UFR GLOSSARY is here. Note: "Amoeba" means they drop a DE.

FORMATION NOTES: I did my best but the BTN camera work is the worst, and Michigan was doing a lot of pre-snap shifting off-screen so the secondary looks are not going to be accurate. Michigan had a safety high and one teasing the box which isn't new but I'm going to start labeling 1.5. The front is a 5-1 with one of their ILBs on the edge, which they used a lot, occasionally shifting to something else right before the snap.

SUBSTITUTION NOTES: Much tighter rotation. Grant started for Graham, same rotation on the DL otherwise. Hausmann got a third of the snaps at WLB and a series at MLB. Will Johnson went most of the way; Wallace moved to nickel late and Harris came in, with DJ Waller getting a few reps at the very end. Rod Moore and Quinten Johnson actually split snaps evenly; Moore returned for the drive after The Disaster, and got the 3rd quarter. Q-Jo got the 2nd and 4th quarters. We'll discuss this below.

[After THE JUMP: Gonna run Cov3 until morale improves.]

Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 off	PRO	5	TE Screen/Veer	Harrell	Inc	-0.70
Bash PA meets a Double-A blitz with Harrell(+2, cov+2, RPS+1) taking the TE outside. He's so tight the WR rub can't even get to him. Wimsatt throws it away.
O25	2nd	10	Gun Str	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	2 fld	Pass	4	Hitch	Wallace	6	0.17
At a signal M shifts to a Nk Over but ball is snapped at the same time, surprising Wimsatt. Harrell(+1, PR+1) is off but the rest of the front is slow so Wimsatt can roll out and find soft coverage under Wallace(-1, cov-2, RPS-1). Throw is low and slow or else this is close to a 1st down (Hat-1).
O31	3rd	4	Gun Str	4-2-5	Eagle AA	2 fld	Pass	4	H Slant	Sainristil	69	6.58
The tragedy is Minter called exactly the right play. Sainristil(-2, cov-2) slips on the cut so he's not there to tackle on the catch. This should be survivable however because M has McGregor(-1) dropping into coverage but he's a DE and fails to look up the guy he's supposed to get under. Harrell(+2, PR+2) cleanly throwing off the RT and about to sack if this route they had double-covered gets covered: RPS+2. Misfortune turns to disaster as Moore(-4, tackling-4) completely airballs the receiver, not even slowing him so others can rally. Paige gives chase but can't make up that much ground.
Drive Notes: Touchdown. 0-7. 14 min 1st Q. Secondary disasters blow what should have been the Jaylen Harrell drive.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O11	1st	20	Gun Wk	4-2-5	4-3 Over	1 off	Run		Stretch Insert	Barrett	6	0.05
Read just holds Paige who's rolled down. Think D-Mo(-0.5) gets too high and Grant(-1) gets washed so this is a big gap that Barrett(+2) fills by popping the Iso TE back and initiating the tackle. This is an excellent LB play.
O17	2nd	14	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 fld	Run		Stretch Insert	Paige	10	0.39
Same play but this time they catch D-Mo(-2) coming inside the LT. I can't imagine that is correct or M meant to do that. Paige(+0.5) flies down quickly and Sainristil(+1) hops around a crack attempt to force this back inside but Grant(-1) was blown back by a double that prevented Colson from flowing which turns a 5-yard mistake into a 10-yard one.
O27	3rd	4	Gun TTB	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	1 bdy	Penalty		False Start	n/a	(-5)	-0.37
Oops (Hat-1).
O22	3rd	9	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	Eagle A	2 off	Run		Stretch Insert	Grant	-3	-0.20
M has Grant(+1) stepping around a double that wants to kick him and both Colson and D-Mo(+1, tackling+1) stepping inside the C gap with Moore replacing. This leaves three RU OL blocking nobody, as the two DL swallow the RB in the backfield. RPS+2 this had to be a call specifically to mess with the Iso they were running.
Drive Notes: Punt. 0-7. 9 min 1st Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk Tight	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 off	Pass	5	TE Out	Hausmann	4	-0.11
Sainristil(+0.5) blitzing and RB has to get away with a hold (Refs-1) but Grant(+1, PR+1) has the C beat so Wimsatt dumps before it can be relevant. Hausmann(+1, cov+1) is right on this and TE has to catch it from his knees (Hat+1).
O29	2nd	6	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	4-3 Even	1 off	Pass	4	Scramble	Hausmann	2	-0.42
Nk Amoeba, LG hauls down McGregor with the most flagrant uncalled hold of the season (Refs-2). PR+1 I guess because it spooks Wimsatt into taking off. He sees Hausmann lining up for a shot and slides. Say something, Lou Holtz.
O31	3rd	4	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	5-2 odd	1 press	Run		ZR Midline	Goode	5	1.47
McGregor(+2) slants inside the LG and arrives at the RB first. Benny(-1) is the DT being read and doesn't recognize what this means. Missed opportunity turns into a cutback opportunity because Goode(-1) got turned out. Paige(+0.5) held it down to a short gain but they convert.
O36	1st	10	Gun Trips RB	4-2-5	Nk Over	1 off	Run		ZR Keeper	Paige	15	1.38
Before this: they see something and check but too late and TO. Don't think they saw Paige(-2) who blitzes but tackles the RB like it's 1999. Wimsatt pulls M is sold out in the middle, with McGregor(-1) getting washed out from his slant. Colson(-2) compounds by thinking the RB has it and gets to the wrong side of the LG. Sainristil(-1) tried to scoot up past a WR and also ends up chasing. Tons of space but Q-Jo(+2, tackling+1) two-gapped a WR and made the tackle at the sticks.
