Josh Gattis explains pros/cons of Alabama familiarity

The former Crimson Tide co-offensive coordinator is now leading the offensive charge in Ann Arbor. There’s both good and bad with that.

[jwplayer 8xPQIEAt-XNcErKyb]

It seemed to be something of a coup when Michigan was able to pull offensive coordinator Josh Gattis from Alabama.

The co-offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide seemed either destined to stay in Tuscaloosa, or more likely to be headed with Alabama offensive coordinator Mike Locksley, who accepted the head coaching job at Maryland. But a phone call later, and Jim Harbaugh hired him away to overhaul the Wolverines offensive attack.

It took a minute to take ahold, but once it did, it took off.

Now it needs to continue taking off, with the Wolverines set to take on Gattis’ former team in the VRBO Citrus Bowl come Jan. 1. As far is the matchup is concerned, just one year removed from having his former team in the College Football Playoff, Gattis is ready to go against the Tide, eager to prove he made the right decision to defect back to the Big Ten, from whence he came.

“Games like this, you don’t need to motivate me any more,” Gattis told Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio program. “There’s one guy in the building that has to worry about it (and) I’m excited! I think it’s a great opportunity for our team. And I say that when most people consider it a great challenge.

“It’s a great opportunity for our team to display who we are and how we’ve been practicing and playing and performing at a high level. Obviously, disappointment off our last game. It’s not how we want to finish the year. We want to finish the year with a different taste in our mouth and being able to go out – what better way to go out and finish a last game than playing against a team that’s pretty much set the bar in all of college football.”

[lawrence-related id=18693,18686,18676]

While Michigan fell in the final game of the regular season, the offense didn’t seem to be the issue overall. The Wolverines moved the ball with relative ease against the then-No. 1 defense in the nation in Ohio State, but stalled out in the second-half after the Michigan defense continued to let the Buckeyes score without impunity.

However difficult this Alabama team might be, Michigan’s offense might have something of an advantage — provided it executes — given that Gattis knows precisely what Nick Saban’s team wants to do, and the tendencies of many of the players that will be on the field at Camping World Stadium.

“I think from a game-planning standpoint, there is (an advantage),” Gattis said. “I think just understanding the identity of the defense. Knowing the players, knowing their strengths and weaknesses, things that give them problems from an overall defensive standpoint. They’ve had some challenges this year, just as we’ve had some. They’ve had to overcome that. But ultimately, it’s about executing. In between the lines, in between the whistles. It’s one thing to know how you can take advantage of a team, it’s another thing to do it.

“For us, it’s really stressing the importance of the details. You look at the last game when we went out and didn’t have success in the second-half, it just went down to simply all the details: catching the football, making the right blocks, hand placement, right reads, right throws. Just a number of things we can control on our end that we have to continue to do for us to win.”

But knowing the strengths and weaknesses — that’s a double-edged sword.

While Gattis knows Alabama, Alabama assuredly knows Gattis, and by proxy, Michigan. The Crimson Tide won’t have to look very far schematically to understand how to stop the Wolverines. Gattis acknowledges all they have to do is look in the mirror.

That’s why execution becomes critical, and why Michigan can’t afford to turn the ball over or drop passes like it has in so many big games this season.

“I think that one thing is their familiarity with what we do, because offensively, we’re both the same team,” Gattis said. “They’re gonna have a lot of familiarity with what we do and play certain things. But we just gotta do it better. We’ve gotta do the small little details, the small techniques. Execute our assignments, execute our fundamentals at a higher level. But I think they’re a really talented team. Obviously they’ve had a bunch of injuries, playing a bunch of young guys on the defensive side of the ball. Very talented in the secondary. We’ve just gotta play our type of ball, eliminate our mistakes and make sure we protect the football, because that’s the one thing they do a really good job at as an overall team is turnover margin.”

The VRBO Citrus Bowl is set for Jan. 1 at 1PM EST and will take place at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

Michigan’s coordinators share what they like about 2020 class

What the Wolverines coordinators like about their incoming players.

[jwplayer 8xPQIEAt-XNcErKyb]

Now that the bulk of the 2020 class has signed, the coaching staff can finally talk openly about what they like about who they’ve been recruiting all this time.

Michigan didn’t bring in its top-rated class by any stretch, but it’s a class full of ‘go-getters’ as head coach Jim Harbaugh has said, in that it seems like they want to be great more than the average group.

