Michigan’s 2-0 start has come with a pretty glaring issue, and it sits right where the Wolverines usually expect to feel safest: the running game.
Bryce Underwood has already taken some heat for his play, and that’s understandable after a rough outing against Western Michigan. He responded against Oklahoma with 198 total yards, one touchdown and no turnovers, but Michigan still isn’t close to looking like a balanced offense. Scoring 15 points per game isn’t going to cut it, and the passing game can only open up so much if the ground attack keeps sputtering.
That’s why the biggest concern right now is the run game - or, more accurately, the lack of one.
Michigan did get to 152 rushing yards against Oklahoma, which was a step forward. But that number comes with a major caveat: Underwood carried the ball 17 times for 87 yards, so a big chunk of the production came from the quarterback.
Against Western Michigan, the Wolverines managed just 106 rushing yards. Through two games, that puts them at 129 per game, and that’s a number Michigan simply can’t feel good about.
The opener had its own issues. Underwood missed some reads, and there were communication problems with freshman Savion Hiter in the backfield. On one third down in the fourth quarter, Hiter gripped the ball too tightly while Bryce was trying to pull it, turning what could have been a first down into roughly a five-yard loss.
The backs haven’t solved the problem on their own, either. Jordan Marshall has missed some reads, and while the blocking looked better this week, it still doesn’t resemble the 2023 Michigan offensive line.
The results have been ugly. Marshall has 76 yards on 22 carries, a 3.5-yard average.
Hiter, the five-star freshman, has 13 carries for 21 yards. He does have four catches for 40 yards, but the production on the ground has been rough for a group that was supposed to be a strength.
Part of the explanation is the level of competition. Michigan has already faced two good defenses, and UTEP has also been solid against the run, giving up 3.5 yards per attempt through its first two games. Even so, the Wolverines should be able to win at the line of scrimmage more often than they have against Oklahoma and Western Michigan.
There was at least a better effort last Saturday, and this week should be a chance for Michigan to make the run game the center of the offense without leaning on Underwood for 17 carries again.
If that doesn’t happen, the Wolverines will have a much bigger problem on their hands once Big Ten play starts Sept. 26.
In Other News...
Why L.J. Cason Really Left Michigan Still Stings For Wolverines Fans
L.J. Casons return to Ann Arbor this week carried a little extra weight for Michigan fans who remember how much promise surrounded him before injuries and offseason turnover changed the picture. The three-star guard arrived under Dusty May, spent his lone season in the program during the national title run and then saw that year interrupted by a torn ACL, a sequence that made his exit feel less like a routine transfer and more like another reminder of how quickly the roster shifted.
Cason said Mays departure for the Dallas Mavericks played a major role in his decision to enter the portal, and he ultimately landed at Miami. Even so, coming back to receive his championship ring gave him a chance to reconnect with the program and speak about what he sees ahead for Michigan, a conversation that only added to the lingering what-if feeling among fans who wondered what his next chapter might have looked like in Ann Arbor. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Faces Pressure To Hold Off Rivals For Key Legacy Recruit
Marquis Ray has already made two trips to Michigan Stadium this season, and each visit has only deepened the sense that the Wolverines are in the mix for one of the more important in-state prospects on the board. The Saline standout carries a Michigan offer and, just as notably, legacy ties through his father, Marcus Ray, giving the pursuit a built-in familiarity that has helped him keep building relationships with the coaching staff since that offer arrived in June.
The competition is far from limited to Ann Arbor, though, with Kentucky, Illinois and Pitt all still in the picture as Ray works toward a decision that could come by winter. For Michigan, the appeal is obvious: this is the kind of recruit who matters beyond rankings, both because of where hes from and because of what his last name already means around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Hail Mary Controversy Now Has An NCAA Admission
The final sequence of Michigans win over Western Michigan has moved from a one-off officiating gripe to something the NCAA itself has now addressed. The FBS Oversight Committee acknowledged that instant replay protocols were not followed correctly on the games last plays, a confirmation that gives fresh weight to the debate around how the finish was handled.
Even so, the result is staying put. NCAA bylaws do not allow the game outcome to be changed, so Michigans victory will remain official, even as the Mid-American Conference pushed for Western Michigan to be recognized as the winner for ranking purposes. For the Wolverines, it means the record book is safe, but the controversy around the ending is not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]