s iffy(refs +1) as Bush was cut and in the air when he got hit by a second guy.
O25 3 28 Shotgun trips 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Run N/A Power O McCray 3
Winovich(+1) dusts his guy and threatens to nail the back if he tries to go outside. McCray(+1) sets up shop at the LOS and is waiting to see where the back goes; when he dives in side he follows and initiates a tackle; Gary(+1) drove from the backside to join him. Hurst ate a play long double and that’s just not tenable against this D.
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 10 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O15 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 4-3-4 4-3 over Press one high Penalty N/A False start N/A -5
Mone in; Robo in; Kemp in.
O10 1 15 Shotgun 3-wide 4-3-4 4-3 over Press two high Run N/A Power O Kemp 4
This outcome is fine, getting there is weird. Hurst slants away from the gap Purdue attacks. Normally you see the playside LB, Furbush, funnel back to the MLB. Here Furbush is either late on a blitz or a bit off; he moves to the LOS and gets a G popping off on him. He nails that guy back and shuts off a potential gap so maybe that’s okay? Kemp(+1) is stalemating the TE and rips inside when the back passes to initiate a tackle; Robo(+1) has a good redirect and scrape to the hole to make a tackle. RPS -1, the slant made it LBs versus OL and Purdue had a blocker for everyone in the front here. Could have gone worse without a couple of one on one wins.
O14 2 11 Shotgun trips 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 5 Slant Kinnel 7
Ball out too quick for pressure on a dink and dunk throw that Kinnel is in push coverage on: he can’t make the catch more difficult but tackles immediately to set up third down.
O21 3 4 Shotgun empty 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Press one high Pass 5 TE out McCray 3
Winovich(+3, pressure +3) goes ole around the LG and hammers Blough the instant after he gets this off. Ball is accurate and McCray(-1, tackling -1) ends up overrunning the tight end to give up the first down. Michigan again a bit lucky: the TE’s knee hit as he spun.
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 7 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
M47 1 10 Pistol trips TE 3-3-5 3-3 LB strong Half press two high Pass 4 Flea flicker Bush -4
QB has to double clutch the return throw and he is doomed. Bush(+3, pressure +3) sees the pitch back and goes into rabid squirrel mode, shooting through a gap in the line and tracking down the QB for a sack; three Michigan players help finish. RPS +1.
O49 2 14 Shotgun empty 3-3-5 3-3 LB strong Press two high Pass 4 Scramble Solomon 7
Kinnel sent off the edge and picked up. Winovich(+1) gets around and threatens to sack; gap between Gary(-1) and Solomon(-1) allows him to break the pocket and pick up a chunk of yards. Pressure -2.
M44 3 7 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 split Press two high Pass 5 Angle McCray Inc
Hudson(-2, cover -2) gets beat badly on this and Purdue has the opportunity for a catch and run if they can just get it complete. QB gets it off just before the pressure gets there but the ball is weirdly off. I’m pretty sure that McCray(+1, pressure +1) got a fingernail on this, changing the trajectory just enough for an incompletion. Winovich(+2, pressure +1) again around the corner to hit the QB an instant after the release.
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 3 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O25 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 4 Throwback tunnel McCray 16
Clever tunnel variation that uses the rollout to shift the tunnel guy to the slot receiver. This catches the worst blitz for M to be in, as Kinnel is sent from the side away from the rollout. McCray is sitting back in a zone and Bush flows along the LOS. When WR catches the ball McCray is the only guy in the area. Watson(+1) comes up and forces the WR to start weaving to stay away from him; he gives up ground continually but gives M time to rally. McCray(-1) in tough but blocked away easily; should have given ground to get around. RPS -3.
O41 1 10 Pistol twin TE 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 4 Scramble Metellus 13
PA and a two man route that is a throwback. Dude looks relatively open but no throw, in part because Michigan has no contain here. Metellus(-2) is the edge guy and just stares at the tight end the whole time until Sindelar is well outside of him and ripping off a chunk. Ditto Bush(-1). Hudson does flow out but too late; he is the tackler.
M46 1 10 Shotgun 2-back 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 4 PA cross Winovich Inc
Winovich(+2, pressure +2) blows by the LT and runs at Sindelar. Sindelar rolls away, contained by Kemp and Furbush. He tries a crossing route on Kinnel(-1, cover -1) who is beat, and misses.
M46 2 10 Pistol 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Press one high Pass 5 PA tunnel N/A 36
Another slot tunnel with no throwback. M has six guys on the LOS and a seventh over the TE to the other side of the line. Five guys shoot at the QB, one dropper on the other side of the field, Metellus is the only guy in a ton of space. He has no shot. Kinnel(-1, tackling -1) comes up and misses a difficult tackle attempt; he had a blocker coming to him and only had one option: hammer at this and try to make it. He does get enough of the WR to slow him down and prevent a TD with McCray and Metellus rallying. RPS –3.
M10 1 G Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 5 TE throwback Hudson 10
This is man so it’s Hudson(-2, cover -2) getting lost; to be fair he really gets sold that he’s beating a block, and then beats it, and then whoops! RPS -2.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 7-7, 9 min 2nd Q. Well, this was frustrating. Pick on next drive sets Purdue up in M territory.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
M27 1 10 Shotgun twins twin TE 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Press one high Pass 5 Throwback TE screen Hudson Inc
Hudson(+2, cover +2) isn’t going to let this happen again. As TE tries to release he grabs and goes with him; no PI behind LOS. RPS +3. Once too many times to the well.
