Tag: game preview

Preview: Michigan vs. Nebraska

Rush Offense vs. Nebraska Rush Defense
What rush offense? Michigan had -48 yards against Michigan State last week, including just 8 carries for 20 yards from running back Fitzgerald Toussaint. Michigan is now #100 in the country with just 3.65 yards/carry as a team, and the beaten and battered Devin Gardner might have a hard time returning to 100% after his battle against the Spartans. Luckily, Nebraska is #86 in the country and giving up 182.6 yards/game, including 4.54 yards/carry (which is 84th). The Cornhuskers have good size up front, especially with redshirt freshman nose tackle Vincent Valentine (6’3″, 325 lbs.) and fifth year senior strongside end Jason Ankrah (6’4″, 265 lbs.). Redshirt sophomore defensive end Randy Gregory (6’6″, 255 lbs.) leads the team with 8.5 tackles for loss, and redshirt freshman backup DT Avery Moss (6’3″, 265 lbs.) has made 5.5 tackles for loss. Redshirt sophomore linebacker David Santos (6’0″, 225 lbs.) and redshirt junior strong safety Corey Cooper (6’1″, 215 lbs.) share the team lead in tackles with 55 each. Just because Gardner is banged up and might not be willing/able to break as many tackles as in the past, I’m going to give the edge to the Cornhuskers here.
Advantage: Nebraska

Pass Offense vs. Nebraska Pass Defense
The Wolverines didn’t do so hot passing the ball last week, but it was better than their running. Gardner is still completing 60% of his passes and the only pick he threw was very late in the game after he probably wished he was anywhere except Spartan Stadium. Michigan is #44 in passing yards/game and Gardner is the 20th-rated passer in the country. Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon is averaging 112.3 yards/game and 18 yards/catch, and tight end/wide receiver Devin Funchess has the 17th-highest yards per catch in the nation at 19.2. Unfortunately – and this is broken record time – Michigan has a weak interior offensive line and gives up sacks at a rate of 2.38 per game, good for 88th in the nation. Nebraska doesn’t have any great pass rushers, but a little bit comes from everywhere. A total of twelve players have at least one sack, with Gregory and Moss leading the way at 3.5 each. As a team, their 22 sacks rank tied for #27 in the country. Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers have notched 12 interceptions, 4 of which have been returned for touchdowns; remarkably, 3 of the picks and 2 of the touchdowns have come from defensive linemen. The top pass thief is fifth year senior cornerback Stanley Jean-Baptiste (6’3″, 220 lbs.), who has returned 4 interceptions for 134 yards and 1 touchdown. This is a viable pass rush and pass defense (#38 in yardage against, #40 in passer rating against), but if Michigan can keep Gardner clean, Gallon and Funchess should be able to make enough plays to move the chains.
Advantage: Michigan

Rush Defense vs. Nebraska Rush Offense
Michigan is allowing just 3.23 yards/carry for opposing offenses, which is 11th in the country. Despite going over 100 yards, Michigan State’s Jeremy Langford needed a late 40-yard run against a worn down, mentally exhausted Wolverines team to get there; otherwise, he was just barely over 3 yards a pop. Cornerback Raymon Taylor actually took over the lead in tackles by making 12 last week, putting him at 56 for the year, but inside linebackers Desmond Morgan and James Ross are right behind him with 55 and 54, respectively. Defensive end Frank Clark played had a career-best game last week when he made 9 tackles and now has 8.5 tackles for loss on the year. Despite lacking any real standouts in the front seven (save SAM linebacker Jake Ryan, who’s working his way back into shape after a torn ACL), Michigan has a solid group. Junior I-back Ameer Abdullah (5’9″, 190 lbs.) has been outstanding this year, going for 114+ yards in every game but one . . . and that one was a 98-yard effort against UCLA. He’s the #6 rusher in the country with 138.5 yards/game and averaging 7.1 yards/carry. Sophomore backup Imani Cross (6’1″, 225 lbs.) averages 5.1 yards/carry and has 9 touchdowns himself. Starting quarterback Taylor Martinez is expected to miss the game due to multiple nagging injuries, and fifth year senior backup Ron Kellogg III (6’1″, 220 lbs.) isn’t much of a threat with his legs. Nebraska has declared an open competition on the offensive line to get more production, but the guards and tackles average 6’6″ and 315 lbs., and all the projected starters are fourth- or fifth-year players. The Wolverines should be able to slow down Nebraska’s running game, but it’s still a formidable challenge. UPDATE: Both starting guards are out for Nebraska, so I’m going to take the slight edge I gave to the Cornhuskers and flip it.
Advantage: Nebraska Michigan


