FORMATION NOTES: A lot of this kind of stuff.
Probably 50/50 between this and gun with more gun coming late as Michigan tried to make it look like they were trying to come back without actually doing so.
SUBSTITUTION NOTES: Everything as per usual, with the exception of Morris's late insertion and maybe a little more playing time for Jake Butt.
AGAIN APOLOGIES: Audio on the clips is messed up this week.
[After THE JUMP: a portal to another universe where Michigan doesn't suck (I DID IT FOR THE CLIIIIIIIIIICKS)]
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Waggle comeback | Funchess | 14 | ||||||||
| Waggle with no one on the edge so comfortable rollout and throw. Gardner does a good job to get it over the hand of a linebacker and use Funchess's height. (CA, 3, protection N/A, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M39 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Green | 2 | ||||||||
| Oy. Michigan fakes an end around, which is designed to hold backside guys outside and provide a lane to the backside of the play. There is a lane to the backside of the play, with Magnuson(+1) and Cole(+1) caving in a DT. Green(-3) instead cuts to the frontside, where an unblocked corner on a blitz is sitting and a safety is coming down anyway. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M41 | 2 | 8 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Green | 3 | ||||||||
| Blocked okay by the line but the overhang guy on Norfleet in the slot reads run really fast and comes into the play before anyone can deal with him or Green can get through. Miller only gets a push on the NT; Green could cut back behind him as the backside DT fell to the ground, causing Glasgow(-0.5) to stumble out to the second level; it's a reasonable choice though, as Mags(+1) got a good second level block with a lot of motion and this is a decent pickup if Michigan doesn't get RPSed off the slot. Braden(+0.5) did help the DT go to ground. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M44 | 3 | 5 | Shotgun empty | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over split | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 20 | ||||||||
| First read appears to be a slant that isn't there, Gardner still pumps it. Mags's guy has tried to blow upfield of him; Mags stays connected and shoves him well past the play, pancaking him. Gardner has to step around, and then sees a lane and takes it. (SCR, N/A, protection 2/2, Gardner +2 run). Gardner hit way late, no flag, refs -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O38 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Pin and pull zone | Green | 7 | ||||||||
| M brings Norfleet into the backfield and motions like they're running an option; run action is straight pin and pull though so no counter designation in the play listing. Williams(-2) whipped by the DE, guy flies straight upfield at Green, Green(+1) has no choice but to bounce. Mags(+1) gets to the edge and seals a linebacker inside but things are a bit borked because of the Williams issue and there's an unblocked guy filling; Chesson(+2) stays connected the whole play and pancakes a corner, allowing Green an in-out bounce for a nice gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O31 | 2 | 3 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5-2 over | Run | Power O | Green | -1 | ||||||||
| Braden(-2) tries to down block a guy slanting inside him and whiffs entirely, firing out and getting off balance and then the DE is in. Mags(-1) pulls around and gets there but when the contact comes the DE goes through him easily. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O32 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | TE drag | Butt | 4 | ||||||||
| Basically a TE mesh with Hill trying to pick off a linebacker to open up this space for Butt. He doesn't do much to actually pick the LB, so he can run out and tackle Butt on an adequate throw. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, Hill route minus) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O28 | 4 | In | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Run | QB sneak | Gardner | 1 | ||||||||
| Hooray, RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O27 | 1 | 10 | I-Form Big | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4-3 under | Run | Inside zone | Green | 1 | ||||||||
| And then for some reason an I-Form Big. Williams(-2) sees the slant, initially chases the linebacker inside, releases to the second level, and gets run over by a linebacker, who extends one arm in a stiff-arm like maneuver to drive him back to the ballcarrier. Safety filling hard unblocked anyway. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O26 | 2 | 9 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Fade | Chesson | Inc | ||||||||
| Why you're throwing this at Chesson in one-high press coverage instead of Funchess I don't know. Chesson doesn't get much separation, DB in SHORYUKEN, ball is a bit underthrown and the punch comes through so no chance. (MA, 0, protection 1/1, Chesson route minus) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O26 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Dig | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| This is maybe an okay decision because Funchess is enormous but just dump it to Hayes out of the backfield and this is probably a first down. Gardner steps up and gets in some trouble as Magnuson(-1) has gotten pushed back into the pocket, so he's hit on the throw, which is floated behind Funchess, momentarily grabbed, and then whacked out by a trailing CB. (BR, 0, protection 2/3, Mags -1). | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: FG(43), 3-0, 9 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M24 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Run | Zone stretch | Smith | 0 | ||||||||
