Following a win at Nebraska to open Big Ten play, the Michigan Wolverines head into the bye week with a 3-1 record. It hasn’t been perfect by any means, so there is a great opportunity for the team to improve in several areas before the season continues next weekend.
“(The bye week is) an opportunity to get better. We’ll re-evaluate, look at every position and make sure the best players are playing,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore told the media on Monday. “Attack our fundamentals and technique.
We’re going to do a good job with the plan this week and be smart with what we do in practice, and then attack the game plan for next week.”
Offensive line must needs to continue progressing
The offensive line has shown improvement through the first four games of the season, but it still remains a work in progress. Michigan’s offense is predicated on establishing the run and providing Bryce Underwood with a clean pocket, so it’s essential for the line to avoid penalties, create open rush lanes and set the tone with physicality and toughness.
Center Greg Crippen and right tackle Andrew Sprague played at a high level in the win over Nebraska, while left guard Nathan Efobi and right guard Jake Guarnera made positive strides as well, even though Guarnera gave up the lone sack on the day. Left tackle Evan Link continues to be inconsistent, as he committed a false start and missed a block that should have led to an easy touchdown.
”We have to get back to fundamentals and play with the nastiness and physical mentality that the Michigan standard is about,” Moore said. ”It’s the violence of the play. It’s low pads, tight hands and continual movement. Those are things that win blocks so those are things that we really harped on. Coach Newsome has done a great job and there’s been a lot of improvement.”
Secondary struggles should decline with more experience
The secondary has seen its fair share of struggles at times this season, whether it’s missed tackles, poor miscommunication or self-inflicted penalties. With that said, the group looks a little worse than it actually is because the defensive line and linebackers have been so elite that it leaves a bit more to be desired from that unit.
“It has been (a lack of) communication and execution, so there are things that we just need to get fixed right away,” Moore said. “I credit the coaching staff for what they’ve done with a bunch of young players in the back end. We are really coming together in the secondary with young guys making plays all over the place and showing out. This team is in a great spot.”
Oklahoma and Nebraska exposed vulnerabilities in Michigan’s secondary with explosive plays, but as the games went on, the Wolverines settled in, a positive sign for the future. As Jayden Sanders, Brandyn Hillman and Elijah Dotson continue to gain valuable experience, the miscues in the secondary should decline.
The wideouts have to stop dropping the ball
The wide receiving corps has been average at best, failing to provide consistency and reliability in the passing game. In just four games, Michigan has totaled an alarming 11 drops — Semaj Morgan and Channing Goodwin have four drops apiece. For the pass attack to get better, the receivers need to hang onto the football.
Underwood is continuing to develop a connection with the wide receivers, so it’s important for him to have full confidence in all of them. There’s no doubt this unit is much-improved from last year, but there’s still a lot of room to increase production.
“I think it’s consistency being a hand-catcher. There’s an emphasis this week on not allowing the ball to connect to your body,” Moore said. “You have to teach people how to catch the ball. Whether it’s above your navel and catching it thumb to thumb or below and catching it pinky to pinky. We’re really harping on those things. We have to continue to do that this week.”
