I've momemtarily interrupted reading your excellent UFR because I HAD to say how much I LOVE IT when Branch crushes a play in the backfield then immediately stands up on his tip toes and bellows a barbarian YAWP!
LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!
Had the same feeling about Branch (he is clearly our best player) while watching the game.
Has Kiper our anyone else updated their draft projection from pre-season and included juniors? Curious to see where they think he might go. (Though hopefully Woodley sets an example for him to stay.)
Great job as always on the UFR.
If Branch keeps going like this, people are going to start buying mucho #80 jerseys (when was the last time that happened for a DT a Michigan? Steele?). He is dominant right now and appears to be improving.
Let's given an assist to Woodley. His numbers are good but his play is outstanding and consistent IMO. He has done well with contain and seems to be bull rushing more so less running lanes are available. Kudos to the entire D but these two in particular.
I can't imagine Branch would last much longer than the top 5 of the draft. Huge, athletic defensive tackles that don't seem to have motivation problems tend to go quickly.
I mean, what NFL team in their right ming would pick him high right now. Clearly another year at Michigan is a must if he's going to succeed at the next level. Just stare at this watch, Alan.
The best thing about our defensive line? Only two seniors, imagine if you will, a line rotation consisting of Branch, Jamison, Taylor, Johnson, Patterson, B. Graham, and finally Slocum. It'll be great.
Also kudos to UM CAUP '91 on the Dead Poets Society reference!
Finally we are seeing quality pro-prospects emerge on our D-line. Woodley is still being listed as OLB/DE!!!
I feel compelled to comment on Hall's play on that 3rd and 4, when he dropped Hill just short of the marker. I replayed that several times, because I found it remarkable how he could drop a guy at least 50 lbs heavier running downhill on a FRICKIN' DIME! Just dropped him to his knees instantaneously. I'm sure Hall was hurtin' afterward, but boy, what a hit. I'd give him at least a +2 for that one. Spielman loved it, too! Hall is the man.
Branch is definitely much too bald to go pro right now. He needs another year to grow hair.
Also, he needs his own shirt from mgoblog.
Urm...upon revisiting the game, I do believe Zoltan kicked a ball 66 yards in the air...launched at our 17, and lands at their 17- then promptly muffed.
Well played your highness!
(probably filed under the offense UFR--but then again we are trying to tackle their return man).
For those interested, here's an YTD rundown of our guys' UFR ratings for the whole year:
Player +/-/=
Woodley 32/0/32
Biggs 13/1/12
Taylor 15/3/12
Branch 28/0/28
Johnson 7/0/7
Germany 2/0/2
Jamison 8/3/5
BGraham 2/0/2
Crable 20/2/18
Harris 18/5/13
CGraham 2/1/1
Burgess 17/4/13
Hall 15/3/12
Stewart 1/4/-3
Adams 8/2/6
Englemon 3/5/-2
Mundy 2/4/-2
Trent 9/2/7
Coverage 46/28/18
Conclusion: Our LBs are back. Our DL is sick. Our corners are good. One safety is decent, the other safety is a potential weakness.
A couple of things. One of the websites estimates that Branch is likely to go. Hard to argue if he is going to be a top 12 pick. Please stare at the watch Alan, pretty please.
Agre entirely that W. Johnson is a player. He and Taylor + Slocum and Patterson make me smile. Ricardo Melancon, step on down! Also, kudos to coach Stripling.
Hard to believe that with all this talent, plus Pierre Woods, that our defense sucked last year. He shall not be named was clearly and OSU plant.
Finally, what do we make of Jamar Adams. Seems like he is playing well. Not sure I like it when he is off the field.
You can't run through the forest of Branch and Wood.
Our defense is like a "double double, protein style, with grilled onions..."
damn good...and will prove it when we shut out Goldy this weekend.
I am beginning to love the 2006 defense more than (name redacted). There seems to be more talent except for the CBs and certainly more depth. Branch should stay 1 more year so that he can effectively pass the torch to Branch Jr. aka Slocum.
Brian,
A couple of observations on the UFR. A disclaimer is that I don't have a tape of the game, so I can only comment on what I see based on the video clips provided here.
On the first Woodley sack, I noticed that Taylor is bullrushing with his head up. Sees Woodley come free, and backs off. He backs off seemingly to prevent either a short dumpoff or to fill a Stocco scrambling lane. Since I'm not watching the view from behind the defense, it's hard to comment on his intention. But its clear he backs off on purpose. Possibly heady play? Good coaching? All of the above? Also of note, Taylor is going to get to Stocco but doesn't because Woodley gets there in about 0.3 seconds.
On the first play of the FG drive in the first half, Biggs deserves at least a -1. He is unblocked, and immediately crashes down the line. With the slot reciever there coming in obviously looking for a crack-back block, we're way vulnerable to a reverse. And if they hit it, it's probably going big. Not a smart play by Biggs. He's got to hesitate and read the play before trying to run it down from behind. This is taught at very basic levels and comes with an annoying rhyme "one one thousand two, no reverse, now I pursue". This could be a major problem if it's combined with the other thing I noticed...
I think we might be tipping our coverages. Like I said earlier, this is only based on watching a few plays. But I've noticed when other teams are lined up 3 wide, we tend to press with Trent on the short side of the field, and roll a zone to the wide side. Again, it's hard to tell without seeing the angle from behind the D. I would imagine this makes us susceptible to any kind of short drag route across the D or that counter-draw play that State has run so effectively against us. This is a concern for me. Is there any way you might be able to go back and check this?
I guess the coverage thing could be a positive because English has shown a zone-blitzing scheme as the season has progressed. What I'm seeing is a more basic version of the Steelers "Blitzburgh" package. I guess if we were pressing with Trent and he's run off the play, we could drop Jamison or whoever is playing that end into a zone in the flat either safe-guard a counter draw or be in position to pick off a drag route.
Do you have any thoughts on this?
Conclusion: Our LBs are back. Our DL is sick. Our corners are good. One safety is decent, the other safety is a potential weakness.
No more thumbprints of Hermann last year than on this group. It helps to when the OL is being pushed back three yards.
Our love for this defense will evaporate if they lay an egg against any of the potent offenses we have yet to face: MSU, Iowa, OSU. If this 2006 defense truly IS a great defense, then they need dominate EVERY single Saturday AND the bowl game. The great Michigan defenses of years past, and a few stick out in my mind (1971,1985,1997) never had a bad game.
Trent may be out. Seems he broke his thumb in the Wisconsin game.
Do you have a tally on how many times we've rushed 3 and dropped 8 this season. That was a staple of JH's defenses. If we've run that defense, do you have the results of those plays? thanks for the great job you do.
Zero, Jeff.
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