...Ezeh looks to me like he's trying to avoid collisions, which might be causing the hesitation.

He just doesn't have the mindset to go blow up his blocker to keep separation.

He also drops his head a lot when he's bracing for hits and that's candy to a lineman- it basically takes away all your ability to fight off the block...

Just doesn't look like he's hungry to hit- which is a big part of a LB's job no matter what the scheme.

Props to Brathwaite - two red shirt freshman and Kovacs are playing well.  Carvin seemed to be doing well in the 2 series he had.

Ezeh being Ezeh I don't think can be blamed on GERG and there seem to be guys in position to MAKE PLAYS a lot, they are just not getting it done.

Floyd's tackling is horrible.  Keep you head up and keep you feet!  duck & dive is not what they are teaching you (ditto for Christian).  

Theory:  Mike Jones and Herron getting hurt has really cramped the play-calling and killed a lot of scheme we had last week.  Obvs Ezeh needs to drink about a pot of coffee before games, but I think Herron would have wrecked some fools last week.

Let me say this about the DB's vs. the waggle. If your contain people don't keep the QB somewhere close to the pocket, then the angle at which you normally have a receiver covered changes dramatically.

For instance, if Mouton (who in my opinion cleary has contain on the 4th down play) does his job, he keeps the QB in the pocket and the angle of throw is much, much harder as Kovacs has his man pretty well covered..but if the QB breaks contain, the throw is much easier because of the angle.

Look at replays of when we successfully stopped the waggle pass..you'll probably see we had some pressure on the passer.

The logic that next year's linebackers will be worse because they can't beat out this year's linebackers is obviously faulty.  If that were the case, then all of college football would see a monotonic deterioration in quality punctuated by freshman playing and excelling.  Yes, you can infer that the backups can't beat out the starters this year.  But, what you can't infer is that they will not be better than this year's starters next year. 

Lower than normal plus for a TFL because Ezeh had it easy on the stumble.

His uncertain waddle to the line is incredibly depressing.

Here he is totally unblocked but just sits on his ass the whole play instead of hitting it up in a gap

sigh

Someone find out when the last time Obi went to see an optometrist was.

See you stopped taking your antidepressants again...that is more like it.  

I agree with the Kovacs and Mrob thing.  Mrob would at least add speed, and he can't be the disaster Ezeh is...can he?  Kovacs is many things, but he is at least smart.  He is unlikely to make really stupid plays.  

Here is the scary part...if none of these guys step up...our LB corps could be worse next year.

roh reminds me a lot of this former bronco LB/DE.  they used to move him around to different positions in any given year; even during games.  i would like to possibly see roh replace ezeh and black take roh's spot.  my only concern is that these guys are so damn young.  could they make more mistakes than ezeh?  doubt it.  but i guarantee they would make a hellava lot more plays.  i think making this move during BG and IU weeks might work.

i like kovacs as a tackler (probably best on team in open field) but am afraid he would get lost in the crowd at mlb.

M defense gave up 15 plays of 10 yards or more, which is like, disgusting.  The play of Obi Ezeh and the lack of development of guys like Demens, and Fitzgerald really have me worrying about the coaching at that position.  Robinson is not the answer and I think we should look for a linebackers coach after this season for sure.  I like Brian's idea of moving Kovacs replace Ezeh, I think Kovacs would make a lot better reads and is much better at tackling.  Ezeh had so much promise, it's sad at how he has never improved and that he will leave the University of Michigan with a player bio that should read, "Very nice guy, enjoyed getting blocked too much."  Kellen Jones is a big pick up in our current class, I think Jones is going to be the closest thing we have had to David Harris in some time.

Can someone talk me down a little on this subject? Because our offense is already next-year good. But if our D is going to be this year bad. . . I was convinced that we could buy RichRod one year, but two?

I thought GERG called a pretty good game against ND, but the inferences from UMASS from people in the know (see above, see the DetNews) seem to be otherwise. . .

remember David Harris?

And am going to seem very argumentative, but Brian, you seem to want our LBs to do everything.  You seem to want them to get up field as soon as they see a running back move a direction, but you also want them to read and react and find where the RB is going.  LBs should read and react, you've been calling for Ezeh to just shoot gaps for a while now, and now that he is kind of doing that, you blast him.

Look, our LBs aren't good, but some of the examples you show are pretty poor.

I trusted you! Linebacker GERG fairy theory! I HATE YOU

Play 1: Ezeh is lined up to the two TE side.  We bitch bitch bitch about our LBs being terrible on play action TE coverage.  Guess what, Ezeh is responsible for one of those TEs.  He is also responsible for the counter that we bitch bitch bitch about.  If the backside guard sweeps around and Ezeh isn't there, guess what, it's six.  Ezeh should have noted the depth of the offensive line and started reacting up field, he's not perfect here, but he's playing his responsibilities, and there is a free player there to make the play.  At best Obi should be one yard closer to the line.

