Michigan’s path against Penn State is pretty plain: run the ball, protect it, and don’t let the game spiral out of reach with mistakes.
That message got buried a bit Monday when Michigan football head coach Kyle Whittingham met with the media and the quarterback situation took center stage. But the bigger issue is staring right at the Wolverines. If they can’t lean on the ground game against Penn State, it raises a real question about when - or if - that part of the offense is going to show up.
Turnovers have already put Michigan behind the eight ball. Whittingham was right to identify them as the biggest problem.
Against Minnesota, the offense never found any rhythm because the Wolverines kept handing the ball away. A muffed punt and two Bryce Underwood interceptions wiped out any chance to settle in during the second half.
That’s why ball security is the starting point here. Underwood needs to take care of the ball.
Michigan also needs more explosive plays. But above all else, it has to run the football.
And Penn State is the opponent to do it against.
The numbers point to a clear opening. Penn State has the second-worst run defense in the Big Ten during conference play and has been gashed by several teams.
Northwestern ran for more than 400 yards and had two 100-yard rushers. Wisconsin posted 128 rushing yards, and USC also produced a 100-yard rusher.
Overall, the Nittany Lions are giving up 5.9 yards per rushing attempt.
Michigan’s defense, by comparison, has been elite against the run, allowing just 2.9 yards per carry. Only UCLA has been better. On the other side, though, the Wolverines are averaging only 3.4 yards per rushing attempt, which is nowhere near where this group needs to be.
There have been some signs. Michigan rushed for more than 150 yards against Iowa, and the ground game opened well against Minnesota before the turnovers derailed everything. The run game has looked a little more traditional at times this season, even if the Wolverines still used plenty of lateral runs last year in outside zone looks.
The bigger point is that Michigan needs to get more downhill. That was the way Kyle Whittingham and Blake Frazier described it, and it may be as much about attitude as scheme.
With Bryce Underwood, Jordan Marshall, Savion Hiter and an offensive line that includes five players who all started multiple games for Michigan football last season, this is a unit that should not be stuck at this level on the ground. Even with Andrew Sprague out, the pieces are there.
The schedule hasn’t exactly made life easy from a run-defense standpoint. Still, Michigan’s biggest issue is simpler than that. The Wolverines keep getting in their own way.
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Michigans Turnover Problem Just Forced A Change They Couldnt Avoid
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The latest response was a change at punt returner, a move triggered by recent miscues and one the staff could no longer put off. Michigan has lost the turnover margin in four of its past five weeks, and the pattern has lined up too neatly with the losses for anyone around the program to dismiss it as bad luck. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Bye Week Puts Bryce Underwood And The Offense On Notice
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Michigans UCLA Test Suddenly Feels Very Different For One Reason
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For Michigan, the matchup now looks different in a hurry. What had been shaping up as a test against an unbeaten team suddenly comes with a layer of uncertainty, because the Bruins are trying to replace a key piece on the fly while still protecting their perfect record. The Wolverines still have their own goals to chase, but the quarterback situation alone gives this meeting a very different feel than it had just days ago. [Read more 🡒]