Why not transition Last years offense back in now?
Question for board, mainly space coyote if he reads this. His post was very informative. I thought Michigan’s offense was good last year just missing explosive plays in passing game. So why not transition last years offense back in? I know all spring and fall were repped for #speedinspace ha, but How many weeks would it take to transition that back in? Then sprinkle in gattis stuff like space coyote said should have actually been done. U have a game to rep it in also with Rutgers, so essentially 2 weeks. Harbaugh needs take control and show gattis what needs done cuz clearly it’s not working....
September 24th, 2019 at 9:25 AM ^
It looks failed to me couldn’t do anything against Wisconsin and that’s probably the 5th best defense we will face, this offense doesn’t fit Patterson or mcaffery, last years offense I think fit mcaffery best cuz he’s better runner
September 24th, 2019 at 9:29 AM ^
What looks different between last year and this year? It is hard to tell with the lack of execution.
#LostInSpace
September 24th, 2019 at 9:34 AM ^
The problems with execution and ball security tell me that Harbaugh has been very hands off with the offense, to its detriment in my opinion. He was a ball security nazi and his teams usually played fundamentally sound football.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:39 AM ^
harbaugh ran an nfl system, and like space coyote said, michigan is most likely a 10 win team every year and once every 4-5 years would have an elite group and have chance at playoff, which it did in 2016. M is not osu, bama, Clemson
September 24th, 2019 at 10:06 AM ^
If you don't shoot for being as good as OSU then it'll never happen
September 24th, 2019 at 10:56 AM ^
Turnovers are murdering us. Where do we rank on turnovers? I think it must be pretty bad.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
The 2 major things I can see is the removal of the full back and doing more RPO looks. Neither are working at the moment unfortunately.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:35 AM ^
Last year atleast could run the ball with our rb’s and qb, now they just fumble and qb never runs and our 5 star qb whose gona be a baller in nfl doesn’t throw to wide open receivers
September 24th, 2019 at 10:02 AM ^
Shea won't be in the NFL. He hasn't shown an iota of NFL ability.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:56 AM ^
But many on here say he is the best QB in Big Ten and gonna be at the Heisman presentation .
September 24th, 2019 at 9:41 AM ^
The WRs seem more open, but I think it's confusing Shea because he only throws to the covered ones.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:19 AM ^
Hmm what shall I read? Intelligent analysis from someone who knows the game like Space Coyote, or a drunken tirade from a geriatric fake insider?
September 24th, 2019 at 9:29 AM ^
Holy shitballs!! I can’t believe what I am hearing! Lol! Offseason- “I sure hope harbaugh gives him the keys” 3 games in- “harbaugh needs to take control and show him how it’s done”
I realize our football team needs and identity right now, but our fanbase is fucking nuts! If I was a CFB coach that was highly sought after, I wouldn’t come near Ann Arbor with the fanbase. Just sayin......
September 24th, 2019 at 9:42 AM ^
To be fair, every college fan base is the same. Try any of them after a loss. But yeah, this lunacy is starting to wear on me.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:47 AM ^
If we fire Harbaugh, we're going to run down the path that Tennessee blazed. This job is not nearly as desirable as people think it is
September 24th, 2019 at 12:27 PM ^
For the money we pay Harbaugh it is a desirable job.
September 25th, 2019 at 1:27 AM ^
Yes it is. The amount of college programs who can pay top dollar and provide unlimited resources are few, and 95% of the others won't be available at any given time.
If you're one of those doorknob fans whose idea is "Fire the money cannon at Bill Belichick", then no. It's not as desirable as you think it is. But if you're interested in realistic, available, qualified candidates, yes it is.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:30 AM ^
We need to change the amount of points it takes to start a thread. This board is out of control.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:30 AM ^
I honestly don't think this team is going to be fixed through Xs and Os. The team doesn't seem to have a real desire to even be on the field and that is all coaching and culture related. Our guys have come out flat and have been undisciplined with ball security, penalties, tackling, and have even lacked a sense of urgency. That is in no way a shot at the players because those kids are giving their all day in and day out, but something is definitely broken.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:02 AM ^
I think more than lacking urgency, they just looked confused. And that happens when you are installing a new offense. The opponents, who have been locked into the same scheme for years, get to play a tick faster and play downhill, it's all muscle memory and habit. Meanwhile, Michigan players on offense look like they are thinking too much, are too hesitant, because a lot of this is new. It might just need a half season of reps before you see them execute it quickly.
