Michigan Football: Lessons to Be Learned From Saturday's 34-17 Loss to MSU

Here are a few concerns about Michigan football at this point in the season:

Offense in good hands

There have been many comparisons between last year’s team that won a single Big Ten game, and this one which is supposedly much improved.

Starting with Denard Robinson, an improved offensive line, and a solid group of receivers, this offense is going to score a lot of points.

And without the bad throws and dropped passes Saturday, Michigan could have scored enough points to win.

Big plays haunt defense

Defensively, well that’s another matter. The pre-season forecast was for Michigan to place more pressure on the quarterback, stop the run and prevent the big play. The Wolverines did register a pair of sacks and six tackles-for-loss—not bad for a young defense which has been troubled by injuries and other problems.

But as usual, the defense was hit by a pair of long touchdowns runs, a long touchdown pass, and a backbreaking third-down conversion.

In one of those rare instances when the penalized team benefits, the Spartans came up short on a third-and-10 from their own 22. But a false start nullified the play, and Kirk Cousins got another crack at it from the 17. This time he hit Spartan Keshawn Johnson in space and the speedy receiver twisted his way up field for the first down.

Moments later, Le’Veon Bell scored on a 41-yard run, giving the Spartans a 14-10 second quarter lead. Earlier in the period, Edwin Baker split Michigan’s defense with a 61-yard touchdown run.

Long running plays have hurt the Wolverines the last few seasons. Once an opposing runner breaks through the linebacking corps, it’s easy sailing into the endzone. It’s almost like our corners and safeties are absent when it comes to run support.

Of course, pass defense is no different. You have to give credit to the Spartans for recognizing cornerback James Rogers coming to the sideline with muscle cramps.

In came freshman Cullen Christian, and before everyone got back from the halftime break, Cousins found Mell Dell racing past Christian for a 41-yard touchdown and a 24-10 Spartan lead.

Michigan State showed why many see them as the prototype Big Ten team. The Spartans feature huge lines on both sides of the ball. They have a dependable offense that minimizes mistakes and can run the football. Cousins, like Brian Hoyer and Drew Stanton before him, plays with plenty of poise. Defensively, they bend, but barely break.

With a little more experience, however, Michigan will have an offense capable of outscoring the Iowas, Wisconsins, and even Ohio State.

Move the chains

Especially if they can keep its defense off the field by controlling the ball and limiting Robinson’s carries on third and short. In the first quarter of the Indiana win, we all remember Robinson’s fumble at the Hoosier one. That I believe was the last time he was under center. 

Michigan has a pretty good power runner in Stephen Hopkins. On one third-and-one against the Spartans, 180-pound Vincent Smith did his best to move the large Spartan line, but there was nothing doing.

Hopkins did get in the game, but he only carried twice for 13 yards. For the season he has nine carries for 46 yards, including a touchdown at Notre Dame and one fumble on a play that might have had a slow whistle.

Hopkins playing time may be limited because he’s a freshman, but at 230 pounds he’s going to be needed down the stretch.

The defense has along way to go before the offense figures it can win without scoring 40.