Run, run, and run again. Michigan fans on Twitter were getting pretty grumpy about running the ball, but I don't have a problem with it.* It turns out that despite the rumored good defense that Washington was bringing to Ann Arbor, they couldn't fit the run properly. Michigan ran 56 times for 343 yards (6.1 yards per carry) and 4 touchdowns. The offensive line didn't provide a ton of gaping holes, but they provided enough room for slippery backs like Blake Corum and Hassan Haskins to make hay. The last time Michigan ran for more yards was in the rain during the 2017 game against Minnesota, when Chris Evans and Karan Higdon ran wild to the tune of 370 rushing yards. You do what you have to do to win the game, and Michigan was obviously destroying the Huskies with the run.
*Except I do have a problem with it. I know I lied above. And I apologize. I don't have a problem with running the ball like mad when it's an attempt to win an individual game, but it's going to be very hard to recruit good receivers on the edge if you don't throw the ball. Josh Gattis came in with the "speed in space" mantra and that borrowed some time for the Wolverines, but now they're reverting to the Jim Harbaugh days of yore. If I'm a good wide receiver, I have zero interest in playing for Michigan. Michigan wide receivers caught just three (3!!!) balls on Saturday night in a comfortable, three-touchdown win. The leading receiver was Blake Corum with 3 catches himself for just 11 yards.
Hit the jump for more.
Michigan better fix it. Player retention is going to be a problem again this off-season unless something changes. Unfortunately, Michigan can't figure out how to balance touches. Last year it was good running backs like Chris Evans and Zach Charbonnet not getting touches. Now Michigan is refusing to throw the ball in order to keep Blake Corum (21 carries, 171 yards, 3 TD) and Hassan Haskins (27 carries, 155 yards, 1 TD) churning. Somehow other teams can run and throw enough to keep a variety of skill players happy. We measure ourselves against Ohio State, where the top three receivers have combined for 38 receptions in two games. Michigan's entire wide receiving corps has combined for 9 catches.
No rock, no rock. There's an old saying in football that goes "No block, no rock." It's usually aimed at receivers, and it basically means if you don't block for your running backs or fellow receivers, you're not going to get the ball or get on the field. Well, Michigan's receivers aren't going to be satisfied with blocking for the run 56 times and never getting the ball. The Wolverines lost their best blocking receiver in Ronnie Bell, and now nobody else wants to block except Mike Sainristil - who's tiny - on occasion. Screens were blown up by Washington because of crappy blocking from Roman Wilson, Luke Schoonmaker, Cornelius Johnson, and Sainristil. I don't expect that to get better unless Michigan actually follows through with trying to get those guys the ball.
Aidan Hutchinson showed up to play. Hutchinson made 4 tackles and 2.5 sacks and was the defensive standout for Michigan. The broadcasters couldn't stop talking about him. It's the ultimate sign of respect when the broadcast crew finds your dad in the stands and refers to him continuously, even though nobody outside of Michigan's circle of fans has any idea who Chris Hutchinson is. It's not like panning to Archie Manning or James Laurinaitis's dad. Chris Hutchinson played 30 years ago and never did anything in the NFL to broaden his fan base, but he got a ton of air time on Saturday night. But Hutchinsonson deserved it. He repeatedly abused Washington's tackles, and they even made the mistake of putting tight end Mark Otton on him one-on-one, which predictably ended with quarterback Dylan Morris getting flattened. Someone on Twitter reported that 13 NFL teams were there to scout the game last night. Whether that's true or not, I think Hutchinson is going to be highly valued in April 2022.
Washington threw for 293 yards? Somehow Washington threw for 293 yards. They were getting big chunks at times, but none of the receivers could do much after the catch. And most of those chunk plays came in the second half when they were down by three scores. It seemed like defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald called off the dogs a little bit in the second half, allowing Morris a little more time in the pocket to find his receivers. Then Washington got a little bit of momentum, started varying its rhythm, and got Michigan out of sorts. There were a few too many times for my liking where Michigan was sending in waves of defensive linemen, and they weren't getting lined up properly before the ball was snapped. It reminded me of the Greg Mattison days when a tight end would trade sides, and the whole defensive line would flip to the strength. Michigan has to get a little more organized to deal with tempo.
Michigan didn't throw for 293 yards. Cade McNamara completed 7/15 passes for 44 yards. Erick All came through with his standard dropped pass, which was fun. Otherwise, Washington's solid pass defense seemed to cover up Michigan's receivers pretty well. I'm not at all sold on offensive coordinator Josh Gattis's ability to design and call pass plays. Cade McNamara also seemed a bit hesitant at times. He kept the ball on a zone read play one time, and while he got a first down and a nice chunk of 9 yards, he then pitter-pattered his feet long enough to take a solid hit from a Washington safety, instead of diving/sliding to avoid the blow. I do think Michigan wanted to avoid the turnover risk of throwing it downfield, but you still need to be able to create more in the passing game. I can be okay with 15 passing attempts, but they need to be efficient and get chunks of yards. Gattis's insistence on running inside screens - something I've hated about his offense since his first game calling plays against Middle Tennessee in 2019 - once again backfired in this one. I know it's early in the year, but last night's run game seemed more inspired by Matt Weiss and the passing game was vintage Gattis. One way or another, I think this might be Gattis's final season in Ann Arbor, despite the contract extension.
What does this do for the program? Washington is 0-2, can't run the ball very well, and doesn't have much in the way of a passing game. It's probably not as significant of a win as we want it to be, but it's still a prime time Saturday night game that had a lot of eyeballs on it. Michigan brought in a ridiculous recruiting list for the game (LINK), and the recruits had to be impressed with the size and raucousness of the crowd, if not the "boring" three-touchdown victory. I don't think this victory moves the program forward much, but it does stave off questions about Jim Harbaugh's job security for a little longer.
