Coaching Thoughts: Post-Notre Dame

I find myself lacking the time to do "snapshot" breakdowns of particular plays, so while I would like to go into greater detail, please bear with me as I simply write about some of the technical breakdowns I saw in Saturday night's game. To point out these plays, I'm using the Notre Dame highlight video below:


Cover zero: The touchdown pass with 3:58 left before halftime was a result of a man-beater route combination called by Notre Dame, plus a physically outmatched slot corner in Delonte Hollowell. Hollowell correctly had inside leverage on the quick out, but he was aligned a little far off for my liking and did not have the makeup speed to undercut the route or challenge the catch. On the goal line, there's no need to play off the receiver. If the opponent tries to throw over the top, they have to complete the pass in front of the end line, which is tough unless you've got a good jump ball guy.

Seam routes: On the interception thrown with 12:34 remaining in the third quarter, it looks like Gardner simply didn't see safety Max Redfield in the deep middle. Gardner likely felt a little rushed because Notre Dame was getting a bit of a push. All the routes were covered, so I would like to see Gardner tuck the ball and run or throw it away. If he's going to make that throw to Khalid Hill, he needs to put some air under it with Hill being the only guy who could catch it. Hill would have had a chance to make the reception if it turned into a jump ball because Redfield was not in great position to defend a deep ball, but even then, a safety vs. a mediocre tight end is probably going to go the defense's way.

Free safety play: On the botched cover zero play involving Hollowell (above), blitzing safety Jeremy Clark gets chopped to the ground by running back Tarean Folston. Part of blitz technique is using your hands to stay on your feet when someone goes for a cut block, but Clark's eyes were in the backfield and he was caught completely off guard. If he had stayed on his feet, he would have been in Golson's face and potentially altering the throw. On the tunnel screen touchdown with 3:02 remaining in the third, it's well executed by Notre Dame. The guy who should be saving that play is deep safety Jeremy Clark. He reacted by trying to get over the top of the screen, but those plays are designed to come back inside. Because of his overpursuit, Clark took a bad angle. He should have been coming downhill, right up the tunnel. That would have given other defenders more of a chance to converge even if he didn't make the tackle. It turned out to be a pretty easy catch-and-run score. That's the inexperience of a redshirt sophomore safety project.

Scramble drill: Late in the third quarter, Devin Gardner dropped back to pass. With a decent pocket forming and several downfield routes - plus a well covered outlet option in De'Veon Smith - Gardner hung in the pocket looking for a receiver. At the 1:00 mark, he began to scramble - first to the right, then back, then to the left, and finally forward across the line of scrimmage. In the four seconds before he crossed the line of scrimmage, not one receiver re-entered the screen to save his quarterback. When a quarterback is scrambling, deep receivers are supposed to work their way short, and short receivers are supposed to work deeper. Instead, Gardner scrambled, spun, got blindsided, and ultimately fumbled.

Amara Darboh's route running: Darboh is big and strong, and he has decent speed. What Darboh lacks is precision in his route running. When Michigan got the ball back after Gardner's aforementioned fumble, the first play involved what looks like a 7-yard hitch route. Darboh does not provided the illusion of running deep, either with his footwork or his head. He simply hits 7 yards, whips his head around, and drifts. A receiver is supposed to come back down the chute to the ball, which prevents the corner from jumping the route. Sure enough, cornerback Cody Riggs jumps the route and beats Darboh to the spot. The pass may have been broken up anyway, but a good route there probably has Darboh catching the ball and getting tackled immediately for a decent 7-yard gain.

Pass protection: At roughly 2:44 left in the fourth quarterback, Notre Dame runs a six-man pressure with a seventh man playing a hug technique (blitz if the running back stays home) on running back Justice Hayes. It's a man blocking scheme, and everyone is accounted for except the hugger. Right tackle Ben Braden gets off balance and is caught off guard by an inside pass rush. Meanwhile, left guard Erik Magnuson's second step is that of a left tackle who is trying to protect the width of the pocket, instead of a step by a guard trying to protect the depth of the pocket. He opens up his left shoulder, which allows the defensive tackle to that side to get upfield. Despite Jehu Chesson coming open on a short crossing route, Gardner does not have time to throw the ball before getting hit by Braden and Magnuson's men.

Michigan vs. Notre Dame Awards

Devin Funchess

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Khalid Hill. Hill has been a pleasant surprise this year, and while he hasn't been a huge contributor, he made 1 catch for 9 yards where he broke a tackle, and he also had a crushing block in the open field. Hill seemed like a smooth pass catcher coming out of high school, but he looks bigger and is playing more physically than I think was expected in his redshirt freshman year. I think Michigan may have found a pretty good sleeper in this one.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . Derrick Green. If the line isn't opening holes, then I think De'Veon Smith should be getting more carries. Green actually ran harder than I thought he did last week, but he made one confusingly bad cutback when he should have gone to the front side, and he just doesn't have the same power as Smith. I still think Green is the more explosive player, but this line doesn't create enough room for that to matter much.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Jabrill Peppers. Peppers rolled his ankle against Appalachian State, so he wasn't able to play against Notre Dame. I think that may have had a huge effect on this game. Peppers is a playmaker with his speed and hitting ability, and it seemed like Notre Dame was picking on replacement Delonte Hollowell. I think Hollowell is a decent backup, a solid tackler, and someone you can throw in there in dime packages or for short stretches. But if you're counting on him to be nearly a full-time guy as your nickel corner, that's going to be an issue. Hopefully Peppers gets healthy soon.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Channing Stribling. Once again I'm addressing the cornerback position, but I just don't think Stribling has "it" yet. He doesn't have great recovery speed, he's not particularly physical, and he just doesn't make any plays. He let Corey Robinson beat him on a skinny post for a 22-yard gain, and Stribling had a bead on a quick screen but proceeded to biff the tackle. The lack of healthy corners (Peppers and Raymon Taylor were both injured) forced Stribling into the game, but Michigan just needs to get healthy at the corner position.

Play of the game . . . why must I choose? There's almost nothing to pick. Michigan didn't score or create any turnovers. The only sack they notched was a snap over the quarterback's head. I guess I'll have to go with Devin Funchess's 33-yard catch over top of cornerback Cody Riggs's head down the right sideline. Whoopee.

