Upon Further Review: Offense vs Florida Comment Count

Brian

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FORMATION NOTES: uh i forgot to take clips just a sec

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There wasn't anything too weird except a few tackle over plays. There was an increase in WR snaps. Michigan averaged 2.1 WRs, 1.4 TEs, and 1.5 RBs per snap. Before the 22-personnel heavy fourth quarter Michigan had 2.3 WRs per snap.

PERSONNEL NOTES: QB was Speight with those two O'Korn drives. RB was Evans primarily, then Isaac, then Higdon, and that's it. FB seemed about evenly split between Poggi and Hill.

OL was Cole-Bredeson-Kugler-Onwenu-Ulizio the whole way except for one brief drive where Runyan replaced Onwenu.

WR was fairly diverse. Black, Crawford, and Perry led the way. DPJ, Ways, and McDoom got scattered snaps behind the starters. TE seemed split almost evenly between McKeon, Wheatley, Bunting, Gentry, and Eubanks. Those snaps are probably in descending order.

[After THE JUMP: it's a long one]

Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M25 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Run Split zone Evans -1
UF LBs playing blitzball. At point of handoff two of three are crossing the LOS with the third barely behind. Onwenu(-1) doesn’t read the blitzball and just keeps doubling the NT with Kugler. They kick his ass, FWIW. Bredeson is ripped back by the 3T’s outstretched arm as he tries to release, refs -2. Wheatley(+1) mauls a DE slanting away from him; Poggi(-1) gets blown up by a LB. Onwenu miss and Bredeson hold mean two guys are free, and Evans gets eaten. RPS -2.
M24 2 11 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel even 6 Pass Drag Crawford 3
Stunt not picked up by Onwenu(-1) and Ulizio(-1); Ulizio ends up chasing a DE he cannot get to. Speight gets off a throw to Crawford a UF busts, and Crawford(-1) has an opportunity to turn upfield immediately and get some YAC. Instead he runs horizontally into coverage and gets a meh gain. (CA, 3, protection 0/2)
M27 3 8 Shotgun empty trips bunch TE 1 1 3 Nickel over 5 Pass Scramble Speight 8
Pocket is okay for a second and then gets disrupted some as Bredeson almost loses to a push-pull. He does stay attached and Speight only has to move a little. I’ll let it slide. Speight moves up and takes off; Interestingly, the guy who is in the middle of the field just blasts Black on a drag route and keeps hitting him. Route is disrupted but you’re hitting a guy without the ball. (SCR, N/A, protection 2/2)
M35 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 even 7 Run FB trap Hill 1
Jet frippery and Isaac go left, with Michigan going right. UF MLB doesn’t bite on any of that; meanwhile strongside DE is folded inside of Ulizio, which makes this very difficult. He splits Ulizio and Wheatley as Ulizio makes no contact; Wheatley ends up chasing a guy but not being at fault as is traditional. This might be okay or as designed though? Hill manages to run by the DE and Ulizio gets a second level block. All for naught as the MLB makes a good read and Onwenu(-1) allows his guy enough penetration to throw off Bredeson’s lead block. Hill stood up. RPS -1.
M36 2 9 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Pass PA post Crawford Inc + 15 pen
Pass pro good, with Ulizio a bit shaky but good enough. Speight loads up and fires a downfield shot at Crawford. This would have been right in stride except for two different UF DBs getting handsy. Two separate yanks and Crawford has to try to make a diving grab while be thunked in the head. (DO, 1, protection 2/2)
O49 1 10 Ace trips tight bunch 1 2 2 4-3 over SAM 7 Run Counter end around McDoom 4
Almost a big play. Cole(+2) and Bredeson(+1) release downfield and wipe out the LB level, with Cole going to look for some more after wrecking the LB. He gets to a safety. Kugler buries the NT, and everyone else is futile pursuit. Playside DE is let go and reads and redirects once the he reads the play, stringing McDoom out for a moderate gain. Wheatley(+1) ran right by the guy and then got a great block on a safety; on purpose? Is the bet here the DE can’t do this and we’re trying to hit dingers? The way he’s running it really looks like it. M does not hit a dinger. This DE is fast as hell.
O45 2 6 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 even 7 Pass Sack N/A -7
Ulizio(-2) whooped for instasack. (PR, 0, protection 0/2)
M48 3 13 Shotgun 4-wide 1 0 4 Dime under 5 Run Power O Isaac 36
Here’s how you convert on third and 13: 4 wides, dime package, two safeties at 15 yards, 5 man box. Michigan has a hat for a hat. Cole(+2) executes the offset draw block, hurling the DE upfield and releasing to the playside safety. Onwenu pulls around and has nobody to hit. He stalls and violates Never Turn Upfield instead of looking for work downfield. Bredeson(+1) gets a good shove on a DT dropping out to be a screen spy and Isaac(+1) sets up the Cole block and runs through a weak arm tackle to convert and keep motoring. RPS +3.
O16 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Pass Waggle comeback McDoom Inc
Wheatley(-1) gets basically nothing on the playside end as he dives inside and that guy gets pressure on Speight. I assume this is a throwaway since trying to hit McDoom here looks possible but super dangerous and the shorter options are covered. (TA, 0, protection ½)
O16 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel under 6 Run Split zone Evans 6
Good scoop on the backside by Cole(+1) and Bredeson(+1), with Wheatley heading back there to kick out the backside DE. Not a huge fan of Onwenu releasing immediately instead of hitting the NT; he stumbles out but does get in the legs of a LB. Kugler(+1) does an admirable job to control his guy by himself, eventually getting a yard of depth. Guy disengages to tackle but Evans has momentum and a crease. Ulizio(+0.5) did all right on a kick. Evans(+0.5) re-gapped and was decisive to get the most out of this run. 
O10 3 4 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Run Inside zone Evans 6
This is all Evans(+2), who threatens a big-ass backside gap created by Onwenu(+1) and Kugler(+0.5) blowing out the NT, with Onwenu climbing to the second level. I assume McKeon(-2) busts here and should be inserting as a lead blocker in this gap; he does not and spends the whole play not sure what the hell he’s doing. Evans checks that gap, sees there's an unblocked LB in it, feints into that gap and then bursts outside after the linebackers start trying to fill the Onwenu crevasse. He is headed for a TD when the turf monster gets him.
O4 1 G Ace trips tight bunch 1 2 2 Goal line 9 Run Crack sweep Evans -4
Michigan goes on a quick count and Eubanks(-2) doesn’t get it, and then he runs by the corner who he’s supposed to kick out. Splat. McKeon(+1) got an eraser on the playside DE.
O8 2 G Ace trips tight bunch 1 2 2 4-3 over SAM 8 Run Inside zone Isaac 6
Terrific scoop by Bredeson(+2) and Cole(+2), with Bredeson hammering the NT and then getting a linebacker as Cole steps around and reaches him. Hole up the gut now with Kugler(+1) controlling his guy and Onwenu(+0.5) coming off a double to get the blitzball LB just enough. Isaac(+0.5) sees and hits the hole and grinds out some YAC.
O2 3 G Ace trips tight bunch 1 2 2 Goal line 10 Run Inside zone Isaac 0
Another MA by a depth TE on a quick count. Gentry(-2) is late to react on the snap and then changes his mind halfway through the play. Too late, as a LB rips through the spot he’s supposed to be. Onwenu(-2) again goes back to letting LBs through untouched. Isaac(+2) does well just to get back to the LOS.
O2 4 G Shotgun quads 2 1 2 Goal line 9 Pass Rollout improv Crawford 2
This was super telegraphed rollout out and UF has a check for it. Hill and Black are blanketed and Speight gets heavy edge pressure. He drops back and fires a desperate ball of his back foot that Crawford manages to pull off the turf. And while this is a terrible idea throw normally it’s 4th down so get busy livin. Touchdown wiped off the board by much discussed illegal man downfield call (refs -10). (DO+, 1, protection N/A, RPS -2)
Drive Notes: FG(24), 3-3, 5 min 1st Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M25 1 10 I-Form 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Pass Hitch Black Inc
Blitzball tip; Poggi does a great job to stand a LB up and give Speight a moment. He hits Black. Ball is a tiny bit high and forces a jump, but this is a straight drop. (CA, 3, protection ½) Team protection minus as Cole and Wheatley get split by a DE who is not doing what they expect.
M25 2 10 Ace trips tight bunch 1 2 2 4-3 under SAM 6 Run Counter Evans 29
