8 — Friday, October 28, 2016
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Wolverines seek to remedy offensive woes
It was back to basics this
week in practice for the No. 11
Michigan hockey team.
The
Wolverines
(3-1-1)
escaped last Saturday’s game
against Michigan Tech with a
tie despite being outplayed and
outshot by the Huskies, 45-18.
As Michigan prepared for
a road series against Vermont
and Dartmouth this upcoming
weekend,
it
returned
to
the methods that had been
successful in the past, such as
sharpening up its “systems of
play” and its offense with and
without the puck.
“We just feel we were on our
heels last weekend and never
really got going,” said Michigan
coach Red Berenson. “That’s
been a little bit of the story in
every game. We just thought
our team had to work harder
in practice. We have to work
harder in every drill, our effort
and execution had to be better
this week, and I think it is.”
Added
senior
defenseman
Nolan De Jong: “There’s a
few things we had to tidy up,
whether it was our entries and
our decision-making, but also
some of the stuff around the net,
whether it’s the offensive zone
or the defensive zone. But I think
we’ve had a really good week of
practice so far and the coaches
seem pretty happy with it, so
I think we’re ready to go, and
we’re excited to get to Vermont
and get things going again.”
Michigan has been outshot
in every game this season,
but according to De Jong,
improvement can be made by
limiting the quality of scoring
opportunities
opponents
generate,
rather
than
just
limiting the total number of
shots. He believes the teams
the Wolverines have played
this year “kinda throw pucks in
everywhere.”
For
Michigan,
it
comes
down to reducing the number
of
Grade-A
chances
that
opponents receive, whether it’s
by making sure everyone on
the ice picks up their defensive
assignment or boxes out hard in
front of the net.
The Wolverines have also
been practicing their offensive
game. Michigan has struggled
to sustain a consistent even-man
attack recently, something its
coach attributes to sloppiness
with and without the puck.
“If you’re going to pass me
the puck, give it to me on my
stick, not at my feet or not up
here where I have to catch
it,” Berenson said. “Give me
a signature pass, and then I’ll
take it, handle it and I can pass
it to him. You give me a bad
pass, (and) I’ll never get it away
to him. I’ll be on my ass because
you gave me a bad pass.
“So little things like our
passing (and) our play without
the puck (have) to be better. We
have to be more dialed-in in our
zone — we were circling away
instead of playing the man or
getting our stick on the puck.
We were getting outmuscled
and outhustled on the puck.
We can’t play like that and win
games.”
With a home series against
No. 4 Boston looming in just
two weeks, Michigan will look
to fine-tune its offensive and
defensive play this weekend in
two games the Wolverines are
favored to win.
The
Catamounts
finished
15-22-3 last season and are off
to a 2-1-1 start this year, while
the Big Green finished 18-16-
1 in the ECAC last season and
have yet to play a regular season
game this year.
And
while
Michigan
is
one of the youngest teams
in the nation, Vermont and
Dartmouth aren’t far behind
— the Catamounts have nine
freshmen on their roster, while
the Big Green have 11.
It will be a good chance
for the Wolverines to clean
up their play before entering
the bulk of their schedule.
That opportunity isn’t lost on
Berenson, who hopes to see
specific
improvements
from
his team against Vermont and
Dartmouth this weekend.
“We’re looking for better
zone play in the offensive
zone and more puck control,
and we’re looking to get out of
our zone quicker,” Berenson
said. “We can’t be stuck in our
zone for a minute at a time and
then hope that the other team
doesn’t score. We’ve got to get
the puck out quicker, we’ve
got to do better with it in their
zone and then little parts of
the game, like faceoffs have to
be better, blocked shots. Our
power play and penalty killing
are still pretty good right now,
but they can be better.”
ORION SANG
Daily Sports Writer
AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily
The Michigan hockey team has only lost once this season, but the Wolverines have been consistently outshot.
Behind enemy lines
with Riley Bullough
Michigan
State
linebacker
Riley Bullough has captured the
attention of his in-state rivals,
specifically redshirt sophomore
quarterback Wilton Speight.
“They’ve got a bunch of good
guys in the box, with their
leader Riley Bullough,” Speight
said Tuesday. “That dude is an
angry guy. He wants to get in the
quarterback’s kitchen on every
play, so I know I have to get the
ball out as quickly as possible.”
