Formation Notes: Double Eagle.

This was called 245 Split and if I added a letter that’s the gap with a down LB. 245 Split A.

And they also ran a 404 Tite front with a pinched DE, which I called 4-3 Tite.

Continuing with my convention of naming their 11 personnel formations by the position of the H (slot) receiver—”Gun Wk” for in the slot weakside, etc.—when he lines up inside I’ll call out the gap. So this is Gun Str B (H receiver is in the B gap of the TE’s side).

Substitution Notes: A lot of movement at guard. Filiaga got the start at LG and rotated with Keegan until Zinter left at the end of the 1st Q. Zinter came back at the end of the 2nd Q when Filiaga went out (after stepping on McNamara), and it was Barnhart & Zinter until halftime, then Keegan and Barnhart until Keegan went out, then Barnhart and Filiaga, then Filiaga got re-hurt late and it was Barnhart and Atteberry.

[After THE JUMP: The UFR that never ends]

Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M20	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-3-4	4-3 Even	2	Pass	6.5	Hitch	Baldwin	4	-0.09
Soft coverage so they take the free yards. Pitch and catch. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
M24	2nd	6	Gun Trips Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Even	1	PEN	6	False Start	Hayes	-5	-0.55
Neb DT claps which induces Hayes to jump. Refs-2 get a refresher on the rules of football from Harbaugh.
M19	2nd	11	Gun Trips Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Even	2	RPO	6.5	SZ/Bubble	Haskins	6	0.11
Orbit motion with Sainristil. Haskins(-2) cut away from his lead blocker and missed a big gap that formed between where Keegan(+1) flipped DT inside before All could crash into him, and Hayes(+1) who had a huge kickout that trapped the OLB outside as well—sort of a bust on that guy (RPS+1) but Hayes blocks both. Frontside has Stueber(+1) and Filiaga(+0.5) driving their guys downfield, plus an unblocked CB and LB that Haskins runs through for a solid gain to rescue himself from the year's first -3 to a running back.
M25	3rd	5	Gun Trips	4-3-4	Double Eagle	1	Pass	7	Mesh	Sainristil	Inc	-0.28
Big protection breakdown as Keegan(-1) doesn't get anything on a DE before passing him to Hayes(-0.5) and Vastardis(-1) lets a stunter cross his face with no contest. Cade has to bail, throws while he's getting hit where Sainristil might get the 1st if he can make a diving catch. He gets both hands on it but can't haul it in. Hell of a QB play though. (DO, 2, Prot 0/2, Vastardis-1, Keegan-1, McNamara+2)
Drive Notes: Punt. 0-0. 13 min 1st Q. Seems loud in there.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M4	1st	10	Pistol Ace	4-3-4	3-4 Odd	2	Run	7	Lead Zone	Haskins	4	-0.03
A counter to Split as they block down the DE and the split becomes a puller. Schoonmaker(+1) got the edge until he took a hands to the face (refs-1) that reverses some of his work. All(+1) gets the inside shoulder of an OLB to carve out some space but Hayes(-1) and Keegan(-1) both got crossed by Stille. Haskins(+2) meets all this at the LOS and drags it for four yards.
M8	2nd	6	Gun 2TE	4-3-4	3-4 Over	2	Pass	7	Curl	Baldwin	7	0.35
Soft coverage so they take more. Baldwin(+1) comes back to collect it, gambling he can break a tackle with the extra room. Is correct. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
M15	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Run	7	Arc Keeper	McCarthy	11	0.61
They sneak McCarthy on the field to run Arc and the DE zips in like it's a Cade no-read so RPS+1. Henning(-1) can't last long against an LB, but McCarthy(+2, read+1) breaks a tackle from that guy and the guy Sainristil was kicking. Schoonmaker(+0.5) picked off a safety so this can get almost to the marker.
M26	1st	10	Pistol Str	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Play-Action	6.5	Fly	Johnson	Inc	-0.73
Time to take a deep shot. Haskins(+1) stones a blitzing OLB that Vastardis(-0.5) should come back to help. Throw is low and short and CJ(route+) has to break up an INT when he had a step at first. (IN, 1, Prot 2/2, McNamara-1)
M26	2nd	10	Gun Empty	4-2-5	Nickel Over	2	Pass	6	TE Cross	All	Inc	-0.37
All crosses up the OLB and who grabs him around the waste and impedes but the ref (refs-1) is dodging the play instead of looking. Ball is on target but he can't bring it in. (CA, 2, Prot 1/1, McNamara+0.5)
M26	3rd	10	Gun Empty	4-2-5	Nickel Split	2	Pass	6	Snag	Johnson	Inc	-0.17
He finds the open guy but a DT who's six yards downfield gets up and bats it. (BA, 0, Prot 1/1, McNamara-1)
Drive Notes: Punt. 0-0. 7 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M20	1st	10	Pistol Ace	4-3-4	3-4 Odd	2	Run	7	Counter Trey	Corum	5	0.09
Hayes(+2) makes a DE go bye-bye. OLB cuts Zinter in a way that looks dangerous and doesn't really help him. All(-0.5) got a LB who was filling behind Hayes but can't get the shoulder he wants. Corum(-0.5) isn't going to wait for All and tries to beat the LB. That guy wraps up after a fair gain.
M25	2nd	5	Pistol Ace	4-3-4	4-3 Under	1	Run	8	Zone Stretch	Corum	0	-0.61
They're asking Hayes(-0.5), who gets a delaying cut, and Keegan(-1), who gets nothing, to reach a DT and NG lined up inside them, in an 8-man box (RPS-2). That N reaches out an arm and gets Corum's shoulderpad to end this. Had potential otherwise because Zinter(+0.5) and Vastardis(+0.5) and Stueber(+0.5) were out on the 2nd level.
M25	3rd	5	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nickel over	1	PEN	6.5	False Start	Keegan	PEN	-0.30
Went on the first clap. Oops.
M20	3rd	10	Gun Empty	2-4-5	245 Split	2	Pass	6	TE Leak	Schoonmaker	24	2.84
Works so well. Schoonmaker(+1) sells pass pro and catches #42 on a Green Dog (he comes if his man is blocking) blitz. Ball is out before he can arrive and nearest defender facing the play is 25 yards away. RPS+3! (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
M44	1st	10	Gun Ace	4-3-4	5-3 Odd	1	Pass	8	TE Out	Honigford	10	0.83
Yeah we'll throw it to the former OT! Honigford(+1) gets it at midfield and turns it up for a 1st down. Get some, Big Bear! (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
O46	1st	10	Pistol Ace	4-3-4	4-3 Under	1	Run	8	No Read Belly	Haskins	2	-0.42
Darn, almost made it out of the qtr without setting a down on fire. Motion the Z and run Belly, which is another counter to split, but without a read it's just inviting a free hitter. Also this is vs an 8-man box expecting a run off this side, and there's no split to help but the same # of defenders. RPS-2. CB is playing in, shoots in then redirects outside of All(-1) to stick before two unblocked teammates can take his stat. Hayes(-1) got ripped by a DT. Honigford(+1) at least moved his DE so Haskins can burrow for a couple. There was an extra S hanging outside (CB/S had switched jobs). Think M was hoping their split tendencies would catch Neb slanting away from this.
O44	2nd	8	Pistol FB Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Play-Action	7	Slot Fade	Baldwin	Inc	-1.23
Baldwin got 2 steps on the CB, who is Cam Taylor-Britt and had a crazy good day (I told you we shoulda starred CTB, Alex!) but it's shorted so that guy can break it up. Want Baldwin to make a better play on this—let him run you over and it's PI like Jane says. (IN, 1, Prot 1/1, McNamara-1)
O44	3rd	8	Gun Empty	4-2-5	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	Sack	McNamara	-13	-2.04
They stunt the DT and Hayes(-1) seems to think Keegan(-1) is helping in that gap and he's not. DT gets an arm on Cade and he goes down. (PR, n/a, Prot 0/2, Hayes-1, Keegan-1)
Drive Notes: Punt. 0-0. 1 min 1st Q. Zinter leaves after this play. Robbins has a 51-yard punt fair caught. Next possession starts after the Dax Hill INT.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
O35	1st	10	Pistol Ace Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Tite	2	Run	6.5	Power G	Haskins	5	0.08
Power away from the Tite shift is RPS+1 as it delivers both TEs to advantageous blocks, but Honigford(-0.5) and Schoonmaker(-1) both beaten back on second effort to restrict the room. Filiaga(+1) cleared out the CB on the edge so Haskins(+1) can bang through the LBs now arriving from the backside.
O30	2nd	5	Pistol Ace	4-3-4	Double Eagle	1	Run	8	Counter Trey	Haskins	6	0.21
Neb slanting with an extra guy in the box=free WLB=RPS-1. Kick is alright but Schoonmaker(+1) got a solid lead block and Haskins(+1) can stumble through the WLB for the first. Seth dreams of an RPO that reads the CB since Cade was looking at that guy and that guy wasn't looking at Baldwin releasing at all.
O24	1st	10	Pistol Twins	4-3-4	3-4 Under	2	Run	7.5	Zone Stretch	Haskins	3	-0.14
Safeties are at 8 and 9 yards fyi. Good block from Keegan(+1) on DE who slanted in on him. Vastardis(-1) leaves without comboing the NG and then has to go back while Filiaga makes do with a little hold (refs+1). That means no combo, free LB hitting Haskins(+0.5) at the LOS, and 3 yards of falling because he's a battering ram.
