Michigan took care of business at Michigan State in a game that wasn’t as close as the 32-23 score made it seem. Several observations after going through game film a few times …
On offense … going in, we were essentially asking redshirt sophomore Wilton Speight not to lose the game with big mistakes. Other than one big one, a second-half interception on the first drive, he was one of the big reasons the Wolverines won it.
Speight still doesn’t have the zip on all of his passes he’ll need to thread the needle against better teams, but we were (I was) wrong about him in the preseason, for a few reasons. One (and again), those close to it felt redshirt junior John O’Korn had a better skillset and, with coaching, would match Speight’s ability to grasp the offense, etc.
And two is the time Speight has put in the time needed to be a quarterback at this level. People can complain about him all they want to, credit head coach Jim Harbaugh for his progress, etc., but the kid owned it this summer and became the leader of the offense. The kids respect him.
The balls he delivered Saturday when he knew he was going to get hit … that’s a different kind of “contact courage” than Harbaugh likes to talk about, but it’s even more impressive. Guys will have a tendency to pull back a bit on throws knowing they’re going to get hit, etc., but Speight never did, even after taking big hits.
From ProFootballFocus.com after Speight graded out at 71.3:
"Speight’s progression is one of the stories of the season for Michigan and the college football playoff, and it was another strong outing. He hit 9-of-16 passes thrown at least 10 yards in the air for 186 yards as he made big plays in Michigan’s play action game while also getting some help from his playmakers down the field. Speight did force a bad interception on a wheel play as he threw it blind and late, but if he continues to develop as he has the last two weeks, Michigan will be all the more dangerous as they head into November."
Credit the pass blocking, too, for handling MSU’s array of blitzes, and Speight for avoiding sacks on two plays on which the Spartans were unimpeded to the quarterback. One of them resulted in a huge pass to fifth-year senior Amara Darboh (he needs to stay on his feet and finish that – it set up a field goal, but should have been six).
That’s the only complaint about Darboh, however. He played one of the better games we’ve ever seen of a Michigan wide receiver, and that’s not hyperbole. Former receiver Roy Roundtree had big games largely because he was wide open due to schemes against bad defenses (not taking away from what he accomplished, but it’s fact).
Darboh Saturday … two one-handed catches, including one on which his left arm was grabbed and held (no call) for 43 yards that changed field position, another on third down that was high and placed where only he could get it. He ran great routes to get open and adjusted when Speight had to improvise, finding holes in the defense.
Darboh found a seam on another third down reception on which he was well covered and made a sliding catch he wouldn’t have made in years past. He also blocked well.
Now he needs a complement, and it’s time fifth-year senior Jehu Chesson stepped up. Chesson’s route running has been suspect, and it was noticeable on film Saturday. Last year’s MVP isn’t the same player, and if he doesn’t step up, someone else will pass him by THIS year on the depth chart (strong opinion).
His route on the pick play for which Darboh was flagged near the end zone (rightfully so) was off, the reason the ball was “overthrown," though it wouldn't have counted anyway.
Michigan needs Grant Perry back soon against the better opponents, and it wouldn’t surprise to see one of the freshmen – Eddie McDoom perhaps – or maybe redshirt sophomore Drake Harris get more opportunity here. Harris was a target on a number of throws Saturday. Harris ran a great route to open the game and would have scored if a strong wind hadn’t taken the opening pass a few yards over his head.
Top offensive grades from PFF.Com: Darboh, 86.1, RT Erik Magnuson, 80.4 , TE Jake Butt, 78.7 , RG Kyle Kalis, 75.4 RB De’Veon Smith, 74.4
"Darboh brought a big-play element to the offense in his best game of the season. Beyond the right side of the offensive line had a great game in Michigan’s power scheme as Magnuson and Kalis provided strong run blocking at the point of attack while Magnuson was clean on his 29 attempts in pass protection."
The right side was outstanding. Kalis is having an All-Big Ten season and finished his blocks with authority. Harbaugh said Cole was the OL MVP, however, and he was very good, especially given how sick he was. Butt called his performance “extremely brave” given how much the center was hurting.
The running backs were solid in pass protection, as well.
