What we picked up on film after watching film of Michigan’s 42-25 win at Illinois …
First off … great job bringing the fight to a team that didn’t want to be there. Illinois is a bad football team, probably second only to Rutgers in the Big Ten bad, and U-M hammered them in the run game early to set the tone — as they should have, given Illinois’ standing as one of the worst run defense teams in the country.
Redshirt freshman Hassan Haskins’ 29-yard touchdown run should have been about a five-yard gain for first down, but horrible safety play (we saw it all day from the Illini) turned it into a score. One tackler was going for the strip instead of a tackle, and the safety does a fly-by … six points.
Michigan’s first defensive series was outstanding - and different. D.C. Don Brown doesn’t call for a single blitz, and it’s clear Illinois’ line is going to have trouble with U-M’s ends (and tackles Mike Dwumfour and Carlo Kemp on the interior) from the get-go. The line is doing a great job resetting the line of scrimmage and holding the edge on stretch plays.
On the running plays on which the Illini do have success, redshirt freshman linebacker Cam McGrone (who played an otherwise great game) seemed to struggle with some fits or assignments. He’s a redshirt freshman and will continue to improve.
Other thoughts:
• A great first play by Nick Eubanks. In all honestly, he looked like freshman Erick All with the way he attacked the defensive end and created a crease for freshman running back Zac Charbonnet. Eubanks was better as a blocker Saturday.
• You could tell on the first series the wind (south to north) was going to be an issue for both teams heading into it. As sophomore receiver Ronnie Bell said, “it was gross.” If you don’t throw a tight spiral (and despite what head coach Jim Harbaugh said, senior quarterback Shea Patterson doesn’t), it was going to be an issue.
The wind got a couple of Patterson’s ducks on slants and took them like kites. One was nearly picked; another was behind the receiver.
Patterson had some good moments, and he would have been 15-of-22 compared to 11-of-22 if his receivers had made some of the tough catches (and a couple easy ones). Tight end Nick Eubanks had two, including one easy one. Junior Donovan Peoples-Jones is lauded as elite, but we’re still waiting for the elite catches. Patterson overthrew him a bit on one throw to the end zone, but elite receivers make the diving catch there.
But the offense continues to hurt itself. The fumbles are inexcusable. Patterson’s drop to start the second half set the tone for the stanza, a second-and-14 that led to a short punt against the wind and one mistake after another. In addition to the passes mentioned, he missed fullback Ben Mason on a well designed play that ended with Mason picking up a stupid penalty. He also failed to keep a few times on the read option, including a fourth and two play up 35-25 in which he could have walked in to the end zone but handed off instead.
Those are mistakes he can’t make against the better teams on the schedule.
He also panicked in a clean pocket a few times, including once when he ran up in and and stepped back and still had a pocket. He ended up throwing the ball away.
He also had the screen pass in the first quarter that could have been picked and returned for a score when Peoples-Jones was uncovered in the left flat. He seemed to hurry it.
He was also late on a few throws, including on the securing TD drive to Peoples-Jones. A better DB picks that and puts his team ahead. He’s got to make that throw earlier and in stride. Peoples-Jones would have scored.
• As for Mason, he had one really nice lead block on Haskins’ run, and they used him a lot more this week as a fullback. He was generally out of control and running past his assignment, lunging to make up for it. He needs to be better there. For all the praise he’s gotten for being physical, he’s often not getting the hat on hat you need to take a linebacker (for example) out of the play.
• Happy for grad transfer Mike Danna, who continues to progress. He sniffed out a screen pass to force a grounding and later forced the fumble that Kemp recovered at the one to salt the game away. He plays with a high motor … so does everyone on this defense, on almost every play.
The offense — watch how senior left guard Ben Bredeson attacks every play. That’s what we want to see from every lineman, every play. Redshirt frosh right tackle Jalen Mayfield is getting it. The entire line got it on a fourth and two keeper by Shea Patterson in the fourth quarter with U-M up 28-25.
The urgency with which they blocked on that play is how you’d love to see them play every down … and how you’re going to see PSU bring it every down on Saturday night like they did at Iowa. That’s the kind of intensity it’s going to take to win that game.
Mayfield missed a few assignments, but he had a couple early pancakes that helped set the tone. Senior Mike Onwenu had a nice game. If he played with Bredeson’s intensity on every play he’d be a star.
• Loved the touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker. The redshirt freshman looks good. Were there linemen downfield, though, on the play? Should that have been flagged?
• Senior linebacker Khaleke Hudson had a pretty solid game.
• Eubanks’ second-and-14 drop on the second play of the half … just can’t happen. That was one of Patterson’s best throws of the game. Those are drive enders.
Ronnie Bell is this team’s best all-around receiver. He plays his ass off, blocks his ass off and is one of those guys on offense who never takes a play off, plays to the whistle, just like every guy on the defense. They still need that from more guys on offense.
• Two huge gaffes in the secondary — Josh Metellus losing the ball on a third and long, 35-yard pass over Vincent Gray. That should have been a pick. And a first and 20 receiver screen on which it appeared Brad Hawkins got caught and allowed a huge gain that set up an Illinois touchdown.
Hawkins has been really good this year. If that was on him, it’s one of the few mistakes he’s made on the back end this year. Regardless … can’t happen.
• They need to tighten up the defense on tunnel screens. Jordan Glasgow (who was outstanding) played those well, but it was five yards every time. Better teams will get more.
• Finally, sophomore end Aidan Hutchinson is special. His pressure really forced the Danna fumble play, and he was all over the field down the stretch.
