Michigan Football: Biggest X-Factors for Wolverines' Offense Against Notre Dame

Two of the most storied programs in college football clash in the Big House Saturday night when No. 14 Notre Dame visits No. 17 Michigan. X-factors are continuing to emerge for the Wolverines offense heading into their second game of the 2013-14 season.

There's no doubt that Brady Hoke's offense showed plenty of promise in their 59-9 rout of Central Michigan in last weekend's opener, and it also shed light on who could play a bigger role than initially advertised for the rest of the season.

Let's take a look at who those guys are, how they've emerged and how they match up against the Fighting Irish.

Derrick Green, Running Back

Despite coming in as the fourth-ranked running back prospect in the nation, according to 247Sports Composite, Derrick Green wasn't expected to play a huge role for Michigan's backfield until Drake Johnson went down for the year last weekend, via CBS Sports' Chip Patterson.

But Green showed that he can be a formidable backup to Fitzgerald Toussaint in his Michigan debut last Saturday, posting 11 carries for 58 yards—the latter of which led the team—and a one-yard score in the third quarter.

Green's solid debut, along with Johnson's untimely injury, propelled him to second on the depth chart, entering Saturday's clash, per Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. 

While he won't be featured early behind Toussaint, fresh legs are always crucial in keeping a running game going into the second half. If he's able to get rolling and pick up a couple of first downs, it'll go a long way toward sustaining Michigan's drives against a stingy Notre Dame defense. 

Jeremy Jackson, Wide Receiver

Playing time has finally opened up for senior wideout Jeremy Jackson, and he looks ready to take advantage of it.

Jackson played sparsely from 2010-12, grabbing just 11 receptions in those three seasons. But he's walked into much more playing time this season as a co-starter in Michigan's official depth chart for Saturday, and he caught a 17-yard pass against Central Michigan. 

What most makes Jackson such a prime X-factor candidate is his size. At 6'3" and 209 pounds, he's a solid red-zone target for Devin Gardner.

Jeremy Gallon, Gardner's most trusted receiver, doesn't have the size to go up in the end zone at 5'8", and that should push him in the direction of establishing a big target to work on in the end zone. Jackson could be that target. 

Michael Schofield, Right Tackle

Michigan consistently has one of the best offensive lines in the country, and this year's no exception. But you'll hear the commentators talk a lot more about starting left tackle Taylor Lewan than his counterpart Michael Schofield on the other end. 

Lewan's hype is well-deserved, ranking as the second-best tackle prospect in next year's draft, per CBS Sports, but Schofield is no slouch, as he ranks just outside the top 20 at the position. 

The fifth-year senior will have his hands full Saturday with an Irish front seven that also ranks among the nation's best. The 357-pound Louis Nix will stuff up the inside, allowing big defensive ends Sheldon Day and Stephon Tuitt to roam around the line.

With Lewan likely matching up against Tuitt—whom CBS Sports ranked the second-best end in the country after Jadeveon Clowney—Schofield will be called upon to make his side of the field a strength for Michigan's offense and allow them to run the ball or let Gardner scramble in that direction. 

If he doesn't help Michigan make that a strength, Gardner very well may be under pressure all night.