The UFR Glossary.

Substitution Notes: Edge was the most interesting; Morris and Upshaw were the starters and played 2/3 of snaps but Okie rotated in for 4-down fronts and outplayed McGregor and Upshaw. D.Moore came in to pass rush when Morris was inside. Paige started over Moore then rotated drives with Moten. CBs were the usual Turner/Green with Johnson spelling each for a drive. Sainristil came off for an extra DL when Iowa went to 2WR sets. LBs were mostly Colson and Barrett but Rolder and Mullings got in a little bit. Mazi Smith went almost the whole way (PFF missed that Goode was in late), with Jenkins and Graham his 5-2 mates (backed up by Benny) and Morris or Upshaw playing pass rush DT. Grant got one goal line snap.

Formation Notes: An "X" in the defensive formation means a DE split way, way outside. For example I'm calling this "Nk Split X"—because it's Nickel Split but the split edge (Eyabi Okie, on the top) is even wider than a Wide-9.

How it began.

Spencer Petras called this setup "Hell."

How it ended.

[After THE JUMP: A good nap, a bad quarter, and it's time to talk about Okie.]

Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O21	1st	10	Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Run		Split Zone	Graham	5	0.09
Graham(-2) eats a double and gets moved a couple yards downfield with Barrett stuck behind that. Smith(+0.5) gets off a block to tackle as the RB goes by.
O26	2nd	5	Flexbone	5-2-4	5-2 Split	1 fld	Run		Counter Trey	Barrett	1	-0.53
Teach tape for beating Trey. Morris(+2) blasts in the first puller to waste the 2nd puller and pin closed the gap. Graham(+0.5) came through his downblock to prevent a cutback, Barrett(+1) found his way into the mess and stuffed.
O27	3rd	4	Gun Wk Demi	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	1 press	Pass	4	TE Out	Sainristil	Inc	-0.35
M brings a LB and drops Okie into the flat to double the TE out everyone knows Brian Ferentz is throwing (RPS+1) at Sainristil(+2, cov+2) who breaks it up.
Drive Notes: Punt. 7-0. 8 min 1st Q. Iowa gets the ball back on their 9 with 3 minutes to the end of the Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O9	1st	10	Ace	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Run		Stretch	Jenkins	3	-0.14
Jenkins(+2) does this virtually by himself, fighting through a double and getting the RB's foot. It's stuffed if Colson(-1) didn't get stuck on his block. He comes off but only after the RB's had a second to hop forward.
O12	2nd	7	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Under	2 press	Pass	5	Rollout	Moore	Inc(+10)	0.69
Petras rolls left with an RB in front and Sainristil(+1, PR+2) comes up to pop and get a hand on him. Colson(+0.5) is coming up to pressure now and it's throwaway time since Green(+1, cov+2) has his WR covered and Moore's flopped like a Wisconsin center who just encountered air. Petras throws it nowhere near a receiver. RPS+2, this was so dominated the only way to get yards is cheat. Refs-2 buy the flop.
O22	1st	10	I-Heavy	5-2-4	5-2 Over	1 off	Play-Action	n/a	PA Dig	Colson	26	2.26
Gamesmanship (RPS+1) forces Iowa to use a TO as they try to change late and M has Graham slowly jog off the field. Colson(-2, cov-2) "drops to grass" instead of looking up the TE behind him. Has a shot at a pick if he's playing zone correctly. Instead it's a big conversion with 10 yards of YAC after.
O48	1st	10	Ace Twins F-Cross	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Run		Stretch Belly	Barrett	2	-0.50
Backside TE kicks like it's split zone and they try to wash down Graham(+2, tackling+1), who delays the double enough that Barrett(+1) can hop backside cleanly. Graham also spun back to the gap. Moten(0.5) came down to be useful. RPS+1, M has three guys defending this gap.
50	2nd	8	Ace Heavy Jet	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 off	Play-Action	n/a	Bootleg	Barrett	8	1.21
Barrett(-1, cov-1) is flowing with the RB and too late realizes LaPorta is going to leak into the flat. Klatt blames Graham, who gets caught playing edge because Upshaw had to peel off on a WR as Turner has to bracket Lachey in Cov3. RPS-2 the heavy formation and motion got guys in weird jobs and could have hit big if Petras wasn't locked on LaPorta.
M42	1st	10	Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 off	Pass	4	TE Seam	Colson	Inc	-0.91
Some upfield pressure but ball is out quickly because Colson(-2, cov-2) didn't carry the seam past 10 yards. Lachey is open, Petras overthrows. (Hat-2)
M42	2nd	10	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 fld	Pass	4	Rollout Hitch	Green	Inc	-1.05
Green(-1, cov-1) is playing off and in so they hitch under him. Petras sails it (Hat-2).
M42	3rd	10	Empty 12	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 off	Pass	4	Dig	Paige	Inc	-0.93
Smith(+2, PR+2) comes through a double clean and had he not Morris(+0.5) and Okie(+0.5) are winning their pass rushes too. Petras has to throw at his 2nd read, a LaPorta dig that M has bracketed (RPS+2) so thoroughly that Paige(+1, cov+3) is watching LaPorta come in--if he looked at the QB he's got a pick here.
Drive Notes: Punt. 7-0. 1 min 1st Q. Next drive is at 8 minutes to the half. Wonder how Brian's charting's going.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Ace Twins F-Cross	5-2-4	5-2 Under	1 press	Play-Action	n/a	Bootleg	Paige	8	0.91
It works again as Paige(-1, cov-1) is hanging in a run gap forever. Hat+1 LaPorta really sells these well.
O33	2nd	2	Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Over	1 off	Run		Split Zone	Paige	2	-0.08
Smith(-1) gets blown out by a double but Jenkins(+1) fills in behind him, sliding across the LOS with the LT. Paige(+1) flies in and sticks but they get the 1st by an inch.
O35	1st	10	I-form Heavy	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 off	Run		Lead Stretch	Benny	(-10)	-1.67
The LG has his hand outside Benny(+1)'s shoulderpad for some material holding. It's called! That's good because Colson(-1) let an OL pin release and pin him inside, and Barrett(-1) is babysitting Colson's gap and hiding behind Benny, which gets him whomped by the fullback, and Morris(-1) who's supposed to have the edge got washed and spun around by a double that ejected him outside the hash. Moore came to help so there's nobody until Paige past the 50.
O25	1st	20	Ace Return	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 bdy	Pass	3	Dig	Colson	19	3.05
LG jumps early (refs-1) and freezes thinking he's caught but the C snaps it. Smith(+1) runs through that guy at Petras but nobody else is close (PR-1) as M only rushed 3 and McGregor(-1) is being super cautious. Pass is open because Colson(-3, cov-3) dropped to grass again and didn't look up the next crosser when one dragged him to the opposite hash.
O44	2nd	1	I-form	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Run		Iso	Graham	2	-0.33
Played right but Graham(-0.5) gets bowled over by the RG and Barrett(-0.5) is too small to hold up to a FB.
O46	1st	10	I-form	5-2-4	5-2 Under	1 fld	Run		Lead Stretch	Harrell	(-15)	-2.74
The silly penalty as the RT gets a teach tape cut block on Graham(-1) who goes down. Morris(+0.5) hopped over that and pursued but Harrell(-0.5) can't two-gap the edge like M asks their DEs to (It's hard!) and Jenkins(-2) got outflanked by the LT after Colson used himself up. Rather than flow and clean up Barrett(-1) takes a step upfield like he's going to shoot the gap which means this is going to the safety. That is Moore(+1) who flies down. Comes back on a ludicrous clipping call (Refs+3) that was called "Tripping" in the official PBP. It's not--it's a legal block. Also we have to hear about it the rest of the half.
O31	1st	25	Gun Trips	4-2-5	404 Tite	1 off	Pass	4	Flag	Sainristil	11	0.76
Clean pocket (PR-1) with Okie(-0.5) stoned on his wide-9 rush and though Smith(+0.5) is coming through the LG. Man coverage and M is playing soft for 2nd and long so not dinging Sainristil for loose coverage to bring up 2nd and 14.
O42	2nd	14	Gun Trips	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 off	Run		Duo	Smith	2	-0.41
