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September 3, 2019 — 3B
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YOUR FALL SATURDAYS!
Kick Of
f
SportsTuesday
Zach Charbonnet shows off
potential in pass protection
The
question
was
about
quarterbacks, so naturally, Jim
Harbaugh wanted to talk about
running backs.
The Michigan coach had
already
heaped
praise
on
freshman
Zach
Charbonnet
following
Michigan’s
win
Saturday night,
and before that,
anointed
him
the starter in
the
backfield.
The
action
spoke
louder
than the words
could anyway.
None of that
praise
was
ill-conceived
—
after
an
offseason
of
questions
surrounding
the
position,
Charbonnet
gave
Michigan
some answers. He attacked
the holes that opened up for
90 yards on eight carries,
including
a
41-yard
gallop
during
which
he
blasted
through the line, got into the
open field and picked up a
handful of extra yards once
Middle
Tennessee
State’s
defense caught up.
To
some
extent,
that’s
expected. A top-50 recruit is
supposed to solve problems on
the depth chart, or at least make
himself heard. But perhaps
not this soon, and perhaps not
this emphatically. And for all
he showed running the ball,
it was his pass protection that
Harbaugh heaped praise on
Monday.
“Zach Charbonnet had nine
pickups in protection, which,
I don’t think we’ve had a back
get nine pickups in a protection
since we’ve been here, one
single back,” Harbaugh said.
“And to be 100 percent, nine
out of nine, that’s like, wow.
That’s really good.”
Charbonnet’s
rushing
ability is important. But pass
protection is arguably more
integral to his playing time.
It’s how Tru Wilson got on the
field as a walk-on last year,
and it’s how Charbonnet could
cement his place as the starter
this year.
“He just was
handling
it,
with not even
a
misstep,”
Harbaugh
said.
“So,
it’s
rare.
That’s rare. I’ve
had pro guys that
don’t understand
the protections
as well as the
freshman
back
in this game.”
The
Wolverines’
offense
keeps it simple under, Sean
McKeon said. They’re playing
up-tempo,
looking
to
the
sideline for play calls via
signals. That does not mean it’s
easy, especially for a freshman.
“You gotta scan the whole
field, basically, to figure out
who’s blitzing,” said senior
tight
end
Sean
McKeon,
explaining the job. “Gotta see
the offensive line
calls and points,
so it’s definitely
not
easy
as
a
freshman
running back.”
McKeon
said
that
Charbonnet’s
focus
towards
football reminds
him of defensive
lineman
Ben
Mason, which in Schembechler
Hall is akin to saying that your
local congressman’s speaking
ability reminds you of Barack
Obama.
Mason’s
voice
is
loud and direct. He is often
portrayed as every stereotype
of a football player, holding a
deep appreciation for football
and seemingly nothing else.
It’s
easy
to
understand
why Harbaugh might like it
if Charbonnet has the same
disposition.
“It’s just, it’s eye-catching
with Zach Charbonnet cause it
just looks like it comes easy to
him,” Harbaugh said. “It’s like,
difficult math equations that
guys just get. And so, it catches
your attention.”
None of this is to say
Charbonnet
will
suddenly
become Michigan’s bell cow.
Christian Turner and Wilson
competed for the starting job
throughout camp. Turner got
the most carries of the three
on Saturday. Harbaugh liked
what he saw, highlighting a
tightrope run on the boundary
after the game, then again on
Monday.
Eight
different
players
carried
the
ball
for
the
Wolverines,
and
even
accounting
for
the
inevitabilities of a blowout,
it’s safe to say that Harbaugh
and Gattis are comfortable
with their depth. They flashed
an
array
of
option
looks,
jet
sweeps
and
a
two-
quarterback
package
that
probably
needed
work. Even if
Charbonnet
is the starter,
that
title
is
largely
ceremonial.
But
that
reality doesn’t change what
Charbonnet showed everyone
on Saturday.
“He’s locked in,” McKeon
said. “He’s really impressive
for a freshman.”
ETHAN SEARS
Managing Sports Editor
Hayes creates questions at OT
Eight seconds into the first
game of his college career, Ryan
Hayes faced his first test.
Khalil
Brooks,
Middle
Tennessee State’s star linebacker,
was barreling into the backfield,
straight toward Shea Patterson’s
blindside. Looking off a head fake
from defensive end Malik Manciel,
the left tackle dropped back,
stared down the charging Brooks
and nearly discarded him to the
turf, allowing Patterson to escape
the pocket.
Sixty minutes later, Hayes was
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh’s
offensive player of the game.
“He graded out right there
with Ben Bredeson and Cesar
(Ruiz) and Mike Onwenu, which
I thought was really impressive,”
Harbaugh said. “Ben was a little
higher, but considering it was
Ryan’s first start, first game, seeing
him and the effort that he gave
and his ability. He made some fine
blocks, was good with his hands.”
Hayes, a redshirt freshman
converted
from
tight
end,
ascended the depth chart after
a strong offseason in the weight
room. “To see what he looked
like from his first day to Saturday,
it’s like night and day,” redshirt
freshman
right
tackle
Jalen
Mayfield said Monday.
Despite his strong offseason,
Hayes came into Saturday as
the clear backup, stuck behind
fifth-year senior Jon Runyan at
left tackle until an injury held
Runyan out of the season-opener.
Across a line anchored by three
returning starters on the interior,
Mayfield saw his first career start
at right tackle through similar
circumstances,
breaking
into
the starting lineup after Andrew
Steuber’s preseason ACL tear.
Now, on the back of Hayes’
performance, a starting offensive
line that seemed to be set once
Steuber went down has been
cast into doubt again. Monday
afternoon,
Harbaugh
called
Runyan
“arguably
our
best
lineman”
but
admitted
the
position is a meritocracy, also
noting Hayes’ ability to slot in at
right tackle.
“Is there ability to compete at
the other tackle spot? Sure, that
opens up options if he’s come
this far, he’s playing this well,”
Harbaugh said. “Bodes well for
the team.”
According
to
Harbaugh,
Mayfield didn’t grade out as high
as Hayes — hence the possibility
Hayes could move to the right side
of the line after Runyan returns.
Mayfield got beat on a stunt for
a third-quarter sack and seven
minutes later to the outside for a
quarterback hurry.
Still, he remained a steady
presence on an offensive line
that Harbaugh and Patterson
repeatedly credited postgame.
“I think we did really well, first
game, we were very prepared,”
Mayfield said. “Extremely excited
to see what we can do in the future,
too. This was our first ever game
as two redshirt freshmen playing
at tackle so I think that’s really
interesting that we did really well.”
But while it was the two
redshirt freshmen who stood out
considering the circumstances,
Mayfield
credited
Michigan’s
experience
on
the
interior
offensive line as the catalyst for
his and Hayes’ performances
Saturday night.
On the first play of the game, as
Hayes threw Brooks to the turf,
Mayfield handled his assignment
with ease. The nerves, though,
permeated until he remembered
the advice Bredeson gave him
before the game: play confident
and have fun.
“The veteran group of guys in
the middle just helped us a ton,”
Mayfield said. “Cesar (Ruiz), Mike
(Onwenu) and Ben (Bredeson).
And I think sky’s the limit for us.”
ALEXANDRIA POMPEI/Daily
Freshman running back Zach Charbonnet was perfect in pass protection, going 9-for-9 against Middle Tennessee State.
Nine out of
nine, that’s like,
wow. That’s
really good.
I’ve had pro
guys that don’t
understand the
protections.
THEO MACKIE
Daily Sports Editor
ALEC COHEN/Daily
Redshirt freshman Ryan Hayes made his first career start on Saturday against MTSU, filling in for Jon Runyan Jr..