We are talking to Wolverines Wire editor Isaiah Hole before Michigan hosts USC this Saturday in Ann Arbor. A lot of people — not just us — think Michigan will need to force a few USC turnovers to have a chance to win this game. We asked Isaiah what Michigan can possibly do to win this game if it doesn’t force at least one Trojan turnover.
“Yes, Michigan can win without forcing turnovers, but it will mean that the offense has to be consistent and efficient,” Hole told us. “Michigan does want to be a boa constrictor in that it will try to play keep away by running the ball methodically as the defense hopes to look more like it did last year, forcing offenses to get off the field and then finding themselves in a hole. We haven’t seen things work quite like that this year because Davis Warren didn’t really threaten anyone downfield with his arm and defenses have been able to key in on Michigan’s run game. The run blocking wasn’t clicking with this new offensive line until about midway through the Texas game (too late to stick with the run given the deficit) and if Orji can hit a downfield shot or two, that should make Michigan’s job much easier – and more in-line with the identity of the team. It’s not the early turnovers that tend to get teams against the Wolverines as much as teams get desperate, start throwing downfield, and Michigan’s (mostly) elite secondary does the rest. And then the boa constrictor squeezes more. Michigan isn’t looking to run teams off the field early. But it has generally worn teams down (that was even the case in 2018 and 2019) and then mistakes compound. We haven’t yet seen a disciplined Michigan team, but it certainly isn’t fully reliant on getting turnovers. What it is reliant on is not turning the ball over, which has been the biggest issue through three games. No turnovers would have meant much different games in all three weeks thus far.”
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