Upon Further Review: Defense vs Bowling Green 2010
Formation notes: A couple new formations. One was a 3-2-6 dime package on which Banks and Ezeh were pulled for Avery and Talbott:
Roh moves down to DE and Leach was usually in for Gordon for whatever reason. Sometimes this was a 4-1-6 with Mouton at DE, sometimes a 3-2-6 with Mouton a linebacker. Floyd would drop back to play safety when they went to this. The other was a nickel package where Avery would replace Gordon. This aligned just like Michigan's usual defense.
Substitution notes: plentiful. The usual rotation on the DL. Cullen Christian got a couple drives in place of Rogers (he struggled). Leach played a lot in place of Gordon; Fitzgerald and Demens saw some time at linebacker but less than I expected and neither did much of anything.
Charting note: I've changed up the points distribution to be more generous to CBs who make a play. Usually a zero-yard run will be +2 or +3 to the defense. When a CB breaks up a pass that's a zero yard play I've been giving a +1 to; I'm bumping that to at least +2 unless it's clear the offense is more responsible for the incompletion than the D.
Show:
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
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O28 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | Base 4-3 | Pass | NA | PA out | T. Gordon | Inc | ||||||||||
Michigan sucks up on fake and Pankratz has two receivers running wide open (cover -2) as Mouton(-1) doesn't get anything resembling a zone drop. Could this be man to man? I don't know; Rogers is looking at the QB but hops up on the curl, leaving T. Gordon chasing a WR on an out that he lined up inside of. His guy is open but he really had no chance to cover this. I'm not sure which guys to individually minus since the coverage doesn't make sense to me. (RPS -1.) Oh, right: Pankratz chucks it wide. | |||||||||||||||||||
O28 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun heavy something | Base 4-4 | Run | ? | Dive | Martin | 1 | ||||||||||
BGSU deploys two H-backs directly in front of their tailback and goes right up the middle. Martin(+1) engages his blocker and then discards him behind, popping up in the hole the H-backs are hitting. He does this despite being lined up outside of the C. He takes out a second blocker. T. Gordon(+0.5) is rolled up to the line and is now free; he forms up to tackle with help from Kovacs(+0.5), who was free on a backside blitz and leaps on the RB's back after making sure the handoff was actually made. | |||||||||||||||||||
O29 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-2-6 Dime | Pass | 3 | Dumpoff | Van Bergen | 4 | ||||||||||
DL: Roh, Martin, RVB. LB: Mouton, Leach. Normal DBs plus Avery and Talbott. This is kind of rushing two since Martin just sits at the LOS after taking two blockers. Screen coverage? M covers the first read(+1) and then RVB(+0.5) gets upfield and harasses the QB into moving. Martin starts charging the QB down as he rolls, forcing a dumpoff as downfield options are covered(+1). | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 11 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O30 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide bunch | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 3 | Hitch | Mouton | 3 | ||||||||||
Martin(+0.5) plowing through blocks to force a throw here; Kovacs(+0.5) covered the flat route, so the QB throws a hitch that Mouton(+0.5) was in position on, tacking immediately (cover +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
O33 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | Base 4-3 | Pass | 3 | Flanker screen | T. Gordon | 6 | ||||||||||
Major overload with a TE covered up and a WR in motion so everyone is to the right side of the field. They throw a screen out there. T. Gordon(-1) and Rogers(-1) are both cut to the ground but good flow from Mouton(+0.5) and Ezeh(+0.5) runs the play down before the WR can test Cam. | |||||||||||||||||||
O39 | 3 | 1 | Wildcat | 3-3-5 stack | Run | ? | QB lead draw | Banks | 4 | ||||||||||
Think the RB takes a bizarre cut here since it looks like the play design has the first easily. Banks(-1) was blown way out of the hole and Mouton(-0.5) took a weird angle right into Kovacs, giving BGSU a lot of space and blockers for everyone left over. So of course the RB cuts back behind everything, getting tackled by unblocked guys on the backside including Banks, who got really, really blocked. M fortunate to not give up more here. | |||||||||||||||||||
O43 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2-back | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 5 | Sack | Mouton | -10 | ||||||||||
WRs to the paired side are stacked, and Rogers(-1) starts covering the same guy Gordon is(cover -1), so this post should be open. Qb decides not to throw it, though, and rolls right into a very blocked Mouton(+1.5), who to his credit does get off that block, close the space quickly, and tackle for a sack. Maybe Cam had this covered but I couldn't see it; I really doubt it. Think M got lucky with the n00b QB here. | |||||||||||||||||||
O33 | 2 | 20 | Shotgun 2TE | Nickel 4-3 | Pass | 4 | Slant | Avery | Inc | ||||||||||