Pass Defense vs. Nebraska Pass Offense
Clark has notched 5 sacks this year, and the Wolverines have 17 altogether, which is middle of the pack. Players struggle to produce much of a pass rush on their own, but defensive tackle Jibreel Black (1.5 sacks) can apply some pressure and Jake Ryan did a good job prior to his injury. Blake Countess has 4 interceptions, and Taylor picked off his 3rd last week. The team is tied with Nebraska and others for 17th in the nation in picks with 12 total. On the opposite side of the ball, Kellogg is 32/46 for 456 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception this year. The receiving corps has a host of decent possession receivers. Fifth year senior hoss Quincy Enunwa (6’2″, 225 lbs.) is a tough physical matchup and leads the team with 34 catches for 467 yards and 8 touchdowns. Redshirt junior Kenny Bell (6’1″, 185 lbs.) might have the best speed, but he has averaged just 11.8 yards/catch. The deep ball shouldn’t be too much of an issue for Michigan defensively, but Enunwa is the type of guy who could push around freshmen corners like Channing Stribling and Jourdan Lewis, both of whom have played extensively. If Michigan doesn’t give those kids help by putting Taylor, Countess, or bracket coverage on Enunwa, it could be a long and frustrating day. The tight ends have combined for just 14 receptions and 1 touchdown this year, so while Michigan has occasionally struggled to cover tight end crossing routes, it shouldn’t hurt Michigan too badly this week.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• Players who held scholarship offers from Michigan include LB Jared Afalava, DE Jason Ankrah, DT Jay Guy, S Charles Jackson, DE Greg McMullen, DT Tobi Okuyemi, OT Paul Thurston, DT Vincent Valentine, and DT Kevin Williams.
• No Nebraska players are Michigan natives.

Predictions

• Fitzgerald Toussaint finds some running lanes for a decent day but gets tracked down by Nebraska’s quick linebackers before turning out some huge runs. I’ll say he goes for 95 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Nebraska blitzes Devin Gardner a lot to try to keep him banged up, allowing Jeremy Gallon to get some quality one-on-one opportunities against some bigger, slower defensive backs.
• Michigan frustratingly allows Enunwa to beat up on some freshman corners.
• The Wolverines score a defensive or special teams touchdown.
• Michigan wins in convincing fashion, 38-24.

Last Time They Played . . . 

• In 2012, Michigan lost by a score of 23-9.
• Quarterback Denard Robinson got knocked out of the game in the middle of the second quarter, leaving redshirt freshman Russell Bellomy to look overmatched while completing 3/16 passes for 38 yards and 3 interceptions.
• Nebraska running back Ameer Abdullah ran for 101 yards and 1 touchdown.
• It was mostly a field goal battle, as Brendan Gibbons and Nebraska’s Brett Maher both went 3/3.

