The Offense

Has been vanilla for the most part. But we did see Patterson run the spread option a couple times with success even though Higdon got called for holding when he didn't. The WOS still need to work on getting open but there has been vast improvement there. I don't understand why UM doesn't throw the slant at all. It's a staple play for most teams and works well when you have the O and D spread out so the safeties and lbs can't help on it. Run properly its impossible to cover one on one. Also no rb screens, another staple of UM teams over the years, especially under Carr. I saw one pass to Wangler in the flat against NW that got maybe 8 yards. Never came back to it. The waggles and jet sweeps need total reworking. As do the WO screens. All three have 2-3 defenders sitting there waiting for them when they get run. On the other hand UM did run a play action run to the right that got the D flowing that way and then pirched deep to DPJ coming back around to the left that was well conceived and got good yardage. Forget the jet sweeps and wo screens and run that instead until the play design get fixed.

Need more fly patterns to Nico and DPJ where they can use their size to outjump the dbs. UM's dbs are getting most of their PI calls on thatplay and UM should do the same. The OL has definitely improved but not to the point where UM can just line up and run over people. IMO most of the criticism of JH's offense is justified. UM needs to open it up.

I think UM only should pass when they need to pass.  Their best offense right now is Higdon and Mason.  Let those two pound it out until it doesn't work.

Problem with the start of the NW game was that they tried to be fancy in the first couple series.  That was a mistake.  Pound the rock.

FYI, and real analysis of first down plays from Saturday:

First, Michigan didn't dial up short-yardage running plays on every first down last week. I've gotten this question countless times since Saturday and it's simply wrong. On the final two possessions of the game, when U-M was trying to kill the clock — sure.

But prior to that, Harbaugh called 18 designed runs (including a reverse to Donovan Peoples-Jones) that generated 113 yards. They also wound up throwing for 54 yards on first down.

The majority of Michigan's first down runs Saturday were successful plays.

Also:

Michigan is tied for third in the Big Ten with 16 passes of 20 yards or more. That works out to 3.2 per game. There have been seven completions of 30 yards or more (tied for fourth) and four of 40 yards or more (fourth).

The argument that U-M doesn't take vertical shots during football games is simply incorrect. Michigan's isn't Texas Tech, but considering the fact this team only attempts 25 passes per game, any argument suggesting its vertical numbers are low is just off.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2018/10/05/michigan-football-ask-nick/1524969002/

Fish I don't think we disagree all that much. But I don't think we'll be able to line up v MSU, PSU Wisc and OSU and pound them up the middle. I doubt we'll be able to do that this Saturday. The jet sweep and wo screen are designed to loosen up the middle so the up the gut run can succeed. Wisc in particular does those plays well. We don't. We need to redesign them so they are more effective. I haven 't dissected those plays but if I were Hamilton I'd watch tape of Wisc and copy how they run those plays. Yes we've had some long pass plays. Not saying we haven't. The vertical game is 1000% better than last year. Saying specifically we need to run the fly pattern more. Dylan's pass to Brown? was it? for the TD was excellent. Dylan is going to be very good for UM. Peters underthrew his guy later but it was there. We needto dothat more with DPJ and Nico is all I'm saying.

Not vanilla today. A lot of new formations and plays.

Just in time for a key 3 game stretch. Hope we aren't too banged up.

wshoes wrote:

Just in time for a key 3 game stretch. Hope we aren't too banged up.

I'm MOST concerned about Dwumfour.  Not only because he was honestly living up to the fall camp hype accorded him...but because we need big bodies INSIDE on our solid D-line against a team like Wiscy.  From the sound and looks of things yesterday (i.e., being carted off the field than needing to sit in a wheelchair), we can pretty much scratch him for Saturday, and merely hope his injury is nothing serious.

Maybe our rapidly- (and vastly-) improving OFFENSE will have to carry more of the load Saturday night. Great to see no injuries (of mention) to either DPJ or Nico after taking their nasty (and dirty) hits yesterday, given how much our vertical game figured into the big yardage total...

JH says he'll probably be ready whicn is great news. Totally agree we need healthy bodies to stop the Wiscy run game. JH said Solomon has also been practicing. Even if he's not in top shape if he can spell the others for a few plays that would be great. MD is not a bad team. They're physical on both sides of the ball. If they can get a decent QB and some receivers they'll be a factor in the BIG East. Agree they got dirty as the game wore on and they realized they were beaten. We need to be healthy of course against our next three opponents. For the first time I have some hope we might be able to win them all. The O is starting to gel. Not at all happy that MSU lost. They will be a wounded animal up there in EL. The rest of the season is going to be exciting for sure.

