The theme I want to contest is that Michigan’s offense was a big lesson learned because it didn’t come in ready to play shoot out ball with Ohio State.
This is easy retro fit analysis that say that we needed 63 points to win therefore we should have played the game in run and shoot mode from the near jump.
However here are some premises I would like to throw out there:
- Michigan was not going to defeat Ohio State and their historic passing qb in a “who gets the ball last” shootout. To expect that this team with its style and experience would be able to show up in Columbus on game day and out do Haskins/Wilson/Day possession to possession in their game is silly. Further...
- With the style of defense we play and lack of depth at corner and defensive line at the end of the year, we absolutely HAVE to be mindful of the number of snaps our defense saw in Columbus - every snap after 75 - according to our smart coordinator is a problem and it makes sense.
- Finally, no human or computer would have ever predicted our pass rush to be non existent let alone a non factor.
So the formula for us to maximize our chances and win the game was pretty clear IMO.
The retro fit plan being referred to by Spath and others (throw the ball all around and try to score 70) is easy to spit out now after surrendering 62 points but downright silly to consider as a win maximizing approach a week ago.
Here’s some things I saw relating to our relative strengths disappearing and theirs being on “11”.
- The no show of our pass rush was the single biggest positional disappointment/no-show I’ve ever seen in a lifetime of watching Michigan football. The d-line with two first team all big ten ends neither got any pressure nor opened up lanes for extra rushers. A complete gag. No other way to put it. It was also THE root cause of the loss and any secondary factor doesn’t come close.
- Second, Larry Johnson Sr. is their best position coach. I have a feeling Jim was quite confident that a smart, uber motivated Warriner was going to have a day. However Warriner had a YEAR where he squeezed a ton out of our least impressive position group coming in. This was not a great matchup and they did well to battle to relatively even in their matchup. I’m excited to watch this group next year.
- Last year the lack of wide receiver coaching focus drove me up a wall. A big choke by Jim IMO. That got fixed this year and at seasons end it was the one position group that showed up in Columbus ready to be big time The Game performers. Thanks Mr McElwain for your service, what can we do to squeeze another year out of you in a position your are over qualified for????
- I have always thought Jay Harbaugh was better than given credit for. Special teams and tight ends on his watch fared well. However I have rb development concerns. I thought Khalid Hills disappearance last year was a huge detriment to the O. This year I thought Evans and Mason were well below their ceiling.
Higdon battled individually like a champ and captain but there seemed to be some lanes late in the year that he missed that our great seniors hit (Biakabituka, Train, Perry, Hart). So hard for me to be accurate here due to scheme impacts, but my gut has a yellow light concern here.
- Ditto tight end. Our young addition on the staff sounds like he has brought a ton to recruiting but I’m not sure a heavily relied upon position group ascended from beginning to end of year the way it should have or needed to. Too many times late in the year - not just against OSU - McKeon and Gentry looked to be playing tight and fearful of mistake rather than in confident warrior mode. Hope this improves next year.
- LB - Khaleke, Gill and Ross looked average to me this year. Absent the Big Ten defensive player of the year LB development is huge over the next 9 months. Fingers crossed.
- I covered this earlier Mattisons groups are hot and cold in The Game since his 2011 return.
Next year. I’m excited as heck to see the offense.
Jim rolled out an O this year to complement his D and minimize risk of unknowns holding him back (young receivers coming of age, oline having athleticism to protect Shea). It all made sense and had a playoff birth at the tips of our fingers.
Next year he has talent he can trust all across passing game. An experienced oline with much fewer question marks and a wide receiver core stacked like it hasn’t been since Edwards, Avant, Breaston (with a stud qb who has played with them for a year and three months not three months like this year coming in).
Further he needs to protect a young D - with possession AND points. Should be fun to see the result.
Don Brown has a fascinating off season ahead. He got exposed on the chalk board a bit and has to replace personnel that were critical to allowing him to play his style this year. He’s reloaded before - but that was before the entire planet honed in on his style and how to beat it. Will be fun to see him go to work.