O21	2nd	7	Gun Wk	4-3-4	4-3 Tite	2	Run	6.5	Arc Z Give	Corum	3	-0.15
Arc with Baldwin the lead gets slanted (RPS-2) by a DE who rocks Filiaga(-0.5), which stops Stueber(+0.5) who made the best of it and popped a LB. Hayes(-1) was discarded by his DT who hops back to make the tackle with the free LB the slant delivered. Would like Filiaga to shoulder this crasher and keep going bc no way that guy recovers before Corum goes by.
O18	3rd	4	Gun Wk	4-3-4	4-3 Wide	1	Run	7.5	Split Zone	Haskins	1	-0.41
Vastardis(-2) gets embarrassed by this DT who pops across him then discards to TFL. Hayes(-1) asked to block a guy inside him again. Replay: Oof.
Drive Notes: FG(35). 3-0. 10 min 2nd Q. Jim, I am begging you: put the split zone away until you have an effective counter.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M10	1st	10	Offset Y-Flex	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Pass	6	Flare Screen	Corum	9	0.83
Sainristil(+0.5) turns MLB upfield and Schoonmaker(+0.5) and Baldwin(+0.5) got play-long lockouts of the SAM and CB. Timing is thrown off because a rushing DE got upfield (RPS-1) and had his hand in the way so Cade has to put it behind Corum(+1) who spins through a safety to make a good gain. (CA, screen, Prot n/a)
M19	2nd	1	Gun Wk Y-Flex	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	6.5	Bash	Corum	5	-0.18
Miss the start of this play because they're talking burritos but Corum(+1) edges the shuffling DE to pick up the 1st.
M24	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-3-4	4-3 Even	2	Pass	6.5	Hitch	Johnson	5	0.09
Throw is on time but sails, takes a long time to get there, and CJ has to go up to get it so no YAC. (MA, 3, Prot 2/2, McNamara-0.5)
M29	2nd	5	Offset Trips Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	PEN	6.5	Disconcerting Signals	Barnhart	5	0.72
Nebraska LB claps again and it gets Barnhart to jump. This time they call it right and Frost is deliciously angry about it. Notable: both instances had covered receivers.
M34	1st	10	Gun Trips Unbal	4-3-4	425 Under	2	Run	7	Split Zone Z	Haskins	3	-0.40
Another counter to SZ is just Sainristil as the kick vs a CB and otherwise IZ. Stueber(+1) moved out his DE but Filiaga(-2) got ripped down and that DT makes the tackle. Schoonmaker(+0.5) was riding the MLB.
M37	2nd	7	Gun Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Pass	7	Hitch	Johnson	6	0.35
Free yards under soft coverage, no extra. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
M43	3rd	1	Pistol Trips Unbal	4-3-4	3-4 Odd	1	Run	8	Dive	Haskins	3	1.20
Filiaga(-2) got shot inside by a DT, and Haskins(+2) somehow stayed upright to stretch for the first. Hilarious ref show as they try everything to screw this up then don't. 1) They call an illegal formation (it's picked up). 2) They spot the ball three(!!!) yards short. 3) They don't send it up for review. 4) They announce Harbaugh took a timeout when he challenges (after giving them all 40 seconds to do it themselves). 5) They take forever to watch the replay, not even starting to look until after an entire ad break, then taking forever when the video is obvious. Meanwhile we get to watch the hold (refs+1) they missed on Hayes.
M46	1st	10	Pistol Trips Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Play-Action	6	Post	Sainristil	48	2.13
Sainristil(route+1) gets WIDE open past a safety stepping down vs the covered formation (RPS+2). Cade overthrows but Sweetness lays out and makes the catch. Had a lot of space to throw this to make it easier but since it ended up caught and the message board commies are still seething mad about the cyan we'll go with (MA, 1, Prot n/a, McNamara-1)
O6	1st	Goal	Gun Ace Tight	4-4-3	5-3 Over	NA	Play-Action	9	Quick Seam	Baldwin	Inc	-0.48
Pass is where it needs to be and Baldwin lets the CB rip it out. Great play by CTB, also frustrating—need to twist away from the CB not towards him. (CA, 2, Prot n/a. McNamara+1)
O6	2nd	Goal	Pistol FB Twins Unbal	4-4-3	3-4 Under	NA	Run	8	Power Lead	Haskins	5	0.07
Hayes(+1) moves out a DE and Filiaga(-1) can't dig out a S who flew in which uses up All but Keegan(+1) runs the NG out of the play and Haskins(+1) can squirt into the gap. After review he's (clearly) down inches short.
O1	3rd	Goal	Goal Line	5-4-2	Goal Line	NA	Run	9	Dive	McNamara	-2	-0.46
Filiaga(-1) blasted back and steps on McNamara(-2)'s foot. Knee goes down before the handoff, wiping out a Zinter(+1) kick and Haskins(+1) leap for the TD. Argh.
Drive Notes: FG(21). 6-0. 3 min 2nd Q. No points on this drive is frustrating. Next drive starts with 1:37 left in the half.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M24	1st	10	Gun Empty TE Tight	4-3-4	Nickel Over	2	Pass	5	Quick Out	Baldwin	Inc	-0.67
Wings it wide, no chance to bring it in. (IN, 0, Prot 1/1, McNamara-1)
M24	2nd	10	Gun Empty TE Tight	4-3-4	Nickel Even	1	Pass	6	Dumpoff	Corum	13	1.77
Another problem with a looper--that Vastardis leaves and Zinter comes back to late. Don't know who's at fault or if Cade could have escaped because he knows exactly where he's going with it and puts it where Corum(+3) can turn around and do amazing Corum things, picking up a first down when a 3rd down is probably burning clock to get to halftime. (CA+, 3, Prot 1/2, TEAM-1, McNamara+1)
M37	1st	10	Gun Flex	4-3-4	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	Hitch	Johnson	4	-0.16
Right guy, thrown short which takes CJ to the ground and uses up a timeout. Normally a MA but situationally inaccurate. (IN, 2, Prot 1/1, McNamara-1)
M41	2nd	6	Gun Empty TE Tight	4-3-4	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	Dumpoff	Corum	6	1.12
Iffy on this—they flip to Cov3 and there are better options and time to find them, but also the presnap read was open. Refs+2 give Corum the first even though he's a foot and a half short. (CA-, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+0.5)
M47	1st	10	Gun Y Flex	4-3-4	Nickel Under	2	Pass	6	Dumpoff	Corum	7	0.63
They give we take, but Corum(-1) is jogging instead of racing OOB and they get him down inside, burning the 2nd timeout. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
O46	2nd	3	Gun Empty TE Tight	4-3-4	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	Quick Out	Baldwin	5	0.22
Ball is high and Baldwin has to get up and then tap down to get the 1st down and OOB. (MA, 2, Prot 1/1)
O41	1st	10	Gun TE Tight	4-3-4	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	Flood	McNamara	Inc	-0.88
Box is clean, Cade leaves it anyways and then has to chuck it away because this is a three-man route and the only plausible throw is CJ in the back of the endzone. Charting results but this is understandable. (TA, NA, Prot 2/2, McNamara-2)
O41	2nd	10	Gun Empty TE Tight	4-3-4	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	Throwaway	Johnson	Inc	-1.04
This is on Vastardis(-1) who ignores Filiaga's DT for a looper that Barnhart picks off and gets neither of them--communication has been lacking on the line of late. Cade has All breaking in but passes it up and then he has to run from the unblocked DT, but he probably thinks he can't throw over that guy. (PR, 0, Prot 1/2, Vastardis-1, McNamara-1)
O41	3rd	10	Gun Wk	4-3-4	Nickel Wide	2	Run	6	F Insert	Corum	26	2.60
RPS+2 gets both DTs split wide and runs between them. Barnhart(-1) lost his DT inside but Filiaga(+1) swallowed his. Vastardis(+1) pancakes one LB, All(+0.5) shoulders another, and Corum(+3) is through an arm tackle by Barnhart's guy then puts a filthy move on a safety and adds 15 yards more.
O15	1st	10	Gun Trips Tight	4-3-4	4-3 Over	1	Pass	9	Flood	Baldwin	Inc	-0.32
Has loads of time but clearly the plan is to throw it away if it's not there. Looks like he had CJ in the back of the endzone? (TA, 0, Prot 2/2, McNamara-1)
O15	2nd	10	Gun Str B	4-3-4	4-3 Split	2	Pass	7	Slot Fade	Henning	Inc(+12)	1.41
Hilariously bad PI call (Refs+3) as Domann, the HSP, is just sitting on this route and sorta catches Henning(route-) as he runs into him. Certainly a defender gets to stand somewhere? Going to remember this one for when we do the 2030 Worst Calls of the Decade. (TA, 0, Prot 2/2, McNamara-1)
O3	1st	Goal	Gun Heavy	5-4-2	Goal Line	1	RPO	10	IZ/Split Flow	Haskins	3	1.41
Now THIS is a split zone counter I can get behind...and they blow the read...and it doesn't matter because of blocking. Cade is supposedly reading the end and CB who don't remotely cover Schoonmaker's release to Schoonmaker's Schoonerville, nor the crosser, All. But the OLB does form up, and Haskins(+1) runs through the CB like he's paper behind a monster block by Stueber(+2) and a WLB who's backing out way too late to get Schoonmaker. Um, RPS+3, McNamara(-2, RPO-).
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 13-0. 9 seconds 2nd Q. Much booing.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M25	1st	10	Pistol Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	7	Split Zone	Haskins	2	-0.35