MVP of the game . . . Devin Funchess and Jake Ryan. I thought both players had good games. Funchess (9 catches, 107 yards) was every bit the mismatch problem we expected, and offensive coordinator Doug Nussmeier moved him around to prevent the defense from keying on him. I also liked that he made an attempt to re-enter the game after getting hurt. Ryan made 11 tackles and was flying all over the place to stop the run. I could have done without his 15-yard penalty for hitting Everett Golson late, but the game was out of hand by then, anyway.

Notre Dame 31, Michigan 0

Oh, how I long for a "pocket."

What just happened? I found this question reverberating around in my head from the second quarter onward. The scoreboard - whether it said 31-0 or 37-0 at the end - was not reflective of what this Michigan team can do, and it was not reflective of Notre Dame. Notre Dame has some good players, and so does Michigan. Notre Dame has some good coaches, and so does Michigan. Notre Dame was missing some people, and so was Michigan. Are Notre Dame's coaches, starters, and backups 31 points superior to Michigan's? Well, yeah, I guess they are. But I have no idea why. Michigan had 289 total yards to Notre Dame's 280. It wasn't that the Fighting Irish totally destroyed Michigan's offense, or that their offense ripped up the Wolverines' defense. They just made plays when they needed to make plays, a trait absent from Michigan for the last couple years.

This is where I jump on Doug Nussmeier. When it comes to play calling, I don't think Nussmeier helped quarterback Devin Gardner at all on Saturday night. Notre Dame realized early on - probably as early as last year - that if they blitzed relentlessly, they could either get to Gardner or at least pressure him into bad throws or mistakes. Instead of pulling out plays to ease the pressure, Nussmeier basically said, "At least one receiver is going to beat his one-on-one matchup, so you'd better find him with Jarron Jones or Sheldon Day in your face." Al Borges and Vincent Smith perfected the throwback screen. Al Borges and Jeremy Gallon perfected the throwback tunnel screen. Borges loved to run lead draws. Nussmeier's way of slowing down the rush was to run zone read play action. When the bubbles and quick throws stopped working, he never seemed to take the next step to ward off the blitz. I would have liked to see more sprintouts, half rolls, tunnel screens, etc. He just thought the offensive line would magically stop the overload blitzes. Michigan moved the ball in chunks because they won one-on-one matchups - Devin Funchess vs. Cody Riggs, Dennis Norfleet vs. Jaylon Smith, etc. - but this isn't Alabama, where he can count on his offensive linemen winning one-on-one matchups. I was afraid that, at some point, Nussmeier would fall victim to thinking that he could just count on being bigger, faster, and stronger than the opponent. I hope he came to realize the errors in that thought process in the aftermath of this game.

This offensive line isn't as bad as last year. Center Jack Miller was repeatedly shoved back into Devin Gardner's grill, and that's a problem. But not every team has a Jarron Jones. Mason Cole and Erik Magnuson had several communication issues on the left side, but that comes with the territory of starting a true freshman left tackle. Regardless of the numbers, I thought the offensive line looked closer to the one that opened up huge holes against Appalachian State than the one that soured the taste in our mouths in 2013. Michigan is not a team that can wear teams down by running the ball, but they should be able to run the ball enough to keep most defenses off balance.

Blake Countess looks uncomfortable. I don't think Countess is a wussy corner like Deion Sanders, but Countess does look awkward in press coverage. He is not physical at the line of scrimmage, and because he lets receivers get free releases, he's opening up his hips too quickly. That style does not jive with what we're seeing at the other corner in the form of Raymon Taylor/Jourdan Lewis. If Countess can't play press man like defensive coordinator Greg Mattison wants this year, then perhaps he should move into the slot, where his ability to bait quarterbacks would be more useful.

So much for that wealth of cornerbacks. One place I thought Michigan had the advantage going into this game was at corner, where Michigan's experienced and/or talented guys could win out against some inexperienced - but still talented - wideouts. Then I saw that Jabrill Peppers was on the sideline with his bum ankle, replaced by the lesser talented Delonte Hollowell. Then after the first defensive series, starter Raymon Taylor went to the locker room with an injury and never returned to the game. Just like that, Michigan was missing two of its top three corners. Hollowell was picked on repeatedly by Notre Dame. Jourdan Lewis picked up two pass interference penalties, at least one of which was highly questionable. The next guy in was Channing Stribling, who still looks a half-beat too slow for playing football against the big boys. I thought the numbers were leaning toward Michigan, with five Notre Dame academic fraud suspects off the field and a starting safety missing due to injury. However, those absences quickly started to even out with Peppers, Taylor, and tight end Jake Butt standing on the sideline.

But the linebackers looked good. After being unimpressive last week against Appalachian State, I thought starting linebackers Jake Ryan (11 tackles) and Joe Bolden (10 tackles) looked markedly better last night. They were reacting quicker, and they held a solid crew of running backs to 25 carries for 61 yards.

The refereeing was bad. The second pass interference penalty on Jourdan Lewis was hogwash, and it appears that Michigan is a step late in wanting to be all hands-on with their corners. That's soooo  2013. Somehow, Devin Funchess got hit early on a crossing route that resulted in an incomplete pass, but the officials kept their hankies in their pockets. There was also no reason for Notre Dame's Corey Robinson to be ruled down on the three-yard line when Stribling tackled him on a skinny post; the ball should have been placed at the 6" line. You can't blame the refs for a 31-point loss, but they certainly didn't help Michigan find any success early.

The announcing was bad. I hate hate hate watching games on NBC, because it's always a Notre Dame slurpfest. And while there weren't a lot of good things to say about Michigan last night, I don't remember color guy Mike Mayock saying many nice things about Michigan players. He said NFL scouts "love" Jake Ryan, and he complimented Devin Funchess's ability to be big. Otherwise, he fawned over Everett Golson, Cam McDaniel, Greg Bryant, Jaylon Smith, Jarron Jones, Sheldon Day, Cody Riggs, Will Fuller's speed (though not his hands), and even Notre Dame's quarterbacks coach. Thank goodness that by the time Michigan plays Notre Dame again in the distant future - the year 2000 - Mayock won't be around anymore.

