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HEY KIDS: This is an overview of all of Michigan's passing plays against OSU, which is an important data point for Devin Gardner. I'm not doing the run offense, because it was Denard doing Denard things and Rawls doing Rawls things and no one getting blocked ever—ie, not relevant, really.
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | RB | TE | WR | D Form | Type | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O35 | 1 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | 2 | 0 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Hitch | Gallon | 7 | ||||||||
| A little longer than a quick pitch and catch as Gardner resets in the pocket and hits Gallon, who's covered pretty well. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O24 | 1 | 10 | Pistol Diamond | 3 | 0 | 2 | Nickel over | Pass | Throwback screen | Gallon | 2 | ||||||||
| Backside DE forms up and threatens to bat the pass down; Gardner pumps and then lofts it. This takes a long time to develop and busts up the play's timing; Omameh(-0.5) and Schofield(-1) don't get blocks and Gallon has to dance to squeeze out anything. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O22 | 2 | 8 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-4 over | Pass | Out | Gallon | Inc | ||||||||
| Gallon runs this well and gets a couple yards of separation; Gardner steps up and fires but a little wide and high. Gallon can only get one hand on it. Protection was good off a blitz, though they held seven guys in. Borderline MA/IN. (IN, 1, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O22 | 3 | 8 | Shotgun double stack | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Sack | N/A | -8 | ||||||||
| Gardner is just about to step into this and throw when Washington comes around the back to strip/sack as Lewan(-3) gets beat clean. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3, Lewan(-3). The worst thing is that Gallon was breaking open for a touchdown. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M17 | 1 | 10 | Ace 3TE | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4-3 even | Pass | Fly | Gallon | Inc | ||||||||
| Max pro, two man route going deep. Gallon gets a step and Gardner fires it out there; the throw is absolutely perfect but the OSU safety reaches out and grabs Gallon by the back of the shoulder pads, slowing him a hair. Ball is now just past his oustretched fingertips. Outrageous no-call. (DO, 0, protection 2/2, refs -3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M25 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Rollout deep hitch | Roundtree | 75 | ||||||||
| M gets the edge easily and Gardner can survey; Michigan high-lows the corner, who sucks up on a Gallon hitch for about five. Roundtree behind is open; Gardner hits him. That's about 15 yards, then the safety who just almost got burned (CJ Barnett) takes a horrendous angle to Roundtree and turns it into a huge touchdown. (CA+, 3, protection 1/1, RPS +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M30 | 1 | 10 | I-Form twins | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5-2 bear | Pass | PA comeback | Roundtree | 12 | ||||||||
| Good protection but no one's really going for the QB because of play action, I guess. Gardner steps up and has a very strange no-step throw that floats a bit. Either terrible mechanics or a great improvisation to get it over a DE in the throwing lane who endeavors to bat the pass down. Accurate, though, and Roundtree can turn it up for a first down. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M48 | 2 | 4 | Offset I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | PA rollout Hitch | Reynolds | Inc | ||||||||
| Counter PA to Kerridge does not hold the backside end because obviously. He gets out on the edge to harrass. Denard is underneath and covered. Gardner goes deeper to an also-covered Reynolds and misses, but Reynolds is off balance and may have stumbled out of his break or gotten interfered with. Can't tell and no replay. He probably should have gone to Kwiatkowski further inside but not possible with the pressure. So... I want to punt. (MA, 0, protection N/A, RPS -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M48 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun double stack | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Cross | Gallon | 36 (Pen -15) | ||||||||
| Initial protection is good but Smith(-1) doesn't perceive the late blitz coming and leaks out of the backfield; pocket opens up and Gardner steps forward just as the blitzer does. He's got little time but does have Gallon on a crossing route. It's time for an Uncannily Accurate Gardner Flick, which is off his back foot and has no impetus, but goes right to Gallon for big yards. (DO, 3, protection 1/2, Smith -1). It's wiped out by a dubious offensive PI on Roundtree. (Refs -3!) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M33 | 3 | 19 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Rollout Fly | Dileo | Inc | ||||||||
