Iowa Snowflakes - The Offense
October 5th, 2019 at 3:31 PM ^
Trash
October 5th, 2019 at 3:35 PM ^
Shea Patterson is THE weak link.
What else needs to happen? Mediocre arm strength, accuracy, running with the ball, and as we saw today again and again, poor reads and missed open receivers.
He produces THIS with that core of receivers.
If McCaffrey is healthy for next week, time to make the change.
October 5th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
Consider just how different things would be with a decent QB
October 5th, 2019 at 10:09 PM ^
Wow, when have I heard that before???
October 5th, 2019 at 3:46 PM ^
I've written this before, but I don't think it's that easy. Shea sucks, but let's not forget the lessons of RR and Hoke:
(a) it can *always* get worse and
(b) sometimes your best case scenario is unacceptably bad.
Milton is not better than Shea. DMc *miiiiight* be. Yes, it sucks something wretched. But that isn't enough to make benching Shea good for the team. There's at least a 50% chance that he's the best we have -- that we're just stuck with him.
October 5th, 2019 at 3:48 PM ^
Could any mid level QB go 14-26 for 3.8 ypa / 137 yds?
That’s some bad QBing and everyone seems to know it but the coaching staff.
It could get worse but what if it could be immeasurably better?
October 5th, 2019 at 3:51 PM ^
Sure, both sides are plausible. But you don't make these decisions on plausibility. You make them on probability. And the probability speaks to Shea being bad and the alternatives being worse. That's called a bad gamble. Something that is by definition likelier to hurt the team than not.
October 5th, 2019 at 10:04 PM ^
What is the evidence that the probability of outcome from a switch is worse? I know the coaches picked Shea at the start of the season, but I think both Mac and Milton are better athletes with better arm talent. Not as much experience for those two, but I think worth a try.
Plus the idea is if you play a younger QB you are preparing for the future as well as trying to win now.
Shea hasn’t shown anything this year, so give the other guys a shot.
October 5th, 2019 at 10:44 PM ^
Milton over Shea? Sorry man but WTF are you talking about? I get that Shea has issues but go back and watch some Milton footage.
October 5th, 2019 at 10:49 PM ^
Problem is I've got to watch Shea footage.
October 6th, 2019 at 2:20 AM ^
It's true, our evidence is limited. But we do have more than zero evidence:
(a) neither Milton nor DMc have been *certainly* better than Shea running the offense. In limited action, Milton has actually been worse.
(b) also, although -- nationwide -- coaches make mistakes, it seems fair to estimate that less than half the time do they misread spring camp, fall camp, and weekly practice and insert the wrong QB.
October 6th, 2019 at 12:11 AM ^
No, no, no. You make these decisions based off of what the starter is doing. He's bad. You have to give the backup a shot. If it doesn't work and he's worse, go back to Shea. You can't just sit there and do nothing. Insanity!
October 5th, 2019 at 3:56 PM ^
Well is fairness to Shea he gets worse as the years go by so the coaches aren't just oblivious to it they are also responsible in happening. If he was with other staffs he would likely be putting up video game numbers because, you know everyone in major college football does that these days.
Meanwhile Jim sits there mouth agape and confused.
October 5th, 2019 at 4:00 PM ^
You can bet your ass Saban or Dabo would have benched him and been down the the waterboy by now trying to find a qb. Harbaugh=buddy system. I support Harbaugh but PSU, OSU, ND and maybe even Sparty will expose Shea even more if that’s possible.
October 5th, 2019 at 5:32 PM ^
More than likely Sparty...FIFY
October 5th, 2019 at 5:00 PM ^
What makes me mad is Harbaugh says after the game he thought Shea played well. WTF? There's the real problem right there
October 5th, 2019 at 5:03 PM ^
He’s not going to (and probably shouldn’t) throw players under the bus in the post game press conference.
October 5th, 2019 at 5:37 PM ^
Yeah JH ain't no Mike Leach. At least Leach will try and light a fire under his players. Not one iota of improvement with this offense from game 1 and Rutgers doesn't count.
October 5th, 2019 at 4:48 PM ^
I usually think this is the right take—the starting QB is the starting QB because he's the best we have. But I think we've seen enough from McCaffery to assume he's better than Shea in almost every way except maybe arm strength. Decision making, reading defenses, decisiveness, and athleticism all seem to be advantages McCaffery has over Patterson.
