4B — September 14, 2015
SportsMonday
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Early turnover 
changes game

Down 7-0 early, 
Michigan regains 
possession, scores 

35 unanswered

By JAKE LOURIM

Managing Sports Editor

The first turning point in 

the Michigan football team’s 
home opener Saturday against 
Oregon State came after just 
two minutes and 33 seconds.

After the Beavers rolled down 

the field for a touchdown in 
1:51 on their first drive, Oregon 
State’s Rommel Mageo sacked 
Michigan 
fifth-year 
senior 

quarterback 
Jake 
Rudock, 

forced a fumble and recovered 
it. That gave the Beavers, 
already ahead 7-0, a first down 
at the Michigan 24-yard line.

Most of the fans who came 

to Michigan Stadium arrived 
optimistic, and it was still 
early, but it didn’t take long to 
connect the dots. If the Beavers 
could score again in the first 
few 
minutes, 

they would be 
up 14-0 early. 
If they were 
up 14-0 early, 
they could run 
away with it. 
And 
if 
they 

ran away with 
it…

So 
the 

Wolverines 
relied on their 
defense for a stop. And the 
defense delivered.

“I think we were ready,” 

Wilson said. “As soon as they 
scored on us, I mean, we’re not 
perfect. They scored, everybody 
was relaxed and when they got 
the fumble, we weren’t down on 
ourselves, like, ‘Man, I gotta go 
out there again.’ Everybody’s 
ready to play football and cause 
turnovers.”

After an incomplete pass on 

first down, junior defensive 
end Taco Charlton stripped 
the ball from Oregon State’s 
Victor Bolden. The ball fell into 
the hands of Joe Bolden, who 
returned it 17 yards, giving the 
Wolverines plenty of room to 
settle in from there.

The defense caught a break, 

but it was the only one they 
needed all afternoon. They 
settled in after that turnover, 
never giving up another point.

“It’s 
really 
that 
simple,” 

Wilson said. “When you’re 
playing football, you kind of 
have adrenaline, you’re ready 
to play and you go out there 
and you forget what your actual 
key assignment is. I think that 
happened the first drive for a lot 
of guys. After that, we got those 
bugs out, and guys just settled 
in and played good football the 
rest of the game.”

Added Bolden: “I would say, 

as a defense, it’s awesome. It 
gets your blood pumping. It’s 
what you do. The reason you 
play defense is to get the ball 

back. When it comes down to 
it, when you get the ball back, it 
totally flips the momentum.”

The 
Wolverines 
stopped 

a 
third-down 
quarterback 

scramble just short on the 
next series, and a fourth-down 
screen pass just short on the one 
after that.

In the second half, they 

asserted 
their 
dominance, 

allowing zero passing yards 
and only one first down. Oregon 
State quarterback Seth Collins, 
after going 8-for-13 for 79 yards 
and a touchdown in the first 
half, was 1-for-3 in the second. 
The 
Wolverines 
eventually 

forced him out for backup 
Marcus McMaryion.

“He’s a freshman. I can tell 

that because if he feels any type 
of pressure or anything, he’s 
just going to automatically take 
off running,” Wilson said. “He’s 
not really going to go through 
his reads or anything.”

Michigan 
took 
away 
the 

running option too, though. 
After Collins’ 152 rushing yards 
in the season opener exposed 
him as a threat to scramble, the 

Wolverines 
clamped 
down on him, 
sacking 
him 

once 
and 

limiting 
him 

to 28 yards on 
11 carries.

“I thought 

that was the 
difference 
between 
the 

first 
quarter 

— the long drive they made 
— and some other drives that 
they had,” Harbaugh said. “We 
started getting some pressure 
on the quarterback.”

Though an Oregon State 

punt-team mistake gave the 
Wolverines a 10-point halftime 
lead, the game was still up 
for grabs. Michigan’s defense 
served as the dominating force, 
never allowing the Beavers to 
close the gap while the offense 
expanded the lead.

The Wolverines kicked a field 

goal on the first series of the 
second half. The defense forced 
a three-and-out, and when 
the offense gave the ball back, 
Oregon State was deep in its 
own territory. Then the defense 
forced another three-and-out — 
culminating in fifth-year senior 
linebacker Desmond Morgan’s 
third-down sack — and when 
the offense gave the ball back, it 
was 28-7.

Michigan led comfortably 

for the duration of the fourth 
quarter in a game when it 
was on its heels at the very 
beginning.

“I screwed up,” said senior 

linebacker Joe Bolden of the 
first drive. “I’ll be the first to 
admit I screwed up some big 
plays on the first drive. A lot 
of people probably noticed. It 
happens.”

