NB Position
Last night we saw Brad Hawkins slide down to play Nickel and Woods come in at safety.
We always seemed a step late.
Any thoughts/ideas on why we don't slide a CB into the NB role? We used to slide Jourdan Lewis over a couple of years ago.
To me, sliding Lavert into the NB spot and leaving Thomas and Gray on the outside so Metellus and Hawkins can remain at safety seem like a better bet in passing situations. Thoughts?
Is having a more sure tackler/blitzer that much more important? With Uche and Hudson and Paye on the field we have too many guys chasing agter the ball (IMO). Not enough defending. I wonder if anyone else feels the same way.
September 1st, 2019 at 12:57 PM ^
I thought the nickel coverage was ok. What wasn’t ok was bringing the house over and over, breaking contain a bunch, and getting two sacks on a G5 opponent. I see lots of agression, but very few problems getting solved.
If Don Brown’s defense collapses again this year, I think it’s time to re-evaluate.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
MTSU did everything they could to not have their QB hold onto the ball or stay in the pocket. When he did, he got hit pretty consistently.
Quick screens, 3 yard outs, and moving the pocket was their response to Michigan's DEs having the advantage. Uche was getting around at 6-7 yards multiple times but the QB was throwing a go route 4 steps into the WR's route. Hutchinson had some good speed to power rushes and Paye/Danna were solid.
Sending blitzers up the gut with no gap integrity or off the edge with no one in the middle of the field is what we saw last year (and last night) and that leads to breaks in containment, alleys up the gut, and open slants/corssers. "Solving your problems with aggression" isn't always a good idea. And the change up to that can't be "solve your problems with MORE aggression!"
September 1st, 2019 at 1:26 PM ^
I had a similar perspective. Not to go all Matt Mullen (btw he looked great way to Pitt and Matt), but Asher was a gamer and I totally agreed with his trace Mcsorely comp. umich defense got screened, and quick outed to death, I think that partially explains the lack of pressure/hurries/sacks what have you.
September 1st, 2019 at 6:47 PM ^
Very much agree. A Hutch was basically unblockable all game but it doesn’t matter when the ball is gone or he just runs immediately
September 1st, 2019 at 8:18 PM ^
Yes, and to the original poster's point, you have to have a counter to that. Their QB was not going to make an actual read and pick a spot to throw. It was snap, look at WR option 1 and throw or start running around. So good jams at the LOS, matching up 1:1 personnel wise with the receivers, and not sending everyone is how you make that QB either throw into coverage or panic and start scrambling/get sacked by the DEs who were getting to him.
Allowing him to throw those quick passes made Hutchinson and Uche less effective and allowed their guys to get the ball with a numbers advantage right at the LOS.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
its really hard to get sacks when the qb is constantly getting rid of the ball .2 seconds after the play starts.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:38 PM ^
This is true. This is also why going balls to the wall with little control is so easy to exploit. You can’t blitz nonstop and then have no counter when they make you pay for blitzing nonstop.
The DL looks mediocre, and that’s fine if that’s how it’s gonng to be. Lots of good teams have had mediocre lines. However, you can’t expect a mediocre DL to get pressure on the qb when everyone on earth knows what’s coming. You need a plan B.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:03 PM ^
A quick jab to counter a hook if you will? You bagging what I’m raking?
September 1st, 2019 at 2:48 PM ^
or: you smellin' what i'm stepping in?
September 1st, 2019 at 4:12 PM ^
Which is why I'm suggesting playing another CB rather than a SS almost VIPER.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:05 PM ^
His defense will collapse again. It's just a matter of time. When has it not collapsed against an offense w a pulse?
September 1st, 2019 at 1:16 PM ^
OSU games in 2016 and 2017. Notre Dame game last year.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:48 PM ^
There were big errors early at ND which were corrected, but as far as OSU, I got nothing.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:56 PM ^
2016 osu fine. 2017 osu we saw a backup qb come in the third quarter and torch our defense after being up by 14 pts. Notre Dame last year was a what 21-3 blitzing start? You guys can neg me all u want but I don't think I'm saying somethin out of the ordinary. Don brown is a one trick pony for the most part
September 1st, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
Only a Michigan 'fan' can shit on a guy that ran two #1 defenses, and a top 10 defense, in three years of employment. You and your people are the worst...
September 1st, 2019 at 2:18 PM ^
Ok buddy. So please tell this "fan" how what I said was wrong? Explain it to me since you have the answers. his defense does not show up in big games. and don't give me wisky or msu. I'm talkin spread type teams where he seems to blitz every down and not have a B when it fails
September 1st, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
OSU 2016 was a spread team. So was PSU last year, and the year before. (Can't do anything about a total lack of offense in 2017...) FSU was a wide open attack (although based on pro type power), and the defense acquitted itself quite well after some initial game time shocks. At some point the offense does have to help - especially against the tougher opponents on the schedule.