M27 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 Nickel over Press two high Pass 5 Throwback TE cross Kinnel 13
This one catches zone and should be nerfed for a modest gain but Kinnel(-1, tackling -1) decides to go high for some very bad reason and gets run over by the TE. McCray(-1, tackling -1) compounds matters by running up and accidentally bashing Kinnel off of the TE. Woof. Cover +1, RPS +1.
M14 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 4 Skinny post Metellus Inc
Overthrown; Metellus(+1, cover +1) in excellent position and has a play on anything but an inch perfect throw. Kinnel comes over and gets a borderline late hit, which is not in any way targeting. Not late enough to be a call IMO.
M14 2 10 Shotgun trips TE 4-2-5 Nickel over Press two high Run N/A Crack sweep Winovich 2
Only puller is playside T but whatever. Winovich(+1) feints and then bursts outside, refusing to get reached, and contains. Mone(+0.5) delays playside G release enough for Bush(+1) to climb over it and flow. He arrives first and tackles at a weird hard angle, with help from his friends.
M12 3 8 Shotgun 2TE 4-2-5 4-3 over Press two high Run N/A Power O Hurst 1
LOL, put it in the Hurst(+2) file. Hurst is the backside DT on a power play and destroys this by almost taking the handoff and tackling in the backfield. He can’t quite manage it but has delayed the back enough for Michigan to rally. Winovich(+1) is the beneficiary.
Drive Notes: FG(29), 7-10, 6 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O34 1 10 Pistol FB 4-2-5 4-3 even Press one high Pass 4 Back shoulder fade Hill Inc (Pen -15)
Two penalties here, a chop block on Gary (relatively benign) and Lavert Hill(+1, cover +1) drawing an OPI as the WR shoves him past on the back shoulder.
O19 1 25 Shotgun 3-wide 4-2-5 4-3 even Press one high Pass 4 Seam Gary Inc
They slide their protection so Gary(+2, pressure +2) is on a back. That goes about as well as you’d expect, with Gary thundering in for a would-be sack. Sindelar fires at his slot guy on a deep seam route on Metellus. WR has exactly one step and the throw is off. Push coverage.
O19 2 25 Pistol trips 4-2-5 Nickel even Press two high Pass 4 Flash screen Bush Inc
Sindelar airmails this. Bush was coming down on it and this was probably a few yards unless something goofy happened.
O19 3 25 Shotgun empty TE 4-2-5 Nickel even Press two high Pass 4 Tunnel screen Bush 0
Bush(+1) specifically deployed to defeat a tunnel and defeats it. RPS +3.
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-10, 3 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O21 1 10 Shotgun trips tight bunch 4-2-5 4-3 over Press one high Run N/A Inside zone Hurst 2
M folding Hudson inside Gary here so Hudson can jam/cover the TE on the LOS. When this happens Gary is a long way from the QB, another reason Winovich is racking up all the stats. Hurst(+2) shoves back the LG. He gets a momentary double; when the T leaves for Bush he is free to flow down the line and tackle. Still a bit of room as Hudson(-1) blown out by a DE; Gary(+1) comes around the outside super fast to help tackle.
O23 2 8 Pistol 3-wide 4-2-5 4-3 under Press two high Pass 4 Fade Hurst 24
Hurst(-1) jumps offside, free play. That play is a rather hopeful shot down the sidelines at Long(+1, cover +2), who is in position and gets a PBU on a back shoulder throw… until the deflection pops right into the WR’s hands. Life. Don’t talk to me about life.
O47 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 4-2-5 4-3 over Press two high Pass 4 Out and up Hill Inc
Rollout to buy time and M ends up in cover three; WR is inside of Hill by a step or two but Hill is off a little laterally and to the outside. With a post route removing Kinnel there’s a window here. Sindelar misses it badly, in part because Dwumfour(+1, pressure +1) read the rollout and got out to cut the QB off. He has to stop suddenly and throws off his back foot. Ball is way outside. WR tries to run through Hill, falls over, no flag.
O47 2 10 Pistol 3-wide 4-2-5 Nickel even Press two high Run N/A Inside zone Solomon 4
Given situation near end of half this is a good outcome, as Michigan is playing soft. Solomon(+1) drives his guy and gets off to tackle as the back passes; McCray(+0.5) isn’t attacking hard but does get outside to force it back just a couple yards downfield; Hurst(+0.5) dodges a cut block and flows down the line to help finish the tackle.
M49 3 6 Shotgun trips 4-2-5 Nickel even Press two high Pass 4 Sack Hurst -1
Very much a team sack. Coverage(+2) good for a couple beats. M doesn’t get anyone through as Purdue picks up a DT twist but the DEs don’t provide an obvoius lane and a spooked Sindelar tries to bug out. Hurst(+1) and Solomon(+1) drove the pocket well, they’re both six yards in the backfield and in good position to tackle no matter where he pops out. Hurst grabs a leg and tackles; ball momentarily pops out but goes right back to the QB.
Drive Notes: Punt,7-10, 27 sec 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O20 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass N/A Sack Winovich -2
Attempted reverse throw to Blough on a wheel route; Michigan blanks it. Hurst(+1) gets so much penetration he almost sacks for a loss of 11; he disrupts the WR. He decides not to throw; probably wise since M is covering it. Winovich(+1) in the area as he tries to run; he simply forms up and tackles for loss, no funny business. RPS +2.
O18 2 12 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 split Press one high Run N/A Edge pitch Kinnel 3
Trying to edge Winovich and they kind of do; he is flowing inside out fast enough to string it out at least. Kinnel(+2, tackling +1) has a blocker; he throws him away and shoots up to tackle at the LOS. Winovich does help.
O21 3 9 Shotgun trips 3-2-6 3-2 dime Press one high Pass 4 Slant Hill Inc
How Hill(+2, cover +2) didn’t get credit for a PBU on this I don’t know. He’s got Anthrop in man coverage and is in the guy’s back pocket. Anthrop tries to bump him off the route and come back but Hill has a little jersey and gets his hand in to knock it away, or close enough. Interference here? Maybe, but pretty mutual. Bush(+0.5) coming free as Gary(+1) thunked a guy inside on a stunt(pressure +1).
