Klatt's perspective of Michigan's O / JJ McCarthy - seven minute video - worth watching
There's more than one thread on another topic, and - a change of pace might be welcome.
Joel Klatt posted a video on his view of Michigan / JJ which (IMO) is worth seven minutes of your time. I think it can provide additional insight on the offense and what to look for the rest of the season.
Here's the link. https://www.foxsports.com/watch/fmc-uj06ta086oygdws0
And - if you've viewed it - what do you think?
JJ's decision making - the schemes Michigan is running - adjustments, etc. - make the next three games, and what happens after that - even more interesting.
Go Blue!
November 9th, 2023 at 1:10 PM ^
Get ready, on Saturday around 3pm the narrative officially shifts from "they haven't played anyone" to "penn state isn't very good"
November 9th, 2023 at 1:24 PM ^
I’m more afraid of Michigan doing great against them, but the Big Ten putting its thumb on the scale in favor of PSU via lots of holding calls and pass interference that make the game much closer or outright tilt the game in favor of Penn State.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:29 PM ^
I am thinking the same thing, am 100% with you on this.
We'll see which team gets the most penalties.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
I'd like to think this game is going to be played under a microscope and any pattern that looks like an obvious fix would be easy to spot. On top of that, Michigan is known this season as a team which is not frequently penalized and it is likely the refs know this too.
At least one can hope.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:25 PM ^
Easy to spot != avoided
November 9th, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
You must be new
November 9th, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
Oh, this is happening 100 percent.
Just have to hope Michigan's response to a 2016-esque screw job is different this time around.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:35 PM ^
I have been thinking this way since the accusation and knowing Michigan will defend JH... Again, the commish is embarrassed and will need to recant before everything implodes... To get back at us, he would do something like that... I would not doubt it...
Look, we saw the lucky breaks of calls and no calls for Ohio State throughout the year.. You think they would not push this narrative and "persuade" the commish on many thing that could result in unfair competition.. They want us to lose at this point to validate their argument (though that is really not fair)... I believe we should keep going down the road for the 3 schools and expose them completely... This will ensure Big Ten plays fair and not do this BS again..
November 9th, 2023 at 1:47 PM ^
Look, I get the sentiment, but they couldn't be that stupid, right? If it ever leaked out, they'd be subject to massive civil, and potentially criminal, liability...
November 9th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
The teams have to be close for the calls to matter ...
November 9th, 2023 at 5:19 PM ^
If they do it’ll be live for everyone to witness. A call here and there? Maybe. Crush em and leave no room for the refs.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
Very poor goal post design, they keep moving, especially Michigan's. I'm sure other fan bases have similar issues, but they don't concern me.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:41 PM ^
Yup. Happens year after year after year after...
November 9th, 2023 at 3:35 PM ^
To be fair, I'm not actually sure how good PSU is. However, in a seemingly down year for CFB, they may be considered good
November 9th, 2023 at 3:51 PM ^
To be fair Penn St isn’t very good.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:12 PM ^
I think what they are running from a passing perspective is very good, but I also think it is becoming a bit predictable. I am hoping that they have different routes and route trees that they are going to incorporate into the different "leverage" situations that Klatt identifies. They really struggled to get people open after the first quarter against Purdue.
I also think that they are having to rely too much on a variety of jet sweeps as opposed to being able get some chunk yardage on the ground. Michigan really cannot afford to run a regular running play on 2nd and 10 because they are not getting enough yardage with it. That to me is reason for concern.
As good as McCarthy is through the air, I would like to see Michigan get into a really heavy formation and really say "we are running this ball at you and you aren't going to stop it." The few times they have done that this year it has seemed to generate big carries.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
I think you have reason for concern in games where JJ reads are off and keeps are out of the question. We have relied entirely in those games on the passing attack and play action for chunk plays. However when you turn JJ reads on the running game hits different. Incorporating him into the equation makes us so much better. They will be on Saturday and I expect to be able to move the ball effectively on the ground and hit some big play action over the top. IMO CornJo shows out he is due for a big game and I'm predicting this one. I also think we see a different utilization of the Don. I expect some gadget stuff with him in this game.
November 9th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
What you request from the running game is not something that generally happens against good teams, minus The Charmin State University. If teams want to give us the pass, we should just take it rather than worrying about the manner in which we score.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:14 PM ^
Thanks for that! I feel smarter for having watched it! This offense is so fun!
November 9th, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
My biggest concern is our running game.
I find it hard to believe the OL and both RB's have regressed as much as the stats show and I don't buy it's because we're throwing the ball more.
I think we're running too many plays with obvious running formations.
In other words, just follow Bredeson to the ball.
