jalen mayfield – Page 7 – Syndication Server

Jalen Mayfield announces for 2021 NFL Draft

The Wolverines starting right tackle announces he’s done wearing maize and blue.

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We’ve seen the end of the Jalen Mayfield era on the Michigan offensive line, after just one year.

The Wolverines right tackle won the job in 2019 after a spring competition with Andrew Stueber — who tore his ACL in the offseason. And Mayfield made the most of his opportunity in his redshirt freshman season, landing himself in a handful of first and second-round 2021 NFL Draft projections.

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With the Big Ten effectively canceling its fall season, that’s all that Mayfield needed to see. Rather than wait to see what a potential spring season might hold, two years in Ann Arbor is it for Mayfield, as he announced on Tuesday he’s entering the NFL draft.

FOREVER GO BLUE💙〽️ pic.twitter.com/eaJBmQBIDV

— Jalen Mayfield (@jay_may_11) August 18, 2020

According to PFF ($), Mayfield was ranked the No. 123 tackle in 2019, with a grade indicating he’s a better run blocker than against the pass. The scouting website lists his best offensive games as being (in-order) against Rutgers, Army and Alabama.

3 Wolverines make DraftWire’s latest three-round 2021 mock NFL draft

We’re seeing a handful of Wolverines make 2021 mock drafts for the first time.

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We still don’t know whether or not we’ll have either a college football or NFL season in 2020, but plans are for both leagues to move forward with significant contingencies. But that hasn’t stopped our friends over at DraftWire from projecting who could make names for themselves this season and subsequently find themselves picked early in the 2021 NFL Draft.

In June, our sister site had two Wolverines going in the first two-rounds of its too-early mock draft, with Jalen Mayfield going in the first and Aidan Hutchinson going in the second. However, there have been some changes in the site’s late July edition, with Mayfield slipping to the second-round and Hutchinson — who would be an early entrant to the draft as it were — not making the cut in the new three-round projection.

But still, DraftWire’s Luke Easterling had three Michigan players being selected in the first three rounds, even if the maize and blue aren’t represented in the opening foray of the NFL draft.

Second Round

No. 33 – OT Jalen Mayfield – Washington Football Team

No. 60 – DE Kwity Paye – Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Third Round

No. 93 – WR Nico Collins – Cleveland Browns (from New Orleans)

Mayfield dropping to the top of the second-round would be a disappointment, but it still shows he’s being thought of as an elite talent who, at worst, if he leaves for the NFL with a year of eligibility remaining, would be a Day Two pick.

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The Kwity Paye pick would be interesting, given that he would be joining forces with new Buccaneers QB Tom Brady, who spent 2019 in New England with former Michigan DE Chase Winovich. By all accounts, the two former Wolverines formed something of a bond in their single-year overlap in Foxborough.

Even more interesting is Nico Collins in the third-round to Cleveland. The Browns not only already have Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, but signed Collins’ Michigan counterpart in Donovan Peoples-Jones, who the franchise selected in the sixth-round of the 2020 NFL Draft. We still hold that Collins is a greater talent than being a third-round selection, but he’ll need a big year, statistically speaking, to move up into the first two rounds of the forthcoming NFL draft.

Jim Harbaugh optimistic about emerging offensive line

The Wolverines head coach shared who will be in contention to be the starting five along the offensive line this season.

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — What’s ben a position of strength for the Wolverines the past two seasons is once again questionable. At least in fans’ and pundits’ eyes.

But not so to Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Harbaugh is enthusiastic about the group that will be taking the field in 2020, beyond the sole returning full-time starter from 2019 in Jalen Mayfield. Yes, Harbaugh notes his excitement for Mayfield’s return at right tackle — understandably, given that he’s getting first-round projections in early 2021 NFL mock drafts — but he isn’t as dour as some pundits are about the line as a whole.

On a Zoom call on Wednesday, Harbaugh shared what the new-look offensive line could look like, noting that two former starters will have opportunities, along with a prominent former four-star, a former walk-on who played heavily in last year’s Ohio State game and two second-year players who have high upside.

“Jalen Mayfield looks phenomenal as a tackle, as a football player,” Harbaugh said. “He’s another example of somebody who’s really done a great job this entire offseason. Looks great!

