Tag: Blake Corum

5 players to watch: Michigan football at Rutgers

Michigan football is trying to fix things after losing again to Wisconsin. Who are the five players to focus on this week against Rutgers?

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When it rains, it pours, as the Wolverines continue to slide down further in the rut they are in this season.

Last week, Michigan lost 49-11 to No. 10 Wisconsin at home and fall to 1-3 on the year, a thing nobody was expecting to see heading into this week’s game against Rutgers.

Michigan comes into the game this week with the same record as its opponent. Rutgers is 1-3 as it is on a losing streak itself, with its last win coming against Michigan State on opening week. Now, three weeks later, both teams can’t seem to get it done no matter who it goes up against.

Michigan surprisingly lost its rivalry game against Michigan State; it couldn’t handle a red hot Indiana team, and the team couldn’t make Wisconsin look like a team that hadn’t played in three weeks. Rutgers, on the other hand, has had some challenges as well. Rutgers also lost to Indiana, then had to take on the Buckeyes and put up a better fight than in years past, then lost to the former worst team in the Big Ten, the Illinois Fighting Illini.

This game is a doozy for both teams as each team wants to finally get back into the win column after being on the other end for the past three weeks. Michigan needs this win more than Rutgers, as losing to the Scarlet Knights would be the biggest loss under head coach Jim Harbaugh, and it would speak louder than any of the previous losses this year. Rutgers has seemed to be improved despite the record, and getting a win over the Wolverines could change the tide for them. What five players should you focus on when the lights turn on and the two schools battle Saturday night?

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Fixing Michigan’s offensive line is the key for a 2020 turnaround

No unit on the offense has struggled more for Michigan football than the offensive line. If they can turn it around, the season can change.

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It’s year two under the speed in space offense run by Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis. Last year it showed flashes of what it could be, but it wasn’t up to par. With another year of learning, this offense has a chance to put up points week in and week out. There’s just one problem with that so far this season, and it’s the offensive line.

The offensive line was known to be taking a backseat in 2020. Despite having a great offensive line coach in Ed Warinner, it wasn’t looking well for the group. With four new starters among the line, it was well documented that this unit wouldn’t be as good as they were the year before.

Against Minnesota, that seemed to be gibberish. The offensive line kept Milton up almost all night with just allowing one sack, and it was on the first series of the game. The ground game was able to churn out yards and get into the endzone, finishing with 256 yards and five touchdowns on 31 carries.

The unit seemed like it wouldn’t be a problem, like many expected. Then came the next game against Michigan State. Michigan was getting no push from its lineman and the ground game that worked well the week before was stagnant and not itself. The team was only able to get 152 yards and three touchdowns on 34 carries. So with more carries, Michigan got over 100 fewer yards and two fewer scores. What hurt the team the most that game was losing starting right tackle, Jalen Mayfield.

This week against Indiana, Warinner needed to show that the depth he had at his positions were stout. The team wouldn’t see Mayfield play against Indiana, but they also wouldn’t see starting left tackle Ryan Hayes either, so now both starting tackles are injured for the Wolverines.

The offensive line would see a dramatic shift as Karsen Barnhart would start at left tackle. Zak Zinter would start at left guard. Andrew Vastardis would remain at center, while Chuck Filiaga would flip from left to right guard, and Andrew Stueber would move from right guard to right tackle. Stuber played right tackle before the 2020 season, so luckily, he’s had experience before at that position.

Heading into the matchup today, despite being weakened at the position, Michigan had a chance to run all around the Hoosiers defense. Against Penn State, Indiana allowed 250 yards and two touchdowns on 52 carries. The week after against Rutgers, they allowed 121 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries. If you average those two up, Indiana allowed an average of 185.5 yards per game and an average of 4.4 yards per carry.

Today against Michigan, Indiana eradicated the Wolverines running game. Michigan was only able to get a measly 13 yards on 18 carries. That’s .72 yards per carry. Those numbers are unheard of when talking about Michigan football. Michigan is known for being a smashmouth running team that will make you pay for everything in the trenches. The trenches today for the Wolverines ran dry.

The theme of a poor offensive line continues to define the offense this season. When Michigan isn’t able to run the football well, the offense takes a hit. Despite the speed in space type of offense Gattis runs, it still needs the running game to be relevant because if it dies, so does the offense. In both losses, Michigan was not able to get the ball moving on the ground. They struggled with that against Michigan State and really showed its struggles against Indiana.

