Indiana Snowflakes: The Offense
November 6th, 2021 at 10:56 PM ^
Andrel Anthony never came back into the game after getting demolished on his kick return. Hopefully Andrel and Corum are both good to go for the Penn State game next weekend.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:04 PM ^
And why does Michigan keep returning these kicks???
November 6th, 2021 at 11:12 PM ^
Because they have plus athletes and it gives them the ball in open space. Chance to break a big play.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:28 PM ^
Almost every team has good athletes capable of breaking a big play on a kick return. But it seems Michigan rolls the dice more than other teams by trying returns and almost always doesn’t get out to the 25 where you get the ball just by raising your hand. It’s borderline stubbornness/reckless. But I’m a little grumpy tonight after all those injuries.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:35 PM ^
We complain with some frequency that Michigan doesn't properly utilize its talented players on offense; this is one area where they embrace the chance to get their athletes in space. This was particularly useful with Blake Corum returning kicks, and who knows what Anthony is capable of but I'm on board with finding out.
November 7th, 2021 at 6:32 AM ^
Plus athletes? Who?
November 7th, 2021 at 8:25 AM ^
The 'O' line, the 'D' line?
November 7th, 2021 at 11:44 AM ^
Pretty please go away
November 6th, 2021 at 10:57 PM ^
Zzzzzzzzzz….whew…Zzzzzzzz….
November 6th, 2021 at 10:57 PM ^
I think the Mgopodcast said it best after the MSU game:
Not enough to get you fired not enough to make you happy.
November 6th, 2021 at 10:58 PM ^
Im almost 100% positive the coaches tell the qbs not to keep the ball on zone reads.
What was that on the time out on the 4th and 1? Did Cade call his own number?
The overall scheme and playcalling is bad.
November 6th, 2021 at 10:59 PM ^
Absolutely nothing surprising at all. Michigan continues the humdrum/big game/humdrum/big game pattern we knew they would continue.
The only real takeaways are: 1. Couple of TD passes in the red zone on passes are really encouraging and I hope we see more of this against real opponents; 2. JJ is really shaky running the "regular offense" and it's pretty obvious that Cade will be and was always going to be the guy for the rest of the season; 3. Injuries are bad.
Game won. On to next week.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:09 PM ^
Knew it would be vanilla, but holy shit would it kill them to run to the outside a bit? This is one of the most unsatisfying "blowouts" I've ever watched. Even the stadium seemed to be sleeping midway through the game.
Edit: Wow anyone watching this Washington-Oregon game? LMAO
November 6th, 2021 at 11:14 PM ^
Pretty standard in the Harbaugh era. And pretty standard for this year. We've already forgotten about a couple of our other vanilla blowouts, which were basically the same game.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:18 PM ^
You must've forgotten MTSU '19.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:22 PM ^
...and this is why JJ needs to get more than a play here and a play there. Because if Cade goes down JJ is it. Here, the coaching decisions are head-scratching. The kid is immensely talented but unless you are given real time exposure that translates forward there is going to be little advancement that prepares you for stepping in and taking the reins. Thank goodness he, finally, got to play complete series today. Tomorrow, and next week, he will be able to mull over ways to improve his play.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:33 PM ^
They've given him waaaaay more time than a backup QB would normally get with a healthy starter. He has over a full game of experience despite Cade being hurt for only a series or two the whole year. He's a decent 20-33 for 290 yards this year. And 15 carries for 44 net yards (34 are lost yards, mostly on sacks).
They're giving him plenty of time. He's not there yet. Now, I am very open to explanations of his not-readiness being at least partly due to QB coaching, which has been a complaint of mine for some time. But there's no real valid argument that they need to get him more time out there, except by giving him more reps in blowouts by blowing out teams by more points earlier in games.
November 7th, 2021 at 7:55 AM ^
JJ doesn’t know how to read defenses yet. We don’t need Joe Milton 2.0. We all love his athleticism, but he is clearly not seeing his reads and scrambling around like a rookie.
Regardless of how the fan “experts” “know” we don’t have a snowball’s chance in Hell, Michigan, to win out—The Team does have a chance to win out and go to Indy if OSU beats Sparty down. So please FTLOG stop crying about needing JJ to start or play too much.
One can reasonably argue this team stalls out in the red zone because they have too many cooks/QBs they are trying to use. I’d prefer they stick with Cade and work on 10-15 plays that they can perfect in practice with personnel.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:50 AM ^
Dude JJ is looking less confident and QB1 worthy with each game that goes on, how in the hell can you even say these words? For the record, I'm not saying he's not talented or the QB of the future, not at all. But he showed literally nothing last night, and we all saw the MSU game. Relax, he'll be here next year
November 6th, 2021 at 11:00 PM ^
Another boring, unimaginative, no face no name opponent gameplan. The oline getting worked in pass pro is a concern. Cj ran some sharp routes is about the only takeaways.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:00 PM ^
The gap between Cade and JJ and who the clear starter is continues to grow.
Brock Huard pretty much confirmed these are Harbaugh's plays from way back in the day, so I can't take anyone who criticizes Gattis seriously. If you want to say Gattis sucks because he can't pick the right Harbaugh play, I'll accept that.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:29 PM ^
You assume Huard isn’t talking out of his ass.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:31 PM ^
Maybe! But that play call was very specific that he named, seemed to know exactly what it was.
Bring in another OC, they can run the same type of plays we always have too.
November 7th, 2021 at 9:30 AM ^
It seems pretty clear that Harbaugh has not been overwhelmed by Gattis’s speed in space. There are multiple signs that Gatiis has been given much less free reign than in his first two years. If you look at a metric like offensive FEI, it appears that was not a bad call. This is the best offense of the Gattis era, even though we are starting a first year quarterback and our leading receiver went down in the first game.
