OL looks to carry improvement
As Michigan’s offense entered
the
season
with
sky-high
expectations, every conversation
was rooted in one assumption:
The Wolverines would have a
steady, reliable offensive line.
It was built into the widespread
confidence in Shea Patterson’s
growth and was the foundation
behind the lack of concern in a
run game that lost its top two ball-
carriers.
And the assumption made
sense. Everyone except redshirt
freshman
right
tackle
Jalen
Mayfield was a returning starter.
Senior Ben Bredeson was a
preseason All-American at left
guard. Jon Runyan, Cesar Ruiz
and Michael Onwenu had all
blossomed into steady presences
over the second half of 2018,
earning
varying
All-Big
Ten
honors.
Then Runyan missed the first
two games with a hand injury,
creating instability in a unit that
was supposed to be anything
but. The result wasn’t pretty. The
Wolverines struggled to pass
protect against two overmatched
defensive
lines
in
Middle
Tennessee State and Army.
Against Wisconsin, the unit
finally burst. Shea Patterson rarely
had time to look past his first read,
and the running backs couldn’t
find running lanes in a 35-14
loss. It forced Jim Harbaugh into
an assessment he couldn’t have
dreamt of three weeks earlier.
“Offensive line, we talked about
that being an experienced group,”
Harbaugh said. “They gotta play
good, they gotta hustle and they
gotta protect the quarterback
and they gotta play physical in
both areas, in pass protection
and the run game. It’s our job to
get them to do that. We’ve got
backs that need holes. We expect
our offensive line to move people
and that didn’t happen this past
game.”
So as Michigan prepared to
move beyond Wisconsin and
salvage the rest of its season,
physicality and hustle were heavy
focuses in practice in the lead up to
Saturday’s win over Rutgers. “We
had a good week last week from a
physicality standpoint,” Bredeson
said. “I thought we really upped
that from the week before against
Wisconsin.”
But the Wolverines’ struggles
went beyond that. An offensive
line
whose
reputation
was
predicated on familiarity couldn’t
get out of its own way, mixing pre-
snap penalties with holding calls
and missed assignments.
“Just trying to make sure we
get all our calls situated, trying
to stay out of third-and-long
situations,”
Bredeson
said
of
the focuses in practice after the
Wisconsin game. “If we can get
some yards on first and second
down, then we won’t have to be
in such obvious passing situations
and that helps our protection a
lot. Just working with (Ruiz) and
getting the communication from
all the positions on the line, letting
everybody know where things
need to be, where to slide, where
we’re IDing things.”
The result was an offensive line
performance that finally lived up
to expectations. Patterson was
still brought down for one official
“sack,” but it came on a scramble
out of bounds, just short of the line
of scrimmage.
Pressure, in the traditional
sense, was virtually non-existent.
And for a team that was never
supposed to worry about its
offensive line, that’s a promising
sign, even against Rutgers.
“I
thought
the
pass
pro
improved a lot,” Bredeson said.
“We were able to make some
big in-game adjustments in the
middle of the drive, which was
something that we were really
happy to see. And we had some
small mistakes, came together,
corrected it and were able to keep
moving with no issues.”
Added Harbaugh: “That’s some
of the things that we’ve been
seeing in practice for a couple
months now. And it was good to
see that in the game.”
Now, the question becomes
whether Michigan can replicate
that performance against Iowa.
When a reporter described the
Hawkeyes as a “measuring stick”
for the Wolverines’ growth since
Wisconsin, Bredeson said, “You
hit it right on the head.”
That, of course, can go two
ways. Replicating its performance
in Madison would be a death blow
to Michigan’s season goals. But
right now, that’s not what this
offensive line is thinking about.
“Going against a strong defense
like (Iowa) — I thought we had
a good offensive week this past
week,” Bredeson said. “And just
carrying that on and getting to
that next step would be huge for
us.”
Run game proves vital for identity
The
football
theory
of
establishing the run has been long
disproven. There’s no correlation
between running the ball early
and winning games, no matter
how many coaches or players
insist otherwise. And there’s no
statistical reason to particularly
care about establishing the run.
