QB Oh Noes: The Return (also, illegal man downfield)

Another fun trick that Al Borges brought back from the Rodriguez regime is the ever-deadly QB Oh Noes. Denard and Roy Roundtree rode this play to become one of the most dynamic QB-WR duos in the Big Ten in 2010. Once this was excised from the playbook, Roundtree's numbers fell off a cliff. So did Denard's, for what it's worth.

It's the first drive of the game and Michigan coems out in a two-TE set with two receivers split out to Denard's left. Fitz Toussaint is lined up in the backfield next to Denard.

As the ball is snapped, Michigan's two receivers as well as Devin Funchess (TE on the top of the screen) release. Denard immediately looks out to the nickelback lined up over Michigan's slot receiver. Toussaint will come across Denard's face for a handoff.

At this point, Denard sees what he wants: UMass' secondary hasn't moved and more importantly, the linebackers are staring into the backfield and ignoring Devin Funchess (arrow) who has a clear lane through the center of the field.

Denard is pulling back to throw to Funchess who is wide open. There's only one problem: Patrick Omameh (highlighted) who is an ineligible receiver, is already two yards beyond the line of scrimmage. This, as you might already know, is a penalty.

As Denard lets go of the ball, Omameh is already four yards downfield run blocking. This is still illegal.

Ball in the air, Omameh blocking downfield...

...touchdown. No flags. Wheeee.

Video

The Takeaway
This is super illegal. Michigan should have been flagged and the touchdown should have been taken away. If the UMass linebackers were keying on Michigan's guards for run/pass clues, having one of the guards release 5 yards downfield on the snap is a pretty clear sign that this is a running play. Look at the offensive line on the first QB Oh Noes of 2010:

The line of scrimmage here is the 31 yard line. The furthest any of Michigan's linemen get upfield before the throw is the 30 yard line. That's a tough call for the refs to make. Omameh scampering downfield is not.

The positive sign from this play, however, is that Borges appears to be learning how to use the threat of Denard's legs as a way to set up easy completions. The one tweak here is the use of Devin Funchess to catch the seam route rather than a slot receiver. One of the concerns with this personnel is that if Funchess can't develop into a reliable run-blocker, defenses will start keying in on him as a receiver and disregard the play action. But that's a worry for another time. Right now, Funchess is a problem for just about every defense and it's nice to see Borges utilizing his skillset.

The inverted veer: blocking still an issue

One of the most frustrating aspects of Michigan's running game since Brady Hoke arrived has been the non-option option. Hoke's tendency to run power schemes with a pulling lineman and helmet-on-helmet blocking has led to Denard running read option plays where no defender is actually optioned. One of the things I noticed immediately against UMass was that Michigan was actually optioning defenders again.

It is early in Michigan's first drive of the game. Here, they will run an inverted veer option. This play is intended to get Denard running vertically, or the running back horizontally depending on how it's defended. Denard will read the weakside defensive end (highlighted).

As the ball is snapped, Michael Schofield and Patrick Omameh double team the weakside defensive tackle. The weakside defensive end was left unblocked. Notice also that Michigan's left guard Ricky Barnum is pulling across the formation to the weakside.

Denard is now reading the weakside defensive end (highlighted). Barnum (arrow) is pulling across the formation. Last year, Michigan used this play a lot against Ohio State, but the pulling guard would often engage the unblocked defensive end (more about this later). In this instance, he runs by him to get to the second level.

Denard continues to read the defensive end. Barnum continues to the second level.

The defensive end gets too far upfield (probably; you'll see Denard just barely slips by him) so Denard pulls the ball and begins running upfield.

Denard is running by the weakside defensive end. Barnum (highlighted) is looking for someone to block downfield. He'll eventually block the man in front of him that Michael Schofield is currently engaged with.

Denard just barely sneaks by the defensive end. Schofield is losing his block (highlighted), and Barnum is moving to double downfield. Despite Schofield being unable to maintain his block any longer, it probably doesn't matter on this play. It would have been more beneficial if Barnum got downfield and blocked one of the UMass safeties.

Since Barnum didn't get to a free defender upfield, the UMass safety (highlighted) is left unblocked and able to eventually make the tackle on Denard.