“The other guys: Ryan Hayes is definitely somebody that’s gained experience. Started at left tackle. Expect really good things from him. Center: Carpenter, Vastardis — anticipate those two guys battling it out there and do a great job. The guard position: there’s gonna be a few guys. Chuck Filiaga’s looking good, doing great. He’s really developed. I think he’s ready to play. Karsen Barnhart would be another there at guard. Andrew Stueber will be back and is back from his ACL injury he had last year. He’s looking good. There’s some real good guys in there and they’ll be battling for those positions.

“Overall, I would say it looks good. It looks good right now. Both from a strength standpoint, really good length there and the athleticism is really good in that group. Ed Warinner does a great job coaching them and we’ll know more as we start getting them together. Right now, they’re in those voluntary workout groups. But, come July 24, very excited to see them jell. Individually, they’ve definitely done a great job of understanding the system, installs have been probably installed three times, if not four. Mentally very sharp and guys are knowing what they’re doing.”

Naturally, though, much of the OL optimism is centered on Mayfield’s return.

The redshirt sophomore handled 2020 No. 2 pick Chase Young with aplomb — along with now-Green Bay Packers guard Jon Runyan Jr., the former Wolverines left tackle. Having come in for voluntary workouts mere weeks ago, Harbaugh likens Mayfield’s return to campus to another lineman who he touted on the Zoom call on Wednesday.

“Expectations are really high. He looks great,” Harbaugh said. “He definitely — he looks and moves kinda like Jeter. He looks bigger and he’s moving better according to them. Really good, really high expectations.

“I’ve always said it — maybe I haven’t said it to you, but I’ve thought this at least: since Jalen Mayfield has been here, every time I watch the film of practice, I like watching 73. That is a thing. I like the way he plays. I like watching him play football. I think so far the offseason indicates he’s going to be even better. So, super excited for him and his opportunity this year.”

Two Wolverines selected in too-early 2021 DraftWire mock draft

The two-round mock draft foresees two Wolverines being selected in the first two rounds of next year’s draft.

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It’s still a long ways away, given that we don’t even know yet when Michigan will return to the practice field, but that hasn’t kept some outlets from predicting what will happen following the 2020 season.

Of course, our sister site, DraftWire, is looking ahead to the 2021 NFL Draft just like ESPN and CBS has, but the difference here is that writer Luke Easterling put together a two-round mock draft, and he thinks that 2021 could look awfully similar to 2020. This past April, the maize and blue saw an offensive lineman drafted in the first-round and a nominal defensive end (Josh Uche is technically a SAM linebacker, but is projected as an edge rusher) in the second.

DraftWire expects history to repeat itself in 2021, with Easterling’s prediction that junior offensive tackle Jalen Mayfield will be selected at No. 24 overall — the same pick New Orleans used to pick Cesar Ruiz in 2020 — by the Seattle Seahawks, while defensive end Aidan Hutchinson is predicted to be picked at No. 52 by the Minnesota Vikings.

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Of course, given that both are juniors, and both have another year of eligibility remaining beyond 2020, they’d have to opt out of their senior seasons. While that seems like it could be a strong possibility for a first-round talent like Mayfield, given that Hutchinson is a legacy — the son of star defensive end Chris Hutchinson — his chances of leaving early could be a little more murky, as he may choose to more firmly cement his Michigan legacy over going pro in 2021.

Regardless, DraftWire’s prediction tells you a lot of what you need to know about Michigan’s continued excellence along both the offensive and defensive lines. The next step is getting the skill positions involved — something that certainly could take a big step forward if players like Nico Collins and Ronnie Bell continue to improve upon solid years in recent memory.

If those predictions were to hold, additionally, Mayfield would be joining a Seahawks squad with Delano Hill and Bryan Mone, while Hutchinson would reunite with Josh Metellus as well as former middle linebacker Ben Gedeon.

Too-early 2021 NFL mock draft sees one Wolverine selected

Could the Wolverines put yet another early-entrant into the first-round in the next NFL Draft?

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In 2020, Michigan tied for second-best, having sent ten players to the NFL via the draft, including one first-rounder in early-entrant, center Cesar Ruiz. Could the Wolverines repeat that type of success in putting players into the professional ranks in 2021?

According to CBS Sports, it could have a similar start.

