Unverified Voracity Likes To Bend
A note on content. You may have noticed I'm not posting every day as I have for eons. This is suddenly season preview cram time for me, to go along with no daycare for two small kids and an online semester for my wife that is extremely time consuming. Bear with us, please.
Tyler Motte on his mental health. A member of the CCM line opens up about his struggles:
Motte, now 25, paused for a moment. "Actually," he said. "There is one thing." Then the words started flowing out of his mouth before he could consider the significance.
"Earlier in the summer, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression," Motte said. "Do we have somebody for that?"
Long and worth yoru time.
The thing Clowney lacks. Jadeveon Clowney is now a highly regarded NFL defensive end with a weird inability to convert pressures into sacks. For The Win looks into why:
Finishing off a pass rush is a skill and the numbers suggest that Clowney does not possess it. But in order to confirm that theory — and figure out why he struggles to turn pressure into sacks — I took a look at all of his pressures from the 2019 season. From there, I picked out the plays where Clowney had a significant effect on the quarterback. Here’s a cut-up of those plays…
It shouldn’t take too long to pick up on the pattern: On nearly every win, Clowney uses an inside move to beat his blocker. …
When you really dive into his tape, which NFL teams surely did this offseason, Clowney’s biggest weakness becomes readily apparent: He’s got no bend. In other words, after beating an offensive tackle upfield, he struggles to turn the corner, which makes it much easier for the tackle to recover and block him.
This was also a problem for Rashan Gary, another giant athletic freak of a defensive end, at Michigan. Gary's attempts to win to the outside were ineffective because he couldn't dip around the offensive tackle. In contrast, Josh Uche is all bend.
This doesn't mean Clowney isn't a good defensive end. He grades out well everywhere that offers grades. It does mean his production is usually limited to hurries and various pocket disruptions.
[After THE JUMP: a plea for 80 yard Ben Mason touchdowns]
Coming to an offense near you, hopefully. Michigan does run insert iso, and if they choose they could make Ben Mason #84.
Ole Miss running an H-Back Insert Iso Pop Pass through the B-Gap pic.twitter.com/K71wDvavVX
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) October 5, 2020
This would absolutely work if Mason had obliterated a linebacker or two before they ran it. IIRC Kansas State ran this against Michigan in that bowl debacle, and ever since I've been Team H-Back Insert Iso Pop Pass.
Shane Battier on analytics. Battier is now an analytics guy with the Miami Heat. He sat down for a wide-ranging interview with The Undefeated and this popped out as a good way to explain the utility of analytics without getting too deep in the weeds:
Kobe, may he rest in peace, I knew when Kobe Bryant went to his right hand and shot a shot in the paint — and you factor in makes, misses, fouls drawn, free throws off those fouls, passes to teammates, their shots off those passes — it was a 62% shot. So every time he did that shot, it was worth 1.26 points. And when I went to his left hand and I kept him out of the paint — factoring makes, misses, fouls draw, free throws, passes, turnovers — it was only a 43% shot. So every time you went left and did that shot, it was worth 0.84 points. Now you don’t have to be a math major to know that guarding Kobe Bryant, you don’t want him to do the 62% thing. You want him to do the 43% thing.
Analytics are a way to go beyond the eye test and actually confirm or disconfirm your suspicions about a particular thing.
More hockey draft stuff. The delayed NHL draft starts tomorrow. Chris Peters of ESPN has Brendan Brisson #27 overall, and yes please:
He is a talented scorer with good puck skills, and since he's headed to the University of Michigan, the Ducks wouldn't need to spend a contract on him for a few years. It'd be a really strong value pick right here, and while Brisson doesn't have a standout trait, he does a lot of things really well.
Meanwhile a relatively new site called Future Scope Hockey has some detailed breakdowns of various 2021 draft-eligibles. Mackie Samoskevich is tracking towards the first round:
Shooting
Samoskevich’s accuracy is elite. He can pick his spot and hit it from nearly anywhere in the offensive zone, and he has one of the deadliest toe drag releases I’ve ever seen. Despite all this, he wasn’t a high volume shooter at the start of last season. I kept waiting for him to develop more of a shoot first mindset, as he could be one of the top goal scorers in the USHL if he did. Finally, around the new year, Samoskevich started piling up the shots. In 15 of the last 22 games of the season, he had at least 2 shots on goal, often putting up 4-6. He scored 8 goals in those 22 games, as opposed to his 5 in the first 25, a nice increase. Samoskevich’s wrist shot release is NHL level, and might be the best in the entire 2021 draft. …
Conclusion
Samoskevich is firmly in my mid first round at this point. I think he’s going to explode offensively when given more opportunity this season, and will have a chance to be the first (non NTDP) USHL player chosen in the 2021 NHL Draft.
These assertions are coupled with extensive highlight videos. Future Scope also has profiles of NTDP forward Dylan Duke ("a real shot at the top 10") and freshman Kent Johnson ("one of the most dynamic and lethal scoring threats in recent draft memory").
