What’s our offensive strategy in this game?
No, I don’t literally expect anyone to know the exact answer, but what I mean is I wonder how we will approach this. I think that it’s quite obvious that we are a better team when we can run the ball and control the clock. It seems like we have gone back to doing what has worked well last year and that’s an improvement. However, undoubtedly the strength of MSU is stopping the run. And unlike years past, they definitely do not seem to have the secondary to shut people down in the passing game. Brandon peters through four more yards versus MSU than Rutgers, Purdue, Wisconsin, and Minnesota COMBINED. I really hope we can establish the run early. If we can, that will certainly open up some play action deep shots.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:32 PM ^
Run to the middle twice, throw a 0 yard pass, and punt. That's our usual rivalry game plan
November 11th, 2019 at 3:33 PM ^
The defense will win this game for us.
The offense just has to not lose it. As long as the offense limits turnovers and is reasonably effective we are going to win.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:35 PM ^
Nice try Mork!
November 11th, 2019 at 3:36 PM ^
If I had to guess...
November 11th, 2019 at 3:40 PM ^
Play to win game not control game. Trying to control game keeps other team in it and Michigan predictable. Weather permitting, get away from tendencies. Pass on first down, throw long at least 4 times in first half, run on 3rd down. Michigan athlete's > than MSU, play like it! Don't run man coverage on 3rd and long! Keep shutting down crossing routes. Keep a spy on Lewerke when he is flushed from pocket.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:42 PM ^
Man ball.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:44 PM ^
Run “The Annexation of Puerto Rico” over and over again until Staee quits.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:44 PM ^
I'd like us to use the OSU/Maryland game plan where we onside kick/recover it after going up 14-0 early. Then continue to stop the gas pedal till the clock hits zero.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:53 PM ^
Michigan will beat the teams that they are better than with the ground and clock control game plan and that will lead to 8-4, 9-3, 10-2, 11-1 type years. Maybe one year we will get lucky and win a BIG championship and have a playoff appearance, but the reality is, just because it's good enough to beat most teams, it's not good enough to beat elite teams.
Whether they need it to win or not, they have to work the passing game, even if it means the game is closer than it should be. Without a dynamic passing game, the offense will look disjointed against good defenses.
If LSU taught us anything, it's that a dynamic passing game keeps you in every game, and in their case, combined with a great defense has led to them winning every game so far.
November 11th, 2019 at 5:47 PM ^
If anyone learned anything from LSU this year then they haven't been paying attention to college football for the last 30 years.
November 11th, 2019 at 3:54 PM ^
Hold onto the goddamn ball.....
November 11th, 2019 at 3:57 PM ^
Put foot on pedal...don't let it off the floorboard. Blow them out! Then onside kick and go for two, just because we can!
November 11th, 2019 at 4:03 PM ^
If you've been watching this team all season, through nine games, and you STILL don't know what offense they're running, then you're just like the rest of us.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^
To score waaaaay more than enough to WIN THE GAME.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:23 PM ^
I have to guess that if its snowy/cold/freezing that will for sure help MSU keep it closer, as weather like that hurts the superior athletes.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:23 PM ^
Well, since almost every one of us who reads this blog is not a member of Fort Schembechler, I don't know.
November 11th, 2019 at 4:34 PM ^
Next time you feel nauseous find a trash can :)
November 11th, 2019 at 4:46 PM ^
through four?
November 11th, 2019 at 5:01 PM ^
Probably continue to pound the ball on ground like we have the last we weeks with some passes thrown in there? Hopefully more Nico jump balls
November 11th, 2019 at 5:14 PM ^
The forecast looks like a nice November day. Spread it out and chuck it. That'll open up the run.
November 11th, 2019 at 5:18 PM ^
Hang on to the damn ball!
November 11th, 2019 at 5:26 PM ^
Wear them down - their depth is their biggest weakness (assuming they haven't quit on Dantonio). A good mix of run up the middle and on the edge, bubble screens, jet sweeps, a few deep shots per quarter - keep them on the field - move the chains. May be closer in the first half than expected - but wearing them down with TOP will likely be the offensive strategy.
