Tag: game preview

Preview: Michigan vs. Maryland

Taylor Burton is Miss Maryland 2014

Rush Offense vs. Maryland Rush Defense
Despite a preference for running, Michigan is #78 nationally with 154 yards/game on the ground. They average 4.51 yards/carry, good enough for #57. The offensive line is improving, and head coach Brady Hoke claimed that the Northwestern game was their best performance of the season. The leading rusher is De’Veon Smith (487 yards, 5.1 yards/carry, 6 touchdowns), who finally overtook Derrick Green, a player that has been out since the Rutgers game. Smith looked good when he was decisive and hitting the hole hard against Northwestern, and he looked bad when he was trying to dance in the backfield. Drake Johnson (6.2 yards/carry, 2 touchdowns) has seen an uptick in his carries over the past couple weeks, but a fumble against Northwestern sent him into the doghouse. Maryland is #99 in rushing defense and gives up 198 yards/game, but their 4.32 yards/carry mark against them is #69. Junior strong safety/cornerback Sean Davis (6’1″, 190 lbs.) is their leading tackler with 94 stops, and senior inside linebacker Cole Farrand (6’3″, 245 lbs.) is second with 91. Sophomore outside linebacker Yannick Ngakoue (6’2″, 250 lbs.) leads the team with 12.5 tackles for loss, and undersized fifth year senior defensive tackle Andre Monroe (6’0″, 265 lbs.) is just behind him with 11. The only defensive lineman in the two-deep that is bigger than 275 lbs. is senior Darius Kilgo, the backup nose tackle in the Terrapins’ 3-4 look. This should be a manageable front to handle, talent-wise, and Michigan has some experience going against 3-4 defenses from the season opener against Appalachian State.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for the rest of the preview.

Pass Offense vs. Maryland Pass Defense
Michigan is #114 in passing yardage with 169 yards/game, and they’re 115th in passer efficiency. The passing offense is essentially broken. Quarterback Devin Gardner completes just over 61% of his passes but has thrown 13 interceptions with only 8 touchdowns. The leading receiver is Devin Funchess (50 catches, 595 yards, 4 touchdowns), who averages pedestrian 11.9 yards/catch. Amara Darboh (30 catches, 403 yards, 2 touchdowns) has turned into a favorite, and tight end Jake Butt (13 catches, 148 yards, 1 touchdown) is an underused threat. Michigan has allowed 19 sacks, which is 51st in the country. Maryland is tied for 28th in getting to the quarterback with 27 sacks altogether, led by Monroe (8 sacks) and Ngakoue (5.5). They also are 33rd in passer efficiency rating defense. Even so, the Terps are 86th in passing yardage allowed (239 yards/game). Sophomore cornerback William Likely has 5 interceptions, which he has returned for 141 yards and 2 touchdowns (against Syracuse and Iowa). Since I don’t do a separate special teams section, I’ll mention here that Likely averages over 32 yards/return on kickoffs and almost 11 yards/return on punts, including a score. Likely is dangerous, and Michigan is bad in this phase.
Advantage: Maryland

Rush Defense vs. Maryland Rush Offense
Michigan is one of four Big Ten teams in the top eight nationally in rushing defense, behind Penn State (#1) and Wisconsin (#5), and ahead of Michigan State (#8). The Wolverines are #7 and allow 103 yards/game. The last opponent, Northwestern, ended up with -9 total rushing yards. Jake Ryan (90 tackles, 13 tackles for loss) has grown more comfortable in his middle linebacker position, and weakside linebacker Joe Bolden (79 tackles) has matured somewhat, too. The most improved player this year might be nose tackle Ryan Glasgow, who has 20 tackles and 3 tackles for loss while clogging the middle. Unfortunately, Michigan lost their best defensive lineman when senior Frank Clark was kicked off the team earlier this week for a domestic violence incident. Junior Mario Ojemudia (24 tackles, 7 tackles for loss) slides into Clark’s vacated weakside end spot. Maryland is #113 in rushing (114 yards/game) and led by sixth year senior quarterback C.J. Brown (6’3″, 210 lbs.), who has 375 yards, 5 touchdowns, and a 3.2 yards/carry average, which isn’t bad for a quarterback who takes some sacks. Neither of Maryland’s backs is very effective, with redshirt sophomore Wes Brown (6’0″, 210 lbs.) averaging 3.4 yards and redshirt junior Brandon Ross (5’10”, 205 lbs.) averaging 4.1. Fifth year senior center Sal Conaboy (6’3″, 295 lbs.) is the best lineman, and the rest are not particularly big, experienced, or accomplished.
Advantage: Michigan


