Upon Further Review 2011: Defense vs Illinois

Formation notes: They did the usual 4-3 under stuff and went to a nickel package against spread sets. On passing downs the seven-guys-on-the-line okie package was a frequent deployment; on short yardage we saw the return of the Beyer/Ryan 4-4 under.

Then they did some weird stuff. If this looks a bit like a 3-3-5, yeah, sort of :

That's clearly a pass defense D with the ends lined up outside of the tackles and both the spur/bandit-type dudes on the strong side of the formation, ready to drop into man coverage.

This is another exotic pass defense featuring nose tackle Mike Jones (serious) and DT Craig Roh (also serious):

Illinois ran at this; Jones and Roh actually forced the play behind them into tacklers; pile fell forward for five.

Personnel notes: Secondary was Floyd/Countess/Kovacs the whole way and mostly Woolfolk but Gordon did pop up from time to time; I'm pretty sure Woolfolk left permanently on the Scheelhaase touchdown since he seemed to aggravate one of his many available injuries. Avery was the nickelback; when Floyd cramped up briefly he moved outside onto Jenkins and Gordon came in at nickel.

Demens and Morgan went the whole way at LB; Ryan played most of the game but gave way to Beyer a little.

The line was mostly the usual RVB/Heininger/Martin/Roh setup with cameos from Black, Clark, and Campbell. Brink got some plays at the tail end.

Show? Show. W00t.

Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O20 1 10 I-Form twins 4-3 over Penalty N/A False start -- -5 Emblematic. O15 1 15 I-Form twins 4-3 under Pass 4 PA scramble Woolfolk 1 Iso fake draws heavy attention but Scheelhaase only has two options in the route and they must both be covered(+2). I find that hard to believe but I'm guessing Woolfolk(+2) jumped the corner route behind Countess and convinced Scheelhaase to scramble. Ryan(-0.5, tackling -1) misses a tackle that would have been a sack, giving up three or four yards. O16 2 14 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 5 Hitch Floyd Inc M shows a blitz from Morgan on the outside. Illinois checks, Michigan still runs it. It's picked up. All short routes; Scheelhaase goes to Jenkins on a five yard out that Floyd(+2, cover +2) breaks up. Prelude to ownage. O16 3 14 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Throwaway Roh Inc Roh(+1, pressure +2) dives inside on a stunt that gets the Illinois OL. He gets held a little and ends up falling just short of the QB's feet (I might be done typing Scheelhaase); Martin(+0.5) runs after to contain, forcing a throwaway. RPS +1. Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 12 min 1st Q Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O14 1 10 Shotgun 2-back 4-3 under Run N/A Triple option keeper Van Bergen 3 Kovacs rolls down for an eighth guy. M gets lucky here. RVB(+1) stays on QB throughout the play; Ryan(-2) dives inside the slot receiver and gives up the corner. He's got to have the pitchman here. This should be a pitch for a big gain. Instead QB tries to beat RVB one on one and can't do it. Still a decent gain because M had destroyed the dive, which fine. O17 2 7 I-Form 4-3 under Pass N/A Long handoff Countess 6 Countess(-1, tackling -1) comes up a little hard and to the inside and ends up getting stiffarmed as Jenkins breaks to the outside. He does manage to delay Jenkins long enough for Ryan(+0.5), flowing hard from the inside, to tackle before the sticks. O23 3 1 I-Form Big 4-4 under Run N/A Iso Martin -1 Beyer/Ryan package. Heininger(+1) drives his OL a couple yards into the backfield. Martin(+2) takes a pop from the center and still does the same to the backside G, putting him on his knees at the LOS and forcing a cutback. This screws up the blocking angles and forces Ford back into Ryan(+1, tackling +1), who came down to the LOS on the snap and took a good angle into the backfield; RVB(+1) beat a block and comes into help prevent any YAC. RPS +1 for the slant forcing the play back into an unblocked player. Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 8 min 1st Q. Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O23 1 10 Shotgun 2back trips 4-3 even Run N/A Triple option dive Heininger 0 Covered slot receiver. Michigan aligns differently than normal with DTs over the guards and Illinois runs a triple option. QB hands off since DE is on him and Countess is hanging on the pitch. Dive goes nowhere thanks to Martin(+1) and Heininger(+1) blasting single blocks back; Roh(+0.5) comes in from the side to finish Pollard after he confirms the give was made. O23 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Drag Roh Inc Roh and Black your DEs. Kovacs rolls down. Straight dropback. Illinois looking for the drag; Roh(+1, pressure +1) beats the tackle to the outside and is held; no call. This along with Black(+0.5) falling at the QB's feet causes some shuffling and a back-foot throw that ends up going wide of Jenkins. Completion likely if accurate but Gordon(+0.5, cover +1) seemed to have this locked down for a not so big gain. O23 3 10 Ace 3-wide Okie Run N/A Down G Van Bergen 5 Scheelhaase checks from a shotgun formation to an inside run out of ace. They're trying to run at the middle of the line as Morgan drops out into a zone; Martin(+1) fights inside a pulling guard—mismatch—and RVB(+1) comes off a block when the second guy moves downfield. Those two combine to tackle for a meh gain. Drive Notes: Punt, 7-0, 1 min 1st Q Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O20 1 10 I-Form 4-3 under Pass 4 PA curl Woolfolk 7 Beyer in. Illinois runs PA. Play develops with no LBs underneath the Jenkins comeback; QB fires it to him. Immediate tackle from Woolfolk(+0.5, tackling +1) and Countess(+0.5). Coverage push, pressure -1. O27 2 3 I-Form 4-3 under Penalty -- False start -- -5 Erf. O22 2 8 Shotgun trips Nickel even Pass 5 Hitch Floyd 14 Kovacs rolls to a slot receiver as M shows one high. Floyd(-1, cover -1) is beat on a ten-yard hitch and can't tackle on the catch. He has to set up and gives up a few more in the name of being safe. O36 1 10 Pistol 3-wide 4-3 under Pass 4 Stop and go Floyd Inc RB motions out into the slot. Michigan sends