Upon Further Review 2015: Defense vs BYU Comment Count

Brian

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FORMATION NOTES: Hello dime package. Michigan spent most of the day in it. This was probably the most common setup:

30 dime buck

30 dime slide

Michigan has three guys in a three-point stance along the line with Ojemudia flanking them as a standup end; behind are Desmond Morgan and Jabrill Peppers. Most of the time Peppers went into coverage and left the front five to win one on one matchups, which they almost universally did.

The other very common formation was one that's pretty similar but again has the "buck" lined up just off the nose tackle.

dime buck

dime buck

Michigan would insert Ojemudia or RJS at various places along the line.

I called formations on which Michigan was clearly going into man coverage with another player while Peppers was added to the box "nickel 3-4."

nickel 3-4

Yes, those are two actual LBs. When BYU added their fullback Bolden would come in.

This with nobody backing the line on the snap was "5-0 dime":

5-0 dime

I think that about covers it. Oh: I didn't get a shot but that first snap I dubbed "3-1-7" because Ojemudia is over the slot and there are legit 4 people in the box. About which more later.

PERSONNEL NOTES: Michigan spent almost the whole game in a dime package featuring all three corners plus Peppers, Hill, and Wilson. Morgan played the entire game except for the final drive; the DL rotation was the usual eight guys in the usual doses. If you ask me the starting lineup now includes Matt Godin instead of Willie Henry but that's a fine distinction.

Bolden got the few bonus LB snaps. These all came when BYU added an H-back to the equation. Ross was healthy after all: he got in at the end of the game.

[After THE JUMP: hhhyarrrrr it had eleven mouths and no bottom]

Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O40 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide 3-1-7 Dime buck Run N/A Inside zone Glasgow 5
Ojemudia split over the slot and maybe 4.5 guys in the box. BYU tries a run at this and while they manage to bust outside the tackle box their doom is in this play. Glasgow(+1) takes what is momentarily a triple team and still stays with it and pokes his head through the line to induce a bounce. There's an edge since Godin gave a little ground but he has to be wary of a guy right up the middle; M recovers to shut Hine down after a modest gain that was pretty much an experiment in exactly how much M can get away with in the run game. RPS -1.
O45 2 5 Shotgun quad bunch 30 Dime slide Run N/A Inside zone Ojemudia 3
Three man front with Ojemudia and Clark hanging off the backside threatening blitz; BYU has a stack to the top of the screen and a WR flanked just outside of the tackle to the same side of the LOS. They run; M slants away with the edge guys coming under. Glasgow(+0.5) is two gaps away from the play but comes around so fast he gets in on the tackle; Ojemudia(+0.5) also fought to the gap to make this a double team. Peppers comes down to get a hit in; he was a wee bit hesitant.
O48 3 2 Shotgun 4-wide 5-0 Dime Pass 5 Scramble Ojemudia 9
Big rushing lane for Mangum as M doesn't fill a gap. Either Glasgow for getting too far upfield of a DL or Ojemudia picking the wrong gap to stunt into. I'm guessing this is Ojemudia(-2) because the way Glasgow is moving upfield it feels like he is intentionally burrowing between two OL to draw both of their blocks, but this is admittedly a guess. Pressure –2.
M43 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide Dime under Pass 4 Throwaway N/A Inc
Four verts that catches man coverage with two deep safeties. Mangum has happy feet and doesn't like what he sees; pressure(-1) is not great but does get Mangum moving around a bit. Coverage(+3) is such that Mangum has nowhere to go and chucks it OOB.
M43 2 10 Shotgun 4-wide 30 Dime slide Pass 5 Hitch Hurst Inc
Hill into the box as your quasi LB. M sends Morgan. Hurst(+2, pressure +2) simply drives the C back until he bangs into Mangum and causes a throw short. Normally you have to beat a guy to get a +2 here but this will also do. Slot WR targeted here simply ran over Lewis as Lewis tried to chuck him. Lewis grabs on and disrupts the guy as he tries to get back to the ball. Guy wants a flag but there is a ton of contact both ways and the ball is so short that it doesn't matter.
M43 3 10 Shotgun 3-wide H Nickel even Pass 6 Post Lewis Inc
Mangum spooked by a blitz by Wilson(+1, pressure +1) that gets him past a G; G basically tackles him but no call (refs -2). Mangum is getting rid of it right now, throwing it past his biggest WR; that guy is not even looking yet. Lewis gave up the inside but was in the hip pocket here; tough to tell what happens if this is an accurate ball with an aware WR. Cover +1.
Drive Notes: Punt, 0-0, 12 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O13 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide Dime even Pass 4 Throwaway Charlton Inc
Mangum spooks very early on this; Godin(+0.5) gets the credit for looking like he's going to split a double before falling over. Charlton(+0.5) does a good job to see the roll and pressure it quickly, giving Mangum little opportunity for heroics. With five in the box M had 3 on 2 on both sides of the LOS. (Cover +1)
O13 2 10 Shotgun 2-back 30 nickel slide Run N/A Lead zone Bolden 29
The biggest play of the day for BYU. Peppers is on the slot and sets up to force it back a yard or two inside the numbers. Bolden(-2) ends up taking a hit instead of delivering one to the lead back; he takes that hit a yard deep and goes backwards; he also does not get outside effectively so Hine can bust outside for a big gain since Morgan can't be relevant as he scrapes. Godin(-1) also gave ground one on one and didn't help; if he gets some penetration he may force a worse angle or give Bolden a better idea of were to go early. But it's Bolden that's the difference between a solid 6 yard gain and a big one.
O42 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Nickel even Pass 5 Hitch Lewis Inc (Pen -5)
M tips corner blitz with Peppers and sends it. Charlton(+1) and Glasgow(+1, pressure +2) both come through slants to get in on Mangum and force a duck of a throw to a guy that Lewis(+1, cover +1) is right behind. BYU takes an illegal formation penalty because it looks like both the RG and RT are too far off the LOS. Rattled.
O37 1 15 Shotgun 2-back Nickel even Pass 4 PA slant Lewis Inc (Pen +11)
I don't really know what to do with this. Lewis appears to destroy the first option here, which is a hitch. Mangum pumps it and I think that's a legit check swing instead of an attempt to bait Lewis; WR starts running a slant that Lewis is still in the hip pocket of. Mangum starts rolling, again a bit panicked, and turfs a ball right in front of his WR. WR held up, Lewis bumped him, really weak PI flag comes out. This is the cost of doing business, I guess, but I hate PI flags that rely on the WR changing his momentum so the DB bangs into him. Hurst(+0.5) did rip through what looked like a run block to get some pressure that induced the throw. I'm punting on the PI, refs -1.
O48 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Nickel 3-4 Pass 4 Scramble Hurst 4
Wormley(+1) drives his guy directly back to the QB; after a first read is covered(+1) Mangum has to start moving. His pump fake gets Hurst in the air and an OL holds him a little bit so there's a lane up the middle to scramble. Hurst(+0.5) recovers well to tackle anyway.
M48 2 6 Shotgun 2-back 30 nickel slide Run N/A Zone stretch Glasgow -6
Glasgow(+3) gets a bit lucky since the playside G makes the mistake of not bumping him and releasing for the second level; he takes spectacular advantage of this by driving past the C so fast that the back can neither run past him or cut behind him; for dessert he drags the dude down by his belt. You know that Mike Martin comparison I made? Yeah... this is why. Of note: this was not blocked well at all by BYU, with no cut attempt on Henry even a week after he got cut a lot and Wormley(+0.5) winning a block and extending through to get in position to clean up any leftovers Glasgow might leave.
O46 3 12 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Buck Pass 3 Out Stribling 14
Miserable throw from Mangum should be intercepted but Stribling(-1, cover +1) phases out of reality. Ball deflects to the WR for a first down. M rushed only three; Wormley(+0.5) was pressuring even so, inducing this bad throw.
M40 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Buck Run N/A Inside zone Hurst 4
I guess this is an okay outcome but this three man front with Ojemudia behind it consistently irritates me because it seems like M does worse with it than anything else. Here Ojemudia(+0.5) takes on a block from the LG and sheds it to tackle from the side for a decent gain. Hurst(-0.5) lost ground to a double and gave Morgan hard choice between trying to fill a backside gap or hit the lane the RB actually went in.
M36 2 6 Pistol 3-wide FB 30 nickel slide Pass 5 Out and up Hill Inc
M sends a corner blitz and leaves Hill in man coverage on the edge. Lewis manages to avoid a cut block and starts Magnum moving; he can do this because Ojemudia(-1) took a big hit from the FB and vacated a lane (pressure -1). Mangum can step up and look to what should be an advantageous matchup with a safety; Hill(+2, cover +2) is beat by a step but the throw is a bit short; Hill can get in a jersey tug and comes over the top to make this completion all but impossible.
M36 3 6 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Buck Pass 5 Sack RJS -10
M moves late to an Okie front with one deep safety and sends the house. And it's RJS(+1) who actually makes this pressure despite not getting near the QB. He drives through the C into the RG and occupies both, allowing Charlton(+0.5) and Henry(+1) to shoot free; Peppers(+0.5) contains; Henry brings Mangum down. Pressure +3, RPS +2.
Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 3 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O21 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide H 30 nickel slide Pass 5 Throwaway RJS Inc
Mangum starts bugging out way too early here; Ojemudia(+1, pressure +1) did tear through a FB block quickly and Wormley(+0.5) had a pretty good shot at a pressure if Mangum hadn't started rolling away. With nothing downfield (cover +2) he just chucks it OOB.
O21 2 10 Shotgun 2-back Nickel 3-4 Run N/A Split zone Glasgow 2
Glasgow(+1) bashes the C back and erases frontside lanes; RB tries to go behind, where Wormley(+0.5) and Bolden join Glasgow to prevent the RB from going anywhere after he edges past the LOS. BYU picks up another illegal formation call because their OL is not close enough to the LOS.
O23 3 8 Shotgun trips TE Dime Buck Run N/A Inside zone Peppers -3
Peppers(+1) slides down and blitzes from an overhang corner spot, timing it well. He darts inside as a tackle tries to release to him and has a free run at the back; Glasgow(+1) ripped through a guard to cut off the outside immediately when Peppers forces the ball out. The two combine to TFL. RPS +2.
Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 12 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O25 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide 3-1-7 Dime buck Pass 3 Sack Hurst -3
Hurst(+3) blows through the center so fast the G cannot help him and when Mangum tries to escape up the pocket he latches on for a sack. Pressure +3.
