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FORMATION NOTES: Notre Dame was 90% shotgun/pistol with a tight end, with occasional forays under center to do something throwback-related. Michigan was split almost evenly between their 4-2-5 and a 3-3-5. FWIW, unless Michigan lined up without a true zero tech nose in the 3-3-5 I called it a stack even if the LBs were running around doing things. Depending on how dogmatic you want to be this is incorrect nomenclature. Example:
So that doesn't feel like a 3-4 since the DEs are real edge DEs spread out over the edge but the LBs are not, you know, stacked. This was distinguished from "nickel split," which was a pass rush defense where Bush would nominally fill at DT spot.
There were three snaps on which Michigan had two ILBs out there with Furbush.
SUBSTITUTION NOTES: A lot of rotation. Winovich and Gary got most of the snaps at DE but both Kwity Paye and Aidan Hutchinson got a drive or two worth. It was about the same ratio at DT with Marshall and Mone as starters and Dwumfour and Solomon backing up. Dwumfour got more run that Solomon; Kemp got a few snaps.
At LB Hudson and Bush were nearly omnipresent. Hudson was lifted for a few snaps where Michigan had three actual LBs on the field but was otherwise a constant presence. Bush had some cramps that knocked him out for a while. During those periods both Josh Ross and Devin Gil were on the field; they otherwise split snaps at WLB, with Ross seeming to have a slight edge. Josh Uche and Noah Furbush got scattered snaps.
In the secondary, Kinnel omnipresent. Metellus went out early with the targeting call. Hawkins got most of that work with J'Marick Woods getting a drive or two worth of snaps. Hill, Long, and Watson absorbed almost all the CB snaps. Thomas got in for a few. Maybe one?
[After THE JUMP: bah! gah! ah.]
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| O25 | 1 | 10 | Ace trips tight | 4-2-5 | 4-3 over | Press one high | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Bush | 0 | ||||||||
| Bush(+1) blitzes off the trips side, splitting two guys. Both guys turn to deal with him. Gil(+1) knocks over an OL releasing to him; Gary(+0.5) slants to an interior gap and fills it with Gil. Cutback to a more or less unblocked Hudson(+0.5) and Metellus(+0.5). Marshall and Mone your DT package. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O25 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Fly | Hill | Inc | ||||||||
| Attempted fade #1. Michigan is actually backing out into zone; max pro so only 3 guys in the route. Winovich(+2, pressure +1) rips through the LT in a flash and flushes. Gary(+0.5) is there to contain after getting doubled. Wimbush chucks a prayer up that Hill(+1, cover +1) could intercept but the WR plays defense. Maybe a window here since this guy is super tall but Metellus(+0.5) came over the top well and got a hit on the WR. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O25 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 3-3-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Pass | 5 | Drag | N/A | 16 | ||||||||
| ND blows their pick up; Winovich(+1, pressure +3) gets a free run. Doesn’t matter as M gets RPSed hard here, with primary receiver motioning in presnap and two interior guys running downfield, creating a blockade Hill can’t get around. Hill looks to point out the guy as he motions, maybe he expects a switch here if his guy releases inside? Kinnel(-1, tackling -1) comes up hard and misses a tackle. Wouldn’t have stopped the conversion but would have saved some yards. (RPS –2, cover –2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O41 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Fade | Hill | 28 | ||||||||
| More or less an Ole Miss play from last year. Screen to one side, option to go after one on one coverage on the other. Hill (-2, cover -2) probably can’t do much about this because Wimbush hits the window perfectly, WR has to fall forward to catch the ball, but he turns his head too soon and loses contact, then pulls on the WR, drawing a flag. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 1 | 10 | Pistol twin TE | 4-2-5 | 4-4 even | Press one high | Pass | 5 | Y-cross | Hill | Inc | ||||||||
| Excellent time(pressure -2) before Mone pushes the pocket a little and Winovich spins through. Gary(-1) is easily locked out and shoved way upfield by the RT so Wimbush can casually move up in the gap he left. This ball is between two WRs and very badly thrown but I think he’s trying to hit the same WR on a crossing route that Hill(-1, cover -1) is way out of phase on after overplaying the fade. Long(+1, cover +1) is under the nearby corner route and would have a shot at a pick if it was actually thrown at him. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Kinnel | 5 +13 pen | ||||||||
| Formation and M’s package ends up putting Watson, in for Hill, at FS, as Kinnel overhangs over the short side. M inserts Furbush(+0.5) and this works like it did last year, getting Bush through, but play is to the backside. Dwumfour(-2) is locked up and ejected. Winovich(-0.5) is shuffling down and doesn’t react to the pull as quickly as you’d like. Kinnel’s(-1) blocker doesn’t block him, instead running a route, and he’s able to fall off to hold the gain down, but he grabs a facemask to do so. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M13 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | Zone stretch | Dwumfour | 13 | ||||||||