In putting together his too-early 2021 mock draft, Tom Fornelli remained aligned with ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. in thinking that junior right tackle Jalen Mayfield is a first-round talent. While Kiper had Mayfield as his third-best offensive lineman, Fornelli was a little less bullish, having Mayfield as his seventh-best, but still making it clear into the first-round, going to a team that’s made it known it loves Wolverines.

No. 25: Jalen Mayfield – Pittsburgh Steelers

Mayfield showed some upside on the right side for Michigan last year, and he seems likely to be headed for the first round in 2021 with a quality follow-up performance.

Should that happen, Mayfield could join a roster that currently has Devin Bush Jr., Zach Gentry, Tyree Kinnel, Chris Wormley and Amara Darboh on its roster. Plus, as yet another first-round offensive lineman, it would be a feather in Ed Warinner’s cap, as he’s turned around a unit that struggled mightily for years, save for a position here or there.

Likewise, we have Mayfield atop our talent board that could find itself selected in the upcoming draft next year, though we’re not counting out much of the skill position talent that could make waves this upcoming season.

Regardless, while it would be disappointing to lose such a high-caliber player after only his second year of play, given the trajectory, it could help position Michigan as a destination for players looking to get to the next level, should it continue to put players in the league at such a high rate.

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Power Ranking: Michigan football future NFL draft potential

Where we envision the current crop of Wolverines to be drafted as of today if not much changes between now and next year.

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The 2020 NFL Draft is firmly in the rearview, but that means we can start taking a look towards the 2021 draft for the potential of those currently on the Michigan team.

The Wolverines had a tied second-best haul this past April, sending 10 players to the league — behind only LSU, who had 14. Could 2021 see even more of the maize and blue hear their name called by Commissioner Roger Goodell?

It’s certainly possible, even though Michigan is reloading on both sides of the ball. But, one could argue, that Jim Harbaugh is building a program more adept at sending more players to the pros.

So, we took all of the starter-quality players — and a likely starter, hence we’re not prognosticating a quarterback or a player who’s not the obvious winner at his position — who are entering their third year or beyond to estimate as of right now where they could go in the 2021 NFL Draft.

It’s a feature we very well could update during the season as it progresses.

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Future NFL draft Power Rankings:

1. Jalen Mayfield

Unsurprisingly, the top guy we picked is the one that ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. foresees as a future first-round draft pick.

2019 was Mayfield’s first year as a starter, but he already has the body to be an NFL caliber tackle, and he’s shown his prowess on the offensive line, helping contain Ohio State’s No. 2 pick overall in Chase Young in The Game this past November.

Linemen from either side of the ball from Michigan are more likely to be early-round picks, as evidenced by some of the latest first-round picks in the Jim Harbaugh era: Cesar Ruiz, Rashan Gary and Taco Charlton. Yes, Jabrill Peppers and Devin Bush Jr. were also first-rounders, but when you also look at the other early rounds, that’s where we’ve seen players like Josh Uche, Chase Winovich and Chris Wormley picked.

Given his upside and the fact that he’s only played one year as a starter and is looked at so highly at this juncture, Mayfield has the ability to potentially capitalize on an early departure if predictions hold true.

Where we see him as of now?

We’re going with Kiper and slating him as a first-round pick if he does choose to leave early, assuming he continues his level of play in 2020.

NEXT: An early-round wide receiver off the board?

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ESPN analysts question early NFL draft ranking on Jalen Mayfield

A group of analysts question whether or not Kiper was right to put Wolverines RT Jalen Mayfield ahead of some more proven offensive tackles.

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Earlier this week, esteemed NFL draft analyst and prognosticator Mel Kiper Jr. released his first big board looking ahead to the 2021 draft, and there was something of a surprise: Michigan third-year right tackle Jalen Mayfield made the list at No. 14.

Here’s what Kiper had to say about the redshirt sophomore:

14. Jalen Mayfield, OT, Michigan

HT: 6-5 | WT: 319 | Class: Junior

There is some projection here because Mayfield has started only 13 college games at right tackle. But I really liked what I saw from him in the biggest games, including when he was lined up against No. 2 overall pick Chase Young in the Wolverines’ loss to Ohio State in the regular-season finale. Mayfield has some upside, and I’ll be watching closely this season.

This puts Mayfield as the third-rated offensive tackle in the class according to Kiper, behind Oregon’s Penei Sewell and Texas’ Samuel Cosmi, but ahead of other big time players like Alabama’s Alex Leatherwood and Stanford’s Walker Little.

