The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SportsMonday
November 6, 2017 — 3B

The good, the bad and the ugly: Minnesota

The 
Michigan 
football 

team, quite literally, ran away 
with this one. 

Karan Higdon and Chris 

Evans combined for 391 yards 
and four touchdowns, three of 
which went for 60-plus yards. 
By the beginning of the fourth 
quarter, the Wolverines led 
33-7, and a Minnesota field 
goal in the waning moments 
provided the final score line.

By 
the 
time 
the 
clock 

finally expired on a game 
that had been determined 
early, Michigan maintained 
its possession of the Little 
Brown Jug. A lot went right to 
get there, but some still went 
wrong.

The Daily breaks down the 

good, the bad and the ugly from 
Saturday night’s rain-delayed 
thrashing of Minnesota:

The good
On 3rd-and-15 from its own 

10-yard line, Minnesota went 
to a play that has plagued the 
Wolverines all year. Running 
back 
Rodney 
Smith 
took 

the ball off the direct snap 
with just over two minutes 
remaining in the third quarter.

He was promptly dropped 

by Khaleke Hudson for a loss 
of three yards. Sophomore 
linebacker 
Devin 
Bush 
Jr. 

proceeded to go for a piggyback 
ride on Hudson’s shoulders, 
tapping his teammate’s helmet 
all the way.

It 
was 
one 
of 
plenty 

celebrations 
for 
Hudson. 

And he had plenty reason to 
celebrate.

Michigan’s 
sophomore 

VIPER wreaked havoc against 
Minnesota, finishing with 13 
tackles — six and a half for 
loss — two sacks and a forced 
fumble.

The 
performance 
nearly 

became one for the record 
books. Instead, Larry Foote’s 
2001 showing against Iowa — 
which included seven tackles-

for-loss — is still standing 
as the most by a Michigan 
player in a single game. And 
with Saturday night’s outing, 
Hudson now leads the Big Ten 
in tackles-for-loss with 12.5.

A new player seems to 

headline 
the 
Wolverines’ 

defense every week. This time, 
it was Hudson’s turn.

The bad
It’s been a rough stretch for 

Quinn Nordin.

Michigan’s 
redshirt 

freshman 
kicker 
entered 

Saturday night having missed 
an extra point against Penn 
State and a 37-yard field goal 
against Rutgers in consecutive 
weeks.

Nordin again missed an 

extra 
point 
after 
junior 

running back Karan Higdon’s 
77-yard touchdown run near 
the end of the first quarter, 
before pushing a 49-yard field 
goal wide right before the end 
of the first half.

“We thought he was going 

too fast,” said Michigan coach 
Jim Harbaugh. “That’s what 

we noticed last week and 
then in practice this week, we 
thought we had that corrected. 
I think we did correct it.

“(On) the missed extra point 

he looked up too early, and he 
got his left hip in front of his 
right too much and pulled it 
left. I thought the long field 
goal, the 49-yarder, was a 
good hit, it just went a bit wide 
right. Just keep working on it.”

It’s hard to criticize Nordin 

for the missed field goal, but 
what once seemed like all but 
a guaranteed source for points 
is now far less certain.

Nordin has now made 14 of 

his 18 field goals on the year 
but has failed to convert on his 
two attempts in the last three 
games.

The ugly
With just under 10 minutes 

remaining in the third quarter, 
Brandon Peters lined up under 
center facing a 3rd-and-4 from 
Michigan’s 29-yard line.

He 
took 
the 
snap 
and 

dropped 
back 
into 
the 

pocket, only to have Merrick 

Jackson fly — unchecked by 
freshman right guard Cesar 
Ruiz — into the backfield. 
Merrick had a free shot at 
Michigan’s redshirt freshman 
quarterback, and he took it.

Peters absorbed a crushing 

hit, one that left him lying on 
the turf for roughly 20 seconds 
before walking off the field.

For 
all 
the 
success 

Michigan’s offensive line had 
in sparking the run game — 
the Wolverines rushed for 371 
yards and averaged 10 yards 
per carry — its pass protection 
left something to be desired, 
to say the least. Peters was 
sacked three times for a loss 
of 23 yards against the Golden 
Gophers, including another 
straight-on, bruising hit in the 
third quarter.

If 
the 
matchup 
with 

Minnesota 
showed 

anything, 
it’s 
that 
Peters 

is 
now 
unquestionably 

the Wolverines’ starter. If 
Michigan wants it to stay that 
way, hits like Saturday night’s 
can only go on for so long.

