osu 63, Michigan 39

[Jeff Buchanan]

......... then do this:

This play comes right after a Higdon arc zone keeper for 7y - it's 2nd and 3. What are M's tendencies? Run it right? Nope. Look at IU's Ss. They are both up. The LBs initially step up, the Ss fail to switch and Eubanks is wide open for a TD. Screwing with the osu's LBs (This is a TE scissors) is something that will pay off. Do it.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I could go on and it's a PITA to try to insert videos in the software hosting this forum. The defense has to watch it's blitzing. osu can advantage that and has shown it can. Brown has to get pressure with 4 man fronts and the DTs can't get handled like they did v. IU on the inside run game. I think those are the only two weaknesses I see on M's D.

On On offense, the only BT secondary that is worse than osu's is Illinois's ...... ILLINOIS'S. The challenge for M's play callers is to not over due that part of the game. The only exception I'd allow to that caution is early in the game, test the secondary, go long, get a quick score or two while holding osu to a couple three and outs. That will make them start thinking.

Otherwise, possess the ball on long drives and punish osu physically. That has paid off in M's wins this season. There's no harm in passing to do that. The point here is osu LBs are not that good. TE screens, drags, under routes and slants are going to result in chain moving pay dirt.

This approach - breaking tendencies, an overall strategy of limiting osu possession with long drives - is going to beat osu. A few deep shots once control has been established would be a nice icing on the cake and might turn a 28 point offense into a 42 point one.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Well, yes, I'll go on ......... M should test this not a dude just a guy, osu's boundry CB. ...... and that is the large and not very fast (post ACL repair) Nick Westbrook of IU. Westbrook did manage 4 catches for 84 yards v. M. Nico Collins is faster than Westbrook by not a small margin.

https://thumbs.gfycat.com/VariableSi...one-mobile.mp4

...... and this ...... on the other side, osu's Field CB.

https://giant.gfycat.com/AdeptBrownAsiandamselfly.webm

Edit: Photos from mgo,, Seth.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Not fair you say? OK, this is DE Chase Young doing his thing(s) v. various over-matched opponents up front. Expect this to happen more than we would like it to......unless Harbaugh and Patterson can hear me yelling to them: Shea, SHEA!!!! Short throws - get the ball out fast underneath where the LBs suck.

[maxreturn]

Hanni, Rocky and all the doom-sayers, past performance does not predict future results. Cheer up.

talent, your posts in this thread have been pretty honest at least based on what I've seen looking at osu this season. The thing about a close game, if it happens, reflects your hope, not reality. I think M wins a close one in regulation or OT, should that happen. The only way osu gets to and wins a close game is if Harbaugh fails to leverage his team's strengths during and especially late in the game or OT. I think a shootout is another matter. osu has a better chance of winning that way. I don't think Harbaugh will let that happen. The first quarter could be fun to watch though if ufm tries to make it one.

M DEFENSE v. osu OFFENSE:

osu improves it's win chances by inviting Brown to blitz his LBs on standard downs with > 10 to go or on passing downs and Brown accommodates. Inviting the blitz takes advantage of Brown's psyche to intimidate and opens the middle of the field for the predictable result. A QB draw by Haskins, drag routes, under routes and slants where no one is in that space the play design is exploiting. Lesson? Play more zone - Haskins struggles with it - if Brown wants to blitz, do it more conservatively (loop blitz with switch to zone on the back end).

Here is link to videos of M blitzing IU with LBs. Start with the second one (QB run against vacated middle) and view videos 3, 5, 6 and 8 sequentially to see what I'm talking about above:

https://simoncriminaldefense.com/the-michigan-defenders/

M increases it's chances of winning if the D get's pressure out of a 4 man front and Brown shows some restraint with his blitzing.

See the link above and view videos 1, 4, 7 to see why M needs to dial back the blitzing v. osu. Also of note - a loop blitz - which could be effective v. osu.

osu increases it's chances of winning if it handles M's DTs in an IZ run game featuring Webber like IU did with Stevie Scott. If Brown has to bring a guy up to shore this up, Either Haskins will feast throwing short and setting up his receivers for YAC - osu is really good at this - or osu can counter the IZ with Dobbins running OZ - this is ufm's bread and butter. M can't let that run game get in rhythm.

