Michigan Wolverines: Keys To The Season, Top Game, Top Transfer, Fun Stats
Michigan Wolverines: Key To The 2022 Offense
Keep the ground game pounding.
There was a moment at the end of a brutal 2020 season when all of a sudden something snapped. The offense played like it was tired of getting shoved around.
The running game went bye-bye after a big start, and even though the season finale against Penn State was a loss, it was like a tone was set thanks to a big day from the offensive line.
Last year the ground game rocked from the start averaging over seven yards per carry with over 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns in the first three games. The Rutgers D stepped up, and the dominant Wisconsin defense held firm, but the offense was able to pick it back up again over the second half of the season.
New OC, some new O linemen, and a new starting tailback – the offense and the team have to keep the same blast away attitude.
Michigan Wolverines: Key To The 2022 Defense
Take the ball away a bit more.
The pass rush stats don’t quite tell the whole story. Michigan was ninth in the Big Ten in tackles for loss in the middle of the national pack in sacks, but obviously Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo got the job done. There will be pressure again, and not it all has to lead to a few more takeaways.
There was a steady stream of big plays, but the Wisconsin win was the only time the D came up with more than two takeaways, and it failed to generate multiple turnovers in any of the last six games. There weren’t any fumble recoveries over the last four.
That all might seem a tad nitpicky, but there can’t be a regression to 2020 when the defense managed just three takeaways in six games.
Michigan Wolverines: Key Player To The 2022 Season
DE Taylor Upshaw, Sr.
The Wolverines are going to have to Moneyball this.
The program is good enough to always find new great pass rushers, but you don’t just replace Aidan Hutchinson and David Ojabo in a snap. It’s going to take a rotation of options and several players to try generating the same pressure and same big plays.
No one’s thinking the 6-4, 262-pound Upshaw will be Hutchinson, but he’s a good veteran who has turn it loose and play at an All-Big Ten level – he’s the leading returning sacker with 2.5 last year and three quarterback hurries – until everyone else gets comfortable.
Michigan Wolverines: Key Transfer
C Olusegun Oluwatimi, Sr.
Michigan isn’t doing much in the transfer portal, but it got a good one in the 6-3, 310-pound Oluwatimi to take over in the middle of the line.
He started his career at Air Force, moved to Virginia, and he turned into an All-America-caliber blocker who’ll step right in and be one of the Big Ten’s best for the ground game.
Michigan Key Game To The 2022 Season
Michigan State, Oct. 29
Of course the Ohio State game matters more than anything each and every year, but …
Jim Harbaugh is now 0-2 against Mel Tucker and 3-4 against Michigan State.
There’s a week off to get ready for the date this year, it’s at home, and with a road game in Columbus to close things out – and with a date at Iowa early on – the pressure to win this is enormous.
Michigan Wolverines: 2021 Fun Stats
– 3rd Quarter Scoring: Michigan 140 – Opponents 55
– Sacks: Michigan 34 for 211 yards – Opponents 14 for 111 yards
– TDs Scored: Michigan 62 – Opponents 28
Michigan Preview | Offense, Defense Breakdown
Season Prediction, What Will Happen
Michigan Top 10 Players
Michigan Schedule & Analysis