Pass Defense vs. Maryland Pass Offense
Michigan is #25 against the pass (198 yards/game) and #68 in passer efficiency rating defense. Clark was the team’s best pass rusher despite being second on the team in sacks behind defensive end Brennen Beyer (5.5 sacks), a guy who lacks some athleticism but wins battles by being relentless. Ojemudia has 3.5 sacks in a backup role, so he may provide a bit of a spark at some points. Defensive tackle Willie Henry can get after the quarterback, too, but he has been playing less lately after an injury he suffered against Rutgers. On the back end, Michigan has just 5 interceptions on the season, which is tied for 111th. Corner Jourdan Lewis is the only defensive back to notch an interception, and fellow corners Blake Countess and Delonte Hollowell have been picked on. Hollowell, in particular, will be targeted if he enters the game as a backup or dime corner. Meanwhile, Maryland is #66 in passing (230 yards/game) and #90 in passer efficiency. Brown completes fewer than 53% of his passes, averages just 6.2 yards/attempt, and has a subpar 11-to-9 touchdown to interception ratio. On top of his issues, they will be missing star receiver Stefon Diggs (lacerated kidney) and backup Juwann Winfree (suspension). Senior Deon Long (6’1″, 180 lbs.) will be the top target and has 38 catches for 450 yards and 1 touchdown. Redshirt junior Marcus Leak (6’0″, 210 lbs.) averages 15.3 yards/catch and has 3 touchdowns, but he has failed to record a catch in three of the last four games and has just 2 catches for 23 yards in that entire span. Ross is a threat out of the backfield, but overall, this should not be an intimidating receiving corps. Maryland has allowed 27 sacks, which is tied for #103 in the country. Long might make some plays, but this should not be a phase that the Terrapins win.
Advantage: Michigan


Roster Notes

• Players recruited by Michigan include RB Wes Brown, QB Shane Cockerille, WR Stefon Diggs, LB Clarence Murphy, LB Yannick Ngakoue, OT Damian Prince, WR Will Ulmer, WR Juwann Winfree
• Wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell was a two-time Pro Bowl receiver, most notably for the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last Time They Played . . . 

• Michigan is 3-0 historically against Maryland, including the last time they met, which was 1990
• Elvis Grbac went 15/25 for 2 touchdowns and 1 interception
• Jon Vaughn had 22 carries for 89 yards and 2 touchdowns
• Desmond Howard caught 3 passes for 59 yards and 1 touchdown
• Neil Simpson led the team with 10 tackles
• Vada Murray, Martin Davis, and Lance Dottin each had 1 interception
• Michigan won by a score of 45-17

Predictions

• Michigan holds Maryland under 100 yards rushing
• De’Veon Smith goes for 120 yards and 2 touchdowns
• Michigan’s defense actually defends the pass for a change
• Michigan 23, Maryland 17

Preview: Michigan at Northwestern

Anna Faith Carlson: Sure, that shirt looks purple, right?

Rush Offense vs. Northwestern Rush Defense
Michigan is #73 in rushing offense with 155 yards/game and they are tied for #55 with 4.54 yards/carry. Sophomore De’Veon Smith (366 yards, 4.8 yards/carry, 5 touchdowns) is still second on the team behind the injured Derrick Green, but redshirt junior Justice Hayes (169 yards, 4.1 yards/carry) and redshirt sophomore Drake Johnson (163 yards, 7.8 yards/carry) are gaining ground in both yardage and snaps. The offensive line opened some gaping holes last week, but it was against Indiana. Meanwhile, the Northwestern Wildcats are middle of the pack at #66 in rushing defense, giving up 166 yards/game, and #58 in rushing average defense (4.06 yards/carry). They have given up 221+ yards in four games this year, all of them losses; interestingly, they held run-heavy Minnesota to 121 yards and 3.1 yards/carry a couple weeks ago in a close loss. Their leading tackler once again is redshirt senior Chi Chi Ariguzo (6’3″, 235 lbs.) while the two corners and a safety occupy the next three slots on the leader board. Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Greg Kuhar (6’3″, 300 lbs.) is the leading tackler on the defensive line with 27 total. Junior defensive end Dean Lowry (6’6″, 265 lbs.) and Ariguzo lead in tackles for loss with 5.0 and 4.0, respectively. Overall, the Wildcats are tied for #98 nationally with 44 takedowns behind the line. Michigan’s offensive line seems to be improving incrementally, so I would expect this to be a pretty mediocre performance from both teams’ units.
Advantage: Push

Hit the jump for the rest of the preview.

