Sports The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com Friday, October 30, 2015 — 7 Breakdown: Michigan at Minnesota By JAKE LOURIM Managing Sports Editor The game against Northwestern had shades of it, and the game against Michigan State did, too. But the Michigan football team’s game Saturday at Minnesota will have old-fashioned power football written all over it. The Wolverines and Golden Gophers match run-first offenses and hard-nosed defenses Saturday at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Minnesota cruised in last year’s meeting at Michigan Stadium, 30-14, but Michigan won six straight in the series before that. The Wolverines have a good chance to win this one, too, if they can limit mistakes in a tough road environment. The Golden Gophers have been decimated by injuries this season but could play their best game Saturday in the spotlight. Here’s how the teams match up: Michigan pass offense vs. Minnesota pass defense Fifth-year senior quarterback Jake Rudock is averaging just 186.1 yards per game passing this season, and he failed to meet that mark in his last game against Michigan State. He did, however, establish a big-play component, throwing four of his 15 completions for more than 20 yards. Just as impressively, he threw them to four different receivers: senior tight end A.J. Williams, redshirt junior wide receivers Amara Darboh and Jehu Chesson and the Wolverines’ newest offensive weapon, redshirt freshman safety Jabrill Peppers. In all, Rudock has thrown this year to 21 different receivers, including himself (he caught a deflected pass against Michigan State). The deep passing game still needs work, but Rudock will need to focus on taking care of the football above all else Saturday. The Golden Gophers have been average at forcing interceptions (six total) this year, and their pass rush has been weak (tied for 103rd in the nation). Their pass defense has been stingy, though, allowing just 177.3 yards per game. Defensive back Jalen Myrick leads Minnesota with three interceptions, and Adekunle Ayinde and Eric Murray have added four pass breakups each. Edge: Minnesota Michigan rush offense vs. Minnesota rush defense The Wolverines managed just 83 yards on 28 carries last season against Minnesota, but their offensive line has been much more successful this year. A big reason for that is continuity: Michigan has started the same linemen at the same positions in every game this season, and many of them have previous starting experience. Junior running back De’Veon Smith leads the team with 436 yards, and he figures to get more than the nine touches he had in last year’s meeting. After missing one game and being limited in another, he returned to being the featured back against Michigan State, earning 19 carries while no one else had more than three. Minnesota ranks 52nd nationally against the run, giving up 151.4 yards per game, so the Wolverines could find daylight on the ground. The defensive line has been one of the Golden Gophers’ healthiest units this season, however. Defensive linemen Steven Richardson and Theiren Cockran have combined for 12 tackles for loss and will look to create havoc in the Michigan backfield as they did last season. Edge: Michigan Minnesota pass offense vs. Michigan pass defense Like Michigan, Minnesota’s passing game is its second option. Quarterback Mitch Leidner has seven fewer yards than Rudock through seven games. He, too, has six interceptions, but also seven touchdowns. And the Gophers’ passing attack is conservative like Michigan’s, with a season-long play of 38 yards. Michigan secondary coach Greg Jackson touted the play of Minnesota wide receivers KJ Maye and Eric Carter, and the Gophers also rely heavily on tight end Drew Wolitarsky. The Wolverines allowed a season-high 328 passing yards against Michigan State, but it took a strong effort from Spartans quarterback Connor Cook, and they won’t face a receiver like Michigan State’s Aaron Burbridge this week. If they can limit the deep ball as they have all season, they won’t have any trouble. Edge: Michigan Minnesota rush offense vs. Michigan rush defense The Gophers’ bread and butter is their power running game, but they haven’t been able to establish it as they did last year, when running back David Cobb steamrolled the Wolverines for 183 yards on 32 carries. Cobb graduated, and Minnesota hasn’t been able to replace him with another workhorse. Running backs Rodney Smith (467 yards, one touchdown) and Shannon Brooks (316 yards, three touchdowns) have shared the load. Part of the issue for the Gophers is also their health, or lack thereof, on the offensive line. While Michigan has maintained a consistent group, eight different players have started on the line for Minnesota, and the Gophers have used five combinations of starters in seven games. Minnesota will need to establish some continuity to brace for Michigan’s defense. Sixteen different Wolverines have teamed up for 55 tackles for loss, led by redshirt junior defensive end Willie Henry’s nine and redshirt junior defensive tackle Chris Wormley’s eight. If Michigan comes out angry after a heartbreaking loss to Michigan State, the Gophers will have their hands full. Edge: Michigan Special teams Finally, the Wolverines can confidently say their special teams are a strength. Senior kicker Kenny Allen is now 10-for-12 on field goals, and fifth-year senior punter Blake O’Neill’s 80-yard bomb against Michigan State has been the highlight of a strong season for the Australian punter. In the return game, Peppers continues to be a weapon. The Gophers have similar numbers. Ryan Santoso is 10-for- 13 on field goals, and Peter Mortell is averaging 44 yards per punt with only one touchback on the season. Edge: Push Intangibles This is the toughest