Play 2: Obi has to force that back inside, yes, but look at the size of that hole.  That's not all on Obi because he can't tackle everything in a 10 yard area while taking on a blocker.  He does need to get better position and anchor to force back to Mouton, but you can't put this all on him.

Play 3: Obi reads offensive line flow and RB, Mouton preferably makes the RB cut a bit more as Kovacs has the outside help.  If a O-lineman doesn't randomly fall at Obi's feet he's in perfect position to make the play.  This was kind of a freak play.

Also, you said something along the lines of a LB in stack only has gap responsibility.  This is false, they have two gaps, depending on the direction of the run.  On the play you highlight (14) Obi reads lineman flow and initial RB step.  Martin fills A gap, Obi B gap, DE C gap, and so on.  Obi also has A-gap responsibility to the side the run ends up going.  The LBs then read counter late.  Mouton should just fill the backside gap as he was originally attacking rather than shooting outside.  We now have 4 guys essentially being blocked by 2 offensive players.  Obi should then shadow the RB, as he does, and be able to make the play.  Preferably Martin wouldn't allow the double team to release for a perfect angle at Obi.  You complain about Obi not attacking though, now he attacks, and sets himself up for an easy combo block.  Roh and Gordan (I think) both get pushed off the ball and the RB squeaks through.  Obi actually does a really nice job beating the combo block and getting back to his gap responsibility.  It's the lineman and LBs at the point of attack toward play side that get pushed out.  Obi does a good job flowing to action and making a play.

Again, not all the stuff they are doing is perfect, I agree.  The biggest problem is between the LBs and line being inconsistent in their responsibilities.  This appears to highlight Obi even when he shouldn't be.  Obi isn't the most gifted at naturally reading plays, and obviously he was doing a lot of thinking rather than reacting out there, you can tell by the way he's playing.  That comes from not being prepared.  It should be better going forward, though this isn't all on him here.

I guess what frustrates me most is that it seems you want Obi to be and do everything.  You want him to wait and react, and attack, and be in on every tackle.  Obi isn't David Harris, we get that, but Obi is facing a lot of blockers, and was obviously not prepared for that game.  His teammates were in the same position, but it's harder to highlight those responsibilities when you don't play MLB, and it makes it a lot easier to see "miscues" when you are the MLB, even when they aren't necessarily on the MLB.

Alright, I've basically written a diary here defending Obi.  I know I'm going way against the grain here, and admit myself Obi isn't playing well, though I think he is at least average and the pieces around him are failing him and really not saving him whenever he does make a mistake.  I guess I'll end my rant here, because most of you will think "what you "just said, is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard.  At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought.  Everyone on this [board] is now dumber for having [read] it.  I reward me no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

\rant

Too long; Too Painful to Read. Had to jump to "charts?". It's not Brian's fault; there were just that many plays against us. Though I am curious if the defensive line did do that well, why we can't get any sacks, and people still run all over us. If the players are playing that well, and that is the strength of our defense, it says our scheme isn't utilizing them in the best way. Having them fill holes and shuttle people to the linebackers rather than attacking might not have been the best way to go.

The only issue with moving Kovacs (and somebody hinted at it) is that he'd have to learn a whole new position in a couple of weeks. Unless he's Albert Einstein in pads, this won't turn out well.*

*Somebody with more knowledge than me: How similar is the Bandit/LB positions in the 3-3-5 Unstacked?*

I think you have to seriously look at anybody and everybody who can play LB. This could be a pretty damn good team (and a contender next year) if we can find LBs and Martin returns.

Give Fitzy a shot. Or Demens. Or Roh and move Mouton inside. Whoever has worked with the LBs gets to play against BGSU on Saturday.

not sure WTF Mouton is doing

Was wondering that myself while re-watching the game.   He jumps inside for some reason, although he was lined up as if he was going to rush the QB.   On top of that he got off to a painfully slow jump off the ball.

Only thing I can think of is what Brian thought of, he had the RB?  Leach was blitzing in, the RB stayed in to pick up Leach, so I would have thought Mouton would have just tried to progress to rush the QB from the outside shoulder of the OT.

Watching again - could this been some sort of DL stunt?  Probably not since who would have had contain then?  Magnus or Steve Sharik care to expound on this topic?

wow brian, do the coaches go through film like this?  To me i can make those plays, and im 177lbs.  So frusturating watching those films, seeing Martin rip off the double team.  No MLB insight to get a TFL.  If im Gerg im showing these LB's this over and over again.  Stop reading the play, or watching the backfield.  Shoot the gap. Bottoms up, here's to our boys getting it right this week! Love to see them shut em out! I will buy Cabo tequilla for all!

