PSU-Michigan report card
The ugly truth showed up in the grades, and it was hard to ignore. Iowa State left Michigan with a C- overall, a number that matched the feel of the afternoon: competitive enough to hang around, but not nearly clean enough to pull off anything bigger.
The quarterback spot drew a D, and the box score only told part of the story. Becht finished 28-for-44 for 267 yards, but at least two of his three second-half turnovers were called unacceptable, especially for a veteran quarterback. He also continued to struggle in the red zone, and Campbell made it clear there would be no change to Manske.
The offense never found much breathing room on the ground. Hansen fought for every one of his 15 carries and finished with 51 yards, while Peoples and Martin were barely involved.
The Nits averaged just 2.2 yards on 30 rushes and have now gone under 70 rushing yards in each of the last three games. That drought was tied directly to the line in front of them, which earned an F.
This unit could not create space against the defensive front, much less get anyone into the secondary.
There was one bright spot that kept the passing game from completely stalling out. The receivers and tight ends earned an A, and Sowell was the centerpiece of it all with 11 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown, with several of those grabs coming in tight coverage.
Eskildsen finished with three catches for 28 yards and had a tough call on a pick play. The tight ends also chipped in heavily, combining for 12 catches: Rapp had seven for 34, Brahmer added four for 24, and Burkle caught one for 20.
As a group, they did a better job getting to the sticks.
Still, the offensive coaching got a D, and the same old issue kept resurfacing. The Nits came in ranked in the bottom 20% of the country in red-zone offense, and the opening drive ended the same way too often does: Becht was sacked, then there was an incompletion, then a short field goal. A late substitution also cost them a timeout, and Kujos was part of the two-point conversion sequence.
On the other side of the ball, the defensive line earned a C as the game wore on and the holes got bigger. The tackles were not occupying enough space, despite the preseason hype, and Blanding made his first start.
Taupaki was hit with a personal foul, while Bacon delivered a big stop early. The group produced just one sack in 18 Michigan dropbacks.
The linebackers were the steadiest part of the front seven and got a B. Rojas turned in another strong showing with a game-high 12 tackles and two tackles for loss.
Ebel, Iowa State’s co-leader in tackles last year, added seven, but there was too often nobody home on Michigan’s long runs and on the decisive option touchdown. Brezina’s role looked worth expanding, and Tatsch is out for the year.
The secondary was the most electric unit on the field and came away with an A. Zayas’ one-handed interception was the kind of play you rarely see, and Tracy also showed sharp awareness by snaring a Michigan bobble.
Both plays were wasted in the end. Collins was flagged for pass interference, and Patton, who made five tackles, has moved ahead of Neal, though Neal did play.
Defensively, the coaching grade was a C. If you go to the Big House and allow 21 points, you have to win.
The run defense in the second half was not good, but the defense still kept the Nits in the game and deserved a better ending. Lynn also needs to start teaching edge contain before November.
Special teams landed at a B. Tiyce averaged only 38 yards on five punts, but two of them were pinned inside the 10, including one late after the defense allowed a big run. Dixson’s block in the back on a punt return put the Nits at their own 8, and two plays later Becht fumbled.
As for the other side, Whittingham made the right call in pulling Underwood, much to the delight of the Michigan fans. Even more impressive was the way Tommy Carr handled things: efficient passing, excellent running, and no turnovers. The backs ran hard, and Michigan’s defense was strong.
Campbell’s tone after the game suggested the bar may be slipping toward simply staying in it. Maybe he’s starting to see what everyone else can see too: the Nits do not have enough talent. The losing streak is now four, and an open date arrives next.
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