Scoring Note: Brian did things differently but I’m going to start counting pass events in the chart because people never read the run chart as a running game chart no matter how often they’re reminded. I’ll still have the other charts, and note pass pro things, but the charts are going to be cumulative from here on out. That includes pass pro minuses and receiver routes.

Formation Notes: Indiana kept their 4-2-5 personnel on the field almost all the time but they changed up formations a ton. They even used a 404 Tite, which predictably obliterated the “zone reads” Michigan brought back to torture me.

On passing downs they went to a 3-2-6 dime that lifted a DT for a CB. If you stuck around to the end things got goofy. I won’t show them all but this is what I labeled Nickel Wide I because they have the LBs lined up in a I-formation.

Substitution Notes: Lots of injuries so the rotations were thinner than usual. Erick All didn’t play which meant lots of time for Schoonmaker, Honigford, and Carter Selzer. WRs went Johnson, Anthony (until he went out), Baldwin, Wilson, and Sainristil then Henning (until he went out) in the slot. Line returned Zinter and Keegan at the guard spots, and all five went all the way, with Trente Jones often out there wearing #80 as a sixth. Corum’s ankle injury was early and Donovan Edwards has been hurt (he didn’t travel vs MSU) so Hassan Haskins was still carrying the ball in garbage time, with Leon Franklin getting in first then Tavierre Dunlap getting a drive. Quarterback was McNamara (46/70 chartable snaps) most of the way. McCarthy got a few third and long situations after Michigan was up two scores, and got the second drive of the second half plus garbage time. Michigan’s clearly trying to give him some experience. He also clearly needs it. Wait, that’s for the next part.

[After THE JUMP: Tom Allen is very good at this; he just doesn’t have the weapons]

Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M3	1st	10	Pistol FB Ace	4-2-5	4-3 over	2	Run	8	Split Zone	Haskins	9	0.68
The DE is either expecting an arc or is just bad but he sets up way high so Honigford(+0.5) has to reroute upfield to kick him. Thanks for the freebie? Zinter(+1) moved out a DT but IU still has their best LB in the gap and a safety down. Haskins(+2) runs the LB over, and the safety over, and carries the HSP well across the 1st down marker. They mark him short, refs-1. No RPS for goal line response because it's on the 3 yard line.
M12	2nd	1	Pistol Twins Tight	4-2-5	4-4 Over	2	Run	8.5	Power G	Haskins	3	-0.34
Keegan(+1) kicks a DE trying to trick him, Honigford(-1) spends too long doubling the DE and lets an LB in free, doubling the guy Zinter went for. Haskins beats that guy but by running into the guy Stueber is blocking. Anthony(+0.5) got down to the HSP.
M15	1st	10	Gun Ace Tight	4-2-5	4-4 Over	2	Pass	8	Deep Out	Anthony	Inc	-0.44
This is a tough window between IU's two very good DBs. CB is sitting on this with outside leverage (RPS-2). Anthony would have to come back to make a play, ball can't go anywhere else, and CB can break it up, almost intercept. Flat safety was coming back too. I think I have to mark this CA since there's no other good options though no + for Cade--IU's cornerbacks are just really good and anticipated this route combo. (CA, 1, Prot 1/1)
M15	2nd	10	Gun Empty	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	6	Hitch	Johnson	Inc	-0.20
This is why Tom Allen gets a star. IU drops a DE and the LB who showed, blitzed the other MLB from the opposite edge and he isn't picked up. Cade gets it out to CJ but the same CB makes a great play to come down and break it up as it arrives. Alex Drain are you reading this? THAT's why we starred that guy. (CA, 1, Prot 0/1, TEAM-1, McNamara+1).
M15	3rd	10	Gun Empty RB Orbit	3-2-6	335 Under	2	Pass	6	RB Flare	Corum	Inc	-0.09
The pressure is on Cade who drifted back when there's room to step up. That also delays the pass and turns it into an arc so the safety has time to come after it. That S was rotating from the other side because of the motion so Corum still has room to make a play (RPS+1) but drops it. (IN, 3, Prot 0/1, McNamara-1)
Drive Notes: Punt. 0-0. 9 min 1st Q. Weird drive for pass charting.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M22	1st	10	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	4-3 Even	2	Run	7	Counter Trey	Haskins	5	0.09
Missed you Keegan(+1), swallower of ends. Also miss All as Schoonmaker(-2) lets the safety fly up inside him after Haskins(+1) beat an HSP who botched his fit. Was going to break big otherwise.
M27	2nd	5	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Run	6	Counter CF	Haskins	13	1.43
Same play just pull the C instead. Vastardis(+1) gets a strong kick, Schoonmaker(-2) gets popped as he tries to turn the HSP and I have another moment of appreciation for All. Haskins(+2) bounces off Schoonmaker's guy, gets his wrist grabbed by Vastardis's, carries that dude like a misbehaving 4-year-old through Aldi, swings the screaming (300-pound) child into a safety shopping for a 4-yard stop, puts the other side's DE and the WLB in his cart, and takes them out to the lot while Sainristil(+1) wriggles inside, and gets away with a call-worthy double-shoulder wrenching (refs+1), of the HSP.
M40	1st	10	Pistol Trips	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2	Play-Action	7	Slot Out	Sainristil	4	-0.17
Video looks like CJ was open but I noted from the press box he was bracketed, which left open the dumpoff to Sainristil(+0.5) to get like 4.501 yards on the sideline that gets rounded down to 4 when they spot it (gonna matter in a second). Replay shows Vastardis got away with a fistful of jersey that IU twitter didn't like (we're not counting those either side), and Keegan coming back to help as Hayes's guy spins in, which doesn't get a plus but is a thing to remember about Keegan. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
M44	2nd	6	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Run	6	ZR Counter Trey	Haskins	5	0.11
McNamara(read+)s a DE shuffle as IU blitzes and Keegan(+1) picks that up, which effectively shields the edge from crashing, but also gets Vastardis(-2) off his downblock. RPS+1 since now they're down a LB. Zinter(-1) gets submarined by a guy who watched MSU defend this last week (need an answer for that) but Schoonmaker(+1) digs out the LB filling behind that, and Hayes(+1) rode the DE out of the play, and Haskins can run until the guy Vastardis left can flow down the line.
M49	3rd	1	Goal Line	4-2-5	Goal Line	1	Run	9	Power G	Haskins	0	-1.14
IU submarines the kickout of Keegan(-1) who gets flipped dangerously and kicks Haskins as he's trying to muscle sideways through a free LB. Honigford(RPS-2) can't clip a guy lined up inside of him so this was the only gap. Replay shows him inches short.
M49	4th	1	Goal Line	4-2-5	Goal Line	NA	Run	NA	QB Sneak	McNamara	1	2.11
They get it with a Jones(+1) crunch on the edge and a bit of a HH Bush push.
50	1st	10	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	Run	6.5	Counter Trey	Corum	4	-0.14
Keegan(+1) does a better job this time to get inside of the submariner and push him out. Honigford(-1) runs into Selzer(-1) (Miss You All) who was losing his block but that knocks him over and frees the LB they were blocking. That guy gets Corum's ankle and Corum is spun on his back while the ankle stays under this LB. Don't think it was malicious but Corum hobbles off, done for the night.
O46	2nd	6	Gun Str Bunch	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Pass	7	Deep Dig	Anthony	16	1.17
IU brings a LB and replaces with a S and Cade reads his spot. Zings it high so trail CB has no chance but he has room to lead this more like he did vs MSU. Anthony(+1) goes up to snag and turns it up for some extra. (CA, 2, Prot 2/2, McNamara+2)
O30	1st	10	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	Pass	6	Dumpoff	Johnson	8	0.51
Tempo(26). Michigan is running a fake flare screen but IU is in m2m and go with. Cade dumps it down after waiting through several beats behind max pro, then zips it to CJ(+2) who whoops a LB and dives through the CB for a solid gain. RPS-1, M was trying to catch IU in a blitz and got vanilla.
O22	2nd	2	Pistol Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	1	Run	6	Zone Read	Haskins	0	-0.62
Tempo(28). Now IU is blitzing (RPS-1) and McNamara(-1, read-1) lets them crash the unblocked guy at Haskins, not that Cade would have gotten far with the FS slamming down as well. Tom Allen vs Josh Gattis is such a mismatch.
O22	3rd	2	Offset Bone Twins Covered	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Run	7.5	ZR Belly Give	Haskins	3	0.31
They do get the HSP to slow up so I guess this is a good read by McNamara(+1, read+1) though I wish they had an RPO slant under all this soft coverage. Don't matter because Stueber(+1) and Zinter(+1) destructoed a DE and while Keegan(-0.5) and Vastardis(-0.5) can't move the NT, Haskins(+1) can, then burry into the right side's space for the first down and no doubt.
O19	1st	10	Gun Twins F Motion	4-2-5	404 Tite	2	Run	6	Split Stretch	Haskins	3	-0.11
A new counter to Split and it wins. IU blitzes the backside and Stueber(+1) cuts him. RPS+1 as Michigan is running away from the side IU is trying to overwhelm so the backside DE is just engaged with Schoonmaker for a time. Vastardis(-2) gets crossed, is yanking this NT's sleeve so hard it's across his face, and it's laughable that it's not called (Refs+2). Haskins(-2) has a primo lane to cut behind that, with Zinter coming to seal a WLB who's also in the Vastardis-Keegan gap. Instead they run this like gap behind a good Hayes(+1) kick and following Keegan, which means the NT can shoulder Haskins who's moving sideways. Needs practice.
O16	2nd	7	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	404 Tite	2	Run	7.5	ZR Belly Give	Haskins	1	-0.52
The old Burn a Down on Fire play meets a play designed to stop even someone who knows how to run a zone read. RPS-2 as IU shifts to a 404 then scrape exchanges. LB is stopped outside so no matter who the QB is it's a keep read McNamara(-1, read-1) and you try your luck on him instead of giving to an RB who's already getting tackled, but either way it's dead. Please Michigan, Stop.
O15	3rd	10	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	5.5	Out	Sainristil	Inc	-0.26
Simple loop and Vastards(-2) doesn't come off his guy fast enough. DE up the gut chases Cade out of the pocket and he has to throw it away. (PR, 0, Prot 0/2, Vastardis-2)
Drive Notes: FG(34). 3-0. Eo1Q. Fans vastly overuse the term "outcoached," but this sequence was a case example of getting out-playcalling. M starts the next drive on the IU 24 after Ojabo's strip sack.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
O24	1st	10	Pistol FB Twins	4-2-5	404 Tite	2	Pass	8	TE Wheel	Schoonmaker	Inc	-0.43
Two IU DTs get tangled and go down so Cade has all day to wait for this to get open. It never really does as they play it well, but he throws it up at the pylon and Schoonmaker slips past the HSP, who then wraps up Schoonmaker's left arm as he makes the catch one-handed with his right....out of bounds. Should be PI (refs-1). Also think he had CJ coming open on a dig across the middle. Also don't want to punish this so he gets the CA but no points. (CA, 1, Prot 1/1)
O24	2nd	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	6	Dumpoff	Haskins	20	1.43
Cade wants the Anthony out but a Cov3 S is sitting on it so he checks down to the RB for a short gain...until Haskins(+3) dodges one guy, outruns the diving sitting S and an HSP getting harassed by Sainristil(+0.5), then hurdles a fool to turn a 3-yard gain into 1st and goal on the 4. No points for the dumpoff though. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1)
O4	1st	Goal	Offset Wk	4-3-4	Goal Line	NA	Run	8	ZR Counter Trey	Haskins	2	-0.38