Man, I agree. Gotta appreciate & love an UTL win, but it is painfully obvious we will pay for not developing a pass game. Perhaps Lank is right, and they don't trust Cade (but did last year)? Maybe they thought Bell was Jerry Rice, and everyone else is walkon FR? I remember DRob running wild on UConn & ND, and expecting that to not work over the course of the season ... this win - which I appreciate - feels the same
ReplyDeleteWashington offense may suck, but our D is getting the job done. A few more missed tackles, and some holes in our Zone to fix, but otherwise a good outing led by a superstar in Hutch
Let's hope they work the pass the next two games, or at least start Villari, so we have a run threat at QB 🤢
I don't think they lost faith in Cade. I think they never trusted him in the first place and nothing has changed. He's not a dude in their eyes.
DeleteConsider that he failed to beat out Milton and then with everyone screaming about how terrible Milton was within a few games, Milton still played, even with a bad thumb.
It took going down 17-0 against Rutgers to turn to Cade. Desperation mode. Throw crap at the wall. And, to Cade's credit - it worked! ....But it's Rutgers. Things work against Rutgers that don't work against legit teams. The coaches came out with Cade against PSU being very careful again, lots of short throws and runs. It didn't work.
And then this offseason you heard what the coaches said. No more big talk about speed in space. It was all "we need to run". Some see this as JH telling Gattis what to do but I think it could just as likely be Gattis assessing his current reality. I don't have Tua and a gang of 5-star WRs anymore - I have this little guy from Nevada and Ronnie Bell - so now what?
So yeah, I think the above lays out the case for distrust pretty clearly.
Cade's best path seems to be as the proverbial game manager. Avoid TOs, throw just enough to keep defenses honest, don't put your defense in bad positions, lean on your run game. Cade might be very good in that roll because he seems to be pretty decent at throwing catchable deep balls. Cade might be the QB we needed in 2017.
I know many have faith in Cade and perhaps the coaches are just making a poor choice in how they use him. But I don't see it that way.
The bigger question is if there is enough talent beyond the QB spot to allow for that approach in 2021. My hope, to the extent I have it, are in the OL and RBs. And Erik All, who is unfairly being criticized for a drop on a very badly thrown ball that he was lucky to get any hands on at all.
Every single wing coach I have ever talked to, admittedly not a lot, ok, ok ... two, tells his backs to "trust the funnel". On Corum's 76 yard TD, the funnel Michigan created for him was about as textbook as you can get one. Hayes and Keegan drove their guy out of the play, Hayes got off that block and stopped Mike or Will dead in his tracks, Vastardis pulled and rocked the DE/maybe outside LB out of the play and the above maligned Schoonmaker drilled his guy but good ... bing, bang, boom with Corum pretty much sprinting up their tails. I found it to be an extraordinarily impressive display of run blocking ... at minimum.
ReplyDeleteI am completely untroubled with pounding the snot out of a team that you can pound the snot out of. Michigan fans have been complaining about a lack of identity for years now, an identity is finally ... hopefully developing and now Michigan fans are complaining that it ain't the identity they would prefer. Let me say this about that, both the identity we saw last night and the complaining about it from the Michigan faithful, comfortably fall into the categories of "Michigan Tradition", so ... I'm good with both.
As far as I'm concerned last night's Michigan Harbaugh is about the first time we've see anything approaching Stanford Harbaugh. I liked Stanford Harbaugh, they won, which is the only point. I don't give a rat's rear end for style points. as Al Davis so eloquently put it .....
Why on this earth would you want to be fooling with just a really good batch of DBs throwing the football around for practice when you are just having the best time punching them in the mouth. And on the recruiting issue, with a ton of really good defensive recruits and a 5 star tackle in the house. Why on earth would you even consider fooling with your in progress beat down.
Mostly I agree with Thunder, and am enormously fond of him. Not today! Fond still. Agree ... not at all.
Then ... we really block punt returns well and consistently, and for the most part have for years. I love me all Kolesars, but Caden worries me almost as much as DPJ, except he's slower.
I liked Smith and Hinton better last week than a lot of people, even better last night. Having said that, life as a D lineman is significantly easier when you have three guys committed to Aidan Hutchinson.
How Jim Harbaugh is running things now smacks of fear. Kolesar returning punts, with his abilities? He is not a punt returner. But if he gets hurt you're not losing an super talented player. But that's fear, fear of more injury. Charles Woodson is maybe the most talented player I've seen at Michigan. His punt returns were valuable.
DeleteNext, having Cade McNamara run to the left in the backfield and then slide just before the end of the half smacks of fear. You have a great QB in McNamara, the least you could do in that situation, is have him give it to an RB and risk the injury that could happen in sliding. I can understand why there was booing going into the tunnel at half.
Agree with this but I do think we've seen it before in 2017. Maybe this time it'll stick.
DeleteOne could see that experience as a lesson (they were scared to throw and then it bit them in the ass when they had to). But I believe the time for development is practice. You don't have to work through the kinks in the pass game during games. Would throwing 20 more times against Minnesota in 2017 have changed the disastrous end of the year? I doubt it.
Nothing wrong with establishing an identify around your strength. Wisconsin and Stanford have been doing it, and Michigan under Bo was built on it.
LSU two years ago, and Alabama last year, disagree with this smash mouth identity. It all about the high flying pass game now.
