FORMATION NOTES: MSU spent the entire game in their base 4-3 over aside from some passing downs in which they went to a 3-3-5.
Michigan was about as usual, with nothing particularly weird to call out.
SUBSTITUTION NOTES: Nothing unusual. Canteen got some more run than he has in the past.
[After THE JUMP: a very brief discussion and some charts.]
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M35 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Pass | Rollout hitch | Funchess | 11 | ||||||||
| Rollout finds Funchess wide open for a nice gain; Gardner leaves it precariously short. Funchess digs it out. (MA, 2, protection 1/1, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M46 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Jet sweep | Norfleet | 5 | ||||||||
| Braden(-1) beat upfield; Calhoun takes two for one. Miller(+2) gets around one of the DTs, so that's a nice reach block; Glasgow(+1) cuts one of the LBs; Norfleet(+0.5) finds a lane and hits it upfield; he blows up a blocking angle but that's life. He pounds out two YAC after getting hit but two guys, too. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O49 | 2 | 5 | Ace twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Counter power | Smith | 1 | ||||||||
| MSU playing to spill this so the playside end shoots way inside and cuts Kalis. This forces Smith outside, where he's exposed to an unblocked guy scraping over the top. RPS -2. It is fine if this happens to you as long as you can adjust later by, say, flaring the TE outside of the lead block and getting a lane. Cole(+1) and Glasgow(+0.5) had gotten one guy neutralized and then got to a linebacker, so without the RPS this could have been something. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O48 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Slant | Darboh | Inc | ||||||||
| Dangerous throw with a safety shooting past it, threatening pick six. Ball could be in front of Darboh more but then the safety might pick it off; Darboh gets no separation and Waynes there to PBU. (CA, 0, protection 1/1, Darboh route -1, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 0-7, 10 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O29 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4-3 over | Pass | Yakety sax | N/A | -9 | ||||||||
| Gardner(-3) fumbles the PA exchange. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Fumble, 0-7, 8 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trps TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Bubble screen | Norfleet | -4 | ||||||||
| Lets run a bubble screen with zero MSU players deeper than eight yards. (MA, 3, screen, RPS -2) Also the throw will be bad. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M16 | 2 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Penalty | False start | Kalis | -5 | ||||||||
| Kalis -1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| M11 | 2 | 19 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Shovel screen | Hayes | 5 | ||||||||
| Not a bad idea. Butt(-1) gets basically no block on an LB and can't even harass as he disengages so Hayes doesn't have time to cut behind him.Miller(+0.5) did get a good block on the MLB. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M16 | 3 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Skinny post | Darboh | 23 | ||||||||
| Six man pressure and Waynes sets up with outside leverage; good pickup and Gardner rifles in a strike for a big gain against a coverage that can't cope with this route. (DO, 3, protection 3/3, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M39 | 1 | 10 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Counter zone | Smith | 6 | ||||||||
| Blocked well but tough to overcome a safety at nine yards. MSU actually seems to bust somewhat here with two guys attacking outside of Cole. One reacts to attack back inside; Butt(+1) neutralizes him. Glasgow(+1) gets good movement on the backside tackle; sizeable hole, but it's filled by a safety to hold down the gain. RPS push; MSU screwup offset by quick fill. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M45 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Counter power | Smith | 2 | ||||||||
| Gardner(-1) bobbles the snap and provides awkward timing for the play. Glasgow and Cole double a DT but Glasgow(-0.5) doesn't step around him so when Cole releases he is not sealed. Pulling Kalis cut to the ground in the hole; Smith has to cut back behind the Glasgow block. This kills Cole's angle, exposes Smith to unblocked guys. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M47 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Rollout out | Funchess | 7 | ||||||||
| Americas rollout out. MSU's coverage is not set up to handle this. (CA, 3, protection 1/1, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O46 | 1 | 10 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Flea flicker | N/A | -8 | ||||||||
| Sacked. M has no hope of dealing with the LB as RB has turned around to pitch back to Gardner and Cole is trying to get around a guy Glasgow is blocking to get to him. Neither does. Gardner has a split second to throw this to Funchess one on one, hesistates, sacked. (TA, N/A, protection N/A, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M46 | 2 | 18 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Draw | Hayes | 4 | ||||||||
| Almost, but no. Braden(+1) sets up to pass block; Calhoun dives under him. Braden latches on and drives, nice block. Kalis(+1) gets good push on the other DT as Hayes takes a couple of careful steps before picking and accelerating. He gets hewed down by the combination of an unblocked guy shooting outside and around the Kalis block (Braden's gone blocking downfield now) and a guy coming around Miller(-1) way too easily, cutting off space and forcing Hayes into ankle tackles. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 3 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Screen | Hayes | -6 | ||||||||
