RUSH OFFENSE vs. UNLV RUSH DEFENSE Michigan had a disappointing week against East Carolina with 31 carries for 122 yards, which was just 3.9 yards per carry. There were too many plays allowed in the backfield, and that fell on both the blockers and the running backs. We all know Blake Corum (10 carries, 73 yards, 1 TD) and Donovan Edwards (12 carries, 37 yards) are stars, but the more interesting aspect will be how Michigan’s tackles look. Last week Michigan started Karsen Barnhart on the left and Myles Hinton on the right, but the belief is that La’Darius Henderson and Trente Jones will start at those positions, respectively. UNLV ranks #106 nationally in rushing defense (179 yards allowed in one game), but that might be a bit misleading. The Runnin’ Rebels allowed just 19 yards on 8 carries before things got out of hand against Bryant. UNLV’s leading tackler is 6’3″, 230 lb. Arkansas transfer Jackson Woodard, who had 12 stops last week. Cornerback Thomas Andersen (6’1″, 185) was second on the team in tackles with 8. Nickelback Jerrae Williams (5’10”, 185) had an impressive 3.0 tackles for loss last week alone in UNLV’s 4-2-5 defense. Advantage: Michigan
RUSH OFFENSE vs. ECU RUSH DEFENSE Michigan’s running game has been talked about so much that it feels kind of insulting to bring up again. But I will, anyway. Michigan returns three-fifths of the Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line in left guard Trevor Keegan, right guard Zak Zinter, and offensive tackle . . . someone. One or both of Trente Jones and Karsen Barnhart should start. Running back Blake Corum surprised most people when he chose a return to Michigan over playing in the NFL, so he brings back his 1,463 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns. Backup running back Donovan Edwards had 991 yards on the ground. Michigan was #5 in rushing with 238.9 yards/game and scored the second-most rushing touchdowns (41), behind only Georgia (44). Last year’s East Carolina unit finished #19 in the country in rushing defense (112.5 yards allowed/game), and they held Tulane star running back Tyjae Spears to 16 carries for 53 yards (Spears finished with 1,581 rushing yards on the season). The Pirates have a couple 300-ish pound nose tackles, but their 3-techniques are around 270, which has to have Zak Zinter champing at the bit. The leading tackler last year was 6’2″, 187 lb. safety Julius Wood (88 stops), and the top guy in the front seven was 6’2″, 237 lb. outside linebacker Jeremy Lewis (60 tackles). The two starting inside linebackers are totally unproven in junior Teylor Jackson (32 career tackles) and South Carolina State transfer B.J. Davis, who are 219 and 227 pounds, respectively. This should be a good day on the ground for the Wolverines. Advantage: Michigan
Previously: Michigan Rush O vs. TCU Rush D (LINK), Michigan Pass O vs. TCU Pass D (LINK), Michigan Rush D vs. TCU Rush O (LINK), Miscellaney (LINK)
The Wolverines are #22 in pass defense (191.8 yards allowed/game) and they rank #5 in yards allowed per attempt (5.8). They rank #4 in passing efficiency defense and have allowed just 9 touchdowns while making 12 interceptions. It’s a very good unit overall, even though Purdue’s Charlie Jones went off for 13 catches and 162 yards in the Big Ten Championship Game. Freshman Will Johnson has developed into Michigan’s best corner (25 tackles, 2 TFL, 3 INT, 2 PBU), but D.J. Turner II is probably an NFL draft pick, Gemon Green is a starting quality player, and slot corner Mike Sainristil has wowed everyone this season. On the back end, sophomore Rod Moore is tied for the team lead with 3 picks. The pass rush has been present but sometimes inconsistent, especially with leading sacker Mike Morris (21 tackles, 11 TFL, 7.5 sacks) missing the last couple games due to injury; he is reportedly back practicing with the team and healthy. Otherwise, pass rush specialist Eyabi Okie (4.5 sacks) and outside linebacker Jaylen Harrell (3.5 sacks) are the most consistent rushers.
TCU has an explosive passing offense. They’re #25 in passing yardage (273 yards/game) but #5 in passing efficiency and #9 in yards per attempt (8.8). Quarterback Max Duggan (6’2″, 210) has completed 64.9% of his throws for 3,321 yards, 30 touchdowns, and 4 interceptions. He was not considered the starter to begin the season under new coach Sonny Dykes, but he took over the gig in week two and never looked back. Junior receiver Quentin Johnston (6’4″, 215) is the star with 53 catches for 903 yards and 5 touchdowns, but there are several capable targets with senior Taye Barber (5’10”, 190), senior Derius Davis (5’10”, 175), and junior Savion Williams (6’5″, 215) all having 29-35 catches and 4-5 touchdowns. Senior tight end Jared Wiley (6’7″, 255) has 21 catches for 225 yards and 4 scores. TCU is tied at #50 with 1.77 sacks given up per game. Dykes is a disciple of Hal Mumme and Mike Leach, so he runs an up-tempo Air Raid offense.