Turnovers don't exist. Michigan has zero takeaways in two games.

I don't know where this team goes from here. This seems like a game that could make or break some teams. I don't think anyone was under the illusion that Michigan was going to win a national championship this year, but the shutout could fracture a locker room and make some people question whether this unit is going anywhere. Again, I look at how Michigan moved the ball at times, and I think it might just be an unhappy coincidence that the Wolverines didn't string together enough plays to create a couple scores. Notre Dame has a high-powered offense, and I predicted that they would score 31 points. We all knew they could march down the field and score. Michigan needs to regroup and get healthy next week against Miami, and moving forward, Nussmeier needs to open up his playbook against blitzing defenses to keep them out of Gardner's face.

Video: Michigan/Notre Dame - The Final Chapter

Preview: Michigan at Notre Dame

Rush vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense
Michigan got off to as good of a start as possible when they ran 36 times for 350 yards (9.72 yards/carry) in week one, albeit against Appalachian State. That YPC puts them #1 in the country going into week two. It's only one week, but plenty of other schools played patsies in their openers, too. I don't expect Michigan to be a great running team this year, but that's a positive sign. Both Derrick Green (15 carries, 170 yards, 1 touchdown) and De'Veon Smith (8, 115, 2) had outstanding games, with Green as more of a home run threat and Smith as the between-the-tackles bruiser. Notre Dame allowed 141 yards on 3.53 yards/carry last week to Rice, which puts the Fighting Irish in the middle of the pack early. Even without defensive end Ishaq Williams (suspended for academic issues), they have a formidable front seven with defensive tackles Sheldon Day and Jarron Jones, plus defensive end Romeo Okwara and outside linebacker Jaylon Smith. The question mark for them comes up the middle with some questionable talent and little experience at inside linebacker. If Michigan can get past the first level - which still might be a tall task - it could be tough for them to slow down the 220-pounders in Green and Smith. But until I see Michigan perform against a solid defense, I'll say . . .
Advantage: Notre Dame

Pass vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense
Michigan was also outstanding in the passing game, as starter Devin Gardner finished 13/14 for 173 yards and 3 touchdowns before giving way to sophomore Shane Morris (3/5, 37 yards, 1 interception). Junior wide receiver Devin Funchess - who was awarded the #1 jersey prior to the opener - caught 7 of those passes for 95 yards and all 3 touchdowns. While Funchess is the main target, the connections to other receivers - particulary Jehu Chesson, Amara Darboh, and Dennis Norfleet - looked crisp, too. The key for Michigan will be whether their offensive line can block Notre Dame's defensive line and stymie a likely array of blitzes designed to confuse the young, oft-shuffled line. The Fighting Irish sacked Rice twice in their opener, and they intercepted one pass while breaking up two more in 26 attempts. Their personnel in the secondary has dwindled recently with an MCL injury to starting safety Austin Collinsworth and the academic suspension of cornerback KeiVarae Russell. They're piecing together a secondary that includes a bunch of young or unproductive players, including cornerbacks Cole Luke and Cody Riggs, safeties Max Redfield and Elijah Shumate, and combo player Matthias Farley. There's some talent there, but nobody has shown star tendencies. They will have to count on the massive Jones and the quick Day to put pressure on Gardner.
Advantage: Michigan

Rush Defense vs. Notre Dame Rush Offense
Michigan was gashed up the middle several times against Appalachian State, and they did not create stops in the backfield. Defensive coordinator Greg Mattison took some blame for not making adjustments, but also, there's no need to bring out every run blitz to stop a team that you're beating by 38 points. It was not an ideal performance by the Wolverines (156 yards allowed on 29 running back carries), but it wasn't particularly alarming, either. One issue may be that perhaps Michigan's best inside linebacker, senior Desmond Morgan, will miss the game with a broken arm. Junior Joe Bolden and fifth year senior Jake Ryan - who moved from OLB in the off-season - have not shown that they can stuff the run up the middle. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish have a nice lightning-and-thunder combination with sophomores Tarean Folston (12 carries, 71 yards) and Greg Bryant (8 carries, 71 yards). Folston is a little bit reminiscent of Fitzgerald Toussaint with his acceleration and jump-cut ability, while Bryant is a little more ponderous but can run through defenders if he squares his shoulders. Notre Dame's line is nothing special, but they have experience on the interior and some size up front. With Morgan out and a mediocre performance against Appalachian State, I'll put this category as a notch for . . .
Advantage: Notre Dame

Pass Defense vs. Notre Dame Pass Offense
Michigan has an All-Big Ten corner in Blake Countess, a guy who's supposedly playing his best ball on the opposite side, a 5-star freshman in the slot, and perhaps their best pure cover corner (Jourdan Lewis) coming off the bench. Redshirt sophomore Jeremy Clark played his first extensive time at deep safety last week, and he did fair. Michigan did not get a great pass rush, despite notching two sacks (by Chris Wormley and Taco Charlton), but Appalachian State ran a lot of short routes. Notre Dame should have some longer developing plays, but they also have a better offensive line. The tackles should be the most vulnerable, so Frank Clark's pass rush off the edge should be a key. Notre Dame got some big plays in the passing game against a Rice team that had a pretty solid pass defense last year. Last week's standout was sophomore Williams Fuller (4 catches, 85 yards, 1 touchdown), but five players averaged 17 or more yards a catch, including tight end Ben Koyack (3 catches, 51 yards). Redshirt junior quarterback Everett Golson finished 14/22 for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns. It was a good day, but he will face a stiffer test against Michigan's sticky secondary.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• Michigan offered the following Notre Dame players coming out of high school: OT Alex Bars, OG Hunter Bivin, CB Devin Butler, WR DaVaris Daniels, DT Sheldon Day, OT Steve Elmer, QB Everett Golson, OT Mark Harrell, DT Jay Hayes, WR Corey Holmes, DT Jarron Jones, OT Christian Lombard, TE Tyler Luatua, CB Cole Luke, DE Jacob Matuska, OT Mike McGlinchey, OT Colin McGovern, OG John Montelus, LB Nyles Morgan, OG Sam Mustipher, LB James Onwualu, CB Cody Riggs, DE Isaac Rochell, S Elijah Shumate, LB Jaylon Smith, TE Durham Smythe, CB Nick Watkins, CB Nic Weishar, DE Jhonny Williams
• Players from the state of Michigan include: K Kyle Brindza, OT Steve Elmer, DE Jhonny Williams
• Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly used to be the head coach at Grand Valley State University