M49	1st	10	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	1.5 off	RPO		Veer/TE Screen	Sainristil	1	-0.86
Nk Amoeba kills this as Harrell goes with the TE and Sainristil(+2) appears. He sets up high to cut off the escape and intiates the tackle, getting carried a yard until they run into McGregor(+0.5) at the LOS. Goode(+1) had a G beat who rips his facemask (Refs-2) dangerously. Can't grade a what-if-he-pulls bc Harrell reacts to the give and he was the read who set the trap: RPS+1.
M48	2nd	9	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	4-4 Tite	2 off	Pass	5	Hitch	Wallace	11	1.57
I don't get the off coverage under Wallace(-2, cov-2). He's only just getting into his break when the ball arrives. A little aggression would make sense because the blitz is hitting home (PR+1) with McGregor(+1) through a T despite Hausmann(-1) getting wrecked by the RB. RPS-1.
M37	1st	10	Offset TTB	4-2-5	4-3 Over	1 off	RPO		IZ/Go	Benny	4	-0.08
Nk blitz. Read is just off/on the X receiver. Goode(+1) stands up a double but Benny(-1) got worked outside so there's room until Hausmann(+1) steps up to take on a G plus the RB's momentum. Pile lurches for 2 more.
M33	2nd	6	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 fld	Run		QB Lead	Hausmann	3	-0.25
Stewart(+1) fighting a TE/T double and rips the RT by him. Would be a +2 if the TE doesn't start moving him but that's enough for Hausmann(+2) to jet past the RT, pop the lead blocker out the way and get a shoulder into Wimsatt. Jenkins(+1) gives up a yard then shucks his guard to pursue from behind and end it. Grant(+0.5) puts his G in the backfield too. Goes in the books as 3 yards but this started inside the 34 and ends at 3rd & 3.75 not 3rd & 3.
M30	3rd	3	Offset TTB	4-2-5	4-3 Over	2 fld	Run		Dive	Q.Johnson	2	-0.48
Jenkins(+1) is head-up on a G and hops over 2 gaps and C has to get a full waist wrap (Refs-1) to prevent a blowup. RPS-1 because he hopped out of the gap they were attacking. Barrett(+1) blitzing behind this stands up the RG who had Jenkins, and then Q-Jo(+1, tackling) flies in from replacement level and arrests Monangai short of the sticks. EO1Q.
M28	4th	1	Offset TTE	4-2-5	5-2 Odd	2 press	Run		Split Zone	Jenkins	(-5)	-1.07
This play technically didn't happen but they played it out so I'll grade it because Jenkins(+3) is into the backfield too fast for a TE trying to block down on him, which intercepts the crack blocker and forces a cutback into a blitzing Q-Jo(+1, tackling+1). Extra points to Grant(+0.5) putting the C on his knees and Barrett(+1) hopping over this to join the party, superfluously as it turns out. RU bailed out by a false start on both guards. (Hat-1).
Drive Notes: Missed FG(51). 7-7. 14 min 2nd Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O24	1st	10	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	Nk Over	1 off	Run		ZR Stretch Insert	Barrett	0	-0.67
This again, and Barrett(+2) isn't having it, slamming through the TE deep in the backfield and shedding and TFL with help from Grant(+1) who beat a play-long double. McGregor(+1) was outside and put the RT high and in to cut off any bounces.
O24	2nd	10	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 fld	Pass	4	Hitch	Johnson	9	0.65
This time it's Johnson(-2, cov-2) playing way off. Does the same thing as Wallace, not breaking until the pass is almost caught. RPS-1 why are you afraid of Rutgers?
O33	3rd	1	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	4-3 Over	1 press	Run		ZR IZ	Jenkins	-1	-0.76
Now we press. Paige(+0.5) makes it a nice long mesh as Jenkins(+2) immediately into the backfield against a double that looks more like two friends stopping a bar fight. Barrett(+2) blasts a T and chucks him GETOUTTAHERE and joins Jenkins in collecting his prize. Hausmann(+0.5) in there too, Grant(+0.5) put a G in the backfield to add to the wall.
Drive Notes: Punt. 7-7. 8 min 2nd Q. Nobody sets before the punt. Next drive starts on the RU 6 because their KR didn't field the KO.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O6	1st	10	Gun TTE	5-2-4	5-2 Over	1.5 off	Run		ZR Dive	Colson	2	-0.14
1:41, 2 TO. Backside is getting kicked but read just in case the DE comes inside I guess? Weird Brady Hoke ZR plan. Benny(+0.5) goes to one knee to stalemate his double but the C comes off and wrecks Hausmann(-1) to form a crease. Back can't get to it because Colson(+2) found a gap behind a double Grant(+0.5) is surviving and a TE that Jenkins(+1) is blowing up, and tracks the ball until he gets to where D-Mo(+0.5) is holding a T on the edge with assistance from Johnson(+1) ducking a WR crack to show up at the POA. Sandwich time.
O8	2nd	8	Gun TTE	5-2-4	5-2 Over	2 off	Run		ZR Dive	Benny	3	-0.13
0:55. Benny(+1) holds up a double long enough for Hausmann(+1) to level the C, which frees Benny to flow to the ballcarrier and squeeze him down. M should have taken their last TO here.
O11	3rd	5	Gun TTE	5-2-4	5-2 Over	2 off	Run		ZR Dive	D.Moore	3	-0.06
0:08. Same thing plus a CB blitz from Johnson (RPS+1) that allows D-Mo(+1) to slant into the backfield and tackle. Benny(+0.5) got movement on the center. Grant(+0.5) and Jenkins(+0.5) were backside preventing anything from going anywhere else.
O14	4th	2	Victory	5-2-4	Punt	n/a	Run		Kneel	Johnson	-7	1.14