O22 2 13 Shotgun 4-wide Dime even Pass 4 Out Lewis 5
Quick out just to get some yards, any yards. Lewis(+0.5) there to bang out of bounds on the catch.
O27 3 8 Shotgun 2-back Okie one Pass 4 Throwaway N/A Inc
M shows six guys coming; Peppers peels out onto a back and Morgan drops out into a spy zone in case QB breaks the pocket. Charlton(+1, pressure +2) stunts around and free up the middle as Henry(+1) presses the C hard enough that a gap opens up that's too big for the G to fill. Magnum throws it away in the general direction of Mathews. Stribling(+1, cover +1) was in that guy's chest.
Drive Notes: Punt, 21-0, 10 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O25 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Nickel even Pass 4 Fly Stribling Inc
Striblling(+1, cover +1) is basically right there. Mangum's throw is a bit long and high and the WR can only get a hand on it. Stribling was there to contest any well thrown ball and got an arm in on the WR so he could not attempt to use both hands.
O25 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide H Nickel 3-4 Run N/A FB trap Glasgow 2
Every run play Glasgow(+2) bangs this dude back. He has no chance. Godin(-0.5) is a little overzealous as he gets left by the LG and popped by a FB coming over. He's a little lucky that Glasgow has constricted so much space; otherwise this could break for a nice run. Godin does come back to start tackling; Glasgow rips the C away and finishes it himself.
O27 3 8 Shotgun 2-back Okie one Pass 6 Fly Lewis Inc
M does no time this well and does not get anywhere near Mangum (pressure -2). they have man free behind this blitz; Mangum is just getting rid of the ball at this point, because he's shook. Wilson(+1, cover +1) was on point coming over the top here and could have had a play on a better thrown ball. Did think Peppers(-1, cover -1) got shook here and if Mangum was older he could have found the slot.
Drive Notes: Punt, 28-0, 6 min 2nd Q. Next drive starts with 56 seconds on the clock.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O20 1 10 Shotgun trips TE Nickel over Pass 4 Comeback Charlton 3
Henry(+0.5) drives his gentleman back to a dangerous area; Charlton(+1) goes around the RT but gets off balance or just takes a bad angle or something and allows Mangum to get out of the pocket. He can't escape and ends up throwing a pass while 13 yards upfield; it is a short comeback route that Stribling is there to push OOB. (Cover +1, Pressure +2)
O23 2 7 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Buck Run N/A Inside zone Hurst 0
Hurst(+1) bursts through the C and backside G. He can't do much with the play but he does draw both of their blocks; they turn upfield and are lost. RJS(+1) also sheds a guard and gets upfield into the lane; he tackles. Morgan flowing behind free because of the Hurst play; this was going nowhere.
O23 3 7 Shotgun trips Dime Pass 4 Out Peppers 5
Peppers(+1, tackling +1) gets pushed off a bit on a quick out; he recovers to hurl the WR down on the catch.
Drive Notes: Punt, 31-0, 12 seconds 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O8 1 10 Shotgun trips bunch 30 Dime slide Pass 3 Dumpoff Morgan 5
Glasgow(+0.5) threatens up the middle a bit after almost splitting a double; Mangum checks down. Cover +1; Morgan(+0.5) made a solid tackle on the RB.
O13 2 5 Shotgun trips bunch 30 Dime slide Pass 4 Flat Stribling 0
Stribling(+1, tackling +1) set up in the flat and drives on this to nail it on the catch.
O13 3 5 Shotgun 4-wide 5-0 Dime Pass 5 Out Clark Inc
Mangum busts out of the pocket and has enough room to throw while moving to the LOS; Glasgow is out on him just enough to prevent a pressure minus. He finds a small window outside of Clark(+0.5, cover +1) but his attempt to get it to the WR makes him dive and the pass goes off his fingertips.
Drive Notes: Punt, 31-0, 13 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O19 1 10 Shotgun trips bunch Dime buck Run N/A Inside zone Hurst 3
Hurst(+1) surges to the playside, inducing a cutback; he spins to the backside of that block to help cut down the space; Wormley(+0.5) was left unblocked back there and didn't have to pay too much attention to Mangum; he comes down to make a tackle.
O22 2 7 Shotgun 4-wide Dime buck Pass 4 Flare screen Morgan 4
Morgan(+0.5) flares with the back; he avoids a lead block from an OL and contains. He forces the back to cut past him for a slight delay; Clark(+1, tackling +1) is in press but aware enough to come off it when the pass is made and comes up to finish the play with a thumping tackle. RB aided by trying an ill advised spin move.
O26 3 3 Shotgun 3-wide H 30 Dime slide Pass 4 Fly N/A Inc
Mangum throws it to nobody. Ojemudia(+1, pressure +1) did run through an RB block to force the throw.
Drive Notes: Punt, 31-0, 8 min 3rd Q. Ensuing drive on a short field after the O'Neill vision quest.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
M44 1 10 Shotgun trips Dime buck Pass 5 Fly Clark Inc
Mangum has lost it at this point. M's blitz is not really close to getting home but he just puts up a hopeful punt anyway that goes OOB. Clark(+1, cover +1) put the WR on the sideline so this would have had to be spectacular.
M44 2 10 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Pass 4 Tunnel screen Peppers -2
This play has no plan to block Peppers(+1, tackling +1), and that ends as poorly as you'd think. RPS +2.
M46 3 12 Shotgun trips Dime buck Run N/A Inside zone Charlton 13
Charlton(-2) lets this outside of him, which is very strange since it's a third and twelve on which you'd think he'd be shooting upfield on pass rush. Ojemudia had shed a block and Morgan was pursuing but neither can catch the back since the edge was ceded immediately with no bend necessary.
M33 1 10 Shotgun empty 5-0 Dime Pass 5 Sack Henry -14
Stunt is stupidly easy; Henry(+1) drives hard in fast in the gap just outside the G and pulls him way upfield; Ojemudia(+1, pressure +3) stunts around that and gets a free run. Hurst(+1) is tackled, drawing a flag; Wormley(+1) provides no lane inside, could draw a flag himself, and gives Mangum no choice but to try to run away; Ojemudia runs him down. BYU OL just died in five different ways.
M47 2 24 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Pass 4 Slant Stribling 7
Stribling gets dragged for a few YAC but this isn't too bad; he gets a swipe in just after the catch which could jar the ball loose and does tackle right away on second and forever. Push.
M40 3 17 Shotgun 4-wide Dime buck Pass N/A Yakety snap N/A -4
Hits Mangum in the chest; frosh QB stuff.
Drive Notes: Punt, 31-0, 3 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
O11 1 10 Shotgun 2-back 30 nickel slide Run N/A Split zone RJS 2
Jet motion behind the backfield to draw attention; standard zone anyway. Glasgow(+2) goes through the C and G to shoot to the backfield and prevent anything except a cutback. Also RJS is sitting there unblocked. RB cuts back. Charlton(-1) gets cut badly. Morgan does a decent job taking on a free release from the RT; Godin(-1) got blown up by a double and provides a difficult decision for Bolden; he can't get there. RJS(+1) does.
O13 2 8 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Run N/A Inside zone Morgan 4
M stunts the playside; doesn't matter because Glasgow(+1) is again so deep that he forces a cut away. Morgan(-0.5) is there to tackle but he catches the back instead of hits him and instead of a yard the guy runs through for a reasonable gain. RPS +1.
O17 3 4 Shotgun 4-wide Okie one Pass 5 Drag Clark 5
Henry gets a free run; gets held a little; Mangum has to roll quickly. Charlton(+0.5) is on the edge waiting for whatever comes to the flat; it's the QB so he blows upfield and hits the QB just after the release. (Pressure +2). Mangum finds a guy on a drag against Clark in man coverage and gets it there very quickly. First real glimpse of his arm strength.
O22 1 10 Shotgun 4-wide 3-1-7 Dime buck Pass N/A Yakety snap N/A -4
Hurst may scare the C into a bad snap, but I can't give that a point.
O18 2 14 Shotgun 2-back Nickel over Run N/A Lead zone Henry 1
Henry(+2) drives and then discards the playside G to nail the RB as he reaches his run lane.
O19 3 13 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Pass 3 Improv Wormley Inc
M has broken Mangum; this is the Grandpa Simpson play. Wormley(+1, pressure +1) does sort of induce this and then redirect to pursue effectively outside. Mangum hurls a random ball to nobody.
Drive Notes: Punt, 31-0, 10 min 4th Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards
M29 1 10 Shotgun 2-back Nickel over Pass 4 Hitch Gedeon 7
Ross in for first time. BYU runs some PA; Gedeon(-1, cover -1) bites up; he opens up a passing lane that Mangum hits for a reasonable gain. Charlton(+0.5) got reasonable pressure.
M36 2 3 Shotgun 2-back Nickel over Pass 4 Fly Clark Inc (Pen -5)
M kind of getting there; Mangum lets it go quickly. Clark(+0.5) maybe a half step off; pass is pretty good but a hair too long to hit the small window provided. M takes another OL not lined up right penalty.
M31 2 8 Shotgun 4-wide Dime Pass 4 PA hitch Clark Inc
Another quick throw to the back shoulder of the WR; more on BYU not having this down yet, but Clark(+0.5, cover +1) is in tight coverage and does yank the WR off balance without drawing a flag.
M31 3 8 Shotgun 4-wide 5-0 Dime Pass 5 In Lyons Inc
Mostly backups now; M forces another possibly unnecessary rollout; Mangum finds a guy but Lyons(+1, cover +1) is on his back and helps force an incompletion.
Drive Notes: Punt, 31-0, 2 min 4th Q. Last BYU drive not charted.

