Know Your Opponent: Week Eleven Michigan Wolverines
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Written By: Ben Gillard (@benjgillard)
The No. 8 Indiana Hoosiers will host the defending National Champion Michigan Wolverines this Saturday. Indiana’s last win against the Wolverines came in 2020.
Head Coach: Sherrone Moore (1st Full Year at Michigan)
Overall Record: 6-4
At Michigan: 6-4
Michigan Bowl Games: 51
Last Year’s Record: 15-0 (National Champions)
This Year’s Record: 5-4
Mascot: Wolverine
Colors: Maize and Blue
Outfitter: Jordan
National Titles: 12
Conference Titles: 45
Heisman Winners: 3
Fun Fact:
Two out of the last five matchups between the Hoosiers and Wolverines in Bloomington have gone to overtime. This includes an OT matchup in 2017 and a 2OT game in 2015. The Hoosiers' last victory over Michigan came in Bloomington during the 2020 season.
QB By Committee
Who will be the successor to J.J. McCarthy was the question all offseason for the Michigan Wolverines. Unfortunately for Michigan, it is still a question in Week Eleven of the season. Michigan has started three different QBs this season: Davis Warren, Alex Orji, and former IU QB Jack Tuttle, in an attempt to find any sort of offensive rhythm. With Tuttle’s recent medical retirement from football, the Wolverines decision has essentially been made for them; it will be a two-headed monster with Davis Warren and Alex Orji under center. Look for Warren to be the main signal caller, while Orji will be a read-option and third-down threat.
Get Them to Third and Long
Michigan is at their best when they are running the ball well. The Wolverines game plan all year has been to pound the rock down the field through long, time-consuming scoring drives. This was the game plan that helped the Wolverines to a 27-24 win over then 11th-ranked USC, where they rushed for 290 yards. Michigan has two very talented running backs, Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings, who have rushed for a combined 1,177 yards and 10 touchdowns. When they are in rhythm, they can be dangerous.
By forcing the Wolverines into obvious passing downs, IU takes Edwards and Mullings out of the equation and puts the game onto the shoulders of Davis Warren. This forces him to beat them with his arm, something he has not been able to do consistently all season.
All Out Blitz
With new defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, the talented Michigan defense has been hyper-aggressive. Michigan has been blitzing 48% of the time, the fourth highest rate in all of FBS. This is a high-risk, high-reward strategy, as the Wolverines have 22 sacks on the season but have also given up 3,106 total yards and 25 touchdowns this season.
Depleted DB Room
Michigan came into the season with a shorthanded secondary, as captain and starting safety Rod Moore tore his ACL in camp. The Wolverines lost more depth as DB Ja’Den McBurrows suffered a season-ending injury. DB Jaden Mangham continues to be banged up heading into this week, but perhaps the most critical losses are the injuries to both starting cornerbacks, Will Johnson and Jyaire Hill. While there is optimism that at least one of the starters will return for the Indiana game, it is by no means a given.
31 is the Magic Number
The struggling Wolverines offense has not scored more than 30 points this season. In contrast, the red-hot Hoosiers offense has scored 40+ points seven times this season. Given the Wolverines struggles to score quickly, if the Hoosiers can score more than 31 points, there is a good chance they win the game.