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TheMichiganDaily, www.michigandaily.com
What to watch for on Saturday
Wolverines seek
fast start, backup
running backs vie
for playing time
By JAKE LOURIM
Managing Sports Editor
The Michigan football team
may play its easiest game of the
season Saturday, barring further
collapse by a Big Ten team such as
Rutgers or Maryland.
This week, the UNLV Rebels
(0-2) visit Michigan Stadium
to give the Wolverines a non-
conference
tune-up.
Brigham
Young comes to town next week
before the conference season
starts, so Michigan would be wise
to tighten up each of its units now.
Here’s what to watch for in
Saturday’s game.
1. How does Michigan start?
The Wolverines have started
the game on defense in both
games this season and have
surrendered long drives both
times — a long field goal at Utah
and an easy touchdown drive
against Oregon State. Michigan
has settled in both times but
could use a better start this week.
UNLV,
meanwhile,
was
overmatched against UCLA last
week but did take a 17-3 lead early
against Northern Illinois in the
season opener. The Rebels’ slim
chances of an upset would stay
alive a little longer if they can get
off to a strong start.
But the first quarter seems to
point Michigan’s way. Sam Boyd
Stadium in Las Vegas seats 36,800,
about one third of the capacity of
the Big House, so that could be
an adjustment for the Rebels.
UNLV also hasn’t played in the
Eastern time zone since 2010, and
Saturday’s game kicks off at noon
Eastern — 9 a.m. in Las Vegas.
The Wolverines could let their
fans relax a bit if they can take
advantage of the time difference.
2. Will a backup quarterback (or
quarterbacks) see substantial
playing time?
Junior
quarterback
Shane
Morris
lost
the
starting
competition to fifth-year senior
Jake
Rudock,
but
common
wisdom — as well as the depth
chart — implies he is still the No.
2 quarterback. Michigan coach
Jim Harbaugh confirmed that
fact after the Oregon State win
Saturday, even though redshirt
freshman Wilton Speight, not
Morris, came in to take a knee at
the end of the game. Harbaugh
said Morris, a junior who has seen
game action, had come too far to
be the quarterback who cleans up
at the end of the game.
Morris could redshirt this
season
if
Rudock
remains
the starter all season, so the
Wolverines will use him only if
they need him in a close game.
Speight played just a few snaps
against the Beavers, but if this
week’s game turns into a blowout
sooner, he could get a little extra
playing time. We could even see a
third quarterback, depending on
the score.
3. What will Michigan’s defense
throw at UNLV?
The Wolverines admitted they
were partially caught off-guard
by Utah’s up-tempo offense in
the first game. But they returned
to form by dominating Oregon
State last week, allowing just 59
total yards after the first drive
of the game. The Beavers also
took one sack from Michigan’s
Chris Wormley and completed
just one pass in the second
half. They eventually switched
quarterbacks in search of a spark,
but to no avail.
So what do Wormley and Co.
have in store for the Rebels? Blake
Decker started UNLV’s first two
games at quarterback, but he is
questionable for Saturday with
a groin injury. If he can’t go,
sophomore Kurt Palandech will
get the nod in a loud environment.
The Wolverines and defensive
coordinator D.J. Durkin could
dial up the pressure early on to
try to get to the quarterback.
Michigan has also made it a
goal to force more turnovers. Its
only takeaway at Utah was an
interception on a Hail Mary at the
end of the half, and it forced one
more last week. The players and
coaches insist their performances
have been better in practice and
that it’s just a matter of time
before it shows up in games. This
week would be a good week to
start.
4. Does anyone besides De’Veon
Smith have a chance at running
back?
Smith, junior Ty Isaac, junior
Derrick
Green
and
redshirt
junior Drake Johnson were all
competing for the starting job in
fall camp. Though the coaches
were open to playing more than
one initially, they said before
the season they were looking to
establish one as the workhorse.
It appears after two games that
Smith has become that guy.
In two games, Smith has 40
carries, compared to 10 each for
Isaac and Green and one for Drake
Johnson, who is still regaining
full speed after a torn ACL last
November. More notably, Smith
has had success in those carries,
breaking out for 126 yards and
three touchdowns last week.
After that performance, the
window for the other backs may
be closing. If Saturday’s game
is lopsided and one of the other
three gets an opportunity, it
might be one of their last chances
to seize playing time before
the De’Veon Smith Show keeps
rolling into the Big Ten season.
LUNA ANNA ARCHEY/Daily
Junior running back Derrick Green had eight carries for 35 yards and a touchdown against Oregon State, and he could have another chance to prove himself against UNLV.