Michigan football went out and absolutely annihilated rival Michigan State on Saturday in a game that wasn’t even as close as the 49-0 score would typically indicate.
There are some notable things that happened in the game, that we caught. Check them out:
- Michigan’s defensive line coach Mike Elston has clearly been focusing on batting passes. Michigan has swatted a number of pass attempts already this season, and Saturday night they added a few more with Kenneth Grant and Braiden McGregor getting their hands on one each.
- The cornerback rotation has been one to watch. Wallace and Johnson are the clear starters, but D.J. Waller and Amorion Walker each got meaningful snaps. Waller getting that playing time as a true freshman is especially noteable given his recruiting status. Ja’Den McBurrows also had a great night. This unit originally looked like it would be a weakness, but now they could go five deep.
- This offense forces defenses to be perfect. Each position group is stacked, and J.J. McCarthy executes the system with near perfect play. It will be tough to stop this team for four quarters. So far, no one has even done it for three.
- McCarthy’s best skill is his ability to throw on the run. That is so valuable in a sport that favors QBs who can extend plays. His chemistry is building with AJ Barner and Roman Wilson, watch for Michigan to hit chunk plays after the pocket breaks down. Just don’t hold…
- Jimmy Rolder played his first snaps late in the game. The Sophomore has been injured so far this year, and will redshirt. Until then, he can play in four games. He is likely a starter next year if Colson moves onto the NFL, so having him back is good for experience.