Counter trey out of the crack sweep look. Onwenu(+1) pulls and simply ejects the playside end out of the frame of the picture. Dang. Cole(+1) helps on Bredeson’s guy and then cuts off one LB. McKeon(+1) gets a pretty good hit on the other LB; Evans(+2) then dodges a safety and gets the edge thanks to a good block from Black(+1). Notably Black does not hold here as Evans bursts outside of him.
O46 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 even 7 Pass PA post Black 46
Freshman ends up at safety; ends up playing quarters. He bites up on an underneath route as Black sort of implies he’s on a go or corner or something but safety has to see that he’s jumped inside the CB and stay back. He does not. Six points. (CA, 3, protection 2/2, RPS +2)
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 10-3, 3 min 1st Q
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M26 1 10 I-Form 2 1 2 4-3 over 8 Run Iso Evans 3
A lot of okay blocks and an okay run. 3T comes off the ball super hard as he times up the snap and that’s a problem for Onwenu(-0.5) and Ulizio(-0.5). Onwenu apparently decides that he just has to deal with the dude and does. This is probably correct but Ulizio’s hung up too and that’s a 2 for 1 for that guy. Kugler(+0.5) mostly controls the NT without movement. Hill(+0.5) picks through behind him to find a block. Evans gets a few. Wheatley looks bad on this play but it’s because the 3T takes out his feet.
M29 2 7 I-Form 2 1 2 4-3 over 8 Pass PA Fly Crawford Inc
Good pocket after very token PA. Cole is dangerously close to a holding call but escapes it. Refs +2. Speight loads up and goes for Crawford down the sideline. Crawford has some room there and there’s a window; Speight takes him OOB. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
M29 3 7 Shotgun trips 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Pass Angle Perry 9 – 15 pen
Perry and McDoom slot guys, with McDoom running a drag and Perry going out and then in, hoping to beat the slot corner as McDoom drags coverage away from him. This happens. Slot corner interferes with a must-call wrap-around arm; not called; refs -2. Perry still executes an excellent full-extension catch as Speight finds him for first down yardage. Ball spin takes it back. Minus him in your heart for that if you want but I’m more interested in predicting performance and don’t believe this will continue so I’m letting it slide with an eyeroll. (CA, 2, protection 1/1)
M23 1 10 I-Form twins 2 2 1 4-3 over 7.5 Run Lead zone Isaac 1
Bunting’s first snap. Ulizio(-2) doesn’t block the end that’s shaded outside of him and inside of Bunting; Bunting gets to chase him to the ball. This removes a backside cut otherwise there as Kugler(+1) gets good push on the NT. Both Poggi and Bredeson kind of catch LBs but they do stall them and there would be a lane behind them except for the DE. Bredeson(-0.5) got rocked back too much for my tastes. Onwenu(+0.5) did get around that backside DT to provide the lane.
M24 2 9 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel even 6 Run Power O Isaac 0
Onwenu(-2) is pulling and ends up hung up on his teammates for no apparent reason. You want to stay reasonably tight and come off the pull downhill but he ends up running into Cole despite little UF penetration. He removes himself from the equation and unblocked LB tackles Isaac.
M24 3 9 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Pass Post Crawford INT
First huge disaster. After looking at it a ton I still think this about 90% Crawford and 10% Speight. Crawford isn’t even that high off the ground when it clangs into his hands. (CA, 3, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Defensive TD, 10-10, 12 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M25 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 under SAM 7 Run Split zone Evans 0
Runyan in at RG. This is more tactical than anything. Jet motion, UF passes it off from the CB to the S and then uses the CB with nobody to cover as the force defender. DE stunts inside the DT. Nobody reads this. I don’t know who should. Bredeson is dealing with a DT who he can’t let go. Kugler(+1) and Runyan(+1) combo through the NT to the LB, blowing him yards off the ball. Ulizio(+1) and Poggi(+1) ID and block a LB/DE scrape and without this stunt this is at least a solid gain and maybe gets to the safeties. RPS -2.
M25 2 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 even 7 Run Power O Evans 3
Kugler(-2) moves to down block a DT set up way outside and allows the NT to surge past Runyan into the backfield. Cole, the backside T, is blocking the same guy. Bredeson(+1) ends up pulling directly into the NT and now he’s in the running lane with an angry guy on one side. Bredeson does well for the situation at least. Evans(+1) makes a lovely cut here to wait to the last second and then scoot to the other side of Bredeson for a few yards. Always going to be an unblocked guy there. Meanwhile McKeon(-2) lunge-airballed at a DE and Poggi missed when he tried to redirect at the end halfway through the hole, so he is able to recover and help hold it down with the LB.
M28 3 7 Shotgun empty TE 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Pass Out Perry
This is wide open as Isaac motions out and draws a cover two corner deep as Perry runs an out. Speight throws it to Tacopants for a pick six, hooray. (INX, 0, protection 2/2, RPS +1)
Drive Notes: Defensive TD, 10-17, 11 min 2nd Q. O’Korn gets the next two drives. Onwenu returns.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M25 1 10 Shotgun trips TE 1 1 3 4-3 even SAM 7 Run Power O Evans 1
Not much of a gap here as Onwenu(-0.5) does a meh job on a DT and Ulizio(-1) gets bulled back by a DE despite getting nominal help from Wheatley. UF MLB flows well and hits Bredeson(-1) at the LOS; Bredeson somehow IDed this guy late and that didn’t help.
M26 2 9 Diamond Big 2 2 1 4-3 over 9 Run Power O Evans 0
Bunting a second FB here. He ends up running out as if it’s a route and then blocking a LB well after, which works pretty well. Bredeson(+1) gets a good thunk on the NT, who gives ground. Onwenu(+1) is the puller. He stands up and kicks out a DE. Evans(-2) appears to stumble of his own volition in the backfield as he cuts inside Onwenu. This means he cannot really attack and goes down; Cole(-1) had a disappointing second level block that made the outcome somewhat hazy but if Evans his on his feet this should be a solid gain.
M26 3 9 Shotgun 4-wide 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Run Sprint counter draw Higdon 2
Higdon(-3) with a bafflingly terrible cut here as Onwenu(+2) does an admirable job to mirror a DT who tries to dive inside of him. Onwenu buries that guy, leaving a huge gap behind him. Higdon might not get it because the LB is going to have a shot to run past a blocking angle now but if he sticks to Onwenu’s butt and goes N/S he’s got a decent shot. Instead he goes directly upfield into a mess of bodies. Woof.
Drive Notes: Punt (partially blocked), 10-17, 9 min 2nd Q
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M30 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-4 over 8 Pass Fade Black 37
They’ve got this down. Florida gets aggressive here and goes single safety so M tests their corner on a fade; Black(route+1) somehow slithers by the guy on the sideline and gets a solid yard of separation, and then hauls in an inch perfect O’Korn throw for a big chunk. (DO, 3, protection 2/2, Black route +)
O33 1 10 Ace quads tight bunch 1 3 1 4-4 under 8.5 Run Counter Evans 1
Deserves better as Cole(+1) and Bredeson(+1) hammer their guy five yards downfield. That gap is closed by the backside end, who Ulizio(-2) gets almost nothing on as he sets up to catch the guy, or something? His first step is very false and DE reads the guard pull and just jets down the line. Onwenu(+0.5) kicks, Kugler(+1) does a good job on the NT and there should be a solid gain here except for that DE.
O32 2 9 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Pass Sack N/A -4
Ulizio(-1) does a decent job at first but gets beat around the corner at about 7 yards on the second move. O’Korn(-1) should feel the big gap in the OL in front of him and move up into it, either to run or to buy some more time. He does not. He more or less sacks himself with poor pocket awareness. (TAX, 0, protection ½)
O36 3 13 Shotgun trips TE 1 1 3 4-3 under SAM 7 Pass Sack N/A -2
More or less the same pressure situation except Ulizio(-2) is beat immediately this time and O’Korn does see and step into the big gap in the line. He is ankle-tackled. (PR, 0, protection 0/2)
Drive Notes: FG(55!), 13-17, 4 min 2nd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M7 1 10 Ace Big 2 2 1 4-5 over SAM 9 Run Inside zone Evans 1
3T explodes on the snap and ends up between Ulizio(-0.5) and Onwenu(-0.5). Onwenu decides he can’t leave and he’s no doubt correct but there’s still a mess in the backfield and there is now an unblocked LB. Evans tries to cut backside. Bunting(-0.5) and Poggi(-0.5) don’t really get much on their guys, both of whom can disconnect to tackle along with that MLB. RPS -1, this 3T is firing so hard that comboing him is impossible.
