I agree that Don Brown should use a spy when Michigan faces a mobile QB. I am baffled that Michigan does not use a spy, especially given that mobile QBs have hurt Michigan when Michigan has not used a spy during Don Brown's tenure.
Don Brown has developed a reputation as a great defensive coach by racking-up impressive statistics against mediocre competition. When Don Brown's defense faces a good football team, more often than not, Michigan loses. Those impressive statistics for yards allowed, sacks, and negative yardage plays are fool's gold. The most important stats are points allowed and games won. This is the record:
2016:
Michigan 20 - OSU 30
Michigan 32 - Florida State 33
2017:
Michigan 10 - MSU 14
Michigan 13 - Penn State 42
Michigan 10 - Wisconsin 24
Michigan 20 - Ohio State 31
Michigan 19 - South Carolina 26
2018:
Michigan 17 - Notre Dame 24
Why does Don Brown's defense under-perform against good teams?
There are several reasons.
First, Don Brown's approach is an all-or-nothing, feast-or-famine, one-size-fits-all scheme, but the problem with such a scheme is that an all-out pass rush is not the best defensive scheme in every situation. Don Brown should tailor the defensive line play to the game situation, but Don Brown has shown that he is not good at tailoring the defensive scheme to the game situation or the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent's offense.
Second, Don Brown's defenses do not defend mobile QBs well.
OSU's running QBs beat Michigan's defense last November, and ND's running QB beat Michigan's defense last Saturday.
When you rush your defensive lineman on every play, your defense is predictable, and opposing offensive coordinators can game-plan to use your over-aggressiveness against you by, for example, letting your defensive ends rush up field past the QB, then having the QB run for easy yards, as OSU did last season and as ND did repeatedly.
Furthermore, when your DL is making an all-out rush on every down, the DL does not set the edge or maintain gap discipline, so it becomes vulnerable to allowing the QB to break contain around end or slip through gaps in the line right up the middle, as mobile QB's have been doing to Don Brown's defense these past few seasons.
When Michigan's defense faces a mobile QB, the defensive scheme should account for the quarterback ON EVERY PLAY!
Third, Don Brown's defenses are vulnerable to big plays.
Consider the following:
In the Orange Bowl against Florida State, December 31, 2016:
3rd & 22 at FSU 13
(14:00 - 4th) Dalvin Cook run for 71 yds to the Mich 16 for a 1ST down
In the Outback Bowl against South Carolina, January 1, 2017:
3rd & 18 at SC 12
(12:56 - 4th) Jake Bentley pass complete to Hayden Hurst for 23 yds to the SCaro 35 for a 1ST down
Against Notre Dame, September 1, 2018:
3rd & 18 at ND 20
(6:53 - 3rd) Brandon Wimbush run for 22 yds to the NDame 42 for a 1ST down
In a 3rd and long situation, Michigan's defense does not need a sack. It needs to hold the offense to no more than a modest gain less than the line to gain. That means playing zone, setting the edge, maintaining gap discipline, containing the QB in the pocket, keeping the play in front of you, and holding the offense to a modest gain to prevent a first down. After Michigan's defense has given up so many very damaging, embarrassing big plays on 3rd and long, why does Don Brown appear not understand these fundamentals of defensive football?
Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches in pro football history, says that if you don't set the edge, you don't have anything.
Rob Ninkovich, multiple Super Bowl champion OLB/DE for the New England Patriots, says that the worst place for a DE to be is behind the QB.
In Don Brown's defenses, the DEs frequently fail to set the edge because they are in an all-out pass rush.
In Don Brown's defenses, pass-rushing DEs frequently over-run the QB, so that they end up behind the QB, thereby taking themselves out of the play.
Who knows more about defensive football, Bill Belichick or Don Brown? Bill Belichick.
The honeymoon is over. Don Brown's defenses are chasing the fool's gold of statistics that don't matter instead of the only two statistics that really matter, points allowed and wins.
