Things discussed:
- Offense: Let's talk about the tight ends! Putting three of them out there overwhelmed Maryland's size. They're spilling so when they run out of guys it's Corum versus a cornerback.
- Weird looks: pulling tackles messes with your keys. Duo with a counter step looks like Split is coming.
- McCarthy: A few bad throws, his footwork might be at fault for overthrows, Maryland used new coverages.
- OL did fine—don't know what PFF is doing to grade that.
- Extrapolating to Iowa: different response needed. What do you want to see Michigan practice with McCarthy: more weird zone or reading weird zone coverages? Fascinating to see JJ versus Iowa who's trying to confuse you and make you throw INTs. Let's run some trick plays and close it down.
- During break: Mel Pearson's side of the story. Believe Shields was mad, not that he can turn a third of the program against him. It's not fair to make this a he said/she said; the WilmerHale Report and Mel getting a friendly to tell his side are different things. The one part of his story that checks out is it's at least plausible that "making people lie about COVID" is about the contact tracing forms instruction, not something nefarious by the coach.
- Defense: Mazi Smith and Kris Jenkins fixed the linebacker problem by two-gapping and not letting the ball get to that level. High-level metagame between the Maryland OL reacting to Michigan's blitzes.
- Cornerbacks! Gemon Green ran everybody's routes. Sainristil is Daxhillian in coverage, not in the box. Turner huge plays.
- Rough game from the LBs and Mullings in particular. Need Nikhai Hill-Green's aggressiveness.
- Maryland was well-prepped for this game. Lots of tempo, weird plays, scripted drives. Got their best shot by far.
- Pressure with four? Upshaw no. Harrell no, maybe sometimes, but when not emphatically no. DTs don't get a lot of chances—when they got to rush they got upfield but M's system wants a DT to hang back to prevent an escape run down the middle.