| Another rollout; edge rusher gets too far inside and Smith chops him down well. Gardner has a lot of time and finds Dileo, but doesn't step into this one either, and that's bad. Dileo has two steps to the endzone and the throw is way short and inside. (IN, 0, protection 2/2, RPS +2). I may be harsh here because there's a shot of Gardner talking to Dileo that seems to be Dileo saying my bad just from the body language, but it really looked like a bomb into the endzone was six. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2-back TE | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | TE jailbreak screen | Kwiatkowski | 6 | ||||||||
| Fake flare screen to Denard followed by a dumpoff inside to Kwiatkowski. Accurate, but Kwiatkowski got bumped off his route and away from his blockers and gets chopped down after a moderate gain. (CA, 3, screen) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O19 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun double stack | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Dig | Dileo | Inc (Pen +10) | ||||||||
| Another delayed blitz bothers Gardner, who feels he can't step up in the pocket because a guy beat Omameh(-1) and can't step into the throw because there's a guy flying at Smith. Gardner has another back foot fling that's a bit wobbly and a little behind Dileo, but Dileo still gets both hands on it and drops it. (CA+, 3, protection ½, Omameh -1). Roughing the passer bails M out. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M13 | 1 | 10 | Ace FB motion | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Corner | Gallon | Inc | ||||||||
| Gallon's got himself a window here and Gardner just misses by throwing it too far downfield. Good protection. (IN, 0, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M19 | 3 | 4 | Shotgun double stack | 1 | 1 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 4 +15 pen | ||||||||
| A ton of time as OSU only rushes three. Finally flushed out, Gardner evades a charging LB and tiptoes down the sideline for the first down. (SCR, N/A, protection 2/2). Late hit adds on; it seems like they actually shorted Gardner a couple yards here, FWIW. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M38 | 1 | 10 | Ace FB motion | 1 | 2 | 2 | Nickel over | Pass | Sack | N/A | -9 | ||||||||
| More max pro two man route stuff. OSU using delayed blitzes to get pressure after M OL commit. On this one Williams(-1) refuses to pass his guy off as he goes upfield and lets a LB in unmolested. However, this blitz is both delayed and slow, so Gardner should be able to do something. He pumps, hesitates, and is lost. (TA, N/A, protection ½, williams -1, RPS -1... both deep guys bracketed) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M29 | 2 | 19 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Waggle drag | Roundtree | 5 | ||||||||
| Instant pressure as end man is thinking QB first. Gardner makes another awkward-looking but effective throw and Roundtree has a step on the LB, but a hard corner prevents any sort of large gain. (CA, 3, protection N/A) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M34 | 3 | 14 | Shotgun 2-back | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3-3-5 nickel | Pass | Sack | Smith | -9 | ||||||||
| Robinson at RB, releasing immediately, just brushes a LB blitzing. Smith(-2) doesn't get over to block that guy for some reason, and Gardner gets chased and sacked. (PR, N/A, protection 0/2, Smith -2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 2TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 over | Pass | Hitch | Gallon | 9 | ||||||||
| Gardner looks to Roundtree first and then goes to the other side of the field for a short hitch that Gallon turns into a comeback, evading tacklers and grabbing some YAC. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M14 | 1 | 10 | I-Form 3-wide | 2 | 0 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Post | Gallon | 30 | ||||||||
| A perfect downfield strike to Gallon, who is a shoestring tackle away from a touchdown. (DO, 3, protection 2/2, RPS +2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M23 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Hitch | Dileo | 6 | ||||||||
| All hitches; Gardner finds the right one. Throw is a little bit off, so Dileo can't get YAC, but not quite MA territory. (CA, 3, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M36 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-4 over | Pass | Out | Gallon | 8 | ||||||||
| OSU showing a three deep shell all the way so this is an easy pitch and catch. Gardner's throw is a little upfield and outside, safe, but if he didn't pull Gallon that far out he could have picked up the first. Still not quite an MA. (CA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M8 | 1 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-4 over | Pass | PA hitch | Gallon | Inc (Pen +11) | ||||||||
| OSU playing press and rolling safeties to the line for an aggressive look. Denard's looking for Gallon on a hitch and the ball ends up turfed in front of him... because Roby yanked Gallon all over the field before it got there. Looked like a good timing throw in the right spot without it. (CA, 0, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M19 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4-3 over | Pass | PA sack | N/A | -15 | ||||||||