Well hi kids! Smith(+1) breaks through his double after Jenkins(-1) got blown way out by his. But Okie(+2) fought through a TE to the RB and initiated the tackle, with D-Mo(+0.5) controlling the other edge.
O44	3rd	12	Gun Str H-Return	4-2-5	Nk Wide	2 press	Pass	4	Slip Screen	Upshaw	-4	-0.64
You can see why his coaches keep playing him. Upshaw(+3) is lined up as the backside DT and is stunting with Smith but notices the OL to the frontside slipping out. He gets on one of their hips, and wraps up (tackling+1). Colson(-0.5) was in man on the RB and beat a block so he was probably still chasing this out well short of the 1st but no need.
Drive Notes: Punt. 10-0. 3 min 2nd Q. Hey Brian I've charted 20 plays over here. How many are you on?
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Kneeldown	5-2-4	5-2 Split	2 off	Run		Fake Kneel	Paige	6	0.00
Yes I’m charting the fake kneeldown; it's a play after all. Jenkins(+0.5) and Harrell(+0.5) closed off either side and Paige(+1) shot down to keep it to 6 yards.
Drive Notes: Time expired. 13-0. EoH. Can't believe Brian Ferentz spent practice time on this.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	I-Form Flex	5-2-4	4-3 Under	2 fld	Pass	4	Sack	Graham	-9	-1.20
Caveat Nick DeJong but this is an awesome push-pull move by Graham(+3, PR+2, tackling+1) who beats the LG cleanly and gets Petras down. Coverage (cov+1) was good enough to get Petras to his 3rd read but Green fell down so he might have hit the 4th.
O16	2nd	19	Ace Twins	4-2-5	4-3 Over	1 off	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Colson	8	0.11
Jenkins(+0.5) gets a hand in Petras's face despite some callable holding. Colson(+1, cov-push) dropped to take away the TE seam and force a checkdown that's tackled quickly.
O24	3rd	11	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Racecar	1 press	Pass	5	Dig	Green	Inc	-0.13
Excellent design (RPS+2, PR+2) overloads the left side, taking out the LG with Okie and stressing the LT with Colson while Harrell(+1) slices through untouched. Petras has to throw while getting hit at a WR dig that Green(+2, cov+2) is dominating.
Drive Notes: Punt. 13-0. 13 min 3rd Q. Annoyance Level has been a solid zero all game. Keep Brian Ferentz!
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	I-Form	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1 press	Run		Lead Stretch	Paige	12	1.03
Iowa wins the meat matchup (RPS-1) as Paige(-1) ends up the LB taking on fullback and gets plunked clean out of the gap. Jenkins(-1) got outflanked and Rolder(-2) shot the G in the same gap instead of catching the spill so this is Moten(+0.5) or six. Moten takes a careful angle to force the RB into Turner(+0.5) and limit the damage.
O37	1st	10	Ace Twins F-Offset	5-2-4	5-2 Split	1 off	Run		Split Zone	Rolder	2	-0.33
Jenkins(+0.5) keeps a double occupied but this is mostly Rolder(+2, tackling+1) peeking frontside then hopping around the RT. Clipped for season preview.
O41	2nd	8	Ace F-In	4-2-5	4-3 Over	1 fld	Run		Stretch	D.Moore	2(-17)	-1.81
D-Mo(+2) sets up on the edge and comes inside then gets the RB's shoulderpad as he tries to hop outside too late. That should delay enough for others to rally but Paige got blindsided (Hat-2). Johnson(-0.5) was a bit late to react to the run and come down to the edge but didn't matter since Mullings(+0.5) got off his block and arrived to help. Flag for the blindside wipes out the play anyways.
O26	2nd	21	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 fld	Pass	4	Deep Out	Turner	Inc	-0.12
Sainristil shows blitz and Petras thinks he's got a free out vs zero but that was just Turner(+3, cov+2) baiting what could have been a pick-six/game over if he holds on. He doesn't. Poop. RPS+1.
O26	3rd	21	Gun Str Flex	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 off	Pass	4	Sack	Morris	-8	-0.09
Morris(+2, PR+3) is the clearer on this stunt but the C has the protection set the other way after the Harrell event last drive (RPS+2). Morris overpowers the RG who's got a bad angle and gets Petras down.
Drive Notes: Punt. 20-0. 5 min 3rd Q. If Turner holds on the rest of this is garbage time. Instead a crap penalty on punt coverage and McCarthy's fumble/backwards pass set up Iowa in Michigan territory. Annoyance Level: 1.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
M44	1st	10	Offset I Heavy	5-2-4	5-3 Over	1 press	Run		Counter Trey	Barrett	6	0.30
Harrell(-0.5) is easier to run this against than Morris. He's kicked by physics and Barrett(+1) takes the same L vs the FB but came up to put that collision in the hole at the LOS, all you can ask of him. Bigger issue is Jenkins(-2) getting blown out by the RT/TE combo that gets to Colson instantly. Sainristil(+1, tackling+1) is in cleanup position.
M38	2nd	4	Offset I Heavy	5-2-4	5-3 Over	1 off	Run		Lead Stretch	Smith	3	-0.31
RG is trying to reach Smith(-1). He doesn't but Smith gives up ground to prevent it and lets the C get to Colson. Morris(+1) two-gapped the edge and Barrett(+0.5) popped the lead blocker to force a cutback. Graham(+0.5, tackling+1) comes off the LG and Jenkins(+0.5) kept up an engaged pursuit to pinch off the gap and hold to a short gain.
M35	3rd	1	I-Heavy F-Cross	5-2-4	Goal	1 press	Play-Action	n/a	PA FB Leak	Colson	17	0.84
Ha, Joel Klatt, you're wrong! He blames Harrell, but Harrell's got the edge while Colson(-3, cov-2) is the playside LB responsible for the FB. Colson abandons this for a fruitless pass rush where Jenkins(+1, PR+1) came through a double to allow Harrell unfettered access to Petras. RPS+2 if Junior doesn't abandon his post it's a sack on 3rd and 1.
M18	1st	10	Offset Twins	5-2-4	4-3 Over	2 off	Pass	4	2 Verts	Turner	Inc	-0.35
Smith(+1, PR+1) beats the bad LG again so ball has to be out but Turner(-2, cov-2) is giving up a huge cushion to this WR so he can't even contest a ball in the endzone. Also need Harrell(-1) to get a better chip on #2 so Moore is able to help. Throw is a little too hot and inside for a bad WR to adjust to it, possibly because of Smith's rush. Hat-2.
M18	2nd	10	Ace Z-Jet	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2 off	Play-Action	4	Drag	Colson	(-15)	-2.17
It's that drag under a pick that Iowa loves and I swear I'm not trying to put everything on this guy. M sent Sainristil off the edge which makes Colson(-2, cov-2) the curl/flat defender. He looks up the first TE but backs up and bumps into the clearout with his back turned when it's time to chop down on the crosser. Refs-1 also allow LaPorta some blatant OPI on Moore that the Michigan sideline is hollering about (this will be important later). Nobody in the flat means a big gain until Green comes down from Cov3. Comes back on a 100% unnecessary roughness on the T vs Sainristil. It looks like this is standing there telling him to let him go and he doesn't. Hat-3.
M33	2nd	25	Gun Trips RB	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 off	Pass	4	Tunnel Screen	Colson	3	-0.37
Dangerous as the WR gets around him but Colson(+1) read the play, set an edge, and got an OL to chase him. Smith(+2) comes all the way across to slam this down.
M30	3rd	22	Gun Str	4-2-5	Racecar	2 off	Pass	4	Flag	Sainristil	28	4.27
Clean pocket vs max pro (PR-2) on 3rd and 22 with Harrell(-1) blasted out by a failed stunt that just halts Morris as well. Sainristil(-3, cov-3) completely blows this coverage--he has outside leverage and help from Moore (high) and Colson (low) inside, but bites on a move then stumbles so nobody's there to contest. Moore(+0.5) gets Ragaini out at the 2 but can we stop giving up 3rd and 22 fellas?
M2	1st	Goal	Goal Line	6-3-2	Goal	n/a	Run		Lead Stretch	Moten	2	1.16
Yes Harrell got held a bit (refs-1) but the real problem is Moten(-2) doesn't scrape over.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 20-7. 14 min 4th Q. Annoyance level: 4.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O17	1st	10	I-form	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1 press	Run		Split Zone	Moore	1	-0.41
Jenkins(+1) gets a double from the TE and RT and keeps his guy clean, Harrell(+0.5) pops the FB to prevent a big kickout and Moore(+1) squares up and sticks with help from Colson(+0.5, tackling+1).
