While every yard and every play counts, stats a bit deceiving today for this reason...

[maelfan]

and yes, great defenses learn to contain QB scrambles and rarely give up big plays....but...

CFU was 46-275 on the ground
91 of that came on three unplanned QB scrambles
87 came on one TD run, awful defense, must be fixed
34 on another TD run, awful defense, must be fixed

That's 5 mistakes in 46 carries. Again, not good.
The other 41 carries were for 63 yards.

So again. Major issues on those 5 plays. Major. Must get fixed.
But 63 yards on the other 41 carries (only 3 of which were sacks) is completely top notch.

 

[Reality Man]

Here is another way to look at the stats...the big plays came from a qb that could scramble and that speed plays worked against UM.

I don't think the end of the world occurred by any stretch but from my eyes it looks like UM got sloppy in some of the assignments and was just over aggressive trying to get to the qb.

Maybe some of this is on Brown but I'd like to see some more discipline and less sacks. I like an aggressive defense but not 85% of the time. How about back to about 55% of the time.

A tennis analogy. Less winners and less unforced errors.


RM

 

[maelfan]

Here is another way to look at the stats...the big plays came from a qb that could scramble and that speed plays worked against UM.

I don't think the end of the world occurred by any stretch but from my eyes it looks like UM got sloppy in some of the assignments and was just over aggressive trying to get to the qb.

Maybe some of this is on Brown but I'd like to see some more discipline and less sacks. I like an aggressive defense but not 85% of the time. How about back to about 55% of the time.

A tennis analogy. Less winners and less unforced errors.


RM

But to be fair and balanced as I tried to be, those were five mistakes that can't be made frequently and will cause losses vs. teams like MSU, OSU, Iowa and maybe a fourth slightly lesser team.

Having said that. Even with some of our average defenses,I don't remember 3 QB scrambles that averaged 30+ yards in the same game. Fluke? Maybe. Simply poor play/coaching? Maybe. Regardless, one must believe this will get cleaned up.

 

[Reality Man]

But to be fair and balanced as I tried to be, those were five mistakes that can't be made frequently and will cause losses vs. teams like MSU, OSU, Iowa and maybe a fourth slightly lesser team.

Having said that. Even with some of our average defenses,I don't remember 3 QB scrambles that averaged 30+ yards in the same game. Fluke? Maybe. Simply poor play/coaching? Maybe. Regardless, one must believe this will get cleaned up.

Fair enough. The question is whether anyone outside of OSU has the ability to make UM pay for those mistakes.

On a side note...look at the last recruiting class. Harbaugh goes out and gets Gil, Bush and Bosse. Very different lb'ers. I think Gedeon is solid but a typical Lloyd Carr lb'er.

McCray another big guy but not a spread lb'er. Peppers a guy is who is a high level speed guy who is built more for spread teams.

Point being made...Harbaugh is addressing this issue that different guys are needed in a program depending on the opponent. Too bad Bush isn't ready to play because you put him in with McCray and Peppers and UM probably plays more effectively.

Against Wiscy...then you might need Gedeon, McCray and Furbush.



RM

 

[goblue31602]

Fair enough. The question is whether anyone outside of OSU has the ability to make UM pay for those mistakes.

On a side note...look at the last recruiting class. Harbaugh goes out and gets Gil, Bush and Bosse. Very different lb'ers. I think Gedeon is solid but a typical Lloyd Carr lb'er.

McCray another big guy but not a spread lb'er. Peppers a guy is who is a high level speed guy who is built more for spread teams.

Point being made...Harbaugh is addressing this issue that different guys are needed in a program depending on the opponent. Too bad Bush isn't ready to play because you put him in with McCray and Peppers and UM probably plays more effectively.

Against Wiscy...then you might need Gedeon, McCray and Furbush.



RM

McCray is more athletic than any lb'er we have had in a long time. He may weigh a decent amount, but he is extremely athletic.

 

[jemblue]

87 came on one TD run, awful defense, must be fixed

Thomas definitely took a bad angle on that play, which turned it from a 20-some gain into 87-yard TD. But the play should have been called back - McCray was being held.