Avery in for T. Gordon. TE motions well outside to be a flanker. Avery(+2) is in man on a receiver and looks like he's biting outside as the WR takes a step out then slants; Avery recovers to get a hand in and break the pass up (cover +2). | |||||||||||||||||||
O33 | 3 | 20 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-2-6 Dime | Pass | 3 | Throwaway | Roh | Inc | ||||||||||
No one open(cover +1) as M drops everyone deep; Roh(+1, pressure +1) comes around the corner and his held, drawing a flag. QB scrambles out and chucks it away. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 6 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O35 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 3-3-5 stack | Run | ? | Inside zone | Martin | 1 (pen -10) | ||||||||||
Demens in for Ezeh on this drive. Martin(+1) again through the line before anyone can think of blocking him; Banks(-1) single blocked and easily sealed on the edge. Martin makes that irrelevant; Mouton(+1) gets into the lead-blocking TE at the line and erases any creases, forcing a bounce outside that Floyd(+1) has covered; he's held, giving the RB the corner, except for Kovacs(+1) roaring downhill and tackling at the LOS. | |||||||||||||||||||
O25 | 1 | 20 | Shotgun 2-back | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 3 | Out | Mouton | Inc | ||||||||||
No pressure(-1) but no one open (cover +1) and the BG QB airmails a checkdown (cover +1) that wasn't going anywhere. | |||||||||||||||||||
O25 | 2 | 20 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 3 | Hitch | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
No pressure(-1) again; this time a 10-yard hitch is blanketed by Floyd(+2, cover +2) and broken up. | |||||||||||||||||||
O25 | 3 | 20 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-2-6 Dime | Pass | 3 | Dumpoff | ? | 15 | ||||||||||
Again little pressure but Roh(+0.5) does come through quickly enough on a three man rush to prevent a minus; this forces a dumpoff(cover +1) in front of the coverage that Talbott and Mouton run down. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 21-0, 3 min 1st Q. On the next drive lots of backups. Patterson, Black, and Sagesse are the DL for most of this drive, with Demens and Leach playing LB and Christian coming in for Rogers. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O36 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips TE | Base 4-3 | Run | ? | Inside zone | Kovacs | 2 | ||||||||||
Three guys block Patterson so Kovacs(+1) can come in and thump the ballcarrier (tackling +1) without anyone bothering him. | |||||||||||||||||||
O38 | 2 | 8 | I-form big | 3-3-5 stack | Run | ? | Counter | Patterson | 4 | ||||||||||
It's hard to tell how the linebackers actually did on this play because Patterson(-1) is ejected from the center of the defense like he's Kovacs and Sagesse(-1) doesn't read the pull. He goes down to cut the lead blocker and create a pile but starts moving upfield and gets pancaked. So Mouton and Demens have blockers all over them and can't possibly shut down all the space. Both get blocked and Mouton gets pancaked, though, so -1 for Mouton; Roh fought through blockers to slow the tailback a little bit but it's an authoritative fill from Cam Gordon(+1.5, tackling +1) that holds this down when it could have been ugly. | |||||||||||||||||||
O42 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 6 | Out | Kovacs | 5 | ||||||||||
WR motions from trips side to create a 2x2 formation with two guys stacked, and then runs a pretty blatant pick on both M defenders, opening up an out. Kovacs(+0.5) is still right there to tackle, but just beyond the sticks. Blitz did not get there(pressure -1). | |||||||||||||||||||
O47 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | Base 4-3 | Run | PA draw | Sagesse | 7 | |||||||||||
Screen fake to draw. DL slanting, getting Patterson(+1) in and disrupting anything up the middle. Problem on the backside is Sagesse(-2) getting way too far down the line and opening up a cutback lane. Mouton reacts and attempts to tackle but gets hit by a G peeling off Sagesse and has his tackle run through. I will -0.5 him but this is tough (tackling -1). Demens runs the guy down. | |||||||||||||||||||
M46 | 2 | 3 | Ace | Base 4-3 | Pass | 4 | Corner | Christian | Inc | ||||||||||
Starting DL back. BG goes play action and finds a wide open receiver on a corner route because Christian(-2, cover -2) completely whiffed a chuck and got beat by yards. QB throws it long. Decent pressure and coverage everywhere else; coverage from Christian might force a sack. | |||||||||||||||||||
M46 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-2-6 Dime | Pass | 6 | Slant | Kovacs | 20 | ||||||||||
This one is on Kovacs, who is in man on the second stacked receiver and gets smoked(-2, cover -2) to the inside so badly he can't even make a tackle on the catch. Mouton(+1) was flying over a cut block from an RB on the blitz(pressure +1) and hit the QB; an instant more coverage and this is end of drive. RPS -2 for getting Kovacs in single coverage for 20 yards. | |||||||||||||||||||
M26 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips TE | 3-3-5 stack | Run | Inside zone | Martin | 2 | |||||||||||