Onward.
First off … great job bringing the fight to a team that didn’t want to be there. Illinois is a bad football team, probably second only to Rutgers in the Big Ten bad, and U-M hammered them in the run game early to set the tone — as they should have, given Illinois’ standing as one of the worst run defense teams in the country.
Redshirt freshman Hassan Haskins’ 29-yard touchdown run should have been about a five-yard gain for first down, but horrible safety play (we saw it all day from the Illini) turned it into a score. One tackler was going for the strip instead of a tackle, and the safety does a fly-by … six points.
Michigan’s first defensive series was outstanding - and different. D.C. Don Brown doesn’t call for a single blitz, and it’s clear Illinois’ line is going to have trouble with U-M’s ends (and tackles Mike Dwumfour and Carlo Kemp on the interior) from the get-go. The line is doing a great job resetting the line of scrimmage and holding the edge on stretch plays.
On the running plays on which the Illini do have success, redshirt freshman linebacker Cam McGrone (who played an otherwise great game) seemed to struggle with some fits or assignments. He’s a redshirt freshman and will continue to improve.
Other thoughts:
• A great first play by Nick Eubanks. In all honestly, he looked like freshman Erick All with the way he attacked the defensive end and created a crease for freshman running back Zac Charbonnet. Eubanks was better as a blocker Saturday.
• You could tell on the first series the wind (south to north) was going to be an issue for both teams heading into it. As sophomore receiver Ronnie Bell said, “it was gross.” If you don’t throw a tight spiral (and despite what head coach Jim Harbaugh said, senior quarterback Shea Patterson doesn’t), it was going to be an issue.
The wind got a couple of Patterson’s ducks on slants and took them like kites. One was nearly picked; another was behind the receiver.
Patterson had some good moments, and he would have been 15-of-22 compared to 11-of-22 if his receivers had made some of the tough catches (and a couple easy ones). Tight end Nick Eubanks had two, including one easy one. Junior Donovan Peoples-Jones is lauded as elite, but we’re still waiting for the elite catches. Patterson overthrew him a bit on one throw to the end zone, but elite receivers make the diving catch there.
But the offense continues to hurt itself. The fumbles are inexcusable. Patterson’s drop to start the second half set the tone for the stanza, a second-and-14 that led to a short punt against the wind and one mistake after another. In addition to the passes mentioned, he missed fullback Ben Mason on a well designed play that ended with Mason picking up a stupid penalty. He also failed to keep a few times on the read option, including a fourth and two play up 35-25 in which he could have walked in to the end zone but handed off instead.
Those are mistakes he can’t make against the better teams on the schedule.
He also panicked in a clean pocket a few times, including once when he ran up in and and stepped back and still had a pocket. He ended up throwing the ball away.
He also had the screen pass in the first quarter that could have been picked and returned for a score when Peoples-Jones was uncovered in the left flat. He seemed to hurry it.
He was also late on a few throws, including on the securing TD drive to Peoples-Jones. A better DB picks that and puts his team ahead. He’s got to make that throw earlier and in stride. Peoples-Jones would have scored.
• As for Mason, he had one really nice lead block on Haskins’ run, and they used him a lot more this week as a fullback. He was generally out of control and running past his assignment, lunging to make up for it. He needs to be better there. For all the praise he’s gotten for being physical, he’s often not getting the hat on hat you need to take a linebacker (for example) out of the play.
• Happy for grad transfer Mike Danna, who continues to progress. He sniffed out a screen pass to force a grounding and later forced the fumble that Kemp recovered at the one to salt the game away. He plays with a high motor … so does everyone on this defense, on almost every play.
The offense — watch how senior left guard Ben Bredeson attacks every play. That’s what we want to see from every lineman, every play. Redshirt frosh right tackle Jalen Mayfield is getting it. The entire line got it on a fourth and two keeper by Shea Patterson in the fourth quarter with U-M up 28-25.
The urgency with which they blocked on that play is how you’d love to see them play every down … and how you’re going to see PSU bring it every down on Saturday night like they did at Iowa. That’s the kind of intensity it’s going to take to win that game.
Mayfield missed a few assignments, but he had a couple early pancakes that helped set the tone. Senior Mike Onwenu had a nice game. If he played with Bredeson’s intensity on every play he’d be a star.
• Loved the touchdown pass to Luke Schoonmaker. The redshirt freshman looks good. Were there linemen downfield, though, on the play? Should that have been flagged?
• Senior linebacker Khaleke Hudson had a pretty solid game.
• Eubanks’ second-and-14 drop on the second play of the half … just can’t happen. That was one of Patterson’s best throws of the game. Those are drive enders.
Ronnie Bell is this team’s best all-around receiver. He plays his ass off, blocks his ass off and is one of those guys on offense who never takes a play off, plays to the whistle, just like every guy on the defense. They still need that from more guys on offense.
• Two huge gaffes in the secondary — Josh Metellus losing the ball on a third and long, 35-yard pass over Vincent Gray. That should have been a pick. And a first and 20 receiver screen on which it appeared Brad Hawkins got caught and allowed a huge gain that set up an Illinois touchdown.
Hawkins has been really good this year. If that was on him, it’s one of the few mistakes he’s made on the back end this year. Regardless … can’t happen.
• They need to tighten up the defense on tunnel screens. Jordan Glasgow (who was outstanding) played those well, but it was five yards every time. Better teams will get more.
• Finally, sophomore end Aidan Hutchinson is special. His pressure really forced the Danna fumble play, and he was all over the field down the stretch.
Onward.