/runs through wall

Hello.

YEEEAAAAAARGGGGGHHHHHHHH /bites head off bat

So the thing Michigan could do in this game was this:

That is BYU running four verts against man coverage with two deep safeties. That is 6 on 4. The rest of the defense is 5 on 7, and this is fine. Not in the "this is fine" sense. It is actually fine. Any run that does not bounce outside the tackles is doomed, and there are maybe three that do escape. Michigan's pass rush rattled Mangum to the point where he was doing Spike Albrecht Lane Donuts™ in the pocket.

Michigan banked on their line winning a handicap matchup against the BYU line and it did. Desmond Morgan, the only linebacker Michigan bothered playing, finished with two assisted tackles. Game over.

BYU all be like

GameOverAliens2[1]

/bites head off glass bottle

That is a bottle, which means it doesn't have a head. Also you are dripping blood from your mouth now.

While you pick glass out of your mouth I will take this opportunity to point out how hilarious Michigan's defensive stats are in this game. Michigan had 6 TFLs to 2 times-Michigan-kind-of-needed-a-linebacker-to-do-anything-at-all*. They had 11 TFL/QB hurries combined in 50 snaps. They could have played this 10 on 11 and it would have gone okay.

*[Gedeon's tackles were either on special teams or on the last uncharted drive.]