O18	2nd	9	Ace Twins F-Cross	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 off	Pass	4	Flood	Sainristil	10	1.09
Flood concept to the field. Turner points at Moten(-1, cov-2) to pick up #85 but he's late to do so. Colson(+0.5) sees this and gets a little more depth rather than chasing LaPorta. Sainristil(-1) also sees it and stops at the hash, so now we have three guys reacting to this TE and nobody on flag route to the WR. RPS-1: I think M was overcommitting to the TE game here.
O28	1st	10	Ace Twins	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Pass	5	TE Seam	Colson	34	2.76
Ain't even mad. Colson(+1, cov+1) is carrying LaPorta, is inside his shoulder, and gets a hand in the way but Petras lays this in there like it's Brady to Gronk. I do want him and Moore(-2, tackling-2) to get LaPorta down at the 50 not let him rumble inside the 40. Hat+2.
M38	1st	10	Ace Z-Jet	5-2-4	5-3 Split	1 off	Play-Action	4	PA Drag	Harrell	4	-0.08
The Ferentz Play I broke down in 2019. Moten is over #1, want to see Upshaw(-0.5) get more pass-rush against an RB but he is checking that guy for a release and does threaten finally while Graham(-1, PR-2) does not. Fortunately all options are covered so Petras comes back to 2 after his drag. Harrell(+1, cov+1) stops after 3.5 yards.
M34	2nd	6	Flexbone	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	0 press	Run		Split Zone	Jenkins	-1	-1.04
Nobody deep, Iowa isn't testing it. LaPorta motions from Twins to Bone. Jenkins(+2) beats a double and forces a pop outside that Harrell(+1) cleans up.
M35	3rd	7	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Wide	1 press	Run		Split Zone	Smith	9	1.50
This could have been a lot worse. Harrell and Smith don't seem to know the call and Michigan's still in its Racecar personnel with Upshaw at DT. Then Moten(-2) buries himself uselessly between the DTs, which leaves a massive cutback lane the RB fortunately doesn't see (Hat-2). Smith(-1) sees it and starts fighting that direction, but Colson(-0.5) ate a block behind him and the RB is able to squeeze past. Moore(-1) should be there but he inexplicably is heading to Colson's side when Colson is funneling to Moore. He corrects, but too late to prevent a first down.
M26	1st	10	Ace	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Play-Action	n/a	TE Tunnel Screen	Moten	7	0.33
Goode in for Smith. Brian Ferentz (RPS+3) calls an 8-yard loss against man. Moten(-2, tackling-3) whiffs the tackle. Morris(-1) pulled up for a beat (already celebrating?) to prevent him from collecting, then gets stiffarmed but manages to trip LaPorta up after a decent gain. Turner hurt after the play.
M19	2nd	3	I-form	5-2-4	5-3 Odd	1 press	Run		Lead Stretch	Jenkins	0	-0.53
Smith returns. Jenkins(+2) gets into the RT, rides, then shucks when that guy runs into the FB that ran into Moore(+1) throwing all he's got at him. Graham(+0.5) did a better job this time of dodging the (legal) cut block.
M19	3rd	3	I-Heavy F-Cross	5-2-4	4-3 Over	2 press	Run		Iso	Graham	5	0.37
Left side goes a beat early (refs-1), which allows the LG time to get around Smith(-1) who gave up lots of ground on the C but couldn't stay playside. Graham(+1) flips the LG to his off shoulder which prevents the FB from getting out of the backfield and makes him turn on Graham instead, the LG is now into Colson and Smith can only set up past the 1st down marker.
M14	1st	10	Gun 12 Trips	5-2-4	5-2 Odd	1 press	Play-Action	n/a	Bubble Screen	Moore	6	0.18
Borderline if this is thrown behind the LOS and LaPorta straight-up blocking Johnson is legal or OPI. M sideline thinks it's blatant OPI (relevant soon). Anyway Moore(-1) is a little slow to replace so Ragaini can turn upfield and use his mass for a good gain.
M8	2nd	4	Gun 12 Trips H-Fly	5-2-4	5-2 Under	1 press	Pass	4	Rollout Pick	Moore	0	-0.38
Less question here as Johnson(+1) set up to trap a slant and the WR just runs him over (refs-1). Doesn't matter because Moore(+2, tackling+2) read what was happening and shot outside to blast LaPorta immediately. Refs+1 also set him a yard back from forward progress. RPS+1 you just taught him not to make this mistake.
M8	3rd	4	Offset Wk	4-2-5	4-3 Split	1 press	Run		Split Zone Duo	Okie	2	-0.18
Doubles get a lot of movement on Smith(-1) while Jenkins(+0.5) slanted through his double, not affecting the RB but removing a blocker. Barrett(+2) has read his Neck Sharpies, sees Smith doubled and shoots the gap while it's there just as Okie(+2) comes in unblocked from the backside and gets the RB's knees. Williams (Hat+1) manages to stumble forward for 1.5 yards when he should be stuffed.
M6	4th	2	I-Heavy F-Cross	6-2-3	Goal	n/a	Pass	5	TE Flat	Johnson	1	-4.15
Lol. Hard to judge anything because Petras (Hat-2) throws it on the ground short of the sticks, perhaps hoping LaPorta can turn it up on Johnson(+1, cov+1), who read it and got around some sorta PI by the slot on Green to make it difficult to convert if accurate. Also they call the OPI.
Drive Notes: Turnover on Downs. 20-7. 5 min 4th Q. That was extremely annoying.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O42	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Splits	2 fld	Pass	4	Sack	Morris	-9	-2.40
Morris(+3, PR+3) times the snap, beats the RT outside and takes down Petras.
O33	2nd	19	Gun Str Demi	4-2-5	Nk Under	2 fld	Pass	4	Throwaway	Morris	Inc	-0.25
Morris(+2, PR+2) goes inside the RT and hits Petras as he's trying to throw an outlet that Jenkins didn't even finish dropping into (RPS+1) on a three-man rush. Nobody was remotely open either (cov+2).
O33	3rd	19	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	Nk Split X	2 fld	Pass	4	Sack	Okie	-5	-0.16
Okie(+3, PR+3) splits waaaaaay out and dips waaaaaay down under the RT, gets a handful of Petras's jersey collar, and won't let go as he's pushed past and his arm is now crossing Upshaw and the guy blocking Upshaw. Petras is dragged along for the ride.
O28	4th	24	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Over X	1 off	Pass	4	Throwaway	Okie	Inc	-3.86
Okie(+2, PR+3) lines up way outside again but this time Smith is playing DT in a 4i. The LG goes for Smith and Eyabi smoothly loops inside like he's running a WR route before the G can recover. RB released and the rest of the protection is stopping Upshaw and Harrell so there's nowhere to go. Petras tries to hop outside and chuck it at anyone but Okie's on him and the ball barely goes 5 yards.
Drive Notes: Turnover on Downs. 20-7. 2 min 4th Q. Next drive M is up by 3 scores and in prevent while Iowa bleeds away 90% of the remaining clock so we're not grading coverage.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun 2RB Twins Flex	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 off	Pass	4	Dig	Green	19	1.71
1:19, 1 TO. Morris timed the snap but LT anticipated outside rush (Hat+1).
O44	1st	10	Gun 2RB Twins Flex	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 fld	Pass	4	Dig	Turner	Inc	-1.16
1:02. Morris(+2, PR+2) gets points for this because he beat the RT outside again. Petras still got off a laser while getting hit but his WR drops it.
O44	2nd	10	Gun Str Demi	4-2-5	Nk Even	1 press	Pass	4	Deep Curl	Green	17	2.39
0:57. Okie(+1, PR+1) fights through to make Petras zing this under pressure.
M39	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 press	Pass	4	Flag	Sainristil	Inc(+15)	0.46
0:40. Upshaw(-2) through but mostly ignored as this is a quick out that the WR drops. Then he takes two steps and pops Petras. Dude!
M24	1st	10	Gun Trips	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 fld	Pass	6	Dig	Johnson	19	0.80
0:36. House brought except a DE drops. Paige came from pretty deep (RPS is off) with Cov Zero behind it which is kinda silly since the ball's gonna be out before he arrives.
M5	1st	Goal	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 press	Pass	4	TE Curl	Moore	5	1.83
0:13. Iowa wastes a bunch of time getting set. Pressure loops Okie and is picked up (PR-1). Moore is in position to break it up but the ball barely finds a spot under his arm.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 27-14. 8 seconds left. Yada yada yada.

