FootballSaturday, September 26, 2015
6
Breakdown: Michigan vs. BYU
Wolverines face
tough test Saturday
By JAKE LOURIM
Managing Sports Editor
In two home games this year,
the Michigan football team has
faced less than one quarter of
adversity. Since the Wolverines
forced a fumble early in the first
quarter against Oregon State
and then scored 35 unanswered
points, they have rolled.
But Saturday could be an
entirely different test.
This
week,
Michigan
(2-1)
faces No. 23 Brigham Young (2-1)
at Michigan Stadium in its non-
conference finale. The Cougars won
their first two games in dramatic
fashion, shocking Nebraska in their
opener on a game-ending Hail
Mary, then topping Boise State on
a 35-yard touchdown pass with 45
seconds left.
The Wolverines are in for a
tough battle Saturday. Here’s how
things break down:
Michigan pass offense vs. Utah
pass defense
Fifth-year senior quarterback
Jake Rudock has been under the
microscope for throwing five
interceptions in his first three
games. The three he threw
against Utah were costly, but the
last two were not. If he can have
his first turnover-free game of the
season Saturday, he will give the
Wolverines a chance to win.
He has also established a
wider arsenal of targets, though
not many have been consistent.
Thirteen players have caught
passes, but just two have more
than five — Amara Darboh has 16,
and Jake Butt has 14. Michigan
will look to establish more threats
in the passing game as well as
some deep throws downfield.
The Cougars’ passing defense
struggled in the first two games,
allowing 308 yards per game, but
it locked down UCLA’s Josh Rosen
last week, giving up just 106 yards
and picking off three passes. BYU
is tied for first in the nation with
seven interceptions — including
four by defensive back Kai Nacua
— so keeping the football will be a
challenge for Rudock.
Edge: BYU
Michigan rush offense vs. BYU
rush defense
The
Wolverines
have
had
more success running the ball
this season, and now they might
have a host of players to carry
it. Junior running back De’Veon
Smith leads the team with 53
carries — almost half of the
team’s 116 — for 206 yards. But
junior Ty Isaac had a breakout
game last week with 114 yards
and a touchdown, and redshirt
junior Drake Johnson continues
to work his way back into the fold
after he suffered the second torn
anterior cruciate ligament of his
career last November.
Much of their success comes
from an improved offensive line,
led by fifth-year senior center
Graham
Glasgow.
That
line
will face a BYU front headed by
6-foot-8, 280-pound defensive
end Bronson Kaufusi.
As with pass defense, the
Cougars’ rush defense is in
the bottom half in the country.
They did, however, slow down
Nebraska and Boise State before
giving up 296 yards to UCLA last
week. Michigan has not yet faced
a straight 3-4 defense (Oregon
State
played
with
a
hybrid
defensive end-linebacker similar
to Michigan’s buck position).
Edge: Michigan
BYU pass offense vs. Michigan
pass defense
BYU’s offense has had the most
success on the last plays of games,
but it has moved the ball well the
rest of the game, too. The Cougars
recovered nicely from the loss of
starting quarterback Taysom Hill
to a season-ending foot injury.
Hill totaled 340 yards and three
touchdowns in the opener before
going down and being replaced by
Tanner Mangum. Mangum, 22, is
still a true freshman following a
two-year Mormon mission before
college.
He has played more like his
age than his year in school,
leading BYU on fourth-quarter
comebacks
against
Nebraska
and Boise State before the magic
ran out at UCLA. At 136, his
quarterback rating is 17.5 points
higher than Rudock’s. He has
the ability to throw from outside
the pocket and has a host of
big, talented receivers at his
disposal. The leader is 6-foot-6
Mitch Mathews, who jumped up
and caught the Hail Mary in the
season opener.
Though Michigan has touted
BYU’s receivers all week, the
Wolverines also have a capable
secondary
to
defend
them.
Junior defensive backs Channing
Stribling
and
Jeremy
Clark
intercepted passes last week, and
Michigan has forced the opposing
team to change quarterbacks in
two straight games. But Mangum
is a different animal.
Edge: BYU
BYU rush offense vs. Michigan
rush defense
The Cougars have been a pass-
first team, largely by necessity —
because they’ve faced deficits late
in games and because running
back Jamaal Williams withdrew
from school just before fall camp.
BYU ranks 111th in the nation in
rush offense, but running back
Adam Hine has managed 279
yards and two touchdowns in
three games.
Michigan’s stout defensive front
will match up against a young
BYU
offensive
line
featuring
only one senior. Several players
have emerged on defense for the
Wolverines early in the season.
Redshirt junior defensive tackle
Chris Wormley has seven tackles
for loss, junior defensive end Taco
Charlton has forced a fumble and
senior linebacker Joe Bolden leads
the team in tackles with 26.
The best-case scenario for
Michigan
is
to
play
tough
defense against the run, force
BYU into passing situations and
then bring the pressure against
Mangum to try to rattle him. If
the Wolverines can feed off the
Michigan
Stadium
crowd,
it
would help.
Edge: Michigan
Special teams
Michigan has made a sizable
jump in this area since a mediocre
2014. Senior kicker Kenny Allen
is 3-for-4 in limited field-goal
opportunities,
and
fifth-year
senior Blake O’Neill is averaging
40.9 yards per punt with a 59-yard
bomb last week.
Then
there’s
the
big-play
threat:
redshirt
freshman
defensive back Jabrill Peppers,
who ran back a punt 24 yards last
week and has the ability to score
if he finds some space.
BYU is in a similar situation.
Punter Jonny Linehan has been
solid (42.6 yards per punt), and
the Cougars have had limited
opportunities in the return game.
The difference maker could be
kicker Trevor Samson, who is
a perfect 5-for-5 on the season,
including 3-for-3 from beyond 40
yards.
Edge: BYU
Intangibles
After two easy wins at Michigan
Stadium, the Wolverines are
back to being doubted, to some
extent. They went to Utah as six-
point underdogs and face a tough
test with the tall receivers of
BYU. Knowing how competitive
Saturday’s
game
will
be,
Michigan should play with a little
extra edge.
The
Cougars,
meanwhile,
were flying high last week after
two straight thrilling victories
landed them in the top 25. Then
they traveled to UCLA and fell
just short of a monumental upset
of the Bruins. Has the high worn
off? The answer will be apparent
early on Saturday.
Edge: Michigan
Prediction: BYU 28, Michigan
25
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Redshirt junior Jeremy Clark has intercepted a team-leading two passes this season, including one last week against UNLV.