MATT VAILLIENCOURT/Daily

Redshirt freshman kicker Quinn Nordin continued his struggles, missing an extra point and a field goal Saturday night.

KEVIN SANTO

Managing Sports Editor

Five Things We Learned: Minnesota

For 
the 
second 
straight 

week, the Michigan football 
team (4-2 Big Ten, 7-2 overall) 
claimed 
a 
comfortable 
win 

against an inferior opponent. 
The run game surged and the 
defense locked down the Golden 
Gophers (1-5, 4-5). 

Here are five things The 

Daily learned from the battle for 
the Little Brown Jug.

1. 
Peters 
may 
be 
the 

quarterback, but the running 
backs are the offense

In Brandon Peters’ first start 

at quarterback, the redshirt 
freshman threw the ball just 
13 times. He completed 61 
percent of his passes and threw 
his second career touchdown 
to sophomore tight end Sean 
McKeon on the opening drive. 
After that set, Peters was quiet, 
mainly 
because 
Michigan’s 

running backs kept breaking 
free for long runs.

Junior 
Karan 
Higdon 

and sophomore Chris Evans 
combined 
for 
391 
rushing 

yards, and each scored two 
touchdowns.

Higdon’s 
performance 

marked his second 200-yard 
game and his third game with 

multiple touchdowns. Evans, 
on the other hand, had been 
quiet in recent weeks since his 
two-touchdown outing against 
Purdue.

But with fifth-year senior 

running back Ty Isaac out due 
to injury this week, coach Jim 
Harbaugh decided to give Evans 
more carries. For Michigan, 
that move paid off.

2. Michigan’s defense has 

figured out the direct snap

While the play haunted the 

Wolverines against Penn State 
and Rutgers, Minnesota found 
little success.

On 
Minnesota’s 
only 

touchdown drive — its second 
drive of the game — quarterback 
Demry 
Croft 
shifted 
in 

formation and running back 
Rodney Smith received a direct 
snap. He rushed forward for a 
short gain of just two yards. His 
results didn’t get much better 
from there.

To put that in perspective, 

the last two opponents to take 
direct snaps against Michigan — 
Penn State’s Saquon Barkley and 
Rutgers’ Janarion Smith — ran 
for 60-plus-yard touchdowns.

The 
Golden 
Gophers 

occasionally snapped the ball 
directly to Smith, but he couldn’t 
break loose for big plays. Smith 

is the team’s leading rusher and 
averages 78 yards per game on 
the ground. Against Michigan, 
though, he ran for just 38 yards.

Michigan 
handled 
every 

other type of snap just as well, 
shutting Minnesota out of the 
end zone after the second drive 
of the game and allowing just 36 
yards in the second half.

3. Cesar Ruiz is a solid 

replacement at right guard

With sophomore right guard 

Mike Onwenu out with an 
apparent foot injury, the true 
freshman Cesar Ruiz earned his 
first start.

Ruiz helped the Wolverines’ 

offensive line open lanes for the 
running backs time and time 
again. There was a bit of cause 
for concern in pass protection — 
Peters was sacked three times — 
but as a whole, the offensive line 
also allowed just five tackles for 
loss.

Harbaugh said after the game 

that he thought Ruiz played 
“really well,” and spoke about 
Ruiz in a similar way Saturday 
that he spoke about Peters a 
week before.

The young player had been 

competing well in practice, and 
it was simply “time for him to 
play.”

4. 
McKeon 
is 
Peters’ 

favorite target

After the win, McKeon joked 

that he was angry with his new 
quarterback.

On a pass play where McKeon 

was wide open, Peters took a 
hard sack.

“He’s a tough guy, I knew 

he was going to be fine. I was 
just mad cause I was open on 
a crossing route for the first 
down,” McKeon said with a 
laugh.

The 
Peters-to-McKeon 

connection has proved to be 
one of the most effective for 
the Wolverines’ offense. For the 
second week in a row, McKeon 
led Michigan in receiving yards. 
He caught three catches for 
30 yards and one touchdown 
against Minnesota, and last 
week 
against 
Rutgers 
he 

caught three for 31. While 
the traditional wide receivers 
have had less of an impact, the 
offense is still finding ways to 
score on the ground.

If push comes to shove 

and 
Higdon’s 
and 
Evans’ 

contributions lessen, it appears 
Peters still has a top option in 
McKeon.

