What we picked up after watching game film of Michigan’s 39-14 blowout of Indiana in Bloomington …
Everyone wants to know, “what’s with the slow starts?” for the defense this year. In reality, the U-M defense has been very good in the first quarters of games this year (for the most part). As noted earlier, there have been two, first-drive scores this year outside the Middle Tennessee State one that started on the U-M 42. Michigan is outscoring opponents 79-49 in the first quarter
The first drive Saturday was not junior end Kwity Paye’s finest moment on the first drive. He heeded to get his hands up on the first throw (though he got good penetration, got juked at the line by Peyton Ramsey — think about what Justin Fields might do to him if he’s not more disciplined — and then appeared to leave his rush lane to let Ramsey out for another first down inside the five.
On Michigan’s first offensive drive, there were two throw they won’t get away with against OSU. The first one, a comeback to Nico Collins, the second one to back Hassan Haskins on third and three. OSU’s athletes at corner would have been all over those.
Other observations:
• Michigan’s first, first and goal play is a walk in touchdown if Patterson keeps and doesn’t hand it off. Not only is there nobody out there, he’s got a tight end in front of him. Wrong read.
They scored, but they have to take advantage of every play against the Buckeyes. The fade to Ronnie Bell is going to be infinitely harder against Ohio State’s corners.
• Loved the wheel route to Giles Jackson out of the backfield. It was reminiscent of a mid-90s UCLA game in which they leaked Clarence Williams out alone down the left sideline. Another nice wrinkle. We’ll see more Saturday.
• This might come across as “controversial” to some, but it’s not meant to be. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will leave here as U-M’s best at his position in the last decade, and he’s already made more of an impact on the program than higher rated players at his position in recent years.
He got the tip on the interception that helped slow Indiana’s offense (great catch by frosh safety Dax Hill, too. Junior Brad Hawkins has been good this year, but for a former receiver, his ball skills haven’t been great. He’s had a lot of touches without picking the ball off, and there’s no guarantee he comes down with that one. They’ll need both of them Saturday, and a lot of Hill’s speed against OSU’s bevy of talented receivers).
Hutchinson is getting stronger and stronger, too. Another two years and he’ll be an All-American. He throws Stevie Scott backward at the two before IU’s first touchdown like he’s toying with his little brother in the backyard.
• No. 87 for Indiana …definition of a blindside block at 10:01 on Jackson’s first kick return.
• Indiana starts blitzing and twisting early up front, but Michigan’s line did a great job all day in pass protection, starting with the second set of downs. The Hoosiers run a tackle-end twist that right guard Mike Onwenu and junior center Cesar Ruiz handle well, though (8:19 mark) Ruiz might called for holding Saturday if he plays that one the same way.
You’d also like to see Patterson hit junior Donovan Peoples-Jones on the run and give him a chance to break a tackle and get some yards after the catch … he obviously did it better later in the game, hitting junior Nico Collins for a score on a really nicely designed route I’m not sure we’ve seen this year. Bell sits down and draws the linebacker to him, Collins cuts behind him to the middle and should have had a 12-yard gain but for horrible safety play (fourth quarter score). Regardless, he showed some nice speed in finishing it.
• IU’s second possession, first series — redshirt frosh linebacker Cam McGrone feigns jumping and forces a false start, but he also barks out a “hut” or something similar in a breach of etiquette.
• Good things happen when Ruiz pulls. They got redshirt frosh Hassan Haskins to the edge on a first down run, and his shoulder into the cornerback’s chest for three or four extra yards … that’s the type of thing that fires up a sideline.
• The first quarter was a perfect example of how inconsistent pass interference is, and how it can affect a game. Michigan senior Lavert Hill gets flagged for next to nothing after getting great position (head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday night “It’s like he gets called for breathing on someone) and Michigan should have had a first down on the IU 40 after an obvious PI on Bell that wasn’t called.