Neb slanting vs SZ and crashing the CB who's kicked out far by All(+1), and also playing an S in the box (RPS-3) on this side. Schoonmaker(+0.5) turns out one LB but Filiaga can't get to the other after the nose strategically sticks his butt in his way. Split needs counters.
M27	2nd	8	Gun Empty	3-4-4	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	TE Out	Schoonmaker	5	-0.04
They have a 225-lb OLB in--going to count him as an LB. He lines up as a DE then drops as they bring the HSP off the other edge and it's not picked up. Schoonmaker(route+) gets a tiny bit of separation and Cade stands in to hit him perfectly before the LB can contest, then takes a shot. (DO, 3, Prot 0/1, TEAM-1, McNamara+2)
M32	3rd	3	Gun Trips	3-4-4	4-3 Over	2	Pass	6	Screen	Corum	2	-0.33
We pull a Nebraska here, as the playcall (RPS+2) is perfect, but the blockers don’t seem to be on the same page. Sainristil(-1) bumps the HSP then keeps going like he's got someone else to block and Hayes(-2) doesn't see this and doubles the guy Baldwin(+0.5) had mostly dealt with. Also Filiaga(-1) is too slow to get out there and be of any help against backside pursuit. If ANY of these guys gets to the HSP it's a 68-yard touchdown. (CA, screen, prot n/a)
Drive Notes: Punt on 4th and 1 (is 56 yards with no return Brad Robbins+4). 13-7. 11 min 3rd Q. Next drive starts after Henning muffed a punt so this is a "joint possession."
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M9	1st	10	Gun 2TE Bunch	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Pass	7	Dumpoff	Haskins	Inc
I'd like Keegan to engage more so this doesn't happen but if it wasn't a BA it was a TA since there were guys coming down on the RB dumpoff after 2 yards. (BA, 0, Prot 2/2, McNamara-1)
M9	2nd	10	Gun Ace	4-3-4	4-3 Odd	2	Pass	7	Deep Out	Johnson	22	1.55
McNamara suddenly turns into Drew Brees. Stueber(-1) falls down and ball has to be out. Cade lays it in perfectly between the levels. Can't throw this any better. CJ(+1, route+) also made this happen with a very sharp route. He collects without losing stride and juuuuust steps OOB after edging the CB. (DO+, 3, Prot 1/2, Stueber-1, McNamara+3)
M31	1st	10	Pistol Ace Z Motion	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Run	8	Counter GZ	Corum	5	0.10
Schoonmaker(-1) got pushed back on his blockdown. Sainristil(-2) comes in weak on his kick and gets tossed off by the CB. Keegan(+1) blows up the free LB and All(+0.5) harassed another and Corum(+1) runs through two guys with the CB already on his back to turn this into a decent gain. Also Stueber(+0.5) was getting some movement on Stille who reacts by ripping him down by the collar. Refs-1.
M36	2nd	5	Pistol 2RB Twins Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Over	1	RPO	8	F Insert/Split flow RB	Edwards	3	-0.39
M covers a slot and reads the CB on the edge with a pass to Corum in the offing if he comes in, but it does give Neb an extra guy in the box. Barnhart(-2) gets two-gapped behind the LOS but Schoonmaker(+1) made room by popping back the MLB and Vastardis(+0.5) got to the WLB so this can fall forward for a couple extra.
M39	3rd	2	Offset Wings Unbal	4-3-4	Double Eagle	1	Run	8	F Insert	Haskins	3	1.33
Huskers are doing their clappy bullshit again but Michigan is snapping at the same time the cheating cheap cheater is cheating. The play is either a major RPS loss or McNamara(-3, RPO-) blows a really obvious pull read with two(!) guys shooting in there and only an All(-1) flyby to momentarily distract them vs nobody covering a CJ slant. The run itself is RPS-2 as Neb is pinching and M is flaring both edges, meaning Schoonmaker and Stueber on either side blocking nobody, which plus the fake read guy means three free hitters coming off the edges. Up the gut we've got Vastardis(+0.5) and Keegan(+0.5) bending Stille out of his gap, and Hayes(+1) donkeying a safety so that the last free LB can't get to the pile. The three free guys connect with the RB a yard in the backfield. Then Haskins(+3) grinds through all three to convert. Michigan football is drunj.
M42	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-3-4	4-3 Split	2	Pass	6.5	Flood	Baldwin	3	-0.43
This is more Nebraska crappe taking advantage of bad refs-1 as NU#2 is holding Schoonmaker to prevent him from getting to the CB blitz, which is the whole plan of this pass rush so no minus on the TE. It's also Cade being a beat late to throw this after the HSP turns his back to cover Sainristil. Think Baldwin might be too deep on the flare but he manages to dig the ball out and keep running with it to turn this into a short gain. (BA, 2, Prot 1/2, McNamara-1)
M45	2nd	7	Pistol Str	4-3-4	4-3 Over	1	Run	7	ZR Counter Trey	Haskins	7	1.31
Hey, at least the give read still works :/ as Neb stacks the box and pinches at it (RPS-2), blitzing the backside OLB, which should be a win for them. McNamara(+1, Read+1) has a long enough mesh that this guy redirects outside to the QB. Frontside, the pinching DE feinted in and then popped out (good play by that guy) and Barnhart(+1) digs him out and up. Hayes(+1) has control of a DT to make enough room inside that, and Schoonmaker(+1) gets a good kick on an LB. Vastardis(+1) and Keegan(-1) pushed Stille back three yards but the latter doesn't come off to get the last LB who gets to hit Haskins(+2) after two yards, gets shoved by Haskins for two yards, then get bent by Haskins for another two yards and change until the pile falls at the 1st down marker. Difference between Wisconsin and Nebraska LBs right here.
O48	1st	10	Gun Wk Y-Flex	4-3-4	4-3 Even	2	Pass	7	Hitch	Baldwin	10	0.59
After 20 minutes charting the last two I would chart these all day. Baldwin(+1) gets extra after a hitch under softies. Corum went under a blitz and the announcers point out this keeps the guy's hands out of the way. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
O38	1st	10	Gun Trips RB Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Under	1	Pass	7.5	Slot Fade	Baldwin	35	1.63
Corum orbit motion and Baldwin(+1) sells a block before breaking free (RPS+3) for some college crappe of our own! No miss. (CA, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+1)
O3	1st	Goal	Goal Line	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	RPO	10	IZ/Split Flow	Haskins	3	1.41
This is an RPO that's lucky to be a give as Stueber released downfield to block the LB worried about Schoonmaker's release. Really they're reading an edge who stumbles so McNamara(+1, read+1) gives. Vastardis(+1) isn't fooled by the DT this time, locking him upfield while Barnhart(+1) got enough of the NT on a one-yard initial push that the guy's regap is just an arm wave. Haskins(+1) dives through that and the last LB for a two-score lead.
O3	2PA	3	Gun 2TE Bunch	4-4-3	Goal Line	NA	Pass	10	Corner Fade	Baldwin	Inc	-0.95
Well played by the CB who gets enough of a delay that CJ can't get more than a dive at it. More air would give him a better shot. (MA, 1, Prot 1/1)
Drive Notes: Touchdown (missed 2pt). 19-7. 3 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M20	1st	10	Gun Twins Tight	4-3-4	4-3 Split	2	RPO	7	Quick Out/Power GT	Baldwin	Inc	-0.56
Neb is pinching (RPS-2) and Vastardis(-1) is fooled, letting the edge come inside and inducing a pull from McCarthy(+1, RPO+1) who's saving the play even though the OLB he's supposed to read is in position to stop this for a minimal gain. Baldwin drops it anyways. Cue everyone who thinks I'm too nice to the freshman. (CA, 3, Prot n/a)
M20	2nd	10	Gun Empty TE Tight	4-3-4	4-3 Over	1	Pass	7	Deep Curl	Baldwin	Inc	-0.26
Good route, good timing, but Cade puts it on Baldwin's shoes. He's going down to his knees to get it and CTB jumps on his leg, which makes Baldwin go OW! and forget about the football (don't think this guy has a history of being dirty so benefit of the doubt there). Baldwin does hop off the field. Lucky lucky. CTB also very lucky not to get a taunting since he does exactly what Dax did at the end. (IN, 1, Prot 1/1, McNamara-1)
M20	3rd	10	Gun Empty	4-2-5	Nickel Wide	2	Pass	6	TE Seam	All	INT	-4.26
Yes the refs-2 miss an offsides that should have called it back. That doesn't excuse this throw. Cade thinks the FS is dropping out. Even so he had Sainristil right behind this. (BRx, 0, Prot 1/1, McNamara-3)
Drive Notes: Interception. 19-14. 1 min 3rd Q. And just like that when M gets the ball back they trail for the first time all year.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M25	1st	10	Pistol 2TE	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Run	7	Counter GT	Corum	7	0.60
Schoonmaker(+1) plants his DE inside but Stueber(-1) loses Stille, who gets to reach out an arm. Keegan(+1) turned the first LB who showed, All(+0.5) glanced off the second and Corum(+1) scoots around the arm and then dodges a safety to turn 3 yards into 7.
M32	2nd	3	Ace Twins Z motion	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	7	Counter GZ	Corum	3	0.23