DeleteIt seems too many Michigan fans won't acknowledge that, until maybe Michigan plays Alabama and gets dominated like Miami, and a whole bunch of other teams,have.
@DarJ
DeleteI think one can agree about the importance of the passing game while also admitting that Michigan doesn't have the pieces to execute it.
That might have been why they put Milton out there rather than McCaffrey or McNamara. Maybe they shared the vision for a bad ass pass game. It's what they said more or less. But it flopped badly, Milton was unreliable, and so now what do you do? Try to run an Alabama or OSU offense with the 268th best recruit in the country at QB... or lean into your strength and (in Harbaugh's case history).
2020 was a huge reality check.
Mac Jones was #399 in the country.
DeleteSure and Drew Brees was probably even lower ranked. If you want to bet on Cade being that kind of outlier you can, but there's no indication it's coming.
DeleteBrees threw for over 4000 yards by the time he was a junior. Jones was a total unknown sitting behind Tua T and Jalen Hurts. Cade lost a competition to Joe Milton and has one good game against Rutgers to his name and the coaches are handling him with kid gloves since.
It's improbable that Cade has what it takes to throw for 4000 yards and 30+ TDs even if that's exactly what the Michigan coaches wanted.
I enjoyed that one. The atmosphere looked stellar. The crowd was really good and the team was having fun. The maize stands and all blue uni's seemed to work well which surprised me a bit. It's the first night game that seemed to come close to the ND game in 2011. Wish I had been there last night.
ReplyDeleteWhile I appreciate that Washington is probably just not a very good team, they're still a big name program. That was a high profile win on a week where OSU couldn't beat their Pac12 visitor. It was satisfying.
Running over a team like that is always an accomplishment. Michigan wasn't doing that last year, even against bad teams. Steuber, Zinter, Vastardis and friends are mashing. If that first all-run drive of the 3rd Q wasn't exciting you, I don't know what to say.
It's for another day to figure out if that translates against Wisconsin, Indiana, and PSU. Having seen this game before - Minnesota 2017 - we know it might not. Regardless, we're well on the path to a 4-0 start and rising above the floor that many, including myself, saw after the 2020 fiasco.
The defense didn't have much of a challenge but Hutchinson doing what he did against an NFL quality tackle was damn impressive. We all know Hutchinson is really good but through these first 2 games he looks GREAT. The secondary and DL are still questionable beyond the top guys, but at least they're not boring. McDonald rotated through about 100 guys. Some of them were feisty at least.
The pass game. Well, it was discussed in the comments last week and in the offseason. I am surprised it's being seen as a choice by the coaches rather than a logical reaction to their personnel. I think people are a little reluctant to accept the limitations of the roster. I keep drawing a parallel between Peters and McNamara and the coaches are approaching it with a similar caution. I do think we'll see more passing against weaker defenses. At least they tried one QB run.
This was an attempt at an IDENTITY game. I can't fault Harbaugh and Gattis for going that way in the moment. The bigger questions weren't going to get answered either way.
I don't think we need to assume that THIS IS THE OFFENSE based on this one game or even 2. We see that they are scared to throw it with who they have on the field, but it's not a program-transforming vision anymore than the 3 game stretch in 2017 when Peters started and Michigan ran 75% of the time was.
DeleteMichigan was still able to recruit high end WRs and QBs after that.
@Thunder
ReplyDeleteCouple questions about the concerns expressed above, as I share the worry about player retention.
Why did you mention the worry about WRs but not QBs? I would think the handoff 50 times a game thing would be just as impactful to them - especially since there aren't even any real reads or QB runs mixed in.
Why does the QB coach deserve credit for the strong run game and not the OC? Any thoughts on Moore? He didn't get mentioned but it looks like he might be legit. We'll see about blitz pickups if they ever pass the ball but on the ground Moore seems to have done work.
At a high profile school, I think you're going to get a decent QB, regardless. A QB is going to touch the ball every snap (except for Wildcat, obviously), even if he's handing it off. He can take off and run. He's going to handle the passing volume, regardless of whether it's light or heavy. But if wide receivers aren't getting thrown the ball, they're not involved. There are plenty of Joe Schmoe WR's with no athleticism who can go out there and block.
DeleteI'm giving Weiss credit because the running game, motions, etc. are reminiscent of the Baltimore Ravens. All that stuff with WR's and TE's motioning in and crossing the formation to kick out or seal edge players is straight out of the Baltimore Ravens' playbook.
Not that Michigan never did anything like that (they used multiple tight ends and the bluff stuff that Penn State has used quite a bit under James Franklin), but that was the same stuff that Mark Andrews, Patrick Ricard, etc. have been doing in Baltimore. If you watch the Ravens (tomorrow night, I think), you're probably going to think you're watching an NFL team run Michigan's playbook...except with Lamar Jackson at QB instead of McNamara.
Thanks for the response on the Ravens stuff. Very interesting. It would seem like having a guy who can run like Lamar Jackson would be a big difference maker.
DeleteNot sure I buy the QB vs WR argument. If I'm a QB recruit I think I'd rather throw 11 times in a quarter at Purdue (or whatever) than 11 times a game. It seems like the same issue. A starting WR is still going to get some targets in this system (see Ronnie Bell) it's just not as many. Same as at QB. 2 targets instead of 8. 10 pass attempts instead of 40. potato potahtoe.
Agree. I think it impacts recruiting all over the offense, not just at WR
DeleteIt's funny that you bring up Purdue, because their QB recruiting hasn't been anything special...
Delete...but their WR recruiting has been pretty good.