YEHERGEGAAAGRG

The primary reason they won this battle was the nose tackle, whether it was Hurst or Glasgow. If left singled, those guys wrecked plays. If doubled they often split or ripped through those doubles, and then wrecked plays. The first snap for BYU was actually one of their better gains of the day—five yards—but in it was the seed of their demise.

That's Ryan Glasgow taking a play-long double and even a momentary triple team without going anywhere. It is also Michigan seeing what happens with a four-man box. They decided to go with five most of the rest of the day, because four was not enough. But they thought they'd try.

That is some confidence, and it was repaid in spades.

Glasgow gets a little lucky since the playside G elects not to chip him, but the drive through the C to the back for a six-yard TFL is elite. A lot of guys can impact that play given a single block. To make it by yourself that deep in the backfield… well, I did compare him to Mike Martin last week and that kind of thing is why.

In this game Glasgow brought that same kind of consistent playmaking. By the middle of the second quarter it was clear that BYU's center had zero chance to deal with Glasgow by himself.

There was little or no dropoff to Hurst. He had a slashing sack that happened instantly on a three man rush.

That's a great play even if he does nothing but flush Mangum up into an unproductive scramble. To actually get the five-yard swing of a sack there is terrific. Hurst followed that up with a run play on which he darted between the C and G. He was to the backside and couldn't make it to the back, but he blew up the blocking scheme and let Morgan flow free to the play; because of the way this game went down Morgan got to watch RJS make a tackle.

When not using his quickness he was flinging the center into Mangum as he threw.

If Bryan Mone was outplaying these guys he is Vince Wilfork.

FWIW, the guy Michigan wrecked, Tejan Koroma, is a true sophomore who started the entirety of last year and has these accolades:

Only true freshman in FBS this year to start every game at center and played the most snaps of any player on BYU offensive line

Dominated on the field grading out as BYU's top offensive lineman and most consistent game-to-game performer

Beat out a returning senior starter and preseason Rimington Trophy candidate to earn BYU starting job

Earned Phil Steele Preseason All-Independent First Team

He's light at 280; he is not some guy off the turnip truck. Also sometimes they destroyed a guard or both him and a guard.

CHEEEAARGHHHHTTT /spews blood

Chart? I think that means chart. This only 50 snaps.

Defensive Line
Player + - T Notes
Henry 5.5   5.5 BYU didn't try t cut; was good occupying OL on stunts.
Glasgow 13   13 Just wrecked BYU's C.
Wormley 5.5   5.5 Has come back to the pack a little.
Ojemudia 4 3 1 Wouldn't get too exercised about anyone with low numbers. One error will do this and with others blowing stuff up first limited ability to get it back.
Charlton 5 3 2 Got bounced outside of on one 13-yard run.
Hurst 9 0.5 8.5 Also wrecked BYU's C.
Godin 0.5 2.5 -2 Off day; got pushed back on a few good runs.
RJS 3   3 Nice hit and shed from the quasi-LB spot.
Marshall - - - DNC.
TOTAL 45.5 9 36.5 Ratio bonkers. Pressure metric also bonkers.
Linebacker
Player + - T Notes
Morgan 1 0.5 0.5 Played every snap! Could have not existed!
Bolden   2 -2 Edged on 29 yarder, not much participation otherwise.
Ross       DNC
Gedeon   1 -1 Not included in total since M was in garbage mode on last charted drive.
TOTAL 1 2.5 -1.5 Record for least-scored LB game.
Secondary
Player + - T Notes
Lewis 1.5   1.5 Barely tested, PI weak.
Stribling 3 1 2 Small windows provided; they were not hit.
Peppers 3.5 1 2.5 Couple of throwdowns, nice blitz.
Wilson 2   2 Lots of deep coverage.
Hill 2   2 Excellent PBU.
Clark 3.5   3.5 See Stribling.
Lyons 1   1 Not in total.
TOTAL 16.5 2 14.5 Also coverage.
Metrics
Pressure 23 6 +17 13 blitz, 10 organic
Coverage 21 2 19 Nobody's open.
Tackling 4   4 Mostly Peppers.
RPS 7 1 +6 BYU had no clever ideas

 

The raw numbers aren't the highest seen but given the number of plays run that's not a huge surprise; BYU also started shooting itself in the foot on plays that I didn't credit the defense with much. But those ratios though. And the linebacker numbers. The one guy they played the whole game had three half-points to his name. I have never seen anything close to that.

We've talked about the nose tackles; concerns about Wormley falling off from his previous rampant performances are somewhat warranted. I think those are partially matchup-based. Moving him out to end in a three man line means he's usually going to be the force player on any particular run, and it's hard to gain or lose points there as long as you do your job. He hasn't been a Graham-esque pass rusher in the last couple games; he is part of a highly effective unit, however.

Henry's seen his playing time fluctuate and hasn't exactly broken out, but I thought he was quite good in this game. He had a trademark OL discard…

…and I think he's secretly a major positive for the pass rush.

How so?

Glasgow and Henry are both very good at driving the gap between two offensive linemen. This tends to draw attention from both dudes, and when they're getting driven back that far the guy looping around has no blockers and blood in his eyes:

When not stunting Michigan is doing a great job of collapsing the pocket without offering escape routes. This isn't a sack but neither is it a situation where Mangum can do anything but get rid of the ball to a covered WR.

This is a big improvement from last year, when DTs would often blow lanes and rob Frank Clark of sacks. (Also robbing Clark of sacks: Countess.)

