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FORMATION NOTES: So: lots. There was a lot of standard 4-2-5 stuff that you've probably seen before. There were also some stack snaps, and ways to get Uche on the field. Here Uche is the standup guy on the LOS. Michigan is in a front with a pure nose tackle lined up right over the C; I've called this "30 nickel slide" for reasons that I do not remember:

Note that this package has Woods as a fifth DB.

This lineup has Uche, Danna, Hutchinson (at NT) and Paye. Glasgow is the only linebacker-type person on the field, and Woods has come in as an extra safety. I called this "jetpack" because it sounds cool and noted the 3 S look by calling this specific thing "jetpack S". These were the only jetpack snaps but if a CB gets in the game that'll be jetpack CB, etc.

JETPACK

This front was declared "5-1 fold" or "5-0 fold" depending on whether there was someone in the box behind the LOS. Because Uche and Glasgow are folded inside the very wide DEs.

I did not call this out specifically but an interesting wrinkle was Michigan dropping Hudson as a single high deep safety on a number of snaps.

They evidently like Hawkins and Metellus better in coverage.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES: So: lots. The starting DL was Paye/Kemp/Mason/Hutchinson. Danna and Uche mostly got passing down snaps but did also get in some on standard downs. Hinton and Speight got in the game late. Hutchinson and Paye almost never left the field; Kemp only got pulled on jetpack downs. Dwumfour got one snap, the first TD, leaving after aggravating his hand injury.

At the LB level Hudson did not come off the field. Ross only got pulled on passing downs; Glasgow got about 3/4ths of the snaps with Gil getting a dozen or so. Anthony and McGrone got in late. Uche got slightly under half of Michigan's snaps.

DBs: Metellus and Hawkins didn't leave the field until garbage time; Thomas, Gray, and Hill were in a near-equal rotation for CB snaps, and there were never any 3-CB snaps. Kelly-Powell got a few eventful snaps at the end.

[After THE JUMP: I hope you like the perimeter]

Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
M42	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press two high	Pass	5	Flare screen	Thomas	17
Orbit motion from slot and then they throw it to the perimeter. M has two high safeties, which usually meant zone last year. Here it’s apparently man. Hawkins(-2) is watching the backfield after shooting forward on the orbit motion and gets cut off by the WR, way too vertical here on a play that is always perimeter. Thomas(-1) doesn’t recognize the play fast enough to fall off; also this is going to be tough because of man to man, RPS -1.
M25	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	4-3 even	Half press two high	Run	N/A	Speed pitch	Hudson	4
Odd look from M with Hudson outside of the tight bunch and Hill withdrawn from the LOS. Outside pitch with no one to set the edge; Hutchinson(+1) and Hudson(+2) both dodge cut blocks and converge but even with a +3 from the two most relevant defenders it’s still four yards because Michigan has one edge guy near three blockers. RPS -1.
M21	2	6	Shotgun 4-wide	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Run	N/A	Jet sweep	Ross	3
Hudson drops back to FS, corners in press with safeties off. Jet motion, Hawkins swaps with Hudson(+0.5), who comes flying down and is able to bend the WR but not tackle. Dude stops for a second; Metellus(+0.5) is containing. Ross(-1, tackling -1) gets on his horse to get over there but gets juked; delay does allow cavalry to rally.
M18	3	3	Shotgun empty	Dime S	Dime even	Press one high	Pass	5	Scramble	Dwumfour	18
Dime S = LB removed for Woods. This is Dwumfour’s only snap. Hand clap gets Hudson(-1) and Dwumfour(-1) to jump but also causes an MTSU false start; this play should be blown dead (refs -1). Thanks to the jump QB is getting swarmed on a freeze play. Dwumfour(-1) and Paye(-1, tackling -2) somehow conspire to not tackle the dude. Metellus(-2) is brought up to pop a crossing route and then he assumes the QB has been sacked and starts bumping up on the WR as the guy runs by for a TD. Not great.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 0-7, 12 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	3-3-5	3-3 stack	Press two high	Pass	4	Scramble	N/A	7
This is going to be a flare screen that Hill(+1, cover +1) has jumped and has a high chance of a PBU or pick six on, and this QB aborts. He’s going to be frustratingly good at avoiding disaster. Kemp avoids a cut block and is right there but understandably starts pursuing the flare screen. There is no play where the OL all cut blocks and then the QB runs a draw. I’m not minusing this; just one of those things.
O32	2	3	Shotgun 4-wide tight	3-3-5	30 nickel slide	Off two high	Pass	4	Tunnel screen	Hawkins	10
First snap under Don Brown I’ve typed off for coverage, I think. Fake flare screen, tunnel the other way. DL all buy it; Hutchinson is spying, I think, but goes to the flare. Bad news backside. Gil(-2) is in the area but hesitates  and gets put on his butt by an OL. Hawkins(+1, tackling +1) fills well and tackles in space.
O42	1	10	Shotgun trips	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Run	N/A	Outside zone	Mason	2
Mason(-2) goes straight upfield on an outside zone an is gone. Kemp(+1) forces it back by splitting a double and staying on the LOS, even getting a yard of depth. Cutback lane is big because of Mason but Ross(+1, tackling +1) is able to shut it down on a rare open field tackle within 3 yards of the LOS. RPS +1, this is a no-read run 6 v 5 in box.
O44	2	8	Shotgun empty quads	4-2-5	Dime even	Press one high	Pass	4	Drag	Hudson	Inc
RB motions out, Ross goes with. Play is to use the 3 WR to the top to clear space for the RB coming back through on a drag. Hudson(+1, cover +1) reads this and is going to plug for minimal gain. Ball is incomplete; Paye(+1) and Kemp(+1, pressure +2) both won blocks are and ripping up the middle, ball is a jump pass off the back foot.
O44	3	8	Shotgun trips	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press one high	Pass	5	Sack	Glasgow
Jetpack = Danna, Hutch, Paye, Uche DL plus Glasgow. S = bonus S, in this case Woods. This is a jailbreak as MTSU pulls the LG across the formation on a passing down. Glasgow(+1) just shoots through. Uche(+1) swims under a T and is through; Danna(+0.5) is around at about 8 on the puller. Glasgow(pressure +3) does the honors.
Drive Notes: Punt, 3-7, 6 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O5	1	10	Shotgun 2TE FB	4-2-5	4-4 over	Press two high	Penalty	N/A	False start	N/A	-2
I don’t see anyone move. Refs +1.
O3	1	12	Shotgun 2TE FB	4-2-5	4-3 over	Press two high	Run	N/A	Power O	Hutchinson	0
Torn about Mason here. He gets a double and splits it sort of. He’s into the backfield, off balance, and not able to do anything useful. Push, I guess. Hutchinson(+1) dives down, getting inside of an H-back and to the hole. He grabs. Ross(+0.5) has moved through the trash to get to the back and stick him to prevent any YAC. Kemp(+1) chucked his guy to the ground and got over to help tackle as well.
O3	2	12	Shotgun trips TE	4-2-5	4-3 over	Press one high	Pass	5	Rollout out	Gray	Inc
America’s Rollout Out. Gray in okay position on this, likely to tackle after a few yards. Winged wide anyway.
O3	3	12	Shotgun trips TE	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press one high	Pass	6	Rollout comeback	Danna	Inc
Another rollout. Danna(+0.5, pressure +1) unblocked but does a good job containing the QB, forcing a throw this guy is never ever gonna make. Hawkins(+1, cover +1) in this guy’s grill.
Drive Notes: Punt, 3-7, 1 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun trips	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press one high	Penalty	N/A	Delay	N/A	-5
oops
O20	1	15	Shotgun 2-back twins	4-2-5	4-3 even SAM	Press two high	Pass	4	PA Fade	Gray	Inc
PA, quick fade at Gray. Gray does give up a step here and is in definite trail; since the ball is off that’s push coverage. Ball out too quickly for a pressure metric, as these instafades often are. Kemp(+0.5) looked like he was going to surge up the middle here.
O20	2	15	Shotgun 2-back twins tight	4-2-5	4-3 even	Off two high	Pass	4	FB flat	Gray	0
This is a flat route at an obvious zone configuration that Gray(+1, tackling +1) sticks on the catch. RPS +2.
O20	3	15	Shotgun 4-wide	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press two high	Pass	5	Tunnel screen	Hawkins	4
Gray(+0.5) goes upfield of the CB and pushes the WR inside a bit; Paye(+0.5) flows out and forces the WR away from his blockers. Hawkins(+1, tackling +1) gets an open field runner in some space and ends him confidently.
Drive Notes: Punt, 10-7, 14 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun empty tight	4-U-5	5-1 split	Press one high	Run	N/A	Power read keep	Mason	14