I would much rather see us come out without a fullback and run the ball Saturday.
Also, JJ will need to use his legs Saturday.
Can't run 30 plays with Bredeson in the game and have them all be runs either.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
To the extent that we've run a lot of vanilla and predictable run calls, I think the staff has earned the benefit of the doubt that it's more about not putting stuff on film than it is about having a poorly schemed run game.
That said, I'm not convinced that the dip in production is all about scheme. Just going on my own novice eye and the UFRs and other analysis here, it really does seem like neither the backs nor the line are producing quite as much as last year's versions would have.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
Agreed Matte,
I would not be concerned about our rushing yards per game if it was simply because we now have a sweet passing offense and throw more.
I am concerned about our ypc. Yards per rush are way down for both Blake and Edwards and I can't remember the last time we didn't bully our way to a conversion on 4th and 1 like last week's failed attempt against Purdue. We also aren't producing even 1 to 2 explosives from the run game as we were accustomed to the last couple years.
Would really like to see some more push in the run game from the O-line...after all, the OSU game almost alway comes down to who wins the rushing battle, not who has the better QB - as we have seen the past 2 years.
PSU blitzes a lot and runs a lot of weird schemes....would be great to catch them out of gaps a couple times and bring back some ground and pound and explosives this week.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:15 PM ^
Saw this in my YouTube feed yesterday and greatly enjoyed it. I was an undergraduate in the RichRod era, so Michigan routinely crushing the competition is never going to get old for me.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Remember when people were whining about tempo? You could tell they had no idea what they were seeing and the reasoning behind it. The staff had faith that JJ had been taught how to properly make his pre-snap reads/adjustments and would be better off if you allow the defense to show thier hand. This properly prepares McCarthy for what will be asked of him at the next level too. It's a huge advantage if you have a cerebral QB. Talent only gets you so far in the NFL.
November 9th, 2023 at 5:07 PM ^
NFL teams run tempo.
November 9th, 2023 at 5:42 PM ^
What NFL team runs no huddle?
November 9th, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
They all have a two minute offense.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
Thanks for posting. Good stuff.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:27 PM ^
Anyone else worried about the whistle we're going to get the rest of the year? I'm sure the officials are more likely part of the mob versus the resistance...
November 9th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
I am worried about it, but through 2 games I have not seen it yet.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:08 PM ^
Except the "holding" on Blake last Saturday. Maybe the ref was blinded by the lights.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:25 PM ^
Yeah, clearly Blake's facemask was holding the defender's hand.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:47 PM ^
This actually happened to the o-lineman next to me on an extra point attempt, in my last regular season HS game years back. He got caught flatfooted and the defender just absolutely bulldozed him, which led to their guy falling on top of him. Ref threw the flag (late I might add) for holding, we got moved back 10 yds and missed. Game ended 7-6...
I wasn't typically one to bitch to the refs after a call, but I gave this one the business, and he actually admitted that he didn't see what happened, just that they both went down. I understand his judgment, but that one still stings.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:46 PM ^
I would not rule out any and all kinds of fuckery on Saturday.
November 9th, 2023 at 1:51 PM ^
I am sensitive to "the flag and whistle" - maybe, that's a good name for a Sports Bar.
Michigan - through 9 games - has been called for 24 penalties. Seven (7) of those happened in East Lansing.
So, Michigan's been averaging about two (2) penalties per game. It will be interesting to see how Saturday's game is officiated.
Though, there is part of me that wonders - do you really think the B1G / officials would put their fingers on the scale. Surely, you jest - not in a high profile game - would they?
November 9th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
Boy JJ looks good this year.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:17 PM ^
The 1st play he showed vs. Purdue, they had 10 men in the box before the motion dragged one out. For those of you wondering why Corum's rushing total was so low, that's what Purdue did all night.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:44 PM ^
I wish the first play - the 37 yard pass to Edwards - was shown in its entirety.
Why? IIRC, Donovan was originally in the backfield - then, went in motion, and - no one from Purdue mirrored him until he was outside the tackle. That pre-snap motion - a missed assignment - was all that was needed.
November 9th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
Yes, that was a good video. Those big plays look so easy when you watch 'em, but that's because of great play calls or McCarthy's athleticism. Kudos to Harbaugh and Sherrone for leverage our strengths.
November 9th, 2023 at 3:42 PM ^
Klatt is the best in game and outside the game evaluation/analyst.
November 9th, 2023 at 9:49 PM ^
Huge respect for Joel Klatt.
Not only is he a great analyst but he can decipher what’s going on live as color commentator as well as anyone I can remember.
November 10th, 2023 at 3:14 AM ^
He knows our personnel and game plans really deeply. He can definitely hang around here.