Christian exits for Rogers. Martin(+1) absorbs a double team without giving any ground, allowing Mouton(+1) to attack unmolested and tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
M24 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun trips TE | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 4 | Rollout hitch | ? | 6 | ||||||||||
Ezeh back. Roh running out on the edge but the little hitch here is wide open; not sure why but it just looks like this is a hole in a cover three. (cover -1). BWS disagrees. | |||||||||||||||||||
M18 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 3 | Post | Fitzgerald | 17 | ||||||||||
Ezeh gets sucked up to a little drag route which is understandable, but Fitzgerald(-1) doesn't get any depth on his drop despite not having anyone in front of him and C. Gordon(-1) reacts late and there's a monster hole in the zone that's easy to hit for first and goal. (Cover –2.) | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 1 | G | Goal line | Goal line | Run | Power off tackle | Van Bergen | -2 | |||||||||||
Campbell(+1) drives his man backward, gets lower than him, and falls in the backfield. Van Bergen(+2) does the same, stalling the RB and allowing Demens to run downhill at him for the stop. | |||||||||||||||||||
M3 | 2 | G | Wildcat | 3-3-5 stack | Penalty | False start | ? | -5 | |||||||||||
Oops. | |||||||||||||||||||
M8 | 2 | G | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 6 | Scramble | Van Bergen | 7 | ||||||||||
House sent and gets there (pressure +2), with Leach(+1) immediately in the QB's feet after getting cut, forcing a scramble from a not-mobile QB that RVB(-2) badly overruns, turning a sack into a scramble down to the goal line. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 3 | G | I-form big | Goal line | Penalty | Offside | Martin | 0.5 | |||||||||||
Oh well. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 3 | G | Wildcat trips | Goal line | Run | QB draw | Banks | 0 | |||||||||||
QB motions out, no one covers him, it's a wildcat formation. Banks(+1) shoots past blockers into the center of the defense, eating blockers and creating a pile; Ezeh(+1) cleans up. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 4 | G | Wildcat trips | Goal line | Run | QB draw | Campbell | 1 | |||||||||||
Just a wad of bodies I can't make much out of; Campbell was right there but the guy managed to slam it up into his OL and fall forward into a massive pile of bodies that no one has a good view of. The refs eventually signal TD, but it's not like they have any idea. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 21-7, 8 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O29 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun empty | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 4 | Tunnel screen | C. Gordon | 71 | ||||||||||
The big bad thing from the day. I'm not actually that mad because this is kind of a freak thing. T. Gordon takes a good angle to the ballcarrier only to see the guy bang into one of his own OL and sort of get tossed upfield, which Gordon was not expecting; he ends up whiffing an attempted ankle tackle. I will give him a -1 here, but only 1 (tackling -1 as well). So now he's on a totally different vector than would otherwise be possible and there' no contain because Rogers is held and can't get outside and force it back into Cam Gordon. Cam gets a -2 for fighting to the ball too much when he had the other Gordon, Kovacs, Ezeh, and a billion other guys; he should never have been that eager to close down the space he tried to. So that's it. -3. The other -3 you can tack on the refs who missed the Rogers hold. I mean, the WR grabs the back of Rogers's jersey and pulls him four or five yards infield. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 21-14, 5 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 3 | Screen | Mouton | 0 | ||||||||||
Very slow developing. M only rushes three but Mouton is the only player in the area with Ezeh and the safeties very slow to read the play. Mouton(+2) evades a blocker and tackles the RB just as he catches the ball for nothing. Timing seemed off for BG so this is only +2 because part of the screwup is on the QB. | |||||||||||||||||||
O20 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel 4-3 | Pass | 5 | Out | Floyd | 4 | ||||||||||
Avery in. M sends five and doesn't quite get there but does force a throw; this out is open just in front of Floyd(+0.5). He's there to tackle, which is good enough on a four-yard pass on second and ten. | |||||||||||||||||||
O24 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-2-6 dime | Pass | 4 | Sack | Van Bergen | -7 | ||||||||||
The four man line with Mouton down. Martin and RVB stunt, with Martin(+1.5) driving the center back and threatening to sack as RVB(+1.5) comes around in the lane he's moving into to tackle(+1) for a big loss (pressure +2). Martin also draws a holding call. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Safety (on terrible snap), 23-14, 13 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O10 | 1 | 10 | Ace | Base 4-3 | Run | Power off tackle | Ezeh | -2 | |||||||||||