That IS great news, FBF (re: Dwumfour). If he's able to play, say, 60% of the downs, and Solomon can spell him for half of the plays he's not in for (with Jeter the other half), and we can rotate Mone and Marshall and (assumed HE is OK after yesterday) Kemp alongside them, we'd be in really good shape vs. Wiscy. Especially given our ends, and how our 'backers Uche and Ross have come on to augment Bush (and Hudson).

Then, too, according to MLive, UW is banged up somewhat---especially their defense.


Given that a terrible Nebraska team passed for 350 yards on them at Camp Randall, and the vertical game we showed (along with Shea's escapability) yesterday, I have a warm-n-fuzzy about this one.

I agree. Gotta show up though from the git go as we say down south! By the way ABC cut away from the UM game at the end of the 3d quarter so it could show Miami-FSU. I was furious but that's part of the price for living down here.

flabluefan1 wrote:

I agree.  Gotta show up though from the git go as we say down south!  By the way ABC cut away from the UM game at the  end of the 3d quarter so it  could show Miami-FSU.  I  was furious but that's part of the price for  living down here.  

Yet another reason, along with 100-degree summers, no change of seasons, and my up-and-coming namesake Hurricane, I'd never move there, FBF!!!

As for ABC...I'm sure part of the reason for cutting away after our 3rd qtr. was the difference in score (27-7) and yardage (372-87), versus a game that would be decided by a single point...eh? To a man, the only reasons I put off my afternoon run to watch the 4th were to see what our bench could do, and to watch closely to be sure no injuries were sustained (and I came out a bit disappointed on the latter note).

I spend a lot of time in Michigan and CT in the fall. Going to CT tomorrow and then to NH for the color. I love the warm summers. You can swim in the Gulf or pool without turning blue and every place has AC. Better that then those 9 months of gray skies, freezing temps and blowing snow.

NINE months, my frickin' butt!!! Maybe THREE (or four). AND, no threat of Hurricane devastation...

michmike wrote:

NINE months, my frickin' butt!!!   Maybe THREE (or four).  AND, no threat of Hurricane devastation...

Precisely. Winter doesn't even really begin until midway though January. It's normally done by mid-March or at latest April. It is kind of like Seattle (rainy) during April but it really isn't that bad. There are infrequent tornados in trailer parks (simple solution- don't live in a trailer park) but no hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes. The mosquitos are annoying but they are nothing like Texas mosquitos.

As a related story when I went out to see my best-friend out in South California back in 2012 (ironically the same weekend as the initial mgoforum tailgate), the third day I was there my buddy and I were having lunch on some rooftop in downtown Huntington Beach and he asked my if I liked it out there. I replied, "Dude, it's sunny, 75, and there is a nice breeze coming off of the ocean every day. It sounds good but I hate it. I need rain, sleet, snow, locusts, something. Just variation. This sucks, you don't appreciate nice weather."

I like the unpredictability of the weather in Michigan, it makes you appreciate it more.

Hey I love Michigan but come on. The flies are horrendous in the summer what little there is of it. Ice storms in April Freezing temps in May. We used to say there are two seasons in mich. 4th of July and winter

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Nah, you're wrong flablue. The line goes "There are only 2 seasons in Michigan: road construction and winter."

Oh and this is related to the mosquito topic:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/09/health/giant-mosquitoes-north-carolina-hurricane-bn/index.html

michmike wrote:

...and my up-and-coming namesake Hurricane, I'd never move there, FBF!!!

And you're getting bigger Mike....

https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/10/us/hurricane-michael-wxc/index.html[/quote]

That's NO JOKE, Bo2.  Seriously: I've said to all my co-workers and friends I've made from various areas of the country: Upstate NY is probably the SAFEST place in the US to be in terms of protection from Mother Nature's wrath: no 'canes, tornadoes, quakes, wildfires, droughts (to speak of), surf surges or intemperate temperatures (sic).  (And to paraphrase Mr.Twain, FBF, reports of our lake-effect snows are GREATLY exaggerated...)

But I certainly wasn't (or intending) to be condescending to FBF or ANY Floridians or Southerners in my jovial posting. Here's hoping you, FBF, yours, and all your fellow residents are spared the destruction (and resultant flooding) Florence brought on.  Terrible scenes. Can't even begin to imagine how I'd feel if my car were submerged and my living room 4' deep in [filthy] water.

I didn't realize Michael was ALREADY responsible for multiple deaths, nor had strengthened to a cat-4.