5. Prediction: Peters will 

probably get more throws 
against Maryland

In evaluating his redshirt 

freshman 
quarterback, 

Harbaugh 
admitted 
that 

there 
weren’t 
very 
many 

opportunities 
for 
Peters 
to 

throw. He only threw the ball 
just 13 times.

When Higdon and Evans 

run for 60-yard touchdowns 
on every drive, not only does 
Peters not need to throw, but he 
also doesn’t get to throw. The 
lack of passing activity made 
it difficult for Michigan’s new 
starter to get into a rhythm, and 
Harbaugh also said he will do 
more to keep Peters active on 
the sideline.

While the Terrapins don’t 

present much of a challenge 
to Michigan’s run game, the 
future opponents — Wisconsin 
and Ohio State — likely will. It 
could be vital to get Peters more 
chances to throw next week 
before asking him to do so on a 
bigger stage.

EMMA RICHTER/Daily

Sophomore tight end Sean McKeon has totaled six catches and 61 yards through the last two weeks for Michgian.

TED JANES

Daily Sports Writer

MEN’S SOCCER
Hallahan leads attack 

Ten minutes into the second 

half 
of 
the 
Michigan 
men’s 

soccer team’s first ever home 
Big Ten Tournament game, star 
sophomore winger Jack Hallahan 
collected the ball on the edge of the 
18-yard-box. The Wolverines were 
knotted at one with Northwestern. 
He took one look at goal before 
cutting onto his dangerous left foot 
and unleashing a ferocious curler 
within inches of both the post and 
crossbar, past the flailing Wildcat 
goalie. 

The goal gave Michigan a 2-1 

lead that it would not relinquish, 
eventually turning it into a 4-1 final 
to book its place in the conference 
semifinals for the first time since 
2012. Part of that success can be 
attributed to Hallahan’s elevated 
play.

The game-winner was a piece 

of solo magic from Hallahan, 
but the rest of the Wolverines’ 
dominant 
performance 
came 

through a balanced attack that saw 
five players tally either a goal or 
an assist, including a second from 
Hallahan.

Leading this attack was junior 

striker Francis Atuahene, who 
scored the opening goal before 
assisting both of Hallahan’s. This 
combination has become crucial 
down the stretch for Michigan, 
as it was Hallahan’s inch-perfect 
cross that found Atuahene for his 
historic goal against Maryland last 
week to give Michigan its regular 
season conference title.

“They’re two talented young 

players. If we can get the ball to 
them in the right spots on the 
field,” said Michigan coach Chaka 
Daley, “they can certainly make 
things happen on their own. But 
when they’re working collectively, 
they become a bigger danger to 
opponents.”

“In training, coaches put us 

together a lot,” Hallahan said, “ … 
We’ve built a really good bond on 
and off the field.”

For the Wolverines to continue 

their dream season, though, they 
will need continued contributions 
beyond these two stars. After all, 
their focus on working together 
has been what has put them in this 

position, and it is what they used 
to collect themselves and ensure a 
focused performance after a week 
of celebrating their first conference 
championship.

“We wanted them to enjoy it for 

a few days because they earned it 
but we wanted to get back down 
to business,” Daley said. “The 
foundation of our team was … about 
sticking together, working hard for 
each other, and competing for the 
team and competing for Michigan.”

This attitude shone through in 

Sunday’s match, as it was senior 
defender Billy Stevens — who 
had tallied just four assists in 
69 previous career matches — 
assisted the opening goal. Junior 
defender Marcelo Borges followed 
up with his sixth career assist on 
Michigan’s third goal, which was 
scored by junior midfielder Robbie 
Mertz for his first conference 
goal since a Sept. 13 draw against 
Indiana.

Daley went beyond his goal-

scorers 
to 
praise 
freshman 

midfielder Umar Farouk Osman for 
the team’s second-half turnaround.

“The game changed a little bit 

when Umar went in centrally,” 
Daley said. “Umar hasn’t got any 
goals this year but when he’s played 
centrally, he’s really made a lot of 
things happen and him stretching 
the field gives a lot of other guys 
opportunities. If three or four guys 
are cooking, you don’t know which 
one you’re gonna get.”

But while the Wolverines may 

boast a total-effort mentality, 
their success will ultimately come 
back to Hallahan, who scored his 
second from a nearly impossible 
angle in the final minutes to cap off 
the evening.