4-U-5: Uche replaces LB level player. Here, Glasgow. Three man line from M flanked by Uche and Paye as a standup end. Mason(-2) and Kemp(-2) both end up pancaked. Paye(+1) did a great job to read the pull and ole the OL pulling to him and has a play if there’s any delay from the DTs; There is not. RPS -1; MTSU pulled a guy around instead of blocking Hutchinson; they had more dudes.
O39	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide tight	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Run	N/A	QB zone stretch	Hutchinson	5
Bad snap. QB bails on play design after getting it back. Hutchinson(-0.5) a bit flat footed but able to track it down after a few.
O44	2	5	Shotgun empty	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Pass	5	In	Hill	12
Hill(-1, cover -1) gets beat here but this is pure man coverage with Glasgow blitzing and he’s in outside leverage with no interior help so, yeah. Kemp got a little push but pressure(-1) not getting through.
M44	1	10	Shotgun trips TE tight	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press two high	Run	N/A	QB power	Ross	5
Danna(+0.5) fires down and shoves the RT, who is releasing to Glasgow(+0.5). Glasgow uses that to dodge around the dude and get to the POA. Ross(-1) comes up and thunks a running back leading it out but does not put himself on the outside and funnel to help. QB is able to shoot outside Ross; Hudson(+0.5) comes off his block to help tackle with Glasgow.
M39	2	5	Shotgun double stacks	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Pass	4	Rollout out	Thomas	INT
Y’all don’t know how hard this is. I’ve watched a billion America’s Rollout Outs and this never happens. This isn’t even a bad example of the genre but Thomas(+4, cover +3) provides zero window and makes MTSU pay when the zero window on ARO gets tested. Absurd.
Drive Notes: Interception, 17-7, 11 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O3	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	3-3-5	4-3 over	Press one high	Pass	4	Fade	Thomas	Inc
Another quick fade with Thomas(+0.5, cover +1) step for step. This was a prayer and it’s off. Uche(+1, pressure +1) is about to drive the RT into the QB’s back when he chucks it.
O3	2	10	Shotgun 2-back	3-3-5	4-3 even	Press two high	Pass	4	Wheel	Thomas	18
Uche(+2, pressure +2) instantly around the RT and hits on the throw here. Ball flutters, and MTSU seems to bust a route; they’ve got two guys next to each other. Thomas is in press on a guy running a fade and in great position against him. The guy running an (incorrect?) wheel behind him is open because Ambry is covering his guy and this is zone.Possible Ambry should come off this guy and pass him to the S? Or just weird. We’re going with just weird.
O21	1	10	Shotgun 3-wide	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press one high	Run	N/A	Jet sweep	Mason	0
TE pulls backside to lead out a QB run and I kind of want M to steal this. They give it on the jet, big gap up the middle as Kemp is dealing with the other half of the play but two unblocked LBs dissuade a cut. Hutchinson(+1) gets the edge and forces it back; Mason(+2) gets push on a stretch double and then comes around the outer guy for a near TFL, solo. Ross(+0.5) gets there to help prevent YAC.
O21	2	10	Shotgun empty	4-2-5	Dime even	Press one high	Pass	4	Out	Kemp	Inc
Kemp(+1, pressure +2) oles the right guard, which is new from him. Paye(+0.5) hammers the RT back into the QB. Throw enforced, badly missed. If accurate looks like Ross(-1, cover -1) is beat for YAC.
O21	3	10	Shotgun double stacks	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press one high	Pass	4	Flare screen	Thomas	7
Hutchinson, the NT here, drops out to spy. Thomas(+0.5) comes up to turn it in at the numbers; Uche(+0.5) and Hutchinson(+0.5) arrive well short of the first down. Ball comes out but can’t really credit a FF here since it’s Hawkins’s knee inadvertently bashing the ball free. Thomas(+1) does jump on it smartly.
Drive Notes: Fumble, 17-7, 7 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	4-2-5	Nickel even	Off two high	Pass	4	Flash screen	Thomas	-4
M shows press and then drops into off two high coverage(!). Flash screen to WR is crunched since Thomas(+2) is a hard cover 2 corner; he makes no mistake on the TFL. RPS +2.
O21	2	14	Shotgun trips	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press two high	Pass	4	Fade	Metellus	Inc (Pen +5)
Mason(-1) jumps offsides. More zone; WR jumps inside Thomas and Metellus has to get over the top. His angle is a little flat and the WR does get over the top by a fraction; would have taken a perfect throw, and this is not one.
O26	2	9	Shotgun trips tight bunch	Jetpack S	Nickel even	Off two high	Run	N/A	Zone read keeper	Woods	4
Uche drives inside of the RT hard, which induces a pull from the QB. No minus as this might be according to plan with Woods(+1, tackling +1) in an overhang spot at about eight yards. He comes up to tackle; Thomas(+0.5) forced it back at the numbers again.
O27	3	5	Shotgun trips	Jetpack S	Dime even	Press two high	Pass	4	Flare	Ross	1
Uche(+1, pressure +1) dives inside the RT this time and induces a quick throw that Ross(+1, tackling +1) has covered on the sideline after dodging traffic.
Drive Notes: Punt, 24-7, 5 min 2nd Q. Hill muffs it right back.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
M33	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Pass	4	Dumpoff	Danna	6
Danna(+2, pressure +2) zips right around the LT; Hutchinson(+1) is driving his man into the QB’s lap. QB just manages to get his head around, see the danger, and dump it off to the RB. Ross is in pursuit and manages to tackle; RB spins through and gets some YAC. Push.
M27	2	4	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Pass	4	Bubble screen	Gray	11
Tempo; M confused. Gray(-2) is nominally in press but he’s a yard off the LOS and when the WR locks on he gives a ton of ground. Metellus(-1) reads this late and takes contact passively, giving a bunch of ground. Hawkins(-1) overplays it to the outside. Too easy.
M16	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	Nickel even	Off two high	Run	N/A	Inside zone	Glasgow	1
Kemp(+1) wins his block and drives two yards to the backfield; still a big gap as Mason(-0.5) got too much depth; he also does not get his head up and attempt to get back to the ball. Ross(+0.5) comes up to hit a free releaser and funnels back to Kemp and Glasgow(+1) who read and fired fast enough to get past his blocker.
M15	2	9	Shotgun trips tight bunch	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press one high	Run	N/A	Speed pitch	Gray	7
Gray(-2) again super passive on the edge, getting blasted back and giving up the outside way too easily. Hawkins(+0.5) and Metellus(+0.5) flow as well as can be expected and tackle but there’s no way to stop this without some delay from the edge.
M8	3	2	Shotgun trips tight bunch	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press two high	Pass	4	Waggle drag	Hawkins	7