Preview: Michigan vs. Indiana

Rush Offense vs. Indiana Rush Defense
Michigan is #80 nationally in averaging 4.1 yards/carry altogether, but the top two running backs – Fitzgerald Toussaint and Derrick Green – are averaging 3.5 and 3.2 yards/carry, respectively. Quarterback Devin Gardner leads the team in rushing yards with 439 and is gaining 5.5 yards/carry, but he has taken a beating recently and is starting to look a little worn down. The same could be said for left tackle Taylor Lewan, who missed the second half of last week’s game due to an undisclosed injury. The rest of the offensive line is/was in flux, too, with left guard Chris Bryant getting replaced by Joey Burzynski, Graham Glasgow learning to play center on the fly, right guard Kyle Kalis getting replaced temporarily by Burzynski, Michael Schofield flip-flopping across the line to fill in for Lewan, and Erik Magnuson stepping in at right tackle. Meanwhile, Indiana is #110 in the nation in rushing yardage allowed per game, giving up almost 217 yards weekly. The patchwork offensive line will face off against redshirt junior defensive end Ryan Phillis (6’3″, 260 lbs.), sophomore defensive end Nick Mangieri (6’5″, 260 lbs.), junior 3-tech Bobby Richardson (6’3″, 281 lbs.), and sophomore nose tackle Alex Todd (6’3″, 301 lbs.). Mangieri leads the team with 5.5 tackles for loss. Three of the top four tacklers are defensive backs, with redshirt junior linebacker David Cooper (6’1″, 235 lbs.) tied for the team lead at 45 tackles.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. Indiana Pass Defense
Michigan is #72 nationally in passing yards with 222.5 per game but ranks #45 in passer rating. Gardner is 86/146 for 1,276 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Michigan’s pass protection has generally been solid, but he has a tendency to hold onto the ball too long and/or lock onto receivers, which has resulted in too many turnovers. Wide receiver Jeremy Gallon is the team’s leading receiver with 31 catches for 462 yards and 5 touchdowns, but tight end/U-back Devin Funchess has come on strong the past two weeks with 11 catches for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns. The other receivers have been uninspiring so far. Indiana gives up 240 yards/game through the air, good for #76 in the nation. Fifth year senior safety Greg Heban (6’1″, 205 lbs.) has 2 picks, and three other guys have 1 each. Junior cornerback Tim Bennett (5’9″, 175 lbs.) has 14 pass breakups and 1 of those interceptions, so I would expect Michigan to attack redshirt sophomore corner Michael Hunter (6’1″, 190 lbs.). Redshirt junior defensive end John Laihinen (6’4″, 255 lbs.) leads the team with 3.5 sacks, and the team has 12 total, good enough for 52nd nationally. Funchess will be a matchup problem for anyone, and Gallon should be tough to handle if used properly. If Michigan can run the ball a little bit and keep Gardner from getting happy feet, the Wolverines should be able to make some more big plays in the passing game.
Advantage: Michigan

Rush Defense vs. Indiana Rush Offense
Michigan is #9 overall, giving up 89.5 yards/game on the ground; and they’re #10 at 2.86 yards/carry allowed. They don’t get a ton of penetration, but the linebackers diagnose plays quickly, the team swarms to the ball, and they’re mostly sure tacklers. Middle linebacker Desmond Morgan and weakside linebacker James Ross III share the team lead with 42 tackles, and defensive end Frank Clark leads the team with 5 tackles for loss. Outside linebacker Jake Ryan returned to action last week, which could help out even more. Indiana is #64 with 173 yards/game and #49 with 4.7 yards/carry. Sophomore tailback Tevin Coleman (6’1″, 205 lbs.) has 557 yards and 8 touchdowns, and fifth year backup Stephen Houston (6’0″, 230 lbs.) averages 6.6 yards/carry. Sophomore starting quarterback Nate Sudfeld (6’5″, 230 lbs.) is the throwing quarterback, while redshirt sophomore Tre Roberson (6’0″, 200 lbs.) is the runner with 27 carries for 97 yards and 4 touchdowns. It might be tougher sledding this week with Indiana down to its third right guard and second right tackle, due to a few season-ending injuries. It’s a fairly light crew up front with the five starters averaging 6’4″ and 291 lbs. Sophomore left tackle Jason Spriggs (6’7″, 297 lbs.) was All-Big Ten Honorable Mention last season. I expect Michigan to be able to do a solid job against the run because they almost always do, but they are going to get gashed at times due to the nature of Indiana’s high-tempo offense.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. Indiana Pass Offense
The Wolverines have been susceptible to the passing game this year, giving up a lot of short passes and an occasional deep ball. The Wolverines are tied for #64 nationally at 229.7 yards/game allowed through the air. However, they’re holding opponents to a 52.6% completion percentage (18th overall) and a 109.98 rating (24th). The Wolverines have racked up 14 sacks (38th), and Clark has 4 in the last three games. Meanwhile, cornerback Blake Countess has 4 interceptions, and both cornerback Raymon Taylor and free safety Jarrod Wilson have 2 picks each; the Wolverines have 9 total (17th). The short completions have been frustrating, but the numbers suggest that Michigan is getting the job done. Both Sudfeld and Roberson complete approximately 60% of their passes, but Sudfeld has five times as many attempts. Combined, they have 18 touchdowns and 7 interceptions while throwing for 1,960 yards, and they’ve been taking just 1.5 sacks/game. They’re #13 nationally with 331.5 yards/game through the air. The starters at wideout are junior Cody Latimer (6’3″, 215 lbs.), senior Kofi Hughes (6’2″, 217 lbs.), and junior Shane Wynn (5’7″, 170 lbs.). Those three have combined for 75 receptions, 1202 yards, and 10 touchdowns. Fifth year senior Ted Bolser (6’6″, 252 lbs.) is the top red zone target with 5 touchdowns while averaging 10.8 yards/reception. Even though Michigan has harassed teams into low completion percentages, I think they’re going to have a tough time getting to the quarterback, and Michigan doesn’t have enough talent at defensive backs to keep all of Sudfeld and Roberson’s targets in front of them. The Hoosiers will probably put up a good deal of yardage and some points on the board, although it may not be enough to win.
Advantage: Indiana