This is the potential difference between being up two scores or one at the half, down 14-7 or up 14-7 in the second quarter (same effect as in the Penn State game). These guys need to be better. It’s worse than it’s ever been.
• Redshirt frosh linebacker Cam McGrone struggled on IU’s second series. He appeared to fit wrong on a second and eight running play, running himself out of the play, and missed a tackle on the next play, IU’s second and only other touchdown drive (the play before the play). He’s going to have to be better Saturday (and he improved throughout the game). They’re going to ask him to spy Justin Fields at times, and he’s got to be a sure tackler.
• Michigan’s second touchdown drive … Patterson has two throws he has to make if U-M is going to beat Ohio State. He misses Collins deep, junior Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 12-yard score (badly). But the third down pitch and catch — that’s an NFL grab by Peoples-Jones and what we’ve been waiting to see from him. Those are plays that win big games.
Another, and one that everyone saw — great job by the line again handling a corner blitz with an end/tackle twist at 14-all in the second quarter. Patterson throws to Bell just out of bounds on the right sideline, but frosh back Zach Charbonnet had leaked into the flat alone. Would have been 40 to 50 yards, at least.
• Really nice blocking by Ruiz and right guard Mike Onwenu on U-M’s only long running play of the day, a 22-yarder by frosh Zach Charbonnet.
• At 14-all in the second quarter, Michigan starts twisting and stunting more on the d-line to confuse the Indiana front. But it’s more defensive end Josh Uche’s ability to beat his man that’s responsible for some of Peyton Ramsey’s bad throws. There are a few leaks on Ohio State’s line … Uche is going to have to have a big game. It’s there.
• The third and 20 in the third quarter … one of the best moments came in the second when fans were complaining about third and 20 saying “we must be the worst third and long team in the country”— and then ESPN shows the graphic that Brown’s defense is the best, allowing only 8.2 percent on third and seven or more.
• Dax Hill got more and more comfortable throughout the game. He’s so quick to break on the ball. He’s going to be special in the defensive backfield.
• Indiana’s pass defense isn’t good (though it ranked pretty well going into this game), but it was great seeing Michigan receivers gain separation. How many times have we said the last few years, “these guys can’t get open?” The route running still isn’t stick-a-foot-in-the-ground and lose a defender good, but they are finding holes in zones and Patterson is getting them the ball.
And one of the big differences between Nico Collins’ play earlier in the year and now — Patterson is putting the 50-50 balls where he can catch them and not five yards over his head.
• Uche is insane. Strip sack, blows up a third and one late in the second quarter. Bad man.
• Talk that Michigan went “conservative” at the end of the first half — no. They moved the ball from inside their own 20 to midfield, called a third and four run against tendency that didn’t work only because a linebacker made a great play and took several shots downfield, drawing a pass interference on one.
It was absolutely the right move to punt there, too, getting the ball back after half.
• Pass pro was outstanding again in the third quarter. Indiana’s corners were abysmal in jamming and slowing U-M’s receivers at the line, including Peoples-Jones on his long ball on the first drive of the second half. Theyr’e going to have to work a lot harder to get open against OSU’s physical corners.
• It worked for two yards, but still hate the wildcat to Haskins on third and fourth and short.
• Paye followed up a big sack by missing his assignment on Ramsey’s read option keeper on second and 29. Ramsey gets nine yards to set up the third and 20 … otherwise IU probably runs on third and long and punts. One of those “plays before the play” that make a difference. And the third and 20 stunk, but again … it doesn’t happen as often as you think it does. Junior corner Ambry Thomas thought the play was over.
• Mike Dwumfour’s penetration on fourth and one that led to a hold and a punt is one of the underrated plays of this game. IU was driving trying to cut it to one score — instead it’s Michigan ball after the punt, Collins touchdown two plays later, game no longer in doubt. U-M goes for the kill shot, but Bell drops it … then the stupid wildcat … then a punt.
But Uche’s strip sack sets up the Collins kill shot just like the previous week against Michigan State following the fake punt, game over. Love it.
