Michigan Football: 5 Ways the Wolverines Must Improve in 2015
Despite a 4-1 beginning to the 2015 college football season, the Michigan Wolverines have five noticeable ways to improve.
Michigan could hardly ask the defense to perform any better after two consecutive shutouts. However, if the unit could finish the job at the quarterback more often, the Wolverines would make the opponent's task increasingly difficult on later downs.
On the other hand, the Michigan offense is the ugly stepsister of the team right now. Penalties, turnovers and slow starts could doom head coach Jim Harbaugh's squad during Big Ten play if not corrected.
The Wolverines have work to do, but the progress must arrive quickly because No. 13 Northwestern (Oct. 10) and No. 4 Michigan State (Oct. 17) loom on the schedule.
1st-Quarter Scoring
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To the Wolverines' credit, they've flat-out dominated the second quarter in 2015, grabbing a stunning 61-7 advantage during the frame.
But the first quarter is a different story.
While the defense has allowed just 10 points, Michigan has only put 17 on the board. Fast starts—perhaps no more evident than at Maryland last Saturday—have not been the team's forte.
If the Wolverines don't score early, they'll certainly trail against a team such as Michigan State, which holds a 62-21 edge after the opening 15 minutes.
Surely, Michigan prefers not to face a deficit at any point of the game, and the best way to avoid that is, well, scoring right away.
Avoiding Penalties
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Michigan is in the upper half of Football Bowl Subdivision programs at avoiding flags, ranking 39th in penalties per game (5.6) and 61st in yardage (56.4).
Nevertheless, the reasons for the laundry being thrown are correctable, eye-rolling mistakes. The Wolverines have committed seven false starts, five defensive pass interferences and two roughing-the-kicker penalties.
Overall, Michigan has granted eight first downs—which is a 16-way tie for 64th—to its opponents.
No team will ever manage the ideal total of zero penalties, but nearly eliminating procedural and pass-interference calls would cut penalty yardage—and free first downs—significantly.
Protecting the Football
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Jake Rudock's three-interception debut was unfortunate, but the offense seemed to have settled down. The Wolverines didn't commit a turnover against BYU, and Rudock put together his best performance in a winged helmet.
And then, Maryland happened. Rudock threw another pick and lost a fumble, while Ty Isaac fumbled twice—losing one.
Just 35 programs have ceded possession more times than Michigan's nine, but fortunately for Rudock and Co., the defense has picked them up. D.J. Durkin's unit has literally allowed zero points after turnovers. The only seven points were a pick-six from Utah.
In all likelihood, that tremendously impressive stat is likely not sustainable at this rate of turnovers. That is, unless the Wolverines don't turn it over as much.
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Finishing Sacks
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See that guy making the sack on Tanner Mangum in the above picture? Well, Michigan won't have him anymore. Mario Ojemudia is out for the season due to an Achilles injury.
The Wolverines must replace the senior who not only registered a pair of sacks but set up teammates for a couple of others. While Michigan has a respectable 11 total sacks, Ojemudia was a contributor in nearly half of them.
Michigan's defensive line has consistently pressured the opponent's quarterback, but the linemen have come up just short of recording a sack.
Finishing the job—and doing so without Ojemudia against some of the Big Ten's top competition—is an important part of the defense being even more potent.
Connecting on Long Field Goals
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At some point during the next eight weeks, a matchup might come down to whether or not Kenny Allen can bury a field goal.
Can Harbaugh trust Allen to nail a potential game-tying or -winning kick? He undoubtedly has the leg for up to 55 yards, but the senior has yet to split the uprights from long range.
From 40 yards and closer, Allen has drilled each of his six attempts. From outside the mark, however, he's pushed a 44-yarder wide right and failed to bring a 47-yard kick from the right hash back across the right upright.
Since Northwestern and Michigan State are up next, Michigan is out of opportunities to test Allen's leg. Every kick—from any distance—must be converted. Allen could be the final difference between a victory or a loss.
All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com and B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.
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