M8 2 9 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over SAM 7 Run Iso Evans 8
And here’s the tweak to stop it. M pulls Poggi to the backfield and runs more or less the same play except Poggi leads through the hole and nobody has to combo the 3T. Onwenu(+2) buries the 3T now that he knows what to expect. Poggi(+1) hits the MLB; Kugler(+0.5) gets enough of the nose and Evans(+0.5) is through quickly, cutting off Poggi for near first down yardage. RPS +1.
M16 3 1 I-Form Big 2 2 1 4-4 over 8.5 Run FB dive Hill 4
Onwenu(+1) nails that 3T back and that’s about it. Ulizio and Wheatley(+0.5) nailed back the DE with Wheatley providing the most force.
M20 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Run Power O Isaac 9
Ulizio(-1) leaves immediately and the DE McKeon(-1) is trying to check runs up into the pulling G. Isaac(+2) is left on the edge with an unblocked LB and jukes him, then runs through another arm tackle to pick up a nice gain. Ulizio did get that downfield block at least.
Drive Notes: EOH, 13-17
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M25 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel even 6.5 Pass Fade DPJ Inc
Just two guys in the route and the other one is wide open as the CB comes up as a cover two guy and the S doesn’t go over. Speight never sees this and instead tries to hit DPJ down the sideline. DPJ doesn’t give him any room(route -) as he is put into the sideline and he misses. IN, BR, take your pick. (IN, 0, protection 2/2)
M25 2 10 Ace 1 2 2 4-3 even 7 Pass Waggle TE flat McKeon 10
PA, waggle, McKeon(+1) hits a DE to give Speight the edge and convince the relevant LB that he’s blocking. LB can’t catch up when he releases and easy pitch and catch plus YAC. (CA, 3, protection 1/1, RPS +1)
M35 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Pass PA FB Flat McKeon 5
PA, no waggle, McKeon leaks out after lining up at FB. Speight throws this about as soon as he turns around and doesn’t see Gentry open a bit deeper. (CA, 3, protection 1/1). Good cut block by Evans.
M40 2 5 Ace trips tight bunch 1 3 1 4-3 under SAM 8.5 Penalty Delay N/A -5
Clock operator resets to 25 instead of 40 and nobody notices, refs -2.
M35 2 10 Shotgun empty 1 1 3 Nickel under 5.5 Pass Out Perry 8
Good example of what empty buys you. Isaac motions out to occupy an S, M knows they’re getting zone and knows Perry is working on a linebacker. His out is easy and wide open and he turns it up to set up third and short. (CA, 3, protection 1/1) RPS +1.
M43 3 2 Ace 4-wide tight 1 1 3 Nickel even 6 Pass Flat Perry 1
Tempo, UF not at all set but CB to the flat reacts pretty well and Perry’s knee touches just as he lunges towards the line. Usually this tackle ends up giving up a first down. (CA, 3, protection 1/1)
M44 4 1 Ace 4-wide tight 1 1 3 4-4 even 8 Run Dive Isaac 18
Tempo, director not at all set. On replay, 3T again stands up and splits Ownenu(-0.5) and Ulizio(-0.5), forcing a cutback. Everyone else is diving inside though so when Isaac cuts back there’s nothing there. Perry(+1) is actually a TE here and clears the edge. That’s the first down and then Isaac(+2) WOOPS a corner and turns this into a chunk play. RPS +1.
O38 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Pass PA throwaway N/A Inc
Forever and a day for Speight but just two guys in the route so highly possible both are bracketed. Speight tries to come off that and dump it off to Hill but aborts as he sees a defender in the area and awkwardly throws it in the ground. (TA, 0, protection 2/2)
O38 2 10 Shotgun trips TE 1 1 3 Nickel under 6.5 Pass Post Perry 28
Speight’s best throw of the day probably. Perry is carried down the seam by a LB and there’s a safety over the top so the window here isn’t large; he's’ bracketed. Speight puts it right on him in stride; Perry does have to extend to bring it in but that’s okay 30 yards downfield. (DO, 2, protection 2/2)
O10 1 G Shotgun 3-wide 1 3 4-3 even SAM 8 Run Power O Higdon 7
Tempo. M creates a wall with Cole(+1) picking up a blitzball LB and Gentry(+1) ably folding in an end slanting away from him. Onwenu(+1) almost gets caught up because he’s again running right off the butts of his guys but he does keep his feet and when he contacts a DB he sails backwards. Higdon(+1) cuts right off Owenu’s butt and gets a healthy chunk.
O3 2 G Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Goal line 8 Run Zone read belly Higdon 3
LOL. This is a RichRod play. M lets the DE go free and presents a mesh point he’s invited to attack. Guy runs hard at Speight, handoff, and Higdon’s gone. Bredeson(+1) and Cole(+1) got excellent blocks to make the playcall count. RPS +2.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 20-17, 11 min 3rd Q. UF fumbles ensuing kickoff.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
O16 1 10 I-Form Big 2 2 1 4-4 even 8 Run Iso Evans 4
Kugler(-1) can’t handle the NT despite getting a good chip from Bredeson and he’s right in the hole. He can’t do much, but no hole. Hill(+1) regaps outside and Evans follows but the blocking there is all middling and UF closes it down.Evans(+0.5) can power out a yard or two after contact.
O12 2 6 I-Form Big twin TE 2 2 1 4-4 over 8 Pass Throwaway N/A Inc
Nothing open. I feel like Bunting(-1) runs the wrong route here since he just goes downfield away from the waggle instead of being the third guy in the triangle. The two guys actually on Speight’s half of the field are blanketed. Speight turfs it. Usually I file these TA but since this one is clearly a zero option play I will give him a pass. (not charted, 0, protection N/A, RPS -1)
O12 3 6 Shotgun trips 1 1 3 4-3 even 7 Pass Fade Crawford Inc
UF shows zero and runs it, sending seven. M can’t block that with six and their protection isn’t ideal as Higdon flares outside of Cole while another guy is running inside of Ulizio. Shorter path. Anyway, if I’m looking at obvious zero the thing I want to do is find Perry, and he’s in the slot and available for an easy throw, but nope. Instead Speight tries a fade to Crawford. Crawford catches it and lands OOB. Different footwork and timing and this is a TD, but a tough throw and a tough catch to ask for. (MA, 1, protection 0/1, team -1)
Drive Notes: FG(29), 23-17, 11 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
O37 1 10 Shotgun trips TE 1 1 3 4-3 over 7 Run Inside zone Evans -2
Ugly. Ulizio(-2) lunge-misses entirely on the DE. Onwenu(-1) beat by the 3T but not as badly; Cole(-1) releases with no chip on a DE Wheatley has no shot at. Evans tries to bounce and is doomed.
O39 2 12 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 4-3 under 7 Pass Drag Crawford Inc
M beat on a stunt as 3T… you know what this guy deserves a name. Taven Bryan. Bryan fires so hard upfield that M has a choice between letting him in on Speight or the guy looping around him. Bredeson(-1) and Cole(-1) are understandably beat but very very beat. Speight finds a hot route and it’s open for a chunk and misses. This is a pressured throw but it’s so short Speight needs to make it anyway. (IN, 1, protection 0/2)
O39 3 12 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel under 6 Run Power O Isaac 7
Ulizio(+1) and McKeon(+1) blow the playside end off the ball. Other blocks are mostly third and long stuff, with Kugler(+0.5) doing well on his. One LB inserts inside and the other gets cut off by Bredeson(+0.5). Isaac has an obvious bounce read and bounces it, getting cut down by a safety. Normally I’d be WTF about this but hey this is Nordin range now.
Drive Notes: FG(50), 26-17, 8 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M27 1 10 Offset I twins 2 1 2 4-3 even 8 Pass PA Drag Eubanks 13
PA and great protection; Michigan runs mesh and Speight finds Eubanks as he breaks to the wide side of the field; Crawford pulled the zone defender out of place. Catch, YAC, first. (CA, 3, protection 2/2)
M40 1 10 I-Form Big 2 2 1 4-4 under 8 Run Iso Evans 2
Blitzballing. Poggi(+1) gets a linebacker two yards in the backfield. He wins that. Bredeson(+0.5) pops off on the other one and stalls him. Evans must and does cut back, and he’s got a little room as Onewnu(+1) and Ulizio(+1) blow out the NT with Onwenu getting to the second level. That looks good and then Bunting’s guy rips inside. This should not happen. Bunting’s guy is force. Bunting stays attached and bothers him and his block is fine; Evans(-1) misses the opportunity. You don’t expect the D to do this and I get it and he cut to get a few yards but the bounce here is wide open. RPS -1 blitzballed.
M42 2 8 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Penalty False start Ulizio -5
Ulizio -1. Ulizio comes off about 6 frames before the snap so he wasn’t way off at least.