| M trying to flank a nose tackle lined about head up on Miller; Mags(-0.5) runs by him without getting a bump, leaving Cole an impossible task. Glasgow(-0.5) can't turn in a guy going right upfield and Miller(-0.5) of anything ends up not doing much of anything. Braden(-1) has a very bad kickout. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M24 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Pass | Dig | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| M has two guys crossing underneath, AJ Williams, and Funchess going long. Gardner doesn't have anyone open, throws late to Funchess coming across the middle, just gets over a LB's finger, Funchess catches it, and then a safety lights him up. There's no one open on this play; I don't think Funchess was ever comfortably like THROW NOW and Gardner found a small window that still got his dude blowed up. (MA, 1, protection 2/2, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M24 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Corner | Funchess | 19 | ||||||||
| Bad-idea smash route on which the cover 2 corner is dropping into it and the safety is coming over the top but there's a window and Gardner nails it, hitting a leaping Funchess for the first down. (DO, 2, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M43 | 1 | 10 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Pass | Dig | Funchess | 24 | ||||||||
| Delayed blitz; Cole(-2) IDs it but when he moves out to meet the LB he gets thrown aside, Gardner nailed as he throws. It's a lofted ball directly to Funchess's mitts. Okay. (DO, 3, protection 1/3, Cole -2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O33 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 even | Run | Inside zone | Green | 0 (Pen -10) | ||||||||
| End around fake, Green cuts back to the backside this time, but for naught. Utah slid a guy inside at the last second and Magnuson(-1) ended up tackling him for a holding call as Miller(-1) blows past him, seemingly unaware he now has a dude at one-tech. Cole(-2) runs after the dude Mags is holding the whole play so there are plenty of LBs in the hole. Not so good. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O43 | 1 | 20 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Bubble screen | Norfleet | 4 | ||||||||
| Again set up to work but Michigan not good at executing a simple play. Gardner's throw pulls Norfleet upfield, which Norfleet just about makes work except that Funchess(-3) doesn't even bother blocking; if he actually touches the cornerback Norfleet may break it outside for a huge gain. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O39 | 2 | 16 | I-Form 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-4 under | Pass | Waggle FB flat | Kerridge | Inc | ||||||||
| I thought we fired this guy. Waggling on second and sixteen is idiotic; Michigan waggles on second and sixteen. At least it's not a big formation? Utah sends a DE right at this, no respect for the run, Gardner immediately under duress, steps inside, throws a jump pass that Kerridge can only get a single hand on, and he was about to get blown up anyway. Gardner can do better here but this was pretty doomed either way. (MA, 1, protection N/A, RPS -2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O39 | 3 | 16 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Run | Power O | Hayes | 3 | ||||||||
| Downright creepy as Utah slides its line to the playside, which is the weakside, and has both linebackers also there, stacked over each other. They roll a safety down but an IZ to the strong side really looks there presnap. M actually gets a call from the sideline on this play(!) and they don't pick up on it at all. Even so, almost certain that Braden(-2) screws up, as he decides to move out on a linebacker instead of deal with the nine-tech DE outside of him, likely kicking but whatever. Nine squeezes hard, meeting Mags a yard in the backfield, mandatory bounce, Hayes tracked down by the unblocked, RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 3-0, 4 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | End around | Canteen | -3 | ||||||||
| Michigan hasn't burned Utah on this action yet because they keep screwing it up so there's no reason to overreact to it; M runs the end-around anyway. The end who's supposed to crash doesn't and he's out there. Possibly M did a bad job of selling this, but this is a constraint play that has not had its base work yet. RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M22 | 2 | 13 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Sack | N/A | -2 | ||||||||
| Hooray I-form on second and thirteen. Gardner looking for a hitch that a DE is dropping into, aborts. At that point Michigan's seven man protection breaks down as Smith(-1) gets run over by Orchard and Garner has to bug out, he's got one guy in the pattern to the side he rolls to and eventually gets nailed. (TA, N/A, protection 2/3, Smith -1, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M20 | 3 | 15 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Out and up | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Gardner has a window to his enormous leapy WR and leaves the ball about ten yards short of where it should be. (INX, 0, protection 2/2) No pressure at all. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 3-3, 14 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Pin and pull zone | Green | 20 | ||||||||
| Pin and pull wipes out the side. Williams(+1) fires the DE inside and that's about it. Chesson(+0.5) cracks down on the playside LB and there's a lane; Mags(+1) and Miller(+1) both get downfield blocks. RPS +1; Funchess's attempt downfield is beyond lazy, FWIW. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M45 | 1 | 10 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Pass | Waggle WR flat | Chesson | 2 | ||||||||
| Chesson motions in as quasi TE, runs FB flat, cover 2 corner puts him down immediately. (CA, 3, protection N/A, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M47 | 2 | 8 | Pistol 2TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Run | Pin and pull zone | Green | 8 | ||||||||
| Only one pull this time as there's only one uncovered guy with Utah showing a five man line with a contain. Glasgow(+1) cuts off the backside DE , ending him. Miller(-1) gets a free release; his guy runs right around him upfield, which is usually doom if the OL gets any kind of block; Miller just pushes him to Green. Braden(+0.5) got enough on the backside end. Cole(-0.5) gave up a lot of penetration but Green(+1) can run around it; Darboh(+1) picks up an excellent CB block and Butt(+1) gets motion on a guy who is dropping off. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Improv | Green | Inc | ||||||||