That’s excellent hyperbole, of course, but what can you make of the specific players coming in?

While the Wolverines didn’t bring in a five-star this time around, there was still a ton high-end talent to be excited about if you’re a Michigan fan.

On the offensive side of the ball, the maize and blue brought in a few playmakers that have the look of immediate contributors, seemingly tailor-made for new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis’ ‘speed in space’ schematic attack. Speaking to Jon Jansen on the Inside Michigan Football radio show, Gattis shared which incoming signees really stand out in the 2020 class, and why some of the other position groups are particularly special.

“I think we had a really good skill class as far as when you talk about skill players, we’ve got a dynamic running back in Blake Corum,” Gattis said. “You look at some of our skill perimeter players: A.J. Henning, Roman Wilson, Eamonn Dennis – those guys have a chance with the ball in their hands to put fear into an opposing defense and defensive coordinator. Guys with great ball skills and can run routes. Blake is a guy that’s tough, is versatile, can run routes out of the backfield, can run the ball, can really hit it home, being a home run hitter.

“And also, you look at the tight end position and Matt Hibner. A guy that have versatility, can catch the ball, can block. Everything we need from that standpoint. And also reloading up front, getting some big guys. Big, tough, physical linemen that can really move people up front, but also have the versatility to play inside or outside, whether it’s center-guard or guard-tackle. We feel like we’ve got a really complete class that we were able to sign on offense.”

While this offensive class certainly has its share of playmakers, the 2020 class has the look of being more defensive-oriented.

13 of the 22 signees project to the defensive side of the ball, while there are a handful — like the aforementioned Dennis — who are projected to the offensive side, but could be equally suited for the defensive side.

Defensive coordinator Don Brown also spoke to Jansen about the incoming group, and he seemed particularly pleased with the men he’s bringing in up front along the defensive line when asked about which players stand out in the 2020 class.

“Very athletic. This is the most athletic group we’ve signed on defense and the biggest,” Brown said. “We’re really excited about it. You alluded to up front – Braiden McGregor was the first guy in the door on Wednesday in terms of getting his letter of intent in. He’s a Michigan guy. He’s a big guy. We’re expecting big things from him. Aaron Lewis, Kris Jenkins for sure. We’re fortunate enough to pick up Jaylen Harrell who’s a guy in the mold of a Josh Uche-type, who can really rush the passer, play middle linebacker, but he also has tremendous size. He’s 6-5, 240-pounds.

“Again, athletically, we really feel like we’ve signed four guys that can flat-out play up front, for sure.”

Could offensive familiarity with Alabama help Michigan?

The Wolverines have two people in the program who have either played against Alabama in recent years, or coached for the Crimson Tide.

[jwplayer 8xPQIEAt-XNcErKyb]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — It’s not a lot to necessarily bolster an entire offense against one of the perennial powerhouse defenses in the country, but any little thing could help Michigan against Alabama.

The two teams will square off on Jan. 1 in the VRBO Citrus Bowl in Orlando, and there are two personalities on the Wolverines who have familiarity with the Crimson Tide.

Michigan’s man under center Shea Patterson has faced the SEC West power once before (on the field), when he was helming Ole Miss as its signal caller in 2017.

He didn’t exactly have a stellar performance, going 14-of-29 for 169 yards and two interceptions, but having spent time studying what Bama likes to do, it could certainly be something — especially compared to the rest of the Wolverines offensive personnel, who just started looking at tape on the Crimson Tide for the first time last week when the game was announced.

So, when Michigan sat down to see what the 10-2 Alabama team looked like all reason, how similar or different did it look to Patterson?

Ultimately, he says, it doesn’t matter much how familiar or not he might be, because the onus is still on the Wolverines offense to execute, no matter who they’re playing.

“It’s the same type of scheme,” Patterson said. “They are always very well-coached and have tremendous athletes. It’s Alabama, they’re always going to have that.

“I think with us, this year, it’s always been an emphasis about ourselves and our own execution. Because at the end of the day, who we’re playing or where we’re playing, we feel as long as we execute and pay attention to detail, play together as a team, it doesn’t matter who we play. But Alabama is a heckuva program. Has a lot of success in the past. Just looking forward to it.”

But Michigan does have another potential ace up its sleeve on that side of the ball.

One person inside the program has an incredible amount of familiarity with what Alabama wants to do on both sides of the ball, because he spent time formulating said plans, just one year ago.

