For the newbies in the audience, the Run Chart first appeared in 2007 under a much swankier name - the Hart Chart, named for...well, obviously. Unfortunately Mike Hart's eligibility ran out, so it's got a boring title now. Oh, if only we could recruit another Hart...
Anyway. The Run Chart serves as a micro-UFR, one of the staples of MGoBlog. Where Brian analyzes every play on both sides of the ball and highlights the performances, I focus solely on the rushing attack. It was simpler in 2007. There were handoffs, and large people either blocked or missed. With the spread option, it gets a bit trickier, because a large portion of the offense involves intentionally leaving certain defenders unblocked, and decision making is a much bigger factor too.
In the end, it boils down to this. On any given running play (QB scrambles on broken plays do not apply), there are blocking assignments, and if you watch a play enough, you can figure out who was supposed to do what. Many times, it's pretty straight forward - did so and so successfully prevent the defender right in front of him from making a play on the ball carrier or not? However, as the zone read permeates itself into our lives, an adjustment has to be made, so instead of simply charting the blockers, I have to account for the quarterback and if he made the right choice to hand off or keep.
Yays and nays are given only for actions relevant to the play in question. If the play is a zone dive right up the middle, it's highly unlikely that anything involving the wide receivers will be relevant to the play, so no matter what they do, it isn't charted.
So, without further adieu...Run Chart 2010, commence.
Your offensive line, from left to right: Huyge - Schilling - Molk - Omameh - Dorrestein.
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | I-Form 2 WR twins left | Shaw | Off tackle right | 6 | McColgan | Koger |
| 1-10 | Shotgun trips right | Robinson | Playaction pumpfake keeper | 9 | Dorrestein, Odoms | Omameh (-2) |
| 2-14 | Shotgun trips left | Robinson | QB blast | 22 | Shaw, Schilling, Molk, Huyge | Dorrestein |
| 1-10 | Shotgun 3 WR slot left | Robinson | "Zone read keeper" | 10 | Dorrestein, Omameh | Huyge |
| 1-10 | Shotgun split slot left | Shaw | Dive | 5 | - | - |
| 2-5 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB blast | 4 | Huyge | Roundtree, Shaw |
| 3-1 | I-Form heavy | Shaw | HB blast | 2 | McColgan | Omameh, Dorrestein |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Shaw | Zone read dive | 4 | Dorrestein | Robinson |
| 1-10 | Shotgun 4 WR | Shaw | Zone read handoff | -1 | - | Robinson (-2) |
| 2-11 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB blast | 10 | Huyge, Schilling, Molk | - |
| 3-1 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB blast | 3 | Huyge, Schilling, Molk | - |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Smith | Zone read dive | 12-TD | Molk, Roundtree | - |
1st and 10: Basic I-form play to start out with as we're pinned at the 4 yard line. Omameh actually gets beaten inside here, but since it's an off tackle play and not an iso, it's alright. McColgan doesn't deliver a killshot like Moundros did in his limited time at fullback last year, but he mashes the boundary corner well enough. Koger scrapes the playside DE but isn't quick enough getting to the linebacker.
1st and 10: It's hard to tell if this is how this play was supposed to go. The entire offensive line blocks down save for Dorrestein, who kicks the "read" end out, creating an alley for Denard once he pulls the ball from Shaw and gives a little fake like he thought about throwing a bubble screen. I'm pretty sure this was designed to get Denard running the whole time. Odoms gets a nice block on the corner outside. However it's all negated when Omameh is flagged for a late hit.
2nd and 14: This should've been a freakazoid play. I'm taking 70, 80 yards, maybe a touchdown. The left side of the line plus Molk and Shaw as a lead blocker perfectly set Denard loose into the second level, but Dorrestein misses the one block that would've set him loose down the sideline with only the cornerback sprinting full speed from the opposite side of the field between him and the endzone. Dorrestein knows he missed it too, as he is visibly upset when Denard is tackled.
1st and 10: This is a weird, chaotic play. There is nobody unblocked being read here, so I don't know how this is a zone read. Regardless, Huyge blocks down but is beaten inside and spun to the ground by the defensive tackle, whose aggression and burst actually put him upfield past Denard after he pulled the ball from Shaw. Omameh and Dorrestein get just enough of their men to allow Denard to improvise and peel around outside to open field for ten.
