Schematic/coaching questions from an idiot football observer

pretty sure Thing #1 is why everyone is grouchy at the linebackers

I don't really see Thing #1 happening very often, at least not what you're describing. I would perhaps agree with Big Boutros, though, that one consistent issue is a lack of linebacker flow to the ball.

With Thing #2, yes, the players are being coached that way. It generally works. Don't fix it if it ain't broke. They're playing press man coverage, and they are taught not to look back for the ball unless they are in excellent position and (coaches teach this different ways) the receiver's eyes get big, his hands go up, etc. Back-shoulder throws are notoriously difficult to defend, so the best thing you can do is have good position and make it difficult for the receiver to come back to the ball.

I don't think this will have any effect on the players' draft stock. They are doing what they are coached to do. It's not "conservative" or "aggressive." It's just good football.

Thing 2- while protecting the deep ball, generally speaking you'll be running on all cylinders down the back field. Turning your head to see the ball also requires you to turn your upper body a bit which will slow you down from the receiver. Continuing to follow the receiver without turning around allows you to watch his movements. They can see when he's going for a catch and throw their hands up to disrupt the pass. But remaining tight on the receiver also will still allow them to make the tackle if need be.

Harbaugh is a walking schematic advantage.

Running forward while looking backward is hard.  This has been your in depth football insight by Mean Joe.

Thing 1 is less than stellar linebacker play, but also a credit to d-line play as initial running lanes have been stuffed all year -they've had to bounce things outside.  Have opposing teams bounced a few for chunk plays? yeah, but just a few.  Until last week we were as good as anyone in the country against the run.

Thing #2 is due to dbs being trained to always keep their eyes on their man.  Turn for half a second and a subsequent move by the receiver results in 6.  Getting the head turned when the ball is actually in the air - then locating it - is about the toughest thing out there.  I think we'd all agree Lewis has been outstanding this year, and look how many of his plays have been made without seeing the ball on the way in, but by stripping at the ball while the receiver is trying to make the catch.

this is a by-product of Saturday's game, but Michigan played more zone defense against IU than against any other team this year (at least that I remember).  I'm not sure why, and no one on the staff would even acknowledge this ... but I saw Lewis in zone coverage most of the 2nd half.  I think perhaps they were concerned with IU's receivers, but in the end I think it helped IU's running game.  

Tackling was certainly an issue - but we won, so no big deal right?  I'm certain this is something that the coaching staff will address.

Go Blue! 

Here are my thoughts, though I'm just another football dude who rewatches games a bunch.

1. It's a combination of (a) dumb luck by the offense, (b) defensive players not directly in the pile not identifying the ball carrier. I think it seems like it happens more often than it actually does because those plays usually get decent yardage due to the nature of a broken play, as well as the frustration it causes when you see it. No one really remembers a 2-yard run up the middle where the guy is swallowed up, which happens most of the time.

But I do think we have to do a better job on the backside of those plays, as well as the DBs, to locate the ballcarrier and still hustle to the play until the whistle is blown. There is definitely coaching that can be done to mitigate those kinds of plays, but it's also one of those intangibles that are hard to prepare for.

2. This is just my opinion of how it's probably coached. It's very hard to mirror a receiver and blanket them in 1:1 coverage. If you're consistently looking back for the ball you're gonna get destroyed on any out-and-up or hitch-and-go routes. The best course of action as a DB is to always watch the reciever and do your best to run the route he is trying to run. Taking your eyes off of him is dangerous and more risky. I think the nature of our defense depends on the athleticism of our DBs 1on1, which is already pretty risky, so teaching them to only look for the ball at the last second if possible is the 'safe' route there.

"So, as fast as you can, Think of something to do! You will have to get rid of Thing One and Thing Two!”

 

When you are in trail technique, you don't look back to the football because it only slows you down and leads you to losing your man. Until you get back in-phase with the receiver, you won't try to look back to the ball.

With item 1, I don't think it's happening to Michigan a whole lot more than other teams, but I think part of why it does happen at times is schematic. Michigan plays a ton of man coverage, which means fewer eyes in the backfield (you said yourself in point 2 how the DBs are watching the receivers). That means the front has to bring the ball carrier down because there are defenders playing zone to immediately clean up people that pop out of the pile. Michigan also plays their DEs inside a little more than a lot of teams (essentially, they don't play a wide 9). This forms more of a wall at the LOS rather than a pocket, and Michigan relies on strength and hands to push the EMOL back to maintain that wall, rather than going wider to form a sort of pocket against the run. That at times allows the ball to get outside though when the ball carrier isn't finished on the inside. I still don't think it happens a whole lot more to Michigan than it does to most other teams though.

