“We just got good energy,” Michigan football edge Derrick Moore said. "The (win) at Nebraska ... kind of brought us back."
Is Michigan football about to hit another gear?
That's the feeling at Schembechler Hall.
The first third of the regular season for the Wolverines was far perfect. After a sloppy win over New Mexico and a demoralizing loss to Oklahoma, No. 20 Michigan went two games without its coach, Sherrone Moore, leading the way, thanks to a program-imposed suspension. In those games? The Wolverines unloaded a 60-point blowout of Central Michigan (the program's largest since October 2016) and then a much-needed three-point road victory over Nebraska.
Those victories gave the program an elite feeling heading into its first bye week and now, after a week of rest and recovery, there's a feeling among the team's leaders that the group is about to go on a run.
“You can feel the airplane taking off, guys settling into their roles,” captain Max Bredeson said Tuesday, Sept. 30, following practice. “Once you get into the season, roles are kind of defined, but it turns into mastery of your role, being as good at your role as you can be.”
U-M's defense certainly seems to be hitting its stride. Wink Martindale's unit had a season-high nine tackles-for-loss and seven sacks in the Week 4 win over the Cornhuskers. Much of it has come from a position shift, as Jaishawn Barham has moved from inside linebacker to edge and done nothing but wreak havoc.
In just 68 snaps on the line, Barham has 10 tackles – four for loss and three for sacks. He has nine quarterback pressures (on 33 pass-rushing snaps) and six run stops. That has allowed the Wolverines to rotate other linebackers alongside Ernest Hausmann, as both Cole Sullivan and Jimmy Rolder have taken notable steps forward.
"Look at a kid like Cole Sullivan, I mean, how can you not play him (with) how productive he is?" Martindale asked. "When you go and watch practice tape, he's playing faster than a lot of guys. ... How about Jimmy Rolder? I mean, he is smashing people out there and playing really well."
It also helps that the team is getting healthier. Key players in and out of the lineup in the first month, such as offensive linemen Gio El-Hadi and Brady Norton, defensive backs Rod Moore and Zeke Berry and tight ends Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen, are all expected to be back either on Saturday against Wisconsin (noon, Fox) or shortly thereafter.
It hasn't been all rosy, however.
After leaning on their tight ends for production in recent years, the group – hampered by injuries to Klein and Hansen – hasn't produced as much as the Wolverines expected.
"I don't want to sound negative at all, because I'm pleased with how they've played," tight ends coach Steve Casula said. "But I really do believe this through the first four games and then a bye week, like the time for us to go and really get going and playing at a really, really high level is now.
"We've played good, we have, but I think when we're at our best in that room, the ceiling is exceptional."
There's room for improvement elsewhere. The Wolverines are tied with Iowa for second in the Big Ten in drops (11) and don't have a wide receiver averaging even 50 yards per game. While the passing attack has been better than a year ago (statistically, it almost could not be worse), there's room to grow there, as well.
U-M ranks No. 104 (out of 134 teams) in passing yards per game (183.3), while the only two teams with fewer passing touchdowns than Michigan's two are Northern Illinois and UMass (both with one). There was an expected learning curve at this level for Bryce Underwood, who still seems primed for superstardom, but the staff has been impressed he's not pressed at any point thus far.
"He's revealed to us, or shown us, he's willing to win any which way possible." Casula said. "He's all in. He's a team guy, but he's really, really good, man."
The run game has largely carried the way, particularly Justice Haynes. The Alabama transfer has showed big-play ability − his four carries of 50 yards or more are tied for the national lead − while also being a consistent force, averaging 8.1 yards a carry and racking up a career-high 537 rushing yards in four games.
Underwood's legs are another reason U-M feels optimistic. He has only started to get going; in just the past two games, he has run 17 times for 175 yards and three touchdowns.
"It does change how you look at the run game, because it completely changes the numbers," Casula said. "When you run the quarterback, it's like having a 12th guy on the field. You know, there's an extra gap for the defense to fit.
"There's an extra ball carrier they have to account (for). ... It can change and alter how the edge of the defense is played."
Michigan sees its desired identity and now has found many of the pieces it needs for that. At 3-1 and ranked in the top 20, it has been a good start for the Wolverines. But after a stormy opening third, U-M feels poised to hit another gear.
“We just got good energy,” captain Derrick Moore said. “Especially the (win) at Nebraska; I feel like that one right there kind of brought us back and brought back the joy to the team."
Tony Garcia is the Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football gaining confidence in return to Big Ten play
Category: General Sports