Last Year

• Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees was 29/51 for 314 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions
• Michigan held the Fighting Irish under 100 yards rushing (19 carries, 96 yards)
• Devin Gardner had his best career game to that point, finishing 21/33 for 294 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception, plus 13 carries for 82 yards and another score
• Blake Countess had 2 interceptions
• Michigan 41, Notre Dame 30

Predictions

• Devin Funchess goes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns
• Michigan averages 4.0 yards/carry
• Graham Glasgow plays left guard, moving Erik Magnuson to left tackle
• Michigan struggles to stop the run
• Michigan 34, Notre Dame 31

USA Today College Football Countdown: #18 Notre Dame

Paul Myerberg previews the 2014 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (LINK).

Notre Dame suspends four players for academic fraud

KeiVarae Russell

This is notable because it's a Michigan rival, the second opponent on the 2014 schedule, and a consistent threat in midwest recruiting. If things go sour for Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly and the program, that could bode well for the Wolverines. Plus, you know . . . it's somewhat fun to watch them suffer.

Regardless, I won't be dancing on their grave just yet. The Fighting Irish have done a good job of recruiting - as always - so there are some potential impact players behind those who have been suspended.

WR DaVaris Daniels
Daniels is a junior whom Michigan recruited out of high school. Last year he caught 49 passes for 745 yards and 7 touchdowns, and he was Notre Dame's leading returning receiver. Now that title falls to junior Chris Brown (not that Chris Brown), who caught 15 passes for 209 yards and 1 touchdown in 2013. Wide receiver T.J. Jones and tight end Troy Niklas both moved on to the NFL.

LB Kendall Moore
Moore was a senior who was expected to be buried on the bench despite making 17 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, and 1 interception in 2013.

CB Keivarae Russell
Russell had 51 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 1 interception, and 8 pass breakups last season. He was Notre Dame's top returning cornerback. Opposite him would have been Cody Riggs, a fifth year senior transfer from Florida; Riggs had 51 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks, and 3 pass breakups as a safety for the Gators in 2013. Russell's backup was sophomore Devin Butler (another former Michigan target), who made 5 tackles and 1 pass breakup in 2013.

DE Ishaq Williams
Williams had 17 tackles, 1.5 tackes for loss, and 1 sack in 2013. His lone career sack came against Michigan last year. While he started just one game last season, he was expected to start at defensive end this year. His backup is sophomore Isaac Rochelle, who had 10 tackles last year.

Video: Devin Gardner vs. Notre Dame

Michigan vs. Notre Dame Awards

Jeremy Gallon

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Jehu Chesson. Still without a catch on the year, Chesson has been carving his niche as a destructive blocker so far. After a couple highlight-worthy blocks against Central Michigan, he had a knockdown block against the Fighting Irish on Jeremy Gallon's 61-yard touchdown reception that sealed the score. He also shows some nice speed and looks like he really belongs on the field, despite still being a little skinny.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . the trainer. Amara Darboh's out for the year, and within a short span on Saturday night, three guys walked off the field: Taylor Lewan, Devin Funchess, and A.J. Williams. Michigan doesn't have the depth to weather many injuries. While all three of those guys returned in short order (Lewan didn't miss a play because the whistle was blown for Funchess's injury), it was nerve wracking.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . nobody. I thought Michigan did a good job of playing the best guys on Saturday night.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Dymonte Thomas. Okay, we actually haven't seen much of Thomas at safety up to this point, but there's a reason I don't like freshman safeties. Thomas's 15-yard late-hit penalty was really frustrating, and it was just a sign of immaturity. Safety is the last position on defense where a team can afford immaturity, so I'm glad he's a backup nickel corner right now. He'll be good eventually.

Play of the game . . . Devin Gardner's 61-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Gallon. Gardner play-faked to the left before rolling out to find Gallon settling into the deep middle of the field. Gallon caught the ball, made a couple guys miss, spun out of a tackle, and was helped out by Chesson's knockdown block on his way to a touchdown.

MVP of the game . . . Jeremy Gallon. This was a tough choice between Gallon and Gardner, but I'm choosing the guy who didn't make a disgusting, potentially disastrous turnover. Gallon had 8 catches for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns on the night, including a few catches in traffic and some nifty running after the catch.

Michigan 41, Notre Dame 30

Devin Gardner wears cliched quarterback #98 (image via Times Union)

Hail to the Victors. I thought the team showed a lot of toughness and grit in beating the Irish. For a while in the second half, Michigan really had to fight through some adversity - a horrible interception for a touchdown, a barrage of penalties, and a bunch of injuries (A.J. Williams, Devin Funchess, Taylor Lewan, and Jeremy Gallon all had injury scares). After the way the first half went, I knew Michigan was going to have some struggles in the second half, but it got really ugly there for a bit.

Ugliest interception ever? I don't think I've ever seen a Michigan quarterback throw a more ill advised, damaging interception than the one Gardner threw. Late in the game he retreated into his own endzone, got wrapped up by blitzing safety Austin Collinsworth, twisted around uncomfortably, and tried to heave the ball (to no one in particular?) as he was being flung to the ground. Mammoth defensive end Stephon Tuitt made a diving interception as the duck floated to the ground in the endzone, and suddenly Notre Dame was within four points.

Jeremy Gallon for the #1. The #21 jersey is nice and everything, but Gallon is everything you would want in a #1 receiver - speed, good hands, leaping ability, game-changing plays, blocking, toughness, etc. He won't be a first round pick, but 8 catches for 184 yards and 3 touchdowns against Notre Dame - on top of what he has already achieved - is worthy of that jersey. The problem with the #1, apparently, is that players have to prove their worth at least one season before their final year in Ann Arbor, and it's greatly dependent on the quarterback throwing him the ball. If Gardner had been the quarterback for the entirety of 2012, Gallon might be wearing the hallowed jersey of Anthony Carter, David Terrell, and Braylon Edwards instead of Desmond Howard's.

