Cade on "holding back" offense no longer

Submitted by gobluem on October 5th, 2021 at 8:58 AM

Maybe there IS something to the whole "keeping the playcalling vanilla" in those OOC games that we get so frustrated about banging our heads into the wall and running into stacked boxes, not making reads in the run game, etc

 

I've always been skeptical that is a huge thing, but reading between the lines here I think you could make a case that Cade is basically saying that they played things close to the vest so far this year. Interesting nugget of info IMO

 

“I’ve mentioned this before, that everything we do we’re trying to win,” quarterback Cade McNamara said after Saturday’s win. “As we get into Big Ten play, there’s no reason to hold back now. We’re going to be aggressive on offense.”

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TeslaRedVictorBlue

October 5th, 2021 at 9:46 AM ^

i have a hard time believing that we want to beat rutgers more than washington (montana's win not withstanding).

We seem to have these conversations every year. You're right - usually it includes a loss or two. And in those cases, we say.. wtf... why would you hold anything back to cost you a win. This year is diff so far, so hooray.  

I just dont believe that the offense is going to kick it in mega-gear just because we're now playing Northwestern and Nebraska.  But I'd love to see it!

I just chalk it up to a player's version of "coach speak"

Joined: 09/02/2021

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cKone

October 5th, 2021 at 10:52 AM ^

I've seen these Star Wars fighter discussions before, and I often wonder to myself, when they are in outer space would things like weight, engine sized, etc. really matter at all?  I get it for in atmosphere dogfights, but in all of the movies we have seen maybe 1 or 2 of those.  Everything else was in zero gravity.  haha.

It's fun to nitpick fictional engineering.

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mgolytely

October 5th, 2021 at 1:50 PM ^

Lack of gravity or atmosphere doesn't dispel physics. Newton's Second Law (F=ma) still applies! Think about inertia; it's going to take a lot more force to start (and stop!) a Death Star than it would a snubfighter. Changing direction is acceleration, so mass (not weight) will directly affect maneuverability. Maybe that's where the Death Star analogy is apropos; once it gets going, it's nigh impossible to stop.

Joined: 11/11/2017

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kehnonymous

October 5th, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^

See that's the thing.

I think Harbaugh was initially trying to have a B-wing fighter offense - the lack of agility doesn't matter if your firepower and shielding just bludgeons thru enemy capital ships or fighters. 

The problem is that B-wings are very high maintenance with lots of moving parts and if you don't get those just right, you basically have Y-wings, which are fine and can do bombing runs and other support fighter things but are *severely* overmatched against second generation TIEs

Joined: 11/25/2011

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TrueBlue2003

October 5th, 2021 at 11:16 AM ^

In fairness, there's probably only two of those left in college football this year: Alabama and (sigh) OSU.

It almost feels like this is an era of defense (or at least year of defense) perhaps as DCs have figured out how to stop spreads and RPOs and such.

Oklahoma's offense isn't the firebreathing unit it usually is.  They're winning games with 16 (!!!) and 23 points.

Clemson is awful.

Georgia wins with defense.

All these top 10 B1G teams save for OSU are winning with great defense and mostly putrid offense: PSU, Iowa, Michigan.

I even almost made popcorn for the fighting Lane Kiffins and they scored zero points in the first half against Bama after putting up 48 in the game last year.

Oklahoma State beat Baylor in a defensive battle that was 14-7 after three quarters.  Ok St!  Baylor! What is going on in the Big 12?

The Year of Defense.

Joined: 01/05/2010

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Perkis-Size Me

October 5th, 2021 at 9:07 AM ^

If they were truly trying to play things close to the vest up to the Wisconsin game, then that was a somewhat dangerous proposition going against Rutgers. Rutgers was in a position to beat Michigan or at least take the game to OT up until the waning moments of the game. 

That being said, just about everyone not named Alabama has close games that they shouldn't in a given year, so that may very well have been what Rutgers was. Oklahoma has had more than a few, OSU barely beat Tulsa, ND barely beat Toledo, etc. Just about everyone has bad games, and I am more than happy to admit that Harbaugh, Gattis, McDonald, and the rest of the staff know far more about football than I ever will. 

All I'm saying is that if Harbaugh decided to still play vanilla and keep it close to the vest when it was 20-13 and Michigan had multiple three and outs in a row, then so be it, but in my humble, uninformed opinion, that was a dangerous card to play considering how well Rutgers had been able to move the ball up to that point.