These teams aren’t the best rushing defenses in the country, either. Indiana allowed 250 yards on opening week, while the Spartans allowed 226 against Iowa today. It’s plain and simple. If Michigan can’t run the football well, they lose the game. What dictates whether the running game can work? The offensive line.

Michigan has plenty of weapons in the backfield with Hassan Haskins, Zach Charbonnet, the returning Chris Evans, and the freshman, Blake Corum. These players are good at what they do, and when they are asked to try and run through a wall of defenders because the offensive line doesn’t have any holes for them to run through, that is a lot to ask out of them.

Warinner needs to figure out what he can do with his guys. Injuries have certainly changed up the game for him, but if he can figure out what issues they are dealing with, the offense can do what it did against Minnesota two weeks ago. With the defense having issues, Michigan’s offense needs to put up points. The offense is the biggest issue overall for the team in 2020.

Sure, you can point at the defense and give them the blame, but if Michigan can put up points, drive after drive, and its defense can make one more stop, they win, easy as that. College football is moving away from its low scoring, defensive shutouts, and more towards the high-scoring action-packed games. Defenses don’t win you championships anymore in college; offenses do. If Michigan can figure out what to do with the offensive line and help the running game become relevant again, then this team has a chance to turn this around possibly.

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Jay Harbaugh explains current Michigan RB rotation

How Michigan football plans to proceed with the rotation now that it’s 1-1 and struggled on the ground in Week 2.

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While the biggest question facing Michigan football at the moment is how it will rebound this week against No. 13 Indiana, one of the frequent subsets is how the Wolverines will continue to attack via the run.

Everything worked out well in Big Ten Week 1, with seven players rushing for 277 yards, but in Week 2, it got to be more convoluted. Against MSU, there were six players who ran the ball, but for just 152 yards. No one had more than 60 yards on the day and only two had more than 50.

So how will it work going forward? Will Michigan try to find the hot hand and ride him throughout games? Or will it continue to just cycle through the four tailbacks while adding QB runs and WR jet sweeps?

There are different methods to it, running backs coach Jay Harbaugh said, noting to Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football program that all four tailbacks will get carries, but they’re trying to find ways to get them each to be successful in their own right.

“Each guy’s a little bit different, each guy brings a little something different to the table,” Harbaugh said. “A little bit of everything – putting guys in a situation to do what they’re really good at. Obviously, if a guy starts to catch fire, so to speak, and feel like he’s running it really well, that guy’s gonna get a little bit more of an opportunity. You saw that a little bit with Blake last week and Hassan a little bit, as well. So there are situations that come into play. I have a hard time imagining a scenario where all the guys don’t play, just because they all do bring a little something different to the table. If they were all more similar, I don’t think there’d be a reason to, but the fact that they provide a little bit of difference to the offense gives merit to all of the guys play, as long as they’re performing the way that they need to.

“Don’t anticipate anything changing in that regard, and obviously would love to see in the course of a game, being able to find a groove as an offense where guys are running and getting more productive. But it’s not a ‘hey, we don’t like how a guy’s playing, let’s pull them out.’ We’re trying to get them involved and get our talented players on the field and give them opportunities – and good things will happen if we do that.”

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So how does Michigan plan to get each involved? Obviously, you want to see more of what happened in Week 1 and less of Week 2, in that, you want multiple guys having success.

Harbaugh says the goal is to make everyone as close to a complete back as possible, so that any tailback, despite what they might be best at, can be in on any play. Then, you try to get them to do what they’re best at.

“In the flow of the game, there can be some challenge to it,” Harbaugh said. “I think Coach Gat does a great job going into the game of giving us a heads up what calls are gonna be coming, possible sequence of calls that could come up. The ability of coaches to try to get a call in for a certain player or whatever. But as a running back position, you can’t be a specialist, so to speak, where you can only do these types of runs or run these types of routes. You can’t limit yourself. Because if you do that, you get into a real problem in terms of substitutions as well as in terms of (attacking the defense) with the backs, we try to become complete players where you don’t have anything that you can’t do. If you set that as a baseline, where you can have a freshman in Blake Corum in there on protection downs, that’s really helpful. Then the defense can’t tee off every time he’s in there, thinking, ‘Hey, this is gonna be for sure a run for him or a perimeter run.’ So having that balance is key and the way the guys prepare rounding their games out makes that real possible to be well-rounded like that.”

We’ll see if the rushing attack improves in Big Ten Week 3, when No. 23 Michigan takes on No. 13 Indiana in Bloomington. Kickoff is slated for noon EST.

Michigan football grades from Big Ten Week 2 loss against Michigan State

Michigan football wasn’t able to take down Michigan State in the 27-24 loss yesterday. How did each position grade out in the big loss?

