Michigan Football: Mailbag Question — Last Year and this Year’s Team

Posted at 6:00am — 8/18/2008

Michigan Football: Mailbag Question — Last Year and this Year’s Team

I have really missed your coach’s corner articles and was wondering if you could possible do a comparison of this years offense/defense/special teams and breakdown each group along with what you think what year might be better in each position either this year or last year.

Not expecting all this in one article, but would love for you guys to give us a little preview before the season starts.

Also will you guys be doing a breakdown of the Utah game before the season starts?

Randy

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GBMWolverine Response:

This Michigan team will be radically different from last years, or any Michigan team in some time. This will be an attacking style team that pressures opponents.

Offense:
The one similarity will be both this year and last will build off a strong running game. After that, the two will have almost nothing in common. The new edition Michigan offense will try to use tempo and scheme to wear down opponents.

They will try to break the will of opponents by out conditioning and using a wide variety of weapons. You will see Michigan more in shotgun in first game than the entire last season. The quarterback will be used as both a passer and runner and a short passing game will replace the old vertical scheme used in past.

Even how zone plays are blocked will be different from last season. We will know about exactly what the offense will look like when we know who the starting quarterback will be. That in our opinion is the key to the offense for this year, who will the quarterback be?

Defense:
At first glance, the defenses will look very similar. The 4-3 was base last season and will be again this year. In reality, that will be about the only way they are a like.

Michigan is completely changing how they play in the secondary. Instead of soft zone, new Michigan will be in press coverage playing cover 2 and 4 instead of 3 deep like last year. This year creating turnovers and getting to quarterback will be at a premium.

Even nickel will look different. Coach Shafer’s Okie defense will replace the mess that was Michigan’s nickel last year.

Special Teams:
This area was potential to be major upgrade from last year. Michigan spent a large amount of time working on skills and teams used in special teams. Actually, saw angle punts, spread formations, and blocking drills designed to help return game.

We also like the fact that entire roster is available for special teams. These will no longer be handled as throwaway plays.

Regarding the preview stuff. Yes we are planning to do a preview each week. Offense, Defense, and Special Teams with breakdowns of the other team and what we might expect during the game. Afterwards we will have a “what happened” in the game along with the key moments along with what Michigan will need to improve on for the next game.

Each day you either get better or worse so we might as well get better.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff

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