Analysis with Al Borges reveals a focused team that successfully carried out their mission with precision.

Former Michigan Football offensive coordinator Al Borges discusses the offensive performance during Michigan’s National Championship victory against the Washington Huskies in a conversation with The Michigan Insider’s Sam Webb.

The duo regularly collaborates for a detailed breakdown of the team’s offensive strategies, drawing on Borges’ extensive coaching experience to provide insights and analysis. In the featured excerpt, Borges shares his perspective on a critical 4th down play.

Webb reflects on the championship game against Alabama, acknowledging that Michigan’s dominance could have been even more pronounced if not for some crucial mistakes. He specifically highlights the impact of muffed punts, a missed field goal, and a missed extra point. Shifting the focus to the Washington game, Webb raises questions about a 4th down call, particularly a sequence involving a third and seven play where Michigan ran a split zone.

Borges responds by expressing his approval of the decision to go for it on 4th down, emphasizing that such decisions are not always successful and are often scrutinized in hindsight. He analyzes the play in question, a double stick concept, where two players run quick outs and the inside receivers run short stick routes. Despite the defensive read by the Washington safety, Borges commends the opposing team for effectively defending the play. He acknowledges that going for it on 4th downs is a calculated risk and notes that criticism tends to focus more on unsuccessful attempts.

Webb further discusses the strategy of running a split zone on third down to get closer for the 4th down attempt. Borges defends the strategy, stating that running split zones on third downs is not uncommon and has been employed in previous years. He concludes that while the execution didn’t align exactly with the desired outcome, he doesn’t regret the strategy or decision-making involved.

The excerpt covers a range of topics related to the Michigan offensive performance, providing a comprehensive analysis of key moments and decisions during the National Championship game.