Proof Positive...

[Reality Man]

This 8 men in the box rationale is basically garbage. It doesn't stand up to scrutiny by watching the tape. Here is the challenge. Tell me if you see something different than what I see below.

1st running play. Cole gets beat.
2nd running play. Braden gets beat
3rd running play. Combination of Braden and Hill (whiffing on block)
4th running play. Magnuson shifts to the right side and gets tossed.
5th running play. Kalis completely misses his block.


UM was running initially to the left side and then tried to run on the right side. Nothing worked because guys weren't run blocking well.

It's hard to find lineman who can both run and pass block. The film doesn't lie. Check it out.


RM

 

[JP2Blue]

This was not a good performance from the OL and you have to be concerned.
Braden is a liability.
Kalis has never been good, nor has he improved much.
UCF did have a good DL but, c'mon they dominated the run game. Even with the passing game working, we still couldn't run the ball.
Our defense was also somewhat exposed in that they're was a big hole in the middle of the defense which allowed the QB to run for 30 yards at a time. I'm sure adjustments will be made here, but all the hype about Gedeon seems to be just that, hype.

 

[ChicagoBlueFan]

This was not a good performance from the OL and you have to be concerned.
Braden is a liability.
Kalis has never been good, nor has he improved much.
UCF did have a good DL but, c'mon they dominated the run game. Even with the passing game working, we still couldn't run the ball.
Our defense was also somewhat exposed in that they're was a big hole in the middle of the defense which allowed the QB to run for 30 yards at a time. I'm sure adjustments will be made here, but all the hype about Gedeon seems to be just that, hype.

O line has been mostly awful for years now. It could be that Kalis/Braden/Magnuson just can't shake off the Clappy/Funk taint. Those 2 years of awful coaching and 0 expectations may just be too ingrained.

 

[JP2Blue]

On the other hand you have to love our coaches mentality of "If you're going to take away the run, we aren't afraid to throw all day on you"...Gotta give them credit for that. Some would have been too stubborn still insisting on ramming it down their throat.

 

[Reality Man]

On the other hand you have to love our coaches mentality of "If you're going to take away the run, we aren't afraid to throw all day on you"...Gotta give them credit for that. Some would have been too stubborn still insisting on ramming it down their throat.

Agreed. I think this team can pass block somewhat and Speight looks like he can get rid of the ball in most cases.

Here is what my gut tells me based on what I see. Bredeson is going to eventually take over for Braden. Braden just isn't a guard. He is too big and guys are too quick for him.

I also believe Onwenu is going to get more PT. The guards are really killing UM because most teams have their quickest DL inside in order to get into the gaps. Braden is a liability and Kalis just struggles mightily when he has to pull.

UM solves it's guard problems (Bredeson/Onwenu) then things can turn around. Really starting to believe (as Marcus Ray said) that some of these guys can't be coached. It's a lack of talent and they are busts.

As Ray said...against more athletic defensive fronts they are going to struggle.



RM

 

[Reality Man]

Now I watched another 4 run plays...the next 4 if I am not mistaken. The blocking was much better BUT Bredeson was the guard and not Braden. Most of them were short yardage so there was no pulling on the part of Kalis.

The point is if Bredeson plays and Kalis doesn't have to go out and search for a block then things function. Anytime Kalis has to move then problems arise.

Bottom line is there are all sorts of positives on this team. The wr's are really good. Butt is really good. Smith isn't a starting BT championship player but he blocks well. Isaac and Evans are probably good enough to win at this level.

The line can pass block and some guys need to lose their jobs (Braden). This isn't some all world line but they can be competent with the right mix. Speight has done a really good job and hopefully he continues to develop. Some limitations but he is good enough to win at this level with the right team...and this team has enough talent.

The DL is fine. The linebackers are good (Gedeon is better than Bolden ) but don't have a lot of depth. So this team is pretty damn good especially if Speight plays to his ability and UM gets better productions out of the guards.



RM

 

[jemblue]

Keep in mind, on the OL you can have four guys perfectly do their jobs and the play blow up if the fifth one didn't do his. They'll get better as they get more used to playing together and getting all on the same page. At this point in the season they're going to make some mistakes.

 

[michigangoblue999]

It wasn't a great rushing performance, but the line kept Speight clean most of the day throwing the deep ball. Speight did something that we didn't really know he could do - throw the deep ball well and rack up 300+ yards through the air. Threw 4 TDs and didn't turn the ball over. I mean, that is outstanding. I feel a lot better about him than I did.

The line is what it is. It's too late for most of those guys to turn into Harbaugh linemen. It's going to take a couple years before we see the Stanford line he built. In the meantime, I like that he scrapped the game plan and went to the air. Hoke (and Carr for that matter) would have kept running the ball even when it wasn't working. Instead of winning by 37, it probably would have been a 14 point game or so.