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After starting the season with a big win over Minnesota, Michigan took a big step back as it was upset by Michigan State, 27-24. The loss was an unexpected disaster that could derail the Wolverines’ 2020 season.

The Wolverines offense was shut down against the Spartans defense, a complete 180 after putting up 49 points the previous week. The Wolverines had issues passing and running the football. Neither could move the chains.

Michigan didn’t lose because one unit or one play changed the outcome. Overall, Michigan was outplayed by the Spartans, and it seemed MSU wanted it more than Michigan. The loss puts Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and his team back to the drawing board. It starts by looking back at how each unit performed in the game. How would each position grade out in the loss?

Offense

Quarterback: B

Starting quarterback Joe Milton was asked to do more than what was expected coming into this game. Milton finished 32-of-51 for 300 yards and 12 carries for 59 yards. Despite Milton throwing for 300 yards, the passing attack wasn’t very effective in putting up points and moving the ball down the field against MSU. Milton’s wide receivers weren’t able to get open, and multiple drops didn’t help.

Milton faced a lot of pressure and had to leave the pocket countless times. There was even a moment where Milton stood up in the pocket and took a huge hit while throwing a pass that was completed. Milton made a few risky decisions, and on the final drive, he kept throwing short passes over the middle when the time was important. It wasn’t as good as a performance last week, but Milton still played a sound game overall.

Running Back: C

Michigan’s rushing attack went from being the main source of offense to being a unit that struggled to get the ball rolling. Hassan Haskins was the top running back once again, finishing with eight carries for 56 yards and a touchdown, while he was also 0-of-1 on a halfback pass play that was almost intercepted. He wasn’t the only running back to find the end zone. Freshman Blake Corum scored twice with five carries for 15 yards.

Zach Charbonnet was held to a quiet five carries for three yards, while Chris Evans had three carries for 10 yards. Milton was the leading rusher, and when your quarterback is your leading rushing threat, that isn’t the best thing for your running backs. The group struggled all game to break tackles and find any hole to gain yardage against this defense. It seems as if you can slow or stop the Wolverines ground game, you have a better chance of winning.

Wide Receiver: C

Despite having 300 yards in the air, Michigan only scored on the ground. Multiple wide receivers dropped passes yesterday, and there were issues with separation between the receivers and the MSU defensive backs. Giles Jackson was the top wide receiver with seven catches for 58 yards. Freshman Roman Wilson got involved heavily and finished with five catches for 71 yards.

The top wide receiver last year, Ronnie Bell, had four catches for 46 yards. Cornelius Johnson, who didn’t get involved last week, had five catches for 52 yards. Michigan’s wide receivers couldn’t elevate their level of play when the Wolverines needed it most. When the Wolverines needed a strike downfield, they weren’t able to do so. This offense is dependent on the receivers beating their defenders, and if they are unable to do so, it falls flat on its face.

Tight End: C+

Starting tight end Nick Eubanks made his 2020 debut, but he couldn’t do much through the air with just one catch for five yards. Erick All, who started last week, had three catches for 13 yards. All had an impressive double block in the game where he blocked one player, then moved over and blocked another to help the running back gain yards. Overall the group wasn’t effective through the air, and the blocking was fine but could have been better to help the running game.

Offensive line: D

No offensive unit did worse in the loss than the offensive line. This line went from looking like a top line in the conference to looking like the unit has four new starters across the board. The linemen faced a lot of heavy pressure from Michigan State. While they only allowed one sack again, the pressure Milton faced was different than what he faced last week. Milton had to leave the pocket countless times to keep plays alive and to avoid sacks.

Not only did linemen struggle to help the passing attack, but they also struggled heavily helping the running game move the ball. There were never really holes for the running backs to find. Michigan State stuffed the running lanes and force the running backs to bounce outside, where they wouldn’t find much success either. Starting right tackle Jalen Mayfield left the game early with an injury, so this unit could face even more struggles with its best player possibly missing time.

Now onto the defense and special teams…
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5 takeaways from Michigan’s 27-24 loss against Michigan State

Michigan football lost against Michigan State in the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy. What were the five biggest takeaways from the loss?

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This game wasn’t what anybody expected. Michigan was upset 27-24 against Michigan State. While rivalry games can bring out the best in each team, Michigan State came out better than what anyone expected when taking on the Wolverines. They outplayed the Wolverines for all 60 minutes and deserved to win the game.

