A game that was once hoped to be a Top-25 battle, the Michigan Wolverines and Washington Huskies face off in Week 8 as unranked opponents.
Coming into the matchup 5-1, the Huskies’ only loss on the season
is to the Ohio State Buckeyes. They did a decent job keeping up with the nation’s No. 1 team, but the Buckeyes woke up in the second half, outscoring Washington, 24-3, in that span.
It showcased just how talented Washington can be. While the Buckeyes shut them down, the Huskies boast one of the best quarterback-wide receiver-running back trios in the country. They have caused headaches for most opposing defenses, as the team ranks 17th in college football with 468.5 yards per game.
Slowing down each of these three guys will play a key role in a Michigan victory. Here’s what you need to know about each.
QB Demond Williams Jr.
For the second week in a row, Michigan will be tasked with slowing down one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the nation. Williams, a sophomore quarterback, has the fifth-highest QBR in the country according to ESPN. Last week, Wink Martindale’s defense failed to slow down USC quarterback Jayden Maiava, who is the top player in the country in this metric.
Unfortunately for the Wolverines, Washington’s offense has the capability of being really similar to USC’s. Williams is completing 74.1 percent of his passes, and as Michigan loves to dial up blitzes and pressure from different angles, expect Washington’s game plan of screens and other quick passes to look similar to USC’s.
What makes Williams and this offense even more dangerous is Jedd Fisch loves to get his quarterback on the run. Designed runs have helped Williams get up to 5.2 yards per carry this season for a total of 382 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
We’re going to get a good understanding of Martindale’s willingness to adjust in this game, because Williams is utilized with the combination of the two skillsets of the quarterbacks that have beaten Michigan this year. The Wolverines have the talent to slow Williams down with the right adjustments, but if they run out with the same aggressiveness they showcased last week, Michigan will likely struggle.
RB Jonah Coleman
Michigan had its worst run defense performance in a long time last week against USC. Nothing the Wolverines did worked as USC ripped off long runs left and right, and that was against depth players.
Jonah Coleman is far from a second- or third-stringer. He is up to 761 total yards in six games, including 20 receptions for 243 receiving yards. Anticipating plenty of screens to offset the Michigan pass rush, Coleman could be a lethal component of the Washington offense through the air. He had 104 receiving yards against Washington State just a few weeks ago in a similar spot.
But he is equally as dangerous on the ground. Last year, Coleman ran for 80 yards and a touchdown against Michigan. This season, he’s surpassed the century mark twice, as he averages 5.4 yards per carry and has 11 touchdowns.
Slowing down Coleman is how Michigan wins this game. If it weren’t for this one run, Coleman would have finished 13 carries for 36 yards on the ground. Winning the battle up front and stopping the run is the priority, because a repeat performance from last week will spell disaster for Michigan.
WR Denzel Boston
The problem with stacking the box and attacking the line of scrimmage is the Huskies have a legitimate downfield threat in Denzel Boston. The lengthy 6-foot-4 receiver is a jump ball merchant and reminds me of so many X receivers that succeed at the next level.
The danger for defense is if you creep up to the line of scrimmage to take away some of the underneath action with Coleman and Williams, you’re likely hanging a corner in a 1-on-1 situation with Boston on the outside. He played a big part in Washington’s 27-17 win over Michigan last year, catching five balls for 80 yards, including a 36-yard touchdown.
This game will be a challenge for Martindale and the Wolverines. They’ve faced Boston and Coleman before to little success, and now the Huskies add a mobile quarterback to the equation. It will be vitally important for Michigan to keep them contained to earn the win.
