UNLV Snowflakes: The Offense
September 9th, 2023 at 6:46 PM ^
JJ is pretty good
September 9th, 2023 at 9:00 PM ^
He's aight
September 9th, 2023 at 6:46 PM ^
The running game is worse than last year and the backups are not good.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:51 PM ^
But the passing game is much better.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:54 PM ^
I suppose that's what happens when you run into two teams that only want to stop the run and nothing else. UNLV played with 9 or 10 in the box all day.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:59 PM ^
Because teams did not do that last year.
September 9th, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^
They did it a lot less than one would have expected, until late. Penn State, for example, played two-high all game and got slaughtered. Teams that fired into the LOS with 8 guys could slow Michigan down last season (see, for example, early in the OSU game, TCU, etc). The difference is that Michigan appears willing and able to pass right away when defended like this.
September 9th, 2023 at 8:59 PM ^
THIS. Emphatically.
September 9th, 2023 at 9:37 PM ^
People need to go and re-read last years UFRs. I remember at least Penn State, Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan State were content to hang back with two high safeties and get steamrolled and Brian was mind boggled. This year with the new clock rules that limit the number of possessions, allowing Michigan to go on a 15-minute steamroller touchdown drive is even more dangerous than before
September 10th, 2023 at 9:31 AM ^
100%
Couple that with the fact that Michigan's defense is elite and you can see why opposing coaches have a serious conundrum with this team. If they let Michigan run them to death, it will seriously limit their offensive possessions against an elite defense. But if they stack the box, JJ will filet the secondary. Man, it's great to be a Michigan Wolverine!
September 9th, 2023 at 7:04 PM ^
Go look at Michigan's offensive stats from the first few games of 2022. Corum didn't break 100 yards in a game until Maryland, 4 games in. We also have been experimenting with the offensive line and with playcallers. I agree it would've been nice to see them pick up where they left off but I don't see any indication that any aspect of the team has taken a step back.
September 9th, 2023 at 9:31 PM ^
Agreed with everything you said except that now JJ is a fire breathing dragon
September 9th, 2023 at 11:00 PM ^
(Also, check out this actual quote from the Colorado State UFR)
I would like to rabble about the running game.
Go ahead.
Rabble, rabble, rabble.
I feel this rabbling is unwarranted. CSU is not good but I don't think they're abject like the next two opponents, at least in this department. Corum and Edwards combined to average 5.6 YPC on 25 carries despite having a long of 19. As a team Michigan put up 254 yards on 39 carries, 6.5 per. A couple of chunk plays were almost there; add one of those and we're talking whiz bang numbers.
Sounds familiar.
September 9th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^
They really didn’t they were willing to let Michigan pick up 4-7 yards per run. TCU a showed how to slow them down just automatically have every player fly into the line of scrimmage and figure out what happens later. The problem is JJ is cleaning up after the snap and they’re gonna have to decide let Michigans WR’s play in single coverage with JJ moving around or let Corum and Edwards run wild.
September 9th, 2023 at 10:10 PM ^
I’d like to see Corum and Edwards get 100 yards each every game, but being able to pass is huge. Feels like we’ll have a balanced and dangerous offense.
September 9th, 2023 at 7:22 PM ^
not sure why this is getting negged. it’s objectively true.
September 9th, 2023 at 7:33 PM ^
Because it’s a bad take and not true.
sorry not sorry.
September 9th, 2023 at 9:44 PM ^
"objectively true" LMAOOOOOOOOOOOO!
September 9th, 2023 at 8:10 PM ^
Corum averaging 5.3 YPC == run game bad?
September 9th, 2023 at 8:37 PM ^
Thru two games last year we had 502 yards rushing on 73 attempts.
Thru two games this year we have 301 yds rushing on 64 attempts.
Is this disparity entirely due the the nature of the defenses we’ve played against? Are ECU and UNLV just that much better than CSU and Hawaii?
September 9th, 2023 at 8:50 PM ^
ECU and UNLV probably are better than those two and playing more aggressively. That said, to my naked eye the run game certainly isn’t as good as we saw the second half of last year. It doesn’t feel like the line is moving defenders all over the place at will. Maybe that develops with more diverse schemes and QB runs.
September 10th, 2023 at 12:01 AM ^
And more time on task for the oline. 2 new starters (at least for games 1 and 2) who weren't even on the team last year. May take a few more games.
Also hard to tell what difference it makes not having the head coach involved on game day. We'll be interesting to see if there's any noticeable difference when Harbaugh returns (that can be reasonably attributed to his presence/game day contributions).
September 9th, 2023 at 10:24 PM ^
Everyone is following the TCU blueprint at this point.
September 9th, 2023 at 11:29 PM ^
You're going to get some hate, and I think you need a bit more detail in your TAEK, but I get where you are coming from.
I'm mystified as to why Hinton is still starting. He looks a year away. He got whupped by an UNLV DE on a simple single blocking assignment today. You cannot convince me Trente Jones wouldn't have escorted that dude 3-5 yards downfield. Seems like they are putting a lot of eggs in the "Hinton has the higher ceiling" basket.
Barnhart is fine but seems about the same as last year. Would like to see what Henderson can do before we get to a game that matters. Maybe he's banged up, or still catching up on the playbook since he missed spring?
I thought we were "Michigan Method'ing" the starting tackles? What happened to that? Neither played well enough last week (or this week, IMO) to cancel the competition.