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-10, 10 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O37 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 4 Slant Hudson Inc
Hudson(+1, pressure +2) gets a free run as M blitzes him for the first time this game and the OL is concerned with Gary. Hot read in front of Sindelar is a slant route that Bush(+1, cover +3) has sat down in front of. I don’t know if Sindelar turfs this in a panic once he sees what he’s about to do but that’s the only thing between Bush and an INT. RPS +3.
O37 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 5 Sack Bush -11
Furbush(+1) again clears the way, threatening to split two OL and occupying their attention. Bush(+2) has a free run and when the QB turns around he’s already dead. Bush begins to sack and may just be losing him when Winovich(+1) comes in and finishes the job. RPS +2, Pressure +3.
O26 3 21 Shotgun trips 4-2-5 Nickel even Press two high Run N/A Draw Kinnel 14
A little bit RPS as M has a twist on that Purdue picks up and this draw goes past both DTs; twist allows OL to get out on McCray easily, and Bush is ten yards off the LOS. That breaks to the second level, and then Kinnel(-2, tackling -2) has a bad missed tackle that neither forces the RB inside or appreciably slows him. Bush(+1) is very fast and shuts this down but that cost Michigan several yards of field position and could have been dangerous. No RPS because of the situation.
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-10, 8 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O25 1 10 Shotgun 2-back 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press two high Pass 4 Flare screen Metellus 4
Man coverage. Hudson gets driven back into Metellus’s path, mostly; Metellus shoves the pair and Hudson(+0.5) miraculously stays on his feet to help pursue. Metellus(+1) is the first to make contact at a couple yards and leaks one or two. Cover +1.
O29 2 6 Shotgun trips tight bunch 3-3-5 3-3 LB strong Press one high Pass 4 Yakety sax N/A -12
Jet motion that’s probably leading to a waggle that wants to get the flat guy; Sindelar fumbles.
O17 3 18 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 Nickel even Press two high Pass 4 TE flat Winovich Inc
Very strange twist from the DTs, who are way split out and have these big arcing loops that seem more like tunnel defense than anything resembling pass rush. M still gets that because Winovich(+1, pressure +1) is through immediately, flushing the QB into Hurst on one of those exaggerated loops. QB dumps; Bush(+1, cover +1) is there to tackle after a minimal gain and the force of his hit actually jars the ball loose.
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-01, 1 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O20 1 10 Shotgun empty 3-3-5 3-3 stack Press one high Pass 4 Fade Long Inc
Cut blocks for everyone; Blough throws a fade at Long(+2, cover +2), who is in dominant position and gets a PBU.
O20 2 10 Pistol 2TE 3-3-5 4-3 even Press two high Pass 4 Tunnel screen McCray 5
Bit of a dangerous play here from McCray as he goes upfield of his blocker and if he doesn’t make it he’s given up a big play; Kinnel is in the area and can hunt this down if McCray forces to help. But McCray(+2, tackling +1) does make it, tackling for a modest gain.
O25 3 5 Shotgun 4-wide 4-1-6 4-1 dime Press two high Pass 5 Drag Bush Inc
Hudson off the corner for a fifth rusher. Pocket holds (pressure -2) and Blough has time to stand in and fire on a route that takes a little time. Bush(-0.5) is again sitting right under this as Michigan anticipates mesh but doesn’t widen out quite enough and Blough has a small window outside of him for a completion. Dropped. Tough catch outside of the frame, though, possibly because of Bush. RPS +2.
Drive Notes: Punt, 21-10, 9 min 4th Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O25 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Off one high Pass 5 Sack Winovich -5
Happy feet from Blough but probably happening anyway. Coverage(+2) good on an attempted high low of a corner on Blough’s first read and then he’s done. Winovich(+2, pressure +2) dives inside and drives; he extends away from the RG and gets him on his heels, shutting down Blough’s flight path for a sack. Furbush(+1) looped around efficiently and got through, perhaps spurring the pocket departure.
O20 2 15 Shotgun trips 3-3-5 Nickel even Half press two high Pass 4 Slant Bush 16
Hurst(+2, pressure +2) gets a but lucky as neither Purdue OL decides to pick him up, but his LOS move played a part in this. Blough gets the ball off, rather incredibly, and nails his TE for a nice gain. Bush(-1, cover -1) is successfully walled off from the pass and then has a little trouble tackling. Penalty on him is ridiculous though. Refs -2, not that it mattered.
O36 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 3-3 stack Off one high Pass 5 PA throwaway Bush Inc
Zilch is open as Hill(+1) and Watson(+1) blanket their guys. Bush(+1, pressure +1), blitzes, gets into the OL pulling to protect the edge, bounces off, and chases Blough down to force the throwaway.
O36 2 10 Shotgun 4-wide 3-3-5 3-3 line slide Off one high Pass 5 Hitch Hurst Inc
Weird line thing  features a Bush(+1) and Hurst(+1) twist. Bush is through the line in a flash and the C has no choice but to stay with him, so the Hurst loop is unstoppable. Bush has already cleared the space. Ball out for a four yard hitch that will see an instant tackle; dropped. RPS +2, Pressure +3.
O36 3 10 Shotgun 4-wide 3-2-6 3-2 dime Off one high Pass 5 Sack Winovich -8
Winovich(+2, pressure +3) right around the LT at eight yards-ish; McCray(+1) helps shut the space down so Blough has nothing to do but drop.
Drive Notes: Punt, 28-10, 5 min 4th Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Pack Front Cover look Type Rush Play Player Yards
O36 1 10 ??? 3-3-5 3-3 stack ??? Run N/A Jet sweep Wroblewski 5
Hudson(+1) has a blocker, forces it inside at the numbers. Robo(+2) isn’t as fast as Bush and this gets more yards than it would otherwise, but he does jar the ball out with a tackle that punches right on said ball.
Drive Notes: Fumble, 28-10, 2 min 4th Q.