M takes a TO with :03 left. RU means to kneel it out but Harrell(+0.5) and Johnson(+0.5) actually get to the QB with a shot to strip it, forcing Wimsatt to go down. Field clock was at zero, TV clock still had a 1 on it. Half point each.
Drive Notes: EoH. 14-7. It's another 8 minutes of gametime before we come back.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk RB Z-In	4-2-5	Nk Even	1 off	Pass	4	Flag	Moore	Inc	-0.70
M shifts into this from an over, 2-high. RU in max pro but McGregor(+2, PR+2) has the LT alone and Petit-Freres the big fella. Wimsatt floats a pass that Moore(+1, cov+1) is on top of but can't get to to intercept. If WR looks for this he might have a play. Wimsatt Hat+2.
O25	2nd	10	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	2 off	Penalty		False Start	n/a	(-5)	-0.36
M shifts, center moves. RPS+1, gotchya.
O20	2nd	15	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Nk Even	1.5 off	Pass	4	Throwaway	Wallace	Inc(+8)	1.29
Harrell(+2, PR+2) spins through the RT and McGregor(+1) popped a TE/RB double into the pocket so Wimsatt chucks this towards the sideline vaguely in the directly of Wallace(+2, cov+2) who's breaking to intercept anything accurate. Refs-3 throw a horseshit PI because the WR gave up on his route while Wallace was heading to the ball. Hot take: this was retaliation for the shift, which wasn't illegal but felt like it should be?
O28	1st	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	5-1 Odd	1.5 bdy	Pass	5.5	Throwaway	Sainristil	Inc	-0.80
Late shift to 5-1 with Nk rolling in and all six come until Harrell peels off with the RB. Jenkins(+1) beats a block, and Sainristil(+0.5, PR+2) is there in a flash and Wimsatt drifts back and chucks it at nobody. I hate that they never call this grounding. RPS+1.
O28	2nd	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Nk Split	1.5 off	Play-Action	4.5	Deep Out	Wallace	17	2.38
Harrell(+1, PR+1) beats the LT clean an 9 and is coming in for the sack so Wimsatt flings it early at an out. WR dives, Wallace(+1, cov+1) is there to take away anything but a diving catch on a perfect (Hat+2) ball. WR gets his fingertips under it and elbows down but ball does move a bit as he lands. M uses a timeout to get them to look. They don't look.
O45	1st	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 off	Play-Action	2	PA Bootleg	Wallace	Inc	-1.16
Shift from Tite. Wallace(+1, cov+2) is having a Monkey's Paw drive. PA gets the LB level to bite but Sainristil(+1) is on a whip route and there's nothing for Wimsatt but to fling it at a comeback that Wallace is chopping. Hat+2. WR just barely comes down OOB with it.
O45	2nd	10	Gun Wk RB H-Jet	4-2-5	Nk Split	2 off	Play-Action	2	PA Deep Out	Paige	20	2.47
Gotdamn Wimsatt (Hat+3). Nk blitz is checking SZ action then Sainristil(+1, PR+1) detaches and flies up with his hands in the air. QB arcs this perfectly to an out with Paige(+1, cov+1) on his shoulder and punching a hand through his arms as he catches it.
M35	1st	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Nk Under	2 fld	Pass	4	Hitch	Paige	Inc	-0.69
CB blitz opposite Amoeba. Wimsatt sees plenty of room under Paige(-1, cov-2, RPS-1) but the spirit of Trevor Siemian Unstoppable Throw God has departed and Wimsatt wings this well OBB (Hat-2).
M35	2nd	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Eagle AA	2 fld	Pass	4	Hitch	Johnson	Inc	-0.91
Stunt gets Barrett(+0.5) in free and Harrell(+1, PR+2, RPS+1) beats the RT so Wimsatt chucks this well over a hitch that Johnson(+1, cov+1) is breaking up if accurate. Side judge who flagged Wallace earlier this drive tries to hit Johnson for a light shove but the other refs are like "Kyle, put your damn flag back in your pocket."
M35	3rd	10	Gun Str Z-In	4-2-5	Eagle D	2 fld	Pass	4	Slant	Barrett	8	0.67
Protection picks up a stunt with Colson (PR-1). Barrett(-0.5) picks up a crosser just a second late, and maybe gets away with a little tug that slows him down and forces him to dive for this instead of catch it in stride. Harrell was set up for a hit if he did that though and the layout actually gets this an extra 2 yards to get to 4th & 2. Hat+1.
M27	4th	2	Gun Wk RB	4-2-5	5-2 Over	1 press	Pass	n/a	Tunnel Screen	Sainristil	-71	-10.06
First of all RPS+1 to Minter he has two dudes converging on exactly this screen. Second let's give it to Johnson(+2, cov+3) who followed the WR back over the H and is going to tackle on the catch or rake it out for a 4th down stop if Sainristil(+4 DOES +4 EVEN EXIST? I DON'T CARE TRY AND STOP ME) doesn't intercept this, keep his feet, power lift Junior Colson, roll a 20 on his stealth check vs a T and G who are giving up on the play, then scoot past everyone to the endzone. Well not everyone...Grant(+2) races ahead of him then knocks Wimsatt over.
Drive Notes: Defensive Touchdown. 24-7. 4 min 3rd Q.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Wk RB H-Jet	4-2-5	Nk Over	2 off	Run		Arc WR Give	D.Moore	4	-0.11
Hausmann(+0.5) gives a tough read as D-Mo(+1) and Jenkins(+1) move the RT and C a yard into the backfield. Colson(+0.5) dodged the G to help stuff. Benny(-1) is getting bent back by a double so the pile can lurch for a few.
O29	2nd	6	Gun TTB	4-2-5	Nk Split	1.5 off	PRO		TE Delay/Stretch	D.Moore	Inc	-0.65
