Bring Back Jedd Fisch as OC
It's time for Harbaugh to bring in a legit offensive coordinator, but we need someone who is not only creative and modern, but one that can work with Harbaugh's views on football. Earlier this year after watching the Rams played, I thought, "This is the offense Harbaugh should try to run in AA."
I say bring back Jedd...Not only does he know the school and Harbaugh, but I can't imagine how much he has learned with the Rams this year.
(Apologies for initially posting this as a diary entry..a tad hungover. Mods, if you can, please delete the diary entry)
November 25th, 2018 at 10:28 AM ^
You better give Jed 100% full control and allow him to pick the assistant coaches he wants or it wouldnt work anyways. But I'd be all for it
November 25th, 2018 at 11:51 AM ^
Did u watch the game yesterday? Does Jed Fisch now coach defense?
Our offense scored 39 points yesterday. More than enough to win any game when you supposedly have an elite defense.
The problem yesterday was our inability on defense to make adjustments on the fly to their offensive scheme. We couldn’t get pressure on Haskins. We couldn’t cover their slant routes.
As far as I’m concerned having Jed yesterday wouldn’t have changed the final score. Not even close. Our D has to win 1:1’s. And it didn’t. We. Couldn’t. Stop. Them.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
A lot of these points came at the end, when the game was already decided. I'm not saying dump our scheme but we need to incorporate more...something...versus run on first down and often times second down even if first down didn't work. You need some serious road graters to get that kind of running game to work and we're not there yet.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:51 PM ^
Came at the end? If you believe those lunatic fucks wanted to let Michigan score a half a point yesterday at any time, then you don't know this rivalry yet. I guarantee there were women in those stands who don't know shit about football but their idiot husbands are retarded obsessed buc's fans. Every time that Michigan gained more than a yard they were screaming in that loud annoying hag voice that we've all heard from the 30 to 60 year old who smokes a pack a day. "Get Emmmm" or "Killl Emmmm" is about how it probably went from the morons.
November 26th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
This guy should really not be allowed to have internet access.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^
Are we back in the Rich Rod days? We were only scoring when the game was already well out of reach.
November 25th, 2018 at 1:53 PM ^
We were so ineffective in space that we should’ve taken 5 penalties each drive to shorten the field and play within 30 yards of our own end zone, can’t get beat deep or give up a 80 untouched run if you only give them 30 yards to work with
November 25th, 2018 at 2:18 PM ^
Counterpoint: Maryland scored 50+ on that defense, and we only scored 39. Sometimes you need to win a shootout, even with a good defense, bc the rules of the game favors offense. That's why Bama had shootouts with Clemson twice, with OSU, and with Georgia. They had good defenses, but it wasn't enough to stop those offenses.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:23 PM ^
This, 100%. I think the more pressing question should be replacing Don Brown. I really like the passion and the fire he has brought to the locker room, but OC's have figured out how to pick his defense apart. You only need average talent and some clever play calls to tear it up. Northwestern did it. Indiana did it. Then the apocalypse happened yesterday with elite talent and OC game planning.
November 25th, 2018 at 3:52 PM ^
Kliff Kingsbury will be happy to come if offered :::)
November 25th, 2018 at 10:30 AM ^
I look forward to playing OSU next year. OSU's winter is coming!
November 25th, 2018 at 10:33 AM ^
Jedd was shit.
It’s Harbaugh’s offense and game plan.
Now kindly fuck off.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:38 AM ^
What a guy. You gonna challenge more people to fights?
November 25th, 2018 at 10:43 AM ^
Hot take my man. Jedd got the most out of Speight's first year as starter and followed suit at UCLA. Rosen taken outside of top 10, maybe outside the first round, without him. Now he's a part of the Rams' offense? Get us some of that magic! We need it.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:45 AM ^
The Speight offense wasn’t any better than this one.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:51 AM ^
That's saying something about Jedd because Speight was a much much much worse QB than Shea.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:53 AM ^
Eh. Offense had better TE, a true powerback, and more experience overall than this one.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^
Higdon is far superior to Smith in all but blocking, and even in that, they weren't too dissimilar. You're right about TE. Butt is a million times better than Gentry.
You're wrong as usual.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
D Smith was much better at blocking, stronger, and able to carry LBs/DBs on his back, literally.