| Miller(-1) and Kalis(-1) run right by a linebacker sitting, waiting for this. Either one gets a block and this is a nice gain, possibly a first down. (CA, 3, screen) RPS -2; they ran a screen right into a spy zone and this was hard for the linemen. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 0-7, 10 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M34 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun empty | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Sack | N/A | -5 | ||||||||
| Gardner hesitates on first read, probably correctly, and then he's overwhelmed as Kalis(-1) and Cole(-2) get shoved back to him with both guys disconnecting to sack. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M29 | 2 | 15 | Shotgun double stacks | 1 | 0 | 4 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Hayes | 2 | ||||||||
| Michigan seems to mis-ID which LBs they need to go for; MSU has those dudes flanked wide on both sides of the line, with Michigan blocking the MLB and the guy away from the play. This leaves the strongside backer free to hit. RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 3 | 13 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Dig | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Braden(-2) spun through instantly, Gardner with no time, tries to throw it to Funchess in a very Mallett-like decision and almost gets it there, but nope. (PR, 0, protection 0/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 0-7, 5 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O31 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Power O | Smith | 0 | ||||||||
| Slow developing play sees an MSU linebacker shoot the gap between the G and C once Miller(-2) decides to chase a DT shooting outside on a power play away; Braden feels the C show up to block that guy and goes outside himself but that's not on him. Cole(-1) shoved into the the backfield a yard and Glasgow(-0.5) stalemated at base so no room to avoid or try to grab YAC. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O31 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Circle | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| PA with a pull and Funchess running a circle route against one of the MSU safeties. Kalis(-2) way overruns his point as he pulls to fake a run; LB runs right up in Gardner's face and he has to let it go. Funchess's route is not at all convincing or good—this isn't' really a route for him anyway as it requires completely changing your momentum and he's real big and the DB is right on top of it; he extends to provide zero window as the pass fizzes by. (CA, 0, protection 0/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O31 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 31 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Corner | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Plenty of time on a three man rush and Gardner finds a pocket for Funchess for a bunch. MSU's corner to that side make what looks like an incredible play after being in press man on an outside receiver. WR stops, CB fades all the way back into a 20-yard route, breaking it up as Gardner put it a tiny bit short. Ugh. (CA, 1, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: FG(48), 3-7, 3 min 2nd Q> | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Smith | 3 | ||||||||
| Opportunity for a nice gain, though mostly because of fortune, that Smith(-1) does not take. Miller(-0.5) gets blown back but his guy does not disconnect into the hole; free release from Kalis(-0.5) is only slight hindrance to a LB. Kalis tackles LB, refs +2; this gives Smith a cutback lane behind a free-releasing Glasgow(+0.5), who got a definitive THIS SIDE OF ME BLOCK Smith ignored. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M28 | 2 | 7 | Ace twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Smith | 4 | ||||||||
| Corner blitz from the side without WR allows a hard slant playside from MSU. M doesn't really read this; Braden flares out right and ends up blocking no one. Kalis chases his guy outside and does block him. With only two LB types and an unblocked backside guy, though, M can still do some work. Miller(+1) delays the NT significantly while shoving him off the line. Cole(+0.5) gets another gent; Smith finds the hole and gets an average YAC. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M32 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | TE out | Butt | 5 | ||||||||
| Open short, rhythm throw. (CA, 3, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M37 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | PA Fly | Darboh | Inc | ||||||||
| Good coverage. Not a perfect throw but good enough to catch; Darboh reaches out, has it, DB whiffs on arm stuff. Darboh hits ground, ball pops out. (CA, 2, protection 2/2) MSU totally gets away with PI. Refs -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M37 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun empty | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Flanker screen | Funchess | 6 | ||||||||
| Easy and open for a nice gain; Funchess(-1) inexplicably tries to run outside of a good block from Butt(+0.5) that would see a safety tackle Funchess after about nine yards. (CA, 3, screen) RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O43 | 3 | 3 | Shtogun 4-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Dig | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Excellent throw from Gardner that a lazy Funchess drops. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 3-14, 12 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M22 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Jet sweep | Norfleet | -1 | ||||||||
