Michigan opponents noticed a difference in a Jim Harbaugh offense and players last season. What others talked about, he accomplished.
Given the chance to speak anonymously about the Wolverines at the Big Ten football meetings in Chicago, foes offered up a common theme. The 2015 team drew a clear line of demarcation from its predecessors in some very significant ways.
Those upgraded characteristics included, most notably: aggressiveness, toughness, and perseverance.
“The biggest difference is, they were competing, day-in and day-out, play-in and play-out,” one opponent insisted. “Before, you punched them in the mouth. You’d keep punching them in the mouth, and they’d lay down, eventually.
“But last year’s team, they didn’t do that. They rose up to the challenge.”
“They were playing more tough football,” another noted. “They ran the ball. They had the big fullback, I remember. It was just more physical football. They were a really good team with a lot of good athletes.”
The scheme of the offense also struck opponents as decidedly different from what they’d seen out of Michigan in recent years. While the Wolverines were trying a number of different approaches before, the 2015 crew appeared to know precisely what it wanted to accomplish and didn’t waver, several noted.
“They have a great scheme of knowing exactly who they were and following through with it,” one said. “It was a big change. I definitely think it was a big change. It was a whole different scheme. I felt like they tried to do a lot when we played them my first year, but last year they knew exactly who they were and they were sticking to it.”
“It was more power football,” another observer pointed out. “They’re more right at you. That was the main difference. It was more physical.”
“They were more aggressive,” a third stressed. “Their offensive line was more aggressive, and they did more down-down blocks, more doubling guys. That was one of the different things they did.
“They ran more 0-3 personnel or 13 personnel, more power personnel types of things. In 2014, it was more spread it out. They didn’t run too much power, like they did this last year. They ran a lot of power this year – a LOT of power.
“In 2014, they ran a little bit, but they tried to spread it out with Devin Gardner and Shane Morris. That was one of the biggest things I saw.
“I can definitely see why they were better. They were more aggressive doing the double teams. They had a new fullback, with long hair coming out of his helmet [Sione Houma] … he pounded it.
“They were bringing big guys. They wanted to pound it, pound the ball. That’s the thing they did different.”
In addition to the Sampson-like Houma, a number of Michigan’s other players on offense drew mentions, including one moonlighting on that side of the football.
“That offense was WAY more efficient, it seemed,” a foe observed. “They’re getting playmakers involved, having Jabrill [Peppers] play both ways. They’ve got a great tight end in Jake Butt. They’re letting their players make plays, man.”
“Peppers came in, and obviously he’s a player,” another said. “You’ve got a team with a lot of confidence, and they had a good year. They had great direction.”
“Peppers is a pretty good player,” a third noted. “They’ve got a solid tight end over there, too, in Jake Butt. They stepped up last year, in big times and in big moments.”
Senior tailback De’Veon Smith is also one to watch, and no fun to tackle, admitted one Big Ten defender.
“Oh, he runs hard,” the linebacker offered. “He picks up his knees when he runs, and that’s always good for a running back.
“They’re going to be smashmouth football, a downhill-type team. We’re going to run it and you can’t stop us. Once you stop it, we’ll spread it out. But when they spread it out, they’ll still try to run the ball.”
“They attacked us in different ways,” another mentioned. “Obviously, Devin Gardner was pretty good, a dual-threat type of deal. But there was a lot of confidence about them last year. They’re a good team.”
“You’re talking about Big Ten, you’re talking about power football. It’s big-boy, power football. They’ve got guys returning, and they got a year better. That’s going to yield great results.”
In addition, coaching showed itself in some ways, Big Ten defenders insisted, particularly when it came to Michigan’s quarterback play.
“Their quarterback was making a lot of great decisions,” one said. “There were a few times I almost had a sack, and he did just what you’re supposed to do with the ball.”
“As long as you’ve got a guy like Harbaugh, they’ll be fine,” another opined. “Harbaugh played at Michigan. He was a quarterback there, had a great career. He can develop quarterbacks.”
There was a general recognition that Michigan’s offensive effectiveness dropped off when Rudock was out of the game, Wilton Speight’s effort in a game-winning drive at Minnesota notwithstanding. Also, the Wolverines struggles to run the ball in the latter portion of the season didn’t do unnoticed.
But time after time, foes noted Michigan’s insistence on playing a harder-edged brand of football, which they acknowledged makes the Wolverines a much more difficult opponent.
Then there’s Harbaugh himself. He dominated the landscape in Chicago, like he tends to do everywhere. There wasn’t any sign of Pat Fitzgerald, Chris Ash or Mark Dantonio throwing out the first pitch prior to a Chicago Cubs game, like Harbaugh did.
Nor did reporters swarm around others in as great a crowd as they did the Michigan coach, whether to inquire about his suit, tie and baseball cap ensemble, or to try and repeatedly challenge him on behalf of OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith and the entire Buckeye state.
Players notice … for better or worse.
“He’s proven himself to be a great coach,” one said. “He’s got a ways to go to be known up there with Urban Meyer, but he’s proved to be a great coach at the NFL level. He’s doing some great things, for only being here a year at this level.
“I know a lot of people won’t like him, for whatever reason, but he’s doing a great job. I was a big fan of Harbaugh when he was in San Francisco. I might be the wrong person to ask.”
Another clearly won’t be wearing khakis on game day any time soon.
“He gets attention,” the player grudgingly acknowledged. “That’s what he does. He’s obviously energetic, and that works for him. That’s awesome.
“Oh yeah, it irritates a lot of people. But what are you going to do? It is what it is. It’s a competitive sport. You want somebody moping around? So respect to who he is and the things he’s done.
