game recaps
chris wormley
amara darboh
khalid hill
jake butt
jabrill peppers
wilton speight
tyree kinnel
rashan gary
2016 ucf

Michigan 51, UCF 14 Comment Count

Ace


Tyree Kinnel got his hand on not one, but two punts. [Eric Upchurch/MGoBlog]

I can't sum it up any better than this guy did:

Tyree Kinnel deflected two UCF punts, Chris Wormley blocked two field goals, and Khaleke Hudson demolished a kick returner who appeared to be going out for a light jog. The Knights took an illegal block penalty on a kickoff touchback, sent out 12 players for a punt return, and muffed a short kickoff for a Jordan Glasgow recovery.

So that covers the special teams.

Wilton Speight took advantage of a UCF defense intent on loading the box against the run with several pinpoint throws downfield, finishing 25-for-37 for 312 yards, four touchdowns, and no interceptions. The usual suspects led the way among the receivers; Jake Butt had two touchdowns among his seven catches, Amara Darboh cross the goal line twice and broke the hundred-yard mark, and Jehu Chesson needed only four receptions to tally 84 yards. That more than made up for the running game, which couldn't get much going agianst eight- and nine-man boxes; even with sacks and a punt gone wrong removed, Michigan averaged only 3.7 yards per carry. Fullback Khalid Hill plunged in for two touchdowns, at least, so it wasn't all bad on the ground.


Upchurch

The defense, meanwhile, limited quarterbacks Justin Holman—who exited the game in the first half with an apparent injury—and Nick Patti to a combined 6-for-22, 56-yard performance. A few errors—one of which may have been on the officials—led to an 87-yard touchdown run for Adrian Killins, and the Knights were able to rack up 275 yards on the ground, with a healthy chunk of that coming when the QBs broke contain.

While many fans were concerned about the line play, one Jim Harbaugh didn't share that worry.

"I thought the lines really took care of business today," said Harbaugh. "Both the offensive and defensive lines did a very good job."

Quarterback contain, he admitted, was an issue, but one that he believed Don Brown made the proper adjustments for in the second half.

Rashan Gary had his first big game as a Wolverine, tearing off the edge for his first career half-sack (Ben Gedeon arrived simultaneously) and had two more tackles for loss. Seven different Michigan defenders tallied tackles in the backfield, and Jabrill Peppers was everywhere—he led the team with eight tackles (two for loss), had two QB hurries, and returned a line-drive punt 35 yards deep into UCF territory to set up Butt's second score.

If there's any indication that Michigan has returned to form, it's that the crowd didn't seem satisfied with a 37-point win. Against an overmatched opponent that couldn't even reliably get a kick in the air untouched, the coaches had no need to utilize much of the playbook, which led to some ugly plays but won't reveal anything to Colorado, next week's opponent and Michigan's first that appears to have a pulse.

Comments

Amaznbluedoc

September 10th, 2016 at 5:03 PM ^

I'm watching the post game presser and it's funny to see the dozens of phones/recording devices sitting on the table next to Harbaugh.  It almost looks like Hillary's collection...

Wormley and Speight both mature, confident.  Glad to see the character of these Wolverines!

Joined: 09/27/2015

MGoPoints: 2240

Hannibal.

September 10th, 2016 at 5:01 PM ^

I'm getting really tired of this program not being able to run the ball, and I'm getting really sick of the excuses.  Outside of two years of a healthy David Molk the running game for Michigan has been shit on ice for a decade.  Was UCF stacking the box?  Of course they were.  That's what happens when you put two tight ends and a fullback in the game.   If you can't beat a packed box against UCF then you're going to get eaten alive by MSU or OSU.  And last year, we pretty much did.  Every goddamn year there are at least three dozen programs better at running the ball than Michigan that don't need to pull out the "they were stacking the box" excuse. 

Joined: 09/09/2008

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Hannibal.

September 10th, 2016 at 5:23 PM ^

"overnight"?  It's year 2 of the Harbaugh era and we have a bunch of upperclassmen in almost every position that involves the running game.  OSU ran for 207 yards on us in year 1 of a new system.  They ran for 393 yards on us in year 2.  Then with a completely rebuilt offensive line they ran for 233 yards on us in year 3. 