But he trusted his defense and it paid off so hey, what do I know? 

Joined: 11/30/2011

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Watching From Afar

October 5th, 2021 at 9:34 AM ^

All I'm saying is that if Harbaugh decided to still play vanilla and keep it close to the vest when it was 20-13 and Michigan had multiple three and outs in a row, then so be it, but in my humble, uninformed opinion, that was a dangerous card to play considering how well Rutgers had been able to move the ball up to that point.

Yeah, that's some BS. I get not installing everything in the playbook or practicing certain things enough at this point in the season to implement it with confidence in games, but that's not the same thing as running between the tackles with the RBs all 2nd half while Rutgers is coming up in your review mirror. Not saying they should have thrown the haymaker and ran the flea flicker against Rutgers in the 2nd half, but they didn't do anything to put distance between themselves and Rutgers as that game wound down. Running the same run scheme over and over again wasn't keeping it close to the vest, it was just their offensive philosophy at the time. Wisconsin was a step in the right direction with the deep shots and not relegating themselves to the run, run, pass, punt of years past.

Joined: 10/10/2016

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chrisu

October 5th, 2021 at 12:00 PM ^

Seems every season through 'the great struggle' years, we like to think the offense is holding back, awaiting the right moment to unleash previously unseen weapons of touchdown destruction, only to see punt, punt, punt, loss. This year, I am feeling differently. Knowing they are taking time every practice to work on ohio state would lead me to believe they are working some specific plays for The Game. That would also lead me to think they are, indeed, holding back a bit, or maybe even setting up 'tendancies' that will be later exploited. See...dammit, I just did what I've done the last 10 years. Maybe THIS year, it will ring true.

Joined: 12/27/2014

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BrightonB

October 5th, 2021 at 2:59 PM ^

I personally feel that the Michigan game is a really big game for Rutgers. I feel they put forth a ton of effort to try and beat us.  They played a good sound game against us.  I think they are actually a solid team and will get better as long as their coach sticks around. Going forward they will be ready and a much better program until Schiano decides to leave. 

Joined: 10/04/2015

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Carpetbagger

October 5th, 2021 at 3:15 PM ^

This is a point people forget because of their Maize and Blue glasses. Michigan is still a marquee win to prove the state of their program is trending up. Even looking like they belong on the same field was a huge win for Rutgers. I'm fine with walking away with a win in those weeks where the disparity in need-to-win is so great.

That's part of the glamour of being Michigan (or OSU or PSU). No off weeks. Nebraska is prepping right now like we are the Super Bowl, I have no doubt.

Joined: 12/31/2010

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oakapple

October 5th, 2021 at 9:17 AM ^

McNamara referred to Big Ten play, which includes the Rutgers game. I cannot imagine that they were deliberately holding back, when that game was truly in doubt. I mean, it was great that the defense forced a fumble at the end, but you can't assume that'll happen.

In the three OOC games, Michigan's rushing attack was paving the opponent. There was no need to try anything else. I know the fans would have liked to see more passing in a couple of those games, especially vs. Washington, but the runs were working.

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Durham Blue

October 5th, 2021 at 11:27 PM ^

I think Rutgers showed stuff defensively that the offensive was not prepared for.  It threw them for a loop.  And it damn near cost Michigan the game.  Credit Greg Schiano.  The guy is a good coach.  I would think Michigan learned from that experience and handles that difficult defensive stuff better next time around.

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samsoccer7

October 5th, 2021 at 9:27 AM ^

I think it's was made fairly clear that the shot before the half of the Rutgers game messed him up.  He wasn't right in the second half for whatever reason due to the hit.  But I also believe we're opening up the playbook mid-season for the first time since Harbaugh has been here.  That's exciting enough for me.

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Booted Blue in PA

October 5th, 2021 at 9:29 AM ^

this is player talk/spin.....  if they were holding back for the sake of holding back, what explains his tentativeness & happy-feet?   you'd think he would have been eager and poised.

that being said, as long as we're winning who gives a 1/2 a shit?   

 

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jblaze

October 5th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^

PSU (with Gattis) did the same thing in 2017. They played cupcakes (aside from Iowa) before us and kept their playbook vanilla to unveil a bunch of new stuff for Michigan and we were clobbered. 
I’d be surprised if Michigan isn’t doing that this year. 

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