This would have been a 30-10 game if not for some bad luck in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Karan Higdon apparently got a first down midway through the fourth quarter. The ball was initially marked past the marker but moved back a yard (for no apparent reason) … Higdon told us yesterday he had the first down, they were going to challenge the spot but it was too late when they decided to.
A missed assignment by freshman left guard Ben Bredeson prevented a third and one pickup on the next play; on another drive, Higdon didn’t follow the guard (Kalis, pulling) on a third and short play, running into the middle of the pile – otherwise he might have cut outside and scored.
These are things they’ll work on.
Butt had his best blocking game of the season, which he needed (and will need again when U-M goes to Columbus).
Michigan didn’t necessarily go “conservative” until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Wolverines probably should have, up three touchdowns. But they still had chances to ice a three-score win, and didn’t.
****
Defensively, top grades from ProFootballFocus: DE Taco Charlton, 84.9 , DL Maurice Hurst, 83.3 , LB Jabrill Peppers, 78.8 , CB Channing Stribling, 78.2 , CB Jourdan Lewis, 74.2
“The most common sight against Michigan State’s rushing attack was Charlton destroying blocks on the edge and taking out blockers while Hurst penetrated and slowed down pulling guards in the backfield. Charlton added three QB hits, and four hurries on his 29 rushes as he was the best defensive player in the game. CB Jourdan Lewis gave up only two catches on eight targets for 42 yards including an interception and a pass defensed, but he did get flagged for two pass interference penalties late in the game.
“As for Peppers, it was an up-and-down game for him against the run as he made a key fourth down stop and later got in on a tackle for a loss but he also got owned at the line of scrimmage before missing a tackle on another play. Overall, there was more good than bad for Peppers, who was once again all over the field.”
Our MVP … Hurst, who was simply unblockable up front. While MSU guard Brian Allen had his moments one-on-one with fifth-year senior nose tackle Ryan Glasgow (who is not playing at 100 percent) – and that’s hard to do – Hurst blew up a number of plays with his ridiculously quick first step. He was the first one to back LJ Scott on a fourth down play in the second quarter before Peppers cleaned it up.
MSU went heavy with fullbacks and tight ends, and its line played very well in the run game. It also pass blocked better than expected, though Charlton was a beast on the edge much of the game. MSU quarterbacks were only sacked twice, but they were hurried on nine other occasions – that’s 11 of 28 passes on which they were under pressure, and a few others on which they escaped.
Most of the patterns were quick release, throw the ball up for grabs (or quickly) to negate U-M’s pressure. Fifth-year senior end Chris Wormley had four pressures alone.
Michigan State finished with 401 yards … 75 of them came on the final drive on which Michigan was content to keep the play in front, though poor tackling allowed more yards than the Spartans should have gotten. That was a theme for the day – Stribling’s poor attempt up high on Scott turned what should have been a third and 10 into a 40-yard gain, and Scott gained 35 on a last drive shorty that should have been 15.
There was some bad luck involved, as well, that kept MSU drives alive. A third and 15 pass to Josiah Price that obviously bounced was ruled a 10-yard completion, and Charlton whiffed on Brian Lewerke on fourth and five to set up a floater to RJ Shelton for his only significant gain of the day, a 35-yarder that kept a drive alive with the game still 30-10.
The Spartans went right at Peppers on the first drive and buried him a few times. We’ve said it many times – Jim Tressel was the best at devising game plans for Michigan, and Mark Dantonio is a Tressel disciple. He will always have his team prepared for this game, and the first drive was evidence of that.
His problem going forward … this ain’t Rich Rodriguez or Brady Hoke across from him anymore.
Of MSU’s 326 yards that didn’t come in garbage time, however, 75 of them (Scott’s 40-yarder, another 23-yard run and 14 yards of a 24-yard Lewerke scramble) came as a result of flat out poor (abysmal) tackling.
Still, 217 yards on the ground was too much.
Michigan needs to get up early against Maryland and get some of the guys up front on the defensive line some much-needed rest. Redshirt sophomore nose tackle Bryan Mone is still banged up in addition to Glasgow – those guys will need to be close to 100 percent going into Columbus.