Here comes Blake Countess. Countess finished the game with 6 tackles and 2 interceptions. The second interception, which bounced off Raymon Taylor's knee and popped up into the air, was a right-place-right-time kind of play that sealed the game for Michigan. The first one involved Countess coming off his flat receiver to jump into the throwing lane of Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees; he followed that up with a 30-yard return that showed good speed, vision, and cutback ability. The last Michigan player to make 2 picks in one game was cornerback James Rogers against Purdue in 2010.

The offensive line struggled as expected. Notre Dame blitzed often, and they put pressure and hits on Gardner repeatedly; Michigan also struggled to run the ball. The running backs combined for just 24 carries and 71 yards, which is almost 3.0 yards/carry. I thought the guards were the weakest links. Both had problems with picking up linebackers in Notre Dame's 3-4 defense. Fighting Irish nose tackle Louis Nix was his dominant self (4 tackles, 1 tackle for loss) and got penetration consistently, and left tackle Taylor Lewan had his hands full with Tuitt, although Tuitt's only entry into the box score was that interception for a touchdown. I would say Notre Dame won the battle up front, but Gardner scrambled and ran the option well enough to get the edge frequently (13 carries, 82 yards, 1 touchdown). Michigan has to improve along the front five, but that's probably the best defensive front they'll face all season.

Gardner and the #98. Before the game, Gardner was announced as the recipient of the #98 Legends jersey, previously worn by Heisman winner Tom Harmon. It bugs me a little bit that Gardner's #12 jersey won't have a chance of joining Michigan's pantheon of Legends jersey numbers, but there's no better representative on the current team than Gardner. He was 21/33 for 294 yards, 4 touchdowns, and 1 interception, to go along with those rushing yards above. Aside from two balls thrown into the dirt and that terrible interception, Gardner was on point throughout.

Michigan needs to blitz. Rees mostly did a good job of seeing the blitz, audibling appropriately, and getting rid of the ball. Michigan notched just 1 sack (by Brennen Beyer) and got little pressure on him throughout the night. Through two games, I just don't think Michigan's defensive linemen can get to the quarterback consistently enough without sending at least one additional blitzer. Zone blitzes are probably the way to go, because while Michigan's corners can cover well enough, the safeties and linebackers leave a little to be desired in man coverage. The pass defense, which allowed 314 yards, was not stellar. And while Rees's 29/51 effort wasn't great, running back George Atkinson dropped about three balls, and wide receiver T.J. Jones missed another one or two, perhaps because he appeared to injure both shoulders in the span of about three plays.

The weapon that is Devin Gardner. Good ol' sandbaggin' Al Borges rolled out the pistol formation, which had been rumored to be Michigan's new wrinkle this year with Colin Kaepernick Devin Gardner taking over the quarterback position. Michigan ran the veer option and the zone read better than Denard Robinson could have done, and they tossed in a little inverted veer as well (one of Robinson's best plays). And obviously, Gardner has the capability of making any throw. His chemistry with Gallon is as excellent as was advertised in the off-season. Gardner is the new breed of quarterback.

Eminem's halftime interview. I like some of Eminem's music, but I'm halfway embarrassed that the two biggest modern "pop culture" representatives of the state of Michigan, Detroit, etc. are Eminem and Kid Rock. Marshall Mathers's interview with Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit was one of the more awkward television interviews you'll see, because . . . well . . . that's Eminem. He likes the attention.

What does this mean for the season? Michigan just beat a national championship game participant from last season, so that's cool. I thought Notre Dame sort of lucked into that game, but that's neither here nor there. Michigan has shown they can play with just about anyone on their schedule. They should be favored in every contest except perhaps Ohio State.

Preview: Michigan vs. Notre Dame

Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense
Michigan had a mediocre performance from its running backs last week, when they totaled 38 carries for 155 yards and 4 touchdowns against Central Michigan. The better numbers came from quarterback Devin Gardner (7 carries, 52 yards, 2 touchdowns) and slot receiver Dennis Norfleet, who took a reverse for 38 yards. Michigan ran the zone stretch well last week, but the running between the tackles left something to be desired, partly because of a mediocre interior offensive line. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish have a highly touted front seven, but they allowed 4.6 yards/carry to Temple in their season opener and made just 2 tackles for loss. Junior defensive end Stephon Tuitt (6'6", 312 lbs.) and senior nose tackle Louis Nix III (6'3", 342 lbs.) are the headliners up front. There's no star linebacker this year now that Manti Te'o graduated, but the whole crew is made up of highly recruited high school stars. Michigan's interior linemen are going to struggle getting movement against Nix in the middle, but the Wolverines should have an advantage with All-American left tackle Taylor Lewan on the left side. Backup running back Drake Johnson (2 carries, 9 yards) is out for the year with a torn ACL, but starter Fitzgerald Toussaint and his backups should be able to hold their own in this game. The x-factor in this matchup is Gardner, who can turn passing plays into big runs.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense
Gardner (10/15, 162 yards, 1 touchdown, 2 interceptions last week) had an up-and-down performance last week. He took some unwarranted chances, but still ended up with a solid completion percentage and decent yardage despite a Chippewas team intent on stopping the deep pass. He'll have to make better decisions this week against a team that will blitz and put its defensive backs on an island more often. Top wideout Jeremy Gallon (4 catches, 47 yards, 1 touchdown) is due for some big catches and tight end Devin Funchess (2 catches, 47 yards) is a matchup problem, but the other receivers are either unproven or proven to be mediocre. The biggest concern here is the young interior linemen against Nix, Tuitt, defensive end Sheldon Day (6'2", 290 lbs.), and an array of blitzes from the 3-4 defense. Tuitt had the only sack in the game against Temple, but he had 11 last year and the pass rush should be better. Junior cornerback Bennett Jackson (6'0", 185 lbs.) led the defensive backs in picks last season with 4, and sophomore Keivarae Russell (5'11", 190 lbs.) had 2. The safeties are lightly regarded and not particularly fast or big. Gardner might be able to take advantage of those safeties, but he'll have to be careful about waiting too long for routes to develop because of the pass rush. I would expect Michigan to throw some screens to slow the pass rush, along with some sprint-outs to move the pocket. Michigan should be able to make a play here or there in the passing game, but it will be tough sledding through the air.
Advantage: Notre Dame