But stats aren’t everything. And
for Michigan, it’s about something
more than finding a statistical
correlation to winning.
All last week, in the wake of
Wisconsin
manhandling
the
Wolverines,
we
heard
about
how Michigan wanted to be
more physical. How when the
Wolverines lost that, rushing for
just 40 yards on 19 tries against the
Badgers, they lost their identity.
So it shouldn’t come as a surprise
that Michigan came out running
against Rutgers, and it shouldn’t
come as a surprise that it did so
successfully.
“It’s important,” said senior
guard Ben Bredeson. “You gotta
establish the run, like you said, to
(set up) our passes. Thought we did
a good job with that, thought we
ran the ball well on Saturday.”
The
Wolverines
scampered
for 141 yards on the ground, their
highest mark since the opener
against Middle Tennessee, as their
offense found a coherent rhythm
for the first time all year. The runs
set up Josh Gattis’ option game, and
senior quarterback Shea Patterson
looked comfortable making reads
in the new offense for the first time.
Unlike in week two against
Army,
when
freshman
Zach
Charbonnet carried the ball 33
times, Michigan kept its rotation
mixed. That’s in part due to a
lingering injury to Charbonnet,
who had just five carries, but
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh
indicated that a committee setup
could be here to stay.
“I liked the fact that you can
split it up, maybe 20, 20, 20, maybe
a few for a fourth guy,” Harbaugh
said. “But Zach played really well.
Christian Turner played really well
in this game, had some really fine
runs. And Hassan Haskins really
played well.”
That fourth guy, presumably,
would
be
Tru
Wilson,
who
returned from a broken hand with
four carries for 13 yards. Wilson
said Monday he played with a pad
on his hand, but it didn’t affect him.
Even against Rutgers in a
relatively successful game on the
ground, the numbers weren’t
completely
there.
Michigan
averaged just 3.4 yards per carry,
and even with the caveats of
garbage time, sacks and a lot of
carries in the red zone, that number
should raise eyebrows.
That’s where, to buy that the
Wolverines found the success they
were looking for on the ground,
you need to buy that it was as much
about the mentality as the bottom-
line number.
“I think we just got in a rhythm
early and like I said, this offense
gets in a rhythm, you can see
the big plays that we can create,”
Bredeson said. “That’s something
we were able to do and we kept
rolling with it.”
Certainly, that much is true.
A healthier Charbonnet will
presumably make the stats look
better. But like everything in
Saturday’s 52-0 win, 3.4 yards per
carry comes with the asterisk of
being against Rutgers, arguably the
worst team in the Power Five.
Iowa, a team that’s giving up
just 78.5 yards on the ground per
game, will provide a stiffer test this
Saturday. Don’t expect Michigan to
stray away from its principles.
“Being a Michigan running back,
it’s really important (to establish
the run) because throughout the
years, you see that they’re just a
punishing running team,” Wilson
said. “Just building an identity of
being a physical team.”
ETHAN SEARS
Managing Sports Editor
KEEMYA ESMAEL/Daily
Freshman running back Zach Charbonnet was limited against the Scarlet Knights due to a lingering injury.
Amid criticism, D-Line bounces back
A
week
ago,
Michigan’s
defensive line — so vaunted a
year ago — left Madison among
the most beleaguered units on
a team that faced criticism at
every position.
The criticism centered on
the run game, in which the
Wolverines allowed 359 yards
and five touchdowns. Hidden
behind
those
eye-popping
numbers, Michigan’s pass rush
also struggled, finishing with
only one sack and allowing
Wisconsin quarterback Jack
Coan ample time to throw all
game en route to a 13-for-16
performance.
“(Wisconsin) controlled the
game,” Michigan coach Jim
Harbaugh said after the game.
“With the running game, it was
easy to see that and make the
big plays as well, so (running
back Jonathan Taylor) was
impressive.”
Any
bounceback
the
Wolverines provided against
Rutgers was always going to be
shrouded in the caveat of the
opponent.
While
Wisconsin
features one of the nation’s best
offensive lines, Rutgers was
overmatched
by
Michigan’s
athleticism.