Video

The Takeaway
Michigan ran the same play against Ohio State last year, but there were either different blocking assignments (which seems likely given Hoke's option blocking tendencies) or Michigan's personnel struggled with their assignments in real time. Last year, Schofield (#75) was at left guard and pulling across this formation. Denard should be optioning the highlighted Buckeye defender, but Schofield will actually block him leaving Ohio State's safety unblocked...

....

The way Michigan ran this play last year wasn't really an option at all. If you're blocking the player that you're supposed to be optioning, your QB is just taking longer to hand the ball off/run. This schematic tweak against UMass hopefully signals a change in philosophy where the offense will block defenders by optioning them.

However, it still wasn't run perfectly. Like against Ohio State, Michigan's pulling lineman eventually blocked the wrong defender, negating the numbers advantage that the option gives an offense. In both instances, the opposing safety was left completely unblocked and was able to make the tackle. However, last year, I had this reaction,

This seems like a repetition issue. Neither Omameh or Schofield have practiced this blocking scheme as much as they probably should, and pulling across the formation and finding the right defender to block is probably one of those things that just takes getting used to.

That said ARGHHH. Block the right guy. I wonder what goes through Denard's mind during a play like this. "Yes, yes, got'em. Remember, take a knee. Troll Tebow. Chest bump. Hoke Point." Tackled.

We'll see if this really is a repetition issue; it seems like it. With a new left guard, it may take time for Barnum to be able to quickly pick out his proper assignment. I'm just encouraged that Hoke and Borges have decided to actually option defenders.

That horse was dead when we got here

UMass 13 - #17 Michigan 63

Games in which the Vegas line is greater than 30 points rarely return any relevant information, especially when the favorite beats the spread. Michigan was supposed to beat UMass by 45 points because they're a bad football team that was shutout by UConn and lost to Indiana by 39. There are now 124 teams in the FBS. UMass ranks 124th in points for and points against, 121st in passing yards, and 120th in rushing yards. There is no "There's something to be said for beating the spread" or "They still had to win the game". UMass is a terrible football team and Michigan beat them adequately.

My brother got married on Friday, so I didn't watch much of this game past the first half, which was just long enough for Denard Robinson to remind me that he is probably still a mediocre passer at best. I'll rewatch the game and analyze a few blitzes that I noticed, but otherwise, there is very little to take away from this game other than raw data.

Preview: UMass 2012

That will be all.

Hold the edge, fergodsakes

It comes as no surprises to anyone who has watched the Michigan defense the last four years, but young players make mistakes, apparently none more frequently than keeping outside leverage on run plays. The bad news is Raymon Taylor is a true sophomore in his first season of significant playing time. The good news is his biggest mistake this season came against Air Force, a play that he can hopefully learn from.

It's Air Force's first possession of the second half and Denard has already run 58 yards down the field for a touchdown. The Falcons have driven the ball to the one yard line but Michigan has forced a fourth and goal. On the previous play, Air Force tried a QB sneak that failed miserably, so Mattison has called for defensive linemen to cover the Air Force center and guards.

Before the snap, the Air Force H-back motions to the strongside of the play.

When the ball is snapped, the H-back continues around the formation, but the running back begins in the other direction. This will be a pitch play to the running back.

Raymon Taylor, Michigan's outside defender--the guy responsible for not letting anyone outside of the defense--unfortunately heads straight for the ball and cuts underneath the Air Force receiver who is happy to oblige Taylor the lane knowing the play is going outside.

The receiver helps Taylor along (this screen makes it look like a block in the back, but it probably isn't). The Falcons' left tackle is also cutting Thomas Gordon (#30) to the ground.

Taylor supermans for the tackle and misses hilariously.

And without outside defenders, a field of daisies.

Video

The Takeaway
If Michigan lost this game, you can be sure I'd be irate about this play. But they won, so, wheeeee.

Taylor is young and it's good that this happened against a team that Michigan beat instead of a loss in which this could have been the turning point. You can be sure that Mattison and Hoke sat Taylor down in the film room and showed him this play a few different times to explain that as the outer-most defender, it is his responsibility to keep everything on the inside of the defense. We'll see if he's a quick learner, but this is a pretty obvious example/mistake to learn from.