Rush Defense vs. Notre Dame Rush Offense
Michigan allowed just 66 yards on 29 attempts by Central Michigan last week, but that was largely without starting running back Zurlon Tipton, who had almost 1,500 yards rushing in 2012; Tipton broke his ankle early in the game. But Tipton actually had the worst day of the running backs, who had 14 carries for 68 yards without him. Meanwhile, Notre Dame's backs had a solid day against Temple's rush defense, totaling 34 carries for 193 yards and 1 touchdown. Starter George Atkinson (6'1", 220 lbs.) is very talented, and backup Amir Carlisle (5'10", 190 lbs.) led the team in rushing last week. Quarterback Tommy Rees (6'2", 215 lbs.) isn't a threat on the ground, but the Fighting Irish are more of a rushing attack than one might expect from a Brian Kelly-led team. The offensive line is large and pretty solid, averaging 6'5" and 315 lbs. for the tackles and guards; center Nick Martin (6'5", 295 lbs.) isn't small, either. Michigan's defensive linemen are not particularly large, even at nose tackle, where the rotation players are all a shade over 300 lbs. Michigan will have to win this battle with quickness and play recognition, the latter of which is a category where linebackers Desmond Morgan and James Ross excel.
Advantage: Notre Dame

Pass Defense vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense
Senior quarterback Rees takes over for Everett Golson, who was declared academically ineligible for the fall semester. Rees went 16/23 for 346 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions last week against Temple. That was a step forward for a guy who had 34 touchdowns to 24 interceptions coming into this year, including 35/52 for 430 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 3 interceptions against Michigan over the years. Little used backup Andrew Hendrix has been mediocre throughout his career. Senior T.J. Jones (5'11", 195 lbs.) has hurt Michigan in the past and caught 6 passes for 138 yards in the opener, and junior wideout DaVaris Daniels (6'1", 203 lbs.) is a speedster who had 3 catches for 69 yards and 2 scores. Tight end Troy Niklas (6'6", 270 lbs.) isn't the receiver that Tyler Eifert was, but he can be a bit of a matchup problem due to his size. Fifth year senior strong safety Thomas Gordon returns, and senior free safety/utility defensive back Courtney Avery will be available this weekend after arthroscopic knee surgery. Those players should help out a little bit, but Michigan needs redshirt sophomore Blake Countess and junior Raymon Taylor to be at the top of their game. Jones is dangerous across the middle and running after the catch, and if he shakes free from the nickel corner (probably Countess), that could be trouble. The Wolverines generated a pass rush last week, but it's going to be tougher sledding against the large and experienced Irish.

Roster Notes

• Notre Dame's roster is full of players Michigan offered: OT Hunter Bivin, WR Chris Brown, CB Devin Butler, WR DaVaris Daniels, DT Sheldon Day, OT Steve Elmer, LB Dan Fox, WR William Fuller, OT Mark Harrell, DT Jarron Jones, OG Christian Lombard, CB Cole Luke, OT Zack Martin, DE Jacob Matuska, OT Mike McGlinchey, OG Colin McGovern, OG John Montelus, DT Louis Nix III, WR James Onwualu, DE Isaac Rochell, S Elijah Shumate, OLB Jaylon Smith, TE Durham Smythe, DE Tony Springmann, OG Chris Watt, TE Alex Welch, and CB Lo Wood
• TE Mike Heuerman is the son of Paul Heuerman, a former Michigan basketball player; Mike played in high school with 2014 Michigan DT commit Brady Pallante
• PK Kyle Brindza and OT Steve Elmer are the lone Irish players from the Great Lakes State
• Michigan RB Justice Hayes was committed to Notre Dame at one time

Last Time . . . Notre Dame beat Michigan by a score of 13-6 in 2012.

Predictions

• Michigan continues to successfully run the zone stretch, especially off left tackle, and Toussaint has a big game
• Play action gets Michigan's wide receivers open deep once or twice for big plays
• Rees has enough time to pick apart Michigan's secondary until he makes a big mistake late
• Michigan 31, Notre Dame 24

Mini Preview: Alabama vs. Notre Dame

This is just a mini-preview of the national championship game, since I don't really have a dog in the fight.  However, Michigan is in the unique position of having played both national championship contenders during the regular season; the Wolverines lost to Alabama by a score of 41-14 and followed that up three weeks later with a 13-6 loss to Notre Dame.

Roster notes

• Michigan recruited DT Chris Bonds, S Ha'Sean Clinton-Dix, LB Trey DePriest, CB John Fulton, RB Dee Hart, CB Cyrus Jones, OL Ryan Kelly, OL Arie Kouandjio, OL Cyrus Kouandjio, LB Dillon Lee, CB Dee Milliner, LB Tana Patrick, RB Blake Sims, CB Geno Smith, DE Dalvin Tomlinson, and CB Jabriel Washington
• RB Dee Hart was once committed to Michigan prior to the firing of Rich Rodriguez
• Head coach Nick Saban and TE/ST coach Bobby Williams both used to be head coaches at Michigan State

Roster Notes

• Michigan recruited K Kyle Brindza, WR Chris Brown, WR DaVaris Daniels, DT Sheldon Day, LB Dan Fox, QB Everett Golson, OT Mark Harrell, DE Jarron Jones, QB Gunner Kiel, OT Christian Lombard, OT Zack Martin, WR Davonte Neal, DT Louis Nix III, S Elijah Shumate, OG Chris Watt, TE Alex Welch, RB Cierre Wood, and CB Lo Wood.

Predictions

• Alabama's front seven has its way with Notre Dame's offensive line
• Everett Golson shows his lack of experience and turns over the ball three times
• Notre Dame's secondary gets burned by some play action passes
• Alabama 31, Notre Dame 10

2012 AP All-America Team

Taylor Lewan went from Under Armour All-American to AP All-American

The AP All-America Team was released last week, so this isn't exactly a timely post, but I figured I would gather together the names of players that are pertinent to Michigan fans.

