In this week’s Michigan GIFs post, we look at the top moments from the Hawaii game and how the offense utilized variations of split zone to put UH’s defenders in hell.
The Breakdown
Let’s start with the base play. I had to go back to the Colorado State game for an example because I gave up looking for Michigan running a conventional split zone against Hawaii after the score was 35-0.
Even with a read option added — and we’re doing so since J.J. McCarthy is the starter — this a simple setup.
Zone blocking rules apply: if a lineman is “covered” by a defensive lineman (i.e. they’re lined up across from each other), that’s their assignment. Any “uncovered” lineman will either double-team a DL or move directly to the linebacker level. Often, a double-team blocker will quickly move to the second level, as well.
The tight end, who’s almost always lined up a step off the line of scrimmage as an H-back for this play, comes all the way across the formation on the snap to pick off a backside defender while the offensive line blocks down in the opposite direction. The mesh point holds the other backside defender, who the QB reads before determining whether to hand off or keep. Despite Cade McNamara being at QB on this play, giving to Blake Corum is the obvious read here:
U-M could’ve blocked this better and they still got a chunk play.
This brings us to the Hawaii game. The coaches broke out almost every conceivable variation on split zone without actually running the base play. On the second offensive snap, they faked a variation of split zone with the TE dipping through the middle of the OL and popped Roman Wilson wide open for a long touchdown pass.
When looking for how these plays fit together, watch the TE:
The next variation dialed up by Matt Weiss and Sherrone Moore was a run-pass option. Instead of sealing off the back side of the play, TE Erick All — lined up in the slot — continued his motion into the flat. With McCarthy at QB, all of Hawaii’s attention went to the backfield, giving All an easy first down:
The plays got more intricate. This wrinkle on the inside zone read is designed to get the QB outside for a big play because all the motion is going in the other direction — except for the tight end.
With Ronnie Bell threatening a fly sweep, Corum potentially getting a handoff and the offensive line all blocking to the wide side of the field, Michigan gets enough of the UH defense moving in that direction to get McCarthy around the corner on the short side with room to run:
Finally, the coup de grâce. The playcall on Wilson’s rushing touchdown was evil. While it’s not exactly a split zone variation, the motion of the tight end still functioned in the same way. This time, All doubled back a couple steps after the snap, turning a counter run to the right into an end-around to the left:
In motion:
The down block, pull and scoop block by center Olu Oluwatimi is something else. There’s good reason that guy was a Rimington finalist.
There was even more, like motioning the TE from out wide before running split zone and snaking the TE through the middle of the line to smack an unsuspecting inside linebacker.
This offense is going to be fun as hell for us to watch and just plain hell for linebackers to defend.
The Top Five (of the Rest)
5. NON-THROWING SHOULDER CHECK
The pads work, thank goodness.
4. OFF PLATFORM AND ON TARGET
Sheesh.
3. RPOMG
Sheeeeeeeeeesh.
2. LMAO
lol
FRAMES OF THE GAME: THAT’S A RUNNING BACK
Yes, J.J. McCarthy threw this ball but this one’s all about Donovan Edwards. Gracious.