Good coordinating here as they run the counter action drag; Hawkins(-1, cover -1) is preparing to run to the trips side sideline again after having to do so twice already in this drive. His false step gives the WR the corner. Uche(+0.5, pressure +1) came off the line unblocked and is able to downshift and not overrun the QB here; he forces the dude in to a tough jump pass that he makes. RPS –1.
M1	1	G	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	Goal line	Press zero	Run	N/A	Zone read keeper	Danna	0
Glasgow(+1) zips through the line and attacks the back, so QB pulls. Danna(+0.5) is on the edge here with Metellus(+0.5); neither gets a block but both have their heads up and are able to converge for the stop.
M1	2	G	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	Goal line	Press zero	Pass	N/A	Bubble screen	Gray	-1
Just a bust by MTSU; Gray does not get blocked. Gray(+1) duly sticks the slot guy, but given the rest of this drive I think that’s a TD if Gray plays it like he did the other two.
M2	3	G	Shotgun 2-back tight	4-2-5	Goal line	Press zero	Pass	4	Drag	Gray	2
Glasgow(+1, pressure +1) surges through up the middle and goes down, really looks like a hold, refs -2. Paye is surging up the field as well; rollout to the field mandatory. I don’t get what Woods is doing here. He’s on the LOS and starts a rush, then backs out after getting three yards in the backfield. If he’d continued his rush he’s probably corralling the QB and forcing a much tougher throw. As it is he is caught in no-man’s land when QB breaks the pocket. Gray(-1, cover -1) got out of the WR’s slipstream and knocks into Metellus, so even though Woods does a good job delaying the throw he can’t catch up. Woods -1; he’s got no apparent reason to stop his rush.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 24-14, 2 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press one high	Run	N/A	End around	Hawkins	5
Paye flows out; Hawkins overhanging at 8 yards and has this under control. Hawkins(-1, tackling -1) whiffs the tackle, leaving it for Paye(+0.5). That’s four extra yards on something that wasn’t set up for success.
O30	2	5	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press one high	Pass	N/A	Bubble screen	N/A	10
M has two defenders against three guys as just Hill and Hudson are over the trips. Hill contains. Hudson has a blocker and too much room to shut down; he actually does well just to get an arm tackle in near the sticks. That slows the WR down and makes Metellus’s tackle a glancing thing, but one that does get the dude down. RPS -2, this was free yards.
O40	1	10	Shotgun trips	4-2-5	Nickel over	Press two high	Pass	4	In	Hudson	13
Pocket clean; Mason again shoved to the ground (pressure -2). Bad zone coverage here as Thomas(-1) starts running for a fade too hard and loses contact with the guy underneath. Hudson(-1, cover -2) is run off. Easy. I don’t get why we’re running two safeties almost 15 yards deep against this team.
M47	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-2-5	Nickel over	Press two high	Pass	N/A	Bubble screen	Hudson	5
Again with the free yards. This time it’s 3 vs 1. Hudson(+1) gets outside the first blocker and draws the second; forcing the ball back inside and mitigating the damage. Gray, who started at 12 yards and was dropping, comes up to tackle with Metellus and a pursuing Hutchinson. RPS -1; baffling approach again.
M42	2	5	Shotgun 4-wide tight	3-3-5	Nickel over	Off two high	Run	N/A	QB power	Uche	2
Uche in at DE. They run right at him; Uche(+1) gets inside a TE and drives him back, then shocks the pulling G back when he tries to clean up the situation. RB dives inside this mess, leaving Glasgow(+0.5) unblocked to force it back and help tackle with Danna(+0.5) and Ross.
M40	3	3	Shotgun trips TE	3-3-5	Nickel over	Press one high	Pass	6	Sack	Glasgow	-4
Uche dives inside; Hudson(+1) and Glasgow(+1, pressure +2) blitz to the outside. Protection issue for MTSU causes RB to only try to pick up Glasgow at last minute. Glasgow takes the hit and keeps charging. Hudson has a blocker but sheds him and misses the tackle(-0.5, tackling -1) but does force it back; Glasgow(+1) is relentless and finishes the pay.
Drive Notes: Punt, 27-14, 12 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	3-3-5	3-3 stack	Press one high	Run	N/A	Jet sweep	Hawkins	4
Looks like power read but seems like no real mesh. Paye comes down to combat potential keeper; Thomas is contain; Hawkins(+1, tackling +1) is unaccounted for and at about 8 yards. He’s able to tackle after a modest gain. Ross(+0.5) got over the top of his blocker and was going to be there to clean up in a few yards.
O29	2	6	Shotgun 4-wide tight	3-3-5	3-3 stack	Press two high	Run	N/A	Jet sweep	Metellus	3
Same, basically. Metellus(+0.5) runs upfield and doesn’t get kicked; the lead guys run past him. He’s able to redirect and force the ballcarrier away from this blockers. Ross(+1) gets on his horse to get over; Uche(+0.5) was also there, taking on the interior blocker and shedding to help.
O32	3	3	Shotgun empty	2-3-6	5-0 fold	Press one high	Run	N/A	QB draw	Hutchinson	-2
Hutchinson(+2) rips down the C and zooms to the backfield for a TFL. Help from Ross(+0.5) and Glasgow(+0.5), who both get to the backfield and help tackle.
Drive Notes: Punt, 27-14, 6 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O23	1	10	Shotgun trips	3-3-5	30 nickel slide	Press one high	Pass	5	In	Gil	4
Ross blitzes and gets a free run but MTSU has a hot route right were he came from; this is fine as Gil(+1, cover +1) is there to tackle immediately. Pressure +1. Thought Ross could have timed his blitz a wee bit better.
O27	2	6	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5	30 nickel slide	Press one high	Pass	4	Yakey snap	Uche	-13
Snap fumbled. Uche(+1, pressure +1) is coming off the edge and gets a freebie sack but did have to put the QB on the ground after he picked it up.
O14	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5	Nickel even	Press two high	Pass	4	Heave	Paye	Inc
Paye(+1) dives inside a tackle and gets pressure up the middle; Hutchinson(+1, pressure +2) comes around the outside and contains after the QB flushes. Dude throws a duck off his back foot that Hill(-2) has for the world’s easiest pick six; dropped.
Drive Notes: Punt, 27-14, 3 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun empty	3-3-5	3-3 stack	Press two high	Pass	4	Bubble screen	Metellus	Inc
Metellus(+1, pressure +1) blitzes off the slot and bats the pass down. Glasgow looked like he had this in check.
O25	2	10	Shotgun 4-wide	3-3-5	30 nickel slide	Press two high	Pass	5	Flare	Gray	9
This seems to be the technique M is using on these zone drops, with the guy getting his head around late after chasing the outside WR to the sticks. It’s been vulnerable underneath it and continues to be. Hudson tries to shut it down but has too much ground to cover; Gray is never relevant. RPS -2, blitz got got and too easy.
