Preview: Michigan at Utah

Rush Offense vs. Utah Rush Defense
Michigan returns five offensive linemen with significant starting experience, although a few of them are playing new positions and last year’s starting center left with a year of eligibility remaining. From left to right, we should see sophomore Mason Cole (12 career starts), redshirt junior Ben Braden (12), fifth year senior Graham Glasgow (24), redshirt junior Kyle Kalis (16), and redshirt junior Erik Magnuson (13). That’s 77 combined starts on the line, and while Glasgow played guard last year, he started nine games at center during the 2013 season. New offensive line coach (and offensive coordinator) Tim Drevno should make a positive difference. Michigan’s offensive linemen have talked about running a lot of zone, but it would be a surprise if they don’t work in some traps and powers, let alone an occasional counter. On the other side, Utah’s best defensive unit is their line, but they were more effective at rushing the passer than they were at stopping the run. Junior defensive end Hunter Dimick made 14.5 tackles for loss, and sophomore defensive tackle Lowell Lotuleilei is stout in the middle. Senior linebacker Jared Norris is the star of the back seven after making 116 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and 4 sacks last season. Michigan has to improve its running game, and I think they will with the improved offensive line and a solid stable of running backs.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for the rest of the Utah preview.

Pass Offense vs. Utah Pass Defense
Michigan did not have a good passing offense last season, and instead of inserting backup Shane Morris, the Wolverines will almost certainly start Iowa transfer Jake Rudock. Rudock is not a dynamite athlete or passer, but he’s a step up from Morris and the shell of Devin Gardner that was left by 2014. He knows how to check down to tight ends, running backs, and short routes without forcing the ball deep. My biggest concern for Michigan is finding receivers who can move the ball down the field in chunks. The Wolverines have a possession guy in redshirt junior Amara Darboh and a pretty good tight end in Jake Butt; however, big plays have been lacking in the passing game since Devin Funchess got injured early last year. Drake Harris – who has had hamstring injuries for the past two years – has reportedly turned into a deep threat this year, and he will be looked upon as a possible dynamo. Otherwise, Rudock will have to dink and dunk his way down the field. Meanwhile, Utah has an extremely good pass rush, even with Nate Orchard (18.5 sacks last year) off to the NFL; remove his sacks entirely from last year’s team total, and the Utes would still rank 20th. The returning defensive linemen alone had 26 total sacks, which is just 3 fewer than Michigan’s entire team had in 2014. The leader of the pass rush is Dimick (10 sacks last year), followed by defensive end/outside linebacker Jason Fanaika (5), with linebacker Norris adding 4. Linebacker Gionni Paul had 4 interceptions last year to lead the team, but Utah lost both safeties to the NFL and starting cornerback Dominique Hatfield to off-the-field troubles. Of the returning defensive backs, they have just 1 interception from last season. The pass rush will make this scary for the Wolverines.
Advantage: Utah

Rush Defense vs. Utah Rush Offense
Michigan should have a very good defensive front seven, even though mammoth nose tackle Bryan Mone is out for the year with a broken leg. The coaching staff has moved defensive tackle Willie Henry (6’3″, 311 lbs.) to defensive end, which helps put the best group of defensive linemen on the field at the same time. He may not play end in obvious passing situations, but he should help the Wolverines stop the run. Meanwhile, redshirt junior nose tackle Ryan Glasgow holds up well in the middle, and Michigan has three senior linebackers, including leading returning tackler Joe Bolden, one of the team captains. Michigan even has some experienced backups they can send out there, including redshirt junior defensive end Chris Wormley and junior linebacker Ben Gedeon. The coaching staff has played it coy so far about their defensive front, which should be some kind of mix of 4-3 and 3-4 looks. The Utes lost left tackle Jeremiah Poutasi to the 3rd round of the NFL draft, and he will be replaced by junior Sam Tevi, but it was a team that was just barely in the top third in Adjusted Line Yards last season. Senior running back Devontae Booker (5’11”, 212 lbs.) has earned a lot of hype for his 1,512 yards last season, but he averaged 5.18 yards/carry last season, which is good but not otherworldly; he was held under 100 yards in three out of his last five games last season, and Michigan held him to 11 carries for 34 yards in week three. Senior Bubba Poole (6’0″, 197 lbs.) is Booker’s primary backup, and he averaged 4.31 yards/carry last season with 3 touchdowns. A bit of a wild card is 6’7″, 233 lb. quarterback Travis Wilson, who can move well enough to move the chains. Michigan should fare pretty well in this matchup.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. Utah Pass Offense
Michigan should be mostly solid in this phase of the game, too. The Wolverines lost starting cornerback Blake Countess (transfer to Auburn) and their top two pass rushing defensive ends (Frank Clark, Brennen Beyer), but top cover corner Jourdan Lewis returns for his junior year, and elite 2014 recruit Jabrill Peppers comes back after receiving a medical redshirt for a lower leg injury he suffered early in the season. The defensive backfield is supplemented by returning starting safety Jarrod Wilson, Stanford transfer Wayne Lyons, new cornerback starter Channing Stribling, and several other experienced players at safety. The Wolverines have to figure out where their pass rush will come from, although there’s potential with Buck linebacker Mario Ojemudia, defensive end Chris Wormley, and tackle/end Henry. The Utes lost wideouts Kaelin Clay and Dres Anderson, their two big-play receivers. The top returning pass catcher is senior Kenneth Scott (6’3″, 208 lbs.), who caught 49 passes for 501 yards and 4 touchdowns last year. The other two projected starters had a total of 2 catches last season. Utah also lost a pretty solid tight end named Westlee Tonga (30 catches, 391 yards, 4 touchdowns), who will be replaced by Siale Fakailoatonga (2 catches, 33 yards). Quarterback Wilson completed 60.7% of his passes for 2,170 yards, 18 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions last year, but the vast majority of his receiving yardage and big-play targets are gone. Booker is also a viable target out of the backfield after gaining 311 yards through the air on 42 receptions. The passing game does not seem too intimidating for Michigan.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• The only Utah player who was recruited by Michigan was OT Jackson Barton
• Utah has a cornerback named Boobie Hobbs
• Linebacker Uaea Masina is the brother of 2015 linebacker Osa Masina (USC)
• Assistant head coach/running backs coach Dennis Erickson is the former head coach of the San Francisco 49ers, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Hurricanes
• Wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield was a standout receiver at Purdue

Last Time They Played…

• Utah WR Kaelin Clay returned a punt 66 yards for a touchdown when Michigan sent only 10 players onto the field for the punt team
• Michigan DT Willie Henry picked off a pass and returned it 7 yards for a touchdown
• Shane Morris stepped in as a backup for Devin Gardner and went 4/13 for 42 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 1 interception
• Jake Ryan led Michigan with 13 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, and 1 sack
• Utah 26, Michigan 10

Predictions

• Utah struggles offensively without big-play receiving threats
• Michigan stays vanilla in the first half to feel out Utah
• Jabrill Peppers plays some slot receiver in the first half, quarterback in the second half
• Drake Harris scores his first college touchdown
• Michigan 20, Utah 17

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