Wow, are brain cells starting to function up in Ann Arbor? It shouldn't have taken 5 weeks to see things that were clear after week 2 and some of the adjustments should have already been made at halftime or the middle of a game. Semaj Morgan is way overrated. He also shouldn't be returning punts. He has terrible hands and is going to cost them a turnover at some point. He also runs terrible routes and was easier to see watching the game live, that often he stopped on a route that he should have kept going and Underwood had to go up to him after the play and tell/teach him what should have happened with his route.
MCCulley and Marsh is a definite upgrade. McCulley is a decently average route runner, but he can go up and win balls. So give him a shot to do that more often. Marsh looks great to me. Looks like a young kid that should have been on the field since day one. Those two with Klein and please rollout Underwood and add more play fakes than freaking bubble screens and it will help the running game, which let Haynes do his thing. Also, don't throw the ball to Bredeson. Dude is a beast and a bruiser, but don't throw him the ball.
We're going to learn a lot about the Michigan secondary this week. My biggest concern is the secondary and teams that exploit the middle of the field.
100%. it's yet another indictment on Moore as a coach that it took him this long to do something about the WR problem. I know everyone here hates former OSU coach Zach Smith- but he had a great All-22 film breakdown of Semaj Morgan- and needless to say Semaj Morgan is AWFUL. He is an awful route runner and can't catch a cold.
McCulley and Underwood have been oh so close so many times all year- they have NOT been on the same page at all. Looks like they are starting to click- we'll see if they can continue to build on that chemistry. McCulley is sneaky underrated- good enough route runner and while not a burner faster than you think and he is a TERRIFIC 50-50 jump ball guy- his hands/ball skills are impressive- and of course it helps he's 6'5" with a nice vertical.
Marsh looks like a future stud to me as well. Can definitely see why he was so highly rated as a recruit- if you're a composite high 4* top 100 overall player in the nation like he was- you're a bluechip recruit. And he looks the part. It was just a matter of him picking up the playbook and getting his shot.
I'm 100% out on Semaj Morgan- he sucks. Still think there is some hope for Channing Goodwin- he's only a RS Frosh and he looks really good after the catch and he might be the most technical route runner they have and he blocks his ass off- but he HAS to start catching the football when it hits him in both hands. He's young and inexperienced though- so he has a tiny bit of an excuse. Semaj Morgan however is a SR I think and he's played plenty of snaps over the last 3 years- there is zero excuse for him to be this terrible.
I hear what you're saying about Bredeson- but he's technically a TE/H-Back/FB hybrid- and they line him up as a TE in 12 personnel a lot- he's too valuable as a run blocker to take off the field- and while you shouldn't be throwing him the ball- Bryce scanned the field and went through his progressions to his 4th read- which was Bredeson- and he's got to catch that ball if it hits him in both hands. Easier said than done- oh don't throw it to him- especially with Hogan Hansen being out and not having another legit TE you trust to run 12 personnel. If Hogan Hansen was healthy- he's the 4th read there and he probably catches the ball.
I'd change your line about the secondary and say we're going to learn a lot about Wink Martindale this game. Every time he tries his zone pressures he gets gashed to where the blitz was coming from. USC's OL is pretty iffy and it's missing I think 2 or 3 starters this game. There is no need to blitz so heavily here. Trust your front 4 to rush the passer and play zone coverage. If he does that- Michigan will be OK. If he doesn't- they will get gashed in the pass game.