O34	3	1	Shotgun 4-wide tight	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Pass	5	Waggle flat	Thomas	4 + 15 pen
PA, rollout, Thomas initially has the flat covered. Behind him both Hawkins and Hudson are in the area and hesitate. Ambry attacks the QB, flat open, first down. Either one of the safeties has to be more aggressive about picking up the flat or Thomas(-1, cover -1) needs to hold his water, cover the flat, and let the rest take care of itself. I think the latter. M had this covered but didn't execute, RPS +1. Hudson(-1) gets a borderline late hit PF, but no reason to risk it.
M47	1	10	Shotgun 2-back twins	3-3-5	3-3 stack	Press one high	Pass	4	Flea flicker	Hudson	Inc
Hudson(+2, pressure +2) engages the tackle, dives inside him, adjusts to the pitch back, and nearly sacks. QB boots it OOB.
M47	2	10	Shotgun trips	3-3-5	Nickel over	Press one high	Pass	4	Out	Uche	Inc
Uche(+2, pressure +2) chucks the LT past him to the outside and is about to sack when this guy tosses a panicked out wide of his WR. Hawkins(-1, cover -1) beat and will probably allow YAC if this is caught.
M47	3	10	Shotgun empty quads	2-3-6	5-0 fold	Press one high	Pass	5	Throwback screen	Uche	Inc
Uche(+1, pressure +1) unblocked on a screen but bursts so fast to the backfield that QB doesn’t have time for his WR to get to the spot; balls ends up turfed because dude is throwing in a panic again.
Drive Notes: Punt, 33-14, 14 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O1	1	10	Shotgun 2-back 2TE	4-2-5	4-3 even	Off two high	Pass	4	Out	Hawkins	Inc
Playcall win here as single route gets zone heavily biased towards run/screen D and Hawkins is on an island with a WR from a deep S position. He can’t do much more than tackle. WR bobbles the ball and brings it in an instant before his hand is OOB but they call it incomplete; no review. I think this is barely a completion, refs +1. RPS -1.
O1	2	10	Shotgun 2-back 2TE	4-2-5	4-3 over SAM	Press one high	Run	N/A	Power O	Hawkins	0
Push from Hudson/Hutchinson around the intended gap. Ross(+1) runs up and sticks the FB. FB goes backwards into pulling G. Pulling G disrupted. Hawkins(+1, tackling +1) gets an opportunity for a stick and makes it.
O1	3	10	Shotgun 4-wide	Jetpack S	5-1 fold	Press two high	Pass	5	Fade	Metellus	Inc
Pressure(-1) not imminent on the quick prayer throw; Metellus(+2, cover +2) over the top of this and a more accurate throw is a potential INT.)
Drive Notes: Punt, 33-14, 9 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O25	1	10	Shotgun trips tight bunch	4-1-6	Nickel even	Press one high	Run	N/A	Power O	Hutchinson	0
No read power O with 4 WRs is a look, I guess. No second level release so Glasgow is always going to be free in the hole. Hutchinson(+1) fires back playside OT into back, stalling him. Hudson(+0.5) shed the pulling G and came back; Glasgow(+0.5) there; RB cuts into Hutchinson for doom.
O25	1	10	Shotgun 4-wide tight	4-2-5	Nickel over	Off two high	Pass	4	Fade	Hawkins	Inc (Pen +5)
Anthony at MLB. Kemp(-1) and Paye(-1) both jump offsides. Free play. QB takes a bad idea shot at a fade that Hawkins(+2, cover +2) is over the top of and PBUs. Gray(+1) in good position to contest anything shorter.
O30	2	5	Shotgun 4-wide tight	3-3-5	30 nickel slide	Press one high	Run	N/A	QB power	Anthony	6
Speed pitch fake into QB power, good play. LB level appears to bust as DL slant away and replacement doesn’t happen. Glasgow(-0.5) moves with the slant, which is almost always wrong. Anthony(-1) chases the potential pitch for too long. Hutchinson gets cut but gets up to tackle after Glasgow gets back to take up a blocker and force a cut. RPS -1.
O36	1	10	Shotgun trips	3-3-5	30 nickel slide	Press one high	Pass	4	Flare	Glasgow	1
Flare to RB, nobody blocks Glasgow(+1, tackling +1), who makes no mistake.
O37	2	9	Shotgun trips	3-2-6	Dime even	Press two high	Pass	4	Slant	Hudson	10
Uche(-1) and Paye(-1) both jump. Free play; DEs are both getting back on snap and no rush. Hudson gets turned outside but flips his hips and drives on this to hit basically on the catch for an immediate tackle. This is a ten yard route so not excellent but feels like a push to me.
O47	1	10	Shotgun trips	Jetpack S	Dime over	Press two high	Pass	4	Sack	McGrone	N/A
McGrone(-2, cover -2) gets the RB out of the backfield; he gets way too aggressive and tackles the guy, easy flag. Plan here is to dump it to the back so yeah. Uche(+1) drives to the interior and is Uche to RT never gets off him, Hutchinson(+1, pressure +2) loop results in sack. Hutchinson’s upfield explosion is impressive. QB grounds ball, so penalties offset. If he’d just gotten sacked MTSU gets a first down.
O47	1	10	Shotgun 2-back twins	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press two high	Run	N/A	Power O	Glasgow	9
Welp, Glasgow(-2) had to come down sometime. Paye(+1) stands up his guy, pushing him into the backfield. Kemp(-1) gets shot out of the hole so there’s sort of a two way go here for Glasgow, but he gets over aggressive and RB runs right by him to the outside.
M44	2	1	Shotgun 2-back twins	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press one high	Run	N/A	Power O	Paye	0
Virtually the same play, with Paye(+1) winning and driving his guy into the puller. This time Glasgow(+1) attacks the gap outside Paye and makes an immediate stick.
M44	3	1	Pistol Diamond	4-2-5	5-3 bear	Press zero	Pass	5	Flare	Hudson	Inc
This is supposed to be a flare screen but WR picking off Hudson(+0.5, cover +1) in man is late and ineffective. Anthony(+0.5) chases the QB on his roll and forces a throwaway.
M44	4	1	Shotgun 2-back tight	4-2-5	5-3 bear	Press zero	Pass	5	Flare	Gray	0
Pretty much an identical concept but M shows man and then Gray(+1, tackling +1) immediately falls off the WR when he breaks inside. Flat throw, Gray takes out the FB’s legs before he can turn around. RPS +1.
Drive Notes: Turnover on downs, 40-14, 3 min 4th Q.
Ln	Dn	Ds	O Form	D Pack	Front	Cover look	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yards
O20	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	4-2-5	4-3 even	Press one high	Pass	4	Back shoulder fade	Kelly-Powell	20
Nicer throw than I remember; JKP(-1, cover -1) gives up a step and has no play on the back shoulder.
O40	1	10	Shotgun 2-back	4-2-5	Nickel even	Press one high	Run	N/A	Outside zone	Danna	1
Blocking dorf lets Danna(+0.5) through clean; cutback mandated. Hinton(+0.5) aware and able to come back to the interior gap and tackle with Danna.
O41	2	9	Shotgun 2-back	3-3-5	3-3 stack	Press two high	Pass	4	Fade	Woods	59
On second view this isn’t nearly as bad for JKP(-1), who is in the WR’s grill. He does not make a play on the ball despite his positioning. Still tough. Woods(-4, cover -2), however. Woof. He’s got a great opportunity to light up this WR and dislodge the ball and somehow conspires to miss him entirely.
Drive Notes: Touchdown, 40-21, 1 min 4th Q. Last snaps for D.

