Pepto Bismol

September 21st, 2016 at 9:57 PM ^

As I read it, spread offenses that run hurry-up thrive when they know what the defense is going to do.  As he says for example - running quarters every down with a static front.  If an offense wants to push tempo, they can do that knowing the defense they're going to see. 

Brown is saying that despite the pace, Michigan was still changing looks and pressures.  By the mid-second quarter, Colorado chose to slow it down.  Why?  Because they ended up running plays into the teeth of Brown's defense. 

Instead of continuing to risk running a quick play directly into a less than desirable defensive alignment, they started checking to the sideline, where the offensive coordinator was taking the time to survey Brown's defense and decide if the play called was the best option against what he was seeing.

By running a high variance of looks and relentless pressure, Brown is making spread offenses opt to slow down and see what they're up against before running a play destined to be a negative.  Brown asks:  "Who's controlling the tempo now?"

Joined: 02/03/2015

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wahooverine

September 21st, 2016 at 3:39 PM ^

The other responders are correct that spread teams line up quickly then look to the sideline for the play call. BUT, that doesn't mean they know how to handle what Michigan is doing on D. Part of Browns scheme is disguising the blitz, line call and the coverage call along with weird looking alignments. He even runs "trap" coverages from what I can understand.

So even if the offenses coaches make a call based on the defensive alignment they see. they have little clue what the D will actually do after the snap (plus LB's and safeties are always moving around pre-snap) which is advantageous. I think that is a big part of why Brown's scheme is considered anti-spread.

Joined: 11/14/2011

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SoDak Blues

September 21st, 2016 at 2:52 PM ^

 

"I know, wherever we are right now, three weeks from now, we'll be a heck of a lot better," Brown said. "The arrow's pointing up."

With Mone, Charlton, Lewis and Co. returning, this defense is going to be a fricking force. 

Joined: 09/24/2015

MGoPoints: 17693

Hab

September 21st, 2016 at 2:54 PM ^

I can't imagine that Harbaugh and Brown are married to their way of doing things for the sheer sake of it.  Both are smart enough to do what they think maximizes their chances of victory. 

Brown's statement to me says more that there have been mistakes in employing his system rather than an underlying structural flaw with that system.  Given that we've been through week three of Brown's first season and that Brown was brought in by JMFH, I'm inclined to not bitch for another 3 years or so.  I have a feeling that as the season plays out and the players get what is happening, we will see a reduction in the overall amount of big plays given up.

Joined: 01/02/2015

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Hail-Storm

September 21st, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^

that he is willing to give up points now to teams to make sure they learn the system and aren't giving up points when it really counts.  This schedule is a blessing to get QBs and defense up and running.  Looks like JH and DB are looking to get good use out of this time. 

Joined: 06/07/2010

MGoPoints: 9921

socrking

September 21st, 2016 at 3:09 PM ^

I was talking to someone this weekend trying to throw shade on m's come back this weekend. He noted we did a lot of our damage after colorados qb got hurt. It seems to me that one of the benefits of Brown's aggressive system is the increased hits on the other teams qb. Not that you want anyone to get hurt, but it seems like part of the trade off. Opposition may get some nice coverage matchups in the secondary, but if they hold the ball long enough to let their wrs get down field, they're going to get hit. A lot.



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Joined: 11/03/2012

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1VaBlue1

September 21st, 2016 at 3:26 PM ^

But that's not true, at all.  CU jumped out to a 21-7 lead, and almost had it 28-7.  But they trailed at halftime 24-21.  UM started the comeback in the late parts of the 1st, and rolled into full momentum mode the entire second quarter.  Check the quarterly stats.

Went on cruise control late in the third...

Joined: 01/31/2016

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JonnyHintz

September 21st, 2016 at 3:29 PM ^

This narrative has bugged me since the end of the Colorado game. Michigan didn't do most of the damage before he left. Here's how it happened. Michigan came out slow and went down 21-7 in the first quarter. Liufau played the second quarter and half of the 3rd quarter before he left. When he didn't come out for Colorado's offensive series, Michigan was winning 31-28. So Michigan didn't do "most of the damage" while he was out. Michigan had already stormed back and taken the lead by the time he hit the locker room. Also, let's look at what Liufau did after the first quarter (in a quarter and a half of play mind you) Passing: 7/14 103 yds, 1 TD Rushing: 6 carries, 1 yard. Also, for the passing, that includes his 70 yard bomb on one leg. Nobody in the stadium, sideline, field, or commentator booth felt that Colorado could possibly pass the ball with their QB hobbling around on one leg. Everyone played run. It caught us off guard. Aside from that play, he was 6/13 for 33 yards in a quarter and a half. Michigan outscored Colorado 24-7 after the first quarter until Liufau left the game. I think it's pretty safe to say that Michigan answered the bell after a slow start and shut him down.

