Football Strategy Discussion: Play it coy or open the kimono?

Submitted by trueblueintexas on September 30th, 2019 at 4:44 PM

During the OSU depantsing of Nebraska the announcers made comments about how hard it is to prepare for OSU because they put so much on film and in college you only get so much time to prepare. 

The general belief about Michigan is they keep stuff in the bag early in the season to have something new to reveal against tougher opponents. 

So what say you? Better to show it all and force the other team to try to prepare or keep some of it hidden in an effort to surprise a key opponent later in the season? 

My vote would be to show it all and force the other team to prepare. The primary reason for this is it provides a chance to "practice" against lesser opposition so you have some experience and film to learn from prior to running it for the first time in a big game situation which can not fully be replicated in practice.

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Carter the Darter

September 30th, 2019 at 4:45 PM ^

Michigan didn't reveal jack shit in Columbus last year.  Just come up with something new and use it vs. lesser opponents first.

Joined: 06/25/2019

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goblue4321

September 30th, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^

Actually I believe, correct if wrong, they ran an rpo where Shea kept then threw on run to Gentry in end zone where he dropped in first half. There had not yet been a Shea keep and then throw to that point. So I agree put everything on film run at game speed so your good at it 

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Sauce Castillo

October 1st, 2019 at 8:04 AM ^

are we saying it was 'new' just because it worked well? I agree with everyone that the offensive gameplan on that day was great, but was it necessarily 'new'? The point I'm making, and I think some others would make as well, is to just run your offense no matter what game. It's the coaches job at the end of the day to identify the specific plays, or mismatches, that will help win the game, not hiding away special plays in hopes the opponent will be fooled. Let's remember, these are college kids and they aren't memorizing every play from the opponent. 

Joined: 12/10/2012

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Bluetotheday

September 30th, 2019 at 4:48 PM ^

I agree. Show it all, make teams prepare for all  formations/personnel. It’s up the offensive to implement the best formations/personnel. 
 

maybe it’s hard to go back and see if a team was holding back plays (my only example would be OSU 2017) but i don’t recall a team winning because they withheld a majority of their plays. Majority being the key word. I don’t think wrinkles qualify as such. 
 

Joined: 02/27/2013

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abt424

September 30th, 2019 at 4:56 PM ^

The whole "saving it for later" is such a myth. 

There's not enough time in college to practice a bunch of stuff you don't use. It's possible to put a couple of plays in here or there, but holding back on full portions of your offense because you're "saving" it. That just doesn't happen. 

 

Joined: 02/19/2012

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DeepBlueC

September 30th, 2019 at 5:34 PM ^

And even if it did, how stupid is it to wait to try plays you've never used in a game before until you play someone really good?  OK, if you've got a gadget play that you want to save for just the right spot, and use once, fine.  But not the plays that are going to be a regular part of your offense.

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Don

September 30th, 2019 at 9:50 PM ^

For 48 years I’ve been hearing Michigan fans claim that we’re preparing something strategically new for OSU or the bowl game. It never happens. What passes for something new is a minor adjustment in the blocking of the left tackle on running plays.

Joined: 06/30/2008

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Alumnus93

September 30th, 2019 at 4:59 PM ^

We aren't hiding anything right now because are learning a new offense. But the one thing I think Harbaugh is holding back is that he will have wrinkles of power zone manball vs our big opponents that won't show now and is part of why we aren't running well. 

 

I digress.   Haskins, save for goalline duty, looked really good last game.

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Naked Bootlegger

September 30th, 2019 at 4:59 PM ^

+1 for amazing thread title.  Giving credit where credit is due, especially after the rash of crappy thread titles in recent weeks.

Here's what I really liked about some recent Michigan football seasons: the somewhat methodical unfurling of new wrinkles that built off previously introduced stuff.   I always assumed that the wrinkles were added mid-season and had not been continually practiced since August, but here's where my lack of football bona fides may fail.   This translates into a sexy strip tease mentality where the kimono gets removed.  It's somewhat coy, but that kimono DOES come off.

EDIT:  See Mad Hatter's post below.   My scenario describes the Jedd Fisch days, at least in my humble opinion.

Joined: 01/28/2011

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bronxblue

September 30th, 2019 at 5:18 PM ^

It's more important to run your offense well than it is to be creative above a certain threshold of competence.  OSU beats the tar of out people with plays they know are coming but are executed by 5* guys.  That's what killed Nebraska (well, that any their terrible defense and QB play).

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The Mad Hatter

September 30th, 2019 at 5:18 PM ^

During the Jedd years I remember an opposing coach, speaking anonymously, saying that we were a nightmare to prepare for because of all the different plays we ran out of various formations. Normally a formation would give an idea of what was about to happen, but not with us.

Hire Jedd Fisch and have him coach in a kimono. And the visor.

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DeepBlueC

September 30th, 2019 at 5:30 PM ^

The "we don't want to give away the playbook" myth about the Michigan program needs to die.  It's never had an ounce of credibility, and is only now trotted out by hard-core apologists, to try to rationalize an offense that just isn't very good.  The notion that we have some secret stash of magical plays that will bamboozle other defenses if we can just keep them under wraps until the opportune moment is simply idiotic.   

 

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Bambi

September 30th, 2019 at 5:31 PM ^

If we lose one more game we can't make the playoffs. If that game is any game but ND, we probably can't win the B1G either. We also haven't shown ourselves to be nearly good enough to hide anything and overlook any opponent.

We have to win every game from here on out for this season not to be another failure. So do whatever is going to increase the odds of that every week. Which most likely means opening the playbook.

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MGoFoam

September 30th, 2019 at 5:35 PM ^

Historically, it has only been us fans who thought there were secrets hiding in the playbook. None of the “surprises” we all expected have ever materialized.

Joined: 04/11/2014

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mi93

September 30th, 2019 at 5:45 PM ^

"You play...to win...the game!"  - He who beats Sparty.

Run it all.  Add something each week.  Build confidence so that end of the year has the best chance for success.

Joined: 11/15/2008

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username03

September 30th, 2019 at 5:50 PM ^

If you're good enough it doesn't really matter. Trying to trick teams is reserved for teams that need to trick teams. I would prefer to not be in that group.

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