Cute play (RPS-1) that Sainristil(+1, PR+1) sniffs out. TE disengages at the last second from the end of a very convincing OZ. D-Mo does see the throw and might make it difficult by leaping. TE falls down and can't bring it down with him. Colson(+0.5) was around in case so cov+1.
O29	3rd	6	Gun 2x2	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 fld	Penalty		False Start	n/a	(-5)	-0.33
Oops (Hat-1).
O24	3rd	11	Offset Str Z-In	4-2-5	Nk over	2 off	Pass	4	H Drag	Sainristil	8	0.19
Stewart(-1) is stonewalled trying to go inside the LT so there's space to throw after they chip D-Mo(+1, PR+1) who does still beat the RT and force Wimsatt to try a crosser versus excellent coverage by Sainristil(+2, cov+2) who gets a rake on it and tackles well short of the sticks. Hat+1 for catching it off Sainristil's tip, but still 4th down. EO3Q for defense.
Drive Notes: Punt. 24-7. 2 min 3rd Q. Some weirdness on the punt formation after M does something--I wonder if Michigan had a plan to block and RU diagnosed it. M scores and next drive it's 31-7 in the 4th Q so backup hour rules in effect.
Ln	Dn	Dst	OForm	DPack	Front	Hi	Type	Rush	Play	Player	Yds	EPA
O25	1st	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 off	Run		ZR Stretch	Harrell	1	-0.59
Wallace at Nk, Harris at CB, Q-Jo back. Harrell(+2) is Mr. Edge Man. He hops up high to set the boundary of a stretch(!) play at the hash, then comes inside and tackles with help from a two-gapping Jenkins(+1) who kept his C in the backfield the whole play. Also the LG stumbled trying to get out on Barrett(+0.5) who dodges and meets his buddies at the crossroads.
O26	2nd	9	Gun TTB	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 off	Pass	4	TE Curl	Colson	10	1.52
Shift from Over. Both DEs overrush a 3-step drop (Harrell(-0.5), McGregor(-0.5), PR-1) which gives Wimsatt time to find a curl under Colson(-1, cov-1) who's passing off the H but doesn't hammer down fast enough. Might be harsh given M just wants to bleed clock here.
O36	1st	10	Gun Wk Bunch	4-2-5	5-1 odd	1.5 off	Pass	5	TE Dig	Harris	18	1.60
Six-man protection picks up a twist with a Nk blitz and Wimsatt is clean (PR-2, RPS-2) with time for once. He finds a crosser that Harris(-1, cov-1) is behind without leverage.
M46	1st	10	Offset Trips RB	4-2-5	Nk Even	2 off	Run		ZR Belly	Harrell	7	0.53
Harris is force and is way too far outside while getting read. Harrell(-0.5) didn't do much vs a TE who gets a clever yank as the RB goes by. Would RPS but bleeding clock.
M39	2nd	3	Offset Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	1.5 2	Run		QB Lead	Barrett	2	-0.55
They leave Jenkins(-1) unblocked and he guesses things are fishier than they are, stepping backside just enough that they can get around him without blocking him. This leaves a lot of bodies but Barrett(+2) pops off the LT and takes out the RB lead blocking but the RG fell down while leaving Jenkins. Colson(+1, tackling+1) dodges the C, and Q-Jo(+0.5) arrives, gets shouldered down by a WR who missed his crack, and is on his knees when he and Junior arrest Wimsatt short of the sticks.
M37	3rd	1	Offset Str	4-2-5	5-1 Over	1 off	Run		ZR Stretch	Barrett	14	0.90
Shift from Split. RU sees something and checks into this. M brings Colson(+1) and Wallace off the backside which should deliver the LB to the RB (RPS+1) but Jenkins(-1, tackling-2) shot inside the RG and misses a shot at a TFL. Worth taking, results-based charting. Harrell(-1) got bopped by the RT to make a crucial yard for the RB to get through before Colson can hop over Jenkins. Also Grant(-1) gave up too many yards traveling with the C and can't make the stop as the RB goes by. Barrett(-1) also whiffs trying to cross the LG late. Colson finally catches his prey after a chunk gain.
M23	1st	10	Gun Str RB	4-2-5	404 Tite	1.5 2	Run		ZR Stretch	Stewart	3	-0.13
Double moves Benny(-1) and it looks like there's a lane forming but Stewart(+1) comes off a high kickout and commences a tackle. Johnson(+1) arrives with a thunk that arrests the RB's progress after 2 yards. Ball is really at the 20.9 yard line not the 20 after this fyi.
M20	2nd	7	Gun Wk	4-2-5	Nk Split	1 off	Pass	4	Scramble	Q.Johnson	1	-0.35
M walks down a S and brings Barrett, dropping D-Mo. Nothing open after a 2-read look (cov+2) and Stewart(+1, PR+1) has made it around the RT and his RB help so Wimsatt starts running. Barrett(-1) gets too far inside and a legal block in the back (in the box) takes him down to clear the edge. Q-Jo(-1, tackling-1) has contain, bites on an inside move and gets stiffarmed out of a sack opportunity but delayed things enough for Stewart to rally and drive the QB OOB.
M19	3rd	6	Gun Str	4-2-5	Nk Splits AA	1 off	Pass	6	Deep Cross	Q.Johnson	Inc	-0.60
Evil blitz has both LBs start down in A gaps then drop pre-snap then Barrett(+1) loops right before the snap behind Benny and is in unblocked, along with edges D-Mo(+0.5) and Stewart(+0.5, PR+3). Wimsatt has to sprint 16 yards back and toss a duck that Q-Jo(+2, cov+2) knocks down.
M19	4th	6	Gun Str	4-2-5	404 Tite	2 off	Pass	7	H Corner	Wallace	Inc	-3.82
RU picks this up well with the help of a TE and RB (PR-1, RPS-1). Wimsatt should probably try to target slant with Waller getting rubbed by the corner route but instead he targets his slot at the pylon. Wallace(+1, cov+1) is in good coverage, WR can't find the ball, drive over.
Drive Notes: Turnover on Downs. 31-7. 7 min 4th Q. EoG for defense because Michigan flips double birds at Red Hat and goes on a 7-minute march to end the game. L'Shana Tovah.