Being from Traverse City,
Mich., Bullough is no stranger to
the in-state rivalry. His brother,
Max, was also a linebacker for the
Spartans and currently plays in
the National Football League for
the Houston Texans.
Bullough was recently ejected
for targeting in the first quarter
of the Spartans’ matchup with
Maryland, but because the call
was made in the first half, he’ll be
eligible to play against Michigan.
In four games this season, he
has 26 tackles and four for loss. He
was out for three straight games
due to injury earlier this season.
The Daily talked with Bullough
at Big Ten Media Days in July to
discuss the rivalry, what it takes
to be successful in the Big Ten
and his cross-country-star sister,
Holly Bullough.
The Michigan Daily: So the
talk is that your sister is the best
athlete in the family?
Riley
Bullough:
Yeah,
it
always is. But she really is, she’s
special. She’s coming here to run
track and cross country so she’ll
be (in East Lansing) in August.
So it’s exciting for her, but yeah,
she’s a freak athlete. She works
out like three times a day and eats
insanely healthy, so she probably
is the best athlete.
Q: Does this team relish when
people
—
opponents,
media,
whoever — overlooks them a little
bit?
RB: Yeah, at this point, I feel
like it’s part of our identity. I feel
like every year, there’s people
doubting us. But I guess we like
it, because we seem to play pretty
well. That’s just what we plan on
doing again this year.
Q: Was it tough being Max’s
little brother?
RB: It was a lot of fun. We had
fun growing up. But him coming
here and doing the things that he
did — I wouldn’t say it was tough,
it just put the expectations that
much higher. I was expected to
do what he did and more, so I just
kinda cherished that and relished
that.
Q: With the way that the
MSU-U of M game ended last
year, does that even take the
intensity up a notch, not that it
needs it?
RB: I think for sure. I’m sure
they think that we kinda stole that
game from them. But that rivalry
every year is huge, especially if
you grew up in Michigan. You’re
either the team down the road or
you’re Michigan State. There’s
no in-between, so that’s just kind
of how it is, and I think that’s the
way it should be.
FOOTBALL
KELLY HALL
Daily Sports Editor
ALLISON FARRAND/Daily
Riley Bullough (30) spoke with the Daily at Big Ten Media Days in July.
Breakdown: Michigan’s ‘D’ has edge
Prior to the start of the season,
this Saturday’s contest between
Michigan and Michigan State was
expected to be one of the defining
games of Big Ten play.
Oh, how things have changed.
The Spartans have lost their last
five games and sit at 2-5 on the
season. They are now fighting
an uphill battle to become bowl-
eligible.
The Wolverines, meanwhile,
are 7-0, ranked No. 2 in the country
and very much in the hunt for the
College Football Playoff.
But even with the stark contrast
in the directions their seasons
have taken, nothing is predictable
when these two teams meet. The
Daily broke down what to expect
when they take the field:
Michigan pass offense vs.
Michigan State pass defense
Here’s
guessing
Michigan
throws for about 225 yards against
the Spartans.
Through seven games, the
Wolverines are averaging 225.9
yards
through
the
air,
and
Michigan State is giving up
225.4. It’s probably unlikely those
numbers will hold exactly, but hey,
we might as well have fun with
this statistical coincidence.
In non-numerical analysis, the
Wolverines are hoping redshirt
sophomore quarterback Wilton
Speight can build on what may
have been his best start of the year
against Illinois. Speight completed
16 of 23 passes for 253 yards and
two touchdowns. Against the
Spartans, he faces a unit that has
certainly had its ups and downs.
Two weeks ago, it allowed
Northwestern
quarterback
Clayton Thorson to throw for 283
yards and three touchdowns in a
54-40 loss. The week before that,
Michigan State held BYU standout
Taysom Hill to just 138 yards
passing.
The defense that shows up
against the Wolverines could
make the difference in deciding
whether Michigan throws for
225.4 or 225.9 yards.
Edge: PUSH
Michigan rush offense vs.
Michigan State rush defense
This matchup should be a little
more clear-cut. Michigan boasts
the nation’s 11th-ranked rush
offense and comfortably rotates
four backs to do its damage. The
Wolverines could be without
freshman
Chris
Evans,
who
sustained a concussion against the
Fighting Illini, but depth should
not be a concern.