This is completely obliterated by everyone, with about four M players in the backfield. Ezeh(+2) saw a gap and attacked it, blasting a pulling guard two yards in the backfield and slowing the RB, at which point he's dead meat. Banks(+1) was just behind cutting off any lanes to the back and Leach(+1) beat a tight end, almost getting held; those two combine to finish the TFL. | |||||||||||||||||||
O8 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun empty | Nickel 4-3 | Pass | 3 | Tunnel screen | Kovacs | 24 | ||||||||||
Guh, Ezeh(-1) gives it right back by dropping out of a threatened blitz into a short zone and then running well upfield and out of the play when he reads screen. There is room as a result. Floyd(+0.5) does a good job of forcing a cutback inside, but Kovacs(-2) doesn't have faith his CB will do this and ends up overrunning the play in an embarrassing fashion. (Tackling –2.) | |||||||||||||||||||
O32 | 1 | 10 | Ace | Base 4-3 | Pass | 4 | Waggle deep out | Mouton | Int | ||||||||||
Mouton(+3) bites on the play action a bit but then gets a great, great drop, going from two steps towards the LOS to 12 yards deep before the route can develop. By the time the QB throws it's right to him. +0.5 to Martin for getting in on the QB and possibly forcing a bad throw. (Cover +2.) | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Interception, 37-14, 7 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O31 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Run | TGDCD | Mouton | 16 | |||||||||||
Ezeh starts charging upfield to contain what looks like a rollout and Mouton(-1) sucks out of position to the frontside of the play; Martin(-1) is also handled and gives up a gap to the outside when Mouton may have had a chance if it was forced inside. This always works, I want us to run it so bad. | |||||||||||||||||||
O47 | 1 | 10 | Ace | Base 4-3 | Run | Quick pitch | Black? | 8 | |||||||||||
Floyd(+0.5) cuts off the outside well and Banks(+0.5) reads the play quickly enough to seemingly close down the hole; Geter pauses, then stumbles, then cuts back across the field—and I'm not sure who to blame. Roh(-1) definitely eased up when he thought the play was going away from him and I think Black(-1) took an angle too far downfield instead of a proper cutback pursuit one. But I'm really just guessing here. Gordon and Christian converge after a nice gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
M45 | 2 | 2 | Shotgun twins 2TE | Base 4-3 | Pass | 4 | Rollout scramble | ? | 5 | ||||||||||
Excellent coverage(+2) from Christian and Gordon(+1 each) forces the QB to pull it down; Black(-2) again gets out of his lane fruitlessly, giving the QB an alley when he was about to be sacked. He scrambles for the first. | |||||||||||||||||||
M40 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 5 | Sack | Banks | -5 | ||||||||||
A quick look to one side is a feint and QB comes to the bottom of the screen where Mouton(+1, cover +1) has the first read covered, which gives the rush time to get home; Banks(+1) fights through a blocker and reaches out to grab the QB as the pocket collapses and Leach(+1) blitzed from the outside, coming around to finish the tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
M45 | 2 | 15 | Ace | Base 4-3 | Pass | 5 | Waggle deep out | Christian | 12 | ||||||||||
Roh(+1) quick out to the edge, cutting the QB off and forcing a throw that's short and lofted (pressure +1), but Christian(-1, cover -1) is easily beaten in man coverage and should give up the first down. The BG player drops the ball, boots it skyward, and sees one of his teammates come down with it. | |||||||||||||||||||
M32 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-1-6 dime | Pass | 6 | Slant | Floyd | 11 | ||||||||||
Blitz picked up (pressure -2) and Floyd(-1, cover -1) gets beaten on a slant for the first. | |||||||||||||||||||
M21 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | NA | Flanker screen | Leach | 20 | ||||||||||
Michigan is misaligned with no one shifted to the trips side. Given earlier formations this is on Leach(-1), who compounds his error by getting cut(-1) to the ground; Cam Gordon(-0.5) has to take on a blocker and attempt to make a diving tackle off of it and can't, allowing the WR to get down to the one. (RPS –2.) | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 1 | G | I-form big | Goal line | Run | Iso | Campbell | 0 | |||||||||||
Campbell(+1) runs over his guy, essentially pancaking the OL(!) and ending up two yards in the backfield, forcing a cutback since Martin(+0.5) and Banks(+0.5) clogged the middle; Mouton(+0.5) fills unblocked and tackles with help. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 2 | G | I-form big | Goal line | Pass | NA | Fade | Floyd | Inc | ||||||||||
Overthrown; Floyd doing okay enough I guess. | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 3 | G | I-form big | Goal line | Pass | NA | |||||||||||||
RVB(+1) is lurking on the edge of the line and shoots out on the QB when he sees the roll, forcing a quick pass that ends up being inaccurate. It would have had to be just right with C. Gordon(+0.5) sitting there in proximity to the target. (Pressure +1, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