Advantage: Michigan. TCU will make plays through the air, but Michigan did a pretty good job of shutting down Ohio State’s high-flying passing attack. The X factor is Duggan’s ability to run. If the defensive line can’t keep him in check, then the threat of the quarterback run could open things up on the back end.
Previously: Michigan Rush O vs. TCU Rush D (LINK), Michigan Pass O vs. TCU Pass D (LINK), Michigan Rush D vs. TCU Rush O (LINK)
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Now for a look at TCU’s roster and team history:
TCU players offered by Michigan include: WR D.J. Allen, S Chace Biddle, S D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, LB Landyn Watson, DT Damonic Williams, RB Corey Wren
TCU does not have any players from the State of Michigan.
Michigan has never played TCU. However, Jim Harbaugh is 1-0 against TCU head coach Sonny Dykes. When Dykes was at SMU (2017-2021), Michigan played the Mustangs in 2018 and beat them 45-20 in Ann Arbor. In that game, safety Josh Metellus made a huge interception and returned it 73 yards for an interception as time expired before halftime to make it 21-7 going into the locker room. Quarterback Shea Patterson was 14/18 for 237 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Wide receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones caught all 3 of Patterson’s touchdowns. SMU receiver James Proche was the star for the opposition, catching 11 passes for 166 yards and 2 scores.
Interestingly, Dykes never played college football. He was the son of former Texas Tech head football coach Spike Dykes, but Sonny played baseball at Texas Tech before starting his career as a high school baseball coach. He eventually ended up coaching under Hal Mumme at Kentucky and then under Mike Leach at Texas Tech. Overall, Sonny Dykes is 83-64 as a head coach with stints at the following schools:
Louisiana Tech (2010-2012): 22-15
California (2013-2016): 19-30
SMU (2017-2021): 30-18
TCU (2022): 12-1
He’s 1-3 in bowl games with the lone win coming in the Armed Forces Bowl in 2015 when Cal beat Air Force.
This is TCU’s first season without Gary Patterson as head coach since 2001. Patterson went 181-79 from 2001-2021 (technically, he coached TCU’s bowl game victory in 2000 after Dennis Franchione left to coach Alabama).
The highest TCU has finished in the polls was when they went 13-0 in 2010, including a 21-19 win over Wisconsin in the Rose Bowl, and were ranked #2 to end the season.
Why are they the Horned Frogs? Here’s a blurb from TCU’s admissions page (LINK):
The answer goes way back to 1897, when the yearbook staff of the then-named AddRan Christian University was looking to name its annual. Football began at the university the year before, and legend has it that the football field was covered in the small-but-mighty horned lizards.Â
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In case you missed it, here are the previews for Michigan’s rushing offense (LINK) and passing offense (LINK).
Michigan is #3 in rushing defense (85.2 yards allowed/game) and #5 in yards allowed per attempt (2.92). They have allowed just 7 rushing touchdowns this season, which is tied for #4 in the country. Only four teams all season (Hawaii, Penn State, Illinois, and Ohio State) topped 4.0 yards per carry, and only one of those (PSU) got above 5.0. The defensive unit has been served well by freak nose tackle Mazi Smith, who is playing in this game and has not missed any time despite gun charges being levied against him. Smith has made 45 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss this season. The leading tackler is middle linebacker Junior Colson, who has 95 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, and 2 sacks. Disruptive defensive end Mike Morris (21 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks) is back after getting injured against Illinois. It’s a good unit from front to back, but Michigan did have some tackling woes in the Big Ten Championship Game against Purdue, so they will have to be better against some solid runners for TCU.
The primary runner for the Horned Frogs is junior Kendre Miller (6’0″, 220 lbs.), who ran 216 times for 1,342 yards (6.21 yards/carry) and 17 touchdowns. In three games against ranked teams this season, Miller ran 67 times for 373 yards and 4 touchdowns. Backup Emari Demercado (5’11”, 210) is a senior who has 90 attempts for 472 yards and 5 scores. Another rushing threat is quarterback Max Duggan (6’2″, 210) who has 112 attempts for 404 yards and 6 touchdowns. Against Oklahoma and in the Big 12 championship, Duggan ran for over 100 yards; he has good speed and isn’t afraid of contact. Despite all the rushing success, TCU had zero linemen on the First Team All-Big 12 unit; however, they did manage to land three players on the second team: redshirt senior left guard Steve Avila (6’4″, 330), redshirt senior center Alan Ali (6’5″, 300), and redshirt junior right tackle Andrew Coker (6’7″, 315). Avila is probably the best of the bunch; Coker plays a little bit high at times, and I think Ali will get pushed around by Mazi Smith. Overall, TCU is #25 in rushing offense (200 yards/game) and #19 in yards per attempt (5.23).
Advantage: Michigan. While TCU is a formidable unit – and Duggan’s running is an X factor – there’s a reason that Michigan is top five in almost every rushing defense category.