1st and 10: First, "shotgun split" means the QB is flanked by backs on each side. As for the play, another messy one that's hard to dicipher. There is once again no read, but Denard's holding the ball out there like it is. Shaw immediately cuts upfield where there is a mess of humanity and a natural hole as a result of the backside defensive end rushing upfield. Shaw falls forward for five. Messy.
2nd and 5: Huyge does a good job turning the end outside to create a hole. I'm probably being a little hard on the Trotwood kids here. There is no deception in the play here, so the linebacker that Roundtree fails to block is immediately moving in as Denard takes the snap and moves ahead, so it may be unrealistic to expect Roundtree to get this block. Shaw doesn't hold up (not a surprise) as the lead blocker either, as his man wraps up Denard.
3rd and 1: McColgan leads the way just fine on 3rd and short, but this is nearly blown up because the right side of the offensive line gets beaten rather badly. Dorrestein just gets blown by, while Omameh gets muscled straight back. We barely convert.
1st and 10: Robinson hands off on the first true zone read play, and Dorrestein gets enough of the linebacker to allow Shaw to get four yards instead of two, but...I think Denard should keep this. The read end actually plays this pretty well, he doesn't recklessly crash down on Shaw, he plants himself and keeps his feet shuffling, prepared to go either direction, and he ends up tagging Shaw. In that circumstance, there may not be a real "right or wrong" choice, but if Denard pulls this from Shaw, he's matched up one on one with a defensive end who is standing still, and the safety is racing down toward Shaw from the get go. This could've been a big gain (if not a touchdown) if Denard keeps this.
1st and 10: There's no doubt on this one. Schilling, Molk, Omameh and Dorrestein block down, with Huyge kicking out the backside defensive end. This makes Greg Lloyd, the MIKE linebacker, the read here, and he is hurdling toward Shaw the whole way. If Denard keeps this, there is no one between him and the safety 12 yards upfield. No splitting hairs here, this was a mistake.
2nd and 11: Huyge again kicks out the strongside DE with ease, creating a sizable gap. Molk crushes the playside DT, pancaking him as Denard zips through. Schilling acts as a screen of sorts on the MIKE linebacker Lloyd.
3rd and 1: Same thing essentially. Huyge turns the end away, while this time Molk and Schilling double the playside tackle. This gets held down because UConn saw it coming (since we just ran it), but the execution was enough to convert the 3rd and short.
1st and 10: I have no idea how Smith slips through the line here. Molk escorts the weakside DT away, but Schilling gets pushed basically right into Smith by the playside DT. Somehow Smith squirts through and sheds an unbelievably pathetic tackle attempt by the safety coming down into the box. Right after that, flashing across the screen is Roy Roundtree latched onto the other UConn safety who came down, and he's just running him right past Smith as he crosses the goalline. This was a little sloppy.
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Shaw | HB dive? | 4 | - | Webb |
| 3-1 | Shotgun slot left | Robinson | QB blast | 3 | Molk | Omameh |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Robinson | Zone read keeper | 12 | Robinson | - |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Shaw | ??? | 5 | - | - |
| 2-5 | Shotgun slot right | Robinson | QB blast | 32-TD | Webb, Dorrestein, Grady, Smith, Omameh | - |
1st and 10: Somebody makes a pretty egregious mistake here. Martell Webb is lined up at the H-back spot here, just off the line of scrimmage, and he cracks back against the grain at the snap, presumably to nail the unblocked end who is coming down...except he runs right past the end, who would have Michael Shaw dead to rights if not for a freakish cutback by Shaw. I don't think this was a read mistake by Denard; I think this was a handoff all the way designed to look like a read with Webb having the task of erasing the read end. Michigan introduced this wrinkle against Notre Dame last year with a bit of success with Kevin Koger nailing the unblocked man and helping to spring Brandon Minor into the secondary. Needless to say, it needs some tuning in 2010.
3rd and 1: Omameh is beaten by the backside DT, and this would've been bad if not for Molk latching onto the strongside DT and essentially picking him up and moving him away. Ironically Molk's dominance on the poor guy obstructed Schilling from getting to the linebacker, which helped contain this play.