Roster Notes

• Players who held scholarship offers from Michigan include DT Darius Latham and WR Shane Wynn.
• Run game coordinator/offensive line coach Greg Frey coached the offensive line under Rich Rodriguez at Michigan from 2008-2010.
• Assistant head coach/defensive coordinator/safeties coach Doug Mallory played at Michigan from 1984-1987. As a safety, he recorded 182 tackles and 6 interceptions for his career and was named team captain in 1987.
• Native Michiganders on the roster include redshirt junior OT Bill Ivan (Charlevoix), freshman K Dong Kim (Okemos), junior OG Bernard Taylor (Detroit Dakota), and redshirt junior FB Matt Zakrzewski (Traverse City St. Francis).

Preview: Michigan at Penn State

Rush Offense vs. PSU Rush Defense
Michigan altered its rushing offense last week, moving from mostly a zone team to a gap blocking scheme with the insertion of mammoth left guard Chris Bryant. Starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint had his second best rushing effort (17 carries, 78 yards, 2 touchdowns) of the year as the Wolverines showed a new look by running “tackle over,” putting two tackles and a guard to one side of the ball. The Nittany Lions have a couple of small-ish defensive ends, much like the Minnesota Gophers; redshirt junior C.J. Olaniyan (6’3″, 244 lbs.) and sophomore Deion Barnes (6’4″, 244 lbs.) have combined for 31 tackles and 5 tackles for loss, mostly from Michigan native Olaniyan. Redshirt junior Kyle Baublitz (6’5″, 292 lbs.) and senior DaQuan Jones (6’3″, 318 lbs.) man the interior defensive line, with Jones totaling 30 tackles and 6.5 tackles for loss. Senior strongside linebacker Glenn Carson (6’3″, 235 lbs.) leads the team with 39 tackles. Overall, Penn State’s opponents have averaged 3.2 yards/carry and scored 6 touchdowns on the ground. Jones in particular will be a load to handle for Michigan’s young interior offensive linemen, and Penn State always has some of the most technically sound linebackers in the country. I think Michigan will have to resort to some more designed runs for quarterback Devin Gardner (56 carries, 318 yards, 6 touchdowns) if they want to have regular success on the ground.

Pass Offense vs. PSU Pass Defense
Gardner (71/118 passing, 1036 yards, 8 touchdowns, 8 interceptions) took a step forward with his passing last week, but his numbers still aren’t stellar, especially in the turnover department. The star of last week’s game was tight end Devin Funchess (7 receptions, 151 yards, 1 touchdown against the Gophers), but the leading receiver is still wide receiver Jeremy Gallon (24 catches, 367 yards, 4 touchdowns). Wideouts Jehu Chesson (6 catches, 89 yards, 1 touchdown) and Drew Dileo (7 catches, 86 yards, 1 touchdown) round out the crew of frequent targets. The Nittany Lions have allowed just 5 touchdowns and made 5 interceptions on the season. Sophomore cornerback Trevor Williams (6’1″, 187 lbs.) spent last year as a wide receiver and now has 6 pass breakups and 1 interception as a starting corner; on the opposite side is sophomore Jordan Lucas (6’0″, 193 lbs.) with 7 pass breakups. The safeties have been solid with senior Malcolm Willis (5’11”, 215 lbs.) and junior Adrian Amos (6’0″, 215 lbs.) combining for 37 tackles and 2 interceptions. Jones and Baublitz each have 2 sacks, and the Lions have 11 quarterback takedowns altogether. Michigan’s offensive tackles should hold up fairly well against Penn State’s edge rushers, but the interior will be susceptible to a push up the middle, and PSU isn’t shy about sending blitzers from the secondary (3 sacks from defensive backs). I’m not particularly concerned about Michigan matching up with the secondary, but if PSU can put rushers in Gardner’s face, his turnover issues might reappear.

