Michigan vs Utah every snap defense
A few observations:
Our safety's (outside of Peppers) are complete non factors. Durkin has them frequently playing nearly 20 yards off the LOS pre snap. It's very odd and I would say a reason we didn't turn Utah over.
Re soft coverage, way too much of it. Our corners did a great job when playing press and really frustrated the Utah recievers. When they were allowed free releases they found seams in the defense. Peppers really covered up for some of the defencies in the scheme in the 2nd half. Jourdan Lewis is a flat out stud. Why Durkin played him off his man half the game I have no idea. The kid is great press corner.
Linebackers were absolutely lost in zone coverage. They had no idea who to cover or how deep to make their drops. The answer might be to play more man? I'm not sure. Utah's running back was able to leak out way too frequently. James Ross needs to see more snaps. Our Bucks were terrible. This is Durkin's position group, so I'm concerned.
Very few blitzes. Not sure what to make of that.
Tackling could have been better. There were a few times we could have really put them in a long down and distance but missed the chance. I'm sure that will get better as the season goes on.
Overall not a bad effort, but not an exceptional one either. Utah has a solid offense but I expected more from the defense based on where we were last year. 17 points is right in the range we want to be but quite frankly Michigan was lucky Utah missed those two field goals. I want to see more aggressiveness going forward. We need to generate more sacks and turnovers. Better passing offenses are going to have their way with us I'm afraid if we don't.
http://mgovideo.com/2015-michigan-defense-vs-utah-every-snap/
September 6th, 2015 at 12:16 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 12:30 AM ^
I hear you, but I wouldn't say we held Booker to nothing. He had over 100 yards from scrimmage and a TD. We had 1 sack. We had zero functional turnovers. And again, our coverage was way too soft. Michigan had the #7 defense in the country last year (we lost Clark and Ryan, but add Peppers and Morgan). 4.8 yards per play vs Utah is top 25 good but not top 10 good. This unit should be top 10 again, especially considering very few teams play defense in college football anymore. I don't know what your expectations were, but mine were higher.
On the bright side we did an excellent job getting off the field on third down.
Going forward I want to see tighter coverage and more blitzing.
September 6th, 2015 at 12:57 AM ^
Booker averaged 5.2 YPC last season while playing mostly Pac-12 competition. We held him to 3.1.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:03 AM ^
No one in the Pac-12 plays any defense. Oregon just gave up over 500 yards of offense to an FCS team. Colorado lost to Hawaii this weekend. WSU lost to Furman. We stopped Booker on the ground but he killed us ctaching passes out of the backfield. He had over 100 yards from scrimmage and a TD.
Why our DB's are playing 15 yards off the ball half the time I have no idea.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:12 AM ^
Can you point to a play where our DBs playing off the line by 15 yards resulted in a significant play? Do you have any reason to believe this is purely contextual or indicative of a larger flaw in our defensive scheme for the season?
September 6th, 2015 at 1:49 AM ^
I don't have a problem with the corners not always pressing, but Peppers should have pressed that slot everytime. There is no way that slot gets open that much with Peppers in his face.
September 6th, 2015 at 6:05 AM ^
fyi its kind of difficult to press a slot receiver as theyre aligned a few yards off the los
September 6th, 2015 at 2:00 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 2:08 AM ^
If the philosophy was to make Wilson beat us, it worked. Only 17 points given up by the defense. Even if he makes the two FGs, that's 23 points. That should be enough to win if you have good offensive production. You can't stop everyone in a spread. Gotta pick your poison.
September 6th, 2015 at 8:50 AM ^
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September 6th, 2015 at 6:48 AM ^
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September 6th, 2015 at 8:51 AM ^
"No one in the Pac-12 plays any defense."
Spend some time comparing the offenses in the Pac 12 to any other conf. Check the past 10 years of QBs drafted- compare the Pac 12 to the Big 10. Then do the same for wide outs.
The Pac 12 have wide open passing schemes-crap teams like WSU or Cal can put up 40 on you. A mid tier team in the Pac 12 is Zona; in the Big 10 its Northwestern or Iowa. Compare those offenses.
Nothing in a vacuum.
Stanford and Utah's defenses would be top 3 in the Big 10 most years by the way.
WSU is Mike Leach-dude hasnt coached one minute of defense the past 20 years I am sure. Colo is the 2nd worst team in the Pac 12. You mention those teams defense then neglect to mention the offenses of UM, NW, PSU, Iowa, Purdue, Illinois for the past 3 yrs. If you put ASU Oregon UCLA Washington's defenses in the Big 10 their stats would explode higher.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:12 AM ^
Booker had 69 yards from scrimmage.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:33 AM ^
Wrong. He had 69 rushing yards and 55 recieving yards. 124 yards from scrimmage.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:56 AM ^
Is there a way to see who downvoted you for providing the facts?
September 6th, 2015 at 7:32 AM ^
I wish. It's clear there are a few here who can't handle them.
September 6th, 2015 at 9:29 AM ^
You come off as a fucking dickhead. That's why you're getting negged. It's also why you'll probably be on your next handle by this time next month.
September 6th, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^
It was the first game. Allow coaching to happen. You are upset because new coaching didn't turn this team into a national champ in one game. Insanity.
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September 6th, 2015 at 11:56 AM ^
Ironic post is ironic.
Relax, we are all on the same side here. No need to for the name calling, swearing, and veiled threats.
It's clear you aren't handling anything just fine. You are very thin skinned.
September 6th, 2015 at 12:44 PM ^
Do you plan to follow your own advice? I just glanced at your posting history. In the last 48 hours you've offered these thoughts:
No need to get your panties in a wad.
the 1970's are fucking over. Good god.