For all of these reasons, Don Brown's record against good teams is a record of failure.
Don Brown has developed a reputation as a great defensive coach by racking-up impressive statistics against mediocre competition. When Don Brown's defense faces a good football team, more often than not, Michigan loses. Those impressive statistics for yards allowed, sacks, and negative yardage plays are fool's gold. The most important stats are points allowed and games won. This is the record:
2016:
Michigan 20 - OSU 30
Michigan 32 - Florida State 33
2017:
Michigan 10 - MSU 14
Michigan 13 - Penn State 42
Michigan 10 - Wisconsin 24
Michigan 20 - Ohio State 31
Michigan 19 - South Carolina 26
2018:
Michigan 17 - Notre Dame 24
Why does Don Brown's defense under-perform against good teams?
There are several reasons.
First, Don Brown's approach is an all-or-nothing, feast-or-famine, one-size-fits-all scheme, but the problem with such a scheme is that an all-out pass rush is not the best defensive scheme in every situation. Don Brown should tailor the defensive line play to the game situation, but Don Brown has shown that he is not good at tailoring the defensive scheme to the game situation or the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent's offense.
Second, Don Brown's defenses do not defend mobile QB's well.
OSU's running QB's beat Michigan's defense last November, and ND's running QB beat Michigan's defense yesterday evening.
When you rush your defensive lineman on every play, your defense is predictable, and opposing offensive coordinators can game-plan to use your over-aggressiveness against you by, for example, letting your defensive ends rush up field past the QB, then having the QB run for easy yards, as OSU did last season and as ND did repeatedly.
Furthermore, when your DL is making an all-out rush on every down, the DL does not set the edge or maintain gap discipline, so it becomes vulnerable to allowing the QB to break contain around end or slip through the line right up the middle, as mobile QB's have been doing to Don Brown's defense these past few seasons.
When Michigan's defense faces a mobile QB, the defensive scheme should account for the quarterback ON EVERY PLAY!
Third, Don Brown's defenses are vulnerable to big plays.
Consider the following:
In the Orange Bowl against Florida State, December 31, 2016:
3rd & 22 at FSU 13
(14:00 - 4th) Dalvin Cook run for 71 yds to the Mich 16 for a 1ST down
In the Outback Bowl against South Carolina, January 1, 2017:
3rd & 18 at SC 12
(12:56 - 4th) Jake Bentley pass complete to Hayden Hurst for 23 yds to the SCaro 35 for a 1ST down
Against Notre Dame, September 1, 2018:
3rd & 18 at ND 20
(6:53 - 3rd) Brandon Wimbush run for 22 yds to the NDame 42 for a 1ST down
In a 3rd and long situation, Michigan's defense does not need a sack. It needs to hold the offense to no more than a modest gain less than the line to gain. That means playing zone, setting the edge, maintaining gap discipline, containing the QB in the pocket, keeping the play in front of you, and holding the offense to a modest gain to prevent a first down. After Michigan's defense has given up so many very damaging, embarrassing big plays on 3rd and long, why does Don Brown appear not understand these fundamentals of defensive football?
Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches in pro football history, says that if you don't set the edge, you don't have anything.
Rob Ninkovich, multiple Super Bowl champion OLB/DE for the New England Patriots, says that the worst place for a DE to be is behind the QB.
In Don Brown's defenses, the DE's frequently fail to set the edge because they are in an all-out pass rush.
In Don Brown's defenses, pass-rushing DE's frequently over-run the QB, so that they end up behind the QB, thereby taking themselves out of the play.
Who knows more about defensive football, Bill Belichick or Don Brown? Bill Belichick.
The honeymoon is over. Don Brown's defenses are chasing the fool's gold of statistics that don't matter instead of the only two statistics that really matter, points allowed and wins.
For all of these reasons, Don Brown's record against good teams is a record of failure.
Recent Comments
Good point about using a spy.
