Difficult to really look at the game with the obvious distraction that's really dominating the news about what was a really good win for Mich. No punts til 5 min left in the game? C'mon...that's insane. The real lingering question I think this team still has is the red zone offense, particularly inside the 10. Two weeks in a row now Mich has kicked plenty of FGs after very good drives. For what it's worth, here's what happened when Mich got inside the 20 the last two games, the result and what can potentially be done about it.
Drive 1 vs PSU:
1st & 10 @ PSU 17 - 12 personnel, Edwards run middle
2nd & 9 @ PSU 16 - 11 personnel, Edwards run inside
3rd & 4 @ PSU 11 - 11 personnel empty, Edwards bubble screen INC
*This is probably a TD if JJ is on target.*
4th and 4 @ PSU 11 - Mich FG
Drive 2:
1st & 10 @ PSU 18 - 11 personnel, throw short right INC
2nd & 10 @ PSU 18 - 11 personnel pistol, zone read
3rd & 5 @ PSU 13 - 11 personnel, throw short middle
1st & g @ PSU 6 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle
2nd & g @ PSU 2 - 13 personnel, Corum run outside
3rd & g @ PSU 5 - 11 personnel, shovel pass short middle
4th & g @ PSU 6 - Mich FG
Drive 3:
2nd & 2 @ PSU 16 - 12 personnel, Corum run middle
1st & 10 @ PSU 11 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle
2nd & 3 @ PSU 4 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle
3rd & 1 @ PSU 2 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle
1st & g @ PSU 1/2 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle, TD
Drive 4:
1st & 10 @ PSU 13 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle
2nd & 7 @ PSU 10 - 13 personnel, Edwards run middle
3rd & 2 @ PSU 5 - 13 personnel, Corum run middle
4th & 2 @ PSU 5 - Mich FG
Drive 5:
1st & 10 @ PSU 14 - 12 personnel, Edwards run middle
2nd & 9 @ PSU 13 - 13 personnel, penalty
2nd & 14 @ PSU 18 - 11 personnel, sack
3rd & 20 @ PSU 24 - 11 personnel, Corum run middle
4th & 14 @ PSU 19 - Mich FG
Drive 6:
1st & g @ PSU 3 - 12 personnel pistol unbalanced left, Edwards run middle, TD
Drive 1 vs Sparty:
1st & g @ Sparty 4 - 12 personnel pistol, Corum run middle
2nd & g @ Sparty 7 - 11 personnel, zone read
3rd & g @ Sparty 8 - 11 personnel, throw short middle INC
4th & g @ Sparty 4 - Mich FG
**Announcers questioned JJ's decision to throw short of the end zone. Sparty dropped 7, only 1 Mich route into the end zone double covered.**
Drive 2:
1st & g @ Sparty 8 - 12 personnel, Corum run middle
2nd & g @ Sparty 4 - 12 personnel, Corum run middle
3rd & g @ Sparty 2 - 14 personnel (yes, that's correct), jet motion pitch pass Corum, TD
Drive 3:
2nd & 1 @ Sparty 13 - 13 personnel, Edwards run middle
1st & g @ Sparty 6 - 12 personnel pistol, zone read
2nd & g @ Sparty 9 - 11 personnel motion empty, QB draw
3rd & g @ Sparty 6 - 11 personnel, throw short middle INC
4th & g @ Sparty 6 - Mich FG
**JJ tries to rifle this to Schoony, misses a late coverage rotation by Sparty pre-snap and Bell is open on his spot route.**
Drive 4:
1st & 10 @ Sparty 18 - 12 personnel pistol, Edwards run middle
2nd & 8 @ Sparty 16 - 11 personnel empty, Edwards motion pitch pass to Wilson outside
3rd & 11 @ Sparty 19 - 12 personnel, Corum run middle
4th & 7 @ Sparty 15 - Mich FG
Drive 5:
1st & g @ Sparty 8 - 12 personnel, Corum run middle
2nd & g @ Sparty 4 - 11 personnel pistol, Corum run middle, TD
What does all this mean? Well, tape doesn't lie. Michigan has a serious tendency to lean on their RBs and O-line inside the 20 yard line.
In the last 2 games:
37 plays not FGs inside the 20
9 throws, two of which were essentially run plays
Corum or Edwards on a designed run up the middle 20 times
0 outside throws inside the 10
0 crossing routes inside the 10
Completed passes were all pitch passes, a shovel pass or a spot/hitch
0 sprint out passes inside 10
0 RPOs inside 10
Mich tendencies are not hard to find here and is likely why they've had to kick a lot of FGs. The lack of crossing routes given their speed is surprising. If you don't think your primary receivers are big enough on the outside to make contested catches, Anthony and Clemons need to be in the game inside the 10. If you want someone else in the game more experience, CJ and Ronnie need opportunities to make contested catches somewhere other than on a hitch route over the middle.
No sprint out passes giving JJ an opportunity to run? No RPO if you want to insist on Corum and Edwards?
I don't mean this as sheer criticism of the offensive staff. They've done an amazing job and move the football very well down the field. This is just an area that can be cleaned up by breaking tendencies with tools they have shown plenty of willingness to already use.
I'll caveat the entire discussion with this...this could also be something they're holding onto until they have to use it (Illinois/OSU) because they really haven't been in danger of losing a game so far this season.