Etc.: Getting college basketball games in is going to be tricky. Hockey is limiting intra-team contact. University has breached one of their COVID tracking thresholds. PSU's Micah Parsons is staying opted out. Football reschedules the Arkansas State game for 2024. How hockey assistant Kris Mayotte ended up in Ann Arbor. The Daily on Eli Brooks, Owen Power, and Kent Johnson.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:21 PM ^
Do what you've gotta do - those of us who aren't sociopaths will appreciate it all when it's ready.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:27 PM ^
speak for yourself buddy
#sociopathsarepeopletoo
October 5th, 2020 at 2:45 PM ^
I figure they're more than happy to share their own views!
October 5th, 2020 at 2:36 PM ^
It's a 15 year old meme!
October 5th, 2020 at 8:51 PM ^
Joey, how do you feel about high-rises?
October 5th, 2020 at 2:34 PM ^
Re: the NHL draft - so many teams are going to be looking for financial relief with the flat cap and whatever recovery from COVID happens with fans, etc. it may be that the guidance from teams is for players to stay in school an extra year rather than what they would have recommended in years previous. This would be good for Michigan-Hockey-Death-Machine 2021.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:39 PM ^
Watched every game Clowney played in Seattle last year where he only got 3 sacks in 13 games. He was disruptive though when he was healthy. I still kind of wish Seattle would have signed him as they absolutely have no pass rush this year so far. I have a feeling that's going to come back to bite them later in the season.
That Ole Miss play was a classic. Need to see more plays like that from Michigan especially near the goal line. Seen a few too many poorly thrown balls into the corner of the end zone the past few years.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:43 PM ^
Is bend something that can be taught? Or is it something that you either naturally have or don't? I'm also curious to know the analytics in regards to how tall the top preforming DEs are because it seems like if you are too big then that can limit your ability to get around the edge
October 5th, 2020 at 4:27 PM ^
Gotta be a little bit of both. Playing with bend every play is a technique that can be taught. Keeping their athleticism while playing low seems to be what held Clowney/Gary back. I think if Gary had been pushed to DT, and sacrificed athleticism for technique, he would have been an absolute beast on the inside.
October 5th, 2020 at 7:52 PM ^
Gary should have been a 3-tech, but someone or many someone’s were not ok with that.
Bend can be taught to a degree. They can work on flexibility and core strength, and rep turning the corner and increasing their lean whilst doing so. Sometimes you can catch the guys in various football analysis shows discussing this and they throw up the protractor you get a reading on the angle between the end and the ground as they are getting the edge; some of the elite are doing insane things with respect to their proximity to the ground as they take the edge
October 5th, 2020 at 10:49 PM ^
Bend can't be taught. It's either you have it or you don't. If you don't, I would suggest on them converting speed to power.
Typically, how you can tell if an EDGE player can bend is based on their 3 cone time. If they're sub 7 second, they're capable of bending.
Rashan Gary ran 7.26 3C time. Chase Winovich ran an elite time of 6.94 3C time which is why he can bend around OT to get to the QB
October 6th, 2020 at 8:12 AM ^
I disagree. And by your definition you are suggesting that a 3 cone time cannot be improved, which I don’t think is accurate. I do understand that it is not a strength-based attribute and so cannot be piled on like gaining weight, and that it’s more athletically based. However, I think it definitely can be trained and drilled to some degree. Losing bad weight, increasing lower-body flexibility and leg/core strength can help with all of that. In addition to good technique and repping
October 6th, 2020 at 9:01 AM ^
I found this to be true among players that has been tested. If they have bad 3C time, chances are that they will never be able to bend. I never once saw a player go from being stiff to being able to bend as a pass rusher in the NFL. It cannot be trained and drilled because either you have the flexibility to bend or you don't. I've seen EDGE trained themselves into being more flexible yet they can't improve their bend.
This is why 3 cone time is such an important drill for the combine because it tells the scouts and GMs whether if a prospects can bend in a pass rush. Can a pass rusher be successful without the ability to bend? Sure. The best EDGE pass rushers are the ones who can bend in a pass rush like Mack, Von, Bosa brothers, TJ Watt, Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett. You rarely see stiff pass rushers. There are exceptions like Chandler Jones who wins with his power, length and ability to set up his pass rush moves but these are rare.
October 6th, 2020 at 10:02 AM ^
I can agree to this for the most part. I don’t have any info regarding improvements of 3C times over the course of a college career and the requisite improvements in bend etc etc. Stubbornly, however, I do stick by my previous post
October 6th, 2020 at 7:25 AM ^
YES. Never understood why Gary was rushing from the end and not wreaking havoc in the middle like Warren Sapp.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:45 PM ^
Best of luck with the kids at home, i feel your pain. do what you can do! We will wait patiently.
~because the internet is a kind, gentle, and forgiving place.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:47 PM ^
The lack of bend makes sense. Although someone like Reggie White didn't have a lot of bend but always got home. That was a different era though. Players like Clowney and Gary would have been more effective tracking down Marino types.
