Michigan’s offense finally showed a pulse on the ground against Penn State, and now the question is whether it can do it again.
The Wolverines piled up a season-high 211 rushing yards in their 21-18 win, a number that came with some real pop plays attached to it. For the first time all year, Michigan had two running back carries of 20 yards or more: Bryson Kuzdzal broke loose for a 43-yard touchdown run, and Savion Hiter ripped off a 41-yard run.
Running backs coach Tony Alford pointed to Kuzdzal’s burst as the kind of play that can tilt a game and open things up around it. He also said the overall look of the run game was closer to what Michigan has wanted to be.
"There's been some more downhill runs and the zone concept, which these guys have had success [with] in the past," Alford said. "So yeah, we implemented some of that more than we had in previous weeks. Worked on the second half, so hopefully we can continue that."
The numbers back up that shift. According to Pro Football Focus, Michigan used zone scheme 15 times and gap scheme 14 times on non-scrambles and quarterback kneels against Penn State.
That was a major change from the Iowa loss, when the Wolverines ran gap plays 24 times and zone only 12 times. Over the first four weeks of the season, Michigan leaned even harder into gap runs, using them nearly three times as often as zone plays, 93 to 33.
The Wolverines also found success right up the middle. Every one of their six runs of 10 yards or more came between the tackles, another sign that the staff may keep leaning in that direction.
"There's certain things that you can do that guys are better at," Alford said. "It's [about] trying to put the guys in the best situation to have success."
Even with that breakthrough, one strong half won’t erase the larger issues. Michigan still does not have a 100-yard rusher this season, and it has cleared five yards per carry just once, which came last week.
Tommy Carr is expected to start at quarterback, and that could help a little. But Alford made clear one player isn’t going to solve everything. Michigan is No. 87 in total penalties, No. 103 in turnover margin at minus-three, No. 125 in passing at 165.7 yards per game, No. 106 in scoring at 22.7 points per game and No. 84 in rushing at 147.7.
Alford said the answer inside the building is not complicated.
"Play better, execute," he said. "I think those frustrations will alleviate themselves when we start executing at the level that we so desire ... We've all got to take our piece of ownership of where we're at in this moment.
"We are where we are, and we're not where we wanted or would have thought we'd be at this juncture of time as far as ... stat lines go. We are where we are, and we can sit and bitch and moan about it or we can just keep plugging away, and that's what we're choosing to do."
While the offense searches for consistency, Michigan’s defense has kept this team afloat. The Wolverines are No. 1 nationally in yards per play allowed at 4.11, and edge John Henry Daley said the unit would be inviting trouble if it started admiring that number halfway through the season.
He also said the defense does not feel like it has to carry the burden of the offense’s problems; the standard is already baked in.
“At the end of the day, we just have to do our job,” Daley said. “We’re not really worried about the other side of the ball.
We know that we can’t affect it too much. We just have to come in every single play, and all 11 guys on defense have got to play their butts off for six seconds and fulfill whatever coach asked them to do.
"We just come out there every single play and try to do our best."
That defense is about to face a demanding challenge from defending national champion Indiana, a team loaded with playmakers. The Hoosiers’ wide receiver duo of Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh has nearly 300 more receiving yards than Michigan’s entire team.
Indiana also brings a dangerous backfield. Turbo Richard has 643 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while Lee Beebe Jr. has 575 yards and four touchdowns. Together, they have nearly 350 more rushing yards than Michigan’s entire ground game, though the Hoosiers have played one more game than the Wolverines.
Larry Black, the defensive tackle coach, said it begins with stopping the receivers and then dealing with the rest of Indiana’s offense.
"It starts with those two receivers, with Becker and Marsh," Black said of stopping his alma mater. "Those guys are really good. They do a good job of you know the routes and getting open and catching the ball ... then on the O line, it starts with their left tackle, Carter Smith ... they got two really good running backs, and then the quarterback [Josh] Hoover.
"They got a good crew, experienced crew, so they kind of thrive and they don't beat themselves. You watch, it's not too many TFLs.
They're fine with a one-yard gain, and then it's explosive play. They're fine with a zero-yard gain, then an explosive play, so it's going to be on us to cause a little more havoc and play in their backfield."
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