| Wooooof. M lines Furbush and Hudson up to the backside of this play and sends them. Line is slanting away from this and wants to force it back to those blitzers. Except Dwumfour(-3), who fires upfield and gets buried. Academic from there. Kinnel misses a tackle at the 3 but this goes so vertical so quickly I don’t think many players make this play. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Touchdown, 0-7, 13 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O4 | 1 | 10 | ??? | ??? | ??? | ??? | Run | N/A | ??? | N/A | 2 | ||||||||
| Tape doesn’t have this play. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O6 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-3-4 | 4-3 over | Press two high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Metellus | -1 | ||||||||
| M blitzes Metellus(+1) right into this. He’s able to stay up on a cut attempt and force it back. Furbush(+0.5) read and flowed just as quickly, missing a tackle but constricting space. Gary(+0.5) is able to work over after defeating a block; Watson(+0.5) falls off his WR. Three guys meet at the LOS. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O5 | 3 | 9 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-3-4 | 4-3 over | Press one high | Pass | 5 | Slot fade | Furbush | 26 + 15 pen | ||||||||
| Leisurely post snap so seemingly no reason not to sub and get your 4-3 off the field. Instead it’s still on, on third and nine, and Furbush(+1, cover +1) draws man coverage on a slot fade. He honestly doesn’t do a bad job; ball is again placed in a spot where the WR has to fall away from the defender to catch it. Metellus(-2) rushes over and tries to separate the WR from the ball, drawing an obvious targeting call. If he hits this a little different and the ball comes out it’s a great play. Tough to ask him not to try this. Marshall(+0.5) and Winovich(+0.5) had broken through to pressure(+1). | |||||||||||||||||||
| O46 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press one high | Run | N/A | Dash read | Bush | 2 | ||||||||
| Read play on which the line blocks IZ and the back immediately tries to flank the shuffle DE and get to the outside while the QB goes straight upfield. RB manages to flank Gary but Devin Bush(+2) is also on the field and you're trying to outflank that guy without a blocker. Instead you get blasted. (Tackling +1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| O48 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press one high | Pass | 4 | RB flare | Bush | 2 | ||||||||
| TE motions over and runs a route that is very explicitly an attempt to block Bush. Bush goes around it, and around another pick, and is there on the catch(+1, cover +1) to put down the back for a minimal gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Pass | 5 | Scramble | Ross | 7 | ||||||||
| Pass rush exotic with the line slid to the bottom and Furbush as a standup end. Furbush(+1) gets around the corner at 7-8 yards but there’s a lane right inside him as Ross(-2) fires out directly upfield on his blitz. Marshall slants right to where he is. Gary goes around on a stunt. Ross is right next to Marshall, big gap. Bush(-1) is in man on the back and doesn’t read that he’s blocking fast enough to find Wimbush. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M43 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4–3-4 | 4-3 even | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Post | Hawkins | 43 | ||||||||
| Second team line in. PA, max pro, nobody comes through until late (pressure -2). Wimbush just chucks it into coverage and gets paid off when Hawkins(-3, cover +1) literally deflects the ball into Finke’s chest. This wasn’t the ball being taken away. Gah. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Touchdown, 0-14, 7 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O20 | 1 | 10 | Pistol twin TE | 4-2-5 | 4-3 under | Press two high | Run | N/A | Zone stretch | Gary | -3 | ||||||||
| Bush and Hudson blitz up the gut, which feels pretty dangerous against a stretch; Gary(+2) rips through his blocker, gets outside, gets into a second blocker, and paves the way for Hawkins(+1), who’s a cover 2 safety here, to contain and TFL. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O17 | 2 | 13 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Pass | 5 | Bubble screen | N/A | -1 | ||||||||
| Poorly thrown ball takes WR off his feet. Seems like Uche(+0.5) had beat a block to make this happen anyway. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O16 | 3 | 14 | Shotgun empty | 3-3-5 | Nickel split | Press one high | Pass | 3 | Y-cross | Watson | Inc | ||||||||
| Speed rushes from both DEs and not much from the NT; Bush is in a spy role. Both DEs get around at 8 but with nothing else rushing Wimbush can step up easily and throw. Wimbush throws it in front of his guy and he can’t bring it. Watson(+0.5) in reasonable position and might have a play. Pressure -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 0-14, 1 min 1st Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press two high | Run | N/A | QB dash keeper | Gary | 6 | ||||||||
| Zone stretch look with a keep from Wimbush as Gary shuffles down. Gary(-0.5) gets beat to the corner for a yard or two more than you’d like. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O31 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press two high | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Ross | 2 | ||||||||