Michigan offensive coordinator Josh Gattis was an offensive assistant with the Crimson Tide before being hired away by the Wolverines last January, working closely with then-OC Mike Locksley as co-offensive coordinator. Despite both being gone to the Big Ten now, if anyone knows the intricacies of the scheme and the personnel, it’s Gattis.

Patterson certainly thinks that could be a help, but like with anything else, the focus is less on what Alabama brings to the table as much as what Michigan can or should do, if the execution is perfect.

“Coach Gattis being there and having knowledge of their defense and offense as well, I think it helps,” Patterson said. “It gives us a little edge maybe.

“But I think the way we’ve ended the season, the last 5-6 games, we’ve got a good amount of momentum going into this one. We’re just gonna try to keep that rolling.”

The VRBO Citrus Bowl is set to kickoff at 1PM EST on Jan. 1 at Camping World Stadium in Orlando.

[lawrence-auto-related count=5]

Facing another 10 win season, Jim Harbaugh has to get over hump

Michigan football is on pace to go 10-3 for the fourth time in five years under head coach Jim Harbaugh. When will it get past 10 wins?

[jwplayer MfLEtgwV-XNcErKyb]

Michigan finished its 2019 regular season 9-3 after losing to Ohio State yesterday 56-27. As the Wolverines wait for word on where they will be playing in their bowl game, they are going to prepare to capture their 10th win this season. A 10th win this season would be head coach Jim Harbaugh’s second bowl win and his fourth 10 win season in Ann Arbor.

Getting 10 wins in a season is nothing to complain about, as Michigan was wishing to get to that just a decade ago. Harbaugh has brought Michigan out of the shadows after suffering from poor seasons with two head coaches who weren’t able to keep Michigan on the map. Harbaugh has put them back on the map, but they aren’t relevant as they’d like to be.

10 win seasons are nice, but soon that won’t be enough to please the Michigan alumni, fans, and administrators. Winning games is important, but so is beating Michigan State, Notre Dame (if scheduled), and Ohio State. Along with beating your rivals is winning a Big Ten Championship, and appearing and possibly winning the College Football Playoffs. Harbaugh is 1-1 against Notre Dame, and 3-2 against Michigan State, but 0-5 in the most important one against Ohio State, along with zero Big Ten Championship and playoff appearances.

This isn’t a “Jim Harbaugh needs to be fired” article, that doesn’t solve the problem. Nobody knows what the problem is for Harbaugh to get past Ohio State, to get more than 10 wins, to play for a Big Ten title or appear in the playoffs. It’s not like Harbaugh hasn’t tried to become better than 10 wins either.

Harbaugh adapted his offense to modern-day football as he thought that was a problem for his guys. He brought in Josh Gattis as the offensive coordinator, and while the offense struggled at first, they would later improve and start showing signs that they will be an attacking style of offense and with another year under the system this group will only get better.

His defense hasn’t seen as many changes as defensive coordinator Don Brown came in 2016 after his 2015 defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin left to become the head coach at Maryland. The secondary coaches have changed on the defense, but not the coordinator since 2016. The defense got better with Brown’s changes, but haven’t been able to compete against Ohio State in two of the last four games with Brown.

Brown even adapted to more zone after getting torched by crossing routes against Ohio State in 2018. He’s had a top-three defense every season except for this year as they are eighth right now with one game left to play. They are still a tough unit but usually have a big blimp on their resume, and in back-to-back years it’s been against Ohio State.

The only person who has to figure out this problem in the end though is Harbaugh. He will be happy with 10 wins as any coach would be, but everyone knows he’s better than that. He is a championship type of coach who just can’t get over the 10-win mark and right now doesn’t have the answers to what he has to do to get over that hump.

He will be in year six next year at Michigan and with some important seniors leaving on both sides of the football and possibly some underclassmen declaring for the NFL. Harbaugh might have some secondary coaching changes to adjust with, but both of his coordinators should return.

Michigan is playing good football, but are just a few things away from playing elite football like Clemson, LSU, and Ohio State are this season. Fans hope that Harbaugh can get over the hump sooner rather than later, or else the 10 win cycle will be a repeat performance year-in and year-out. After so many 10 win seasons, that will become the norm and everyone will want something more than that. As we’re approaching another possible 10 win season, that is very close to that being a reality.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1361]

Despite rocky start, Shea Patterson improves from 2018’s success

Michigan football starting quarterback Shea Patterson improved this season despite a tough start, leaving behind a good legacy in Ann Arbor.