Pass Offense vs. Northwestern Pass Defense
Despite throwing for more than 200 yards for the first time this season against Indiana, Michigan is still #112 in passing this year with 175 yards/game through the air. Michigan is tied with those Hoosiers at #112 in passer efficiency. It has been ugly. Senior quarterback Devin Gardner has matched his 2011 total of 11 interceptions in just nine games, and while he has completed 63% of his passes, he has thrown only 8 touchdowns. The receivers are unable to get separation, and the offensive line doesn’t give Gardner much time to allow deep routes to develop. Michigan is tied for 78th in giving up sacks (19 so far). Junior Devin Funchess leads the team with 572 yards and 4 touchdowns, but he averages under 12 yards/catch and still looks slowed by an early-season ankle injury. Northwestern is #55 in giving up 222 yards/game through the air, and they are #44 in passer efficiency rating defense. They are tied for 38th with 9 interceptions on the season, led by redshirt freshman safety Godwin Igwebuike (6’0″, 190 lbs.) with 3 and redshirt junior corner Nick VanHoose (6’0″, 190 lbs.) with 2. VanHoose has 9 pass breakups, and Lowry – the 6’6″ defensive end – has knocked down 5 passes. The Wildcats struggle to get to the passer, as they are tied for 93rd with 14 sacks, led by Lowry (3.5) and redshirt sophomore Ifeadi Odenigbo (6’3″, 235 lbs.) with 3; the latter, however, has failed to make a tackle in the last four games and has ceded time due to inconsistency. At this point I can’t give Michigan’s passing game the edge on anyone.
Advantage: Northwestern

Rush Defense vs. Northwestern Rush Offense
Michigan is #16 in the country, giving up just 116 yards/game on the ground. They give up just 3.15 yards/carry, which is 13th nationally. The leading tackler is middle linebacker Jake Ryan, who was named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Week last week; he now has 79 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss on the season. Second on the team is weakside linebacker Joe Bolden with 72 before a significant dropoff to safety Jarrod Wilson. Defensive end Frank Clark is second on the team with 11 tackles for loss. Northwestern is experienced up front with two redshirt juniors and three seniors starting on the line, including fifth year senior center Brandon Vitabile (6’3″, 310 lbs.), who is on the Rimington Trophy watch list and was honorable mention all-conference last year. However, the Wildcats are #107 in rushing with just under 125 yards/game, and they average a paltry 3.23 yards/carry, which is 115th. True freshman running back Justin Jackson (5’11”, 180 lbs.), a player I wanted Michigan to recruit, has taken the bulk of the workload from senior Treyvon Green (5’10”, 215 lbs.). Jackson has 726 yards and 5 touchdowns while averaging 4.6 yards/carry; meanwhile, Green averages 3.4 yards/carry and has yet to score.
Advantage: Michigan


Pass Defense vs. Northwestern Pass Offense
Michigan is #17 in pass defense, allowing 189 yards/game, but they are #80 in passer efficiency defense. Teams that have it together through the air have hurt them, but the Wolverines have handled lesser passing offenses pretty well. Michigan has managed just 3 interceptions this season, 1 of which came from a defensive tackle. Even their pass breakup totals have been poor – Michigan has just 17 pass breakups (#121 nationally) on the year, while opponents have knocked down 39 of Devin Gardner’s throws. Michigan is tied for #43 nationally with 21 sacks, led by senior ends Brennen Beyer (4.5) and Frank Clark (3.0). Northwestern’s offensive line is tied for #103, as they have given up 23 sacks of fifth year senior quarterback Trevor Siemian (6’3″, 210 lbs.), a pure pocket passer. They are #90 with 205 yards/game through the air, and they are #121 in passer efficiency rating. Siemian has completed 56% of his passes for 4 touchdowns and 6 interceptions on 5.5 yards/attempt. The leading receiver is fifth year senior Kyle Prater (6’5″, 225 lbs.), who averages 9.9 yards/catch, and he is followed by H-back-type junior Dan Vitale (6’2″, 225 lbs.), who has 26 catches for 282 yards and 1 score. It is not an intimidating group of receivers.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• Players recruited by Michigan include superback Garrett Dickerson, OG Tommy Doles, DT Greg Kuhar, DE Ifeadi Odenigbo, OT Eric Olson, WR Kyle Prater, WR Miles Shuler, and CB Parrker Westphal
• Players from the state of Michigan include Grand Rapids Christian OG Tommy Doles, Grand Blanc WR Tony Jones, DeWitt OT Paul Jorgensen

Last Time They Played . . .