I AM VERY TINGLY

Yo let's drive chart this:

  • 8 three-and-outs
  • 3 first down-and-outs, one of which is a FG after Michigan's INT.
  • fumble on first play
  • opening drive that's a trick play and a scramble and a three-and-out
  • 75 yard throwback-heavy TD drive

That is one annoying drive away from perfect, at least in the non-Rutgers realm. Purdue's probably going to find that their early optimism tops out into a season where bowl eligibility seems pretty good. (This is still an accomplishment for Jeff Brohm.) They did not have any of the things that an opponent needs to test Michigan's defense except a decent-to-good slot receiver and a balls-to-the-wall attitude.

Still, not screwing up is hard and Michigan mostly did not.

Mostly?

The pass rush obscured a few open guys, and there were tight windows that could have been hit. I shudder to think of what this week might have been like amongst the Michigan fanbase if Purdue was able to hit this deep shot:

That's tough, and the coverage is decent.

Earlier, Hudson got beat cleanly. This is a chunk play if McCray (probably) doesn't get a fingernail on it:

#7, MLB-ish

That's a clever route combo that plays on the third-down tendency to run America's Rollout Out... but it probably shouldn't work so well on third and seven, which is not an ARO down. If you are looking for holes, Michigan's safeties all came out at or around zero in this game, and there are hints here and there that they have some weaknesses the other parts of the defense patently don't.

But, I mean. You can live with that when you've got this front seven.

Man, what a great game. I tingle in anticipation about who had the greatest game. Tell me. I want to know.

FOX's director.

...not Devin Bush

Look, Devin Bush is great and all but I'd trade him to have this director follow Michigan around and do every game. Not only did he zoom out when it was appropriate to do so, he had tight shots for probable runs and had two useful replay angles cued up for many plays. The only play they missed the start of was in garbage time when it was time to talk about Brady Quinn's career against Purdue. It was my favorite direction of a Michigan game I've charted. Ever!

Okay... but Devin Bush.

I love this man, who I do not know. The man who does the football directing good.

Please, please, please talk about Devin Bush now.

Well first, here's this...

disturbingly sensual chart titled "RICK" because you think this guy's name is rick I guess?

Rick just sounds like the kind of guy who would be amazingly competent at directing a football game, shut up

RICK, THE CHART

Defensive Line

Player + - T Notes
Gary 6.5 1 5.5 Another good, if somewhat quiet day.
Hurst 9.5 3 6.5 Added a couple things to the Hurst file.
Mone 0.5   0.5
Winovich 18 18 Dominant pass rush outing.
Kemp 1  
Solomon 2 1 1
Marshall       DNC
Paye     DNC
Jones   DNC
TOTAL 37.5 5 32.5 Sheer lack of minuses is pretty stunning.
Linebacker
Player + - T Notes
Furbush 3.5 1 2.5 Despite the score, lengthy section on him later.
Bush 17.5 3 14.5 Almost as good as Rick The Director
McCray 7.5 4 3.5 Rescued a couple of screens that looked bad.
Robo 3   3 FF on last charted play.
TOTAL 31.5 8 23.5 One more game for all Bush takes to be validated.
Secondary
Player + - T Notes
Hudson 5 5 0 Got beat a couple times in coverage.
Metellus 2.5 2 0.5 Boring day.
Kinnel 4 5 -1 Missed tackles but big play on transcontinental.
Hill 4 2 2 One excellent PBU.
Long 5   5 Great position on three targets.
Watson 2   2
Glasgow       DNP
TOTAL 22.5 14 8.5
Metrics
Pressure 35 9 +26 Could not block for anything longer than about four yards.
Coverage 22 9 +13 A few hiccups from the safeties; CBs great.
Tackling 3 6 -3
RPS 19 12 +7 This was a comeback, man.

That RPS number is a big Don Brown win and it was the Braylonfest of RPS wins: after the Purdue TD drive I had all of Purdue's RPS positives and just one of Michigan's. They went from –11 to +7 on an 18-0 run.

I have to ask about the –11 section of the game.

I understand.

I wish it to be known that I expect a number of bad things to happen and Don Brown always comes in under expectations.

This is not a criticism.

Certainly not.