That was… annoying?

Yeah. But at least you're not a defensive end? Running at the QB repeatedly only for the guy to throw a zero yard pass has got to be frustrating, and this QB in particular barely avoided disaster time and again.

Kind of feels like Army Part 1 in that very little of this is going to be particularly useful going forward.

The secondary got its perimeter tackling work in, I guess? Virtually all of MTSU's yards came on Perimeter Crappe, starting from the first snap:

Michigan's in man-to-man, as they usually are, and it's tough for Thomas to realize the route is a crack block until it's too late. Hawkins is way too flat, moving directly upfield on the orbit motion, but even if he takes a good angle that dodges the WR this is going to be a 6-7 yard gain.

Other early issues with Perimeter Crappe came when MTSU game out in a bunch of super tight trips formations and Michigan didn't have the right tools to align with it. Here Hudson gets a +2  for defeating a block, getting a second one, and still tackling but even a great play is still four yards because Michigan had nobody else in the area presnap:

In these situations the sensible thing to do is to run a lot of cover two that allows your corners to fall off slants by design and then clobber anything in the flat, and that's what Michigan did. I've been doing some rudimentary coverage structure charting for a few years now and this is the first game where I typed the word "off":

Those CBs are… not in press. Sometimes you get that to one side of the field or the other, but that's new.

How much of this was a response to the Perimeter Crappe being the be-all and end-all of MTSU's offense and how much of it was Don Brown significantly diversifying his defense in the aftermath of last year's OSU game is yet to be seen. I lean towards the latter. There were a lot of different structures in this game. Michigan moved from press coverage to cover two a couple times, something they have not done under Brown much, if at all.

For most of Brown's tenure there have been relatively few presnap alignments that are mostly static. Sometimes this annoyed when Michigan was clearly in man coverage and opponents were able to exploit that. It seems like Michigan is trying to provide more looks overall and confuse them to mix up QB reads.

It felt bad and then they didn't really do anything.

They had the two short-field touchdowns after fumbles and the late pratfall. They also got a bonus possession because of the muff and had a lot of quick exits. Drives, excluding the last one and its very obvious issue:

• 42 and 33 yard TD drives
• five three-and-outs, one first-and-out
• noodly drives of 36, 25, 31, 23, and 31 yards, one of which ends with an INT, one of which ends with a fumble.

That's 13 drives; about half the time MTSU was able to scrape together some yards and half the time they just got clubbed. I think that's about what you would expect and everyone would feel much better if one of those TD drives was another noodler that ended with a punt.

That game plan was…

Necessary. Here's a chart:

Defensive Line
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Paye	6.5	3	3.5	All three minuses for jumping offsides.
Dwumfour		2	-2	One play on which he jumped and missed a tackle.
Kemp	5.5	4	1.5	Sameish.
Hutchinson	9.5	0.5	9	Rip down on QB draw impressive.
Danna	5		5	Lot of half points and one +2 rush.
Uche	12.5	1	11.5	Winovich level day but half the snaps.
Jeter				DNP
Mason	2	5.5	-3.5	Knocked over a lot.
Hinton	0.5		0.5	Late only.
Vilain				DNC
TOTAL	41.5	16	+25.5	MTSU was right to avoid the DEs, and even then they couldn't really.
Linebacker
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Hudson	9	3.5	5.5	Good defending runs in space.
Ross	6.5	3	3.5	Hiccups early but recovered.
Glasgow	10	2.5	7.5	Legit good but nobody put a hat on him really.
Gil	1	2	-1	Thwacked on screen.
Anthony	0.5	1	-0.5
McGrone		2	-2	Obvious holding call.
Barrett				DNC
TOTAL	27	16	+11	Good start for Glasgow; return to form for Hudson.
Secondary
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Metellus	5	3	2	Mostly cleaning up on the ground.
Hawkins	7.5	6	1.5	Still a bit wobbly but could be worse.
Hill	1	3	-2	That dropped INT will haunt him.
Thomas	8.5	3	5.5	That INT will haunt MTSU's QB.
Gray	4.5	5	-0.5	Stuck guys when unblocked; got really really blocked.
Woods	1	5	-4	Free TD.
Kelly-Powell		2	-2	Two completions at him as soon as he came in.
TOTAL	28.5	27	1.5	Work in progress.
Metrics
Pressure	30	4	+26	Game plan: explained.
Coverage	13	13	0	Some of this late but number still a wee bit concerning.
Tackling	10	5	+5	Rarely see these kind of numbers, lots of open field.
RPS	7	11	-4	Third Q period frustrated.