category to judge this week. Both teams are at difficult points in their seasons. Michigan must recover from a last-second loss to Michigan State and prove its Big Ten title hopes aren’t dead yet. The Wolverines must also manage the atmosphere on the road, where they have played just two times this year, one of which was a fairly pro- Michigan crowd at Maryland. Minnesota, meanwhile, will play without head coach Jerry Kill, who retired Wednesday amid health concerns. Defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys will lead the team Saturday night, so the Gophers, too, could respond in one of two ways. They could play an inspired game in honor of their highly respected coach and pull off an upset to put their season back on track, or they could be disorganized and struggle to hold off the Wolverines. Coming off bye weeks, both teams should respond well from their setbacks. But Minnesota should be fired up to win one for Kill under the lights on its home turf. Edge: Minnesota Pick: Michigan 23, Minnesota 17 ALLISON FARRAND/Daily Michigan’s defense gave up 27 points against Michigan State but will look for a bounce-back performance at Minnesota. ‘M’ heads into Big Ten Tournament By SYED FAHD AHSAN Daily Sports Writer With 34 minutes on the clock in the Michigan women’s soccer team’s Oct. 8 contest against Northwestern, Michigan senior midfielder Corinne Harris rocketed a shot into the back of the net from 25 yards out. It proved to be the decisive moment in a 1-0 victory for the Wolverines. The score line could have been worse for the Wildcats (7-3-1 Big Ten, 13-4-2 overall), who were lucky to have finished the 90 minutes only a goal down, as Michigan failed to convert many of the chances it created. Now the two are set to lock horns once again in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals this Sunday in Wilmette. The Wolverines (6-3-2 Big Ten, 11-6- 2 overall) will be looking to pull off a performance much like the one they gave in October. “If we play the way we did last game, we should be fine,” said Michigan coach Greg Ryan. “We’ve been organized defensively for most of the year, and if we can do that again, we’ll been successful. We just need to take our chances.” However, since that loss in Ann Arbor, Northwestern has won four out of its last five games, scoring nine goals and conceding just two in the process. Michigan, on the other hand, hasn’t been nearly as stellar in that stretch, with a 2-2-1 record. The Wolverines’ last game was their 3-1 loss to No. 10 Penn State, a game defined by a seven-minute onslaught that saw Michigan sophomore goalkeeper Megan Hinz pick the ball out of her net three times. Senior midfielder Cassie Collins grabbed a late consolation goal, but it was a case of too little, too late for the Wolverines. “The (Penn State) game will be extra motivation to maintain focus and discipline,” Ryan said. “We played well in the beginning, but it was just that seven-minute collapse that defined the game, and we paid for it.” The Wolverines finished the regular season fifth in the Big Ten standings, but the Wildcats were able to finish one spot higher given their recent success. That’s concerning news for Michigan, as its home record tells a completely different story from its away record. With only one loss at home all season, the Wolverines’ dominance in Ann Arbor is apparent. But a 1-5-2 record on the road shows just how much they struggle when not playing on familiar ground. Michigan started this season playing a 4-3-3 formation that utilized its wingers and fullbacks to spread play, widening the field and creating space in the middle. For the most part, this has remained the trademark of the Wolverines’ style this season. Michigan will rely on its star forwards, sophomores Ani Sarkisian and Taylor Timko, who have scored seven goals each. They will need to be sharp, considering that Northwestern has only allowed 10 goals this season. In what looks to be an extremely well-matched game in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals, the importance isn’t lost on the Wolverines. “At this point, we’re just looking for a chance to move on in the Big Ten Tournament,” Ryan said. “It’s a must-win game, especially if we want to move onto the NCAA Tournament. It’ll definitely be a battle.” WOMEN’S SOCCER Michigan at Northwestern Matchup: Michigan 11-6-2; Northwestern 13-4-2 When: Sunday 1 P.M. Where: Wilmette, Ill. Behind Enemy Lines: Mitch Leidner By ZACH SHAW Daily Sports Editor While much of the talk leading up to the No. 15 Michigan football team’s trip to Minnesota surrounds the head coaches (Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh and recently retired Minnesota coach Jerry Kill), the players will still have the biggest impact on the game. Among those players is Golden Gophers quarterback Mitch Leidner, who is playing the best football of his career with 1,310 passing yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. As a quarterback in a run-first offense for a football team in a hockey-first state, Leidner often gets overlooked, but not here. Leidner spoke with the Daily about building momentum as a program, alcohol at stadiums, bonding with the team in the wild and getting rid of social media. The Michigan Daily: Michigan had a down year last year, but was it still big to get the win and the Jug at Michigan Stadium? Mitch Leidner: It was huge. It was huge for the state of Minnesota, it was huge for recruiting and huge for our football team. Coming back from a game like Michigan, we were so excited — the adrenaline took us all the way back to our complex. We had a bunch of Minnesota fans lined up to greet us. It was an unbelievable feeling. TMD: Why don’t you have social media? ML: I had a Twitter last summer. I got one and had it up until like