Michigan vs. Michigan State Awards
Jake Ryan |
Let’s see more of this guy on offense . . . Devin Gardner running the ball. Gardner is the best runner on the team. Better than Devin Funchess, better than Justice Hayes, better than De’Veon Smith, better than Dennis Norfleet, better than a healthy Derrick Green. Gardner sprained his ankle against Penn State, so I guess I understand if the coaches were trying to protect him against Michigan State. Regardless, this team can’t pass the ball consistently, and there’s very little running game. Gardner ran the ball 4 times for -18 yards (including 2 sacks). He has to be a part of the rushing attack if Michigan wants to find success.
Let’s see less of this guy on offense . . . A.J. Williams. He’s not a good blocker, he’s too slow to be any kind of running threat, and he doesn’t have good hands. If Michigan can’t put a better tight end out there – if Keith Heitzman really can’t do it, if the coaches are set on redshirting Ian Bunting – then they should just spread defenses out more and hope the running backs or Gardner can find creases. Williams is a liability.
Let’s see more of this guy on defense . . . Raymon Taylor at safety. I think the time has come to make an adjustment in the defensive secondary. I do not believe this will actually happen, but Michigan needs better safety play. Jeremy Clark is a liability, and Delano Hill isn’t ready to play safety at this level. Hill got completely lost in man coverage when he allowed MSU wide receiver Tony Lippett a 70-yard catch-and-run touchdown, and Hill got trucked by quarterback Connor Cook. The Wolverines need more consistent play at safety, and Clark/Hill aren’t going to give it to them this year.
Let’s see less of this guy on defense . . . Delano Hill. I have never been a fan of Hill, and he has yet to make a play that seems to warrant his playing time. He did luck into a fumble recovery after Jarrod Wilson forced the ball out and it bounced into Hill’s hands, but that’s not enough.
Play of the game . . . so few options. I’ll go with Chris Wormley’s 8-yard sack on Connor Cook. It was Wormley’s only entry on the stat sheet, but it was a somewhat impressive bull rush right through the Michigan State offensive guard, pushing him back into Cook.
MVP of the game . . . Jake Ryan. He had 12 tackles and 1 tackle for loss. That’s the best I can come up with. Nobody stood out. The quarterback was bad, the offensive line was bad, the wide receivers dropped all kinds of balls, the defensive line got pushed around, and the secondary couldn’t tackle.