Purdue has landed at least one 4-star WR in three of the past four classes, but their only 4-star QB was Matt Alaimo, whose best offers were UNC, WVU, and OSU (of the Oklahoma State variety).
It seems like WR's will go where they can get volume and be a star, whereas the quarterbacks are avoiding West Lafayette.
I forgot.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to one QB run ... SLIDE DAMMIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dear Lord, that was bonehead.
I really have questions about a lot of things last night, not just that.
DeleteIt reminds me a bit of that run by Dylan McCaffrey where he lowered his shoulder to pop the defender ... and ended up breaking his collar bone. The QBs should know that the most important thing is *not* the extra yard or two, but their ability to get up and go back to the huddle for the next play.
DeleteHarsh man, harsh. But all true.
ReplyDeleteRoman Wilson looked very unhappy throughout the game. And it kept making me think he has no reason to stay at Michigan. He can enter the transfer portal just as fast as Justin Fields could.
I don't know why JJ McCarthy wouldn't leave too.
I was a bit surprised, but refreshed and relieved, to see you putting in this post some of the same things I was thinking.
You say Gattis will be here the year. I hope not. I hope he is out sooner.
Next week Michigan plays NIU, which is an opponent that Michigan *should* have little trouble with. Unless something is horribly, fundamentally wrong, Michigan should not have to wait until they're up by 35 points on 300 yards rushing before being a little more adventurous with the passing game.
ReplyDeleteSo in a sense, the NIU game will be a test: if Michigan plays NIU like they did Washington, then their offensive philosophy is to "establish the run" first, and only then do some passing. If we see from Michigan some play action and deep shots earlier on, then it means it's part of their plan and Washington was a run-first game because of Washington's secondary.
If Michigan is determined to be a run-first, "old school" type offense, then expect Harbaugh and Gattis to be gone after this year or next.
@Lank1212: Cade missed his FR year to injury, then Soph spring to COVID. There's now way he was going to pass anyone on the depth chart, especially not a practice guy who looks like Milton. They also inserted him over Milton the week prior to Rutgers, at Madison with similar results. He can be 'not good enough,' but not the D3 guy they're treating him as. If he were, why not replace him?
ReplyDelete@Roanman 1120: agree with what you're saying FOR LAST NIGHT. But we've seen 2017, 2014, 2013 & 2010 what happens when you're one dimensional. I get that I'm conflating, but the likelihood of carrying on (successfully) like this is extremely low
@Lank 1122 & 1137: is this our identity? We don't know ... Year7 of Harbaugh and year3 of Gattis, and we still don't know
@DarJ 1209: I was hopeful on Wilson, but he did not look capable of making those blocks. Combine that with no catches, and we've got a recipe for frustrated WRs... and TEs ... and a 5star QB ... and any potential skill players considering MICHIGAN
If McNamara is not the guy, the McCarthy sure better BE the guy, because if a highly touted 5-star QB isn't the guy, then who are they waiting for? Michigan isn't going to have an endless string of 5-stars to work through looking for the perfect combination of whatever the hell Harbaugh / Gattis is looking for.
DeleteIf they "don't have a grasp of the offense" then the offense is too difficult. Urban Meyer had a string of different QB types go through his door when he was at OSU, and he seemed to accommodate the skillset of each.
@JE
DeleteYou may not remember this but it was 35-3 when Cade entered the game against Wisconsin. It was over and everyone on the field and in the stands knew it. Michigan's win probability was zero, because Wisconsin could rattle off an 8 minute all run drive whenever they felt like it. Which they in fact did right after Cade was inserted.
This was mop up duty all the way. Cade had 1 nice drive (3 completions) followed by two 3-and-outs. Milton started the next game even though he was awful against Wisconsin. Cade's performance against Rutgers was nothing like Wisconsin.
Milton absolutely positively could have been passed. In the preseason or afterwards. Instead he continued to play even with the injury.
I don't know how you can act like Milton was impossible to beat while at the same time asserting he's one of the worst QBs you've ever seen. This makes no sense. Cade didn't play well in practice. This was made public. The coaches went to him only as a last resort.
I'm not going to act like I have perfect vision for reading the QB situation - I thought Bowman would be starting by now - but I do think that what happened last year is pretty consistent with what is happening this year in terms of McNamara and how much confidence the staff has in him. Their actions speak volumes.
Yes, I remember; ut was garbage time
DeleteBut he still led the offense to scores, but it was garbage time the drive before, and the drive before that. The difference was one QB who could move the offense, after another couldn't
I didn't say Milton was impossible to beat. Let's try to stick with the truth in this thread, and play nice 🙂
Milton moved the offense against Minnesota, when he was healthy and facing a bad team.
DeleteMcNamara moved the offense against Rutgers, when he was healthy and facing a bad team.
Impossible is my hyperbole but consistent with your statement that "There's now way he was going to pass anyone on the depth chart". McNamara and Milton competed in fall camp and McNamara lost.
If we play Alabama and lose by.42, I’m calling that a great season.
ReplyDeleteDear Lord, again. That’s a cake taker comment if ever there was one.
Think just a little bit, please.
Then, I never go through the every snap things looking at opponents formations, but I will here. I don’t know for sure but would bet that whatshisname at Washington is the guy who did the bad job here in that he did very little adjusting for getting it shoved down his throat. I could be wrong, but I never felt like we were running into a formation geared to stop our running game. If they aren’t gonna try to stop you from running, for God sakes don’t stop running. This is just fundamental football. Its surprising to me that I have to explain it.
ReplyDeleteOver at Maize and Brew they have an article that has Harbaugh more or less saying just that: "We were going to run until they stopped us; they never stopped us."