That was short.

One of the shortest ever. I have 54 plays including false starts and punts.

It seems like both teams wanted to grind this down and get out.

Yeah, Rutgers only had eight drives despite Michigan scoring a defensive touchdown in this one. And really only six of them were relevant:

• Three 3-and-outs.
• 3-play drive with a 69-yard TD on 3rd & medium.
• 10-play, 42-yard drive with a missed 51-yard FG.
• 9-play, 48-yard drive with a 71-yard defensive TD on 4th & 2.
• 10-play, 56-yard clock-bleed drive down 31-7 in the 4th Q, ends on downs.
• End of 1st half drive that was just trying to kneel out M's timeouts.

This game had two wild swing plays that basically canceled each other out. Ignore those and garbage time, and Rutgers had just six drives, two of which drove from their own end to deep field goal range. Extrapolate that a game length more like we're used to and it's one of those games where the opponent scores 10 points in nine possessions, three of which got anywhere.

The problem with looking at it this way however is that college football games *do* have wild swing plays. They're also prone to ref drives, bad quarterbacks suddenly becoming possessed by the spirit of Unstoppable Throw God Trevor Siemian drives, and multiple arm punts to Keon Coleman before you put a safety over him drives. These events scale exponentially (because not all yards are contested equally), so shortening the game amplifies the proportion of the game affected by the wild swings disproportionately to the rate of them occurring. Maybe you'll go three games with none of them, then get hit with three bad ones in one game.

