THING NOTES: Illinois, you will be shocked to learn, is not good at the football. Rudock was under siege before and after this game; in this one he occasionally got a rusher after a beat or two but was otherwise unmolested. His receivers also got open some, which is a notable change. This is the version of Rudock that Michigan will see if the other parts of the offense go as well as possible.
CHRONOLOGY NOTES: This was before the Wisconsin and Nebraska games, after Maryland and Illinois.
[After THE JUMP: Mike Dudek vs Everybody]
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M31 | 2 | 4 | I-Form twins | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Waggle FB flat | Kenny | 18 | ||||||||
| Illinois elects not to cover the FB; Rudock slings it around a DE who is pressuring with his sidearm delivery. Kenny can turn it up for a solid gain, (CA, 3, protection N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 0-0, 11 min 1st Q. The rest of the drive is all run; Illinois stuffs a fourth and goal attempt from the one. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O35 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Seam | Martin-Manley | Inc | ||||||||
| A seam very similar to the one mentioned in the Nebraska UFR; KMM has basically no separation, but this time the attempt at a perfect ball is in fact perfect. KMM plays it very poorly, running so that the ball nestles into his chest instead of going up and getting it. That allows the DB to rake it out with ease. (DO, 2, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 7 min 1st Q. Illinois does a series of horrible things culminating in an intentional grounding safety. I hope you appreciate that I am exposing myself to lethal levels of Illinois here. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M38 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | N/A | Yakety Snap | N/A | -2 | ||||||||
| Ball somehow pops off Rudock's hands on the exchange and Illinois recovers. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Fumble, 2-0, 4 min 1st Q. Spectacular bomb to Dudek gets Illinois a TD. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M24 | 2 | 7 | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | TE out | Hamilton | 12 | ||||||||
| One TE runs a shallow cross, which draws just enough attention from a zone corner to open up a deeper out. Rudock reads it and fires out a nice pass in a window that's still very small as a safety comes down. Anything other than a perfect throw gives him a shot at a PBU; he has none. (DO, 2, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O47 | 3 | 4 | ??? | ? | ? | ? | ??? | Pass | ? | Hamilton | Inc | ||||||||
| Tape skips ahead to the beginning of the next drive. PBP just says incomplete pass to Hamilton. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 2-7, 14 min 2nd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M33 | 1 | 10 | Ace twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | TE wheel | Duzey | 44 | ||||||||
| Nice pocket, plenty of time. Rudock has Duzey with a step or two on a linebacker and throws a fairly accurate pass about 35 yards downfield. It is maybe a little short and to the inside. That's the difference between a DO and a CA. (CA, 2, protection 2/2). Again, the Iowa WR does not try to shield the ball with his body and high point the ball; Duzey gets away with it, but barely. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O23 | 1 | 10 | Ace big | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4-3 under | Pass | PA TE out | Duzey | 13 | ||||||||
| Iowa LG gets discarded after a momentary block and Rudock gets pressure up the gut along with a cornerback coming at him. He stands in the pocket until the last second and delivers a strike with two guys bearing down on him. (CA+, 3, protection 0/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O10 | 1 | G | I-Form big | 2 | 2 | 1 | 4-3 even | Pass | Waggle scramble | Rudock | 6 | ||||||||
| Illinois doesn't have a guy on the corner and everyone looks pretty covered so Rudock takes off almost immediately upon surverying the scene. (SCR, N/A, N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O1 | 3 | G | Goal line | 2 | 3 | 0 | Goal line | Pass | Waggle TE flat | Hamilton | 1 | ||||||||
| Easy as Illinois elects not to cover the TE. (CA, 3, protection N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Touchdown, 9-7, 11 min 2nd Q | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M31 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | Stop and go | Martin-Manley | 39 | ||||||||
| KMM helps out on this one, first getting a couple yards of separation on a press corner and then stretching out to make a very good catch on a ball that Rudock overthrew a hair. (CA, 2, protection 2/2). Maybe. KMM isn't fully laid out, he kind of takes a knee. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O32 | 4 | 2 | Goal line | 2 | 3 | 0 | Goal line | Pass | PA FB flat | Plewa | 1 | ||||||||
| This should be a conversion as it's open for the FB to turn it up but he stumbles. He's off balance and has to catch the ball, which doesn't help him get back on balance, and then he falls over. Oy. (CA, 3, protection N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 9-7, 6 min 2nd Q. Iowa gets the ball with 90 seconds left in the half. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M24 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Tunnel screen | Powell | 6 | ||||||||