| Overhang guy to the 2TE side comes and gets through. M doesn't let Utah tip a blitz or anything and it looks like they IDed this play wrong as a unit, including Gardner. Even had some time on the clock. After a PA fake Green turns around, Gardner tries to dump it off to him but is getting tackled and the pass ends up on the ground. (PR, 1, protection 0/2, team -2, RPS -1) God dammit, this was like 20 yards but Gardner can't see anything until he turns around because Michigan insists on running under center stuff despite being awful at offense. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Power O | Green | 1 | ||||||||
| Green(-3) does not have the patience to run this. He decides to go straight NS before Hill ever contacts a linebacker, so that LB just runs right by Hill. Magnuson(+1) has plastered the end inside and he can bounce; Braden(+1) got attached to a slanting DE and shoved him way down the line. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O44 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Dig? | Darboh? | Inc | ||||||||
| Batted at the line. FWIW, this looked like an INT waiting to happen. (BA, N/A, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 3-10, 12 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M42 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Run | Power O | Green | 12 | ||||||||
| Oof. This is abominable by a Utah DT, and Green cuts away from the play design to break it outside. Play design does seem to be there with a blocker for th overhang guy, but Green gonna Green. Miller(+1) shoved a DT who spins inside-ish off the line, LB shoots a gap, Green(+1) cuts outside into the gap. I guess I have to give him a point here but I don't like it. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O46 | 1 | 10 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Sack | N/A | -4 | ||||||||
| Stunt blown by Braden(-2) and Glasgow(-1), with Braden the primary guy at fault. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 2 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 under | Pass | Fly? | Williams? | Inc | ||||||||
| All day for Gardner, who sets and resets comfortably and eventually decides to throw to... Chesson, maybe, off his back foot. He may be trying to get it to Williams, who is utterly alone for a touchdown but if so this ball is like 15 yards short. I mean, it's on a line to Williams but Chesson gets to it first by adjusting to the ball; a safety hits him as the throw arrives. (INX, 1, protection 3/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 3 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | TE out | Williams | 8 | ||||||||
| Half roll on the pocket, Magnuson pulling to block, and does, Gardner decides to bug out to the corner anyway and though he doesn't know it it's a good idea as Miller(-1) lost a DT and he might have gotten splatted if he stayed. He dumps it off to Williams for an okay gain, and why roll the pocket if you're just going to punt when you get the moderate amount of yards a rolled pocket generally gives you? (CA, 3, protection ½) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 3-10, 9 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M49 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 slide | Run | Inside zone | Green | -2 | ||||||||
| Utah has a big flag that says we're slanting by putting a linebacker right next to their standup end, and they slant away from that guy. Magnuson(-2) has a guy coming right into his area and just runs by; Miller(-2) let the guy go too. Unblocked DTs are bad. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M47 | 2 | 12 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Penalty | False Start | Williams | -5 | ||||||||
| Williams -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M42 | 2 | 17 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 slide | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 9 | ||||||||
| Cole(-1) beat pretty badly but it's not all his fault. Because Michigan is trying to sell play action on second and seventeen he steps like he's blocking for a power. DE is like LOL nope, gets in Gardner's grill, and Gardner has to spin out and run for some yards. (SCR, N/A, protection ½, RPS -2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O49 | 3 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 slide | Pass | Post | Funchess | 25 | ||||||||
| Corner blitz, M picks it up. Gardner finds and fires to Funchess, well behind him but dude's enormous frame goes and gets it. (MA, 1, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O24 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun twin TE twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Slant | Funchess | INT | ||||||||
| Slant well in front of Funchess, Funchess sticks one hand out and deflects it to a DB. This wasn't as bad as I thought it was from Gardner and worse from Funchess but the culpability is shared. (MA, 2, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Interception, 3-10, 6 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 even | Run | Pin and pull zone | Green | 2 | ||||||||
| Utah doing a better job of stringing this out. Butt gets only a push on his edge block on the DE; he is eh. Darboh(-1) whiffs, allowing the corner upfield; that guy forces it back to traffic. Some of that traffic is there because Miller(-1) went after the guy Braden was already blocking instead of finding the next linebacker inside. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M27 | 2 | 8 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 under | Run | Zone stretch | Green | 4 | ||||||||
| Erratically blocked. Glasgow(+1) and Miller(+1) get a double on a playside guy and drive him and get to a linebacker, so there's a gap. Braden(-1) let Orchard come under him on the force block and that guy tackles; on the backside a guy went straight upfield hard, got a decent bump from Mags, still got dangerously under Cole and then fell down, possibly because of the bump. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 4-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 8 | ||||||||