Their OL had no shot at keeping their QB upright for longer than two seconds.

Do you feel validated about putting Uche on the Known Friends list despite having no stats immediately after the game?

Absolutely. Despite getting under half of Michigan's snaps he was the guy who popped out both live and on film. His edge dip is exceptional, of course, and in this game he mixed up his moves. This aimless punt gets forced because Uche simply steamrolls the RT into the QB:

standup DE #6 to bottom

The next play sees him engage for a similar bull rush and then zip right around the dude:

standup DE #6 to bottom

A little later he dove inside on a stunt and was going to at least force the QB to move around if he wasn't always going to throw the dink flare:

standup DE #6 to bottom

Inside, outside, and through. That's all the ways you can humiliate an offensive tackle.

Uche has to play more. In this game he even flashed some run defense. When MTSU ran a power directly at his grill he fired a tight end into the pulling guard and cleared the path for Glasgow.

Even if he's a mediocre run defender he's gotta play. Pass rush is the most important thing a defense can have and Uche brings it on almost every play.

standup DE #6 to top

He's just flinging dudes upfield like, casually. By the end of the game he dove inside on a stunt and the right tackle had zero thought that he would leave Uche. The result was reminiscent of that Rashan Gary triple-team play last year:

This is a man with gravity. Play him all the dang time plz.

Okay but the rest of the DEs also did well… who are you pulling?

All of them for 8 snaps a game maybe? For those guys to grade out well given the game plan means they racked up a bunch of minor points without signficant negatives—except for Paye jumping the snap—and added in one eye-opener each. Here Paye discards the LG impressively:

#19 DE to bottom

Danna was able to turn in some edge rush of his own, against the left tackle:

#4 DE to top

Hutchinson deleted a QB draw with a super-fast rip move:

#97 NT

I don't know how PFF came out with Danna as the top-ranked defender in this game but it's worth noting that he racked up his positives in about half the snaps of Paye/Hutchinson.

The other option for pulling Uche is going to more three man lines. But those are terrible run defenses. Any progress there?

Ask again later, interior MTSU runs were almost nonexistent. Also the picture might be significantly different with Dwumfour and Jeter back. As it is, though…

All three man lines?

Maybe? Kemp was okay but seemed not too different from 2018 Kemp. He did dip around a guard for some interior rush, so he's matched his interior rush clips from last year in game one:

He also had enough get off on a screen to hit the QB after the throw without drawing a flag. Any level of interior rush from him will be helpful.

Mason, er. Yards gained on the interior were either flukes or Mason issues. A fluke: MTSU's QB pulling the string on an intended flare screen that Hill might pick six turned into seven yards because Kemp started pursuing the flare.

I'm not going to ding that because there are no plays on which the entire OL cut blocks and then the QB runs a draw.

Meanwhile Mason played a lot like a 270-pound fullback trying to make it work at tackle. Since he's light he fired off super hard a bunch, which meant he was out of control. Frequently the result was a pancake:

DT #42 to top

Here he wins his block, sort of, getting his man a couple yards in the backfield, but he actually gets too deep and never tries to come off his blocker to shut down the space inside.

He also went straight upfield on an outside zone once, though he later turned in his best play of the day on another outside zone.

I just don't see how it can work. I can see how it might work next year. But you just can't get put on the ground a bunch by MTSU and expect to recover from that in a month or two.

Was Jordan Glasgow even rumored to start?

From time to time. As the preview noted, Sam Webb was asserting he was the WLB who played best through spring ball. That bore out in this game. Glasgow got the flashy stats and his level of play deserved it. His first sack was a bit fortunate as the G right over him pulled on third and eight in an attempt to sell some play action; with Glasgow going right for the QB the C had little shot at getting him. The second was relentless:

He could have had a third on what became the second MTSU TD but either fell or got tackled after ripping past a guard and getting pressure up the gut.

On his occasional interior run D opportunities he was decisive. Here he gets to the POA with a quick read and react, running past his assigned blocker before meaningful contact:

LB #29 to top

Jury still out; as encouraging as possible. Glasgow felt like a potential impact player.

Gil got a couple drives, making a quick tackle on a short pass and, uh, not making a tackle on this screen.

LB #8 to bottom

Glasgow was clearly preferred; we'll see how this year's rotation goes. At this time last year Gil and Ross were splitting snaps down the middle; for Glasgow to get all but a dozen snaps and get all the LB time on passing downs indicates this is more of a starter/backup situation than last year's platoon.

FWIW, Ross didn't have a ton to do except run to the perimeter and watch someone else tackle but he did have a Bush-like play to get to the sideline against a running back flare. The smoothness with which Ross redirects around this WR's attempt to pick him off is encouraging:

Not Devin Bush, but if he can be 80% I'll take it. Notable that Glasgow was the LB on passing downs.