Think M wants to run this outside after McNamara(read+) gets the backside S to stop. Keegan(-1) finally kicks him for Selzer(-2), who could have gone and blocked the MLB any time for a walk-in TD) to finish off, though too late to block anybody else. The MLB was frontside of the play (RPS-1) because IU was overloading this edge but Zinter(+2) blew out his man so bad he got crossed up with the LB's legs from behind and made enough room for Haskins to gain two without blocking. I MISS ERICK ALL SO BAD.
O2	2nd	Goal	Goal Line	6-3-2	Goal Line	NA	Run	NA	Down G	Haskins	2	2.02
Keegan(+1) gets extra on his kickout but it's the inside blocks that turn this into a walk-in, as Hayes(+1) turns in an edge, Honigford(+0.5) and Schoonmaker(+0.5), get effective pins, and Vastardis(+1) finds himself in the backfield from a slanting DT and improvises by becoming a second lead blocker. Selzer(-0.5) caught instead of hit his LB (and grabbed his jersey after HH went by) but got LB's attention away from the RB going by first.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 10-0. 12 min 2nd Q. It's funny that everyone knows these are the winning points when it happens.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M25	1st	10	Pistol Trips Covered	4-2-5	4-3 over	2	Pass	7.5	Drag	Baldwin	Inc	-0.70
I'm marking an RPS-1 since this is pillow-soft coverage and they can't convert that to a hitch—Baldwin runs a dig and I can't see the rest of the coverage until it's been 3 seconds and the protection is breaking down from time. Baldwin is trying to clear a CB but the throw is too on target for a guy in chase mode and it goes off the CB's hands. (BR, 1, Prot 2/3, McNamara-2)
M25	2nd	10	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Run	7	Zone Stretch	Haskins	62	4.24
RPS+1 as IU shifted to the under late and that gives Vastardis(+2) the angle he needs to reach this guy and pick off a LB. Keegan(+0.5) and Hayes(+1) seal some LBs outside, Wilson(+0.5) got a piece of the HSP, and Haskins(+1) dusts a backup safety I don't know. HSP finally catches up inside the 10.
O13	1st	10	Pistol 2TE Tight	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2	Penalty	7	Delay of Game	McNamara	-5	-0.34
McNamara(-1)
O18	1st	15	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Run	7	Counter Trey	Haskins	6	0.10
Works despite IU super overplaying that edge (RPS-2) because Keegan(+1) and Hayes(+1) blew out their DT so badly that Haskins(+1) can cut back inside behind it. Unblocked dudes are piled up there however so it's just a fall forward for six yards.
O12	2nd	9	Pistol ZY Flip	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Play-Action	7	Bootleg	Schoonmaker	12	2.73
Good ol' bootleg off the stretch zone they got the 62 yards with. IU is slanting hard away from this and the FS is going with them (RPS+2) so Cade can roll and throw to Schoonmaker as soon as he clears the DE they left back here. FS gets crossed going the wrong way and it’s all over but the throw. (CA, 3, prot n/a, McNamara+1)
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 17-7. 6 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M23	1st	10	Pistol Trips Covered	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Run	7	End-Around	Henning	18	1.55
Another married concept as the blocking looks like Counter Trey until they head outside. RPS+2 as they get a DE 100% crashing expecting to submarine. Whoop! Hayes(+1) edges and ejects the WLB, Zinter(+1) seals the CB and Schoonmaker(+0.5) got to the S but Haskins(-1) couldn't get his LB sealed.
M41	1st	10	Offset 2TE	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Pass	7	Deep Hitch	Johnson	21	1.56
More RPS+2 comeback as M has Haskins(+1) ready to pick up a corner blitz and Cade to throw the hitch behind it. Right on time so YAC happens. (DO, 3, Prot 2/2, McNamara+2)
O38	1st	10	Offset Str	4-2-5	404 Tite	2	Run	6.5	Counter Trey	Haskins	3	-0.25
Zinter(-1) doesn't turn a guy set up tight, so Haskins(+1) has to spin off the hole, at which point a safety has come down to meet him.
O35	2nd	7	Gun Str Bunch	4-2-5	5-2 Odd	2	Pass	7	Sack	McNamara	-11	-3.07
Cade thinks he has another CB blitz coming but it's from the other side (clever girl, RPS-2). He sees that's covered and then the protection is overwhelmed by two LBs blitzing the backside. (PR, n/a, Prot 0/2, TEAM-2)
O46	3rd	18	Gun Empty	4-1-6	Dime	2	Pass	4	Yackety Sax	Johnson	Inc	-0.52
M sends out JJ and IU takes a TO. M sends him back out. Read is the dumpoff to Haskins to get into FG range perhaps but McCarthy doesn't like that, waits. Vastardis(-1) loses his looper finally and then it's goofy time, which ends with JJ getting hit and throwing a jump ball in the direction of the guy he should have tried originally that's so far off it gets credited against CJ for trying to come back. Most likely result is an INT but the LB misjudges it. (BRx, 0, Prot 1/2, McCarthy-3)
Drive Notes: Punt. 17-7. 1 min 2nd Q. But why dot gif. EoH for offense. Anthony is hurt on the opening kickoff of the next half and doesn't appear again.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M21	1st	10	Pistol Ace	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Run	7	Counter Trey Z	Haskins	5	0.09
Honigford(+1) gets a good seal but Stueber(-0.5) and Zinter(-0.5) took too long doubling the DT and missed an RPS+1 window to get to the WLB (that WLB is not good) for free. Keegan(+1) turned in the DE but Sainristil(-1) can't do more than handfight with the HSP he needs to kick, and that guy initiates a tackle as the WLB meets Schoonmaker in the now too-small hole and creates a pileup. I miss All ejecting that guy.
M26	2nd	5	Gun Ace Twins Tight	4-2-5	404 TIte	2	Pass	7	Bubble	Johnson	4	-0.10
I think they're expecting the DE to crash but it's definitely a pre-snap read here. He doesn't (RPS-1) and Hayes gives him a useless side block from the wrong side after stepping down so this is about to get stuffed until Schoonmaker(+1) takes the HSP for a ride to open this to the marker. CJ goes down well past the stick but they mark him a full yard short (refs-2). Review that!
M30	3rd	1	Ace Bone Tight	4-2-5	4-4 Under	1	Run	9	Zone Read	Haskins	0	-0.59
Stueber(-1) tries to cut a LB who goes over him but the real problem is McNamara(-2, read-) is looking right at the DE who started inside Schoonmaker(RPS-1) and has the RB dead to rights, and doesn't pull it. Had he they get the 1st down easily. From here we get an injury TO for an IU player (commercial).
M30	4th	1	Goal Line	6-2-3	Goal Line	NA	NA	NA	Power Lead	Haskins	NA	0.78
Michigan lines up in a goal line and shifts the FB back and forth a few times. Harbaugh calls TO at 1 second to nix a delay of game (refs-1) with 1 second left on the clock (in the stadium—we were all watching the scoreboard, though TV agrees). Play would have worked as Selzer(+1) got a good kick and Schoonmaker(+0.5) got inside a DE while Jones(+1) drove a DT inside before anyone hears a whistle. Would have been a very long run if they played football and all these adults got out of the way. Get your shit together!
Drive Notes: Punt. 17-7. 12 min 3rd Q. This sequence took 10 points off my Harbaugh program confidence score. Know when you have a review! Run a play that isn't doomed! Have a plan for 4th and 1! Get your shit together! Also: 11 minutes of commercial time to stew about it.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M24	1st	10	Pistol Twins Tight	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2	Run	8	Power G	Haskins	4	-0.11
Zinter(+2) donkeys a DT he and Stueber(+1) were going to double so 71 moves on to a LB. Schoonmaker(+1) moved out a DE and sealed so there's a big cutback lane that Haskins(-1) could hit; he doesn't because Vastardis(-1) got planted in the backfield and that DT might get him down but after clearing that guy there's no excuse for not. Instead he runs at a safety who upends him after a short gain.
M28	2nd	6	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Run	6	Zone Stretch	Haskins	19	2.16
Vastardis(+2) reaches a NT over him, Hayes(+0.5) ran a DE upfield, and Haskins(+1) has the burst to get through. That's 10 which becomes 20 because Zinter(+1) chipped the WLB.
M47	1st	10	Gun Ace Tight	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2	Run	8	End-Around	Wilson	6	0.37
RPS+2 gets a DE set up inside and two TEs lead blocking with advantageous positions. Schoonmaker(-1) and Selzer(-1) lose those blocks but Wilson(+1) got out there so fast it's still a decent gain.
O47	2nd	4	Offset Str	4-2-5	Nk Even	2	RPO	6	Counter Trey/Flash Screen	Haskins	1	-0.94
McCarthy(RPO+) reads the SS who stays high. IU DE submarines Keegan(-1, RPS-1) who doesn't have that much chance to turn him because he's past the LOS, but that takes out the lead blocker as well and Haskins(+1) can only crawl forward for a few.
O46	3rd	3	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Run	6	Split Stretch	Haskins	4	1.38
Vastardis(+1) seals the NT upfield, Hayes(+0.5) reaches a backside DT but then lets him go to get nobody. Zinter(-2) overruns the MLB instead of sealing him inside and making a lane. Haskins(+1) gets tackled by both of these guys together and falls through them for the first. IU has another injured player.
O42	1st	10	Offset 2TE	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Pass	7	TE Dig	Seltzer	Inc	-0.91
Throw is low and hard in front of Selzer, who nearly brings it in but can't maintain possession (watch it in real time) as he's going to ground. Catch is overturned on review. (IN, 1, Prot 1/1, McCarthy-1)
O42	2nd	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	2	Pass	7	Slot Out	Sainristil	23	1.60
Want this out sooner but it's zoomed as the SS is trying to get back from feinting pressure. The millisecond that the zip gives him gives Sainristil(+2) time to spin out of the way of that guy trying to hit on the catch and get upfield for a chunk gain. CJ(+0.5) keeps the CB away. (CA, 2, Prot 1/1, McCarthy+1)
