Michigan Football, Team 137, 2016 Season.

[Mike]

OK then. I'll see you all at the CFP.

[iam416]

I see no real weakness on this team, just less super-strong strengths.

[Hannibal]

The offensive line needs to make big strides forward.

[Wellington_beefhouser]

I see no real weakness on this team, just less super-strong strengths.

Ok

[froot loops]

3 TE sets are counterproductive

[WM Wolverine]

2 TE's with a FB was used pretty frequently by JH at Stanford.

[jaadam4]

Butt will be awesome but I can't wait to see Wheatly play this year. His sheer size and athletic ability will be fun to watch. I might be hyping him up too much from that catch at the Ford Field practice but he moved like he meant business.

[Jeff Buchanan]

3 TE sets are counterproductive

Some of the more imaginative play calling in the NFL includes three TE sets. They require three really good tight ends on an NFL roster and that is often difficult to do. Look at Harbaugh's recruiting and the current roster. He probably has two potential All Big Ten TEs in Jake Butt and Wheatly. Below is a description of the play that starts from the offensive set (3 TEs) in the diagram.

The Patriots lined up on first-and-10 in a three-tight end set: Daniel Graham is on the right side, Ben Watson is on the left, and David Thomas is on the wing over Watson's shoulder. Watson is such a receiving threat that the Bengals don't dare switch to a run-stopping personnel package. Instead, they line up in a base 4-3, with Tory James in the force position. For clarity, only three defenders are shown in the diagram: James, safety Kevin Kaesviharn, and linebacker Landon Johnson.

The pre-snap read suggests two-deep zone coverage. What makes this formation so effective is that it creates a lot of open space on the left side of the field. James is pinched close to the line of scrimmage, giving him a lot of space to defend in the flat. Kaesviharn is in a typical deep set, but his first responsibility on a typical play from this formation is to defend the deep seam route by Watson. The Patriots have a different plan: they are going to attack the left sideline. Most teams don't have multiple tight ends with the speed to execute this play effectively, but the Patriots have three tight ends who can run deeper routes.

Both Thomas and Watson get clean releases at the snap. Graham stays in to provide pass protection. Running back Laurence Maroney runs a flat route while Thomas and Watson run parallel stem routes. At about 15 yards, Thomas runs an out route while Watson breaks for the corner. The receiver to the right side, unfortunately, is invisible on the television replays; let's just have him run a fly route.

The flat route by Maroney forces James to take a shallow drop. James also reacts to Thomas' out route and finds himself in a no-man's land between two receivers. Johnson is also influenced by Thomas' route, leaving Watson to Kaesvahirn. The Bengals safety has no outside help when Watson runs his corner route, Watson has room to get separation because of the tight formation, and Tom Brady has time to allow the play to develop because of the six-man protection. The result is a big gain.

I expect we are going to see this but it is not going to be something Harbaugh is going to have his team do in open practices. There was a hint of it in the spring game but it was 2 TEs on the play side of the LOS with one WR and FB. I also expect you'll see a FB behind the RB in place of a WR in short yardage situations. In the diagram above the TE is in an H-Back position and is an eligible receiver.

Lots of options. Why do you think this sort of thing is counterproductive, Froot.

[Tom W]

I'll just be happy if, someday, we can find a coach that knows something about QBs. Maybe Brady could be coerced into taking the job when he retires..

[lineygoblue]

I think we got a good combo in Harbaugh and Jedd Fisch, Tom.

[jaadam4]

I'm pretty sure there was a lot of sarcasm in Tom's post. If there wasn't then he's drunker than hell

[lineygoblue]

Yeah, I think yer right. I'm still under the influence of pain meds and I my sarcasm detector isn't functioning properly yet... :-)

[froot loops]

Some of the more imaginative play calling in the NFL includes three TE sets. They require three really good tight ends on an NFL roster and that is often difficult to do. Look at Harbaugh's recruiting and the current roster. He probably has two potential All Big Ten TEs in Jake Butt and Wheatly. Below is a description of the play that starts from the offensive set (3 TEs) in the diagram.

The Patriots lined up on first-and-10 in a three-tight end set: Daniel Graham is on the right side, Ben Watson is on the left, and David Thomas is on the wing over Watson's shoulder. Watson is such a receiving threat that the Bengals don't dare switch to a run-stopping personnel package. Instead, they line up in a base 4-3, with Tory James in the force position. For clarity, only three defenders are shown in the diagram: James, safety Kevin Kaesviharn, and linebacker Landon Johnson.

The pre-snap read suggests two-deep zone coverage. What makes this formation so effective is that it creates a lot of open space on the left side of the field. James is pinched close to the line of scrimmage, giving him a lot of space to defend in the flat. Kaesviharn is in a typical deep set, but his first responsibility on a typical play from this formation is to defend the deep seam route by Watson. The Patriots have a different plan: they are going to attack the left sideline. Most teams don't have multiple tight ends with the speed to execute this play effectively, but the Patriots have three tight ends who can run deeper routes.

Both Thomas and Watson get clean releases at the snap. Graham stays in to provide pass protection. Running back Laurence Maroney runs a flat route while Thomas and Watson run parallel stem routes. At about 15 yards, Thomas runs an out route while Watson breaks for the corner. The receiver to the right side, unfortunately, is invisible on the television replays; let's just have him run a fly route.

The flat route by Maroney forces James to take a shallow drop. James also reacts to Thomas' out route and finds himself in a no-man's land between two receivers. Johnson is also influenced by Thomas' route, leaving Watson to Kaesvahirn. The Bengals safety has no outside help when Watson runs his corner route, Watson has room to get separation because of the tight formation, and Tom Brady has time to allow the play to develop because of the six-man protection. The result is a big gain.

I expect we are going to see this but it is not going to be something Harbaugh is going to have his team do in open practices. There was a hint of it in the spring game but it was 2 TEs on the play side of the LOS with one WR and FB. I also expect you'll see a FB behind the RB in place of a WR in short yardage situations. In the diagram above the TE is in an H-Back position and is an eligible receiver.

Lots of options. Why do you think this sort of thing is counterproductive, Froot.

Because the third tight end normally sucks and it brings in the defense. I don't think it does much at all. I need more evidence than the Patriots, if you have Brady and Gronk it is hard to find a bad formation.

[Hannibal]

For the most part, I wasn't impressed by the results of Michigan's beefier packages last year. They were supposed to screw up defensive assignments by giving the defense extra gaps to fill but that didn't work. Defenses consistently handled their assignments just fine.

[Jeff Buchanan]

For the most part, I wasn't impressed by the results of Michigan's beefier packages last year. They were supposed to screw up defensive assignments by giving the defense extra gaps to fill but that didn't work. Defenses consistently handled their assignments just fine.

That's because the OL consistently screwed up the plays. If it wasn't Kalis or Braden screwing up a pull, it was Mags whiffing. Mason Cole had issues too. You read the UFRs.

...... and Froot, your point about Brady and Gronk is well taken but I'd point out that M's OL had problems executing out of the 2 TE play-side sets. In 2015, JH didn't put 3 TEs out there so, if he does this in 2016s, and I think he will, it's going to look like the Patriot's scheme there.

As for the defense getting pulled up, the QB has to make that read if the Ss step up to match hats - that's the point. You've now got three eligible receivers (a WR and 2 TEs that way 280) getting covered by two 190lb CBs. That's the kind of mis-match you're looking for. If the Ss don't step up, give it to the RB or FB (if present). They're going to get that short yardage that started this convo by sheer numbers at the point of attack ........ and that's assuming everybody play side makes their blocks.