M1 | 4 | G | Wildcat twin TE | Goal line | Run | Power off tackle | ?- | 1 | |||||||||||
Michigan totally stuffs this, with RVB(+0.5) and Campbell(+0.5) driving blockers backwards and Mouton(-1) giving the thump that ends his forward momentum but not wrapping up. RB bounces backwards, rolls out, cuts inside of a block, and scores. C'est la vie. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 44-21, 2 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O35 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | NA | Rollout out | T. Gordon | 5 | ||||||||||
Starters still out there; weird. M not fooled by the PA and has good coverage on both these receivers from T. Gordon(+0.5) and Roh(+0.5, cover +1), who converge to tackle the receiver immediately. | |||||||||||||||||||
O40 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun trips TE | 3-3-5 stack | Run | Inside zone | Mouton | 4 | |||||||||||
Mouton(+1) hops in the hole before any one can peel off on him, which is good because he ends up cutting off the hole and drawing two blockers as Ezeh(-1) was dropping into coverage without so much as reading a key. RB cuts back where Kovacs(+0.5) fills quickly, causing the RB to delay and allowing Banks(+0.5) to come off a blocker and help tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
O44 | 3 | 1 | Ace twins | Base 4-3 | Run | Power off tackle | Ezeh | -2 | |||||||||||
QB stumbles and this throws off the RB but this was dead anyway with T. Gordon(+1) setting up his blocker with the right shoulder and Ezeh(+1) clubbing the pulling guard in the hole, leaving nowhere to go; Banks(+1) takes the opportunity from the stumble and the jammed up front to tackle(+1) in the backfield. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 51-21, 12 min 4th Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O27 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 4 | TE out | Moundros | 6 | ||||||||||
Scroobs finally come in with the score 58-21. At this point I'm just looking for individual performances and will discontinue metrics. Here pressure is poor but coverage is right there to tackle on the catch, with Moundros(+0.5) there. Campbell is not exactly Martin when it comes to pass rush. He just kind of sits at the line. | |||||||||||||||||||
O33 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 2TE twins | Base 4-3 | Pass | 6 | Batted | Campbell | Inc | ||||||||||
Rush is picked up as BG leaves a couple extra guys in to block. Campbell(+1) gets a hand up to bat the ball down. | |||||||||||||||||||
O33 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 6 | Out | Avery | Inc | ||||||||||
Moundros(+1) does bash the tailback and get to the QB but Avery(-1) has been beaten in coverage and this should be a first down. Pass is too far upfield and bobbled, allowing Avery time to close and break it up. This bobble was super-slow-mo extended, which is why no plus. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Punt, 58-21, 6 min 4th Q | |||||||||||||||||||
Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Form | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||||
O31 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Run | Inside zone | Demens | 0 | |||||||||||
I'd love it if Demens did something awesome here but no one even thinks about coming out to block him so it's pretty easy for him to step up and tackle. +1 for the hell of it, and +0.5 for Black, who came around a tackle and helped. | |||||||||||||||||||
O31 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | 3 | Out | Anderson | 6 | ||||||||||
Good coverage, quick tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
O37 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | Out | Moundros | 13 | |||||||||||
Moundros is actually in pretty good coverage here for an out ten yards downfield but the throw is low and to the outside where he can't do anything about it. Campbell did beat a blocker and then sort of lumber in at the QB. | |||||||||||||||||||
50 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | Nickel 4-3 | Run | Inside zone | Campbell | 7 | |||||||||||
Campbell(-1) sealed as two guys release downfield into Demens, so he can't do anything about it; Marvin Robinson comes up to make a good open field tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
M43 | 2 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 stack | Run | Inside zone | Robinson | 5 | |||||||||||
Moundros(+1) shoots upfield into a blocker as he tries to disengage from Campbell and delays the RB, allowing Robinson to come up and tackle, but the RB pops off and manages to drag Robinson forward past the sticks. | |||||||||||||||||||
M38 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 3-3-5 stack | Pass | PA post | Vinopal | Int | |||||||||||
Play action leaves seven blockers against three rushers so the QB has all day; he fires a post that Vinopal(+3) steps in front of and intercepts, immediately sending everyone back to videos of Michigan safeties of the last 20 years to find out the last time that happened. Vinopal fumbles, of course, but whatever. | |||||||||||||||||||
Drive Notes: Interception, 65-21, EOG. There is one more play but I can't believe I stuck around this long. |
I'm so confused. Was that good or not?