 

[goblue31602]

This was not a good performance from the OL and you have to be concerned.
Braden is a liability.
Kalis has never been good, nor has he improved much.
UCF did have a good DL but, c'mon they dominated the run game. Even with the passing game working, we still couldn't run the ball.
Our defense was also somewhat exposed in that they're was a big hole in the middle of the defense which allowed the QB to run for 30 yards at a time. I'm sure adjustments will be made here, but all the hype about Gedeon seems to be just that, hype.

The OL was bad on the first few drives, but they improved. UCF sold out to stop the run and dared Speight to beat them with his arm. He obliged and torched them. If you watch their safeties, they are thinking run first, and are then out of position on passing plays. Not to mention we have been extremely vanilla on offense. We have packages and formations that haven't even seen the light of day yet, as we have had no reason to show our hand yet. Once this team decides to be more diverse, I don't think you're going to see the same results.

UCF had a few good long runs, however on the longest one, McCray was absolutely held, and we had our third string DE in who did not contain the edge on that side. Sure, Dymonte Thomas took a bad angle, but it's not the end of the world.

We didn't respect their QB as a runner, so we didn't do anything to spy him. When we were in man coverage, there were huge gaps and everyone had their backs turned allowing the chunk yardage. Against other running QBs, I HIGHLY doubt we look the same on those plays.

 

[ArrowheadBlue]

I think all of your "comments" will be tested this Saturday.

 

[detroitjohn]

On the other hand you have to love our coaches mentality of "If you're going to take away the run, we aren't afraid to throw all day on you"...Gotta give them credit for that. Some would have been too stubborn still insisting on ramming it down their throat.

Under Carr and Hoke, we'd have banged into that line all day. We now have a coach that can develop QBs that can take what the defense gives. On the other hand, I agree the OL's play is again a concern in the running game. Why these OL seniors cannot put it together is vexing!

 

[goblue31602]

Under Carr and Hoke, we'd have banged into that line all day. We now have a coach that can develop QBs that can take what the defense gives. On the other hand, I agree the OL's play is again a concern in the running game. Why these OL seniors cannot put it together is vexing!

A lot of our issues (after the first few series) were because of missed blocks by TEs, WRs, and RBs.

 

[detroitjohn]

A lot of our issues (after the first few series) were because of missed blocks by TEs, WRs, and RBs.

I confess to not watching the game tape (I was in attendance), but it looked like the holes were frequently not there at the line of scrimmage, from the looks of it on the interior. Evans and Smith had to dodge and weave even to get past the line.

 

[goblue31602]

I confess to not watching the game tape (I was in attendance), but it looked like the holes were frequently not there at the line of scrimmage, from the looks of it on the interior. Evans and Smith had to dodge and weave even to get past the line.

One of the run game struggles was an issue that has haunted us for a while. We open a hole and our RB chooses to go elsewhere....

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that our run game was hunky dory, but there are a LOT of factors to look at, such as where the missed blocks came from, how many guys were run blitzing, the RB choosing the right hole, etc. I also think that Harbaugh intentionally put his offense in tough situations once the game was in hand (it took us 18 minutes to go up 31-0). As we built that lead, we were having zero issues moving the ball.

 

[Reality Man]

I agree with Skene. The OL was facing a stacked box which is why the passing game was so effective on some level.

That being said...leaving off Butt and Hill...there is a problem at left guard. One guy causes problems for half the running plays depending on the play call. Note how UM runs Hill off the right side behind Kalis in short yardage situations. Teams are going to stack that side in goal line defenses.

Smith needs a hole. If UM can be an average running team and Speight is good at qb having all those receiving options...this team is tough to beat unless you are Alabama. Maybe throw OSU into the equation but this defense can slow down the Buckeyes.


RM

 

[michigangoblue999]

I really don't give a damn if we run the ball or not if we are blowing the doors off the opponent.

Everybody else on the schedule found out that if you sell out to stop the run, Speight is going to torch you. I am very impressed with his accuracy. That is why he won the job, and there is still a ton of improvement that Harbaugh will squeeze out of him. Yes, UCF sucks, but he was making the throws and putting the ball where the receiver could get yardage after the catch.

 

[ChicagoBlueFan]

I really don't give a damn if we run the ball or not if we are blowing the doors off the opponent.

Everybody else on the schedule found out that if you sell out to stop the run, Speight is going to torch you. I am very impressed with his accuracy. That is why he won the job, and there is still a ton of improvement that Harbaugh will squeeze out of him. Yes, UCF sucks, but he was making the throws and putting the ball where the receiver could get yardage after the catch.

AGP. I feel a lot better with Speight and the passing game than I did after JH named him the starter.