It was already talked about in the game column but bears repeating: The NCAA's decision to run the clock after 1st downs disproportionally affects teams like Michigan that get a lot of 1st downs and don't hurry to the line afterwards. The average Michigan game in 2021 and 2022 was 140 plays. This year they're running about 20-percent shorter; ECU was 121 plays, UNLV was 118, Bowling Green was 104, and Rutgers 108. If you figure the average play is just 5 seconds, that means we've gone down from 11.6 minutes of football to 9.4 minutes (the rest are halftime shows, filler with the broadcasters, injuries, reviews, replays, and teams lining up). Ads—the part we are just bearing through to watch the football, have remained about 81 minutes.

That all goes to why the sport has become intolerable to watch, why students leave at halftime, why it's failing to attract new fans, and old ones are increasingly watching recordings they can fast-forward through at home. It's also relevant to how a team like Rutgers can approach a game with Michigan. If you're a three-touchdown underdog, limiting the number of relevant drives is to your advantage because it increases chaos. If chaos goes against, you, eh, losing 51-0 isn't any worse than 31-7. If it goes in your favor however, your opponent has fewer opportunities to match your lucky points by turning their advantage into points against you.

This all goes to why Rutgers was running the clock down until the game was out of reach. Michigan's reasons for doing so are archaic, and also the reason Bo Schembechler never had a team finish #1 despite fielding quite a few of them that were capable of it. Glance at the Jug sometime and you'll see for every blowout since 1969 there was a game that got way closer than it should have been, or in some cases, wrecked a season.

Rutgers hired Minnesota's on-and-off-again OC Kirk Ciarrocca this offseason, and his gameplan was very much a dichotomy between grinding runs with the clock running and shots downfield.

I don't recall many (any?) shots downfield?

Right, so I spent much of the early part of this game wondering where the RPOs were. Wimsatt would be looking at something, but all of the receivers would be run blocking. Finally it dawned on me that he was probably waiting for Michigan to give him a press look so he could throw over the top, and Michigan decided they were just not going to give them that.

Is that why…?

Yes, that's what was up with all the soft coverages.

These represented a considerable portion of the grumble-worthy plays from this game, mostly because they were the only thing Rutgers was able to get that looked at all repeatable. Everything else was something easy to clean up or weird, like Makari Paige not forming up on a zone read, linemen running into each other in the backfield, both Mike Sainristil and Rod Moore falling down without touching the same slant, or the Big Ten's least accurate quarterback going on a heater.

I got Wallace for two of these, and Will Johnson and Makari Paige for one each (Wimsatt missed his throw on the latter). There was also a TE curl that Colson was too far over, but that was on the late last drive when anything that burned clock was a win for the defense. We wondered aloud during and after the game why Michigan would play that way when Rutgers's passing game wasn't very likely to damage them over the top. They also went into the scoring as negatives for the players themselves because even after the ball was in the air they were slow to drive on their receivers. It's something to clean up.

Strategically though, I think the answer is this was Michigan's response to Ciarrocca. Minter and his people noticed early that Wimsatt was eyeing the cornerback depths pre-snap, then going to zone reads and Isos. Michigan's response to this was a lot of Cover 3, with shifting fronts and safeties (usually Makari Paige) rolling down into the box late to keep the runs unproductive. With Paige down in the box, the cornerbacks were asked to be more like safeties, keeping everything behind them, and being there in case a successful Rutgers run made it outside.

Doing so gave up three (which could have been four) first downs they otherwise might not have, but also significantly reduced the likelihood of one of those swing plays. It's using the same math: Michigan is a better team down-to-down, so make the offense win a lot of small battles and take away opportunities to land a lethal blow.

Okay, so how do you prevent Rutgers from just throwing hitches all the way down the field?

The danger of testing a team that's playing off coverage too much is when they decide not to, you might not know it until you throw it. Michigan was mixing up their zones some, and also occasionally having that CB step down into a Cover 2 look, which would put him in position to intercept it.

Unfortunately for them the one time they did this and Wimsatt threw it he was (trying to be) so inaccurate that the wide receiver gave up on the route, Wallace ran into him on the way to his pick six, and the incompetent pedant of a sideline judge we call "Kyle" flagged him for pass interference.

It still had the desired effect. Wimsatt threw on every down on this drive, but he wasn't looking for hitches so much as running from pressure then laying in inch-perfect throws on the sideline that could only be amazing catches or incomplete. Michigan kept their CBs back that whole drive…or at least until the last play of it. Again, putting aside the ACTUAL results, let's consider the likely result when Will Johnson finally got to play a little man press:

Even if the only result of this is Will Johnson breaks up a 4th & 2, the EPA value of saving man for a special moment was worth far more than all of the 1st & 10s and 2nd & 9s completed combined.

That is the second time you told me to not think about the result of that play.

Well no I just meant while we discuss strategy and whatnot it's not helpful to expect +4 events to suddenly occur.