M OFFENSE v. osu DEFENSE:

Do this. M is good at the IZ run, shows that formation and IU comes out lined up to defend this tendency. M runs a counter.

Right...stop being so predictable with the blitzes and when you do blitz change the look/schemes. How about a corner or safety blitz now and then? Keep Haskins guessing...force him to think quickly on his feet.

[hack]

Keep the middle of the field populated. Don't want to see another game in which space is continually filled by backs and WRs.

[Jeff Buchanan]

talent, you noted this way up thread ...... "boundary, not left." The issues on osu's defense when they occur, usually occur on the left, in Schiano's scheme and as they are described within it, on the boundary side.

That would be CB, Damon Arnette, Boundary Star (like Hudson), Malik Harrison and Boundary S, Brandon White.

I misidentified the WDE, Chase Young as the guy who derped in one of my posts. It was actually Malik Hudson.

Chase White is Chase Winovich last season. He will be a load in 2019 with a year's experience ..... that is if ufm and Schiano (or someone on his staff for continuity) stay.

[iam416]

[Jeff Buchanan]

It's pay walled and I don't give a flip ......... Chris Balas at Rivlas, The Wolverine reports Winovich is 100% and will play.

Reportedly he was sick for the IU game, played anyway and probably should not have but that's WInovich.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'm in Ann Arbor this week so, I can listen to WTKA - the ticket, AM 1050, all day long. There's been nothing startling but there has been some good analysis. It's all been covered in the posts I made today.

A former player and then coach under Bo, was interviewed. I was driving then had to get out of the car. It was near the end of the interview when I stepped out and when I came back it was done. I never caught the player's/coaches name. He sounded so much like Bo, when I first tuned in, I thought it was a tape of an interview he might have done. Anyway, it was a great interview focusing on why this team, this season, is different and he feels that way not from watching games or talking to coaches, he gets it from the players. It is a team of "brothers" as I've heard every player that has been interviewed say it is. Higdon and Gary use it all the time. Patterson does too.

The interview emoted some strong memories and emotions about the kind of coach Bo was, how he disciplined his players, how he made them believe in themselves and the team. We hear Bo talk about winning the conference title in the piece that is the part of every home game and comes up on the big board in the video, "This is Michigan" ........ James Earl Jones starts the video out saying. Pretty sure the tape of Bo in this video when he talks about the team, the team, the team is where this now famous phrase became famous.

Another point ...... guy interviewed said, he didn't want to put down any of the previous coaches but none of them treated the osu game like Bo did. Jim Harbaugh has brought that back. It is THE GAME, as it should be. He is laser focused on this game and hates losing it X3. This year, the interviewee notes, Jimmy has a QB and an offensive line." That has been the difference this season and he brings a great team, QB'ed by a great player in Shea Patterson to columbus. They believe in themselves and their coaches, are playing with confidence and will win.

It was moving..... whoever the guy was and if anyone else locally heard the interview, please let us know who it was.

BTW, Brian's OSU Preview is overboard on the positive side. If M loses (it won't) he is going to be apoplectic. He predicts a 40-27 Michigan beat down.



There are high school teams that would fire their defensive coordinator if that happened 11 weeks into the season. It was striking to read this Cleveland.com article on the Maryland debacle, because it continually marveled at Maryland running jet sweep stuff and zone opposite.........there's a lot that's wrong. OSU's S&P+ run D ranking has plummeted week by week and now stands at 68th. They are 125th at preventing explosive plays. It's a damn mess. A glorious damn mess.

[drok]

How good is the info on Winovich?

[Jeff Buchanan]

Sean got a screen shot from Mike Pitts who has a subscription. I've not seen it anywhere else and am surprised it hasn't gotten out yet to a broader audience. TIFWIW.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Just checked a couple of places that usually get some scoop ...... nothing. I wonder if it was taken down minutes after Balas posted it on his Insider board.

[drok]

Don't see it on twitter either

[Rocky Bleier]

Jeff, I think you're talking about Bob Thornbladh. He was on with Spath today. He played from 71 - 73 & was an assistant coach from 80 - 86.