6A — Thursday, September 17, 2015
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Quarterback play a numbers game

Fisch wants 

starter Rudock to 
limit turnovers in 

coming weeks

By MAX COHEN

Managing Sports Editor

For 
Michigan 
passing 

game coordinator Jedd Fisch, 
measuring quarterback success 
is partially a numbers game. 
And through two games for 
fifth-year senior quarterback 
Jake 
Rudock, 
the 
numbers 

aren’t pretty.

Rudock has been responsible 

for 
five 
turnovers 
as 
the 

Wolverines’ starter. He threw 
three 
interceptions 
in 
the 

season opener at Utah, and 

fumbled early in Michigan’s 
victory against Oregon State 
before throwing an interception 
late in the game.

During his career at Iowa, 

before 
he 
transferred 
to 

Michigan over the summer, 
Rudock wasn’t known as a 
turnover-prone quarterback. In 
fact, he was one of the best in the 
Big Ten at limiting giveaways. He 
threw just five interceptions last 
season as the Hawkeyes’ starter.

Despite the rough start, Fisch 

believes Rudock can return 
toward his career mean. Fisch 
provided a math lesson to the 
media Wednesday to explain his 
point.

“So he’s thrown four, which 

is two right now (per) game,” 
Fisch said. “If we can have a 
few games with zero, he can get 
right back to his average. If you 

throw one a game, you throw 12 
for the year. If you can get a few 
games with zero, you can get 
that number down to about six 
or seven. So he’s got to do that. 
Strive for that number, to get 
to somewhere less than 10 for 
the year, and try to double the 
touchdowns. (I’d) like to get to a 
2:1 ratio there or more.”

One ratio of Rudock’s that 

Fisch is pleased with is the 
number of sacks he has taken. 
In 76 dropbacks this season, 
Rudock 
has 
been 
sacked 

only 
once, 
a 
statistic 
that 

Fisch believes is reflective of 
Michigan’s entire offense.

Somewhat surprisingly, the 

turnover 
that 
disappointed 

Fisch most was not one of his 
interceptions, but the lone sack 
that caused a Rudock fumble 
in the first quarter against the 

Beavers.

“That 
was 
most 
the 

avoidable,” Fisch said. “He had 
an opportunity to kick it out 
there when he was hot, and held 
onto the ball.”

The 
coach, 
even 
while 

acknowledging 
room 
for 

improvement, is not short on 
confidence when it comes to 
his quarterback. He pointed to 
Rudock’s completion percentage 
against Oregon State (69.2) as 
a sign of success, saying that 
completing 70 percent of passes 
is a goal he has in mind for his 
quarterbacks.

Despite Rudock’s reputation 

as little more than a game 
manager, Fisch is pleased with 
the way the Wolverines have 
attempted to spread the field 
early in the season.

Fisch is also learning on the 

job. This season has provided a 
new experience for the coach, 
who has worked as an offensive 
coordinator both in college 
football and the NFL. Fisch 
said this has been the first 
staff he has worked with that 
makes play calls as a group. Of 
course, Michigan coach Jim 
Harbaugh has the final say, but 
most decisions are the result of 
a collaborative effort, unlike on 
most teams where one coach 
calls all of the plays.

The experience has been a 

positive one for Fisch, so much 
so that it’s something he would 
advocate for on any coaching 
staff he works on in the future.

“It’s something that I would 

always do from now on,” Fisch 
said.

That’s one success that can’t 

be broken down by the numbers.

BY THE NUMBERS
Jake Rudock

5

Turnovers in two games, including three 
interceptions at Utah and another pick 
and a sack-fumble against Oregon State

69.2

Rudock’s completion percentage 
against Oregon State (18-for-26)

76

Dropbacks in two games, only one of 

which ended in a sack
105

National rank in passing defense for 

UNLV, Michigan’s next opponent