Report Card: Grading Michigan in a 41-17 win over PSU
Grading Michigan football in all aspects of a 41-17 drubbing of Penn State. The Wolverines improved to 7-0 after dominating on the ground and on defense.
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Michigan rushing offense: A+
Today was another great example of why you can’t play the “if they play like that against (a good team)” game. A week after looking solid-plus at Indiana, after which many thought the run game would be doomed the next week against the nation’s No. 5 run defense, the Wolverines thrashed Penn State for 418 yards on the ground. Both junior Blake Corum and sophomore Donovan Edwards had big games (166 and 173 yards, respectively). They also both ripped off long touchdown runs of 60-plus yards.
Edwards averaged a whopping 10.8 yards per carry, and sophomore quarterback J.J. McCarthy got more comfortable running the ball and looked good. He averaged 8.1 yards per run.
Complete dominance up front and by the Michigan ball carriers.
Passing offense: B
McCarthy had some great throws, completing 17-of-24, but for only 145 yards. He didn’t have a touchdown pass, but did throw a pick-six on a third-and-2 that changed the game. What should have been a complete blowout was only a 2-point game at the half.
But there were several good throws, too. A 35-yard toss to senior receiver Cornelius Johnson on the run was McCarthy’s best. Grad student Ronnie Bell kept a drive alive for a second straight week by turning a throw short of the sticks into a first down (note to the “why throw short of the sticks?” crowd — that’s why).
There was also a nice 21-yarder to Edwards on the wheel route.
The surprise — no catches for the tight ends. They were probably too tired from finishing their blocks and owning the PSU front seven in the run game.
Michigan rushing defense: A
We talked all week about freshman Nick Singleton — we needn’t have worried. He had only 2 carries longer than 3 yards, and both (6 and 9) were in the fourth quarter, when the game was no longer in doubt. Other than a blown assignment on a read option, resulting in a 62-yard run by quarterback Sean Clifford, the run defense was nearly perfect.
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The PSU backs rushed 13 times for only 41 yards. They had only five rushes greater than 3 yards, none greater than 9.
Clifford had one other solid run, a 13-yarder on a scramble.
Passing defense: A
One big play, a 48-yard strike to Harrison Wallace on the first drive of the second half, accounted for a good portion of Clifford’s 120 yards. That led to a field goal on the closest thing PSU had to a sustained drive.
Other than that, the coverage was smothering. Michigan had only 2 sacks, but the defense forced Clifford from the pocket several times. He was only 7-of-19 passing, and only 3 of the receptions were 15 yards or longer (two at 16, one at 15). Senior D.J. Turner dropped what could have been a pick-six, but overall the pass defense was outstanding.
Michigan special teams: A
Grad student Brad Robbins didn’t have to punt. That’s how dominant the Michigan offense was. Grad kicker Jake Moody made all 4 of his field goals, including one that put the Wolverines up 3 scores in the fourth quarter (37 yards). He’s been money, and he notched a big hit on a kick return, too.
The kick and punt return game was held in check, but once again, Jay Harbaugh’s group gave up nothing in the return game. It’s almost uncanny how good they are in coverage.