For more in depth analysis from poster ch13ba, click here: GAME ANALYSIS
On offense … going in, we were essentially asking redshirt sophomore Wilton Speight not to lose the game with big mistakes. Other than one big one, a second-half interception on the first drive, he was one of the big reasons the Wolverines won it.
Speight still doesn’t have the zip on all of his passes he’ll need to thread the needle against better teams, but we were (I was) wrong about him in the preseason, for a few reasons. One (and again), those close to it felt redshirt junior John O’Korn had a better skillset and, with coaching, would match Speight’s ability to grasp the offense, etc.
And two is the time Speight has put in the time needed to be a quarterback at this level. People can complain about him all they want to, credit head coach Jim Harbaugh for his progress, etc., but the kid owned it this summer and became the leader of the offense. The kids respect him.
The balls he delivered Saturday when he knew he was going to get hit … that’s a different kind of “contact courage” than Harbaugh likes to talk about, but it’s even more impressive. Guys will have a tendency to pull back a bit on throws knowing they’re going to get hit, etc., but Speight never did, even after taking big hits.
From ProFootballFocus.com after Speight graded out at 71.3:
"Speight’s progression is one of the stories of the season for Michigan and the college football playoff, and it was another strong outing. He hit 9-of-16 passes thrown at least 10 yards in the air for 186 yards as he made big plays in Michigan’s play action game while also getting some help from his playmakers down the field. Speight did force a bad interception on a wheel play as he threw it blind and late, but if he continues to develop as he has the last two weeks, Michigan will be all the more dangerous as they head into November."
Credit the pass blocking, too, for handling MSU’s array of blitzes, and Speight for avoiding sacks on two plays on which the Spartans were unimpeded to the quarterback. One of them resulted in a huge pass to fifth-year senior Amara Darboh (he needs to stay on his feet and finish that – it set up a field goal, but should have been six).
That’s the only complaint about Darboh, however. He played one of the better games we’ve ever seen of a Michigan wide receiver, and that’s not hyperbole. Former receiver Roy Roundtree had big games largely because he was wide open due to schemes against bad defenses (not taking away from what he accomplished, but it’s fact).
Darboh Saturday … two one-handed catches, including one on which his left arm was grabbed and held (no call) for 43 yards that changed field position, another on third down that was high and placed where only he could get it. He ran great routes to get open and adjusted when Speight had to improvise, finding holes in the defense.
Darboh found a seam on another third down reception on which he was well covered and made a sliding catch he wouldn’t have made in years past. He also blocked well.
Now he needs a complement, and it’s time fifth-year senior Jehu Chesson stepped up. Chesson’s route running has been suspect, and it was noticeable on film Saturday. Last year’s MVP isn’t the same player, and if he doesn’t step up, someone else will pass him by THIS year on the depth chart (strong opinion).
His route on the pick play for which Darboh was flagged near the end zone (rightfully so) was off, the reason the ball was “overthrown," though it wouldn't have counted anyway.
Michigan needs Grant Perry back soon against the better opponents, and it wouldn’t surprise to see one of the freshmen – Eddie McDoom perhaps – or maybe redshirt sophomore Drake Harris get more opportunity here. Harris was a target on a number of throws Saturday. Harris ran a great route to open the game and would have scored if a strong wind hadn’t taken the opening pass a few yards over his head.
Top offensive grades from PFF.Com: Darboh, 86.1, RT Erik Magnuson, 80.4 , TE Jake Butt, 78.7 , RG Kyle Kalis, 75.4 RB De’Veon Smith, 74.4
"Darboh brought a big-play element to the offense in his best game of the season. Beyond the right side of the offensive line had a great game in Michigan’s power scheme as Magnuson and Kalis provided strong run blocking at the point of attack while Magnuson was clean on his 29 attempts in pass protection."
The right side was outstanding. Kalis is having an All-Big Ten season and finished his blocks with authority. Harbaugh said Cole was the OL MVP, however, and he was very good, especially given how sick he was. Butt called his performance “extremely brave” given how much the center was hurting.
The running backs were solid in pass protection, as well.