• James Ross III made 13 tackles and 1 tackle for loss
• Trevor Siemian went 19/28 for 153 yards and 1 interception
• Northwestern safety Traveon Henry made 13 tackles and 2 tackles for loss
• Drew Dileo slid into his holder position to set up for Brendan Gibbons’s game-tying 44-yard field goal at the end of regulation
• Michigan won 27-19 in triple-overtime on a 5-yard Devin Gardner touchdown run

Predictions

• Raymon Taylor makes his first interception of the season
• Michigan utilizes tight end Jake Butt for some big catches
• Michigan’s defense shuts down Northwestern
• Despite being 0-3 on the road this year: Michigan 17, Northwestern 14

Preview: Michigan vs. Indiana

Rush Offense vs. Indiana Rush Defense
Michigan is #79 in rushing this season, but not for a lack of trying. They’re #56 in rushing average (4.45 yards/carry) and #90 in rushing attempts (272 total). Not exactly what you would expect from a Michigan team. Aside from a fairly productive blip against Penn State, Michigan has not gained more than 83 yards rushing in its last four games, with 64 or fewer yards in the last two. The team’s leading rusher is still Derrick Green, who has missed the past two games with a broken collarbone. Sophomore De’Veon Smith has amassed 33 carries in the last three games, but he has just 94 yards to show for it. Redshirt junior backup Justice Hayes has picked up some of the slack with 16 carries over the past two, but he has not been very effective either. Fifth year senior quarterback Devin Gardner is playing on an injured ankle behind a shoddy offensive line with a coach who doesn’t like to run him very much, so don’t expect much from Gardner on the ground. Indiana, meanwhile, is #74 against the run (169 yards/game) and tied for #78 in giving up 4.46 yards/carry, so they are below average but not terrible. The leading tackler is sophomore linebacker T.J. Simmons (6’0″, 230 lbs.) with 43 tackles, while senior cornerback Tim Bennett (5’9″, 185 lbs.) and sophomoe safety Antonio Allen (5’10”, 205 lbs.) are close behind with 38 and 36, respectively. Nobody truly terrifying exists on the defensive line, but sophomore nose tackle Nate Hoff (6’2″, 305 lbs.), senior defensive end Bobby Richardson (6’3″, 286 lbs.), and redshirt sophomore backup nose tackle Ralph Green III (6’5″, 325 lbs.) are the leaders in tackles for loss. In the last three games, Indiana has allowed 4.1+ yards/carry in each contest, including 330 yards on 6.5 yards/carry against Michigan State in their last outing. Michigan will not approximate those numbers, but I believe they will have a solid day running the ball.
Advantage: Michigan

Hit the jump for the rest of the preview.

Pass Offense vs. Indiana Pass Defense
The Wolverines are #116 in passing offense (170 yards/game), #120 in passer rating, and they’ve thrown more interceptions than 119 teams. It’s an ugly passing offense because the offensive line is bad, the receivers can’t get separation, and Gardner looks lost at the quarterback position most of the time. He has completed 61% of his passes for 6 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His favorite target is junior Devin Funchess (41 catches, 12.8 yards/catch, 4 touchdowns), and his second favorite is redshirt sophomore Amara Darboh (15 yards/catch), who is quite the acrobat but runs routes like he’s never been coached. The Wolverines have allowed 18 sacks, which is tied for 80th nationally. Defensively, Indiana is tied for #83 nationally with 14 sacks, and they are led by Richardson with 4 quarterback takedowns. They are #114 against the pass, giving up 283 yards/game, and #88 in passer efficiency defense. They are tied for #89 in interceptions with 5 total, led by freshman linebacker Tegray Scales’s (6’0″, 216 lbs.) 2 picks. Bennett has 8 pass breakups after notching 20 last season. The Wolverines had a great deal of success last season against this defense when Gardner set a Michigan record with 503 passing yards, but that included 14 catches and 369 yards from the departed Jeremy Gallon. Nobody else has shown that kind of explosiveness. Michigan should still be able to throw the ball, but this season makes no sense.
Advantage: Indiana