| Pocket is a little nerve-wracking as it gets compressed. Most worried about Glasgow's block but he gets it and his DT's aggressive upfield move provides an obvious NS lane for Gardner(+1), who takes it and gets the first down. (SCR, N/A, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M39 | 1 | 10 | Ace tight | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Run | Waggle WR flat | Canteen | 6 | ||||||||
| Another waggle with a WR sliding along the formation; throw is a little flip that's slightly in front of Canteen, who catches it but is thrown off by that act and goes down of his own volition a few yards short of where the defense was rallying. (CA, 3, protection N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M45 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 2-back | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Run | Inside zone | Smith | 3 | ||||||||
| Triple option fake with IZ, option is just so so wide open. IZ is fine I guess, would prefer Smith took it a gap further playside as it seems about as there as the cutback is and doesn't have an unblocked guy sitting back there. He manages to run through that tackle for 2 YAC and that's probably what he'd get otherwise so push. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M48 | 3 | 1 | I-Form Big | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5-2 over | Run | Edge pitch | Hayes | 13 | ||||||||
| Hayes tailback, Smith FB, dive fake to pitch everyone's seen before. It works. I'm dubious of its efficacy now it's on film. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O39 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Sack | N/A | -12 | ||||||||
| Utah with a four man line and Orchard, nominally a DE, as a SAM type guy. They blitz off a corner because they can. Funchess is lined up inside the hashmarks, and M can't handle it. Braden(-2) gets smoked by Orchard, blitzer free, kaput. (PR, N/A, protection 0/4, Braden -2, Team -2, RPS -1) Also M had Gardner try a play action type substance that involved a fake handoff to a running back who was on the other side of him. No PA may mean he can dump it off to one of his outlet options. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M49 | 2 | 22 | Ace twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Smith | 0 | ||||||||
| Utah stunt kills this. Miller takes the nose, who steps left, with the three-tech looping around to make the play. Seems tough to deal with this because if this is a slant Miller needs to deal with this guy and since it's a stunt he needs to pass him off. Ideally this sees Miller(-1) and Glasgow(-1) combo through the nose tackle but seems impossible to know that, because Glasgow's guy is running to him. RPS –1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M49 | 3 | 22 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Rollout comeback | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| M rolls into trouble, with two Utah guys running at Gardner, Gardner escapes, at sideline, tries a pinpoint throw 20 yards downfield that doesn't work out. (PR, 0, protection N/A, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 10-20, 8 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M17 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | Dumpoff | Green | 14 | ||||||||
| Finally a dumpoff that's been open just about all day. This is far too high, Green has to stab it with one hand and then can motor upfield. It was at least soft-ish. (IN, 1, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 6 | ||||||||
| Good pocket, Gardner seems spooked by a DE falling near his feet and takes off. Given the pocket this is not optimal but it's a good gain so (SCR, N/A, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M37 | 2 | 4 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Green | 5 | ||||||||
| M a little fortunate here as Williams and Braden(-0.5) both leave the DE, who falls; Braden does recover after his initial brain fart. Miller(+1) catches and rips one DT away, so there's a hole; Glasgow(+1) sees this and shuffles out to the second level for an effective sealing block. Williams gets out on a guy okay but gets rocked back a bit and with an authoritative block here maybe Green cuts behind it for a serious gain. As it is, just a first down. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M42 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6-1 under | Run | Pin and pull zone | Green | -2 | ||||||||
| High snap but Gardner gets it and gets to to Green. Just one uncovered guy, so only Mags pulls. Utah blitzes off the corner, slants hard playside, pull the two stand-up guys playside off the LOS. This befuddles the OL. Neither playside DL gets effectively blocked; Hill(-1) does not chip the three tech at all, immediately heading to his presnap read. Ditto Miller(-1), leaving Cole and Glasgow with just about impossible tasks. Green has to run around these guys and that delay dooms the play. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M40 | 2 | 12 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | PA dumpoff | Hill | 4 | ||||||||
| Waggle type action to the boundary. Hill blocks a DE for a bit then releases to get to the flat, that guy runs at Gardner, dumpoff, immediate tackle. Bleah. (CA, 3, protection N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M44 | 3 | 8 | Shotgun 4-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Screen | Hayes | 7 | ||||||||
| Three man rush with a screen spy lookin' guy. That guy ends up drawing all three OL. Given the locations of the guys, Glasgow(-1) should really be able to cut him off and then Hayes has more room and a Mags block to work with. As it is Hayes(+1) makse a nice move to get past an unfettered safety and put this in sneak range. RPS push I guess, as it's a nice gain but they had a screen guy who made Hayes make a play. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O49 | 4 | 1 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | ??? | Run | QB sneak | Gardner | 2 | ||||||||
| They get it. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O47 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Run | Zone stretch | Smith | 2 | ||||||||