The mistakes mostly came 

to an end after the first series. 
The ensuing three quarters of 
dominance erased them.

Five Things We Learned

Wormley makes 
impact on defense, 
Smith breaks out at 

running back

By ZACH SHAW

Daily Sports Editor

Michigan 
fans 
got 
all 

they could ask for Saturday. 
They 
saw 
Michigan 
coach 

Jim Harbaugh patrolling the 
sidelines in his first game 
coaching 
in 
Ann 
Arbor, 

squealed with delight when the 
coach threw a temper tantrum 
and witnessed a dominant 35-7 
win.

The Wolverines improved on 

all of their problem areas from 
the season opener, and showed 
glimpses of improvements to 
come.

Here are five things we 

learned from Michigan’s first 
win under Harbaugh.

1. Chris Wormley should be 

a household name.

When the senior led the 

team in tackles in Michigan’s 
Spring Game, there was plenty 
of buzz about Wormley having 
a breakout season in the fall. 
Through 
two 
games, 
the 

defensive end has surpassed 
those lofty expectations almost 
as easily as he’s breezed past 
offensive linemen.

Wormley 
recorded 
three 

tackles for loss and a sack 
against Oregon State en route to 
setting a career-high in tackles 
for loss in a season with six — a 
total that leads the Big Ten. On 
a defensive front that looked to 
be one of the Wolverines’ top 
units before the season began, 
Wormley’s breakout start sends 
an added chill down opposing 
quarterbacks’ spines.

2. De’Veon Smith can be the 

go-to guy.

Every 
time 
the 
junior 

running back showed glimpses 
of being a go-to back in the past, 
Smith seemed to either take 
a step back, or another back 
would surge ahead of him on 
the depth chart. That changed 
Saturday, when Smith racked up 
three touchdowns and a career-
high 150 yards of offense.

Beyond the numbers, Smith 

looked ready in his second 
outing as the No. 1 back. After 
missing holes and failing to 
substantially 
contribute 
in 

the team’s loss to Utah, Smith 
bounced off defenders, broke 
tackles and improved his way 
down 
the 
field. 
Michigan’s 

running back concerns can be 
put to rest for now.

3. But he doesn’t have to be.

Though Smith looked poised 

to take control of the run game, 
his 
teammates 
weren’t 
far 

behind. The Wolverines ran the 
ball 48 times for 225 yards, and 
two backups — juniors Derrick 
Green and Ty Isaac — combined 
for 70 yards on 14 carries.

Some of that has to do with 

the development of the backs, 
but a large amount of credit 
is owed to the offensive line. 
With all five starters back from 
last season, the line showed its 
veteran poise, shaking early 
struggles before dominating the 
Beavers nearly every snap in the 
second half. Smith showed top-
back talent, but if he struggles 
next week, he has plenty of help 
behind and in front of him.

4. Special teams won’t lose 

games for Michigan anymore.

With a reignited program, 

droves of Michigan fans are 
coming out of hiding. They 
are welcomed back by the 
Wolverines with open arms 
and clean special teams. After 
sending 10 players out on punts, 
shanking easy field goals and 
doing practically nothing in 
the return game last season, 
Michigan 
showed 
signs 
of 

aptitude Saturday.

Freshman 
wide 
receiver 

Brian Cole came within inches 
of blocking Oregon State punts 
several times, and the added 

pressure kept the Beavers on 
their heels all game. Senior 
Kenny 
Allen 
has 
looked 

competent as a kicker, giving 
Michigan a failsafe if the 
offense stalls.

5. Bold Prediction: This 

will be Jake Rudock’s least 
productive 
game 
of 
the 

season.

The 
fifth-year 
senior 

quarterback’s 
second 
start 

managed to be both better and 
worse than his first. His yardage 
dropped from 279 to 180, he 
didn’t throw for a touchdown, 
but he also improved from the 
mistake-filled performance that 
doomed Michigan in Salt Lake 
City. His production took a hit, 
but his poise rebounded.

The Michigan coaching staff 

made it clear before the season 
that if the running game is 
working, the passing game will 
come second. However, Michigan 
likely won’t be as effective on the 
ground every week. Expect the 
passing game to improve, and 
expect Rudock’s production to 
matter a lot more down the road.

LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily

Redshirt junior Chris Wormley made three tackles for loss, including this sack, in Saturday’s 35-7 win over Oregon State.

THE MICHIGAN 

DAILY TOP-10 POLL 

2. TCU: The Horned Frogs 
won a pretty unfair matchup 
against Stephen F. Austin. They 
defeated one person. Come on.

1. OHIO STATE: Bad enough 
that Hawaii lost by 38 to the 
Buckeyes. They also had to get 
introduced to the state of Ohio.