That took some of the other ESPN analysts by surprise, as the college football team conducted something of a roundtable discussing Kiper’s early rankings.

Particularly, writer Adam Rittenberg notes that he can see the talent, but isn’t sure that such a lofty ranking is warranted just yet. He was further backed up by advance stats guru Bill Connelly, who noted that we’ve seen the glimpses, but that doesn’t fall in line statistically just yet.

Rittenberg: Offensive tackle is a priority position for the draft, and Michigan’s Jalen Mayfield has a chance to make a big jump as a third-year player. But I am a bit surprised to see him pegged in the top 15, ahead of more established pocket protectors such as Alabama’s Leatherwood (No. 25) and Stanford’s Little (not ranked). The 6-5, 319-pound Mayfield clearly has a high ceiling, and will be coached well by Ed Warinner. But after earning just honorable mention All-Big Ten honors in 2019, he needs a huge season to justify this projection.

Bill Connelly: I agree on both Holland and Mayfield. As the nickel corner position becomes more important, teams could find that Holland is perfect for that role, so I’ll focus more on Mayfield. In a field full of former star recruits who have also proved themselves in college, it’s quite a projection to put him higher than Leatherwood and others, especially when Mayfield did suffer a lot of glitches last season. In my experience, the best blockers in college football tend to be below 1% in blown run-block rate and below 2% in blown pass-block rate — Mayfield was at 2.3% and 3.5%, respectively. The potential is obvious, but this projection’s a bit aggressive.

Yes, it is a progression. But it’s rare to see a second-year offensive lineman who’s a first-year starter play so well and at such a high level in just his first foray into college football. Especially having had to go up against solid pass rushers such as Chase Young, Yetur Gross-Matos, Terrell Lewis and Anfernee Jennings.

Players tend to make a big jump from their first year to their second, as experience can’t be taught. Given that improvement isn’t static, there’s a greater chance that Mayfield reaches those numbers that Connelly speaks of compared to regressing in his second-year as a starter.

Regardless, there’s no surety that Mayfield will head to the NFL draft in 2021. Beyond the 2020 season, he does have a full two years of eligibility to reach the promise of Kiper’s projection.

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Who Cesar Ruiz thinks will surprise for Michigan in 2020

The former Michigan center names two up and comers he thinks will have a big season in Ann Arbor in 2020.

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While coaches hype up players all the time, especially in the offseason, there’s no more accurate predictor of future success than that from players’ peers.

It’s rare when a current or former player raves about the ability of one of their teammates and we don’t see tangible proof before our very eyes not too long after.

Now that Cesar Ruiz is preparing himself for the NFL after leaving a year early, he’s getting ready to partake in the drills component of the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. But, during is interview time with the media, he’s taking a look back on his now-former teammates, and says that one defensive player in particular is going to be a standout in his senior season for the Wolverines.

“There’s a lot of players,” Ruiz said. “Brad Hawkins on the defensive side of the ball. He had an ankle thing that kept him out a little bit. But if you watch what he’s able to do on the field, if you watch what he’s able to do in practice, he’s special. I think Brad Hawkins is going to have a great season and no one’s really talking about it. Which I’m surprised. But I believe something special is coming for Brad.”

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Ruiz didn’t single out anyone offensively, exactly, but also has his eyes on the offensive line, which, obviously, considering that’s where he played.

Michigan loses four starters — three to graduation and Ruiz to the draft — this upcoming year, and while Ruiz isn’t giving up names of players who aren’t weathered and experienced, he does have a lot of faith in the lone returning starter in Jalen Mayfield.

Still, he’s excited to see who ends up lining up alongside the redshirt sophomore right tackle.

“Right now, the leader of the group is going to have to be Jalen Mayfield at right tackle,” Ruiz said. “He’s the only experienced one left. There’s a lot of young guys. Four young guys are going to be in there battling for a starting position. There’s going to be a lot of new faces that Michigan fans aren’t used to seeing. It’s going to be fun to see who fills in those spots. But Jalen Mayfield knows it’s time for him to step up.”

Michigan football offense grades from the 2019 season

Michigan football ended their season 9-4 with some big losses in big games. When looking at the offense, how did everything go?