Rush Defense vs. PSU Rush Offense
Redshirt junior converted fullback Zach Zwinak (6’1″, 240 lbs.) leads the team in rushing with 369 yards, 4.4 yards/carry, and 8 touchdowns. Junior Bill Belton (5’10”, 205 lbs.) has 284 yards on 6.6 yards/carry and redshirt freshman Akeel Lynch (6’0″, 211 lbs.) has 270 yards and 7.7 yards a pop; altogether, those three have 923 yards, 5.7 yards/carry, and 11 touchdowns, which are some pretty formidable statistics. From left to right, PSU’s offensive line goes redshirt sophomore Donovan Smith (6’5″, 322 lbs.), redshirt junior Miles Dieffenbach (6’3″, 295 lbs.), fifth year senior Ty Howle (6’0″, 293 lbs.), redshirt senior John Urschel (6’3″, 301 lbs.), and redshirt junior Garry Gilliam (6’6′, 303 lbs.). Urschel was a First Team All-Big Ten selection last year, while Gilliam started eight games at tight end. Michigan has allowed just 3.1 yards/carry so far and 0 touchdowns to opponents. Sophomore backup nose tackle Ondre Pipkins tore his ACL last week and will miss the remainder of the season, but Michigan stops teams more by gang tackling and solid linebacker play than dominating the line of scrimmage. The top two tacklers for Michigan are the two inside linebackers, junior Desmond Morgan (34) and sophomore James Ross III (32); the other linebacker position has been manned by junior Brennen Beyer and fifth year senior Cam Gordon while Jake Ryan recovers from ACL surgery, and those two have combined for 27 tackles and 7.5 tackles for loss. Fifth year senior nose tackle Quinton Washington should see more playing time this week against Penn State’s pro-style offense, and while I don’t think Michigan will hold them to 3.1 yards/carry, I think Michigan matches up pretty well up front.

Pass Defense vs. PSU Pass Offense
Penn State starts a true freshman quarterback in Christian Hackenberg (6’3″, 220 lbs.) who completes 59.9% of his passes for 1,367 yards, 8 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. Outside of junior wide receiver Allen Robinson (6’3″, 210 lbs.), PSU doesn’t have many downfield threats. Robinson has 38 catches for 621 yards and 5 touchdowns, which represents 44% of the total receiving yardage on the team. Senior Brandon Moseby-Felder averages just 8.4 yards/catch and redshirt sophomore tight end Kyle Carter (6’3″, 243 lbs.) has caught just 11 balls for 147 yards. Michigan has allowed 7 touchdowns through the air and has made 7 interceptions, 4 of which have come from cornerback Blake Countess (1 for a 72-yard touchdown). Michigan has 5 sacks from its outside linebackers and 3.5 from weakside ends, but the interior rush has been somewhat lacking on standard downs. In obvious passing situations, Michigan will put undersized defensive tackle Jibreel Black at nose tackle, and his quickness allows him to put some pressure on opposing quarterbacks to the tune of .5 sacks, 3 quarterback hurries, and 1 forced fumble. Those numbers don’t tell the whole story of the pressure Black can create, but it will be interesting to see how much defensive coordinator Greg Mattison can mess with freshman Hackenberg’s head.

Roster Notes

• Players who had scholarship offers from Michigan include DE Deion Barnes, RB Bill Belton, TE Adam Breneman, LB Ben Kline, OG Brendan Mahon, DE C.J. Olaniyan, and DE Anthony Zettel.
• Redshirt junior linebacker Brad Bars is the older brother of Michigan redshirt freshman offensive guard Blake Bars.
• Native Michiganders include redshirt freshman LB Charles Idemudia (Grosse Pointe North), Olaniyan (Warren Mott), junior WR Allen Robinson (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s), and Zettel (Ogemaw Heights).
• Linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden coached at Michigan from 1979-1980.

Predictions

• Devin Gardner gets sacked twice on pressures up the middle.
• Greg Mattison pulls out some blitz packages to confuse Christian Hackenberg into 3 sacks and 2 interceptions.
• Michigan still struggles to run the ball and requires some big plays in the passing game.
• Dennis Norfleet scores a touchdown.
• Michigan 28, Penn State 24

Last Time They Played . . . 