| Ross in overhang as M has a zone look, ND maybe not ready to deal with M zone looks yet. They’ve clearly put a lot of time into man to man beaters. Winovich shuffles down enough that Wimbush pulls. Ross(+1) fills, forcing a bend around him, and is able to tackle after that bend for a meh gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O33 | 3 | 2 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | QB crack sweep | Kinnel | 3 | ||||||||
| I don’t know what M’s defense is doing. Kinnel goes in motion with a TE that comes across the formation. On the snap Hudson bails out from the line and Bush runs the other way, taking himself out of the play. Hudson can’t respond in time. Kinnel(+1) does a good job to flow out and tackle, beating a block, but Wimbush runs him over because physics. RPS -1, whatever M was doing was bad news against this play. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O36 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press one high | Run | N/A | Counter speed option | Winovich | 12 | ||||||||
| Very common college play now where RB takes mesh step, DE goes into shuffle, and then DE gets edged badly on speed option. Winovich(-2) the victim and I’ll put this more on him instead of RPS because he’s seen this before. Ross(-1) hacked down by a cut block, outside guys in man, easy chunk. RPS -1; M showed man, ND check, big gain. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O48 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel under | Press two high | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Gary | 2 | ||||||||
| Gary(+1) runs over a tight end and gets to the gap the RB is attacking. Marshall(+0.5) is vaguely in the area and the RB bangs into him to help. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 over | Press one high | Run | N/A | Tackle power | Mone | 5 | ||||||||
| Weird thing. Power with the weakside tackle pulling. Zone read fake holds the DE to make this non suicidal, pretty cool. Mone(+0.5) holds up against a double that can’t really get off on anyone. Marshall(-0.5) kind of inert, not terrible not great, doesn’t fight to the gap. Bush and Ross take on blockers and make the tackle after fending them off. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M45 | 3 | 3 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Pass | 5 | RB flare | Ross | Inc (Pen +10) | ||||||||
| We never get a replay here but I think this penalty is garbage. Ross flows into the flat and blasts the running back. This is legal. I don’t see any grabbing by Ross, he just blasts the RB to the ground, and then after a pump the QB throws it and they throw a flag because it looks bad. Refs -3, this is a drive stopper. Winovich(+2, pressure +2) beat his guy and forced this throw to no one. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M35 | 1 | 10 | Ace empty twin TE stack | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press one high | Pass | 4 | Throwback screen | Kinnel | 15 (Pen -5) | ||||||||
| Wimbush hops under center and has two guys lined up behind the right tackle, weird. Motion from a WR like they’re going to jet and then one of the wing TE guys releases backside for a throwback screen. Winovich(+1) reads this and nobody else does. He forces it back inside the numbers. Kinnel(-1) does what he does and comes in super hot, getting pushed past by an OL and doing little useful. Chunk play gets called back because the other wing TE guy made a tiny step forward as the WR was in motion. RPS -2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M40 | 1 | 15 | Shotgun empty | 3-3-5 | 3-2 dime | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Scramble | Dwumfour | 11 | ||||||||
| Paye(+2, pressure +2) around the corner at eight, forcing an immediate flush. Dwumfour(-2) is the relevant DT. He slants towards Paye, gets hit by a guard, does not drive guard, fights inside away from Paye, big hole, scramble, pressure -2. RPS –1, I guess? You're asking for this with a three man line asking Hutchinson and Dwumfour to fill the interior spaces? I don't want to have an 11 yard play that nets at zero. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M29 | 2 | 4 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Flash screen | Hudson | 9 | ||||||||
| M badly positioned to deal with this with Hudson in an overhang and coming to the center of the field on the snap. Watson(-1) is passive and locked out by the blocker; he fires upfield and removes himself. Hudson comes down to tackle after the first down. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M20 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | QB power | Woods | 3 | ||||||||
| M lucks out here as Wimbush busts. his is a called QB run with a tackle pulling to the wide side on which M is cooked with Paye(-1) fighting inside and giving no thought to contain, though the pattern of the play might throw him off. M has nooobody to the play design except Gil but Wimbush takes so long to get there that Woods(+1) is able to fill and hold the gain down. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M17 | 2 | 7 | I-Form | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Run | N/A | Counter pitch | Woods | 1 | ||||||||
| Hudson(+1) in overhang; he comes hard and takes out the fullback, forcing a bend. Woods(+1, tackling +1) is coming on this very quickly, perhaps anticipating a run from under center; he makes a nice tackle for little gain. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M16 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | QB draw | Bush? | 5 | ||||||||
