Michigan football: Maize outlasts Blue in 2023 spring game thriller

Michigan football held its annual spring game in a frigid and windy Big House on Saturday afternoon in Ann Arbor with the Maize squad taking down the Blue team squad by a score of 22-21.

The teams were split and drafted by Michigan assistant coaches Mike Hart (Maize) and Jay Harbaugh (Blue) this week. The first three quarters were 12 minutes with a 15-minute fourth quarter.

Because of the construction at Michigan Stadium, no scoreboards, live stats or PA was available, making it a little more unique than usual to cover the ins and outs of the game.

Here is our recap of how all four quarters went in Ann Arbor.

First quarter

The Maize team won the toss and elected to receive the ball, putting quarterback J.J. McCarthy‘s squad on the field first. McCarthy put a string of plays together to start the drive, but threw an ill-advised interception on 3rd and 8 at from the 44-yard line to Quinten Johnson, allowing the Blue team to take over on its own side of the field. A long 16-play drive followed, led by some impressive plays from quarterback Jack Tuttle’s legs, some timely catches and a few redzone carries for senior running back Kalel Mullings. Blue would lead 7-0 with 11 seconds to go in the quarter. McCarthy came back on the first play of the next drive and fired a 22-yard completion to wideout Cornelius Johnson, setting up a first down at midfield as time expired on the quarter.

Second quarter

Despite the big play to kick off the drive, the Maize team turned the ball over around the Blue 40-yard line on a fumble from running back Leon Franklin. Blue team’s Kody Jones came down from his safety spot to jar the football loose, recovered by newly-minted cornerback Amorion Walker. However, Tuttle would join the turnover party, throwing an interception to sophomore safety Zeke Berry, giving Maize the ball on its own 39-yard line with 7:42 to play before the half. The Maize offense would stall out, though, after a pair of pressures from Coastal Carolina transfer Josaiah Stewart. After a big punt from Tommy Doman, the Blue offense would start from its own 18-yard line with less than 6 minutes to go in the quarter.

Maize would force Blue off the field for one last drive before the half for McCarthy and the Maize offense. Another interception was offset by a pass-interference penalty, keeping hope alive for some momentum heading into the late stages of the quarter. Momentum was found with McCarthy finding senior wideout Jake Thaw for a 5-yard touchdown while throwing off balance after rolling left. The game would be tied at 7-7 after the first half of play.

Third quarter

The Blue team started with the ball to start the second half, quarterbacked by sophomore Alex Orji. The offense was not able to get much going, punting away to Maize with 8:31 to go. Maize would take over on its own 41-yard line. Maize would turn things over to junior quarterback Davis Warren, who got the squad down to the 4-yard line. They went for it on 4th down unsuccessfully, giving the ball back to Blue on downs with 7 minutes remaining. The Maize defense, led by linebacker Ernest Hausmann, forced a fumble and Blue turnover. But Maize would give it right back on the next play on an interception from Warren to Blue sophomore corner Myles Pollard.

After the pick, Blue would take over on its own 32-yard line. A nice drive was put together, headlined by a 31-yard gain for freshman running back Benjamin Hall down at the 1-yard line to end the third quarter tied 7-7.

Fourth quarter

Blue would take the lead back at the start of the quarter with Hall scoring from one yard out. This put Michigan’s Blue squad up 14-7 with almost an entire quarter still to play. Head coach Jim Harbaugh changed the rules of the game and added three minutes to the clock, making the fourth quarter a regulation-sized stretch of football.

Maize fired back on its next drive, thanks to a 33-yard reception from junior wideout Peyton O’Leary, capped off by a 3-yard touchdown run from graduate Leon Franklin. This tied the Michigan spring game at 14-14 with a little under 10 minutes to play.

Blue got right back into scoring territory on its next drive, headlined by a long completion from Orji to freshman wide Fredrick Moore that got them inside the opposing 30-yard line. The drive was capped off by a 5-yard pass from Orji to graduate transfer tight end AJ Barner. Blue pulled back ahead 21-14 with 5 minutes to go.

But Maize had a comeback drive in them. The group put together a long and methodical drive capped off by a touchdown run from Franklin with 1:44 to go. Maize attempted a 2-point conversion try and take the lead, which was successful on a pass to O’Leary. Maize took a 22-21 lead with 1:44 left.

After a defensive stand, that is how the game would end. Steak dinners would go to Hart and his Maize team.