• It was Rich Rodriguez vs. Joe Paterno back in 2010.
• Denard Robinson had 27 carries for 191 yards and 3 touchdowns.
• Penn State running back Evan Royster broke out of his slump for 150 yards and 2 touchdowns.
• Penn State quarterback Matt McGloin threw for 250 yards and 1 touchdown.
• Penn State 41, Michigan 31

Visitors

• La Grange (OH) Keystone TE C.J. Conrad
• Jersey City (NJ) St. Peter’s Prep CB Minkah Fitzpatrick
• Cincinnati (OH) St. Xavier LB Justin Hilliard
• Pittsburgh (PA) Baldwin OT Sterling Jenkins

Preview: Michigan vs. Minnesota

Rush Offense vs. Minnesota Rush Defense
The big news on Michigan’s side is a shakeup on the offensive line with the insertion of redshirt sophomore left guard Chris Bryant, the move of redshirt sophomore Graham Glasgow to center, and the benching of redshirt sophomore Jack Miller. Michigan has struggled to run the ball with the tailbacks this season. Starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint has 79 carries for 319 yards (4.0 yards/carry) for 5 touchdowns, and the next most utilized tailback is freshman Derrick Green (13 carries, 60 yards, 1 touchdown). Where Michigan has made hay is on options and scrambles with quarterback Devin Gardner (49 carries, 301 yards, 5 touchdowns, 6.1 yards/carry). It will be interesting to see whether the mammoth Bryant can be effective at blocking zone stretches, because he’s more of a straight-ahead power blocker. Meanwhile, Minnesota’s run of patsy opponents have averaged just 3.9 yards/attempt on the ground, but sometimes that’s the way it goes against the likes of UNLV, New Mexico State, Western Illinois, San Jose State, and Iowa. The Gophers are small on the edges with redshirt sophomore end Theiren Cockran (6’6″, 238 lbs.) and junior end Michael Amaefula (6’2″, 244 lbs.). The real force to deal with is fifth year senior defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman (6’6″, 311 lbs.), a bona fide NFL prospect who boasts 20 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss thus far; he’s paired with redshirt junior Cameron Botticelli (6’5″, 290 lbs.). Junior strongside linebacker Damien Wilson (6’2″, 254 lbs.) leads the team in tackles with 33.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. Minnesota Pass Defense
Gardner is completing 57.4% of his passes for 801 yards, 7 touchdowns, and 8 interceptions, which is a terrible touchdown-to-interception ratio. Fifth year senior Jeremy Gallon (22 catches, 328 yards, 4 touchdowns) had over half his yards and 3/4 of his touchdowns against Notre Dame, so the other opponents have done a good job of clamping down on Gardner’s favorite target. Redshirt freshman Jehu Chesson (3 catches, 57 yards, 1 touchdown) has been targeted more lately, sophomore tight end Devin Funchess (8 catches, 145 yards, 1 touchdown) has been fairly consistent, and senior slot receiver Drew Dileo (6 catches, 74 yards, 1 touchdown) is as dependable as anyone. Sophomore cornerback Eric Murray (6’0″, 194 lbs.) leads the team with 6 pass breakups, senior safety Brock Vereen (6’0″, 202 lbs.) has 3, and five players have 1 interception each. Cockran leads the team with 3 sacks, and three other guys have 1 each, so it’s not a dominant pass rush. However, Michigan’s reshuffling on the offensive line might prove to be problematic, especially given that Bryant is considered to be a more adept run blocker than pass blocker. Twist stunts have given Michigan’s offensive guards fits so far this year, and the Gophers would be remiss not to try, oh, 37 of them or so. Until Gardner can stop throwing so many picks . . .
Advantage: Minnesota