This sounds to me like you are UNDERRATING MIKEY SAINRISTIL of the week!

You know you really don't have to write the 'Y' the 'e' in "Mike" isn't silent.

I WILL WRITE THE 'Y' AND WRITE IN CAPS UNTIL YOU SHOW THIS MAN HIS PROPER APPRECIATION.

This is a good bit. Also this is one of the most incredible plays in the last year of college football.

This too.

I also didn't clip another 8 plays (out of 47 gradable plays) when Sainristil did something positive, because showing up and doing things well is just what he does. He got a –2 for slipping and falling on The Other Touchdown scored when Rutgers was on defense, but that was a 10-yard mistake that could have been a zero-yard mistake. I've seen enough. Mike Sainristil is an All-American.

Next FFFF chart Mikey Sainristil gets a shield.

Did we learn anything from The Other Touchdown?

Brian broke it down in the game column, but sure we'll do it one more time. The piece I want to add is that this was a great defensive playcall that was more likely to be intercepted than run for a touchdown, even after Sainristil slipped, because Michigan had McGregor dropping right into this zone and Wimsatt didn't see it.

#17 the DE at the bottom of the line

Moore's whiff is just a whiff. It is a very bad whiff. He misjudged where the wide receiver's momentum was carrying him, and should have at least shaded outside to drive that guy back towards Sainristil. There is a cost to having your guys sit through the nonconference season. Other players used those first three games to get sharper while Moore was on his first series of the year. Despite what you might have heard from a sideline reporter, Moore didn't come in for any more negatives from me all day. Mostly when he was on the field he was their single-high player and Rutgers stayed away from the middle of the field.

So then why did they pull him for Quinten Johnson?

This is incorrect. Moore went right back out for the series after The Disaster and remained out there for the rest of the 1st quarter before Johnson got a turn. Moore was back in the 3rd quarter, and then Johnson got the fourth. It probably wasn't meant to work out that way, but in a game with six real drives there are going to be quarters that only get one possession. The most that can be said is Moore split time with Quinten Johnson.

Okay so why is the guy you've been saying is an All-American/2nd rounder this year splitting time with a guy who's one interception removed from a Cyan circle?

Because Quinten Johnson was playing well.

Well?

Quite well.

That well?.

Really well.

How well are we talking here?

Well let me show you a chart.

Defensive Line
Player	Snaps	+	-	T	Notes
Kris Jenkins	29	12	2	+10	Coming in right at our unreasonably high expectations.
Mason Graham	0	0	0	-	DNP
Kenneth Grant	30	7.5	3	+4.5	Think he got winded at the end of long drives.
Cam Goode	16	2	1	+1	He is who he is.
Rayshaun Benny	20	2	4	-2	Coming in well under our reasonably high expectations.
Jaylen Harrell	31	11.5	2	+9.5	Pass-rush GPA vastly improved, no honors classes.
Braiden McGregor	26	7.5	2.5	+5	Very solid, not game-breaking.
Derrick Moore	20	5	2.5	+2.5	Very solid, on the edge of game-breaking.
Josaiah Stewart	16	3.5	3	+0.5	Edge issues, size issues, if he can't rush better than JH…
TOTAL	188	51	20	+31	Not the usual dominance but the usual minus Graham.
Linebacker
Player	Snaps	+	-	T	Notes
Junior Colson	41	5	3	+2	They stayed away from him, coverage ding was harsh.
Michael Barrett	33	12.5	2.5	+10	You tried to "he's not a LB" Mike Barrett how did that go?
Ernest Hausmann	18	6	2	+4	Good, not perfect, not passing Barrett.
Jaydon Hood	0	0	0	-	DNP
Jimmy Rolder	0	0	0	-	DNP
TOTAL	92	23.5	7.5	+16	I think we have a Partridge effect?
Secondary
Player	Snaps	+	-	T	Notes
Rod Moore	24	1	4	-3	Got a -4 for The Disaster, otherwise mostly offscreen.
Makari Paige	43	2.5	3	-0.5	If you're gonna play in the box gotta learn to zone read.
Quinten Johnson	25	6.5	1	+5.5	Earned his playing time.
Keon Sabb	0	0	0	-	DNP
Zeke Berry	0	0	0	-	DNP
Mike Sainristil	37	13	3	+10	All-American.
Will Johnson	43	5.5	4	+1.5	Plays where he Shows Up > didn't crack-replace, soft cov.
Josh Wallace	42	5	3	+2	Fine in man, two soft zone coverages might be baked in.
Keshaun Harris	9	0	1	-1	Got in late, got beat on an island once.
Ja'Den McBurrows	0	0	0	-	DNP
Amorion Walker	0	0	0	-	DNP
Jyaire Hill	0	0	0	-	DNP
DJ Waller Jr.	3	0	0	-	DNC but may have affected 4th down chuck.
TOTAL	226	33.5	19	+14.5	Sainristil and Q-Jo did all the work.
Metrics
Player	+	-	T	Notes
Pressure	22	5	17/24	Opponents adjusting to the twists, still have bad OTs.
Coverage	22	12	+10	The off coverage wasn't a big deal; Wimsatt hit tiny holes.
Tackling	4	3	+1	Mostly a group effort.
RPS	13	9	+4	Ciarrocca is pretty straightforward, Minter picked his spots.
Hat Tip	12	6	+6	Wimsatt Trevor Siemien Throw God 2-1 vs Rutger follies.

