Michigan Offense Slowly but Surely Taking Shape Under Jim Harbaugh

Jim Harbaugh can check the "first win" box off his list of goals for his debut campaign with Michigan, as the Wolverines dispatched Oregon State 35-7 on Saturday in Ann Arbor. 

Michigan's offense didn't put up gaudy numbers, but it certainly found its rhythm as the game progressed. The Wolverines slowly and methodically broke down the Beavers, running for 225 yards and four touchdowns. De'Veon Smith led the charge with 126 yards and three scores on 23 attempts (5.5 yards per carry).

Smith was the unquestioned workhorse for Michigan in its home opener, and his patience encapsulated the Wolverines' effort, per Geno Green of College Sports Overload: 

Michigan still experienced growing pains, though. Quarterback Jake Rudock finished with 180 yards and one interception on 18-of-26 passing. Harbaugh, however, blamed himself for the pick, as Michael Spath of TheWolverine.com reported: 

Perhaps the biggest sign of improvement came from Michigan's offensive line. Not only did the unit pave the way for Smith and Co., but Rudock was sacked just once. 

In the Wolverines' Week 1 loss to Utah, they had just 76 yards on the ground. 

Nick Baumgardner of MLive Media Group illustrated why stiffening up the front line of the offense was such a critical step for Michigan to take in Week 2: 

Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press noted that the offensive line and Smith fed off each other throughout the contest:

As a team, the Wolverines averaged 4.7 yards per carry against Oregon State, a far cry from the 2.6 they averaged against Utah. 

While Rudock didn't have a touchdown pass against the Beavers, he was far more poised under center. Against Utah, he had two scores but three picks. On Saturday, it was just the one interception—which Harbaugh didn't even blame on his signal-caller. 

Nearly every facet of Michigan's play in Week 2 was an upgrade from Week 1. The Wolverines improved their third-down efficiency from 37.5 percent (6-of-16) to 46.2 percent (6-of-13). They had one less turnover (two instead of three), and they won the game. 

Michigan, like it or not, is rebuilding. Saturday's win against Oregon State was a step toward a return to respectable status in the Big Ten. 

The Wolverines, however, also left points on the board early in the game. A slow start won't cut it against teams like Ohio State and Michigan State, two squads that ramp things up early and don't ever turn the pressure gauge down a notch.