Formation Notes: Michigan started in 6-1-4 personnel.

They also used more split formations with both DTs in the A gaps and Hutchinson way out over the TE.

Substitution Notes: I couldn’t keep up. The six-man line went Ojabo-Jenkins-Hinton-Smith-Welschof-Hutchinson. The interior got a ton of rotation, while Hutchinson and Ojabo got the majority of the snaps at OLB. Ross was ever-present while Colson and NHG split the WLB snaps about 60-40. Turner started over Green but Green got plenty of go; Turner returned after going out for what appeared to be his wind knocked out.

On the subject of officiating, especially holding: My goal with this exercise is to get at the why of the game, particularly which *Michigan* players did well, and which coaching decisions bore fruit. Usually in the process I call out uncalled penalties that directly affected the play to explain my charting. Regular readers understand that it’s part of the game, and it excites little comment.

This game was unlike any I’ve ever charted; it was clear from the 2nd snap that what normally gets called holding wasn’t going to be. This also became apparent to the players (one in particular) who did as competitive athletes are wont. That’s a problem for me, because if I were to grade like I do normally, I’d end up with a very bad look, a lot of people would end up very mad, and there is just way too much good Halloween candy left for that to be healthy for any of us.

I know lots of Michigan fans want to know how bad it was, and that certain insecure elements of the MSU fanbase are just waiting to pounce on any sign that Michigan fans won’t acknowledge their win’s legitimacy. Validating either of these parties is not what UFR is for. So for this week, we're going to skip “refs” events in the charting, and things are just not going to add up. We will talk about some of the reviews at the end.

[After THE JUMP: Tackle rotation, no explanation.]

Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Pistol Trips 2TE	6-1-4	6-1 Odd	2	Pass	4	PA Zip Out	Morris	16	1.42
I think this one is on Turner(-2, cov-2) in cov2 because he brackets the #1 for so long that Dax has to be well atop him by now. It might also be RPS if they're running some kind of man2 shell that asks Morris to cover the flat but guessing that's not it. Inauspicious beginning for your chart guy here.
O41	1st	10	Pistol Bone	6-1-4	6-1 Odd	2	Run		Split Zone	Ross	8	1.00
I'm not going to make it through this game if this is how they call holding. Hinton has a double stood up until he's wrenched pretty badly by the shoulderpads. Jenkins(-0.5) is getting cracked and doesn't get into the FB aggressively enough, also gets held. Hutchinson is having a similar issue when he tries to disengage and pursue. Ross(-1) now has to deal with the other guy and doesn't shoot in the gap aggressively enough. Hill(+0.5, tackling+1) came down to stop this quickly.
O49	2nd	2	Pistol F Y-Flex	6-1-4	6-1 Odd	2	Run		Lead Stretch	Morris	7	0.24
Tempo(35). Morris(-1) is unsure how to play this, watching the outside TE's inside shoulder, probably because he's got a coverage responsibility, when his best shot in this gap is to shoot into the FB and set an edge. Once he engages that guy grabs his collar and rips him down which ends the stretch dance and creates an edge before Hawkins(-1) can arrive. Ross(-1) went on the wrong side of the center and got himself hooked inside. Jenkins also got sealed inside and Hinton got jerked back and put his hands up to try to get it seen.
M44	1st	10	Pistol Bone	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Pass	5	TE Out	Ross	3	-0.32
PR-1 gets nowhere as both TEs chip the ends then go into short routes, but they are short routes. Ross(+2, cov+1, tackling+1) shoots up as this is released and brings the TE down at the LOS. The guy is fighting for yards and falls forward for one more, but is ruled down where he caught it, a few more yards downfield.
M41	2nd	7	Pistol Str	5-1-5	5-1 Under	1	Run		Split Zone	Smith	2	-0.58
Smith(-1) gets moved out by a double that gets all the way to Ross(-1), Morris(+2) and Jeter(+2) both fight their way to the gap and stop Walker there.
M39	3rd	5	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	4	Fade	Moten	INT	-2.71
Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) breaks through inside the LT who has grab pad to prevent an insta-sack. Thorne has to get rid as there's no pocket anymore, chucks up a punt that Moten(+3, Cov+3) is bracketing and intercepts. FWIW the EPA difference between intercepting and knocking it down is negligible because 4th and 5 from the 39 is a go-for-it down so Moten gets full points.
Drive Notes: Interception. 0-0. 12 min 1st Q. Not sure I can take a whole game of this.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Splits	2	RPO		Duo/Slants	Colson	3	-0.30
Smith(-1) again ejected by a double but Hinton stands up to his. Colson(+2, tackling+1) takes away the bigger gap, Ross stays home in his, and Walker has to cut back inside to try to power something out, Colson gives up no YAC.
O28	2nd	7	Offset Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Pass	4	Sack	Morris	-6(Pen+21)	1.91
Smith(+1) beats the LT and gets upfield while Morris(-2) went upfield vs the RB and TE and got pushed too deep. Would be a good pass rush but he reaches out and gets Thorne's facemask then yanks hoping the refs are asleep. They're not.
O43	1st	10	Pistol Trips 2TE	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		Zone Read	Ross	1	-0.93
Smith(+1) stands up the double this time. Walker could take 2-3 yards as Ross is filling carefully but tries to bounce instead and Jenkins(+1) hops up instantly to prove that a bad decision.
O44	2nd	9	Gun Trips Tight	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	Pass	4	Slip Screen	Ross	Inc	-0.93
You can hear Michigan's sideline yelling "Screen!" before the snap (RPS+2) and Ross(+1) dutifully cuts off his blitz, collects Walker, and hangs on his hip. Thorne rolls but Hinton and Ojabo(+0.5) are giving chase, the former delayed just enough that Thorne can throw it away as he's running OOB.
O44	3rd	9	Gun wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Wide C	1	Pass	4	Slant	Turner	Inc	-0.67
Live I thought it was just a bad throw but this Aidan Hutchinson(+2) slappy thinks he deserves credit for staying up when the LT tries to cut him then sticking his paw in the throwing lane. Thorne has to throw it high and inside, and it misses Reed who was open at the sticks beneath Turner(-1, Cov-1).
Drive Notes: Punt. 7-0. 11 min 1st Q. Screen screams.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O19	1st	10	Pistol Wk Bunch Z Jet	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Run		X Lead Counter	Ross	4	-0.08
Hutchinson gets the FB, throws him off, but then the guy form tackles him at the waist. Hinton(+1) holds up a double long enough for Colson to cross the T and Ross(+1) to slip in for the tackle despite taking a shove in the back as he's doing so.
O23	2nd	6	Pistol F Str	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Play-Action	3	Scramble	Hutchinson	22	2.25
I can be hard on my fav too you know. Three-man rush gets close but Morris(-1) gets ripped down by the LT and Smith(-1) gets too far upfield without checking that lane. That should be fine but Hutchinson(-2) followed the RB all the way out to Hill instead of banjoing back to his zone. Ross has to check the FB and the QB, takes the FB, Thorne runs for a chunk.
O45	1st	10	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	RPO		IZ/Slants	Jeter	3	-0.42
Jeter(+2) is singled and gets his long arms into the RG's pads to bend him behind the LOS. Hawkins(+0.5, RPS+1) is coming down in a hurry but isn't needed as Jeter gets an arm across the RB's waist and the other hand around his ankle and ends it himself. Jeter!!!
O48	2nd	7	Pistol Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Pass	5	TE Out	Gray	2	-0.67
PR-1 again doesn't get much as M is expecting a run here, but Thorne throws it low to a TE and Gray(+1, cov+1) was in position to hold it to a short gain if the throw doesn't put him on the ground first.
50	3rd	5	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nk Wide AB	2	Pass	5	Slip Screen	Hill	INT	-5.82
Screen guy is yelling again, is right again, but Ross might be a bit late getting out there from where he was threatening blitz. We'll never know because Hill(+2, RPS+1) has blitzed into the throwing lane; the ball caroms off his helmet to Morris(+1) who catches it, runs into the OL, then hangs onto the ball for four full seconds after his forward momentum has stopped that the refs give MSU to try to pry it loose. #75 uses the time to (legally, since the whistle hasn't blown) yank Morris's ankle from under the pile. Interesting look at what goes on in a pile. Outside of all this the LT gets big mad, takes some free shots at Ross, gets flagged.
Drive Notes: Interception. 7-0. 4 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Pistol 2TE Twins	6-1-4	6-1 Over	2	Pass	4	Flag	Gray	19	1.71
Michigan goes back to the 6 lineman thing and it's a bad idea. MSU finds plenty of room to throw underneath a bailing Gray(-2, Cover-3) and get some YAC. RPS-1, PR-1 since they've got four DTs rushing.
O44	1st	10	Pistol F Str	4-2-5	Nk Splits	1	Pass	4	Hook	Hill	16	1.18
Hill(-2, cov-2) is glued to a WR who's now well into Ross's zone, doesn't help when Green calls for it. Hutchinson took a wide angle pass rush that can be stepped up around because Smith got no push on a double (PR-1).
M40	1st	10	Gun wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Unset	1	Pass	4	RB Flare	Ross	Inc	0.89
Tempo(35). Michigan is trying to change as MSU is going tempo, has 13 players on the field at the snap (RPS-3). They're also not set, Ross(-1, cov-1) is going to be very late getting out on a flare to the opposite side of the bench if it's not badly thrown. What are we doing? Call Timeout!!!
M35	1st	5	Gun Wk	4-2-5	4-3 Over	1	RPO		IZ/Slants	Welschof	2	-0.44
Welschof(+2) gets moved by a double then splits it and rips his way back into the gap to stuff, as soon as half of it leaves to grab Colson.
M33	2nd	3	Pistol 2TE Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Split	1	Play-Action	n/a	PA FB Flat	Hill	6	0.00
Hill(-2, cov-2) gets rubbed by Ross stepping down and has to spin off to track the FB across the formation, gets caught way behind. NHG(+1, tackling+1) actually makes it all the way down to stop it first. Hutchinson(-0.5) could help with a chip but only gives a little one because he wants to get his mitts in the way of the pass. Worthy gamble, fails.
M27	1st	10	Pistol Bone	6-1-4	6-1 Odd	2	Run		Counter T Fold	Hawkins	27	2.69
LT folds in and they have both TEs replacing outside. Welschof(-2, tackling-2) got around his blocker and that should be enough to stuff this but he gambles on a diving tackle attempt instead of staying in his lane, and misses. Walker hits the pile where Hinton(+2) has fought through, but he can't quite make the tackle with #75 jumping on his back. Hutchinson shed the FB to set up in the gap that Juice abandoned, but now there's nobody between the FB and a WR who's got Gray locked out in a way that makes the Anthony call rankle. Nobody safety home because Hawkins(-3) came up on the other side to help when he thought this was buried in the backfield. Also Walker is dropping the ball a millisecond before going into the endzone but they decide not to apply the WORST RULE IN FOOTBALL.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 10-7. 14 min 2nd Q. Yeesh.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Offset Trips Y-Flex	6-1-4	5-1 Over	2	Run		Zone Read	Hutchinson	18	1.61