I blame mgoblog. If they never would have conducted that stupid poll Michigan might still have the maize it's had for the past 20-40 years.
You know what else was popular in the 70's? Bellbottoms. Guess we should bring those back to. And let's go live in a van down by the river. That sounds cool too.
So anyone saying this is very 70's ish is flat out clueless.
Do people here just make stuff up? Also why is this fan base stuck in the 1970's?
"I like it because Harbaugh likes it" makes you a lemming.
This fanbase will like damn near anything.
I swear some in this fanbase are stuck in the 70's,
September 6th, 2015 at 3:38 PM ^
Please find more out of context quotes. Damn entertianing. Do you work at Fox News by chance?
September 6th, 2015 at 9:18 AM ^
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September 6th, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
That vaunted #7 defense that's so much better than this one didn't really help us to win a bunch of games.
September 6th, 2015 at 12:17 AM ^
Please post below and tak your posbang.
September 6th, 2015 at 12:20 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 12:24 AM ^
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September 6th, 2015 at 1:48 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 7:36 AM ^
How was it ridiculous? 1 sack, zero functional turnovers, 4.8 yards per play. It was above average but far from great. Last year Michigan held Utah to 281 yards and 13 first downs, and a huge chunk of those yards came on that busted screen pass. Utah doesn't have a great offense. I'm not saying we played bad any means. I'm just saying I expected a bit more. If we're being honest with ourselves those 17 points should have been 23 with the two missed kicks.
September 6th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
They were long field goals (46 & 48 yard attempts)
September 7th, 2015 at 8:58 AM ^
Coming into the game the Utah kicker for his career was:
24/26 on 40+
3/3 on 50+
They're long - but him missing both is definitely not something to bet on.
September 6th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
with the missed FG and two missed long TD passes.
Missed FG's happen. They aren't fortunate occurrences, but poor execution by the team. You know, like overthrowing wide open receivers.
Some of your criticism is spot on. The LB's were poor. They were the biggest issue in my opinion. Michigan really needs to upgrade the athleticism at that spot.(and I think they know this which is why they are using a 4-2-5)
September 6th, 2015 at 1:57 PM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 2:46 PM ^
Utah received the opening kickoff and went 63 yds in 10 plays to kick a FG.
After UM kicked a FG, Utah received the kickoff and went 75 yds in 11 plays to score a TD.
After UM missed a FG, Utah went 74 yds in 11 plays to score a TD.
September 6th, 2015 at 12:36 AM ^
Basically expected a B+ defense because we don't have an elite pass rusher. And that basically panned out. Was a little disappointed by the LBs, especially in pass coverage.
September 6th, 2015 at 2:10 AM ^
struggled in coverage. That is a big weakness of theirs. They lack the athleticism and fluidity to drop back in space.
September 6th, 2015 at 8:36 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 9:55 PM ^
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September 6th, 2015 at 1:15 AM ^
Safeties (aside from Peppers) being a non-factor in your opinion is actually a huge positive, given the scheme we deployed in this game. We asked our secondary to do a lot and they handled it. The weaknesses we saw were in the LBs; Bolden got pulled for Ross perhaps a little too late.
Complaining about playing our often single-high safety 20 yards deep implies you either have no idea what this staff is trying to do defensively, or you're just complaining for the sake of complaining. Which is of course totally acceptable for Michigan fans.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:20 AM ^
We're playing a Cover 3, just like the Seahawks. You may have hard of Cam Chancellor and Earl Thomas playing safety for them. They impact every game they play and are a big reason why that defense is so good. Unlike Seattle we aren't pressing our corners all that much and it was a problem vs Utah in pass coverage. Too many free releases that allowed Utah to hit timing routes. It's all on tape.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:37 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 1:46 AM ^
Obviously you're not a golfer.
September 6th, 2015 at 2:02 AM ^
They're the reason that Seattle can play the scheme they're playing so well. Also, Harbaugh needs time to recruit the guys for that system. Do you remember last year when we got burned having these guys play press and they couldn't do it well (ie. Countess)?
September 6th, 2015 at 1:25 AM ^
ding ding ding
September 6th, 2015 at 1:36 AM ^
Was usually 10-13 yards from the LOS, only two or three times was he as deep as 20 yards while the corners typically played press coverage. It is interesting that the unit that was hailed the highest, the LBs, turned out to be the softest part of the D.
On a happier note, I recall only one semi-deep pass that was completed...when the WR pushed off on Peppers (bad no call) and nothing else.
I'm confident Durkin will have the LBs squared away, both in pass coverage and their tendency to over run the play. I wish I was as confident about the other side of the ball.
September 6th, 2015 at 7:39 AM ^
I watched every snap, you're wong here.
As for square away the linebackers, I hope but what makes you so confident? I would say they are what they are at this point.
September 6th, 2015 at 10:38 AM ^
September 6th, 2015 at 11:29 AM ^
These guys have been here three or four YEARS. Are you suggesting they're going to be significantly better after three years and two weeks than after three years? Because THAT is ridiculous. They aren't going to get faster, smarter or stronger. Their instincts are not going to get any better. What they are now is what they're going to be all season. Sorry.
September 6th, 2015 at 11:58 AM ^
I'm suggesting Desmond Morgan and Joe Bolden have been starters for pretty much 3 years now and I don't see them getting a whole lot better. So yes.
September 7th, 2015 at 9:03 AM ^
Our linebackers are already great at knowing where to go and what to do - their physical limitations just don't allow it. I just don't see them getting much quicker/faster.
September 6th, 2015 at 1:10 AM ^