| This is Smith(-3) as Cole(+2) easily seals away a DE who went upfield at the snap, which creates a nice lane to the outside that is his first priority. He insanely cuts inside this block, which just barely works as Miller got a draw-ish against the NT but that cut robs Mags of an angle; Mags(-1) didn't do so well even so. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 under | Pass | RB flat | Smith | Inc | ||||||||
| This is a dubious play all around as the routes see nobody open and a max gain of like five yards; Gardner's throw is way off, and Smith can't hold on when that throw brings him into the defense. (IN, 1, protection 1/1, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 3 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Circle | Darboh | 5 | ||||||||
| Excellent pocket, Gardner pumps in an oh-crap-that's-not-good way. He then throws a high bullet to Darboh short of the sticks that he manages to bring in. (IN, 1, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O40 | 4 | 3 | Ace Goal line | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4-3 even | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 2 | ||||||||
| They motion Darboh to make this a three-TE thing to the field, then waggle in that direction. All Williams(-2) has to do is seal a guy moving inside to the inside and Gardner has the time and space to get the first down; instead he loses this block and Gardner's space is minimal. They've covered the routes; he gets banged down a yard short. I'm not charting this as SCR/TA, FWIW. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 10-20, 2 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Dumpoff | Green | 12 | ||||||||
| Another dump as Gardner moves up through a good pocket and just hits Green at one yard; Green(+1) turns, runs through a tackle attempt, and gets a chunk. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M37 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Dig | Canteen | Int | ||||||||
| Norfleet in motion, triple option fake, nobody bites even a little, Gardner throws into chest of linebacker on pass likely to hit Canteen's feet if it doesn't hit chest of linebacker. (BRX, 0, protection 2/2, RPS –1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Interception, 10-23, 13 min 4th Q. Morris in. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M27 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Slant | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Pumped as Morris is uncertain and then put at Funchess's feet. (IN, 0, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M27 | 2 | 10 | Ace | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 slide | Run | Inside zone | Hayes | 3 | ||||||||
| Braden(-1) gets pushed back and two-gapped by an end; Mags(-1) falls over when Cole leaves their double to pick up a linebacker coming hard; Hayes(+0.5) has to cut back into a linebacker who is now unblocked for a meh gain, but at least he found the spot. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M30 | 3 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel under | Pass | Scramble | Morris | 9 | ||||||||
| Another pump that is an oh no let's not do this thing, then Morris scrambles out as a stunt put a Utah DT on the edge and he is not containing at all after very good protection. (SCR, N/A, protection 3/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M39 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over press | Pass | Drag | Norfleet | 4 | ||||||||
| Mesh route with Norfleet and Williams crossing, Williams doesn't draw or pick an underneath defender and Norfleet is tackled immediately. (CA, 3, protection 1/1). Michigan huddles! | |||||||||||||||||||
| M43 | 2 | 6 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 30 slide press | Pass | TE hitch | Williams | 5 | ||||||||
| Bang-bang completion. (CA, 3, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M48 | 3 | 1 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Run | QB sneak | Morris | 1 | ||||||||
| Tempo sneak hurray. RPS+1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M49 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Post | Chesson | Inc | ||||||||
| Sean McDonough is just so depressed by our tempo. Great pocket, Morris all the time in the world, steps up, wings it yards over Chesson's head to chest of defender. (INX, 0, protection 3/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Interception, 10-26, 8 min 4th Q. Charting ceases. | |||||||||||||||||||
I'd ask you why you did this but I think I've asked you that twice in the last few months already.
My best answer is that all of life is meaningless and I may as well drudge at this since I know how to drudge it?
But maybe there are nice things.
Shhh.
Shhh.
I am concerned for your mental health.
You know as well as I, bolded alter-ego, that doomy doom about life being awful is an attempt at gallows humor and considerably played up from real life, which is rather nice for me.
All right, then let's get on with it. What went wrong other than everything?
Everything.
I mean other than everything.
Oh, I heard you. But this was a holistic breakdown. Even the shining beacon of football on the offense had his moments of lolwut: Devin Funchess not only tried that one-handed stab of a meh ball that ended up intercepted in the first half, he also sabotaged that Norfleet bubble screen spectacularly.
Not a finger on that dude, and with Utah badly aligned and two guys fighting to that inside gap, even a mediocre block may spring Norfleet for a touchdown. You can tell Funchess is a generationally great receiver because he has some diva in him.
Earlier in the year I was saying maybe these mental issues will get fixed and then we might be good; we're only four games in but that seems impossible right now. Michigan is a disorganized, unaccountable mess aside from the defense.
And then there's the elephant in the room: wrecking quarterbacks. Funchess turned in his usual quota of I be like dang; the obvious, depressing, miserable problem was Devin Gardner breaking in front of our eyes. In context this was the worst game of his career, and it doesn't seem close.
…
?
Chart.
Chart.