November 11th, 2019 at 5:29 PM ^
Grind their bones to dust under our chariot wheels, then sack and burn their town and sow their fields with salt so that nothing can ever grow there again.
In a completely sportsmanlike way, of course.
November 11th, 2019 at 5:54 PM ^
lifted a shot from a recent practice.....
November 11th, 2019 at 5:46 PM ^
My guess is no one outside of the program knows and even Gattis and JH have a plan, which will likely change by how successful or unsuccessful Patterson is at running what they want. So, even if we knew exactly what the plan was it may change. My hope is they find a way to deal with the inevitable challenges Willekes will bring and find ways to make his aggressiveness against him with some screens, RPO QB keeps, etc.
November 11th, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^
I hope we bubble screen them to death. We probably will just run right into their good to great DT's, but a man can dream.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:00 PM ^
My personal strategy is to start drinking beer early and continue throughout the game. If we win, I’ll continue to happily sample beer while watching later games. If the unthinkable happens and we lose, I’ll start chugging hard liquor until I pass out and forget anything that happened. End of strategy.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:19 PM ^
The key is going to be limiting how many tackles Bachie gets.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:20 PM ^
Go back to the second half game plan against PSU.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:26 PM ^
Be better at passing.
Continue running effectively.
Block.
Stay healthy.
Score more points that the other team.
November 11th, 2019 at 7:55 PM ^
WIN WITH CRUELTY.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:00 PM ^
I wish we would spread it out and do a shock and awe air attack but they’ll probably run into a stacked box with enough success to not get to see much bombing.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:09 PM ^
Speed in space!!
November 11th, 2019 at 8:10 PM ^
Respektfully drop 50 on them.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
Deep bomb to Nico, bubble screen to DPJ, rinse, repeat.
But in all seriousness, unless the weather is bad use the pass to set up the run. Yeah yeah everyone says use the run to set up PA passes, but here if you hit Nico deep once or twice, and connect on a few successful screen passes, that will open up things for the run game.
November 11th, 2019 at 8:35 PM ^
Score points? ?
November 11th, 2019 at 9:05 PM ^
It had better be a LOAD of chucking up 50/50 balls...because with MSUs shakey pass D, those will become 70/30 balls in favor of M.
November 11th, 2019 at 9:11 PM ^
Score on the ground. Score through the air. We’ve got enough RBs and WRs that can handle all the running and catching and running and scoring TDs. Let’s not forget that we can score on special teams too. Just score many, many points.
November 12th, 2019 at 9:26 AM ^
Harbaugh should ring up Lloyd Carr and ask for his offensive game plan against Florida in 2007.
November 12th, 2019 at 10:24 AM ^
Score a lot of points.
November 12th, 2019 at 12:23 PM ^
First: hold on to the ball!!!!! After that...
I think the winning strategy is to be aggressive from drive 1 and don't let off the gas. It seems like the Spartans always start with some unearned confidence, but their will can be broken, and when it is, they just collapse. So the strategy should be to break their will early and then press your advantage. Don't turtle - I don't want to see an Carr-ball if we're up 14 in the 3rd quarter.
Tactically, I would start by testing their defense with our base run offense and see if they bite. If we can't get 4+ yards on the first run because they're stacking the box and putting a spy on Patterson, then go straight to Nico-ball or test their linebackers with some Ronnie Bell/Peoples-Jones slants. Force them to respect the 4 NFL receivers we have. Stretch them horizontally and the run lanes will open up.
If the run game is getting you 3+ yards a pop in the first quarter, I think you have to stick with it. The MSU Defense can get tired if you keep the pressure on and don't let them off the field. It will be cold, which is an advantage to the team that can establish the run first. I doubt we'll see many long runs or huge plays from our run game, but a consistent battering in the 1st and 2nd quarter will pay off in the 3rd and 4th quarters.
Their secondary isn't terrible, but they can lose focus on longer developing plays. If the offensive line can give Patterson some time, then there will be opportunities deep, where the MSU defenders seem to get lost.
Finally: HOLD ON TO THE DAMN BALL. The way to lose this game is to start giving up turnovers.