M37 2 13 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel even 6 Pass Throwaway N/A Inc
This is an RPO that Speight pulls out of but there’s no RPO element like reading a linebacker. He just decides to abort. This is weird. It’s press, nothing obvious is there. Crawford blocks and then turns around and Speight is looking at him and he’s in box out position, so throw the ball. He does not and punts it OOB to the other side. No idea what the RPO business was there. Cole way downfield but M escapes a call. Refs +2, except refs -2 because call that please. (TA, 0, protection N/A)
M37 3 13 Ace trips 1 1 3 Nickel over 6 Run Offset draw Isaac 14
UF runs a stunt on the playside. This erases the DL as defenders for this play and gives an easy bounce. It also prevents Cole from doing the shove upfield and release thing, so there’s an unblocked LB. He takes a terrible angle. Kugler(+0.5) releases and takes a flying leap at the other guy that does hit him and maybe provides some yards. Black(+2) definitely does with a mansome CB block. RPS +1, but this is mostly a bad LB angle?
O49 1 10 I-Form Big 2 3 0 4-3 over SAM 8 Run Crack sweep Higdon 3
Gentry(+1) turns in the SAM well; Wheatley(+0.5) does the same to the DE. Hill and Ulizio lead out, and both their guys decide to submarine; both M guys submarine in return, creating a tag team post suicide dive situation. Higdon(-1) leaps over this, which is a bad move. Maybe he gets tripped if he stays on the ground but he’s up there in the air a long time and can’t plant or cut or add momentum. He lands and gets tackled by a S.
O46 2 7 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 Nickel under 6 Run Inside zone Higdon 3
Oh man it’s going to be like this again is it. Ulizio(-2) blows right by a DE shaded inside Wheatley and Wheatley chases to the ball carrier. Kugler(+1) and Onwenu(+1) clobber the NT and get to a LB and this could be a huge play except for the guy Wheat had zero shot at tackling in the backfield. Higdon(+2) breaks this tackle and breaks to the outside where he’s about to get a huge play when a safety tracks him down for an ankle tackle from behind.
O43 3 4 Shotgun 3-wide 1 1 3 4-3 even 7 Pass Slant? N/A Inc
Another zero look with a seven man blitz. This time the CB on Perry gives him more of a cushion after getting beat last time. Speight pumps on what I assume is his hot read and gets hit as he throws, vastly missing. Gotta get that out immediately. I don’t know what to do with this one; routes weren’t great here. Can’t pump in this situation though, but also you’re up nine and pick six city. (MA, 0, protection 1/1)
Drive Notes: Punt, 26-17, 4 min 3rd Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M20 1 10 I-Form Big 2 2 1 4-4 under 8.5 Run Lead zone Isaac 22
Bounce here as the interior is jammed but Wheatley(+2) and Ulizio(+1) destroy the backside end. Isaac(+2) sees it, hits it, and has the speed to outrun various back seven guys even at his size.
M42 1 10 Offset I Big twin TE 2 2 1 4-4 over 8.5 Run Power O Higdon 1
M getting greedy on some of these blocks maybe. Wheatley hits the backside end on a power play. Normally you just stay with him and he’s done and you’re done. Here he leaves to try to get a second level block and his guy gets an ankle tackle from behind. This almost has to be by design, so RPS -2. The rest of this play is well blocked, with Cole(+1) shooting a DE out of the hole and Poggi(+1) getting a good kick until that DE rolls up on him.
M43 2 9 Offset I twins 2 1 2 4-4 over 8 Pass PA Drag McKeon 10
Mesh again and McKeon pops open. Easy throw, catch, solid run after the catch from McKeon(+0.5) to grind out the first down. RPS +1. (CA, 3, protection 2/2)
O47 1 10 Offset I Big twin TE 2 2 1 4-4 over SAM 8 Run Power O Higdon 12
Interior mess with a bounce. Mess is again Ulizio(-2) leaving as a DE shoots between him and a TE, this time Bunting(-1), who doesn’t do well on a hard job. They fall in the backfield, puller cut off, danger. Hill(+2) saves the day by clobbering a DE who Gentry(+0.5) had chipped before heading to the second level. The sudden loss of force and continual goofy LB positioning of FL allows Higdon(+2) to bounce and rescue the play.
O35 1 10 Offset I 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Run Lead zone Evans 7
Impressive run for Evans who turns nothing into a solid gain. UF LB dives inside of Poggi(-1), who is expecting to make a kickout block. This blows up Bunting(+1) from behind as he is driving a DE. Evans(+2) dodges a tackle rom that guy and then somehow squeezes inside of a LB scraping over the top to replace as force; Bunting’s block got enough movement for him to do this. He goes NS for a solid gain.
O28 2 3 Offset I Big twin TE 2 2 1 4-4 over SAM 8 Run Power O Evans -1
Power O, same exact problem. DE shaded inside of TE jets inside of TE, Ulizio(-2) leaves immediately, puller picked off. Wheatley has no shot at making this block like every other TE on the roster and doesn’t. Evans(-1) should cut outside of him and see what he can get, which is maybe a few, because Wheatley does shove him some. Instead he just runs into the doom.
O29 3 4 Offset I twins 2 1 2 4-5 over 9 Pass Wheel Crawford Inc
The beauty check from Speight that gets Crawford open on a pick play. Speight misses because he’s too open or something. (INX, 0, protection 2/2, RPS +3)
Drive Notes: Missed FG(52), 26-17, 10 min 4th Q. FWIW, M took a false start before this FG attempt.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
M28 1 10 Offset I Big 2 2 1 4-3 over 8 Run Crack sweep Evans 13
McKeon(-1) hits but does not really control the DE, who gets in Bredeson’s flight path and cuts him off. Doesn’t really matter though. Crawford(+1) gets enough of the playside LB to take him out. Cole(+1) sees nothing outside except HILL MEAT and turns back to pick off a LB. Hill(+2) clobbers a corner, nice gain. RPS +1. Lost a block and it still didn’t matter.
M41 1 10 Offset I twins 2 1 2 4-3 over 8 Run Crack sweep Evans 3
Other way. Perry(-2) chooses the wrong player. Instead of hitting the playside LB he goes for the edge guy, and misses him. Crawford(+1) does do enough on the DE, who stumbles out of this block but is not really a threat. Evans cuts up and gets a few thanks to the Crawford block but in doing so he wastes a blocker or two and exposes himself to guys the play is supposed to run away from.
M44 2 7 Offset I Big 2 2 1 4-3 over 8 Pass PA TE post Eubanks 48
PA; Eubanks runs by both safeties and maintains is lead for 30 yards downfield. Speight loads up and hits him in the numbers. (DO, 3, protection 2/2). This is tackle over BTW. Bredeson pulls and acts at a tackle while Isaac has a great pickup on a DB.
O8 1 G Offset I Big 2 2 1 4-5 over 9 Pass PA sack N/A -2
Still tackle over, with the nominal RT Bunting going in a route. Hill(-2) whiffs a cut block on the DE and Speight has to roll out. He scrambles and gets the edge and just runs OOB despite having Hill as a dumpoff option for some yards. He even looks and pumps it but does not throw. (TA, N/A, protection 0/2)
O10 2 G I-Form Big 2 2 1 4-5 over 9 Penalty False start McKeon -5
Just a twitch but it’s enough, McKeon -1.
O15 2 G Offset I twins 2 1 2 4-3 over 7 Run Split zone Isaac 2
3T jets past Onwenu(-2) so quick that he’s around and into Isaac. Isaac(+1) is able to break that tackle and he’s only slowed a little, and then a guy Ulizio(-1) and Wheatley had briefly flies in to tackle. This was a twist but Uilzio coulda shoulda done better here.
O13 3 G Shotgun 3-wide 1 2 2 Base 3-4 7 Pass Corner Perry Inc
No doubt this was wired in presnap because it’s super safe. Like the earlier fade to Crawford this is well placed and just about catchable but WR falls OOB after his feet are off the ground. Also DB grabbed his arm and Perry could not bring it in. (MA, 0, protection 2/2)
Drive Notes: Missed FG(32), 26-17, 5 min 4th Q.
Ln Dn Ds O Form RB TE WR D Form Box Type Play Player Yards
O38 1 10 Offset I Big 2 2 1 4-5 over 9 Run Lead zone Evans 1
3T shoots Bredeson(-1) in the backfield; Onwenu releases immediately and does not help Kugler(-1) who loses to the NT. Still kind of think that Evans should follow Poggi, who goes to that Kugler/Ulizio gap. Instead he cuts other side and squeezes out what he can.
O37 2 9 Ace quads tight bunch 2 3 0 4-5 over 9 Run Power O Evans -1
Onwenu(+1) blows the NT down the line so sizeable hole. Poggi decides to go outside of it and TBH this looks like a pretty good decision that Evans(-2) should heed. Instead he runs inside before trying to bounce. I like this when it’s done quickly as a feint. This is clearly Evans changing his mind too late.
O38 3 10 I-Form Big twin TE 2 2 1 4-5 under 9 Pass Sack N/A -8
Cole(-2) beat by push-pull at seven yards and Speight eats a blindside sack. Spectacular Evans cut block hurts him but he gets up afterwards. (PR, 0, protection 0/2)
Drive Notes: Punt, 26-17, 2 min 4th Q. EOG for O.