Devin Gardner 2013
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Michigan | 2 | 10(1)+ | 1 | 1 | 2* | - | - | 1 | 3 | 82% |
| Notre Dame | 7+ | 16(1)++ | 4(1) | 2 | 3* | - | 1 | 4 | 4 | 82% |
| Akron | 3 | 14(2) | - | 5 | 3** | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 59% |
| UConn | 2 | 13(1) | 1 | 5*+ | - | 1 | - | 5 | 5 | 76% |
| Minnesota | 4+ | 7(1) | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 2 | 92% |
| Penn State | 7+ | 12(2) | - | 5+ | 2** | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 66% |
| Indiana | 5 | 18(3) | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3 | - | - | 5 | 78% |
| Michigan State | 1 | 15(2) | 1 | 5 | 4* | 6 | - | 4 | 1 | 50% |
| Nebraska | - | 17(1) | 1 | 4(1) | 2* | 5 | - | 6 | - | 62% |
| Northwestern | 5 | 21(6) | 3 | 5 | 6***** | 1 | 2(1) | 6 | 4 | 65% |
| Iowa | 3 | 12(5)+ | 2(1) | 5(1) | - | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 68% |
Devin Gardner
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App State | 1 | 11(4) | - | 2(1) | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | 82% | |
| Notre Dame | 3 | 17(3) | 2 | 1 | 6(1)** | 3 | - | 2 | 2 | 68% |
| Miami(NTM) | 1 | 9(1) | 1 | 3 | 2 | - | 1 | 2 | 2 | 65% |
| Utah | 2 | 9(2) | 5 | 5** | 1* | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 60% |
It wasn't all bad but things like beautifully lofted balls to Funchess while under duress were very much the exception. It was a lot of balls that were just miles off, like this third down and fifteen that was wide open:
Yeesh. That window was there. And also it's Funchess arm punt and give your guy a chance. Don't leave it ten yards short.
And that wasn't even the least accurate throw. That has to be Gardner finding AJ Williams wide open 50 yards downfield and throwing it about 30, making it seem like Jehu Chesson was the target when he certainly was not.
I mean…
…this is a broken QB.
MLive's Nick Baumgardner, amongst others, speculated that Gardner's throws were so bad that the most obvious explanation was that he was hurt, and honestly wouldn't be surprised. We'll find out after the season when people are pleading for Hoke's job.
So… that's bad. I have no further analysis other than it is bad when your QB looks like a malfunctioning t-shirt cannon.
PUT IN MORRIS.
Well, he got in. A full dossier of Morris activity even after I stopped charting:
MEH
- Two four yard passes, dumpoff to Justice Hayes
- QB sneak
- Attempted RB flat batted down
- Throws ball wildly into middle of field when pressured
GOOD
- Scramble on third and seven for first down
- Third down conversion on dig laser
- 65 yard ball to Norfleet that DBs rake out
BAD
- Slant turfed at Funchess's feet
- Sack he caused by fleeing good pocket
- Wildly overthrown interception
- Comeback route way upfield of his receiver that is almost intercepted
- Overthrown fade route
- Fumbles on dubious decision to scramble
- Holds the ball a thousand years, should be safetied, throws 70 yard pass way past receiver.
I did chart his passes, and there results are no better:
Shane Morris
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Michigan | - | 4 | - | 1 | 1* | 1 | - | - | - | N/A |
| App State | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1* | ||||||
| Miami(NTM) | 1 | 4 | 5** | 1* | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 40% |
He was probably worse than Gardner and that is a high mountain to scale. If this is the savior, it's time to start looking at coaching resumes. Maybe he'll get better this weekend; he seems so far away from what Michigan's rickety offense needs to score 20 points that either this defense is MSU 2013 level or Michigan goes 7-5 at best.
RUN THE DANG BALL.
