Inside the Playbook: Michigan's Rushing Attack

Submitted by Space Coyote on

Pertinent on the heels of the UFR and with a game coming up tomorrow, I took a look at breaking down Doug Nussmeier’s rushing attack, and how it all fits well into one system. This combination of 4-5 base plays makes it very difficult for defenders to read keys and take appropriate angles to attacking the offense, putting a lot of stress on them to be gap sound, and opening up things to the outside and over the top.

 

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Reader71

September 19th, 2014 at 12:48 PM ^

ESPN isn't interested in educating the fans. That might distract them from "embracing debate". But there's gotta be somewhere that prides itself on understanding Michigan's schemes and the inner workings of the program. If only we knew where to look...

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BlueSpiceIn SEC.hell

September 19th, 2014 at 9:30 AM ^

.                    How important it is to have RBs that understand the scheme and their need to to make the correct read and cuts into the hole.  Great stuff!  And it did seem our O-line was appropriately targeting their man.

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Reader71

September 19th, 2014 at 9:48 AM ^

SpaceCoyote, how about drawing up some diagrams with the combo blocks shown? Your diagrams are true to the play, and show where we want to end up, but people would probably like to see how we get there. We make a big deal about line calls and targeting, people should know what that entails. Like, explain that the C and LG are responsible for the 1 and Mike on an IZ to the right, or whatever. Hate to complain about great info, but the expectation is for the writer.

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Space Coyote

September 19th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^

I wanted to get the entire run scheme from a high-level in a single article. I had started making some tables describing each player's high-level assignment, but I thought with how expansive the article already was that it started to bog it down a bit and become too much info at once.

I have discussed it in more detail in several other posts with regards to specific runs, and I've gotten into quite a bit of detail about Power O specifically in the past. For specific plays, at some point, I'll probably write some "Football Fundamental" articles that get into the details of specific plays. Once I get those written, then I can link them when people want to go more in depth than what's presented.

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Magnus

September 19th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^

Good stuff, Space Coyote. I would just like to reiterate that changing personnel and formations makes it very difficult to key some of this stuff. All the diagrams have the team in an I-formation, but Michigan has the personnel right now to make all this stuff work, partly because of guys like Chesson and Darboh, who aren't afraid to block. It's somewhat rare that you can get a 190-ish pounder to block like Chesson does, and it helps that we have a couple fullbacks and tight ends who can get the job done now that Butt is back.

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EGD

September 19th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^

Thanks, SC, for the excellent and worthwhile article.

This is a little bit of an aside, but one question I've had about the offense lately is why we haven't seen any running back screens.  We've seen plenty to the receivers, but I can't recall seeing any to the backs.  I realize that with limited practice time, anything you install has an opportunity cost, and so the time you might spend working on screens will take away from something else.  Still, I know screens are one tactic that can help alleviate a strong opposing pass rush, and that seems like something M could really benefit from these days.  

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Space Coyote

September 19th, 2014 at 10:31 AM ^

So it's certainly not something that isn't in his playbook. We saw a few blown up in the scrimmages, and I think that gives you an idea as to why. I don't think they are comfortable putting it on the OL's plate right now. It requires quite a bit of timing and feel for when to release and then for who to target, and I just think with how much they are trying to improve in other areas, they are moving away from it.

I said something after the App St game that I was surprised they didn't run one during that game, simply to put it on film and force teams to scout for it. The reason I say that, rather than believe they are waiting to use it as a surprise, is because I don't have the feeling they are confident running it yet, otherwise they would have. So putting it on film in a blow out like that is a good way to get a live game rep doing it, without a lot of risk, and forcing defenses to respect the fact that it's in the playbook. But for now, I'd expect, if you see it, it'd be after one of the bye weeks or around mid-season.

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Reader71

September 19th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^

I usually hate this idea, but maybe he's saving it for a more aggressive defense. A middle screen against an MSU double A blitz would be a perfect time to debut it. Although, I don't recall seeing one in the 2nd half against a very aggressive ND unit, so the far more likely reason is that we just don't run it well yet.

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Space Coyote

September 19th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^

Even last year Michigan pretty much only ran screens that predominantly utilized the OTs (the tunnel screen, the throw back). The one time they went to a slow screen to a RB I think it resulted in an INT as the OL didn't correctly identify the man coverage on the RB. So last year they clearly weren't comfortable with it.

I gotta think it's the same thing this year. I mean, it's on enough film from Nussmeier's time at Bama, teams probably at least have it marginally scouted. They likely don't think Michigan will run it, because they've looked rough running it when I've seen it in scrimmages, but like you said, I just don't think they run it well enough yet. MSU does really well identifying screens and retracing to the ball. If you aren't sound running screens, I wouldn't do it against them (though they've had trouble defending flare screens in the past, which can simply utilize OZ blocking, so that would be a decent approach).

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wile_e8

September 19th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^

FWIW I'm pretty sure we tried one against ND, but it got blown up because of the timing issues you mentioned. Sheldon Day got to Gardner before the screen was set up because the lineman over him (IIRC Magnusson) barely touched him before releasing. Or maybe it was some sort of WR screen, but in real time I thought it was supposed to be to an RB.

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Eye of the Tiger

September 19th, 2014 at 2:50 PM ^

Thanks, SC! As you know I'm just a bit excited about our flexible and "subtlely complex"/"deceptively simple" system. This underscores just how much of a schematic upgrade we've gotten this year on offense--the dividends from which will be fully apparent by the end of the year.

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