Snowflake Thread: Coaching Vs. Air Force

Submitted by LSAClassOf2000 on

This will be the repository for your thoughts and hot takes on the overall coaching in our game against Air Force.

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OneBadMutha

September 16th, 2017 at 3:25 PM ^

This entire offense is dependent on timing. On having a QB who can hit receivers in stride. A passing game that sets up the run game. This offense has success with a good QB. Not so much with a bad one. Too much is made of the offensive playcalling on game day. My concern is why Speight still struggles to find his 2nd option, has awful footwork and his timing is way off. Coaching issues are between games more so than in game. QB has regressed.

Joined: 11/27/2016

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YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

September 16th, 2017 at 3:27 PM ^

dreadful. Drevno was putting Isaac into a meat grinder with AF putting 8-9 in the box and running LBs and safeties downhill - it finally caught up with Isaac. Great use of the TEs ...

Joined: 11/01/2012

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bcnihao

September 16th, 2017 at 9:50 PM ^

I'm doubtful about that.  There's having a conservating gameplan, but then there's having only a 3-point lead in the 4th quarter.  Turning conservtive after jumping out to a substantial lead (as in that UNLV game, in which UM had a 21-0 halftime lead) would be understandable.  The other thing, not so much.

Edit:  Just a clarification:  The lead was 3 points late in the 3rd quarter; then Nordin hit another field goal.  So a 6-pt. lead going into the 4th quarter.  Still just a one-possession lead at that point.

Joined: 10/05/2015

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Ghost of Fritz…

September 16th, 2017 at 3:28 PM ^

Drevno is the main play caller, right?   If so, he had a terrible day.

Hamilton is the passing game coordinator.  Why has he almost abandoned TE game?  That has been a huge part of the offense since JH arrived.   Suddenly it is gone, other than the 1 (very sucessful) crossing route to Gentry) today. 

The offense is never going to work without using the many different types of TE weapons.   Those are usually less challenging throws for a QB to make.  And it is great on 3rd and 8-10, etc. 

Joined: 10/04/2014

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smwilliams

September 16th, 2017 at 3:30 PM ^

Bill Simmons (who I know isn't universally loved) theorized that good teams sometimes have a Milton Berle game or two. The legend is that Milton Berle and somebody else had a literal dick measuring contest and after Berle barely outdistances his opponent he tells everyone he "pulled out just enough to win".

My hope is that Harbaugh and the offensive brain trust are hanging onto some things for State, Penn state, Wisky, and The Game.

Joined: 08/20/2010

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nappa18

September 16th, 2017 at 3:51 PM ^

Still resonates today. And I am probably one of the few here who remembers Berle in his "almost prime". But, back to football. We are just not good on offense so far. QB? Left side of OL? Receivers just can't get separation? No Saquon Barkley types? I don't know. Ask WD.

Joined: 07/08/2011

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evenyoubrutus

September 16th, 2017 at 4:57 PM ^

I think that take will be labeled by some as blind homerism, but I think it's more reasonable than it seems. Granted, I am a blind homer, BUT it is clear that this is a young team that has a young offensive line, and the coaches are going to run as simple a gameplan as they can to win in games such as these. It is ugly because this is a young team, made up of many guys who are being forced out there before they are ready. Of course it's gonna be ugly, but of course we haven't seen all they can do yet, either. I'm frustrated, but I'm also not ready to crucify the coaches or Speight, like some on this board. But hoo boy I hope they get more sophisticated once they get to MSU and beyond.

Joined: 11/04/2008

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KC Wolve

September 16th, 2017 at 3:31 PM ^

I asked this in the offense thread. Is it possible that the predicable play calling and lack of TE usage is intentional and the offense will open up a bit when they get to BIG play? I mean it makes almost no sense not to use the TEs and WRs size and matchups at time. The coaches know this. Also, I can't imagine Harbaugh isn't calling some of these plays or at least oks them. No way this is all on Drevno.

Joined: 10/09/2010

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AmayzNblue

September 16th, 2017 at 3:31 PM ^

Don Brown is truly remarkable. He deserves significant raises every game that we pull out sloppy wins because the offense is tripping over their own feet.