November 7th, 2021 at 10:55 AM ^
Huard also claimed that Cade knows what it's like to be the backup QB everyone wants to see play. A completely false narrative. McCaffrey was the backup everyone wanted to see. Huard is full of shit.
November 7th, 2021 at 1:59 AM ^
Come on guys, we all know Gattis is calling the plays.
But what is not said is that he can only choose plays from Harbaugh's playbook. And the pages for 1st and 2nd down are a 3-answer multiple choice test.
November 7th, 2021 at 8:34 AM ^
There are many plays that I did not see way back in Harbaugh's two years. Harbaugh has good plays. There is nothing wrong in incorporating them. This assertion that all plays belong to Harbaugh is simply not true. First of all, we have no FB. Does that sound like a Harbaugh offense to you. It is offense by committee but Gattis has established his own plays. Do they always work or not is a different story.
I, for one, enjoyed many parts of our offense. HH was amazing. I know people love KW here. I still contend that refs, stupid substitutions, and blown coverage had something to do with how well he played against M. Against IU, he didn't sniff 100 yards after 20 plus carries. HH did amazing yesterday. Cade had his moments and I sure enjoyed two TD throws to TEs in RZ. Finally, we found something good to do in RZ. And Cade threw a bomb to CJ just like earlier in the year.
It was vanilla but had some good moments.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:03 PM ^
I still say Gattis should be punched in the balls every time a trip to the red zone results in a field goal.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:12 PM ^
Fuck you.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:52 PM ^
Sorry Mrs. Gattis.
November 7th, 2021 at 12:57 AM ^
Hoo! I am for reeeaal.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:23 PM ^
Yeah would be Gattis' fault if he weren't the 4th OC under the Harbaugh regime.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:04 PM ^
Please stop the mid-drive QB carousel. Let the effective QB play. If several series aren't successful, see if the other QB can be successful. The way they are rotating seems to make it difficult for anybody to get in a rhythm. I just don't understand the mindset.
November 7th, 2021 at 9:25 AM ^
I’m convinced that the only reason JJ is getting this time is the transfer portal. Put in JJ near the goal line or in a blowout, he is young and careless with the football.
November 7th, 2021 at 9:35 AM ^
I am not sure they would do that at a critical juncture in MSU if that was the case. They truly believe in skill. You can see how good he can be. I am ok with them doing this as we all know every damn year we go to OSU game with an injured QB. I know it may not have been best situation against OSU or even in this game, but no doubt they are prepping him for the future.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:05 PM ^
How does Gattis keep his job? He might be the worst play caller in the entire big ten. Can you imagine with the athletes we get if we had a creative mind running the offense like Brohm's teams run.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:10 PM ^
Alabama fan co-worker of mine said they were so glad when Gattis and Loxley left.
November 7th, 2021 at 2:17 AM ^
I'm not surprised to hear that. Weiss is probably ready to be an OC. Belkamy is already having input with WRs. Gattis out. Weiss to OC. Bellamy to WRs. Find a great defensive coach for Bellamy's vacancy.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:14 PM ^
Huard rightly complimented the scheme when the stretch concept yielded a big run, then running play action off it for a TD.
Then what? This is a “grab bag” offense. Nothing sets up anything else. Nothing recognizes what the defense is doing and tries to trap them in it, like a screen against a blitz, or a play action pass based on run concepts set up.
And for the love of God, can you run a shallow cross against man? You know, “speed in space” with a slot WR against a linebacker or safety?
This was a JV friggin offense. And Josh Gattis is a JV friggin OC.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:33 PM ^
I see it as pure stubbornness on Harbaugh’s part and it’s absolutely infuriating.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:47 PM ^
Ah yes…
“Good play, Gattis. Bad play, Harbaugh” is alive and well.
The last time we know and have had it confirmed that Harbaugh had a hand in the offensive play-calling was back in 2016.
This is NOTHING like that was. You could see plays setting up other plays. You could see scheming and recognition of what a defense was doing.
Tonight didn’t even look like there was an offensive game plan. Spin a wheel and call whatever play it lands on.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:50 PM ^
Huh? In 2016 the offense was the ultimate grab bag. They installed a full-house T for one game. It was fun, but it was a bunch of plays patched together.
I'm not enthralled with how Michigan schemes these days, but: it's not philosophically different from before Gattis in any significant way, and they certainly do chain looks together to set up other plays. They just don't do it either as frequently as I would like, or the way I would like.
But, of course, this is Indiana. If you were expecting a deep gameplan, you were always going to be disappointed. We knew going in it was going to be like this. The fancier stuff will come out for PSU and OSU, just as we've known.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:06 PM ^
Get healthy guys
November 6th, 2021 at 11:06 PM ^
Get healthy guys
November 6th, 2021 at 11:06 PM ^
Did Andrell Anthony get injured? WTF is this
November 6th, 2021 at 11:54 PM ^
He must have gotten injured on his kickoff return where he got tackled violently around his neck. The kid still is skinny and can’t weigh more than 180lbs.
November 6th, 2021 at 11:10 PM ^
Where was Erick All today?
November 6th, 2021 at 11:14 PM ^
He was on the sidelines, dressed to play. I think he has an ankle boo boo from last week and was held out as a precaution.
November 7th, 2021 at 12:30 PM ^
I recall the play where All got ankle-tackled vs. MSU and had to leave the game with what was hopefully just a minor sprain. Schoonmaker stepped up as a receiver in his stead, and was an OK blocker (at least one missed blitz pickups was on him).
November 7th, 2021 at 7:59 AM ^
Where was Donovan Edwards as well? Corum goes down and they just doubled up on Haskins' touches.(Not complaining). Then in garbage time they went Dunlap.