Hey we were having fun. No need to apologize. This has been a surprise late season storm which is always the worst. Missed us in Sarasota barely. I’m actually in CT for reunion and Gents gig. Our place is ok but many have been clobbered. Best wishes go to those in harms way.

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Evidently this thread has gone astray but whatever. It's good discussion (although because Mike likes puns maybe the fact that hurricanes are offenSIVE makes it qualify?).

https://www.titan.fitness/back-hyperextension-v2.html?gclid=Cj0KCQjwxvbdBRC0ARIsAKmec9aN_FRYitMeeAyV6o_Fb758x28qN-sTMj_ymWl0UWTa4Eh6NQNf3hcaAugGEALw_wcB

It's climate change, people. Not fake news. Believe it or our progeny all die!!

dwoody wrote:

It's climate change, people. Not fake news. Believe it or our progeny all die!!

But Trump insists that climate change is a Chinese hoax. And you know that he is the smartest person he knows....

Climate changes- it has always changed. The pertinent issues for us are to what extent we influence that change and taking it a step further what our role in the US should be vis a vis the rest of the world. Whether or not the US is actually a party to the Kyoto agreements, we are in fact complying with them. China and India are far bigger problems now and going forward. The agreements in the past have been essentially a vehicle for the US to pay a disproportionate share for the rest of the world.

You can argue that we are wealthy and we should pay for others as well as us, or you can argue that as long as we do that, others will have less incentive and/or that our resources could be better spent on tackling problems at home. This is the argument we should be having IMO, without regard to whom sits in the White House.

...and while we're arguing about this or that and also doing nothing, the environment gets destroyed. I'll be dead (probably) in no more than 20 years, but I still worry about my child and the world she'll have to live in. Doing nothing is NOT AN OPTION!!!

We are not doing nothing though. We have reduced carbon emissions dramatically. Our rivers, lakes and streams are far far cleaner than they were when we were in school. The US is not the problem- why would you countenance world agreements that give China (and India) exemptions as long as 20 years to comply- and then what will make them do it then? Your anger is mis-directed.

So, because others are doing their perceived share, we should do less than we have been or can? More needs to be done by every country, including U.S. Instead, environmental protections are being rolled back in some childish snit. Clean coal? Give me a break! 50,000 miners in a dying industry are being propped up, while 260,000 (and growing, until lately) clean energy workers are seeing their future-based, progressive industry fighting tariffs and other obstacles to growth.

If we could get rid of plastic water bottles it would be huge.

With that said, when we were young we didn't have recycling. We didn't use recycled materials. The only thing I remember reusing were the milk bottles.

Also back then millions and millions of copies of newspapers were printed every day. The vast majority of that is gone. Printing of books is way down.

The influx of Organic farming is also a plus even though the food costs 2-3 times. I don't buy it but agree with the concept.

I am just sitting here mentioning things on both sides. There are shit loads more on each side.

Not sure I understand ANY rationale for destroying the environment. Let me ask you this, when you were younger and got in trouble undoubtedly you claimed "Well he did it too!" Did that ever work or even justify your actions? No. Why then are you using the same argument now?

upstate NY might be "safe" of extreme weather, but it comes with a price. There's the risk of ongoing boredom and misery as opposed to hurricane damage once every 20-40 years. (jk, i actually do appreciate that region, but to visit lol) No offense to "the north" but I'll take my chances with the occasional hurricane.

Bo 2.0 wrote:

Not sure I understand ANY rationale for destroying the environment.  

Do you live in a dwelling composed of wood? Do you use electronics? Pump your car full with gasoline? Do you wear clothes made of various fabrics? Do you eat bacon? Do you do laundry? Sorry for the snark, had to do it.

As with many of the other issues of our time it is getting increasing difficult to get a rational discussion, here or anywhere.
Reread my posts and point out where I either a) gave a rationale for destroying the environment or b) said because others do it, it's ok for us (the US) to do it.

I'll wait. I'll also wait for a response to my question as to how you propose to reign in the biggest polluters- China and India. The US has an awfully good record on doing more than our fair share and that is great. Should we take over and clean -up the world ? The point is- we can't- anymore than we could ever be "the world's policeman" as the hawks of my youth were accused of trying to be. Railing against the current administration for abandoning a one-sided ineffectual agreement (critically- while STILL complying with its proscriptions), is like so much else today a chance to b--ch against a President that you don't like.

Does it bother you that people like Al Gore have one of the larger carbon footprints in the world flying in private jets and living in a 30,000 sq foot mansion or that Leo DeCaprio anchors his yacht in the harbor to attend a conference on climate change (reportedly with plenty of super models and blow on board). This guys aren't exactly modern day Ralph Naders (who walked the walk).