O19	1st	10	Pistol FB Heavy	4-2-5	4-3 Even	2	Play-Action	7.5	Bootleg	Schoonmaker	1	-0.28
Haskins(+2) obliterates a CB blitz. Unfortunately Honigford(-2, route-) runs his route directly into CJ. There's still room to throw underneath but he dumps it to Schoonmaker inside and upfield instead of outside and downfield where there's any chance of yards. (TA, 3, Prot 1/1, McCarthy-1)
O18	2nd	9	Gun Wk H Orbit	4-2-5	404 Tite	1	Penalty	7	False Start	Vastardis	-5	-0.45
When everyone moves but you it's you. Vastardis(-1)
O23	2nd	14	Gun Str	4-2-5	404 Tite	2	Play-Action	6	Corner	Johnson	Inc	-0.65
CB blitz, Stueber(-2) lets a DE cross his face and pressure up the middle, McCarthy stands in and tries to deliver but misses CJ(+2, route+) who got open on a nifty move. Rest of the blitz was picked up. (PR, 0, Prot 1/3, Stueber-2)
O23	3rd	14	Gun Wk Y-Flex	3-2-6	Dime	2	Pass	5	Hitch	Wilson	9	0.60
Give up and kick. IU rushes three, JJ delivers a short hitch for an easier FG that Wilson(+1) turns up into a much easier FG but nothing near the 1st down. No minus because this is playcall and we don't need an adventure (but kind of want one?) (TA, 3, Prot 0/0)
Drive Notes: FG(32). 20-7. 6 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
50	1st	10	Gun Wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Pass	6	Hitch	Wilson	Inc	-1.11
Leon Franklin is in at RB and flares out. Cade never looks over there where he has Franklin and Baldwin stretching the HSP, feels pressure from a guy Hayes just sat on, and chucks it at Wilson's feet. (TA, 0, Prot 1/1, McNamara-1)
50	2nd	10	Pistol Str	4-2-5	Nk Tite	2	Run	6	Power Cutback	Haskins	2	-0.62
M wants to hit this backside gap, giving Stueber and Zinter wide splits on the backside the pulling Zinter. Vastardis(-1) gets stood up in the backfield and Schoonmaker(-1) gets shot through by the crashing DE. RPS-2 this would have worked if they just ran it like power but there's no look for that--in fact Zinter even let the MLB shoot up. Tom Allen still owns us.
O48	3rd	8	Gun Trips	3-2-6	Dime Under	1	Pass	7	Deep Curl	Johnson	25	2.91
That's terrifying. A five-man blitz is stonewalled and Cade puts one up to CJ(+1, route+) who found a spot between zones 25 yards downfield because the CB doesn't think Cade can hit that. Neither did I. And TBH it's close because the CB almost comes back to intercept this, and the FS almost gets over it too. But they didn't. Results. (DO, 2, Prot 2/2, McNamara+2)
O23	1st	10	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	6	Scramble	McNamara	10	0.13
All day behind a four-man rush thanks to Stueber(+1) running a DE to Ypsi. Nothing to throw at so he takes off and gets 9.5 yards. Clearly OOB before the marker, but refs+1 give him the rest. (SCR, n/a, Prot 2/2, McNamara+1)
O13	1st	10	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	404 Tite	2	Run	8	Counter Trey	Haskins	3	-0.10
RPS-2 as IU is slanting at this and bringing the HSP with Cade never looking at the side with the WRs. Hayes(+1) comes off the slant and gets that HSP before he can blow it up. Keegan(+1) got the edge kicked and buried and rolls his feet out of HH's way. Stueber(-1) could be helpful vs a CB or LB but instead turns around to get the guy Honigford(+1) turns in. That leaves the CB vs a slowed Haskins waiting for these blocks to get done and he form tackles. There was a cutback lane forming but it would have to have been an incredible bounce to take it.
O10	2nd	7	Pistol 2TE Tight	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Play-Action	8	PA Seam	Schoonmaker	Inc	-0.31
Another RPS-2 loss that Hayes(+1) nearly saves as the HSP blitzes off the edge and ruins the Counter/End-around show that was supposed to fake everyone out while they leaked the TE open. McNamara is able to dodge away from that as Hayes gets it under control, but now the route's dead and everyone's in coverage so out the back of the endzone it goes. (PR, 0, Prot 1/2, TEAM-1, McNamara+1)
O10	3rd	7	Gun Str Y-Flex	3-2-6	Dime Under	2	Pass	6	Sack	McCarthy	-7	-1.40
Why is McCarthy in again on these? The pre-snap read is a hitch to Wilson under a soft CB that is open and which we've seen Cade make 30 times. JJ pumps at nothing on the short side then gets lit up because Zinter(-1) and Vastardis(-1) couldn't pick up a stunt. (BR, n/a, PR 0/2, Vastardis-1, Zinter-1)
Drive Notes: FG(34). 23-7. 2 min 3rd Q. Do not get why McCarthy is in for 3rd and long unless the idea is to have him ready in case.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M40	1st	10	Pistol 2TE	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Pass	7	Post	Johnson	50	2.24
IU rushes three so Cade has all day while CJ(+2, route+2) loses his coverage. Cade puts it a little short which makes sure it's caught but does allow them to tackle at the 10. (DO, 2, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
O10	1st	Goal	Pistol FB Heavy	4-2-5	4-3 Under	2	Run	8	FB Wham	Haskins	2	-0.10
Missed this play but Honigford(-1) gets no movement on the DT they let upfield for that and Zinter(-1) cant get into a well-extended DT *AND* Jones(-2) whiffed on the DE who shot inside of him so there's nowhere to go, so Haskins(+0.5) barrels into Zinter's guy for a couple.
O8	2nd	Goal	Gun Str Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Pass	6	TE Curl	Schoonmaker	8	2.57
Fans chanting "Throw the ball!" So they do. Schoonmaker(+1, route+) gets a little pushoff of the kind they never call, Cade hits him in the space created, and it's so smooth his TE can turn around and beat that LB (the good one) for a dive-in TD. (DO, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+2)
O3	2PC	Goal	Gun Str Tight	4-2-5	Nk Even	NA	Pass	8	Sack	McNamara	Inc	-1.05
Zinter(-2) misses a stunt. Everyone well-covered (RPS-1) and Cade goes down. (PR, n/a, Prot 0/2, Zinter-2)
Drive Notes: Touchdown (2pt failed). 29-7. 12 min 4th Q. Cade done, RPS is off after this.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M11	1st	10	Gun Ace Twins Tight	4-2-5	4-4 Under	2	RPO	9	Counter GT/Bubble	Haskins	0	-0.37
McCarthy(-2, RPO-) lets the DE crash on this because he's reading the LB behind him and the DE's is fake (RPS is off). Still should keep it because that's it for the edge and a free shot on Haskins is a free TFL. Wastes a great block by Honigford(+1)
M11	2nd	10	Gun Wk X-tight H-demi	4-2-5	Nk Split	1	Pass	7	Sack	McCarthy	-7	-0.25
MLB blitz and Vastardis(-1) only sticks a hand out but Haskins(+1) picks it up and drives that guy out of the middle. It's still enough to spook JJ who runs himself into a sack. Can't tell if anyone was open. (TAx, n/a, Prot 1/2, Vastardis-1, McCarthy-2)
M4	3rd	17	Gun Wk Y-Flex	3-2-6	Dime Wide	2	Run	4	Split Stretch	Haskins	7	0.02
Give up and punt. Stueber(-1) lost his kick so the double by Zinter(+0.5) and Vastardis(+0.5) is all this gets.
Drive Notes: Punt. 29-7. 11 min 4th Q. Can I go home now?
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M29	1st	10	Pistol Ace Twins	4-2-5	4-3 over	2	Run	7	Zone Stretch	Haskins	5	0.10
Stueber(+2) got around a DE and walled him off and Zinter(+1) picks off a LB so there's a cutback lane that Haskins(-2) doesn't see. He plows into the target gap where Hayes(-1) did not get a LB. Gotta practice this.
M34	2nd	5	Offset Trips	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	RPO	7	Counter GZ/Slants	Haskins	4(-14)	-1.39
This is a read on the HSP who stays out so McCarthy(RPO+) but oh man if he kept it here there is no backside edge as McFadden is going frontside with the G pull. Zinter(-2) should kick but goes outside of the first LB who shows then reaches back and grabs the guy for an easy call. Schoonmaker(-1) lost McFadden because he was so hype to get to the play. Keep it next time JJ.
M24	2nd	15	Gun Wk Y-Demi	4-2-5	Nk Under	1	Pass	6	Deep Out	Wilson	17	2.40
It's like a hitch but at 15 yards. ZOOOOms in there under soft coverage so Wilson can get a few extra. (DO, 3, Prot 1/1, McCarthy+2)
M41	1st	10	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Run	7	ZR Counter Trey	Dunlap	4	0.32
McCarthy(-1, read-) gets a shuffling end he could easily beat and an HSP that Sainristil blindside blocks (refs+1). McFadden is blitzing as IU shifts everyone frontside (RPS is off) but Stueber(+0.5) gets a little arm on him to keep the play alive. Hayes(+1) has a good downblock, Vastardis(+1) moves out the DE with his kick, Selzer(+1) gets an LB and this would break loose here if they're not sending the FS at this all the way, which was part of why there was so much room on the backside for a keeper.
50	2nd	6	Gin Wk Y-Flex	4-2-5	Nk Under	2	Pass	6	Hitch	Wilson	5(+15)	1.37
A beat late and thrown high where Wilson(+1) has to go get it. IU CB with a hoodie stops him after 5 then throws him down on the ground and gets flagged.
O35	1st	10	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Under	1	Pass	6	Sluggo	Johnson	Inc	-0.69
All day to throw behind max pro with 3 guys in routes. Directs CJ, who's bracketed, to the pylon and puts it there but CJ doesn't go there, probably because that's insane? CB on Baldwin stopped so he was open across the middle. I don't know what to chart this so it's the most accurate IN ever. (IN, 1, Prot 2/2, McCarthy-1)
O35	2nd	10	Gun Str H Jet	4-2-5	Nk Over	2	Run	6	Bash CT Give	Dunlap	4	-0.12
Now you pull this out? Sainristil jet motion right as Vastardis and Stueber pull and McCarthy(+1, read+1) reads the backside edge. He shuffles, give. Sainristil skips the first LB to kick the FS because he thinks Dunlap(-1) has an angle but the LB gets him down. Lots of green grass to explorum.
O31	3rd	6	Gun Wk X-tight	4-2-5	Nk Wide I	1	Pass	7	In	McCarthy	INT	-4.53
CJ is well-covered and JJ tries to fit it in, but the ball goes high instead of low where CJ can use his body to shield. Ball goes off his (and CB's) hands, pops directly up to the safety, which is just luck. (IN, 1, Prot 1/1, McCarthy-1)
Drive Notes: Interception. 29-7. 2 min 4th Q. That's it for the offense.