Higdon is the better pure RB, no argument there.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^
DeVeon Smith was nowhere near as good a back as Higdon. Karan has his faults but if you put Smith into this year's offense it would've been significantly worse.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
True power back? Higdon is much better than Deveon Smith, and this team has a much better offensive line. Receivers were better then but more experienced.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:42 PM ^
Jedd Fisch took Harbaugh's offensive philosophy and made it look smooth, elegant, and somewhat modern. He always seemed to use TEs and WRs correctly getting the most out of their abilities. He allows us to still maintain a power running identity but also get the most out of our passing game in a style that Harbaugh would be happy with
November 25th, 2018 at 10:34 AM ^
I hate these stupid threads.
The offense played ball control and held the ball for 36 mins. If we didn’t, we probably would have given up 100 pts. Yet people are convinced the offense is the big problem.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:39 AM ^
The problem is he tried to play ball control when we were down 3 scores. Ball control only works when you’re in a tight game and you trust your defense to stop the other squad.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:42 AM ^
Unfortunately, the "ball control" offense achilles heel is if you fall behind against an explosive offense (OSU), AND we don't convert in the red zone (like Indiana and OSU), then we have to play in a way we normally don't play.
I actually am a fan of a ball control offense, but it's clear the current offensive play calling is too vanilla. Maybe this year, the staff was covering for weaknesses on the team, but we do not get the ball into the hands of explosive playmakers enough.
Don't get me wrong, the defense got exposed big time yesterday, but when we have 12 minutes possession in the first quarter with only 6 points (or 6 FGs against Indiana), something needs to be fixed.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:19 AM ^
Yet people are convinced the offense is the big problem
How is is not?
The 39 points is a joke -- 21 points came from TWO garbage time TDs and a gift fumble at the end of the second quarter.
Michigan was 1 for 8 against IU in the red zone.
Michigan did the same in the first half against OSU too.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:08 PM ^
THIS. 0 urgency in our 2 loses. Wrs especially collins had a good game yet we throw to a te who drops yet another td pass. Its your job as the offensive play caller to put the TEAM in the best position to win. That is not throwing to mediocre tes who 1 cant catch and 2 offer nothing after the catch. That is a monumental failure by harbaugh and pep. The believe through the athletes harbaugh is recruiting that he is intended trying to go more spread. My hope is that jim does what he did defense and hiring Don Brown. Look up prolific college offenses and hire a coordinator. Mike Yurcich at oklahoma state would be a good choice. Justice hill put up over 1k yards so its not totally an air raid also from ohio.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:37 PM ^
I see no reason to get after Gentry who has played well this season. Yep, he dropped a couple TD passes, but he's also bailed M out of some bad situations with some clutch catches, like the in-bounds catch at MSU.
The real head-scratcher is why McCurry and Wangler were on the field at all. No reason at all those guys should be in there over Black/DPJ/Collins or Gentry/Eubanks.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^
Michigan didn't really control the ball as much as the clock says. Traditional time of posession doesn't address giving up 20 yard pass plays with the receiver going out of bounds and stopping the clock or jet sweeps going 78 yards for the TD (which counts as a forward pass).
November 25th, 2018 at 11:44 AM ^
While TOP does reward running the ball and not snapping the ball until only a few seconds left on the play clock, which is nice when you have the lead, but not so great when you trail by two or three scores.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:05 PM ^
The O did a great job of ball control in the 3rd quarter.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:37 AM ^
Whoever is the QB coach of the Chiefs, go get that guy to be the OC!
November 25th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^
Mike Kafka from NW.
The problem is that Harbaugh has to be in control. He’s not going to let Mike Kafka decide shit. Like it or not, it’s the way it is.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
Being in Kingsbury
November 25th, 2018 at 10:44 AM ^
Not happening.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:41 AM ^
He is a candidate for HC gigs. Plus, the offense wasn’t that great when he was here.
Thr obsession with the OC position is bizarre. Offense wasn’t the main problem yesterday. Defense was.
Don Brown now has seen his defense humiliated in a game each of the past two seasons. His scheme needs to be adjusted.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:50 AM ^
It was interesting to see OSU go full air raid this year. I can't imagine they'll commit to it with Haskins likely going pro and the problems it creates in bad weather and with O-line recruiting. We did just see how good it can work in the Big10 though short-term with a bunch of 5-star skill players and a highly recruited O-line.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^
All those crossing routes were like long handoffs. Pretty easy throws in any weather with that much time.
Don Brown got schooled yesterday and had no in game answer. Some soul searching needs to be done on that side of the ball.
Offense was not great yesterday. Improved protection and some better play calling but the scheme was not really this team’s problem yesterday.
