Well, at least they’re confident?
Maybe they’re delusional? That’s up to you to decide, but the Michigan Wolverines still think they are getting things trending in the right direction coming out of the bye week before a big date against the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday in Ann Arbor.
Despite a 3-2 start that has included back-to-back losses, and the absence of true dominance even against inferior opponents, the Wolverines say that they are not too far off from becoming the team they thought they could be when the season began.
Tuesday’s player availability had defensive tackle Jonah Lea’ea and center Jake Guarnera speaking to reporters.
Those two may not speak for the entire team, but Guarnera is one of the leaders of the team, and his words carry some weight at least for a glimpse inside what the thinking inside Schembechler Hall might be.
The Wolverines need to find answers, and fast. They’re 3-2 and on the brink of seeing their season spiral out of control to the point where they may have to fight just to become bowl eligible. That’s not what anyone signed up for when the season began.
“We’re right there,” defensive tackle Jonah Lea’ea said. “We had a pretty good season at our last school, but in terms of talent, this team’s pretty high up there. What needs to happen next really is just people need to put their heads down and work, commit to what we’re doing.”
That commitment probably starts with improvement on the offensive side of the ball. The defense has been excellent for most of the season. They entered the bye week ranked inside the top-10 for total defense.
Offense? That’s a different story. They don’t run the ball well. They don’t throw it with any consistency either.
Other than that, how was the play Mrs. Lincoln?
Everything with this offense starts up front. Michigan’s offensive line was supposed to be one of the best in the country. Instead, they’ve regressed. The run game has not reached the heights they were hoping for at the beginning of the season. The passing game has not seen the improvement they were hoping for either.
There are other factors outside of just the offensive line, but anyone who wears that winged helmet knows the tradition that group carries.
“Going to be honest, yes, because I feel like we haven’t been playing to the level we can, and that goes back to the standard and the mentality,” Jake Guarnera said when asked if he was surprised about their performance or lack thereof. “We need to fix that going into this week, and I feel like we’ve been emphasizing that during the bye week and this week.”
This week, Michigan faces a Penn State defense that is hurting at linebacker, and gave up more than 400 yards rushing to lowly Northwestern just a few weeks ago.
Michigan fancies itself as a much better program than Northwestern, especially when it comes to running the ball down an opponent’s throat.
Big Week Coming?
Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter have plenty of talent. Michigan should have the ability to find traction in the run game this week if they can simply settle in on the details of their run game.
“I think so,” Guarnera said. “I think we’ll eventually put it together and show the team that we should be playing as, because every time I watch the film, we’re one block away from hitting a big run, so we need to start executing as a team and not just individuals.”
The big run has been elusive for Michigan this season. They have one run of more than 20 yards, and a lot of that came thanks to Bryce Underwood’s improvisation on a speed option against Oklahoma.
Maybe, like any great shooter, Michigan’s run game just needs to see one big run like a shooter needs to see the ball go in the basket. A big run from one of its running backs, and the floodgates will open.
That’s something that everyone is working on, including offensive line coach Jim Harding taking feedback from those who are trying to make the plays happen on the field.
“Something that he did was try to understand how he could help us as a coach and understand what he needs to improve,” Guarnera said. “And I think that shows a lot about his character and his leadership. Being the leader is not just saying, ‘Oh, this guy did something wrong.’ It’s looking at yourself first and understanding what you need to do.
“He collected a lot of great feedback, and he’s applying it this week and he applied it during the bye week. Obviously, we’re the players. We’re the ones on the field, so we have to play better and uphold that standard that Michigan’s known for.”
No better time than the present, as Michigan will be playing in playoff elimination games for the remainder of the season.
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