Is more maddening watching it on review (video of the play below). Rutgers only sends out 3 receivers - the TE and the RB stay back to block on the play fake. Michigan only rushes 4 which means it's 7 v 4 in Rutgers's favor to stop the pass rush (note that Upshaw nearly gets to the QB but just can't quite turn the corner in time). So really it's up to the dbackfield here to stop this play (unless you feel that Michigan's DLine should prevail against 3 double teams a single 1 v 1 matchup), but that should be ok since it's 4 v 3 in Michigan's favor with Dax, Michigan's best athlete and defender, playing centerfield. All 3 of Michigan's LBs are bunched together in no man's land until they realize it is a pass - they're non-factors in this play.
The problem is Brad Hawkins. He lines up 6 yards from the slot receiver. Since Dax is behind him, this probably should signal to Rutgers that they shouldn't throw deep, they should throw short. Rutgers doesn't care: Hawkins gets absolutely torched by the slot receiver who is a good 5-9 yards away from Hawkins when he catches the ball. That's just ridiculous and something you'd expect from a linebacker not a safety. But then Dax Hill - who, again, is supposedly our best defensive athlete and player - has all day to either intercept the pass/bat it down or light up the receiver but does neither and never touches the guy or the ball and allows the slot receiver to make the play.
So Rutgers gets a big play because one safety got torched in the slot and Michigan's other safety missed an easy opportunity to at least bat the ball down. Didn't matter but Green and Gray had good coverage on their receivers.
The problem is Brad Hawkins. He lines up 6 yards from the slot receiver. Since Dax is behind him, this probably should signal to Rutgers that they shouldn't throw deep, they should throw short. Rutgers doesn't care: Hawkins gets absolutely torched by the slot receiver who is a good 5-9 yards away from Hawkins when he catches the ball. That's just ridiculous and something you'd expect from a linebacker not a safety. But then Dax Hill - who, again, is supposedly our best defensive athlete and player - has all day to either intercept the pass/bat it down or light up the receiver but does neither and never touches the guy or the ball and allows the slot receiver to make the play.
So Rutgers gets a big play because one safety got torched in the slot and Michigan's other safety missed an easy opportunity to at least bat the ball down. Didn't matter but Green and Gray had good coverage on their receivers.
