Snowflake Thread: Coaching Vs. Air Force
September 16th, 2017 at 3:43 PM ^
I think they were putting Speight in a lot of low percentage situations today. Frustrating.
September 16th, 2017 at 3:46 PM ^
1. The team is young, perhaps the coaches don't feel confident in some of the plays that we the fans got accustomed to when the team was better last season.
2. I'm thoroughly underwhelmed with the WR play and I do think Speight is hesitant to throw anything over the middle. I don't think he trusts his guys to come down with the ball. Hence why every red zone attempt is a lob to the sideline instead of anything up the middle of the field. I don't think he is on the same page because the routes are inconsistent at best.
3. The "underneath" routes aren't what they were last year when Speight is throwing to Peppers, Darboh, or Chesson. Let's stop calling them.
4. If DPJ can make guys miss, why aren't we running tunnel screens like Cincinnati did a week ago?
5. 8-9 guys in the box and we run up the middle. Why no RB screens?
6. 8-9 guys in the box is begging for a deep ball. Not enough today.
7. Florida is really this bad. That's what I feel like I learned.
A win is nice, clearly much better than a loss, but I don't have confidence in competing in the Big Ten. I just don't buy the "we have a big play book that we haven't seen yet". I fail to think coaches would hold themselves back in a 3 point game in the second half. If you have a play that works, you'd use it.
To be clear, I don't think Michigan sucks, but they aren't last seasons team. I need to be happy in a win and happy for the heart of the defense, but perhaps my patience with the offense needs to grow. I trust Harbaugh to get it right.
September 16th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:05 PM ^
It's not that Drevno is hiding half the playbook to save for later. I think it's more that the team, at this stage in their development, can't run half the playbook so Harbaugh/Drevno isn't going to call them. For instance, the RB and tunnel screens you mention are complex and require coordinated line play and timing. Our O-line can barely pick up normal blitzes right now. Once they've progressed, I'm sure the coaches will open up the playbook to match the players' capability.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:09 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:13 PM ^
It has become very clear that Michigan is simply not as good as a certain segment of posters here insisted that they would be. The more reality-based among us knew all along that potential is not the same as proven talent, and that this team had a lot of weaknesses, and was not going to go anything like 11-1 against our schedule. Reality has set in harshly for that bunch, and will be in their faces all season.
September 16th, 2017 at 11:38 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^
I'm not as down about the playcalling as many others are because I think I understand it. This is a young offense that hasn't shown they can handle an expanded playbook yet. They're just not ready. They're still working on the base plays. We know Harbaugh, Drevno, and probably Pep are as creative as any offensive staff there is based on what Harbaugh and Drevno have shown the last two years, but they're not going to ask a young offense to do things they're not capable of doing. They'll get there, though, and I think they'll get there sooner rather than later. Speight's play is a concern however. He needs to be helping this offense more.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:04 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:16 PM ^
They're just not there yet three games into the season. These freshmen and sophomores are still figuring it out, while still winning games, and when they do the coaches will open things up concomitantly. I just don't think the coaches want to stuff these kids' brains with all the exotic formations, pre-snap motions, double-move routes, trick plays, and so on right now when they have trouble just blocking inside zone or catching a pass. I think they'll get there soon, though, and we'll see more of the creativity the coaches have shown the last two years. Just my opinion.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:21 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:22 PM ^
there is absolutely some truth to the idea that the offense to too inexperienced/young to call certain plays, etc.
But that is not really an excude for Drevno's play calling today.
Having a limited playbook does not mean you are obligated to continually call the same inside run on 1st down that was the No. 1 thing AF was determined to stop.
AF essentially said 'you might win, but you are not going to do it by running between the tackles.'
And when they kept calling up the same inside run on 1st down, this left a struggling Speight with bad down and distance....and a limited set of pass plays to use.
IOW, an OC can be smart or dumb when scheming from a limited playbook.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:38 PM ^
Yeah, I get what you're saying, and I don't necessarily disagree. I'm thinking Drevno and Harbaugh thought we're bigger and stronger than Air Force; we're gonna need to be able to run between the tackles to be successful this season, so let's not get too cute and see if we can run it. There's no need to sell out and run constraints against this opponent so let's try to shove it down their throat even if they expect it and see how we do. Again, just my opinion, and what the hell do I know.