FIRE SPEIGHT

Aw, cumong. Chart:

[Hennechart orientation: mouse over column headers for explanations of the categories. + is handed out for a good throw under duress. * is handed out for a very bad version of a bad thing. Numbers in parens are screens. DSR is an attempt to compress the numbers into one overall number. PFF is PFF's grade.]

WILTON SPEIGHT

  Good   Neutral   Bad   Ovr
Game DO CA SCR   PR MA   BA TA IN BR   DSR PFF
2016 avg 2.4 13.3 0.5   2.4 2.5   0.5 0.8   3.8 1.8   70% -
Florida 4+ 11 1   2 3   4 5**   64% -

This was not quite up to his 2016 standard, though I bet this is a much tougher defense than the average one he faced a year ago. It was not far off, and totally lacked a bad read unless you want to ding him for taking a tough corner route when facing cover zero instead of something in the middle of the field.

He was... middling. There's a lot of garment rending in the aftermath; I'm still Team That Guy. The first interception still looks like a good read and good-enough throw after watching it a dozen times:

Crawford isn't even that far off the ground. Rudock missed Chesson far worse a couple years back against this same team and you don't hear anything about it because Chesson caught some of them and the others weren't returned for TDs.

The second INT was obviously awful, and he had one more seven-point miss:

On the other hand: great check. As I mentioned in the game column, Speight's decisions were uniformly excellent. It's the two maximally bad inaccurate passes that are downers in the aftermath. I'm not saying that's going to stop; I do think they're likely to punish Michigan less harshly when he does miss.

When not throwing away 14 points, Speight started to put complaints about his deep ball to rest by dropping some dimes against the Gators. An early PI was an inch perfect 40 yard throw between defenders. The Black touchdown was appropriately short for such a wide open dude. This post to a bracketed Perry is *kisses fingers*:

And he nailed Eubanks in stride late.

He commanded the team well, chipped in on Michigan's RPS win, and looked like a guy this defense can win a lot of games with. This was fine. I think he'll improve.

O'Korn, meanwhile, had an eventful three dropbacks:

JOHN O'KORN

  Good   Neutral   Bad   Ovr
Game DO CA SCR   PR MA   BA TA IN BR   DSR PFF
Indiana 2016   6(1) 1   2 3   1 1 3* 2   46% -2.5
Florida 1     1     1*   50% -

That's one picture perfect fade to Black, one instasack suffered, and one rare TAX when he showed very poor pocket awareness and took an unnecessary sack. This is not really a competition.

Are we concerned about the all or nothing nature of the offense?

This offseason Bill Connelly published a study about explosive plays, asserting that they were the "three pointers of football." This referenced the KenPom study that found that there was no correlation between a team's three-point percentage defense during the first half of conference play and during the second half. If you're an avid reader you probably know all about this already since we bring it up constantly when talking about basketball.

Connelly found a similar lack of correlation with his "IsoPPP" stat that tries to model explosiveness, thus the post. Maize n Brew picked up on this and fretted over Michigan's boom or bust offense against Florida.