I agree that Don Brown should use a spy when Michigan faces a mobile QB. I am baffled that Michigan does not use a spy, especially given that mobile QBs have hurt Michigan when Michigan has not used a spy during Don Brown's tenure.
Don Brown's Record Against Good Teams
Don Brown has developed a reputation as a great defensive coach by racking-up impressive statistics against mediocre competition. When Don Brown's defense faces a good football team, more often than not, Michigan loses. Those impressive statistics for yards allowed, sacks, and negative yardage plays are fool's gold. The most important stats are points allowed and games won. This is the record:
2016:
Michigan 20 - OSU 30
Michigan 32 - Florida State 33
2017:
Michigan 10 - MSU 14
Michigan 13 - Penn State 42
Michigan 10 - Wisconsin 24
Michigan 20 - Ohio State 31
Michigan 19 - South Carolina 26
2018:
Michigan 17 - Notre Dame 24
Why does Don Brown's defense under-perform against good teams?
There are several reasons.
First, Don Brown's approach is an all-or-nothing, feast-or-famine, one-size-fits-all scheme, but the problem with such a scheme is that an all-out pass rush is not the best defensive scheme in every situation. Don Brown should tailor the defensive line play to the game situation, but Don Brown has shown that he is not good at tailoring the defensive scheme to the game situation or the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent's offense.
Second, Don Brown's defenses do not defend mobile QBs well.
OSU's running QBs beat Michigan's defense last November, and ND's running QB beat Michigan's defense last Saturday.
When you rush your defensive lineman on every play, your defense is predictable, and opposing offensive coordinators can game-plan to use your over-aggressiveness against you by, for example, letting your defensive ends rush up field past the QB, then having the QB run for easy yards, as OSU did last season and as ND did repeatedly.
Furthermore, when your DL is making an all-out rush on every down, the DL does not set the edge or maintain gap discipline, so it becomes vulnerable to allowing the QB to break contain around end or slip through gaps in the line right up the middle, as mobile QB's have been doing to Don Brown's defense these past few seasons.
When Michigan's defense faces a mobile QB, the defensive scheme should account for the quarterback ON EVERY PLAY!
Third, Don Brown's defenses are vulnerable to big plays.
Consider the following:
In the Orange Bowl against Florida State, December 31, 2016:
3rd & 22 at FSU 13
(14:00 - 4th) Dalvin Cook run for 71 yds to the Mich 16 for a 1ST down
In the Outback Bowl against South Carolina, January 1, 2017:
3rd & 18 at SC 12
(12:56 - 4th) Jake Bentley pass complete to Hayden Hurst for 23 yds to the SCaro 35 for a 1ST down
Against Notre Dame, September 1, 2018:
3rd & 18 at ND 20
(6:53 - 3rd) Brandon Wimbush run for 22 yds to the NDame 42 for a 1ST down
In a 3rd and long situation, Michigan's defense does not need a sack. It needs to hold the offense to no more than a modest gain less than the line to gain. That means playing zone, setting the edge, maintaining gap discipline, containing the QB in the pocket, keeping the play in front of you, and holding the offense to a modest gain to prevent a first down. After Michigan's defense has given up so many very damaging, embarrassing big plays on 3rd and long, why does Don Brown appear not understand these fundamentals of defensive football?
Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches in pro football history, says that if you don't set the edge, you don't have anything.
Rob Ninkovich, multiple Super Bowl champion OLB/DE for the New England Patriots, says that the worst place for a DE to be is behind the QB.
In Don Brown's defenses, the DEs frequently fail to set the edge because they are in an all-out pass rush.
In Don Brown's defenses, pass-rushing DEs frequently over-run the QB, so that they end up behind the QB, thereby taking themselves out of the play.
Who knows more about defensive football, Bill Belichick or Don Brown? Bill Belichick.
The honeymoon is over. Don Brown's defenses are chasing the fool's gold of statistics that don't matter instead of the only two statistics that really matter, points allowed and wins.
For all of these reasons, Don Brown's record against good teams is a record of failure.