.

.

Wake up!

[wipes eyes] Are the commercials over?

The game is over.

What time is it?

It’s Tuesday. Also set your clock back an hour.

Okay. So it’s over then?

Yes.

Chart? Did we do the chart already?

No, we’re on the part where you ask the burning questions about this game.

I just did and you said ‘Yes.’

I… okay that’s fair. This game was sleepy. The short lists of drives:

• Touchdown drives of 75, 60, and 24 yards
• Field goal drives of 63, 62, and 33 yards
• 5-and-outs of 31 and 12 yards.
• The 3-and-out with the bad spot/3rd and short/4th and short sequence.
• Two adventuresome late McCarthy drives.

That sounds like a nice fall afternoon when I’m home in time to watch the 3:30 games.

It did hew remarkably close to expectations, especially with Erick All sidelined and Blake Corum out most of the day. I think that’s why the whole night game/ad bonanza thing stuck so hard in everybody’s craw. It was our last fall together in Ann Arbor that won’t be filled with crippling fear and Proud Boys trying to pick fights with 85-year-olds, after a year without any home games, and instead of enjoying the sun and the subtleties of an efficient running game, it felt like we were there to fulfill some suit’s quarterly revenue projections. Dance to the Applebee’s Song, everybody; somebody promised his uncle a 13.75% revenue growth from this sector. When the exploitative side of college football starts to put this many people out this obviously, the grumbles start to amplify, and that’s an atmosphere where some very bad ideas for things you can do with people masses can start to gain traction.

Okay Danton, other than revolutionary potential of citizen-ticketholders, did anything get you excited about this game?

Hassan Haskins. High, low, or indifferent, wherever my fandom is I can always latch on to Haskins be flung back to the place where the feelings roar. Or, like, into a safety.

With Corum sidelined with an ankle most of the game, Haskins got to feature for 27 carries, 162 yards for 6.2 YPC, and a TD. Plus there was a 20-yard run with a hurdled fool at the end of it. It remains the truest thing I ever wrote that Haskins is the tether for Michigan fandom. From the first damn play:

You’d have to be a Spartan or insane to think one great running back is better than having two. Here’s proof: Michigan lost the #1 back in the country to PFF, and got a full game of the new #1 back in the country to PFF.

What catapulted Haskins there was the one issue he had in this game last year: picking up blitzes. Indiana had their usual variations of cornerback bring, but this time their fate was something between canceled,

…and Canceled:

Haskins did have some trouble finding his gap on the stretch zones Michigan brought back for this game (we’ll discuss those later) but otherwise showed why he’s every bit the feature back as those in the Heisman race.

So that was a lot more pressure than we’re used to.

Indeed, this was a very different opponent than what Michigan has faced this year. Nebraska and Michigan State rest on their front fours, Wisconsin on its linebackers, Washington on its secondary. Indiana has some good players scattered about—MLB Micah McFadden, boundary CB Jaylin Williams, FS Raheem Lane, HSP Marcelino McCrary-Ball, DT Weston Kramer—but their best attribute is Tom Allen being very clever at figuring out what you’re going to call and having the answer planned and ready.

His pressures are just something else. You hear lots of coaches talk about bringing anybody from anywhere but most of them are going to rush four guys in the gaps they started in. Indiana disguises like an NFL team. Glance down at this and guess who’s coming and where. You’re wrong.

That’s how you get three sacks and a boatload of pressures in the QB charts. “TEAM” had a –4 in protection, which is a bad day at left tackle. Allen’s blitzes were just as disruptive in the run game, and didn’t go away just because Michigan broke out some tempo:

That went in the pile of “Michigan can’t zone read” but the safety is flying down for a keeper so it’s not like this play was likely to succeed even if keeps were live. As usual, Allen had Michigan scouted so well I would bet every player can pronounce “Filiaga” correctly. I’m still trying to get the hang of RPS scoring, and took some heat for that last week in the comments, but given RPS is Indiana’s big thing I expected Tom Allen to come out significantly ahead in that department.

Chart?

Chart.

Offensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Hayes	10	1	+9	He destroys bad DEs, athleticism an asset in stretch.
Keegan	8.5	3.5	+5	Welcome back, hyperintelligent bear.
Vastardis	8.5	10.5	-2	Pass pro issues, stretch zone was a hidden talent.
Filiaga			0	DNP
Stueber	6.5	5.5	+1	Still with the crossy-facey.
Zinter	9.5	10.5	-1	Consistently moved people, rusty on the edges.
Barnhart			0	DNP
T.Jones	2	2	0	Extra TE, block on 4th and 1 would have gotten it and more.
Atteberry			0	DNP
Crippen			0	DNP
All			0	DNP :(
Schoonmaker	5.5	7	-1.5	Did some things, is no Erick All
Honigford	4	4.5	-0.5	Did some things, is no Luke Schoonmaker.
Selzer	2	4.5	-2.5	Did a thing, is no Joel Honigford.
Hibner			0	Did not do a thing.
TOTAL	56.5	49	+7.5	Now do you appreciate Erick All?
Backs
Player	+	-	T	Notes
McNamara	1	5	-4	The no-read zone reads returned.
McCarthy	1	3	-2	Call in the Bennie Hill orchestra.
Villari			0	DNP
Haskins	19.5	6	+13.5	PFF's new #1 HB, not at stretch zone. Kicked ass on blitz pickups.
Corum			0	Please be okay.
Edwards			0	DNP
Dunlap		1	-1	Is no Hassan Haskins.
TOTAL	21.5	15	+6.5	Given to back and the unblocked edge taketh away.
Receivers
Player	+	-	T	Notes
C.Johnson	7.5	0	+7.5	The routes are good.
Sainristil	4	1	+3	Nifty slot, would be nice if people ran behind his good blocks.
Henning			0	Please be okay.
Wilson	3.5	0	+3.5	Solid return, speed to burn.
Baldwin			0	DNC, falling back in the pack.
Anthony	1.5	0	+1.5	Please be okay.
TOTAL	16.5	1	+15.5	Going to be something when Bell's back next year.
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Protection	31	47	66%	Vastardis-4, Stueber-2, Zinter-3, McCarthy-2, McNamara-2, TEAM-4
RPS	13	24	-11	Tom Allen > Josh Gattis, and was the one who had to be.

You really missed Erick All.