I'm not convinced by Connelly's post like I am by Kenpom's just based on the eye test. Once Kenpom showed that three point percentage was essentially random, that clicked. Once you think about it, yes, almost all three pointers are open shots the offense has generated. Closeouts have limited efficacy, no-assist jacks are rare, and players tend to self-censor if they can't shoot. The average three pointer is very very average.

I don't think "offenses with a lot of big plays and a lot of meh ones are actually bad" is quite the assertion Connelly is making, but it has been repurposed as such through the usual statistical inference telephone. And I can't get behind that kind of assertion for football. This game was a good example as to why. Florida's linebackers frequently engaged in an activity a former Northwestern linebacker derisively referred to as "blitzball" when he saw it in his own team:

There is no "read", only reaction. I've seen all the linebackers do it through the first six games, I do not mean to single Walker out. This is how they played against Stanford and Duke, but they were making plays. When they're not, it will cripple a defense versus efficient offenses.

And lo, Michigan's first offensive snap:

This is inherently behavior that leads to boom or bust plays from the offense. (See also: Michigan D yards per completion a year ago.) Florida has super aggressive linebackers and kept shooting DEs to the interior; it was rare that anyone tasked with a kickout block would actually have a guy to kick out. That led to a lot of thunder up the gut for 2 to –2 yards, and a lot of bounce bounce bounce bounce.

Michigan blockers and occasionally running backs were caught off guard by this. A third quarter run saw 1) Poggi eat a linebacker two yards in the backfield and 2) the backside DE giving up the corner. Evans cut back once but missed the bounce:

image_thumb[3]

That is a lot of space between the hashes and no force player; Evans took two yards up the middle. Poggi is the Michigan player in the backfield.

Michigan's bounce bounce bounce ground game was effective, and the way Florida played the run enabled that by jamming up the middle. That's who Florida was last year, too: #9 in success rate allowed at 35%, #42 in explosiveness allowed. D-I average success rate is 42%. Michigan was at 32%. Is that the thing to focus on, or is Michigan's 5.8 YPP against last year's #4 defense? Michigan backs put up 5.3 YPC; the team put up nearly 450 yards.

Connelly's assertion quoted by Maize n Brew:

“The key to explosiveness is efficiency. The key to making big plays is being able to stay on the field long enough to make one.”

They had 19 first downs, which was just under last year's NCAA average (21), so they stayed on the field, against a defense that was great a year ago and will be either great or very good this year. Worried: no. 

Is that why there were multiple third and long conversions on the ground?

The first one was Florida daring Michigan to do it, so they did it. They showed full on press coverage with two deep safeties, and ran it:

That's five in the box and all four press guys not even looking at a run until it's too late. The poor damn color guy is trying to react on the fly and asserts that Onwenu must have wrecked some guy; replay; Onwenu pulls and literally has no one to block. The rest of it is Super Mobile Mason Cole back at the spot he killed it at during his sophomore year. Isaac barely outruns him by the sticks.

This was kind of a thing on third down, where Florida would straight up tell Michigan what they were doing. If they showed all out blitz zero they ran it. If they showed man under two deep they ran it. This worked okay sometimes; sometimes not so okay.

Isaac's offset draw caught Florida in a twist that should have actually worked for the Gators. Cole normally throws a guy upfield of him and then goes and finds some meat downfield; he could not do that here. That left a linebacker who coulda shoulda tracked Isaac down short of the sticks, but he took a bad angle:

So... kind of? Shannon went with a super aggressive anti-pass defense on the first one and Michigan took him up on his dare, and they went with a pass rush stunt on the second that made it a one on one matchup between the LB and Isaac.

Okay but they really couldn't run at all unless a tailback was doing something weird and good.

Michigan appeared to have a severe Kalis issue where guys would run by dudes it seemed like they really really needed to block.

Sometimes this was intentional. Michigan's TD on the opening drive of the third quarter completed Saturday's Ode To RichRod by running a bonafide zone read belly play:

Cole runs by that guy and that guy runs by Hidgon, touchdown, RPS +2, MGoJen tweet.

And I kind of think that some dorf-lookin' blocks were actually Michigan trying to hit dingers by letting guys go so they could try to get 2-for-1s. This early FB trap is nerfed by the MLB refusing to bite on any of the frippery, but the most interesting bit to me was Ulizio blowing by a guy who is lined up directly over him to go get a second level block. Dude runs free and still runs by Hill:

So is that fine? As designed? Maybe? A couple Wheatley blocks seemed like they were in the "hit dingers" category. This jet sweep features a Very Mason Cole downfield block but for this section keep your eye on 17:

He runs by the DE and at no point checks him, and that DE strings out a play otherwise headed for a huge gain. Is that an error, or is Michigan banking on the DE biting harder? It feels like the former, both because Wheatley executes confidently and holy hell that DE closed down a ton of space. Later in the game Wheatley would basically chip the backside end on a power play and then go look for work downfield:

#17 to bottom of screen

That looks intentional too, and when he releases he does have guys to block. Unfortunately, the DE makes up that ground and tackles. It's like Michigan found that Khalid Hill block against Colorado and asked themselves "how do we do more of that?" Michigan's offset draw is another great example: it's so successful because the left tackle gets a two for one by flinging a DE and then going and getting a downfield block.

I feel there's a "but" coming.

Sometimes it didn't feel intentional but was so consistent it might have been. I had a lot of Ulizio minuses because he'd run by a DE and that guy would subsequently run by a TE with basically no shot at making good. Here there's a decent cutback lane that Isaac can't explore because the backside end is rampant:

This happened all the time.

I didn't get it, what with the other side of the line executing textbook scoop blocks. Best I can figure is that UF's approach was baffling to Michigan and that they failed to adjust. Because they needed to adjust: not one of these blocks got made when a tight end had to check a DE lined up inside of him and slanting away.

Ulizio did stay in to help some later in the game. Here he helps on the DE; once provided with an achievable target Wheatley puts the dude in the next county, opening up the bounce:

The lack of that double above blew up Michigan's ground game more than anything else. I hope that's a very specific Ulizio problem they can get fixed.

Was Ulizio really that bad outside of that though?

Yes. Run chart:

[ed note: we do not have PFF this year, please forgive the goofy table that it's too late to fix due to Acts of God this week]

Offensive Line
  RUN   PASS PRO  
Player Snaps + - Total PFF   Snaps Pass- Error% PFF
Cole     13 2 11       3  
Bredeson     10 2.5 7.5     
Kugler     8.5 4 4.5       
Onwenu     13.5 11 2.5      1  
Ulizio     5 17.5 -12.5       6  
Wheatley     5   5       1    
McKeon     3.5 6 -2.5               
Bunting     1 1.5 -0.5           
Gentry     2.5 2 0.5                
Eubanks     2 -2            
Hill     5.5     5.5      
Poggi     4 2.5 1.5            
TOTAL - 72.5 51 58%

No run adjustments this week. Runyan was +1 in three snaps and that is included.

Metrics
Player + - T Notes
Protection 31 14 69% as above also –2 TEAM
RPS 18 14 +4 Shoulda coulda check

So. As mentioned above I did not get Michigan's blocking scheme at all and heaped a ton of minuses on Ulizio for leaving guys at the LOS the tight ends had little shot at. Some of those may be more properly put on RPS or the tight ends. I have a tendency to minus anyone who blows by a dude at the LOS and gives his teammate an impossible job, and Ulizio did that a ton.

As for the rest of it: Ulizio had to be terrible and he was. Redshirt sophomore, first start, barely entered the conversation until a couple weeks before the end of fall camp: had to be bad. Was bad. I saw some hopeful assertions that he was functional on the ground and bad in pass protection, and I don't think those are accurate.