1st and 10: See, now this gives me pause about the first play on this possession. This looks like the same thing. End crashes down unblocked, Martell Webb runs past him...except the difference is here that Denard ninjas the football out of Michael Shaw's belly and has room to zip through for a dozen yards. So was the mistake on the first play just a misread by Denard in that he handed off when he should've kept? Or was this an adjustment as a result of that previous play? Feedback welcome.
1st and 10: ABC/ESPN putzes around and botches this play a bit, so skip it. Looks similar to the last play and the first play, with Shaw once again Houdini'ing his way out of a TFL. I'm leaning toward this being a mistake on Denard's part now, but I'm not sure.
2nd and 5: Here's an interesting little wrinkle. Similar to the straight QB runs from earlier, except this time Webb, again in the H-back role, motions in at the snap to serve as another lead blocker in addition to Smith. Webb, Omameh and Dorrestein spring Denard past the line, Smith swings outside to latch onto the outside linebacker Scott Lutrus, and Kelvin Grady finishes the blocking by running upfield from his slot position to cut off the safety. From there it's dreadlocks and dilithium to the endzone. "That's six."
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Shaw | Zone read dive | 15 | Dorrestein, Omameh, Stonum | - |
| 1-10 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB blast | -3 | - | Omameh, Robinson |
1st and 10: There might not actually be a "read" on this play, as Koger peels back against the formation to nullify the unblocked end on the backside. Similar to the ND game last year, this may be a handoff all the way with the illusion of it being a read play. Operating under that assumption, no yay to Denard to handing off. Dorrestein kicks the strongside DE out while Omameh pins the tackle inside, creating a huge hole for Shaw. Stonum doesn't actually "block" the boundary corner here, but he occupies him.
1st and 10: Omameh gets pushed back and beaten by the DT here (who makes the tackle), but mostly this is on Denard for mysteriously cutting back. There wasn't a real hole right up the middle, all stalemates, but instead of settling for 2-3 yards, Denard tries to bounce outside for more - except he bounces right into his right guard being shoved into his face.
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot right | Grady | Reverse | -3 | - | Grady |
| 2-13 | Shotgun slot right | Robinson | QB blast | 7 | Webb, Schilling, Molk | Omameh |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Smith | Zone read dive | 4 | Webb | Molk, Omameh |
| 2-6 | Shotgun slot left | Robinson | QB blast | -2 | - | Omameh, Dorrestein |
| 3-8 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB draw | 10 | Huyge, Smith, Roundtree | - |
| 1-G | Shotgun slot right | Shaw | Zone read dive | 4 | Webb, Schilling, Molk | - |
| 2-G | Shotgun ace | Shaw | Zone read handoff | 3-TD | Robinson, Schilling, Molk | - |
1st and 10: Nobody really to blame here, reverses work when the defense overcommits. UConn stayed at home here. -1 to Grady to fumbling.
2nd and 13: Webb moves from the H-back position to play the role of lead blocker, and he pops a linebacker. Schilling and Molk both do their jobs well, Schilling occupying the backside DT and Molk getting to the MIKE linebacker. Omameh is beaten by the strongside DT though, and although Denard actually sheds the tackle, he is slowed down enough to hold this down.
1st and 10: Again, I don't think there's a real read here. Webb again cracks back to pop the unblocked end (and does so very well). Omameh again cannot occupy the defensive tackle long enough for the ball carrier to get through cleanly. Molk also whiffs (!) on the linebacker, who combines with the DT to tackle.
2nd and 6: UConn catches both Omameh and Dorrestein offguard here with a hard slant to the left by their entire defensive line. This gets two players past the aforementioned U-M linemen, and leaves Denard dead to rights in the backfield.
3rd and 8: UConn is caught offguard this time. Huyge smashes the DE inside, and Denard easily gets the first down with the help of downfield blocks by Smith and Roundtree.
1st and goal: Again, I'm almost positive there's no read here. Once more, Webb cracks back and again delivers a shot to the unblocked end, which allows Shaw to zip through - with the help of a good inside-out block by Schilling and Molk seeking out the linebacker.