This is easy retro fit analysis that say that we needed 63 points to win therefore we should have played the game in run and shoot mode from the near jump.
However here are some premises I would like to throw out there:
- Michigan was not going to defeat Ohio State and their historic passing qb in a “who gets the ball last” shootout. To expect that this team with its style and experience would be able to show up in Columbus on game day and out do Haskins/Wilson/Day possession to possession in their game is silly. Further...
- With the style of defense we play and lack of depth at corner and defensive line at the end of the year, we absolutely HAVE to be mindful of the number of snaps our defense saw in Columbus - every snap after 75 - according to our smart coordinator is a problem and it makes sense.
- Finally, no human or computer would have ever predicted our pass rush to be non existent let alone a non factor.
So the formula for us to maximize our chances and win the game was pretty clear IMO.
The retro fit plan being referred to by Spath and others (throw the ball all around and try to score 70) is easy to spit out now after surrendering 62 points but downright silly to consider as a win maximizing approach a week ago.
Here’s some things I saw relating to our relative strengths disappearing and theirs being on “11”.
- The no show of our pass rush was the single biggest positional disappointment/no-show I’ve ever seen in a lifetime of watching Michigan football. The d-line with two first team all big ten ends neither got any pressure nor opened up lanes for extra rushers. A complete gag. No other way to put it. It was also THE root cause of the loss and any secondary factor doesn’t come close.
- Second, Larry Johnson Sr. is their best position coach. I have a feeling Jim was quite confident that a smart, uber motivated Warriner was going to have a day. However Warriner had a YEAR where he squeezed a ton out of our least impressive position group coming in. This was not a great matchup and they did well to battle to relatively even in their matchup. I’m excited to watch this group next year.
- Last year the lack of wide receiver coaching focus drove me up a wall. A big choke by Jim IMO. That got fixed this year and at seasons end it was the one position group that showed up in Columbus ready to be big time The Game performers. Thanks Mr McElwain for your service, what can we do to squeeze another year out of you in a position your are over qualified for????
- I have always thought Jay Harbaugh was better than given credit for. Special teams and tight ends on his watch fared well. However I have rb development concerns. I thought Khalid Hills disappearance last year was a huge detriment to the O. This year I thought Evans and Mason were well below their ceiling.
Higdon battled individually like a champ and captain but there seemed to be some lanes late in the year that he missed that our great seniors hit (Biakabituka, Train, Perry, Hart). So hard for me to be accurate here due to scheme impacts, but my gut has a yellow light concern here.
- Ditto tight end. Our young addition on the staff sounds like he has brought a ton to recruiting but I’m not sure a heavily relied upon position group ascended from beginning to end of year the way it should have or needed to. Too many times late in the year - not just against OSU - McKeon and Gentry looked to be playing tight and fearful of mistake rather than in confident warrior mode. Hope this improves next year.
- LB - Khaleke, Gill and Ross looked average to me this year. Absent the Big Ten defensive player of the year LB development is huge over the next 9 months. Fingers crossed.
- I covered this earlier Mattisons groups are hot and cold in The Game since his 2011 return.
Next year. I’m excited as heck to see the offense.
Jim rolled out an O this year to complement his D and minimize risk of unknowns holding him back (young receivers coming of age, oline having athleticism to protect Shea). It all made sense and had a playoff birth at the tips of our fingers.
Next year he has talent he can trust all across passing game. An experienced oline with much fewer question marks and a wide receiver core stacked like it hasn’t been since Edwards, Avant, Breaston (with a stud qb who has played with them for a year and three months not three months like this year coming in).
Further he needs to protect a young D - with possession AND points. Should be fun to see the result.
Don Brown has a fascinating off season ahead. He got exposed on the chalk board a bit and has to replace personnel that were critical to allowing him to play his style this year. He’s reloaded before - but that was before the entire planet honed in on his style and how to beat it. Will be fun to see him go to work.
