Tag: game preview

Preview: Michigan vs. Maryland

RUSH OFFENSE vs. MARYLAND RUSH DEFENSE

Michigan is #36 in rushing offense (206 yards/game) and #28 in yards per carry (5.24). Running back Karan Higdon has 115+ yards in three out of his four games at 6.3 yards per attempt. With backup Chris Evans out due to a hamstring injury last week, it was Higdon’s show in a tight game against Northwestern: Higdon out-carried third-stringer Tru Wilson, 30-to-1. The offensive line has been okay, but they aren’t capable of paving the way in the run game when teams aren’t respecting the pass. Michigan tends to run left only, perhaps so they can run bootlegs back to quarterback Shea Patterson’s dominant hand. Maryland is #18 in rushing defense (104 yards allowed/game), and they’re holding opponents to 2.67 yards allowed/carry, which is tied for #8 nationally. It helps that they have played four teams who are #127, #91, #84, and #34 in rushing (Tulsa is #34). Of course, Maryland helped put those teams low in the rankings, but the Terps haven’t been playing the cream of the rushing crop. Senior linebacker Tre Watson (6’2″, 236 lbs.), a transfer from Illinois, leads the team with 39 tackles, following by 6’1″, 245 lb. junior linebacker Isaiah Davis (32). Junior safety Antoine Brooks, Jr. (5’11”, 210) and senior safety Darnell Savage, Jr. (5’11”, 200) lead the team with 4.5 and 4.0 tackles for loss, respectively, a category in which Maryland ranks 52nd. I don’t think Michigan will tee off on the Terrapins, but I think they will have a slight advantage.
Advantage: Michigan

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Preview: Michigan at Northwestern

RUSH OFFENSE vs. NORTHWESTERN RUSH DEFENSE

Michigan is #36 overall (212 yards/game) at running the ball, even after a dominant game last week that saw them run for 285 yards. Karan Higdon has been a difference-maker in his last two games played (25 carries, 292 yards, 2 TD), but he missed the SMU game with an undisclosed injury. The Wolverines will probably be looking to junior Tru Wilson (23 carries, 150 yards, 1 TD) as the primary backup, and it will be interesting to see whether sophomore O’Maury Samuels (9 carries, 49 yards) or freshman Christian Turner (10 carries, 55 yards) steps in next, with junior Chris Evans likely out with a hamstring injury. Up front the offensive line has continued to improve, and left tackle Jon Runyan, Jr. played his best game last week. Northwestern is #42 in rushing defense (130 yards allowed/game) and #59 in yards allowed per carry (3.89). Redshirt sophomore MIKE Paddy Fisher (6’4″, 241 lbs.) leads the team with 28 tackles, followed by sophomore WILL Blake Gallagher (6’1″, 227) with 26 and fifth year senior Nate Hall (6’2″, 231) has 21. The Wildcats are #95 in tackles for loss, led by redshirt junior defensive end Joe Gaziano (6’4″, 275) with 4. Senior defensive tackle Jordan Thompson (6’3″, 292) is second with 3. Northwestern runs a 4-3 or 4-2-5 defense.
Advantage: Michigan

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Preview: Michigan vs. Nebraska

RUSH OFFENSE vs. NEBRASKA RUSH DEFENSE

Michigan is #60 in rush offense (188 yards/game) and #37 in yards per carry (5.17). Senior Karan Higdon (228 yards, 6.7 YPC, 2 TD) leads the way, even though he missed last week’s game with a lower-body injury. Junior Chris Evans (172/5.7/2) is second, but he left last week’s game with what looked like a hamstring pull (or maybe just a cramp). Both players are expected to return against Nebraska, but that could come down to a game-time decision. The third guy on the depth chart is junior walk-on Tru Wilson (107/6.3/1), who has done okay but is unremarkable. Up front Michigan has struggled with stacked boxes at times, but on the plus side, right tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty graded out as Pro Football Focus’s top Big Ten right tackle last week. Nebraska is #20 in rushing defense (93.5 yards allowed/game), holding Colorado to 44 yards on the ground before giving up a modest 143 yards to Troy on 34 attempts. Junior inside linebacker Mohamed Barry (6’1″, 230 lbs.) leads the team with 15 tackles, followed closely by junior linebacker Tyrin Ferguson (6’2″, 230) with 14 and senior Luke Griffin (6’4″, 245) with 14.
Advantage: Nebraska

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Preview: Michigan vs. SMU

This has been another ridiculously busy week, so here’s an abbreviated preview for tomorrow’s game.

MICHIGAN RUSHING OFFENSE

Rushing Offense: #65 (183 yards/game), #39 (5.38 yards/attempt)
Leading rushers: RB Karan Higdon (228 yards, 6.71 YPC, 2 TD), RB Chris Evans (87 yards, 7.3 YPC, 2 TD), RB Tru Wilson (54 yards, 9.0 YPC)

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Preview: Michigan vs. Western Michigan

RUSHING OFFENSE vs. WMU RUSHING DEFENSE

Senior running back Karan Higdon (21 carries, 72 yards, 1 TD) dominated the carry count last week against Notre Dame; the only other running back to carry the ball was Chris Evans (2 carries, 1 yard). The offensive line’s blocking was okay against a solid Notre Dame front, but they weren’t getting to their second-level blocks and Higdon didn’t do the team many favors by missing a gaping hole and failing to break tackles. His longest carry went for 9 yards. Michigan’s line will likely remain the same as last week, meaning left tackle Jon Runyan, Jr. and right tackle Juwann Bushell-Beatty will still have something to prove. Western Michigan’s defensive line consists of light defensive ends (240 and 235 lbs.), a decent sized nose tackle (converted offensive lineman Wesley French, who’s 6’5″, 295), and a light 3-tech (Ralph Holley, who’s 6’2″, 270). Free safety A.J. Thomas led the team in tackles last week against spread-happy Syracuse, but junior linebacker Alex Grace (6’1″, 220) is the front seven’s most effective tackler. Syracuse allowed 334 rushing yards to the Orange last week.
Advantage: Michigan

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