| Eh. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M30 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Fade | Smith | Inc | ||||||||
| Rudock does punt this up for his guy to make a play on it, so it's not like he never ever does it. Smith misjudges this ball, slowing up as he attempts to high-point it. He slows too much when he has to extend he can only get one hand on it. Ball was there. (CA, 2, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M30 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun trips bunch | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Run | Scramble | Rudock | 20 | ||||||||
| Rudock doesn't like the bunch as it looks like everyone's covered; Illinois gets out of their lanes on a five man pressure and Rudock blazes up the middle for a big gain. (SCR, N/A, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Screen | Bullock | 7 | ||||||||
| Odd call with 25 seconds in the half but they get away with it. Rudock has to hold the ball a lot longer than he wants to as there are DL in the way; he does find a lane. Bullock gets the edge and a decent gain. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O43 | 2 | 3 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Dig | Smith | 15 | ||||||||
| Lasered in to a gap in the zone; does take Smith off his feet and requires him to dig it out a little bit but still a quality throw. (CA, 2, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O28 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Throwaway | N/A | Inc | ||||||||
| Ten seconds left on the snap here. Rudock surveys the trips side for three or four seconds but doesn't like anything there; he comes back to Smith by himself and chucks it well wide of him. This is so off it seems like he's just dumping the ball so time doesn't run out, but YMMV as far as IN vs TA goes here. (TA, N/A, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Missed FG(46), 9-7, EOH. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M32 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Dig | Smith | 10 | ||||||||
| Thrown into heavy traffic as Smith can't shake a press corner. He does shield the dude off. Guy gets a whack at the ball and it pops into the air for a second before Smith re-catches it for the conversion. (CA, 2, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M42 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Fly | Smith | Inc | ||||||||
| Iowa RT gets shed super quick and Rudock has to let fly, possibly somewhat earlier than he wanted to. He's going for a deep ball because it's relatively safe with no safety over the top; he misses this one by a few yards. (IN, 0, protection 0/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O23 | 4 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 even | Pass | Hitch | Smith | Inc | ||||||||
| Smith's route is one yard past the sticks and a simple turn around that the corner sniffs out; he gets the PBU. While this is really uninspired playcalling—no rub or anything—Rudock should come off this and look to the trips. Duzey looked open. (BR, 0, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 9-7, 10 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M35 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Drag | Martin-Manley | 17 | ||||||||
| Takes a while to develop; Illinois does not cover the flat at all and this is an easy conversion and big gain. (CA, 3, protection 2/2). | |||||||||||||||||||
| O34 | 1 | 10 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | Waggle scramble | Rudock | 8 | ||||||||
| They send a corner blitz and still have no one to contain the QB. CB does bail on his blitz and tries to get back out but he gets blocked and it's a quality gain. (SCR, N/A, N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O11 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | Fade | Martin-Manley | Inc | ||||||||
| Rudock leaves this well short. KMM has to try to get over the DB's helmet to catch it; no dice. (IN, 1, protection N/A). This should definitely be a PI flag. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O6 | 3 | 5 | Ace 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | TE hitch | Hamilton | 6 | ||||||||
| Just a quick stop route that finds enough of a gap to convert the first down, and then Hamilton bulls his way into the endzone. (CA, 3, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Touchdown, 16-7, 3 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | DForm | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| M34 | 1 | 10 | Ace | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Sack | Rudock | -1 | ||||||||
| All day after the playfake; Rudock cannot find anyone and waits way too long to get rid of the ball. He gets back to the LOS. Illinois gives up a first down after an illegal hands to the face call. (TA, N/A, protection 2/3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| O44 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun trips | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Skinny post | Smith | 21 | ||||||||
| A bullet between two dudes that hits Smith in the number. (DO, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O6 | 2 | G | Ace twins twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 under | Pass | Waggle scramble | Rudock | 6 | ||||||||
| Tim Beckman has never heard of a bootleg in his life. Tim Beckman is a football coach, technically. (SCR, N/A, N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Touchdown, 23-7, 13 min 4th Q. Beathard gets the rest of the fourth quarter. | |||||||||||||||||||
Why?