The Michigan offense that put up 49 points on the road against Minnesota struggled to put up over 24 points at home. Michigan put up 452 yards of offense after putting up 481 the week before, but the number of yards wasn’t equal to the number of points they had the previous week. The offense this week took a step back, and it allowed Michigan State to stay in the game.

The defense was the biggest unit that changed from last week. The secondary suffered the most, allowing 323 passing yards as big plays through the air as wide receiver Ricky White had eight catches for 196 yards and a touchdown. He was a bigger threat than what Minnesota had last week in wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Check out my five takeaways from the 27-24 loss against Michigan State.

1. The offensive line and secondary got hit with a dose of reality

Michigan’s biggest question marks coming into the season were the secondary and the offensive line. While the offensive line impressed heavily in the week one win over Minnesota, the secondary showed some weak points but still held its own up. This week against MSU, both took a step back in its performance.

The offensive line allowed pressure on quarterback Joe Milton, and the running attack for the Wolverines didn’t have many chances to move the ball with a lack of holes from the line. The secondary was tested multiple times to start the game, and it ended up being the reason why MSU was able to score both times. MSU quarterback Rocky Lombardi went 17/32 for 323 yards and two touchdowns and was able to pick apart the Wolverines secondary.

2. The offensive freshmen stepped up for the team

While the freshmen on both sides of the ball have had plenty of playing time to start the season, the offensive freshmen that came up big and had the team’s biggest impact. Running back Blake Corum had five carries for 15 yards and two touchdowns. While he didn’t see the field that much, offensive coordinator Josh Gattis trusted him inside the red zone to put up points and give the Wolverines offense some life.

When it came to the passing game, freshman wide receiver Roman Wilson was a big part of it. Wilson had four catches for 67 yards, and he had a huge third-down catch in the third quarter as the Wolverines needed to score to tied the game up at 17.

3. Lack of pressure from the defensive front seven cost the defense.

Last week against Minnesota, Michigan was able to get in the backfield countless times. Defensive end Kwity Paye had two sacks, and viper Michael Bennet made a huge forced fumble on a sack that turned into a touchdown for the Wolverines defense. The front seven was a huge factor in the win as they also helped the secondary not see as many attempts in its first test.

This week that was the opposite. The secondary saw more action as the front seven couldn’t get much pressure on Lombardi when he dropped back to pass. Lombardi was never sacked and only saw pressure just once or twice throughout the game. With the front seven not doing what they could, it hurt the secondary and made it easier for MSU to move down the field.

4. Michigan shot themselves with penalties

Last week against Minnesota, Michigan had seven penalties for 80 yards, and while they didn’t hurt them, it needed to be addressed. Going into the game against MSU, penalties needed to be less of a factor as tensions are usually high in this rivalry. While there wasn’t much trash-talk and play by either side, Michigan still made costly mistakes with penalties.

The secondary was the main issue when it comes to getting those penalties. From holding to defensive pass interference, these mistakes kept MSU in the game and would plague the defense to stop the Spartans offense. Michigan had 10 penalties for 86 yards, and these penalties were costly in the end. To lose this game, Michigan needed to limit turnovers and avoid costly penalties; they could only do one of the two.

5. Lack of a run game slowed down the speed in space offense.

Last week we saw three different running backs find the endzone, and the Wolverines had an easy time moving the chains. This week that wasn’t the case. The longest run of the game was just 19 yards for the Wolverines, and overall, Michigan only had 125 rushing yards on 28 carries and two touchdowns.

The MSU defense is a stronger group than what Minnesota was, but with the offensive line not being able to make holes and help the running backs find them, that was a big factor for the group to get going. Michigan had to pass the ball more with the ground game failing, and with an inexperienced quarterback in Milton, that is what MSU wanted to see.

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Halftime analysis of Michigan State vs. No. 13 Michigan

Michigan football is down 14-10 against Michigan State at halftime. What are the key takeaways as the Wolverines are losing at halftime?

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From the Little Brown Jug to the Paul Bunyan Trophy, Michigan is looking to keep both of its trophies in Ann Arbor. It was able to secure the Jug last week, but this week the focus is on the in-state rivalry against the Michigan State Spartans. Starting with back-to-back rivalry games is a good way to get the Wolverines’ intensity, but it also brings more pressure on the team. This start isn’t what many were expecting for Michigan, but you should expect the unexpected with it being a rivalry game.

After both teams couldn’t move the ball much on each of its first drives, Michigan State would strike first and take the early 7-0 lead. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi found wide receiver Ricky White with a beautiful 30-yard touchdown pass while being covered well by cornerback Gemon Green. The Spartans were able to move the ball well against the Wolverines defense after a slow start.

