Matt Canada runs the flexbone? That seems like a wide interpretation of that term.
Franks' statistics versus the 5 teams he played that won 8 games:
71-139, 52.5%, 801 yards. 5.76 ypa, 4 TDs, 4 INTs
Florida might be able to protect up the middle and might have the athletes at WR to give Michigan's defense trouble. Franks will not consistently through the easy crossing route (or any man-beaters) in stride to make Michigan pay. It will either come in hot or not be near enough to the WR.
To do what OSU did you have to have the QB play. Florida isn't even close to having the QB to consistently exploit Michigan's issues.
I think the variance in that game is extremely high. Bama's defense looked pretty mediocre for most of the SEC Championship Game and OU has a very good OL. I think Oklahoma COULD, and I say could, win a shoot out. Oklahoma could also lose 70-14 with Kyler Murray taken off the field in a bodybag. I think each of those options are viable.
Riley the OC is great. Riley the head coach is responsible for that defense which is frankly pathetic. I have never seen a worse major program unit be that bad. They are unphysical, undisciplined, and poorly coached--and ultimately that falls on the head coach!
Mullen should be able to manufacture some offense, but I'd be surprised if Florida gets out of the teens.
This has the makings of Michigan pre-Indiana and post-Nebraska. Wear a team down over 4 quarters, play great defense, keep it close for 3 quarters despite dominating the stat sheet and eye test.
I'm pretty Georgia is one of the top 4 teams in the country RIGHT NOW. I think you can make a case they are #2 actually. But if the committee is still valuing non-conference schedules that right there is what will keep them out.
At least Texas cares about defense. They have a plan. They might be outmatched (like everyone has been this year against OU).
Oklahoma literally looks like they don't give a fuck about defense. Effort is terrible. Everyone looks confused. How do you give up open verticals 2 plays in a row??
I don't get the Lincoln Riley hype. He's the head coach, not just the OC. And this defense is just flat out fucking embarassing to watch.
The offense scored 13 points on the first 9 drives of the football game OUTSIDE of the 1 play, 9 yard drive off the muffed punt at the end of the half. They didn't get it done against an Ohio State defense that is mediocre at best.
The 20 points scored in the 4th quarter were essentially in prevent garbage time and aided by some questionable penalties. The last TD when the team was down 30 was when the game was long ago decided.
You can think the offense improved this year (which it did) and still think the offense IN THIS GAME played poorly (which it did)
Everybody on earth thought this would be a somewhat defensive game with a final score in the 20s or so. I still think Michigan believed a) points would be tough to come by and at a premium and that b) the defense, as it had all year, come back and keep OSU contained in the 2nd half. I thought the decision was fine at the time as well thinking the final might be 31-28 or something. Clearly it didn't play out like that.
100% agree with this. Michigan had 9 drives start outside OSU's 10 yard line in the first 3 quarters and netted 13 points. The offense may not have been the biggest issue of the day, but they weren't the solution either. This wasn't Alabama they were up against.
The best defenses (and offenses) for that matter at the college level and below tend to be pretty straightforward. As a coach and player, you know what the holes are in the coverage or run fits and practice the shit out of those issues so they aren't as problematic. You have some basic adjustments you can make if something is hurting you.
They've given up 16 sacks all year and they throw the ball all the time! What's this PWND you're talking about.
I didn't think Michigan wouldn't lay a hand on him, but I didn't think they'd have 6 sacks either.
It's not the Oklahoma OL, but as a pass protection group with a pretty statuesque QB they do a good job protecting the QB.
You think they just played above their heads in this game? Gimme a break. They are a very good pass pro unit who played great because a) interior line matchups and b) they were very well prepared for what Michigan threw at them.
How similar was OSU offensively compared to last year when Haskins came into the game? I'm going strictly off memory but I recall a few big hitting crossing routes when he came in and am somewhat surprised Michigan didn't seem to have an answer for them this time around.
And secondly, how many adjustments has Michigan had to make defensively this year? I felt watching the game that the adjustments arguably made things worse. In other words, doing stuff you haven't really practiced or run in games isn't a recipe for success.
It was a football game won on coaching and matchups. Ohio State had thrown the ball well all season. They had a QB, WRs, and protection. Michigan's defense "danced with what brung them." What brung them left with someone else (to put it mildly). I've said it before and I'll say it again, man coverage is high-risk, high reward. The variability is just potentially much greater.
The only thing Ohio State clearly played better than they had in recent weeks was at the LB position and in being better tacklers.
The belief that Ohio State "wanted it more" or "put it together for this game" is bullshit. Their passing game created multiple big plays. Note their TDs usually came from some distance because when they got inside the 5 they had to kick FGs--still struggled to run it. It was the same offense, only they got the perfect coverage for what they wanted to do!!