[jwplayer f0OgUijY-XNcErKyb]

Ann Arbor, MI. — When it was announced that quarterback Shea Patterson would be transferring to Ann Arbor and playing for the Michigan Wolverines, Ann Arbor was excited. Patterson had a rough debut against Notre Dame in 2018 and suddenly the excitement was gone and the talk about playing backup quarterback Dylan McCaffrey began, as the fanbase turned their back on the transfer after just one game.

Patterson would earn their trust and love back and finished last year with a career-best 2,600 yards with 22 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Headed into the 2019 season, fans were once again cheering for Patterson to get better and be even more dynamic than last season. Head coach Jim Harbaugh hired an offensive coordinator to help Patterson elevate his game and increase his production from last year, his name was Josh Gattis.

The start would be similar to last year but in a different way. Patterson and the Wolverines won their home opener against Middle Tennessee State 40-21, but the fans would turn on Patterson again as he fumbled the ball multiple times and despite playing well besides the fumbles, he was booed when he came on the field after McCaffrey came in for a play.

The talk of playing McCaffrey was louder this year and it lasted longer than a week. Against Wisconsin, McCaffrey saw more playing time, but didn’t start and wouldn’t finish the game as he left with a concussion. Patterson and the offense seemed clunky at the midway point of the season, but the beginning of the second half against Penn State seemed to be like a light bulb go off for the group.

Since that half Patterson and the offense were explosive and finally seeming to be getting their act together. Gattis was finally able to have his guys play like he wanted them too. It was a new offense that took time to gel and form, and despite going on a four-game winning streak, they were held up short in the regular-season finale against Ohio State, losing 56-27.

Despite losing to Ohio State again, Patterson reiterated after the game that he made the right choice in coming to Ann Arbor and playing for Michigan.

“From day one it’s been a dream come true,” Patterson said. “To come play football at the University of Michigan. Wouldn’t really change anything, obviously the outcome of this game. Wouldn’t want to go with anybody else. Something that I’ll cherish and I’ll remember for a very long time putting on the maize and blue. Very thankful.”

At the end of the regular season, Patterson has already gotten past last year’s numbers, throwing for 2,828 yards with 22 touchdowns and six interceptions. With one game left in his career, Patterson could throw for over 3,000 yards and make this year’s touchdown amount the highest he’s ever had, and the interceptions the fewest he’s had in a full season if he doesn’t throw one in the bowl game.

Despite all the hate and the negativity around Patterson while he was in Ann Arbor, he fought threw it all and improved his skillset compared to how he was playing at Ole Miss. He never got to beat Ohio State, and that’s going to sting him and the rest of the team, but Patterson won’t get another shot at them. Either way, his play was something Michigan has had at the position for years.

Often criticized, yet rarely praised by the Michigan fanbase, Patterson will go down as one of the best quarterbacks to ever play for the Wolverines. He isn’t the number one guy in the history of the program, but to say he isn’t a top 10-15 guy would be incorrect. In just two years he helped Michigan grow and change their offensive ways of the past. Despite the records not changing (unless they lose their bowl game), and winning any championships, Patterson helped elevate Michigan’s offense to become better and he leaves behind some talent that can grow and possibly be something special in 2020.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1361]

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.

[jwplayer 12StHCZs-XNcErKyb]

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.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1361]

3 Things to Watch for Against Ohio State

Michigan football takes on Ohio State this week as they look to pull off a huge upset. What are the three main things to focus on?

[jwplayer t9O6cACQ-XNcErKyb]

Michigan is fresh off a 39-14 win over Indiana last week. This week has more substance and grit as they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in the annual rivalry game that the Buckeyes have had control of for the past 15 years, with Michigan getting just one win within that time frame.

Michigan is 9-2 with another chance for a 10 win season once again, as a win would be Harbaugh’s fourth season with at least 10 wins at Michigan. Michigan needs to do everything it can to pull off this upset as the Buckeyes are coming in undefeated and the best version that Harbaugh has ever seen in the past four games. If Michigan wants to ruin anyone’s season, it’s Ohio State’s and their opportunity is right in front of them.

Check out my main three things to watch this week against Ohio State.

