Michigan Football: Spring Football — Chat Notes — Coaches
Posted at 9:00am — 4/15/2014
Michigan Football: Spring Football — Chat Notes — Coaches
We are going to share some notes from our past chats. Not all the information will be available, but we will share some of our past Michigan football spring chat reports.
Spring football has been about the same as fall for the last ten years. Meaning if the team looked good in spring they usually looked good in fall. Last year, with the exception particularly after the Notre Dame game. This is a team that has a long, long way to go, but to try and compare it to a year ago, it is night and day difference.
There’s no doubt the coaches feel a sense of urgency, and are very focused on player development, feeling was not happening as/or fast enough in the past.
Coach Nuss is mixing in the running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and even the offensive linemen much more than was done in the past, many different combinations, a lot like or similar to Alabama. With Coach Nuss you can tell there is no doubt he has had a huge influence already with the Michigan program.
Coach Nuss asked Coach Mattison to throw everything at his offense in spring. Coach Nuss also said he liked to script at least the first 10 plays in a game. He also likes to have what he calls his “favorite plays” especially running plays which he knows the opposition will scout and know, but he does not care. He said if a team shows they will cheat, he will run basically the same play by just using different alignments.
Coach Nuss commented that when he talked about coaches who had the biggest influence on him, he mentioned Coach Hill out of Fresno State. Think he has changed the pace and structure of practices at Michigan as well at least on the offensive standpoint of being more uptempo pace. Not saying they will run a uptempo for games, but meaning they are speeding things up to try and get more plays in practice for the same amount of time. A lot more hustle along with getting work down in the drills as well. He can coach and the kids really react to him in a positive way.
Coach Nuss has stated he expects every team to continue to defend Michigan the way they have for the past few years until Michigan shows them they can perform and he expects teams to blitz all the time.
January 1, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Michigan Wolverines defensive coordinator Greg Mattison prior of the 2013 Outback Bowl at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY SportsCoach Mattison in his presentation told the audience that this spring he has blitzed in practice already more than the entire year last year.
Moving Coach Smith to coach the defensive line has been a very good move, much better defensive line coach in our opinion.
Moving Mallory to coach the safeties very positive change.
Coach Manning is a keeper, this guy can coach. Players really like him and he can really recruit as well.
Practices look better than last year, Coach Hoke likes the change of the practice approach, which is more fast-paced.
Coach Jackson is coaching like he always does.
Sep 1, 2012; Arlington, TX, USA; Michigan Wolverines offensive line coach Darrell Funk on the sidelines against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY SportsCoach Funk will likely be the new “whipping boy” by fans and insiders this year whenever the offense doesn’t move the ball as we saw in the TV practice. Really think fans need to give him a break and let the season play out and if we see no development by the end of the season, then we will be on the side of making a change, but with everything that was demanded of him last season.
We cannot emphasize enough, we have never seen an offense in spring football basically be expected to block against all kinds of stunts and blitzes while learning a new system. When you take everything into consideration, we are excited about the offensive line and how they did overall this spring.
Scrimmages have been more limited than maybe normal.
Please comment on our GBMWolverine Message Board about this article and read what others comment and give us your thoughts, agree or disagree.
Just a reminder you must be a member to participate on the Message Board. Here is the link GBMWolverine Register for those people interested in becoming a member.
You can contact us at our e-mail address: GBMWolverine
Follow us on Twitter:
@ErocWolverine
@GBMWolverine
@JoelAGreer
@Mike Fitzpatrick
@YostMeister
Written by GBMWolverine Staff
Go Blue — Wear Maize!