It's a combination of skill, vision, Balance, being coached to bounce outside etc... Think about Smith when he runs to the hole the play was initially called and it gets blown up time and again. Rewind a lot of those plays and see if you can identify an alternate cut back lane or see where he may have been able to bounce it outside. The difference between smith and Howard is that Howard has great balance and power and uses his vision to find a crease. Our defense faced the best back in the Big Ten last Saturday. I keep telling people to look back at the Ohio State Game, if Howard does not get hurt he gashes the Buckeyes defense all day. He was already making plays until his ankle injury. Suddenly was also hurt in that game and the Buckeyes struggled to stop Xander Diamont from tying the game on the last play in the red zone. Howard will play on Sunday's and probably a lot longer than Tevin Coleman.

Thing 1: This can be chalked up to poor "contain" by whomever is supposed to set the edge on both ends of the D-Line.  99% of the time, this will obviously be the DE, or in some cases an OLB.  Once a blue moon it will be a DB, but this is very rare.  These sorts of runs happen because of poor gap integrity on the part of the player setting the edge.   A good way to exploit this is by running an end-around or a reverse.  You'll notice, when those plays work correctly, the LB or DE gets sucked in trying to chase the deke part of the play, when they are supposed to stay at home to prevent such a play.  It's the same scenario that you outlined in "Thing 1" except it is not a deliberate attempt by the offense to exploit it; rather it's a combination of 1) luck the RB isn't tackled in the pile and 2) the contain player not doing his job.

 

Thing 2: Interceptions are hero plays, and they are very difficult to make when you are running full speed, back to the passer, chasing a guy running full speed.  You have a much better chance of a positive outcome for the defense (aka incomplete pass) by trying to break up the pass.  That doesn't always mean reaching up at the last second to deflect the ball.  It many cases, making it difficult for the WR to get in the spot he wants to catch the ball works just as well.  Remember, most DB's are shorter than the WR they are going up against, so you don't want to turn back and risk getting out-jumped or boxed out.

 

Hope that helps.   

Can be coached a few different ways. I played defensive back and I was always coached to watch a receivers eyes on the deep ball. If I get behind on a long route I was taught to run to my man without turning around. If the receiver has to adjust back to a short ball you can see his try to make his adjustment and if you watch his eyes they will open big when the ball approaches. So many ways to skin a cat, but you must never lose sight of the receiver.

with this Defense, who generally has contain?  I always assumed it was the outside LB but it seemed like, especially late in the game it was Wormley that was being counted on for it.  I have not played that position since the mid-70s (no the helmets were not leather) but I ALWAYS had contain.  Seems to me to expect a DE to do this is pretty difficult.

Is there a quick easy answer to this?

Thingy 1 - When the RB gets stuffed at the line and sldes outside - Luck, an arm tackle, the contain man getting out of his lane or losing the edgy, sometimes the guys get lost in all the bodies for a moment then he's off running.  I think its a combo of things.

Saturday we just seemed to be losing basic outside contain on Howard - I think from being gassed or held by their OL.

Thingy 2 - I'm not to strong at DB stuff - whew they have a tough job back there.  If ya play the back shoulder or are a quick turner for the ball you know what happens?  Remember Chesson's last TD - It was a double move where their DB bit and the Rudock pump fake and the Chesson was gone.  I know you look for the WR to turn and watch their eyes, but you better be good at reading that or BAM.        

I coach DBs for one of Michigan's top HS programs and am the JV OC. Yes, our defense over pursues sometimes. This happens with good, aggressive defenses at times though. What can we do? More breaking down and coming to balance tackling and blitzing drills, lateral movement drills, less blitzing, better players, etc. I'd say enjoy our aggressive D and let this one go. As far as DBs go, youre taught to turn your head and find the ball when the WR looks up for the ball. Only IN PHASE though, which means youre within hand checking distance of the WR (not beat). If youre out of phase as a DB (beat), you are taught to not turn your head, just try to strip the ball out when he looks and moves to catch it. As you noted, if you turn your head out of phase, its easy to lose the guy and give up a score, as opposed to batting it down, or being in position to make the tackle if he does catch it. The reason DBs often fail to turn around in phase , is because they feel they're beat or aren't confident, or are beat, or its hard to judge just how beat you are or aren't when the bombs come, or a host of other things. CB is the hardest position on the field aside from QB imo. Shit happens. As far as it hurting NFL stock, yes it can. If you're not getting your head around, you're probably getting beat more often, or maybe your ball skills aren't as pure, which is common with defensive players obviously. Or maybe you're really not that fast, just quick twitch. The best players are beat less, so they make those plays more often. It's almost that simple.