And yet we must delve. Onward. Live I thought the Purdue touchdown drive was a –10 RPS kind of thing; turns out it was –8, which is still not great. On this particular drive Michigan committed a bunch of guys to contesting rollouts and got throwback tunnel screens on their face twice. Purdue switched it up by having their slot receiver grab the screens; the rollout sent Michigan players running the wrong way and they could not redirect to be useful:

Ace detailed Purdue's throwback wheel-with-drag-under-it play; this is a similarly clever tweak to regular play that was effective. Very Brohm. Purdue did get lucky that Michigan had the worst possible blitz on versus this playcall, but this probably would have worked anyway.

Sindelar picked up a first down on a bizarre scramble on an attempted throwback, and then Michigan rolled out the red carpet for another slot tunnel when they lined up in their line slide package on second and ten. Nobody from the box can contest this. It is a free first down with a blocker delivered to the last man:

I did minus Kinnel here but only –1 because I think he made the right decision; his tackle attempt did give the rest of the D time to rally and stop this at the ten. Other than that there's nothing a Michigan player could have done.

Finally, Hudson got sold a bill of goods on the TE throwback, which is undefeated once a game. Throw in the –3 on the QB throwback and there's Purdue's coaching positives for the game.

Why didn't Purdue keep doing this?

They tried. Michigan adjusted. The first play of Purdue's next drive was an attempted TE throwback screen that got thrown into the ground because Hudson was in the chest of the TE. The second was a throwback to the TE that broke for a first down mostly because Kinnel didn't go low on a guy 50 pounds heavier than him; if Kinnel cuts the guy's legs out he picks up five yards.

Michigan had Purdue downloaded after this drive, on the throwback stuff and the trick play stuff and even some of the more basic concepts. Don Brown twice dropped Devin Bush directly into Purdue routes for near-picks, once on a slant, and once on mesh:

Hurry the QB a little more or widen Bush out a little bit more and that's a pick six. The slant went into the turf, possibly because the QB realized what he was about to do at the last second.

Michigan also had Bush specifically tasked with whomping a tunnel screen that Purdue duly ran on third and long. He whomped it. By the end of the game Brown was practicing whatever blitzes he hadn't gotten to yet and Blough got snowed under. Purdue's yards in this game were mostly RPS, and they all but stopped after their TD. Thus the comeback and a solid W for Don Brown against a tricky customer.

Okay but can we please talk about Bush now?

It's really hard not to get ahead of yourself with Bush, but here we are. Four starts, four great games. My favorite Bush play was probably the one he didn't actually make a tackle on, but would have. Raise your hand if you saw the QB throwback and the impending Buffalo Stampede and then saw Devin Bush closing like an avenging angel and though "oh thank God":

This is where Bush is when the D has collectively realized it's a throwback. He's the guy with dreads in the dead center here:

image_thumb[6]

He turns that into a would-be tackle 25 yards downfield. JFC.

Bush's ability to read plays and redirect effectively showed up again. He nearly intercepted a screen on Purdue's first drive on a play that looked otherwise certain to work. He blew up Purdue's flea flicker by going 0 to 60 in a flash:

He jarred the ball loose from Purdue's tight end in another situation where he made up a ton of ground. He tracked down a back who had gotten dangerously loose on third and a bunch, and he was obviously a terror in the backfield.

Four games into his sophomore year the discussion is already about how far back in the past you have to go to find a better Michigan linebacker. I'm still holding the line at David Harris. If he keeps on this track that might not last the season.

I don't understand why nobody blocks him. If I'm an offensive coordinator I might be like "okay guys, let's try to block this guy," you know?

I think it's time to talk about Noah Furbush. Michigan is playing him instead of Bryan Mone, a 330-pound tank. Why? WTKA's Ira Weintraub put it best: Furbush is Bush's fullback. His job is to blitz and get engulfed by two guys. His only goal is to prevent the guy who should be blocking Bush from doing so, and he's excellent at that. This Bush QB hit was the clearest example of Furbush's job and why he's good at it. It's subtle, but watch Furbush feint outside before diving in at the C:

#59 LB to top of screen

OL commits and then Bush is gone, doing Bush things. This is the story of virtually all of Bush's free runs into the backfield.

#59 LB just left of umpire

Furbush's combination of speed and heft draws OL attention; he is able to drive these OL after getting a running start, and the rest is rabid squirrel history.

Mone is not able to do this. He cannot run at a couple OL and force both to block him even when it's pretty clear they shouldn't. There are many reasons Michigan is running a 3-3-5 this year; Furbush's ability to clear the way for Bush is #1. He is the definition of an unsung hero.

Doesn't that feel like something that opponents will adjust to?

Probably? Maybe? You have to figure that Purdue went into this game aware that they needed to block Bush first and foremost, and that didn't happen. Furbush has been good at putting himself in spots where the OL is picking between guys to let through. I'd still choose "not Bush" if I was an OC, and we'll see if that is the pick going forward.

Michigan's late pass rush did display some variations on the theme that should forestall a total shutdown of Bush's backfield forays. Winovich's first sack features Bush dropping while Furbush loops around untouched:

He doesn't get there as fast but it's fast enough. Later a Mo Hurst hurry has its path carved out by... Devin Bush:

#73 NT and #10 MLB

Bush's guy is understandably 100% focused on him. The idea that someone might stunt around never occurs to him and Hurst gets a free run up the gut. Brown has kept opponents guessing and will continue doing so; the Bush decoy section of the game was no less likely to get a guy to the quarterback than the rest of the game was.

And then the other guy... you know... captain... name is on the tip of my tongue...

