The USC-Michigan football game is upon us. It is the most high-profile game on the Trojans‘ schedule this season. This is not to imply that the LSU opener or the Notre Dame finale or the Penn State October showcase aren’t huge. They are. However, USC going to the Big House for a Big Ten football opener is extra special. These two schools have the most Rose Bowl appearances. They have met in more Rose Bowls than any two other teams have. They are college football royalty. They are elite winners, prominent national brands, and they look very attractive in their classic uniforms and helmets. The fact that most of their meetings have taken place on the West Coast makes this meeting in the Upper Midwest a particularly resonant and fresh occasion. It’s not your grandfather’s USC-Michigan game. This meeting begins a new and special era in the histories of these two storied programs. It’s a new episode of “Blue Bloods” on CBS, but it’s not with Tom Selleck and it’s not in New York. It’s an afternoon in Ann Arbor with the whole nation watching. It’s Lincoln Riley in the Big House in front of over 107,000 fans. It’s worth a Michigan film study session. Helping us with this Michigan football film room is former Trojans Wire writer and current college football analyst Josh Webb. He laid out a brief look at Michigan for you to enjoy and study before (and during) the game:
FACING THE BACKUP QUARTERBACK
Thread: Let’s talk Michigan football prior to the USC game this weekend. Michigan may not be the same team they were last year and they will be changing quarterbacks, but USC has notoriously struggled against backups — Tavita Pritchard, anyone?
cc: @MattZemek
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
USC ENTERS IN GOOD FORM
We’re going to look at some Michigan film & discuss how they stack up against USC, who is also not the same team as last year. Defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn has changed the game for USC and now they’re firing on all cylinders while Michigan is switching starters
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
THIS IS HOW IT LOOKS WHEN IT’S GOING RIGHT FOR MICHIGAN
This first clip is a look at Michigan’s opportunism. Mistakes are not something Michigan is inclined to overlook. An errant pass or a high pass can easily result in a turnover with Michigan’s offense having prime field position: pic.twitter.com/2jNFwm1WcE
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
WHAT HAPPENED ON THE PLAY SHOWN ABOVE
On this play, Mikey Keene had the time to make the throw. It was five-on-five and his offensive linemen had done their job pushing Michigan’s rushers out wide. Josiah Stewart was going to be closing in, but not by the time Keene was expected to unload. Instead Keene rushed…
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
MICHIGAN FINISHED THE PLAY
… the throw, putting high and behind his intended target, Chedon James. All James could do was try to get a hand on it, but that make Zeke Berry’s job that much easier. The pass hit James’ hand and Berry did not make a mistake, something Michigan drills — not making mistakes
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
TIPPED PASS — SOMETHING FOR MILLER MOSS TO WATCH FOR
Now Kennth Brand did get a hand on the ball from the defensive line, but it was catchable for Fresno State. It was a one-two-three punch.
1. Even with a good pocket, Keene rushed b/c he feared Stewart.
2. The DL didn’t get “home” on the QB, but tipped pass
3. Berry INT
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
COLSTON LOVELAND
2. One play after the INT, we get an incredible sequence by Colston Loveland, who not only gets the 1st & pushes into the red zone on a comeback route, it takes 3 guys to push him OOB before he gets even more yards. He then provides a crucial block for Semaj Morgan on the sweep: pic.twitter.com/mLvLwU8zqM
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
MICHIGAN WAS CONNECTED ON THAT PLAY
Why post this clip? It shows Michigan’s character and their willingness to play for one another. On one play, Loveland is an impossible-to-cover threat, on the next play he’s doing that one scene in the Blind Side where Michael Oher blocks that kid onto the bus.
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
MICHIGAN WEAKNESSES
Let’s flip the script and talk about how Michigan can be beaten and we’re going to start with third down. Why third down? Because Michigan is allowing teams to complete 40% of their third downs! Now the TD didn’t count, but the hold was ticky-tack & the throw is what mattered: pic.twitter.com/LIjtGy76bz
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
EXPLOSIVE PLAYS
Another way USC can beat Michigan is via the explosive plays. These are defined as plays of 20+ yards & aside from the 3rd down issue Michigan has, they seem to struggle with explosive plays for touchdowns. Take a look at this pass from Ewars.
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
USC NEEDS TO DO FOR MILLER MOSS WHAT TEXAS DID FOR QUINN EWERS
Not only is Ewars completely comfortable in the pocket — he trusts his hogs to do the job up front while he works through his progressions — but he steps right into and unleashes a bullet to his big TE. Not a worry in the world from Ewars & Miller Moss should note this: pic.twitter.com/4tTnqdZJS9
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
MICHIGAN CAN LOSE FOCUS
There’s this tendency I’ve seen from Michigan where they seem to just give up on a play. I know that’s not it or I’d like to think that’s not it, but there’s just no explanation for the laziness on some of these plays.
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
BODY LANGUAGE
They’re like Droopy Dog: “oh, well. I guess we’ll get ’em next time. Drat.”
Look at the lack of effort on this Fresno St. score when the game was very much “in question,” so to speak. No reaction from Ja’Den McBurrows except to blame someone else & guess what down it is? pic.twitter.com/nZm2FJPRye
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 17, 2024
SMOKED BY A DOUBLE MOVE
This next play is a little more of the last play we looked at yesterday. While Michigan has a pretty good lead over Arkansas State at this point in the game, this effort by Myles Pollard from Michigan could best be described as “cheeks”
24yd TD. Just a simple double move. pic.twitter.com/ObZIVKN34H
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 19, 2024
GIVING UP ANOTHER SCORE
There’s more of an excuse for this score, but not by much. To the extent that any coach would forgive “the game was over” as a reason for not playing to the whistle, I guess this touchdown and move by Harden is a little better. But guess what down this is for Michigan? 3rd. pic.twitter.com/FtN6oy1Wl4
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 19, 2024
USC AND SACK AVOIDANCE
Moore forces the terrible decision by Keene and Josiah Stewart is there to punish him absolutely. It was one of two sacks the Michigan defense would grab against Keene and Michigan isn’t known for their sacks this, being only tied for 96th in the nation: pic.twitter.com/uYeGuZ4Awk
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 19, 2024
ALEX ORJI COMPLETING A PASS
Finally, the last clip is a tiny look at a play the Trojans will want to watch, as Orji has cashed in on the same play twice on the year for touchdowns. The threat of his legs in one play and the threat of a throw in the other is why this play is so dangerous: pic.twitter.com/br9nMrYfce
— Titanus Kanejira (@FightOnTwist) September 19, 2024
FULL MICHIGAN FILM STUDY SHOW AT THE VOICE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL
This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Michigan football film study — what to watch when USC faces Wolverines