| QB draw; feels like someone busts as Dwumfour(+1) effectively dives inside his guy and gets penetration and no one loops around to replace him. I think it’s Bush(-2), who feints to it and then stops. With no replacement Gil gets whacked by a free releasing RB. Wimbush looks like he’s going to get it. Hawkins(+1) comes up with a productive missed tackle that forces Wimbush outside; Bush(+0.5) is able to recover and force him out. ND then gets a full extra yard on a horrible spot. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M11 | 4 | 1 | Goal line | Goal line | Goal line | Press one high | Run | N/A | QB sneak | N/A | 2 | ||||||||
| This is actually fourth and an inch after the terrible spot. Wonder if Kelly’s going for it if it’s a long one like it should have been. They get it. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M9 | 1 | G | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel under | Press one high | Pass | 4 | Sack | Winovich | -9 | ||||||||
| Wimbush has one covered(+1) read and then he’s snowed under, with Winovich(+2) beating his guy and getting there at the same instant Bush(+2) did, with a delayed Gil coming up the gut a step later to make this comprehensively doomed. (Pressure +4) | |||||||||||||||||||
| M18 | 2 | G | Shotgun 4-wide | 3-3-5 | Okie one | Press one high | Pass | 4 | Throwback screen | Hawkins | 10 | ||||||||
| Not a lot of recognition here that it’s a screen. Hawkins(+0.5) alone in a ton of space and does okay, mostly beating an OL and forcing the WRs first few steps to be horizontal. This allows Winovich(-0.5) to flow out on it and while his motor is impressive he holds up for a second so he doesn’t get cut behind and allows the guy by on the sideline. Kinnel comes in to clean up. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M8 | 3 | G | Shotgun 2TE twins | 3-3-5 | Nickel split | Press two high | Pass | 3 | Dig | Hawkins | Inc (Pen +4) | ||||||||
| This is a garbage call as well, with Winovich hitting Wimbush in a non dangerous area a second, maybe, after the ball is out. The slow mo is two seconds tops. Garbage, garbage, garbage. Refs -3. The play is Michigan dropping eight and Wimbush missing a fairly well covered WR on a dig. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M4 | 1 | G | Goal line | Goal line | Goal line | Press one high | Run | N/A | Power O | N/A | 4 | ||||||||
| This may have worked anyway but it gets the corner because the pulling G latches onto Hill and tackles him, arms around the shoulder pads. Refs -3. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Touchdown, 3-21, 4 min 2nd Q. Thomas returns ensuing kickoff for TD. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O22 | 1 | 10 | Pistol 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press one high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Paye | 8 | ||||||||
| Looks like a standard zone read in the backfield and then two guys pull around. This successfully options off Hudson on the back and gives ND a hat for every guy. Play must be made and is not. Paye(-2) comes in and hits one puller. He gets sealed without enough penetration to pick off the other guy, who goes and cuts Bush. Bush manages to force it back and it’s asking a ton for him to do much else. Ross(+0.5) does a nice job to come off his guy after a blitz and track tis down before it gets to the S. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O30 | 2 | 2 | Pistol 3-wide H | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press two high | Run | N/A | Power O | Marshall | 2 | ||||||||
| Marshall(-1) can’t hold up to a double and gets pancaked. Gary(+1) squeezes down to fill that gap and sheds a TE to tackle as the back passes; Bush(+0.5) scrapes over to help. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O32 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel over | Press two high | Run | N/A | Insert iso | Mone | 2 | ||||||||
| Mone(+1) does a nice job to stand up and shed single blocking, forcing the back to go a bit more horizontal than he wants and giving LB level more time to rally. Bush(+0.5) and Ross(+0.5) get there to hold the damage down. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O34 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun empty | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Tunnel screen | Ross | 3 | ||||||||
| Ross(+2) is the primary defender here and does a great job to juke his way pass the free releasing C; WR assumes C will kick Ross out and when Ross shows up his attempted spin doesn’t work thanks to a nice open field tackle(+1). Third and short at best if this doesn’t happen but damage probably not severe thanks to cover 2 S in area. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O37 | 3 | 5 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | Nickel split | Press two high | Pass | 6 | Dig | Long | 13 | ||||||||
| Long(-2, cover -2) gets dusted here as he way overplays a potential fade and is nowhere in the area code when it turns into an in route. Winovich(+2, pressure +2) around at eight to hit just after the throw. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 1 | 10 | Pistol twin TE twins | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Hawkins | 0 | ||||||||
| Blitz up the gut results in a pull as it looks like Michigan has no edge. They’re in zone, though, so Hawkins(+0.5) and Hill(+0.5) are not run off by routes and can contain and then tackle. RPS +2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 2 | 10 | Ace twins twin TE | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Pass | N/A | Throwback screen | Hawkins | Inc | ||||||||