DeleteNow ask this question: would Oklahoma, Alabama, or Clemson play that way? They each pasted their opponents this weekend, and I have no doubt whatsoever they *could* have run every down and won. Did they?
Oklahoma, 76-0 over Western Carolina
Rushing: 38 attempts, 277 yards
Passing: 38 attempts, 347 yards
Alabama, 48-14 over Mercer
Rushing: 34 attempts, 158 yards
Passing: 31 attempts, 266 yards
Clemson, 49-3 over South Carolina State
Rushing: 36 attempts, 342 yards
Passing: 39 attempts, 262 yards
So, pretty much a balanced attack for all three. Why? Why didn't they "establish the run and do that until forced to stop?" Answer: because that's not how they play football. They seek to have an attack that have multiple facets so the defense is always on their heels.
Yeah, yeah: those opponents aren't Washington. Then I ask: can you recall Oklahoma, Alabama, or Clemson ever doing playing "run only" for the past 10 years? No. It's not who they are.
@Roanman 4:45, are you making that remark before you even rewatch the film??? I'll save you some time: Lake is not a good head coach; Washington didn't load the box and dare us to throw
DeleteShould it matter? It should. Of course you want to take what the Defense gives you. But I'm not asking for UM to be air raid, or even firmly balanced. What I am saying is that 40yds passing, and 4 guys catching a ball is bad for season preparation, recruiting, and player retention. How about this: when was the last time a Huskie defense finished with so few pass yards allowed? They just played an FCS team, and let up twice that. You'd probably have to go back to the last time they played an Academy to find such a performance
Cade may not be good, and losing Bell did hurt. But yesterday was like playing Villari with a bunch of walkon targets. That's going to cost us
Villari could have probably started these first two games and Michigan would have still won.
DeleteI'm with Roanman on this one. You put your safety 50 yards back and don't adjust to getting gashed on the ground you dug your own grave.
DeleteMichigan came out trying to be more balanced early on. That got them to 3-0 with Cade looking erratic and tentative. The next two TD drives were all runs. That worked.
Michigan fans can treat the game like a practice in hindsight but let's not pretend like the outcome was decided early. It was a one or two score game most of the way and our defense isn't good enough to assume they can lock down anyone with that narrow of a margin.
When Michigan finally broke through to take a 3TD lead (again, on the strength of it's run game alone), Washington drove right back quickly and scored to make it 24-10.
So yeah, you can risk losing to a bad Washington team to get the functional equivalent of some practice reps for your QB. Or you can go out and dominate with what you are actually good at and be sure you win the damn game.
If people want to use that as springboard to vent about Year 7 or the state of the pass game then whatever. If you want to talk about the Washington game, they picked the best path. I think you also have to consider that NIU and Rutgers are the next games on the schedule so if you want to work out passing game kinks those are better opportunities.
It's going to cost us if Michigan can't pass the ball. Because against better teams they will lose.
DeleteOne game (a victory no less) is not going to cost us any recruits.
One game is not going to make or break the development of the passing offense. Practice will do that.
Regarding the following,
DeleteOklahoma, 76-0 over Western Carolina
Rushing: 38 attempts, 277 yards
Passing: 38 attempts, 347 yards
Alabama, 48-14 over Mercer
Rushing: 34 attempts, 158 yards
Passing: 31 attempts, 266 yards
Clemson, 49-3 over South Carolina State
Rushing: 36 attempts, 342 yards
Passing: 39 attempts, 262 yards
When it comes to playing football, West Carolina, Mercer and South Carolina State cannot be compared in in any way with Washington. Before this game started, everybody here would have been delirious with joy to know we win 31-0. Before the season began everyone here would have asked for your supplier if you had told them we'd get a 3 TD win over the reigning Pac-whatever West Champion with a top 25 2020 (such that it was) defense.
The above games started with the line at 6 to 7 TDs. Those games offer no comparison in any way. They were locks from the instant the contract was signed, of course Alabama, Clemson and Oklahoma were tinkering. They were dressed practices.
The defensive strength of Washington's D is likely their Dbs and LBs. We were dominating their D line and their coach lacked the ... pick your quality ... presence of mind maybe, to adjust. So we kept pounding it.
Actually, their offensive line is supposed to be pretty good too. Tee hee.
https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/uw-husky-football/ranking-the-uw-huskies-football-roster-ahead-of-fall-camp-nos-10-1/
Instead he left his ... I'm told ... real good Dbs back in coverage, in the hope that Harbaugh would be dumb enough to make the exact mistake being promoted by the fire Harbaugh element of the Michigan faithful. That would be abandon what was working and start throwing it around into the strength of the defense, both in terms of personal and maybe pure alignment. Seemingly, he ain't that dumb.
Except ... I don't know why he didn't go wide 1 on 1 with Corum on the fourth and goal.
Anyway, I had to learn something else last nigh and have not yet cracked the every down thing and probably can't until the UFR thing has already come out, but I will.
31-10.
DeleteI don't like the Mercer, West Carolina or whatever comparisons for this very reason - Washington was never a doormat
DeleteSo look at previous Washington opponents, and go back as far as you'd like. When was the last time a team threw for 40yds? We're not Army, so that number should be alarming
And it's not about "fire Harbaugh" Even the MICHIGAN faithful like RVB & Skene made these obvious points. B1G network, ESPN CFB Final, and even two OL - giddy over our running over & through the opponent - mentioned the need & urgency in developing a pass game
We have two games that we cannot afford to lose over something like not having a QB, see despite having 4 on scholarship, and no WRs, despite three Gattis recruiting cycles. During those games, we have to develop a pass game
If we don't, you might say we lose 5 or so games, which fans predicted anyway ... but the way we lose those games will really get the FIRE HARBAUGH crowd going, and it won't be just fans
Every good team has good DBs and LBs. Iowa's are probably better. Can't live in fear of passing. And really, I don't think Wash DBs and LBs are the reason Mich didn't pass.
