Michigan opened fast, then spent the rest of the first half trying to rediscover that rhythm.
The Wolverines marched straight down the field on their first possession, with Bryce Underwood looking sharp, JJ Buchanan making big plays, and Jordan Marshall showing some wiggle. Michigan finished the drive with the offensive line powering things at the goal line, and Underwood capped it himself by diving into the end zone for a 7-0 lead.
After that, the offense went quiet.
Michigan’s defense has held up through the first half, and Dom Nichols has been a force, but the familiar offensive issues from last season have shown up again. The running game, usually a Michigan strength under Jim Harbaugh and still expected to be one under Sherrone Moore and Kyle Whittingham, has not gotten going. Jason Beck has had the No. 2 rushing offense in each of the last two seasons, so this may be an overreaction, but it is still a concern.
At the break, Michigan leads 7-6 and has just 46 rushing yards on 2.5 yards per carry. The line has provided almost no push, even with a veteran group in place. Jim Harding was brought in to clean up the offensive line, and while pass protection has looked better than the run blocking, the front isn’t creating space for the backs.
Jordan Marshall has 20 yards on eight carries, and Savion Hiter has eight yards on three carries.
If Michigan can’t run the ball against Western Michigan, it’s going to put even more on Bryce Underwood.
Underwood’s first series matched the preseason praise he received from Kyle Whittingham and Jason Beck for how quickly he has absorbed the offense and corrected old habits. He looked like a different quarterback on that opening drive. But the rest of the half told a different story.
He forced a throw on the second drive, and what looked like an interception while targeting Andrew Marsh was wiped out because the WMU defender was out of bounds. On the next series, Underwood locked onto JJ Buchanan and was lucky not to be picked off. He also showed some jittery footwork in the pocket while trying to complete routine throws.
Then, with less than a minute left in the half, Underwood threw an interception on Michigan’s final possession, another poor decision.
Michigan still has the lead, but it’s an ugly one, and Whittingham will need to find a spark coming out of halftime.
In Other News...
Big Ten Felt Forced To Address Michigan Ending Everyone Noticed
The late-game clock change in Michigans win over Western Michigan drew plenty of attention, and now the Big Ten has stepped in to explain it. According to the conference, replay officials restored one second after determining that a Western Michigan player who had stepped out of bounds still touched the ball with one second left, giving the crew a reason to adjust the clock.
The conference backed up the ruling by releasing video footage of the replay officials discussion, a move that usually tells you the noise around a call has gotten loud enough to demand a formal response. For Michigan, the play itself was only one small moment in a game that had already been decided, but the explanation became part of the postgame conversation anyway. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Fans Have Every Right To Worry About This Offense
Michigans offense gave fans plenty to chew on in the first half against Western Michigan, and not much of it was comforting. After an opening touchdown drive, the unit went quiet, managing only 41 yards the rest of the way as quarterback Bryce Underwood had a mixed start that quickly turned into a mess under pressure. The offensive line did not help matters, with problems showing up both in pass protection and in the run game.
Meanwhile, the defense did what it could to keep the game under control, limiting Western Michigan to 95 total yards and forcing a turnover on downs. But for a fan base trying to gauge what this offense might look like against better competition, the early struggles were hard to ignore. Underwoods interception only added to the unease, and Michigan will have to sort out whether this was just a rough stretch or a sign of bigger issues ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Underwoods First Michigan Test Will Reveal A Lot Fast
Bryce Underwood has spent fall camp making the kind of steady impression Michigan hoped to see from a freshman quarterback, with offensive coordinator Jason Beck saying the young passer has been more consistent as camp has gone on. Beck pointed to Underwoods decision-making and growing grasp of the offense as areas that have moved in the right direction, a notable sign for a team trying to build confidence around its new quarterback plan before the games start to count.
Beck also suggested Michigans offense may lean on more than one answer at several spots, with multiple players expected to factor into the receiver, running back and offensive line rotations. Freshman Tommy Carr has settled in as the No. 2 quarterback, and Beck sounded eager for the chance to see how all of it looks when the Wolverines finally line up for his first game in charge of the offense. [Read more 🡒]