It must be weird for Mike McCray, who entered the year as Michigan's Last Returning Starter and was instantly relegated to the sidekick's sidekick. He was great last week and quietly effective this week. Bush wasn't the only linebacker to rescue an ohshit screen:

#9 LB to top of screen

McCray didn't get a lot of other plays on which he was tested; that was a lifesaver. He mitigated another very open-looking tunnel screen:

I'm not usually a fan of going upfield of a block, especially when you're the last guy between Purdue and a guy shooting straight upfield until Metellus either tackles or gives up a TD. But that job got done.

McCray did get a little lucky on a would-be third and short conversion that he overran. The tight end's knee hit when he made his move, forcing a punt. The rest of his day was solid.

I used to remind people that UFR grades needed to be interpreted differently by position: zero was bad for a DL but okay for a linebacker. I said this because Michigan's linebackers had a tough time keeping their heads above zero. While McCray had a bad day against Cincinnati and is currently being dwarfed by Devin Bush on the chart, he too is an upgrade from Michigan's linebackers since... about David Harris, I think. Just not as much of one.

Sweet Odin's teats, Chase Winovich.

Yeah, 18-0=18 is something. Winovich was again rampant. Like Khaleke Hudson's interception against Cincinnati, his late sacks were only justice for a day of pillaging opponent backfields. Here he's the "nose tackle" in Michigan's slide and finds himself matched up with a guard. It does not go well for that guard:

#15 nose tackle

A few plays later he'd win on a pure speed rush; again the ball was out a fraction of a second before Winovich plowed the QB:

#15 standup DE to top of screen

This was a theme. Purdue could not keep Winovich from getting around the corner productively. He of course helped out on Bush's two half-sacks.

His pass rush is in fact more impressive than Bush's since he's almost always beating a guy straight up. Bush gets his meat cooked by Furbush, to use an old RichRod term. Winovich gets it raw, and gets to the quarterback. And even with all of that I think this play was my favorite from Winovich's day. Pitch sweep to him:

#15 DE to top of screen

Winovich doesn't anticipate the crack pre-snap—his first step is upfield—and he's still athletic enough to redirect around it in a flash, whereupon he seals the edge and takes two blockers and paves the way for his teammates. Winovich is no longer a wild and crazy guy. He's just the latter.

(BONUS: check out the announcer reacting to a pitch outside with "and here comes the trick play." I thought the same thing.)

Winovich is playing at or above Taco Charlton's level from last year. We'll see how it goes against higher-end competition, insofar as that exists on the rest of the schedule. It might not: PSU is still running out guard-type guys at tackle and Isaiah Prince holds down the right side for OSU.

Did I see something about Hurst being an AA despite not, like, doing much?

Despite the lack of stats, Hurst is really doing some yeoman work on the inside. He's a PFF All-American through four weeks; he has zero sacks and 2 TFLs. This is about right. In case you forgot about Dre, here's one for the Mo Hurst file:

#73 DT to bottom of screen

That does not happen. People on the back side of a power play take the play off because they are incapable of doing anything about it.

Hurst is another reason Bush gets so many free runs. He starts in a zero tech and all three interior OL have to be aware of him since his first step threatens to jet through either A gap. No wonder it's hard to get one of those guys out on a linebacker.

Man, Mike Zordich must get upset about a lot of things.

For a position group that got publicly chewed out in fall camp, the cornerbacks are currently executing the best case scenario. Our data is still limited; cornerbacks not named Watson got their first real tests of the year and shined. As Ace detailed last week, Purdue's receivers, especially on the outside, are very bad. This only matters so much, though, because a lot of CB play is finding the ball when it's in the air. Both Hill and Long did this impeccably. Long was tested on fade routes three times; each time he got his hand on the ball. Two were impressive PBUs...

...and one was a bad-luck event where Long forced the ball out of the WR's hands only for bloody fate to decree it would hang there for the gentleman to acquire.

Hill meanwhile was robbed of a PBU on this excellent bit of underneath coverage:

No idea how you don't offer the havoc stat for that. (Also this is why the director was so good. Endzone cam followed immediately by an isolation shot of the coverage, now I know everything about this play. Thank you based Rick. Are we still saying "based"? Please inform.)

Hill's other obvious involvement was on the non-PI that Fox discussed for a few minutes. This spurred a Bonafide Rant in the game column and I stick by that. The broadcast angle was the one that provided the best view of the relative position and momentum of the participants:

A cornerback can't run in a straight line downfield? I'm sorry, I thought this was America. If that's not explicitly called out in the rules as not PI, it should be.

Hill did bite on a double move early, which was a weakness we expected going into the year. He probably should have gotten called for holding—certainly if the Crawford flag was the standard the refs were going by—but if you do get beat like that, giving up 15 yards is hardly a tragedy with this defense.

You had some mumbles about the safeties above.

I mean, they're good. They're in the right spot, and with the exception of Air Force getting one over on Metellus busts have been nonexistent, or close to it. They're benefiting from Michigan's pass rush, it's true. They are not screwing it up so badly that the pass rush doesn't get home on a regular basis.

But! There were some opportunities they provided with bad coverage, and Kinnel had a bit of a rough day with his tackling. This is the kind of whiff I'll –2 because it neither contains nor slows the target:

Third and twenty one but once that RB breaks outside Purdue might get this if Devin Bush was, say, Desmond Morgan, or if the Purdue running back was Dalvin Cook.

Kinnel also whiffed on one of the tunnel screens on the TD drive—though not as badly—and got run over by Purdue's tight end. He leaked about 20% of the yards Michigan gave up on missed tackles, and didn't have many opportunities to make up for that in coverage. As always with defensive backs they share in a big positive coverage number.

