Keys to the Game: Michigan football vs. MSU

Michigan will host Michigan State this Saturday night in a battle of 4-3 teams, something we wouldn’t have predicted at the beginning of the year. MSU, of course, is ecstatic to be there in the midst of a rebuild under Jonathan Smith, while defending National Champion U-M and its fans are hugely disappointed. 

The Wolverines have the pieces to be better, but something has been off with this team. Not having competent quarterback play doesn’t help, of course, but offensive line, linebacker, secondary, receiver, etc. … all these groups are underperforming, and it’s past time they started to show improvement. If they don’t, they’re likely to lose Saturday night to another subpar team.

“It’s the next game, but it’s a big game,” head coach Sherrone Moore said this week. “It’s the state championship, and our guys are very excited … obviously down about what happened [in a 21-7 loss at Illinois], but excited to go compete against this team that they take a lot of pride in. 

“Paul Bunyan, keeping that trophy here … our guys are excited about the game, and so are the coaches.”

These two teams have turned it over a ton this year, to the point that the team that protects the ball better Saturday night could well win it. Moore would love to see his team get some takeaways, of course — right now, though, he is focused on his offense.

“I just want us to be good,” Moore said. “I want us to take care of the football ourselves, and I’m not going to worry about what they’re doing. We’re going to try to take the football away from them, for sure. But for us, we’ve got to do everything we can to keep it.”

The latter, in fact, will probably be one of the keys to a Michigan win Saturday … again. We tackle them here: 

Michigan Key No. 1: Take care of the damn ball

The turnover plague has become ridiculous now, and it continues to cost the Wolverines games. But again — turnovers are usually caused by poor fundamentals and technique, and we’ve seen way too much of it this year. You can blame the quarterbacks all you want to, but if the offensive line was doing its job, too, and if the receivers were crisper on their routes, etc., this offense would be much better. 

Senior Donovan Edwards has had two costly fumbles this year, and he needs to be better. Period. Senior Kalel Mullings needs to get the start Saturday, and they have to ride him as much as they can. There’s a role for Edwards, too, and that starts with leadership. We’d also love to see the patented big game big plays from him. Now’s a perfect time.

Key No. 2: Pressure MSU quarterback Aidan Chiles and contain him when they do

Chiles is one of those guys who will give a defense fits, especially if he gets comfortable, and they can use him in both the run and pass games. This Michigan defense has been good at times, undisciplined at others — if it’s the latter Saturday night, they’re going to have a lot of trouble with the young Michigan State signal caller. 

The Michigan defensive line has an advantage here against the MSU offensive front, but if Chiles gets out and away from initial pressure, it could spell trouble.

“You’ve got to do a great job with your rush lanes, and that’s something we’re going to stress and talk about,” Moore said. “You’ve got to do that with that guy, because once he gets outside the pocket, he can be dynamic. He can do some things to hurt you. 

“So … you’ve got to keep him in the pocket and be really disciplined with your lanes, whether it’s a four-man rush or a five-man rush, where you’re at in the pocket, keeping him compressed. Because if he gets out, he can make things happen with his feet, and he can make things happen with his arm. We’ve got to do things there and mix up different looks for him.”

Do that and force him into some mistakes and Michigan will have a good chance to win. 

Michigan Key No. 3: Win the rushing battle

The team that wins the run battle in this contest almost always wins the game. The Michigan defense has been stout against the run most of the year, but MSU will present a different challenge with a mobile quarterback, and the Spartans will sell out to stop the run knowing U-M has had a tough time passing.

This would be a good time to make teams pay for stacking the box … we’re just not confident U-M can do that. Michigan needs a good game from Mullings and for the defense to keep Chiles contained.

The breakdown: Michigan football vs. MSU

Let’s be clear – this is not a good Michigan State team. The Spartans have gotten destroyed by the good teams this year, are a turnover machine themselves, and don’t have the talent Michigan has at a lot of positions. 

The one thing they do have — the ability to continue to fight when things aren’t going well and a dynamic quarterback who is going to be a handful when he figures out how to protect the ball. Aidan Chiles is a true dual-threat quarterback with the ability to make something happen when plays break down, and he’ll be a new challenge for this Michigan defense. 

U-M, meanwhile, is not the program of the last three years, not as talented (of course) and not nearly as confident. But the Wolverines should be better than they are, and there doesn’t seem to be a lot of “togetherness” on this team like we’ve seen the last several years. That’s disappointing and worrisome, and it’s something that needs to be fixed. 

Moore insisted it will be. Flat out, this is a game he needs to win to stay in the good graces of the fan base. You can’t lose to Michigan State at home this year and expect patience.