“When Saturday hits, Saturday hits.”
Given the chance to speak anonymously about the Wolverines at the Big Ten football meetings in Chicago, foes offered up a common theme. The 2015 team drew a clear line of demarcation from its predecessors in some very significant ways.
Those upgraded characteristics included, most notably: aggressiveness, toughness, and perseverance.
“The biggest difference is, they were competing, day-in and day-out, play-in and play-out,” one opponent insisted. “Before, you punched them in the mouth. You’d keep punching them in the mouth, and they’d lay down, eventually.
“But last year’s team, they didn’t do that. They rose up to the challenge.”
“They were playing more tough football,” another noted. “They ran the ball. They had the big fullback, I remember. It was just more physical football. They were a really good team with a lot of good athletes.”
The scheme of the offense also struck opponents as decidedly different from what they’d seen out of Michigan in recent years. While the Wolverines were trying a number of different approaches before, the 2015 crew appeared to know precisely what it wanted to accomplish and didn’t waver, several noted.
“They have a great scheme of knowing exactly who they were and following through with it,” one said. “It was a big change. I definitely think it was a big change. It was a whole different scheme. I felt like they tried to do a lot when we played them my first year, but last year they knew exactly who they were and they were sticking to it.”
“It was more power football,” another observer pointed out. “They’re more right at you. That was the main difference. It was more physical.”
“They were more aggressive,” a third stressed. “Their offensive line was more aggressive, and they did more down-down blocks, more doubling guys. That was one of the different things they did.
“They ran more 0-3 personnel or 13 personnel, more power personnel types of things. In 2014, it was more spread it out. They didn’t run too much power, like they did this last year. They ran a lot of power this year – a LOT of power.
“In 2014, they ran a little bit, but they tried to spread it out with Devin Gardner and Shane Morris. That was one of the biggest things I saw.
“I can definitely see why they were better. They were more aggressive doing the double teams. They had a new fullback, with long hair coming out of his helmet [Sione Houma] … he pounded it.
“They were bringing big guys. They wanted to pound it, pound the ball. That’s the thing they did different.”
In addition to the Sampson-like Houma, a number of Michigan’s other players on offense drew mentions, including one moonlighting on that side of the football.
“That offense was WAY more efficient, it seemed,” a foe observed. “They’re getting playmakers involved, having Jabrill [Peppers] play both ways. They’ve got a great tight end in Jake Butt. They’re letting their players make plays, man.”
“Peppers came in, and obviously he’s a player,” another said. “You’ve got a team with a lot of confidence, and they had a good year. They had great direction.”
“Peppers is a pretty good player,” a third noted. “They’ve got a solid tight end over there, too, in Jake Butt. They stepped up last year, in big times and in big moments.”
Senior tailback De’Veon Smith is also one to watch, and no fun to tackle, admitted one Big Ten defender.
“Oh, he runs hard,” the linebacker offered. “He picks up his knees when he runs, and that’s always good for a running back.
“They’re going to be smashmouth football, a downhill-type team. We’re going to run it and you can’t stop us. Once you stop it, we’ll spread it out. But when they spread it out, they’ll still try to run the ball.”
“They attacked us in different ways,” another mentioned. “Obviously, Devin Gardner was pretty good, a dual-threat type of deal. But there was a lot of confidence about them last year. They’re a good team.”
“You’re talking about Big Ten, you’re talking about power football. It’s big-boy, power football. They’ve got guys returning, and they got a year better. That’s going to yield great results.”
In addition, coaching showed itself in some ways, Big Ten defenders insisted, particularly when it came to Michigan’s quarterback play.
“Their quarterback was making a lot of great decisions,” one said. “There were a few times I almost had a sack, and he did just what you’re supposed to do with the ball.”
“As long as you’ve got a guy like Harbaugh, they’ll be fine,” another opined. “Harbaugh played at Michigan. He was a quarterback there, had a great career. He can develop quarterbacks.”
There was a general recognition that Michigan’s offensive effectiveness dropped off when Rudock was out of the game, Wilton Speight’s effort in a game-winning drive at Minnesota notwithstanding. Also, the Wolverines struggles to run the ball in the latter portion of the season didn’t do unnoticed.
But time after time, foes noted Michigan’s insistence on playing a harder-edged brand of football, which they acknowledged makes the Wolverines a much more difficult opponent.
Then there’s Harbaugh himself. He dominated the landscape in Chicago, like he tends to do everywhere. There wasn’t any sign of Pat Fitzgerald, Chris Ash or Mark Dantonio throwing out the first pitch prior to a Chicago Cubs game, like Harbaugh did.
Nor did reporters swarm around others in as great a crowd as they did the Michigan coach, whether to inquire about his suit, tie and baseball cap ensemble, or to try and repeatedly challenge him on behalf of OSU Athletic Director Gene Smith and the entire Buckeye state.
Players notice … for better or worse.
“He’s proven himself to be a great coach,” one said. “He’s got a ways to go to be known up there with Urban Meyer, but he’s proved to be a great coach at the NFL level. He’s doing some great things, for only being here a year at this level.
“I know a lot of people won’t like him, for whatever reason, but he’s doing a great job. I was a big fan of Harbaugh when he was in San Francisco. I might be the wrong person to ask.”
Another clearly won’t be wearing khakis on game day any time soon.
“He gets attention,” the player grudgingly acknowledged. “That’s what he does. He’s obviously energetic, and that works for him. That’s awesome.
“Oh yeah, it irritates a lot of people. But what are you going to do? It is what it is. It’s a competitive sport. You want somebody moping around? So respect to who he is and the things he’s done.
“When Saturday hits, Saturday hits.”
