Week Four - UConn Coaching Points

1st Half

• Michigan ran Y-stick 3 times, once with Funchess being swing receiver.
• Gardner really looks like he's trying to make things happen right now. Forcing it, pressing issue. Ruining his timing.
• UConn scrape exchanging when Michigan goes to pistol. Making either read incorrect.
• UConn putting a lot of pressure on the edge, Michigan struggling to block it, DG not feeling comfortable with it.
• Borges tried to counter with PA pop pass to Gallon. DG's front foot over extended and ball went low and inside as expected.
• Int was perfect read on a mesh concept, Gallon sat in bubble. DG never set his feet, thus the ball floated
• TE's doing a bit better of setting edge on their guy, but UConn being very aggressive in secondary, setting edge with S
• Still problems getting push off the ball for the OL. It's not enough to get a stalemate in the run game.
• Fitz looking hesitent once he gets in the hole. I haven't been as critical of him, but once you're in the hole need to get shoulder square and downhill.
• On deep pass to Reynolds, they thought they had UConn jump offsides. Good to see a hard count to get UConn off snap, but weren't offsides.
• Beyer failed to run the receiver in the seam. OLB in over front needs to ride the seam on the pass. Got caught with eyes in backfield.
• Frank Clark doing better job getting off fast and getting arm up and under OT. Got OT on heels and allowed Clark to dictate rush.
• Last two games Taylor has struggled breaking out of his hang coverage. He has been late on the inward breaking routes consistently.

2nd Half

• I just want to emphasize again, listen to Spielman when Michigan has him. He says a lot of the things I think I'll cleverly say.
• I think Gordon may start getting a few more reps at SAM. Beyer really struggled in pass coverage as you'd expect from a WDE.
• Michigan did a good job pressing the edge and getting push there on offense. On Fitz's long zone stretch run, the TE did a great job working the DE, passing on to Lewan, and attacking the second level (and then the defender jumped inside for absolutely no reason... thanks)
• Borges went to the well too many times on the Y-stick and on the PA boot in short situations. Have to show the plays off of that eventually, which you will. But it really could have afforded to be in this game.
• At some point the interior needs to get push though. Right now Michigan can't base block the middle and pick up a yard. Need that in the offense without pulling or anything.
• In a post later this week I'm going to discuss what's happening with DG. But for the people complaining about Borges running into loaded front... what else is he supposed to do when DG is missing on the easiest of routes?
• The bunch formation to move the chains is a similar play that Akron scored their final TD on. It is a rub route to beat man, would have liked Borges to go to that part of his playbook more often.
• As far as DG, the mental aspects are affecting his mechanics now. This will be discussed in a post but it's very obvious when he's in the pocket. Most of the "draws" were him bailing on open pass plays quite quickly.
• I think inside zone will be something Michigan should work on over the next two weeks. That allows the OL to simply be more aggressive and provides a nice counter off the zone stretch. If this is going to be a zone team, inside zone is pivotal.
• I think the thing you see is improvement is happening at each position. If a positive can be taken from this game, it is happening. It's slower than I'd like, since young players should improve quicker than experienced guys, but it is there. DG losing it mentally is really stalling the offensive growth though.
• Fitz did a few things to piss me off this game, more than what people pointed to last week. The fact that he went sideways into the pile several times is horrendous. You cannot get push going in sideways. Square the shoulders and drive.
• I do think the injury is still affecting Fitz. His "injury" is evident of that. It's a worry for him. He acted like he tweeked it a few other times on awkward hits. I think it's still in his head.
• I answered it during the game, but I don't think Green is the answer yet. I still don't think he has the first step quickness and he's still working on how to cut in a zone system and move piles. He'll get there, but give him a little more time. I think with a struggling interior line, he's the wrong type of back at this point. If Michigan interior was doing well, he'd would make a great 2nd back, but not yet.
• Did not like the defensive playcall on 4th and 20. It was a basic man under coverage, pressing the receivers. The LBs were pointless on the play, and just spied the RBs out of the backfield, I assume to cover any hook and ladder play, but it was too easy to complete and really brings PI into play with CBs having their backs turned to the ball.
• The DL was more disruptive, but still has work to do. You saw some of the flashes that guys like Wormley provide, but it's still inconsistent. The LBs were a little cleaner filling against UConn.
• Speaking of Wormley, his sack was because he did his job. MO got edge pressure with a nice rip move, and Wormley pressed the pocket, ripped through a double, and the QB stepped right into him. That's what I meant when I talked about someone winning 1v1 (MO) and everyone else doing their job is how you find success (Wormley).
• Mattison was really asking Wormley after one set of downs to go to the rip earlier and better. I think that was the big move, the fundamental aspect they were working on with the interior players.
• The rip move is the easiest move and probably the best go to move for interior players. It includes getting leverage pulling with one arm, then ripping under the armpit with the other hand. You punch like an uppercut, and force the OL to turn that shoulder to you. Once your shoulder is playside of his shoulder, you've won. It's a great way to split doubles.
• The ends did better using their inside hand to get leverage underneath the OTs. Attacking "half the body" or a "corner of the body" as Spielman talked about and getting that leverage with the inside hand was the big improvement.
• Defense got a little tired, but overall I thought they played well. Still some things to clean up that I've noted, but good week to go into the bye and continue improving fundamentals.
• Yeah, I know the Lewis flag was a flag. I know it was dumb. But I hate this crap where you can't hit someone on the football field. The play was still happening. Who knows, if Dileo tries to cut it back across the field to take it to the EZ, that guy could come back into play. It was a clean hit, just behind the play. That's right up there with the late hit OOB penalties, which are awful in football now.