The pass protection bit was. Obviously:

He gave up another sack when O'Korn was in when an edge rusher got around him at 7 yards.

He also had some bad early Braden lunges on the ground. Here he airballs:

It was bad.

Now: first start against Florida and their weird aggressive don't-care-about-leverage defense. Ulizio got picked because he's actually a tackle, unlike Runyan, and isn't a fourth year player who already struck out a couple times against Rutgers. He will improve. Enough? I have no idea. The most interesting thing about Saturday is going to be his performance.

Onwenu has some pretty hefty numbers himself.

Onwenu had a rough, rough start. He was briefly yanked for Runyan after the first pick six; at that point he was –3.5 in my charting with a pass pro minus. Projected over a full game and that's... not good. Michigan pulled him to yell at and/or settle him, and he improved a great deal afterwards. He climbed above zero, and post-pull his ratio hit our 2/3rds Mendoza line.

After the rough start, Onwenu's debut was about as good as could be expected. He moves people. There is no question that any back seven member is going backwards a long way on contact:

He pulled on the Higdon run before his TD and even though he was off balance there was no option there for the DB. Backwards it is, thank you sir. A third and one fullback dive was an easy four yards because Onwenu deposited the nose tackle two yards downfield.

Onwenu suffered early because he and Ulizio frequently got hammered by Florida's awesome three tech; he also suffered late. In between there were some pancakes and a lot of guys moving downfield. I'll take that for a true sophomore, especially because I had him with one pass pro minus. You could maybe give him another one or two for a stunt or two that got through; at no point did he seem out of his depth. You can't bull rush him, and he's agile enough to mirror that three tech most of the time.

You mentioned Cole back at that spot tho?

Last year was a bit frustrating as the excellent Cole things were muted by the center move and Michigan's general zone incompetence. He was hypothetically a great zone stretch C; we never got to see it. Now that he's back at tackle he's once again executing the crazy mobility blocks he did two years ago.

The third and long conversion above is one. He executes the offset draw block, hurling a pass-rush focused DE upfield and then motoring. He checks both sides like he's a six-year-old crossing the street and then thumps a safety ten yards downfield. That was a tiny bit like seeing Denard rip off a 70-yard TD after that Alabama debacle: reunited and it feels so good.

And even though he's at tackle there were a couple of righteous scoop blocks that presage good things. He and Bredeson got after it. This one is totally irrelevant:

It is also impressive. Bredeson gets a thumping hit in and by the time the guy recovers he's been replaced by Cole. That scoop was equally impressive and more relevant on the Isaac run that helped set up Michigan's shoulda-been first touchdown.

Cole loped downfield and wiped a bunch of dudes out in this game; he did not have the same issues IDing who he should hit as the guys on the other side, and he got to zone it up with Bredeson. He was outstanding on the ground.

He was equally good as a pass protector... until the last snap, when he got beat clean and gave up a blindside sack. I'll still take that against a team with DEs as hyped as Florida.

And the other two OL?

Bredeson took a massive step forward. The most important thing for him is the mental side and I only had 2.5 minuses for him. Even last year he was very good when he knew what he was doing; the early parts of this year will be an inflection point in his future. If he's as with it as it seemed in this game he's headed for All American-level play.

Kugler meanwhile was close to the best case scenario: very few biffs that seem traceable back to him, especially in pass protection, and an effective day on the ground. He got UF's nose tackle moving frequently.

Figure out right tackle and this is going to be a damn good OL? I think?

Running backs?

RB chart (WR grades are run only):

Backs
Player Rushes + - T   PFF   Notes
Speight 1 1   1      
Evans 22 8.5 6 2.5         Thought he missed two obvious bounce opps
Isaac 11 10.5 10.5         Missed zero bounce opportunities, juked jocks
Higdon 7 5 4 1         One real bad cut on sprint draw, othewise v good.
Hill 2     0          
McDoom 1     0          
Walker               DNP
TOTAL 44 25 10 15     Bounce bounce bounce bounce.
Receivers
Player Blocks + - T   PFF G   Notes
Crawford 2 1 1        
Black   3 3         Offset draw block was critical.
Perry 1 2 -1       Biffed a late crack sweep
DPJ                
Martin                  
McDoom                  
Ways           Helped finish second TD.
TOTAL -   6 3 3

This was a good game for Isaac, what with the bounces being open. He's always been majestic when allowed to get up to full steam in the open field—remember Isaac vs Peppers in the 2016 spring game—and he was here as well.

This was the best game of his Michigan career, considering the opponent. He took and hit all the available bounce opportunities and turned 3 yards into 18 on the 4th and one.

I'm willing to upgrade my Isaac take to "I'm saying there's a chance."

Evans is still the guy and got 22 carries in this one; many were doomed and a few rescued. I thought he missed a couple bounce reads, but he shook a safety one on one and also had this tight-area make-em-say-uh:

Higdon had a couple of good runs interspersed with one major WTF cut.

Michigan's fullbacks were good—Poggi was a lot better, and even made some decisions his tailbacks would have been wise to follow. Hill didn't do a ton but did open up one of the bounce bounce bounce runs with a hammer panda block:

That's a 6'6", 230 pound guy per the roster, so that was never going to end well for him. Sadists will also enjoy Hill versus a cornerback on a late crack sweep.

Receivers?

A couple of drops mar their day.

[0 = uncatchable, 1 = circus catch, 2 = moderate difficulty, 3 = routine]

  THIS WEEK   SEASON
Player 0 1 2 3   0 1 2 3
Crawford 3 1/4     1/2     1/4       1/2 
Black       2/3           2/3 
Perry 2   2/2 2/2     2/2    2/2
DPJ 1         1          
Martin                    
McDoom                  
Ways                     
Wheatley                        
McKeon           3/3               3/3   
Gentry                      
Eubanks       1/1 1/1           1/1 1/1 
Bunting                        
Hill                    
Poggi                            
Evans                          
Isaac                      
Higdon                        

ROUTES: Black +, McKeon +, Bunting -

Perry was the story for me. Perry is extremely legit and Speight trusts him. This was apparent in last year's OSU game and it's apparent here, as there were a couple of third downs where he did his Route Artisan thing and moved the chains. He gets yanked back here and still extends to catch:

That ability to extend and catch at the edge of his radius came in handy later when he was the target on the *kisses fingers* downfield shot discussed in the Speight section. Those are a couple DANG catches. He's reliable, he's able to put some dang on it, he's viable downfield, he's going to lead Michigan in catches this year. Probably.

I wish Speight trusted Perry more, actually. When UF went cover zero on that third down after the fumble I saw Perry in the slot and was like YES HIM YES HIM; Speight chose one of those close but not quite fades. Perry torched his opponent for an easy throw over the middle on one of three or four bad Speight decisions on the day. Notably, the next time that guy matched up with Perry on cover zero he gave him three more yards of cushion. Put some respect on it, son!

Black had a mansome block on the Isaac offset draw first down.

Tight ends?

McKeon had some promising moments; he also looked like a redshirt freshman. That redzone run by Evans looked for all the world like a designed cutback run on which he blew his assignment; Onwenu and Kugler clobbered a guy and Evans was headed for that hole until he saw an unblocked guy in it. Meanwhile McKeon isn't really doing anything as the TE to the bottom of the screen:

Wheatley got a lot of stick from some parts because he was the designated "chase a DL to the ballcarrier" guy on a lot of bad zone decisions from Ulizio.

Gentry wasn't targeted. He did have some plausible seeming inline blocks.

REFS ARGH WHAT

Yessir. We should be deeply grateful that Michigan won this game; if they did not having four points taken off the board because of the worst call in a Michigan game since the Michigan State pylon event would have been a giant raspberry to start the season.

