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**Dr. Strangelove** · October 10, 2023, 02:05 PM

Man they didn't even spring for a decent-looking trophy, did they?

**Dr. Strangelove** · October 10, 2023, 02:06 PM

Now THIS is a trophy

LandGrantTrophy_2.0.jpg

**Mike** · October 10, 2023, 03:13 PM

The Stanley Cup and the Land Grant trophy are 1A and 1B as the greatest in all of sports.

**Jeff Buchanan** · October 11, 2023, 08:08 AM

Once again, mgo's Neck Sharpies explains what Minnesota was doing in the first half with their run game. Yeah, that one. The one that gashed Minter's vaunted defense. The article also deals with how M reacted to correct the advantage that PJ Fleck had masterminded. What impresses me about these articles is that they demonstrate the modern game of football isn't about large and fast people aimlessly banging into each other without a plan. On the contrary there is a plan on the offensive side of the ball - a detailed and complex one and a plan on the defensive side to stop it.

Neck Sharpies: Outside of This | mgoblog

https://mgoblog.com/content/neck-sharpies-outside#read-more

If you were around for the first Rich Rod year, when Michigan's offensive talent wasn't on the same level as most of their competition's, you may remember there would often be some cute trick in the Wolverines gameplan. This gambit would work for a quarter before the defensive coaches got a moment to explain what's happening. Their answer would stress another part of the late-aughts Michigan offense that couldn't take it, and that would be that. Still, the yards and scores all counted. Several of the results also made Paul Nelson's legendary 2009 hype video, which has since become this site's anthem. Now that you've watched that to remember how far we've come, turn back to 2:54 for the Purdue/Penn State sequences. Michigan actually led Penn State 10-0 in the 1st quarter in 2008. They lost 17-46. Fast forward 15 years, and Michigan's the heavy favorite adjusting to some cute gambit in the 1st quarter before shutting it down with a simple reaction. Minnesota's trick, which led to a 54-yard field goal attempt, was actually pretty similar to Rich Rod's against 2008 Penn State, another team built on the strength of its defensive tackles. The base play Minnesota was using was zone stretch. Or outside zone. We never decided on what to call it, but it's the second time we've talked about it this year because Michigan spent the UNLV game trying to rep it. When that happened I posited that Stretch is tough to add as a second pitch to your running game because it takes a lot to get right. Minnesota uses it as its #1, and found ways to repeatedly crack Michigan's front by using backfield motion to stretch the of horizontal space Michigan's linemen had to cover on their own. The short explanation is Minnesota attacked the way Michigan prefers to play the run without committing much material to it. Minter's defense likes to set its edge and leave their defensive tackles to keep things under control in between them until the ball is handed off. This allows the linebackers to pursue passing targets and the edges to remain in position to rush the passer, stressing the DTs to gain a measure of immunity to play-action. Minnesota was using motion from their tight ends and receivers before and after the snap to spread out those edges, which overstressed the tackles, and created wide lanes before the linebackers could get back to help. Hit the jump and I'll show you how and why, and how Michigan responded. [After THE JUMP: Stretch in Space]

**Mike** · October 11, 2023, 08:31 AM

The Minnesota ground game gashed us for 117 yards on 39 carries (3.0 ypc)?? I'll take that kind of gashing any time.

**THE_WIZARD_** · October 11, 2023, 08:31 AM

Stop talking about gash. Git yer mind outa da gutter.

**THE_WIZARD_** · October 11, 2023, 08:32 AM

Any yards gained on HARBAUGH!!!!!!! is unacceptable.

**Mike** · October 11, 2023, 08:32 AM

I can't. I'm still recovering from the beating we took in Minneapolis.

**THE_WIZARD_** · October 11, 2023, 08:34 AM

Apparently you were gashed.

**Hannibal** · October 11, 2023, 08:47 AM

Originally posted by Mike View Post

The Minnesota ground game gashed us for 117 yards on 39 carries (3.0 ypc)?? I'll take that kind of gashing any time.

First half the RB’s gashed us pretty good. We adjusted nicely though.

**THE_WIZARD_** · October 11, 2023, 08:58 AM

Unacceptable for a HARBAUGH!!!!!!! squad...

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Michigan 52, Minnesota 10

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