San Diego State vs Michigan: 5 Things We Learned from Wolverines in Win

Denard Robinson rushed for 200 yards and Michigan took advantage of three San Diego State fumbles to defeat the Aztecs 28-7 before more than 110,000 at Michigan Stadium. 

Despite Robinson's fine rushing day, his poor passing performance kept San Diego State in the game far too long. Robinson completed only eight of 17 passes for 93 yards and two interceptions. 

If it wasn't for the inconsistent effort by San Diego quarterback Ryan Lindley, the Aztecs could have made a game of it. San Diego State entered Michigan territory 11 times and only came up with the one touchdown.

Lindley faced decent pressure by Michigan's defense, but his errant throws and three Aztec fumbles contributed to a sorry offensive day.

The Wolverines (4-0) enter the Big Ten season next week, still looking for better offensive balance. The defense was much more aggressive at times but could often ignore the run since the Aztecs played from behind most of the game.  

Let's see what else we learned from Michigan's victory.  

Starting Up Front, the Defense Was More Active

Before today's game, Michigan's defense was content to sit back, allowing opponents to move the ball almost at will in the early going. 

Against the Aztecs, Michigan showed up on time, forcing a three-and-out on San Diego State's first possession.

Ryan Van Bergen, Craig Roh, Mike Martin and Will Campbell all contributed.

Van Bergen swatted down a pass at the line, forced a fumble and had one tackle in the backfield. Roh had the third down stop in the first series and later forced a fumble while quarterback Ryan Lindley was attempting to throw.   

Michigan's Passing Game a Work in Progress

Michigan's passing game remains an adventure. While Denard Robinson is nearly impossible to stop running the football, his passing continues to be inconsistent, at best. 

Some might even say he's regressed from a season ago. He continues to miss open receivers while often throwing into double coverage. 

His four-game statistics read 35 of 72 for 624 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. 

Running Game Slowly Developing a Supporting Cast

While Michigan's offense is still a one-man show, the running backs are actually beginning to contribute. Vincent Smith, who was Michigan's lead back a season ago, has become a reliable receiver in addition to becoming a consistent speed back.

Fitzgerald Toussaint looks like he'll be getting the tough yards inside. Toussaint carried the ball 13 times for 67 yards Saturday, while Smith had nine carries for 47 yards. Smith added three receptions for 44 yards.      

Defensive Backfield a Plus

The pressure was on the much maligned defensive backfield when the Aztecs fell behind early. The backs were often effective in coverage and also made several sound tackles after a catch.

"I think the guys in the back end, when Blake Countess came in after Troy (Woolfolk) went down and did a nice job of covering their wide receivers," Coach Hoke told the Michigan Sports Network. "And I think we forced some bad throws."

Offensive Line Still a Concern

During the 2010 season Taylor Lewan, David Molk, Patrick Omameh and Mark Huyge all started multiple games.  They all returned this year to form the nucleus of the offensive line. Naturally, the group was expected to be one of the strengths of the team. 

While the intricacies of line blocking are sometimes difficult to catch, seeing who dominates the line of scrimmage isn't. It's definitely evident on third and short where Michigan doesn't always get the job done.

"That's all part of our development and our progress that we need to make as a team" Coach Hoke said at the post game press conference. "We will definitely go back to tomorrow looking at the film, seeing what we're not doing well. I think we've got an idea to some degree after watching the game that we need to be a much better team than we were today."

Who's Next?

The Wolverines enter the Big Ten season next Saturday (Oct. 1) by hosting the surprising Minnesota Gophers (1-2). Led by first-year coach Jerry Kill and quarterback Marqueis Gray, the Gophers nearly upset Southern Cal in the season opener, finally dropping a 19-17 decision in Los Angeles.

Kill, who suffered a seizure at the tail end of Minnesota's loss to New Mexico State Sept. 17, was back at work in last week's win over Miami (Ohio).

Gray, a highly recruited dual-threat quarterback, played all 12 games at wide receiver for Minnesota last season.