| Chesson(-2) looks at the playside LB and looks like he's about to block him, but instead runs by to the safety, allowing that LB to nail Norfleet at the LOS. Calhoun had quickly hopped outside Braden to string the play out and occupy two guys, nothing he could do. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M21 | 2 | 11 | Pistol 2TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Hitch | Darboh | Inc | ||||||||
| Well wide, some chance for Darboh to dig it out but very hard. (IN, 1, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M21 | 3 | 11 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Dig | Darboh | INT | ||||||||
| Only a three man rush with a delayed guy, plenty of time. Gardner moves up in the pocket and throws a pop fly in the general direction of Norfleet that's a bad idea anyway since it's way late and Norfleet is running into a DB; DB picks off the wildly inaccurate pass and scores. (INX, 0, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Defensive TD, 3-21, 8 min 3rd 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 | Inside zone | Smith | 12 | ||||||||
| MSU threatens blitz off the edge, Canteen comes in as tiny TE, apparently pre-planned. This works largely because Williams(+1) gets away with what looks like a blatantly obvious hold, refs +2. Williams did get nice push beforehand and got away with it, so results-based charting. Butt(+1) grabbed a blitzing LB and drove him down the line; Smith(+1) found that lane and ran through some tackles for a fine gain. Miller(+0.5) and Braden(+0.5) got passive but effective second level blocks. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M37 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Fade | Darboh | Inc | ||||||||
| Plenty of time after play action; Gardner loads up and fires to Darboh. Pass is way inside and short; with Darboh running at the numbers there was plenty of room outside to give the WR an advantage. Instead, Darboh has to play DB. (IN, 0, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M37 | 2 | 10 | Shtogun twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Pin and pull zone | Hayes | -7 | ||||||||
| Hayes obliterated as the MLB charges straight upfield on the snap once he reads the pulls and tackles for loss. Miller(-1), RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M30 | 3 | 17 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Run | Counter power | Hayes | 13 | ||||||||
| Give up and punt | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 3-21, 6 min 3rd 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 | Inside zone | Smith | 5 +15 Pen | ||||||||
| Norfleet motion, provides pitch threat on triple option look. This holds backside end and occupies a man to man DB in motion with him and the slot LB, giving M a rare numerical advantage in the box. Miller(+0.5) and Glasgow(+1) kind of scoop a DT, with Glasgow getting more push. Miller moves on to a LB; Smith finds the crease between them and hits it, getting hit from behind by the DE after he realizes it's a handoff. Penalty tacks on 15. RPS +1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| M45 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | TE out | Williams | Inc (Pen +15) | ||||||||
| Smith(-2) put in a slide protection against Calhoun, which goes very badly. Gardner tries to find Williams, who is open in a pocket in the zone but awkwardly throws off his back foot inaccurately. Close to a PR but he had an opportunity to step in still so (IN, 0, protection 0/2) Roughing the passer after the throw. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O40 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Post | Funchess | Inc (Pen +15) | ||||||||
| Good protection, though Norfleet comes in motion for the threat of a handoff and gets knocked over. Gardner can still step and fire a dart that is a tiny bit high and outside that Funchess, harassed by a corner, can't bring in. DB called for PI so this is not filed in the receiverchart. (CA, N/A, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O25 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Hayes | 5 | ||||||||
| Slant for MSU fills lanes but doesn't get much penetration. Williams(-0.5) gets some movement on Calhoun but loses him; Butt ends up forced to let his guy inside but at least hits him reasonably hard. This puts Hayes(+1) on the edge against a safety filling at the LOS; Hayes cuts hard upfield and lowers his shoulder, running through a tackle for a nice chunk of YAC. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O20 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Hayes | 5 | ||||||||
| Blocking a push across the front, with nobody getting motion or allowing much penetration. Braden(-0.5) does end up falling and letting his guy upfield but he'd held a block a long time before that. Hayes(+1) sees nothing NS and starts extending outside, finding a small crease just inside the guy Braden was blocking and exploding in it for a quick first down. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O15 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Run | Power O | Smith | 4 | ||||||||
| Braden(+0.5) and Kalis(+0.5) do turn and bury the NT. Butt(-1) is at a FB spot and basically whiffs on a linebacker, constricting space; Williams(+0.5) gets a good kick. Smith has a decent hole. Glasgow(+0.5) gets a hit in the hole as well, and Smith can grind out a few. This close to the EZ 4 is a decent result. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O11 | 2 | 6 | I-Form Big | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4-3 over | Run | Lead zone | Smith | 1 | ||||||||