1. Is containing Chase Young possible?

Michigan’s offensive line has its biggest challenge this year as they are going up against Ohio State defensive end Chase Young. Young is having a phenomenal year, getting 38 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks, seven forced fumbles, and one pass deflection. Michigan hasn’t played any defensive ends like Young all year long.

He will bring a challenge to not only the offensive line, but the tight ends and they will need to help the tackles in making sure Young can’t get past them and in the backfield. If Michigan is able to even keep Young somewhat out of the game, that’s a big win for them. He came off his two-game suspension by getting nine total tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, and two forced fumbles.

Young is out for blood after the suspension and with the Wolverines up next he’s going to want his best game of the season against them. Michigan State was the only team to really quiet Young down this year, holding him to four tackles, one for loss and a half a sack. The Wolverines need to find out what MSU did and do something similar to that in order to keep him on a leash. If Michigan can’t control Young, he will be feasting on them all day long.

2. Michigan’s receivers vs. Ohio State’s secondary

The most interesting battle for this game is the matchup between the Michigan wide receivers and the Ohio State secondary. Ohio State has the number one overall defense and when it comes to their passing defense they are number one in that category as well. They’ve allowed 1,388 yards, six touchdowns, and have 14 interceptions. They allow an average 126.2 yards a game and the completion percentage of opposing quarterbacks is 51.9 percent.

Michigan’s wide receivers might be a problem for the Buckeyes secondary as it could be the best group they’ve matched up with all season long. You have Nico Collins who wins a majority of the 50/50 balls and is a huge deep threat for the Wolverines, Ronnie Bell who can quickly get open and get past the defenders, Donovan Peoples-Jones who can make some tough contested catches, and Tarik Black who can hurt you deep or short.

That isn’t all though. There are three freshman wide receivers who’ve had an impact on the offense. Cornelius Johnson can beat you deep with his speed, or make you miss a tackle or two. Mike Sainristil has been making low catches, high catches, almost everything near his direction he has a chance at catching, and Giles Jackson who could be the fastest offensive player on the team as he can be lined up in the slot, out wide, or even at running back, and run right by everyone.

Ohio State has some cornerbacks that are projected to get drafted in the NFL this year and that will certainly be the toughest secondary the Wolverines have gone up against all season long. Will the receivers still be able to get open? Will the secondary struggle against the depth of the Wolverines? That won’t be decided until the game kicks off.

3. Which Shea Patterson will show up?

Michigan starting quarterback Shea Patterson has had an impressive career in his two years at Michigan. Last year, Patterson struggled in his debut against Notre Dame, but then fixed his mistakes and played well up until Ohio State and Florida in the bowl game.

This year the struggles weren’t just for a game to start the year, on the first play of the season Patterson scrambled and fumbled the football, along with injuring his oblique. Patterson did fine in the first half of the season. Fine though, was just that. He was horrendous when holding onto the football, fumbling six times in the first six games, losing four of them. He was able to pass the ball with some success, but not many passes were thrown deep and he never threw for over 300 yards.

Then once the second half of the season started against Penn State, the first half was tough for Patterson, but in the second half he and the rest of the team found their groove and since then the fumbling issues have subsided. Patterson has fumbled the ball four times, three times against Notre Dame in a downpour. Patterson hasn’t had much fumble issues, when the weather is fine, in the second half of the season. Patterson also started taking shots downfield, using his legs more to run, throwing for over 300 yards in two straight games, and setting new records at Michigan.

So going up against Ohio State, what version of Patterson will we see? The one that could still produce and score for the team, but coughed up the football and gave the defense more chances to win, and wasn’t using his receivers to their full potential? Or will he play like he has since that loss to Penn State, like a man on a mission who has found the answers to the questions he had earlier in the year and has the comfortable playstyle to do what he wants?

This game could define his legacy in Ann Arbor, and with an undefeated record at home, Patterson could leave the Big House for the final time without ever losing in front of the Wolverine fans.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

[lawrence-auto-related count=5 category=1361]

Ahead of Ohio State, Michigan must rekindle fire in the backfield

Michigan football has had success in the passing game recently, but the ground game has stifled in those weeks. That’s gotta change fast.

[jwplayer D9wQpQCg-XNcErKyb]

Michigan’s offense has finally seen the type of explosion that everyone has been waiting to see all year. “Speed in space” was what the new offensive coordinator Josh Gattis preached when he was coming to Ann Arbor. Before the recent surge of attack from quarterback Shea Patterson and the passing game, the running game was the bread and butter for the offense. Besides the loss to Wisconsin, Michigan has run for over 100 yards in every game this season before taking on Michigan State.