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Headed into the 2019 season for Michigan there was a lot of hype around the team, more than it ever it seemed like. They were favorites to win the Big Ten Championship with Ohio State losing their head coach Urban Meyer and replaced with Ryan Day. They hired Josh Gattis from Alabama to be their offensive coordinator and preached “Speed in Space” all off-season long.

Michigan got quarterback Shea Patterson back for his senior year. After deciding to return to Michigan for another year, Patterson brought back leadership and experience. The biggest return besides Patterson was the healthy trio of wide receivers in Donovan Peoples-Jones, Nico Collins, and Tarik Black. They would look to dominate for the first time together as a group and with this new offense, they could excel their abilities.

While those two positions looked strong, the running back room looked questionable. With Chris Evans getting suspended for the entire season due to academics, Michigan lost their best receiving running back, and one that was fast and shifty, making defenders left and right miss. They would have to rely on the youth that had never really played for the Wolverines yet. The offensive line would be filled with veteran starters except for right tackle as that battle was between Jalen Mayfield and Andrew Steuber, and it looked to be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s best group of guys he’s ever had.

Overall it was looked at a great chance for the Wolverines to finally claim the top spot in the Big Ten, yet, they finished the season 9-4. They beat Michigan State in back-to-back years for the first time since 2006-2007 and got revenge on Notre Dame from the loss in 2018. But when it came to taking on Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, and even Alabama, Michigan couldn’t figure out how to get the job done.

With that said, it’s time to review how each position, including head coach and coordinators, did in the 2019 season, starting with the offense. While it wasn’t the result that everyone wanted, there are still some positives to take away from the 2019 season as the 2020 season is the next focus.

Quarterback: B+

Patterson had his final season in Ann Arbor be the best one he’s ever had. While he wasn’t in the Heisman conversation or blowing up the stat sheet, Patterson overall had a good year. His struggles with fumbling were the main issue in the first half of the season and it was a serious issue for him that was hurting the team. He did have some accuracy issues as well, overthrowing open wide receivers, or making some questionable throws into coverage.

The second half of the season though, his fumbling issues were almost gone, and he started clicking with his receivers on some big plays. Patterson finished the year going 214/381 with a 56.2 completion percentage for 3,061 yards with 23 touchdowns and eight interceptions, along with 87 carries for 50 yards and five touchdowns. The completion percentage was his worst since his freshman year at Ole Miss, and while he is to blame for some of the issues, there were games where the ball would be right where it needed to be and the wide receivers couldn’t hold onto the football.

Patterson was inconsistent at times and that’s not what you can be when it’s time to play in the big games. Either way, Patterson did all he could and in the end, it wasn’t enough to push Michigan to the next level.

The backups got some action this year. Backup Dylan McCaffrey went 10/20 with a 50 percent completion percentage for 116 yards and a touchdown, along with 13 carries for 67 yards and a touchdown. Third-string Joe Milton went 3/7 with a 42.9 completion percentage for 59 yards with a touchdown and an interception, along with five carries for 16 yards and a touchdown. These two will duke it out over the offseason this year and battle for the starting rights in 2020.

Running Back: B

With Evans suspended, that left freshman Zach Charbonnet as the projected starter, but he would have to earn it. Harbaugh named Tru Wilson the starter at the Big Ten Media Days, but Wilson would never start. Charbonnet would eventually start, but as the season progressed, that job went to Hassan Haskins. Those three running backs, along with Christian Turner, would see some playing time, but it was Charbonnet and Haskins who ended up being the best of the group.

Charbonnet finished the season as the leading rusher with 149 carries for 726 yards and 14 touchdowns, along with eight catches for 30 yards. Charbonnet would have some wear and tear heading into the season coming off a minor surgery on his knee in March and he would be limited after a few games into the season, but he’d play in every game. He had the best season as a freshman running back in school history since Mike Hart back in 2004. Charbonnet has a bright future with a full off-season to prepare for the 2020 season and without going to surgery.

Haskins finished the season with 121 carries for 622 yards and four touchdowns, along with six catches for 40 yards. Haskins took advantage of the time Charbonnet was limited and forced himself to be involved with the offense more. His involvement will be interesting next season with Evans returning.

Wilson would get involved with the running game still, finishing with 44 carries for 221 yards and a touchdown, along with two catches for 14 yards. Turner, a player projected to compete for the starting running back job, only played in eight games and was pushed down the depth chart with others out-performing him. He finished the year with 44 carries for 171 yards and a touchdown, along with four catches for 13 yards.