DeleteAnd it's not like we were playing against Darrell Revis and Neon Deion ... Even in the days of manball, Michigan's 1997 defense gave up +133yds/game, and almost 3x more YPA
DeleteI think it's a combo of Cade's limitations & Harbaugh's overreaction to his QB's shortcomings, then throw in the Gattis factor
This is correct. If Michigan will pass only when the opponent's secondary is bad, then it's going to be a long season.
DeleteNow I'm wondering if maybe McNamara is dinged up.
Roanman @ 7:52
DeleteFair enough. Next week is the test. NIU is comparable to Mercer, or Western Carolina, or South Carolina state. Michigan can almost certainly run themselves to victory against NIU. If the offensive philosophy is "run until they stop us," then Michigan will do just that. And if they do that, then it's a very, very, very troubling sign.
On the other hand, if against NIU they attempt a passing game and do not do well, it's a different troubling sign.
Next week will be an interesting game to analyze.
Regarding, "Every good team has good DBs and LBs. Iowa's are probably better. Can't live in fear of passing. And really, I don't think Wash DBs and LBs are the reason Mich didn't pass."
DeleteYou miss the point. That being DBs and LBs being the strength of the team sitting in coverage and making relatively little effort to shut down the run. We took what they gave us, pushed them all over the field and won big rather than being flat out boneheads and giving them what they wanted for absolutely no mindful reason.
If someone packs the box and in so doing shuts down the running game, and McNamara can't hit people over the top aka wanna be semi pro golf great Shea Patterson and Joe Milton, then you can think Cade can't get it done and it's time for the 5 star freshman.
If indeed that happens it won't be the fault of this game, even in the smallest way and it might not even be that Cade McNamara can't get it done. It will mean that he didn't in that game. You still have freshman QB issues with the next guy, and conversations about Tua or who ever you want to name as a true freshman getting it done are minuscule percentage examples. Typically even great freshmen QBs will lose games making rushed or dumb mistakes.
I'll tell you that this team has to be better running with McCarthy than they do with Cade because with infinitesimal exceptions the game is moving way fast for a freshman. Even the exalted Andrew Luck was a redshirt freshman when he became the starter.
Truth be told, all your QBs are green as grass in May. Why on earth do you want to tempt fate.
The reviled (wrongfully) John Navarre was forced into games too soon and never forgiven for it. That team was more talented team than this one ... so far ... probably, but maybe not.
Truth be told, you are two games into a season with for the most part two dominating wins, and looking for reasons to be unhappy. It's madness and a testament to the poor mental health of your garden variety Michigan fan.
There will be tough, maybe even bad losses going forward. I don't think this is a great team, but maybe. Look up 73-74 Michigan basketball. Picked to finish 8th in the Big 10, guy ran for student council on a dump Ore platform. I voted for him. Won the conference in a playoff and made a run.
Pick another game to complain about. This was a curb stomping and should be celebrated as such.
I've never agreed more with anything written on this blog or message board more than what Roanman wrote above. It is spot on.
DeleteIf McNamara's strength is supposed to be his decision-making then why the hell would you want to have him force it into the teeth of the defense? Practice is Monday.
To a degree there's been some talking past each other here. I don't think anyone is arguing "one game makes the season." It's really more about whether this one game represents the beginning of a trend. We won't know until the games unfold. But let's not forget that this game is not the start of Harbaugh's or Gattis' tenure; it's a data point with a not-trivial number of data points before it that illustrate the same general impulse that this game provided.
DeleteSo yeah, reserve judgment until we see more games. Of course. But understand it'll be more than the "garden variety" fan that will be expressing disappointment if this one game turns out to be the going-forward plan.
The difference is that, after a dominant win, few are arguing the positive spin - Michigan showed a strong offense that few will be able to stop on the ground and sets us up to make the most of a limited passing game for the rest of the year. If Washington can't stop M's run game without putting an extra guy in the box, then others will either adapt or die.
DeleteOn the other hand several ARE arguing the negative spin - Michigan is setting themselves up for failure when the ground game is stopped and they have nothing to turn to. (Implicit here is that throwing against the Washington D would have helped address this.) Recruits are going to stay away because Michigan refuses to pass.
On a separate topic, I don't know how you can watch that Washington game and see the BEGGINING of a trend. It was very similar to the Western game, except much better - because it was against a legit D. Moreover, Michigan struggled to pass for most of last year too. They said they would lean on the run game in the offseason. If anything, this was a validation of their approach.
Complaining about what is going on in the pass game as if it's new is, at best, a reality check for those who let their hopes in McNamara rise to irrational levels. At worst it's just an excuse to grumble about Harbaugh, which is really just an excuse to grumble about the last 20 years of Michigan football which is really just an excuse to grumble about the world.
2 weeks ago we were wondering if this might be a 5 win team. Now we're 2-0 and ranked in the top 25. Even if it's fool's gold it's worth enjoying the moment without bitching about Harbaugh, Gattis and everything else past present and future.
People can talk about whatever they want of course but we're not just "talking past each other" when someone says hey guys this is a weird time to complain, enjoy this.
Yes it's been raining a lot and yes there is a cloud on the horizon and it will rain again but today it is sunny.