Rush Defense vs. Indiana Rush Offense
The Wolverines had a bad week against Michigan State in their last outing, but they’re still #16 while giving up 109 yards/game. They allow just 3.06 yards/carry, which is #12. Michigan’s leading tackler is Jake Ryan with 68, and fellow linebacker Joe Bolden has 63. Ryan has 10 tackles for loss, while senior defensive end Frank Clark has 9.5. Michigan got overpowered last week by a physical offensive line and a power running back, but this will be a different challenge with a more athletic offensive line and a speedier back. Indiana’s premier player is junior running back Tevin Coleman (6’1″, 210 lbs.), who is the nation’s top runner (170 yards/game) and averages 8.8 yards/carry. Coleman is a slasher who can take it to the house on any given play, and he runs with a little bit of power, too. Senior backup D’Angelo Roberts (5’10”, 207 lbs.) averages a healthy 5.0 yards/carry and has 5 touchdowns on 83 carries. Fifth year senior center Collin Rahrig (6’2″, 285 lbs.) and junior left tackle Jason Spriggs (6’7″, 300 lbs.) were both All-Big Ten honorable mention last season, but Spriggs was carted off the field in Indiana’s last game with an apparent neck injury. Offensive line coach Greg Frey was Michigan’s line coach for three years, and I was impressed with his player development; this will be a solid group, but they’ll be hurting a little bit if Spriggs does not return. Coleman averaged 7 yards/carry against Missouri, 15 yards/carry against Iowa, and 9 yards/carry against Michigan State. If Michigan shuts down the Hoosiers on the ground, it would be a great feat.
Advantage: Indiana


Pass Defense vs. Indiana Pass Offense
Michigan is #41 against the pass (210 yards/game), which is no small feat considering some early struggles and the offense’s inability to keep the defense off the field. They’re #79 in passer efficiency rating defense and tied for #115 in interceptions with just 3, including 2 by sophomore Jourdan Lewis; he also leads the team with 4 pass breakups, which is not a significant number. The corners and linebackers are talented, but the safeties often appear clueless. Michigan is #38 in sacks with 19, led by energetic but limited senior defensive end Brennen Beyer with 4. The linebackers don’t blitz as often as perhaps they should, so that leaves the pass rush up to the defensive linemen, who have 15 of the 19 sacks. The Hoosiers are #114 in passing (170 yards/game) and #108 in passer efficiency rating. Those numbers might get worse, too. Starting quarterback Nate Sudfeld hurt his shoulder, backup Chris Covington tore his ACL, and the job will go to true freshman Zander Diamont (6’1″, 175 lbs.), whom the Hoosiers were hoping to redshirt. In his only action this season, he went 5/15 for 11 yards, plus 10 carries for -12 yards, against Michigan State. If Indiana has a chance to win this game, it’s with the running game. The receivers are led by slot guy Shane Wynn (5’7″, 167 lbs.), a speedy kid averaging 15.7 yards/catch. Senior Nick Stoner (6’1″, 190 lbs.) and freshman J-Shun Harris (5’8″, 180 lbs.) are the other starters, but both are averaging fewer than 10 yards/catch.
Advantage: Michigan


Roster Notes

• The lone Indiana player recruited by Michigan is OG Tim Gardner
• Players from the state of Michigan include Orchard Lake St. Mary’s LB Kenny Arnold and Macomb Dakota OG Bernard Taylor
• Offensive line coach Greg Frey was Michigan’s offensive line coach from 2008-2010 under Rich Rodriguez
• Michigan cornerback Raymon Taylor was committed to Indiana at one point

Last Time They Played . . . 

• Devin Gardner threw for 503 yards, ran for 81 yards, and totaled 5 touchdowns
• Jeremy Gallon caught 14 passes for 369 yards (#2 in FBS history) and 2 touchdowns
• Thomas Gordon made 2 interceptions, and Raymon Taylor broke up 4 passes
• The two teams combined for 1,323 yards of offense, 63 first downs, and 110 points
• Michigan 63, Indiana 47

 Predictions

• Michigan adds 2 interceptions to their season total
• The Wolverines manage a respectable running game with 170 yards
• Tevin Coleman runs 20 times for 160 yards
• Michigan 28, Indiana 21