| Blitz catches M as they have no time to double a DT with a LB shooting a gap; he has a TFL chance that Smith(+1) runs through. Kalis(+0.5) and Braden(+0.5) drove a DT back a signficant distance; Miller(-1) kind of picked up the other blitzing LB but has no control and the FB also hits him. RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O10 | 3 | 5 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Corner | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Okay throw that gives Funchess a chance but also gives the DB a chance; Funchess has it for a long time before the DB rakes it out. (CA, 1, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O10 | 4 | 5 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 5 | ||||||||
| Six man pressure picked up with a LB trying to vault over Hayes and spectacularly cartwheeling through the air. Gardner is convinced to run by this and I totally agree with the decision; it's some serious bad luck/good play by MSU to bring him up a fraction short of the line. (SCR, N/A, protection 3/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 3-28, 2 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | DForm | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M41 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Hitch | Funchess | 16 | ||||||||
| Seven(!) man pressure from MSU, picked up. Gardner finds Funchess for a first down after necessarily soft coverage. (CA, 3, protection 4/4) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O43 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Run | Inside zone | Hayes | 4 | ||||||||
| Awkward decision for Hayes as Cole gets pushed back a bit and it looks like MSU will have a free guy in the usual IZ hole. Hayes(+0.5) cuts back behind Cole despite the awkwardness and manages to squeeze out a few before the unblocked end grabs him. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O39 | 2 | 6 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Hitch | Darboh | 17 | ||||||||
| Six man pressure, picked up; Gardner fires it to an open Darboh, Darboh almost drops a routine catch but does eventually bring it in. (CA, 3, protection 3/3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O22 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Skinny post | Canteen | Inc | ||||||||
| Screen fake, with Canteen setting up to stalk-block before jetting to the endzone. Zero deep safeties; Gardner puts it basically on the money, Canteen drops it. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O22 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | Screen | Hayes | INT | ||||||||
| Hayes gets knocked down trying to get through the line, Gardner panics and throws it to no one in particular; Miller(-1) airballed a cut block on a linebacker, so he can intercept. (BRX, 0, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Interception, 28-3, 13 min 4th Q. Michigan gets the ball with nine minutes left down 25 and goes three and out so we're done here. | |||||||||||||||||||
Why?
Habit. I don't have anything particularly insightful to say about this game. We expected an asskicking and it was delivered. Michigan never found any way to punish Michigan State's hyperaggressive defense, as per usual. Gardner had a trio of boggling turnovers, as per usual. The wide receivers dropped a bunch of passes on which MSU made things difficult. Not sure if that's usual or not.
The run game went forward, so that's different.
I could go into more detail, but what's the point? Gardner's broken but he'll be gone the next time Michigan is competitive, and there wasn't anything particularly surprising about the way in which Michigan got stomped. No one is real good. The end.
I will say that it's frustrating that Michigan didn't even try to emulate Oregon's evisceration of the MSU defense. You've got safeties jumping slants in this game…
…and Michigan can't pop anyone open. Protection was actually quite good for most of the game and might as well go for the big play, so that's not it.
Maybe that is on Gardner—on boggling turnover #2 he had Butt popping wide open for a touchdown just when he decided to throw it to a very covered Norfleet. At this point I'm not interested in discovering what the issue is, since all of this is going away in the near future.
Nothing?
Oh okay, I do have one thing. It seems pretty obvious to me that Justice Hayes is at least in the running to be Michigan's best back, and I suspect he has been for a while. He looked by far the best guy in limited reps at Michigan's spring game-type substance and he has shown an ability to squeeze out solid yardage with limited blocking. He is so much quicker than Smith; compare these two events where the back ends up forced into unblocked perimeter help. Smith:
Hayes:
One rep doesn't mean much and Smith does have a real knack for clubbing out tough yards, yes. Hayes does this pretty consistently, and he's burrowed his way for respectable YAC.
The coaches say he's improved greatly and that's why he's getting more time. Given what we've seen with talent identification under this regime it feels like the more likely explanation is that Hayes was always better but the decision making was "manball bighuge go." I go back to what the coaches said after Norfleet moved to WR—I don't remember exactly but it was something about how Norfleet "saw all these big guys at RB and said 'I'd better get out of here'" which 1) was undoubtedly crap since Norfleet is the most positive guy on the team and 2) is almost certainly what the coaches saw. They did not see that one of their big guys needed a map and a local guide to find a hole and the other was slow.