We've got Aidan out in the slot now. He's read but Michigan is slanting frontside and asking for this. I hate that I have to RPS+1 this because Walker has to bounce into the space the QB didn't run and now Hutchinson(-3) is heading inside. What he isn't however is a linebacker, and he sets up too close in for how Walker can bounce, especially when Ross is his help inside. Walker bounces, and now we're edged by the best RB in the country. Hawkins(-2, tackling-1) comes up but too far inside when he's got Green to help, and can't make the tackle either. Green(+1, tackling+1) gets him down with no more YAC.
O43	1st	10	Pistol F Wk	4-2-5	Nk Wide	2	Run		G Fold Lead	Ross	9	1.28
They switch to a Pistol right before the snap, Michigan has a blitz on that delivers Ross(-3, tackling-2) right to Walker (RPS+2). If he slows here Ojabo(+1) has set a good edge and it's over. Now there's a lane as Hinton(+0.5) and Smith(+1) fight back against Gs with fistfuls of sleeves. Moten(+1) comes down and gets a dive at Walker's legs to hold this down.
M48	2nd	1	Pistol Str	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Play-Action	n/a	Rollout Hitch	Hutchinson	Inc	-1.34
Attacking the space under Cov3 here with a FB zip route if that's covered, but Hutchinson(+3, PR+2) takes both away, getting outside to pressure the rollout, and batting the pass.
M48	3rd	1	Pistol Wk	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1	Run		Arc Read T Fold	Hawkins	0	-1.18
Michigan blows this play up (RPS+2) by crashing Ojabo inside the arc to force a give and replacing with Hawkins(+1), who strings it out to the sideline for no gain.
M48	4th	1	Pistol 2TE	5-2-4	6-3 Splits	0	Play-Action		PA Seam	Green	40	3.38
Zero coverage and Green(-3, cov-4) lets his WR go for no good reason. Hill(-1, tackling+2) was nominally the single high guy and doesn't see the release until it's too late. He does prevent this from being a TD. RPS-1 since Hill is stretched, but Green should be on his man. Some of our guys are going to the bench...
M8	1st	Goal	Pistol 2TE	5-2-4	Unset	2	Run		Lead Stretch	Hawkins	8	2.27
Tempo(30) and again they catch Michigan trying to change. RPS-3, Morris(-1) is offsides, Hawkins(-1) is looking at those guys instead of the play coming at him, Smith(+1) productively runs at the line and takes out a blocker while Ojabo is in his gap but 75 has his shoulderpads and for a second I think they're calling that. They spend a lot of time talking afterwards for an offsides.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 13-14. 7 mins 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O10	1st	10	Pistol F Str	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Run		Down C Lead	Ojabo	0	-0.35
They try to go frontside but Hutchinson(+1) has set up a roadblock, and Ross(+1) and Colson(+1) have him corralled. He switches direction, past where 75 has tackled Hinton by the shoulderpads, to where Ojabo(+2) shoots up and ends this in the backfield.
O10	2nd	10	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Pass	5	RB Flat	Ross	14	1.00
Ross is actually the blitzer, Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) is around the LT but can't sack because dude's got the 9 of Aidan's 97 pulled all the way over his shoulder. Nobody has the RB (Cov-2, RPS-2) unless Colson is supposed to leave his TE to Moten or something so this gets the first and extra.
O24	1st	10	Pistol F Wk	4-2-5	Nk Wide	2	Pass	4	Sack	Hutchinson	-2(Pen-8)	-1.03
Nobody open for a beat (Cov+1) and now Hutchinson(+3, PR+2) is around, held, sacks, and *then* they throw the first holding flag on MSU of the game. Not even a really bad one TBH.
O14	1st	20	Gun Trips Tight	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Pass	4	Bubble Screen	Hill	0	-0.13
They try to edge Dax Hill(+2). It doesn't go well for them as he gathers both blockers and Nailor into a little pile three yards in the backfield so Moten(+1, tackling+1) can clean up.
O14	2nd	20	Pistol F Str	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	Pass	4	Strip Sack	Ojabo	-14	-0.10
Ojabo(+3, PR+3) puts a move on the RT, blindsides the QB, strips the ball, and Hutchinson falls on it for a touchdown.
Drive Notes: Defensive Touchdown. 27-14. 1 mi-- WTF????
O3	3rd	31	Gun wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Run		ZR Duo	Smith	2	0.40
Smith(+2) and Hinton(+1) keep their doubles on the LOS, play gets to Hutchinson(+1) who both-sides the LT and brings this down for a loss.
Drive Notes: Punt. 20-14. 1:31 2nd Q. At least the Big Ten has apologized. Next MSU drive is a kneeldown so we'll pick up after I take a long ass walk.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O40	1st	10	Offset F Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	1	Play-Action	4	PA Scramble	Hutchinson	10(Pen-10)	-1.95
PA sucks up the LBs for a second but it doesn't matter since Hutchinson(+2, PR+2) got through inside, gets big held while trying to sack, and draws a flag. Thorne scrambles for a few that I'm not charting against because every M player knows it's coming back and is just trying to cause (another) fumble.
O30	1st	20	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Splits	1	Run		Inside Zone	Hawkins	0	-0.38
Hawkins(+3, tackling+1, RPS+1) rolls down and shoots the gap this is attacking. Ojabo(+0.5) is outside to make sure there's no bouncing out of it.
O30	2nd	20	Offset Wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	Pass	4	Flare Screen	Moten	-3	-0.24
Hutchinson(+3) and an unblocked Ross are in the backfield but that's the point because it’s a screen and Ross is removed (RPS-1). Aidan gets his hand right where the pass needs to go and the resulting upfield throw puts Walker on the ground in the backfield. Moten(+0.5) was charging back down, and Dax(+0.5) was shooting into his block so this might have been stuffed even with Ross.
O27	3rd	23	Gun Bone	4-2-5	Nk Even	1	Pass	4	Deep Out	Turner	Inc	0.32
Turner(+2, cov+2) is in zone and never gives up outside leverage, so when this does turn in he's in perfect position for a leaping PBU. Reed goes begging for a phantom PI, because that's the only thing that could save his route.
Drive Notes: Punt. 23-14. 10 min 3rd Q. M scores to go up 30-14. See the Callah together now.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O3	1st	10	Pistol Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Pass	4	Out	Turner	Inc(Pen+13)	2.00
Cheap player selling, bad ref buying. Turner(+1, cov+1) has position outside, the WR crosses behind and jerks his head back to sell a grab, as DJ's gets *both* hands in front to go for the ball. Not dinging Turner for that. (cover image)
O38	1st	10	Pistol Str	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Run		ZR Counter GT	Colson	5	0.11
Might be trouble as M has the DTs pinching and DEs flaring (RPS-1) which opens up this gap. Ojabo(-1) flies and gets pushed by Walker but Colson(+2) managed to come down and pop the RT as he arrives, convincing Walker to go inside instead of bouncing. There's no Ross(-1) to help there since he's getting yanked good by the LT, but Smith(+1) managed to fight back and help Colson hold this down.
O43	2nd	5	Offset Wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	4	Comeback	Turner	7	1.00
Tempo(34). Ojabo(+1, PR+1) spins inside the LT and chases Thorne from the pocket. He throws a perfect ball to Reed with Turner(+1, cov+1) all over his back and also trying to catch it, and Reed manages to tip it to himself, catch, and drag a foot. Tip your hat play.
50	1st	10	Gun Empty	5-1-5	5-1 Under	1	Pass	4	Back Shoulder Fade	Gray	15	0.87
Clean pocket (PR-1) for a beat and that's enough for Thorne to throw short at Reed, who catches it off the bounce. Live and in two replay angles it hits dirt, one angle it looks it might plausibly be a catch if you *really* wish hard enough, so they overturn. Always watch these in real time.
M35	1st	10	Pistol Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Over	1	Run		Duo	Hinton	3	-0.22
DTs are pinched and MSU doubles both of them. Hinton(+0.5) stands up, Smith(+1) does too, NHG(+0.5) flies up to deter a bounce in the hole, Jenkins(+1) discarded a TE, and Walker runs into the pile then wiggles for a smidge more.
M32	2nd	7	Offset Twins	5-2-4	5-3 Over	1	Pass	4	Curl	Ross	3	-0.25
Hutchinson(+1, PR+1) is piloting the LT, who's got two fistfuls of shoulders, toward the QB, who gets spooked and throws near the ground to a guy at 3 yards. Ross(-1, cov-1) was hanging high so a good throw might get a 1st.
M29	3rd	4	Offset Y-Flex	5-2-4	Not Set	1	Pass	3	RB Flare	Hutchinson	0	-0.87
Tempo (30). Michigan is still getting organized when they snap it but maybe it's a ruse because they've got three guys dropping into the spot where the TE Thorne wants set up. (RPS+1 I guess). Next read is Walker in the flat but Hutchinson(+2) is breaking on that, sets an edge, and then he and Ross(+0.5) and NHG(+0.5) finish the job for a TFL. Might have lucked into something there, unless Macdonald set this up.
M29	4th	4	Gun Wk	5-1-5	5-1 Odd	2	Pass	4	Slot Fade	Hill	28	3.37
Theirs worked, ours didn't. Ross(+1, PR+1) blitzes and gets around Walker and Hutchinson is coming around so they only have time for this. It's thrown perfectly and Hill(-1, cov-1) is behind by a step but NFL throw wins. Gah.
M1	1st	Goal	Offset Wk	5-1-5	Goal Line	NA	Run				1	0.89
Tempo(27). All kinds of movement as the LT isn't on the LOS and inches up, RG is still pointing when they snap. Morris(+1) breaks through and gets ahold of Walker but Smith(-1) got knocked back and they push over the goal line.