| Another blitz; ND runs a screen one way whoops screen the other play that Wimbush seems to flat out miss for no reason. Hawkins(+0.5) had put himself in a good spot to get a tackle if there’s a catch. Ball floats right to him but he cannot bring it in as he gets hit by an OL. | |||||||||||||||||||
| 50 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun empty | 3-3-5 | Nickel split | Press two high | Pass | 4 | Fly | Winovich | Inc | ||||||||
| Winovich(+2, pressure +2) around the edge and tackled, flag. This gives Wimbush time to load up and throw. It’s another bomb into double coverage. This one is long. Kinnel and Hill both behind the WR but have plays on many balls; push. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 10-21, EOH. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O27 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Run | N/A | Inverted veer give | Kinnel | 3 | ||||||||
| Kinnel(+1) creeps down presnap once the RB motions into the backfield and is 5 yards off the LOS. No apparent edge from M as Winovich shuffles; give. Kinnel comes up and tackles in space. Winovich with an assist. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O30 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel over | Press one high | Pass | 5 | Fly | Winovich | INT | ||||||||
| M gets caught off guard by tempo but Winovich(+3, pressure +3) is lined up and runs the RT over, hitting on the throw. That throw sails and is at Watson,(+2) who was 6-7 yards off the WR because he wasn’t lined up right so he’s two yards over the top and makes a tough over the shoulder INT. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Interception, 10-21, 13 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O45 | 1 | 10 | Pistol 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 under | Press two high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Ross | 0 | ||||||||
| Same P&P from earlier. Gil(+1) blitzes off edge and stands up one puller to restrict space. Ross(+1) finds the play and hits the other guy, rocking him back. Winovich(+1) sheds his guy to tackle in the phonebooth the LBs provided. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Pass | 5 | Throwback wheel | Gary | Inc | ||||||||
| Another throwback, this one trying to get the RB out on single LB coverage. RB does have a step on Ross down the sideline but Ross is booking and has a play on various balls. Ball never gets there as Gary(+1) and Winovich(+1) get in QB’s face too fast for him to set. Pressure +2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 3 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Pass | 4 | Fade | Winovich | Inc | ||||||||
| Winovich(+1) dives inside and gets through the LT; Gary(+1) gets around the RT; Hudson(+1) goes through the RB. All three guys meet at Wimbush(pressure +3). Wimbush throws a fade that’s well beyond Hill and his man. Hill(+0.5) in his hip pocket. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 10-21, 10 min 3rd Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O28 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide H | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press two high | Run | N/A | Zone read keeper | Hawkins | 2 | ||||||||
| Zone read with the TE running in the flat as a third option. Wimbush thinks about it but nah. Hawkins(+1) safety to the hash; he reads it and flows up fast with some help from Gary(+0.5) chasing him wide. Hawkins makes an authoritative tackle. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O30 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Pass | 5 | Sack | Bush | -10 | ||||||||
| Bush(+3) and Hudson blitz; Bush shoots by the LG before he can react and is in on Wimbush for a rabid squirrel sack(pressure +3). Jumps on his back and everything. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O20 | 3 | 18 | Shotgun 4-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press two high | Run | N/A | QB draw | Ross | 22 | ||||||||
| Very bad when QB can go straight upfield. Dwumfour rips through his guy and gets aggressive. He at least absorbs the RB but he’s out of his lane. Solomon(-1) gets turned upfield and locked out. Downfield Bush is in all the space and has a blocker. Ross(-2) is dropping; he checks outside and then goes back to the QB, reacting really really slowly to this. Bush chases him but has too much space to shut down. Hawkins(-1) reacts slowly as well; if he ‘s as fast as Kinnel this is probably a yard or two short. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O42 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press one high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Hudson | 3 | ||||||||
| Hudson(+1) cuts off the outside, jarring one puller back. Bush has the other puller and redirects when the RB cuts upfield, does ok. Hutchinson(+0.5) fends off his blocker with an arm and then gets around him as he stumbles; Dwumfour(+0.5) gave ground to get around and gets to the POA. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 2 | 7 | Shotgun trips | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | Zone read belly | Uche | 11 | ||||||||