The Spartans wouldn’t keep their lead for long, though, as the Wolverines rebounded well with a mix of big running and passing plays. Quarterback Joe Milton took a big hit on a 12-yard pass to wide receiver Giles Jackson which helped keep the drive alive on third down. The drive was topped off by an eight-yard touchdown run by freshman running back Blake Corum. Kicker Quinn Nordin came out, made his 2020 season debut, and tied it up at seven.

After multiple defensive stops, MSU was the next team to put up some points. Lombardi would connect on a 53-yard pass to wide receiver Jalen Nailor to move MSU inside the Wolverine redzone. Michigan could only stop them for so long before Lombardi found running back Connor Heyward for a two-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead, 14-7.

Michigan needed points on its next drive, and while it wasn’t seven, three points are better than none. The running game led the offense down the field as running back Hassan Haskins had three carries for 36 yards on the drive. In the wildcat formation that Haskins usually runs, Haskins gained a yard on the first attempt, but on the second attempt, he attempted a pass that was almost intercepted, and it forced Michigan to kick a field goal. Kicker Quinn Nordin came out and made the 23-yard field goal to make it 14-10 Michigan State.

Positives:

  • Milton continues to impress as he is 13/20 for 150 yards and six carries for 29 yards. Milton took a huge hit and stood up and delivered it with ease. Milton isn’t afraid to take any chances and take a hit if he knows he can move the ball forward. His big body frame will be hard to bring down, so if he can stay upright and still deliver passes, he can keep drives alive. Milton had some minor issues, but overall he started well again.
  • While it is too early to call it, but Michigan could have figured out its kicker position. Nordin made his 2020 season debut after missing the first game due to an undisclosed injury. Nordin looked good on the extra point attempt, and he made the first field goal of the season for the Wolverines. Moody hasn’t attempted anything so far, so it will be interesting to see if Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh sticks with Nordin only or if he gives Moody a chance later in the game.

Negatives

  • After slowing down the Minnesota passing attack last week, Michigan’s secondary struggled early on against MSU. Cornerback Gemon Green was targeted early and often as he was covering the first touchdown. He was called for defensive pass interference on the next series and then was in coverage on an overthrown deep pass. Green wasn’t the lone cornerback having issues, as cornerback Vincent Gray was burnt as well by Nailor to set up the 14-7 lead. Michigan’s secondary took a step back from its strong start last week. While they have only allowed 96 yards through the air, the damage was enough to help move the ball and help put up points.
  • The running game for the Wolverines hasn’t been able to be as efficient and effective as they were last week. Last week they had 256 yards and five touchdowns, and so far, they have 17 carries for 83 yards and a touchdown today against a tougher defense. While it was expected that the running game wouldn’t put up similar numbers, besides the final drive of the half, they have struggled to keep the ball moving forward on the ground. The passing game has been doing fine, but if the ground game can improve, it can help the offense take that next level step to gain the lead and not look back.
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3 things we learned after Michigan defeated Minnesota

After a 49-24 win over the Gophers, here are three things we can expect to continue to improve for Michigan football.

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After 7 weeks of college football being played without Michigan, we all finally got our wish in CFB Week Eight.

Big Ten football is back.  More importantly, Michigan football is back.

There were multiple unknowns about Michigan as game time swiftly approached, and all eyes were on the Wolverines for a primetime matchup against Minnesota. Not many people knew what to expect from the Wolverines with a new starting QB and four new starting offensive linemen.

After a dominating performance and a 49-24 win, here are the three things that we learned from the first game of the year:

Michigan is loaded at running back

Most people believed that Michigan was going to be fairly strong at running back this season with returnees Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins.

With Chris Evans returning to the team this season, and the speedster, true freshman Blake Corum coming into the fold, it makes this group arguably the strongest position on the team.

Michigan ran for 253 rushing yards as a team Saturday night, and the running back group had 192 of it. As a group they averaged a stunning 9.6 yards per play on the ground. That’s nearly a first down every time they touch the ball. Got to give the offensive line a ton of praise last night, as the unit had created giant holes for the backs most of the evening.

The eye vision from Haskins and Charbonnet was spot on. Haskins found a gap on the right side of the line for a 66 yard run, and Charbonnet hit a hole up the middle for a 70 yard TD run on the secnd drive of the game for the Wolverines.

We also saw some explosive plays from Evans and Corum throughout the night. Corum’s first play was a 24 yard catch-and-run from Milton where he showed off his speed. And Evans found the end zone for the first time since 2018.