Beyer off the edge, dropping Roh; stoned. (Pressure -2) QB has all day to pump and then chuck deep. He ends up throwing it away because Floyd(+2, cover +2) was over the top of a double move to the point where throwing it was stupid. O36 2 10 Shotgun trips Nickel even Run N/A Zone read keeper Ryan 0 Ryan(+2) momentarily dives down but recovers impressively to force Scheelhaase outside, outside, outside. Floyd(+1) beats a Jenkins block to slow him, whereupon Ryan tackles from behind. O36 3 10 Shotgun empty Okie Pass 4 Martin 7 Okie package gets the Illinois OL to bust (pressure +2, RPS +2). Martin(+0.5) gets a free run. Scheelhaase actually gets a pass off and completes it but it's off and takes the WR off his feet. Demens(+1) was there to tackle if necessary. Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 9 min 2nd Q Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O5 1 10 I-Form Big 4-3 under Run N/A Iso Heininger 7 Not entirely sure what the problem is here. Both DTs only take single blocks; Martin fights through his to almost kill this in the hole but can't quite. Morgan takes on the FB basically at the LOS and does funnel to the inside but Demens is getting blocked out of the play since the DTs have not absorbed an extra guy between them. I think this is on Heininger(-1) as the playside DT he's not absorbing a double and doesn't even getting an arm-tackle attempt. You would like Morgan(-0.5) to get this closer to the LOS and Demens(-0.5) to not get sealed away totally but they both have tough jobs. RB into the secondary, where Kovacs(+3, tackling +2) puts his helmet on the ball and gets Michigan a turnover. Drive Notes: Fumble, 14-0, 5 min 2nd Q Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O32 1 10 Shotgun 2TE 4-3 under Pass 4 PA Hitch Countess Inc Scheelhaase clearly late on a lot of these by now but Countess(+2, cover +2) is still there for a quality PBU on a pass that could have been intercepted. O32 2 10 Shotgun trips Nickel even Pass 3 Drag Countess Inc This may be batted but there's no replay so can't be sure. Demens(-1, cover -1) does get way out of position on another WR's route, dragging well into Morgan's zone. Countess(-1, cover -1) appears to make the same error he did against Iowa, and if Jenkins catches this it's a first down and maybe a bunch more. Jenkins has to delay because the umpire gets in the way; incomplete. Lucky. O32 3 10 Shotgun empty Okie Pass 4 Sack Ryan -14 Okie set gets Ryan(+1) and Demens(+1) roaring at the QB with one guy to block them (pressure +3, RPS +3); Van Bergen(+1) comes off a block to help sack when Scheelhaase understandably bugs out. QB overwhelmed by three guys on a four man rush == +3. Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 3 min 2nd Q Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O21 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Hitch Morgan 7 Good time on a four man rush (pressure -1). QB has time to survey and fire to a TE for about nine; Morgan(+0.5, tackling +1) puts him down immediately. Given situation coverage fine. O28 2 3 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Yakety snap -- -14 Derp. O14 3 17 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Down G Van Bergen 1 RVB(+1) shoots inside a downblock and gets enough penetration to force Ford well upfield; Roh is out there on the bounce but gets shoved past the play. Still, that took a long time. Martin flows down the line and forces Ford behind; Avery(+0.5, tackling +1) makes a nice low tackle that takes Ford to the ground immediately. Fumble is ruled but overturned, which costs Michigan seven important seconds. Irritating. Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, EOH. Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O20 1 10 Shotgun 2TE twins 4-3 under Pass 4 PA out Kovacs 12 Kovacs(-1) hesitates on the play action and only belatedly shoots out on his zone; with the outside WR going deep Countess has other responsibilities. Out open, easy pitch and catch (cover -1, pressure -1) O32 1 10 Pistol twin TE 4-3 under Run N/A Zone read dive Martin 11 Reading RVB; he stays responsible and the handoff is made. Martin(-1) fights to the wrong side of his block and Heininger(-1) gets penetration too far upfield, so Illinois gets a crease without doubling any DL. This means LBs are getting thumped; Morgan(-1) is the guy on the playside gap and he starts moving to the LOS before actually stalling and taking a step back before being engulfed. RB into the secondary. Demens(-0.5) also caught a block. O43 1 10 Ace twin TE 4-3 over Run N/A Down G Campbell 2 QB checks into an ace from the same pistol set they just ran. Campbell(+1) takes the guy downblocking him and ends up driving him into the backfield, forcing Pollard away from