FIRST TEAM
Montee Ball - RB - Wisconsin
Ka'Deem Carey - RB - Arizona
Taylor Lewan - OT - Michigan
Chance Warmack - OG - Alabama
Barrett Jones - C - Alabama
Jadeveon Clowney - DE - South Carolina
Manti Te'o - LB - Notre Dame
C.J. Mosley - LB - Alabama
Dee Milliner - CB - Alabama

SECOND TEAM
D.J. Fluker - OT - Alabama
Spencer Long - OG - Nebraska
Tyler Eifert - TE - Notre Dame
Stephon Tuitt - DE - Notre Dame
Johnathan Hankins - DT - Ohio State
Kawann Short - DT - Purdue
Bradley Roby - CB - Ohio State

THIRD TEAM
A.J. McCarron - QB - Alabama
Braxston Cave - C - Notre Dame
John Simon - DE - Ohio State

Of the 75 total players listed on the first, second, and third teams, Michigan played (or will play) against 17 of them, or 23%.  This just reinforces how difficult Michigan's schedule was, as the Wolverines lost a close game to the #1 team (4 players), lost in a blowout to the #2 team (6 players), lost a close game to a 12-0 team in Ohio State (3 players), and then lost by two scores to Nebraska (1 player).

I threw in Arizona RB Ka'Deem Carey simply because he plays for former Michigan coach Rich Rodriguez and leads the country with 1,929 rushing yards (and will end the bowl season that way unless someone else busts out with a couple hundred yards in a bowl game, which is possible).

Video: 2012 Michigan vs. Notre Dame - Every Snap

Video: Michigan Rewind - Notre Dame

Michigan vs. Notre Dame Awards

Desmond Morgan (image via AnnArbor.com)

Let's see more of this guy on offense . . . Jeremy Gallon.  Gallon had a couple decent runs and a few good catch-and-runs.  Good things tend to happen when Michigan gets the ball in his hands.  Three catches and 2 rushing attempts are too few touches.

Let's see less of this guy on offense . . . good defenses.  Because most of the time, they make Denard Robinson look lost.

Let's see more of this guy on defense . . . Brennen Beyer.  I know Beyer has been injured, but I'm looking forward to his return.  That will allow Jake Ryan to play SAM linebacker and move around occasionally without having to play defensive end on running downs.

Let's see less of this guy on defense . . . Mario Ojemudia.  He's just not ready right now.  I know he's in there because of necessity, but he's not strong enough or big enough to make any plays right now.  It would be nice if Michigan could get enough depth where they don't have to play guys like this every year.

Play of the game . . . Thomas Gordon's interception.  Gordon made a leaping catch of an Everett Golson pass in the endzone, preventing  a scoring opportunity for the Fighting Irish.

MVP of the game . . . there aren't a whole lot of options, because nobody really had an exceptional night. I'm going to go with sophomore linebacker Desmond Morgan, who I thought had a very good game.  I haven't rewatched the game, but in watching on Saturday night, I thought he was very solid in run support.  I also thought Quinton Washington got off the ball really well; this was the best performance I've seen out of him.

Notre Dame 13, Michigan 6

This will not end well. (image via USA Today)

I wish I were wrong.  I pretty much had the lowest score prediction in the Michigan blogosphere, and even I didn't expect the sloppy snoozefest that occurred on Saturday night.  I was criticized on my game preview for picking a 24-20 score because the offenses were powerful and the defenses weren't.  Well . . . we saw what happened.  The defenses were okay, but the offenses aren't where they should be for either school.  Notre Dame should be more explosive for offensive genius Brian Kelly, and Michigan should be better with a senior quarterback.  Brian at MGoBlog sort of criticized my understatement that this would be Denard's worst game against Notre Dame, but I guess I wasn't clear enough; the pressure up front was bound to make Denard jumpy.  I just expected more breakdowns in the defensive backfield.

Denard Robinson is a terrible (passing) quarterback.  He was, is, and probably always will be.  I have been saying this for years.  He's capable of good games (Ohio State in 2011, for example), but that's not the norm when he faces decent teams.  Over the past two seasons, he has 26 touchdowns and 23 interceptions. Last night he was 13/24 for 138 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions; he also fumbled twice and got sacked 3 times.  There's no excuse for the poor decisions he makes, the poor footwork, the turnovers, and the inaccuracy.  Even his Hail Mary interception at the end of the first half was terrible because he overthrew every single dude on the team; you're not trying to beat the opponent deep in that situation - you're trying to complete the pass and get yards after the catch.  And all that stuff happened with Notre Dame missing starting safety Jamoris Slaughter and starting corner Lo Wood.

Vincent Smith and Al Borges d'oh.  Michigan was moving the ball really well at one point in the first quarter, and then Al Borges had to go ahead and call that play where Vincent Smith throws the ball to the other team.  That was a huge turning point in the game, because it seemed Michigan was on its way to scoring before that play.  Of course, Smith should know better than to throw it, but he's a running back.  Hell, Michigan's actual quarterback threw four picks of his own, so who's to say that Denard wouldn't have made the same poor decision?  I thought Borges called an okay game, but that was a huge, huge mistake.

Hooray for Jeremy Gallon.  I thought Gallon was pretty consistent throughout the night in all phases of the game.  He made good decisions on punt returns, ran well after the catch, and had a couple nice designed runs.

J.T. Floyd rabble rabble rabble.  He did not have a good game.  He is not good.  I take that back.  He isn't good at covering, he isn't good at supporting the run, and he isn't good at taking on blocks.  However, he does have a knack for tackling wide receivers when they catch the ball in front of him.  So there's that.

Freshman safety anger.  I hate hate hate playing freshman safeties.  I've mentioned this before.  All safeties should redshirt or be limited to special teams.  Jarrod Wilson got caught flat-footed in the second quarter and then had to grab onto Tyler Eifert to prevent a touchdown pass.  Pass interference, first down, then touchdown.  Wilson also picked up a holding penalty on the ensuing kickoff.  All that attrition in the defensive backfield over the past few years has really hurt the team.