And then suddenly they will be playing with urgency and fire, because the confidence is there.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:32 AM ^
Harbaugh should probably make some adjustments so we can at least have some kind of run game, but throwing out the entire offense seems like a recipe for disaster. And I'm one of the ones that didn't like the Gattis hire and didn't think the offense needed a complete overhaul.
OSU scored 62 points against us. The problem wasn't the offense.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:45 AM ^
The problem IMO isn't one thing. The grasping at literally every straw you're seeing on this board is indicative of that. The offense is not clicking and seems a mess. Can't win games like that. The defense is young, undisciplined at times, and lacking experience and depth at key positions. Can't win like that. The players seem frustrated and unwilling to fight after being punched in the mouth a bit. Can't win like that. The coaches seem unable or unwilling or i don't know what to out-prepare, out-adjust, and out-coach the other team. Can't win like that.
All of that stuff just snowballs and cyclically reinforces itself, leading to more problems. Will it change or get fixed? Who the hell knows. That's what they pay the coaches to do, so I hope so. I don't think it can't be fixed - one decent game without turnovers and with offensive cohesion and shit could click. That could fix the attitude problem. Which could fire up the defense. A couple weeks of practice and experience could bring along some younger players and it could slow down for them. We could see Mazi and Hinton emerge on the line. The coaches may figure their shit out and do something different.
Or not. We may just sink into the ocean and settle into position on the sea floor, content to become a rusted out shell of program, home to passing sea life, glancing at the faint shimmers of sunlight breaking through the ever changing sea surface above us, unaffected by anything but time and decay.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:05 AM ^
OSU scored 62 points against us. The problem wasn't the offense.
The problem absolutely was the offense.
And the problem absolutely was the defense.
If there is anything that the Wisconsin game just taught us, it's that your offense and defense can both suck simultaneously.
September 24th, 2019 at 1:33 PM ^
We scored 39 points. Only two other times in history did we score that many points and lose (2006, 2013).
September 24th, 2019 at 6:43 PM ^
We scored 20 points in 4th quarter garbage time, long after Ohio State lost interest. It was very similar to the Wisconsin game. The TDs at the end were cosmetic, after the beat down was already carved in stone.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:36 AM ^
This offense, any offense, relies on QB play. It obvious that Shea is injured, because he will not run. To be effective this offense needs the QB to be able to run the ball as an option. Dylan did actually run the offense in the 2nd half and we moved the ball. He had 2 significant runs and hit the TE with a nice touch pass while moving to his left during our TD drive.
Until Shea is the “Shea” of last year we’re going to struggle offensively. Unfortunately Joe M. is totally unprepared to run this offense. Cade is a better option until Dylan can return.
Go Blue!
September 24th, 2019 at 9:40 AM ^
This is quite possibly the dumbest, most ignorant, revealing-that-you-have-absolutely-no-fucking-clue-how-football-works, Facebook level hawt take, that I've seen on the board since Saturday.
Well done!
September 24th, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
Problem 1: Shea missed 9, count them 9, wide-open receivers that would have been touchdowns. 5 he was looking right at. He is done.
Problem 2: Dylan came in and was making a difference, and got hurt, now we have the option of Shea or Milton. #ByeFelicia
Problem 3: Our fan base is one of the most fickle groups I have ever seen. Grow up, except that we are not Alabama yet. We got exposed by a good Wisconson team, we lick our wounds and move forward.
Move on, and CHEER FOR THE MAIZE AND BLUE!
September 24th, 2019 at 9:58 AM ^
Wait, Michigan isn't going to go 15-0 every single year of my life? Well i might as well find a new team.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:55 PM ^
I think Shea's issues are 85% mental and 15% physical. Not scanning the field and seeing open WR's happens sans injuries. So yeah.
