Week One: Central Michigan Coaching Points

Editors Note: Our resident X's and O's expert, Space Coyote, watched the game today with an eye on not just how Michigan was doing, but what was working and what wasn't.  Here are his observations from the game as taken from his twitter timeline.  Do you have questions?  Let him know in the comment section.

• Michigan really protecting safeties with CBs. Slants and flats open all day for CMU. CMU hasn't hit them when they've thrown them though
• Protecting safeties for a reason, late to read and react right now. WRs open in coverage bubbles; safeties hurting in route recognition
• Front seven looks quite good, needs to finish tackles more consistently. Wrap and bring the chest. Get into feet of big backs
• CMU missing starting RB, but their white RB is doing pretty well. Runs strong and sees lanes well. CMU should be able to run this year
• Black very quick off snap. Great at nose on obvious passing downs. Difficult for center to block. Really helps pass okie package be diverse
• Front 4 getting good pressure early. Part of it is good push vs overmanned CMU line. But look quicker w/ moves too.
• First INT on both DG and Dileo. DG's eyes and Dileo's route both lead to INT. Have to fix both to hit bench route consistently
• Second INT: If Gallon ran straight go route, needs to break to post if CB is over top; if double move, he lost. DG shouldn't throw it anyway
• DG throwing a little late and behind. Note: it's the 1st game, defense and WRs do things a faster. It'll get better, not concerned about it
• But DG is great at stepping up in pocket, scrambling, and reading keeping defense honest with eyes and arm. Sets up WR blocks well.
• DG needs to step up earlier though to let pocket form, needs to do better at feeling backside pressure and escaping up and out at times
• Either way DG should not have made throw on 2nd pick, needed to step into pocket and get to second read. #footwork
• Michigan 0/4 on true pull runs in 1st half. No one doing it well yet, all too slow or too deep. To put it nicely, this is a zone running team this year.
• Some inside zone, some outside zone, some pin and pull zone. Mixing up zone runs. Borges funk did good job improving that in off season
• I personally think they should run it with Fitz more on stretch zone to left. Lewan getting great seals, Fitz hitting hole square with speed
• Michigan INT was CB sitting on out route as CMU went to the well once too often. Nice adjustment by CB reading the route
• Great set up on reverse, nice down field block by DG and nice whiff by FB and then crack back to set it up. Needs to be TD though
• I hate shotgun delayed handoff. Interior OL dropping too deep, getting DL into handoff before RB can see play develop. Play not working
• Fitz should get drafted next year. That's not about production today. It's about ability and how he ran football. Needs more touches though
• Fitz TD OL had a nice pull into hole but need to do better finding and hitting someone. Work in progress still
• This team needs to learn the counter and how to block it. Only zone: shades of Debord. Need a misdirection & change D's keys.
• Green still learning when to plant foot and cut up zone run. Hasn't worked a lot in zone scheme before. Looks good and strong for FR though
• AJ Williams vastly improved blocking. Great seal on Green's big run. I think losing weight helped, looks more agile on edge
• Backup OL showed well for themselves, but Williams was maybe biggest reason for 2nd half run game success.
• Think Smith is better running between OTs right now. Really gets shoulders low and gets good leg bend. Strong runner. Churns legs well
• Smith is going to be oddly like Hart at times, down to having lots of grass ahead and somehow getting tracked down.
• I told people Reynolds would be fine at WR2. Underrated athlete, great adjustment on long catch. Not spectacular, but 30 catches realistic
• I know it's CMU, but OL good at getting push on inside zone. Use leverage and momentum well there.
• And now all people that already labeled Green a bust and quiet it to a whisper. He's still learning, skill is there though.
• DL did a good job getting hands into CMU's OL. Lots of good leverage and push back. Won't be this easy going forward though.
• Outside of Fitz, Hayes looked most comfortable on zone runs. Good burst through line. Like to see him more as backup and 3rd down back
• Shane has lightning behind his passes. Tons of zip on passes, gets on receivers fast. Footwork, footwork, footwork needs work.
• Morris's INT was a good throw. Unlucky. Didn't quite drop it in as much as wanted, but shorter WR, tipped up. Just unlucky all around
• On the long pass and run from Henne to Funchess... whoops, I mean Morris to Funchess. That is all.
• Rawls first carry was the best vision I've seen him run with to date. Inside zone: front side plugged, cut to backside A gap for nice gain.
• Then Rawls hesitated and jumped cut on second inside zone and got blown up... it's about consistency at the position.
• Norfleet still learning WR position. Ran his route too short. Got athletic ability, will take another year to play regularly
• Not sure if Ferrigno or Jackson coaches FBs, but both FBs and TEs are very improved. Looked good out there today.
• Perfect game fot UM. Perfect because it wasn't perfect. Lots of coaching points to address, Players will learn a lot but can be confident.
• This is not a team waiting to win. This year, next year, they want to win now. That's why so many FR playing. Get the most out of potential.
• I still think next year is the year for UM. FR this year will be ready next year. Redshirts become more common after next year IMO.
• This also helps even out very unbalanced recruiting #s down road. No more 27 then 16 man classes, not that that's reason they're playing.
• For those wondering about CMU, I think it's middle of the road MAC team. QBs looked shaken today in the Big House.
• But they have WRs on the outside that can make some plays, RBs look good, and solid run blockers. Need work in pass pro.
• CMU is young, they'll have mistakes. Need to get more consistent depth on D. May take a couple years but I think Enos has them on track.
• Plain and simple UM was just bad match up for CMU. They'll look better in the MAC. Not great, but better.