If you look at Michigan's record the past 40 years I think you will see a record reflecting a lot more systemic issues with the program than people care to remember. Everyone remembers 1997, but forgets it's the only national title since what 1948?
I actually agree with your take for the most part. I don't think the score is reflective of the talent or coaching difference between the two teams. It is reflective of the drawbacks of playing man coverage against a good QB with good WRs and good protection. How many teams can do this in the country I don't know, but 2018 OSU is definitely one of them.
The defensive issue is that it's a 1-trick pony that is amazing when the trick is working and is a debacle when it isn't. But one of the reasons the "trick" is so good is because they commit wholeheartedly to it.
The offensive issues are bigger to me. The team scored 39 points, but half was garbage time and 1 was a 1 play, 9 yard drive off a turnover. On the first 9 drives of the game (not including the cheap one before the half) the offense scored 13 points. And this OSU defense isn't good. Period.
When he has an all-world QB (Andrew Luck), this offense can fire on all cylinders. Unfortunately he hasn't developed that in his time here nor has he recruited that.
The score is less indicative of the difference between the teams and more the shortcomings of playing man defense against good throwing QBs with athletic WRs who can protect. I don't know how many teams there are in the country who have that combination, but Ohio State clearly does with Haskins who has basically lit this defense up the last 6 or so quarters.
If you're going to play man defense and not get home, you are going to probably be in for a long day. OSU clearly had the athletes to make Michigan pay.
I'd argue the bigger issue is that there is no backup plan. They looked out of sync when they were trying to run some zone defense in the 2nd half.
Man coverage when you don't get home is a recipe for problems.
Brown's defensive stats are always going to look good against mediocre and even above average offenses because they will exploit mismatches. But when you don't get the mismatches and a team runs man beaters every play, that's going to cause problems--big problems!
This game was always going to come down to whether Ohio State could protect well enough and get open enough to create big plays in the passing game--stats be damned. They clearly have been able to do that.
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Matt Canada runs the flexbone? That seems like a wide interpretation of that term.
Franks' statistics versus the 5 teams he played that won 8 games:
71-139, 52.5%, 801 yards. 5.76 ypa, 4 TDs, 4 INTs
Florida might be able to protect up the middle and might have the athletes at WR to give Michigan's defense trouble. Franks will not consistently through the easy crossing route (or any man-beaters) in stride to make Michigan pay. It will either come in hot or not be near enough to the WR.
To do what OSU did you have to have the QB play. Florida isn't even close to having the QB to consistently exploit Michigan's issues.
I think the variance in that game is extremely high. Bama's defense looked pretty mediocre for most of the SEC Championship Game and OU has a very good OL. I think Oklahoma COULD, and I say could, win a shoot out. Oklahoma could also lose 70-14 with Kyler Murray taken off the field in a bodybag. I think each of those options are viable.
Riley the OC…
A-fucking-men.
Riley the OC is great. Riley the head coach is responsible for that defense which is frankly pathetic. I have never seen a worse major program unit be that bad. They are unphysical, undisciplined, and poorly coached--and ultimately that falls on the head coach!
Feleipe Franks isn't Dwayne Haskins.
Mullen should be able to manufacture some offense, but I'd be surprised if Florida gets out of the teens.
This has the makings of Michigan pre-Indiana and post-Nebraska. Wear a team down over 4 quarters, play great defense, keep it close for 3 quarters despite dominating the stat sheet and eye test.
I'm pretty Georgia is one of the top 4 teams in the country RIGHT NOW. I think you can make a case they are #2 actually. But if the committee is still valuing non-conference schedules that right there is what will keep them out.
…
Really? I mean really?
Oklahoma's defense is pathetic and has been for years now. This year it's reached new lows.
Michigan had a bad game where they got outgunned.
By either team.
Kyler Murray is really good, but OU's OL makes this offense special. He has hours to throw back there.
At least Texas cares about defense. They have a plan. They might be outmatched (like everyone has been this year against OU).
Oklahoma literally looks like they don't give a fuck about defense. Effort is terrible. Everyone looks confused. How do you give up open verticals 2 plays in a row??
I don't get the Lincoln Riley hype. He's the head coach, not just the OC. And this defense is just flat out fucking embarassing to watch.
Oklahoma has the worst defense I've ever seen for a major program--and it's not even close. Bad players, confused players--just awful.
The offense scored 13 points on the first 9 drives of the football game OUTSIDE of the 1 play, 9 yard drive off the muffed punt at the end of the half. They didn't get it done against an Ohio State defense that is mediocre at best.
The 20 points scored in the 4th quarter were essentially in prevent garbage time and aided by some questionable penalties. The last TD when the team was down 30 was when the game was long ago decided.
