Michigan Wolverines Film Study: Breaking Down Ohio State Victory

The 2023 edition of “The Game” exceeded all expectations. The Michigan Wolverines were almost perfectly matched by Ohio State in every facet of the game and the two teams went back and forth for the full 60 minutes. These words will fall on deaf ears or may ring hollow, but Ohio State was very impressive in this game.

While perhaps the least talented Buckeye team of the last three years, this felt like the best team of the stretch. The offense effectively balanced the run and the pass, and the defense was physical and consistent at all three levels. In a game this close between two nearly identical teams, a few key moments ultimately proved to be the difference in a Michigan win.

Here are three key plays that helped secure Michigan’s third consecutive victory over the Buckeyes.

Will Johnson Interception

Ohio State comes out in its standard 11-personnel with All-Planet wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. isolated toward the boundary. Michigan aligns in a Cover-1 look with help over the top on Harrison to support cornerback Will Johnson, who stalked Harrison for most of the afternoon before leaving with an injury.

The Buckeyes draw up a bread-and-butter RPO play where quarterback Kyle McCord is reading the weakside linebacker. On an RPO play, there is zero time for hesitation due to offensive linemen moving downfield. If the linebacker stays put or drops into a zone, McCord will hand the ball off to running back TreyVeon Henderson; if the linebacker flows with the run or creeps too close to the line of scrimmage, McCord will pull the ball and fire a slant to Harrison.

At the snap, McCord sees Michigan linebacker Michael Barrett drifting to the strong side, so he turns and fires a backside slant to what should be an open receiver. However, Will Johnson had other ideas.

Johnson aligns face-up, with slight inside leverage, five yards off Harrison. With safety Rod Moore 10 yards behind him, Johnson can afford to take risks if he gets the right read. Harrison comes off the ball and runs right into Johnson before making his break. Harrison is trying to create separation at the top of his route and seal Johnson off with his body to open an easy passing window. Instead, Johnson jumps in front of the star receiver and seals him off from the ball.

McCord throws this ball with anticipation on a play that he and Harrison have connected on dozens of times this season. But with copious amounts of film study, Johnson bodies Harrison at his break point and jumps the route like Malcolm Butler for the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl. Harrison should be more physical to cause an incompletion here, but Johnson does an excellent job boxing him out of the play.

Johnson intercepts the ball at the 25-yard line and returns it inside the 10. If Johnson had the ball in his hands more, he would cut this bad boy outside and make a house call of his own, but, nonetheless, Johnson’s return set up Michigan and the inevitable Blake Corum for a fourth-and-goal touchdown to put the Wolverines up 7-0.

12-Personnel Duo

During Michigan’s most successful drive of the second half, with momentum at a fever pitch, everything suddenly froze. All-American right guard Zak Zinter went down with an injury and the Big House fell silent. It was as if dementors had entered the stadium and sucked all of the life and joy out of the game.

No fan wants to see any player injured, but especially not senior team captain Zak Zinter, who has been the embodiment of this Michigan team for the last three years. But unfortunately, these things happen, and after a lengthy stoppage, and a wave from Zinter as he was carted off the field, play resumed.

To replace Zinter, Michigan moved right tackle Karsen Barnhart into right guard and had Trente Jones replace Barnhart at right tackle. For the first play following Zinter’s departure, interim head coach and play-caller Sherrone Moore went with the team’s favorite play: duo.

The same duo play Michigan has run every game this season. The same duo play that salted away the win against Penn State. The same duo play that this offensive line could run with their eyes closed.

At the snap, the left guard and left tackle double team one defensive tackle, and the center and new right guard double team the other. On the edges, Jones is on an island against edge Jack Sawyer, and tight end A.J. Barner is one-on-one with edge J.T. Tuimoloau. Corum’s read on this play is the MIKE linebacker as he follows his fullback Max Bredeson into the hole. Bredeson crashes into Tommy Eichenberg to create a narrow crease, but Corum sees something better backside.

A massive hole opened in the opposite A-gap (between the left guard and center) and Corum jump cuts to daylight. After one of Ohio State’s defensive tackles works into the B-gap, only safety Sonny Styles can make a play, but because Corum initially ran to his right, Styles is one step out of position and Corum exploits this angle and darts through the line of scrimmage. Styles is able to get a hand on him, but Corum is too strong to bring down and proceeds to break loose and outrun the free safety to the pylon.

Before you move on, go back and watch every single Michigan blocker. Barner seals off one of the best edge rushers in the conference. LaDarius Henderson, Trevor Keegan, Drake Nugent, Barnhart, Jones, and Bredeson all win their matchups and create a blue wall with one crease that only Corum can see.

Once in the end zone, Corum threw up a six and five with his hands in honor of No. 65 Zak Zinter, and Michigan retook the lead 24-17 that would not be relinquished.

Rod Moore Interception

No college football team is running the variety of coverages that Michigan is this season. In this game, the Wolverines broke several tendencies, mixed pre-snap and post-snap looks, changed their own rules, and altered some of their fundamental concepts to confuse McCord. On the last play, things were no different.

Before the snap, Michigan is showing a variation of Cover 2 before rolling into Cover 3 when the ball is snapped. Up front, the Wolverines disguise a five-man pressure with linebacker Barrett walking up to the line before dropping out and running one of their patented stunts to perfection.

At the snap, both edges crash HARD into the B-gaps with the defensive tackles wrapping around them to rush off the edge. The far side protection holds up well, but the near side completely breaks down. Jaylen Harrell (near-side edge) runs through the right guard and is immediately in the face of McCord. On the edge, Graham blows by the left tackle and is also converging on the quarterback.

McCord has no time to accurately diagnose the coverage and throws the ball toward Harrison in the middle of the field. McCord’s arm is hit as he throws and a wobbly ball finds itself right in the arms of Ohio native, Michigan safety Rod Moore. Moore is playing middle safety on this play and easily undercuts the route and makes an outstanding play by completing the catch on the interception.

This play is the perfect combination of pass rush complementing pass coverage. Michigan disguises the back end, so the front end has more time to work. The front four work faster with a creative rush forcing the throw before the disguised coverage can be figured out and God Moore called game.