WATCH: How Michigan can keep developing after identity win over USC
The Michigan Wolverines are 3-1 thanks to a bludgeoning in the run game to the tune of 290 yards against USC on Saturday, but can the team really sustain its edge without the presence of a consistent passing game?
TheWolverine.com’s Anthony Broome, Clayton Sayfie and Chris Balas discuss their final thoughts from the USC game, including Michigan’s offensive identity and if Alex Orji can improve from what we saw this weekend. We also recapped Sherrone Moore’s Monday press conference that included an injury update on Colston Loveland, the plan for Kalel Mullings and Donovan Edwards and much more, including your questions.
“This program just continues to make plays when they have to write in these big, tight games, big moments,” Sayfie said. “Kalel Mullings with the run, but it kind of played out exactly how they needed it to for them to win this game too. Like you can’t really play this style of football if you don’t get up early by 14 like they did, and then be able to kind of cling to your lead.
“You get a defensive score from Will Johnson, which was an incredible play as well, but the offense didn’t do anything in the second half until Kalel broke that 63-yard run to set them up. It was the first first down of the second half. So they need to get more out of the passing game, but they bought themselves some time by getting a marquee victory over the No. 11 team in the country to allow Alex Orji to develop in the passing game to get healthier as well as Colston Loveland. I think he would be a huge piece and this game could have looked a little bit differently if he was in there.
“We’ll see what Marlin Klein’s status is coming out of getting hurt at the end of last week’s game as well. But it’s just huge to get this one to inject some confidence in the entire team, offense, defense, special teams. Part of that script too was Tommy Doman doing an incredible job in the field position game getting them to start out with some really long fields after having played some shaky football the first three weeks outside of his kickoffs. So, that was big as well,
“But they’re going to need to improve the offense. Maybe you can beat Minnesota like that. You open up as a double-digit favorite there, probably be a favorite at Washington. But then the end of next month, it’s going to get tougher.”
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