Know Your Opponent: No. 23 Michigan Wolverines
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Written by: Nate Comp (@NathanComp1)
Head Coach: Jim Harbaugh
Overall: 6th Season, 48-19 (.716) Overall
Bowl Appearances at Michigan: 5
2019 Record: 9-4 (6-3, Big Ten East)
Bowl Appearances Since 2000: 17 (5-12)
Mascot: Wolverine
Colors: Maize and Blue
Outfitter: Jordan Brand
National Titles: 11 claimed, 5 unclaimed
Conference Titles: 42
Heisman Winners: 3
2020 Record: 1-1
Last Week: LOSS vs Michigan State, 24-27
STATISTICAL LEADERS
Passing: Joe Milton (47-73 passing (64.4%), 525 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT)
Rushing: Hassan Haskins (14 rushes, 138 yards, 9.9 YPC, 3 TDs)
Receiving: Ronnie Bell (8 receptions, 120 yards, 0 TDs)
Tackles: Josh Ross (17 tackles, 6 solo, 1 INT)
Stat of the Week: Last week’s loss to Michigan State dropped Jim Harbaugh’s record to 1-6 at home against the Spartans and Ohio State Buckeyes while head coach of the Wolverines.
Bonus Stat of the Week: Jim Harbaugh has yet to wear khakis this season.
Michigan’s Talking Points
1. Jim Harbaugh: one step forward, two steps back.
It seems to be the story every year with Harbaugh-led Michigan football: after taking one step forward (beating Minnesota on the road with what appears to be a promising new quarterback), the Wolverines proceed to take two steps back (that quarterback looks not as good and ultimately they lose just their third home opener in program history to in-state rival Michigan State, who had turned the ball over 7 times and lost to Rutgers just one week prior).
Now, the Wolverines will head to Bloomington to face a Hoosiers team that is 2-0 in the Big Ten for the first time since 1991 and confident after upsetting Penn State and handling its business against a frisky Rutgers team on the road. Michigan has won the last 24 in the series, though many of its more recent matchups have come down to the final plays. Harbaugh’s name is once again being dragged through the mud, so we’ll see how he and his team respond on Saturday.
2. Where is the Michigan defense we’ve grown accustomed to seeing?
For a while, the problem with Michigan was its outdated offense. Then, it was growing accustomed to a modern offensive scheme and finding the right quarterback to fit said scheme. But never, was it the Don Brown-led defensive unit.
Well, so far this year, it just may be. The strategies they’ve always been able to hang their hats on – press-man coverage and blitzing the quarterback – both have been weaknesses this season. The secondary gave up 323 passing yards to the Spartans, including 10.1 yards per attempt, meanwhile the front seven registered zero sacks. Michigan State receivers made some great catches and often deployed a max protection scheme, but the Wolverines will have to be more creative in their blitzes and tighter in their coverage. If not, there will surely be more Rocky Lombardi and Ricky White-like career performances.
3. Establish a run game to settle down Milton.
If I’m Harbaugh, my goal this week is to get Joe Milton to look like he did in week one against Minnesota. And to do that, the Wolverines have to be able to establish a rushing attack. Besides Milton’s 59 rushing yards, the Spartans held the Wolverines rushing attack to just 93 total yards. Because of this, too often Joe Milton found himself in impossible third down situations (average distance 8.9 yards to go). He followed up these long down-and-distances by facing pressure and throwing into coverage.
Milton has just 87 career collegiate pass attempts. He’s still learning and needs to understand he can’t do it all by himself. With a more sustained rushing attack, he should be able to relax and find himself in fewer situations where he feels he has to force completions.