You can't just yada yada yada through their last drive!

Why not?

Because it annoyed me and I need something to panic about.

You do?

Yes. You said Iowa cannot offense. I saw Iowa in the Michigan endzone two times! This cannot be tolerated.

Whyever not?

Toleration leads to acceptability. Acceptability leads to lethargy. Lethargy leads to Columbus.

All roads lead to Columbus.

And if we can't shut down Iowa on the road?

Okay, enough of this. This was a good performance with a few bad moments balanced out by just-as-good moments. The Iowa offense's total EPA in this game barely cracked 1 point. Ratchet up your expectations for a bad Big Ten offense to higher than the UConn-Hawai'i-Colorado State line and this is a standard sleepy face-mashing that wouldn't look out of place in 2006 or 1986.

So there's nothing to worry about.

There's some nuance.

Nuance? Buddy this the Internet in 2022. Put it in a top ten or I'm not even clicking.

Top Ten Iowa drives in descending order of annoyance.

1. 13-play, 78-yard drive that ended on 4th and 2.
2. 7-play, 44-yard touchdown drive.
3. 7-play, 49-yard drive that gets to a bad call & punts.
   ----------------LINE OF ACTUALLY ANNOYED---------------
4. 5-play, 75-yard TD drive that ate up over 90% of the remaining clock.
   ---------LINE OF EVEN MODERATELY ANNOYED--------
5. 7-play, 15-yard drive that only got to the Iowa 40.
6. 3-and-out on Iowa's 1st possession.
7. 3-and-out on Iowa's 1st possession of the 2nd half.
8. 5-and-out that lost 7 yards.
9. Lol at your fake knee.
10. Two sacks, two pressures, turnover on downs.

Half of Iowa's drives went nowhere or backwards. The last drive turned a three-score game with 1:20 remaining into a two-score game with 8 seconds remaining. It was the fake kneeldown of drives, in that it had more to do with salvaging the perception of Brian Ferentz among Iowa fans than winning the football game, and in that Michigan was content to let them have it in return for running out the clock.

Realistically you should just ignore that drive and pretend the game ended on the last one.

Okay, I'm trying that.

And?

Ah

Ah?

Ah dip o' th' shoulder tae ye th'day, laddie!

Scottie! Shouldn't you be an unintelligible rhetorical device on some Ravens blog by now? David Ojabo is gone.

Is he noo?

That's Eyabi Okie. He's from Baltimore, not Scotland.

He's nae fae oklahoma either. 'n' anyway noo that a'm pairt o` yer process a'm feelin' entitled tae reappear whenever some lip player dips his shoulder lik' a teuchter gaun fur a tumbler o' milk.

Oh man, I'm with you. That clip right there is worth three UConn games as far as answering questions about Michigan's defense!

Put aside all the technical questions and how well he knows the defense for a moment, because when the NFL drafts this is what they're looking for. That's what scouts must've seen when they made this guy the #5 player in his class. That's what made Uche intolerable to offensive tackles. And most importantly, that's the #1 thing this defense has been missing from last year. Just marvel at this agility:

#18 way outside on the top of the DL

We are still talking niche pass rush abilities here, but that isn't what any other lineman on this team looks like when he's changing directions. Unscientifically, it looks like 0.5 seconds less time than an offensive lineman adjusting to a stunt should have to pick up the looper. 1 second less than some DL.

Me laddie Ojabo brocht a muckle mair than situationally runnin' bygae beffan tackles oan third 'n' twelve.

It's also not the only Okie thing we saw. All game they kept inserting Okie and he was wracking up the charting points.

Ye gie oot points? Shaw me!

Like Okie's final score?