In this game Michigan picked up three sacks and had a ton of other pressures. They have not let anyone sit back and survey. While they are not great individually they do have qualities that help them out as a unit. Big lanes to run up into were very rare in this game against a guy who tests all of your rush lanes. When Mangum got out of the pocket he almost always had to give a bunch of ground to do so, and when you're 13 yards away from the LOS and moving backwards even he can't uncork the massive bombs (that were double covered anyway).

Could you tell me why all the bad things happened in this game? Please note that by bad things I mean first downs.

Uh, pretty much yes? I think Ojemudia stunted into the wrong gap on a third and short scramble for a first down. The big 29 yarder was Bolden getting edged:

Godin didn't play that well either but if Bolden turns it back it's a five or six yard gain, probably, instead of a third of BYU's yards. (Although at that point five or six yards is getting pretty close to a third of BYU's yards.)

An interception went through Stribling's hands. Charlton also lost his leverage on a 13 yard run. The end.

How about that secondary though?

We didn't really get to see them in action much, as Mangum kept trying to hit small windows and missing. A lot of fly routes down the sideline saw Stribling in the hip pocket of his opponent without getting tested.

I thought Michigan would give up a big play or two as the ruthless math of 6'6" against not that won out, but Mangum was never able to even give his guys a chance. When there were downfield windows they generally required the catches of the leaping one handed Darboh variety.

Everyone stuck with their guys and got the smattering of points and half points that happen when it looks like you are going to contest anything but a perfect pass.

The one fluttery moment when Mangum escaped the pocket and found a guy downfield was ably handled by Delano Hill:

Hill ends up in man coverage after a corner blitz and gets beat by a step but has the athleticism to make up the ground he's lost. Then he makes a play on the ball. Here I'd like to go back to a picture that featured in the game column, and one that just precedes it:

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Hill's right hand is grabbing jersey [Bryan Fuller]

That grab is how Hill went from in trouble and trailing to advantageous position. It's also something Michigan is very clever about this year. You often see defensive backs wrap that hand around the waist of the receiver; 99% of the time this happens it draws a flag. Michigan has absorbed the MSU-fu of getting in numerous small jersey tugs that generally do not warrant flags and often go unseen. Neither ref near this play can see Hill's hand or what it's doing, and the side judge far away would have to have some major stones to throw this flag.

I guarantee you this is something Zordich and Jackson have hammered in practice. Last year's disastrous press man attempt saw guys fly by without getting yanked like this; this year's secondary collectively plays like a 33-year-old NFL safety getting by on his wits. That's because both of the secondary coaches were literally that guy. Coaching matters. Greg Jackson's NFL numbers were not a coincidence.

There were a couple flags. Stribling picked up a silly one on the final uncharted drive by pulling at the jersey of a guy who'd beat him by a step or two on an out. He was too far away to conceal it with his body and the flag was an obvious one. Lewis's was questionable:

To me that's the WR slowing up so Lewis rear-ends him; I know that's called a lot but it always grinds my gears when a defensive back is supposed to not have momentum.

How is the Peppers effect going?

Another spread team with an anemic rushing offense was completely shut off from easy screen yards. Michigan's tendency to play press helps there as well; with Peppers you are just burning downs. That goes double if you don't even have a plan to block him.

Some RPS +2 plays are gifts from the O.

Peppers played a lot of tiny linebacker in this game and that went just fine. They're starting to use him more as a blitzer, and man he is going to put his helmet through a QB's chest at some point.

He has that thing that certain NFL freaks do where you can put him in a gray area and he can do both things that someone in a gray area shouldn't be able to do.

I did detect a little bit of that coverage weakness we've seen so far where horizontal double moves get separation on him. That will be a work in progress all year. Trying to separate without said double move, though:

And while this column doesn't really touch on special teams much, Peppers has been a huge source of hidden yardage this year. He's also ghosting out of tackles to pick up actual yards. This punt catch and return is a 20, maybe 30 yard swing:

His ability to get to punts and catch them has probably saved Michigan a hundred yards of field position already. The one he booted into the sideline was the first time he'd even bobbled one; that is a bit of a concern but the guy has seen 30 punts and had one on which I thought he did not do everything right.

I mean… this is not repeatable, right?

Probably not. A brief glimpse at the recent history of football will demonstrate that. This game was a terrific matchup for Michigan, with tall not that fast guys on the outside, a freshman QB, and a center who just couldn't cope. Teams with more speed and the ability to run from the QB spot will pose more problems.

I mean, on the one hand Michigan blew BYU's collective mind and this is terrific. On three separate occasions BYU OL lined up in the backfield because they were rattled.

image

both guys on the right side of the line are off the LOS

One of the fumbled snaps was a low line drive that certainly felt like Koroma responding to the fact he couldn't block Michigan's NT. Mangum kept trying to break the pocket over and over again. All of this speaks to Michigan's physical dominance.

On the other hand, these things are going to be less replicable against the stronger offenses on the schedule, particularly the QB stuff. Mangum is basically a true freshman and played like it in this game. Guys more aware of how much time they have, and how much they need, are going to be better.

I am still a little wary here, because we might find out the second and third corners aren't as good as they seem right now and we haven't tested this D against someone who wants to manball back at us. But those worries are rapidly dwindling. This BYU offense put up 400 yards on UCLA without any of the mondo big plays that salvaged their performance against Boise—Mangum 's long on the day was 19 yards. This is going to be their worst performance of the year by a million miles.