Any flashes from the young DL?

A couple. Dwumfour forced the bad throw on the semi-controversial Hill play by getting around a couple of guys and then bursting upfield in a Hurst-ish way, and Solomon had a shove-and-disconnect tackle late in the first half:

Hints here and there that they'll be good when called upon next year.

Heroes?

Winovich, Bush, and Long stand out amongst a defense that was almost uniformly excellent.

Maybe not so heroic?

Nobody was bad, or even particularly close to it once you figure in the coverage number for the safeties. But those three guys were Michigan's relative weak point in this game, getting beat in coverage a few times and missing some tackles. "Relative" is doing a lot of work in the preceding sentence.

What does it mean for Michigan State and the future?

Here it is for Devin Bush. If he can be effective against an offense that is going to do everything it can to put a big dude in his face the sky's the limit. Even if MSU does get him on the regular he's already established he is an All American against the spread.

Also Bryan Mone. If MSU's heavy sets don't result in a lot of Bryan Mone playing time, either 1) he's just not going to be used much this year or 2) Michigan's whooping up on MSU's OL with the 3-3-5 so much it's hard to change.

Noah Furbush has one job and he does it well. He's a defensive lineman that starts off the LOS. His job is to clear the way for Bush.

Chase Winovich is out of his mind. Every snap until garbage time, and he only got more productive as the game went along. Now relentless and responsible. AA-level performer, making three along with Hurst and Bush.

The cornerbacks: probably good. Hill and Long were in hip pocket coverage the whole game, and were able to make plays on the ball when tested. Air Force tested their run support; all that's left is for these guys to take on some top flight competition.

If there is a weak spot it is the safety trio. Not saying they are. Not saying they ain't.

Don Brown: dude. Dude, Don Brown.

Comments

BigReward

September 29th, 2017 at 2:43 PM ^

People complain about announcers all the time, but I barely notice.  But I did notice how much more of the game I was seeing on Fox.  Not just in following the play, but little things like seeing the kicker go through steps and doing some plyometric jumps before kicking off.  I wondered if it was just me who appreciated this.

I Like Burgers

September 29th, 2017 at 4:31 PM ^

From what I've seen, they haven't really used him much as a blocker.  And I mean, why would you?  The guy is a freak.  If you're not giving him the ball, use him as a decoy.  He's Penn State's leading rusher AND leading receiver.  Out of McSorley's 82 completions, Barkley has 23 receptions.

Penn State's offense is basically hand it off to Saquon, fake it to Saquon and McSorley runs it (40 carries aleady), throw it to Saquon, or fake it to Saquon and throw it to Gesicki.

They don't do a lot besides that.

In reply to by Pepto Bismol

1VaBlue1

September 30th, 2017 at 9:04 AM ^

I don't think Barkley needs anything cherry-picked to show how good he is at it.  Dude is flat out good at football.  But he hasn't seen a defense like Michigan's yet this year.  Iowa is a tough unit, and will destroy MSU today, but its slower, with somewhat less talent at every position than Michigan fields.

It will be a hard thing to do, but stopping Barkley can't all be on Bush.  However, I think the hardest thing the D will have to do, is protect McCray.  Do not let McCray get isolated on Barkley for any play - let alone something where SB is trying to get outside (looking at you, wheel route).  If Barkley see's McCray bearing down, he's going to lick his chops like a snake taking a chicken egg...

ScruffyTheJanitor

September 29th, 2017 at 2:58 PM ^

does Don Brown get his players to do the subtle things that unlock big plays? Is he from a future where humanity has coaching figured out and also time travel, which he uses to come back to dominate in our time? I don't get it.

Bush is playing like an All-American Senior linebacker when he should not be doing these things. 

TrueBlue2003

September 29th, 2017 at 5:01 PM ^

Seems like he never gets much mention, but I think it's mostly Don Brown.  He's a LB coach by trade, and Bush is his prototypically perfect LB.  I could be wrong but my guess is Partridge was given that position coming off a recruiting position because it was a place where Brown could do the bulk of the work and Partridge could learn how Brown wants the LBs to play.

It was like when Greg Mattison was the DC and we gave him most of the credit for the DL play because that's his bread and butter.  I don't even remember who the DL coach was then.

StephenRKass

September 29th, 2017 at 7:10 PM ^

"I don't even remember who the DL coach was then."  Is that a subtle slam, or do you really not remember? Of course, we're all delighted with our current coaching staff, especially Jim Harbaugh, but really, all of them. Hoke had many failings. Having said that, the DL coaching was not one of them, imhe.

Squash34

September 30th, 2017 at 2:05 AM ^

I think it needs to be reiterated that Partridge is still bringing stuff to the table desides just being an elite recruiter despite Brown probably doing the heavy lifting at LB. The special teams has been very good and he should get a lot of credit for it.

Gulogulo37

September 30th, 2017 at 3:03 AM ^

And he's just really athletic. Brian used to talk about how much being smart as an LB matters way more than athleticism. I'd imagine he's changed his mind a little bit. Being where you need to be is still more important, and it's not like Bush has been alternating great plays with terrible plays like Mouton (IIRC), but we're seeing how nice it is to have a lot of speed to go along with sound play.

reshp1

September 29th, 2017 at 5:10 PM ^

People fawn over Brown's command of the X's and O's and deservedly so, but when talking about Brown, his fellow coaches always bring up his talent as a teacher first and foremost.

