M @ Minny - In Game, Post Game Discussion

[froot loops]

Notre Dame was in a similar situation to what Michigan was last week. 7 seconds left, 4th down, the QB in shotgun formation just heaved it up out of bounds. Of course he did fumble the ball for a second.

[WM Wolverine]

Kelly must've watched the M,Sparty game.

[iam416]

this game is a great reminder of why things are never as good or bad as they seem,

I think I have predicted regression to the mean for some time, this was probably it.

Sage.

I realize M's poor play delights Talent and the other Ohio cronies, and I am sure they are expecting a pretty easy win.

Not sage. First, but for two awful RichGOD teams in Columbus, no win in that series has been easy for OSU. Second, I'm more optimistic than I was last week for exactly the points you led with. As the sample size increases, I'm getting a better sense of M as a team. I was, e.g., intrigued by M's defense of the read option. I'm also very interested in the pass defense. M's defense looked like the '85 Bears for the first part of the season. I'm slightly encouraged that it may only be the '86 Giants.

[Jeff Buchanan]

....... I was, e.g., intrigued by M's defense of the read option. I'm also very interested in the pass defense. M's defense looked like the '85 Bears for the first part of the season. I'm slightly encouraged that it may only be the '86 Giants.

Yes, that was interesting. My thinking on this is that Durkin did not have the defense prepared well for a running Leidner, esp. Liedner running the read option with the two backs that he ran it very effectively with.

Leidner does run, but most of his running had been inside on draws and belly plays where he keeps it or broken plays where he's scrambling for his life. In the game I watched this season, I didn't see the backs running read option. It was all power. That they had a bye probably allowed them to install that offense and they ran it very well.

The UFR is going to tell us more but Bolden and Morgan both bit on the read option more times than I could count and when they did, they were big plays. LBs also biffed on two big wheel routes to a wide open TE run into their areas. The DEs also played this extremely poorly giving up the edge a lot. I may not have the right M defenders but those plays were very poorly defended, were run where Peppers was not, and were +2 or 3 RPS.

[Mike]

Lost in all the hullabaloo is that Peppers is one of the finest players in the country. He was on the field for about 90 snaps. Be prepared for something special.

[hack]

Peppers is insanely good. Almost won it himself with that route he jumped.

[iam416]

Yes, that was interesting. My thinking on this is that Durkin did not have the defense prepared well for a running Leidner, esp. Liedner running the read option with the two backs that he ran it very effectively with.

Well, I sympathize. I mean, I've seen OSU go from shutting Nate Sudfeld down to getting housed by Zander Diamont. And I watched Perry Hills run wild for Maryland when I'm sure they were prepped for the total shitball Caleb Rowe offense.

That said, the Goofers do run some read option -- not much. And perhaps as equally interesting was they're passing. Granted, some yardage came on flukes, but by the end of the game I actually felt like they could pass the ball on M. I mean, they hit the game winning TD...heh...sort of.

M isn't 450 yards to the Goofer bad, but I also am coming around to the thought that they're not some hellacious best in the nation defense. It's a very good run defense, especially on the interior, with some holes against the pass and, potentially, some chinks at LB that can be exploited with speed/spready type runs. Peppers makes up for some LB deficiencies in this regard, but more along the line of making it a 6 yard run instead of a 30 yard run. At least that's my current opinion. Nothing Rutgers does will have any bearing on that because Rutgers is just awful -- and without Caroo they're offensively impotent. IU will be modestly interesting.

[Mike]

Yep. I actually said out loud before that play "our defense has to score for us to win". Glad I was wrong.

[hack]

Never seen a game with so many DBs dropping so many interceptions.

[froot loops]

I don't watch enough Michigan to be an expert, from my novice view they are susceptible to plays against flow. You will never make a living running between the tackles. But runs to the weak side especially to the field. They are good in coverage but you can hit enough deep on them if you have a competent QB. The key is you have to take the risk. This defense chews up young QBs.

Like I said last night Leidner should have kept it more on that read option.

[hack]

Mangum made a bunch of pretty good throws and the coverage in that particular game was just absolutely spectacular, from both CBs. Otherwise, I guess I agree there's just a sense of not-yet about them. But Minnesota sure did find something with the read option last night.

[UMStan White]

"IU will be modestly interesting."

Other than OSU, IU has the best potential to defeat UM. Typical IU team. Great offense, shit defense.

[iam416]

I think at Penn State will be a tougher game. I don't think IU can shut down M's offense. I think Penn State can. But I think with any team that fundamentally plays "Tressel-ball" that road games against decent teams can prove challenging.

[Rocky Bleier]

I think that it was awesome that Harbaugh invited Big John Falk to the game to hold the jug one more time.