PSU's Franklin: Michigan football ends might be best in the country
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Sean Clifford’s worst nightmares might not have included Michigan football ends David Ojabo and Aidan Hutchinson, but the duo will probably make an appearance tonight.
U-M’s pair of elite pass rushing ends combined for five sacks, several hits and a number of hurries in Michigan’s 21-17 victory at Penn State. Clifford finished with 205 yards but needed 43 passes to get there on a cold and windy day, and he’ll need a cold tub tonight to nurse his bruises.
“I want to give Michigan a bunch of credit, obviously; a really good football team that we battled for four quarters,” Penn State head coach James Franklin said. “We battled. That’s a good football team, but we didn’t find a way to win the game.
“We knew their defensive ends were going to be a problem. We had plans to chip them for most of the day, plans to screen them as much as we could, then obviously staying with the run game and not going away from the run game. I thought for the most part we battled, but obviously Sean got hit too many times. But those two defensive ends, you can make the argument they’re maybe the best combination of two defensive ends in the country.”
PSU finished with only 332 total yards, 109 rushing. Running back Keyvone Lee had a bit more success than expected on the ground (88 yards, 4.4 per carry), but the backs didn’t break out for big plays. A long passing play (44 yards) was the only play over 20, setting up a second quarter field goal, but the U-M defense didn’t break often.
PSU did fake a punt for an 18-yard pass, but also got stoned on a fake field goal attempt.
“We were going to be aggressive and called the game in a way I felt would give us a chance to win,” Franklin said. “There was one play that led to some points, and one fake that did not.
“On offense we were able to move the ball, but obviously too many situations where we had to settle for field goals in the red zone. We’ve got to find a way to score more touchdowns, obviously. In 2021, you’ve got to be able to score touchdowns.”
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The red zone, too, proved to be an issue. PSU was limited to three field goals and a touchdown with a two-point conversion, but Ojabo’s strip sack also forced a fumble.
With the loss, Franklin and PSU dropped to 10-9 in the last 19 games. Franklin acknowledged it wasn’t good enough, even in the tough Big Ten East Division.
“No. I get it,” he said. “But I’m proud of those guys in the locker room, proud of the coaching staff. We’ll find a way to get a win next week.
“Obviously, the margin of error is small. Look at our side of the conference. It’s probably one of the better sides of the conference in college football. You can pick out four to six plays each game for most teams, and that’s going to determine your success. We find a way to make those four or six plays, especially the way we’re playing on defense, you have a chance to get wins, especially against really good teams.
“We have not made enough of those plays consistently this season.”
And they didn’t Saturday against the Wolverines and their elite ends.