Drevno/Pep. I am beginning to wonder if the offensive coordinator by committee discussion involving Harbaugh himself is done because none of them want to take credit/blame for the product on the field. I mean...who do you blame for this lack of progress?

Where are the TEs??? Where is play action? I realize it may be kept vanilla for a reason but I seriously doubt they kept it vanilla when the game is within 3 points.

Brohm looks like an offensive guru and Purdue is playing better than they have in a decade, so we better get the offense clicking by next week.

Can't keep putting pressure on Brown and the D to win the games for us. They spent 75% of the playing time on the field because our offense sucks so bad.

Joined: 01/10/2015

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Ghost of Fritz…

September 16th, 2017 at 4:08 PM ^

in fact time of possession was almost exactly evenly divided (even though is did not seem that way).

Offense moved the ball o.k., but kept stalling and failing to score due to poor play calling and many mistakes (from penalties, to dropped balls, to derp passes).

Joined: 10/04/2014

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J.

September 17th, 2017 at 12:16 AM ^

At no point in either of the past two games did I feel that Michigan was in danger of losing.  Cincinnati's quarterback play was terrible, and Air Force had no way to score besides long sustained drives or blown assignments / missed tackles.

Michigan hasn't trailed since the 11:53 mark of the third quarter against Florida.  It's hard to lose when you have more points than the opposition.

Joined: 03/11/2012

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m1jjb00

September 16th, 2017 at 3:37 PM ^

I agree that the offensive playcalling was unimpressive.  Right now I'm going to assume it was the combination of:

1.  Nonconference team we should outphysical, so why put stuff on film for the conference.

2.  Confidence in the QB is not at an all-time high.

3.  Rookie receivers.

4.  An offensive line that is a work in progress.

The good news is we're 3-0, pretty healthy, none of the games were within 1 possession, and I think it's unreasonable to think we won't improve more than other teams given the youth..

There is no point letting a win get you really down.

Joined: 11/21/2009

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AA Forever

September 16th, 2017 at 5:11 PM ^

"they didn't want to give away the playbook" excuse is bullshit.  You don't do that if it puts you in danger of losing.  And you certainly don't do it in game 3.  If you're playing a cupcake in game 1 and a really good team in Game 2, then maybe, but that's it.   I see other teams laying blowouts on people all over the place...they don't seem worried about who has film on them.  College football is far, far more about talent and execution than about deception.  

Joined: 08/14/2016

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Jason80

September 16th, 2017 at 7:22 PM ^

We have all watched Harbaugh teams long enough to know there is no magical bag a plays being held back. Same stuff in San Fran, if they intend to do it they will shoe it in week 1. Some were convinced there was an offensive package based off Peppers running around right end (into 5 waiting defenders) that we were sandbagging last season...and we are still waiting to see those plays.

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gobluem

September 16th, 2017 at 3:42 PM ^

What's maddening is we find success doing some things... and then promptly ignore those things

 

Where are the TE routes? The WR crossing routes? The 5 wide quick slants? 

 

Why do we insist on running so much when it is clearly not working, and then run PA max protect to 1 guy?

 

Where are RB screens,since DL is getting upfield so fast?

 

 

Joined: 09/15/2017

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Steeveebr

September 16th, 2017 at 10:47 PM ^

This is pretty much par for the course with Harbaugh.  He wins with a physcial mentality and a strong defense.  It's not always pretty, there aren't that many Luck's to go around, but it's winning football.  I mean hell, there were a lot of ugly games where he was winning with one of the worst QBs in the NFL.  

That doesn't mean things can't or shouldn't improve on offense, it just means my expectations aren't that I'm going to be watching an Oregon game when I'm watching Michigan this year.

I'm just relaxing and remembering how much our team relied on the defense during our last National Championship season.  You don't need to score 60 points to win if you hold your opponent to 10.  That's most likely going to be the way we win our games this year.

I'd take these kind of wins over any where we scored 40 and let the other team score 30.  A lot of Michigan teams since 2006 would have found a way to lose this game by not stopping the option run.

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