To the surprise of nobody who’s been following UFR this year. That said, they got a big game out of Luke Schoonmaker in All’s absence. Schoon’s blocks don’t have the same pop, but he’s very good at keeping his feet going when he’s engaged, and that sometimes turns guys who think they’re entering into a mutually beneficial relationship into suckers being run out of the business.

#86 the TE who’s in the slot at the top

Schoonmaker also had two touchdowns that would fit comfortably on any Harbaugh tight end reel, and then this non-catch that opens up all kinds of possibilities for the future, as long as the future stays in-bounds:

I thought Schoonmaker’s routes were in need of a little work but it felt like they still had a weapon in the weapon spot. Honigford got a few good blocks in, and Selzer did what he could, but I’m hoping Hibner and Hansen are coming along since those guys seem awfully close to their ceilings.

Receiver chart?

The receiver chart:

	THIS WEEK					THIS YEAR
Player	Uncb	Circus	Tough	Routine		Uncb	Circus	Tough	Routine
Johnson	2	0/1	2/2	3/3		12	2/12	7/9	18/19
Baldwin		0/1				4	0/6	6/8	5/7
Sainristil	1		1/1	1/1		3	2/7	3/4	11/11
Henning						3	0/1	1/2	2/2
Wilson	1		1/1	2/2		2	2/3	2/2	11/12
Anthony		0/1	1/1			1	1/5	2/2	5/5
Dixon						1	0/1		1/1
x Bell x							1/2	1/1
All						2	0/3	5/6	20/20
Schoonmaker	1	*/1		3/3		3	0/4	1/1	9/9
Honigford						2		0/1	1/1
Selzer		*/1					0/1	0/1
Hibner
Corum				0/1		2	1/1	1/1	18/21
Haskins				1/1		1			5/5
Edwards						1	0/1		1/1

Routes: Johnson+4, Schoon+ Honigford-

I marked two of the tight ends for a pair of asterisks (they still count as non-catches in the charting) because those non-catches were good signs for future catch attempts. Schoonmaker’s was ridiculous, a one-handed grab while his other hand was being grabbed and deserved better than an incomplete for coming down out of bounds. Selzer nearly picked a ball off his shoetops, and was at least convincing enough that they needed a replay to (correctly) overturn it.

How was Andrel Anthony follow-up to the breakout?

Anthony got hurt on a return at the beginning of the second half unfortunately but I did notice him on this route. Click play and #1 will appear on the left side of the screen:

Historically under Gattis that route has been an option that reads the high safety—if he stays high like this the receiver cuts underneath. I don’t know if they’re having the freshman run sight reads like they did with Bell, but it’s tantalizing to think about a guy who can do that as a true freshman. Hopefully he’s alright.

Anyway this game was more about Cornelius Johnson, who, as Brian mentioned, had multiple burn-yo-ass route moves. One led to the 50-yarder:

And this one didn’t get home because McCarthy got lit up on the throw, but poor safety.

Where’d who go?

I mentioned on the podcast that we’ve been unfairly putting the taller Johnson in the Walker/Avant/Darboh box when his best attribute is the Manningham-esque routes. Brian contended that athletic plays were always part of his jam as well, and that CJ seems on the cusp of putting it all together. Indiana only had one of their two excellent cornerbacks available but Johnson’s five-catch/108-yard day on six remotely catchable targets adds to a season that’s not too different than Ronnie Bell’s previous one. As long as Cade can hit the open man downfield at a reasonable rate, Johnson seems on the cusp of breaking out as a true long man.

Cade did hit the deep ball.

Yes he did. In fact he was hitting just about everything. Jim Harbaugh was effusive in his praise of McNamara (who’s dealing with a minor injury) after they went through the tape, and my charting concurs. In fact it was his most accurate performance since NIU.

CADE MCNAMARA

	Good				Neutral			Bad					Ovr			Reads
Game	DO	CA	SCR		PR	MA		BA	TA	IN	BR		DSR	GRADE!		RPOs	ZRs
W. Michigan	3+	3(3)-						2			1		67%	+5		4/5	2/7
Washington	1	3(2)-			2	(1)			3	1(1)	2		40%	-8		5/5	4/9
NIU	2	7+ -			1	1							100%	+11		1/2	1/2
Rutgers	3+	5-			1	1				5xx	1		57%	+2.5		2/2	1/6
Wisconsin	6	13	1		1	2		1	1	4x	2x		71%	+10.5		2/3	1/2
Nebraska	3+	13(2)-			3	6		3	3	6	1x		55%	-1.5		1/3	2/2
Northwestern	2	11(5)+			2	2		1	3	4xx	1		59%	-1		5/7	5/8
Michigan St	9++	19(1)+ -	1		1	1		2	5	5	4		64%	+20.5		1/2	1/1
Indiana	4	8(1)	1		4				1	1	1		81%	+10		0/0	3/6

(reminder: you can hover over the letters in the headers if you forget what they mean, or there’s an explainer in the glossary)

JJ MCCARTHY

	Good				Neutral			Bad					Ovr			Reads
Game	DO	CA	SCR		PR	MA		BA	TA	IN	BR		DSR	GRADE!		RPOs	ZRs
W. Michigan	1+++	2				3		1x		1			60%	-2		0/0
NIU		4+							1		1		67%	+4		2/2	3/3
Wisconsin	1												100%	+2		2/2	4/6
Nebraska		1											100%	-		1/1	2/2
Northwestern	1	(2)								2	1		25%	+2		0/1	1/2
Michigan St.		2(1)											100%	+2		1/1	4/4
Indiana	1	1			1	1			3x	3	2x		20%	-6		2/3	1/2

As a follow-up to the MSU game, caveat smaller sample size, McNamara’s Indiana performance held up. His dead-on to catchable ratio wasn’t as high as against the Spartans. Watch the Anthony throw again here.

Last week that throw was a little more out in front where his receivers could keep running with it. This was a safer throw, put where his guy was likely to come down with it and nobody else would have a chance. It could well be circumstance—they needed their quarterback to be making plays to compete with MSU’s scoring pace, whereas a turnover against Indiana was about the only thing that could derail the inevitable.

The bomb to Johnson was similarly safe. This is placed to make sure Johnson comes down with it—if it’s a bit deeper it’s a touchdown, but also runs the risk of an overthrow. All completed bombs are marked “dead-on” in my charting unless they make the catch unnecessarily difficult, but this was another one where I thought his ball placement was purposefully—and justifiably—conservative.

When I say leans conservative I don’t mean a reversion to the early part of the season when McNamara didn’t feel comfortable putting the ball downfield. Far from it! This was an NFL throw, and a shock to chart. Live I literally thought they had put McCarthy in, and that this was some insane luck from a defensive back not thinking to defend a front shoulder throw. On review, Cade found Johnson in a tight window 25 yards downfield because the field cornerback was cheating down to the mid-level throw everyone expected McNamara to target.

Hot damn!

Then add two redzone touchdown throws to Schoonmaker, one off-platform on a bootleg, and the other a perfect timing route to a guy who won’t be open if this isn’t in the air before he makes his cut.

Hot. Damn!

Really I thought the biggest difference between this performance and the breakout one last week was McNamara didn’t have the opportunities to throw his way out of pressure. I add a “+” to signify a throw under duress, and he completed three of those against Michigan State, against one “PR” (pressure). This game had four events charted as PR, and zero “+” throws as the Hoosiers figured out ways to attack up the middle rather than off the edges.

By any metric, McNamara again showed why he’s clearly QB1. Even the parts of the offense that McCarthy should be superior at were a blowout: the running game averaged 6.1 YPC with McNamara and 4.1 YPC with McCarthy under center.

More than that it was a second straight performance—fourth of his career—when I thought McNamara looked like the kind of quarterback who can win a game (but not The Game) himself. I don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but if we get this kind of game from him at Penn State we have to start talking in terms of another second-half Rudock renaissance.

Why was JJ in there for third and long?

