Michigan Vs Iowa Matchups Part I

Yeah I am overdoing it again, especially if it is a two parter.  First Part will be Iowa's Defense Vs Michigan's Offense.  First- a rumor is circulating that Carlos Brown will not play in this game.  However no one can agree what part of his body is injured- head, ankle, or knee.  It could be gamesmanship but he does appear on the two deep here.  Second I am going to include general analysis here and the specific stuff in the match up portion.  Michigan is hurting on the Oline missing center David Molk.  I don't think that this can be overstated as they go shotgun 95% of the time.  They are having trouble with the snaps.  That is a big deal when the offensive line is already underperfoming in many peoples' eyes.  If Tate Forcier has to hesitate for a moment to gather in a faulty snap you are giving Iowa's defensive line an edge they probably don't need.  Michigan has a very special group of receivers, but #22 Darryl Stonum stands out to me.  He isn't a starter but is on the field a ton.  He seems to be sure handed and does something with the ball in his hands.  I thought Michigan would come out with 2 backs in the backfield 30 to 40% of the time and they still could but I am not sure how Brown's injury will affect that.  If they do I would expect to see #24 Kevin Grady used like a traditional fullback and Michigan run a triple option look out of their spread formations. Michigan State held Michigan to 28 yard total rushing last week.  They didn't do anything special to do it either, playing their base scheme most of the time.  Their MLB Greg Jones had a big day statistically so look for big things for Angerer hand cast and all.  Finally #16 Denard Robinson usually gets a series a half at QB. He cannot throw.  He is terrible when he drops back.  If he is in the game it is going to be a running play of some sort.  He should be a receiver.  And tie his shoes.

RDEvAdrian Clayborn 94 and LDE Broderick Binns 91 Vs LT Mark Ortmann 71 and RT Perry Dorrestein 79:  Michigan could be in trouble here.  Michigan State's d-ends dominated both of these guys and both of Indiana's ends pressured Forcier most of the Indiana game also.  Of those players only Middleton probably compares physically to either of Iowa's players.  Forcier is short and has to move around to find throwing lanes which means he doens't take a typical drop.  Clayborn and Binns must play their assigments first and play with their eyes up.  Michigan runs a lot of QB read option which means they often leave the D-end unblocked "optioning" the end.  This could be a big day for one or both of them.  Ortmann and Dorrestein are decent in pass protection, but far from dominating in run blocking.  They pretty much look to seal exclusively and rarely drive block.  That is the nature of Richrod's scheme however not really a swipe at their abilities. Dorrestein was a backup entering the season until the injury to Molk.

DT Christian Ballard 46 and DT Karl Klug 95 Vs. LG Stephen Schilling 52, C David Moosman, and RG David Huyge 71: After the injury to Molk Moosman slid over to center, and Huyge moved from tackle to guard.  Moosman has struggled with his shotgun snaps at times and is still new to making line calls.  Ballard has probably been the unsung hero of Iowa's defense this season.  He has made the move inside with relative ease and is invovled in almost every big play.  Klug has been a revelation. I was high on him coming into the season but he has exceeded my expectations by far.  He is a Mitch King CLONE.  Ballard and Klug will be the quickest pair of tackles that the Michigan interior have faced.  How they handle Iowa's stunts on obvious passing situations could determine if Forcier finishes the game.  Most of Michigan's big runs have come over the gap between Schilling and Ortmann.  Schilling is probably a Sunday player.  Ballard and Klug need to continue to play with the awareness they have displayed so far this season and be ready for screens and draws early in this game.  Taking away those kinds of plays could really limit Michigan's offensive effectiveness. 

SLB A.J. Edds 49, RCB Amari Spievey 19, LCB Shaun Prater 28, and LCB/ NB Willie Lowe 10 VS. Greg Matthews 13 (X), Martavious Odoms 9 (Y), Junior Hemingway 21 (Z), Darryl Stonum 22, Kelvin Grady 19, LaTerryal Savvoy 82: That is a lot of names.  Michigan really spreads the ball out to alot of receivers and is more of a passing team than they would probably prefer.  Stonum and Matthews are the two guys who have really stood out to me so far this season.  Michigan will throw a bubble screen to any of these guys and they are all really slippery and fast.  Odoms and Hemingway seem to be the toughest and most likely to work the middle.  Forcier always has an outlet in the flat on every play by design and that is where Edds comes in.  He must tackle well in this game.  He will also have opportunities in the run game.  Edds may have the chance to get three or four tackles for loss in this game.  He must take advantage of them.  Spievey will likely be matched up with Matthews for much of the game.  If Prater is in the game he too must tackle well.  I imagine that after last week Michigan will test the left side of Iowa's defense when they are on that hash.  Prater or Lowe must be ready to defend the pass and tackle on running plays.  Greenwood would be the safety in that situation and he needs to be ready to give help to either corner in the passing game and clean up his tackling as well.

WLB Jeremiha Hunter 42 Vs. TE Kevin Koger 86, TE Martellus Webb 80: Iowa has suprised me sometimes this year by lining up Edds on the TE with a slot ont the field but most of the time Edds is the defacto nickelback in Iowa's defense.  Hunter needs to have a good cover day against the Michigan tight ends who are basically interchangeable athletically.  Webb has some bonehead issues, and that is why Koger has overtaken him on the depth chart.  Both of these guys can do something with the ball in their hands and are sure handed.  But they are much better receivers than blockers.  Hunter should be able to physically win his match up if they try to block him with these tight ends in the running game.  He could have a 10+ tackle game in him here.

MLB Pat Angerer 43 Vs. TB Brandon Minor 4, TB Carlos Brown 23, FB Kevin Grady 24:  Angerer has the toughest job of any Iowa defender Saturday.  He needs to be stout against the run, and also get depth and patrol the middle in the passing game.  He may also be asked to spy on Forcier.  Minor and Brown are gifted, fast running backs.  They aren't especially physical though and won't run through good tackles.  Grady is a bruising runner who was once thought to be the heir to Mike Hart.  If Brown is truly hurt I think Iowa will still see alot of two back formations from Michigan as they try to establish the running game and take pressure off of their freshman QB.  Minor and Brown are also involved in the passing game mostly through screens and flares and they pick up their yards after the catch.  Angerer must... ready for it tackle well.  He will be playing with some sort of cast on his hand.  One nice thing about Iowa's form of defense is we won't have to hear too much about the varied tempos that Michigan will try to use to "suprise" Iowa.  We run the same scheme 70% of the time and the same personell 95% of the time.  Angerer will do a good job of making sure everyone is in position when they try to run a quick play.

SS Tyler Sash 9 and FS Brett Greenwood 30 VS. QB Tate Forcier 5: Tim Tebow Jr. comes to Iowa City with an impressive 4-1 record and wins over... no one.  Forcier is a very good freshman qb who is playing well in an offense that is perfectly suited for his skills.  But he has yet to be tested by a defense with a pulse.  I am looking forward to the games that Greenwood and Sash play with Forcier as they move around before the snap.  I think it will look much like Iowa's defensive gameplan against ISU.  I hope for the same results.  Forcier has to take extra time to get rid of the football because of his height and he doesn't always see the whole field because of that.  If he forces throws under pressure that is usually a recipe for "The Vulture" to get his hands on the ball, and lately that is the most exciting play of Iowa football.  Sash and Greenwood have been playing at a very high level all season and that must continue for Iowa to win Saturday.  They diagnose plays as fast as any safties since Sanders and Considine and I was a big fan of Pashal.  If they get their hands on the ball more than once game over Iowa wins.