Michigan’s offense hit a new low against Indiana and is trending to be the worst offense in modern Michigan history. With numerous issues to address, starting in these two areas could help the Wolverines salvage their season and bowl eligibility:
It’s time to call FEMA because Michigan’s offense is a disaster.
Currently, the Michigan Wolverines are the third-worst offense in total yards (290.1) in the Power Four and the single worst offense in program history since 1969. It is hard to narrow down the exact reasons behind this historic season of incompetence, but it has to start at the top.
Somewhere between head coach Sherrone Moore, offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell, and this team, there is a disconnect. A missing link between vision and actuality — an identity crisis that fractured the foundation of this offense and eroded any lingering confidence from the previous three seasons.
Against Indiana, Michigan’s offense only produced 206 total yards and struggled to finish in the red zone. The Wolverines twice had the ball inside Indiana’s five-yard line and only came away with a pair of field goals. This inept offensive performance overshadowed an outstanding defensive effort from the Wolverines and now has Michigan fighting for its bowl life in the final two weeks of the season.
With a bye this week, Moore and Campbell will need to go back to square one to try and salvage this offense and prevent Michigan from experiencing only its fifth losing season since 1967.
There are a plethora of issues to address in the offseason, but a starting point for the final few weeks would be to clean up the decision-making and play design — two areas that directly resulted in failed drives against the Hoosiers and two points that have negatively impacted execution on the field. For further explanation, let’s check the tape.
Decision-Making
Third-and-Seven: 11-Personnel Split Zone vs. Over 4-2 Cover 1
*This play isn’t available on YouTube but takes place at the 12:15 mark of the third quarter for anyone with access to a recording.
Michigan came out of halftime with a little juice. The energy had picked up on the sideline and Jordan Marshall brought the kickoff to the 40-yard line. In theory, the Wolverines only needed 20 yards to give kicker Dom Zvada a chance. Setting up shop, the offense got to work with a heavy dose of runs.
First, it was Kalel Mullings getting things started with a gain of four before Donovan Edwards nearly broke the big one for a gain of seven. Mullings lost a yard on the fresh first-down run and gained four on second down despite incorrectly cutting backside. Facing a third-and-seven, Campbell decided to keep the ball on the ground.
The Wolverines came out in 11-personnel with one receiver to the top of the formation, two stacked to the bottom, and the tight end (Marlin Klein) off the line of scrimmage in an H-back formation to the one-receiver side.
At the snap, Klein comes across the formation to kick out the edge defender while the rest of the line zone blocks to the left. Despite right tackle Evan Link nearly whiffing his assignment, Mullings picks up three yards setting up a manageable fourth-and-four from the Indiana 42.
However, instead of going for it, or even attempting a 59-yard field goal — which is probably in Zvada’s future — Michigan takes a delay of game penalty and punts the ball. If the plan wasn’t to go for it on fourth down, why was the third down call so conservative?
At that point in the game, Michigan was three-for-seven on third downs, with two of the conversions coming from the arm of Davis Warren, so the quarterback had shown the ability to get it done. Also, establishing the run doesn’t mean abandoning the pass. Why not sell the run once more and set up an easy play-action read?
Moore discussed waiting for a specific look on the Inside Michigan Football radio show before opting to take the penalty and punt. This strategy seems too specific and too reliant on ONE singular look, but with a play-caller who called a reverse pass to the quarterback with the game on the line against Oregon, I guess you can never be too careful.
The play calling in this series was illogical, and the blame is shared between Campbell and Moore. Indecisive moments like this are felt throughout the team as trust evaporates, and confidence is replaced with skepticism. However, even when Campbell and Moore were decisive, confident, and on the same page, the offensive play design precipitated poor failure long before the play’s execution.
Play Design
Third-and-Goal: 12 Personnel Crack Sweep Tackle Pull vs. Bear Front Cover 0
Less than a minute after Michigan’s bumbling fourth-down decision, the Wolverines had the ball back with a shot at redemption. Following the punt, Michigan’s Zeke Berry picked off Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke on the first play of the Hoosiers’ subsequent series. Michigan’s offense set up shop in a first-and-goal situation from the six-yard line.
On the first two plays, Michigan continued to try to reassert its dominance on the ground. Ben Hall got the first carry for no gain, and Edwards received the second carry for a gain of four. Setting up another critical third down, Michigan only needed three yards to score and perhaps only two yards to set up a fourth-down attempt.
The Wolverines came out in 12-personnel, but removed All-American tight end Colston Loveland from the equation. Wide receiver Peyton O’Leary is aligned tight to the formation into the boundary, while Klein (in-line tight end), Max Bredeson (H-back), Tyler Morris (split-end), and Edwards (split-out widest) are all to the field-side of the formation. Alex Orji has been inserted at quarterback and he sends Bredeson in motion pre-snap. Bredeson comes across the formation and slows down to a shuffle once he reaches the boundary-side guard and tackle.
At the snap, Orji wants to take the ball on a sweep outside with Bredeson and a pulling Myles Hinton (left tackle) leading the way. The only problem is the entire crux of this play resides with O’Leary crack-blocking Indiana’s 250-pound edge who flies off the ball.
The play wasn’t helped by Orji mishandling the snap and panicking to cut up the field. Even with the edge penetration, Orji still had a shot to get outside with an escort had he taken a slightly wider angle. Alas, the play is blown up and the Wolverines had to settle for a field goal.
A better design would have been to have Loveland in place of O’Leary or have Bredeson reinforce the edge with a double team and just pull Hinton to the outside. Another option would be to have Klein aligned to the nearside with O’Leary and utilize some misdirection to slow down the edge — similar to what Michigan did last year against Penn State.
Yes, the players are struggling to execute, but with designs setting the players up for failure, it is no surprise why they are struggling to execute. No critical play for this offense should rely upon Peyton O’Leary single-handedly crack-blocking a defensive end.
Week 10 Superlatives
Time to Turn the Heat Up Award
Offensive coordinator Kirk Campbell has deservingly taken the bulk of the fiery criticism this season, however, at a certain point, the head coach has to feel the heat too.
First-year head coach Sherrone Moore has experienced his fair share of growing pains, but Saturday was the first time his future at Michigan has come into question. From bone-headed challenges for the second straight week to inexcusable clock management, Moore’s Saturday was a masterclass in coaching malpractice.
These public shortcomings only compound the pressure on Moore — an offensive coach with an offensive line background — to solve Michigan’s struggles in the trenches and to find a solution for this historically unproductive unit overall.
If Moore finishes the season 5-7, he’s coaching on a one-year contract next season.
Ultimate Insurance Award
Kicker Dom Zvada has been a revelation for the Wolverines. For the season, the Arkansas State transfer has connected on 13-of-14 field goals, including tying his career-long against Indiana from 56 yards. Michigan’s leading scorer also set a program record against the Hoosiers by becoming the first kicker in program history with four or more made field goals from 50-plus yards in a single season.
Like insurance, you don’t want to need him, but when you do, there is no other kicker in the country the Wolverines would rather have.
It’s Not Your Fault Award
Indiana was averaging 47 points and 476 yards per game entering last Saturday’s game. After a rocky start, Michigan held the Hoosiers to 20 points and 246 total yards, including only 18 yards and three points allowed in the second half.
As a staunch defender of Wink Martindale and this defense all season, the mullet and this unit took it to another level against the Hoosiers. Despite the continued absence of All-American corner Will Johnson, this defense played its best football all season and gave the offense more opportunities than it deserved to win the game. Although the offense failed to score 20 points for the fourth time in the last five games, the defense stood tall and deserves zero blame for Michigan’s fifth loss of the season.