I guess we could try, but…
| Offensive Line | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | + | - | Total | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Cole | 3 | 2.5 | 0.5 | Nice seal block ignored. | |||||||||||||||
| Magnuson | 5 | 6.5 | -1.5 | The start of many struggles. | |||||||||||||||
| Miller | 4 | 7.5 | -3.5 | Issues. | |||||||||||||||
| Glasgow | 3 | 3 | 0 | Back to last year where 0 is a win like two guys get. | |||||||||||||||
| Braden | 2 | 7.5 | -5.5 | Problem after problem. | |||||||||||||||
| Kalis | 2 | DNP | |||||||||||||||||
| Williams | 1 | 7 | -6 | Blew up three plays by goofing easy blocks. | |||||||||||||||
| Kerridge | DNC! With this TE play! | ||||||||||||||||||
| Hill | 1 | -1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Butt | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 17 | 35 | 33% | Implosion. ND should be worried about its DL. | |||||||||||||||
| Backs | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Gardner | 3 | 3 | All on scrambles. | ||||||||||||||||
| Morris | |||||||||||||||||||
| Green | 4 | 6 | -2 | I wanted to minus his 12-yarder as well. | |||||||||||||||
| Smith | 3 | -3 | Brutal stretch misread | ||||||||||||||||
| Hayes | 1.5 | 1.5 | #FREEJUSTICE #JUSTINCASE | ||||||||||||||||
| Johnson | DNP | ||||||||||||||||||
| Shallman | - | - | - | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| Kerridge | N/A | N/A | N/A | moved to TE for now | |||||||||||||||
| Houma | DNC | ||||||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 8.5 | 9 | -0.5 | Reminder: 0 for tailbacks is bad. This is so, so bad. | |||||||||||||||
| Receiver | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Funchess | - | 3 | -3 | just touch the guy! | |||||||||||||||
| Chesson | 2.5 | 2.5 | Pin and pull pancake. | ||||||||||||||||
| Darboh | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Norfleet | DNC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Canteen | - | - | DNC | ||||||||||||||||
| Dever | - | - | - | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| Jones | - | - | - | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 3.5 | 4 | -0.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Metrics | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Protection | 33 | 15 | 69% | Team –4, Braden –4, Cole –2, Mags –1, Smith –1, Glasgow –1, Cole –1, Miller -1 | |||||||||||||||
| RPS | 6 | 20 | -14 | Rarely anyone open, little creative, passing down PA hurt | |||||||||||||||
…the run game was just as bad.
If that seems harsh given higher grades against Notre Dame, excise a 13-yard gain on one of those edge pitches that involves no blocking at all and Michigan averaged 3.2 yards a carry, with 35 of those on 3 early pin and pull zones and another 12 on a power play that Green randomly cut to the backside and got lucky on. When they tried to run anything other than a pin and pull their got more than three yards twice.
This isn't as disappointing as the QB situation because we were braced for something mediocre at best preseason, but this was by far their worst performance of the year.
Running back ugh again?
Yes. Michigan incorporated those Wisconsin fly sweeps on a number of plays early; Derrick Green seemed to have no idea what those might be trying to accomplish. On the first one he cuts away from a backside hole that the sweep action is attempting to induce and eats an unblocked corner:
If you're cutting away from the hole the play you're running is likely to produce you'd better be doing so to make a play. A couple years back I used to complain that the linebackers didn't seem to understand that if the line is slanting left the back is likely to cut back right, and therefore they got blocked by guys who should be swiping at air. Green feels exactly like that. He doesn't have any idea where the hole is likely to be, and cuts randomly.
Even on power plays that have a defined hole he doesn't seem to know what he's doing. Here he does the opposite of set up a block, deciding to go straight upfield before Khalid Hill even contacts the linebacker he's pulling to.
The way this works is you wait for contact to be made and then pick the side the guy isn't on.
I even disliked the one big run he had, because that was power that he cut all the way to the backside on. He has no intention of even looking to see if the corner is open and only gets his cutback away from an unblocked linebacker because one of the Utah defensive tackles plays it as bad as you possibly can.
A grudging plus there because there is no damn way that Green thought "this DT is probably going to try a comically slow spin move and vacate a gap away from this unblocked guy I'm running at currently." Results-based charting is what it is.
It's perhaps telling that Green had his most consistent success running pin and pull plays on which the answer for the tailback is always "run outside until the kickout block." It doesn't require much vision.
What about Smith?
I don't have much more faith in him. He had limited opportunities in this game for a reason. Here's a zone stretch on which Cole gets a fantastic, lethal seal on the playside DT that sets up a run that is headed for a first down and more. Which side of the block does Smith go on?
You have got to be kidding me. That just set 20 yards on fire. Can we at least try Justice Hayes? Not that I'm expecting much since Justice Hayes has the same coach.
You seem really mean about AJ Williams all the time.
I know. I know. I really don't want to keep harping on it, because I feel bad about calling Nick Sheridan DEATH right before he beat Minnesota. Sometimes guys just find themselves out of their depth but just kept being put on the field, and it gets really frustrating.
That is very much the case here. Every week I find a bunch of plays on which AJ Williams is unable to do easy stuff I saw Mike Kwiatkowski consistently execute when Williams was a sophomore and Kwiatkowksi the walk-on senior. On this successful pin and pull he almost gets it blown up by comprehensively losing what should be a simple block:
Or here, where he doesn't realize a slant from the line means the end is Braden's, gets confused, whiffs, lunges, and then gets run over by a linebacker:
That thing where a guy 30 pounds lighter than Williams rocks him back with one hand and then disconnects to tackle is so common it feels like a trademark.
This was bad enough when Williams was a true freshman thrust on the field; as a junior it is intolerable. Michigan has played a blocking tight end who can't block for going on three solid years. That even more than the quarterback stuff will stand as a ringing condemnation of Hoke's ability to see what he has on offense and adapt to it.
Meanwhile, Dan Ferrigno is in charge of the tight ends and special teams. May want to leave a blank spot on the ol' resume when it comes to the next job.