Don Brown needs to change his approach.
Don Brown's Record Against Good Teams
Don Brown has developed a reputation as a great defensive coach by racking-up impressive statistics against mediocre competition. When Don Brown's defense faces a good football team, more often than not, Michigan loses. Those impressive statistics for yards allowed, sacks, and negative yardage plays are fool's gold. The most important stats are points allowed and games won. This is the record:
2016:
Michigan 20 - OSU 30
Michigan 32 - Florida State 33
2017:
Michigan 10 - MSU 14
Michigan 13 - Penn State 42
Michigan 10 - Wisconsin 24
Michigan 20 - Ohio State 31
Michigan 19 - South Carolina 26
2018:
Michigan 17 - Notre Dame 24
Why does Don Brown's defense under-perform against good teams?
There are several reasons.
First, Don Brown's approach is an all-or-nothing, feast-or-famine, one-size-fits-all scheme, but the problem with such a scheme is that an all-out pass rush is not the best defensive scheme in every situation. Don Brown should tailor the defensive line play to the game situation, but Don Brown has shown that he is not good at tailoring the defensive scheme to the game situation or the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent's offense.
Second, Don Brown's defenses do not defend mobile QB's well.
OSU's running QB's beat Michigan's defense last November, and ND's running QB beat Michigan's defense yesterday evening.
When you rush your defensive lineman on every play, your defense is predictable, and opposing offensive coordinators can game-plan to use your over-aggressiveness against you by, for example, letting your defensive ends rush up field past the QB, then having the QB run for easy yards, as OSU did last season and as ND did repeatedly.
Furthermore, when your DL is making an all-out rush on every down, the DL does not set the edge or maintain gap discipline, so it becomes vulnerable to allowing the QB to break contain around end or slip through the line right up the middle, as mobile QB's have been doing to Don Brown's defense these past few seasons.
When Michigan's defense faces a mobile QB, the defensive scheme should account for the quarterback ON EVERY PLAY!
Third, Don Brown's defenses are vulnerable to big plays.
Consider the following:
In the Orange Bowl against Florida State, December 31, 2016:
3rd & 22 at FSU 13
(14:00 - 4th) Dalvin Cook run for 71 yds to the Mich 16 for a 1ST down
In the Outback Bowl against South Carolina, January 1, 2017:
3rd & 18 at SC 12
(12:56 - 4th) Jake Bentley pass complete to Hayden Hurst for 23 yds to the SCaro 35 for a 1ST down
Against Notre Dame, September 1, 2018:
3rd & 18 at ND 20
(6:53 - 3rd) Brandon Wimbush run for 22 yds to the NDame 42 for a 1ST down
In a 3rd and long situation, Michigan's defense does not need a sack. It needs to hold the offense to no more than a modest gain less than the line to gain. That means playing zone, setting the edge, maintaining gap discipline, containing the QB in the pocket, keeping the play in front of you, and holding the offense to a modest gain to prevent a first down. After Michigan's defense has given up so many very damaging, embarrassing big plays on 3rd and long, why does Don Brown appear not understand these fundamentals of defensive football?
Bill Belichick, one of the greatest coaches in pro football history, says that if you don't set the edge, you don't have anything.
Rob Ninkovich, multiple Super Bowl champion OLB/DE for the New England Patriots, says that the worst place for a DE to be is behind the QB.
In Don Brown's defenses, the DE's frequently fail to set the edge because they are in an all-out pass rush.
In Don Brown's defenses, pass-rushing DE's frequently over-run the QB, so that they end up behind the QB, thereby taking themselves out of the play.
Who knows more about defensive football, Bill Belichick or Don Brown? Bill Belichick.
The honeymoon is over. Don Brown's defenses are chasing the fool's gold of statistics that don't matter instead of the only two statistics that really matter, points allowed and wins.
For all of these reasons, Don Brown's record against good teams is a record of failure.
Don Brown needs to change his approach.