Preview: Michigan at Michigan State

Rush Offense vs. Michigan State Rush Defense
Michigan is in the middle of the pack in rushing. They rank #66 in yards per game (164) and #46 in yards/carry (4.67). Starting running back Derrick Green is out for the season, so default starter De’Veon Smith stepped in last week and carried the ball 12 times for 24 yards against a very good Penn State front. Overall, he averages 5.2 yards/carry but will cede some time to third down back Justice Hayes (4.7 yards/carry). Michigan State is #10 in rush defense, allowing just 102 yards/game, and they are #36 in giving up 3.46 yards/carry. Fifth year senior safety Kurtis Drummond (6’1″, 202 lbs.) leads the team with 33 tackles, 29 of them solo. Redshirt junior strong safety R.J. Williamson (5’10”, 200 lbs.) is second with 30 tackles, but freshman Montae Nicholson (6’2″, 209 lbs.) has stepped up lately and has 21 solo tackles. Senior linebacker Taiwain Jones (6’3″, 232 lbs.), redshirt junior Ed Davis (6’3″, 220 lbs.), and senior end Marcus Rush (6’2″, 250 lbs.) are also up near the team lead in tackles. Jones, Davis, and redshirt junior defensive end Shilique Calhoun (6’4″, 240 lbs.) all share the team lead with 7.5 tackles for loss each, while Rush has 6.0 himself. Average size for the starting defenders is fairly light for ends (245 lbs.), tackles (278 lbs.), linebackers (222 lbs.), and corners (178 lbs.); the safeties all hover around 200 lbs., which is pretty normal. However, they are aggressive and know how to tackle.
Advantage: Michigan State


Pass Offense vs. Michigan State Pass Defense
Michigan is #110 in passer efficiency rating and overall passing yardage with 176 yards/game. Quarterback Devin Gardner is completing 63% of his passes, but he has thrown 6 interceptions and 8 picks this year. The offensive line has been questionable (tied for #83 in sacks allowed), and his receivers have been unable to gain separation. The most accomplished target is Devin Funchess (36 catches, 461 yards, 4 touchdowns), but he has been limited by an ankle injury and double coverage. The other guys all have limitations worse than a bum ankle. On the Spartans’ side, Davis (6 sacks) and Calhoun (5 sacks) are Michigan State’s top pass rushers, but there are roughly five guys who pose a big threat to get to the quarterback. The defensive line gets penetration, and the linebackers make quick reads and blitz often. The Spartans are #5 in sacks with 26 altogether. As a team, they allow 192 yards/game (#19 nationally) and are #21 in passer efficiency rating defense. Drummond and redshirt junior corner Trae Waynes (6’1″, 175 lbs.) lead the team with 2 interceptions apiece while the team is tied for #32 with 8 picks overall; both players were pre-season all-conference picks. This will not go well for Michigan.
Advantage: Michigan State


Rush Defense vs. Michigan State Rush Offense
The Michigan Wolverines are actually #4 nationally and give up just 94 yards/game on the ground, with a 5th-best 2.73 yards/carry allowed. Linebackers Jake Ryan (56) and Joe Bolden (51) lead the team in tackles, while Ryan (9.0) and defensive end Frank Clark (8.5) each have a respectable number of tackles for loss. The Wolverines do a good job of keeping things contained and swarming to the ball. The Spartans run for 261 yards/game (#15 overall) and average 5.45 yards/carry (#21 overall), and they’re second overall in rushing touchdowns with 25 total. Senior starter Jeremy Langford (6’1″, 208 lbs.) has 664 yards and 7 touchdowns on 5.3 yards/carry, and senior backup Nick Hill (5’8″, 196 lbs.) has 475 and 6. Even third-stringer Delton Williams, a sophomore, has gotten into the domination act with 7.2 yards/carry and 5 touchdowns. The tackles for MSU are over 300 lbs., but the interior guys average 289 lbs. None comes with a lot of accolades, but they get the job done. When teams are on such opposite ends of the spectrum statistically, it seems like they never meet in the middle – either Michigan State will run all over Michigan, or Michigan will completely shut down MSU’s run game. Due to the recent history of this series, I have to imagine that the Wolverines will be on their heels.
Advantage: Michigan State

Pass Defense vs. Michigan State Pass Offense
Michigan gives up 207 yards/game, which is good enough for #36 nationally. However, they’re #70 in passer efficiency rating defense, which underscores their inability to create turnovers or make plays on the ball. Sophomore Jourdan Lewis has 2 interceptions, but he and defensive tackle Willie Henry are the only players to record picks this year. The Wolverines are tied for 111th in interceptions. They do have 18 sacks, which is tied for #33, but no one player shows a consistent ability to get to the quarterback. The most dynamic pass rusher is Clark (2.5 sacks), but Brennen Beyer leads the team with 4. Short and intermediate routes have been a problem for the defense. Michigan State is #42 nationally with 265 passing yards/game, and they are #8 in passer efficiency rating. Redshirt junior Connor Cook (6’4″, 215 lbs.) completes 61% of his passes and has thrown 16 touchdowns, compared with just 5 picks. Fifth year senior Tony Lippett (6’3″, 192 lbs.) leads the team by a wide margin with 39 catches for 786 yards (20.2 yards/catch) and 8 touchdowns. The next best numbers on the team are 15, 244, and 4, which all belong to redshirt sophomore tight end Josiah Price (6’4″, 238 lbs.). Otherwise, the receivers have been pretty pedestrian. Cook has benefited from excellent protection, as the Spartans have allowed just 4 sacks all season, which is tied for #1 overall.
Advantage: Michigan State