I thought we were excited about Gray?

Yeah, that didn't hold up quite as much as I wanted it to. Thomas is also roped in a little bit here. The backfield sticks from the CBs were all when circumstance left them unblocked. MTSU's WR got confused on Ambry's TFL:

Gray also got a TFL when MTSU had a blocker for him who didn't block him.

Things didn't go as well for Gray when MTSU actually got after him. He gave way too much ground on two of MTSU's chunk plays:

CB #31 to top

This one was even worse, this looks like no-hit practice from Gray:

CB #31 to top

He got a tongue-lashing in film this week, no doubt. Thomas didn't have any outright bad incidents like Gray, at least.

The difference between Gray above and Hudson's ability to avoid blocks and force stuff back to his team was obvious. Gray might not be a wrecker but he's got to at least approximate this ability:

LB #7 to bottom over trips

If Hudson isn't the only guy anywhere near the trips (there was a period early in the third when Michigan had safeties at 15 yards and weird alignments that picked up RPS minuses) that's a minimal gain.

Meanwhile in the air he looked okay on some fades that weren't accurate and got bumped out of the play on the second MTSU TD because he didn't tailgate the WR and ran into Metellus. He was good on an attempted fade that was catchable-ish, but Hawkins came over the top to get the PBU before he would have been called into action.

We aren't going to learn anything about Gray's coverage this weekend but the ground game will be an excellent test of the old saw about improving the most between week one and week two.

Meanwhile, Thomas did a thing. His interception is just as outstanding as it was Saturday. These quick rollout outs are almost never successfully defended, let alone intercepted.

Thomas didn't get many other opportunities to show what he could do in coverage. He was in good position on a couple of quick fades that weren't accurate. Arrows up nonetheless.

Hawkins has many numbers.

Some are bad, and some are good. This is the way of it. Hawkins continues to look comfortable operating and tackling in space:

#20 backing out on top hash

He had another fill on a screen that got a +1. It's odd that the strongest part of the converted WR's game is open-field tackling.

Hawkins did pick up a PBU as a zone defender over the top of a route. This event became more notable when J'Marick Woods really, really messed up a similar situation a couple drives later:

Hawkins did get beat on a flat route but I get it. At this point it's been perimeter to trips side over and over again; when they come back the other way Hawkins has a false step and that's all she wrote.

MTSU had a few nifty playcalls in this game; this was one.

Speaking of: DISASTER LAST DRIVE?

On review the two completions on Kelly-Powell seem a lot less alarming. The first is a nice throw that a lot of people would have trouble defending:

Still a –1 for me because JKP is not in position to contest. The second saw Kelly-Powell in excellent position. He didn't get his hands up to make a play on the ball and got a minus for that, but it wasn't as bad as it looked live. For Kelly-Powell, anyway:

Woods coming up with an airball there was the worst play of the day and probably the worst from a Michigan safety in some time, busts excluded. (Yea, we are living in an age of safety peace and prosperity.) I know everyone reading this is sticking Dax Hill in that spot as fast as possible… and so am I.

Hill's absence is a lot more understandable now that we've seen the 2019 version of the defense, which has a lot of stuff in it. Understandable that Hill has not downloaded all of it into his brain.

WHO IS MR. WORLDWIDE?!

As a reminder, our criteria here are versatility, the ability to make your teammates better, being cool against long odds, and enjoying time spent under highway overpasses. Your top three this week:

1. Zach Charbonnet. Massive blitz pickups, targeted on a number of screens, also can run the ball.
2. Khaleke Hudson. Flipped from viper to deep safety and cleaned up a number of messes on the perimeter; fought off two blockers to force screens back to his help on two separate occasions.
3. Ryan Hayes. Blocked very well in an unexpected start. Hometown is Traverse City so he may have spent some time under or at least near the Mackinac Bridge, which is like the king of all highway overpasses.

Easy 3-2-1 point system so our standings:

3: Zach Charbonnet
2: Khaleke Hudson
1: Ryan Hayes

All complaints should be directed to a ring-tailed lemur named Wilson at the Detroit Zoo.

Heroes?

Uche. To a lesser extent, the other three DEs. Glasgow, and Hudson. Ambry Thomas.

Maybe not so heroic?

Ben Mason is not yet a DT who I think M can play. J'Marick Woods… well, that was not a good play. Vincent Gray needs to work on taking on blocks.

What does it mean for Army and beyond?

Corner questions somewhat assuaged. Thomas made some plays; Gray seemed decent but fell back some on a re-watch. Still, having Thomas full go and Hill splitting snaps evenly with the other two is a good start.

Glasgow can go. He is a Glasgow and should not be considered a walk-on. He also demonstrated he could be a very good player. Passing a guy with Gil's level of experience, even if he didn't perform that well last year, means something, and his performance in this game reinforces that.

DT gives me the willies. I would have hoped that Hinton or Smith would have shown enough to start over Mason, and Kemp didn't seem like he'd blown up like a couple of offseason assertions held. It'll probably be fine if Jeter and Dwumfour come back by Wisconsin. Probably.

UCHE. UCHE. UCHE. UCHE. DO IT.

Michigan's defense is going to make a concerted effort to be more confusing this year. I'm not sure they really have a choice since the personnel doesn't lend itself to running some basic stuff and watching your DEs burn the world down, but the number of looks Michigan showed in this game, and the pre-snap movement, was new.

A role is waiting for Dax Hill. Michigan's nickel is going to be three safeties, it appears, and safety #3 just gave up a really bad 60-yard TD.