A' o' th' lads if ye dinnae mynd. Mibbie ye kin the noo it as some sort o' tabulation?

Chart. Note: I'm reversing "Hat" scoring because it feels weird to hand out negatives when an opponent does something good and positives when Spencer Petras throws it in the dirt on 4th and 2.

Defensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Snaps	Notes
Mazi Smith	8	5	+3	58	Doubles all day, maybe don't be Iron Man.
Kris Jenkins	11.5	6	+5.5	50	Got it in the face, gave it right back twice over.
Mason Graham	7.5	4.5	+3	30	Learned on the job, couldn't get him twice.
Rayshaun Benny	1	0	+1	4	One drive, got held on a stretch play.
Michael Morris	13	2	+11	33	Made the bad Iowa finally go away.
Jaylen Harrell	4	3	+1	39	Presence not felt.
Taylor Upshaw	3	2.5	+0.5	18	Can feel the coach love.
Braiden McGregor	0	1	-1	10	Probably wasn't his kind of opponent.
Eyabi Okie	10.5	0.5	+10	26	SPROOOIIIIIING!
Derrick Moore	2.5	0	+2.5	5	Quietly getting really good at non-flashy things.
TOTAL	61	24.5	+36.5	275	Eyabi Okie Day. (1 snap each for Grant/Goode)
Linebacker
Player	+	-	T	Snaps	Notes
Junior Colson	4.5	15	-10.5	53	Maybe he thought grass was Petras's favorite target.
Nikhai Hill-Green	0	0	-	0	DNP
Michael Barrett	5.5	3.5	+2	42	Way more aggressive!
Kalel Mullings	0.5	0	+0.5	7	No notes.
Jimmy Rolder	2	2	-	7	Play 1: Wrong gap. Play 2: Right gap (same gap).
TOTAL	12.5	20.5	-8	109	Spot dropping is not zone coverage.
Secondary
Player	+	-	T	Snaps	Notes
DJ Turner	3.5	2	+1.5	52	Stayed away from him, almost pick-six.
Mike Sainristil	4	4	-	35	One big bad thing against lots of little good things.
Gemon Green	3	1	+2	44	Also avoided most of the day.
Will Johnson	2	0.5	+1.5	14	Did fine.
Rod Moore	5.5	4	+1.5	49	Missed a funnel, missed some tackles, still a rocket.
RJ Moten	0.5	7	-6.5	39	Got LaPorta'd in the LaPorta.
Makari Paige	3	2	+1	43	Might have moved ahead of Moten.
TOTAL	21.5	20.5	+1	276	Most negatives were one big florp per guy.
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Pressure	27	7	+20	A lot of this was late in the game (duh).
Coverage	17	21	-4	Soylent Green isn't people.
Tackling	9	5	+4	+Iowa RBs are just guys, -LaPorta choo choo = 2.
RPS	19	4	+15	Brian Ferentz = coordinator bye week.
Hat Tip	5	15	-10	Reversing this: + is good for them, - is when Iowa blew it.

Ten points in twenty-six snaps is guid aye?

Aye, and furthermore I'm starting to believe the answer to that great preseason question "Who emerges at Edge?" is coming into focus. By my accounting Okie's now at +28/-3 on 68 snaps. He got more work in this game than any two others, and didn't take so much as a –1. Michigan's 2022 schedule isn't remotely good enough thus far to compare it to all of 2021 but at some point here I'm going to have to stop ignoring what's happening in my scoring.

For now—promising each other we're not going to take it seriously at this point—let's just look. Look. No talk…just look, okay? No talk. NO talk.

PLAYER	Year	+	-	Tot	Snaps	Pts/Snap
Jaylen Harrell	2022	33	19.5	+13.5	168	+0.08
Michael Morris	2022	45	5.5	+39.5	140	+0.28
Taylor Upshaw	2022	16.5	11.5	+5	95	+0.05
Braiden McGregor	2022	27.5	14.5	+13	83	+0.16
Eyabi Okie	2022	28	3	+25	68	+0.37
Derrick Moore	2022	23	2	+21	67	+0.31
PLAYER	Year	+	-	Tot	Snaps	Pts/Snap
Aidan Hutchinson	2021	323.5	37.5	+286	736	+0.39
David Ojabo	2021	139.5	42.5	+97	514	+0.19

…

…

In defense o' mah laddie his scores earlie in th' seezin…

NO TALK.

…

Okay. The world hasn't turned upside down. The most important pieces of context are 1) No 2022 opponent would be in the top two-thirds of difficulty against 2021's slate, and 2) Michigan is being extremely selective with how they deploy their two newest edges, so UFR points per snap is highly unfair to the guys getting nothing for doing important standard down jobs.

What the scoring does say is Okie is ready for more responsibility, and is starting to get it. Michigan wasn't about to have Okie replace Harrell as the DE/LB versus Iowa's I-formations, though they trusted him enough to have him dropping into the flat on 3rd and 4 of Iowa's first drive. Since under center 12 and 22 personnel were the bulk of Iowa's standard down offense, and the nickel only came out for passing situations, we can't say that Okie's really passed McGregor as the base nickel WDE. Still, passing downs Nickel DE is a thing.

This is a weird development because I thought we were being the sane people by saying his tape last year wasn't very good, he only got here late in fall camp, and Michigan's defense is complicated. To play it you have to be able to do things like set a high edge then come inside of it.

Ye mean lik' so?

#18 edge on the bottom

Aaaaaahhhhhh! Yeah, exactly so. Given it's 2nd & 14 the coaches probably weren't expecting this event, but he put it on film, and later they left him out there for a running down when THAT BEND was able to affect a crucial running play.

#18 DE split out at the top (under the CB)

There's still plenty we haven't seen him do, e.g. zone reads (not gonna happen vs. Iowa), and there are still moments you remember he's only been in Michigan since August. And I still caution that it's easier to use a guy who's supposed to be pretty raw when facing a simpler offense. Next week Michigan gets a Walt Bell offense and all the weird edge attacks he likes to concoct. It will be interesting to see how he comes out on the other side.

Before you go, is there a word in Scots for someone like Mike Morris?

Aye! We ca' this'n a "Chris Wormley."

Accurate. The first thing Wormley was known for around these parts was being a bane to tight ends and pullers. Morris has the same build and same tendency to wreck a play by chucking his mass into it.

#90 the edge on the bottom

Running gap plays off-tackle is the essence of football, attacking the spot between the beef and the guy responsible for contain the way old fashioned land battles came down to breaking through the spot between the edge of the infantry formation and the cavalry protecting their flanks. Mike Morris is the heavy cavalry turning back the thrust of your attack until it's now another obstacle.

Iowa mostly had to run away from him.

He's also their most developed pass-rusher. Morris was the first half of the pass-rush-a-thon that ended Iowa's last real shot at points, and did it not so much by being naturally dippy as clever, strong, and quick. The first down sack started with Morris timing the snap. That's two extra steps he gets to get around the right tackle's feet, punch away the guy's arms, and meet Petras at the top of a nine-yard dropback.

With the RT set up, Morris next came inside, which is where he's a more effective rusher because his strength and technique can be brought fully to bear. The first couple of steps get the OT to widen, then Morris comes in with a chop/swim move. Once there, Morris is very hard to push off of his line.