I had it half done a couple months ago and forgot about it. Also, this is a look at what Rudock looks like when he's not getting thunked in the face every forty seconds and his receivers can get open.
Illinois is bad.
Yes. This was not a difficult outing; Illinois had the worst pass defense in the league last year, allowing 7.6 YPA. FWIW, Rudock went 14/21 for 210 yards and it really could have been more.
Could have been more, you say?
This game provided a contrast between Iowa's receivers and Mike Dudek, a little freshman playing for Illinois. Let us consider this pass.
Nice throw, too bad it got knocked away, good coverage? Not so fast, my friend!
Martin-Manley has that ball hit his stomach. This is a gilt-edged invitation for the DB to rake the ball out. On replay you can see him fade away from his route:
That is bad. That is the opposite of "high-pointing" the ball, something Dudek would do spectacularly on the next drive. Watch him drive into the defensive back and extend away from him at the crucial moment:
Desmond King had excellent position and no opportunity to make a play on the ball because Dudek correctly judged its flight and put himself in a position where only he had a play on it. As MSU's proven amply over the last few years, in college football rubbin', son, is racin'. Iowa receivers do not do this.
A few throws later a Duzey wheel route ended up complete but not until after an Illinois DB had a swipe that momentarily knocked the ball free:
That ball is a bit off, short and to the inside, but well within the range of 30 yard balls that are deemed catchable, because it is plenty accurate enough to give the guy time to adjust and make a play. Duzey did the latter; not so much the former.
I know that Michigan's wide receivers are a big question mark this year and that I'm probably going to be making similar criticisms of them unless Drake Harris made a deal with the devil. I think Rudock would be looked at much differently if he had been playing with Devin Funchess last year.
At the end of the first half there was an attempt to slow-and-extend by Tevaun Smith, but Smith ended up over-correcting and could only get one hand on the ball when it arrived:
Stonum-esque.
Martin-Manley did have a nice catch on a deep ball Rudock overthrew a tiny bit, offsetting some of the complaints above; you still have to wonder why on earth Iowa got rid of Erik Campbell.
Maybe he liked to chart too much.
Maybe.
Jake Rudock
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 2 | 38++(2) | 4(1) | 2 | 2* | 6 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 75% |
| Northwestern | 5+ | 7+(1) | 3(1) | 3 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 | 71% |
| Illinois | 3 | 13(2)+ | - | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | - | 3 | 77% |
| Wisconsin | 5+ | 16(3)++ | 7 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 80% |
| Nebraska | 3 | 20(1) | 2 | 5 | 4** | 2* | 1 | 5 | 1 | 66% |
Rudock was highly accurate. One of his misses was a bomb that was too long, the other a fade route to the endzone from the ten that was well short. The bad read was an attempted third and short conversion on which everyone ran four-yard hitches and he picked the wrong one. Other than that he was on point.
One other thing to note is that Rudock was highly aggressive in this game, repeatedly bombing downfield and finding his guys past the first down markers. There was only one drag. That's because guys were actually open in this game.
Any half-baked criticisms you would like to contest?
There are places on the Michigan internet where any mention of Jake Rudock will draw accusations that he has a "pop-gun arm." That is nonsense. Ten yard out:
Fifteen yard out:
Fifteen yard dig:
20-yard skinny post:
He isn't Morris, but he's got plenty of oomph to get the job done.
What does it mean for 2015?
We're totally going to beat Indiana. Also yes Jake Rudock is going to start.