RPS-1 as Neb half-slants and has all the LBs over here. Vastardis(+1) wrenches a DT down and Barnhart(+0.5) can release to a LB that All was getting (that guy is happy with his two for one and stops fighting). Schoonmaker(-2) can't get his guy though and that dude takes out the puller. Baldwin(+1) got a good kick on the CB but frontside is closed with the extra S down there. Stueber(+2) kept his DT sealed this whole time with another DT behind him, so Corum(+1) can cut back and churn out the 1st down.
M35	1st	10	???	4-3-4	???	1	Run	?	???	Corum	2	-0.49
Broadcasts misses this play because they're showing Thunderstruck. Keegan is on the ground and a DE is tackling Corum at the LOS so I'm guessing power of some kind vs a slant. ABC-4.
M37	2nd	8	Gun 2TE	4-3-4	Double Eagle	2	Pass	7	Fly	Baldwin	Inc	-0.91
Baldwin(route+) roasts CTB but it's overthrown. FWIW a reader said it was really blowing at this point of the night. (IN, 0, Prot 2/2, McNamara-1)
M37	3rd	8	Gun Empty	4-2-5	Nickel Wide A	2	Pass	5	TE Leak	All	14	2.88
RPS+2 it works again, though All(+1) outruns the LB to convert. (CA, 3, Prot 2/2, McNamara+1)
O49	1st	10	Gun Trips Unbal	4-2-5	Nickel Under	2	Pass	6.5	Freebie	Baldwin	Inc(+5)	1.15
Safeties are down fyi. They get the NT offsides and take a free shot downfield to Baldwin in triple coverage. That's fine but Johnson is wide open 15 yards downfield as opposed to triple covered. Also Baldwin misjudges it and lets the 3rd guy intercept. Comes back. (Not charted, NA, Prot 2/2)
O44	1st	5	Pistol Twins Unbal	4-3-4	Nickel Under	2	Run	7	Zone Stretch	Haskins	3	-0.33
Trying to RPS this but Neb plays it straight. I think Stueber(+0.5) did enough that Barnhart(-1) should be able to finish the combo. Keegan(+1) and Hayes(+1) did get their combo and the DT has to commit some major holding right in front of the very bad ref (refs-1) to keep his LB clean. Clean LB and Barn's LB tackle together.
O41	2nd	2	Gun Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Under	2	Run	7	Dive	Haskins	2	-0.20
M blasting like it's 4th and 2 not 2nd down. Neb pinching again and Honigford(-2) loses his guy inside. That guy gets legs and tackles but Haskins(-1) falls forward for the first since Stueber(+1) and Barnhart(+1) made a mess of the middle. Want him to bounce this outside, where it's All vs a CB to the safety.
O39	1st	10	Offset Twins	4-3-4	3-4 Over	1	Play-Action	7.5	PA Flare	Sainristil	4	-0.09
This is that flare/slant combo and I feel like it gets the minimum because Cade is a beat late and it arrives a bit short, giving the LB time to close down space. This dude is biting immediately so pump this at Sainristil(+1), who did make a nice move to get a few, then throw the slant to CJ and this dude is gone. Domann jumped in after the tackle to slam Mike's head on the ground, is why Michigan was upset after. (MA, 3, Prot n/a, McNamara-0.5)
O35	2nd	6	Gun Wk	4-3-4	Nickel Over	2	Run	7	Arc Keeper	McCarthy	6	0.44
RPS+1 as they catch Neb pinching. Again they have Sainristil(-1) bouncing off a LB then moving on to a safety but neither McCarthy(+1, read+) nor his TE escort seem to be expecting it. Schoonmaker(+1) turns back to shoulder that guy, then CJ(-1)'s heretofore mutual block becomes a shed. CTB gets McCarthy out of bounds then throws him to the ground hard in front of a Michigan bench. 100% certain that would have been a flag on Michigan. Official does move his foot enough to make it a 1st down.
O29	1st	10	Gun Wk Y-Flex	4-3-4	Nickel Over	2	Run	6.5	Bash	Corum	29	2.74
RPS+2 as Bash punishes the DE stepping inside. The rest is Hayes(+1) got out on an ILB, Schoonmaker(+2) escorted the HSP to the sideline, Baldwin(+1) got a play-long occupation of CTB, and a safety named Farmer got sent back to the cornfields as Corum(+2) cuts just outside the reach of the chasing DE and well inside of Farmer. Other Neb safety also outrun.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 26-22. 11 min 4th Q. This is it Mr. Frodo. If I UFR one more play it will be the longest UFR I've ever done.
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
M18	1st	10	Gun Trips Orbit Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	6.5	Lead Zone	Haskins	7	0.49
Filiaga(+1) takes advantage of the NT two-gapping him to let him switch gaps then seal him there (not permanently though so this guy helps tackle hence +1). Schoonmaker(+1) picks off a LB, Vastardis(+0.5) got out to a LB. RPS+1 this punished the earlier attack on Split Zone.
M25	2nd	3	Pistol Str	4-3-4	3-4 Over	1	RPO	7	Counter Trey	Haskins	50	3.29
Did you know this was an RPO? Watch Henning. Neb is in man but the read freezes the HSP (McNamara+1, RPO+) which I guess it's the 4th quarter and M trails so this guy has to respect a keep. Stueber(+1) put his DT on the ground, though he dangerously gets to leap at the RB's feet. Barnhart(+1) got a good kick, All(+1) popped one ILB, Filiaga(+1) got to another and rode him with a hold that he lets go just in time as the LB puts his arms up to draw it and flails instead because look no hands. That means it's down to Haskins(+4) vs the HF which is football lingo for Hurdled Fool. Also Henning(+2) has been riding the other safety all the way and takes this guy OOB. The LBs finally catch up at the 25.
O25	1st	10	Gun Str Y-Flex	3-4-4	Nickel Split	2	Run	5.5	Split Zone	Corum	1	-0.35
Well-blocked? Yeah. Schoonmaker(+1) gets a good kick on a formed up OLB but the DT crossed Filiaga(-1) and is two-gapping Stueber(-1) who can't manage to deposit him back where he belongs and get the LB behind him. Corum(-1) could grizzle behind this to the MLB Filiaga's ignoring but tries to bounce like I've been telling him but I didn't mean when there's a free LB out there, or did I? Don't listen to the internet Blake! Or in reality, okay, good gamble, didn't work out.
O24	2nd	9	Gun Wk Y-Flex	4-3-4	Nickel Over	2	Pass	6	Stop and Go	Johnson	Inc	-0.56
CJ(route+) beats the CB with his sluggo route but Barnhart(-2) gets run by quickly by a DT. That was bad. Cade hit when he's throwing this or it's probably a TD. Want CJ to fight harder for it but as long as he's running the route the CB is not looking back to intercept and might pick up a flag. (PR, 1, Prot 1/3, Barnhart-2)
O24	3rd	9	Gun Wk X tight	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Pass	6.5	TE Leak	All	12	1.08
RPS+1 because Neb is backing way out (If blitz if your man protects is a Dog blitz let's call this Cur Coverage eh?). All(+3) does have to deal with that guy, and the ball isn't perfect, and he has 2/7 yards for the first when he catches it, so the fact that he Heismans this guy down, cuts inside a guy setting an edge, and shoulders a S for an emphatic first down makes this more about him than RPS. (CA-, 3, Prot 1/1, McNamara+0.5)
O12	1st	10	Pistol Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	8	Power	Corum	3	-0.10
Schoonmaker(-1) lost the kickout on a pinch that the puller got, which means nobody for the MLB who sticks. Want Hayes(+0.5) to come off this mostly done double but they made quite a path so that's not a negative.
O9	2nd	7	Pistol FB Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	8	Counter Trey Z	Haskins	1	-0.23
RPS-2 this play needs a check on the backside for this blitzer. Hayes(+1) got movement, Honigford(-2) got thrown to the ground, to use up one puller, and that slows Haskins who's unaware of the threat blitzing in and goes down. Filiaga limps out.
O8	3rd	6	Gun Twins	4-3-4	4-3 Wide	2	PEN	8	False Start	Stueber	-5	-0.36
Stueber's right, the refs-2 blow it as the cornerback sneaks in a clap this time and it throws off the snap timing. Stueber goes with several others. He's livid. Cheaters.
O13	3rd	11	Gun Str	3-3-5	Nickel Wide	1	Pass	6	Corner Fade	Baldwin	Inc	-0.54
Atteberry(-1) is losing his guy but the rest of the six-man pressure is picked up and Cade has time to throw it what they're throwing. Coverage would make this really hard--CB is holding his wrist but rubbin's racin—and Baldwin(route-) can't turn around. He tries over his shoulder but that's a step OOB even if he makes it. (CA, 1, Prot 2/3, Atteberry-1, McNamara-1)
Ln	Dn	Ds	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Box	Play	Player	Yards	EPA
O18	1st	10	Pistol FB Twins Unbal	4-3-4	4-3 Over	2	Run	6.5	Counter Trey	Haskins	4	-0.02
Neb pinches with the HSP because reads are off here (RPS-1) and that means they don't get to use the good blockdown from Stueber(+1). I want Barnhart(-1) the first puller to try to turn the outside guy because what good does it do to kick him here? Nowhere to go but burrow but Haskins(+1) is your man for that.
O14	2nd	6	Gun Wk Y-Flex	3-3-5	4-3 Even	1	Run	7	Bash	Corum	0	-0.37
RPS-2 as they send a blitzer at Bash that nobody can deal with. Corum(+1) avoids a loss then gets back to the LOS. Refs-1 mark him short a yard.
O14	3rd	6	Gun Wk	3-4-4	4-3 Under	1	Run	7.5	Arc Read Keeper	McCarthy	-7	-1.62
It's McCarthy so use up your anti-Arc play (RPS-2). Two guys shoot inside, as predicted, Michigan is running Arc, as predicted, and neither option is good so no read grade here but Schoonmaker(-1) could make this viable with a shot on the extra edge and just bumps him instead.

