Michigan Football: 4 Burning Questions Ahead of the Wolverines' Bowl Game

Game-day trends, injury issues and personnel changes have sparked a few questions around the Michigan Wolverines football team heading into the Citrus Bowl.

Both Michigan and the Florida Gators will focus on stopping the opposing rushing attack, but Jim Harbaugh's team will be without its defensive coordinator. Additionally, the Wolverines might not have a key starter—their biggest playmaker—available for the bowl game.

How well the Maize and Blue respond to each question will be determined on Jan. 1, so for now, there aren't many answers.

Can the Offense Effectively Run the Ball?

Throughout conference action, Michigan struggled to run the ball effectively. It won't get easier in Orlando.

Florida boasts the nation's 17th-ranked defense, which limited 10 of 13 opponents to less than 150 yards rushing. Tennessee, LSU and Alabama—each top-30 rush offenses—had the most success against the Gators.

Stephen B. Morton/Associated Press

The Wolverines do not have a top-30 rush offense. No, they're closer to a bottom-30 unit.

No player has asserted himself as the unquestioned lead runner. Although De'Veon Smith staked a claim to that role after a pair of 100-plus-yard performances against Oregon State and BYU, he's held the title by default in Big Ten games.

Drake Johnson hasn't shown the explosiveness that potentially separated him from Smith, and Derrick Green, Ty Isaac and Karan Higdon have each fallen out of the rotation.

Michigan's offensive line has absolutely improved since 2014, but it's still no better than average. Meanwhile, Florida's defensive line is dominant. Can three weeks of preparation overcome a major shortcoming?

Will Jabrill Peppers Play?

Perhaps the most indispensable player on the roster, Jabrill Peppers is a special talent. He's a starting cornerback or safety, rotational running back and can contribute as a returner.

Florida head coach Jim McElwain knows his team must always be aware of the versatile weapon, as noted by FloridaGators.com's Scott Carter:

However, Peppers is injured.

According to MLive.com's Nick Baumgardner, Harbaugh said "we'll see" when asked if Peppers would play in the Citrus Bowl, adding that the sophomore has "been out there" at practices.

Two weeks earlier, Zach Shaw of the Michigan Daily reported that Peppers had been wearing a soft cast on his hand.

While a replacement won't match his ability, the Wolverines can use a combination of Jeremy Clark, Delano Hill and Dymonte Thomas to take Peppers' defensive reps if necessary. But his impact on offense—even if that entails being a decoy in limited snaps—would be missed.

Is the Defense Fast Enough to Contain Treon Harris?

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If Treon Harris wants to be an SEC quarterback, he'll need to develop significantly over the offseason. For now, though, he's a pure athlete who occasionally throws the ball.

Yet Michigan might not have the speed at linebacker to regularly stop the athlete.

If the defense continues to utilize a heavy dose of nickel packages, that leaves two linebackers who aren't exactly quick—Joe Bolden and Desmond Morgan—to spy Harris.

Whether on designed runs or scrambles, Harris certainly has the straight-line speed to reach the edge. One key to containing him is making Harris run parallel to (and behind) the line of scrimmage instead of allowing a forward-moving lane. Alabama excelled at that.

However, Bolden and Morgan are not Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster.

How Noticeable is D.J. Durkin's Departure?

In a well-deserved move, former Michigan defensive coordinator D.J. Durkin accepted an offer to become the head coach at Maryland. He's already in College Park recruiting and preparing for the 2016 season at his new school.

The Wolverines have a game to play, though. Greg Mattison, who served as the defensive coordinator under Brady Hoke, will lead the unit against Florida, according to SEC Country's Zach Abolverdi:

Mattison has plenty of experience, and his Michigan defenses were typically among the nation's best. Without a doubt, though, the Wolverines enjoyed a terrific year under Durkin and his aggressive man-coverage style.

Considering Mattison's familiarity in the role and with the team, Michigan shouldn't see much of a drop-off during the Citrus Bowl.

But it might. We won't know until the Wolverines step onto the field.

All recruiting information via 247Sports. Stats from cfbstats.com or B/R research. Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow Bleacher Report CFB Writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.