Game balls from Michigan football's 34-27 win over Maryland
Michigan football moved to 4-0 on the season with a 34-27 win over Maryland on Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor. The Big Ten Conference opener was hard-fought and helped set the bar for what could come next for the Wolverines.
Anthony Broome, Clayton Sayfie and Chris Balas select a player each week for Michigan after the game concludes. Here are the players that get the biggest nod from our staff following a Week 4 victory over the visiting Terrapins.
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Chris Balas: Junior RB Blake Corum
Blake Corum led the way for the Michigan offense with 243 yards and 3 touchdowns on 30 carries in Saturday’s victory. Michigan was shorthanded with sophomore Donovan Edwards out for the second week in a row, paving the way for more reps for freshman CJ Stokes. A costly fumble from Stokes changed that plan causing Michigan to lean on Corum, and he answered the bell all afternoon. He is the heartbeat of the offense right now.
Clayton Sayfie: Graduate WR Ronnie Bell
It was not the flashiest performance from the fifth-year wideout, but he has a knack for being where he needs to be in critical situations. A 49-yard catch along the sideline to set up a Michigan field goal was his biggest highlight of the day. He finished the contest with 3 catches for 72 yards on 4 targets from sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
Anthony Broome: Graduate TE Luke Schoonmaker
Michigan was down a major offensive piece without senior tight end Erick All in the lineup, meaning others in the tight end room were going to have to step up. Enter graduate student Luke Schoonmaker, who had his best game in a U-M uniform against Maryland. He finished the day with a career-high 7 catches for 72 yards and the first score of the game. Michigan is going to need safety valves for when things break down for McCarthy. Schoonmaker was where he needed to be and was a reliable presence throughout the afternoon.
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Michigan football honorable mentions
Sophomore QB J.J. McCarthy: McCarthy was not perfect, but he avoided turning over the football and finished the day 18-for-26 for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns. His first extended game action as a Big Ten starter was uneven at times, but he made big plays in big moments and made sure he led his team to victory.
Senior CB DJ Turner and junior S RJ Moten: Turnovers have been hard to come by this season, but both players had interceptions in the game that either stalled Maryland’s momentum or swung it completely in the other direction.
Senior CB Mike Sainristil: If someone did not know that he transitioned from wide receiver, they would think he is a natural. Sainristil made plays in every facet of the game against Maryland. He finished the game with 8 total tackles (2 for loss), 1 sack and a pass defended.