Joined: 09/09/2008

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Perkis-Size Me

September 10th, 2016 at 5:46 PM ^

Well golly gee, that's what happens when one of the best coaches of the last 30 years goes against a guy who is so far in over his head that he can't put a competent game plan together week to week.

OSU also had boatloads of talent left over from Tressel, and QBs recruited by Tressel who luckily happened to be tailor-made for Meyer's system. Is what it is, pal.



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M-Dog

September 10th, 2016 at 5:15 PM ^

I'm getting really tired of this program not being able to run the ball

I'm not happy about it either - we are Michigan, dammit, and we should be able to run the ball on anyone anytime - but what I am happy about is that when we can't run the ball we no longer just beat our heads against the wall 27 times for 27 yards.  We go with what is working.

So we score 51 points passing the ball instead of 51 points running the ball.  OK.  It all counts the same.

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257569

Hannibal.

September 10th, 2016 at 5:44 PM ^

Not in college, it isn't.  All of the great programs run the ball.  OSU won a national champioinship ramming the ball down Alabama and Oregon's throat.  Alabama runs the shit out of the ball every year and both Auburn and Oregon made the national title games with terrific run games.  If you want to be a great coillege football team, you've got to have a great running game.  Period. 

Expecting to win big games by running for 80 yards and throwing for 300 is a losing strategy nowadays. 

Joined: 09/09/2008

MGoPoints: 9051

Stringer Bell

September 10th, 2016 at 5:56 PM ^

That's not really true.  2013 FSU won the championship behind the best passing offense in the country.  Last year, Clemson had the 3rd best passing attack but only the 28th best rushing attack.  Having a balanced offense is nice, but having a great passing offense combined with a great defense, which this team seems to have both, is a perfectly fine recipe for a playoff run, even if the running game is only average (which I think it'll be better than that).

Joined: 11/06/2014

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Hannibal.

September 10th, 2016 at 6:17 PM ^

Clemson ran for 229 yards per game last year.  That's more than all Michigan teams over the past decade save 2010.

FSU ran for 203 ypg and 5.6 ypc in 2013.   Once again, more than any Michigan team in recent memory other than 2010.  They also had Heisman winner Jameis Winston.  I like the intangibles that Speight brings but he ain't no Heisman winner.

When it comes to making the College Football Playoff, having a great running game is not optional. 

Joined: 09/09/2008

MGoPoints: 9051

Stringer Bell

September 10th, 2016 at 6:29 PM ^

Well certainly that 2010 Michigan team that put up all those great rushing stats won a lot of games, right?  Your last statement is also false, since MSU made the playoff last year and they had a worse running game than we did.  As far as the struggles of previous Michigan teams to run the ball, I'm not sure what that has to do with this team in the 2nd year of Harbaugh's system and 2nd year under Drevno.  They have things to work on, but there's no reason to think that how they performed in the 2nd freaking game of the year is how they'll perform all season.

Joined: 11/06/2014

MGoPoints: 52911

dragonchild

September 10th, 2016 at 5:42 PM ^

Lloyd's "shitty running teams" were shitty because they ran into stacked boxes with a "we're Michigan fergadsakes" attitude.  Good for a whopping 24 points against a Minny squad that finished 3-9, and that was the '97 team with Adami, Backus, Hutchinson, Jansen and Tuman.  Even a bad team can stuff the run because you can't block 8 guys with 6.  Lloyd-era O-lines were NFL factories and they still couldn't run because they pretty much handed opposing DCs their playbook like Cliff's Notes.  I thought we went over this shit during the Hoke years.

UCF stacked the box and dared Harbaugh to MANBALL them.  Thankfully, unlike a lot of people here, Harbaugh is not an idiot and didn't take the bait.  Well, for the most part.  He kind of went Al Borges and alternated doomed runs with wide-open passes.

It's hilarious that Harbaugh's idea of playing a vanilla offense just effective enough to blow out an overmatched UCF is a Borges-style gameplan.  It's not quite so funny that people here are dissatisfied because Harbaugh didn't 27-for-27.

Joined: 10/13/2011

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Hannibal.

September 10th, 2016 at 5:48 PM ^

So nobody else here has noticed that nobody else ever needs to use the "they stacked the box" excuse? 