With Michigan being able to rotate four backs during any game, it will give them a major advantage all year. Keeping these guys fresh and energized will go a long way.

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NEXT: Improved QB play and a new star on defense

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5 Takeaways from Michigan’s 49-24 win against No. 21 Minnesota

In the return of Michigan football, the Wolverines dominated No. 21 Minnesota 49-24. Here are my five takeaways from the win for Michigan.

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Michigan football started the 2020 season with a bang as they dominated No. 21 Minnesota, in a 49-24 win. Head coach Jim Harbaugh got his second road win against a top 25 team, the first since he beat Michigan State in 2018. Michigan needed to make a statement in their Big Ten Week One game, and they certainly did.

The offense was explosive, but while they had 481 yards of offense, there were few explosive plays for the group. Running back Zach Charbonnet had a huge 70-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, but most of the plays by the Wolverines were good chunk plays, and with Minnesota missing their starting kicker and punter, they had short field position for a majority of the game.

The defense played lights out after a slow start, and they were able to shut down the high-powered offense that Minnesota had from last season. Minnesota’s star wide receiver, Rashod Bateman, was held in check with nine catches for 101 yards. While 101 yards is a lot to allow for a wide receiver, most of them were in just two plays. Keeping Bateman in check was a big objective, and the Wolverines did just that. Check out my five takeaways from the Wolverine’s huge win over the Golden Gophers.

1. The running game is as advertised

Michigan has a loaded running back room with every type of running back you can imagine. From a pass-catcher to a speed demon to a power back, Michigan has everything you need. We knew all four running backs would get involved, and all four each had a moment for themselves.

Freshman running back Blake Corum had five carries for 24 yards, along with two catches or 36 yards as he was the first person to catch the ball from Milton. The other speedy running back, returning Chris Evans, made his presence known as he had five carries for 19 yards and a touchdown, along with a catch for 10 yards.

Most of the ground game yardage came from the dynamic duo of last season in running backs, Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins. Charbonnet helped the Wolverines get back in the game after an early hiccup, running 70 yards for a touchdown. He would finish the game with four carries for 70 yards and one touchdown. Haskins had six carries for 82 yards and two touchdowns. The running game was advertised to have multiple weapons, and it was shown tonight.

2. The offensive line looks solid

With four starters leaving for the NFL, Michigan was left with just one returning starter on the offensive line. Right tackle Jalen Mayfield was expected to lead this inexperienced group when the game began, but luckily for him, some of his new buddies along the line have started in games before.

Right guard Andrew Stueber started three games at right tackle in 2018 before he tore his ACL and missed the 2019 season. Ryan Hayes started the first two games of the 2019 season at left tackle while Jon Runyan Jr. was injured. Those two players would start, Hayes at left tackle and Stueber at right guard.

The other two new starters never had starting experience before in left guard Chuck Filiaga and center Andrew Vastardis were the new faces on the line, and overall the unit played well. Milton was sacked on the first drive of the game but could stay upright for the rest of the game and had time to throw a majority of his passes. They also helped open up holes for the running game. Overall this group didn’t appear to have multiple starters; they exceeded the expectations, and if they can continue this stellar play, it can be the difference-maker for the offense to put up 40+ points a week.

3. Joe Milton wasn’t flashy but got the job done

Michigan starting quarterback Joe Milton had a lot of hype coming into the 2020 season. With the cannon of an arm he has and how much he was putting in work during the off-season, Milton was seemed to have a chance of a big game opening week. While it wasn’t a monster game for Milton with few deep passes, he did a good job in his first start.

Milton finished the game going 15/22 for 225 yards and a touchdown, along with eight carries for 52 yards and a touchdown. His accuracy didn’t seem to be much of an issue as he overthrew two passes. The rest were just dropped balls or close catches. Milton used his legs more than was expected, and it helped confuse the Minnesota defense.

Every week you shouldn’t expect Milton to be throwing for over 300 or 400 yards along with three or more touchdowns. Milton doesn’t need to blow up the opposing defenses; he needs to make some plays and move the ball down the field as the running game seems to be how the Wolverines will score most of the points this year.

4. The defense could have gotten better

Last year was the worst year for the defense for the Wolverines under defensive coordinator Don Brown. Before 2019, Michigan repeatedly had a top-five defense. In 2019, they finished 10th. 10th was the worst they’ve had, and that’s still pretty good.

Michigan looked like they could be a top-five defense once again with the performance they had against Minnesota tonight. The Wolverines were able to get five sacks, force a fumble, and an interception. Minnesota was held to 326 yards of offense, and multiple times Michigan was bending but didn’t break.