9. OREGON: Oregon got what it 
deserved. Wearing white after 
Labor Day? That’s disrespectful 
to the Spartans AND to fashion.

3. ALABAMA: There might 
have been doubters before 
Alabama convincingly took 
care of business against Middle 
Tennessee State this weekend. 
But now? Roll Tide. 

6. USC: Fifty-nine points 
against Idaho? Fifty-nine 
postgame shots for Steve 
Sarkisian in the Trojans’ locker 
room.

5. BAYLOR: The Bears defeated 
Lamar this weekend. Not 
Kendrick, just Lamar.

7. CLEMSON: The Tigers beat 
some Appalachian State team. 
Never heard of them.

4. MICHIGAN STATE: How 
dare Harbaugh get his first win 
on the same day the Spartans 
beat Oregon? Disrespectful.

8. LSU: Recent transfer Reid 
Simkovitz watched the Tigers 
beat Mississippi State at a bar on 
campus.

10. FLORIDA STATE: If the 
Seminoles can stay out of 
jail, they should be in a great 
position this weekend against 
Boston College. Yeah, they’re 
screwed.

Each week, Daily sports staffers fill out 
ballots, with first place votes receiving 10 
points, second-place votes receiving nine 

and so on. 

Good, bad and ugly: 
‘M’ 35, Oregon St. 7

By MAX COHEN

Managing Sports Editor

After 
eight 
months 
of 

waiting, hype and expectations, 
Jim Harbaugh took the field as 
Michigan’s head football coach 
for the first time Saturday. And 
it was a game to remember.

Michigan struggled initially, 

but 
eventually 
trounced 

Oregon State, 35-7. The manner 
in which the team won was the 
biggest surprise of it all — with 
a power running game.

Here is a look at the good, 

the bad and the ugly from 
Harbaugh’s 
first 
win 
as 

Michigan’s coach:

The good

The Wolverines’ running 

game looked as it rarely has in 
recent years. Michigan rushed 
for 225 yards, led by junior 
running back De’Veon Smith, 
who scampered for 126 yards 
and three touchdowns.

The Wolverines rode Smith 

hard late in the game, and 
the offensive line improved 
as the game went on. The 
Beavers had little answer for 
Michigan’s run game. The 
offense resembled what fans 
expected 
from 
Harbaugh: 

run-heavy with contributions 
from multiple tight ends and 
fullbacks.

While the offense ran wild, 

the 
defense 
stood 
strong. 

Oregon State rushed for minus-
28 yards after the first quarter. 
After the Beavers started the 
game with a long touchdown 
drive, they did not muster a 
single score.

The defense’s play even 

necessitated an Oregon State 
quarterback change, but it 
was to no avail. Harbaugh was 
able to coast to his first career 
victory at Michigan.

The bad

By the end of the game, 

Michigan’s 
first-quarter 

misfortune had been rendered 

irrelevant. But for a moment, 
things looked bad for the 
Wolverines. Michigan allowed 
that 
opening-possession 

touchdown drive, and then 
followed it up by turning the 
ball over when fifth-year senior 
quarterback 
Jake 
Rudock 

was sacked and fumbled the 
football.

The 
game 
momentarily 

appeared to be in jeopardy 
as Oregon State took over 
possession on the Wolverines’ 
24-yard line with the chance 
to take a 14-0 lead. But then 
junior defensive end Taco 
Charlton 
stripped 
Beavers 

running back Victor Bolden, 
and senior linebacker Joe 
Bolden snatched it out of the 
air for Michigan.

In terms of football action, 

that was the end of the bad for 
the Wolverines. But Michigan 
junior 
cornerback 
Jourdan 

Lewis suffered a concussion 
in the second quarter and 
missed the rest of the game. His 
status is currently unknown. 
If he misses time, it could be 
troubling for the Wolverines’ 
secondary.

The ugly

Late in the second quarter, 

Oregon 
State 
punter 
Nick 

Porebski lined up behind the 
long snapper to punt. The play 
went smoothly, and he booted 
the ball inside Michigan’s five-
yard line.

But then a penalty on the 

Beavers nullified the play. The 
second attempt at the punt did 
not go as well. The snap sailed 
well over Porebski’s head, and 
the Wolverines took over on 
Oregon State’s three-yard line.

Harbaugh got into the action 

himself, arguing a roughing 
the punter call in the second 
quarter. He tossed his play 
sheet and kicked the air while 
he chirped at the referees.

It may have been ugly for the 

officials who had to listen to his 
complaining, but for Michigan 
fans, it was a beautiful sight.

FOOTBALL

“When they got 
the fumble, we 
weren’t down 
on ourselves.”

FOOTBALL