WTKA Roundtable 9/7/2023: Half Your Plays Look Brilliant
Things Discussed:
- WHY U NO RUSHING YARDS? Because ECU was so committed to stopping inside runs that they run blitzed after every time they got nailed by play-action. Michigan, you're allowed to run PA twice in a row guys.
- WHY U NO SACKS? Because ECU was so committed to not getting their QBs hit that they threw dinks and quick fades; when they did run actual pass plays Michigan stunted a DT into their faces and they had to throw it away.
- WHY U NO RUN OUTSIDE? Michigan got the Corum run on stretch but not their identity. Brian: they should make their identity "Pick your poison" because JJ is so good. Also tried Arc without the QB part and planned cutbacks. Michigan should bring back that pitch they used in 2015-'16.
- WHY U NO RPO? Sam: They're in there but they aren't going to use them. Seth: Because they're expensive to install and they're not as repeatable against different defenses. Maybe not a great idea in Week 1 when you don't have the other team scouted, because you need to be able to find the guy to read.
- Hat tips to ECU: that is a *well-coached* defense.
- Break talk: Bryce Underwood to visit Colorado? 500 yards speaks; let's make sure we see that JJ McCarthy is succeeding financially and on the field.
- Who's QB next year? Jadyn Davis is tearing it up but a true freshman starter? They'll go portal.
- Defense: Ernest Hausmann is a dude. Colson made ZERO mistakes. Michigan switched on a rub route.
- Wallace: Looks very smart, set a good edge, no athletic concerns, great INT even if it was incomplete by rule. Much more comfortable with him. But I saw you Jyaire Hill.
- Keon Sabb: Is a safety, not a LB, not a CB (?!!?? who's saying that?). The second play he showed his athleticism to make up ground and rake that out.
- Sainristil: Boringly good. Beat up on bigger players this game.
- Grant: Oh LAWD.
- Ohio State: Their LT isn't up to their standards, McCord couldn't find Harrison—IU knows how to coordinate a defense, left them a lot of Cade Stover so that's what they used. Interesting that OSU went under center and couldn't get their run game going.
- GOOOOOOOOO LIIIIIIIIONS!
[Hit the JUMP for the player, and video and stuff]
Segment 2 is here. You can watch the video here:
MGoBlog Roundtable https://t.co/DVaBj0gS1e
— The Michigan Insider (@michiganinsider) September 7, 2023
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Urban Meyer coaches Ohio State in 2024!
September 7th, 2023 at 12:05 PM ^
I think I need an "Oh LAWD, He Coming!" tshirt from UGP.
September 7th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^
QB next year? If JJ leaves which is most likely, it will be a transfer. I don't think Warren or Orji have shown that they'll be ready or able to be the starter next year, and it would be tough to throw Davis into that situation with an entirely new OL, top two RBs gone, one of or both of our top 2 receivers gone as well.
You can find a real good QB in the portal with a lot of experience; especially if it is a one year rental type player. I say you look for a guy like Sam Hartman, Devin O'Leary. There will be multiple year starters in the portal; some from even the Power-5.
Even outside of the Power-5 you have guys like Kurtis Rourke from Ohio, Grayson McCall from Coastal, and Michael Pratt from Tulane who may look to up their competition for the last year of eligibility.
September 7th, 2023 at 1:26 PM ^
Year six of Grayson McCall!
September 7th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
The obvious answer may be Dante Moore, but there will be some other high P5 guys who will find themselves in tough spots on the depth chart:
- The loser of Miller Moss vs Malachi Nelson at USC
- The loser of Maalik Murphy vs Arch Manning at Texas
- The loser of Brock Vandagriff vs Gunner Stockton at Georgia (with Dylan Raiola entering the mix as well)
- Tyler Buchner or Ty Simpson at Bama (especially if Jalen Milroe sticks around)
September 7th, 2023 at 8:12 PM ^
We recruited both Miller Moss and Malik Murphy pretty hard so they could definitely be options. If I remember correctly, I think Michigan led for Miller Moss until we took JJ
September 7th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
I am not sure if a portal QB necessarily fit better than Davis or Orji, who have been working a lot with the 2nd units of OL/WR/RBs. They have more real game experiences, but they have more to learn too.
I am also worried that Michigan is attractive enough next season for a top portal QB with a completely new OL.
September 7th, 2023 at 5:30 PM ^
If Michigan isn't attractive enough it won't be because of the O Line. The staff has proven it can build a top quality line. A low performing NIL or concerns about the skill positions might but let the year play out on the young talent there.
September 7th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
I don't have time to listen to this. I can't listen to this. I won't listen to this.
I love listening to this.
September 7th, 2023 at 3:05 PM ^
Damn, Craig remembers the Lions' last championship?
Keep on truckin', O Venerable One.
September 7th, 2023 at 3:51 PM ^
I just think running the ball against a 3-3-5 is difficult if you're primarily a gap blocking team like Michigan. The key to attacking a 3-3-5, IMHO, is not so much running outside instead of inside, but running zone blocking plays instead of man blocking plays, whether inside or outside. My .02.
September 7th, 2023 at 10:34 PM ^
I have no idea how you drew the conclusion that Michigan is primarily a gap blocking scheme when they will literally run IZ/Duo every play if you put 6 - 6.5 in the box.
September 8th, 2023 at 12:42 AM ^
I have no idea how you don't. Further, not all teams have put 6 - 6.5 in the box, and when they do, Michigan does not run IZ/Duo every time, notwithstanding that, Duo is in fact a gap blocking scheme, and Michigan runs a lot of pin/pull, power, counter, slide-traps--old school Harball. They don't run gap all the time, but they run it more than I've seen them run zone. I'd say Michigan runs gap about 65% of the time in recent seasons.
As an aside, I wish they'd run more zone against 3-3-5 teams that stunt a lot with linebackers blitzing from various angles. Effective zone read and outside zone would destroy what ECU did.
September 8th, 2023 at 7:47 PM ^
So all this time you've known exactly how to destroy the 3-3-5 more specifically what ECU did yet you waited till now to share it with everyone?
Have any of the Harbaugh's been made aware of this?
September 7th, 2023 at 10:43 PM ^
Ryan day so worried about trying to beat Michigan that he’s trying to be Michigan. Can’t force a complex run game on a finesse team. He’s lost his sense of self and so has his team. Outback bowl is optimistic I’d say. This feels like an Alamo kinda year with a huge fork in the road in Columbus.
September 8th, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^
Brian said it best about the offense....
Paraphrased, he said that grinding it out and then going for big plays is great when you're being risk-averse, like last year, but this year Michigan should be maximizing what they are able to do on offense, because there's so much ability on offense.
Harbaugh, et al. -- THIS is the year to go for it, and keep on going for it, because there is no ceiling if the game plans are good enough. The offense is stacked and the defense, even at CB2, is apparently quite solid. Go for it all, full stop.
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