Onward.
Everyone wants to know, “what’s with the slow starts?” for the defense this year. In reality, the U-M defense has been very good in the first quarters of games this year (for the most part). As noted earlier, there have been two, first-drive scores this year outside the Middle Tennessee State one that started on the U-M 42. Michigan is outscoring opponents 79-49 in the first quarter
The first drive Saturday was not junior end Kwity Paye’s finest moment on the first drive. He heeded to get his hands up on the first throw (though he got good penetration, got juked at the line by Peyton Ramsey — think about what Justin Fields might do to him if he’s not more disciplined — and then appeared to leave his rush lane to let Ramsey out for another first down inside the five.
On Michigan’s first offensive drive, there were two throw they won’t get away with against OSU. The first one, a comeback to Nico Collins, the second one to back Hassan Haskins on third and three. OSU’s athletes at corner would have been all over those.
Other observations:
• Michigan’s first, first and goal play is a walk in touchdown if Patterson keeps and doesn’t hand it off. Not only is there nobody out there, he’s got a tight end in front of him. Wrong read.
They scored, but they have to take advantage of every play against the Buckeyes. The fade to Ronnie Bell is going to be infinitely harder against Ohio State’s corners.
• Loved the wheel route to Giles Jackson out of the backfield. It was reminiscent of a mid-90s UCLA game in which they leaked Clarence Williams out alone down the left sideline. Another nice wrinkle. We’ll see more Saturday.
• This might come across as “controversial” to some, but it’s not meant to be. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson will leave here as U-M’s best at his position in the last decade, and he’s already made more of an impact on the program than higher rated players at his position in recent years.
He got the tip on the interception that helped slow Indiana’s offense (great catch by frosh safety Dax Hill, too. Junior Brad Hawkins has been good this year, but for a former receiver, his ball skills haven’t been great. He’s had a lot of touches without picking the ball off, and there’s no guarantee he comes down with that one. They’ll need both of them Saturday, and a lot of Hill’s speed against OSU’s bevy of talented receivers).
Hutchinson is getting stronger and stronger, too. Another two years and he’ll be an All-American. He throws Stevie Scott backward at the two before IU’s first touchdown like he’s toying with his little brother in the backyard.
• No. 87 for Indiana …definition of a blindside block at 10:01 on Jackson’s first kick return.
• Indiana starts blitzing and twisting early up front, but Michigan’s line did a great job all day in pass protection, starting with the second set of downs. The Hoosiers run a tackle-end twist that right guard Mike Onwenu and junior center Cesar Ruiz handle well, though (8:19 mark) Ruiz might called for holding Saturday if he plays that one the same way.
You’d also like to see Patterson hit junior Donovan Peoples-Jones on the run and give him a chance to break a tackle and get some yards after the catch … he obviously did it better later in the game, hitting junior Nico Collins for a score on a really nicely designed route I’m not sure we’ve seen this year. Bell sits down and draws the linebacker to him, Collins cuts behind him to the middle and should have had a 12-yard gain but for horrible safety play (fourth quarter score). Regardless, he showed some nice speed in finishing it.
• IU’s second possession, first series — redshirt frosh linebacker Cam McGrone feigns jumping and forces a false start, but he also barks out a “hut” or something similar in a breach of etiquette.
• Good things happen when Ruiz pulls. They got redshirt frosh Hassan Haskins to the edge on a first down run, and his shoulder into the cornerback’s chest for three or four extra yards … that’s the type of thing that fires up a sideline.
• The first quarter was a perfect example of how inconsistent pass interference is, and how it can affect a game. Michigan senior Lavert Hill gets flagged for next to nothing after getting great position (head coach Jim Harbaugh said Monday night “It’s like he gets called for breathing on someone) and Michigan should have had a first down on the IU 40 after an obvious PI on Bell that wasn’t called.
This is the potential difference between being up two scores or one at the half, down 14-7 or up 14-7 in the second quarter (same effect as in the Penn State game). These guys need to be better. It’s worse than it’s ever been.
