Any ideas on how we attempt to prepare for Shoelace?
- Thread starter DuffMan
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MelroseHawkins
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JLoss
Well-Known Member
Michigan State will tell alot about D-Rob this week. You can bet Norm and companty (assuming he is good to go) will be taking heavy notes. They will finally face a real D that is similar to ours. Play assignment football, but a spy on D and put him in the dirt. I love watching Clay run down fast guys!
ForeverHawk
Well-Known Member
While Robinson has been very impressive this season, let's see how he does against some teams that actually play defense. UConn, Notre Dame, UMass, Bowling Green and Indiana do not ooze defensive dominance!
For those who say that DR will be more difficult to prepare for than the Georgia Tech offense, I disagree. With the triple option, you obviously have to be prepare for the fullback, the tailback or the quarterback to carry the ball. Not to mention that qb could throw the ball to some very talented receivers.
With Michigan, you simply have one option right now and that is DR. But he has done all of this thus far against inferior talent. Yes, he can throw the ball, but that is predicated by the fact that you are not containing him much in the pocket. This weekend will go along ways on how the rest of the season may go for DR and Michigan. Yes, he seems to be tough, but he has already been knocked out of two games already this year. His body is taking alot of wear and tear. He will take a beat down this weekend, win or lose. He will surely take a beat down against Iowa.
I may be in the minority, but I think Iowa shuts him down. Keep in mind that Michigan's D cannot stop anybody and Iowa should be fine. Especially with an extra week to prepare. Nowadays, you give KF and staff extra time and it generally spells doom for the other team!
For those who say that DR will be more difficult to prepare for than the Georgia Tech offense, I disagree. With the triple option, you obviously have to be prepare for the fullback, the tailback or the quarterback to carry the ball. Not to mention that qb could throw the ball to some very talented receivers.
With Michigan, you simply have one option right now and that is DR. But he has done all of this thus far against inferior talent. Yes, he can throw the ball, but that is predicated by the fact that you are not containing him much in the pocket. This weekend will go along ways on how the rest of the season may go for DR and Michigan. Yes, he seems to be tough, but he has already been knocked out of two games already this year. His body is taking alot of wear and tear. He will take a beat down this weekend, win or lose. He will surely take a beat down against Iowa.
I may be in the minority, but I think Iowa shuts him down. Keep in mind that Michigan's D cannot stop anybody and Iowa should be fine. Especially with an extra week to prepare. Nowadays, you give KF and staff extra time and it generally spells doom for the other team!
RocketHawk
Well-Known Member
I have all the confidence in world that our defensive line will handle him. The fact that we don't need to blitz to get him moving is a huge advantage. I just don't see him able to absorb a hit from one of our lineman. They will absolutely light him up. He will make some plays, but not enough to make a diffence.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
Robinson is tougher to prepare for than the triple option. GA Tech had NO passing game at all, especially if the run game wasn't working. And it was a pretty simple scheme to stop the run game. You just have to be disciplined on the line.
But Robinson is a passing threat as well as a deadly runner. If you can keep him contained in the pocket then you have a good chance, but that's easier said than done.
See, that's the biggest problem in defending him. If you use a spy, those pass/run options are killer. I don't think MSU will spy him. I don't think they can afford to have Greg Jones set just on him and besides that it is outside of their normal scheme. I wouldn't use Sash because then you have a receiver in one on one coverage and I think their receivers are pretty solid. This game will come down to Michigans Oline vs the Iowa Dline. If the front four can contain him, then Iowa will stop him. If they cannot, then you get mismatches on the outside and he can run or throw. I think Michigans Oline is among the best in the big Ten certainly in terms of getting downfield blocks. Also, the receivers do a good job of blocking. The key is to contain him. I think bend but don't break is the key. Allow him to have 4-5, but don't let him start getting the 20 yard chunks. If he starts getting defenses on their heels, he can really start to make them look bad. I don't think Michigan has showed 75% of their playbook. They haven't had to. I think there are a few more things they will have to show this weekend and next. There is no holding Michigan to 3. It's 7 or nothing because their kickers are not good at all. That will bite them at some point. I think Michigan wins this week, but I don't think they beat Iowa. Their defense and kickers will catch up to them at some point.
You don't want him moving. You want to keep him in the middle. If he drops back to pass and escapes the pocket, all bets are off then. I think you have a better chance if you can keep him standing in the pocket. I also think Michigan will aim to move him out of it.
That brings up another interesting point. Lets say he goes down ad doesn't come back. Trust me, you won't know who is starting if that happens. Then, you have to prepare for Forcier who is probably a better passer and Denard. I don't see it as a big problem, but you certainly have a different gameplan for each.
DexterMorgan
Well-Known Member
I agree you almost don't even want the D line to rush at all just sit on the line engage your blocks and then disengage and make the tackle. I am really worried our ends are going to get too far up field and it's going to bite us on a few plays.
ForeverHawk
Well-Known Member
I disagree. You contain Robinson, you shut Michigan down. That is what I expect Iowa to do. IMO, shutting down Georgia Tech was a much bigger accomplishment than if they were to shut down Robinson. Again, Iowa had to prepare for all the different options and the QB(Nesbitt I believe) was no slouch throwing the ball. He threw over 1,700 yards last year and one receiver had over 1,000 yards receiving according to the Tech statistics.
lightning1
Well-Known Member
I hear Tanya Harding is looking for work.
I got a bat.
I got a bat.
Yeah, that's awesome, he threw for under 150 yards/game while all teams were trying to do is stop the option. Michigan will run a read option and pass option with possibly two pass options. That's a quadruple option. Robinson is a better passer than Nesbitt with better receivers. If he throws for 100 yards/game the rest of the year he will throw for the same as Nesbitt. I will take the over. He is also much faster, thus more explosive. Michigans skill players are just better than GTs with the exception of RB if Shaw isn't playing. Michigan plays of space and speed while GT was misdirection. This is really a ridiculous argument because the offenses and skill sets are so different.
hawkeyescott
Well-Known Member
I agree with this and I think Iowa will play him a lot like they did Pryor last year. You won't see Clayborn or Ballard/Binns with probably any sacks as they will stay outside playing a containment D and will turn Robinson back inside to the LB's. If they do get a sack it is because Robinson is trying to run to the outside around them or Michigan moved the pocket allowing for the DE's to get a sack.
tm3308
Well-Known Member
You clearly didn't look at his completion percentage. 45% on the year in 2009. FORTY-FIVE PERCENT!!!! Nesbitt is a HORRIBLE passer. He got his yards for two reasons. 1. They lulled everyone to sleep with the option and then threw it up deep for Demaryus Thomas, and 2. Thomas was an extremely physically gifted receiver, who could outrun, outmuscle, and outjump just about any defender. That's also why Thomas is going to take some time before he really contributes for Denver; he's WAY behind the curve in route-running, because he didn't do much besides run the fade in college. Think Calvin Johnson, but without the polish. Thomas was 100% raw talent.
So if you shut down the running game (which isn't hard to do if your d-line plays disciplined), then you completely take away Tech's passing attack. BTW, without Thomas, Tech's passing game is almost non-existant (450 yards and 5 TD's at a 39% clip through 5 games).
But Robinson is:
1. Going to be harder to contain than the triple option was. He's just a completely unique player, not been one like him since probably Eric Crouch or Mike Vick.
2. A much better passer than Nesbitt, Crouch, or Vick, but with as good or better rushing ability than all three.
So yes, containing him probably solves our problem, certainly slows him down, just like the triple-option. But, it will be much easier said than done in Robinson's case. He's going to be the toughest player to defend we see all year, or have seen in quite some time.
