Defense / ST notes: Michigan gets a pick and blocked kick but allows too many explosive plays in loss at Washington

SEATTLE — Washington jumped on Michigan early in a 27-17 win that marked revenge from last season’s national championship game, thanks not just to shaky offense but unsteady defense. Quarterback Will Rogers and the Huskies used big plays early, including seven passes of 15-plus yards, to move the ball and build a 14-0 advantage.

Washington drove over 50 yards on three of its first four possessions with one missed field goal and two touchdowns before the Wolverine defense settled in a bit.

“I just feel like early on in the game they had a lot of explosive plays,” Michigan junior defensive tackle Mason Graham said. “Early in the game, the other team always has their call sheet and the best plays come off. I feel like they had too many explosive plays then.”

“We’ve just got to do a better job in our coverage assignments; doing things to clean things up,” head coach Sherrone Moore explained. “They did a good job scheming us, and we’ve got to do a great job scheming us. I thought our guys settled down really well in the second half, limited those explosive plays, which we gave in those different looks. We’ve just got to do that in the first half.” 

Rogers completed 21 of his 31 passes for 272 yards and 2 scores, including a 16-yarder to former Michigan wideout Giles Jackson. U-M got home for 4 sacks — led by senior EDGE TJ Guy with 1.5 — but Rogers and Co. were still effective. Tight end Keleki Latu led the way with 7 gabs for 65 yards. Wide receiver Denzel Boston added 5 grabs for 80 yards and a score in addition to Jackson’s 4 catches for 78 yards.

“Throughout the game they were heavy protecting,” Graham noted. “We did our best to get back there, but things didn’t go our way and we need to execute better.”

Michigan allowed 429 total yards, the second-most it’s allowed all year (Arkansas State, 435), including 114 rushing. Running back Jonah Coleman carried 18 times for 80 yards and had the 1-yard touchdown to put the Huskies up 24-17 midway through the fourth quarter.

Tackling was an issue that Moore wasn’t pleased with.

“We’ve just got to do a better job closing the space, fundamentals,” Moore said. “That’s the biggest thing. If we’re giving up short passes, then we got to clean up the tackling in space. Those guys are athletic in space, but we’ve just got to do a better job rallying to the ball. When we do that, we’re a pretty good defense. We’ll continue to clean that up.”

Ernest Hausmann interception was game-changing

Michigan junior linebacker Ernest Hausmann finished with a career-best 12 tackles, including 8 solo stops. He also had a game-changing fourth-quarter play, picking off Rogers as the Huskies were driving — nearly in field goal range — to take the lead. That shifted the momentum back in U-M’s favor at the time, but the Wolverines couldn’t capitalize.

“Just a good play call,” Hausmann said. “Saw formations, saw the play and just put myself in position to make a play. Definitely a momentum shift, for sure.”

Entering the game, Rogers — a Mississippi State transfer — was the only Power Four quarterback in the country with 10-plus touchdown passes and no interceptions. That changed when Hausmann jumped up to corral the football, ending Rogers’ streak of 269 consecutive pass attempts without a pick. His most recent interception before that came in a 40-17 Mississippi State loss to Alabama Sept. 30, 2023.

Miscellaneous Michigan football defense / special teams notes

• Washington’s 429 total yards were the most Michigan has given up in a Big Ten game since surrendering 492 in a 45-23 win over Ohio State Nov. 26, 2022.

• Washington kicker Grady Gross missed 2 field goals — 1 from 41 yards out on the team’s first possession and 1 from 28 yards. The 28-yard attempt was blocked by Graham. That was the first blocked kick of his career. It was U-M’s first blocked field goal since former Wolverine defensive end Mike Morris had 1 at Indiana Oct. 8, 2022.

• Michigan had 6 tackles for loss and 4 sacks. Through three Big Ten tilts, it has 23 TFLs and 14 sacks.

• Guy’s 1.5 sacks marked a career high.

• Hausmann’s pick was the first of his college career.

• Washington’s 114 rushing yards were the second-most Michigan has given up this season. Texas recorded 143 rushing yards. Even adjusting for the 20 lost yards due to sacks, though, the Huskies had only 4.3 yards per carry.

• Michigan junior punter Tommy Doman attempted 5 punts with a 37-yard average and 44-yard long. One of them pinned Washington inside its own 20-yard line.

• Michigan junior kicker Dominic Zvada made a 45-yard field goal with 1:49 remaining in the second quarter. That was his seventh made field goal on the season (he’s a perfect 7-for-7) and fifth of beyond 40 yards. Coincidentally, that was his first between 40-49 yards — his other four beyond 40 yards are from 50-plus.