In addition, that delay of game penalty was because the clock operator reset the playclock to 25 seconds and nobody noticed.

On the other hand, Michigan got away with two obvious holds. So it wasn't all bad.

Any Harbaugh stuff?

There wasn't much that jumped out as weird or odd or goofy or even particularly new. My best a-ha moment in this game came on back to back runs towards the end of the first half. On the first Michigan splits Poggi out as a tight end and tries to combo through UF's rampant three-tech. He explodes, as he is wont to do, and both Ulizio and Onwenu get stuck on him. If Onwenu leaves the three tech tackles for loss; if he doesn't there's going to be an unblocked guy in the hole:

watch 50, the right guard

Evans bounces away from this and gets one yard.

On the next play Michigan deploys a slight tweak. They draw Poggi into the backfield and run an iso. Nobody has to combo through anyone. Onwenu has license to focus exclusively on the three tech, and Poggi will take the MLB. Onwenu buries that guy and there's a huge gap for Evans to hit:

I'm pretty sure UF's front was doing the same thing on both plays; this was a pleasing demonstration of how even something so frustrating can be exploited. The only other run stuff was some tempo on the first drive of the second half, and the Ode to RichRod.

There was some Pep Effect in this game, most notably on this second and ten when Florida told Michigan they were running zone and linebackers would have to check Perry. They did not:

An easy, quick eight yards that Speight knew presnap. See also: pick six #2, except with an accurate throw. No throws to the backs yet, though.

Heroes?

Cole and Bredeson; Isaac. Hill and Wheatley.

Maybe not so heroic?

Ulizio gave up two sacks and looked lost IDing his assignments. The second year tight ends all had at least one –2 block. Speight was okay but did dorf 14 points away.

What does it mean for Cincinnati and the future?

Best case scenario for the left side of the line. Cole was great on the ground and only got hit once in pass pro; Bredeson does look like he took the quantum leap his place on the depth chart suggests; Kugler was savvy and powerful enough.

Onwenu got a lot better in the second half. I didn't know you could pull an OL for being rattled and have it work. Bonus take: Runyan is your sixth OL no matter what.

Let's reserve Ulizio judgment. He was a mess; he had to be a mess.

Young tight ends are talented and inconsistent. Eubanks just hauled in a deep ball after outrunning that Florida speed. He also airballed a block. McKeon looked like a very natural receiver... and airballed three blocks. None of that is surprising and most of it will get figured out.

Michigan's two headed tailback might have three heads. You have our attention, Ty Isaac.

Speight is probably fine but may always be streaky. Push the panic button if he keeps giving away huge plays.

Comments

cloudman

September 7th, 2017 at 2:25 PM ^

Well done job on the game review for the offense. Thank the football gods for good running backs, especially Ty Issac, and young receivers, who are quick to show their talent.

Shop Smart Sho…

September 7th, 2017 at 2:41 PM ^

Any chance you can go back to the popout boxes for the video links instead of the link taking the tab to youtube and then having to come back to this page?



I don't know about anyone else, but it's always been helpful to be able to have your description and the video visible at the same time.

dipshit moron

September 7th, 2017 at 3:04 PM ^

i think it is great that anybody outside of a coach, who gets payed to do breakdowns like this , would take time to  do something like this. very informative and i agree with alot of it. but i will still put my trust in the coaches who see these players everyday, and know more about them then any of us ever could. so if ulizio starts saturday, and harbaugh has already said he was pleased with alot of the things he did in the game, i don`t think i will worry about it.

stephenrjking

September 7th, 2017 at 3:59 PM ^

I disagree, and I highly doubt the coaches would do this. Ulizio struggled a great deal, but it is also true that a big chunk of his negatives in this chart come from one very specific blocking assignment issue. 

And it's his first time in live fire action against a Power 5 DL. 

This is exactly the time to play him again. They show him film, he gets a week of practice (including basically 1-on-1 tutoring from Greg Frey, who doesn't need to spend a lot of time on Mason Cole) to apply corrections, and a live game on Saturday to put what he has worked on into practice. 

This is exactly the time for Ulizio to play and to make strides in his development. 

Yanking him for JBB or Runyan would basically guarantee that RT will be a revolving door disaster for the whole year. None of the players would have any confidence in their opportunity to play or do their jobs, and learning would be stunted by spending time on the bench instead of time on the field fixing the problems. It's a move of desperation, tellingly similar to one perpetrated by Hoke, Funk, and Brandon in 2013 when nobody could block. 

Squash34

September 7th, 2017 at 7:20 PM ^

And honestly with the other blocking schemes they used, I am not sure he was even supposed to help out on the end.
I mean, drevno and pepp were in the booth, and they ran the play several times. Are we to believe drevno just did not notice the tackle missing his guy over and over and no one say "hey, you got to combo, or chip the end."?
I think it may have been another scheme they were trying out but the DE was just to fast.

TrueBlue2003

September 8th, 2017 at 12:55 AM ^

start on Saturday but I don't agree with some of your logic here, especially with this staff that encourages so much competition.

Yanking a player that had a really bad game (and again, I don't know if he did, I'm just saying no one should be immune from a performance related benching) doesn't at all guarantee a revolving door disaster.  No one preaches competition more than Harbaugh, if you don't earn continued playing time, someone else can/should get a shot.  If his feelings get hurt after a benching and he loses confidence rather than works even harder to get the job back, he probably shouldn't be playing sports.

JBB performed about as poorly in 1.5 games last year and got yanked as the staff tried to find a better option. Was that desperation?  Absolutely not.  You find the best guys. This staff isn't more concerned about guys feelings than they are about fielding the best team possible.

Again, I do think you play him against the tomato can, because I agree that he probably was doing his job on a number of those run plays. If he's still iffy to bad against a terrible team (like JBB against Rutgers), there's almost no doubt they'll give Runyan a shot if he was as close in camp as we were led to believe.

Space Coyote

September 7th, 2017 at 5:29 PM ^

But I counted at least -8 that don't belong to Ulizio. He wasn't that bad. He's going to need help in pass pro, he was, for the most part, that bad in that aspect, but his run blocking outside of a few poor plays wasn't a vastly huge number. Still not great to end up with, say, a -5 per Brian's scoring though.

QVIST

September 7th, 2017 at 2:49 PM ^

I am reasonably convinced Isaac's 36 yard run in the first quarter was a read, not just straight power O. I think Speight has the option to pull there (not that he should/would in this situation). 

DonAZ

September 7th, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^

I'm going to be interested to see if (a) he starts/plays this Saturday, and (b) what the UFR shows for him then.  I'm hoping the Florida game was shakey because it was his first start, and it was against a pretty good defense in Florida.  I'm hoping we see signs that indicate he's starting to settle in.

PopeLando

September 7th, 2017 at 2:56 PM ^

The pass protection on the Eubanks play was tackle over. I've been waiting to find out what happened there: that was a brilliant blocking scheme.

Thanks so much for these!

NYC Fan

September 7th, 2017 at 3:10 PM ^

Player Snaps + - Total
Ulizio 5 17.5 -12.5

The board should have never jumped on her around her reasoning. Her delivery needed improvement, but the underlying point was clear.

stephenrjking

September 7th, 2017 at 3:52 PM ^

Plenty of us made the same point. Right or wrong, the pile-on wasn't prompted by the opinion that Ulizio competing for a position might be an issue. It was entirely in delivery and in persistence, and then continued by the mob focus.

I argued in that very thread that Ulizio emerging was a bad sign, and it wasn't treated poorly. 

And FWIW I think a lot of Ulizio's issues are fixable this year.