2nd and goal: I think this IS a true read, and there really is no wrong option here I think, but because the end doesn't crash down violently on the RB, the handoff is absolutely the way to go, and usual work from Schilling and Molk gives Shaw enough room to power into the endzone.
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | Shotgun trips left | Robinson | Zone read keeper | 8 | Robinson | - |
| 2-2 | Shotgun trips left | Robinson | QB blast | 6 | Smith, Molk | Omameh |
| 1-10 | Shotgun trips right | Smith | Zone read handoff | 0 | - | Robinson |
1st and 10: Great stuff here in that it's so simple really, but something that is just starting to bloom in this offense - a perfectly executed zone read play. The end sells out on Shaw all the way, and Denard snakes the ball out of his gut and zips through untouched for an easy eight yards.
2nd and 2: Smith does well as the lead blocker, and Molk absolutely zeroes in on the MIKE linebacker and erases him from the play. Once again though, Omameh cannot stymie his man long enough for the ball carrier to get by.
1st and 10: And then...the other side of the coin. The end is coming down on Smith the whole way, yet Denard hands it off instead of yanking it. Predictable result.
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Smith | Zone read dive | 4 | - | Webb |
| 2-6 | Shotgun slot left | Robinson | QB sweep right | 3 | Molk, Dorrestein | Omameh |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot right | Smith | Zone read dive | 1 | Webb | Omameh |
| 2-9 | Shotgun slot right | Smith | Zone read handoff | 3 | Robinson | Huyge |
| 2-6 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB sweep left | 5 | Huyge | Molk, Omameh |
| 3-1 | ??? | Robinson | ??? | 3 | - | - |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Smith | Zone read dive | 4 | Schilling, Omameh | Molk |
| 1-G | Shotgun ace | Robinson | QB sweep left | 5 | Huyge | Webb, Dorrestein |
| 2-G | Shotgun ace | Robinson | Zone read keeper | -3 | Robinson | Robinson (-2) |
| 3-G | Shotgun slot right | Robinson | QB sweep right | 0 | - | - |
1st and 10: Webb actually misses the block from the H-back position here, and Smith uses his physicality to fall forward.
2nd and 6: Molk latches onto the DT and drives him backward, and Dorrestein just absolutely crushes the DE to the ground. Omameh though, can't get to the linebacker quick enough. There might've been a crack for Denard to slip through instead of going all the way to the sideline, but overall this seems like it developed too slowly for anything big to happen.
1st and 10: I really should come up with a different name for this play, there's no actual read going on here. Webb again pops the unblocked end, but - again - Omameh struggles with the tackle and ends up getting squashed back. Not terribly impressive today...
2nd and 9: DE stays home and it's a true read, and Denard correctly hands off. Unfortunately Huyge somehow whiffs on a linebacker who was barely moving. Hm.
2nd and 6: Huyge expertly escorts the playside DE out of harm's way, but Molk surprisingly gets muscled backwards, forcing a play designed to go to the outside to now go inside as Denard cuts up. This wouldn't be a huge problem...if Omameh doesn't run past about three or four defenders without touching one of them.
3rd and 1: ESPN/ABC fail.
1st and 10: First play that features the H-back (Webb) cracking back against the formation but not being a factor, as the unblocked end is caught up in the wash. Omameh (finally) and Schilling get good pushes against their men, but Molk somehow misses the linebacker who makes the tackle. Looks like he just lost him in the chaos and he wasn't where he expected him to be.
1st and goal: Huyge mashes the playside DE, but Webb whiffs on a linebacker, forcing a cutback, whereupon the weakside defensive tackle is able to make the play because he successfully avoided a cut block attempt by Dorrestein.
2nd and goal: +1 to Denard for correctly pulling the ball on the zone read. -2 for fumbling it inexplicably when it looks like he was going to go in standing up.