September 24th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
I agree that injury could be the issue. The issue is, however, with his current play, he is creating a dysfunctional system that is not utilizing the reads and windows that are being made by the RPO's and systematic routes/reads.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:43 AM ^
Honestly, if they are going to run this system moving forward, then let's get the learning pains out of the way now. I'd even make a move at QB right now simply because the new QB will be the one to run it next year as well. Get the other QB's experience in this system now. Take some lumps this year knowing it will put the program in good stead moving forward.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:47 AM ^
That would be idiotic. These guys didn't practice it at all during spring and fall camp. There's no way we could bring it back in one week. Also, maybe you forgot but the reason we hired a new OC this year is because last year's offense stunk.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:49 AM ^
We must go forward, not backward. Upward, not downward. And always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom.
- Kodos
September 24th, 2019 at 9:54 AM ^
I think just running faster plays. If we are not going to have Shea keep on an RPO, then just do a quicker hand off. I will have to look at Brian's UFR, but it seems like we wait until the Defense commits to the run, then hand it off. If we don't hand it off we run a pull and throw the slant. We ran that same damn play how many times? It might've worked once.
September 24th, 2019 at 9:54 AM ^
No offense will work if your O-line cant punish smaller teams like Army and Midd Tenn. Did you think our O-line was going to magically start working against Wisconsin? Just wait til they have to face Iowa MSU and OSU
September 24th, 2019 at 9:58 AM ^
We have the dumbest fans
September 24th, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^
I'd rather see us run the #speedinspace offense that we were promised. But with a QB who can hit his WR.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:01 AM ^
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit lonely
And you're never coming 'round
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit tired
Of listening to the sound of my tears
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit nervous
That the best of all the years have gone by
(Turn around) every now and then I get a little bit terrified
And then I see the look in your eyes
(Turn around, bright eyes) every now and then I fall apart
September 24th, 2019 at 10:05 AM ^
I think this version might be more appropriate for this week.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:11 AM ^
Go read Space Coyote's awesome write up on this offense compared to last year. It's not much different. Don't get confused by "SpeedInSpace", as that term is a complete fraud.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:15 AM ^
I think a mix of the old and the new in the run game is possible. Too me, they look one dimensional anyway and this zone read option run game is not working with this OL. Not sure if its a buy-in thing or just not the right kind of OL development. Our line was built to run power football and their development was in support of that scheme. Guys can learn as the season progresses - we witnessed that last year. But if we mixed in some old under-center power-I sets it might help make the transition for the run game and move the ball better when needed.
Plus, we are now down to one wounded QB and a QB that is not game ready. McCaffery was clearly able to move the ball in the zone read option via the keeper ... but look where that landed him. And Shea is too wounded to stay on the field via the keeper, so when he is in the game that is not a viable option. Now we see the issue with the offense. Gattis' bread and butter is the zone read option which they have been developing for the last 9 months, but we are decimated at QB and RB needed to run it effectively ... we are basically at the third string level for each position group just 3 games into the season. Why are the skill guys hurt and fumbling ? I think the OL has regressed and is struggling to pick up the new OL assignments - and the guys behind them are just getting plastered.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:26 AM ^
If this is a lost year, wouldn't it be better spent focusing on implementing the offense of the future. This may be a 1 year set back that produces a larger step forward down the road...
September 24th, 2019 at 12:00 PM ^
That would be great if you're best offensive players weren't all about to leave after this season. Michigan is going to lose four guys on the offensive line, our starting QB, possible TE, all three WR's (Black, Collins, and Peoples-Jones). It's not like we're stockpiled with talent next year. This was the year to contend for championships, not implode for the future.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:34 AM ^
Run game and run blocking scheme should be handed to Warriner.
September 24th, 2019 at 10:51 AM ^
Panic and then change everything that you have been working on a year back to what you used to have... Yeah, that will work!
September 24th, 2019 at 10:57 AM ^
Sure.
Bring back the ole' Body Blow offense that only scored 13 points on its own by the 4th quarter against Ohio State, while they had already scored 41 points.
Because the abomination that Gattis is putting on the field right now is bad, that makes the old Body Blow offense suddenly good.
Somehow they can't both be bad. If one is bad, that has to mean the other has to be good.
OK. I get it now.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:38 AM ^
Because if you changed everything when it's still being figured out nothing good happens.
September 24th, 2019 at 11:49 AM ^
This is a great idea, if the goal is to lose the rest of our games and get Harbaugh fired.
September 24th, 2019 at 12:05 PM ^
Because it's not a video game and I don't think it's easy to just change an offense mid-season.