Still,
dominating
Rutgers
beats the alternative.
Early on, it looked as if the
easiest remaining game on
Michigan’s
schedule
might
not be as simple as promised.
Quarterback Artur Sitkowski
completed five straight passes,
taking Rutgers into the red
zone as Michigan’s defense
unexpectedly
found
itself
on the ropes on its second
possession of the day.
As
Sitkowski
rolled
out
on
fourth-and-5
from
the
Wolverines’ 8-yard line, there
was a sense that the play
carried a greater importance
than seven meaningless points
in what would soon become a
blowout. This was Michigan’s
chance to put a week of talk
about bouncing back to the test.
So when sophomore defensive
end
Aidan
Hutchinson
stopped Sitkowski at the line
of scrimmage, the Wolverines’
defense reacted accordingly.
“It
was
great,”
said
sophomore
linebacker
Cam
McGrone. “You always bring
your best on those fourth downs
when they try to disrespect you
and say that they can get this
first down and get in the end
zone so it was really good to get
that. We needed that.”
For the rest of the day,
Rutgers’ offense reverted to
what was expected of it. All 10 of
the Scarlet Knights’ remaining
drives ended in their own
territory. Just three featured
first-down conversions.
Though
Michigan’s
pass
rush finished with just one
more sack than it did against
Wisconsin,
its
constant
pressure
was
obvious
throughout. After looking at
ease during points in the first
quarter, Sitkowski rarely had
time to look beyond his first
read,
forcing
incompletions
and dump-offs when Rutgers
needed chunk plays.
“Man, the pressure they
got, they made it easy on the
secondary and the linebackers,”
McGrone said. “It was just
great from them and helped us
... cause they couldn’t throw it
anywhere, they had no time.”
The
run
defense
also
rebounded, limiting the Scarlet
Knights to 46 yards on 29
attempts. Their biggest run of
the day went for just six yards
— a touch below Wisconsin’s
average of 6.3 per carry last
week.
“That’s a position group
that
was
really
challenged
during the week — the inside
players, the nose, the three-
techniques,” Harbaugh said.
“And I thought that group
really responded well.”
And yes, the biggest reason
for that response was the
opponent.
McGrone
even
admitted to needing to replicate
Saturday’s performance next
week, “against a better team”
in No. 14 Iowa.
One difference that will carry
over to Iowa is the presence of
senior defensive tackle Michael
Dwumfour. While Dwumfour
sat for most of the first three
games, a hodgepodge of players
playing out of position failed
to make up his production
beside Carlo Kemp, leaving
gaping holes in the middle
of Michigan’s defense. In his
return to significant playing
time,
the
difference
was
instantly notable.
“Mike had a huge impact,”
said junior defensive end Kwity
Paye. “Mike’s one of our best
pass rushers so to have him in
there on our stunts, to be able
to pressure the quarterback
was huge. So I’m happy he’s
back.”
Where
Michigan’s
performance on the defensive
line against Iowa next week falls
on the vast spectrum between
its showings against Wisconsin
and Rutgers remains to be seen.
But against the Scarlet Knights,
the Wolverines did all they
could, quieting criticism for at
least one week.
“We got that goose egg on
the board,” McGrone said. “And
that’s what we needed.”
THEO MACKIE
Daily Sports Editor
KEEMYA ESMAEL/Daily
Kwity Paye was part of a much-improved defensive line against Rutgers.
THEO MACKIE
Daily Sports Editor
RUCHITA IYER/Daily
Guard Ben Bredeson called Iowa a measuring stick for Michigan’s offensive line.
8 — Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The Official Merchandise Retailer of Michigan Athletics
Meet & Greet with Sarah Harbaugh!
The M Den on Campus – 303 S. State St.
10/2 | 6-8 P.M.
Introducing Sarah Harbaugh’s new custom collection by Valiant, an
essential addition to any Wolverine women’s wardrobe. Come meet the
designer herself and shop her new athleisure collection on October 2nd
from 6 - 8 p.m. at The M Den on Campus.
The first 50 customers that purchase an item from the Sarah Harbaugh
collection will receive a FREE GIFT from The M Den.