I kind of think it was, though extreme caution should be read into that given the epic suck of the backup BG QB. I saw a number of missed opportunities that I duly minused; there were probably a half-dozen more I could not see or did not notice. Here's one; watch the two receivers at the top of the screen…
…and also the guy on the drag there. Problems: we haz them.
Even so, BG tailbacks combined for 21 carries and averaged 2.8 YPC on them. Part of that was their inability to slam it into the endzone from the one, but stopping tailbacks for no gain or a loss five times on the goal line is a good thing.
Meanwhile, Spankratz had one screen pass for 71 yards and 27 other attempts on which he netted 5.9 YPA. That screen should have been about 20 yards, IME, as on replay the holding committed against Rogers is both flagrant and the main reason the play broke very long instead of sort of long:
Also the pinball game with the OL was a fortunate thing. Cam Gordon did screw up by fighting inside and not having faith that his teammates would deal, and then was outrun to the endzone, and these things add to the Hill of Cam Gordon Worry founded in the Notre Dame game.
That isn't exactly reassuring.
No, but at least this year our safeties are getting outrun by an actual wide receiver instead of a thumping Indiana tailback. So far. Still, the—
Chart.
--is decent. Also chart.
Defensive Line | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Van Bergen | 5.5 | 2 | 3.5 | Decent impact in little opportunity. |
Martin | 7 | 1 | 6 | Quick passing offenses reduce DL impact; still did well when called upon. |
Banks | 5.5 | 2 | 3.5 | Totally adequate. |
Sagesse | - | 3 | -3 | Seems I was wrong about him. |
Patterson | 1 | 1 | 0 | Occasionally blasted to moon. |
Black | 0.5 | 3 | -2.5 | Got out of rush lanes a couple times. |
Campbell | 3.5 | 1 | 2.5 | Impact in short yardage. |
TOTAL | 23 | 13 | 10 | Three step drop city. |
Linebacker | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Ezeh | 4.5 | 2 | 2.5 | STILL VERY HOPELESS I HATE HIM THIS IS NOT AN ANTIJINX |
Mouton | 13 | 5 | 8 | Sacks, TFLs, INTs. |
Roh | 4.5 | 1 | 3.5 | Impact waning? |
Johnson | - | - | - | DNP. |
T. Gordon | 1.5 | 2 | -0.5 | Banks at linebacker, except a freshman. |
Leach | 3 | 2 | 1 | Bounceback. |
Moundros | 1.5 | - | 1.5 | Only played in garbage time. |
Demens | 1 | - | 1 | And that +1 is generous. |
Herron | - | - | - | DNP |
Fitzgerald | - | 1 | -1 | Eh. |
TOTAL | 29 | 13 | 16 | Much, much better. |
Secondary | ||||
Player | + | - | T | Notes |
Floyd | 4.5 | 1 | 3.5 | Been solid except for run support issues vs UMass. |
Rogers | - | 2 | -2 | Eh, fine. |
Kovacs | 4 | 4 | 0 | Burned in man coverage a couple times. |
C. Gordon | 3 | 3.5 | -0.5 | I feel like these numbers do not give him enough credit for not screwing up on run angles. |
Talbott | - | - | - | Did play, did not register good or bad, which is probably good. |
Christian | 1 | 3 | -2 | Seems like the other two are ahead. |
M. Robinson | - | - | - | Scant time. |
Ray Vinopal | 3 | - | 3 | Go, Spinal Tap Drummer. Go. |
TOTAL | 15.5 | 13.5 | 2 | Did what they should against a team like BG. |
Metrics | ||||
Pressure | 9 | 5 | 4 | Revenge of the three man rush. |
Coverage | 18 | 12 | 6 | Could be an artifact of confused QB. |
Tackling | 4 | 4 | 0 | Okay. |
RPS | - | 5 | -5 | One misalignment, no free rushers. |
[RPS is "rock, paper, scissors." Michigan gets a + when they call a play that makes it very easy for them to defend the opponent, like getting a free blitzer. They get a – when they call a play that makes it very difficult for them to defend the opponent, like showing a seven-man blitz and having Penn State get easy touchdowns twice.]