You can think the offense improved this year (which it did) and still think the offense IN THIS GAME played poorly (which it did)
Everybody on earth thought this would be a somewhat defensive game with a final score in the 20s or so. I still think Michigan believed a) points would be tough to come by and at a premium and that b) the defense, as it had all year, come back and keep OSU contained in the 2nd half. I thought the decision was fine at the time as well thinking the final might be 31-28 or something. Clearly it didn't play out like that.
100% agree with this. Michigan had 9 drives start outside OSU's 10 yard line in the first 3 quarters and netted 13 points. The offense may not have been the biggest issue of the day, but they weren't the solution either. This wasn't Alabama they were up against.
The best…
Like Oklahoma.
The best defenses (and offenses) for that matter at the college level and below tend to be pretty straightforward. As a coach and player, you know what the holes are in the coverage or run fits and practice the shit out of those issues so they aren't as problematic. You have some basic adjustments you can make if something is hurting you.
They've given up 16 sacks all year and they throw the ball all the time! What's this PWND you're talking about.
I didn't think Michigan wouldn't lay a hand on him, but I didn't think they'd have 6 sacks either.
It's not the Oklahoma OL, but as a pass protection group with a pretty statuesque QB they do a good job protecting the QB.
You think they just played above their heads in this game? Gimme a break. They are a very good pass pro unit who played great because a) interior line matchups and b) they were very well prepared for what Michigan threw at them.
How similar was OSU…
Space,
How similar was OSU offensively compared to last year when Haskins came into the game? I'm going strictly off memory but I recall a few big hitting crossing routes when he came in and am somewhat surprised Michigan didn't seem to have an answer for them this time around.
And secondly, how many adjustments has Michigan had to make defensively this year? I felt watching the game that the adjustments arguably made things worse. In other words, doing stuff you haven't really practiced or run in games isn't a recipe for success.
I couldn't disagree with this take more.
It was a football game won on coaching and matchups. Ohio State had thrown the ball well all season. They had a QB, WRs, and protection. Michigan's defense "danced with what brung them." What brung them left with someone else (to put it mildly). I've said it before and I'll say it again, man coverage is high-risk, high reward. The variability is just potentially much greater.
The only thing Ohio State clearly played better than they had in recent weeks was at the LB position and in being better tacklers.
The belief that Ohio State "wanted it more" or "put it together for this game" is bullshit. Their passing game created multiple big plays. Note their TDs usually came from some distance because when they got inside the 5 they had to kick FGs--still struggled to run it. It was the same offense, only they got the perfect coverage for what they wanted to do!!
"OSU has underperformed vs. the teams from 2014-16"
Because of the ridiculously high standards he has created. They are 23-3 in the last two seasons compared to 37-4 in the previous 3.
If you look at Michigan's record the past 40 years I think you will see a record reflecting a lot more systemic issues with the program than people care to remember. Everyone remembers 1997, but forgets it's the only national title since what 1948?
I actually agree with your take for the most part. I don't think the score is reflective of the talent or coaching difference between the two teams. It is reflective of the drawbacks of playing man coverage against a good QB with good WRs and good protection. How many teams can do this in the country I don't know, but 2018 OSU is definitely one of them.
The defensive issue is that it's a 1-trick pony that is amazing when the trick is working and is a debacle when it isn't. But one of the reasons the "trick" is so good is because they commit wholeheartedly to it.
The offensive issues are bigger to me. The team scored 39 points, but half was garbage time and 1 was a 1 play, 9 yard drive off a turnover. On the first 9 drives of the game (not including the cheap one before the half) the offense scored 13 points. And this OSU defense isn't good. Period.
When he has an all-world QB (Andrew Luck), this offense can fire on all cylinders. Unfortunately he hasn't developed that in his time here nor has he recruited that.
That was a really low bar today.
The score is less indicative of the difference between the teams and more the shortcomings of playing man defense against good throwing QBs with athletic WRs who can protect. I don't know how many teams there are in the country who have that combination, but Ohio State clearly does with Haskins who has basically lit this defense up the last 6 or so quarters.
Ironically, Michigan was in zone on the throwback off sprint TD that made it 21-6.
Live by the sword. Die by the sword.
If you're going to play man defense and not get home, you are going to probably be in for a long day. OSU clearly had the athletes to make Michigan pay.
I'd argue the bigger issue is that there is no backup plan. They looked out of sync when they were trying to run some zone defense in the 2nd half.
Man coverage when you don't get home is a recipe for problems.
Brown's defensive stats are always going to look good against mediocre and even above average offenses because they will exploit mismatches. But when you don't get the mismatches and a team runs man beaters every play, that's going to cause problems--big problems!
This game was always going to come down to whether Ohio State could protect well enough and get open enough to create big plays in the passing game--stats be damned. They clearly have been able to do that.