| Hutchinson(-1) blown too far down the line by a double; Uche(-2) can’t shut all that space down and then misses his tackle attempt. With Bush blitzing to the edge he has QB contain; Uche should be flying directly to back for TFL. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M44 | 1 | 10 | Ace H | 4-2-5 | 4-3 under | Press two high | Pass | 5 | Improv | Gil | 19 | ||||||||
| PA sees M blitz backside so Gil(-2, tackling -2) gets a free run. He comes in super hot and tries to tackle up high and gets spun off of. Poor damn Don Brown. Now that Wimbush is out of the pocket he can hit the wide open Y cross guy, who Woods(-3, cover -3) has completely busted on as he sucks up on the play action. RPS +2, Pressure +2. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press one high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Dwumfour | -4 | ||||||||
| This is Hurst-ish. Big help as ND busts a pin and pull, pulling C to RT. One of those guys has to stay for Dwumfour or this happens. Dwumfour(+2) does jet into the backfield fast and make it count. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M29 | 2 | 14 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 under | Press two high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Hawkins | 3 | ||||||||
| Winovich(+1) penetrates upfield inside of a TE block to pick off one puller. Back heads outside as it’s a mess inside. Hawkins(+0.5) is pulled up to the LOS and moving forward at the snap so he’s easily able to fill on the edge. Watson(+0.5) falls off his guy to help tackle. RPS +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M26 | 3 | 11 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Pass | 4 | Fade | Watson | 26 (Pen -5) | ||||||||
| Watson clearly singled up as he’s playing off a bit and the safety is shaded to the two WR side. Watson (-2, cover -2) gets smoked. WR feints out and then bursts upfield of him to the inside, two steps. Wimbush’s throw isn’t great and is also perfect? He’s got a big window and instead throws a pass that would be complete against any coverage. Enormous DOD and proabbly not what was intended but it works. And it gets called back for illegal man downfield as Boykin covered up a TE. Pocket comfortable(-1) on a quick throw. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M31 | 3 | 16 | Shotgun empty | 3-3-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Run | N/A | QB draw | Winovich | 0 | ||||||||
| Winovich(+0.5) loops inside and slows Wimbush; Dwumfour(+0.5) chips in there too, as does Hudson(+0.5). Gil(+0.5) cleans up a stumbling Wimbush just past the LOS. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: FG(48), 10-24, 3 min 4th Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O36 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Run | N/A | Split zone | Gil | 5 | ||||||||
| M goes light and stunts and ND catches it with a good call. Winovich vacates the POA. Gil(-0.5) fills it and gets beat up by an OL. He’s line up on the LOS so this is real tough. Hudson kicked; Kinnel(+1, tackling +1) comes down and makes a nice tackle. RPS -1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O41 | 2 | 5 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press two high | Pass | N/A | Flash screen | Uche | 4 | ||||||||
| Uche(+1) in overhang. He reads the non-mesh and focuses on the WR, getting out in time to make a tackle after a couple yards. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O45 | 3 | 1 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 under | Press one high | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Gary | 1 | ||||||||
| Ross(+0.5) inserts at velocity and rocks his guy back. Gets buried but resets part of the LOS. Kemp(-1) surges upfield and gets knocked over, giving RB a critical bit of space that Gary(+2) fills but cannot quite prevent the first down. Except… uh… it kind of looks like he does. It’s too close to overturn and not as egregious as some other spots in this game. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O46 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | Nickel even | Press one high | Run | N/A | Pin and pull | Winovich | -3 | ||||||||
| Winovich(+3) fires into the first puller and rocks him back deep in the backfield. RB tries to go inside. Winovich is also there. RB tries to go back outside. Grab, TFL. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O43 | 2 | 13 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | 3-2 dime | Press two high | Pass | 5 | TE seam | Uche | Inc | ||||||||
| Five man rush stoned(pressure -2). Uche(+1) in trail on a TE seam and could do better on this but replay shows that he grabs the TE’s hand just as the ball arrives and forces the incompletion. He then lets go of the hand and gets his hands up, uselessly, but the deed is shakily done already. Cover +1. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O43 | 3 | 13 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | Okie one | Press one high | Run | N/A | Down G | Uche | -3 | ||||||||
| Uche(+1) off the edge as M shows pass rush exotic; he gets blocked but forces RB inside where Winovich cleans up for TFL. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 10-24, 14 min 4th Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O44 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 4-2-5 | ??? | Press two high | Run | N/A | Zone read belly | Dwumfour | 10 | ||||||||
| Dwumfour(-2) blown out by the double on the backside, like blown out blown out. Winovich has to contain the QB and does, handoff, Gil(-1) gets lost on the inside, RB to safety. S is actually Thomas, iffy tackle. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M46 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE twins | 3-3-5 | 3-3 stack | Press one high | Run | N/A | Zone read belly | Winovich | 0 | ||||||||
