Michigan v Indiana - Post Game Discussion

[Jeff Buchanan]

Well, Brian posted minutes ago, Speight is out for the season with a broken collar bone.

He quotes "a source" for that information. It's probably good.

[hack]

He said nothing about Speight and no one asked

After reading this, I didn't need the following post to know that he's done.

[Hannibal]

We'll get to see what O'Korn does now.

[jaadam4]

Wow. At least O'Korn has a warmup game to prep for Oiho. Not exactly the best timing but oh well. Next man up.

I bet Jimmy Ballgame would have let O'Korn play a little ore in some of those blowout loses.

[Rocky Bleier]

Does this mean they dumb down the offense? It looked pretty dumb in Iowa already.


I hope we see this guy:

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN8lJBzYpfM"]John O'Korn Rookie of the Year Highlights (Freshmen year UH) - YouTube[/ame]

[maxreturn]

Does this mean they dumb down the offense? It looked pretty dumb in Iowa already.


I hope we see this guy:

John O'Korn Rookie of the Year Highlights (Freshmen year UH) - YouTube

Amen

[Jeff Buchanan]

We're going to see a couple of things:

How good of a coach is Harbaugh. This a huge deal, as someone already said. Not only do we have an essentially untested QB starting (yeah, he's had some random snaps and not great, Bob), he's been the Scout team QB so, how well does he know Harbaughffense? Some.

I have to say, I'm not that upset about this. I was more upset with M's last three plays, the last one of which, probably broke Speight's collar bone. I'd call that a pretty big stain on whoever was calling those plays ...... Drevno, Fishe, Harbaugh? Whoever, it was a shit show.

So, now, there is impetus to adjust the offense to what O'Korn, not Speight, does best. Harbaugh seems to love run, pass, run - first down; bomb, pass, pass, first down; run, run, pass. I think I can find this sort of pattern to this season. Here's something else to chew on ....... think back to last year's loss to MSU. There's another pattern here. As the game winds down, if M doesn't have a two or three score lead and it's close, the offense appears to go into a cocoon. In both these games, the play caller (again, whoever that was) produced both a shit show and a huge special teams error on the last series and M lost.

I think we've seen some level of weakness on the part of the coaching staff in tight games in the closing couple of minutes. Maybe there was some degree of sideline confusion or Harbaugh was tense and it tricked down? What other explanation is there for 10 players on the special teams v. the Iowa field goal, not once but fucking 2X and after a time out! So, there is that to think about. It's a pattern, IMO.

O'Korn may not do well with the sort of play call pattern that worked for Speight, until Iowa who appeared to have figured out M's offensive tendencies and had well timed blitzes and appeared to know what was coming (ala. Carr/Debord). The net result ........ basically stuffed an M offense that was scoring 40 points and getting 450 yards plus on the day.

Something was very weird about that game. That's why I'm somewhat optimistic. Break tendencies. Get the staff to innovate and bring something new to the table. Now, the downside of this is whatever the adjustments the offense has to make, is that O'Korn sucks, gets rattled (because IU will bring the kitchen sink - count on it) and turns the ball over a bunch.

As well, you can't change the entire offense; you just have to tweak it ....... JO has mobility, he appears to throw well on the run. The only thing I haven't liked is he has happy feet. I also don't think he's keeping his eyes down field like Speight did on the move. He bails to quicky. The big pass play of the PA is a staple of Harbaughffense. When it's on, its a decent strategy. I don't think O'Korn is a PA kind of QB. The kind that can check down through 3 reads. He's more of a pistol, read once and innovate sort of guy. Help him out here, Jim even though that is clearly not your thing. Time to give it a try.

I'm pretty sure the PA thins is not O'Korn's thing. Apparently JH thought he didn't have it and Speight did. Fine. He doesn't have Speight any more. Adjust. My sense is that if Harbaugh tries to make O'Korn Wilton Speight, there's a good chance the last two games will be a disaster. If the O struggles and doesn't take advantage, shape the O to what O'Korn does well, JH is going to go down a click or two in my wonderment about him department.

This is where great coaches get tested.

Fun times.

[UMStan White]

Everything I have seen of O'Korn is that he bails way too early. There's a reason he was benched and left Houston. This desire to run will cost us the game Saturday. Speight could stand in the pocket, take a hit , move out of the hit and make his passes. For all those idiots who wanted O'Korn and not Speight, well be careful what you wish for. (yeah Rocky you are number one on this list)We go to OSU with two straight losses and basically nothing to play for. Only "revenge" we get is OSU kicks our ass and doesn't make it to the playoffs. Unfortunately for us, OSU kicks our ass and dos make it to the playoffs over PSU or Wisky.

[hack]

We get Indiana at home. It's not a good team. Not gonna lose.

[WM Wolverine]

As long as O'Korn is decent, we should win but it maybe closer than the oddsmakers want.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Harbaugh squashes Speight out for the season rumor!!!

Speight Tweets Baumgardner he does not have a clavicular FX.

I have to say, I didn't think so. I saw nothing suggesting a season ending clavicular FX.

First time I've seen Brian with egg on his face. He is usually very careful about not posting a story until he is 100% sure it is accurate.

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/harbaugh-speight-not-out-season-update-751pm

[Jeff Buchanan]

Just reading through the mgobog posts ........

People are posting that Harbaugh is tyring to fuck with IU. That is patent BS. You don't screw around with losing your starting QB. My sense is that he's trying to quash the rumor that Speight has a broken Clavicle.

Or ..... Harbaugh is trying to influence the play-off committee. Shades of Bo getting fucked on (Rose) Bowl Trips b/c Dennis Franklin was injured? I don't buy that either.

Going back to my too long piece on what I thought (and still think) Speight is dealing with. What I posted is accurate if Harbaugh is to be believed...... he's got some degree of AC separation.

So, give O'Korn lots of reps; work in plays for him. If Speight is feeling good enough to play and he's able to throw the passes Harbaugh needs him to throw late in the week, fine. Let him start but FRICKING HAVE O'KORN READY AND HAVE A PLAY SHEET THAT CALLS PLAYS HE'S GOOD AT..

[Jeff Buchanan]

I'm thinking that if there was something that was going to take M's starting QB out of the IU game, the odd's would change.

The sites I watch there is no change. It's still M by 28.

[Detroit Dan]

Indiana looked very good against Penn State. The Hoosiers were far superior from what I saw, although they ultimately lost through the most freakish succession of fumbles and general bad luck.

So the Indiana game is the big one. We'll probably lose to the Buckeyes. I'm afraid we were exposed rather badly at Iowa.

I'm somewhat happy to see what O'Korn can do. I don't think Speight will play. O'Korn was my choice before the season, although I was glad Harbaugh gave the job to the best performer from his much superior perspective. But O'Korn was good coming in, and has only gained respect by accepting his role as 2nd string with perfect composure.

All these comments that "O'Korn bails way too early" are complete nonsense in my opinion. If Harbaugh doesn't want him to run as much, he won't. Why would he? We'll see Saturday if, as I anticipate, O'Korn is indeed out.

This is not what I was expecting and hoping for last week, but is still fun. Indiana is all that matters now.

[WingsFan]

Houston offense is based on pre snap numbers and one simple read. Harbaugh has a completely different system and is based on progressions, and he (O'Korn) has bailed out after his first read hasn't been there. Re programming is not an easy task.