I am still trying to understand why a true freshman Joe Milton is slinging an errant interception right after Peters just threw a TD pass. That’s a serious head scratcher.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:41 AM ^
Yeah, I don't get it. If they wanted to get Milton snaps, why did they use Peters at all? And after he throws a TD, why then yank him?
I get that he's probably transferring anyway, but what gives with the chain-yanking?
November 25th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
That might have been the worst case of coaching malfeasance that we saw yesterday. Harbaugh needs to explain that, but I'm sure he won't.
Way to put the team in a position to win.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:07 PM ^
We still had a chance to win at that stage. Peters has a good arm and experience.
The 1st TD should have given him and the team some confidence. Instead he got a seat in the bench?
That decision ended any chance in the game.
November 25th, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^
He took responsibility. /s
November 25th, 2018 at 12:33 PM ^
Milton in the game was a white flag moment. As a fan, that was painful to see...a coach conceding the game.
I, like most, have been reading article after article searching for something but I haven’t found anything that is positive. I may of said this before; it just hurts.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:52 AM ^
Don Brown's defense got us to this game despite a shaky offense in many games. This game was meant to be a shootout. OSU had a poor secondary but Harbaugh was too stubborn to take advantage of it. He had to insist on proving Michigan's oline is tougher than OSU's dline.
We finally have a QB who can distribute to playmakers but instead we go conservative and run plays from the 80's. Score TD's on the first few drives and you put OSU on their heels. That's what Purdue did to them. Instead we came out like we are playing against MSU's pathetic offense and thinking we can win a field position/field goal battle.
It was an utterly stupid and failed gameplan. OSU wins this game every year because they attack until Michigan capitulates. We were the better team this year and should have attacked. Instead we laid down and quit when the OSU sharks smelled blood in the water.
Pathetic effort by the coaching staff and especially Harbaugh and Hamilton.
November 25th, 2018 at 11:06 AM ^
Defense gave up 55 points and 500 yards of offense. There is no defending that. It was the main reason for tge destruction we saw yesterday regardless of Harbaugh’s much too conservative gameplan.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:04 PM ^
It is not either/or. Its both.
D-line got zero pressure. No way to beat OSU and Haskins with no pressure. Ball game.
But that does not mean the offense this year, and yesterday, did not have major design flaws. It did.
Patterson and the WR corps are better position groups than RBs and o-line. Yet the offense was not designed to get much production out of the more talented position groups.
Look, the offensive approach this year was not terrible. It was decent. But if you want to really be a top 5 program, then the bar is higher than 'not terrible' or 'decent.'
With the players on the roster this offense could have gotten so much more production. That is all you need to know to conclude that changes have to be made in the off season.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
Exactly right. To make the playoffs, you have to be very good on both sides of the ball.
The defense did enough all season long to win games in spite of mediocre offensive performances. On a day where the defense had a bad game, the offense couldn’t do enough to win the game. 39 points was not enough to win this game and, if not for a poorly called offensive game plan, it could have scored much more.
From an ESPN article regarding establishing the running game. (I know, ESPN, but still...)
Harbaugh also knew he would remain comitted to running the ball. This much was non-negotiable. He said in his first days back at Michigan that getting all the various aspects of a rushing attack on the same page would be the most vexing and time-consuming process of a rebuild in Ann Arbor. Forget about the quick-fix solutions found elsewhere in the playbook and the ever-shrinking patience among fan bases. The run-first mentality was baked into Harbaugh's DNA, and sustainable success at Michigan would arrive on foot with an escort of five capable offensive linemen clearing its path.
"Feel very strongly about it," Harbaugh said a week ago. "The time it takes is the time it takes. It costs what it costs."
As long as Harbaugh is in control of the offense, we better get used to it and hope he brings in more talent to develop along the line.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:43 PM ^
Sorry, but in a normal shootout 39 points is enough. Not even Big 12 teams expect to give up basketball scores, let alone a team whose bread and butter is D.
November 25th, 2018 at 7:22 PM ^
But that was the point of my post. Great teams (i.e, playoff teams) will rarely have a side of the ball that is so much more dominant than the other.
The defense had a bad game. They scored 39 points but, let’s be honest, the offense was underwhelming against a bad defense despite the final score. We should never have to score 62 points to win a game but, with different play calling against that defense, I think it’s possible that we could have.
November 25th, 2018 at 10:47 PM ^
Also, if the offense is playing better, that takes 14 points off the board, so the offense only needs to score 49 to win.