M3	2PC	Goal	Offset Str	5-2-4	Goal Line	NA	Pass	4	Levels	Hill	3	1.05
Another dead on throw with Ojabo(+1, PR+1) harassing and Hill(-1, cov-1) just enough behind that they can fit it in. Results-based.
Drive Notes: Touchdown (2pt). 30-22. 4 min 3rd Q. Bullshit bullshit tip your cap repeat.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O14	1st	10	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Play-Action	4	Flea Flicker	Turner	Inc	-0.42
Hutchinson(+1, PR+1) leaps inside the RT and is on his way to sack but trips over Walker's feet. That allows Thorne to roll and try to find something, more time because Hinton's getting yanked by 75 and can't pursue for a few seconds. Turner(-1, cov+2) has been on his guy this whole time but that guy executes a nifty spin move, push off, and is about to make a great play but is overthrown.
O14	2nd	10	Pistol Bone	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Play-Action	4	Dig	Smith	Inc	-0.19
Hutchinson(-1, PR-1) gets run out but Smith(+2) has dropped into the throwing lane and bats the throw (RPS+1, Cov+2). A little bit more carom and it's a pick because lots of Wolverines here.
O14	3rd	10	Gun Empty	4-2-5	4-3 Wide	1	Pass	4	Tunnel Screen	Ross	11	1.19
They're in Cov2 and man I wish he could get his mitts up here. RPS-1 as Hill is way up and Ross(-1, Cov-1) is helping to pack the inside. Turner(-1, tackling-1) has a chance to bring him down short of the sticks for maybe a punt but he tries to arm it instead of hopping up, gets his leg tangled with Hutchinson, and Reed can spin through for the first down. Turner is hurt after, might be wind knocked out?
O25	1st	10	???	4-2-5	Nk ???	1	Pass	4	FB Slip Screen	Smith	Inc	-0.70
Fox(-4) sneaks in a commercial for injury so we come back late to this play. Smith(+1) smells a rat and backs up to contest the screen, which is then dropped.
O25	2nd	10	Offset F Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Pass	4	Hitch	Green	6	0.17
Hitch under Cov 2 is usually a coverage push if it's four yards but this is six so Green(-0.5, cov-push, tackling-0.5) there is that fair?
O31	3rd	4	Offset Str	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	Pass	4	Curls	Ross	4	1.37
Ojabo(+2, PR+2) is instantly inside the LT who tackles him as he's harassing Thorne's throw with his free hand. That throw is on the money to the FB with Ross taking him down short of the sticks. FB reaches out as his knee hits, is probably short, but they give it to him.
O35	1st	10	Pistol Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	4	Fade	Moten	Inc	-1.01
Ojabo(+2, PR+2) comes around instantly and hits Thorne as he's throwing a bad read that Moten(+2,Cov+2) should intercept. There are lots to pick from but this is the one I think I'd like to have back.
O35	2nd	10	Pistol Bone	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		ZR Counter GT	Jenkins	7	0.46
Jenkins(-2) fooled by the zone read, Harrell(+0.5) pinches the TE kicking him to restrict space and Hill(+1, tackling+1) makes a hard stop after 7 yards.
O42	3rd	3	Pistol F Y-Flex	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1	Run		Lead Stretch	Jenkins	58	5.74
Tempo(32). Disaster. Jenkins(-3) gets upfield instead of staying on his guy's shoulder, which you CANNOT do against stretch, but that should only be a first down as Ross is...Ross is.... ...okay Ross is getting grabbed by grabbypants. Hawkins(-2) takes a bad angle, Turner gets tugged off his pursuit by a CB who then looks back like "not me" and this is believed.
M3	2PC	Goal	Empty Diamond	6-2-3	Goal Line	NA	Pass	4	Fade	Turner	3	1.05
So they cut away for a commercial and didn't show this on the broadcast until a drive later but it wasn't a catch. They set up in goal line, call a timeout, and when they come back M is in goal line personnel, MSU flips to a spread and throws a fade at Turner. WR comes down with it but Turner(+2, cov+2) rips it out as they're going to the ground. By NCAA rules (pg 33) it's not a catch. Doesn't matter today except to explain why Turner got his +2.
Drive Notes: Touchdown (2pt). 30-30. 12 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Pisol Wk Tight Z Motion	4-2-5	4-3 Split	2	Run		X Lead Counter	Colson	8	0.91
Smith is pinching (RPS-1) and goes down as the RG releases on Ross(-1) who gets beaten back. Colson stalemates the RT to take away the gap the lead blocker went in. Could get ugly but Hinton(+0.5) worked back and Moten(+0.5, tackling+1) came down to stick to prevent a first down.
O33	2nd	2	Pistol F Str	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Play-Action	4	Sack	Hutchinson	0	-1.91
An incredibly athletic sack by Hutchinson(+3, PR+2) vs a rollout. He corrals, doesn't bite on a pump fake, and finishes the job himself.
O26	3rd	9	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Wide BA	2	Pass	4	Sack	Ojabo	0	0.07
Everybody's covered(Cov+2) which gives Ojabo(+3, PR+2) time to come around back and bat the ball out of Thorne's hands. LT falls on it.
Drive Notes: Punt. 33-30. 8 min 4th Q. Their fumble falls to them. Then our fumble falls to them, and they have it at the M41.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
M41	1st	10	Pistol Bone	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Run		ZR Counter GT	Jenkins	4(Pen-12)	-2.03
Jenkins(+2) beats back the LT who's grabbing both shoulderpads like always and takes him down, drawing...a flag!!!! It also ate up the lead blocker. Ross(+1, tackling-1) gets skinny through the commotion and nearly brings down Walker in the backfield, at which point the flag comes out (funny how they're only called on already-TFLs). Walker breaks that tackle however, Hutchinson(-1) misses him too, and finally Hinton(+1) stops this nonsense. Ha ha you had to take away yards with the flag afterall!
O49	1st	20	Pistol F Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Run		Stretch C Fold	Colson	1	-0.37
Looks dangerous as Hinton(-1) gives up ground then gets yanked by his collar by 75 while occupying the C as well. This leaves Colson(+2) vs the FB whom he cuts inside then sticks the RB near the LOS with help from Ojabo(+1) the edge-setter.
M48	2nd	17	Gun wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	4	Hitch	Hill	9	0.93
Ojabo(+1, PR+1) loops in but this is a quick throw under cov3 (RPS-1) that Hill(-1, tackling-1) allows to turn into a 9-yard gain by not getting out hard enough so the guy tips a few down the sideline until he meets Gray.
M39	3rd	8	Gun wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	4	Free Fade	Turner	Pen+5	1.07
Morris(-1) jumps offsides so they get a free chuck down the sideline that Turner(+1, cov+1) has handled.
M34	3rd	3	Wildcat	5-1-5	5-1 Over	1	Run		QB Power GT	Ross	6	0.87
Ojabo(-1) gets kicked so there's a gap. Ross(+1) gets around the T who released on him, shoulders the puller who meets him, and gets plowed over by Walker. RPS-1 there are no LBs to funnel to because they're playing 5-1.
M28	1st	10	Pistol F Stron	4-2-5	Unset	1	Run		Stretch C Fold	Whittley	2(Pen+5)	0.70
Tempo(34). OMIGOD why are we doing this again? Michigan is trying to run their 400-pound NT on the field and Whittley(+1) comically dives through this and takes Walker down for a minimal gain, but it's still 5 yards for an illegal substitution. RPS-3. THREE TIMES! Also Morris has Walker in a choke hold after this play. Should have been a 15-yard penalty and should be suspended for it for Indiana.
M23	1st	5	Pistol Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	2	Play-Action	4	Rollout Hitch	Hill	Inc	-0.62
Hutchinson(+1, PR+1) around, and Whittley(+0.5) gets a shot to try to knock it out. Welschof(-1) has a chance to sack but goes up instead. Maybe that deters a throw? Thorne now exits, helped by Jeter getting held by the RG. NHG(+0.5) pursues, and then Hill(+2, cov+3) bats away a sideline attempt.
M23	2nd	5	Pistol Wk	5-1-5	5-1 Odd	2	Run		ZR T Fold	Ross	23	2.64
UPDATE: I changed the scoring on this one (at 11:06 AM) after drawing it up. MSU folds the RT inside to double Jeter(+1) who's getting grabbed and ends up getting tackled by the neck by the C, but had both blockers occupied. Ross(-2) slams into the gap that Jeter's in instead of going the gap they're doubling Jeter out of, which should be a -3 error, but RPS-1 because that's a hard job for a single LB to see a tackle pulling on the backside and the zone read took out Ojabo. Welschof can't get playside of the G this time but it's not on him. Moten(-2, tackling-2) is the last man and takes a bad angle, barely slowing Walker.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 33-37. 5 min 4th Q. Next drive starts with 1:37 and Michigan uses up their timeouts.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O31	1st	10	Pistol Wk Tight	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2	Run		X Lead Counter	Colson	2	-0.44
Rain is coming hard now. Colson(-1, tackling-1) shoots up at this (RPS+1) and has Walker dead to rights but slips in the mud. Ross(+2) flies outside and ends it before things get worse.
O33	2nd	8	Wildcat	5-2-4	5-2 Over	0	Run		QB Counter GT Lead	Hutchinson	2	-0.54
Hutchinson(+2) slams into the PoA which takes out both pullers. Ross(+1) cleans up after Walker dives back inside.
O35	3rd	6	Pistol Wk	4-2-5	4-3 Under	1	Run		Arc Read Keeper	Colson	-6	-0.41
RPS+4 Michigan has this dead to rights. Colson hops high while Hutchinson forces the QB keep by setting up inside. Ross, Moten(+1), and Turner are all out here too and last point goes to the first one there.
Drive Notes: Punt. 33-37. 1:27 4th Q. and no timeouts. EoG for defense.

