B -September 22, 2014 SrtsMonday The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com . Five things we learned: Utah 26, Michigan 10 ByGREG GARNO' ManagingSportsEditor Everything seemed to fall part in the Michigan football beam's 26-10 loss to Utah on Saturday. And the two-and- n-half-hour rain delay almost eenedtobe a welcome respite. The Wolverinesawere exposed against the Utes, struggling in nearly all areas of the contest. Here are the five things we learned after a wild, wet affair. 1. The defense will carry this team: Thismuch isclear: Michigan's defense is the reason it had a chance to win on Saturday. Utah entered Saturday with the No. 3 offense in the country, averaging 557.5 yards and 57.5 points. But the Wolverines held them to 286 total yards. Utes' quarterback Travis Wilson and tepotent pgssing attack finished with 205 yards. Just three passes went for more than 20 yards, including a short seven-yard pass that turned into 67yards. The rush defense eliminated the ground game, the pass rush finally got to the backfield to record three sacks and they grabbed an interception.. Michigan's defense even provided, the offense by way of redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Willie Henry's touchdown return. And they did it all without starting senior linebacker Desmond Morgan, starting senior cornerback Raymon Taylor and starting junior safety Jarrod Wilson. If the Wolverines are going to win games, especially against offenses from Michigan State and Ohio State, they're going to need a defense to compensate for an offense that can't get into the red zone. 2. If you stop Devin )unchess,youstop Michigan's passing attack: JAMES COLLER/Daily Junior receiver Devin Funchess and the Michigan offense were held without a touchdown Saturday afternoon. The Wolverines failed to reach Utah's red zone. another went right down the middle to Utah linebacker Gionni Paul. Gardner's day - 14-for-26 with two interceptions - was a disaster, and it wasn't the first time it's happened this season. It was enough to bring in sophomore backup quarterback Shane Morris in his place, leaving Gardner on the sideline for much of the fourth quarter. Saturday, he reaffirmed his three-interception game against Notre Dame and his limited role in the air against the RedHawks as a trend. 5. Bold prediction: Shane Morris will be the starter before the Wolverines face Michigan State The conversation regarding a potential quarterback competition has changed in less than a month. In the middle of August, Hoke said Gardner would be the starter, as Morris watched and learned. But now, he's reevaluating his signal callers. "We'll have a quarterback for the Minnesota game and we'll assess and compete and challenge all week," Hoke said after the game. "We'll see what happens." That doesn't mean Morris will impress by then, but Michigan will likely needa change of pace at quarterback and Gardner could always move to wide receiver if needed. And after Gardner travels to Rutgers or plays Penn State under the lights, something will give for Morris to step in. The sophomore out of Warren, Mich., didn't have great stats in his limited time, but he showed flashes that he could still step in admirably. His 60-yard heave down the field, or his run to move the chains on third down was promising. Gardner is still learning offensive coordinator . Doug Nussmeier's new system, and Hoke and company may very well think they're ready to save time and start Morris. 0 Michigan couldn't find the red haul down passes that were zone because its game plan was overthrown or underthrown his abundantly clear. Every time way. fifth-year senior quarterback Sophomore tight end Jake Butt Devin Gardner threw the ball and redshirt sophomore wide on Saturday, his first choice was receiver Amara Darboh couldn't junior wide get open fast receiver Devin enough to be Funchess. He targeted. was targeted "W e'll assess Dennis 10 times on Norfleet Saturday, more and compete and Freddy than any other Canteen are receiver. and. challenge fast, but when But a w Gardner Michigan's all Wee . needs to go leading downfield, receiver they're hauled in just ineffective. Stats can be misleading, but here's one that's not: Derrick Green rushed the ball 14 times and De'Veon Smith rushed the ball four times. The sophomore running backs were supposed to split carries, Michigan coach Brady Hoke said. But after Saturday, the