We'll see if the stats hold up over through the rest of the season, but if he's able to turn out a top 5 defense after losing 11 guys to the NFL, it really will be a testament to his ability to get his guys up to speed in a short amount of time. 

Indonacious

September 29th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^

Out of curiousity, what are your expectations for Gary?

I figured I would look up another DL who I remember being equally highly touted such as Clemson's Dexter Lawrence AND who plays on a similarly talented defense, which is important because it's harder to rack up stats when you have other teammates who are elite. For reference, S&P has us as #2 D and Clemson as #3 D.

Rashan Gary #1 player in his class

Tackles 14 (5 solo/9 ast)

TFL 1.5 

Sacks 1 

FF 1

Dexter Lawrence #2 player in Gary's class

Tackles 12 (1 solo/11 ast)

TFL 0

Sacks 1.5

FF 0

I counted sacks as separate from TFL. 

People need to calm down about Rashan Gary...just my 2 cents.

TrueBlue2003

September 29th, 2017 at 5:26 PM ^

I would probably argue that it's easier to rack up stats on elite defenses when there are so many other guys the offense has to account for.  I do think it's impressive and says a lot that teams seem to continue to focus more on him than the guys that are racking up the stats: Bush and Winovich.

At the same time, I would agree with Brian that it's been slightly disappointing that we aren't clipping more insane Gary plays in which he doesn't get a stat but blows up a play.  Hurst has equally scant stats but he's been rampant.  It's easy to point to a lot of plays for which he's dominant despite not getting a stat.  It is crazy that we just had a full UFR in which three of our front seven were talked about as potential AA's, and Gary didn't come around for a single mention after the chart in which the comment was "good, but quiet day".

1VaBlue1

September 30th, 2017 at 9:17 AM ^

The kid is barely 2 years out of high school.  He's, what, maybe 20 years old?  He's going against two P5 OL/TE on every single play, sometimes also a P5 RB.  

Taco Charlton didn't start until he was a junior (think he was a redshirt, too).  Hurst didn't start until this year, though his first significant PT was last year - as a junior.  Ryan Glasgow didn't start until he was a junior.  Bryan Mone is a senior, and still isn't starting.

Just what the fuck do you people expect from him?  Why not just sit back and enjoy the havoc this defense is wreaking on a play by play basis?  Enjoy the fact that every player on the team is fulfilling a role the coaches have carved out for that player, and performing it very well.  Including Rashan Gary, who is still trying to learn how to shave.

Got DAMN, people!!

reshp1

September 29th, 2017 at 5:20 PM ^

How many deep shots have our opponents attempted on us? How many times has a QB had a chance to get to a second or third read? Our DL has reduced opposing playbooks to "chuck it to the hot read" and it's hard for DL to accumulate stats there. Hurst is also having a statisitcally meh season as well. The fact Winovich has been able to get his sacks is fairly spectacular. 

jdemille9

September 29th, 2017 at 5:40 PM ^

Don't let his lack of fancy stats make you think he's not still a monster.

Lack of stats does NOT mean he is not being an impactful player. Teams have to pick their poison against this D, they seem to be choosing to double Gary a ton, and more often than not he still arrives in the backfield just a hair after Bush/Winovich.. I won't go so far as to say Bush/Winovich don't still make crazy plays without Gary but the fact that he is commanding double teams makes it all the easier for Bush/Winovich to run wild. Yes, also Furbush. 

slomjh2

October 1st, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^

Gary has been more than fine. He is one of the main reasons others are getting the stats. If you are a coach do you risk your quarterback getting hit by a man who weights 290 who runs a sub 4.6 forty? No; the others may be getting TFLs and sacks, but if Rashan gets a clean hit on your quarterback you may loose him. That is why they are still double and triple teaming him even though Bush and Winovich are killing the stats. It is also the best and only choice other coaches can make.

Indonacious

September 29th, 2017 at 3:09 PM ^

My 2 big questions for the defense are going to be...

1) Do we ever switch back to a 4 down lineman front with Mone coming in for furbush - MSU being a likely game for that if ever?

2) Are teams going to flip-flop there doubles from Gary to Winowich now given how productive and disruptive winowich has been while facing single coverage?

I don't have any reservations with our CBs and Safeties at this point. They have done what they have needed to do.

PopeLando

September 29th, 2017 at 3:34 PM ^

I would hate to be an opponent's offensive staff:

"So we're gonna double Hurst"
"Of course"
"And we're gonna double Gary"
"Sounds good so far"
"And we're gonna double Winovich"
"Wait what now??'
"And we're gonna keep the back in to block Bush"
"I mean, in a perfect world..."
"And we're gonna chip whoever's the Viper on each play"

"Dammit man there's only so many guys on the field"
"So, single block on Hurst?"
"Are you crazy?!"
"Single block on Gary"
"Fuck that"
"Single block on Winovich?"
"No. Hell no."
"Look, just tell me who you want hitting the QB"

"Sigh...well, if it's Winovich the QB might live through it..."
"And Bush."
"What the hell?! No"
"So we don't need a running back in the flat?"
"Sigh...let Bush through...and update my resume for me..."

Squash34

September 30th, 2017 at 2:24 AM ^

Wisconsin is a game I would be shocked if they don't go with a 4 man line. They have a good line, MSU will try to do Wisconsin type thing and have a power running game. However, their line is not all that great and brown may still get success with the 3-3-5 stack.
So, even if they don't use it much verse MSU, they will against Wis, and most likely against osu's power spread as well.