I gzzsdsst. Defffffleg. Zaffffffplubbbb.

Is this the Scottish bit already?

No, I aaasvvdfffffddaaazzzzz. Ggazzzzzzffffflllarrrrrrt. Bazzzzsssmt.

Oh, right, the inner Penn State fan inhibiter I installed on you after last week. Looks like it’s working. Try talking about something besides holding?

Frrraggggrarrrrrttttafffrrrrukkkkstitutions agrrrrrgrahhrrrempo wwwwwwuyyyrrrharthefkarweedooing

Something else.

Sorry that was just me trying to talk while spitting fire. WHY DO WE SUCK YOU SAID WE DON’T SUCK ANYMORE!

That didn’t suck but it did play out exactly how Michigan State likes it: bust bust BOOM bust bust BOOM. A drive chart:

• Touchdown drives of 75, 75, 75, 86, and 41 yards made of big plays and 4th down conversions
• 6-play, 36-yard drive that ends on an arm punt to the 2.
• 5-and-out that was just a long scramble and a batted ball interception.
• 5-and-out where the lone first down was an unfortunate facemask on a sack
• Three three-and-outs

Just like the game writ large, there were a lot of high-leverage moments, and a lot of tense nothings in between. Moten dropped an interception and MSU got a long touchdown two plays later. Walker’s touchdown runs went for 1 (after a 40-yard throw on 4th down), 8, 23, 27, and 58 yards. Plays where he had to break more than one tackle and gained more than five yards: one. MSU’s average distance to go on 3rd down: 8.6. They completed both 2 point conversions when failing on either would would have ultimately given Michigan a shot to kick for the win. They averaged 34 yards on 4th down.

It wasn’t a great performance, but it was also a weird 400-yard day that was a few breaks from being a 200-yard day. Lots to clean up, a few bad ideas to hide in a sidewalk couch on the way out of town, and this isn’t that different from the new normal.

Speaking of bad ideas, why Michigan is trying to change personnel when the offense is running a play?

There is none—in fact I challenge you to find a strategy in college football this year that makes less sense than doing this…

…and then doing that two more times! The above cost them an illegal substitution and five yards on 1st down. Fine. They were trying to get an edge by having fresh tackles in the game at all times, and got caught.

Then it happens again, right after they got hit with an wide open receiver downfield on 4th and 1. Like before, MSU is attacking the edge to the opposite side of Michigan’s bench.

So now you’ve surrendered the lead with this tactic. You get halftime to reassess your strategies. And yet,

It’s pretty cool to see a 400-pound dude running at top speed across the field to break up this play. That is the only defensible thing about running Whittley onto the field in this situation. The fact that MSU was running stretch away from Michigan's sideline each time tells you that this is something they saw which could be exploited. Letting them do so twice more in increasingly important situations is indefensible.

Brian attributed that to having a young guy who’s spent most of his career at defensive coordinator. In the pros you get a chance to switch guys out between snaps, whereas in college the defense can only get a change in if the offense does so. Also in the pros the defensive linemen are largely interchangeable. Ours are not.

Aren’t they? We have two starters but who’s the 2nd team?

Since that takes some player comparison, we may as well drop the chart early.

Defensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Hinton	6	1	+5	Felt like he could have been on the field more.
Smith	11	4	+7	Him too, as much as possible.
Jenkins	4	5.5	-1.5	-3 for getting out of his lane on the long TD run.
Jeter	5	0	+5	Ideal matchup: badly coached guys with short arms.
Speight			0	DNP
Whittley	1.5		1.5	GERONIMO!
Welschof	2	3	-1	Nifty move going through Belgium but now what?
Hutchinson	29	7.5	+21.5	Had to do a lot more LB things. Big mitts in passing lanes.
Morris	4	6	-2	Opposite of Jeter: got leverage and got tackled a lot.
Ojabo	18	2	+16	Edge terror, full-timer, GO AWAY NFL
Harrell	0.5		+0.5	Ojabo emergence means less rotation here.
Upshaw			DNC	But had several chances to in pass rush.
McGregor			0	DNP
TOTAL	81	29	+52	This is why MSU's run game was so boom or bust.
Linebacker
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Ross	11.5	13	-1.5	Tells grandkids life is easy if you haven't been the 1 in a 6-1.
Hill-Green	2.5	0	+2.5	Preferred him on the field to an extra DT.
Colson	7	1	+6	Ditto. Shot some gaps as the #2 LB. Didn't have to be #1.
Mullings			0	DNP
Barrett			0	DNP
TOTAL	21	14	+7	Survived, but if you get lost once it's points.
Secondary
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Hill	7.5	8	-0.5	One step behind in coverage day.
Hawkins	4.5	9	-4.5	Part of the reason miscues were points.
Moten	9	2	+7	Part of the reason there weren't more points. CATCH THAT!
Kolesar			0	DNP
Moore			0	DNP
Paige			0	DNP
Perry			0	DNP
Gray	1	2	-1	Locked on receivers, when he did and didn't want to be.
Turner	7	5	+2	Early coverage miscue was only one, might not be his.
Gem.Green	1	3.5	-2.5	I don't care if it's 4th and a nanometer that's your dude, dude.
TOTAL	30	29.5	+0.5	Needed one more play from them to make up for those that didn’t count.
Metrics
Pressure	28	6	+22	State wanted the ball out of there pronto.
Coverage	22	18	+4	Big plays vs a lot of good ones.
Tackling	11	11.5	-0.5	You've had a busy day. You're fortunate to be all in one piece.
RPS	13	20	-7	Got some, not all of the stuff MSU saved up.