Rush Defense vs. Minnesota Rush Offense
From left tackle to right tackle, Minnesota goes redshirt junior Marek Lenkiewicz (6’5″, 289 lbs.), redshirt junior Zac Epping (6’2″, 321 lbs.), Jon Christenson (6’4″, 306 lbs.), redshirt junior Caleb Bak (6’3″, 302 lbs.), and redshirt sophomore Josh Campion (6’5″, 326 lbs.). Each of those guys started at least four games in 2012, although that rendition of the team averaged just 3.8 yards/carry. This year that number has jumped to 5.2, albeit against questionable competition. Carries have been split pretty evenly between sophomore Rodrick Williams (5’11”, 235 lbs.; 52 carries, 299 yards, 3 touchdowns) and junior David Cobb (5’11”, 225 lbs.; 61 carries, 352 yards, 5 touchdowns), who both average 5.8 yards/carry. The Gophers have a run offense based heavily on the option, and the quarterbacks have combined for 88 carries, 454 yards, and 8 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Michigan has allowed just 316 rushing yards so far on 3.1 yards/carry, and the next rushing touchdown will be their first allowed this year. Part of the reason for that lack of success on the ground is other teams’ ability to complete short passes, but Michigan also has yet to face a team with a mobile quarterback or an option-oriented offense. This will be Michigan’s first real test on the ground. The Wolverines should hold up fairly well, but this might be the week where they finally allow a score.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. Minnesota Pass Offense
Minnesota typically starts four capable pass catchers. Fifth year senior Derrick Engel (6’2″, 187 lbs.), redshirt junior Isaac Fruechte (6’3″, 204 lbs.), and sophomore K.J. Maye (5’10”, 197 lbs.) are the receivers, while junior Drew Goodger (6’5″, 265 lbs.) starts at tight end. Luckily, they mostly lack big-play potential. That quartet has combined for just 26 catches, 331 yards, and 2 touchdowns. Sophomore starting quarterback Philip Nelson (6’2″, 215 lbs.) has completed just 50.8% of his passes for 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions, while redshirt freshman backup Mitch Leidner (6’4″, 233 lbs.) is 12/20 for 178 yards, 0 touchdowns, and 0 picks. The Wolverines have forced opponents into throwing 6 interceptions, including 3 by redshirt sophomore cornerback Blake Countess. The safeties have been solid in not allowing deep passes, but the non-Countess cornerbacks have been beaten over the top repeatedly. The team’s 9 sacks put them on pace for 27 on the year, which would improve on last year’s total by 5. No one player has proven himself as a great pass rusher, but Michigan is hurrying the quarterback with a variety of players. In particular, outside linebacker Brennen Beyer, defensive tackle Jibreel Black, and defensive end Frank Clark have put pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Michigan isn’t great against the pass, but luckily, Minnesota isn’t great at throwing it, either.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• Freshman running back Berkley Edwards is the younger brother of former Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards and the son of former Michigan running back Stan Edwards
• Edwards (from Chelsea) and redshirt sophomore linebacker Dominic Schultz (Port Huron) are the only Michigan natives on the roster
• Redshirt sophomore offensive linemen Kyle and Luke McAvoy are twins and the younger brothers of former Michigan offensive guard Tim McAvoy
• Redshirt freshman OT Jonah Pirsig is the only Minnesota player to have held a scholarship offer from Michigan.
• H-backs/tight ends coach Rob Reeves attended Saline High School and played quarterback at Saginaw Valley State University.

Preview: Michigan vs. Akron

Rush Offense vs. Akron Rush Defense
Michigan running backs managed just 71 yards on 24 carries against Notre Dame last week, which wasn’t very impressive. But Notre Dame has a very good defensive line, so that was somewhat expected. The majority of Michigan’s rushing yards came from quarterback Devin Gardner, who had 82 yards altogether. Starting running back Fitzgerald Toussaint looks like his quickness and cutting ability have returned, and his vision was a little better from week one to week two. Primary backup Derrick Green had just 1 carry for 1 yard last week, although he led the team with 58 yards on the ground against Central Michigan in the opener. Up front the starters will likely remain the same for Michigan, although guards Graham Glasgow and Kyle Kalis struggled last week. Meanwhile, Akron allowed 187 yards on 40 non-quarterback carries against FCS team James Madison, which averages out to about 4.7 yards/carry. Defensive ends Nordly Capi and C.J. James are both 6’3″, 250 lbs. and defensive tackles Nico Caponi and Cody Grice average 280 lbs. The linebackers are similarly undersized (compared to the Big Ten) at an average of 6’0″, 221 lbs. If Michigan can’t run the ball against the Zips, the Wolverines are in trouble down the road.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Offense vs. Akron Pass Defense
Quarterback Gardner and wideout Jeremy Gallon put on a clinic against Notre Dame last week, the latter going for 8 catches, 184 yards, and 3 touchdowns. While there are no other outstanding receivers for Michigan, Gardner can spread the ball out to Toussaint, tight end Devin Funchess, slot receivers Drew Dileo and Dennis Norfleet, and wideouts Jeremy Jackson, Joe Reynolds, and Jehu Chesson. Offensive coordinator Al Borges likes to use play action and bootlegs to suck up linebackers, open up the middle of the field, and run slow-developing routes. In week one, Central Florida quarterback Blake Bortles completed 18/24 passes for 314 yards and 3 touchdowns; JMU also went for 310 yards and 3 touchdowns, although they threw one pick. In the defensive backfield, the Zips start seniors at Rover and both cornerback positions, while the free safety is 5’9″, 187 lb. junior Johnny Robinson; they combined for zero interceptions in 2012, and just one this year from rover Anthony Holmes. If Michigan isn’t satisfied with just running on the Zips, Gardner should be able to find plenty of holes in the defense.
Advantage: Michigan