Wide Receiver: B-

The wide receivers at Michigan were projected to have a big year in the new offense, along with the others as it fits their style and it could help them open up some lanes for the running backs as well. In the end, they weren’t as explosive as they’d like to be, but it took six games to get things to click and when things are clicking, this offense is putting up points easily.

Peoples-Jones would somewhat regress in the offense, getting only 34 catches for 438 yards and six touchdowns, along with 24 punt returns for 173 yards. 2018 saw more catches, yards, touchdowns, return yards and even a punt return touchdown for Peoples-Jones. While Peoples-Jones took a small step back, Collins improved off his sophomore campaign. Collins finished the season with 37 catches for 729 yards and seven touchdowns.

Collins and Peoples-Jones were the big two wide receivers, but Black was the third piece that has been limited since arriving in Ann Arbor in 2017 as he’s dealt with two separate foot injuries that held him to just six games the past two seasons. Black would play in 11 games this year, but his play seemed to have taken a hit, along with others around him emerging, his playtime would be limited, finishing with just 25 catches for 323 yards and a touchdown.

One of the biggest wide receivers to play big this season was Ronnie Bell, who finished as the leading receiver in yards and catches, with 47 catches for 747 yards and a touchdown. Three freshman wide receivers got involved with the offense as well, showing the future is bright at the position. Giles Jackson had nine catches for 142 yards with one touchdown, along with 10 carries for 69 yards and a touchdown. Mike Sainristil had eight catches for 145 yards and a touchdown, while Cornelius Johnson had four catches for 61 yards and a touchdown.

The biggest flaw for the group this year was dropping catches. Some of the drops were due to good hits by the defense, others were wide open and the ball would drop out of their hands. They couldn’t hold onto the football when they needed it most sometimes and that is not what you want to see when down and trying to move the ball down the field.

Tight End: C+

With the change of the offense, the tight ends wouldn’t be used as much in the passing game as their blocking was more of the focus to help the running game get extra help. Senior Sean McKeon’s final season was this year and he finished with 13 catches for 235 yards and two touchdowns. Nick Eubanks was used more as the receiver with 26 catches for 254 yards and four touchdowns.

Some of the blocking by both men was inconsistent, as one week they’d do well, the other they’d miss and struggle. With the offense not using the tight ends as much, they became less of an offensive weapon and more of a blocker, which opened up doors for more wide receivers to get in on the receiving action.

Offensive Line: A-

The lone position to get an A this season, the offensive line was the strongest it’s been at Michigan in a very long time. While Michigan would be without starting left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. for the first two games, backup Ryan Hayes did well in his place and will certainly be a starter or close to it next season. Left guard Ben Bredeson had another solid season, starting center Cesar Ruiz was great once again, and he declared for the draft after another great year, and starting right guard Michael Onwenu was huge once again.

The big battle at right tackle between Andrew Stueber and Jalen Mayfield ended before the season started as Stueber tore his ACL. Mayfield would play well as the starting right tackle and will look to defend his job in 2020 as Stueber returns and will be looking to start at that position or left tackle, possibly even at guard too.

When reviewing the season as a whole, the coaches got to get involved too…

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5 Takeaways from Michigan’s 56-27 loss against Ohio State

Michigan football lost to Ohio State in The Game with the final score of 56-27. Here are my five takeaways from the huge loss.

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Ann Arbor, MI. — Michigan had all the momentum headed into their game against Ohio State this year. Four game winning streak, the offense was clicking and the defense was stout, coming in as the fourth-ranked defense in the country.

That didn’t matter in the end because Ohio State was the number one team in the country, and had the number one defense. While the Buckeyes had issues at first, they would slow down the Michigan offense in the end, while their own offense never really seemed tested all game long. Once again the team with the most rushing yards won the game and Ohio State dominated in that category, outrushing Michigan 264 to 91.

Check out my five takeaways from the 56-27 loss to the Buckeyes.

1. Shea Patterson did everything he possibly could

Michigan quarterback Shea Patterson played as best as he could today, going 18/43 for 305 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Despite the fumble in the endzone in the second quarter, he played with everything he could against the toughest defense he’s ever gone against. Patterson was expected to struggle as his receivers went up against a great Ohio State secondary and a monstrous defensive line, yet he didn’t face pressure much and was able to throw to some open receivers. What killed Patterson in the second half was drops by his wide receivers as most of the throws hit the receivers in the hands but just couldn’t come down with it.