You could see the offense revert to last seasons scheme where it seemed run-heavy and it helped put up points and win them games. Patterson and the passing game played well still, but the running game was getting more of the attention and praise for helping them gain yards and move the chains.

The defense has been stout for most of the season, but the offense started out flat and inconsistent. After the second-half performance against Penn State, Michigan has seen some life rejuvenated in their team. Head coach Jim Harbaugh’s known for having a run-first attitude on his teams, but that seems to have changed along with the mantra of the offense. While the change has been good for the offense the running game has seemed to take a hit as the passing game as blown up.

Against Notre Dame and Maryland, Michigan put up 458 rushing yards and six touchdowns. In the past two games against Michigan State and Indiana, Michigan has only run for 173 yards and one touchdown. The passing game has seen the opposite trend.

Against Notre Dame and Maryland, Michigan threw for 310 yards and four touchdowns. Against Michigan State and Indiana, Michigan has thrown for 750 yards and nine touchdowns. A complete turnaround as Michigan has thrown for more yards in their last two wins, then the previous two combined.

While it’s positive that the passing game seems to have figured out their issues from early on in the season, it’s negative that the running game has regressed from it. Having a balanced offense that can strike between the tackles, or in the air is huge for any team. While it’s a good thing if you can dominate in one of the two, having both be strong is even better.

Michigan has found the answers to the questions they had when it came to passing, but for them to regress in rushing is a concern ahead of next week’s game ahead of Ohio State. Michigan will be going up against the best defensive player in the country in defensive end Chase Young and he won’t be giving Patterson much time in the pocket to work with, meaning Michigan’s rushing attack must improve if they want to try and win this game next week.

Freshman running back Zach Charbonnet has made an impact in his first season in Ann Arbor, rushing 132 times for 635 yards and 11 touchdowns. Charbonnet has the most rushing touchdowns by a freshman running back in Michigan history, and he has a chance to have the second-most yards in a season by a freshman as he is 107 yards behind Ricky Powers. He has no chance of reaching Mike Hart’s 1,455 yards.

He isn’t alone in the backfield success though, as redshirt freshman Hassan Haskins has played well this season too, rushing 91 times for 483 yards and three touchdowns. His emergence has given the backfield another weapon that can help move the ball without relying solely on Charbonnet.

Michigan has a good ground game and it needs to find out how to get in involved again against Ohio State next week. Young will be a problem even in the running game, but his presence is known in the passing downs. The passing game might have some troubles, so if the running game can work, that can help the passing game get back on track.

In this big of a game next week, Michigan will want to make sure that every aspect of their offense is running smoothly. The passing game seems to have done just that, now the focus is getting the ground game back to what they were earlier in the season. If Michigan can have the passing game of late and the running game from before their last two weeks, this offense could truly give Ohio State’s defense a huge headache next week.

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

Shea Patterson is proving all the haters wrong with recent success

Michigan football starting quarterback Shea Patterson has turned his play around recently and the haters that booed him are quiet now.

[jwplayer D9wQpQCg-XNcErKyb]

Headed into the 2019 season, there was a bunch of hype surrounding Michigan football. From getting projected to win the Big Ten Championship to debuting a new “speed in space” offense by newly offensive coordinator Josh Gattis where the offense would finally explode and put up points. The offense would use quarterback Shea Patterson’s skillset and former Michigan quarterback Wilton Speight said the handcuffs would be removed from Patterson.

Then Week One happened and Michigan beat Middle Tennessee State 40-21. Patterson started the season rough with a fumble on the first play of the game, and he would fumble a second time. As the game continued and Patterson played, he would face boos from his own fans.

He finished the game going 17/29 for 203 yards with three touchdowns, along with nine carries for 28 yards and two fumbles. While not the best performance ever, nothing worth booing about. Fans reacted wildly and wanted backup quarterback Dylan McCaffrey to step in and become the starter.

Are those same fans booing Patterson now?

Patterson has blocked out the talk from the fans and has continued to let his play do all the talk. While the Wolverines and the offense overall did struggle in the first five games of the season, their past six have been something different. The offense has finally figured out everything and that’s without a quarterback change.