3rd and goal: Eh, not a fan of the playcall. Too conservative for my taste here, compounded by the fact that UConn blitzes and has more defenders than we have blockers.
| Down | Formation | Runner | Play | Yards | Yay | Nay |
| 1-10 | Ace 4 WR | Shaw | HB dive | 5 | Molk, Schilling, Omameh | - |
| 2-5 | I-form twins left | Shaw | Off tackle right | -9 | - | Omameh, McColgan, Shaw (-2) |
| 3-14 | Shotgun 4 WR | Robinson | QB draw | 14 | Smith, T. Robinson, Grady | - |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot right | Gardner | Zone read keeper | -4 | Gardner | Koger, Gardner |
| 2-14 | Shotgun slot left | Smith | Zone read dive | 13 | Gardner, Dorrestein, Omameh | - |
| 3-1 | Shotgun ace | Robinson | QB blast | 4 | Koger, Dorrestein | Stonum |
| 1-10 | Shotgun slot left | Smith | Zone read dive | 5 | Schilling, Molk, Omameh | Koger |
1st and 10: Great work by the interior OL here. Schilling and Omameh seal the DTs outside flawlessly, and Molk radar locks the MIKE linebacker. Shaw is untouched for five yards. Molk stays down and has to come off, and I recall saying something resembling "FUCK SHIT BALLS JESUS NO WHY" in a tone that could only be described as suicidal.
2nd and 5: Er...yikes. Omameh is just humiliated by the defensive tackle here, and McColgan can't handle the boundary corner. Shaw makes things much worse by turning a 3 yard loss into a 9 yard loss. He is properly eviscerated for this. That's not a mistake a player in his 3rd year can make.
3rd and 14: The kind of play that a year ago, we raged about because Forcier would only pick up five or so and we punt. Now...a bit different. The sub-six footers rule the day as Grady, Smith and Terrence Robinson all pick up escorting blocks en route to the first down. Denard stays down, and I say something resembling "Why I do say old chap, this contest between you and I seems to be a bit rigged if I do say so myself" in a tone that could only be describled as cultured.
1st and 10: Easy but correct decision for Gardner to pull the ball on the zone read as the end crashes down irresponsibly on Smith. Koger doesn't do a very good job blocking the linebacker, but it would've been enough if Gardner goes straight up field instead of trying to get to the outside. This is a comfy 5-7 yard gain if he goes straight, instead it's a 4 yard loss.
2nd and 14: DE stays home, Gardner 2-for-2 on zone read decisions. Omameh and Dorrestein with excellent down blocks, with the latter helping to escort the tackle away and seamlessly transitioning to the linebacker.
3rd and 1: I'm not terribly thrilled with calling a running play for the guy who just went back in after getting dinged up, but it's not my call. Either way, UConn smells this out a bit. Koger and Dorrestein pin the DE inside, allowing Denard to easily get the edge and the first down. Could've gotten a little more if Stonum had done anything besides stand there and watch the corner.
1st and 10: Again, no read here, Koger as the H-back cracking back. Schilling and Omameh successfully turn the tackles inside out, and Molk sticks the linebacker. Koger though, doesn't actually block the unblocked end, he gives him a shove, which actually propels the end right into position to make a tackle.
Charting ceases here, as our final drive is designed to simply chew up the clock.
Game Chart:
| Yay | Nay | Total | |
| Huyge | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| Schilling | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| Molk | 12 | 2 | 10 |
| Omameh | 7 | 13 | -6 |
| Dorrestein | 8 | 4 | 4 |
| Koger | 1 | 3 | -2 |
| Webb | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Grady | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Odoms | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| T. Robinson | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Roundtree | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Stonum | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| McColgan | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Shaw | 1 | 3 | -2 |
| Smith | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Gardner | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| D. Robinson | 5 | 7 | -2 |
| TOTAL | 68 | 42 | 26 |
Some thoughts:
- 4 of Denard's 7 negatives came on two plays in which I gave him a -2 apiece: one zone read where he had a dozen yards of empty space to run through if he kept, and the fumble inside the five that probably prevented a touchdown. Overall this is where the metric is flawed, as it's inconceivable to watch what he did last Saturday and come up with a negative number. Sue me.
- Steve Schilling and David Molk...holy balls, stay healthy.
- Patrick Omameh...a work in progress. Seven positive plays is good, but 13 negatives is, I believe, a record for the (short) time I've been doing this. When Coach Rodriguez said in his Monday presser that some people on the OL definitely had to do better, it's clear now who he was talking about.
- Huyge and Dorrestein with sturdy performances run blocking. +4 is probably around the ceiling for them.
- Smith looked better as the lead blocker than Shaw.
- Webb looked much better as the H-back than Koger.
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