September 9th, 2023 at 11:46 PM ^
Hinton is just bad. Not sure why he is playing unless the staff just wants to make sure he can't hack it.
September 10th, 2023 at 2:15 AM ^
I'm desperately hoping they're just getting Hinton some playing time during the non-conference portion of the schedule. If he starts against Rutgers I think we can ask some serious questions about the O-Line selection.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:46 PM ^
JJ is elite. Hinton needs to be second string.
September 9th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^
Jones and Henderson please.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:19 AM ^
Probably should be 3rd or 4th with the loser of Barnhart/Henderson ahead of him.
September 10th, 2023 at 10:52 AM ^
I thought they were doing the Michigan Method so was surprised that Henderson/Jones did not get the start. I know on the pod Brian has been insisting that Jones grades out way higher than anyone we've got at tackle. It's a mystery. Maybe they gave Hinton another start because he had to re-take English Composition 100 again.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:46 PM ^
This is the year that all the passing records fall
September 9th, 2023 at 8:12 PM ^
It will only take 26 passing TDs COMBINED to tie the Michigan record. That’s pretty sad.
A Harbaugh QB hasn’t hit that since 2010. The passing game has a hard ceiling under Harbaugh…until he proves otherwise.
September 9th, 2023 at 9:01 PM ^
Yeah it’s crazy that the record is so low and has stood for 20 years. The way this season has started though I don’t see how he doesn’t get at least 26 if not 30 or more.
September 10th, 2023 at 3:31 AM ^
I think he gets 30 TDs by the end of the bowl game(s). He is obviously in pace, but I think they get back to running more in the weeks ahead.
September 10th, 2023 at 9:09 AM ^
The intention has been stated to be a much more balanced team. Approaching 50/50. Situationally, that will alter a bit but I’ve seen absolutely no reason for this team to get back to running more. The passing attack is working and efficient.
September 10th, 2023 at 9:42 AM ^
I won't complain about the number if passing touchdowns if we keep winning.
BTW, if you make a pass to the 2 yard line, then run it in, that is acceptable also. Passing into the end zone is difficult.
September 10th, 2023 at 10:50 AM ^
My old college drinking buddy Albert Hernstein had 26 rushing TDs in 1902, a record which still stands. I wonder if Blake can challenge that one.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
What’s with the tackles? I thought we would get to see Henderson/Jones starting? Does Henderson not have the playbook downloaded yet? What’s the deal?
September 9th, 2023 at 6:52 PM ^
Hinton is a wet fart on run plays.
September 9th, 2023 at 9:01 PM ^
And pass plays. If they're not setting him up for a redshirt this year, I have no idea what they're doing
September 10th, 2023 at 6:39 AM ^
I really figured with his size he’d be a bulldozer. More than once I saw him trying to chase down his guy in the backfield because he got beat. Definitely need a change before the rubber meets the road.
September 9th, 2023 at 7:19 PM ^
The off-season story of the defensive ends beating the tackles is trending towards more negative on the tackles
September 9th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
JJ is spectacular. Everything done right (except I get worried when he gets hit!).
Tackle is a bit of a question. Running game not destroying people but that benefits JJ.
Through two games this is the passing game so many of us have longed for. And we’ve obviously never seen anyone play the position better through two games.
On to BG.
September 9th, 2023 at 8:08 PM ^
O line run blocking, I think it’s largely coordination, isn’t there yet, and Hinton is cyan, anyway, whatever it is, it obviously needs work — good news: we have at least one more scrimmage and then a string of relatively easy games to get that worked out
September 9th, 2023 at 9:47 PM ^
Yes. I trust Moore to get the OL where it needs to be in the next few games, but I'm still wondering what's up with Hinton. Also seemed like Nugent played better today, but maybe that's confirmation/hope bias.
September 9th, 2023 at 9:52 PM ^
I had same sense that Nugent was noticeably better today. Whole line a little better than last week—but still long way to go. UNLV wasn’t crashing line nearly as hard as ECU last week
September 9th, 2023 at 10:26 PM ^
My take on the OL difficulties is that they are due to a few factors. Michigan is integrating a new center and at least one tackle. That'll take time. Also, it's pretty clear that Michigan has had an increased emphasis on the passing game through two games, and that probably means that comparatively less practice time (than last year) has gone toward rushing concepts. Lastly, Michigan's first two opponents have followed the TCU / OSU defensive tendency to stack the box on most plays.
The combo of these things has made the run game more of a challenge. On the other hand, JJ is all-world right now. Progressing farther than we have in the last two years is going to take a lights-out passing game, so I'm fine with the way things are going right now.
Besides, we have Mr. Blake Corum. The run game will come around.
September 10th, 2023 at 10:51 AM ^
JJ has been throwing all dimes so far this season. Agree I cringe a bit when he runs well only to a hit.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:49 PM ^
The only thing that needs to be said is that this offense is up there with the best offenses in the country. Opponent aside of course, but this offense is finally looking like that of the top teams. UNLV was overmatched of course, but that said, we had anything we wanted out there today. JJ looks and plays the part of the leader of a top offense.
With our defense, there are no limits this season. Keep doing it this way, coaches, and let it play out.
September 9th, 2023 at 6:51 PM ^
For the love of god, maximize all deflector shields around JJ.
Second team offense needs some work.
JJ is awesome.
My hand is hovering over the rushing game panic button.