I'm ready to declare this a 2006 level defense. It is that good. 2006 hit major speedbumps at the end of the year, and that remains a threat. I won't say that other year until Urban Meyer's eating sad pizza, if we should be so fortunate.

Heroes?

Well, everyone, but Glasgow and Hurst particularly. DJ Durkin's gameplan was absolutely perfect as well.

Maybe not so heroic?

404 SAD NOT FOUND

What does it mean for Maryland and beyond?

IT'S GON RAIN. Literally and metaphorically. This defense is finally the elite ass-kicking unit we've been waiting for since Mattison rescued it from the shelter.

Ryan Glasgow is a star. Ryan Glasgow feels a lot like Mike Martin right now, and Maurice Hurst isn't far behind.

The rest of the line could also be stars. We didn't get a ton of data in this one. Previous games have seen Godin, Ojemudia, and Wormley have massive breakout games; Henry has lagged a little bit but was very good here. Every game sees someone step up huge. This is the deepest Michigan DL I can remember.

The dime package is different and very viable. I mentioned this on the podcast: with iffy play from Dymonte Thomas and Wayne Lyons I wondered if Michigan would start running out a dime that featured both Stribling and Clark; that came to pass. And lo, it was good. With Peppers capable of sliding down to play linebacker on standard downs that dime package is likely to be the default against 4-wide formations.

Linebackers? We learned nothing about them in this game. If there's a spot that's lagging in the +/- chart it is linebackers not named Desmond Morgan, something that could bite Michigan against Minnesota and MSU.

Comments

UMCoconut

September 30th, 2015 at 3:01 PM ^

Not sure if this type of performance is completely replicable, but the fact that it even happened once, 4 games into the season against a quality opponent, is reason enough to get on the hype train.

If the offense can figure out a reliable downfield passing game, this team is going to be hard to beat by anyone including MSU and OSU

UNCWolverine

September 30th, 2015 at 3:02 PM ^

"both guys on the right side of the line are off the LOS"

Might as well throw the left tackle into this conversation as he looks so far off the line that he looks like a TE that is ready to start shuffling to his right to block on a run.

BlueinLansing

September 30th, 2015 at 5:45 PM ^

are supposed to line up no more back than the inside guys shoulder pads on the interior line.  Left tackle is fine.  On play highlited its actually the RG that lines up wrong, RT follows suit.

 

What Brian is correct about is this is the kind of stuff that happens when you start questioning your ability to block someone or  "rattled"

PurpleStuff

September 30th, 2015 at 3:21 PM ^

Even if our DL whips their ass, they are going to play with more two-back and/or two-TE looks than BYU did.  As a result, our linebackers will probably at least have to put on their equipment and trot on the field from time to time, something they really didn't have to bother with in this game (outside of Morgan).

Wolverine In Exile

September 30th, 2015 at 3:38 PM ^

double team OL blocks with TE/FB/H-back involvement that puts more #'s invovled in the run game. For us to win those matchups, our LBs are going to have to diagnose where the hole is and fill it. If I'm Minnesota or Michigan State, I'm running double TE sets a lot to see if the LBs can diagnose where run holes are, and then going play action crossing routes like crazy to see if our LBs can back off into coverage fast enough. If any team at this point tries to go spread against us without a running QB to make it a numbers game again, that plays into our hands because our DL is showing they can win 1-v-1 and 1-v-2 battles so that our extra DBs don't have to contend with pulling lineman and flow to the play. 

Wolverine In Exile

September 30th, 2015 at 3:42 PM ^

Against troglodyte offenses like Minnesota this year, I wonder if we'd go to a 5-2-4 set with 5 DL to completely destroy their line, let our LBs keep their jerseys clean, and have confidence that Lewis, Stribling, and Peppers can basically negate their receiving threats in 0-deep or 1-deep looks.

Shop Smart Sho…

September 30th, 2015 at 3:14 PM ^

Is anyone else assuming that Dymonte Thomas is going to be redshirted this year?  That would mean he would be a redshirt senior the first year Peppers could potentially be playing on Sunday.  Gives the staff plenty of time to see if a 5th year Thomas can do the things a sophomore Peppers does.  



 

PurpleStuff

September 30th, 2015 at 3:28 PM ^

Except Gardner was a freshman who only played because Tate was a knucklehead and Denard got hurt, and the roster was set up in a way where it looked like he was definitely going to be the starting QB at some point in his career.  Thomas is a junior and isn't getting on the field ahead of guys like Clark and Hill (guys who are also juniors) at the moment.  And you still need a documented injury.

The idea that he is suddenly going to get really good with more time seems like wishful thinking based on his recruiting profile. 

Shop Smart Sho…

September 30th, 2015 at 3:46 PM ^

I'm sure his documented injury would be easy to find, as Harbaugh keeps telling reporters he is injured.



The kid didn't play safety in high school, got shitty coaching his first two years at Michigan, and was thought of as one of the top athletes in his class.  I don't think it is too far of a reach that with the kind of coaching the DBs are getting now that he could actually come close to living up to his recruiting hype.  Hell, this coaching staff seems to have turned Jeremy Clark into an actual CB.

PurpleStuff

September 30th, 2015 at 4:03 PM ^

It would be great to have him as a high quality player down the line.  We potentially have a pretty big hole in the safety depth chart coming down the road thanks to our recent small classes, especially if Peppers leaves early. 