The defense had multiple players step up and make plays for them tonight. Viper Michael Barrett played fantastically with seven total tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble. Defensive end Kwity Paye finished with four total tackles, three tackles for loss, and two sacks. Defensive tackle Carlo Kemp made some big plays and finished with four total tackles, a tackle for loss, and a sack.

5. The delima at kicker needs to be handled fast

Something that wasn’t discussed much before the season began was the kicker battle between Jake Moody and Quinn Nordin. Both kickers were in a rotation last season before Nordin seemed to have taken over at the position to close out the season. Harbaugh never named either one the starter, so we weren’t sure who would start this season until the first field goal attempt would happen.

Moody was the first kicker on the field, and while he was 7/7 on extra-point attempts when it came to kicking field goals, he struggled heavily. His first attempt was 38 yards out, and it was not close as it was wide right. His next kick was further away at 48 yards, and while this one was more accurate, it still was off to the left. The final kick was 33 yards out, and while it was a bad snap, Moody still couldn’t make it. Every point matters in these games, and missing those aren’t what you want to see from your starting kicker in the first game.

Nordin never saw the field, and maybe he should be given a chance to kick field goals next week. Missing one kick doesn’t mean you should lose the starting job, but missing three in the first week, against a top 25 opponent on the road, should make it a question if you are the right guy. Whoever Michigan has out there next week needs to be the starting kicker for the rest of the season, as a rotation doesn’t cut it, and pulling a kicker every other week doesn’t help their confidence. Let the battle this week be for the rest of the season, without making it a week-by-week case.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

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3 keys to a Michigan win at Minnesota

The Wolverines are set to open the season in Minneapolis on Saturday. This is how they can return to Ann Arbor 1-0.

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Michigan football is now just days away from kicking off the new season.

Some thought this day may not happen due to the pandemic the world is facing, but the Wolverines kick off on Saturday after a long wait. As we all know, Michigan will be getting a tough test to start the year as it goes to Minnesota to face the Golden Gophers.

Not only is Minnesota a tough foe to get the opening week, but the game will be played on primetime national TV and the whole of the United States will be watching Jim Harbaugh lead his troops out onto the field. Some will be wondering if Harbaugh can defeat a ranked team on the road during a night game, given the narrative there. The Wolverines will try to show the world that they can.

Here are three keys to get it done.

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1. Slow down Tanner Morgan

Tanner Morgan blew up the college scene last year in his first full season as a starter.

Morgan threw for 3,253 yards (which was 24th overall in the nation) along with 30 TD and only 7 INT. He also had the No. 4 overall passer rating last year with a 178.7 (behind only Burrow, Hurts, and Fields). Morgan was, and still is, the focal point of this team.

However, the Gophers are down a couple big members of their offense from last year. They lost starting running back Rodney Smith, and starting WR Tyler Johnson to the NFL draft. It also looked as if WR Rashod Bateman wouldn’t be on the team as well due to an opt out, but once the Big Ten decided to have the season after all, Bateman also decided that he would opt back in to play. It’s huge news for Minnesota, as he put up big numbers last year: 60 receptions for 1,219 yards and 11 TD.

Statistically, Morgan is one of the better passers in the Big Ten, and he will be up against an inexperienced secondary at Michigan. After an opt out from once starting CB Ambry Thomas, Michigan has no starting experience at corner outside of Vincent Gray. Michigan has plenty of bodies to throw in there though: Sammy Faustin, DJ Turner, Jalen Perry, Gemon Green, and Andre Seldon. As of now, there hasn’t been a confirmed starter next to Gray, so we will have to wait to see who Michigan throws in there. Assuming Michigan double teams Bateman most of the game with Gray and Daxton Hill/Brad Hawkins, the other starting back will be left in man coverage. That will be a very intriguing matchup to see.

How do you really slow down Tanner Morgan? Michigan’s front four.

Defensive ends Kwity Paye, and Aidan Hutchinson both decided to come back for this abbreviated season to help the Wolverines. ‘Salt and pepper’ are going to need big games if Michigan is to win as the line will need to create some havoc and make Morgan feel the pressure.

If Michigan’s front four can get to Morgan a couple times early in the game, it will bode well for the Wolverines the rest of the matchup.

2. Get the run game going early

When a team is breaking in a new starting quarterback, you want to make his life as easy as possible. One of the best ways to do that, establish the run early.

Michigan returns its top two backs from last season in Zach Charbonnet and Hassan Haskins, but also returns Chris Evans after he missed all of last season. Christian Turner and speedy true freshman Blake Corum could also see some carries.