@Anon 1210:
DeleteYou are 100% correct. No one (here at least) is complain or hating. It's actually simple, and has been repeated yesterday by RVB, Skene, Brandstatter & Jansen, and today by Sam Webb & Devin Gardner: you have to take what the Defense gives you, so running over them makes sense. But all point out the lack of passing, and what that could lead to ... As for taking what the D gives you, MGoPodcast Brian & Seth talked about the Slants & Crossers that were available, but Gattis stuck with Screens that got blown up
We are fans ... on a message board ... it's okay to exchange opinions & thoughts. It's also fine to defend the team as Roanman has done so well, though we shouldn't conflate posts here with foolishness on Twitter or wherever
Cade attempted more passes against Washington than Western but people are upset at the coaches for not throwing enough in this one. I think this is masking the bigger issue of frustration that Cade was not effective against tougher competition, again. 2.9 YPA is brutal.
ReplyDeleteVery similar to last year's PSU game from Cade, except for on the other side of the ball Michigan's D had an advantage vs Washington's woeful O.
I don't think Cade is very good, and have said so since we first saw him, then continued through the off-season. I wasn't sure if Bowman was the answer, but sure hoped he could be
DeleteThat said, let's tell the whole truth: the offense marched right down the field behind Cade against PennSt. He got his throwing arm hurt, and then movement slowed. They tried Joe, and the movement stopped, so they went back to Cade. He could barely lift his arm, so they went back to Joe. That's the truth
Just like Wisconsin, after he led the offense to a TD, the rain poured in - that's when we stalled again. Again, the whole truth
@JE
DeleteThat's a fair point about the injury but I've still never heard a clear story on it. Interesting you bring it up here but never for the worst QB of all time. I know, hangnail vs decapitation... and you don't throw with your thumb anyways...
I honestly don't know when Cade got hurt during PSU but the first drive was 9 plays for 33 yards and the next two were all runs. Then Milton got in. So I'm not sure there's much evidence of Cade's passing ability helping Michigan "march down the field". Cade was slightly better in the second half than the first.
Because Milton's issues with vision, decision making & accuracy precede his injury, and continue now in Knoxville. His injury isn't relevant to God awful performance
DeleteYou're doing it again. Cade passed 4-5 on the opening drive, hitting Bell (twice), Wilson, and All. He got hurt on the third play of the second drive
He moved the offense, and Joe couldn't. In fact, Harbaugh says as much, rattling off stats of Cade leading drives that result in points
In your unbiased opinion one injury is meaningful and the other isn't.
DeleteThe first PSU drive was 33 yards and turnover on downs and the next was all run but "the offense marched right down the field behind Cade against PennSt". Unbiased again.
On one hand, the most positive possible assessment - great completion percentage! Handoff leadership! On the other, the most negative - health is irrelevant when you suck this hard.
It is not mutually exclusive to acknowledge the respective limitations of Cade and Joe and, further, that their play could have been affected by injury. Both have done well as starters against weaker competition and struggled against better competition. Neither has yet played well against a quality opponent yet.
They both have done more than Dylan McCaffrey. Last week I was told it was crazy to assess him against the juggernaut Colorado defense. That sentiment was validated this week against something called HBU where DM threw for...checks notes...almost 4 yards an attempt. Milton beat that (albeit barely) against Pitt while adding a 50 yard run, so one more week where he bests DM.
Who is the better college QB is TBD but Cade beat Milton out head to head at Michigan so that's a good bet. Likewise for Milton over DM. And DM over Peters. and Peters over Malzone.
Cade may win this debate by attrition. Milton, McCaffrey, and Peters all have already been knocked out with injuries.
One injury changed how a player performed. The other (Joe) most certainly hurt, but he was still the same guy as in HS, UM, and Tennessee ... not sure if you watched, but his poor play cost Tennessee at least two touchdowns, with four overthrown wide open Receivers; the offense was stuck in the mud, again. Hooker (who isn't very good either) comes in, and immediately leads the Vols to a touchdown. It's a trend Lank
DeleteAs for PennSt, Milton's QBR was ... 4.5. You're a spreadsheet guy - in your own world, only "feelings" can get you to deny the atrrociousness of that kind of day
Finally, no one called you crazy. But if you think you've got a point, stop making sh:t up. Both QBs left their game Saturday, injured. Milton finished with another fumble and a QBR of 69. McCaffrey had no turnovers, and an 89 QBR. Now, we shouldn't compare FCS v D1, but if you're saying Milton did better, you're not just wrong, you are lying again
LIAR!!!!!!
Deletelol. I'm using boxscores from ESPN dot com. Obscure website that stands for extra special nurgeflurgn. Look it up.
One guy is starting at Tennessee and the other at Northern Colorado. One guy made sent the other home to daddy's arms. Milton's a year younger, has twice as many yards, a higher completion percentage, a higher passer rating, higher YPA. All against harder competition.
When people detach themselves from reality like this it's typically a emotional response. Funny from a guy who likes to accuse others of getting too emotional on the internet. At the same time telling people not to police comments on the internet. lololol. Name calling is bad too right? Never stop telling on yourself JE.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/4258191/dylan-mccaffrey
Deletehttps://www.espn.com/college-football/player/stats/_/id/4360698/joe-milton-iii
"worst QB I've seen" lolol
I didn't call you a name. I said you lied, And was specific about what/when:
Delete- last week, you said Milton had a QBR of 170, but ESPN says 31(!) ... lowest in SEC (by far), and among the most abysmal in the nation ... there was more, but it's all in the thread
- this week you're still trying to argue one is better than the other, but leave out:
Mac has more completions (58v35), yards (299v189), completion percentage (56.9v51.4), and less turnovers (1v2)
Milton has higher YPA, just barely (5.4v5.2)
No need to lie. Or maybe you're hoping noone actually checks?
