Best and worst from Michigan's win over Arkansas State

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Michigan Wolverines football improved to 2-1 with a 28-18 win over Arkansas State Saturday at The Big House. Here are the best and worst from the game.

RELATED
• Defense / ST notes: Michigan gets back to playing ‘our style of ball’ in Arkansas State win
• Offense notes: Michigan finds its run game before turning to Alex Orji at QB

Best bounce-back performance

Credit the Michigan defense for responding to a tough outing in a 31-12 loss to Texas last week. The Wolverines allowed Arkansas State to move the ball 51 yards on their first drive before forcing a field goal attempt. They then shut down the Red Wolves through three quarters.

This is how Arkansas State’s drive chart read, heading into the final 11:32 of the fourth quarter: FGA, punt, FG, punt, punt, FGA, punt, INT, punt.

Michigan forced four three-and-outs, too, getting off the field with ease after struggling to last week.

Worst quarter

How did a game that never felt in doubt end up with a 10-point margin? Well, that was a rough fourth quarter for Michigan’s reserve defenders, who gave up 131 yards and 15 points.

Arkansas State backup quarterback Timmy McClain threw 2 touchdown passes, and Michigan had tackling woes.

The Wolverine offense also failed to pick up a third down with less than four minutes to go, which could’ve prevented the Red Wolves from getting the ball back before their final touchdown-scoring drive.

The Wolverines’ backups have a ways to go, but the starters put on a show.

Worst call leads to Paige pick

Facing fourth-and-8 at the Michigan 34-yard line late in the third quarter, Arkansas State quarterback Jaylen Raynor was pressured and threw the ball up for grabs. Michigan defenders got their hands on it, but it fell incomplete down the field. A flag flew in, however, for a hands-to-the-face call on junior edge Derrick Moore.

The call was questionable at best, since Moore seemed to get all shoulder pad and no face. That extended Arkansas State’s drive, but it only led to a splash play by the Michigan defense, its first interception since the season-opener, with graduate safety Makari Paige picking off a pass to the end zone.

Paige got to wear the ‘Turnover Buffs’ for the first time since 2022 against Ohio State, when his takeaway helped seal a victory for the ages.

Back to the roots

Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore said Monday that he wanted to run the ball more — and more effectively — going forward. The Wolverines got that accomplished in a big way, gashing the Red Wolves to the tune of 301 yards on 44 carries (6.8 yards per attempt).

Michigan moved the ball well for most of the game, thanks in large part to the offensive line and running backs. Graduate student Kalel Mullings led the way with 153 yards and 2 scores on 15 attempts, while senior Donovan Edwards started and chipped in 82 yards and a touchdown on 17 rushes.

The 301-yard performance marked Michigan’s largest rushing yard total since a 34-13 win over Washington in last season’s national championship game. Edwards was a huge part of that 303-yard rushing output.

Mullings became Michigan’s first rusher over 150 yards since Edwards hit that mark in consecutive weeks (at Ohio State, vs. Purdue) at the end of the 2022 season.

Biggest issue

Turnovers continue to plague the Wolverines. Michigan gave the ball away 8 times in 15 games last season (5 interceptions, 3 lost fumbles) but already has 7 turnovers this year (6 interceptions, all by senior quarterback Davis Warren, and 1 lost fumble).

Michigan likes to “grind meat,” with a ball-possession offense and stingy defense. But it’s hard — darn near impossible — to beat good or great teams with that formula when the turnover count is that high. The margin for error is much too slim.

Warren threw 3 picks against Arkansas State, and all of them were inexplicable. The first came after senior running back Donovan Edwards missed a blitz pickup, the second was when Warren’s arm was hit before he threw it right to a defender and the third occurred when Warren overthrew his receiver and tossed it right to a safety over the top.

Sour taste

Michigan actually did some nice things offensively, including through the air, but leaves with a sour taste in its mouth because of the turnovers.

The Wolverines averaged 44.6 yards per drive in the seven that Warren was in for. They registered 57 yards per non-turnover possession.

Make no mistake: The interceptions are alarming. However, Michigan showed some improvements, albeit against a weak Arkansas State defense.

It doesn’t make sense to not consider turnovers, but Warren completed all 11 of his passes that weren’t intercepted. Michigan even performed well through the air on a number of plays, but big mistakes like giving the ball away will render many of them useless.

Biggest concern moving forward

Michigan pulled Warren after his third interception, inserting junior Alex Orji into the game. But other than giving him 4 throws — including a short, easy toss on a 9-yard touchdown to freshman tight end Hogan Hansen — the Wolverines didn’t seem to trust Orji to run the entire offense.

Not only has Warren shown that he has turnover issues, but Michigan’s backup doesn’t appear to be a viable option to start, though Moore said the selection of the starter for the next game will be based on who practices the best.

Orji is a good runner — he had 3 rushes for 27 yards in this one — but is extremely unproven as a passer. Even after today, he has only 20 career passing yards.

Warren’s confidence may have taken a hit due to both the turnovers and being benched.

Where Michigan goes from here, or how the quarterback position will perform, is anyone’s guess.

Rest day

Michigan had more made field goals (5) than offensive touchdowns (3) heading into Saturday. Junior kicker Dominic Zvada had made all 5 of the kicks, including 3 of 50-plus yards. He’d been the team’s best player, pound for pound, at 6-foot-3, 180.

But relying on a kicker that much isn’t a good sign for an offense. Michigan scored more offensive touchdowns (4) in this game than it had in the prior two. Zvada kicked the extra points and was perfect, but he had the day off from field goals, and that’s a positive for the Maize and Blue.

Ready for primetime?

Michigan had some backups really step up and make plays Saturday, a bright spot for the rest of the season (and the long-term future).

Junior linebacker Jimmy Rolder was third on the team with 5 tackles, graduate cornerback Aamir Hall had 2 pass breakups, including 1 in the end zone to prevent a touchdown, senior defensive tackle Ike Iwunnah had his first career tackle for loss, and sophomore wide receiver Fredrick Moore had 3 catches for 38 yards, including 2 grabs that moved the chains on third down.

Welcome to the show

Hansen is the first Michigan freshman to score a touchdown this season.

Freshmen have hardly contributed on defense, either, with only two first-year college players recording tackles this season, EDGE Dominic Nichols and linebacker Cole Sullivan.