three games into the season when finally — I wasn’t using it at all three games into the season and a lot of people were talking trash so I was like, “What is this? C’mon!” So I just deleted it. And then I had had Facebook since high school, and before our bowl game I was just like, “You know, I’m just going to be done with social media.” And I deleted that too. I don’t know, life’s been pretty good since. I haven’t had to waste any time. I get all my homework done since I’m not scrolling through my Facebook feed. Unfortunately, you guys (the media) don’t have a choice. TMD: After a couple strong seasons, it seems your team is gaining popularity among fans again. How have things changed with the wins? ML: It’s been awesome. When I first got to campus, people didn’t like the football players too much, to be honest with you. It wasn’t that much of a thing. It was hockey, basketball. Football, it was just like “Eh, you guys suck.” So basically, we start winning some games, and to have people in class, teachers, professors be excited about your games and other students, it’s a really cool feeling. It’s something I hadn’t really experienced since high school, to be honest. TMD: To go with that momentum, Minnesota got its own stadium close to campus and, after some debate, decided to sell alcohol at the stadium this year. You won’t benefit from it, but did they make the right call? ML: Yeah. People are usually in the parking lot getting pretty ripped up anyway, but I think it’s a great thing to serve it at the stadiums, because I think it gets your fanbase a little more crazy and gets ‘em louder, so I’m all for that, especially at home games. That’s too bad that the rest of the teams aren’t doing that. TMD: Do you feel like your team has to battle the hockey team for prominence on campus? Hockey is pretty big in Minnesota. ML: I think the hockey team not winning a national championship last year kind of helped us out a little bit. We were playing on Jan. 1, and because those guys didn’t win the national championship, it felt like people got a lot more excited about us and football was bigger than hockey for a bit. But you never really know. It’s a hockey state, that’s the way it goes. I like playing a little pond hockey myself here and there. But we all get along. It’s not like there’s any tension or bitterness between the sports. TMD: Minnesota has a different culture than the coasts or the South where a lot of Minnesota’s players come from. Do they have to adjust to the culture at all? ML: It was funny. Josh Campion, our right guard, he lives up in Fergus Falls, which is in northern Minnesota, and we brought quite a few guys up there back in late June, and it was just fun seeing all the guys floating down the river and stuff like that, and to see KJ (Maye, the team’s leading receiver) up there exploring nature and having a good time. We had a lot of fun. Guys like to get out and go to the lakes. That’s a big thing to do in Minnesota in the summer time, and I think guys have been enjoying it. FOOTBALL BEHIND ENEMY LINES coach Tracy Claeys. “I think that’s probably very indicative of who (Kill) is, and maybe the best credit to him is they would play like their hair’s on fire regardless,” said Michigan tight ends coach Jay Harbaugh. “I think that says a lot about who he is and how he coaches. You’re not going to show up and see a differ- ent team. I think that’s how he would want it, too, and that’s how those guys play.” The Golden Gophers run a fairly balanced offense in which they rush slightly more than they pass. Running back Rodney Smith is the primary ball carrier, and he has earned a solid 4.1 yards per carry so far this season, totaling 487. Outside of Smith, change-of-pace back Shannon Brooks has cranked out 321 yards on just 45 carries. But the player to watch for Minnesota is quarterback Mitch Leidner. Leidner is on pace for a career year with 1,310 passing yards through seven games. Of course, racking up yards against the Michigan defense has proven a near-impossible task all season long for opponents. Of the seven quarterbacks Michigan has faced, just two — Utah’s Travis Wilson and Michi- gan State’s Connor Cook — have eclipsed 200 yards passing. And with the Wolverines coming off a devastating loss on the final play against Michigan State, the Golden Gophers’ offense is in the unenviable position of getting the next crack at them. “I feel bad for Minnesota,” said senior defensive end Royce Jen- kins-Stone on Monday. “We’re going to be coming out with a lot of energy now.” Even after giving up 27 points and 386 yards to the Spartans, the Wolverines boast the nation’s No. 1 scoring defense and the No. 1 total defense. Anchored by a stout, veteran line, Michigan has wreaked havoc in opponents’ backfields all season. Leidner can expect to be forced out of the pocket early and often, at which point he’ll be tasked with finding receivers blanketed by one of the Big Ten’s top secondaries. On the other side of the ball, things are a little less certain for the Wolverines. De’Veon Smith will get his carries against a Min- nesota defense that ranks in the middle of the Big Ten in rush defense, but he has proven to be a boom-or-bust back so far this season. While Smith has gone over 120 yards twice this year, he has also been held under 60 yards four times, including each of the last two games. But Smith’s bruis- ing style remains a threat, and it can be bolstered by contribu- tions from senior fullback Sione Houma and redshirt junior run- ning back Drake Johnson. Still, this contest will be heav- ily influenced by the way each team harnesses its emotions. And while Michigan is favored by two touchdowns, the unpre- dictable reactions to those emo- tions could swing the contest in either direction. MINNESOTA From Page 1