I bet if McCaffery was healthy today would have been the day that he took the starting job over.
October 5th, 2019 at 5:41 PM ^
And accuracy albeit a small sample. Hell Shea couldn't hit the ground if not for gravity. Shea is absolutely horrendous.
October 5th, 2019 at 6:31 PM ^
This is the most disappointing part of the team thus far imo. Going into the season most thought this was the deepest & most talented the QB room has been since the Carr days. What we’ve seen so far is anything but.
To make matters worse you have.. Florida playing their 2nd string qb & you could make a strong case they’ve improved with him.
USC on their 3rd string & although the team itself is a mess they’ve made plays in the passing game pretty consistently.
Meanwhile we were treated with a 14-26 147 & an interception from our former #1 5* senior qb. It’s entirely possible that Dylan is truly behind Shea but at this point I’m fully on board with at least finding that out.
October 6th, 2019 at 10:45 AM ^
It can also get better. Also, Why beat a dead horse with a senior, when you can get the next guy in line some experience and mold him for next year, or years to come. Instead, we’re going to go 8-5 because it was our “best option” and have zero headway going into next year.
October 5th, 2019 at 3:48 PM ^
Not saying you are completely off-base re the receivers but there were a few drops and the Black play on 3rd down where he waited for the ball instead of coming back - giving time for the safety to get a hand on It - drove me absolutely crazy.
October 5th, 2019 at 4:30 PM ^
The WRs have been bad too, people shouldn't give them a pass. They have all the physical talent, but aren't playing like it. Way too many rounded off routes, lack of detail on route depth and spacing, lack of focus to bring in the tough catch. They sure as shit aren't blocking worth a damn.
October 5th, 2019 at 5:09 PM ^
Sounds like that's on the WR coach then.
FWIW I agree. Our stable of future NFL receivers looks like anything but right now.
October 6th, 2019 at 8:22 AM ^
That was a great pass in the endzone to Black. Black was completely covered and Shea threw a 35 yd laser to the back of the endzone. If Black had caught that I wonder how the narrative would change.
October 6th, 2019 at 9:20 AM ^
except bell was wide open at the 10 yd line and might score if he gets the ball
October 5th, 2019 at 4:05 PM ^
Iowa State put up 300+ through the air on Iowa.
October 5th, 2019 at 5:01 PM ^
Sam and Al Borges will explain to you why that was not possibe today though. We had no opportunities to run or pass this week.
October 5th, 2019 at 6:13 PM ^
And lost 18-17.....your point is moot.
October 5th, 2019 at 4:10 PM ^
The QB coaching is broken. Shea isnt Shea of 3 years ago. You think its him? You think Speight not being Speight from 2 years previous is him. You think Brandon Peters putting up 10 TDS in his first 3 games is just lucky QB play? We do not attack, we do not put the d on its heels, we do not make them guess what we are doing, we dont win a game we just delay and hope they lose it. This is fine and dandy vs road Iowa but we have more Wisconsining in store for us. Benching the QB will only be rearing the next problem. The new current QB that cant move the ball. When we go to flip the switch on offense vs PSU ND OSU be ready for it not to work. Good win. Get to 8.
October 5th, 2019 at 4:19 PM ^
On the plus side, both the Polyanna and Chicken Little segments of the fan base can stop worrying about Gattis being snatched away after a single tremendous season at Michigan.
October 5th, 2019 at 10:14 PM ^
I could not believe it that people before the season were actually uttering this nonsense. He had NEVER had full responsibility for play calling before and we were worried that he might leave???
The only way he leaves after one season is if harbaugh brooms him out.
October 6th, 2019 at 6:56 AM ^
I thought it was funny people thought all 3 of DPJ, Collins, and Black were going pro this year too and be high draft picks
October 6th, 2019 at 10:34 AM ^
At this point the risk is that they go pro just so they aren't here any more.
They're NFL archetypes and they're being coached well. It would be nice if they, like, ever got the ball.
Calvin Johnson won the Biletnikoff with Reggie fucking Ball throwing to him.
October 6th, 2019 at 4:37 PM ^
They're gonna pay us to keep him on staff!