Joined: 01/11/2015

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MichiganForever

September 21st, 2016 at 2:57 PM ^

The only spread team that worries me on the rest of the schedule is Ohio because I believe that any spread team we play their QB is going to be seriously hurt against this defense. You cant take those kind of hits by Glasgow, Peppers and Gary without living the game by the 3rd quarter as we've seen against every team we've played. However, Barrett is just a much bigger more durable individual and OSU has a much better distribution of talent and dont have to rely on great QB play to be effective.

Joined: 03/23/2013

MGoPoints: 1522

maize-blue

September 21st, 2016 at 2:59 PM ^

I'm excited to see this defense against non-spread teams. I've liked what I've seen so far against the first three spread teams. I believe Brown knows what he's doing against the spread.

Also, UCF and Colorado were tagged as fast tempo teams, like 3 plays in 40 seconds fast. It didn't seem to me that either team did this much. Either that or Michigan can now keep up to fast paces.

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 44661

Hab

September 21st, 2016 at 3:02 PM ^

How many games does it usually take tempo teams to get all the kinks worked out before they become efficient tempo teams?

Not to take away from your point though as Colorado was working fast for at least the little I saw of its first two games.

Joined: 01/02/2015

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JonnyHintz

September 21st, 2016 at 3:37 PM ^

I think usually it doesn't take long at all. For the most part the up tempo spread teams run very simple offenses. Simple blocking schemes, simple QB reads, simple route trees. What makes them so hard to defend truly is the tempo. They line up and get the play called so fast that the defenses don't have enough time to diagnose and react to the offense. That's why usually you can see true freshmen come into those types of offenses and do well running them. Whereas most of the time you see a true freshman in a pro-style offense it is because it is a kid with a lot of talent and football IQ.

Joined: 01/11/2015

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AZBlue

September 21st, 2016 at 3:58 PM ^

Alas, I have started to avoid game threads as well. They seem to have really gone downhill since people starting having more expectations than Hope - which in general is a good thing but not when looking for sanity in a game thread. I guess the RR years have truly been left in the past.

Joined: 09/14/2008

MGoPoints: 16882

Sac Fly

September 21st, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^

Not surprising from the Freep and Dr. Boring. A big headline gets clicks, but Brown isn't saying that he won't change his defense.

He said he's not going to change the way his defense attacks. He wants to blitz, he's going to blitz. Facing a spread team won't change that.

Joined: 04/03/2010

MGoPoints: 5981

Brofessor

September 21st, 2016 at 3:20 PM ^

Good interview, really nice to hear his explanations for what we are seeing on the field.

I also like how he made that connection those of us who are married can relate to when he said I just tell them all the mistakes are on me.

Joined: 07/24/2015

MGoPoints: 996

socalwolverine1

September 21st, 2016 at 5:29 PM ^

Yeah, we're still learning the schemes and making some mistakes that lead to big plays.  But compare this defense to the godawful "bend don't break" style of defense that defined us forever, especially on passing downs.  Third and long used to be scary for us because we would play a soft zone.  No more.  Now it's the other guys who are scared on third and long, because we're playing press man and coming after the QB.

Joined: 10/08/2012

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bronxblue

September 21st, 2016 at 3:30 PM ^

It's just a fun little article where a DC who knows what he's doing is talking about how he's going to beat the crap out of teams that want to trick him.  He's such a good DC to listen talk about football.  Dude made it work at BC; he must be laughing every day when he can roll out lines of guys who'll get a chance to play on Sunday.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 172085

Rodriguesqe

September 21st, 2016 at 6:13 PM ^

I dont like the comments about our d hurting qbs. It makes it seem like our d is dirty. Col qb left because turf monster reagravated an old injury. You can hit qb all day without koing him.

Joined: 12/29/2013

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