Defensive Struggles: Fitting Gap Runs

Things Discussed:

• Happy Yankees Elimination Day to all who celebrate, and Guardians Elimination Week to the celebrants.
• What do we talk about when we're off-air? K-Pop.
• Pass protection vs Wisconsin: Michigan thought they could do it—Brian and Sam/PFF disagree whether there were pass pro issues from the tackles. There were stunt issues on the young guards, but 15% pressure rate is fine, thought for the most part they handled the DEs pretty well.
• Offensive design was great. Stick and move: Wisconsin was ready to defend stretch and Michigan hit them with a stretch beater for a that big early gain. We like that they set up explosives because Haynes can pay them off.
• Michigan will also test man coverage with back shoulder fades, something they refused to do under Harbaugh. Right thing to do with McCulley, and you got one from Marsh.
• Things holding them back are youth: Bryce can't check out of a call like he will when he's not a true freshman, Efobi (eff-Oh-bee) and Sprague have mistakes but can hack it physically. Really impressed with Guarnera (g'wahr-NAYR-ah).
• Haynes for Heisman or Bredeson? Bredeson holding call was garbage. Michigan won't get a holding call this year; it's a problem across college football.
• Defense: I'm not mad. Fire blitzes were the way to attack the power run game and wound up getting a 2023 game: 1 TD drive, 1 FG drive and a whole lot of nothing. They gave up some chunks when they didn't get a guy covering where they blitzed from. Don't do that against USC—Maiva has 12 yards/dropback when blitzed.
• USC: They run our system but they don't have the DL to play how Michigan does. Offense is #1 to SP+ but only defense they've faced is Illinois. Think Michigan can push them around on offense, need to get to the QB with four on defense. Illinois ran the football.
• Are they playing to spill? Sometimes—it depends on the call. Barham isn't holding the edge, but sometimes maybe he's not supposed to. Maybe play spill? You've got speed at LB for it.
• Want to see less rotation on the DL. Derrick Moore should not be getting the same number of snaps as Cam Brandt; he should be on the field 67% to 75% of the time. Don't want to see Brandt over Guy against USC.
• Also a big drop between Benny/Pierce and the rest of the DTs. They will get their gaps, but they won't get 2 gaps every play.
• Rod Moore—not just the big plays (killed the screen and the reverse). He created the interception. He got guys lined up. It was like 2023.
• Hillman could play less recklessly, but he's still valuable. Brandyn Hillman is a dangerous safety.
• Jayden Sanders is a revelation. Doesn't make the same mistake twice, has the mind for Rod Moore stuff.