October 5th, 2019 at 9:59 PM ^
Brandon Peters is not the answer to anything having to do with helping Michigan's offense. He only hits wide, wide open receivers. He never leads them. Receivers regularly have to come back for the ball. Review Peter's best throws at Michigan and find that the receivers waited and came back to under thrown balls.
I am disappointed in QB growth at Michigan however Speight was only good statistically based on Harbaugh managing the game for him and then he got injured. Do you recall Speight making a great throw (other than short and over the middle like at Minnesota (loved that one.)) O'Korn lost the starting job and then transferred. I was hopeful but if he was any good he wouldn't have lost the starting job.
So I don't know. Harbaugh hasn't proven himself to be the QB whisperer but I don't know who would have done better with a shallow o-line. Grant Newsome's injury may have cost Michigan three or four wins over three seasons.
October 5th, 2019 at 4:34 PM ^
Tarik dropped a first down and a touchdown. Bell dropped a first down. Shea made some good throws that got no help.
He also made a horrible read on the INT and he's still not reading the D fast enough. After the deep ball to Collins, why no more? I'm stunned Stanley took more deep shots than M today. But who's that really on? Shea or the coaches? A lot of the routes looked like long outs and ins, not many go routes. I'm probably most disappointed in the 1on1 that DPJ got on a skinny post that he didn't let fly.
I was glad to see him keep on the reads. I'm no expert, but most of the reads today looked like he got them right. He was also clearly told to get out of bounds after Wisconsin got to tee off on Run DMc, even sliding.
October 6th, 2019 at 9:33 AM ^
time and time again, patterson is a count or two slow in delivering the ball. he's just not good. and his unwillingness to run hampers the O even more. he needs to sit. period.
October 6th, 2019 at 5:06 PM ^
Considering nobody really knows where an SP pass is going to actually be (other than underthrown), just having him throw more or deeper isn't really a good option.
October 5th, 2019 at 8:53 PM ^
Shea is severely limiting the offense. The run game is predicated on the threat of the QB run and he offers none. He bugs out of the pocket prematurely on the regular and turns many pass plays into fire drills. No wonder he can’t get in rhythm with the outside receivers.
October 5th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
Shea has the yips when it comes to the pocket. Either he sits too long or dips when the protection is good.
October 5th, 2019 at 11:22 PM ^
So has literally every single QB we’ve had over the last 5 seasons. How many QB concussions does it take before we recognize why our QB’s fear for their lives? Our O-lines have been shit. Period.
October 6th, 2019 at 1:10 AM ^
Man, the OL did pretty good today, AFAIC. Pass pro was especially good. Either the receivers are not getting separation or Shea is not finding them. Probably a little of the former but mostly the latter.
October 6th, 2019 at 3:05 AM ^
I just find myself wondering how much previous games have gotten to him. Our QB’s standard procedure seems to be running for their lives. Either that or they leave after three games with a concussion (see: Peters, McCaffrey).
October 6th, 2019 at 3:11 AM ^
McCaffery’s hurts because he runs like a he’s got a fucking yellow star in Mario. I’ve never seen a college player so oblivious to huge hits while running. Even his “slides” are just him dropping to his knees while his upper body is straight upright.
October 6th, 2019 at 1:21 AM ^
100% agree. Shea era should be done. Break in Dylan at illinois
October 6th, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
Let’s try some reverse psychology. There is no way Shea should ever sit. Sorry, I just can’t say that without LMFAO.
October 5th, 2019 at 3:37 PM ^
Patterson has regressed. Speight regressed. Peters regressed to 4th string.
Our offensive line has regressed. "You have to be able to get push when it's five on five."
Our WR's seem seldom to be actually open. As pointed out several times, Iowa's safeties were pressing our WR's because our route schemes never went past intermediate routes. As pointed out several times, "I can't understand why M isn't taking advantage of these tall WR's downfield."
Neither can anyone else in the entire world except Jim Harbaugh.
Jim Harbaugh himself has regressed and isn't the coach he was.
There is little reason to believe in the rest of this season.
October 5th, 2019 at 3:39 PM ^
Idk about you but the wide receivers were open every time Klatt tried to excuse Patterson’s shit play on a replay.
This offensive staff is a nightmare and the only consistency is Harbaugh himself. Brian is right. Harbaugh is an offensive coach in name only and is carried by his defense at every stop. Dude is not a good coach anymore.