Thoughts after watching the film of Michigan's 56-10 blowout win over Nebraska ...
Junior defensive end Rashan Gray played the first half like we’ve always known he can … he took over and dominated. But his first big play, a second down option left, he gets a really nice assist from junior safety Josh Metellus, who sniffed out the option and closed quickly to turn the ball carrier back inside to Gary. Gary finished it with great pursuit to the ball carrier and an ability to stop on a dime and thorw him down.
The next play, a desperation, thorw to the middle heave by Adrian Martinez on which he was flushed right by a blitzing Jordan Glasgow (playing for Khaleke Hudson), was the third worst safety play of the year. Senior Tyree Kinnel should have had a pick but lost the ball and went behind the receiver.
It happens. The safeties played an otherwise very good game (especially Metellus), so no need for “the safeties stink.” Ffith-year senior corner Brandon Watson didn’t play it well, either.
• Jordan Glasgow played well other than not being able to finish a sack … and getting sucked inside on the famous “turning point” interception by Josh Metellus. Great job by fifth-year senior Lawrence Marshall to get a big paw up and just enough penetration to knock the ball in the air, because Glasgow bit on play action and lost his man. And yeah, he might well have scored, though junior corner David Long was already starting to give chase.
At the same time, the way U-M dominated the line of scrimmage throughout, give the Cornhuskers the points and Michigan still runs away with it.
• No idea what the Nebraska strongside linebacker is doing on senior running back Karan Higdon’s first big gainer on the Cornhuskers’ first drive. He was unblocked when redshirt junior tight tend Zach Gentry (either an M/A or by design?) helped left tackle Jon Runyan on the defensive end, but got caught watching a blitzing safety get obliterated and pancaked by pulling guard Ben Bredeson.
We’ll break this play down with Doug Skene this week for In The Trenches.
On Higdon’s second big run, a 44-yard touchdown on the same play, the same linebacker gets caught peeking inside and is finished off by Gentry. Sophomore receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones got a great block on the safety, and the corner played it poorly and gave up the edge. Great log block by left tackle Runyan and by Ruiz to create the hole.
• Great job by the tight ends to finish the drive. Both Gentry and McKeon pushed their guys back several yards on a third and two run by sophomore running back Ben Mason (Nick Eubanks, too). We predicted last week we’d see more of him.
The guy is impossible to stop when he gets up a head of steam. “Inertia,” as head coach Jim Harbaugh would call it. And what a push by the O-line on the fullback dive to finish the score. Sophomore center Cesar Ruiz wasn’t content until his belt buckle was in a flattened defender’s face and he let him know about it after the play.
• Martinez was already skittish on the second drive. Devin Bush’s penetration from the left edge forced him to throw early to a leaking tailback, and it came up short. Probalby would have gone for 10 or 15 yards otherwise with sophomore linebacker Josh Ross closing fast.
• Glasgow’s first sack at 9:50 was one more than Hudson had put up all year. U-M also had him lined up on a slot at 9:00, and it looked like the slant was there. We didn’t see many attempts against last week’s perceived weakness. When they went to it against Kinnel in the third quarter, it worked for nine yards on a first down.
• Early running success had Nebraska running downhill on play action. Higdon absolutely stood up a blitzing linebacker on a third down conversion pass to Gentry, and Patterson showed great courage standing in the pocket knowing he was going to take a hit from a blitzing safety.
• A third and eight from the Nebraska 30 … great cut by Tru Wilson to the outside. Michigan backs have had trouble with vision plays like this over the past several years.
• Junior linebacker Devin Bush has the best combination of being the fastest and most instinctual linebacker we’ve seen. His closing speed after reading a first quarter screen and ability to catch a running back for a one-yard gain after giving him a head start in the third quarter … just amazing.
Credit redshirt junior Mike Dwumfour for making Martinez throw the ball early on the screen, too. Dwumfour got nice penetration much of the day.
• Redshirt frosh receiver Oliver Martin has a long way to go as a blocker on the perimeter. McKeon got beat once to the inside, too, on a bubble screen. Martin was tackled on a first down play action pass at the end of the first quarter, a nice post. No call.
• Great play by gunner Jake McCurry on special teams to force the fumble on the punt that really opened the floodgates. That kid is a great addition as a walk-on. He also had the block that helped Peoples-Jones finish his punt return TD.
• Michigan’s defensive front played with great passion. Relentless. Josh Uche was corralled on the edge (by the neck) after he beat a tackle. No call, but there was great coverage downfield and Dwumfour made a great play when Martinez scrambled. Again, really nice game by him.
• Special teams are incredible in all areas. Coverage, return, Will Hart’s punting, Jake Moody’s kickoffs. Not sure why Harbaugh didn’t try the 59-yard field goal with Nordin to end the half, but officials are letting more and more arm bars go in coverage. Nico Collins actually had his arm grabbed and then was hit early on the fourth and seven bomb to the goal line.
• You ‘hear’ football when Ben Mason blocks somebody. And frosh left tackle Jalen Mayfield finishes his blocks.
• So much more separation by receivers this year. They’ve especially gotten good on the dig routes, coming back for the ball for first down yardage. Tip of the cap to Jim McElwain.
• Tru Wilson is not Mike Hart, but he plays with his mentality and has many of the same mannerisms. And his pass blocking is the best we’ve seen since Hart at the position … and it’s not close. Maybe not saying much, but still.
