Disastrous ‘Michigan Special’ gets roasted by Eagles and CFB fans alike
By Mark Powell
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh called a timeout just to call an outdated trick play on fourth down. The ‘Michigan Special’ was rightly roasted.
Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines gave TCU life.
The Wolverines had a chance to score on their opening drive, but on a fourth-and-goal inside the five, Michigan opted to go for it. While that decision is defensible, their play call…was not.
Now officially coined the Michigan Special — thus a failed attempt at the Philly Special — the Wolverines trick play went very awry.
Michigan called the Philly Special against TCU... but they weren't playing against a Matt Patricia defense so it didn't work out. https://t.co/fG8e10UZm0
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) December 31, 2022
Huge yikes.
Harbaugh’s team got the ball back shortly thereafter, but J.J. McCarthy threw a pick-six, giving TCU an early lead.
‘Michigan Special’ trolled by college football fans
The Philly Special was unique and creative in its own right when the Philadelphia Eagles ran the play in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots…four years ago. Since then, every team has run some version of the play, with varying levels of success. Michigan’s is the worst these eyes have seen.
Harbaugh’s decision-making ought to be questioned for such a call. Going for it on fourth down is understandable, but that can’t be the play the coaching staff has in their back pocket. They’ve had weeks to prepare for this game.
The Philly Special at @zingermans is better than whatever Michigan just tried to run on the goal line
— Jared Smith (@jaredleesmith) December 31, 2022
Big, tough Michigan from the big, tough Big Ten with a fourth and goal from two and they run a Philly Special? Hard to understand. Just knock them off the line of scrimmage, hot shots.
— Dwight Jaynes (@dwightjaynes) December 31, 2022
3 weeks of “Michigan’s gonna run, then run it, then run it some more.”
— Mike Zimmer (@mikejzimmer) December 31, 2022
Game starts: Philly Special on the goal line for a loss of 10, then QB throws pick-6 pic.twitter.com/Y6RcmIPhRY
The Wolverines gameplan was to run the ball down TCU’s throat. On the first drive of the game, they did just that thanks to Donovan Edwards, but they got away from their strategy on the goal line.
Michigan: “We have the best offensive line in the country and will out-physical any team we play by running it down their throats.”
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) December 31, 2022
Also Michigan: “lol playoff time, let’s do a Philly Special and try passing, what could go wrong here”
The Philly Special worked so perfectly the first time because of the element of complete surprise.
— Matt Lombardo 🏈 (@MattLombardoNFL) December 31, 2022
After 5 years and 500 attempts, the Michigan Special went … Poorly.
Jim Harbaugh drawing up the Philly Special on Michigan’s first drive of the game: pic.twitter.com/uz3c5i36di
— Legion Sports Management (@thelegionsm) December 31, 2022
The way Michigan’s OL pushed TCU around on the first drive … would have thought the Wolverines would have just lined it up and run right at the Horned Frogs there.
— Sam Khan Jr. (@skhanjr) December 31, 2022
Got cute with the Philly Special on 4th-and-goal. Great job in coverage by TCU to shut it down.
Michigan running the Philly special on 4th and goal on the first drive 😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/vkNXzng23e
— 𝘼𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙬 🦃🐈⬛🐝 (@704_Andrew) December 31, 2022
It’s easy to second guess Harbaugh, who has routinely proven he’s one of the best head coaches in the country.
Nonetheless, whatever version of the Philly Special that was, it was enough to make most viewers sick.
Next. 3 CFB programs who should fire their head coach, but won't. dark
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