This is getting into the weeds a bit but note Morris's inside foot as he finishes the swim move.

Planting it out there is setting up for the OT's counter move, which should be to try to push Morris further inside where his QB can step around. You see that happen to Taylor Upshaw, Braiden McGregor, and Jaylen Harrell, and even Mazi Smith quite a bit when they come inside. McGregor in particular (probably because his legs are still true freshmen after his HS injury) has not yet taught his body unnatural tasks like planting a foot inside while his hands are engaged in punching and swimming.

Morris is there, and it makes him a viable pass rush threat, especially on the interior, which is why Michigan is using him as a tackle on obvious passing downs. This clip also helpfully shows outside rushes by Okie (bottom) and Upshaw (top) from earlier in the game.

If Petras escapes Morris there it's a lot of yards since he was supposed to be the guy freeing Smith on a stunt. The right guard tries to make that happen by pushing Morris off his line, and Morris fights that off to stay outside enough that Petras can't get around him.

Meanwhile you can slow-mo the video (left arrow slows it down, right arrow speeds it up) and watch Upshaw on top to get an idea of what pass rush looks like without Okie-level bend or Morris-caliber body control. Upshaw actually has his feet around the LT at the 20 yard line, but his shoulder is high enough that the LT still has leverage to recover.

While we're here, we can swing back to a less successful Okie pass rush.

Even the great pass rushers aren't going to get pressures all the time any more than Miguel Cabrera is going to get a hit on every at-bat. One thing about Okie though is he doesn't always appear to have a plan. That comes with development—reading cues from the offense, setting a guy up, and executing.

I can't tell you what was in his head or what specifically his coaches were working to put there, but the vibe from this pass rush is that Okie went into it thinking he could juke the T and take whatever the guy bit on. Instead Okie was the one who ended up with his legs splayed out like a tackle. I bet you a dollar this was discussed on the sideline, because when he came out in the 4th quarter he had a plan.

And what about the other starter? You know, the DE who played the most snaps of anyone including Morris despite not folding inside on passing downs?

Jaylen Harrell was…there. Every week I have the same complaint about his pass-rushing, which is that he's just not strong enough to move a guy and not athletic or fast enough to get around everyone. Michigan got some pressure earlier by lining him up inside but Harrell doesn't even have the Junior Colson level of strength to get through a guy. On this one he runs into a chip from the RB and gets rocked back so thoroughly that the LT can stand there for a full second waiting for Harrell to reengage. Meanwhile the LG who was supposed to be tracking Harrell leaves early to concentrate on Morris. Everyone else is doubled and Petras has acres to find his reads.

#32 second guy down

On the other hand, that's one of just two full negatives Harrell picked up all day. He got some -0.5s for getting kicked—again he's too small for the Judonesque way Michigan wants to play Edge—and some +1s for pressuring when nobody's blocking him and tackling a crossing route underneath him for a short gain.

There are days when Harrell makes an impact, but mostly I get the sense he's out there because he can handle linebacker dropbacks at a C- level and part of going 5-2 is the versatility to turn that into a 4-3. Harrell's nickel snaps might be under threat soon, but you're not going to see that in a 5-2 game like this, and the ability to linebacker with this guy means he's still a crucial part of their Amoeba game.

You keep sounding down on Upshaw but you graded him well.

He's still in the rotation on the edge, where he's been a solid run defender and emphatically not a pass-rusher.

The thing about Upshaw is he doesn't make big mistakes. Including all of last year he's got just four plays of –2. One of those was in this game but that was a meaningless late hit on the quarterback on Iowa's meaningless drive. In return for many snaps of no-screwups football, you get certain heady benefits like immunity to slip screens.

Via PFF, he's playing about a quarter of his snaps from 4-tech inwards (ie at tackle), including this play. In a different program they might have made him a 3-tech or 3-4 SDE and used that fantastic brain of his to diagnose the myriad ways blockers mess with you. Michigan is content to lose some pass rush to have Upshaw there to close down an edge that Morris isn't on.

The more they can trust the other edges with this stuff, the more that math changes. As for the spot on the pass rush package, Morris is superior at anything you would use Upshaw at, but you only have one Morris, and only so much lung capacity among your true DTs, so Upshaw should continue to be part of the Racecar package.

And Moore? And McGregor?

McGregor's role as the standard down 4-2-5 DE wasn't going to get him on the field much this game, and that held. He came in for a too-tentative pass rush once. Moore was in there and Morris'd a run to his side a couple of times.

#8 the DE on the top

With Morris playing as well as he was and Okie out there as much as he was they had to try to find opportunities for the true freshman. I am sticking with my hot take that Moore's a version of Rashan Gary, this being his year behind Wormley.

Speaking of guys from the 2016 DL, how about that Ryan Glasgow?

You mean Mason Graham.

I mean ol' Ryan Ben Mason Graham Glasgow.

Sure if there's ever going to be a version of The Ripper who's as cognitively gifted as Ryan's older brother and yet comes out of games with a bloody forehead and SPEAKING IN ALL CAPS it's this guy. But this sack was just Ryan Glasgow.

There were some negatives from Graham in this game—he got destroyed by a double once and legally cut down on the play they called an illegal clipping. The next time he saw that he'd adapted and flowed down the line to help tackle. He also Graham Glasgow'd his way through a stretch zone trial by fire, like the time they tried to wash him down and he not only protected his linebacker but spun back to help his linebacker make the tackle when the play cut back.

#55 DT 2nd guy down from the top of the DL

How was Mazi Smith's follow-up to his first shield day?

He's operating on a different level, but it wasn't in the scoring. I called out Upshaw for killing a scree; well, Mazi killed a screen.

Mason Graham and Mike Morris got solo pressures? So did Mazi, who was the most likely guy before That Drive to be pushing the issue or splitting double-teams.

#58 the DT on the hash mark

The difference this week was a spate of negatives. This was the first opponent that really tested Michigan's tackle depth as the heavy sets put all three of the guys at the top of the depth chart on the field together instead of rotating. They could pull Graham for passing downs and Jenkins got to rotate off the field a fair amount as Morris and Upshaw soaked up another passing downs DT role. The guy who was stuck out there all game—he came off just once by my count—was Mazi Smith.

He was still game to pass rush late but I felt him getting gassed in the way he was getting pushed off the line of scrimmage or giving up yards to stay playside and keep his linebackers clean.

Most weeks Mazi's backup is going to be Mason Graham, not Cam Goode. I know he *can* go every snap but I'd rather he not. Maybe they can get Kenneth Grant online or put more on Mason Graham and let Benny soak up the snaps. Or maybe we won't face another team that plays two tight ends and a fullback all year and it's moot.

And Mo Hurst?

We're not calling Kris Jenkins that. You saw him get blown out by a double in the clip above; that happened twice. Mostly he got to play the SDE role in the 5-2 this game, which played to his strengths, generating a bunch of +1s and +0.5s when he was single-blocked. He also used those good feet to his advantage against stretch zone.

He's still a star to me. It's also notable that he mostly kept Rayshaun Benny, who was born to play a stretch team like Iowa, off the field. When Benny did come on he drew a holding call on a stretch zone to remind us that he's going to be death on a team like this once he's fully ready to go.