So much for the DTs’ positive streak.

No, Brian is right that the starters were fine; the backups made crucial errors that got maximally punished because Walker is good and because other guys made critical mistakes. The one that sticks out the most was Kris Jenkins getting out of his gap on a simple stretch play. Remember getting gashed to death by Indiana in 2015 when Glasgow got hurt and young Hurst/Willie Henry/Tom Strobel did not trust themselves to stay on their blockers’ hips? This was a Young Hurst moment from Jenkins, who’s lined up as a DE.

#94 the DE on our right

Stretch is a test of wills; defensive linemen always want to go upfield and make the play, but if you don’t make the play you are not replaceable.

That kind of mistake is worth between 7 and all the yards depending on whether the next guy can get there. Ross was getting held by #75, so it's all of them.

Julius Welschof, another DT who got about as much run as the starters (and technically was one) was a culprit on a similar play, except he did belong in the backfield. He his guy, but then risks it all on a dive after Walker in the backfield.

#96 the DE just inside #79 on the left

If Welschof sets up there, Walker has nowhere to go. Take your shot at a highlight reel TFL on the superstar and miss, and then there’s nobody in that gap until the safety.

Michigan had a lot of trouble with this play, which just pulls the tackle around the guard to double the DT, but here they had it beat and just needed to finish the job. Welschof will learn—I don’t like that they’re learning these lessons in such critical moments. (Also Hawkins where are you going!?!?!)

Still, the fact that Juice got behind the OL shows why he’s getting on the field now instead of Jess Speight. I noted after the Northwestern game that Welschof doesn’t have the strength to stay put against doubles, but finds ways to use his ludicrous athleticism to make up for it. We had another of those instances in this game:

#96, second from the bottom of the formation

That might not last much longer, however. Teams have scouted him now and are probably just going to run plays that double him longer, since that seems to be his kryptonite. If he’s taking two guys’ attention and nobody’s getting stuck behind him, however, that’s another useful tool.

Jeter may have had his best game yet, probably because he was a uniquely suited player for the way Michigan State’s OL are coached to block. His positive attributes are he’s super strong, and has those big long arms. Jeter’s issues in the past have been that he gets too high and loses leverage. That flaw gets more exposed the more offensive linemen are coached to get low and win with leverage and feet. But you can’t get under him, he’s going to control the block, and maybe even wrangle down your back as he goes by.

#95 the 2nd from the bottom on the DL

MSU’s interior linemen, especially their center and right guard, try to beat you by getting their hands on your shoulderpads and wrenching you where they want you to go. That is a terrible strategy for a guy like Jeter because it obviates his fatal flaw, at which point you’re in a handfight with a bear.

That’s been a theme of the defensive line (and their coach, writ large): whenever I’m ready to sigh at a Nua project, they bring out a hell yeah! Guessing that means Jenkins will destroy six stretch zones against Indiana this week.

I like that Michigan has a variety of guys who excel in different situations. Whittley is an astral body, Speight a trusty muck-a-muck, Jenkins an explosive proto-Hurst, Morris a versatile Wormley (or Juaquin Feazell), Welschof a freakish (poor man's) Karlaftis type, and the starters are huge athletes like all the blue bloods recruit. It’s good that you can give an offense all kinds of different fronts with different combinations of these guys. The criticism here is that you also need to be judicious about which guys’ weaknesses you’re putting out there—e.g. Jenkins’s get-upfield rawness versus a team that’s running lots of stretch.

You mean like being the guy the coaches are mad at on Kenneth Walker III’s Heisman reel?

Obviously there were some big plays in high-leverage situations, but in general I though Michigan State’s coaches did a great job of understanding how Michigan’s run defense had prepared to take away the extra gaps Kenneth Walker is so good at pressing then bouncing out of for big yards. Michigan did that it by adding linemen, going with lots of 5-1, 5-2, and even 6-1 personnel on standard downs.

One counterattack to that was the play we discussed before: a short pull of a lineman to create a double team in a gap the linebacker isn’t expecting. Here’s the second touchdown off that play, again on Welschof, run to the other side.

(THIS SECTION HAS BEEN UPDATED) The right tackle’s pull moved an outside gap inside. Normally you have two linebackers watching for that sort of thing, but Michigan has just one. That's a -3 error and I went back and forth on whether to give the -2 to Ross or RPS. It went to Ross because the RT is really there to double Jeter, and Ross's job is to make Jeter right. Instead he goes to the same gap that Jeter's taking. 

It's still an RPS issue because that's a lot of players for Ross to be watching if you want him to know that the RT has re-gapped inside and he's got to fix it. 

State also used the weird personnel to put Michigan’s linemen in situations where they have to do the things that modern defenses deploy hybrid space players for. Here’s Aidan Hutchinson trying to be Jabrill Peppers out in the slot while still defending the edge of the run. He is not Jabrill Peppers:

Soft coverage behind the big long lines meant there were yards to be had with intermediate throws—throws you actually have time to make versus a six-man line because all the pass rushers are tackles (or non-pass rush threat Taylor Upshaw) and Hutchinson is off trying to do a job you recruited Junior Colson for:

The defense did “stiffen” and come up with two crucial stops at the end of the game, leading to two opportunities for the offense to win at the end. Those stops came down to Hutchinson and Ojabo, two guys who had been playing almost every snap, making sacks, plus a total ownage of a play Michigan State wanted to win the game with because of recent history.

That is our old friend Arc Read, and only one of the extra defenders committed to stopping it is there because Michigan is playing with no safeties in a “first down is game” situation. Hutchinson crashes inside and Hawkins is coming from the other side to ensure a give gets nowhere. They also shot Colson up deep, however, where the TE has no angle to shoot around. Then comes all the pursuit, and Michigan gets a final drive to make things right.

Michigan also stopped the arc read earlier with a crash-replace that used the safety as the replace.

This wasn’t the only gotchya play that MSU spent time preparing for Michigan only to get got. Up through the Northwestern game Michigan was having trouble stopping screens, especially RB split screens, because we’re already playing with few linebackers and sometimes using those linebackers to blitz. Here we have Ross blitzing but also someone on the Michigan sideline very audibly yelling “SCREEN! SCREEN!”