The politburo would like a word with you.

Is this about a certain color of a certain circle?

You put a cyan ring on Comrade McNamara!!!

Yes. I put the “Trouble Spot” marker on McNamara in the Fee Fi Foe Film depth chart graphic for Nebraska’s defense.

The starting quarterback of the University of Michigan!

He is.

The starting quarterback of the UNDEFEATED University of Michigan!

Indeed.

You were a Put in Henson guy weren’t you?

To my shame, I was. I was also just as 18 years old as he was in 1998, and changed my tune in 1999 after the MSU game. But I don’t think anybody is arguing McNamara is Tom Brady. Ironically, despite a very un-Brady passing game, I came away from this game shading more towards Team McNamara than I did after Wisconsin, because Michigan did a better job of not walking into McNamara’s cyan-inducing weakness.

What I was trying to convey is that McNamara is “Trouble Spot” for the offense because of the offense’s base play, Split Zone. That play brings a guy across the formation, cracks the edge defender on the backside, and hopefully has the angles to run out that way.

Defenses have lots of ways to counter this, especially once they’re willing to do some things that can get them gashed if they’re caught in it. One is to burn a safety, for example bring the “F” above down to be an extra backside LB. But what you really want to do against Split is stop that crosser from ever getting across the entire formation, so they scheme up a lot of ways to bring their heavy DE or OLB off the edge and deep into the backfield. A favored method is to slant the DL to the frontside—> and swing the linebackers to the backside. The OL want to lock the DL to the right, so you let them, but nobody can release to the linebackers, who are then free to overwhelm the backside.

The issue with Cade goes back to the ways you counter an edge who crashes the party. The most natural way to do that are zone reads and, the 2018-‘19 Michigan standby, Arc Read (or Bluff Read), where the tight end goes around the crashing edge and the QB keeps and follows him. That guy takes himself out, and the QB has open grass.

That’s what Michigan wants to run when they insert McCarthy. Watch #44 on the left edge of the formation:

McNamara WILL NOT make that pull read. Defenses know that, and crash their #44s into running backs all day. But the answer to that doesn’t have to be Arc Read. When #44 crashes that way somebody has to replace him as the edge defender, and in the case of slants that becomes the middle linebacker, #42 above. If the MLB is taking on another role, somebody behind him is taking on another role, etc. You can go down the tree and pick somebody who was given an impossible task, then make him regret it. Picture for example a pass that goes right where the MLB is standing.

The way to use your QB to punish anti-run behaviors is to play-action or RPO. They did a bit more of the former, but if they were running RPOs we had to look carefully into broken plays to find them. Take the 3rd and 2 run below. Michigan covered Sainristil (he’s not an eligible receiver) and McNamara is supposed to be reading the edge on the frontside (right side) in case #44 does something unsound like dive inside Stueber and get replaced by #42 behind him. But that doesn’t mean #44 has to be the read. You can read #42’s replacement, and see if he walks down to be the new edge in case of a QB keep. If he does that, who’s got Cornelius Johnson on a slant?

Nobody is who. The cornerback can’t come inside like that because they wouldn’t have anybody if Johnson goes deep. The safety can’t or they have nobody in the middle of the field anymore. Nebraska is putting so much material into pinching both edges that they’re dead if they’re not correct, when a well-read RPO guarantees defensive wrongness. I can’t tell you for sure that this was an RPO, but Johnson looks inside at McNamara, which suggests there was the possibility of a pull. If there was a possibility, it was the right read, because the alternative was three unblocked dudes meeting Haskins in the backfield. He plowed through them all, yes, but I can’t imagine the coaches are going “Let’s see if Haskins can break three tackles to get two yards because we can’t trust Cade to throw it 10 feet to a wide open #1 receiver.”

Whether the coaches are telling him not to keep no matter what, or he’s making his decision to give pre-snap, or he’s just very bad at reading the intentions of edges, or they just have the keep slider set to an impossible maximum because McNamara isn’t fast, it amounts to the same thing. As long as Split Zone is their base run, and McNamara can’t/won’t/is instructed not to punish irresponsible behavior to defeat Split Zone, this is a trouble spot.

Michigan could fix this, but they don’t like the options:

• Choose a different base play
• Teach McNamara to make better reads.
• Make McCarthy the quarterback.

None of those are guaranteed to fix the problem either. In certain situations Nebraska knew Michigan wanted to run Split Zone, and were willing to do weird stuff to solve it. This was with McCarthy under center. There are two blocks on the Husker DTs that go horribly wrong. The first one I want you to watch is the DT lined up over Filiaga (behind McCarthy in the still), who jumps two gaps over and surprises Vastardis. Vastardis can haul ass but isn’t Cesar Ruiz in the agility category, and gets categorically owned by a better football player who can execute a hard thing better than Vastardis can execute an easier thing. This was one of the main themes of the day, and is the reason Nebraska’s run defense is legit this year. They have dudes.

