Coaches Corner: Five things to watch for on Offense, Defense, and Special Teams during the Michigan State vs. Michigan game

Five things to watch for on Offense, Defense, and Special Teams during the Michigan State vs. Michigan game, and these are key if Michigan is going to pull off the big upset.

Defense:
The Michigan defense needs to be better than just average if they are going to win this game.

1) Defensive Tackle Play:
Michigan’s defensive tackles must make a new line of scrimmage. If the Michigan State offensive line is able to simply stalemate Michigan’s defensive tackles, it will open up the cutbacks between the tackles for Ringer. If Ringer is able to hit those cutbacks, it also opens the bounces to the outside. We will talk more on keeping Michigan State between the hashes later.

2) Linebacker Play:
Michigan’s linebackers, inside and outside, must play their best game of the year. You will never stop, nor contain a power running game like Michigan State’s without superior linebacker play. Our linebackers must, repeat MUST take on the lead blockers, the fullback and the pulling offensive linemen in the hole. This has been a problem all year. They must fill, or it opens up seams that any competent running back can exploit. The linebackers must take on lead blockers with their inside arm, keeping outside leverage and keeping the shoulder free. If the lead blocker is able to pin the linebacker to the inside, the running back will be able read that block and break the play to the outside. Michigan must keep Ringer and the Michigan State offense between the hashes, again more on that later.

3) Safety Play:
Michigan Safeties play is going to be huge.
If our safeties miss tackles and allow Ringer to gain extra yards after contact this will be a long afternoon. Michigan safeties must play strong position football. After Ringer, the second biggest threat is Hoyer on play action series’. If Hoyer hits a few big passes to Dell and the other Spartan wide receivers it will make for a difficult afternoon.

4) Maintain Contain:
Michigan’s defensive ends, outside linebackers, and cornerbacks must maintain outside leverage. They cannot allow Ringer and Hoyer to break contain like they did Penn State. Michigan must keep Michigan State’s offense between the hashes. If they allow Michigan State to break containment and put stress on the defense, Michigan’s chances will be very thin. If Ringer is not kept between the hashes, and Hoyer is not kept in the tackle box, Michigan State will make big plays, and Michigan’s offense will have problems overcoming that.

5) No Big Plays:
In four of Michigan’s loses the defense has given up multiple long plays. With our offense being less than stellar and having problems scoring, big plays are almost impossible for Michigan to overcome. There is an old saying in coaching: Make them snap it again!

5a). OK we lied:
If we had put to put priorities for this game in order, Number 1 would be: TACKLE!

5b) Ok double lie:
Michigan must create some turnovers and negative plays. That would create a short field and be a big help to the offense.

Offense:
For some reason many of our “Blue Brothers” have decided to give the Michigan offense a pass and blame this season on Coach Shafer’s defense. In our opinion, this is complete bullshit. The offense has been sporadic at best, hanging the defense out to dry much of the time. If Michigan is going to win, the offense needs to play its best game, PERIOD!

1) Get first Downs:
Michigan must control the clock, move the chains, and keep field position. Michigan cannot go three and out again and again like they did in the second half of the Penn State game. Michigan’s defense is just not dominant enough to overcome large time of possession disadvantages.

2) NO TURNOVERS:
Instead of caps, this should be in neon lights! Michigan cannot give Michigan State short fields and win.

3) Limit Negative plays:
Michigan does not have the firepower or big play capability to face third and long and pick up first downs on a regular basis. Limited penalties is another priority. The five yard penalties that happen before the snap have killed more than one Michigan drive this year.

4) Create some Big Plays:
Michigan has to create space for this offense to be effective. They must force Michigan State to play honest and not load the box. They MUST stretch the field and make Michigan State defend every inch of it.

5) Protect Threet:
We see almost no way for Michigan to win with Nick Sheridan at quarterback. This is not a knock on him, but we have stated since this spring that Michigan’s best chances for victories require Threet to be the quarterback. We took a lot of heat for this in the spring, summer, and fall, but it sure has become the reality this season. Threet cannot take too many hits, period!

Special Teams:
1) Kick off and Kick Off Return:
Must contain Michigan State and pin them deep when possible. It seems like most teams have been starting at about the thirty-yard line after a Michigan kick off. Michigan must do a better job turning the field position game in their favor. The Wolverines also need their return team to help the offense out by not forcing it to start deep in Michigan territory.

2) Field Goals:
When we are in position, we must be able to add points on the board, especially with our offense.

3) Punt Well:
Michigan needs to reverse field position when necessary with the punt team. Mesko has been doing a good job lately, but the other ten men on the field have to do their part as well. On Penn State’s punt block, they forced the “up” blocker back into Mesko, and he stood no chance of getting that kick off.

4) Big Play:
In these types of rivalry games big plays can be the difference. Whoever creates them usually wins, and whoever allows them usually loses.

5) Turnovers:
We cannot keep turning the ball over on special teams. It would be nice to see Michigan reverse that and create turnovers on special teams for a change.

written by CoachBt and ErocWolverine