WTF on Notre Dame's touchdown?  Notre Dame lined up in pro left with trips to the right on the 2-yard line..  Michigan put four guys down with Jake Ryan as the middle linebacker and safety Jordan Kovacs about 7 or 8 yards off the ball.  This is problematic because a) Notre Dame has six blockers to block five guys and b) Jake Ryan isn't a middle linebacker.  Ryan's read step took him to Notre Dame's left (presumably because that's where the uncovered gaps were), but he was also moving backward on the snap.  Quarterback Tommy Rees simply took the shotgun snap and ran right behind his center and right guard, who were double-teaming Quinton Washington.  Washington didn't do a bad job of holding up, but that's just setting up your defense to fail.  Put Desmond Morgan or James Ross in there, and maybe your MIKE has a chance of making the right read.

Jake Ryan's role needs to be re-evaluated.  I think the coaching staff is asking too much of him.  Sometimes he's a SAM linebacker, sometimes he's an inside linebacker, and sometimes they put him at defensive end, even in running situations.  He can't hold up at defensive end against the run.  Leave him on the edge and then move him around in obvious passing situations to get after the quarterback.  He's a quality player in some aspects, but he's not a freak athlete that can be moved around at will.

Where is Michigan now? Out of the top 25.  And that's probably where they deserve to be.  They were overrated to begin the year, and now they're probably in the range where they deserve to be.  The loss of Junior Hemingway has hurt because Denard doesn't have a go-to guy, and the lack of playmakers on the defensive line has turned this into a mediocre defense.  The linebackers and safeties are fine, but the defensive line and cornerbacks are weaknesses right now.

Preview: Michigan at Notre Dame

Rush Offense vs. Notre Dame Rush Defense
Michigan is #45 nationally in rush offense, but Denard Robinson accounts for 117 of the team's 192.3 yards/game.  The offensive line has generally struggled to create creases for anyone else.  Meanwhile, Notre Dame is #23 in rushing defense, giving up 96.3 yards/game.  They held Michigan State's Le'Veon Bell to 77 yards on 19 carries (4.1 yards/attempt) and the entire Navy offense to 149 yards, a team that was #3 nationally in 2011 with 358 yards/game.  The Fighting Irish have done a good job of recruiting in recent years, and they now have several very good players in the front seven.  Denard Robinson has shown that he can run on these guys, but I have some concerns about whether the offensive line can hold up.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. Notre Dame Pass Defense
After playing two cupcake defenses and one very good defense, Robinson is completing 54.6% of his passes for 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions; he's the #39 rated passer in the country, thanks to some long completions.  However, two of those interceptions have been returned for touchdowns.  Michigan has its full complement of wide receivers, and the 6'4" Devin Gardner leads the team in yards, touchdowns, and yards per catch.  Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish are missing starting safety Jamoris Slaughter and starting cornerback Lo Wood for the season; the other starting corner Bennett Jackson had 2 interceptions against Purdue, and safety Zeke Motta isn't much of a pass defender.  Receivers should be able to get open, but the 3-4 defense will probably put some pressure on Robinson in the pocket; Notre Dame sacked Michigan State quarterback Andrew Maxwell four times last week.  Defensive end Stephon Tuitt leads the country with 5 sacks and the team is sacking the quarterback 3.67 times per game.  Big plays will be there both ways, but based on past performance, I think Robinson will make some big things happen through the air or by scrambling.
Advantage: Michigan

Rush Defense vs. Notre Dame Rush Offense
This matchup terrifies me, because Notre Dame has several running backs with a great deal of ability.  Theo Riddick had 107 yards and 2 touchdowns against Navy; George Atkinson is averaging 9.5 yards/carry; Cierre Wood returned last week to run for 56 yards on 10 carries against MSU; and quarterback Everett Golson can run a little bit.  Michigan has struggled on the inside, and both defensive end Brennen Beyer and defensive tackle Richard Ash are questionable to play due to injury.  They're #104 nationally against the run. Riddick and Wood are both capable running backs, but Atkinson is the wild card.  He's fast and physical and could be a huge game-breaker.  I do not see this phase going well for the Wolverines.
Advantage: Notre Dame

Pass Defense vs. Notre Dame Pass Offense
Golson is Notre Dame's starter, but he's backed up by a couple capable guys in Tommy Rees and Andrew Hendrix.  The youngster is completing just 58% of his passes for 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, so he's not lighting the world on fire, but if the running game produces, he won't have to win it through the air.  The Fighting Irish have a handful of capable receivers, not just one guy to concentrate on like Michael Floyd the past few years.  Tight end/wide receiver Tyler Eifert, receiver T.J. Jones, receiver DaVaris Daniels, receiver Robby Toma, and running back Theo Riddick all have between 6 and 9 receptions.  Eifert, in particular, seems like a matchup problem because of his size (6'6", 251 lbs.) and speed.  Notre Dame gives up 2.67 sacks/game, and Golson holds onto the ball too long sometimes, but Michigan barely gets after the quarterback unless they use Jake Ryan as a rusher.  Without starting cornerback Blake Countess, it might be a struggle for Michigan to cover each of the targets.
Advantage: Notre Dame

Roster Notes

• Michigan recruited K Kyle Brindza, WR Chris Brown, WR DaVaris Daniels, DT Sheldon Day, LB Dan Fox, QB Everett Golson, OT Mark Harrell, DE Jarron Jones, QB Gunner Kiel, OT Christian Lombard, OT Zack Martin, WR Davonte Neal, DT Louis Nix III, S Elijah Shumate, OG Chris Watt, TE Alex Welch, RB Cierre Wood, and CB Lo Wood.

A Look Back . . . 
Here's my review of Michigan's 35-31 win last season, my awards from that game, and some highlights:

Predictions

• Denard Robinson has his worst career performance of the Notre Dame series.
• Notre Dame gashes Michigan for 190 rushing yards.
• Big plays go Notre Dame's way this year.
• Notre Dame 24, Michigan 20

Pre-Snap Read: #25 Notre Dame

Jaime Edmondson

Pre-Snap Read  puts Notre Dame at #25 for the upcoming season, one slot ahead of the Ohio Bobcats.

Video: Michigan 35, Notre Dame 31 (2011)