Turn the volume on if you haven’t already. It’s loud. Ross hears, tags Walker, and that’s that. Also Hutchinson blew up MSU’s one attempt at a flea flicker by diving inside the tackle and then following the ball. Thorne escaped a potential third strip sack only because Hutchinson stepped on Walker as he rerouted.

Take out the –9 from getting caught in substitutions (that’s harsh but I’m mad) and Macdonald gave as good as he got.

Shouldn’t the safeties be doing something about those long runs?

Yes, and that resulted in the worst day for Brad Hawkins since…a bad day I don’t want to remember right this moment. This was the one where Welschof won then took a bad gamble. Hawkins is in two-high, then runs down to help until he’s of no help whatsoever.

You can’t have that from your seniors. Moten got beat on the other T fold touchdown, but that was just an old fashioned bad angle, and honestly I didn’t think Moten was going to win a one-on-one with Walker if it came to that.

Hawkins also had moments to remember. He sniffed out this run on his way down from two-high.

That was a critical play, but also one Michigan needed more of. The way they were playing with so many defensive linemen was dangerous because if they get creased there’s only one linebacker, and nowhere for him to funnel to. A solution to that is to have a safety part of the run fit to funnel to.

And the rest of the back seven?

Mostly untested. The two big plays MSU got in the passing game were both fourth downs—a 4th and 1 where Green was so sure they weren’t going downfield that he let his receiver go…

…and a tip-your-cap fade over Dax Hill on 4th and 4 that is going to beat him and all the other NFL nickels like him over the course of his next career. They got a free play down the sideline when Morris jumped offsides once, but DJ Turner was step for step.

Michigan State’s pass protection wasn’t going to last long enough for any more interesting routes to develop. When they did try to keep Thornton alive long enough to survey more than one route, the result was sacks and near interceptions because the receiver was bracketed.

Other pass events were getting flagged for a phantom PI near Michigan State’s sideline, giving up some underneath stuff, or long rollouts when Hutchinson or Ojabo flushed Thorne from the pocket, the pursuit got yanked, and everybody had to stay tense from there to the sideline. And a lot of batted balls as Michigan State tried to get the ball out quick and short over unblocked pass-rushers:

I noticed a lot of those were defensive linemen.

Yeah, so part of having goal line personnel out there where was linemen fulfilling roles that are usually reserved for the fleeter fleet. Here’s Mazi Smith covering the hole, which is usually a middle linebacker job:

Here’s Hutchinson actually doing a good job of taking the flat role that usually goes to Dax Hill:

You tried to edge Aidan Hutchinson! How did that work out for us? Michigan mostly got away with it, but the payoff in the run game wasn’t worth it. They gambled that all these defensive linemen would add variance to the Kenneth Walker run game, where one TFL puts them in a passing down and Ojabo/Hutchinson can be brought to bear. It turned out to be a bad gamble, not because of the reason we thought it would be, but because the high-variance run game led to lots of long, long runs.

What amazing incredible you can’t be serious thing did Aidan Hutchinson do this week, and when you answer please remember that half your readers are on their phones and videos take a lot of memory.

I’m sorry but he is doing new good things, so the gfycats will continue. (Your phone browsers are ignoring code that I’m adding to them to stop them from autoplaying, by the way.)

This here’s a 3rd and 9 throw to an open slant route early in the game.

#79 is on the ground because their plan for Hutchinson here was to cut him and get the ball out before he can react. The plan is working—they get the ball out and Jayden Reed is open on the slant. But Hutchinson’s reaction to the cut isn’t to charge uselessly at the QB; it’s to stick his hand in the throwing lane.

The ball sails inside and high, incomplete. If it had been on target, it’s probably not getting past the line of scrimmage. This was hardly a one-off occurrence.

Those arms in the passing lane are a real problem for an offense that wants to deal with Hutchinson by passing over him before he inevitably arrives at the quarterback.

At the risk of saying something that’s true that will nevertheless offend many precious Spartans, Hutchinson was the best player on the field again, as he’s been every week he’s played. Like the Dax Hill thing, a route combination that doesn’t demand the ball get out under 1.5 seconds is something every opponent tries at least once to see if THEY’RE the team that’s good enough to crack it. Fat chance.

'n'yitth'gapbeclosingatweenyersassenachson'n'mahladdie

No, they called the hold on that one.

That wasn’t th'inhibitor ah wis speaking Scots!

n yit th gap—And yet the gap—be closing—And yet the gap is closing between…

Yer sassenachson.

Hutchinson? And your laddie! Yeah! Yeah it has! David Ojabo has progressed from an enticing high ceiling to a guy we’re starting to worry about exploring that ceiling professionally next year. The strip sack touchdown was an incredible pass rush versus a single tackle, but also has to be seen in the context of what it means for an offense that they can allocate the first part of a tight end’s route to chipping Hutchinson, and there’s a threat almost as dangerous still lurking.

When you have one great pass-rusher offenses can find ways to adjust. You also have to be careful not to run him too deep because there might be space to step up. Michigan still isn’t getting consistent pass rush inside from their tackles, but they can run Hutchinson high enough to flush or draw an extra blocker, and trust Ojabo to use his single-block to threaten low.

You can also vary their attacks and aim points. Ohio State’s should-be-in-the-NFL tackles are going to be a new challenge, but the college guys are doomed. Speaking of the pros, I know it’s our goal to keep Ojabo from going pro, but our claims that he’s not technically sound enough yet are starting to ring hollow. This is some sound play when every fiber in your body is trying to twitch in the direction of the highlight reel.

The difference between Ojabo’s +6 games when he had two excellent pass rush events and this game is he is picking up a handful of +1s and no grades for setting an edge responsibly, which means he can stay on the field for the other stuff. He’s #8 among edge defenders to Pro Football Focus. It’s happening dot gif.

Not much talk about the linebackers?

Other than Ross, who managed to get spoken of in all the previous sections, they didn’t get many opportunities. Colson took more advantage of his this time:

They still don’t trust him to replace Ross, which is understandable. Hill-Green might be due for some snaps at the MIKE, however, especially since one of these two is going to have to play it next year.

Did they try to edge Dax Hill this week?

They did.

How did it work out for them?

It didn’t.

So they stopped.

Can I ask about one of the rzzzffffprrraffffaffd PLEASE TAKE THIS THING OFF

Fine, but we've already hit our limit for holding complaints.

The reviews.

Sigh. So I don’t have anything to add to what Mike Pereira and Joel Klatt said on the broadcast about the fumble recovery in the endzone. This ball is coming out when Ojabo hits, and nothing about Thorne half-squeezing it between his knees means he reestablished control.

Rumor has it the Big Ten has apologized, for all the good that does. Add it to the list of atrocities that Michigan and only Michigan suffers with this much frequency.

The reviewers also gave MSU two catches that I thought were not, though these are way more open to interpretation. The first I’m convinced got overturned because they didn’t heed this important lesson: Always watch them in real time. I can't remember who taught me this but it turned me around when I was convinced some Michigan WR dug out a catch once until I was given this advice. Real time captures physics that your brain is wired to convert into information.