September 17th, 2017 at 12:30 AM ^
- (14:55 - 1st) Wilton Speight pass incomplete to Kekoa Crawford
- (13:32 - 1st) Ty Isaac run for 32 yds to the AFA 30 for a 1ST down
- (12:51 - 1st) Chris Evans run for 4 yds to the AFA 26
- (11:41 - 1st) Wilton Speight pass incomplete to Grant Perry
- (8:04 - 1st) Wilton Speight pass complete to Ty Isaac for 8 yds to the Mich 32
- (6:15 - 1st) Chris Evans run for 9 yds to the Mich 44 Chris Evans fumbled, forced by Garrett Kauppila, recovered by AFA Robert Bullard
- (15:00 - 2nd) Ty Isaac run for 1 yd to the Mich 16
- (13:49 - 2nd) Wilton Speight pass complete to Tarik Black for 8 yds to the AFA 39
- (12:37 - 2nd) Wilton Speight pass incomplete to Kekoa Crawford
- (8:20 - 2nd) Ty Isaac run for 1 yd to the Mich 17
- (7:19 - 2nd) Karan Higdon run for 3 yds to the Mich 35
- (3:22 - 2nd) Wilton Speight pass complete to Eddie McDoom for 9 yds to the AFA 31
- (2:03 - 2nd) Wilton Speight sacked by Matt Evans for a loss of 1 yard to the AFA 25
- (11:54 - 3rd) Ty Isaac run for no gain to the Mich 20
- (8:21 - 3rd) Ty Isaac run for 3 yds to the AFA 40
- (7:17 - 3rd) Wilton Speight pass complete to Eddie McDoom for 5 yds to the AFA 27
- (5:16 - 3rd) Wilton Speight pass complete to Grant Perry for 13 yds to the AFA 8 for a 1ST down
- (4:51 - 3rd) Karan Higdon run for 1 yd to the AFA 7
- (1:06 - 3rd) Ty Isaac run for 1 yd to the AFA 45
- (0:30 - 3rd) Wilton Speight pass complete to Tarik Black for 7 yds to the AFA 22
- (15:00 - 4th) Wilton Speight pass incomplete to Eddie McDoom
- (7:19 - 4th) Wilton Speight pass complete to Donovan Peoples-Jones for 15 yds to the Mich 35 for a 1ST down
- (7:18 - 4th) Ty Isaac run for a loss of 1 yard to the Mich 34
- (4:50 - 4th) Karan Higdon run for 3 yds to the Mich 30
- (4:47 - 4th) Karan Higdon run for 3 yds to the AFA 40
- (2:01 - 4th) Chris Evans run for 4 yds to the AFA 26 MICHIGAN Penalty, Offensive Holding (Michael Onwenu) to the AFA 36
- (1:57 - 4th) Chris Evans run for a loss of 2 yards to the AFA 38
- (0:00 - 4th) TEAM run for a loss of 1 yard to the Mich 15
Throwing out the last play of the game, and counting a sack as a pass play, that's 12 passes, at 5.3 yards per play, and 15 rushes, at 4.1 yards per play (half of that due to Isaac's long run) and one turnover. They were mostly balanced until the last two drives as they were trying to burn clock. Yes, there are an awful lot of short runs in there, but it wasn't as predictable as is being implied.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:09 PM ^
to recruit a good oline. plenty of teams are starting young olinemen and getting muuuuch better results. he failed to bring in solid players his first couple years, and until we get the new guys ready, we're just not gonna be a great team
September 16th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
Onwenu and Bredeson are fine. Kugler is starting because he knows the calls. Cole needed to swing back out to LT because our tackles are too young.
Steuber, Filiaga, Ruiz will all be very good at Michigan.
September 16th, 2017 at 7:37 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:18 PM ^
It's good to see us using WR hitches. Still need more TE crossing routes. Speight correctly checked down to Isaac for a nice gain once. I'm still waiting to see RB screens. But we need to keep capitalizing on the high percentage plays for our offense.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
Somewhere down the line I know our offense (not necessarily Speight) will cost us a game. It pains me to think that if we just had Don Brown's equilalent on the other side of the ball I just know we could be serious contenders. I thought we had Al Borges back on the team today.
September 16th, 2017 at 8:52 PM ^
The defense is good enough to win them all.
September 16th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:39 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 5:08 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:30 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
If we look this bad with WS. Why not give peters a try....how much more ugly can this offense get?
September 16th, 2017 at 4:31 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:38 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:40 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 5:04 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
QB whisperer needs to whisper louder
September 16th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:44 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:18 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:23 PM ^
September 17th, 2017 at 12:42 AM ^
What?
The 3-3-5 is a much better defense for the triple option than the 4-3, provided that you have the speed to execute it. Which player would you rather have chasing the QB on the sprint option, Bryan Mone or Josh Metellus / Khaleke Hudson? I actually don't even see Mone in the box score.
Running the dive into Michigan's line was burning a down for the majority of the game; that's really the only weak spot that the 3-3-5 might open which the 4-3 wouldn't.
I'm not really sure what you were looking at, but I didn't notice a problem with the defensive alignment.
September 16th, 2017 at 6:26 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:37 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:46 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:51 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 6:58 PM ^
All the $$$$ put into our program and yet we can't fucking finish better than 3rd in the big ten east!!!!! It's unbelievable
September 19th, 2017 at 12:48 AM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 7:32 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 7:09 PM ^
That we are saving our real offense for the likes of psu and osu. Especially in the Red Zone. The playcalling was incredibly uncreative. I've officially stopped believing in Speight but I don't even think he was really bad today. Even though I think he leads the nation in throwing fade patterns out of bounds...
Gotta figure this crap out soon.
GO BLUE.
September 16th, 2017 at 7:42 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 8:11 PM ^
September 16th, 2017 at 8:20 PM ^
We're 3-0 with a mediocre (at best) QB, and we're winning every game by at least two scores. To me, that's good coaching.
Not perfect coaching. Room for improvement. But good.
As the Big Tuna always said, you are what your record says you are. We're 3-0.
September 16th, 2017 at 11:15 PM ^
it is great coaching on the defensive side, and very poor play calling on offense today.