Three Up/Three Down: Michigan Defense Leads The Way In Win Over CSU
Michigan was just way too good, way too fast and way too much for Colorado State today inside Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines went up 44-0 just as the 4th quarter started, but it was over well before that and finished at 51-7. It was pretty much all maize and blue, with some pretty interesting things to focus on...
Three Up
Pass Rush
Take it with a grain of salt since it was against Colorado State, but the Wolverines recorded seven sacks on the day. Defensive tackles, defense ends, rush ends, linebackers and members of the secondary all got in on the fun. Even transfer Eyabi Anoma, who has only been on the roster for about three weeks, recorded a sack and made an impact. It's only one game, and it was the Rams of CSU, but U-M appears to have plenty of dudes who can get after the quarterback.
Running Game
The running game didn't necessarily dominate like many thought it would, but it was effective and steady. Blake Corum and Donovan Edwards each went over 60 yards and scored, and the quarterback run game was working in a big way with JJ McCarthy on the field. The Wolverines averaged nearly six yards per carry and found the end zone four times on the ground. With Ryan Hayes out, and his backup Karsen Barnhart missing most of the game after he got dinged up, the O-line performed pretty well and allowed the Wolverines to score four touchdowns on the ground. It'll only continue to get better moving forward.
Mike Sainristil
Not only did Sainristil play a lot, he started the game and looked very comfortable out there. He got the sack party started in the first quarter and showed that he can play a very physical brand of football for a 5-10, 182-pound former wide receiver. We obviously know he can run and possesses good ball skills, so seeing the physical side of his game show up in week one is very encouraging for what he'll be able to do over the course of the season. He finished with three tackles and that early sack against the Rams.
Three Down
The few negatives probably don't need to be focused on, but we'll bring some up for discussion purposes.
Cade vs. JJ
It just feels over for Cade. JJ came into the game late in the third quarter and added an element to the offense with his legs that ultimately resulted in a 20-yard touchdown run by the sophomore. He finished the day with 50 yards rushing on just three carries and also went 4-for-4 through the air for 30 yards. Cade, on the other hand, was off target early, nearly threw an interception and finished the day with -8 yards rushing due to being sacked once. The two QBs obviously played at different times and in slightly different scenarios, but it just looked "different" when JJ was in there.
Settling For Field Goals
Jake Moody connected on all three of his first-half field goal attempts, but his longest one was just 34 yards, which means all of them came in the red zone. It was fine against Colorado State, but offenses that fizzle inside the 20 give coaches nightmares. It's always good to have an extremely reliable kicker like Moody, but head coaches, offensive coordinators and every player on that side of the ball wants touchdowns, not field goals.
Losing The Shutout
Again, it's being picky, but losing a shutout late in the fourth quarter will make a defensive coordinator pull his hair out. Freshman cornerback Will Johnson is going to be very good at Michigan but he'll be kicking himself that he gave up a 34-yard touchdown pass late in the game. It didn't make a bit of difference in the final outcome or the appearance of dominance in Michigan's 51-7 win, but you can bet that everyone on defense wanted that goose egg up there at the end of the game.
