“Maybe getting blown out would’ve been better.”
This is a consideration I wrestle with when my team is an underdog but isn’t playing like one. What I expected to be a non-stop horror show is suddenly filled with HOPE. I can’t help but to buy-in. But as that hope vanishes, I begin the internal questioning.
The maize-clad majority of 111,000+ who had packed into the Big House were expecting Oklahoma to win the game. Probably by double-digits. So with a double-digit halftime lead, one can hardly blame Michigan fans for drinking the Kool-Aid against our better judgment.
That’s where I was Saturday at approximately 3:07 in the afternoon. Michigan’s 10-0 halftime lead had evaporated. The offense had eight (8!) passing yards in the second half. And had just punted the ball to John Mateer and the Oklahoma offense who (I had no doubt) was about to shame me for believing in this Michigan team.
Enter: The Redemption of Jyaire Hill
THE OFFENSE
This was far from a perfect game for Michigan.
For example: the lack of a consistent run game from Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter remains a deep concern of mine. Rightly or wrongly, I place much of the blame for this on the offensive line. I know the talent these two backs have. I find it hard to believe that Jordan Marshall has suddenly forgotten how to run thru a defender’s face. Typically, I would chalk it up to “Oklahoma Defense is Good at Defense” but after the Western Michigan game, the jury is still out. It’s a must-improve piece of Michigan’s identity.
Conversely, Michigan’s utilization of Bryce Underwood was fantastic. Jason Beck simplified things for him — which, sure, you wish didn’t have to happen. But rolling Bryce out, letting him go thru progressions, and then take off if nothing’s open plays into his strengths. His legs burned Oklahoma’s defense on multiple occasions, including the opening touchdown run which is as good a play as he’s had in a Michigan uniform.
Perfect? No. But this offense — and Underwood in particular – did enough against a stellar Oklahoma defense to win the game. That being said, they certainly owe a lot of credit to . . .
THE DEFENSE
I’ll go into far more detail in the podcast this week (so be sure to subscribe). But Michigan’s defense was lights out for the second week in a row. They made John Mateer — a Heisman front-runner at this point last season — look positively silly for a majority of the game. Yes, there were too many chunk plays. Yes, there were too many penalties. But this defense shut down Mateer, Sategna, and everybody not named Rocky Beers. Nate Marshall, John Henry Daley, Dom Nichols, and that Michigan line lived in the backfield.
This all bodes very well for Michigan down the line, too. This offense has a long ways to go, but you can see them progress from Week 1 to Week 2 against a significantly better (maybe?!) opponent. That the defense is already playing this well only means good things for Michigan.
SPECIAL TEAMS
Two punts inside the two yard line (IIRC). No muffed punts. Perfect on extra points and field goals. Imagine missing a kick when your team needs you the most.
The only complaint here is that Michigan inexplicably ran into the punter twice on the same drive. Yes, technically the second one was declined. Technically, I don’t care. Can’t happen. But those two coffin-corner punts cover a multitude of sins.
SUMMARY:
Nearly everyone – including yours truly – wrote Michigan off after the Western Michigan game. They were never going to improve enough offensively to beat Oklahoma six days after “whatever that was.” But lo — they heard the doubters and shut them up. Consider me pleasantly surprised.
Everything is not magically-fixed on offense. But you can see the improvement. The confidence. The Official and Exhaustive List of Horrible Things™ has gotten much shorter. Special teams looks (nearly) elite. The defense looks (absolutely) elite.
Amazing the difference a week can make.
