Michigan football struggled against Maryland, but was able to pull out a win regardless. The Wolverines earned the program’s 1,000th win, and are looking for another run at the Big Ten title and College Football Playoff berth in the coming months.
We already looked at the macro takeaways from the game in a separate article, but there were a number of minor details that may have slipped under the rug in the intensity of the game.
Check out some of the smaller notes from Michigan’s historic victory.
- Rayshaun Benny had a very nice game. He’s been strong against the run in recent weeks and today was no different. Benny and Grant have quietly turned into one of Michigan’s strongest player duos.
- Michigan ran a lot of stunts on the defensive line, and they resulted in a couple of sacks and even a fumble returned for a touchdown. Look for Michigan to utilize more defensive trickery against OSU on passing downs next week.
- J.J. McCarthy looked notably off. A lot of that is due to an apparent leg injury, but the passing game simply has not been the same since before Penn State. Obviously, that changes the playbook available for Michigan. Look for more trickery next week to make up for the injury if symptoms persist.
- Ja’Den McBurrows has continued to carve out a role for himself. Since his MSU interception, McBurrows has taken meaningful snaps and performed admirably. Against Maryland, he blew up a screen by taking a Terps receiver and planting him behind the line of scrimmage. Look for him to play more snaps in the slot if Sainristil bumps out to cover Emeka Egbuka.
- I’ve said it before, but Kenneth Grant might be one of the most valuable players on the roster in terms of NFL draft stock. The 340-pound freak moves like a linebacker and has unlocked a beautifully vicious edge to his game. Not many players I would put above Grant after McCarthy and Will Johnson.