| Same play. Should definitely hand off. Dwumfour(-1) blown out but less badly; Gil(-1) buries self. Winovich(+1) splits the difference better this time and induces a keep he can flow out on. Kinnel(+0.5) help clean it up on the sideline. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M46 | 2 | 10 | Shotgun 2TE | 3-3-5 | 3-3 over | Press two high | Run | N/A | Power O | Uche | 3 | ||||||||
| Exotic line. M slants away from the play and Winovich loops further away; LBs fill. Ross(+1) rocks his guy back and forces inside. Uche(+0.5) benefits from not actually being blocked and finishes the play after a few. | |||||||||||||||||||
| M43 | 3 | 7 | Shotgun 3-wide | 3-3-5 | Exotic | Press one high | Pass | 5 | In | Winovich | Inc | ||||||||
| Winovich(+1, pressure +2) runs by the RG and gets quick pressure that forces a wide throw. Long got rubbed legally and was behind this (cover -1) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 10-24, 5 min 4th Q. | |||||||||||||||||||
| Ln | Dn | Ds | O Form | D Pack | Front | Cover look | Type | Rush | Play | Player | Yards | ||||||||
| O25 | 1 | 10 | Shotgun twin TE twins | 4-2-5 | 4-3 over | Press two high | Run | N/A | Inside zone | Dwumfour | 2 | ||||||||
| Probably Dwumfour’s(+2) best play of the night as he gets a bonafide double and rips the outside guy by him. He then surges up in the gap the RB is attacking; RB manages to slip a tough tackle attempt but Watson can finish. Gary(-1) got blown back when he tried to shed and that helps ND gain a couple. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O27 | 2 | 8 | Shotgun 2TE | 4-2-5 | 4-3 even | Press two high | Run | N/A | QB power | Mone | 2 | ||||||||
| Mone(+1) shoves his guy back, impeding the puller. This allows Gil(+1) to get to the POA unmolested. Puller does get around to him but late. Hawkins(+0.5) comes down to help finish. | |||||||||||||||||||
| O29 | 3 | 6 | Shotgun 3-wide | 4-2-5 | 4-3 under | Press two high | Run | N/A | Inverted veer keep | Ross | 3 | ||||||||
| Puller loses himself in the line for no apparent reason. Ross(+1) anticipates and whacks the WR crack block and forces Wimbush to bend around him. Gil(+0.5) comes back from the RB contain to tackle with help from Winovich(+0.5). | |||||||||||||||||||
| Drive Notes: Punt, 17-24, 2 min 4th Q. Kneels not charted, EOG. | |||||||||||||||||||
I see we're delaying the OL bit as long as possible
shut up
This was also unpleasant
why are you the way you are
Michigan football?
Fair, fair.
ok, WHA HAPPEN MY BEAUTIFUL DEFENSE
Drive chart overview thing:
- TD drives of 75, 96, and 75* yards.
- 41 yard FG drive
- 28 yard drive ends in punt
- 3 three and outs, including an INT, two first-down-and-outs.
ND did pack it in for their last two drives as they tried to four-minute drill the rest of the game away. M gave up one first down between those two drives.
Not to last year's standard. Not awful, though?
The asterisk?
ND's third touchdown drive was real real frustrating. ND got a holding call on Josh Ross that looks bogus, a friendly spot that led to a fourth and inches conversion that should have been fourth and 1.5, a very tenuous roughing call, and then held the bejeezus out of Hill on their TD.
But still fairly meh.
I mean. Given the nature of many of ND's yards it's sort of okay? There were three main issues. One was Notre Dame attacking Michigan's man coverage early. Live I thought someone had busted a coverage on ND's first third down, but it was an RPS play where Hill gets (legally) rubbed off. There were a couple more early pass patterns that picked or sought to pick off M.
Another version of this attacked Michigan's tendency to go single high. Here Hawkins is the free safety; ND runs one of those zone-read-to-speed-option plays that are becoming the rage against shuffling DEs. Winovich gets edged here and that's all she wrote:
DE #15 to bottom, also #20 FS
You can defend that from single high but you have to get a good play from your DE and that'll weaken your ability to defend zone read belly stuff, which ND ran with some frequency. That's a luxury Michigan had last year with Mo Hurst. Less so this year.
Several other ND plays attempted to attack this same area, but after Michigan had moved to two high looks they got about three yards each. The RPS in this game started out like –7 but after Michigan went to more zone/two high looks it got back to balanced by the end of the game.
Okay but all the bombs? What happened to my precious secondary?
Issue number two. A couple of those were concerning. The first one saw Hill beaten over the top and lose contact in a way we didn't see all of last year:
Watson also got toasted crispy on the called-back touchdown:
That looks like the world's most badass throw from Wimbush but is probably errant. The coverage does not demand that degree of difficulty on the throw or from the WR. It also gives Watson zero chance to recover because it's (accidentally) unguardable. The deep shot at Furbush was similar:
I was cranky about this in the immediate post game, but Furbush is in excellent position. He just has no play because Wimbush puts it just over the outside shoulder of his WR. If the offense gets it exactly right you lose. Wimbush does, despite having to back up because of quick pressure. And FFS:
That's a back-foot completion. Football! What a terrible thing.
