After watching Championship weekend, does Don Brown need to play more cover 2 and cover 3
I think playing so much cover 1 allows offenses to make easy checks at the LOS and for the QB to predetermine where to go to the football before the snap. I think after watching some of the games yesterday Don Brown needs to play more two high safeties. This will allow guys like Daxton Hill to be a ballhawking safety while also forcing opposing QB to have to make reads in real time. Thoughts?
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:07 PM ^
After watching our game against OSU not sure why he didn’t go to more zone. Man press coverage was killing us and we had no pressure. Not sure why he was so stubborn but hopefully giving up 62 points will wake him up
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:23 PM ^
I agree he needs to go more zone but, wouldn't you be stubborn too when you have the #1 D all year?
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:44 PM ^
He did. It generally doesn't matter what defensive scheme you play if you don't pressure the QB.
December 2nd, 2018 at 3:00 PM ^
I'm still mystified as to how we got zero pressure in the game. Against a decent but not great o-line. I don't think I'll ever get that.
December 2nd, 2018 at 3:55 PM ^
We tried zone. We busted for their easiest touchdown because our guys weren’t used to running it. You have to practice and run it all year to be good at it and the team never got punished for running only man all year
December 2nd, 2018 at 4:13 PM ^
We played zone at various points this year. I don't think the issue was lack of familiarity. Busted coverages just happen sometimes - we had one against SMU when we were in man.
The real killer was our inability to get any pressure on a QB who threw something like 50 TD passes this year.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^
i think the question is: is he able to, not does he want.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:23 PM ^
I think it's the opposite, actually. Dude can coach a zone D. However, dude doesn't enjoy rolling one out there.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:24 PM ^
He played a lot of cover 3 at Boston College.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:19 PM ^
Yes I said the same thing yesterday. I don’t think he will change.
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:33 PM ^
Based on what insider knowledge or insight gary?
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
I’d love to see the Michigan defense be a little more flexible and adjust style based on what the offense’s strengths are.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:20 PM ^
Don Brown was spoiled by Maurice Hurst and company for two straight years and this year with Aubrey Solomon not being remotely healthy at all it was a whole different world for Don Brown. That up the middle pressure was gone and his defense got exposed to a point.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:23 PM ^
Needs to be able to adjust to zone if the pass rush isn’t there. Can’t play man to man all the time against good/great passing teams without getting pressure on the qb.
So the answer your question is yes.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:43 PM ^
I mean. Penn state lit his defense up nearly as badly on a Maurice hurst led defense
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:38 PM ^
That’s cause it’s not lack of pressure that killed our defense. It’s running strictly man coverage against quick passing teams. If Don Brown’s coaching MO was to practice both man AND zone ALL YEAR and then actually gameplan for the opponent, we wouldn’t have these sorts of problems.
December 2nd, 2018 at 6:01 PM ^
In Carr's days you often heard " They disguised their coverage really well. We didn't know if it was man or zone until the ball was snapped." Nobody says that any more. It makes play calling easier whenn you know what coverage you will face when you are still in the huddle.
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:08 PM ^
Hurst and Glasgow were very good.
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
this year with Aubrey Solomon not being remotely healthy at all it was a whole different world for Don Brown.
In week 12, yes. Through week 11 we were the top-rated defense in the country. That was a big part of the problem. Things were going well until they weren't.
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:25 PM ^
exactly this. . .it was disappointing that Dwumfour didn't live up to the camp hype.
Happy he didn't get seriously injured, but we needed more production out of him.
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:48 PM ^
I was actually surprised with Dwumfour’s play. He showed out IMO
December 3rd, 2018 at 9:38 AM ^
I actually think this was a big part of the pressure problems. I think as a whole, this was a normal top 15/20ish defense outside of Devin Bush. Having a sideline to sideline eraser at middle linebacker covers up a lot of potential problems (like middling DTs). I don't think we got one stop once he went down.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
Yup.
Also helps if you have any kind of pass rush whatsoever.
Also helps if you try another guy at CB when one obviously is overmatched.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:37 PM ^
Elite pass rushes and lock down corners are scarce resources at the college level.
You are not going to have those every season. Some teams never have them.
You need a well-rep'd Plan B for when you don't have two those things. Even if you are Don Brown.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:57 PM ^
They did have a plan B, and a plan C. They worked fine for a bit then OSU would adjust and it was over because no coverage scheme is going to hold up when you get zero pressure.
December 2nd, 2018 at 3:50 PM ^
The coverage scheme provides the pressure.