Looks about right to me. The line didn't have much impact except when good coverage downfield allowed them to get to the QB or it was time to man up around the goal line. The linebackers made few errors, though part of that is no doubt BG's reluctance to test them in coverage with the backup QB. Mouton had an impact day and didn't do much to criticize, nor did Ezeh. And the secondary made about as many plays as they did errors.
I do chalk this up largely to the competition and expect that we'll be looking at some tattered numbers after Chappell gets done with Michigan's back seven.
Did we learn anything about new players?
Despite contrary indicators from the passing skeleton in the pregame, your #3 corner appears to Courtney Avery, a part of both the nickel and dime packages. Avery had an impressive recovery and PBU early:
We still don't know much about him but that's a good start. He seems obviously ahead of Cullen Christian, who did not have much to the good Saturday. Terrence Talbott was not tested.
Campbell was the other guy who leapt out as potentially useful. Though his strategy in the pass rush is "sit at the line of scrimmage and maybe raise your arms," he was a major reason that Michigan's goal line defense was so stiff, consistently driving his guy in the backfield and falling over. He's never going to be Mike Martin and has a long way to go if he's even going to be Gabe Watson, but for the first time he looked useful.
What about the so fresh, so clean linebackers?
Yeah… I've heard a lot of people talking up Kenny Demens after the game but I didn't see him do anything of note until the last drive when he was able to stroll into the BG backfield and make a tackle since three Falcon OL decided to block the same guy. It's possible I got 25 and 45 mixed up on a couple plays but since whenever Ezeh did something aggressive and successful I said "is that Ezeh?!" and double-checked, I don't think so. Talking up Demens seems to be a case of hoping something is true instead of thinking it.
And the old hands did have a good day. Mouton got an easy pick on a great pass drop after play action for the second time, and at no point did I get frustrated with Ezeh.
Hey, how about a special teams digression?
Yeah, I never ever cover special teams and so haven't systematically quantified how much additional suck there is this year in the unit. There is lots, obviously, but by virtue of not kicking anything but a point after and deploying that three-man punt return formation Michigan had its best week of the season. We heard all about how Drew Dileo was being recruited mostly as a returner, thus justifying yet another slot receiver, and the early… uh… returns are good. This is slick:
That's a punt a lot of guys would fair catch; Dileo WOOPs two gunners and then a third guy before getting taken down. That's a twelve yard return and potentially a 20- or even 30-yard swing in field position compared to a single returner like Gallon watching that thing bounce. Dileo is not that fast but he's got some skills.
Dileo === PR win.
Suck on that, low-rated-white-guy-offer complainers!
Yeah! And we totally weren't those guys. As long as we're on the topic of low rated white guys who the internet wasn't happy to see commit, how about Ray Vinopal?
Enormous disclaimers apply since by that point BG was down to their third-string walk-on but damn if that isn't the best play I've seen a Michigan safety make in a long time. This caused everyone to get way ahead of themselves about moving Gordon to bandit or linebacker in 2011; while I'm still keeping my hopes for an anonymous two-star in check that was about as good a start as you could hope for minus getting clocked and fumbling.
Maybe these guys really do have a knack for unearthing uncut gems.
Heroes?
Jonas Mouton was the most productive Wolverine on the day, notching a sack, an interception, and failing to notch any Mouton brain meltdowns.
Goats?
No one stands out as a huge problem. The backups on the DL made some crappy plays, but that's to be expected, and some of the freshmen in the secondary had issues. Those guys aren't likely to play unless injury strikes, however. If I had to pick someone it would be Cam Gordon, who was one of three reasons Bowling Green hit the big play. That's weak, though, on a day when you hold the opponent under 300 total yards.
What does it mean for Indiana and beyond?