blocking; the playside G is pulling around outside but Pollard isn't going out there. Live I thought this was a missed cut; on tape it's clear this would be a ++ move from the back to cut up and then immediately back out. So Morgan(+2, tackling +2) gets credit for powering through his blocker and decleating Pollard. O45 2 8 Pistol 3-wide 4-3 under Run N/A Speed option Kovacs -4 Ryan(+2) reads the option action and tears ass for the QB, leveling him just as he pitches. FB makes a mistake, peeling back on Ryan in a hopeless chase, and this opens up Kovacs(+2, tackling +1) to do the thing he does by taking a good angle at speed; Pollard cuts inside and gets TFLed. Martin(+1) had blown through blocking and was there to help if necessary, which is crazy impressive. O41 3 12 Shotgun 3-wide Okie Pass 4 Sack Van Bergen -12 RVB(+2) splits two blockers confused by the okie package; Clark(+1) gets good drive on a tight end to prevent any lane to move upfield, and Ryan jumps on QB's back for very large sack. This was a six-man protection on which the QB had zero chance to even look at read one. Pressure +3, RPS +3. Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 12 min 3rd Q. Riley O'Toole gets the next Illinois drive. Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O25 1 10 Ace twin TE 4-3 over Pass 6 PA TE Flat Morgan 7 Roh ends up free on the edge and gets some decent pressure; this means a TE has released behind him and O'Toole hits him for a decent gain; Morgan(+0.5) reads it pretty well and escorts the guy OOB to prevent a significant one. O32 2 3 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 RB flat Martin Inc Martin(+2, pressure +2) beats two blockers and roars up the middle of the pocket, forcing a terrible throw Floyd(+1, cover +1) is in a better spot to catch than the RB flaring out. O32 3 3 Shotgun 4-wide tight Nickel even Pass 4 Quick out Floyd Inc Quick throw does not allow time for pressure; Floyd(+1, cover +1) is there with a play on a well thrown ball (but not a great one); Toole's ball is too far outside and not caught. Drive Notes: Punt, 14-0, 9 min 3rd Q. Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O25 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Scramble Martin 12 (Pen-10) Roh(+0.5) and Martin(+0.5) pressure(+1) Scheelhaase, forcing a scramble up into the pocket that picks up some yards but probably would have been a sack but for Martin(+1 again) drawing a holding call. Demens(-1) gave up the outside here and turned this from a few into a hypothetical first down. O15 1 20 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Scramble Martin 8 Here Martin(-1) gets shoved out his lane without actually getting to the QB; Black(-0.5) gets shoved way upfield, albeit by a double (pressure -1); Scheelhaase can find no one (cover +1) and runs for a good gain. This time Demens is blocked out of the play. O23 2 12 Shotgun 3-wide Dime even Run N/A Zone read dive Jones 5 Mike Jones lined up as the NT. Yeah, I know. Roh the DT. Yeah. Daring Illinois to run; they run. Jones(+1) actually drives the center back(!), forcing a cutback into Roh(+1), who slanted inside and gets a tackle attempt. He's getting blocked and the attempt is run through; it gives Michigan time to rally to the ball and hold the play down. RPS -1? I don't even know. I guess not. O28 3 7 Shotgun 3-wide Okie Pass 4 Scramble Ryan 7 Scheelhaase looking for an out Avery(+1, cover +1) has covered well enough to dissuade; Countess the other guy over there on the deeper route. Zone blitz is coming through now to the outside with Demens(+1) beating a block; Ryan(-1, pressure -1) is out of his lane and allows Scheelhaase to run straight upfield. Martin and Morgan are there to catch him after about five but the pile manages to surge forward just over the line. Impressive power by Scheelhaase. O35 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Fly Floyd Inc Plenty of time (pressure -1); Illinos goes four verts and everyone is covered(+3); Floyd(+1) is step for step with Jenkins and would have a play on the ball if it was accurate. It's not. O35 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Out Avery 14 Plenty of time (pressure -2) without Martin in the game; Avery(+0.5) is actually in pretty good coverage here, forcing a throw high and to the sideline that is executed. Made it tough. O49 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Back shoulder fade Floyd Inc Too much time (pressure -1), though the pocket isn't as clean on this outing. Floyd is in press and they test him deep; he is step for step. He can't quite adjust to the back-shoulder fade but this is still a +1, cover +1 because it required a DO and tough catch to complete. This is basically unstoppable if you can execute it. Illinois