Michigan Thursday: This Defense Is Who We Thought They Were! (Which Is Bad)

Every Michigan fan that watched Saturday's game wondered the same thing: How in the hell did the defense get this bad?

I have spent the past four days reading Michigan blogs and other media outlets and have come to this startling conclusion: This defense doesn't know what hell it's doing (brilliant, I know!).

Here are two good examples from two well-respected Michigan Blogs.

Mgoblog:  Michigan's deployment of the 3-3-5 isn't really a 3-3-5. I don't know what it is, but that whole attacking from everywhere, making different fronts, blitzing, getting guys through the line unblocked thing is something you can see on a fairly typical WVU play.

I have no idea what Greg Robinson is trying to accomplish. This puts me in the same situation as Greg Robinson. (what a great line!)

Burgeoning Wolverine Star:  Look at Michigan trying to defend a 2nd-and-21 against a guy that is "paying his own way" at Penn State. These pictures are not for the faint of heart, and you probably don't want to look at them while at work, due to the expletives that will soon come out of your mouth.

At this point, Kovacs realizes how poorly he's executed this play and has turned his head away from the quarterback to try and catch up with the outside receiver. Michigan's linebackers are literally running into each other and covering no one (What's happening here?). Michigan's underneath defenders are all still essentially inside the hash marks and none of them are deeper than five yards beyond the line of scrimmage. McGloin has all day to throw because, well, seven blockers against three rushers won't ever get to the quarterback.

Can you believe this guy is that wide open on 2nd-and-21!  How can that happen?  After this play, Greg Robinson should of laid down his headset and walked in the Happy Valley of Darkness.

The linebackers tackled themselves and the Penn State WR skipped to an open spot 25 yards down field where he was wide open. He caught the ball and the Penn State fans cheered. 


How do you fix this mess?  I wish I knew. But the scheme that Robinson is trying to run is either not working, or his players don't understand it. The lack of pressure on the QB has been troubling all year long.

To recap: Michigan's D can't stop the run, can't cover WRs, gives up a lot of yards and points, and doesn't pressure the QB. But Greg Robinson has Super Bowl rings.

How Rodriguez watches this tape and doesn't fire Robinson is beyond me. I'm guessing he feels he has no other choice but to keep him until the end of the year. (I wouldn't be betting my career on him, that is for sure). 

My suggestion is to just play man defense for the rest of the year with safety help deep. Each CB plays the receiver in front of them, each LB picks a running back or tight end to cover, and the safeties pick a player to help on deep.

Yes, that means the Michigan CBs could get beat deep, and yes, it could mean Michigan gives up bigger running plays when it doesn't expect it. But how is that any different to what is happening now? 

At least the CBs would know what to do and stick with their guy. When a pass is thrown, at least the Michigan defender would be (hopefully) within 10 yards of the wide out.

More importantly, the freshmen in the secondary wouldn't have to "think" what to do, they could just play football and cover the guy in front of them. As Rodriguez said, when players "think" on the field, they play slow. 

If the opposing offense goes four wide, take most of the LBs off the field (they aren't doing anything anyways) and put corners in to cover the WRs. Yes, I understand that opens the defense up to RB and QB draws. 

The last change is to put Craig Roh just as a DE or pass-rushing LB. Have you even heard his name mentioned since the UConn game? He should be rushing the QB and not in coverage. 

I'm sure there are a million reasons not to do what I suggest above, but I can tell you one thing: this defense can't get any worse.