The Michigan Wolverines are in the midst of their second bye week as they prepare for the last three games of the regular season. With the final stretch on the horizon, here’s how each position group has graded out.
Quarterbacks: C+
Bryce Underwood appeared to be ahead of schedule at the first bye week — receiving a B+ grade at the time — but he’s taken a step back in recent weeks. The freshman recorded three straight games with 200+ passing yards before averaging just 115.5 passing yards in the last two outings,
throwing zero touchdowns and committing two turnovers.
Running backs: A
Justice Haynes and Jordan Marshall have arguably been the nation’s most prolific running back duo, combining for 1,586 yards and 18 touchdowns. Before suffering an injury, Haynes was the best running back in the Big Ten, and Marshall is coming off a career-best game last week. Michigan ranks seventh in the NCAA in rushing yards, so this unit deserves a ton of praise.
Wide receivers: C+
Donaven McCulley and Andrew Marsh solidified themselves as Michigan’s top wide receivers, but their performances have been up-and-down all year. Marsh really exploded since the last bye, recording a team-high 346 yards in the last five outings. Following a breakout 112-yard performance last month, McCulley has just seven catches for 74 yards in the last four games.
Tight ends: B-
The tight ends have dealt with injuries with Marlin Klein and Hogan Hansen in and out of the lineup, but Zack Marshall has stepped up during the current win streak. After having only three catches in the first six games, he has recorded eight catches for 130 yards and one touchdown in the last three games. He was also named PFF’s highest-graded tight end in the country last week.
Offensive line: B
The offensive line received the worst grade of any unit at the first bye, but there has been significant improvement since then. Andrew Sprague (71.3 overall PFF grade) and Jake Guarnera (71.6) have been very impressive, while Blake Frazier (70.8) has helped raise the level of the offensive line since replacing an injured Evan Link over the last three games.
Defensive line: A-
This group has been great during the win streak, and a lot of that can be attributed to Derrick Moore wreaking havoc along the edge and Rayshaun Benny dominating in run defense. Moore (team-high 89.1 overall grade) has 12 tackles, six sacks and two forced fumbles in the last three games alone. TJ Guy (76.8) has also been playing well lately after a slow start.
Linebackers: A
The linebacker unit has been unbelievable, but recent injuries to Jaishawn Barham, Jimmy Rolder and Cole Sullivan are extremely concerning moving forward. Sullivan leads the team with four takeaways, while Barham is second in sacks (three) and Rolder is second in tackles (52). It will be difficult to sustain that level of play unless some of these guys return soon.
Secondary: B
Even though the secondary has struggled a bit against high-quality opponents, there has been improvement throughout the season. Jyaire Hill’s steady development has been exciting to watch, and Mason Curtis (NCAA-best 90.7 grade against Purdue) has been exceptional since his playing time increased last month. Brandyn Hillman and TJ Metcalf have also made a positive impact.
Special teams: D
The special teams have gotten progressively worse this year, which is alarming from a developmental standpoint. No matter the position, there should be signs of improvement from August to November. Instead, the special teams unit has totally plummeted — sitting second-worst in the Big Ten in kick off and punt returns to go along with an up-and-down kicking game.