Like I told you: Milton has a better passer rating than McCaffrey both weeks. Links below.
DeleteWeek 1: 113 to 107
Week 2: 93 to 89
I was told it didn't matter last week because McCaffrey was facing Colorado and Milton was facing BGSU. Apples and oranges.
This time McCaffrey was up against HBU and Milton up against Pitt and it doesn't count then either.
Please point me to where I said Milton had a QBR of 170.
https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/gamelog/_/id/4258191/dylan-mccaffrey
https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/gamelog/_/id/4360698/joe-milton-iii
Easy. You said it in the game review for Western, @Lank Sep 5, 4:59
DeleteIt's like you hope nobody checks
Lank did say 170 QBR. He probably meant 170 passer efficiency rating. Those are two different things. I think QBR is an ESPN-specific stat whose range is only 1-100, so it's impossible to have a QBR of 170.
DeleteYes RTG not QBR. I said Milton had 170 but it was actually 169.1.
Deletehttps://www.espn.com/college-football/player/gamelog/_/id/4360698/type/college/year/2020
You said QBR. At best, you're cherry picking & misleading ...
DeleteWhat the heck is RTG? How is it derived? What does it mean? How does 169 RTG compare to others?
You wrote QBR. This one is easy stats on the day (excluding fumbles), rated on a scale of 100
Milton is at 52 for the year, lowest in the SEC and 76th in the country. At UM, his last three games were 4.5, 17.7, and 6.6. It is my opinion that this is the worst I've ever seen play, and even the stats - which do not account for how ugly the performance was - are hard to argue against
Instead of being a pedantic troll you can stick to the argument. The overall point stands regardless of me accidentally listing RTG instead of QBR.
DeleteMilton and McNamara had very similar first days.
QBR was 92 to 92
RTG was 170 vs 246
TDs were 2 to 2
YDs were 280 to 140
15/22 vs 9/11
10 YPA vs 12 YPA
No Turnovers for either
The point in that convo was to argue with the statement that Milton could never dream of playing like McNamara did. Yet he had.
https://www.hogshaven.com/2018/3/13/16839982/5-oclock-club-difference-nfl-passer-rating-and-quarterback-rating-redskins-alex-smith-kirk-cousins
DeletePasser Rating is the official NFL statistic, while QBR was an ESPN invention designed to provide a more comprehensive evaluation of quarterback performance..
When did I say anyone about Milton's dreams? WTF are you talking about??? It's like you get cornered, and start making things up ...
DeleteYou said QBR, and I responded to what you said with Milton's QBR this year, plus his last three games last year ...
It's so bad - so abysmal - that you are now comparing what? First career game? First game at the Big House? WTF are you talking about??? What first day are you referring to? Milton has a fumble in each game this year - both while sitting in a clean pocket - so it can't be about 2021
You're losing it, man ... You're better off ignoring me, because in the back & forth, the lies, exaggeration & mixing of details compromises your credibility
I was responding to Thunder and you wanted to interject to talk to LANK. If you can't pay attention that's on you.
DeleteThe part where I listed QBR said 2020 right in front of it. Again, pay attention or GTFO. I explained the mistake on RTG vs QBR. You can't even keep the topic straight.
I guess high school teaches kids more than I realized.
No, you're lying, misleading or exaggerating again. About '2020,' and about '92'
DeleteYou can't make a point, so you mislead. The fact that I pay attention rattles you, because it's so often ... Should make you appreciate all the times you've been ignored in life ... you almost believed you were right at times. Turns out, no one cared
Michigan appeared fearful to throw beyond 5 yards yesterday. That was my observation. Cade felt hesitant and looked like freshman. Washington does have good corners, playing scared for the possibility of a mistake is not instilling confidence in your team.
ReplyDelete5* QB Dante Moore and 5* WR Jalen Brown was there. Throwing for 44 yards is not a compelling argument for consideration.
I just want to thank Roanman for making good and rational points. Yes, I want to see the passing game get better and more efficient and if this is a season-long trend it's disappointing. But Michigan, coming off a terrible 2020 season has now dominated two at least decent opponents, by significantly more than expected. I would never have expected that Michigan would run the ball with such success. And yet people are complaining. Ugh.
ReplyDeleteDoes it really matter whether Michigan passes the ball or not? Just about everyone has the Wolverines pencilled in for 8--4 at best and we all know basically which teams they're going to lose to; whether they can pass or not...........
ReplyDeleteRun the ball down anyones throat they can and enjoy & savor the W . Pass or Run or Both - it just isn't going to matter in several of the upcoming games on the schedule.
As I See It.................INTjohn
Also, while I'm at it............ and I'm one of Harbaugh's major critics and have been from almost day 1 of his Michigan coaching time.
ReplyDeleteSaying he was coaching this game "scared" is just ridiculous. No one calls a 4th down fake punt at their own 30 cause they be scared. OK? And; isn't it common sense to respect an opponents strength and attack & exploit their weakness? Some of you need to really have spent some time in Actual Combat in a real war and had the shit shot out of you because of a commander's stupid play calling.........
Stick to your effing video games, idiots............INTJohn
All the complaints happening about this game would come to a dead end if Michigan has a couple 350 yd passing games. I think the compkaints are valid otherwise. I will withhokd judgement for a few games.
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/_ZachShaw/status/1472991243714060293
ReplyDeleteHaha. Linking to Zack Shaw? Might as well try Steve Deace, two of the most vile Michigan reporters as they come
Delete