• Redshirt frosh linebacker Cam McGrone struggled on IU’s second series. He appeared to fit wrong on a second and eight running play, running himself out of the play, and missed a tackle on the next play, IU’s second and only other touchdown drive (the play before the play). He’s going to have to be better Saturday (and he improved throughout the game). They’re going to ask him to spy Justin Fields at times, and he’s got to be a sure tackler.
• Michigan’s second touchdown drive … Patterson has two throws he has to make if U-M is going to beat Ohio State. He misses Collins deep, junior Donovan Peoples-Jones for a 12-yard score (badly). But the third down pitch and catch — that’s an NFL grab by Peoples-Jones and what we’ve been waiting to see from him. Those are plays that win big games.
Another, and one that everyone saw — great job by the line again handling a corner blitz with an end/tackle twist at 14-all in the second quarter. Patterson throws to Bell just out of bounds on the right sideline, but frosh back Zach Charbonnet had leaked into the flat alone. Would have been 40 to 50 yards, at least.
• Really nice blocking by Ruiz and right guard Mike Onwenu on U-M’s only long running play of the day, a 22-yarder by frosh Zach Charbonnet.
• At 14-all in the second quarter, Michigan starts twisting and stunting more on the d-line to confuse the Indiana front. But it’s more defensive end Josh Uche’s ability to beat his man that’s responsible for some of Peyton Ramsey’s bad throws. There are a few leaks on Ohio State’s line … Uche is going to have to have a big game. It’s there.
• The third and 20 in the third quarter … one of the best moments came in the second when fans were complaining about third and 20 saying “we must be the worst third and long team in the country”— and then ESPN shows the graphic that Brown’s defense is the best, allowing only 8.2 percent on third and seven or more.
• Dax Hill got more and more comfortable throughout the game. He’s so quick to break on the ball. He’s going to be special in the defensive backfield.
• Indiana’s pass defense isn’t good (though it ranked pretty well going into this game), but it was great seeing Michigan receivers gain separation. How many times have we said the last few years, “these guys can’t get open?” The route running still isn’t stick-a-foot-in-the-ground and lose a defender good, but they are finding holes in zones and Patterson is getting them the ball.
And one of the big differences between Nico Collins’ play earlier in the year and now — Patterson is putting the 50-50 balls where he can catch them and not five yards over his head.
• Uche is insane. Strip sack, blows up a third and one late in the second quarter. Bad man.
• Talk that Michigan went “conservative” at the end of the first half — no. They moved the ball from inside their own 20 to midfield, called a third and four run against tendency that didn’t work only because a linebacker made a great play and took several shots downfield, drawing a pass interference on one.
It was absolutely the right move to punt there, too, getting the ball back after half.
• Pass pro was outstanding again in the third quarter. Indiana’s corners were abysmal in jamming and slowing U-M’s receivers at the line, including Peoples-Jones on his long ball on the first drive of the second half. Theyr’e going to have to work a lot harder to get open against OSU’s physical corners.
• It worked for two yards, but still hate the wildcat to Haskins on third and fourth and short.
• Paye followed up a big sack by missing his assignment on Ramsey’s read option keeper on second and 29. Ramsey gets nine yards to set up the third and 20 … otherwise IU probably runs on third and long and punts. One of those “plays before the play” that make a difference. And the third and 20 stunk, but again … it doesn’t happen as often as you think it does. Junior corner Ambry Thomas thought the play was over.
• Mike Dwumfour’s penetration on fourth and one that led to a hold and a punt is one of the underrated plays of this game. IU was driving trying to cut it to one score — instead it’s Michigan ball after the punt, Collins touchdown two plays later, game no longer in doubt. U-M goes for the kill shot, but Bell drops it … then the stupid wildcat … then a punt.
But Uche’s strip sack sets up the Collins kill shot just like the previous week against Michigan State following the fake punt, game over. Love it.
Onward.