Roster Notes

• Players offered by Michigan include WR Aaron Burbridge, LB Ed Davis, S Kurtis Drummond, OT Dennis Finley, LB Mylan Hicks, LB Shane Jones, WR Monty Madaris, DE Malik McDowell, S Montae Nicholson, LB Jon Reschke, DE Marcus Rush, and DT Lawrence Thomas
• TE Dylan Chmura is the son of former Green Bay Packers tight end Mark Chmura

Last Time They Played . . .

• Michigan State won by a score of 29-6 in 2013
• Michigan scored 2 field goals in the first half
• The Wolverines had -48 yards rushing, including 7 sacks of Devin Gardner
• Jeremy Langford ran 26 times for 120 yards and 1 touchdown

Predictions

• Michigan gains more than -48 yards on the ground
• Devin Gardner gets knocked out of the game due to injury
• Connor Cook gets a maddening amount of time to throw the ball
• Michigan State 32, Michigan 14

Preview: Michigan vs. Penn State

Rush Offense vs. Penn State Rush Defense
The Wolverines are now #57 nationally with 181 yards/game on the ground, and they’re #32 in rushing average (5.1 yards/carry). They were unable to find a consistent running game against Rutgers last week, but they did improve as the game went along, particularly behind left guard Graham Glasgow and left tackle Mason Cole. The top rusher is Derrick Green (471 yards, 5.7 yards/carry, 3 touchdowns), who will miss the rest of the year with a broken collarbone. Default starter De’Veon Smith (282 yards, 6 yards/carry, 4 touchdowns) is a somewhat ponderous but hard-running back, and we will probably see more Justice Hayes (5.3 yards/carry, 0 touchdowns) and Drake Johnson (3 carries, 28 yards). Quarterback Devin Gardner had a couple rushing touchdowns last game and is a potential game-changer when scrambling out of the pocket. Meanwhile, Penn State has a stingy run defense and gives up just 60 yards/game, good enough for #2 in the country behind Louisville. Teams average 1.99 yards/carry against them, which is best in the nation. Their leading tackler is middle linebacker Mike Hull with 53 stops, while the next best on the team is strong safety Ryan Keiser with 23. That’s a huge dropoff from #1 to #2, so Hull is the main cog in the defense. Ends C.J. Olaniyan (6’3″, 252 lbs.) and Deion Barnes (6’4″, 255 lbs.) are not big but have a fair amount of talent, and redshirt junior Anthony Zettel (6’4″, 274 lbs.) starts at three-tech. The only defensive lineman with impressive size is redshirt sophomore nose tackle Austin Johnson (6’4″, 313 lbs.). The loss of Green removes an element of explosiveness from the running game, and an already stingy PSU front will probably feast on an improving but underperforming Michigan line.
Advantage: Penn State

Pass Offense vs. Penn State Pass Defense

Gardner has – finally and mercifully – been named the permanent starter at quarterback. His numbers are not great (63% completions, 5 touchdowns, 7 interceptions), but he’s the best Michigan has. Top target Devin Funchess (29 catches, 392 yards, 3 touchdowns) looks to be recovering from a high ankle sprain, but he has not scored a touchdown since the season opener against Appalachian State. The other wide receivers are not noteworthy, so it seems like tight ends Jake Butt (7 catches, 96 yards, 1 touchdown) and Khalid Hill (4 catches, 37 yards) will factor in more and more. Slot receiver Dennis Norfleet can’t catch the ball downfield, but he’s somewhat effective on short passes. Michigan is tied for #92 in sacks allowed, which is not as bad as it could have been following a game against Rutgers. Penn State is #58 in the country in giving up just under 229 yards/game. No opponent has completed even 57% of their passes against the Nittany Lions, and they picked off 5 Gary Nova passes in their contest against Rutgers. Junior cornerback Trevor Williams (6’1″, 188 lbs.) and senior safety Adrian Amos (6’0″, 209 lbs.) are tied for the team lead with 2 interceptions each, but the team has just 5 return yards on 6 interceptions. The front has accrued 13 sacks, which is tied for #37 in the country, and they’re led by Zettel (3.0), Barnes (2.0), and Olaniyan (2.0).
Advantage: Penn State


