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Preview: Michigan vs. Ohio State

RUSH OFFENSE vs. OHIO STATE RUSH DEFENSE

Michigan is #35 in rushing offense (194 yards/game) and #52 in rushing average (4.64 yards/carry). Starter Karan Higdon has been hampered by an ankle injury over the past couple weeks and managed just 7 attempts for 20 yards last week against Wisconsin. With Ty Isaac working through an injury, Michigan’s three-man rotation was largely limited to Chris Evans (11 carries for 25 yards last week). Michigan is #20 in Adjusted Line Yards and #49 in Standard Down Line Yards. The line had been playing better for a few weeks, but the Wisconsin game saw the lowest yards per carry (1.57) all season, as well as the lowest rushing output (58 yards), with the previous low being 102 against Michigan State. Ohio State is #12 in rushing defense (114 yards allowed/game), and they allow the 10th fewest yards per carry (3.16). Their defense is actually #1 in Adjusted Line Yards and #4 in Standard Down Line Yards, so they’re very stout up front with a lot of guys they can rotate in as part of the front four. They’re #8 in tackles for loss with defense ends Nick Bosa (6’4″, 270 lbs.) and Sam Hubbard (6’5″, 265) leading the way with 11.5 and 7.5, respectively. Somewhat surprisingly, Ohio State’s top two tacklers are safeties Jordan Fuller (6’2″, 207) with 54 and Damon Webb (5’11”, 195) with 49. The last time Ohio State’s leading tackler wasn’t a linebacker and the last time when the leading tackler didn’t have 100 tackles was in 2011, when safety C.J. Barnett led the squad with 75 tackles. The Buckeyes have some quality linebackers, but they don’t have a dominant player like Ryan Shazier or Raekwon McMillan.
Advantage: Ohio State

Hit the jump for the rest of the preview.

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Attractive Michigan Girl of the Week

Elle Johnson

If you have any other pictures of good looking girls wearing Michigan gear, drop me an e-mail. Go Blue!

School in the News: UCLA

San Marcos (CA) San Marcos WR Kyle Philips (image via Rivals)

As most of you know by now, UCLA fired head coach Jim Mora after a 28-23 loss over the weekend. The Bruins are 5-6 and have one remaining matchup against 5-6 Cal, which isn’t anywhere close to a guaranteed win. The Bruins elevated offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch (Michigan’s passing coordinator in 2015-2016) to interim head coach, but he wouldn’t be a splash hire long-term for UCLA.

Here’s a look at UCLA’s recruiting situation for 2018 and 2019:

2018 commits with Michigan offers: LB Kolin Demens, WR Jahan Dotson, CB Olaijah Griffin, WR Kyle Philips, QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson
2019 commits with Michigan offers: WR Kam Brown
Roster players offered by Michigan: OT Alex Akingbulu, DT Martin Andrus, TE Devin Asiasi, WR Demetric Felton, CB Darnay Holmes, WR Theo Howard, TE Jimmy Jaggers, RB Soso Jamabo, LB Mique Juarez, DE Keisean Lucier-South, DE Jaelan Phillips, CB Adarius Pickett, LB Kenny Young

It may not seem like Michigan recruits against UCLA very heavily, but when Jim Harbaugh and some of his staff first came from California, they had a lot of connections. I think Michigan’s staff may be redirecting their efforts since California kids are so difficult to recruit. Obviously, Devin Asiasi spent his freshman year at Michigan and has been redshirting for the entire 2017 season, so I doubt he’s going anywhere unless he wants to sit out another year. The only other player that Michigan was close to getting was Lucier-South, who appeared to be a Michigan lean at one point.

As for the 2018 and 2019 recruiting classes, Demens might be name that jumps off the screen. From Detroit (MI) Country Day, he’s the younger brother of former Michigan linebacker Kenny Demens, but the Wolverines coaching staff wasn’t pushing hard for him at any point, and the coaching change probably won’t change that. Quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, from Las Vegas (NV) Bishop Gorman, was considered a Michigan lean at one point, but he followed Fisch to UCLA and the Wolverines already have two quarterbacks committed for the 2018 class.

Michigan recently offered Kyle Philips, who plans to visit Michigan in early December. Otherwise, the coaching staff doesn’t seem close to getting anyone on campus, even though they have continued to recruit Olaijah Griffin. It will be interesting to see if UCLA’s next coach (hot names include Chip Kelly and Kevin Sumlin) can keep all of these players.

Way Too Early 2018 Depth Chart: November 2017

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Here’s my first dip into projecting the 2018 depth chart. I expect several of these guys to depart in the meantime, and there will be other additions. But based on the current roster, below is the depth chart Michigan could roll out next September.

Hit the jump for another early look at 2017.

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