Michigan’s first half against Indiana has been a study in two extremes: a defense that keeps dragging the Wolverines into the fight, and an offense that keeps handing away momentum.
The headline issue is Tommy Carr, who made his first start and had two ugly turnovers in the opening 25 minutes. That’s the kind of start Michigan could not afford, especially with ball security supposed to be the priority.
His first miscue came on a speed option that was doomed from the snap, but Carr still made matters worse with a late pitch that turned into a fumble Indiana recovered. Later, he forced a throw into at least triple coverage, and the result was a tipped interception.
Even with the quarterback issues, Michigan’s defense has kept this game alive. The unit has played with real urgency, and it has been the only reason the Wolverines remain competitive at halftime.
Jyaire Hill has been one of the brighter spots on that side of the ball. After last week’s rough outing against Penn State, he has answered well here.
Indiana has targeted him twice, and he has one PBU plus another play where he was in excellent coverage well ahead of the intended receiver. Before last week, he had been Michigan’s best corner all season, and this performance looked much more like that version of Hill.
Up front, John Henry Daley stepped into a bigger role with Dom Nichols out and delivered early. On Indiana’s first drive, the Hoosiers tried to set up a screen on third down, but Daley read it quickly, got into Josh Hoover’s face, and knocked the ball away.
Without that play, Indiana looked to have a path to a first down and maybe more. Instead, the drive ended in a punt.
Chris Bracy has also been all over the field. After last week’s splash plays against Penn State - an interception and a forced fumble that both led to touchdowns - he has continued to make life hard on Indiana’s run game.
He had a big tackle for loss in the first half and has been a major reason Michigan has been able to force obvious passing downs. That matters, because this defense thrives once it can pin its ears back.
Enow Etta joined that group of standout defenders despite being a game-time decision. He nearly got home for a sack of Josh Hoover on the drive after Carr’s interception, and he has been stout against the run as well. For a player dealing with an injury, he has looked remarkably active and firm at the point of attack.
There was also a telling moment on the sideline that spoke to Bryce Underwood’s response after being benched in the second quarter last week. He remains a team captain, led the team out of the tunnel, hugged Carr before the new starter took the field, and was the first player to greet Carr after the opening turnover. Whatever questions surround his play, his approach has stood out.
The bigger problem for Michigan is still the offense as a whole. The structure looks broken in all the same places.
Running outside the tackles has gone nowhere. The formations still too often leave Michigan without real threats to run or catch the ball.
Jet sweeps, wide zone runs, and option looks have repeatedly blown up. Joel Klatt even said at the three-minute mark in the second half that he probably sounded like a broken record saying Michigan needed to get back to downhill running.
And that’s where the frustration lives: changing quarterbacks hasn’t changed the look of the offense. The problems are still there, and the questions about the coordinator only get louder from here.
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The same concern extends to offensive coordinator Jason Beck, whose three-year, $9 million contract carries its own financial protections if the school decides to change direction before the deal runs out. For Michigan, the issue is no longer just whether the staff is delivering on the field, but how much it would cost to reset if the results never catch up to the investment. [Read more 🡒]
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Head coach Kyle Whittingham has acknowledged the offense needs to get better, but he has not offered much clarity on how that happens, and the pressure has settled squarely on offensive coordinator Jason Beck. The results have made the play-calling and overall direction of the unit impossible to ignore, especially for a Michigan program that expects far more when its defense is giving it opportunities. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Escaped Michigan But A Bigger Problem Is Starting To Show
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For Michigan, the larger concern may be what the performance said about the offense itself, especially with freshman quarterback Tommy Carr making his first career start. Carr got off to a shaky beginning and the Wolverines never fully recovered, letting Indiana hang around long enough to create the opening that decided the game. [Read more 🡒]