We're five games into a 12-game schedule, so it's not quite midseason, but I need to get some things off my chest about my Michigan Wolverines. I still haven't gotten used to seeing my team lose—it doesn't (read: didn't) happen often—but some things have at least been a little easier to accept.
Here's the breakdown of how I've seen the season so far.
Offense
Boy, where to start? I guess I'll begin with the passing game.
It's been a Jekyll and Hyde season for the Michigan passing game, mainly because they started out the season with both Jekyll and Hyde at quarterback—I'll leave it to you to decide which one is which. If there was anything that could help the offense it would have been stability at quarterback.
On paper there were two different guys to choose from: the runner who can't pass, or the passer who can't run. The first couple games it was whoever started, if they began to fail, put the other guy in, change the style of play to suit the QB, and confuse the heck out of everyone on offense—or so it seemed.
Finally Steven Threet began to emerge as the more dominant of the two, and RR decided to name him the "starter." I would love to say I love Threet at QB, but I can't bring myself to do it. My biggest criticisms are the obvious lack of ball skills (more on that later), lack of touch, and inconsistencies.
I really like how Threet has grown to be more comfortable in the pocket, stepping up when he needs to and feeling the pressure around him. He's shown some decent moves for a big tall white boy, but I get a little nervous when he takes hits like he did last week against Illinois.
If Threet can get into a rhythm, realize that he doesn't have to zing every ball he throws, and please please PLEASE protect the ball, he might just be the starter next year as well.
On the running side of the ball, I only have a couple of issues.
I really like Sam McGuffie. He has the potential to be a walking highlight reel. He seems to be the only ball carrier on the team that doesn't make me have to close my eyes and pray every time he gets a touch.
I think he does need to be a little more patient and let the holes develop before he decides to shift into fifth gear. I like his tenacity and speed, but he needs to be a little more patient. His biggest issues, to me, are dictated by powers beyond his control. Again, I'll elaborate later.
The receiving corps is young, inexperienced, and looks confused about 80 percent of the time. These guys need to work on their route running first and foremost. I can't accurately state how many incompletions have been due to bad routes, but I would like to say that at least one-fourth of the bad throws have been to where the receiver was supposed to be.
Mathews and Odoms appear to be the best things to happen to this group. When the balls are thrown to them, they generally come down with it and make good attempts at yards after catch.
The thing this group lacks is the go-to guy. There's no Manningham, Braylon, Avant, whoever to get things done down the field.
Overall, the offense is a roller coaster that seems to have more drops (no pun intended) than it does rises. There are brief flashes of brilliance that give Michigan fans hope to carry on the rest of the season, but those are few and far between.
Grade: C-
2 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
Jeff Contizano 9 months ago
Very good writeup. I'd say I'm most frustrated with the offense, and I still think Minor needs some more carries.
Defensively, Stevie Brown needs to benched, and Charles Stewart is probably just as bad. If we can shore up the safety position the big play becomes less viable of a threat, Warren/Trent are solid on the outside. Also, more consistent linebacker play would help, Obi is the only one who is really "there".
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Dean Walker 9 months ago
Michigan hasn't been terribly solid at safety in a couple years and I don't know what the problem is. I honestly haven't seen enough good angles of the defense to see if the corners are blowing coverages and putting the safeties in a bad position or if the safeties are just playing out of position and expecting the corners to make up for it. I get confused sometimes seeing the #3 jersey tackling tailbacks, especially in the backfield. I mean, I like seeing different looks from the defense and shaking things up a bit but these are the same guys that are allowing big plays down the field. You can't compensate for out of position safeties by just putting them in the box and hoping they stop the cross route or the draw play. They have to know where they are supposed to be in the pass game, and so far they haven't proved that they do. The secondary is and has been the weakest link and, as I said earlier, if these guys can step up their game, this is going to be a tough defense to play against.
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