The second part of this is what looks like an impossible task for Ryan Hayes, who’s supposed to get the backside DT, the one lined up over Keegan. He can’t put that guy inside because Nebraska is running a scrape exchange with #44 and #28 on the backside, overloading any attempt to split zone or arc read that edge.

The answer there is Keegan has to help. He wants to release to the linebackers but the DT isn’t going to take himself out of the play. He just wants to be in that B gap and penetrate far enough into the backfield that Haskins can’t hit the original split zone lane between him and the edge Erick All kicked out. You’ll note however that I am talking about two sides of Haye’s block that this guy has to threaten. Nebraska can play that way because they were two-gapping with those excellent DTs.

The point here is this play is viable as long as it gets blocked right and delivers the RB to the final linebacker. McCarthy is making real reads and making them correctly. In fact—and keep in mind here I am an amateur making judgment calls not a coach or an insider who knows what the coaches saw—I sorta think McCarthy was already making some off-script 200-level reads. Johnson was bothered that he wasn’t the recipient this play, and he’s probably right, but go back further and watch the read:

If this is an RPO read it’s not the crashing DE making McCarthy’s decision, it’s the LB, #28, who is definitely staying outside. But the end was crashing, and rather than give him a free shot at a TFL, McCarthy pulled and took his chances that Baldwin might break a tackle in the flat. True he could wait and get the ball to Johnson after #28 breaks on the flat route, but that’s the 300-level course. Noticing the DE—if that’s what happened—turned a loss into a gain.

But you said you grew more comfortable with McNamara!

Michigan took a step forward this game by trying different ways to counter anti-Split Zone behaviors. You recall the one with McCarthy that the DTs murderated above? Michigan wasn’t caught flat-footed the next time. Instead of having the TE cross the formation and kick a guy, he turned into that interior gap. Meanwhile Filiaga let the NT cross his face, then sealed him while Vastardis, the inside guy, went to the next level. And the edge? He just got a good old fashioned walk-out from Stueber, who had a very good game.

Not all of Michigan’s counters worked. They tried a couple of times to stretch zone away from the side they thought Nebraska would slant, but those DTs made their presence known, one of them ripping Corum down in the backfield after jumping past Keegan:

I would like to see this with All crossing, since I think Nebraska’s line was keying their slants based on that. I don’t think our less athletic, Wisconsin lineman-esque dudes like Keegan and Filiaga are going to have sustained success with Zone Stretch. Given what Corum can do to you if you give him a crack though, it was worth a shot.

Another trick that returned was when they flipped which TE was on the line of scrimmage (and thus the side they’re attacking) shortly before the snap, a trick that worked against Washington.

Nebraska had it scouted and flipped their reaction—slant frontside and have the safety charge down hard at crossing action—to the opposite side, thus putting the MLB out of Vastardis’s reach, and overwhelming the blocking.

Is that sound? Hell no! Look at all the space for passing!

And Michigan did have RPOs planned, though once again McNamara was a giving extremist. Both of Hassan Haskins’s touchdowns were off the same play, an RPO that combines Michigan’s best short yardage play—Hassan Haskins running straight at you—with the main play-action counter to Split Zone, i.e. Split Counter Flow.

This is the first. On your first time through watch the two linebackers behind the 8-man front and see if you can figure out what happened to them (other than Hassan Haskins):

Here’s what that looks like drawn up:

The funny thing is they sprung the pass option WIIIIDE open—Schoonmaker and the ref are the only people in the endzone at the mesh point, and All slipped out into the flat as well. But Nebraska isn’t selling out on the run either. The MLB sensed a Schoonerville going up in his neighborhood and started backing up to check it out. That’s a problem for the defense, because the line is taught to give up yards in order to keep the LBs clean. If the clean LB is backing away from Hassan Haskins, he is not moving in the direction you need to be moving in order to stop Hassan Haskins. The graphic above does not show the T over Stueber (#71) getting planted inside the hash mark at the 3 yard line, but that is indeed where he ends up as the line is all trying to slant that way.

What the Nebraskans think they’re doing is beating Split Zone. The two backside edge defenders at the top, #8 and #44, are supposed to come crashing inside and overwhelm Erick All. The line is supposed to be slanting to the frontside to make sure there’s no escape but into that trap on the backside. Behind them are linebackers that no offensive lineman can get to. Pass threats crossing their faces freeze them, however, and also pulls the linebackers in the wrong direction.

Here’s the next time Michigan ran that play for a TD from the same spot:

The DE fell down but notice again the backside has more defenders than the offense can muster. The frontside does too. The middle is once again clear because of some good blocking (Vastardis this time) and again because the linebackers got pulled backwards by the receivers. There is a backside linebacker who appears, but that’s way too late for Haskins plus momentum.

When not in a goal line situation they (finally!) ran a screen to Corum:

It didn’t work because Sainristil weirdly bounced off the linebacker he was cracking and nobody picked that guy up, but had anybody done something with #42 (or had Corum’s cut been successful) this is blocked for days.

 

They also ran a fake screen to get Baldwin open for a chunk pass, which plays to Michigan’s on-film tendency to send their receivers downfield to block as they run Not RPOs. See if you can spot the moment #8 tastes what’s become of his lunch after half a day of stomach acid:

 

And then of course we have Bash, which flips the QB/RB run threats so the quarterback is the dive and the running back is the guy who gets to edge an edge who has given up his edge. As Ian Boyd wrote yesterday, is Michigan going to run a dive with McNamara? No. He’s not even reading the DE. He’s just punishing #44 for being a pinchy split zone-killing bastard who doesn’t think Michigan is going to try to go around him with their starting QB. For this #44 gets to be responsible for a corn show.

But again, this is a called counter, not a read. Defenses are going to have answers now.

They’ve got a bye week and then Northwestern to figure out who they want to be, and then it’s the gauntlet till December. If they’re going to be the Cade McNamara team, I am fine with that, but they should probably focus more on gap stuff, get him comfortable with a few more RPOs, and save split zone for the McCarthy appearances, which won’t go away regardless. This would be my preferred option, but if they’re going to be the McCarthy team, now’s the time to break him in. I will support either decision, just as long as it’s not setting downs on fire running something everyone knows they don’t have the counters for. This game was a step in the right direction.

Okay, I believe you truly want power in the hands of the soviets. How was the Great Game Manager this week?

Uh, pretty bad.

What?!?

Shall we just do the chart?

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

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

So, not Tom Brady. McNamara’s performance in this game scored more like Rutgers, minus the horribly inaccurate passes. Nebraska put him under a lot of pressure—three pressures, three batted passes, and three throwaways were all mosts for this season. Unlike previous Michigan teams this does not seem to be related to the quarterback. McNamara abandoned a clean pocket just once, on the two-minute drill, when they called a three-man flood to one side of the field that was completely covered.

Live I felt the old Shea Patterson feelings start to bubble up, but Nebraska has three guys for the two receivers on the backside (no good) and is covering the flood on the frontside pretty well. This was an RPS loss—Gattis was hoping they would play loose but this far downfield you don’t have to worry as much about the top of the flood pattern because that and the mid read are compressed. An NFL quarterback with a rocket for an arm can try that, but on a two-minute drill I’m fine with bailing and moving on to the next play call. This is what game management looks like, and a big reason Cade made it six games with just one interception.

That interception was pretty bad though.

Yeah I can’t defend it. But I think I can explain it, if All is supposed to see the position of the safety and square his route in so McNamara can hit him on the dig. The space the safety stepped into could have been Erick All’s:

That said, McNamara has Sainristil open while going to All in that situation is trusting your tight end to make a sight read and catch it high while bracketed by two defenders. This goes back to him being a pre-snap quarterback, but even pre-snap it seems clear that the defense wants to flash All with the MLB and keep the FS over him, while the Nickel is playing off Sainristil to defend the fade.

So…one big screwup, against lots of warm safe goodness. Cade also took sack #2 on the year when a DT made a great play, but he remains a wizard at escaping pressure:

He still has just one scramble all season, but he has avoided many sacks and either given his receivers a chance to make a play or prevented the defense from having one.

McNamara’s big issue passing was his deep accuracy took a vacation. I’m willing to believe the people who were there who said the wind was particularly strong, and pushed his short ones back and vice versa.

1st QUARTER (against the wind):

• Well short of Johnson, who has to come back and break it up.
• Shorted to Baldwin

2nd QUARTER (with the wind):

• Overthrows Sainristil, who makes a diving catch.