“When I cut in for the second 

goal, I saw the net open and 
I thought, ‘Why not try it?’” 
Hallahan said.

This willingness to try things, 

which 
the 
British 
Hallahan 

credits to his seven years in West 
Bromwich Albion’s youth academy, 
has helped him to his breakout 
season, in which he has scored 
seven goals to go along with seven 
assists — both team bests.

And with Hallahan leading a 

balanced attack, the Wolverines 
don’t look like settling for what 
they’ve already accomplished.

MEN’S SOCCER
‘M’ tops Northwestern

A five-hour delay resulted in a 6 

p.m. kick off for the Michigan men’s 
soccer team, but an under the lights 
matchup at U-M Soccer stadium was 
the perfect environment for a squad 
that looked anything but sluggish.

Michigan faced Northwestern 

on Sunday night in the Big Ten 
tournament 
quarterfinals 
and 

earned a 4-1 win.

Despite having played the day 

before, the Wildcats (1-8-0 Big Ten, 
6-11-0 overall) came out with more 
energy than Michigan (7-1-1, 12-4-
2). Northwestern put considerable 
pressure on the Wolverines and 
forced errant passes from the 
Michigan defense. While Michigan 
reestablished 
themselves 
going 

forward and did manage to earn a few 
set pieces, the Wildcats registered the 
only shot on goal through the first 15 
minutes.

But in the 23rd minute, junior 

forward Francis Atuahene netted his 
sixth goal of the season.

Atuahene capitalized on a long 

throw from senior right back Billy 
Stevens. Stevens’ throw managed to 
evade every player in the box until 
Atuahene pounced on it at the back 
post. His low, powerful shot gave the 
Northwestern goalkeeper no chance 
as the Wolverines took a 1-0 lead.

Northwestern responded well 

after the goal and came very close 
to equalizing off a pre-planned set 
piece, sending the ball just wide of 
the Michigan goal post. Through 30 
minutes, the shots were tied at five 
and each team registered two shots 
on goal.

The Wildcats had set piece after 

set piece and dominated the run of 
play heading into halftime, but the 
Wolverines were able to hold on to 
their slim 1-0 lead.

“We weren’t playing according 

to what we wanted to do,” said 
Michigan coach Chaka Daley. “We 
were more aggressive in the second 
half and more competitive. It resulted 
in four goals because we had them a 
little more stretched.”

Northwestern came out riding 

the momentum they gained toward 
the end of the first half and equalized 
five minutes into the second. A 
clearance from the Michigan defense 
off a free kick was kicked back in 
the 18-yard box by the Wildcats. 
Midfielder Tommy Katsyiannis fired 
a well-placed shot to the far post to 
beat freshman goalkeeper Henry 
Mashburn and tie the game at one.

Northwestern’s 
confidence 

seemed to grow until, against the run 
of play, the Wolverines regained the 
lead. A good tackle from a Wildcats 
defender sent the ball to the feet of 
sophomore forward Jack Hallahan. 
Hallahan took a touch and curled a 
ball from the right side of the 18-yard 
box to the far post. Northwestern’s 
goalkeeper didnt have a chance, and 
Hallahan had a wonder goal to his 
name.

And after retaking the lead, 

Michigan never looked back.

Eighteen minutes into the half, 

a long ball from junior defender 
Marcello Borges was brought down 
excellently by junior midfielder 
Robbie Mertz, who deftly finished 
the move with a left-footed shot back 
across goal to extend the Michigan 
lead to 3-1.

And with 11 minutes left, Hallahan 

tallied another. A well-weighted, 
cross-field pass from Atuahene sent 
Hallahan all the way to the goal 
line where the sophomore calmly 
dribbled into the box and slotted the 
ball into the back of the net.

“I think after the first goal I was 

really starting to feel confident,” 
Hallahan said. “When I cut in for the 
second goal I saw the net open, and I 
thought, ‘Why not try it?’”

And 
really, 
Hallahan’s 
why 

not approach Sunday night could 
summarize the Wolverines’ season. 
The team has already won the 
regular season title and that’s given 
them the confidence to go for more. 
And for once Michigan is controlling 
its own postseason destiny.

“I think now that we’ve won 

the Big Ten we know we have the 
potential to win a lot more,” Hallahan 
said. “We’re going to really go for it 
and we’re going to see what we can 
do as a group.”

AMIR ALI
For the Daily

THEO MACKIE

For the Daily