Patterson was able to overcome a lot this season, from fans booing him in the home opener, to dealing with injuries he played his best football this season in Ann Arbor. He finished the year throwing for 2,828 yards, 22 touchdowns and five interceptions, his best year ever in college. While he won’t get his name called early in April, Patterson is showing he could still be drafted in the NFL.

2. Chase Young wasn’t an issue for Michigan

The huge question headed into this game for the Michigan offense was how they could deal with the best defensive player in the country, Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. Well, Michigan handled him with ease honestly. They held him to just two QB hits overall. That’s right, no recorded tackles or sacks. Young applied pressure on two passes but never recorded a tackle or sack.

Keeping Young out of the game was huge for the offense and something they executed very well at doing. He faced left tackle Jon Runyan Jr. one-on-one and dealt with right tackle Jalen Mayfield with help from right guard Michael Onwenu.

With Young out of the game, for the most part, it kept Patterson upright and gave him time to throw the football around, but Michigan still couldn’t find an answer on the ground. Young can be a force on the rushing defense too, but him being restricted in the passing plays was a big help for the Michigan passing game.

3. Running game Didn’t have an answer

Michigan started out the season strong on the ground and was able to run the rock with ease at times against some opponents. Today against Ohio State, it wasn’t even an option as the passing game was working well once again. You would think that Ohio State would eventually allow a big run or multiple three/four-yard gains by the Michigan running backs with the passing game working with ease, but you’d be wrong.

Freshman running back Zach Charbonnet had just four carries for seven yards. Hassan Haskins had 12 carries for 78 yards and a touchdown. Wide receiver Giles Jackson doesn’t even play wide receiver and he had more yards on fewer carries than Charbonnet, finishing with three for 26 yards and a touchdown. All together Michigan only put up 91 yards on 26 carries with two touchdowns.

Michigan’s offense is known for its ground and pound attitude, and with offensive coordinator Josh Gattis coming in, that would change. With their success early on in the season, it seemed like it would still be a point of emphasis and a staple of the team, but with the passing game improving they weren’t needed as much. When they needed it most today though, they couldn’t seem to get anything working.

4. Jim Harbaugh now 0-5 against the Buckeyes

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh just can’t seem to find an answer. In 2015 it was his first year without his group of guys and he got blown out. In 2016 a questionable spot by the officials changed the outcome. In 2017, injuries and poor play was the reason why Michigan lost.

In 2018 Michigan came in favored and got embarrassed. 2019 was almost a repeat of 2018, except Michigan wasn’t favored to win by any means. Ohio State had its best team in years and once again dominated the Wolverines. Harbaugh has beaten Michigan State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Penn State, all of the major players in the Big Ten, except for just one.

Harbaugh is in year five at Michigan and doesn’t seem to have an answer for what he can do against Ohio State. This is the longest winning streak by the Buckeyes in the history of the games between the two teams. If Harbaugh wants to achieve anything at Michigan, he has to go through Ohio State. People expected a win by year five, but now year six will be the next chance he has at them.

5. Don Brown just can’t stop Ohio State

Last year after the 62-39 beatdown that Ohio State gave Michigan, defensive coordinator Don Brown was upset with himself. This year was supposed to be different and while he held OSU to fewer points, the offense wasn’t able to put up as many as this year’s OSU defense was better than 2018’s.

While it wasn’t Brown’s fault the Wolverines could only find the endzone three times, he put pressure on them to be perfect in the second half as his guys allowed 318 yards and 28 points in just the first half alone. Deep throws by Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields were an issue for the defense, and so was running back J.K. Dobbins who had 211 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries, along with two catches for 49 yards. Fields finished the game going 14/25 for 302 yards and four touchdowns, along with 25 rushing yards on six carries.

Ohio State finished the game with 577 yards on offense in on just 77 plays, averaging 7.5 yards per play. Brown simply didn’t have an answer for what Ohio State was doing once again in back-to-back years. While only one crossing route killed the defense, everything else seemed to be an issue. Brown wasn’t able to rebound this year like he did with Penn State last year. Once again the Buckeyes know exactly what to do on offense against him and Michigan.

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