OSU Snowflakes - The Defense
November 25th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
No adjustments at half.
Needed to play softer man with 2 high or some zone with a corner rolled against a passing team.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^
This #1 defense stuff is just turning out to be BS. Its a prime example of how stats will always eventually let you down. There is obviously a big disparity between the #1 defense stat and actuality. It is turning out to be almost meaningless. But the thing is, that stat is why Harbaugh stated that he sought out Don Brown. My fear is that it means that we may often have the #1 defense, yet no championships.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:14 PM ^
Helps your stats to play the worst Conference for offensive football. Remind me again, how many points have the last two playoff teams from the B1G scored in their playoff games?
November 26th, 2018 at 9:54 AM ^
Advanced stats (referring to S&P+ specifically) are opponent-adjusted and garbage time is removed, that still held us as the No. 1 or No. 2 defense through noon on Sat. Our performance dropped us to No. 5 overall.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:12 PM ^
Glass Jaw Don rides again.
November 25th, 2018 at 4:05 PM ^
It's time to face the facts. Don Brown's defensive philosophy works on second rate talent and is all world against the lesser teams in the B1G. In the real world of college football, the jersey holding and grabbing and constant PI calls won't cut it against the real talent and speed of the top echelon teams. We don't have the speed or skill to play with those receivers. Brown's defensive philosophy and our lack of talent was severely exposed yesterday. Better there than against Bama. They would have beat us 77-10.
I have come around to the conclusion that Brown looks great in a bubble (B!G division games and second rate OOC opponents). Were are STILL LIGHT YEARS behind OSU. Can you imagine what Oklahoma would do to this defense?!?!?!?
We need to overhaul this defense and focus on the best D Lineman in the world and great linebackers and play a bend but don't break zone.
Time for Brown to retire or let him take a HC job somewhere. We need younger minds on this staff.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:41 PM ^
Really? Those are some big conclusions to arrive at after one bad game. Brown has been brilliant in making adjustments in game and usually we shut other teams down in the second half. This was one game that ended up being the perfect storm: osu players were faster and more athletic, Mich D-line could not seem to get any pressure, injuries mounted, DB’s were not able to keep up with their talented receivers.
Brown had to decide whether to abandon his nature, which is to solve problems with aggression (blitz and pressure the QB) or resort to something our D has not played for most of the season by switching to some zone. While it’s easy to assume the zone would have fixed the problem, I’m positive that having fewer defensive players near the line of scrimmage would have done two things: 1. Haskins would have even more time to stand around and pick apart a zone D and 2. The run game would have exploded with Weber and Dobbins gashing the D with 6-7 yards per run.
It was a “pick your poison” type of game and Brown reverted to his home base. Outside of this game and 2017 PSU, he has been unbelievably good as a DC.
November 26th, 2018 at 5:26 PM ^
Big conclusions? Not really. The PSU game last year, the bowl game last year was a disaster. The ND game this year (it wasn't that close until the end). And this complete embarrassment at the Shoe. All the announcers all year pointed outy what our DBs do, they hold and grab and they get a ridiculous number of penalties called on them. Brown had no answers for OSU and Haskins picked us apart. It was the worst beating a UM defense has ever taken against OSU.
We were only a good defense because we played shitty offenses all year, Nebraska, MSU, PSU, NW. Come on. The defense was a fraud. Don Brown was a great DC in the ACC b ecause the majority of the teams there suck. Clemson is the only real team in that conference.
This program is light years from being elite on both sides of the ball, and we're lucky we're not play in the CFP because we would get destroyed by Bama or Clemson.
Face the facts, this program is barely a top 15 program and certainly not top 4. We have lost 7 straight and 13 out of 14. We aren't even competitive against them any more. If you are honest you know this to be true. We are better at basketball than football in the last 10 years.
November 26th, 2018 at 9:06 AM ^
This is so over-the-top reactionary. He's had two bad games - 2017 PSU and 2018 OSU.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:32 PM ^
I love my wolverines to death but Don Brown either goes or Jim has to tell him to change his 1 trick pony scheme. Ohio's whole offense is mesh routes, a FEW comebacks, and a FEW shots deep. What film was Brown looking at??? Brown knew our Dbs couldn't run with them. To much pride Don to much SMH. Cover 2 or cover 3 could have easily won us this GAME. Ohio's offense is like a kid online playing madden. You seeing the same funky 3 or 4 plays laughing like this can't be serious lol!! A simple change in coverage and it's a blowout in our favor.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:48 PM ^
I think it’s a mistake to either say we had one bad game or we only had layups all season. Up until Rutgers, I think our D-line was doing a good job. And despite the rhetoric of some here , we dominated PSU, Wisconsin, MSU offensive lines. Something changed at Rutgers. I remember watching and thinking we were getting no pressure on the pocket. Sure enough, recorded zero sacks that game. D-line got similar lack of pressure against Indiana. Again, just by eye test, you could see something wasn’t working. Against OSU, same problem, but only this time with elite QB, WR, and coaching staff. Without pocket pressure, game over.
My question for those smarter than me - what happened between PSU and Rutgers that completely changed our defenses ability to get to QB? Only thing I can see is Gary comes back from injury. Not sure how that might have changed things, but am curious if anyone has a guess.
November 26th, 2018 at 10:29 AM ^
I don't dissect plays like Brian does and generally don't know what the hell I'm talking about but it seemed to me that the DL was doing less stunting/loop arounds (whatever the fuck it's called) that makes O linemen confused. Against PSU, Uche had a few sacks that originated from him starting in one spot on the line then looped around to an open gap and got to the QB basically untouched. The announcers thought it was genius. And I rejoiced. Against OSU it seemed more like our guys were plowing straight into their linemen on every play. And their linemen were quick and strong enough to hold our guys at bay.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:48 PM ^
Marcus Ray called out Don Brown's D to a tee. He made some other idiotic statements - but he know his D.
November 26th, 2018 at 9:01 AM ^
No pass rush means a good QB will feast on this defense. Did the pocket collapse even once on Haskins?
November 26th, 2018 at 9:22 AM ^
Is 'Doctor' Brown still curled up in the fetal position in some corner? Haven't heard or read a peep out of him owning up to his D getting absolutely torched. Either need way better more athletic talent on D or a good non-gimmicky DC.
November 26th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^
I don't think it was mentioned in all the comments, but if it has sorry not sorry bc I am not reading 260+ comments to find it. Anyway, another bitch I had was the defense's failure to get set in time for the snap. It happened at least once and they got about 12 yards on that play because of it. I believe I saw it to lesser degrees a few other times. This has been a recurring issue under Don Brown.
November 26th, 2018 at 9:46 PM ^
Why have not heard anything from Don Brown?
I think he needs to explain that defensive debacle.
November 27th, 2018 at 3:31 PM ^
I'll leave this right here. This is the play after we got called for 12 men on the field.
(posted already in festivus thread but wanted everyone to get a good look at this monstrosity)