Apparently the only team in the country for which the opponent stacks the box is Michigan.  Nobody has ever tried this against Nick Saban, Urban Meyer, Chip Kelly, etc.. 

Joined: 09/09/2008

MGoPoints: 9051

elm

September 10th, 2016 at 6:22 PM ^

Alabama is right now beating Western Kentucky in the 4th Quarter, 24-3. But Bama has only 80 rushing yards at less than 3 ypc. I'm not watching the game, but I'm going to guess they're running into a stacked box and after scoring enough points through the air (2tds on 330 yards) they've taken the foot off the gas and are content to keep slogging into stacked box. (They're backup qb is in on this most recent drive.). This is exactly what Michigan did today, although they performed rather better through the air and put up more points. I wonder how many Crimson Tide fans are complaining that they can't run the ball and they're tired of the excuses,

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Amaznbluedoc

September 10th, 2016 at 5:19 PM ^

I don't think there is panic, but a sense of reality tempered by overly optimistic expectations created by the fans and the media.  Heck, there's nothing more I would like than to enjoy a Cohiba and celebrate in Tampa on January 9th but I don't think we're there yet.  I would like to see our guys execute and improve every week and not to hear excuses about rebuilding, injury, and the same old, same old.  We don't look like 'bama or ohio (not that I want to be like those programs) and I am very pleased with the program's progress.  Harbaugh has made Michigan competitive and will continue to improve the Wolverines.  Now, we need to go out every Saturday and play like Champions if we want to beat whiskey, iowa, msu, and ohio!

Joined: 09/27/2015

MGoPoints: 2240

BrightonB

September 10th, 2016 at 6:57 PM ^

So far .. through both games I have of course been happy with the wins.

Sometimes it is hard to read a team when they play teams that just are not as good.

Many times it can be close games with bad teams and then when facing tougher competition it all works out and they play tougher and show all is well.

We have not been even close to being tested yet.  I to worry a bit with the "O" line in regards to running.  Our pass protection is good. I am not overly worried though because again, when facing a weaker opponent you can play down to them per say. 

All in all .. glad for the 2 wins we have.  Next week will be a much better test to gauge off of I think but still not to the level of an Ohio State or others.

I thought the targeting call for the other team was crap.  I don't think that was targeting at all.  Last year we had a few against us where I shook my head at as well so at least they are consistently bad at calling them. Hit his facemask a little but it was just a solid shot I thought. 

Our D is fine .. our special teams is fine .... our passing game is fine.  Against a tougher matchup it will be interesting to see if we can run the ball affectively.  It's my personal biggest interest to see.  Only weakness I see on D is being a bit too aggressive when a player misses a tackle because of attacking too quickly / bad angles.  I however love the aggressiveness and it's ok if we give up a big play here or there because of it.  I wouldn't want to change that at all. 

I still feel like we might not "be" there yet and could lose a game or two and if we do I am fine with it.  We are still heading in such an awesome direction it really doesn't worry me the slightest.  Just again already enjoying this like I did last year. 

For now .. just happy with the 2 wins by landslides.  A few areas to fix, but our coaching staff will tweak as we go. 

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markusr2007

September 10th, 2016 at 5:49 PM ^

It was a decisive win. Yes, fans wanted to see Michigan demoralize the weaker opponent with punishing runs. Fact is UCF's DL played well and their LBs were physical, but they were also undisciplined and Speight broke out the cutlery and carved them to pieces through the air.
Im fine with it.

Remember rock vs rock and paper vs paper. Well that shit is over. Harbaugh, Fisch and Drevno will make you pay for it. And UCF did. Frequently.



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Wolfman

September 10th, 2016 at 6:39 PM ^

2007 seems like a long time ago, and even if you consider that to be the case, I'm guessing you can still recall Carr, despite gaining 2.1 ypc, continusouly running the ball into the back of our OLmen and not going to the air until the third quarter. I'd much rather do it this way. If they want to line that many up in the box, it isn't a decision. JH, thankfully, looks at it as a must and cares less whether we get 50 pts through the air or a combination of both. 

When they take the run away and can't stop the pass, I don't see where a debate is even worthwhile. I'd much rather have a coach that can figure it out immediately. And perhaps you noticed the running game, as it always does, got much better after the offense played catch for 2 and 1/2 quarters. 

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