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September 15, 2017 - Image 27

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The Michigan Daily

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7
TheMichiganDaily, www.michigandaily.com

Behind Enemy Lines

To gain an inside perspective

on the Michigan football team’s
upcoming matchup against Air
Force, the Daily reached out to
Brent Briggeman — the Falcons
beat writer for the Colorado
Springs Gazette.

On
Wednesday
night,
we

spoke on the phone with Brent
to discuss Air Force’s triple
option, Falcons running back
Tim McVey and what needs
to happen to put Michigan on
upset alert.

Here’s
a
look
into
our

conversation:

The Michigan Daily: The big

talk around here is the triple
option. How do you think it
could fare against this defensive
line that Michigan has?

Brent Briggeman: I think it’s

proven over the years that it can
work against any defense, you
know what I mean? It’s so hard
to stop just because it doesn’t

matter how big you are. It’s just
a matter of picking up the ball.
The deception and quickness in
it is really difficult for a team
that doesn’t see it very often.
Also, it allows Air Force to leave
a man unblocked on every play,
and they don’t have to sustain
blocks very long. That really
helps them being undersized.
It
eliminates
a
lot
of
the

disadvantages that come with
being undersized.

And
Arion
Worthman
at

quarterback
is
the
fastest

quarterback I’ve seen operate
this system. And since he’s been
in, that’s why they’ve won seven
in a row. It’s hard to understand
what that looks like until you’ve
actually played against it or seen
it in person. They know where
they’re going and the defense
doesn’t, and they get there
quickly. It’s such a different
game for defenders to play.

TMD: Along those same lines,

do you think it’s even further
of an advantage for Air Force

that — as talented as Michigan’s
defense is — they don’t have a lot
of college snaps?

BB: It sort of puts them at a

disadvantage I would think. It’s
just not a natural way to defend.
Talking to Air Force defenders —
seniors who have played against
this in practice for years, and
then play against New Mexico,
Army and Navy every year who
run a variation of the triple
option — they’re still picking up
nuances of how to defend it. To
think that a team could learn it
over spring practice and then in
the week leading up — you’re not
gonna learn it. You’re just gonna
have to learn enough of it to try
to get by.

It’s not like Air Force is gonna

bust
every
play.
Michigan’s

gonna make plays. But Air
Force hasn’t been shut out
in something like 30 years —
maybe 20 years, it’s been a long
time — and there’s a reason. It’s
really hard to stop this. And
the minds that go into creating
this offense, you know, (Air
Force coach) Troy Calhoun was
an NFL offensive coordinator,
so it’s not like he only uses
the triple option. And Mike
Theissen, who’s the offensive
coordinator, was an academy
graduate, played quarterback
here and was a professor for a
little while in mathematics. So
obviously, these are some pretty
bright minds. It’s not like these
are guys who just run it because
they
don’t
know
anything

else. They run it because they
understand that it works here.
And if you’re a defender getting
your third college start, it’s
gonna be eye opening.

TMD: Is there any chance

that Air Force could air it out
more often than they normally
would, given that Michigan’s
secondary hasn’t really been
tested at all in the air yet?

BB: I would think. I wouldn’t

expect them to throw more than
12 to 15 times. They pick their
spots well, because obviously
they have to get that ground
game established. Once guys are
starting to cheat a little bit …
suddenly a back is running loose

Michigan. Here’s why.
The triple-option playbook Air

Force utilizes is full of trick plays and
deception. The Wolverines haven’t
faced an opponent like that this year,
or any year recently. Against VMI,
the Falcons’ unconventional system
managed to run for 473 positive
yards, had seven different players
score rushing touchdowns and had 11
players rush for over 20 yards.

The Wolverines have talked about

prepping for this scheme since last
spring, though. Michigan’s defensive
line should power through the
Falcons’ front five. When the likes of
Gary and veteran linemen Maurice
Hurst and Chase Winovich come
crashing on the Falcons’ door, the
triple-option won’t have so much
flexibility.

Edge: Michigan

Special teams

The Wolverines undoubtedly have

the better talent on special teams, but
they have yet to prove it. Freshman
Donovan Peoples-Jones was benched
as the punt returner because he
was making risky decisions. His
replacement, junior Grant Perry, only
called for fair catches — something
Peoples-Jones never did.

Michigan
redshirt
freshman

kicker Quinn Nordin had an eye
for the field goals against Florida,
hitting four-for-six with two for over
50 yards. Air Force hasn’t kicked a
field goal yet this season — it scored
touchdowns on most of its drives
against VMI.

Edge: Michigan

Intangibles

Speight is out to prove himself.

While he’s not in any danger of losing
his starting spot, the criticism around
his two interceptions week one
and his two fumbles week two has
been growing. If he cleans up those
mistakes, Speight could be primed for
a dominant performance Saturday.

Leading the Wolverines into the

Big Ten season undefeated, and
throwing a few more touchdowns in
the process, would get everyone back
on Speight’s side.

Edge: Michigan

The Wolverines have the edge in

every category, but don’t count Air
Force out with its tricky, fast offense.
Cincinnati gave Michigan a scare, so
there is no reason to think the Falcons
can’t either. On the scoreboard, this
Saturday could look a lot like the last.

Prediction: Michigan 38, Air

Force 13

BREAKDOWN
From Page 6

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Junior safety Tyree Kinnel is living up to the expectation that he would lead Michigan’s secondary, as he has a team-high 15 tackles through two games.

The Daily spoke with Brent Briggeman of the Colorado
Springs Gazette about the upcoming Air Force contest.

KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

See BRENT, Page 8

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