I've suggested it as well.  He's probably too small for LB this season,  but seems his best trait is run support.   He's only a RS soph, so he's got 2 more years.  Let him Barwis-ize and put on extra muscle, he'll make a great LB.   

People have complained that he's too slow for safety, so OK, add muscle and move down to LB.   Why not?

I'm taking the stance that Roh, Mouton and a few others simply had a bad game due to a lack of focus in practice.  Sadly, Ezeh is just occupying space and I'll simply pray for 0s on his future UFRs.

Well I coach 8th grade and we had the exact same problem with our linebackers. We had some big boys (3 kids @ almost 200 pounds) who were receiving running backs like a catcher's mitt. We totally tore down the defensive scheme we were doing. We put one at the defensive end position and sent him every time. It forced him to be aggressive. His first game at defensive end he recorded 3 sacks. Then we brought in two safeties to play outside linebacker.

It worked great. My down linemen kept the linebackers free and they flowed all over the field slashing inside and making plays. We caused 6 fumbles, recovered 3 and the smaller guys stayed healthy and clean all game. Why not Kovacs? Ezeh doesn't have it guys. You either have it or you don't. The point is...with down linemen that eat up the OL your linebackers are free to make plays. I watched the UMass game in disgust because I saw Martin rewriting the book at nose and there was no one there to clean up his effort.   

This is very presumptuous, and probably wrong, but to me it seems like he is shying away from the play to avoid contact.  Maybe saving himself for the combine?  It's hard for me to believe that someone with three years of playing experience at the same position could perform this badly.

Thanks Brian. Spoiling us with your effort like every week.  

I learned a lot from the comments too.

I didn't see a lot of posts questioning the fundamental drilling of Ezeh on the points Brian and a lot of you are bringing up.  The basics of the position type points.

Is it fair to ask how well the defensive coaches have been driving home the basics of playing the position? He has been in the program for years now.  Different coaches and all, but these are basics that any coach would drill regardless of the system right?

How to read your nose and pick the correct gap and then take the right approach angle.

If another guy like Kovacs can better do these things to execute the scheme, definitely worth looking at.

With that out there, a play or two executed well on any series can blow up the possession and get us the ball back. So hopefully it isn't a huge deal to get real improvent from this game. 

Great analysis Brian.

Jeff Casteel was the co-DC in 2002.  His sidekick?  Current Tulsa HC, Todd Graham, was Rodriguez's DC that year, and also WVU's LB coach.

2002 was Rodriguez's 2nd year and the depth posiiton at LB was far from ideal going in ot the season because WVU lost 3 starting LBs to graduation in 2001: Kyle Kayden, Corey McIntyre, and Shawn Hackett.

The replacements however were experienced upperclassmen and quite talented.  Some considered Wiley and Davis to be two of the best LBs ever at WVU:

Grant Wiley - Jr.

James "Dirty" Davis - Sr.

Ben Collins- Jr.

They also had young, but capable reserves that rotated in regularly in 2002: Adam Lehnortt- So, Alex Lake-Fr. and Shane Graham - So..

Michigan's situation at linebacker in 2010 is worse precisely because the younger talent is not challenging the starters nor gaining significant experience.  Why not? For some reason they are simply not ready for live play. They are not in any rotation. This could be all coach's responsibility, but what are the UM coaches supposed to do when the players on the field AND on deck simply "don't get it"?  The only option is to have a redshirt burning rally out there on defense, take major risks by blitzing LBs like a mo-fo, and then pray that the Michigan offense can just outscore them all (like in the UMass game).

In my opinion, if there was one major error in judgement by Rodriguez when he left WVU in 2007, it was his failure to convince Jeff Casteel (a proven DL expert, recruiter and an excellent DC) to head to Ann Arbor with him.  For some reason, Casteel wanted to stay with Bill Stewart.

Martin was taking on two OL , why couldn't our DE just blow away the remaining umass OL? IMO...there should have been a lot more sacks, pocket containment with very few roll outs. I was disappointed by the lack of pressure.

If Ezeh plays another clueless quarter he should be benched!!!!  We should just let Fitzgerald take over.  This very poor LB play will cost us some b10 games.  I say the coaches better start finding solutions.  Solutions should have been in place after the way Ezeh played last season!  This falls right on GREG, he's the DC and LB coach. No excuses.

But hopefully the defense can improve just enough to allow our offense to stay on the field more and score a lot of points. Our best defense may be our offense.