I don't read much into how little playing time he got, even with Mazi playing so much. Jenkins was playing well, and when Smith got gassed it was so late in the game that it was probably one of those not-it situations where Verlander's over his pitch count but nobody's going to be the one to tell him. Besides, as much as Benny's natural agility and length lend themselves to defending stretch teams, freshmen* are bound to make mistakes, and mistakes against stretch were the #1 most likely avenue for Some Kinnick Bullshit™ to find its way into this game.

* [Graham isn't a freshman; he's a Ryan Glasgow-Graham Glasgow-Ben Mason Frankentackle experiment commissioned during the darkest days of Don Brown's tackle disaster and delayed two years by pandemic-related supply-chain issues.]

If there was a shift in the tackles it was a slight reemphasis on keeping linemen from getting to the next level, even if that meant sacrificing some yards.

Uh oh. Are we in for another delicately worded section on Junior Colson?

Not on run defense.

Oh good.

But we have to talk about his coverage.

Oh bad.

It was. One phrase that coaches like to throw around when critiquing zone play is "He's covering grass" meaning the guy is playing zone defense like his job is to sit in his zone and wait for receivers to enter it.

Isn't that what zone coverage is?

Not past the middle school level. It's supposed to be more like basketball zone coverage, where you are on a guy until you can safely pass him off to your teammate, at which point you need to spring back to find the next offensive player entering your zone. We call this "looking him up."

I'm talking the basics of zone coverage because Colson's day was teach tape in what coaches mean by "He's covering grass."

#25 the LB on the bottom

There's only the tiniest bit of play-action there, and while Colson still got sucked down by it he has time to recover. There's a WR in the area and Colson looks him up, and drops to take away an inside break by that guy.

That's fine. But then this guy breaks outside. Colson ought to know there's someone else entering his zone, but doesn't look. He just drifts. If you drew zone circles he's probably standing in the middle of his. What he's not doing is covering the TE who entered his zone and sat down.

There's still time! Colson can look him up, drift in that direction, or at least know where it's going, bait, and break on it for a PBU or interception. Instead he just sits there and it's a field-flipping chunk play.

Here's another from that drive that could have changed the game early.

#25 the LB on the right

At the start things are fine. Colson has a TE coming down his seam and looks him up.

Then Colson gets to the spot in the middle of the imaginary circle that represents his "zone" and stops.

He's covering grass.

I think I get it now.

And remember the 1st and 20 that Iowa turned into 2nd and 1?

#25 the LB on the right

Colson looks up the first receiver who goes outside, backs up a bit, and feels another guy cross behind him. When you just bracketed an in route like that there's got to be alarm bells going off your head that there's another guy coming across for the QB to go to. Colson just sits on the hash, covering grass.

Hopefully they get that zone coverage cleaned up.

It wasn't just zone coverage. Joel Klatt is annoyingly so good at his job that he's often doing my job, live before millions, after seeing the play one time. But sometimes he gets it wrong and I agreed with Brian on the podcast that this was one such time. Klatt wants to blame Harrell, but Harrell is responsible for the edge of the defense and there's a guy behind him in man on the fullback.

This is a throwaway or a sack and another chorus of boos for Brian Ferentz if Colson just sticks on the fullback.

I know I was telling him to get more aggressive last week, but that's when his DT is soaking up two linemen and there's a clear path to a running back with the ball in his hands. That Iowa would try to play-action to their fullback was so predictable we talked about it in the preview podcast. Michigan had the right playcall to beat it. Silver lining: Colson's starting to feel confident enough to go off-script.

So the slight discomfort drives at the end were Colson not carrying guys?

No. Ironically his biggest beat in the bad time was one of his best plays. This is the same concept that Petras missed in our second Colson play (shut up, Klatt, I know you already told people this) but this time Junior looked up the TE and stayed on him all the way down. Petras shouldn't even throw this except both DTs are blowing up their single blocks and if the ball doesn't get out he's going to be a Graham-Smith sandwich.

I mean…

That's good coverage. Keep it up.

Last week's linebacker complaint was that they weren't shooting gaps when the DTs kept them clean. How'd that go?

Most of those opportunities went to Michael Barrett, and the result was very encouraging even if his personal score wasn't very high. This was the game we circled for when Michigan might not be able to get away with a slighter linebacker against teams that use a fullback. Barrett came out in the positive.

I'm not going to make some outlandish claim like "He read my Neck Sharpies about LBs taking their opportunities" but I am willing to believe he and the coaches saw it and worked on it last week. Because…

#23 the LB in the middle

Barrett wasn't waiting for a lineman to get off a DT this time. When he saw an avenue, even a convoluted one, he put his nose in it. The above helped set up the 4th and 2 and the subsequent drop in annoyance. This next one might have been a better play:

#23 the LB just above the bottomhash mark

Barrett also made himself part of the story when Morris slammed the door shut on the edge. The rest of his day was +0.5 for popping a lead blocker at the right time to force a cutback and –0.5s and –1s when he couldn't time his impact with the fullback well enough to negate his inherent disadvantage in physics.

Like all the ILBs they got him on a bootleg when LaPorta really sold his blocking.

#23 the LB on the right

Barrett hung in there longer than most, but LaPorta hung in long enough that Klatt highlighted it. The whole reason bootlegs pair well with Stretch is they pull this guy in two directions. In the pantheon of concerns, that we'll come across another tight end as committed to this specific craft as LaPorta isn't even ranked.

And Mullings?

I barely charted him on 7 snaps. Also getting 7 snaps was Jimmy Rolder (who burned a redshirt). Rolder got two charted events. On the first he buried himself in a backside gap of a stretch play that could have used his help scraping over to a frontside gap. On the second he waited a beat, then buried himself in a backside gap of a stretch play that was cutting back into him.

#30 the bottom LB

It's too early to say this portends a move up the depth chart, or that Rolder is suddenly viable. I read more into the fact that they inserted him when it was 20-0 in a game where that meant something more like 40-0, and that Rolder's family came from Chicago to see him. But who knows.

Overall this wasn't a game to test the linebackers except in coverage, since Iowa's passing game is built around the tight ends, which played into Michigan's weakest spot on defense.

COUGH COUGH sorry it almost sounded just now like you were saying Brian Ferentz had a sound and rational plan for attacking a weakness in Michigan's defense and carried it out.

Lol not really. Jesse Minter got a year to reacclimate to college but after the SEC and NFL he must have wondered if the film guys were playing a joke on him when they said you really just have to drop somebody into a tight end out. Sure enough Iowa's third play of the game is a 3rd & 4 and Minter's like "Uh, okay I guess I'll drop Okie into the flat to bracket a tight end out to the boundary."

Brian Cook was defending his fellow Brian for the 4th and short playcall (also a flat route to the tight end). Team Brian is right that a quick out to your best YAC man has a high likelihood of success in that scenario and that the reason it doesn't work is Petras's inaccuracy.

