Michigan vs Hawaii Post-Game Discussion

[Rocky Bleier]

Anyone have any ideas on why an MRI would be necessary? I'm guessing it's an ankle again for Mone.

[Whitley]

Anyone have any ideas on why an MRI would be necessary? I'm guessing it's an ankle again for Mone.

Probably just precautionary. He might have a bone bruise.

[Tslisher]

Just got back from the game. Pretty good outing for all phases of the the game. The O line came around about the 2nd quarter and was looking better. Pass pro was very good - no sacks and I don't think even any hurries.

We've really got something in Evans. He looked instinctive and fast! Right now I'd start him and sub in Smith on short down yardage situations. Not sure about his pass pro though.

Defense looked legit. Only one drive where Hawaii got some pass yardage. It looked to me as the warriors were doing a very good job of picking up blitzes as most of their pass yardage came when we blitzed and they picked it up. Also no Lewis today.

Hope the injuries are nothing serious. Overall a good outing, and do you realize we never punted all game, even with the 3rd string quarterback in there? We scored a touchdown on every possession except the int by Speight on the first drive and the victory formation at the end.

Not bad for a first outing - keep it up.

Go Blue!

[Pasadena Blue]

Warriors had pretty good success when spreading things out with 4-WR sets and then hitting the WR coming across the field. It was irritating to see them hit a bunch of those without Don Brown adjusting. Need to clean that up before we face good spread teams down the road.

DB's Blitz calls also got burned a few times by nice draw calls by Hawaii.

[Pasadena Blue]

we really need Mone and Charlton for B1G season (and prob for Colorado) as well ... will be waiting anxiously till the MRI report comes out.

[Detroit Dan]

Take aways:

1. Chris Evans provides instant upgrade to running game. I love the way he follows his blockers and sets up for a burst to break through.

2. First string defense is awesome.

3. Injuries to Mone and Taco obviously worrisome.

4. Speight looked very good.

5. Lots of depth all around.

6. Gedeon and McCray looked good.

[Hannibal]

Evans is noticeably a better runner than anyone else out there. Especially Isaac. Isaac goes down way too easily for a guy that big. If you need a roster spot then give him a firm handshake at the end of the year. Assuming Walker isn't in danger of washing out early.

[hack]

It looked to me as the warriors were doing a very good job of picking up blitzes as most of their pass yardage came when we blitzed and they picked it up.

Agreed. There were some blitzes that were easy to see coming and slow to develop.

[lineygoblue]

Sounds like a great game. I was at my mom's birthday party so I didn't get to see the game. Watching the DVR now.

[Hannibal]

The coverage behind the blitzes was really bad over the middle. Not sure what that was all about. I'm hoping that it's just mistakes that won't be repeated often. For all of the first quarter, guys were stuck to their receivers like glue but then on Hawaii's last drive of the first half they were suddenly all wide open.

[hack]

When they spread the field.

[Pasadena Blue]

yes, but we made zero adjustment to that. JH will not be happy.

[hack]

yes, but we made zero adjustment to that. JH will not be happy.

I was hoping one would come quicker myself.

[Pasadena Blue]

I wish the press would ask questions like this at the post-game press conference, but I think they are afraid of getting Harbaugh-ed and get put into JH's doghouse.

[Jeff Buchanan]

From the stands:

As expected, Hawaii brought one of their Ss up almost all the time (8 in the box). They run blitzed a lot, those blitzes being alternated between LBs and Ss. Because of that, there wasn't much in the middle early but Hawaii has no depth so, just like against Cal, by the late first half there were plenty of nice runs between the tackles. I'm sure Chris Evans is good and deserves to play but you could have driven a Mack truck through the gigantic holes that materialized later in the game. This wasn't M's OL being great; it was Hawaii's interior line being weak.

It was pretty obvious early Hawaii's CBs were not up to the man coverage their D demands. WRs we're wide open making it easy for any QB to hit their receiver (as long as they don't miss the S jumping the route and in their throwing lane!). The short passing game was made easy by sending receivers into the zone right behind the LBs who were very aggressive against the run but were consistently out of position on screens, crossing routes and stretch plays/reverses. Credit Harbaugh for knowing this and exploiting it unmercifully with his play calling.

M has issues on the OL with its tackles. Plain and simple. Any team with a decent defense is going to give M's offense trouble.

No need to describe the defense other than to say it is really good. If Mone and Carlton have injuries that are going to keep them out of the lineup, we're kinda back to where M's D was last season after injuries hurt depth.

Harbaugh has 3QBs who can play well enough to make his offense serviceable. Very impressive and can't think of the last time there was that kind of depth at the QB position. I was impressed with how the offense was optimized to take advantage of what Hawiaii didn't do well. Can any of these three guys make the tough throws the offense will need against a good D? No idea but for now the question remains unaswered.

No surprise about the number of Freshman who played. There is a lot of talent in that class. Makes 2017 look a little less scary.

It's been a long time since a M team took the field for an opener and played a complete game. Exceptionally well prepared - I think there were 3, maybe 4 penalties and none of them were due to a lack of focus. They were aggressive plays.

My take on the very short period where Hawaii found some success throwing at Stribbling and into an apparently uncovered open middle zone was more on how Stribbling was playing his coverage and missed assignments by Ss and LBs. It wasn't scheme. It didn't call out for Brown to adjust. You may have noticed Stribbling had two INTs (one that didn't count due to a roughing the passer penalty) after somebody got in his grill and told him to turn around and watch for the ball or have confidence you can jump the route. Don't know which but that little spree of successful pass plays for Hawaii ended as soon as it got started.

Next up UCF.