This play was ruled no catch because human brains saw the ball react as things do when they hit Earth. When they went to replay they announcers convinced themselves there was a hand under it and the receiver was bringing it up to his chest. If you’re really really trying, you can convince yourself that it’s indisputable evidence. If you watch it in real time your ability to see motion tells you that ball hit something flat and hard, not the fingers of a hand. This play didn't have a huge effect on the game but the real time effect is something I wanted to point out.

This also goes for the re-officiated touchdown, where live it’s much clearer that the ball was out because Ojabo jarred it loose (vs impact with the ground). Slow-motion tricks your brain into seeing less motion. If that’s what the officials were using to get these calls wrong, that standard has to change. Always watch in real time.

The other catch that I think wasn’t was the two-point conversion. I don’t know if they even reviewed it, because Fox was so determined to get to commercials, but this doesn’t complete the process:

The NCAA uses a “complete the catch all the way to the ground until you make a football play” standard:

If a player goes to the ground in the act of catching a pass (with or without contact by an opponent) he must maintain complete and continuous control of the ball throughout the process of contacting the ground, whether in the field of play or in the end zone. This is also required for a player attempting to make a catch at the sideline and going to the ground out of bounds. If he loses control of the ball which then touches the ground before he regains control, it is not a catch. If he regains control inbounds prior to the ball touching the ground it is a catch.

Here’s the money shot:

Reed’s not down, Turner’s already ripped it out, but doesn’t have possession yet. When Reed does hit the ground…

Since Turner has possession of that ball before Reed is down, it’s not a catch. If the logic’s confusing, imagine if that play happens inbounds and then Turner drops it as well—is that an incomplete, or a fumble?

It also Mattered. Michigan still would have kicked a field goal if they were up 30-28 instead of tied 30-30, but when it was 4th down deep in MSU territory and Michigan was losing 33-37 instead of 33-35, those two points were the difference between putting the game on Jake Moody and putting it on the refs.

There was one other big officiating error that I caught, though there is still time to rectify it. You don’t have to be an MSU partisan to recognize that Michael Morris got away with some extreme unsportsmanlike conduct here:

People replied to me on Twitter that they don’t see anything there, or postulated that Walker’s trouble breathing after the play was on account of how his back got bent. His trouble breathing was because he got choked by one of our players. I did not hold back about Will Gholston or Jacub Panasiuk or the rest of Dantonio’s Angels who defined the rivalry in the 2010s with behavior like the above. We should not condone it from Morris either. Suspend him for Indiana and it’s done.

Here I will reiterate my take on Big Ten officiating in general, which is that instances where the quality of refereeing becomes part of the game’s narrative should be unacceptable, and yet it continues to happen because the Big Ten uses amateur officials who are willing to do this for small pay on the weekends. It’s long past time to professionalize this aspect of the game like we have everything else, and Big Ten would be wise to do it first, if only because the players hate being subject to these unaccountable bush-leaguers even more than we do. Since Fox has added 180 more (90 minutes worth of) commercials to the Big Ten noon game in recent years, I’m sure they can afford to put at least some of that back into the product on the field.

Who’s Mr. Worldwide this week?

As a reminder, our criteria here are versatility, the ability to make your teammates better, being cool against long odds, and enjoying time spent under highway overpasses. This is decided after the second UFR. Your top three this week are all on offense:

1. Cade McNamara: Feasted on mid-level crossing routes, which are the highway overpasses of routes. Placed his passes in the perfect places to generate memorable moments for Anthony, Sainristil, and All. Some idiot put a cyan on him earlier this year. Also inbeing cool despite long odds, try to imagine any scenario not involving an athletic organization that just gave up on 130 years of preventing players from making money off their likenesses, in which this is cool.

And yet it is so, so cool. QB1.

2. Andrel Anthony: True freshman receiver (freshman receivers suck!) we had barely seen or heard from comes back to the hometown that was so sure they would win his recruitment and then shows his versatility by being every #1 in Michigan football history. Made JJ McCarthy look like a passer, Cade McNamara look like a 350-yard passer, and every cornerback on his team look like a saint for not going ballistic when they had to deal with the same crap that Anthony got flagged for. Is from the Lansing area, where kids walk across highway overpasses to go to school, and their most famous walkway is an overpass that goes over an overpass:

3. Hassan Haskins: Played offensive tackle, wide receiver, tight end, and running back, and that was just one play. Made so many guys miss in the backfield I’m still the only member of the fanbase who seems to have realized Barnhart had a really bad day. Was, to everyone but PFF, not even considered one of the top two running backs playing in this game. Hurdled a guy again so he could feel what it’s like to hang out under a highway overpass.

HMs (half points). Aidan Hutchinson for playin his position and Dax Hill’s and everything in between. Erick All for catching everything in sight. Donovan Jeter.

3-2-1 point system so our standings are:

7.5: Aidan Hutchinson
5.5: Erick All
5: Hassan Haskins
4: Cade McNamara
3: Ronnie Bell, Ryan Hayes, Daxton Hill, DJ Turner II
2.5: Andrel Anthony
2: Mike Sainristil, Junior Colson, Josh Ross, David Ojabo
1.5: Andrew Stueber.
1: Nikhai Hill-Green, Cade Kolesar, Cade McNamara, Luke Schoonmaker, Julius Welschof, Chris Hinton
0.5: Mazi Smith, Blake Corum, Joel Honigford, Chuck Filiaga, Donovan Jeter

Heroes?

Aidan Hutchinson, David Ojabo, Mazi Smith

Maybe not so heroic?

Hawkins, Jenkins, Welschof, thzzzzxfffffttzzzddddttttt.

What does it mean for Indiana and the future?

David Ojabo you’d better not Beilein recruit your way to the pros so soon after the light goes on. Unless you get us to the Final Four, then you can go. Presence of Hutchinson is creating Gary/Winovich effect where you can’t double both of them.

Michigan is never going to be good at tempo under Harbaugh. The idea that someone would ever want to hurry football rather than get it right has never entered the man’s thoughts, nor will it be countenanced.

From now on every NFL guy we hire gets a college football fairy. It can sit on his shoulder and say things like “that guy might not know how to defend outside zone yet,” or “They’re going to have that ball set in 3 seconds maybe wait for them to swap out a tight end,” or “You know we can read guys after the snap too.”

Different tackle blokes for different strokes. They’ve seen their various toys in various circumstances. I’d like to see them deployed more strategically now.

The 6-1 is cute but let history be your guide. Like the time that the modern linebacker position was invented in 1904 because a Michigan center/nose guard said “You know what—we really need a second linebacker.”

Turner might be real? One thing that didn’t happen was the thing we all feared would happen when Jalen Nailor and Jaylen Reed went against our cornerbacks. I wish I’d clipped the one where Turner dominated Reed’s route by staying outside the whole time. That was cool.

It’s still a transition year. Only a few early position battles settled. Fits are still goofy, roles are still fluid.

You don’t have to engage with people who are being toxic. This rivalry brings out the worst in people, and this particular brand of outcome most of all.

Professional refs now. Whatever you think about Talking About It vs Not Talking About It, the only people who think more fairness is a bad thing are those who want unfairness, and those who don’t think fairness is worth having to pay for it.

Moment of Zen: