7B
TheMichiganDaily www.michigandaily.com

Then rumors began to swirl 
over Charbonnet’s health. Against 
Wisconsin, he had just six yards on 
two carries, leading Harbaugh to 
explain that he was “limited” after 
the game.
The 
result 
was 
a 
woefully 
inefficient 
run 
game. 
On 
the 
first carry of the 
day, 
fullback-
turned-defensive-
tackle Ben Mason 
picked up three 
yards 
before 
fumbling. Backup 
quarterback Dylan 
McCaffrey 
led 
Michigan with 21 yards, as the 
Wolverines finished with 40 yards 
on 19 attempts.
Both 
Gattis 
and 
Harbaugh 
remained mum on Charbonnet’s 
health this week, but a repeat of 
his showing against Army would 
help quell concerns over the run 
game.
Patterson looking for bounce-
back game
While the Wolverines gained 
just 2.1 yards per carry against 
Wisconsin, 
their 
performance 
through the air wasn’t much 
better.
Patterson posted the lowest 
regular-season passer rating of his 
Michigan career, while completing 
just 14-of-32 passes. He repeatedly 
made the wrong reads, eschewing 
open receivers to throw into 
coverage and missing multiple 
ordinarily routine 
throws.
“Shea’s been out 
there in practice, 
and I think he’s 
preparing,” Gattis 
said. 
“There’s 
a 
level of remorse 
that he has. As 
far as some of the 
pressure 
that’s 
been 
applied 
to 
him, as well as 
some of the pressure that he’s put 
himself under. I believe in Shea. I 
believe in every one of our players. 
Shea has 100 percent of my support 
just like anyone else does.”
Part 
of 
the 
concern 
with 
Patterson has been his health. He 
suffered an oblique injury early in 
the season opener, before hurting 
his shoulder against Wisconsin, 
while the offensive line struggled 
to 
protect 
him. 
But 
with 
McCaffrey out with a concussion, 

Michigan has little choice but to 
keep Patterson under center.
Last year against Rutgers, he 
completed 18-of-27 passes for 
260 
yards, 
three 
touchdowns 
and no interceptions. A repeat of 
that performance 
would go a long 
way 
toward 
proving he can be 
the 
quarterback 
Michigan thought 
it had coming into 
the season.
How 
the 
interior 
defensive 
line 
bounces back
Of 
all 
the 
mishaps 
the 
Wolverines 
had 
against Wisconsin, their defensive 
line stood out.
While the offseason concern was 
over Michigan’s losses at defensive 
end and linebacker, the graduations 
of Bryan Mone and Lawrence 
Marshall loomed large against the 
Badgers.
Each of the last two seasons, 
Wisconsin’s offense has centered 
around 
All-American 
running 
back Jonathan Taylor. Last year, 
anchored by Mone and Marshall, 
the Wolverines held Taylor to a 
respectable 101 yards on 17 carries. 
Saturday, he doubled that total, 
rushing for 203 yards on 23 tries.
With Michael Dwumfour and 
Donovan Jeter both limited by 
injury, Michigan has tried to replace 
Mone and Marshall’s production 
in a myriad of ways. Senior Carlo 
Kemp has been a 
stalwart at one spot, 
but 
both 
Mason 
and defensive end 
Aidan Hutchinson 
have seen heavy 
usage next to him, 
each 
to 
limited 
success.
Both Dwumfour 
and Jeter should 
be 
healthy, 
though, and strong 
performances from either player 
alongside Kemp would help solidify 
Michigan’s 
troublesome 
run 
defense going forward.
Score prediction
Michigan’s going to win, and it 
won’t be close. That much is a given. 
But with the offense and defense 
both searching for their identities, 
it’ll be a lot closer — and less 
inspiring — than the Wolverines 
want.
Prediction: Michigan, 38-13

ALLISON ENGKVIST/Daily
The Michigan offense has said that it is lacking an offensive identity, after touting its “speed in space” mantra all offseason.

What to watch for, 
continued from page 6

There’s a level 
of remorse 
that (Shea 
Patterson) has.

I believe in 
Shea. I believe 
in every one of 
our players.