But you still seem to be judging a guy's ability based on his recruiting profile.  Clark is a 4th year guy, he's 6'4" with decent speed (especially for his size) and had seen the field quite a bit before this season.  It doesn't take any extra coaching to make guys like him, Kovacs or the Glasgow brothers into good players, and it doesn't take screw-ups to get less production from guys like Pipkins and Marvin Robinson.  Some times the recruiting gurus are the ones who screw up.

Shop Smart Sho…

September 30th, 2015 at 5:04 PM ^

Clark has played in 1 less game than Thomas at this point.  Clark was a DB in high school, so there wasn't a position change like with Thomas.  



You're going to have to explain this better though:



"It doesn't take any extra coaching to make guys like him, Kovacs or the Glasgow brothers into good players, "



Comparing Clark to Kovacs and the Glasgows is one hell of a stretch.  Clark is a RS Jr who is just now making any sort of an impact, yet somehow that isn't attributable to the coaching change?  But that same coaching change isn't going to help Thomas?



Aside from burning Morris' redshirt for no real reason, Thomas' burnt shirt might be the most egregious of the Hoke era.  Getting that year back and giving him real coaching could make all the difference in the world to him.  That was the entire point of my original question.

BlueCube

September 30th, 2015 at 3:31 PM ^

the weather is going to force both teams into a one dimensional offense is the wind kills the passing game. Our defense may destroy them anyway but if it can rule out the passing game it could be total destruction.

I've noticed the little uniform grabs during the games. I can't wait to hear the Spartys complaing about the grabs. You know it's coming.

Lanknows

September 30th, 2015 at 3:43 PM ^

This oversight is in the HELLO post and I've seen it referenced a few other place in the MGoMedia empire.  Jackson was an assistant at SF to Ed Donatell.  Donatell is very well regarded coach with extensive NFL and college coordinator experience who is still a DB coach in the NFL.

This takes nothing away from the job Jackson is doing at Michigan right now.  Harbaugh has hired him twice now, but each time it was a significant promotion.

charblue.

September 30th, 2015 at 3:59 PM ^

well. But I think it requires greater testing before we award elite defense certification to the unit. Not that I am denying what has taken place. But apparently the offenses Michigan has gone against are still above top 50 Mendoza line good. 

Again, caveats are in order about the corners true effectiveness. Stribling and Clark will be tested. The safeties have been superb. Fabulous pbr by Hill on Saturday. He also saved a possible score on the early run from scrimmage that represented BYU's longest play from scrimmage. 

Of course, as a defense, this unit passes the eye test in terms of red zone protection, limiting chances for points by running down plays that break contain and the second level. Michigan is consistently limiting big plays to one or two a game, a hallmark of this unit since the Utah opener. And, mostly, these have come in early drives when the team is getting a feel for what the offense is trying to do. 

Good defenses get better. Great defenses find ways to become great by recognizing strengths and then turning those into big plays, turnovers and scores. Until this team starts making inroads in that area, they remain an effective work in progress, but not elite. 

Lanknows

September 30th, 2015 at 4:11 PM ^

Stribling was elite physical prospect who was considered to be a bit raw coming out of high school. He played as a freshman and was even with Lewis for a while until Lewis zoomed past him sophomore year.  Last year Stribling played a bit but was blocked by two quality senior DBs (Countess and Taylor) and one helluva CB in Lewis.

Stribling doesn't look raw anymore. He DOES still look tall and fast, and now it looks like he has pretty good technique.  He zoomed past a quality senior DB (Lyons) and easily held of Brandon Watson (who came in for plenty of spring hype himself.)

I am not worried, like at all.  Even if Stribling falters you have another very tall very fast young man with reasonable playing experience behind him.  The only concern with Clark is that he switched positions...but it seems to be going just fine.

2nd CB is not the achilles heel you are looking for.  We have TWO good players there.

Anyway, there isn't another team we face this year before Ohio State who can throw a 2nd WR at us that induces any sort of fear.

 

MichiganTeacher

October 1st, 2015 at 10:09 PM ^

Completely agree. 2nd and 3rd corner are less scary and less likely to contribute to an L, imo, than any number of eventualities including: d-line turns out to be dominant vs. poor OL but only good vs great OL; linebackers are exposed laterally/PA/schemed into coverage; that one key injury; safeties are put in novel situations and begin to make poor decisions; maybe BYU really was just tired and done after their schedule; etc.

So I think there's plenty to worry about. But the other corner spot(s) isn't it for me.

Lanknows

September 30th, 2015 at 4:02 PM ^

For 2006 it was nickel cornerback.  For 2015 - Isn't it still LBs in space?  Specifically LBs covering faster RBs, H-backs, and TEs on passing plays?  And also what about QBs who can do damage running through the middle?  These two elements seemed to be where Utah did the most damage.

Presumably we can't play dime against everybody.  It's almost too bad Minnesota doesn't still have Maxx Williams to poke at this part of the defense.  Josiah Price might prove to be a challenge.  He was quiet last year (1 catch) against us but wasn't really needed.  Sandwiched around that game he had two 70+ yard days and this year has a TD catch in every game.

MaximusBlue

September 30th, 2015 at 4:15 PM ^

Dline is stacked with depth to boot. Secondary is currently one of the best in the conference and could be one of the top in the country when it's all said and done. 

LB's are meh at best. Morgan is steady but nothing spectacular. Ross just doesn't play a lot for whatever reason. Bolden is what he is at this point. McCray can't stay healthy and Gedeon doesn't seem quite ready yet. 

Still early so we'll see how they do in B10 play.