SMU, some very bad defensive numbers
The SMU defense has been bad for years. Here's some numbers:
2015, #119 Overall
#90 Pass
#124 Run
2016, #102 Overall
#83 Pass
#97 Run
2017, #122 Overall
#121 Pass
#114 Run
2018 so far, #109 Overall
#111 Pass
#84 Run
SMU has not played good this year. They were beaten badly in both their games so far, losing especially badly to North Texas, 46-23, where they didn't score until the 4th qtr. Time of possession in that game, 15:47 for SMU, 47:13 for North Texas.
Of their 29 offensive possessions this year, 12 have been 3 and Outs, 5 have been 4 and Outs, 3 have ended in turnovers, 1 of the turnovers was a fumble 6, 1 a pick 6.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:37 PM ^
Ok m8 gg
September 10th, 2018 at 12:38 PM ^
But have they played well*
September 10th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
took the words right out of my mouth.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:21 PM ^
More importantly, did they play to win the game?
September 10th, 2018 at 2:03 PM ^
Did they at least outhit their opponents?
September 10th, 2018 at 2:46 PM ^
I think they are who we thought they were.
September 10th, 2018 at 8:07 PM ^
The immortal Denny Greene podium rant.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:39 PM ^
Maybe the NCAA should let them cheat again.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
More importantly, remember The Five.
CJK5H
Allegedly.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^
Mike Leach remembers The Five.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:40 PM ^
Tru goes for a C-note. Raback it.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:44 PM ^
As will Berkley Edwards.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:52 PM ^
These guys are flupped.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:41 PM ^
This smells like a trap game.
Insofar as I really hope the entire Michigan team does not get trapped in the locker room before kickoff and forced to forfeit the game entirely.
September 10th, 2018 at 4:16 PM ^
Granted, there was a huge delay and terrible weather, but SMU gave TCU some fits in the first half. It was 14-12 at half. Now, should be beat them? Yes, easily. I am more worried about Nebraska if Martinez is back by then. While their D doesn't look great, I don't want to get into a shootout.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:42 PM ^
That's some bottom feeder defense, right there. I watched the first part of their game against TCU and can say that neither team looked impressive. SMU seemed to be running a kind of havoc defense where they sent everything and hoped to get something. Per the TCU score, methinks that did not work well for them... edited for clarity.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^
Prepare the most vanilla of gameplans imaginable. Given that we can almost choose how we want to score, not IF we will score, my guess is the coaches will put exactly nothing on film that can be used against us in the future.
So if you havent seen the play or the formation in the first two games you sure as hell wont see it this Saturday.
September 10th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^
You would think that but didn't they deploy some of the new Jabrill Peppers offense against Rutgers? After that, it never really worked again. Maybe I'm misremembering?
September 10th, 2018 at 12:53 PM ^
If by "new Jabrill Peppers offense" you mean the direct snap to Peppers, yes, they used that against Rutgers but had used it before and after that. Rutgers was just the only team it worked against because Rutgers.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:01 PM ^
I remember that whole season I thought "Oo here comes Jabrill. That counter or that pass has got to be coming up soon"
still waiting
September 10th, 2018 at 2:47 PM ^
We did get a TD out of it at State.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^
The last time Michigan decided to put something on film for the first time before a big game was Minnesota in 2011 when we got to see Denard run the speed option for the first time in a 58-0 blowout of Minnesota just a couple of weeks before the MSU game.
Still drives me insane Hoke & Borgess put that on tape when they did and didnt save it.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^
You should stop being angry that Hoke and Borgess Hoke'd and Borgess'ed, and just accept it as fact. Hard to do, I know - but you'll sleep better in the long run.
(Much like you'll sleep better going into a Browns loss expecting a Brown's loss...)
(As a Lions fan, I can say that through the calm of experience...)
September 10th, 2018 at 9:36 PM ^
2011 Minnesota game was the first game I attended with my then girlfriend now wife and mother of my child. We went to see her friends at halftime and she felt bad that I missed a few plays in the 3Q (of a blowout!) she always got my passion/religion of M football.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:02 PM ^
Yep. I suspect that Shea will be asked to hand off or pitch a lot, and when he passes, I doubt he wanders out of the pocket too much. And we'll still win by 30.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:01 PM ^
Should be a nice relaxing Saturday. IIRC they let the UNT QB go like 40/50 for a bazillion yards. -32 might be takeable. Feels like 55-7 type game
September 10th, 2018 at 1:01 PM ^
Great opportunity to work on execution of the base stuff. And hopefully get the passing game going; we have athletes out wide, I'd like to see them get practice catching passes.
Optimally, practice catching passes where they have to fight defenders, but if they're wide open I'm ok with that.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:05 PM ^
Their offense is even worse.QB Ben Hicks is... not good. Their one TD vs TCU came when their RB broke a poor TCU attempt at a tackle at the line and went 50 yards. That was effectively it for the rest of the game.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^
We will crush them
September 10th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^
With how tough the conference schedule is we should be playing three games like this OOC every year.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:29 PM ^
Bite your tongue and fuck off.
September 10th, 2018 at 5:38 PM ^
Looks like the tiger got out of the cage over here...
September 10th, 2018 at 7:48 PM ^
Yeah, probably a little harsh. But playing cupcakes all the time is lame. OP should feel bad for his lame thoughts on that subject. I'll feel bad for my harsh post... And down vote me!!
September 10th, 2018 at 1:26 PM ^
Good. Another week for the OL to work out the kinks and see what it's got in some of the younger guys.
They need all the in-game action they can get. Won't be long before Wisconsin comes to town, and that defense is arguably better than ND's.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:28 PM ^
So you're saying there's a chance
September 10th, 2018 at 1:45 PM ^
FWIW, SMU (116) is one spot ahead of Western (117) in s&p+. Western was 100 before playing us. Western defense is 120 after playing us, so SMU is a very tiny step up at 109. Also they weren't completely terrible against TCU. They got a safety and didn't give up a TD on defense in the first half. Most of that is due to weather though.
September 10th, 2018 at 1:56 PM ^
I’ve been told that the weather doesn’t matter... so... I’m confused....
September 10th, 2018 at 3:06 PM ^
They got a safety because TCU punter fumbled a snap. SMU didn’t do anything to cause it.
September 10th, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^
The second team O-line will end up with a lot of good reps.
September 10th, 2018 at 2:12 PM ^
Those are Greg Robinson defensive numbers.
September 10th, 2018 at 3:25 PM ^
yea SMU is super-duper awful. WMU would probably be a touchdown favorite or more. M -34 is pretty generous IMO. I would take Michigan to cover and the over. 56-7 or somesuch
September 10th, 2018 at 4:56 PM ^
I was at the VT game last week and missed the WMU beatdown. Hoping to savor all 60 minutes of this one.
September 10th, 2018 at 10:28 PM ^
They are horrible, they are death sentence horrible. The line is currently Michigan -35. That should be for the 1st half with McCaffrey and friends making it another 35 in the second half.