This would have been a 30-10 game if not for some bad luck in the fourth quarter. Sophomore Karan Higdon apparently got a first down midway through the fourth quarter. The ball was initially marked past the marker but moved back a yard (for no apparent reason) … Higdon told us yesterday he had the first down, they were going to challenge the spot but it was too late when they decided to.
A missed assignment by freshman left guard Ben Bredeson prevented a third and one pickup on the next play; on another drive, Higdon didn’t follow the guard (Kalis, pulling) on a third and short play, running into the middle of the pile – otherwise he might have cut outside and scored.
These are things they’ll work on.
Butt had his best blocking game of the season, which he needed (and will need again when U-M goes to Columbus).
Michigan didn’t necessarily go “conservative” until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Wolverines probably should have, up three touchdowns. But they still had chances to ice a three-score win, and didn’t.
****
Defensively, top grades from ProFootballFocus: DE Taco Charlton, 84.9 , DL Maurice Hurst, 83.3 , LB Jabrill Peppers, 78.8 , CB Channing Stribling, 78.2 , CB Jourdan Lewis, 74.2
“The most common sight against Michigan State’s rushing attack was Charlton destroying blocks on the edge and taking out blockers while Hurst penetrated and slowed down pulling guards in the backfield. Charlton added three QB hits, and four hurries on his 29 rushes as he was the best defensive player in the game. CB Jourdan Lewis gave up only two catches on eight targets for 42 yards including an interception and a pass defensed, but he did get flagged for two pass interference penalties late in the game.
“As for Peppers, it was an up-and-down game for him against the run as he made a key fourth down stop and later got in on a tackle for a loss but he also got owned at the line of scrimmage before missing a tackle on another play. Overall, there was more good than bad for Peppers, who was once again all over the field.”
Our MVP … Hurst, who was simply unblockable up front. While MSU guard Brian Allen had his moments one-on-one with fifth-year senior nose tackle Ryan Glasgow (who is not playing at 100 percent) – and that’s hard to do – Hurst blew up a number of plays with his ridiculously quick first step. He was the first one to back LJ Scott on a fourth down play in the second quarter before Peppers cleaned it up.
MSU went heavy with fullbacks and tight ends, and its line played very well in the run game. It also pass blocked better than expected, though Charlton was a beast on the edge much of the game. MSU quarterbacks were only sacked twice, but they were hurried on nine other occasions – that’s 11 of 28 passes on which they were under pressure, and a few others on which they escaped.
Most of the patterns were quick release, throw the ball up for grabs (or quickly) to negate U-M’s pressure. Fifth-year senior end Chris Wormley had four pressures alone.
Michigan State finished with 401 yards … 75 of them came on the final drive on which Michigan was content to keep the play in front, though poor tackling allowed more yards than the Spartans should have gotten. That was a theme for the day – Stribling’s poor attempt up high on Scott turned what should have been a third and 10 into a 40-yard gain, and Scott gained 35 on a last drive shorty that should have been 15.
There was some bad luck involved, as well, that kept MSU drives alive. A third and 15 pass to Josiah Price that obviously bounced was ruled a 10-yard completion, and Charlton whiffed on Brian Lewerke on fourth and five to set up a floater to RJ Shelton for his only significant gain of the day, a 35-yarder that kept a drive alive with the game still 30-10.
The Spartans went right at Peppers on the first drive and buried him a few times. We’ve said it many times – Jim Tressel was the best at devising game plans for Michigan, and Mark Dantonio is a Tressel disciple. He will always have his team prepared for this game, and the first drive was evidence of that.
His problem going forward … this ain’t Rich Rodriguez or Brady Hoke across from him anymore.
Of MSU’s 326 yards that didn’t come in garbage time, however, 75 of them (Scott’s 40-yarder, another 23-yard run and 14 yards of a 24-yard Lewerke scramble) came as a result of flat out poor (abysmal) tackling.
Still, 217 yards on the ground was too much.
Michigan needs to get up early against Maryland and get some of the guys up front on the defensive line some much-needed rest. Redshirt sophomore nose tackle Bryan Mone is still banged up in addition to Glasgow – those guys will need to be close to 100 percent going into Columbus.
For more in depth analysis from poster ch13ba, click here: GAME ANALYSIS
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