What Grades, Snap Counts Say About Michigan Football's Loss to Minnesota

Grades and snap counts always tell a story to what happened.

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Michigan dropped its second game in a row and the Wolverines will enter the break searching for more answers than they might find. Kyle Whittingham said there might be some tough decisions to make and that could revolve around offensive coordinator Jason Beck and quarterback Bryce Underwood.

After dropping a 20-14 game against the Gophers, we look at Pro Football Focus to see how players graded out, along with what the snap counts tell us.

Top 10 offensive grades

1. WR JJ Buchanan - 72.3 grade
2. C Jake Guarnera - 71.3
3. RT Blake Frazier - 71.2
4. LT Evan Link - 67.3
5. RB Jordan Marshall - 66.9
6. RG Brady Norton - 66.6
7. LG Nate Efobi - 62.0
8. WR Andrew Marsh - 58.8
9. WR Channing Goodwin - 57.0
10. RB Savion Hiter - 55.9

What snap counts say

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It shouldn't come as a surprise, but with Manuel Beigel out on Saturday, it was Avery Gach who drew the start as the Wolverines' 'Rhino' and he ended up playing 28 snaps in the game. With that being said, Nate Efobi missed three snaps with an apparent injury, and Gach filled in for him.

Salesi Moa received WR3 snaps with 14 in the game. Channing Goodwin saw nine snaps and Jaime Ffrench had eight snaps. When JJ Buchanan went down after hitting his head late in the fourth quarter, it was Ffrench who ran on. But until Michigan wants to utilize more three wide-receiver sets, it doesn't appear that any of the Wolverines' receivers outside of Buchanan and Marsh are going to see many snaps.

Tight end Jalen Hoffman received his low snap count of the season with five. It was Hogan Hansen who received the majority of the tight end snaps with 23. Hansen is arguably the Wolverines' biggest receiving threat at the position and with Michigan struggling in the passing department, Jason Beck might look toward Hansen more moving forward.

Top 10 defensive grades

1. LB Nathaniel Staehling - 82.5 grade
2. LB Aisea Moa - 75.9
3. DT Enow Etta - 75.1
4. CB Shamari Earls - 74.7
5. CB Jyaire Hill - 73.6
6. Edge Benny Patterson - 72.9
7. Edge Tariq Boney - 70.0
8. Edge Nate Marshall - 69.4
9. DT Bobby Kanka - 66.6
10. S Chris Bracy - 66.6

What snap counts say

Michigan didn't record any sacks against Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey and although he started, Dom Nichols had just eight snaps against the Gophers. In place of Nichols, it was Benny Patterson who led the way with 33. John Henry Daley played and he saw 55 snaps.

The Wolverines are pretty deep at edge and Tariq Boney has started to assert himself, and he saw 25 snaps in the game. Nate Marshall had 14 snaps in the loss to Minnesota. Once again, veteran Cam Brandt saw limited playing time, playing in two snaps.

Something that might've gone unnoticed. Dom Nichols started for #Michigan but played in just eight snaps.

He entered the week 'questionable'. Benny Patterson received starter snaps with 33.

— Trent Knoop (@TrentKnoop) October 3, 2026

At linebacker, Aisea Moa played a season-high 38 snaps. Both Troy Bowles (60 snaps) and Nathaniel Staehling (54 snaps) led the way, while Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng had 12 snaps. Chase Taylor suffered an apparent injury and played in 24 snaps.

Moa continues to play a big part on the Wolverines' defense and it still appears that Owusu-Boateng is the No. 5 linebacker on the depth chart, despite the high ceiling.

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