Mailbag question: Three questions special teams, defense, and the team’s progress
Posted at 8:00am — 10/26/2010
Mailbag question: Three questions special teams, defense, and the team’s progress
I count myself as a diehard fan of Michigan, who wants Rich Rodriguez to succeed. I long for the days when we expected Michigan to win every game.
Question No. 1.
Can you explain why the special teams (as a whole) have been so poor for the past three years?
Question No. 2.
It seems like if the defense does not stop the opposing offense early in the drive, the offense gets up a head of steam and scores. I know this is not always that case, but it seems like it happens a lot. For example, against Iowa, either the defense stopped Iowa on a 3 and out or Iowa scored. Is there any explanation for this?
Question No. 3.
Can you assess whether the team is making progress? I can see arguments that they are getting better and I can see arguments that they are not getting better. Usually, things are not as bad as they seem or as good as they seem when following a football team. Maybe we will not know until this season ends, or even until next season ends.
Thanks for your site.
Neil K.
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Thanks for the questions and also for your support.
1. The special teams woes have us baffled as well.
Michigan, under Coach Rod, has an entire 40 to 60 minute practice session devoted to special teams.
We believe the primary problem is that Michigan’s specialists are under-performing. The kickers have been below average, the punter has been inconsistent, and field goals are complete adventure with bad snaps, low kicks, bad kicks. The place-kicking is simply embarrassing. The kicking game somewhat enabled Iowa to keep a lead, although other facets certainly contributed to the Iowa ten point victory.
2. This is not unusual. The phenomenon is more real than imagined.
Many teams generally have more conservative plays scripted for deep in their own zone.
As field position changes, teams start to open up the playbook. If a team’s offense gets closer to midfield it tends to be more aggressive.
3. We look at the team as three units.
The offense has improved considerably over the last three years, and most people will agree this is linked to successful recruiting and finding the pieces needed to run the Michigan read option offense.
After leaving a practice, we were all commenting about the improvement in depth and size on the offensive line and how the line’s overall quickness and athletic ability had improved.
Defense is another matter, we do not see any appreciable improvement on the defense at this point, and again we believe the reason for this is less than stellar recruiting in addition to not finding or getting the right players to run the current Michigan defense.
Special teams is a work in progress with not many bright spots this year. Michigan has a promising true freshman punter, who seems to be improving, but has been shaky or inconsistent at times this year .Kick-offs are adventurous, from kicking out of bounds to the short kicks, low kicks, etc… Michigan, as a major program, needs to find somebody that can consistently get the ball close to the goal line. Field goal kicking has become a serious problem, essentially forcing coaching decisions oft going for the first down when possible instead of trying a kick. At some point this could cost a close game.
Overall we see the team as better, but any finishing comment concerning how much improvement has been demonstrated is premature and must wait until after the season concludes.
The overall record is one thing, but how does Michigan do against its peers and primary competition, namely, the Big Ten teams? This factor will be weighted heavily.
Written by GBMWolverine Staff
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