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.