But you go right ahead thinking its only defense that wins or loses games, because you know that one of the best DC's in all of college football is a "one trick pony". Buddy.
September 1st, 2019 at 7:51 PM ^
Not sure ND last year is an example of either a good performance or an opponent with a "pulse." The D had a terrible first quarter and we were playing against a QB that would be benched just a few weeks later.
Also, how sobering is it that every example you listed of good defense against good offenses were games that we lost? I mean, Jesus.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:21 PM ^
Remember the 2016 OSU double-overtime game? In which the D played well, in spite of the O's turnovers and the . . . ahem, "questionable" . . . officiating?
September 1st, 2019 at 2:33 PM ^
Besides the PSU game and last year’s OSU game what game has the D collapsed in?
September 1st, 2019 at 1:05 PM ^
Yeah, that defense is gonna have problems all year. Some of the weakness of the DT's last year was masked by the DE's. Without the same caliber of DE's, the tackles are going to really get exposed. Also, if Ben Mason is playing meaningful snaps, the defense is doomed. We all love Mason, but come on, thats not going to work.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:21 PM ^
I agree. I like mason, but damn he looked bad on some of those snaps.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
We need Jeter back ASAP, and some game experience for the young bucks
September 1st, 2019 at 1:32 PM ^
The defensive line gets absolutely no pressure. The opposing QB will have all day unless we bring 6 guys at least. I’m afraid Don Brown is in a pretty rough spot. He probably believes in the secondary more than the line so expect more of the same unless the DL steps up.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:57 PM ^
Agree. With no interior pressure from the tackles, Brown knows he has take risks. Sometimes it pays and sometimes it doesn’t, but its probably better than giving the QB all the time he needs.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:03 PM ^
I'm wondering why I saw Hudson playing deep safety on more than one occasion.
I've started re-watching the game, viewing plays in slow motion. It appears we were getting decent pressure on the QB. The plays they made were usually a result of mis-direction where we over-pursued. Hudson was the deep safety when we went to the 3-3-5. I suppose Dax maybe will take over that role at some point, and then you move Hudson back down and replace Glasgow, but Glasgow played well.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:43 PM ^
I could see that Michigan got pressure on the QB with the naked eye at full speed. That in spite of MTSU running an offense designed to get the ball out in less than 2 seconds.
September 1st, 2019 at 3:03 PM ^
I was wondering the same thing. He’s best when he’s aggressive I don’t see him as a deep safety. Many in the stand noticed the same thing, I counted at least 7-10 plays where he was the deep safety. Maybe this is a Don Brown wrinkle that will be understood after a few weeks...
September 1st, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^
I bet we see Daxton Hill at NB or replacing Woods by Wisconsin...
September 1st, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^
Dax looked lost on that garbage time completion/TD. Yeah it’s the first game, but he looked far from ready.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:14 PM ^
Dax has had, what, 7 practices? Lighten up a little, give the guy a break and let him get his bearings before you shit on him. Good Gawd...
September 1st, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
Who’s shitting on him? He’s a true freshman and he looked lost. Big deal. Let’s pump the brakes on “he’s going to start by Wisconsin” and let him grow into his role.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:35 PM ^
Fair. I don't know about starting, but I bet he's a regular in the rotation by the time UW rolls around...
September 1st, 2019 at 1:34 PM ^
I would say it's a depth issue, more than anything. Not a ton of CBs to go around, also our opponent spent half the game running their quarterback, so run support or spying was the higher priority.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
I would have to look at the replay but it could be them limiting Thomas as he works his way back into shape. What he had takes a while to recover from and the coaching staff may rather have him full go for limited snaps and work his number of snaps up as he gets back in shape. I don’t recall many (if any) instances where Woods came in and the Thomas was the second CB. It seemed to mostly be a Gray/Woods/Hawkins/Hudson/Hill secondary when they did that.
September 1st, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
Where's Marcus Ray to dissect this defense.
I thought it was average against a qb playing his first game and a totally new oline.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:23 PM ^
He’s eating somewhere.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:09 PM ^
Don Brown: recommended by Bill B., probably the greatest defensive mind of all time, but exposed as a one trick pony by the brilliant commentators of the internet. You guys should call the Patriots to complain.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
They usually only slid Jourdan Lewis inside when there was a star slot. Most of the time the 2016 team did the three safety nickel with Kinnel the third guy.
We’ll see both this year I’m sure.
September 1st, 2019 at 2:34 PM ^
At least a few times, it wasn't the nickel but the outside CB that didn't crack replace and ended up tracking their guy into another defender and giving up a 2 for 1.
I think the ideal situation is Dax Hill stepping in at nickel, but apparently he's not quite ready.