Sophomore running back Karan
Higdon continues to put together
a breakout season with 214 yards
and three touchdowns in his last
two games, and senior De’Veon
Smith is still his usual workhorse
self. Redshirt junior Ty Isaac has
seen an increased role this season,
too, and could get even more reps if
Evans can’t play.
And
then
there’s
the
Hammering
Panda.
Redshirt
junior fullback Khalid Hill has
been a force at the goal line this
season for Michigan, and he has
the stat line to prove it. Hill has
25 yards rushing on 15 attempts,
but more than half of them
(eight) are touchdowns. He also
caught a touchdown this season,
which likely makes him the most
productive fullback in the country.
Michigan State, meanwhile,
is having a down year in rush
defense, and it’s 66th-ranked unit
will likely have its hands full all
game against an offense that has
proven a commitment to smash-
mouth football.
Edge: Michigan
Michigan State pass offense
vs. Michigan pass defense
The big question is who starts
at quarterback for the Spartans.
Redshirt freshman Brian Lewerke
started in their 28-17 loss to
Maryland last week, but senior
quarterback Tyler O’Connor is
still an option after he missed last
week’s game with an injury.
But whoever it is, he won’t be
in for a fun day. Michigan’s pass
defense is currently giving up
the fewest yards in the nation,
and its cornerbacks are playing
at a truly elite level. According
to Pro Football Focus College,
opponents are 11-for-39 for 131
yards, zero touchdowns and four
interceptions while throwing at
them.
Michigan
State’s
receiving
corps is strong with players like
R.J. Shelton and Donnie Corley, but
even they likely won’t be enough to
overcome the Wolverines’ stingy
secondary.
Edge: Michigan
Michigan State rush offense
vs. Michigan rush defense
It doesn’t get any easier for
Michigan
State’s
offense
on
the
ground.
The
Wolverines
are giving up just 96 yards on
the ground per game this year,
good for fourth-best nationally.
The Spartans, meanwhile, are
averaging a modest 155.29 yards
a game.
Michigan’s 63 tackles for loss
are also fourth-most in the nation,
which doesn’t bode well for an
offense that will already have to be
cautious in the passing game. L.J.
Scott has carried the load for the
Spartans early in the year, racking
up 464 yards on 93 carries, and
Gerald Holmes has tacked on 272
of his own. But against Michigan,
it’s a whole different challenge.
The Wolverines rotate two full
defensive lines, keeping them
fresh for constant pursuit in the
offensive backfield.
If Scott gets hot, Michigan
State could have a real chance on
Saturday. If he doesn’t, it could get
ugly.
Edge: Michigan
Special teams
The Wolverines have had some
notable struggles in the kicking
game, but Saturday, all eyes will be
on the punter.
Fifth-year senior Kenny Allen
is averaging 42.3 yards per punt,
and he has consistently given the
Wolverines strong field position.
But
after
Michigan
State’s
unforgettable botched-punt return
touchdown to snatch victory at the
end of last season’s meeting, Allen
just needs to keep special teams
mistakes to a minimum.
The
Wolverines
rank
14th
in the country in special teams
efficiency, compared to 70th for
the Spartans. Sophomore Tyree
Kinnel has developed a penchant
for altering punts, and redshirt
sophomore Jabrill Peppers is the
ultimate weapon on returns.
Michigan will need Allen to be
solid kicking field goals, but as long
as the Wolverines can avoid major
mistakes, they should be in good
shape against an average unit on
the other side.
Edge: Michigan
Intangibles:
The Wolverines say they’ll treat
Saturday like a championship
game, but that’s how they say they
treat every game. To the Spartans,
this game could salvage their
season.
Michigan State sits at 2-5, and
without a win Saturday, the season
can’t be considered anything other
than a disappointment for a team
coming off a College Football
Playoff appearance. For Michigan,
a loss could have dire playoff
ramifications.
And while the Wolverines
will no doubt be out for revenge,
the Spartans will be absolutely
desperate to snap their losing
streak and spoil a potentially
special season for their rival.
Edge: Michigan State
Prediction:
Michigan
31,
Michigan State 9
MAX BULTMAN
Managing Sports Editor
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