3 of Northwestern's 4 sacks of Haskins were coverage sacks. Their zone took away his first read, and as we all know he's not as good when he has to actually make reads under duress.
Those coverage sacks were a bit slow to develop, but it did not matter. Haskins could not just dump the ball off quickly like he kept doing against our man coverage.
December 2nd, 2018 at 11:55 PM ^
Yeah I'm sure it worked great!
*Looks up stats...*
OSU vs Mich, 567 tot yds, 396 passing
OSU vs NW, 607 tot yds, 499 passing
...yeah looks like that NW zone defense worked awesome against them!
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
He needs more zone coverages and to blitz when we aren’t getting pressure with 4
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:42 PM ^
Blitzing makes it harder to cover the sort of shallow routes that OSU features--not much time is needed for the route to develop, and fewer defenders are in coverage.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:22 PM ^
Yes, but I think he needs to do that starting earlier in the fall, not December.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:22 PM ^
He needs to at least switch it up and if facing a team with athletes all over the field he should feature it. Hard to stick man to man on great athletes especially when they’re running pick/crossing routes.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:25 PM ^
Yes. Yes he does.
Michigan can stay mostly press man one high safety.
But M has to be multiple on D.
JH needs to build his offense and defense with one thing in mind--beating OSU.
And on D what Brown runs is not good against the Day/Wilson/Meyer passing spread.
So gotta be able to mix up coverages and run zone/zone blitz stuff. And that means running zone/zone blitz packages about 30% of the time all season long.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
DoEs DoN BRoWn NeeD To pLaY MoRE CoVer 2?!!
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
I think Don Brown needs to recruit MOAR 5 stars!
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:33 PM ^
I don’t care what Don runs as long as you at least cover somebody and try to adjust when plan A is a bust.
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:41 PM ^
When you’ve only practiced one thing all year long, there’s nothing to adjust to.
December 2nd, 2018 at 3:16 PM ^
You do know that we played some zone in just about every game this year? It would be odd if we never practiced it.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^
Cover one is fine to play a lot of. where Ohio State killed Michigan is Haskins could take two steps up in the pocket and the defensive tackles are getting stoned. 2 years ago Glasgow, Hurst and Company got there last year hurst got there. this year Kemp and company didn't budge anybody.
December 2nd, 2018 at 3:55 PM ^
How often did he even need to step up in the pocket?
December 3rd, 2018 at 12:14 AM ^
Whelp given the misses at DT the last couple of recruiting cycles, we better start practicing plan B.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:34 PM ^
Just when you think threads can't get any stupider.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:38 PM ^
Well he needs to figure it out STAT!!!!!!! What good is the nations best defense (so called) if you cant stop Ohio St..EVER?? Im getting old people and Im wondering if I will ever see another win in my lifetime over Ohio St...I remember a time when wins came plentiful over OSU....and at worst wed lose one or two in a row but never much more than that....In football ever since Bo died right before the big #1 vs #2 game its like weve been haunted..
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:50 PM ^
I suggest finding something else to bring you the joy you desire in your golden years. If by chance you are looking for UM football to provide that joy, well I'm sorry my friend. Do it now before depression sets in because our beloved Michigan isn't changing a thing. Or just sit and watch the college football world pass us old folk by.
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:54 PM ^
Mojo is spot on. Nothing on either side of the ball is going to change. We’ll read about change all summer and next August but in the end we’ll have this same conversation next winter.
December 3rd, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
I agree. I'm following John into a canyon in the Rockies where the world is a better place. You'll never hear from us again, and our taxes won't be used to support OSU.
December 2nd, 2018 at 3:09 PM ^
Basketball...thas my fav sport now...a team that actually WINS banners and trophies
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:37 PM ^
I know I wouldn't be over with dealing with the Buck fan base if we won more. But I am over dealing with them. Never thought I'd say it. But the Big West looks better and better when you realize the fan base might be better quality. Just think that the Woody Hayes ugly grows tired!
December 2nd, 2018 at 2:38 PM ^
I know I wouldn't be over with dealing with the Buck fan base if we won more. But I am over dealing with them. Never thought I'd say it. But the Big West looks better and better when you realize the fan base might be better quality. Just think that the Woody Hayes ugly grows tired!
December 2nd, 2018 at 1:39 PM ^
Don Brown is a dinosaur. Don Brown doesnt coach zone, doesnt want to coach zone, and wouldnt know how to coach zone even if Harbaugh asked him. Its time for Brown to move on. Michigan needs modern coaches, not dinosaurs. UM lost to Ohio State for all kinds of reasons. Don Brown was the #1 reason UM lost to Ohio State.