| Inverted veer look into a pop pass. OSU stunts and catches this play perfectly. LB immediately in Gardner's face with no hope of any one blocking the guy. Gardner spins away from that guy and starts scrambling, but fumbles as he gets banged from the side. (PR, N/A, protection 0/3, team -3, RPS -3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 1 | 10 | Ace twin TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | PA crosss | Roundtree | Inc | ||||||||
| Max pro, two man route, Gardner does have Roundtree if he leads him to the sideline but throws it inside and upfield, which is dangerously close to an interception. (IN, 0, protection 1/1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 2 | 10 | I-Form | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4-3 even | Pass | Corner | Gallon | Inc | ||||||||
| Gardner misses Roundtree wide, wide open on a dig and goes for Gallon on a corner route that is bracketed. He might have a tiny window but to get it over the guy sagging and there fast enough to beat the safety is a near-impossible task. The ball is a little late, too, and Bryant breaks it up. (BR, 0, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Hitch | Gallon | 10 | ||||||||
| Just a simple hitch; coverage is a step off; Gardner fortunate that the Buckeye CB stumbled because he put this too far upfield and if not for that he would have had a play on the ball. Gallon grabs it and gets the first down. (MA, 3, protection 2/2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M41 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 1 | 2 | 2 | Nickel even | Pass | Scramble | Gardner | 10 (Pen -10) | ||||||||
| Schofield(-2) gets beat by an edge rusher and tackles the dude as he flies by, drawing a flag. Gardner gets flushed, notices a big lane, and takes off for near first down yardage that gets wiped out. (SCR, N/A, Protection 0/2, Schofield -2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 1 | 20 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel over | Pass | Improv | Funchess | Inc | ||||||||
| Blitz overloads the M edge and gets two guys through. Not much the linemen can do about this, the blocking scheme just got beat. Gardner spins out and gets the edge, then decides to chuck it up across his body way downfield to Funchess. That's way short and inside. He had the corner easy and would have picked up maybe ten yards if he took off. Frustrating. (BR, 0, protection 0/2, team -2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 2 | 20 | Shotgun 3-wide | 1 | 1 | 3 | Nickel even | Pass | Rollout corner | Dileo | INT | ||||||||
| Tough as he's a righty rolling to his left and can't get set here. He does have Dileo on a corner if he can get it to the sideline, but it's way, way inside and picked off (INX, 0, protection ½, team -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
Let's get to it.
Okay.
Denard:
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 through MSU | 13 | 66(12) | 11(1) | 34(1) | 17 | 2 | 3 | 10 | 4 | 55% |
| 2011 after MSU | 9 | 77(9) | 7 | 17 | 9 | 6(1) | 5(2) | 9 | 5 | 69% |
| Alabama | 4 | 15(2) | 1 | 4 | 3* | - | - | 3(1) | 1 | 71% |
| Air Force | 1 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | - | 2 | 1 | - | 75% |
| UMass | 1 | 16(4) | - | 4 | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 68% |
| Notre Dame | 4 | 10(1) | 2 | 4(1)* | 2** | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 65% |
| Purdue | 3 | 7(2) | - | 1(1) | - | 1 | 2 | - | - | 73% |
| Illinois | 3 | 6(2) | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 78% |
| MSU | 4 | 9(2) | 3(1) | 4 | 2* | 1 | 5 | 2 | - | 48% |
| Nebraska | 2 | 9(2) | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 1 | 1 | 90% |
Bellomy:
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska | 1 | 4(1) | 2 | 7* | 1* | - | 1 | 4 | 1 | 31% |
And Gardner:
| Opponent | DO | CA | MA | IN | BR | TA | BA | PR | SCR | DSR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota | 3 | 7(1) | 4 | 2(1) | 2* | 2 | - | 3 | 4 | 64% |
| Northwestern | 4 | 16(2) | 2 | 1 | 3* | 2(1) | 2(1) | 2 | 5 | 75% |
| Iowa | 3 | 16(4) | - | 2(1) | 2 | 1 | - | 1 | 4 | 79% |
| Ohio State (pending) | 3 | 11(1) | 2 | 5* | 2 | 1 | - | 3 | 2 | 62% |
| South Carolina | 4 | 16(2) | 2 | 8 | 3 | 4 | - | 2 | 2 | 55% |
Like the South Carolina game, Gardner's accuracy let him down at points. This was mostly late, when Michigan was forced to abandon the run entirely with six minutes left in the game and Gardner was making deep throws outside the pocket by reason of rollout or pressure. It is rarely Gardner's mind that lets him down, but rather his feet. While his ability to get velocity and accuracy when he's not even stepping into throws is hugely useful in short-area flips, when his mechanics break down on deeper throws bad times result:
This was most apparent on the (eventually) game-ending interception, where a rollout to Gardner's left resulted in pressure and an awkward throw that sailed for days:
When Gardner does make a wrong read it usually results in a pass that's difficult to complete but not, say, a horrendous interception. In this one, he avoided serious mistakes entirely. This, however, was painful:
That was first and twenty and Gardner ended up trying to bomb it to Funchess way short and wide of the target. Runnnnn.