I’m pretty sure the plan here was to give him a drive when the game was still competitive (but not that competitive) and then use the first hint of garbage time to sit the dinged up starter and give McCarthy an opportunity to experience some live reps in high-leverage situations. Those situations:

• 3rd and 18 on the IU 46, 1:22 2nd Q, up 17-7.
• The second drive of the 2nd half, up 17-7.
• 3rd and 7 on the IU 10, 1:25 3rd Q, after Cade just had to dodge a CB blitz and throw it out the back of the endzone.
• The last two 4th Q drives when up 29-7 after Cade took a sack on the two-point conversion.

The program said McNamara was dealing with an injury, and I just told you Indiana is the best in the league at drawing up blitzes that get the quarterback lit up. The 3rd and 18 ended up being a wild yackety sax adventure but your McNamara counterfactual is a dumpoff to Haskins that sets up a decision between a long FGA and a short punt. That 3rd and 7 ended up being a sack that our hypothetical Cade turns into an underneath completion and takes hit. In that light getting Cade out of the way had to be a program decision, and one I fully endorse.

McCarthy also needed the practice. This was his worst outing I’ve charted, but the low sample sizes make that meaningless. Really it was more of the same we’ve seen before, where McCarthy’s evident talent results in zings to receivers who have an extra half a second to do something with the ball.

In some cases that extra half a second could be the difference between which team’s highlight reel the play ends up on, such as this zing to Sainristil. You wonder why arm strength is so prized in football recruiting? It’s because it gets you the inches you need to make plays that aren’t normally that dangerous, like a slot receiver drifting into the flat near the line of scrimmage with a slot defender bearing down on him.

That was all to the good. This game had a lot of bad too, though it’s a peculiar type of bad that could be crazy awesome if harnessed and built into the offense. Giving McCarthy three drives and some third downs to work with (as opposed to spot duty in his own package) allowed us to see him trying to function in the McNamara offense, which runs on a quarterback who does his reading before the snap and has a very good idea of what he wants to do with the ball. McCarthy has Baldwin about to break open across the middle for a deep chunk, a fact that IU’s safety alignment gives away to a guy like Cade. JJ is unsure of what he’s looking at, as evidenced by the way he buys time for himself by drifting out of the pocket. Then he tries to go off-script, pointing at a bracketed Johnson to head to the pylon. Johnson does not because “That’s insane man!” The McCarthy puts it on the pylon.

We saw the Baldwin touchdown in the opener, so the fans aren’t of the mind that running about the backfield until all the football has come so thoroughly undone that we’re into backyard rules is that off-base. It is.

Early Devin Gardner is an exact comp. Get that under control and keeps his ribs intact, however, and the future is ridiculous and awesome.

Does this future include Josh Gattis? You got a little testy in there.

Was I?

You gave him yet another double-digit RPS minus. Admit it, you’ve been down on the guy at least since the bye week.

See, now I need to address this, because that’s not true. There are degrees of OC discontent—I knew John Donovan wasn’t long for Washington after scouting one game, and I’m confident that Josh Gattis (who came up with Donovan) could coach circles around that guy. I also think Gattis, taken as a whole, is superior to Pep Hamilton, Tim Drevno, Al Borges, and Doug Nussmeier of the OCs since Carr. So what are we talking about: a guy (or a situation, really) that doesn’t measure up to Calvin Magee/Rich Rodriguez or Jim Harbaugh/Jedd Fisch.

Also my rooting interest is for Gattis to succeed. Unlike plenty of coaches, he isn’t arrogant or dismissive towards fans and the media. He’s young, he’s liked, he’s motivated. I love the players he’s recruited. I like his history of developing receivers, and the ideas he talked about when he was hired. I like that he’s not another white guy, and resent the implication that the highest-ranking person of color in the football program has a white guy who’s really doing his job. I do not think that job is “has the offense all to himself” because that’s never the case, especially when the head coach is offensively oriented, and our head coach is Jim Harbaugh.

This week I was expecting Gattis to get a few shots in and turtle, because Tom Allen is easily the best defensive coach in the Big Ten right now, and has a lot of veterans in the back seven, including an All-American linebacker and a severely underrated second cornerback who balled out in this game. IU’s defense has had injury problems, and has holes up front, but Allen is the wrong guy to get into a card game with, especially when Gattis is down two of his aces (All and Corum). If you leave the gambling all up to one side, they’re going to come up positive because they’re picking the spots. IU had to gamble, they did so, and it won them some plays. For Michigan, this was a day for hunting a few matchups, taking advantage of a turnover or two, and executing your way to the 20-30 points you need to put the Hoosiers away. That’s more or less what they did, and came out on the high end. Bravo. Zero complaints.

The game to complain about was last week, unless you thought “Let’s pass across the middle on passing downs” was some great strategy they kept locked in a secret basement under Yost Ice Arena. If they’d broken out a bunch of super clever stuff in this game, I would have just been mad it was a week late. Like Borges’s cool two-point conversion in the Copper Bowl after 2013. That’s the context of +13/-24 in rock, paper, scissors, and why I think that’s a passing grade.

Plus, it’s not like they didn’t have some new stuff.

Right! Why was Outside Zone suddenly working and the power run game wasn’t?

This was the RPS story of the game, really. Indiana took a cue from Michigan State’s late game plan for stuffing Michigan’s power running game by having the DE step up inside then fall into pulling guard’s legs.

DE #92 at the bottom of the formation

If you recall when these were Michigan’s base plays (see the Neck Sharpies after the Illinois/Maryland games of 2019), the first puller on Counter Trey or Pin & Pull is looking to kick out, but if the DE comes inside the blocker is supposed to go outside and turn the end in, moving the gap one over. As with any option, the best way to beat it is to practice playing both sides, delaying the read and leaving the defender where he can be a nuisance to both sides. The Indiana DE above gives us a textbook example of how to do that with the Counter kick, stepping in where he needs to be turned, then stepping upfield where he can only be kicked, then falling down so the guard’s size and momentum won’t turn into running room.

The answer for that is to take advantage of a DE stepping and up with runs to the outside. Michigan tried to do that a few different ways. One was to send the guard around it, though that solution needs some work:

I think if the DE keeps going higher with your guard like that, the answer should be to combo: give him a pop outside then leave him with the tight end, essentially flipping jobs like you would on a turn and kick. Keegan is on the verge of doing that here but looks back to make sure Selzer got the idea, and that cost him the opportunity to make a block.

More conventional punishments for Indiana’s end behavior involve running outside. Michigan has been including their receivers as extra flow blockers in some of their Counter looks going back to the Washington game, and this time we really got to see how their potential as extra ballcarriers can mess with the end’s plan for dealing with a kickout/turn blocker.

Watch DE #92, this time standing up at the top of the formation.

This works for the split zone problem Michigan was having as well. This play becomes a (no-read) arc when the DE takes himself upfield.

And as we’ve discussed in previous UFRs, Michigan likes to run Bash/Inverted Veer to get a running back going outside with speed to negate a defensive end determined to crash down from the backside.

#41 the DE at the top of the formation

Those are tricks. I thought you said you don’t want to get into a card game with Tom Allen.

That’s correct. What Michigan has really needed this year is a second base running play to pair with the power stuff. They wanted it to be split zone, but their inability to establish the fake read game as a suitable counter killed that off—I didn’t chart a single straight-up split zone in this game (they still set some downs on fire with fake zone reads).

Instead this game Michigan brought back a rudimentary version of Stretch or Outside Zone:

Ian Boyd went into more detail about this package already. What my charting revealed, unsurprisingly, is that Stretch is a good fit for a guy like Andrew Vastardis, who’s not very large or strong or athletic, but is pretty fast for a lineman. Watch #68 in the clip above as he gets around the DT lined up between him and Keegan. If you missed the David Molk era what he did there is called a “reach block” and when you execute one the offense is usually going to get a big crease since that dude is no longer in his gap. Ryan Hayes, another lineman who, as a former tight end, is pretty good in space, also wracked up points on Michigan’s stretch zones. Vastardis’s reach block and Hayes’s ability to run out edge defenders were the keys to the big Haskins run.