Rush Defense vs. Penn State Rush Offense
The Wolverines are decent against the rush, ranking #12 at a fraction over 100 yards/game. They’re tied for #15 in the country in allowing just 2.93 yards/carry. Linebackers Joe Bolden (48) and Jake Ryan (46) lead the team in tackles by a wide margin. Meanwhile, defensive end Frank Clark (6.5) and Ryan (6.0) lead the squad in tackles for loss. The unit has improved this year, especially on the interior, where defensive tackles Ryan Glasgow and Willie Henry are significantly better than last season. Meanwhile, Penn State is #115 in rushing the ball and averaging 101 yards/game on 3.1 yards/carry. Starting running back Bill Belton (5’11”, 204 lbs.) averages 3.9 yards/carry, and bruiser Zach Zwinak (6’1″, 233 lbs.) averages 2.8. The only back to reach even 80 yards in a single game was third-stringer Akeel Lynch (6’0″, 215 lbs.), and that came against UMass. The offensive line is fairly young with two redshirt juniors (LT Donovan Smith, C Angelo Mangiro), one redshirt sophomore (RG Brian Gaia), and two redshirt freshmen (LG Brendan Mahon, RT Andrew Nelson). This should be Michigan’s most advantageous matchup.
Advantage: Michigan


Pass Defense vs. Penn State Pass Offense
Michigan’s secondary is reeling a little bit after last week’s disaster, when they allowed 404 yards to Rutgers quarterback Gary Nova. That performance dropped them to #40 against the pass (215 yards/game) and #82 in passer rating defense. The Wolverines have been banged up in the secondary, including safety Delano Hill, safety Jeremy Clark, and cornerback Jabrill Peppers. Furthermore, Michigan’s secondary has created just one turnover, an interception from Jourdan Lewis. Michigan ranks #51 and has 12 sacks on the season, but nobody has stood out as a pass rusher; backup end Taco Charlton leads the team with 2.5 quarterback takedowns. On the flip side, Penn State is tied for #102 in giving up sacks (14 so far). Even so, they are #25 in throwing the ball (307 yards/game), albeit with the #82 passer efficiency rating. Sophomore starting quarterback Christian Hackenberg (6’3″, 234 lbs.) is completing just 58% of his passes for 4 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, and he’s coming off of a poor performance against Northwestern (48%, 0 touchdowns, 1 interception, 4.8 yards/attempt). The surprise star on offense has been redshirt freshman wideout DaeSean Hamilton (6’1″, 203 lbs.), who has three 100+ yard games this season and leads the team with 36 catches. On the opposite side, redshirt sophomore Geno Lewis (6’1″, 199 lbs.) averages 17 yards/catch. Tight end Jesse James (6’7″, 254 lbs.) could be a matchup problem with his size, but outside of their win against Akron, he has averaged just 9.3 yards/catch with 0 touchdowns. Belton is also someone to watch out of the backfield (14 catches, 129 yards, 1 touchdown). It doesn’t make sense to me, but based on what Rutgers did to Michigan, I have to give this category to . . .
Advantage: Penn State


Roster Notes

• Players recruited by Michigan include S Marcus Allen, DE Deion Barnes, RB Bill Belton, WR Saeed Blacknall, TE Adam Breneman, LB Ben Kline, OT Brendan Mahon, DE C.J. Olaniyan, and DT Anthony Zettel
• Defensive end Brad Bars is the older brother of Michigan redshirt sophomore OG Blake Bars
• Players from the state of Michigan include FB Charles Idemudia, DE C.J. Olaniyan, and DT Anthony Zettel

Last Time They Played . . .

• Devin Gardner ran 24 times 121 yards
• Fitzgerald Toussaint ran 27 times for 27 yards
• Devin Funchess caught 37- and 59-yard touchdown passes
• Brendan Gibbons was 4/7 on field goals, including having one blocked
• Christian Hackenberg completed 23/44 passes for 3 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, but he was clutch when throwing to Allen Robinson (5 catches, 84 yards, all seemingly over Channing Stribling) late in the game
• Bill Belton scored an easy 2-yard touchdown to win the game in four overtimes by a score of 43-40

Predictions

• Michigan once again comes out looking somewhat competent on offense
• Michigan unveils the power read option for the first time this season
• The Wolverines intercept Hackenberg twice
• Penn State 24, Michigan 21