For 2013, it's all about getting set and throwing with good mechanics, because then this happens:
Gardner's relatively pedestrian numbers (11 of 20, ) are a bit harsh on his game. When you throw a perfect deep ball only for OSU's very crappy CJ Barnett to yank Gallon back the foot he needs to catch in stride, you have been robbed:
And when you have one of those little short-area flicks that turns into 36 yards but gets wiped out by a dubious penalty on the other side of the field, ditto:
That is the area where Gardner's ability to pull throws out of nowhere with terrible mechanics is a great asset. That broom-wielding chaos theory quarterback guru was probably like "whoah" about the guy, because when things break down he can get crazy throws off.
Receivers:
[Passes are rated by how tough they are to catch. 0 == impossible. 1 == wow he caught that, 2 == moderate difficulty, 3 == routine. The 0/X in all passes marked zero is implied.]
| Player | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gardner | 12 | 0/5 | 2/5 | 14/15 | |||||
| Roundtree | 1 | 3/3 | 13 | 2/9 | 5/7 | 24/25 | |||
| Gallon | 4 | 0/1 | 7/7 | 16 | 3/7 | 7/12 | 41/43 | ||
| J. Robinson | 1 | 0/1 | 1/4 | 2/2 | |||||
| Dileo | 2 | 1/2 | 5 | 2/5 | 4/4 | 14/15 | |||
| Jackson | 5 | 0/1 | 5/7 | ||||||
| D. Robinson | 1 | 4/4 | |||||||
| Reynolds | 1 | 2 | 3/3 | ||||||
| Kwiatkowski | 1/1 | 1 | 4/4 | ||||||
| Moore | |||||||||
| Funchess | 1 | 8 | 2/5 | 2/4 | 11/11 | ||||
| Williams | |||||||||
| Hopkins | 0/1 | ||||||||
| Toussaint | 1 | 0/2 | 1/2 | 5/5 | |||||
| Smith | 0/1 | 1/2 | 9/9 | ||||||
| Kerridge | 0/1 | 1/1 |
Feast or famine here, as Gardner either put it right where it needed to be or missed completely. Except for the third-down drop by Dileo that was repaired by a roughing the passer, the wideouts did as expected.
This is every pass worth charting this year now, and you can see that Gallon, Funchess, and Dileo are extremely reliable options who drop balls rarely and have an excellent bail-out rate on tough throws. In years previous to this one a 20% hit rate on 1s would maybe be the best on the team; the three main returners were at 41%. That is somewhat mitigated by Gallon and Dileo's stature, which tends to move throws into harder categories. There are passes that are zeroes if thrown at them that would be 3s to Funchess. On the other hand, the percentage of balls marked uncatchable to Gallon is much lower than those to Roundtree and Funchess. Gallon's quickness means hitch after hitch is open, and it's easy to hit those. The stature, it gives and takes.
Upshot: Michigan returns a sure-handed and potentially prolific wide receiver corps, even without Darboh potentially emerging to replace Roundtree. Chesson and Reynolds should be able to at least keep Michigan even at the 'Tree spot, and then the Big One And Little Two should all improve, Funchess vastly.