Show notes
Penn State football faces Michigan in their second-to-last home game of the regular season on Saturday. So what do you know about the Wolverines? Clayton Sayfie of The Wolverine jones host Thomas Frank Carr to give an in-depth scouting report on Penn State's next opponent.
As always, they start on the offensive side of the ball, but unlike most shows, T-Frank begins up front with Jim Harbaugh. Facing a crossroads this offseason, Harbaugh made significant changes on that side of the ball, resulting in a much more effective offense in 2021. What did he change? Sayfie fills T-Frank in on the details and how they've changed the Michigan front.
They also go into how former Penn State assistant coach Josh Gattis' influenced the offense and blended the two philosophies. After that, they discuss some specific schemes that Penn State has struggled against historically and that Michigan has incorporated this season. Have they been effective? Sayfie gives an answer you might not expect.
Next, they talk about the stars of the Michigan offense, the running backs. Hassan Haskins and Blake Corum are two of the top-10 leading rushers in the Big Ten and have been dynamic this season. Yet after an injury, last week, will this duo be ready to go this weekend? Sayfie also describes the duo's playing style and how they work off of one another.
They shift their focus to the passing game, and T-Frank claims that quarterback Cade McNamara is the perfect quarterback for Jim Harbaugh. Does Sayfie agree? And what makes McNamara fit so well into the system?
That conversation evolves into the passing attack, which may be down several players this weekend, according to Sayfie. T-Frank then asks if this unit can be explosive enough to compliment the rest of the team.
After that, they shift to the defensive side of the ball to discuss the changes under new defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald. Macdonald was hired from the Baltimore Ravens this offseason and has changed the way the team plays dramatically. What are the most significant differences? Sayfie explains that the changes he has made have improved one unit drastically. At the same time, T-Frank gives his summation of that group.
Next, they discuss some of Macdonald's changes since the loss to Michigan State and how that might change things for the Wolverines this weekend.
Yet, the stars of the Michigan defense are along the defensive line. They talk about defensive ends David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson and just how good they have been this season. Sayfie also clues T-Frank into just how quickly Hutchinson has turned into an elite-level defender. His backstory is not what you'd think. After talking about the bookends of the defensive line, they discuss the rest of the front seven and how they complement those two players.
Finally, T-Frank asks Sayfie what matchups he thinks will decide the game.
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