Rush Defense vs. Akron Rush Offense
The offensive line for Akron has decent size with senior left tackle Jarrod Pughsley (6’5″, 313 lbs.), Florida State transfer left guard Henry Orelus (6’2″, 297 lbs.), center Travis Switzer (6’2″, 296 lbs.), right guard Dylan Brumbaugh (6’5″, 310 lbs.), and Pitt transfer right tackle Zenel Demhasaj (6’6″, 331 lbs.). Starting running back Jawon Chisholm (6’1″, 206 lbs.) averaged 5.3 yards/carry last year when he went for 953 yards and 5 touchdowns; this year, however, he has just 22 carries for 97 yards, including a 55-yarder. If you do the math, that’s 21 carries for 42 yards, aside from the lone long run. Backup running back D.J. Jones (5’8″, 191 lbs.) is the little, quick bugger who comes in and has 7 carries for 62 yards on the year. Michigan has allowed just 162 yards rushing in two games, although that takes into account a few sacks of Central Michigan’s quarterbacks in week one. The Fighting Irish had success running up the middle out of the pistol last week, but Akron’s offensive line is smaller and less powerful. The Zips like to work from shotgun and the pistol almost exclusively, but I expect the defensive linemen to have big days in stopping the run. For some reason, I think this will be Keith Heitzman’s breakout game.
Advantage: Michigan

Pass Defense vs. Akron Pass Offense
Sophomore Kyle Pohl (6’3″, 213 lbs.) is Akron’s starting quarterback and has actually put up okay numbers. So far on the year, Pohl is 30/43 passing (70%) for 241 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. Freshman slot receiver Fransohn Bickley (5’6″, 138 lbs., not a typo) leads the team with 6 receptions, totaling 61 yards. He’s followed by an array of average receivers with 3-5 catches each. There are a couple tall guys (Andrew Pratt and Jerrod Dillard are 6’5″), but generally, it’s an unimposing crew. Meanwhile, the offensive line allowed 4 sacks to JMU last week. The Wolverines have an improving pass rush with 5 sacks so far (led by SAM linebackers Cam Gordon and Brennen Beyer with 2 each), and cornerback Blake Countess made 2 interceptions last week against the Fighting Irish. Michigan has a habit of playing back a little bit to prevent the big play, and they are capable of allowing short completions; Central Michigan tried that tactic to stay on schedule, but their quarterbacks were a notch below Akron’s. I expect Akron to try to hit some short passes and then try a couple deep throws, altogether resulting in a couple more picks for Michigan’s secondary.
Advantage: Michigan

Roster Notes

• Former Ohio State Buckeye (and Michigan offeree) Se’von Pittman is now a redshirt freshman on the Zips’ roster.
• Former Ohio State Buckeye signee Jamel Turner is a redshirt sophomore linebacker for the Zips.
• Players from the state of Michigan include WR Jerrod Dillard (Adrian), RB Bryan Green (Farmington), and DT Keontae Hollis (Pontiac).
• Former Florida State and NFL cornerback Terrell Buckley is Akron’s cornerbacks coach. Buckley had a big game against Michigan in the Elvis Grbac years, taking back a pick 40 yards for a touchdown when #1 FSU beat #3 Michigan.
• Akron’s Assistant Director of Football Operations, Mark Ouimet, previously held a job in Michigan’s operations department.
• Akron’s Head Coach of Strength and Conditioning for Football, Dan Webb, worked as an intern and assistant strength and conditioning coach at Michigan from 2008-10 under Mike Barwis.