4th QUARTER (with the wind):

• Overthrows Baldwin

It holds up, as long as we’re not counting endzone fades and the one when he was lit up while throwing it (or when he shorted the fake screen to Baldwin a bit, which was fine because you don’t want to lead him back into coverage). We can’t really test it against Martinez because all he threw were ducks that his players were able to perfectly run underneath. If he hits these at his normal rate Michigan is ahead by several touchdowns in the 4th quarter.

Ah yes, the receivers. I remember wanting them to, you know, MAKE more of those plays.

That depends on the receiver I guess. Baldwin probably should help his quarterback out more but the film made me less upset overall about the receivers’ contributions. A chart:

	THIS WEEK					THIS YEAR
Player	Uncb	Circus	Tough	Routine		Uncb	Circus	Tough	Routine
Johnson	2	0/2	1/1	3/3		5	1/8	4/5	9/9
Baldwin	3	0/4	2/3	3/4		3	0/5	6/8	5/7
Sainristil		1/1	0/1	1/1			2/5	0/1	5/5
Henning	1					3		1/2	1/1
Wilson						1	2/3	1/1	6/7
Dixon						1	0/1		1/1
Anthony
x Bell x							1/2	1/1
All	1		0/1	2/2		2	0/2	3/4	7/7
Schoonmaker				2/2		2	0/1		4/4
Honigford				1/1		2		0/1	1/1
Seltzer								0/1
Hibner
Corum				5/5		1	1/1	1/1	12/13
Haskins	1					1			2/2
Edwards						1	0/1		1/1

Routes: Johnson+3, Schoonmaker+1, Baldwin +1/-1, Henning -1

This was the first game that Baldwin really got a lot of targets, but Nebraska’s cornerbacks held up well, especially Cam Taylor-Britt, who had a great game. The ball that Baldwin failed to dig out happened for a very good reason: Taylor-Britt was trying to separate Baldwin’s knee:

That said, Daylen is still not quite used to this level of competition, which showed on the 3rd and 12 back shoulder fade when he let his hand get grabbed and thus couldn’t turn around to make a play.

Johnson could be a star though. This is perfect from the quarterback and the receiver.

Johnson cut that route off so sharply the safety had no chance to recover, and then McNamara placed it so beautifully that it was one step out of bounds away from an incredible touchdown run.

And then the throw downfield that McNamara shorted got people mad because Johnson basically let the ball hit the cornerback’s back shoulder. On review, I hypothesize that Johnson knew he couldn’t fight back to that ball, but also knew the cornerback thought he was beat, and as long as he kept that up the less chance the cornerback turns around and realizes this ball is thrown directly to him:

I think I’m one super duper play or one big game away from putting a star on Cornelius Johnson. The little things he does are starting to pop, and as Michigan throws the ball more that’s going to become a bigger part of the story.

I noticed we kept going five wide. Is that going to be our thing now?

Ian Boyd this week pointed out that McNamara has been a master of empty sets since high school. I don’t think it’s because he reads all five guys, but it does go back to the type of quarterback he is. McNamara reads before the snap, and spreading them out like that gives him easier reads. It’s really hard to disguise your coverage when the running back splits out wide. Everybody is pretty much where they are, and you can see before the snap who’s not going to have help. For example, if they drop out the DE here, you know he’s going to be matched against [checks notes] Blake Corum.

It also gets the RBs out in space, which is a nice break from trying to dig through piles of broken nose tackle parts and Stueber’s butt. That poor DE #44 is just sitting there, shoulders square, ready to make his big tackle if the QB dumps it off. The QB dumps it off and then we have three more guest stars on an already lengthy highlight reel.

Honestly, I forgot about this amazing Blake Corum moment amidst all the other great running back moments!

Understandable. In any other game this would be the run of the night:

The DE who got beat by a fake Bash read is no scrub, and it was reasonable to assume a mortal running back couldn’t get out of this as long the DE’s pursuit stayed hot.

But we know how it ends.

Yeah, good luck with that guys.

Corum was a big part of this game, much of which relied on turning the three yards of blocking the line could scratch out against an excellent Nebraska front into five or seven yards, or a first down in other situations. They also called upon him to convert a third and long with his feet again.

Delivering him to a safety is asking that safety to do something anatomically impossible. That said,

That said…!

Hassan Haskins had a very different method for getting past the safety matter.

The official MGoBlog HASSAN HASKINS FOOLS HURDLED COUNTER (HHFHC) now stands at two correction: three.

1. Alohi Gilman, Notre Dame 2019.
2. Bricen Garner, WMU 2021.
3. Marquel Dismuke, Nebraska 2021.

This was far from his only highlight. Freed from Wisconsin linebackers and Rutgers safeties who were given a precise schedule of where and when to meet him coming across the line of scrimmage, Haskins went off. Often when you see a pile pushed it’s because the linemen got to their blocks in a small space and they’re still plowing. The piles in this game were Haskins still churning.

That was highly useful in situations when Michigan was still getting RPS’d badly in the run game because they don’t protect their edges. This play saw three unblocked defenders arrive at the RB in the backfield. Their problem: they came in from the side.

You’d think that might make a guy tired but check the clock: This is barely a minute later:

A reminder that you can press the left arrow on a computer to watch this in slow motion. There’s also this version if you want to see the Huskers’ nostrils flaring as they discover their powerlessness in the face of this holy creature of ours. I figure you’ve already watched the play they reviewed after spotting it three yards too short on 3rd and 1 earlier in the game.

They didn’t seem to believe in covering our tight ends out of the backfield.

Michigan must have seen something in how Nebraska was playing their edge blitzes, because they managed to convert three 3rd and longs by having the tight end set like he’s in pass protection then release into air. The first one was a work of art. Watch #42, the OLB outside of Schoonmaker (#86) on the left, and how he reacts when he sees Schoonmaker’s pass protection stance.

They call that a Dog Green (D gap, green light) blitz in playbooks I’ve seen, e.g. Brown’s. The idea is if your tight end is pass blocking you might as well test his pass protection—they do this with ILBs and running backs as well. Schoonmaker sells it well and gets a free trip to the first down marker and more.

They didn’t stop with the green lights (nor the double eagle formations that leave nobody covering the middle of the field at the snap) so Michigan kept going back to the well. Erick All is at the bottom, and the OLB has been coached up a bit so he needs a little more coaxing…

#83 Erick All and the OLB at the bottom of the formation

All still got him to go, and then he’s in space, though that last six yards of this he had to make on the run. All is quite an athlete in space. And that helped because the next time they pulled this the Nebraska OLB was dropping back to help cover when he sensed he had a play off from coverage. Watch #42, the MLB, as he watches All set up to block then bails deep, signaling to the safeties that they are free to leave deep crossers alone. As soon as his back is turned…

Again, that’s quite a weapon. Unquestionably All has become one of the best tight ends in the conference, and he’s doing it without making contested catches.

I saw a lot of guards.

A LOT of guards.

Were they rotating or were they hurt?

Pretty sure it started as the Filiaga/Keegan rotation but then they got hurt, tried to go, and got pulled again. By the end of the game they were rolling with their #4 (Barnhart) and #5 (Atteberry) guys. It was interesting that they chose Atteberry rather than move Stueber inside and play Trente Jones at right tackle, but that’s explainable in that Stueber was the most effective lineman they had in this game, and you don’t want to make a guy change positions mid-game if he’s already started to figure out some minutiae about the defense’s tendencies. The bye week is coming at a good time it would seem.

How were the kids?

I think that requires a

Chart!

Offensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Hayes	9.5	8	+1.5	Fought back to even, struggled with Nebraska's wiley DTs
Keegan	6.5	5	+1.5	Alternated good/bad, and on/off. Would believe there's an injury.
Vastardis	6	6	0	Probably not all-Big Ten, not a bad college player either.
Filiaga	4.5	8.5	-4	Came off, went on, picked up -6 in four plays, went off-on-off.
Stueber	11	3	+8	Mashed face all day.
Zinter	1.5	0	+1.5	First guard injured. Came back and left for good.
T.Jones			0	DNP
Crippen			0	DNP
Barnhart	4.5	7	-2.5	In tough vs Stille, had to play LG and RG this game.
Atteberry		1	-1	Finished the game. One pass pro issue.
All	8.5	2.5	+6	Turned two leaks into first downs, Neb schemed around his blocks.
Honigford	2	4.5	-2.5	Got ripped when he tried blocking down on a DT.
Schoonmaker	13	6	+7	Michigan runs on Schoon.
Hibner			0	DNC but I saw him in there. Has passed Seltzer.
Seltzer			0	DNP
TOTAL	67	51.5	+15.5	Like Wisconsin except the DL is good and LBs are just ok.
Backs
Player	+	-	T	Notes
McNamara	2	7	-5	Still a drag on the run game.
McCarthy	2	0	+2	Not a drag on the run game.
Villari			0	DNP
Haskins	21.5	3	+18.5	BBRRRRRAAAAAAWWWRRRRRRRR!!!!!
Corum	14	2.5	+11.5	Here for your corn.
Edwards			0	DNC. Lined up at WR and had one carry.
Dunlap			0	DNP
TOTAL	39.5	12.5	+27	RBs ground out more yards than they got from hurdles or speed.
Receivers
Player	+	-	T	Notes
C.Johnson	1	1	0	Getting the safety help respect.
Sainristil	1.5	4	-2.5	Don't get why he was trying to combo LBs in space.
Henning	2	1	+1	Extended block on the Haskins hurdle.
Wilson			0	DNP
Baldwin	6	0	+6	That's why they bought his block so hard I guess.
Anthony			0	DNP
TOTAL	10.5	6	+4.5	Positive WR blocking day versus Cam Taylor-Britt is something.
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Protection	43	55	78%	Vastardis-2, Keegan-2, Barnhart-2, Hayes-1 Stueber-1, Atteberry-1, McNamara-1, TEAM-2
RPS	25	25	0	Called some counters. Still not dealing with edge crashers.

Your running back scores are still ridiculous.

Hahahahahahahahha!!!!

And holy bounceback for Schoonmaker!

Nebraska linebackers versus Wisconsin ones made a big difference, but I definitely thought Schoonmaker came out tempered and honed after his trip through Sanborn/Chenal hellfire. Is it overkill to embed the Corum and Haskins runs again?

Nah.

Good. Let’s watch #86 as the starting linebacker tasked with protecting the lane this goes through is removed from this Earthly plane.

And he got to be the star of one of those announcer replays where they pretend they understand and appreciate blocking much more than they do. In this case their appreciation is appropriate:

Getting through the gap with speed and control is hard. Stopping a guy’s momentum so that he is useless in pursuit even after the ballcarrier goes by his hard. Filiaga had a great block downfield and Henning had the best block of his career, but the play starts with Schoonmaker’s pop.

Were there any issues because of the guard rotations?

I thought protections were a problem. This is on Vastardis because he’s checking on Barnhart when Filiaga leaves to assist Stueber.

There are communication issues that have been going on all season, but I thought they were amplified when the young ‘uns were in. That said, the starters weren’t covering themselves in glory either. Keegan was my primary culprit for the sack, because it’s his gap, and he doesn’t do very much to help Hayes get control of this DT. Also Zinter was being driven back, and not by one of the DTs whose name I know.

It’s hard to know who was hurt, whose job is what, and whether this is really an issue when they finished 78% in protection on a very passy evening. The rotating cast didn’t help. I’m also still quite spoiled by 2019.

And how is Barnhart…because the #4 guard is relevant now.

He was up and down but he was also going against Stille. He was relevant on the two Haskins touchdowns. It’s nice to be able to roll that deep. I think that’s where the depth ends—it felt wobbly with Atteberry.

What was Sainristil doing on that screen by the way?

Um, I’m not sure. I do think he deliberately chipped the LB and moved on to the safety:

#19 the third WR from the top

That’s not a bad idea if the coaches are having him do that, since it sets up Hayes, a better matchup for an MLB, and puts Sainristil against a defensive back, which is also a better matchup than it would be for Hayes. But Hayes doesn’t seem to be aware of this plan. And it wasn’t the only time Sainristil did that and the next blocker didn’t combo:

Was Sainristil going off-script? Did two of his teammates forget that’s what we’re doing? Is this a sight read sort of thing that he got right/wrong and someone else did not? I really have no answer, but having the mountain goat slot chip and hunt a safety sounds like a good plan for Michigan’s personnel, so if they weren’t doing it they should.

Explain what disconcerting signals means?

This is a rule that outlaws a certain type of gamesmanship whereby the defense induces false starts or non-starts by copying the offense’s signals. You can’t be a defender and yell “hut hut hike!” You also can’t clap, because that’s one of the few noises a QB can make that cuts through the noise of a crowd. User ZooWolverine wrote a good board post that deserved to be in the Diaries on this. You get zero guesses which gamey program forced them to add a rider about clapping specifically:

It turns out that several teams started clapping on defense, including Pat Narduzzi's defenses at Michigan State [2] and later at Pitt [3], trying to exploit some ambiguity there (or at least the reticence of refs to call the penalty). In response, the NCAA made it explicit in 2016: "We are directing our officials to treat clapping by the defense prior to the snap as an attempt to simulate the offensive team’s starting signals. Thus, this action is a foul under Rule 7-1-5-a-5." [4]

Nebraska used it as a strategy from the first drive to the last. The first time it got Michigan to jump, and the young ref crew got a talking to from Michigan’s coach about the rules:

The next time it induced a false start the ref was right on it:

This was far from the end of The Nebraska Clap—remember it only gets called if the offense moves because of it, and a ref has to have seen the defender do it or the offense just gave up five yards. So Michigan went to shorter snap counts and tried to ignore it. Watch the DT #95 (Ben Stille) here (before he gets his ass run over for a first down).

The play Brian and I thought was the center getting the snap count wrong (that got Stueber really mad) on the podcast was the cornerback getting in on the fun. Watch the CB at the top of the formation:

He did it and immediately celebrated what he’d done, and it more or less ended the drive (M tried a back-shoulder fade and kicked the FG).

I think it was Harbaugh who said it’s more fun to beat the cheaters because they don’t even have their dignity after. Nebraska players surely wouldn’t have cared if they won, but there’s got to be some extra sting knowing you were bending all the rules and you still couldn’t win. Or just knowing your coach thinks you couldn’t win without that.

I heard a lot of griping about the officiating after this game.

Lordy this crew was bad. The most infamous one on this side of the ball was a “pass interference” on Michigan’s two-minute drill.

Let’s remember that one when we do the 2030 offseason listicle. Missing the offsides on the interception was probably the most egregious of the many little things they screwed up, but I have some sympathy for the refs on most of the rest because Nebraska’s gameplan was to make them maximum fools. There were also lots of unflagged unsportsmanlike stuff so that it felt more like Michigan-MSU in the Dantonio era than two teams that hadn’t met since before Murderwolf was noticed and haven’t played in Lincoln since Denard’s ulnar nerve was. I think Scott Frost deserves some tipped scales against him from now on.

Heroes?

The running backs. Andrew Stueber. Luke Schoonmaker.

Maybe not so heroic?

Weirdly Honigford struggled in many of the same situations Schoonmaker was excelling. Filiaga had a stretch where he got pulled, though he might have been playing hurt the whole time. McNamara’s deep accuracy was carried away by the wind and his reads are still a drag on the run game.

What does it mean for the bye Northwestern Michigan State and beyond?

Time to choose your winter gear. Two supremely tough defenses on the road have been survived, and the bye and a bad Northwestern visit before the game they CANNOT lose this year should afford them an opportunity to pick what what they want to be. I would guess that’s more power, more RPOs off of their power running game, and more opportunities for McCarthy to do things. Inside Zone might not be a bad idea either, since that too pairs well with Split Zone and matches their smashmouth identity.

That is probably McNamara. He’s a systemic issue but they’re not married to that particular system. Unless his deep accuracy was just an early season mirage, they just need to get him good at RPO reads to make him a good fit for what this team needs. The ability to go heavy with Counter Trey and then take the same personnel and go five-wide is a right match for McNamara and his teammates (Corum in space!!!).

That is probably not Split Zone as a base. It’s been scouted. It won’t go away, but this game had more counters to it than it, and it still got eaten alive.

The running backs are who we thought they were. When not facing unblocked guys in tiny holes at the line of scrimmage because we wouldn’t run counters against Rutgers and couldn’t run offense against the Badger front, Haskins and Corum are two of the best in college football. Haskins really paid off his reputation as grinder in this one. Dude is the heart and soul of this team, and tethering my fandom to him in the dark times last offseason is paying off in emotional ways.

They were right to be playing two tight ends. All is a bona fide weapon. Schoonmaker had a real day against a real defense, and that’s how it usually begins.

Cornelius Johnson is right on the cusp of stardom. I wonder if there are any teams with janky cornerback situations coming up to test this against.

I miss when you did Dear Diary and left us with a moment of zen. Good idea. Here’s a man eating his corn.