3
TheMichiganDaily, www.michigandaily.com

What to Watch For: Air Force

Coming off a scare against 

Cincinnati, the No. 7 Michigan 
football team has faced a fair 
amount of criticism for allowing 
the Bearcats to hang around late 
into the game. Against Air Force 
on Saturday, the Wolverines 
have set their sights on putting 
that performance firmly in the 
past.

With 
the 
Falcons 
rolling 

into Ann Arbor this weekend, 
Michigan has a chance to finish 
its non-conference season on a 
high note before Big Ten play 
begins.

Here’s what to watch for when 

the Wolverines take on Air Force:

1. Will Ty Isaac hit 100 

again?

After 
starting 
behind 

sophomore Chris Evans in the 
season opener, the fifth-year 
senior running back has emerged 
as the leader of Michigan’s three-
man rotation in the backfield 
with two consecutive games in 
which he has run for over 100 
yards. 

In his fourth year in the 

program 
after 
transferring 

from 
Southern 
California, 

Isaac has “capitalized on his 
opportunities” 
according 
to 

coach Jim Harbaugh. He rushed 
for a game-high 114 yards on just 
11 carries against Florida, and 
in his second career start, he 
rushed for 133 yards — a career 
high — on 20 carries against 
Cincinnati.

Rather 
than 
acting 
as 
a 

complement to the shifty, speedy 
Evans — who had been expected 
to take over the lead rusher 
role this year — Isaac has taken 
over where last year’s starter 
De’Veon Smith left off as the 
power back of the Wolverines’ 
run game.

Isaac has yet to make his way 

into the end zone, but with his 
recent string of solid outings, 
there is a high probability that 
he will break that trend against 
Air Force.

2. How many points will the 

defense score?

21-17. The latter is the number 

of points Michigan’s defense has 
given up this season. The former 

is the number of points the 
Wolverine defense has scored.

Between 
two 
pick-sixes 

against 
the 
Bearcats 
and 
a 

fumble recovery in the end zone 
against the Gators, Michigan 
has not only played lockdown 
defense, but has 
turned 
stops 

into 
scoring 

opportunities as 
well.

While 
the 

offense 
and 

special 
teams 

units have made 
a 
considerable 

number 
of 

costly mistakes, 
Michigan 
defensive 
coordinator 
Don 

Brown’s unit has avoided a 
similar fate. Acting as the calm 
within the storm, the defense 
has provided a stabilizing force 
so far this year.

Air Force might disrupt that 

trend, though. With their triple-
option style offense, the Falcons 
could pose a strong challenge to 
the Wolverines’ defense. From 
trick plays to deceptive schemes, 

Air Force will throw its whole 
playbook at Michigan. While 
the Wolverines have said that 
they have been preparing for 
this game since the spring, their 
defense will have a harder time 
keeping up its scoring streak 

against the Falcons.

3. Will Quinn 

Nordin 
have 

another chance to 
show off his leg?

The 
redshirt 

freshman 
kicker 

made 
a 
name 

for 
himself 
after 

nailing 4 of 6 field 
goals, 
including 

two from more than 50 yards out, 
against Florida. Of Michigan’s 33 
total points, Nordin scored 12. 
If he had made the other two 
kicks, he would have outscored 
Florida’s 17-point total all on his 
own.

With the performance, Nordin 

owns the record for the longest 
field goal made at AT&T Stadium 
(55 yards) and is the only 
freshman Wolverine ever to hit 

two 50-plus-yard field goals in 
the same game.

Against Cincinnati, Nordin 

had a noticeably less prominent 
role, though that’s actually more 
of a positive for the Wolverines’ 
offense as a whole than a negative 
for him.

With 

Air 
Force’s 

unpredictable 
offense, 
the 

Falcons 
could 

end up scoring 
more 
than 

expected 
due 

to trickery as 
opposed to skill. 
If that proves 
to be the case 
Saturday, Michigan may need 
Nordin to provide a stable source 
of points. 

4. Can Speight avoid turning 

the ball over?

After two games where his 

position as the starter has been 
called into question, the redshirt 
junior quarterback has a chance 
to silence his critics against an 

Air Force team that leaves the 
secondary vulnerable with a 
blitz-heavy scheme.

Most of Speight’s wounds 

have been self-inflicted — from 
his 
two 
pick-sixes 
against 

Florida to his two fumbles 

against Cincinnati 
— so the onus is 
on him. One of the 
first lessons taught 
to young players 
learning the game 
is to take care of the 
football. 
Speight 

needs to heed that 
lesson against the 
Falcons.

Despite 
his 

mistakes, 
Speight 

has still completed 28 of 54 
passes for 402 yards and three 
touchdowns. 
Throughout 
the 

week, 
his 
teammates 
have 

wholeheartedly defended their 
quarterback, depicting him as 
their unquestioned leader.

If Speight can just clean up 

the errors, he can convince the 
Wolverines’ supporters calling 
for his job to see him in the same 
light.

AMELIA CACCHIONE/Daily

Fifth-year senior running back Ty Isaac is in pursuit of his third consecutive 100-yard game after claiming the starting job during week two against Cincinnati. 

BETELHEM ASHAME

Managing Sports Editor

Michigan may 

need Nordin to 

provide a stable 

source of points.

Most of Speight’s 

wounds have 

been self-

inflicted.