Not much, I'm afraid. Spankratz (in his first start, no less) is likely to be by far the worst quarterback on the schedule at year's end. Even second stringers or freshmen like Nathan ReallyDutchLastName at Illinois or Robert "Rob" Henry at Purdue will have way more experience when Michigan rolls into town, and there's no comparison between that guy and Indiana's Ben Chappell, who was genuinely impressive against Western Kentucky even when you take the opponent into account.
At least Michigan seems comfortable enough with the freshmen corners that they can throw them out there on passing downs—which will be most of them against IU—and get guys like Banks and Ezeh off the field. Avery showed well and the rest of the secondary kept it safe. I can see Michigan trying to get to Chappell with a four-man rush of Roh, RVB, Martin, and Mouton all day, content to take their chances when IU runs and bleed yardage until Michigan gets a sack or a couple incompletions, and I can see this working somewhat frequently. This year's IU team is far less of a threat on the ground than last year's, which still wasn't much of a threat.
UMass will probably be Michigan's worst defensive performance of the year; if the linebackers just play it safe and Michigan makes Indiana kick some field goals—probable once the field compresses and IU's total inability to run block comes to the fore—Denard and company should get a comfortable distance by game's end.
As far as beyond… not much. Indiana will give us way more information.
As a side note, I'm happy that the staff put in two new packages (the dime and the punt return) this week that are creative ways to address deficiencies. Minus punt fumbles, special teams has been a strength at Michigan under RR; moving towards a rugby-aware punt return system is another way in which Michigan's current coaching staff displays their willingness to adapt on a year-to-year basis. (The most powerful example this year is the near-shelving of the zone stretch in favor of QB lead draws and a lot of inside zone).
October 1st, 2010 at 2:14 PM ^
44 carries, 172 yards, 3.9 ypc
That's not good. And he had 3.75 ypc last year against non-DSU opponents.
I await your next "I await your next" comment.
October 1st, 2010 at 9:43 AM ^
Is the hilarity of Magnus calling "SAMPLE SIZE" or "CRAPPY CPPONENT" on Vinopal's pick while stumping for Mike "My entire career was against EMU, DSU, and BGSU" Cox based on his ypc on 20 career carries against the dregs of college football lost on anyone?
October 1st, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^
Right.
We're talking about one play vs. 20 plays and a spring game.
Which is the more legitimate sample size?
September 30th, 2010 at 3:14 PM ^
Great stuff as always Brian
The defense is a week to week situation. Hopefully on its off games, the offense is clicking at 100-percent and beyond.
September 30th, 2010 at 3:30 PM ^
September 30th, 2010 at 4:30 PM ^
I am sure glad to have BGSU on the back burner but just for my reading's sake. Everytime that damn BG acronym showed up this was my thought process: and then Bishop Gorman (my high school)... Brandon Graham.. dammit! Bowling Green... phew there we go. Also, a deserved and obligatory (as a result of the deservedness) awesome job to Brian.
September 30th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^
I enjoyed the "Nathan ReallyDutchLastName at Illinois." I was shocked to find out he was black.
September 30th, 2010 at 6:06 PM ^
Two points
1. Disagree with any ranking of the corners. I think Cullens corner position is different from avery/tallbott.
2. I agree about not jumping all over the vinopal bandwagon yet. My reason is the situation more so then who was in. up 65-21, its easy to sit back and play deep.
September 30th, 2010 at 6:41 PM ^
I read "blah blah blah, I value high-school rankings over actual on field college results."
October 1st, 2010 at 12:19 AM ^
a MIchigan safety made a play on a ball, caught it, and ran with it. (Obviously the defensive backs need practice protecting the ball.) The fact that he is not a starter makes this more significant.
Yes, it is not as good as making a play like that against a first-string QB, or a decent team, or whatever, but it is also much better than sitting back, watching the catch made in full stride in front of you, and then blowing the tackle to give up a TD.
Besides, how many chances do you think Vinopal is going to have this season? He made the most of them against the Falcons ...
October 1st, 2010 at 12:54 AM ^
September 30th, 2010 at 6:45 PM ^
Man when Ezeh came up and attacked some of those plays... I swear I felt it move. He stepped up.
September 30th, 2010 at 8:58 PM ^
How could you not have a negative for tackling when one of the touchdowns was a direct result of a tackle that should have happened at the LOS? I think I would assign that garbage about -5.
September 30th, 2010 at 9:37 PM ^
Just me, or do Vinopal's legs appear to have grown longer?
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