Minnesota was a stout rushing defense last year only allowing 127 rushing yards-per-game. The Wolverines will be breaking in four new full-time starters to go along with tackle Jalen Mayfield. Ryan Hayes and Andrew Stueber do have playing experience, so that is going to be helpful in a big game atmosphere. Since there weren’t any non-conference games this year, the O-line will need to jell together fast.

Michigan averaged 150 yards on the ground last year as a team. It will need to gain every bit of that on the ground for Michigan to win. If it can get the run game going early with Charbonnet and Haskins (while sprinkling in some Evans and Corum) then that will help Milton out tremendously, and keep the defense honest all game long.

3. Keep Milton calm and watch speed and space work

Let’s welcome in Joe Milton, the presumed starter, who has attempted 11 career passes. Most of which have been in the fourth quarter of garbage time football.

He won’t get an easy test his first game as a starter. The Golden Gophers were the 12th-ranked passing defense last season, giving up only 185 yards through the air, on average, as a team. Granted, Minnesota lost two big secondary pieces from last years team in Antoine Winfield Jr, and Chris Williamson, both of whom got drafted. But, it should still be a solid unit as a whole.

Michigan also lost arguably three out of its four best WRs — all for different reasons.

Donovan Peoples-Jones declared for the draft early, Tarik Black transferred to Texas, and Nico Collins decided to opt out to prepare for the upcoming draft.

Luckily, the cupboard isn’t bare at Michigan.

Star wideout Ronnie Bell returns along with Giles Jackson, Mike Sainristil, and Cornelius Johnson. Freshmen Roman Wilson and A.J. Henning both should play a role in the passing game this year (maybe this game) as well.

Milton will have plenty of weapons at his disposal this Saturday night, most of which are the fast type, which is where the speed-in-space mantra comes into play. Offensive coordinator Josh Gattis likes to get his weapons the ball away from defenders and allow their speed to take over. As long as Milton can stay poised throughout the game and get the ball to his playmakers, Michigan should be in a good spot when its all said and done.

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Who will be returning kicks and punts for Michigan football in 2020?

Special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh gave a lengthy update on the major players on both units in the middle of fall camp.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — With the new season just weeks away for Michigan football, one of the big questions is: who will be returning kicks and punts for the Wolverines?

Being a starter the year before doesn’t guarantee they’ll be back in that role again, especially as the younger returners get more acclimated to their roles on offense or defense. Sometimes, there’s changes due to that, or last year, there was the case of Ambry Thomas, the kick returner from 2018. Thomas was solid in that role, but due to his bout with colitis in the offseason, Giles Jackson took up the mantle. He performed admirably, with 24 returns for 622 yards and one taken to the house in a 97-yard return to open the game against Maryland.

As far as kick return is concerned, Jackson has the inside track to be the guy, but like in any other year, he won’t be the sole man back deep. That’s where some new blood may come in, according to special teams coordinator Jay Harbaugh.

“Kickoff return: obviously Giles is tremendous,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve really put an emphasis this offseason, not only having Giles improve and getting better, but being able to have a great backup for him and a good dynamic guy back there with him. Mike Barrett did a good job for us last year as the off-returner, but we want to be a little deeper overall if Giles, in a situation, isn’t gonna be back there, then who’s gonna replace him? Love that situation.”

Punt return is a different situation. Donovan Peoples-Jones has handled those duties since 2017, but as he’s now with the Cleveland Browns, Michigan is looking for a new man back deep.

That’s where some really interesting names come in. Ronnie Bell got a few opportunities a year ago, but there’s two freshmen who are making a push, Harbaugh notes, including one cornerback that Don Brown recently said runs a 4.38 40.

“It’s really the same guys in terms of punt return,” Harbaugh said. “It’s still a good competition. Ronnie (Bell) probably is the guy right now. He’s got a lot of reps and everything. Giles has been working at that. Blake Corum is a natural punt catcher. Eamonn Dennis for us is a guy who’s dangerous with the ball in his hands. We like what he does. Mike Sainristil has a good amount of reps stacked from last year.

“It’s a good, deep group. We feel like we could be a very good return team. Just excited to find out who those guys are gonna be with more live punts and getting those guys tracking the ball – especially on some windy days like we’re gonna see this fall. That last part and gauging that consistency will determine who ends up being the guy.”

We’ll know more about who will be back deep on both kicks and punts for Michigan football come Oct. 24, when the Wolverines head to Minneapolis for the season opener at Minnesota.

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