But it's not just all the peripheral people, right?
No. Michigan's tackle issues came to the forefront in this game, with multiple pressures and run plays blown up as Michigan struggled against Utah's motion. This early power play is instructive, as Braden and Glasgow draw identical assignments. They're supposed to down-block a defensive end slanting away from the play:
Glasgow remains upright, balanced over his center of gravity; Braden lunges, gets off balance, lurches upfield, and his guy goes right by. (To be fair to Braden, the slant was harder for him since the guy went from outside to inside instead of just further inside. Still, watch the relative balance of the two OL and feel the technique leaking into your brain because Braden's got issues obvious even to you and I.)
Michigan had some trouble on the backside of this play but given a kickout block and a potential gap to the frontside, Smith may have an avenue, but Braden gives ground and doesn't even kick out, which is so easy and common I barely notice it when it happens successfully. (This is a reason tackle run block numbers are low.)
Braden failed to ID a stunt on one of Utah's sacks; he had a rough, rough game. This was always going to happen, because both tackles are freshmen. I do want to see some narrative of improvement here; I think bumping Glasgow out to RT and playing Kalis is now in play. Not immediately, but if this continues another few weeks.
Not that the rest of the OL were blameless. There are frequent oh-crap blocks when stunts and slants happen; sometimes you need to check before you release to the second level. That kind of stuff I expect, because inside zone is hard and they are young and learning. I did not expect them to look so bad against a team that doesn't have a lot of horses.
That is a huge, Borges-like negative RPS number.
Utah didn't get got by anything Michigan tried. Was there ever a play where Michigan popped a guy open or had anything that was easy? A pin and pull or two, and then Utah adjusted.
Then the negatives.
Ah, the waggle: my least favorite thing about 1997 Michigan. The 8-bit Nintendo of constraint plays, the waggle frequently sees the quarterback turn around only to have a defensive end ready to spear him in the chest. Ask John Navarre. Ask Denard Robinson. This is never more likely than second and sixteen with a wonky running game:
Cool play action bro.
I get that by this point Nussmeier is grabbing anything vaguely sauce-like and throwing it in the pot in case that fixes it, but every time this team runs a waggle on a passing down the above is a best-case scenario.
If I was ever hiring an offensive coordinator "has offense that does not require the f-ing waggle" would be #1 on my list of priorities. Look towards the guys trying to murder you 100% of the time, that's my motto.
The play after that Michigan ran a power play on third and sixteen, presumably with the intent to go for it after picking up half or more. They ran this power to the side of the line where Utah had shifted its DL and had both linebackers stacked over each other. They did not get yards.
Running play action on passing downs always frustrates the casual fan, and they're not wrong. Here Michigan's trying to sell a guard pull on second and seventeen; Cole sets up like he's trying to wall a guy off on the backside of a power play only for that guy to run straight at the QB because it's second and seventeen.
Even so I'm surprised that the numbers came out that negative. There is a snowball effect here: when you can't do anything right teams tee off on the things that look vaguely threatening. So when you cannot get more than three yards on any run inside the tackles you start looking dumber than you are.
Second and forever play action, though… I thought we fired that guy.
Receivers?
I still have no drops on routine balls for anyone except Keith Heitzman.
| Player | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchess | 3 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 2/2 | 6 | 1/2 | 3/5 | 16/16 | |
| Chesson | 1 | 0/2 | 1/1 | 3 | 0/3 | 1/2 | 7/7 | ||
| Darboh | 1/1 | 3 | 2/3 | 7/7 | |||||
| Norfleet | 0/1 | 2/2 | 0/2 | 0/1 | 8/8 | ||||
| Canteen | 1 | 1/1 | 2 | 1/1 | 2/2 | ||||
| Butt | 1/1 | 1/1 | 2/2 | 3/3 | |||||
| Hill | 1/1 | 2 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 2/2 | ||||
| Williams | 2/2 | 2/2 | |||||||
| Heitzman | 1/2 | ||||||||
| Jones | 1 | 1/1 | |||||||
| Green | 1/2 | 1/1 | 1/2 | 1/1 | |||||
| Smith | 0/1 | 0/1 | |||||||
| Hayes | 1/1 | 1 | 1/1 | ||||||
| Johnson | |||||||||
| Kerridge | 0/1 | 0/1 | 1/1 | ||||||
| Houma |
ROUTES: HIll –1, Chesson –1.
It's bad when you have that many 1s.
Heroes?
Funchess, despite the errors. He was basically the only offense.
Maybe not so heroic?
Just about literally everyone else.
What does it mean for Minnesota and the future?
I'm not expecting Morris to ride in on a white horse. Going to be ugly.
Stop playing so many TEs. /shouts into black hole
Braden is the wobbliest OL. Having issues in both pass pro and against the run.
Tailbacks have no idea how to run the plays. I miss Mike Hart.
WELP. Welp.