• Complete and total physical butt kicking on both sides by a focused team.
Onward.
Junior defensive end Rashan Gray played the first half like we’ve always known he can … he took over and dominated. But his first big play, a second down option left, he gets a really nice assist from junior safety Josh Metellus, who sniffed out the option and closed quickly to turn the ball carrier back inside to Gary. Gary finished it with great pursuit to the ball carrier and an ability to stop on a dime and thorw him down.
The next play, a desperation, thorw to the middle heave by Adrian Martinez on which he was flushed right by a blitzing Jordan Glasgow (playing for Khaleke Hudson), was the third worst safety play of the year. Senior Tyree Kinnel should have had a pick but lost the ball and went behind the receiver.
It happens. The safeties played an otherwise very good game (especially Metellus), so no need for “the safeties stink.” Ffith-year senior corner Brandon Watson didn’t play it well, either.
• Jordan Glasgow played well other than not being able to finish a sack … and getting sucked inside on the famous “turning point” interception by Josh Metellus. Great job by fifth-year senior Lawrence Marshall to get a big paw up and just enough penetration to knock the ball in the air, because Glasgow bit on play action and lost his man. And yeah, he might well have scored, though junior corner David Long was already starting to give chase.
At the same time, the way U-M dominated the line of scrimmage throughout, give the Cornhuskers the points and Michigan still runs away with it.
• No idea what the Nebraska strongside linebacker is doing on senior running back Karan Higdon’s first big gainer on the Cornhuskers’ first drive. He was unblocked when redshirt junior tight tend Zach Gentry (either an M/A or by design?) helped left tackle Jon Runyan on the defensive end, but got caught watching a blitzing safety get obliterated and pancaked by pulling guard Ben Bredeson.
We’ll break this play down with Doug Skene this week for In The Trenches.
On Higdon’s second big run, a 44-yard touchdown on the same play, the same linebacker gets caught peeking inside and is finished off by Gentry. Sophomore receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones got a great block on the safety, and the corner played it poorly and gave up the edge. Great log block by left tackle Runyan and by Ruiz to create the hole.
• Great job by the tight ends to finish the drive. Both Gentry and McKeon pushed their guys back several yards on a third and two run by sophomore running back Ben Mason (Nick Eubanks, too). We predicted last week we’d see more of him.
The guy is impossible to stop when he gets up a head of steam. “Inertia,” as head coach Jim Harbaugh would call it. And what a push by the O-line on the fullback dive to finish the score. Sophomore center Cesar Ruiz wasn’t content until his belt buckle was in a flattened defender’s face and he let him know about it after the play.
• Martinez was already skittish on the second drive. Devin Bush’s penetration from the left edge forced him to throw early to a leaking tailback, and it came up short. Probalby would have gone for 10 or 15 yards otherwise with sophomore linebacker Josh Ross closing fast.
• Glasgow’s first sack at 9:50 was one more than Hudson had put up all year. U-M also had him lined up on a slot at 9:00, and it looked like the slant was there. We didn’t see many attempts against last week’s perceived weakness. When they went to it against Kinnel in the third quarter, it worked for nine yards on a first down.
• Early running success had Nebraska running downhill on play action. Higdon absolutely stood up a blitzing linebacker on a third down conversion pass to Gentry, and Patterson showed great courage standing in the pocket knowing he was going to take a hit from a blitzing safety.
• A third and eight from the Nebraska 30 … great cut by Tru Wilson to the outside. Michigan backs have had trouble with vision plays like this over the past several years.
• Junior linebacker Devin Bush has the best combination of being the fastest and most instinctual linebacker we’ve seen. His closing speed after reading a first quarter screen and ability to catch a running back for a one-yard gain after giving him a head start in the third quarter … just amazing.
Credit redshirt junior Mike Dwumfour for making Martinez throw the ball early on the screen, too. Dwumfour got nice penetration much of the day.
• Redshirt frosh receiver Oliver Martin has a long way to go as a blocker on the perimeter. McKeon got beat once to the inside, too, on a bubble screen. Martin was tackled on a first down play action pass at the end of the first quarter, a nice post. No call.
• Great play by gunner Jake McCurry on special teams to force the fumble on the punt that really opened the floodgates. That kid is a great addition as a walk-on. He also had the block that helped Peoples-Jones finish his punt return TD.
• Michigan’s defensive front played with great passion. Relentless. Josh Uche was corralled on the edge (by the neck) after he beat a tackle. No call, but there was great coverage downfield and Dwumfour made a great play when Martinez scrambled. Again, really nice game by him.
• Special teams are incredible in all areas. Coverage, return, Will Hart’s punting, Jake Moody’s kickoffs. Not sure why Harbaugh didn’t try the 59-yard field goal with Nordin to end the half, but officials are letting more and more arm bars go in coverage. Nico Collins actually had his arm grabbed and then was hit early on the fourth and seven bomb to the goal line.
• You ‘hear’ football when Ben Mason blocks somebody. And frosh left tackle Jalen Mayfield finishes his blocks.
• So much more separation by receivers this year. They’ve especially gotten good on the dig routes, coming back for the ball for first down yardage. Tip of the cap to Jim McElwain.
• Tru Wilson is not Mike Hart, but he plays with his mentality and has many of the same mannerisms. And his pass blocking is the best we’ve seen since Hart at the position … and it’s not close. Maybe not saying much, but still.
• Complete and total physical butt kicking on both sides by a focused team.
Onward.
