There is a difference between suggestions and decisions. In a mismatch between surging Michigan and a Maryland squad patched together with freshmen and transfers, the preseason beef between last year’s Alabama co-offensive coordinators Josh Gattis and Mike Locksley was mana for the narrative gods.

Steve Levy and Brian Griese grasped for every storyline they could to stave off the yawning. Before the opening kickoff, which Giles Jackson returned for a 97-yard touchdown, they called Maryland RB Anthony McFarland the most explosive player on the field. When Josh Uche ended the first Terp drive with a sack, and Michigan staked itself to a quick 14-0 lead with orbit motions, fullback blocks, and a direct snap to Zach Charbonnet, it was all about how shaky Shea Patterson was looking again. When a solid Maryland drive ended in a redzone interception because Josh Jackson had an unblocked Mike Danna in his chest, the ABC crew switched to yardage. When Michigan stuffed Maryland’s next long drive and Locksley decided to kick a field goal (missed), it was all about what could have been if these trips had resulted in points. When the second half opened with three passes that Michigan defensive backs had a better chance of catching than any Terrapin, they quoted Harbaugh’s boilerplate “we can’t let up” halftime interview.

How do you do? Jackson took the opening kickoff to the house, and for a second there it looked like he was getting a second [Sherman]

When Mike Locksley chose to punt on 4th and short on his 33 after having success all afternoon at running up the middle (and nothing else), they put up a time of possession graphic. And when Michigan responded with a drive that was mostly wide receiver screens to Ronnie Bell, capped off with a play-action touchdown pass to Nick Eubanks off the arc/split zone action Michigan stuck with as the basis of their run game, unless you were charting performance things to predict future events, the nap was on. Gattis’s suggestions for using Michigan’s passing game to open up space for the run game were well-taken.

One chuck, 54 yards, and put it away [Paul Sherman]

Since we are the charting type, Shea’s 6.9 YPA day against a bad Maryland defense looked concerning, especially since Bell’s screens and the one (1) bomb to Nico Collins before McCaff Time are likely to be offset by a slew of high chucks and too-late reads. A few that stand out were a pair of too-high throws to Nick Eubanks and Nico Collins, the latter of which a fade on which an “open” Nico could only try to spear it with one hand, and a low throw that Tarik Black had to dig out short of the sticks.

That set up one of several fourth and short decisions by Harbaugh, this one a fake punt that upback Michael Barrett burrowed into a first down and more. After that the easy bubble (and one orbit screen that was actually thrown!) yards loosened up the small but quick Maryland OLBs, and the Michigan fans who made up at least a third of that half-filled stadium got a few long, audible “Tru!” cheers in before Hassan Haskins got to walk in untouched for the final score.

DPJ was chopped down early but the threat opened up the run game [Sherman]

Locksley’s offense on the other hand failed to score a single point for their homecoming fans—their lone touchdown coming on Javon Leake’s late 97-yard kickoff return. Fellow onetime Terrapin assistant Don Brown’s defense gave up just 233 yards, most of them after the game was long-decided. Michigan’s line alternated between its 3-3-5 look and base 4-2-5 to take advantage of a young, small, and beat up Maryland offensive line, not to mention their injured/clearly shaken quarterback Josh Jackson, who finished 9/20 for under 100 yards. About the only thing that worked was previously unscouted fifth-string quarterback Lance LeGendre, who rushed for 39 difficult-to-defend-looking yards on plays designed to stretch the defense horizontally.

The dudes were the dudes: Uche (two), Aiden Hutchinson, Carlo Kemp, and Khaleke Hudson all got on the sack sheet, and Josh Metellus picked up a pair of TFLs on attempts to beat him to the edge. While Maryland was able to move the ball by pushing piles in the first quarter, that seemed a credit to their backs, unless you’re suddenly concerned about Kwity Paye leaking yardage.

Maryland is bad, and the Michigan machine that leveled Notre Dame and deserved a win for its comeback at Penn State looked as sleepy as the rest of us. It was still more than enough for a comfortable win over a team with a bit of talent that apparently saved a lot of their best stuff for this punch. The Wolverines—and those of us who write about them—now get a much-needed bye week before a final stretch of Michigan State, a dangerous trip to Indiana, and those other guys the announcers couldn’t stop talking about.

Boxscore: LINK