Michigan had two versions of it: one with split flow action against it to pull the defense back towards the TE action, and one where the TE was another lead blocker. They also ran it with different aiming points. What they haven’t gotten down yet—and this was the cause of Haskins’s uncharacteristically large score on the negative ledger—is cutting back.

Here Vastardis didn’t get the reach block and Zinter is chasing from behind, but Stueber sealed off the backside pursuit and there’s a big lane opening up. Haskins doesn’t take it.

Here’s another missed cut by Haskins when Vastardis is riding the DT outside, Zinter is in position to seal, and the backside pursuit is gone because the defense is going hell for leather at the edge the tight end is coming at.

Teaching the backs to take advantage of cutback lanes shouldn’t be too hard. Once they do, in case the defenders on the ground at the top of the above video didn’t already getting you rubbing your hands, I think Stretch could be an ideal run to pair with Counter Trey. Counter is all about attacking the backside and asks defenders to win battles upfield while the edge waits for contact. Stretch is about racing out to the frontside and woe to the DT who gets too far upfield (the 58-yard Kenneth Walker run last week) or lets a lineman across his face (the 62-yarder this week). It might even help split zone make a return, since the Wisconsin method that other teams copied to beat that play would get hit backside by a well-run stretch play.

I wouldn’t expect it to be this effective next week. Indiana hadn’t seen Stretch on Michigan’s film for weeks this year, and had so many other things prepared it’s fair to say they didn’t bother to work on that.

It also means they didn’t work on the things that look like Stretch either.

Look at you, calling out the X’s and O’s. Do you want to pick a video for it too?

Uh, I don’t know if you can embed gfycats in bold but sure. I just learned it from the broadcast anyways.

Well maybe Brock Huard can be the next OC at Washington. He’s right though. That safety, #1, is flying to the (our) left when he sees Stretch because he’s the only thing that can stop a cutback if there’s a failure at any point inside the gap the RB’s aiming for, which gets him going the wrong way as he’s crossed by the tight end he has to cover on the other side of the field.

I know it’s just a bootleg, and bootlegs are so old they should be talking to Nick Hopwood if they haven’t already, but it was a classic reaction to Indiana’s tendency to get cute inside and a perfect counter to a thing they just showed at a moment when we were all sure Michigan was about to have yet another three-point trip to the red zone.

Other Michigan ideas didn’t work out so great. IU was ready for Michigan’s tempo and how, calling plays that directly attacked the different plays that Michigan ran in those situations. The Wolverines also continued to get in their own way in short situations, notably with no-read zone reads.

They really just need to take plays where they don’t block a guy out altogether if they’re not prepared to have the QB keep, but they didn’t even have the option on this one. IU was running the 404 Tite—Army’s defense—and did the same thing as Army, crashing a walkout edge defender and swinging the ILB around behind him. Not for the first time have I advocated for a TE pop pass in this situation. Nobody’s going to guard Trente Jones on this until Ohio State, which I guarantee has seen this play and thought about having a guy tag Jones just in case Michigan’s trying to save him for that.

The Denard Robinson QB Oh Noes play was just a simple read of the safety, fyi. And that’s something Rutgers and MSU and Indiana have all been leaving wide open on plays where Michigan allows a crashing DE to take out their running back without so much as the threat of a QB keeper.

The fake reads were also the worst part of the worst part of this game, the Bad Spot-Commercial-Bad Play-Commercial-No Play-Timeout-Commercial-Punt sequence that led to Twitter’s first credible threat against broadcast equipment in stadium history. With the caveat that the officials were pro Michigan on this side of the ball in my charting and gave us a makeup spot later in the game, this was a bad spot:

They put that at the 30. Michigan had not used their challenge yet and someone in the booth should have been able to signal down before they lined up that Johnson clearly had the line to gain, or at least was within inches, not a full yard back.

Spots are tough to win back on review unless they’re this obvious. Not challenging here is way more excusable than their plan for getting that yard back:

Once again I am asking you not to let a guy lined up inside the tight end crash inside the tight end. Or at the very least have the quarterback pull if he’s staring right at that guy and use the blockers elsewhere. Or remove the quarterback and go back to the Haskinscat so you’re not wasting a player in the backfield who won’t carry the ball. Or get a fullback. Watching this program constantly have to bash through their own thick heads as well as the opponents’ whenever they need a yard is becoming almost as infuriating as their non-attempts.

You can’t trust the TV clock but I was watching the one on the stadium scoreboard and was surprised when they blew the whistle for a delay of game with 1 second still on the clock. Perhaps one ref blew a whistle for Harbaugh’s timeout and the one supposed to be watching the clock thought that’s what it was? They went to another commercial so we all got to stew about it. Then Michigan punted. My kingdom for Hammer Panda.

Did Hassan Haskins hurdle a fool this week?

Yes he did:

That brings the official MGoBlog HASSAN HASKINS FOOLS HURDLED COUNTER to five.

1. Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame 2019.
2. Bricen Garner, WMU 2021.
3. Marquel Dismuke, Nebraska 2021.
4. Angelo Grose, MSU 2021.
5. Devon Matthews, Indiana 2021.

Hail these glorious fools who hath been hurdled in thine name, Hassan.

Heroes?

Guys stepping up for their injured comrades: Hassan Haskins, Luke Schoonmaker, Cornelius Johnson.

Maybe not so heroic?

JJ McCarthy, Sherrone Moore’s guys had their first bad day in protection.

What does it mean for Penn State and beyond?

One more Cade performance and we’re talking Rudock. Harbaugh’s right: It was much better on film than it felt during the game because the running and general boringness and use of McCarthy late didn’t give our brains enough opportunities to appreciate it. He dealt.

Hassan Haskins is a treasure. Still really want to see Corum back because they add different dimensions to the offense, but that’s still a huge luxury. Hopefully that was precautionary and we can remember this fondly as the game when we got to see what a fully armed and operational Haskins can do with 30 touches. If it’s the start of the part of the season when Thunder didn’t have his lightning, it downgrades Michigan’s running back situation from the two best in the country to the best in the country or thereabouts, especially if they can get Edwards back.

No more RB hurts plz kthx. The RB room wasn’t that deep and Dunlap/Franklin are a big step down from the big two and their third.

Cornelius Johnson is about to Manningham. He’s quietly been Michigan’s best receiver as we flit between the others every game. We saw one sick route turn into a bomb against NIU. There were two more like that caught on film this game.

Schoon! Schoonmaker emerged as a receiving threat who can give you enough blocking to justify being on the field.

We really did miss Erick All. As soon as I totaled up the OL/TE part of the chart I recognized what was missing. Doesn’t apply to Schoon because he’s usually on the field anyways, but Honigford in routes or Carter Selzer was not ideal as far as backup situations go. Clearly the freshmen (redshirt and true) are not ready.

Stretch Zone is a good 2nd option. You have a center who seems adept at it, which is the most important thing, and at least one tackle who’s also built for it. Next step is practicing it and getting Haskins to recognize cutback lanes. Wish they had this instead of the split/arc/fake read package that had to get beaten out of them in the first half of the season.

The pass protection is the cornerbacks of the offense. The heavy run emphasis this season may have been hiding some ongoing issues, especially with Vastardis picking up stunts, that were a bit more exposed under Indiana’s blitz packages.

The Frames is strong in this one. We were bandying about ideas for a gimmicky top five this Friday and someone suggested we try to guess the most Frames thing James Franklin will do this weekend, then immediately regretted it because what’s more Frames than the short-short-punt sequence?

Your Moment of Zen: