(Note that class standings are from the Michigan media guide and don’t necessarily include redshirts)
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS: Mostly Effective
QB 2 SHEA PATTERSON (6-2, 202, Sr., Shreveport, La/Bradenton, Fla. IMG)
* 5-star recruit, No. 3 in the nation.
* Transferred from Ole Miss.
* Ranks No. 8 in the Big Ten in yards passing per game (197.0).
* Completing 57 percent of his passes, which is No. 9 among Big Ten QBs averaging at least 184 yards passing per game (Brian Lewerke is No. 10 at 55 percent).
* 12 TDs, 4 INTs.
* 7 TOs in the first five games. In the last four: 1 turnover.
* His lack of height hurts him when trying to throw over the middle, over drop linebackers to digs, over routes and square-ins vs zone - as shown last week when missing high over the middle to a seemingly open tight end Eubanks on a short over route. The TE was open if you’re a tall 12-6 thrower rather than a 6-2 (that’s stretching it) three-quarters arm angle.
Recently:
13-22 for 151 yards with 1 TD, 0 INTs vs Maryland.
6-12 for 100 yards with 2 TDs, 0 INTs in rainstorm vs Notre Dame.
24-41 for 276 yards with 0 TDs, 1 INT vs Penn State.
* Good ability to elongate a play, get outside the pocket and throw on the run, like he did on a rare throwing situation against ND, on a third-and-seven in the 2Q. Good quickness, good scramble, good throw to freshman WR Mike Sainristil.
* Fumbled a snap and had a Hail Mary attempt slip out of his hands at the end of the 1H as he got into his trigger. Rain surely had something to do with both. Cold weather isn’t his natural Louisiana habitat, either. So maybe he’ll dribble a couple.
- Had an INT dropped in the 3Q against ND on a third-and-14, wet ball seemed to slip out and sail high.
* He’s a factor in the zone read game, makes good reads on keepers and has quick enough feet to get good yardage. He was good with the zone read keepers in the 1H against ND. But ND adjusted with better continuity on the scrape-replace and stopped the zone read keepers in the 3Q.
QB Dylan McCaffrey (6-5, 220, Jr., Castle Rock, Col.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 131 in the nation, No. 7 QB.
* Played 15 snaps against Maryland.
* 10 of 20 for 116 yards on the year.
RUNNING GAME
* UM was tremendous against Notre Dame, rushing for 303 yards.
* Slumbered against Maryland.
* Inside the 5-yard line in the last game, they went with Wildcat plus-one concepts on first and third down. Patterson carried on a QB sweep for a gain of 3 to the 1-yard line and then RB Charbonnet carried on a direct snap for a 2-yard TD.
RB 25 HASSAN HASKINS (6-1, 220, Soph., Eureka, Ma.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 40 RB and No. 12 in Missouri.
* Also took an official visit to Wyoming. Had offers from Purdue and Memphis.
* Has started the last two games.
* Hard runner with good feet and good size.
* 426 yards rushing, averaging 47 yards rushing per game.
* 5.9 per carry.
* Rushed for 149 on 20 carries against Notre Dame.
RB 24 ZACH CHARBONNET (6-1, 220, Fr., Camarillo, Calif.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 60 in the nation, No. 4 in California. Summer commitment.
* 559 yards rushing, 62.1 per game, 11 TDs, 4.8 per carry.
* 116 yards vs Illinois.
* 33 carries against Army.
* His 12-yard TD run at the end of the 1H at Penn State, behind pin-and-pull blocking from C Ruiz and RT Mayfield, cut the lead to 21-7, and UM’s ground game has been different ever since - as has UM’s approach.
RB 13 TRU WILSON (5-10, 200, Sr., Warren, Mich/De La Salle)
* 2-star walk-on, took an official visit to North Dakota State.
+ Split outside zone, aggressive cut, got north for gain of 10 on third-and-six vs ND in the 2Q. Another varied look.
FB 42 BEN MASON (6-3, 270, Jr., Newtown, Conn.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, No. 35 ILB, No. 6 in Connecticut.
* Also had offers from Army, Boston College, Duke, Wisconsin, Pitt, Harvard.
* Quality blocking back.
* They tried him at defensive tackle against Wisconsin, is not great there. Also carried the ball near the goal line against Wisconsin and fumbled.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Good Size, Big Potential
WR 4 NICO COLLINS (6-4, 222, Jr., Birmingham, Ala.)
* Four-star recruit, No. 120 in the nation, No. 17 WR, No. 6 in Alabama.
* Also visited LSU.
* No. 2 on the team in catches with 22.
* 3 TDs, long of 51 yards.
* Six catches vs PSU.
* 91 yards receiving last year against Michigan.
* Drew pass interference on deep go route, third and long, early in the game vs ND.
+ 16 yard stutter-and-go TD vs press coverage vs ND in the 4Q to give ND a 31-7 lead.
+ 51 yard catch on a deep post, winning a 50-50 ball, late in the 1H vs Maryland. Michigan’s offense had been sputtering, despite a 14-0 lead at that time.
WR 8 RONNIE BELL (6-0, 184, Soph., Kansas City, Mo.)
* Two-star walk-on.
* Leads team with 28 catches, with a long of 71.
* 7 catches against Army.
* Hobbled off the field in the 3Q against ND, favoring his right knee after landing on it funny.
+ Good on swing passes and possession routes.
* Dropped what could have been a game-tying TD in the final seconds at Penn State.
WR 9 DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES (6-2, 208, Jr., Southfield, Mich./Detroit Cass Tech)
* Five-star recruit, ranked No. 12 in nation and No. 1 in Michigan.
* 21 catches, averaging 54 yards receiving per game.
+ Drew a pass interference on a corner route in the 3Q last game.
+ Came back with another corner route vs off coverage and made an adjustment on an under-thrown ball, caused by QB getting hit by a blitz. 8-yard TD. That gave UM a 24-7 lead in the 3Q.
+ 4 yard catch on a third-and-four while 19 ran interference for him.
* He averages 10 yards per catch, lowest among regular WRs.
* 3 TDs.
WR 19 MIKE SAINRISKTIL (5-10, 183, Fr., Everett, Mass.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 56 athlete and No. 2 in Massachusetts.
* Had offers from Indiana, Ole Miss, UNC, Rutgers, Syracuse, Va Tech, Wisconsin.
* Played only 2 snaps against Penn State, but played 27 against Maryland, more than Tarik Black.
- Dropped a shallow crosser on third down in 3Q vs ND.
+ gain of 34 on play action skinny post corner as an inside WR vs ND in the 4Q.
* 4 catches on the year.
WR 7 TARIK BLACK (6-3, 215, Jr. Hamden, Conn.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 76 in the nation.
* 20 catches on the year, 1 TD.
* Has seen his playing time decrease. Played 21 snaps against Maryland, after playing 46 against Penn State (Mike Sainristil played 27 against Maryland and Ronnie Bell played 27, Nico Collins and Peoples-Jones each played 33)
* Caught a short comeback for gain of 6 on third-and-seven, last game in the 2Q.
* Caught a short comeback in the 1Q vs Wisconsin.
* Long reception of the year, 36 yards. Had an 83-yarder against Florida in 2017.
TIGHT ENDS: Solid Blockers, Experienced
TE SEAN McKEON (6-5, 246, Sr., Dudley, Mass.)
* 7 catches on the year, 2 TDs.
* 54 career catches, 6 TDs.
* 52 snaps last game.
* Sustained a leg injury against Wisconsin and missed games at mid-season, including the Penn State game. Returned for the Illinois game.
* Had a 29-yard catch against Maryland, his career long, on a deep wheel. Write that one down, that route has been a nemesis for MSU’s cover-four over the years, including last week when Tyriq Thompson missed an assignment.
TE 82 Nick Eubanks (6-5, 256, Sr., Plantation, Fla.)
* Four-star recruit ranked No. 9 TE and No. 34 in Florida.
* Also visited Alabama.
* 30 snaps last game, played 79 snaps against Penn State while McKeon was out.
* 13 career starts.
* 19 catches this year (2 TDs), 29 career receptions.
+ TD last game on a 5-yarder. Split zone play action, bluff release wide open into the flat.
TE Erick All (6-4, 229, Fr., Fairfield, Ohio)
* Four-star recruit, No. 15 in Ohio.
* Summer commitment. ND, Michigan State and many others offered.
* Played 24 snaps against Penn State. Had 1 catch.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Mobile, Efficient, Improving Rapidly
* Center is quick, gets out to the LBs well.
* Right guard will pull to the right on pin-and-pulls. Isn’t as effective pulling to the left.
* Left guard will be used for trap blocking.
* Haven’t seen many mistakes from any of them in the last three or four games.
* ND was getting shredded in the run game on defense and went from one-gapping to two-gapping late in the 2Q.
The Irish started having more success gumming up run pays in the 3Q by two-gapping.
But then UM regained momentum when ND DT 57 was blown two yards off the line of scrimmage by Ruiz and Bredeson on an inside zone. RB 25 Haskins broke a safety tackle and raced 49 yards.
ND had cut the lead to 17-7 with 5:00 to go in the third quarter, but that run was the turning point play that turned things back to Michigan for good.
But the point remains that two-gapping worked better for ND, and it might have continued to work if 57 hadn’t gotten blown off the ball. ND is better than Michigan State, but MSU’s d-tackles are better than NDs and would have a better chance to stiffen against good double-team blocking.
ND’s semi-success in two-gapping was replicated by Maryland, which has a defense built to two-gap.
LT 75 JON RUNYAN (6-5, 321, Sr., Moorestown, NJ)
* 5.6 three-star, ranked No. 15 in Pennsylvania, No. 45 OG.
* First team All-Big Ten last year.
+ UM did a lot of damage in the run game behind Runyan during the comeback against Penn State.
* I haven’t seen any negative plays in the games I watched.
LG 74 BEN BREDESON (6-5, 325, Hartland, Wis.)
* Four-star recruit, No. 60 in the nation.
* Two-time All-Big Ten by coaches.
+ Emphatic pancake of DT 57 of ND on an inside zone in the 4Q.
+ They like to pull him as a trap blocker a couple of times a game, including Charbonnet’s 8-yard TD, last game.
C 51 CESAR RUIZ (6-4, 319, Jr., Camden, NJ/Bradenton IMG, Fla.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 41 in the nation, No. 10 in Florida.
* Also visited Auburn and Florida.
* Was a little sleepy in September. Has come on strong lately.
* Quick in getting out the LB level. Quick as a pull center, getting out the edge.
RG 50 MICHAEL ONWENU (6-3, 350, Detroit Cass Tech
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 147 in the nation, No. 4 in the state.
* Summer commitment to Michigan, but took a late visit to Michigan State.
* Third-team All-Big Ten by coaches last year.
* Has the biggest back of any recruit I've ever seen. I wasn't sure what that would make him in college, I just knew he was uncommon. I wasn't sure if he would have the mobility or endurance to do what he's done, but I didn't know - there was no frame of reference for a guy who looked like him. He has worked at it and done well. He's an occasional force.
* 31 career starts.
* Excellent vs ND on pin-and-pulls to the right.
* Not as good when pulling to the left. On a Packers sweep to the left (both guards pulling) he wasn’t quick enough to get to the edge to get to the scraping MLB, who made a tackle on Charbonnet for a gain of 1.
- Got a little sloppy as a pull blocker on a counter and was flagged for holding at the goal line in the last game.
+ He’s a load on a linebacker when pulling on a counter and getting out to the second level, as was the case on a 7-yard run in the red zone, last game.
RT 73 JALEN MAYFIELD (6-5, 319, Soph., Grand Rapids Catholic Central).
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 4 in Michigan.
- Didn’t look strong when getting stood-up by two-gapping DE 53 on the first play of UM’s second drive of the 2H of the ND game. Driven back two yards, which foiled an outside zone to his side.
* Younger o-lineman who has further to go than the others but he is on schedule.
DEFENSE LINE: Good, Not Great
DE 19 KWITY PAYE (6-4, 277, Jr., Providence, R.I.)
* 5.7 three-star, ranked No. 35 WDE by Rivals.
* Also had offers from BC, Navy, Rutgers, Syracuse.
* 5.5 sacks on the year. 10 TFLs.
* 12 career starts.
* 10 tackles against Penn State.
* Solid player, not the strongest, not the fastest.
DE 4 Michael Danna (6-2, 262, Sr., Detroit/Warren De La Salle)
* 2-star recruit signed with CMU, grad-transferred to Michigan this summer.
* 2 sacks on the year, 24 tackles.
* Playing time has increased lately. 12 snaps against Penn State, 29 against Maryland, due in part to the blowout situation.
* Graded out No. 2 on the team in pass rush against Penn State by PFF, behind Aiden Hutchinson.
- Driven 3 yards off the ball by a C/RG double team on an inside split zone. It only went for a 3-yard gain, but Danna often has trouble at the point of attack on run plays. But he shows he can do it sometimes, like this one:
+ In a two-gapping 30, took on the Maryland LG, disengaged and made a tackle for a gain of 1 on third-and-2, early in the 2H. Good job on a play not run right at him, but run inside, in his neighborhood.
* Hit on Maryland QB caused an interception in the red zone. Maryland’s o-line tried to cut block the entire d-line while giving the QB a swing pass and slant read. Danna converged quickly. The left guard’s cut block missed. Dana with an athletic move to avoid the cut block, caused the INT.
DT 50 MICHAEL DWUMFOUR (6-2, 282, Scotch Plains, NJ)
* 5.5 3-star recruit, ranked No. 24 in NJ.
* Also visited Penn State.
* Played only 17 snaps against Maryland. Uche played 36.
* Played 18 snaps against Notre Dame.
* Returned to the lineup against Illinois with 39 snaps, and 39 more the next week against Iowa. Then 22, 20, 18 and 17 in the last four games. He graded out extremely well against Iowa in his second game, but has dropped off since then.
* Two career starts.
* Only 3 tackles on the year.
(15 Christopher Hinton, 6-4, 303, Fr., Johns Creek, Ga.)
* Five-star recruit, ranked No. 15 in the nation.
* Summer commitment.
* 2 tackles on the year.
- Got knocked back by a G/T double team late in the 1Q, really gave up some shock. Play went outside so he didn’t figure into the play.
* Played eight snaps against Maryland.
* Is one of a handful of guys Michigan has auditioned at back-up defensive tackle, but hasn’t played well yet.
(75 Donovan Jeter, 6-3, 290, Jr., Beaver Falls, Pa.)
* Four-star recruit, No. 13 DT, No. 7 in Pennsylvania.
* Also visited Notre Dame.
* He played a lot in September and isn’t yet good enough. Not sturdy against double-teams. They tried to use his quickness on stunts with for a play or two of the old Tom Landry flex defense, but it didn’t stick.
* Played 43 snaps against Wisconsin and just plain wasn’t good enough. Played at a MAC level that day.
* Played in six games, no tackles on the year. Didn’t play against Maryland.
NT 2 CARLO KEMP (6-3, 286, Sr., Boulder, Col.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 215 in the nation, No. 11 WDE, No. 1 in Colorado.
* Also visited Colorado and Notre Dame.
* 21 starts.
* 30 tackles, 3 TFLs.
* Solid player, not a difference-maker.
* Vs an outside zone in the ND game, decent vs double team initially, then allowed a yard of movment.
- Allowed 2 yards of movement to a G/T double-team on a power, gain of 4, on Maryland’s second possession.
- Was moved 1 yard off the LOS by a G/T double-team on a zone read on third-and-one for a gain of 4 early in the 2Q against Maryland.
+ Good QB hit on second play of the 2H, against Maryland, crossing the center’s face, slanting from the weak A to the strong A-gap.
- Trying to two-gap, got swept inside on a counter blast for a gain of 11 on Maryland’s first play of the 2H.
DE 97 AIDAN HUTCHINSON (6-6, 278, Soph., Plymouth, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 129 in the nation and No. 2 in Michigan.
* 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks.
* Pretty good pass rusher, not yet a standout.
* Good all-around defensive lineman that they will move to defensive tackle in some situations. He’ll give it his best, but isn’t great yet at the point of attack. He would really flourish if surrounded by better d-linemen.
* His height is a factor. Five pass break-ups.
LINEBACKERS: Fast and Firm
SLOT LB 7 KHALEKE HUDSON (6-0, 220, Sr., Mckeesport, Pa.)
* 5.7 three-star, ranked No. 10 in Pennsylvania.
* Also visited Penn State, Pitt, UCLA.
* Team-high 78 tackles, 2 sacks, 3.5 TFLs.
* Solid job at POA, correct-shouldering a blocker to set the edge so MLB and S can clean up the run on a 2-1 vs ND in the 1Q. He didn’t get the tackle, but he can take on blocks and not give an inch to play the team game.
+ Good at point of attack vs tight ends.
= Allowed a 17-yard TD pass to the Penn State TE, who got away with a push-off on the play.
OLB 6 JOSH UCHE (6-2, 250, Sr., Miami)
* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 53 in Florida.
* Also visited Auburn.
* HM All-Big Ten last year by the coaches.
* 7.5 sacks this year, 9.5 TFLs.
* 15.5 career sacks.
+ Good on third downs as a pass rusher from the edge, but often doesn’t play on the edge on first or second down. If he does play on the edge on first or second down, teams try to run right at him.
* Pass rush: Good with the shoulder dip and rip, running the hoop on the outside. Drew a holding flag on that, last game. You get worried about that and he has a good change-of-direction inside move, especially on turf. MSU’s AJ Arcuri has had some promising moments in his first two starts, but was occasionally susceptible to inside moves.
* Sometimes he’s an ILB when Um goes with a two-gapping 30 front. Sometimes he’s a stand-up d-end as part of an over 4-3. If he’s in the game, Michigan usually has Dwumfor out, and goes with Kemp as the only plus-sized d-lineman.
When Uche is in the game and UM is in a 30, you can theoretically double-team Kemp and bust a hole in the middle - but the back seven is quick enough to cover up the mess.
* Terrific closing speed.
* Good head and shoulder quickness to set up an outside move.
+ Sack last game on the opening drive with head and shoulder fake to get the right tackle off balance, and then bull rushed him back into the QB.
+ Coverage against Maryland, from stand-up right end, stunting across four gaps to the inside, beating a poor effort by the Maryland right guard.
That was third-and-10 in the red zone in the 2Q, forced a field goal attempt, which missed. Michigan was in two-man (two deep safeties, man underneath), but Maryland’s receivers read it as zone coverage and broke their routes off into sit-downs, ended up with three receivers in the same phone booth, no one was running a man-beater as an option. Bad football by Maryland, or good confusion by the defense? A little bit of both.
ILB 29 JORDAN GLASGOW (6-1, 226, Sr., Aurora, Ill.)
* Unranked walk-on.
* Solid, straight-line hitter. Plays fast. Productive pass rusher.
* No. 2 on the team in tackles with 63. 4.5 TFLS, 4 sacks, 2 QB hits.
MLB 44 CAMERON MCGRONE (6-1, 232, Soph., Indianapolis Lawrence Central)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 195 in the nation.
* Summer commitment.
+ Good sideline-to-sideline pursuit speed.
* Good all the way around, defeating blocks, pursuing with quickness, arriving with fury. He has been a plus for the defense since becoming a starter a few weeks ago.
* 7.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks.
(MLB Josh Ross, 6-2, 232, Jr., Southfield, Mich./OLSM)
* Started earlier in the year, was unspectacular. Is back from injury, but is sitting in hopes of redshirting. He can play one more game this year and retain redshirt status.
* 18 tackles, none for loss.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Fast, Experienced, Combative
CB 1 AMBRY THOMAS 6-0, 182, Jr., Detroit King
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 146 in the nation.
* Also visited Penn State. Strongly considered Michigan State.
= In press coverage, allowed a 22-yard deep fade vs ND’s Claypool. Thomas was in press. Good ball. But Michigan State has no one big and skilled like Claypool.
- Beaten by Penn State WR Jahan Dotson on a deep go vs press for 35 yards. Good coverage, perfect ball, good acceleration on the route.
* 2 INTs, 3 pass break-ups.
* Nine career starts.
24 LAVERT HILL (5-11, 182, Sr., Detroit King)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 176 in the nation and No. 5 in Michigan.
* Also visited Michigan State and Penn State.
- Allowed an inside release for a slant to WR Cephus for 10 yards on Wisconsin’s second drive.
* 2 pass break-ups on the year.
* 34 career starts.
31 Vincent Gray 6-2, 185, Soph., Rochester Mich. Adams
* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 14 in Michigan.
* Late commitment. Also visited West Virginia and Iowa State.
* Will stick his head in there to take on the run.
* 15 tackles, five pass break ups.
14 JOSH METELLUS (6-0, 218, Sr. Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 51 in Florida by ESPN.
* Summer commitment also had offers from Colorado, FAU and mid-majors.
* Second-team All-Big Ten last year, HM All-Big Ten in 2017.
+ Good pass break up as the single safety deep in cover-one on a ND first-and-10 sprint-out pass.
* Good tackle in space on a Maryland swing pass, and put a good hit on the tailback in run support on the next play.
+ Excellent job darting around an edge blocker to defeat him AND get the tackle while maintaining leverage for a TFL in the 2Q vs Maryland.
* 2 INTs, 3 pass break-ups, 47 tackles.
20 BRAD HAWKINS (6-1, 218, Jr., Pennsauken, NJ)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 235 in the nation.
* Summer commitment also had offers from Auburn, Florida, Miami and others.
* No. 3 on the team in tackles with 50. 1 pass break-up.
+ Very good against the run.
* Good angle, speed through the tackle in 1Q vs ND.
+ Good in defeating a WR block to assist on a tackle in 1Q vs ND. Good team defender.
* Runs to the ball carrier well, can load and hit without losing a stride, without breaking down. Back leg comes through on the collision.
+ INT vs ND as the inside part of an inside-out bracket on the TE with LB Hudson. Simple read and reaction and finish. Was flagged for interference, wrongly.
- Hamler raced by him on a corner route for a 26-yard TD. No shame in that. Hawkins had him one-on-one in space. No safety in college football is going to win that battle.
- Failed to show up as a second deep safety on a crippling 53-yard post to Hamler against PSU, which made it 28-14 early in the 4Qs.
30 Daxton Hill (6-0, 190, Fr., Tulsa, Okla.)
* Five-star recruit, ranked No. 24 in the nation.
* Also visited Alabama.
* Plays slot CB in the nickel.
* Future standout.
+ Good, quick break on the ball for pass break up on a crossing route to end Notre Dame’s first drive.
* Came in for Metellus, playing left safety, field safety
* Played only one snap against Wisconsin.
* Gunner on punt coverage.
* 15 tackles, two pass break-ups, 1.5 TFLs. Productive in limited snaps.
OFFENSE
QUARTERBACKS: Mostly Effective
QB 2 SHEA PATTERSON (6-2, 202, Sr., Shreveport, La/Bradenton, Fla. IMG)
* 5-star recruit, No. 3 in the nation.
* Transferred from Ole Miss.
* Ranks No. 8 in the Big Ten in yards passing per game (197.0).
* Completing 57 percent of his passes, which is No. 9 among Big Ten QBs averaging at least 184 yards passing per game (Brian Lewerke is No. 10 at 55 percent).
* 12 TDs, 4 INTs.
* 7 TOs in the first five games. In the last four: 1 turnover.
* His lack of height hurts him when trying to throw over the middle, over drop linebackers to digs, over routes and square-ins vs zone - as shown last week when missing high over the middle to a seemingly open tight end Eubanks on a short over route. The TE was open if you’re a tall 12-6 thrower rather than a 6-2 (that’s stretching it) three-quarters arm angle.
Recently:
13-22 for 151 yards with 1 TD, 0 INTs vs Maryland.
6-12 for 100 yards with 2 TDs, 0 INTs in rainstorm vs Notre Dame.
24-41 for 276 yards with 0 TDs, 1 INT vs Penn State.
* Good ability to elongate a play, get outside the pocket and throw on the run, like he did on a rare throwing situation against ND, on a third-and-seven in the 2Q. Good quickness, good scramble, good throw to freshman WR Mike Sainristil.
* Fumbled a snap and had a Hail Mary attempt slip out of his hands at the end of the 1H as he got into his trigger. Rain surely had something to do with both. Cold weather isn’t his natural Louisiana habitat, either. So maybe he’ll dribble a couple.
- Had an INT dropped in the 3Q against ND on a third-and-14, wet ball seemed to slip out and sail high.
* He’s a factor in the zone read game, makes good reads on keepers and has quick enough feet to get good yardage. He was good with the zone read keepers in the 1H against ND. But ND adjusted with better continuity on the scrape-replace and stopped the zone read keepers in the 3Q.
QB Dylan McCaffrey (6-5, 220, Jr., Castle Rock, Col.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 131 in the nation, No. 7 QB.
* Played 15 snaps against Maryland.
* 10 of 20 for 116 yards on the year.
RUNNING GAME
* UM was tremendous against Notre Dame, rushing for 303 yards.
* Slumbered against Maryland.
* Inside the 5-yard line in the last game, they went with Wildcat plus-one concepts on first and third down. Patterson carried on a QB sweep for a gain of 3 to the 1-yard line and then RB Charbonnet carried on a direct snap for a 2-yard TD.
RB 25 HASSAN HASKINS (6-1, 220, Soph., Eureka, Ma.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 40 RB and No. 12 in Missouri.
* Also took an official visit to Wyoming. Had offers from Purdue and Memphis.
* Has started the last two games.
* Hard runner with good feet and good size.
* 426 yards rushing, averaging 47 yards rushing per game.
* 5.9 per carry.
* Rushed for 149 on 20 carries against Notre Dame.
RB 24 ZACH CHARBONNET (6-1, 220, Fr., Camarillo, Calif.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 60 in the nation, No. 4 in California. Summer commitment.
* 559 yards rushing, 62.1 per game, 11 TDs, 4.8 per carry.
* 116 yards vs Illinois.
* 33 carries against Army.
* His 12-yard TD run at the end of the 1H at Penn State, behind pin-and-pull blocking from C Ruiz and RT Mayfield, cut the lead to 21-7, and UM’s ground game has been different ever since - as has UM’s approach.
RB 13 TRU WILSON (5-10, 200, Sr., Warren, Mich/De La Salle)
* 2-star walk-on, took an official visit to North Dakota State.
+ Split outside zone, aggressive cut, got north for gain of 10 on third-and-six vs ND in the 2Q. Another varied look.
FB 42 BEN MASON (6-3, 270, Jr., Newtown, Conn.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, No. 35 ILB, No. 6 in Connecticut.
* Also had offers from Army, Boston College, Duke, Wisconsin, Pitt, Harvard.
* Quality blocking back.
* They tried him at defensive tackle against Wisconsin, is not great there. Also carried the ball near the goal line against Wisconsin and fumbled.
WIDE RECEIVERS: Good Size, Big Potential
WR 4 NICO COLLINS (6-4, 222, Jr., Birmingham, Ala.)
* Four-star recruit, No. 120 in the nation, No. 17 WR, No. 6 in Alabama.
* Also visited LSU.
* No. 2 on the team in catches with 22.
* 3 TDs, long of 51 yards.
* Six catches vs PSU.
* 91 yards receiving last year against Michigan.
* Drew pass interference on deep go route, third and long, early in the game vs ND.
+ 16 yard stutter-and-go TD vs press coverage vs ND in the 4Q to give ND a 31-7 lead.
+ 51 yard catch on a deep post, winning a 50-50 ball, late in the 1H vs Maryland. Michigan’s offense had been sputtering, despite a 14-0 lead at that time.
WR 8 RONNIE BELL (6-0, 184, Soph., Kansas City, Mo.)
* Two-star walk-on.
* Leads team with 28 catches, with a long of 71.
* 7 catches against Army.
* Hobbled off the field in the 3Q against ND, favoring his right knee after landing on it funny.
+ Good on swing passes and possession routes.
* Dropped what could have been a game-tying TD in the final seconds at Penn State.
WR 9 DONOVAN PEOPLES-JONES (6-2, 208, Jr., Southfield, Mich./Detroit Cass Tech)
* Five-star recruit, ranked No. 12 in nation and No. 1 in Michigan.
* 21 catches, averaging 54 yards receiving per game.
+ Drew a pass interference on a corner route in the 3Q last game.
+ Came back with another corner route vs off coverage and made an adjustment on an under-thrown ball, caused by QB getting hit by a blitz. 8-yard TD. That gave UM a 24-7 lead in the 3Q.
+ 4 yard catch on a third-and-four while 19 ran interference for him.
* He averages 10 yards per catch, lowest among regular WRs.
* 3 TDs.
WR 19 MIKE SAINRISKTIL (5-10, 183, Fr., Everett, Mass.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 56 athlete and No. 2 in Massachusetts.
* Had offers from Indiana, Ole Miss, UNC, Rutgers, Syracuse, Va Tech, Wisconsin.
* Played only 2 snaps against Penn State, but played 27 against Maryland, more than Tarik Black.
- Dropped a shallow crosser on third down in 3Q vs ND.
+ gain of 34 on play action skinny post corner as an inside WR vs ND in the 4Q.
* 4 catches on the year.
WR 7 TARIK BLACK (6-3, 215, Jr. Hamden, Conn.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 76 in the nation.
* 20 catches on the year, 1 TD.
* Has seen his playing time decrease. Played 21 snaps against Maryland, after playing 46 against Penn State (Mike Sainristil played 27 against Maryland and Ronnie Bell played 27, Nico Collins and Peoples-Jones each played 33)
* Caught a short comeback for gain of 6 on third-and-seven, last game in the 2Q.
* Caught a short comeback in the 1Q vs Wisconsin.
* Long reception of the year, 36 yards. Had an 83-yarder against Florida in 2017.
TIGHT ENDS: Solid Blockers, Experienced
TE SEAN McKEON (6-5, 246, Sr., Dudley, Mass.)
* 7 catches on the year, 2 TDs.
* 54 career catches, 6 TDs.
* 52 snaps last game.
* Sustained a leg injury against Wisconsin and missed games at mid-season, including the Penn State game. Returned for the Illinois game.
* Had a 29-yard catch against Maryland, his career long, on a deep wheel. Write that one down, that route has been a nemesis for MSU’s cover-four over the years, including last week when Tyriq Thompson missed an assignment.
TE 82 Nick Eubanks (6-5, 256, Sr., Plantation, Fla.)
* Four-star recruit ranked No. 9 TE and No. 34 in Florida.
* Also visited Alabama.
* 30 snaps last game, played 79 snaps against Penn State while McKeon was out.
* 13 career starts.
* 19 catches this year (2 TDs), 29 career receptions.
+ TD last game on a 5-yarder. Split zone play action, bluff release wide open into the flat.
TE Erick All (6-4, 229, Fr., Fairfield, Ohio)
* Four-star recruit, No. 15 in Ohio.
* Summer commitment. ND, Michigan State and many others offered.
* Played 24 snaps against Penn State. Had 1 catch.
OFFENSIVE LINE: Mobile, Efficient, Improving Rapidly
* Center is quick, gets out to the LBs well.
* Right guard will pull to the right on pin-and-pulls. Isn’t as effective pulling to the left.
* Left guard will be used for trap blocking.
* Haven’t seen many mistakes from any of them in the last three or four games.
* ND was getting shredded in the run game on defense and went from one-gapping to two-gapping late in the 2Q.
The Irish started having more success gumming up run pays in the 3Q by two-gapping.
But then UM regained momentum when ND DT 57 was blown two yards off the line of scrimmage by Ruiz and Bredeson on an inside zone. RB 25 Haskins broke a safety tackle and raced 49 yards.
ND had cut the lead to 17-7 with 5:00 to go in the third quarter, but that run was the turning point play that turned things back to Michigan for good.
But the point remains that two-gapping worked better for ND, and it might have continued to work if 57 hadn’t gotten blown off the ball. ND is better than Michigan State, but MSU’s d-tackles are better than NDs and would have a better chance to stiffen against good double-team blocking.
ND’s semi-success in two-gapping was replicated by Maryland, which has a defense built to two-gap.
LT 75 JON RUNYAN (6-5, 321, Sr., Moorestown, NJ)
* 5.6 three-star, ranked No. 15 in Pennsylvania, No. 45 OG.
* First team All-Big Ten last year.
+ UM did a lot of damage in the run game behind Runyan during the comeback against Penn State.
* I haven’t seen any negative plays in the games I watched.
LG 74 BEN BREDESON (6-5, 325, Hartland, Wis.)
* Four-star recruit, No. 60 in the nation.
* Two-time All-Big Ten by coaches.
+ Emphatic pancake of DT 57 of ND on an inside zone in the 4Q.
+ They like to pull him as a trap blocker a couple of times a game, including Charbonnet’s 8-yard TD, last game.
C 51 CESAR RUIZ (6-4, 319, Jr., Camden, NJ/Bradenton IMG, Fla.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 41 in the nation, No. 10 in Florida.
* Also visited Auburn and Florida.
* Was a little sleepy in September. Has come on strong lately.
* Quick in getting out the LB level. Quick as a pull center, getting out the edge.
RG 50 MICHAEL ONWENU (6-3, 350, Detroit Cass Tech
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 147 in the nation, No. 4 in the state.
* Summer commitment to Michigan, but took a late visit to Michigan State.
* Third-team All-Big Ten by coaches last year.
* Has the biggest back of any recruit I've ever seen. I wasn't sure what that would make him in college, I just knew he was uncommon. I wasn't sure if he would have the mobility or endurance to do what he's done, but I didn't know - there was no frame of reference for a guy who looked like him. He has worked at it and done well. He's an occasional force.
* 31 career starts.
* Excellent vs ND on pin-and-pulls to the right.
* Not as good when pulling to the left. On a Packers sweep to the left (both guards pulling) he wasn’t quick enough to get to the edge to get to the scraping MLB, who made a tackle on Charbonnet for a gain of 1.
- Got a little sloppy as a pull blocker on a counter and was flagged for holding at the goal line in the last game.
+ He’s a load on a linebacker when pulling on a counter and getting out to the second level, as was the case on a 7-yard run in the red zone, last game.
RT 73 JALEN MAYFIELD (6-5, 319, Soph., Grand Rapids Catholic Central).
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 4 in Michigan.
- Didn’t look strong when getting stood-up by two-gapping DE 53 on the first play of UM’s second drive of the 2H of the ND game. Driven back two yards, which foiled an outside zone to his side.
* Younger o-lineman who has further to go than the others but he is on schedule.
DEFENSE LINE: Good, Not Great
DE 19 KWITY PAYE (6-4, 277, Jr., Providence, R.I.)
* 5.7 three-star, ranked No. 35 WDE by Rivals.
* Also had offers from BC, Navy, Rutgers, Syracuse.
* 5.5 sacks on the year. 10 TFLs.
* 12 career starts.
* 10 tackles against Penn State.
* Solid player, not the strongest, not the fastest.
DE 4 Michael Danna (6-2, 262, Sr., Detroit/Warren De La Salle)
* 2-star recruit signed with CMU, grad-transferred to Michigan this summer.
* 2 sacks on the year, 24 tackles.
* Playing time has increased lately. 12 snaps against Penn State, 29 against Maryland, due in part to the blowout situation.
* Graded out No. 2 on the team in pass rush against Penn State by PFF, behind Aiden Hutchinson.
- Driven 3 yards off the ball by a C/RG double team on an inside split zone. It only went for a 3-yard gain, but Danna often has trouble at the point of attack on run plays. But he shows he can do it sometimes, like this one:
+ In a two-gapping 30, took on the Maryland LG, disengaged and made a tackle for a gain of 1 on third-and-2, early in the 2H. Good job on a play not run right at him, but run inside, in his neighborhood.
* Hit on Maryland QB caused an interception in the red zone. Maryland’s o-line tried to cut block the entire d-line while giving the QB a swing pass and slant read. Danna converged quickly. The left guard’s cut block missed. Dana with an athletic move to avoid the cut block, caused the INT.
DT 50 MICHAEL DWUMFOUR (6-2, 282, Scotch Plains, NJ)
* 5.5 3-star recruit, ranked No. 24 in NJ.
* Also visited Penn State.
* Played only 17 snaps against Maryland. Uche played 36.
* Played 18 snaps against Notre Dame.
* Returned to the lineup against Illinois with 39 snaps, and 39 more the next week against Iowa. Then 22, 20, 18 and 17 in the last four games. He graded out extremely well against Iowa in his second game, but has dropped off since then.
* Two career starts.
* Only 3 tackles on the year.
(15 Christopher Hinton, 6-4, 303, Fr., Johns Creek, Ga.)
* Five-star recruit, ranked No. 15 in the nation.
* Summer commitment.
* 2 tackles on the year.
- Got knocked back by a G/T double team late in the 1Q, really gave up some shock. Play went outside so he didn’t figure into the play.
* Played eight snaps against Maryland.
* Is one of a handful of guys Michigan has auditioned at back-up defensive tackle, but hasn’t played well yet.
(75 Donovan Jeter, 6-3, 290, Jr., Beaver Falls, Pa.)
* Four-star recruit, No. 13 DT, No. 7 in Pennsylvania.
* Also visited Notre Dame.
* He played a lot in September and isn’t yet good enough. Not sturdy against double-teams. They tried to use his quickness on stunts with for a play or two of the old Tom Landry flex defense, but it didn’t stick.
* Played 43 snaps against Wisconsin and just plain wasn’t good enough. Played at a MAC level that day.
* Played in six games, no tackles on the year. Didn’t play against Maryland.
NT 2 CARLO KEMP (6-3, 286, Sr., Boulder, Col.)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 215 in the nation, No. 11 WDE, No. 1 in Colorado.
* Also visited Colorado and Notre Dame.
* 21 starts.
* 30 tackles, 3 TFLs.
* Solid player, not a difference-maker.
* Vs an outside zone in the ND game, decent vs double team initially, then allowed a yard of movment.
- Allowed 2 yards of movement to a G/T double-team on a power, gain of 4, on Maryland’s second possession.
- Was moved 1 yard off the LOS by a G/T double-team on a zone read on third-and-one for a gain of 4 early in the 2Q against Maryland.
+ Good QB hit on second play of the 2H, against Maryland, crossing the center’s face, slanting from the weak A to the strong A-gap.
- Trying to two-gap, got swept inside on a counter blast for a gain of 11 on Maryland’s first play of the 2H.
DE 97 AIDAN HUTCHINSON (6-6, 278, Soph., Plymouth, Mich./Dearborn Divine Child)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 129 in the nation and No. 2 in Michigan.
* 7.5 TFLs, 3.5 sacks.
* Pretty good pass rusher, not yet a standout.
* Good all-around defensive lineman that they will move to defensive tackle in some situations. He’ll give it his best, but isn’t great yet at the point of attack. He would really flourish if surrounded by better d-linemen.
* His height is a factor. Five pass break-ups.
LINEBACKERS: Fast and Firm
SLOT LB 7 KHALEKE HUDSON (6-0, 220, Sr., Mckeesport, Pa.)
* 5.7 three-star, ranked No. 10 in Pennsylvania.
* Also visited Penn State, Pitt, UCLA.
* Team-high 78 tackles, 2 sacks, 3.5 TFLs.
* Solid job at POA, correct-shouldering a blocker to set the edge so MLB and S can clean up the run on a 2-1 vs ND in the 1Q. He didn’t get the tackle, but he can take on blocks and not give an inch to play the team game.
+ Good at point of attack vs tight ends.
= Allowed a 17-yard TD pass to the Penn State TE, who got away with a push-off on the play.
OLB 6 JOSH UCHE (6-2, 250, Sr., Miami)
* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 53 in Florida.
* Also visited Auburn.
* HM All-Big Ten last year by the coaches.
* 7.5 sacks this year, 9.5 TFLs.
* 15.5 career sacks.
+ Good on third downs as a pass rusher from the edge, but often doesn’t play on the edge on first or second down. If he does play on the edge on first or second down, teams try to run right at him.
* Pass rush: Good with the shoulder dip and rip, running the hoop on the outside. Drew a holding flag on that, last game. You get worried about that and he has a good change-of-direction inside move, especially on turf. MSU’s AJ Arcuri has had some promising moments in his first two starts, but was occasionally susceptible to inside moves.
* Sometimes he’s an ILB when Um goes with a two-gapping 30 front. Sometimes he’s a stand-up d-end as part of an over 4-3. If he’s in the game, Michigan usually has Dwumfor out, and goes with Kemp as the only plus-sized d-lineman.
When Uche is in the game and UM is in a 30, you can theoretically double-team Kemp and bust a hole in the middle - but the back seven is quick enough to cover up the mess.
* Terrific closing speed.
* Good head and shoulder quickness to set up an outside move.
+ Sack last game on the opening drive with head and shoulder fake to get the right tackle off balance, and then bull rushed him back into the QB.
+ Coverage against Maryland, from stand-up right end, stunting across four gaps to the inside, beating a poor effort by the Maryland right guard.
That was third-and-10 in the red zone in the 2Q, forced a field goal attempt, which missed. Michigan was in two-man (two deep safeties, man underneath), but Maryland’s receivers read it as zone coverage and broke their routes off into sit-downs, ended up with three receivers in the same phone booth, no one was running a man-beater as an option. Bad football by Maryland, or good confusion by the defense? A little bit of both.
ILB 29 JORDAN GLASGOW (6-1, 226, Sr., Aurora, Ill.)
* Unranked walk-on.
* Solid, straight-line hitter. Plays fast. Productive pass rusher.
* No. 2 on the team in tackles with 63. 4.5 TFLS, 4 sacks, 2 QB hits.
MLB 44 CAMERON MCGRONE (6-1, 232, Soph., Indianapolis Lawrence Central)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 195 in the nation.
* Summer commitment.
+ Good sideline-to-sideline pursuit speed.
* Good all the way around, defeating blocks, pursuing with quickness, arriving with fury. He has been a plus for the defense since becoming a starter a few weeks ago.
* 7.5 TFLs, 4.0 sacks.
(MLB Josh Ross, 6-2, 232, Jr., Southfield, Mich./OLSM)
* Started earlier in the year, was unspectacular. Is back from injury, but is sitting in hopes of redshirting. He can play one more game this year and retain redshirt status.
* 18 tackles, none for loss.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Fast, Experienced, Combative
CB 1 AMBRY THOMAS 6-0, 182, Jr., Detroit King
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 146 in the nation.
* Also visited Penn State. Strongly considered Michigan State.
= In press coverage, allowed a 22-yard deep fade vs ND’s Claypool. Thomas was in press. Good ball. But Michigan State has no one big and skilled like Claypool.
- Beaten by Penn State WR Jahan Dotson on a deep go vs press for 35 yards. Good coverage, perfect ball, good acceleration on the route.
* 2 INTs, 3 pass break-ups.
* Nine career starts.
24 LAVERT HILL (5-11, 182, Sr., Detroit King)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 176 in the nation and No. 5 in Michigan.
* Also visited Michigan State and Penn State.
- Allowed an inside release for a slant to WR Cephus for 10 yards on Wisconsin’s second drive.
* 2 pass break-ups on the year.
* 34 career starts.
31 Vincent Gray 6-2, 185, Soph., Rochester Mich. Adams
* 5.7 three-star recruit, ranked No. 14 in Michigan.
* Late commitment. Also visited West Virginia and Iowa State.
* Will stick his head in there to take on the run.
* 15 tackles, five pass break ups.
14 JOSH METELLUS (6-0, 218, Sr. Pembroke Pines, Fla.)
* 5.6 three-star recruit, ranked No. 51 in Florida by ESPN.
* Summer commitment also had offers from Colorado, FAU and mid-majors.
* Second-team All-Big Ten last year, HM All-Big Ten in 2017.
+ Good pass break up as the single safety deep in cover-one on a ND first-and-10 sprint-out pass.
* Good tackle in space on a Maryland swing pass, and put a good hit on the tailback in run support on the next play.
+ Excellent job darting around an edge blocker to defeat him AND get the tackle while maintaining leverage for a TFL in the 2Q vs Maryland.
* 2 INTs, 3 pass break-ups, 47 tackles.
20 BRAD HAWKINS (6-1, 218, Jr., Pennsauken, NJ)
* Four-star recruit, ranked No. 235 in the nation.
* Summer commitment also had offers from Auburn, Florida, Miami and others.
* No. 3 on the team in tackles with 50. 1 pass break-up.
+ Very good against the run.
* Good angle, speed through the tackle in 1Q vs ND.
+ Good in defeating a WR block to assist on a tackle in 1Q vs ND. Good team defender.
* Runs to the ball carrier well, can load and hit without losing a stride, without breaking down. Back leg comes through on the collision.
+ INT vs ND as the inside part of an inside-out bracket on the TE with LB Hudson. Simple read and reaction and finish. Was flagged for interference, wrongly.
- Hamler raced by him on a corner route for a 26-yard TD. No shame in that. Hawkins had him one-on-one in space. No safety in college football is going to win that battle.
- Failed to show up as a second deep safety on a crippling 53-yard post to Hamler against PSU, which made it 28-14 early in the 4Qs.
30 Daxton Hill (6-0, 190, Fr., Tulsa, Okla.)
* Five-star recruit, ranked No. 24 in the nation.
* Also visited Alabama.
* Plays slot CB in the nickel.
* Future standout.
+ Good, quick break on the ball for pass break up on a crossing route to end Notre Dame’s first drive.
* Came in for Metellus, playing left safety, field safety
* Played only one snap against Wisconsin.
* Gunner on punt coverage.
* 15 tackles, two pass break-ups, 1.5 TFLs. Productive in limited snaps.