The other reason it didn't work was the slot receiver got flagged for offensive pass interference. Try to watch it without Michigan lenses and see if you'd call this one:

My take is that flag was set up by Ferentz himself. He has a well-documented tendency to call the same concept multiple times in sequence. Thrice in this game already Iowa ran pick plays that were either illegal or barely legal, the latter two on 1st and 2nd downs that preceded this. Whatever your tolerance for contact, that 4th & 2 was one snap removed from this play:

I have sideline intel that Harbaugh was already in the ref's ear about OPI on 1st down when this play occurred, which set off a chain of "Oh CUMONG!"s from the Michigan corner. I don't know how much that influenced the ref to call it on 4th down, but I have made a lot of borderline calls in my time on chocolates before dinner, and know I'm far more likely to put the foot down when they've spent the last few minutes conspicuously floating around the cabinet. Can't indulge them too much.

Beating a concept to death is not Brian Ferentz's fatal flaw, however. The thing that makes the words "Brian Ferentz" synonymous with jaypaternoism is how extremely easy he makes it to sell out against his tendencies. Watch Makari Paige on this early 3rd and 10:

#7 the safety up the middle

A safety who's playing that straight up might have an interception because he's in his zone and worried about any route that breaks his direction. Makari Paige is watching TE Sam LaPorta the whole route and standing exactly where LaPorta means to turn in.

Yes, this play was covered in Foe Film.

That's not to say Minter took the week off. We added to the Amoeba package in an interesting way. This blitz isn't complicated to draw up, but the timing of it really screws with Iowa's protection scheme.

And drawn up:

The key is the timing. Okie moves very quickly from the LT to the LG so that he's on that G at the same moment he's realizing Harrell is looping in unblocked. The guard can't process a new rusher in his face and yelling out "looper" fast enough, and the LT is going to be focused on Colson, the outside threat, until he hears something. Harrell gets a free run.

This play was the subject of this week's Seth & Matt (Demorest) Show because I thought it paired with the Morris sack next drive.

Watch how the center sets up:

They've switched their protection so they don't get the same loop, but now that the RG is looking for a looper or something he's not paying attention as Mike Morris climbs behind the center and the left guard pivots to deal with Mazi.

I know you refused to chart them on the last drive. Anything from the secondary?

Yeah, we're really seeing Makari Paige come on. You saw his part above in bracketing the 3rd down. He was also back doing some linebacker things.

#7 top guy on the LB level, standing close to the "40" yard marker

As Michigan looks for a new Brad Hawkins to come down in support of the run game when the offense shifts to a heavy front, Paige is the guy emerging as the best fit for that role. He's also starting and getting equal run with Moore, who as a smaller guy is better at flying down from on high as a free hitter than dealing with linemen looking at him, and RJ Moten, who is Not a Linebacker.™

I thought this play was one of Brian Ferentz's best-planned, and it almost broke big in two ways besides the way in which it gained a first down. Note how they set up with spread personnel then shifted in for a run. Michigan had its dime team on the field, with Upshaw at DT and Moten in for a linebacker. He's #6 playing LB on the lower hash and buries himself in the line instead of seeking the ball:

It's bad enough that this play gave up a 1st down on 3rd & 7 but it could have been much worse. Moten is buried between the DTs. If LeShun Williams notices that means there's nobody for the C gap anymore it might be six.

Not a linebacker. It felt worse because these were back to back plays and this is a terrible missed opportunity to short-circuit this Drive of Perpetual Annoyance, but I have some sympathy because LaPorta does this to people.

Moving on to Moore, I think this is the first time I've ever caught him to the wrong side of a funnel. This is the same play as above, when Moten buried himself.

Colson is on the opposite side of #77 and Moore should be coming down to stop this nonsense at 4-5 yards and a shot at 4th & 3. Instead he's trying to follow the RB and gives up a cut for the 1st down.

That was uncharacteristic. We still got the usual Moore play where he hovers, hovers, hovers, then ZOOM.

Someone suggested last week that Moore wasn't 100% yet after the injury that upset his offseason. He still does the main thing he does, which is shoot down faster than a guy is supposed to, find his way to the ball, and make himself relevant when the offense thought they could run something safety-free.

Did they try to edge Jabrill Peppers?

You mean Dax Hill.

I mean Mike Sainristil.

I mean, it's Iowa. When they screen it's usually a DT tracking it down. But there was a really bad coverage bust.

Sainristil mistakes however not big glaring "he covered grass" problems so this takes a little explaining. Other than no pressure everything is fine on the initial setup for this 3rd & 22. Sainristil has outside leverage and help above and below on an in-breaking route. His job is anything outside.

The problem is he got cute. I can't tell you what was in his head but I bet you a dollar he figured Petras also saw his outside leverage and was going to try to fit in a deep post between the safeties as Sainristil broke off. Sainristil moves inside to be in position to defend that post and gives up the thing he was taking away.

The other Sainristil oops was a similar example of trying to guess at Iowa tendencies instead of just doing his job.

#0 the nickel on the top hash

This is a Flood concept and Moten is late to switch onto the backside TE, which stresses Colson and Sainristil. Do you leave a TE open in front of an Iowa quarterback's face? Well man, it's not really your job. The WR's flag route is your job. And Petras sees the WR's coverage getting pulled away by the TE and throws the flag.

The correct response in this situation, by the way, would be for Colson to take away the TE, Sainristil to stay on the WR, and force a dumpoff to the flat on which they can rally. I don't know how much Colson's day up to this point affected Sainristil's decision to cover everybody's guys, but I'm willing to bet that's what happened here.

What about the other cornerbacks?

Turner had the almost pick-six and two plays where he gave up a huge cushion. I'm not reading too much into those because Iowa's passing game is an odd duck that absolutely refuses to test the cornerbacks in man. Hanging back in hopes of making a pick makes sense since 1/3 passes thrown at Turner this game could have been a defensive touchdown, and I'm only sure two of those passes targeted Turner.

Green got to break up the one pass Petras was forced to throw in his direction.

…and gave up a soft hitch underneath him that Petras sailed anyways.

Heroes?

Mike Morris and Eyabi Okie ended it like, dare I say, I don't. But they ended it.

Maybe not so heroic?

Junior Colson gave up zero completions to grass. RJ Moten had a rough one.

What does it mean for Indiana and beyond?

Not sayin', just lookin'. Coming out party, or Uche role that got extra play against Iowa? Not sure but a comparison of Okie and the guy who busted out in Game 5 of last year (for 2021 that was WMU, Washington, NIU, Rutgers, and Wisconsin):

PLAYER	Year	+	-	Tot	Snaps	Pts/Snap
David Ojabo	2021	28	17.5	+10.5	136	+0.08
Eyabi Okie	2022	28	3	+25	68	+0.37

Not talkin'. Just lookin'.

When they go dime I think Paige should play the linebacker. Not Moten.

Colson should cover people. He'll have many years after football to stand in the middle of a lawn and survey. Needs a bounceback game to avoid the cyan returning.

Either way linebacker is probably going to be a weak spot at least until NHG returns and probably beyond. Got everything we wanted from Barrett and it was still like a +2. Rolder burning his redshirt means they think he's needed this year.

Iowa's offense wasn't THAT bad. They made some plays, stretched some responsibilities, missed some throws. Only guy I thought was really not Big Ten caliber was that left guard. Brian Ferentz holds them back more than their talent does.

Organic pass rush is coming along. Okie helps, getting the timing down on Amoeba blitzes opens up other opportunities.

Moment of Zen?

Nine! Zero! Hat. Hat.