Not that it matters anymore.
Oh.
Anyway, here are some charts.
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% |
| Minnesota | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | N/A | ||||
| Rutgers | 4 | 14(3) | 1 | 3* | 2 | 2* | 4 | 73% | ||
| Penn State | 2 | 12(3) | 2(1) | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 57% | |
| MSU | 1 | 14(11) | 1 | 4* | 1* | 1 | 2 | 1 | 68% |
Actually a pretty accurate day; Gardner was victimized by a bunch of drops and good MSU play. He also had three boggling TOs. That's him: explodes in all directions.
| Offensive Line | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | + | - | Total | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Cole | 1.5 | 2 | -0.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Glasgow | 4.5 | 1 | 3.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Miller | 4.5 | 7.5 | -3 | ||||||||||||||||
| Kalis | 2 | 1.5 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| Braden | 2.5 | 0.5 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| Magnuson | DNP | ||||||||||||||||||
| Williams | 1.5 | 0.5 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Kerridge | |||||||||||||||||||
| Hill | DNP | ||||||||||||||||||
| Butt | 2.5 | 2 | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 19 | 15 | 56% | They are not good by any stretch of the imagination but this is in fact better than last year by a lot. | |||||||||||||||
| Backs | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Gardner | -4 | -4 | Fumble, no runs on purpose. | ||||||||||||||||
| Morris | One play. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Green | DNP | ||||||||||||||||||
| Smith | 2 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| Hayes | 2.5 | 2.5 | |||||||||||||||||
| Johnson | DNC | ||||||||||||||||||
| Shallman | - | - | - | DNC | |||||||||||||||
| Kerridge | N/A | N/A | N/A | moved to TE for now | |||||||||||||||
| Houma | DNC | ||||||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 4.5 | 4 | 0.5 | Eh. | |||||||||||||||
| Receivers | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Funchess | 1 | -1 | |||||||||||||||||
| Chesson | 2 | -2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Darboh | |||||||||||||||||||
| Norfleet | 0.5 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Canteen | - | - | DNC | ||||||||||||||||
| Dever | - | - | - | DNC | |||||||||||||||
| Jones | - | - | - | DNP | |||||||||||||||
| TOTAL | 0.5 | 3 | -2.5 | Eh. | |||||||||||||||
| Metrics | |||||||||||||||||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes | |||||||||||||||
| Protection | 30 | 9 | 77% | Kalis 3, Cole 2, Braden 2, Smith 2 | |||||||||||||||
| RPS | 7 | 15 | -8 | Usual. | |||||||||||||||
Note that I didn't think Nussmeier could do anything about this RPS number. They had no options and MSU is hyperaggressive.
Receivers?
[0 = uncatchable, 1 = circus catch, 2 = moderate difficulty, 3 = routine]
| Player | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funchess | 2 | 0/2 | 0/1 | 1/2 | 16 | 2/7 | 7/11 | 27/29 | |
| Chesson | 4 | 0/3 | 2/3 | 8/8 | |||||
| Darboh | 3 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 2/2 | 10 | 2/4 | 3/4 | 12/13 | |
| Norfleet | 1 | 1/1 | 1 | 0/2 | 0/1 | 12/13 | |||
| Canteen | 0/1 | 2 | 1/1 | 2/3 | |||||
| Butt | 1/1 | 3 | 3/4 | 7/8 | |||||
| Hill | 2 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 3/3 | |||||
| Williams | 1 | 1 | 2/3 | ||||||
| Heitzman | 1/2 | ||||||||
| Jones | 1 | 1/1 | |||||||
| Green | 1/2 | 1/1 | |||||||
| Smith | 2 | 0/1 | 1/1 | ||||||
| Hayes | 3 | 1/1 | 4/4 | ||||||
| Johnson | |||||||||
| Kerridge | 0/1 | 1/1 | |||||||
| Houma |
ROUTES: Darboh –1, Funchess –1.
Heroes?
You, the reader, for bothering to click through.
Maybe not so heroic?
Well…
What does it mean for Indiana and the future?
I want to put another video of ragequit deaths but Indiana is so pliable that Michigan will probably do well enough.
But on a slightly longer timeframe, it means Michigan will have a new coach next year.