There are many acceptable throws on which a defender can do something, as Uche did on another deep shot:
Because that ball is not undefendable Uche's able to grab the TE's hand at the critical moment and induce the drop. Three of Wimbush's four deep hits in this game were two instances of iffy coverage and three throws that were unguardable in any circumstances.
On various other punts Wimbush was just chucking it and hoping. One of these was of course a touchdown. Was it brutally painful to go over the tape in detail and discover that Brad Hawkins hadn't had the ball ripped away but had more or less pushed the ball directly into the chest of the WR?
Yes. Yep. Yes. What happens if the WR is not there is Hawkins deflects the ball upwards behind him instead of intercepting. Unfortunately there is a Finke in the way.
Other chucks were full Rex Grossman, like his first pass, a flushed rollout into a bracketed WR that Hill almost intercepted...
...and the actual interception.
He was hit on that but he's also throwing a fade at a WR who is two steps behind a DB who was (accidentally) playing off. Given Wimbush's general level of polish, I doubt that was an attempted back-shoulder that got disrupted.
Wimbush had a lot of success bombing it downfield last year and ND has a fleet of 6'5" guys, so some of this was to be expected. It still feels if we replay the game 100 times the average Wimbush performance is unlikely to feature strikes quite so unguardable and tosses up another turnover or two. Which he did. Except not quite.
Thing the third?
Michigan's DT play was a disappointment. Marshall and Mone started, which is bad news since those are low-upside seniors and not the guys we were told are the hotness through the offseason. I did not clip a single Marshall thing. He was all but invisible. While Mone was his solid and generally unmovable self he offers no pass rush. What he did chip in was some decent stuff against the run that let other people make plays:
#90 NT
That's all right in the context of the Michigan D, but we were hoping for more. Nobody was in the same solar system as even early versions of Hurst, or, like, Ryan Glasgow. How about a
churt
churt?
cant be bothere to spell no more
All right. The chart is not like the last couple years of charts:
|
Defensive Line |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | + | - | T | Notes |
| Gary | 10.5 | 2.5 | 8 | Not dominant, not bad. |
| Marshall | 1 | 1.5 | -0.5 | This is our concern. |
| Mone | 2.5 | 2.5 | I'll take it? | |
| Winovich | 25 | 3 | 22 | 3.5 TFLs and almost two forced INTs, constantly disruptive. |
| Paye | 2 | 3 | -1 | Good edge rush, some youngin' stuff. |
| Dwumfour | 6 | 10 | -4 | Blown out way too much. |
| Solomon | 1 | -1 | Barely played. Gotta be a health issue? | |
| Hutchinson | 0.5 | 1 | -0.5 | Looked promising for down the road. |
| Kemp | 1 | -1 | ||
| TOTAL | 46.5 | 22 | 24.5 | Someone needs to step up and help the DEs. |
| Linebacker | ||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes |
| Furbush | 3 | 3 | Edge rush and good coverage that got beat. | |
| Bush | 10.5 | 3 | 7.5 | Still bush. |
| Gil | 4 | 4.5 | -0.5 | Not bad for first start. |
| Ross | 7.5 | 5 | 2.5 | Liked him a bit better though. |
| Uche | 4 | 2 | 2 | Not a ton of impact but functional. |
| TOTAL | 29 | 14.5 | 14.5 | Very acceptable. |
| Secondary | ||||
| Player | + | - | T | Notes |
| Hudson | 4 | 4 | Somewhat muted but still fine. | |
| Metellus | 2 | 2 | 0 | Doing well until axed. |
| Kinnel | 3.5 | 3 | 0.5 | Eh. |
| Hill | 2 | 3 | -1 | Didn't get tested much after the long reception. |
| Long | 1 | 2 | -1 | Beat badly once and not targeted much. |
| Watson | 3.5 | 3 | 0.5 | Beat very badly on called back TD. |
| Thomas | DNC | |||
| Hawkins | 5.5 | 4 | 1.5 | One bad thing, lots of little good ones |
| TOTAL | 21.5 | 17 | 4.5 | Coverage metric ungood. |
| Metrics | ||||
| Pressure | 32 | 13 | +19 | Couldn't make it count. |
| Coverage | 7 | 10 | -3 | : / |
| Tackling | 4 | 3 | +1 | Safeties did good work. |
| RPS | 10 | 9 | +1 | Started off ugly, recovered. |
Ugh? I mean?
It's not exactly bad, with giant net positives for the front seven. There are some major spots of concern, most clearly everyone on the DL except the starting DEs.
WHY NO DWUMFOUR SNAPS HE GOTS THE HYPES?
Well, you know what they say about offseason hype.
LIES
This one is especially painful given how much hype has been hyped and Michigan's clear need for a disruptive DT to run Don Brown's stuff. Dwumfour was not up for this game, especially early. He got in late on the first drive and got his ass kicked on his first