In the past six games, Patterson has gone 98/162 for 1,471 yards with 15 touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s completely grown from last year as a passer and this offense truly has taken the handcuffs off Patterson. His ability to use his legs when needed to either gain yards, or escape pressure and keep the passing play alive is impressive. He’s gotten better at reading defenses on the option run plays, and RPO’s are becoming simple for him to figure out.

While he has been successful in his recent games, the biggest game of the year is up next, Ohio State. A team that is walking into Ann Arbor undefeated, but looked beatable in their 28-17 win against No. 8 Penn State today. Patterson has quieted the haters with his recent performances, but he will need to win this game to completely shut them up.

He beat Michigan State again and now will walk away never losing to the Spartans. He got his revenge against Notre Dame and avenged his poor Michigan debut from last season. The final hurdle to get past is the Buckeyes.

Can he be the quarterback to get Michigan past the Buckeyes for the first time since 2011? The way he’s been playing he certainly has a shot to do it. He won’t forget what Ohio State did to him and his team last season, which can be more fuel to the fire that the team will be looking for as they prepare for the Buckeyes next week.

All of the fans booing Patterson and screaming for McCaffrey to come in are probably eating their words now. Patterson has been the right choice to lead this team since he arrived at Michigan last year. He’s proving his worth and showcasing it once again. So whether you like it or not, he’s Michigan’s starting quarterback and he’s proving himself once again. Now can he do something that hasn’t been done in what will be over eight years?

Contact/Follow @WolverinesWire/ @BKnappBlogs

Nico Collins explosion showcases Michigan’s multiple weapons in the passing game

Michigan football has figured out the offense the past few weeks, and with today’s performance, their depth at wide receiver is deep.

[jwplayer D9wQpQCg-XNcErKyb]

All the off-season chatter of how explosive the wide receivers would be this season can finally be seen by everyone. The offense was struggling for the first five games of the season when it came to passing the football. Michigan was 4-1 with a close win against Army and got their only loss to Wisconsin. Michigan was coming off their 10-3 win over Iowa and head coach Jim Harbaugh had an interesting comment on the offensive performance in the close win against Iowa.

He said the offense was “hitting its stride.”

Hitting its stride after just putting up 10 measly points against Iowa? In a game where your defense won you the battle? Nobody believed what Harbaugh was saying. Now Harbaugh is laughing at everyone for doubting him.

Michigan would beat Illinois 42-25 in a close game, but the offense saw some explosive play and a pulse in the offense. Next week against Penn State, Michigan did lose 28-21, but the second half of that game has been the starting point of something special as Michigan has been dominant on the offensive side of the football.

Since the comment made by Harbaugh, Michigan has drastically reduced the number of turnovers they have had, with only five total in seven games. Turnovers were a major talking point early on in the season, but since then they have cleaned up their act.

Not only have the turnovers have gotten better, but the offense is putting up yards and they now average 439.5 yards and 38 points per game. How does that happen? Get your wide receivers involved and showcase the offense you hyped up all offseason long.

Today against Indiana, Michigan kept putting their foot on the gas and today’s star receiver was Nico Collins, who finished with six catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns. Last week it was wide receiver Ronnie Bell who blew up for over 100 yards. Wide receiver Giles Jackson has been getting more involved in the offense too, getting a catch for 50 yards today.

You can’t forget about the other stud wide receivers, Donovan Peoples-Jones had a phenomenal snag for a touchdown today, finishing with five catches for 73 yards and the lone score. Tarik Black had three catches for 30 yards and freshman Mike Sainristil had a beauty of a catch for 35 yards.

Michigan has weapons in the passing game and the depth behind the starting three wide receivers is deep. The youngsters have gotten involved in the offense this season and giving quarterback Shea Patterson just more options to throw to when on the field. With these receivers constantly getting some big games, it’s hard for Patterson to share the ball fairly between everyone.

Patterson has seen an increase in his play and part of that is because of the play by these wide receivers. They are creating separation and making big catches when needed. Earlier this season you couldn’t see much separation between them and the defenders. Now they are making the moves to get open, and catching the 50/50 balls and coming down with the grab.

This offense was led behind Patterson once again today and Collins just happened to be the lucky winner by constantly getting open and making plays when needed. All of the hype about “speed in space” from offensive coordinator Josh Gattis is finally showing. It’s here and dealing with some damage to its opponents. Now that Michigan has hit their stride on offense, can it continue into next week?