The Michigan Wolverines got blown out in Ann Arbor on Saturday. First off, the Texas Longhorns are a National Title contender. The Wolverines are not. The Longhorns have a legitimate quarterback in Quinn Ewers and are well-coached by Steve Sarkisian. The Wolverines have significant problems at quarterback, and Sherrone Moore got badly outcoached.
While the expectation of staying a National Title contender after losing ten starters on offense and several more on defense, Jim Harbaugh, and a chunk of the coaching staff is unrealistic, staying competitive should become the new norm at U of M. The Wolverines looked terrible in every facet of the game, including the running game, the offensive line, the defensive line, and general discipline. This football team did not look ready to play. The expectation for Sherrone Moore wasn't necessarily for the Wolverines to become an immediate contender. However, the team should still do the little things. So, where does the team go from here?
Get Donavan Edwards Involved
Michigan's staff attempts to make Donovan Edwards a power back have been their most apparent error. He can break big plays and should primarily run off tackle. They need to get creative to get him the ball in space. The production thus far is not representative of the ability. Edwards has performed at a high level in big games, and his lack of production is squarely in the hands of the coaching staff and offensive line. He is simply too talented not to find a way to get him involved.
Get the Lines Right
The O-line and D-line have been poor thus far. Neither is getting any push or staying disciplined. Much attention has gone toward Davis Warren's quarterback play, but it's difficult to judge him accurately with the offensive line's play. Their inability to create gaps in the run game and protect the quarterback in the passing game is the opposite of typical Wolverines football.
The D-line has to get more push and more pressure. Ewers torched the Michigan secondary with significant time to throw the ball. The pressure was lacking in week one, and many Michigan media members suggested that the Wolverines would get more involved in week two. They were wrong. A team as talented as Texas will burn any team that does not create pressure or push. The Texas running game also caused problems, making the Michigan defense look porous, too, allowing Texas to run the clock and tire the defense out.
The Offense Needs to Get Creative
The Alex Orji run up the middle on third down-level of predictability isn't sustainable. The Wolverines can't get to .500 with that type of playcalling. It may seem an exaggeration, but everyone knew what was happening on that play call. Not just football analysts, either. Any of the 111,000 fans at the game could have predicted what was coming. Furthermore, Texas lined up as if to say, "Try something else. We dare you," and the Wolverines ran the play anyway.
Running the ball up the middle over and over doesn't work without elite offensive line play. This isn't last year. The Wolverines no longer have the best O-line. While the line is a work in progress, the staff needs to devise schemes to help Davis and the running game. Try something-anything-to make it so the defense isn't 1,000% sure what's coming. When they had the best O-line and Blake Corrum running the ball, the defense could know exactly what Michigan would do and have no chance of stopping it.
The Discipline Needs a Tuneup
The fumbles, missed assignments, and poor tackling aren't worthy of a storied program like Michigan. This Saturday against Arizona State needs to address these issues more than anything else. Getting Edwards involved, fixing the offense, and better play at the line will do nothing if they don't address the self-inflicted wounds.
Moore has a big task ahead himself to right the ship. Looking at the schedule, USC, Washington, Illinois, Oregon, and Ohio State present significant challenges. Following three years of dominant football, fans may overreact to this season's struggles but don't doubt that this team will struggle. This dropoff is steeper than anticipated. The worst-case scenario is a sub-500 finish. It's possible. Of course, teams grow as seasons progress, but week one to week two did not have enough growth. This next weekend may not be enough time to straighten things out. This schedule is the toughest Michigan has had in a while, and it comes at an unfortunate time for the program.
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