October 5th, 2020 at 2:50 PM ^
Ben Mason: great idea
Battier, Shane: analytics can make sense
Brendon Brisson, aka Brisson, Brendon: wait yer turn, Ducks
Brooks, Eli: bust out
Brian: beautiful
October 5th, 2020 at 3:02 PM ^
Our nation's #1 priority needs to be preserving the college hockey season
October 5th, 2020 at 3:47 PM ^
If there's an example of a larger disparity between MGoBlog hype and actual on-field achievement than Ben Mason, I'd like to see it.
October 5th, 2020 at 3:58 PM ^
Go find the tape of him on kickoff against PSU simultaneously fighting through three PSU blockers and then making the tackle. He's a treasure.
October 5th, 2020 at 4:01 PM ^
TBH Rashan Gary and his lack of bend are right there with him!
ESPN didn't follow BENCH all morning on signing day like he was gonna be the next Reggie White.
I'll take my share of the blame - they built up my expectations a bit too high! And I LOVED them for it!
October 5th, 2020 at 4:07 PM ^
Dennis Norfleet is at your front door....dancing.
You can't see him, but Eddie McDoom is waiting behind him.
October 5th, 2020 at 7:55 PM ^
Still trying to pick up that dropped ball from the MSU rain game?
October 5th, 2020 at 4:13 PM ^
People love Bench because of the meme value.
In actuality, Ben Mason fills his role very well on ST and at FB. He will be signed to an NFL roster after he graduates. Last year was obviously kinda a weird year with him, but in 2018 he was quite good and he could be getting that role back this year.
October 5th, 2020 at 5:32 PM ^
The OSU and Bama players BENCH has hurled around the field would like a word
October 5th, 2020 at 6:51 PM ^
Andrew Dakich for his bench antics? That's all I got.
October 5th, 2020 at 7:26 PM ^
Boo this man. I feel like I recall him grading out consistently high on UFRs. He's a fullback. It's not like he's gonna put up big stats, especially in a Gattis offense.
October 6th, 2020 at 5:38 PM ^
Eh, even if he's an excellent FB, that doesn't change the fact that having him on the field in all but a small number of specific circumstances makes Michigan offense worse. That's no knock on him, it's that modern offenses can be better with speed on the field rather than a FB.
His mere existence gives Harbaugh a boner that puts his khaki pleats to shame and that means he likely spends too much time on the field, even though he's really good at the job they ask him to do.
October 5th, 2020 at 10:15 PM ^
I'm pretty sure Brian called Jordan Glasgow as a potential NFL player way back when he was still "walk-on Jordan Glasgow." He knows his stuff. If the hype doesn't match the production, wait, because it likely will eventually.
October 5th, 2020 at 3:52 PM ^
So instead of "throw it to Nico!!!" it will be "throw it to Ben!!!"
October 5th, 2020 at 4:19 PM ^
the other thing clowney lacks? an apparent willingness to do the dirty work. all sizzle, no steak.
i maintain to this day that "the play" - the one everyone knows - was entirely due to a breakdown. he hadn't done jack shit that day, not until he was left 100% uncovered.
October 5th, 2020 at 4:26 PM ^
That hit gets repeated because the helmet flew off.
Commentators always surprise me that they get all excited about tackles that seem really hard even if they're less a matter of power than leverage and timing.
October 5th, 2020 at 10:44 PM ^
Rich rod didn’t recruit TE so Hoke had walk on Kwiatkowski in. SC shifted the line so Lewan called the assignment that Clowney was the TE Job on that play. Kwiatkowski does not even attempt to block and the rest is history. Little Vincent never had a chance with an unblocked DE a foot taller and 100 lbs heavier. My granny could’ve made that play.
October 5th, 2020 at 5:19 PM ^
Ah! Thank you for this! While I am not sure that “bend” is the word I would have gone with, the idea is the exact reason why I was so frustrated with Gary’s tenure at Michigan. He could never seem to translate his massive tangible and intangible gifts into stats. This idea of bending is what allows defenders who look like they’ve been neutralized become suddenly massive threats that lead to sacks. Kind of like a defensive back who lies low in the zone to bait a QB into throwing a pick, rush specialists have to be able cultivate an air where QBs think they are safe until they suddenly aren’t - and the ability to bend past a block is a huge part of that. After all, it’s pretty easy to react to a threat you see coming.
October 5th, 2020 at 6:19 PM ^
Bend it like best Uche?
October 5th, 2020 at 6:47 PM ^
Would someone like Gary with no bend have been better served bulking up a little and moving inside?
October 5th, 2020 at 7:21 PM ^
MORE BEN MASON !!!
October 5th, 2020 at 7:23 PM ^
Hey Brian, I have a question regarding the analytics thing:
From what you've heard, do most teams do the eye test first then use the analytics to translate that, or do they look at the analytics first then use them to watch the game differently? Football or basketball, but especially basketball
October 5th, 2020 at 7:28 PM ^
Hockey could be rolling out 3 lines of 1st/2nd round picks in a year
October 5th, 2020 at 9:02 PM ^
Not to be the contrarian, but Gary's own hello post mentions he had incredible bend coming out of HS. So I sort of wonder if it was more a mirage in HS (he's such a physical marvel that he never had to be good at bending around a tackle) or if he lost this ability somehow.
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