thinks they do but on replay it turns out they do not—Jenkins juggled it. O49 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide Okie Pass 6 Slant Floyd Inc (Pen+8) Michigan sends six and is getting there but not in time to prevent a throw here. Floyd(-1, cover -1) picks up a legit PI call for arriving too early but I don't mind this. Much better than arriving late and you don't always get this call on you. M43 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Okie Pass 6 TE out Morgan 11 Late blitz from a very deep Kovacs; Morgan(-1) gets a chuck on a dragging WR but does let him past into open space since this is raw man coverage. Scheelhaase hits the guy and he can turn up for some YAC. Pressure -1, cover -1. Morgan does make a good tackle(+1). M32 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Zone read dive Martin 0 Kovacs rolled up for a seventh guy in the box. Martin(+1) surges through the line and forces it outside. Roh(+0.5) forces it further outside by getting inside and diving at Ford's legs; Kovacs(+0.5) is out there containing. Ford turns it up directly into a scraping, tackling(+1) Demens. M32 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide 3-3-5 stack? Pass 7 Slant Avery Inc This is kind of stack-y but not really with two pass-rush aligned DEs, three guys in man on the WRs, and both overhang safety types to the same side of the field. M sends every damn body. QB is about to eat Kovacs(+0.5) and Martin(+0.5, pressure +2) as he chucks. He's got a WR on a slant in front of Avery(+1, cover +1), who's tackling on the catch and making life difficult. He may rake the ball out. We can only say may because the WR runs into another Illini WR and goes down as if he'd taken a shot from Reggie Nelson. M32 3 10 Shotgun empty 3-2-6 dime Pass 5 Tunnel screen Morgan 19 Michigan gets RPSed here with five guys blitzing and no one thinking to peel back. Line is Campbell, Demens, and Roh... so... yeah. Morgan(-1, cover -1) doesn't read the WR screen quickly at all and gets easily blocked; Floyd(-1) is getting blocked but shouldn't let the WR outside like he does. Big gain. RPS -2. M13 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Zone read keeper Clark 13 Clark(-3) forms up, then decides Ford has the ball after Scheelhaase pulls it. This opens up the corner; DBs are in man and not in any position to help. Woolfolk(-1) may be able to tackle before the endzone but pulls up gimpy and can't make it. Drive Notes: Touchdown, 17-0, EO3Q. Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O38 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Comeback Floyd Inc Scheelhaase has this open for a first down and just misses it. Floyd(-1, cover -1) beaten. Pressure was getting there. O38 2 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Penalty -- Offsides Martin 5 Martin -1. O43 2 5 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Zone read dive Martin 3 Martin(+2) drives his guy so far into the backfield that he impacts the runner three yards behind the LOS; this delay allows Black(+0.5) to flow down and tackle after keeping contain on Scheelhaase. Wish the LBs did a little more here. O46 3 2 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Zone read keeper Black 8 Black(-3) does the same thing Clark did on the last play, diving down on the back after the mesh point. Juice Williams ninja ballfake reprise. M46 1 10 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Run N/A Zone read dive Morgan 2 Belly play where the backside DT is getting doubled off the ball. RVB(+0.5) does an okay job holding up; Demens(+0.5) and Morgan(+0.5) reacts quickly enough to remove creases. Martin(+0.5) flows down the line to tackle after his second blocker releases into Morgan. M44 2 8 Shotgun 3-wide Nickel even Pass 4 Drag Roh 4 DT stunt gets Martin(+0.5) in thanks to RVB(+0.5) threatening to dart past the G. Roh(+1) beats the tackle straight up and Scheelhaase is about to get destroyed(pressure+2) and has to let it go. He's got a quick drag from his TE that Demens(+1, cover +1) is there for an instant tackle on. M40 3 4 Shotgun 3-wide Okie Pass 5 Hitch Floyd INT Kovacs late blitz; he is moving right into Scheelhaase's face as he throws but may get blocked. Pressure push. Floyd(+4, cover +3) is breaking on the ball as the WR cuts his route off and picks the ball off; he is one avoided Scheelhaase tackle from a pick six. Monster play. Drive Notes: Interception, 17-7, 10 min 4th Q. M scores and Illinois gets it back with 10 minutes left down three scores, which informs Michigan's defensive style. I'll keep it in mind as I chart Comeback Ishtar. Ln Dn Ds O Form D Form Type Rush Play Player Yards O20 1 10 Ace twins 4-3 under Pass 4 Waggle scramble Roh 9 Roh(+0.5) cuts off the co