Well, well.

So one reason everyone knows which play was "The Disaster" in this game is there wasn't a second one. That was almost the case after Paige blew a zone read and both Colson and Sainristil got on the wrong side of blockers.

BTN's director sucks for things like this because the guy making the key play isn't even in the shot, so we'll have to reconstruct it a bit. Here's the lane Wimsatt had to run in.

And then here's Johnson when he comes into view, with a blocker and a lane to either side of him.

Johnson delayed long enough for Wallace to fight through that ref's shoulder, crossed the blocker, and got this down just past the sticks. It's an impressive save from a terrible situation.

Johnson was also a critical cog in the defensive stand that led to Rutgers's missed field goal. This is a 3rd & 3 where Johnson got down and stuffed Kyle Monangai a yard short of the 1st down after Rutgers found the gap defended by a safety.

Q-Jo blitzed off the edge and got to the RB's legs on the ensuing 4th & 1, which everyone found out after the play was over didn't count because the center had moved a tiny bit before the snap.

And the stat sheet said he had a PBU?

And he had a PBU:

What does this MEAAAAN???

I think it means Quinten Johnson is becoming playable. Keon Sabb, the guy they invested all that time into preparing when Rod Moore was out, was injured for this game. Zeke Berry is also on the PUP list. Rod Moore was clearly not himself yet. The next guy after Q-Jo is apparently true freshman position-switcher Brandyn Hillman. They really needed Johnson to step up. And he stepped up. This is a wholly positive development that I embrace fully.

As for what it means for Moore, it takes some of the pressure off of him and Paige to know they can come out for a blow. Finding playing time for a third safety is Not A Problem. If Johnson actually passes Moore in practice then Moore is either way more hindered/rusty from his injury than we were led to believe, or Johnson is playing great. I don't think it's likely the Quinten Johnson I was charting at the beginning of this year and all the years thus far is going to suddenly become a top-tier safety like Moore was last season. I am starting to think that Johnson's trepidation earlier in this season is starting to go away as he gets more playing time. If he can keep playing like that it's nothing but a good thing.

Speaking of nothing but a good thing, I saw some linebackin' this week.

The other Mike (silent 'e') getting an upgrade in the FFFF charts this week is Barrett. The Michael Barrett is Actually a Linebacker bit has a special linebacking moment this week since he helped stuff a 3rd and 1 by tossing a Big Ten offensive lineman out of the play.

#23 the LB on the bottom

When you can do that your "Used to be a Hybrid Safety" history is about as relevant as a Glasgow's walk-on status. Neither are we done with Mike Barrett is a Neck Roll From Being a '90s Linebacker moments from this game. Rutgers came into it determined to run ISO plays like it's 1999, and Barrett kept showing  up to ruin the vibe like a stock Janeane Garofalo character.

#23 the LB in the middle who was alive in the 1990s and therefore gets my references.

I've seen enough. Dangerman.

Unfortunately I didn't get enough from Colson, who was on the field but not tried very much. Rutgers clearly thought Barrett the more likely to get trucked by tight ends and running back leads; they kept their RB on the same side of the formation as their tight end for much of the day to try to get that matchup. Colson also had the incident above and not enough to balance it for today to be the day. Let's see what happens against Nebraska's triple-options, and get, you know, some evidence about his coverage. The only thing in this game was "He stayed way too high on a TE curl when Michigan was bleeding clock up 31-7." That isn't much data.

We got a little more on Hausmann, who had another day that would have chart ed well among last year's linebacking corps but continues to leave him third banana in this one. To the good: He got back to thwacking blockers back. This is an awesome linebacking play:

#15 the top LB

There were also a couple of moments when he got wrecked, though it didn't affect the play either time.

Dude, it's one game against Rutgers and suddenly you love everybody on this defense?

I didn't say that.

You gave Jaylen Harrell a +11.5/-2. Who even are you?

Jaylen Harrell is playing really well.

You said he got bopped.

One time—he's never going to be Mike Morris-sized. But Harrell is making an impact. Rutgers tried his edge one time and got stuffed the Ojabo way.

But that wasn't the most interesting development. Harrell had several pressures this game as well. His get-off from the line of scrimmage has been a lot better lately, and that threat is translating when he comes inside. If you can stomach watching The Disaster again, Harrell had an excellent rush that was going to get to Wimsatt if the read that the playcall double-covered actually covered him.

#32 the DE on top and then TURN IT OFF

The spin move that used to get him trouble also made it through.

I don't really trust that the Rutgers OL