BleedGopher
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per the Free Press:
This Michigan team is 5-2 and led by a fifth-year quarterback, Jake Rudock, and a more effective offense under new coach Jim Harbaugh.
"You can definitely tell a commitment to the running game and defense," Minnesota defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said on today's Big Ten teleconference. "That's what Michigan football has been for a long time. Everybody wants to try to go to the spread and score all these points and do all these things, and the coaches just went back to what Michigan football is: downhill running game, go for some big play-action passes and, mainly, move the chains. Basically, since the first game against Utah, they've taken care of the ball, and when you take care of the ball, and you move the chains a lot, you play less defensive plays and their defense has played aggressive and downhill. A lot of it is just attitude and getting back to the Michigan basics."
The strategy is not complex, Claeys said. Possess the ball and keep moving forward.
He can see the difference in the offensive line, also.
"That's the downhill running game, they're doubling you a lot and not allowing the penetration," Claeys said. "The other thing is their fullback carries the ball more than any team in 10 years. That's just getting back to no negative plays and they don't get themselves in a bad situation. If you can stay out of negative plays … everybody talks about explosive plays on offense, and they want 20 and 30 yard plays. They're just at the point where 'we don't want any negative plays and keep the ball manageable and they've been able to do that and play well on special teams.'"
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...5/10/27/michigan-football-minnesota/74686140/
Go Gophers!!
This Michigan team is 5-2 and led by a fifth-year quarterback, Jake Rudock, and a more effective offense under new coach Jim Harbaugh.
"You can definitely tell a commitment to the running game and defense," Minnesota defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys said on today's Big Ten teleconference. "That's what Michigan football has been for a long time. Everybody wants to try to go to the spread and score all these points and do all these things, and the coaches just went back to what Michigan football is: downhill running game, go for some big play-action passes and, mainly, move the chains. Basically, since the first game against Utah, they've taken care of the ball, and when you take care of the ball, and you move the chains a lot, you play less defensive plays and their defense has played aggressive and downhill. A lot of it is just attitude and getting back to the Michigan basics."
The strategy is not complex, Claeys said. Possess the ball and keep moving forward.
He can see the difference in the offensive line, also.
"That's the downhill running game, they're doubling you a lot and not allowing the penetration," Claeys said. "The other thing is their fullback carries the ball more than any team in 10 years. That's just getting back to no negative plays and they don't get themselves in a bad situation. If you can stay out of negative plays … everybody talks about explosive plays on offense, and they want 20 and 30 yard plays. They're just at the point where 'we don't want any negative plays and keep the ball manageable and they've been able to do that and play well on special teams.'"
http://www.freep.com/story/sports/c...5/10/27/michigan-football-minnesota/74686140/
Go Gophers!!
