What can UM's staff do to make linebackers better in a hurry?

I was in the camp of thinking that our defense didn't really play too bad against Iowa for some of the reasons that have been mentioned. However, when you think that we pretty much had 8 in the box the whole game, that is a bit scary. Iowa was able to run the ball well on us. How are we going to stop OSU's run game if we can't stop Iowa's run game? OSU has not thrown the ball well, but they have a lot more talent in that area than Iowa. This game started to remind me of last year's decrease in ability to stop the run. 

I am definitely happy with the defense over the entire year, but we definitely did not play as one of the top defenses in the country last week. A team that has no passing game should not be able to run on you like Iowa did IMO.

The offesive line was horrible.  Wilton could not hit any deep pass. This offense was so bad the defense could not have possibly saved them.  The phantom facemask call at the end of the game on special teams gave Iowa too much field position for the defense to possibly have a chance.   

I will not be satisfied until we're giving up 0.0 points per game and we're scoring 70.0 points per game.

on the road in an extra hostile night environment, I thought our defense came to play. It gave up only 3.4 yards per play which is outstanding and UM should win every game with that defensive outcome. The LB issues are part very aggressive scheme and part missed tackles, but overall was not a huge weakness. We lost this game on special teams and an offense that had a very poor night. But defense? I would take that effort and outcome every game. I mean they gave up only 230 yards and basically 6 points from just one real drive of only 52 yards. The other 8 points came off offensive and special team miscues giving a safety and killer field position.

Then I think about Wisconsin running the ball 30 straight times, and it brings me back to reality.

Would this thread exist had speight hit a deep pass vs Iowa, OP?

Everything that could have gone wrong for special teams and the offense went wrong. The defense bailed us out most every time legitimately possible. When the score was 10-0 it felt like we were about to dominate, then that 50+ yard punt gets dropped at the 1 yard line and we get stuffed for a safety. It all unraveled from there and the entire offense was like a deer in the headlights. No one person is to blame, sometimes shit happens in bunches and you move on. It was all Iowa's night. Let's go Seniors ... BEAT INDIANA !!!

If our DL shows up huge and stymies the traditional elements of their run game by blowing through their OL (which could happen), I wouldn't be totally shocked to see us move Delano Hill into one of the LB spots and put Tyree K. in at S (sure wish we still had Clark) so that Hill and Peppers could take Barrett and Samuel in space.  This is a game where we will be very thankful for two lockdown corners who might be able to buy us room for that sort of creativity.

Urban has to be thinking of all sorts of ways to get those two isolated on McCray and Gedeon in space, especially on the edge.  I expect JH and Brown are going full Mad Scientist to come up with counters to that.

Iowa scored 12 points against Michigan's D and you want to complain about defense.

We are now showing 10 games of tendancies.  Don Brown can mix in a couple of zone looks on occasion.  A great example would have been on the Iowa screen for a touchdown.  A quick change of pace zone look there would have stopped a TD or possibly generated a TO.  We are predicatably unpredictable. 

The best thing to do is control the ball on offense.  Someone pass that on to Harbaugh.  Thanks.

I'd like to see Bush play for McCray more. McCray looks tired.

want shutouts. If the D does not shut the other team out than it is a disaster.

deer antler spray

our linebackers are to be blamed for the loss? It's a aggressive play defense which has been high reward for the most part. Bottom line only 14 points scored by opponent with more than half coming from specials team's and offensive blunders. Ban night games in November in the Big Ten. Ban them all season's.

our coaching staff wasn't better able to adjust to what Iowa was doing. But, the LB's and overall defense gave up only 14 points. That's a stellar job and with Harbaugh as coach that should be good enough for us to win every game. I'm left to wondering though what Don Brown was doing during the game to compensate for the gashing runs that we were giving up?

I think losing Clark is the biggest issue. He was an aggressive CB who could play the run. Not to be mean but Stribling is a bit of a softy when it comes to run defense. He's given up several big runs when he was in prime position to make a tackle. Since losing Clark against Penn State the run D has not looked the same. Our linebackers are big and slow and dont cover well in space or flow sideline to sideline but we were able to play Pep closer to the line of scrimmage because Clark was also an aggressive beast. Strib is a fantastic cover corner but is definitely lacking in run support

I' ve seen defenses with athleticism suck and defenses that lack top end speed dominate.  We have enough athleticism, sometimes it's diagnosing a play or an athletic player tackling better.

Can Coach just ask them to run faster like he did for AJ Williams?

I know it's a terrible strategy but instead of taking on a block and never getting free, how about pick the side the lineman came from. At least you can stop a Barrett or wussy ass Samuel from breaking it outside (which they deep down inside really really want to do). Let the safeties clean up if they run up the gut. A linebacker should never be tasked with taking on a 300 lb. dude anyway. Man I hope Don Brown has something in store for them basterads in suckville. So sick of their mouths. They need to be shutup for many years. Go Blue!