competition is, in essence, over. It's Green's job now. Green was already coming off a game against Miami (Ohio), in which he rushed for more than 120 yards and two touchdowns. His 65 yards weren't astounding, but it was more production than Smith's five yards. That's because Green realized that he couldn't run in between the tackles. He had to rush to the outside and use his speed to pick up yards. Smith, meanwhile, was a victim of the line's inability to get a push against Utah's front seven. Both are big and physical, but Green figured out a way to make something out of nothing. And he's being rewarded for that. 4. Devin Gardner is indecisive and inaccurate: Gardner's first two passes were completions. His next three fell incomplete. And in between, he couldn't decide whether he should pass as the line collapsed or run. When he passed to Jehu Chesson in the first quarter, he underthrew him. His next pass was thrown into the middle of four defenders and knocked away from Funchess. The Wolverines were kept out of the red zone on the drive and held to a field goal. His throws went too far in front of receivers. one ball was tipped for an interception, and U four passes as Utah often threw double or triple coverage his way. It didn't stop Gardner from throwing to Funchess. Gardner'sx. other target, redshirt sophomore wide receiver Jehu Chesson couldn't So when Gardner steps back to pass, Funchess will be his target, even if three defenders are covering him. 3. The running game, featuring Derrick Green: 6 The Daily football writers do their best to predict, against the spread, what happens in the 2014 football season. Each week we select a guest picker to go against the "experts." Greg Alejandro Garno Zdiliga Alexa Max Dettelbach "Cohen Mark Burns Daily Sport Legend I I 1 '11- I - l- , -- 111.1 - - 1 1 11 - -11, 1.11-- -- - - 11-11, Utah vs. Michigan (-4.5) No. 22 Clemson vs. No.1 Florida State (-10.5) No. 2 Oregon (-24) vs. Washington State Florida vs. No. 3 Alabama -14.5) No.40klahoma(-8)vs. West Virginia No.5 Auburn (-8) vs.No.20Kansas State No.6 Texas A&M033.5) vs. SMU Mississippi St.vs. No. 8LSU(-10) EastemMichigan vs. No.11MichiganState(-4S) Troyvs. No.13 Georgia (-42) No.14 South Carolina(-23) vs. Vanderbilt Indianavs. No.18Missouri(13.5) Bowling Green vs. No.19 Wisconsin (-27) Virginia vs. No.21BYU (-15) Miami (FL)vs. No.24 Nsbrassas(-8) Record Utah Florida State Oregon Alabama Oklahoma Auburn SMU LSU Eastern Michigan Troy SsuthCar ina Mizzou Wisconsin Virginia Miami 5-10 Michigan Florida State Oregon Alabama West Virginia Auburn SMU LSU Michgan State Georgia South Carolina Mizzou BGSU BYU Nebraska 4-11 Utah Clemson Oregon Alabama Oklahoma Auburn TexasA&M LSU Eastern Michigan Georgia South Carolina Mizzou BGSU BYU Miami 6-9 Clemson Oregon Alabama Oklahoma Kansas State Texas A&M LSU Eastern Michigan Georgia South Carolina Mizzou Wisconsin MYU Miami 8-7 Michigan Florida State Oregon Alabama West Virginia Kansas State Texas AaM LSU Eastern Michigan Georgia South Carolina Mizzou BGSU BYU 5-10 4 Overall 31.33 3133] 3133 30.34 WA THE ICHIGAN DAILY TOP-10 POLL Each week, Daily sports staffers fill out ballots, with first place votes receiving 10 points, second-place votes receiving nine, and so on. 1. FLORIDA STATE: In the end, Florida State f(lattened) Clemson quarterbacks right in the p(ocket). 2. ALABAMA: BBQ sauce from Alabama is made with mayonnaise. Mayonnaise! 0 3.OREGON: The Ducks beat Washington State by seven. Rutgers only beat Washington State by three. #B1G 4. OKLAHOMA: What do West. Virginia and Oklahoma have in common? Lack of infrastructure and incest. 7. TEXAS A&M: Johnny Manziel almost caught a touchdown pass on a trick play this weekend. He plays for the Aggies, right? S8. MICHIGAN STATE: The Spartans beat Eastern Michigan by 49, and that's not even the worst team in Washtenaw County! 9. OLE MISS: Mississippi didn't play, and the exchange rate between Confederate and U.S. dollars stayed the same. Great weekend in Oxford! 10. SOUTH CAROLINA: It was wet and slippery in Nashville this weekend, and the Cocks' linemen had a hard time penetrating their Vanderbilt counterparts, barely slipping by in the end. S 5. AUBURN: After a tough test at KSU, the Tigers have eight weeks to prepare until what figures to be the game of the century against Samford. 6. BAYLOR: The Bears didn't play this weekend as they mourned the death of RGIII's NFL career.