Michigan Wolverines finally unleashed Bryce Underwood exactly how fans wanted and found identity again in huge Week 3 victory
Bryce Underwood and Michigan RBs got Wolverines looking like their championship team
The Michigan Wolverines offense looked completely broken against the Oklahoma Sooners in Week 2, but not anymore. Head coach Sherrone Moore, his offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey, and the entire team were criticized last week for the lack of consistency, explosiveness, and bad decisions. Against Central Michigan, everything was clicking as the Wolverines destroyed them 63-3.
Both Moore and offensive coordinator Lindsey talked through getting back to the basics, their identity, and simply executing the plays they know can work regardless of what a defense does and that panned out beautifully. More importantly though, the offense finally unleashed Bryce Underwood on the ground and got their run game looking like their national championship team. Can that continue against tougher opponents?
Bryce Underwood unleashed in run game like fans and analysts wanted
Fans and analysts were clambering all week to let Bryce Underwood utilized his legs more moving forward. Offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey was criticized and questioned on this most, because as he admitted mid-week, the team simply did not include many called runs for their extremely mobile athletic quarterback.
That wasn’t the case on Saturday. Underwood clearly had several run plays schemed up for him on the day, and even on scrambles he found ways to add value, racking up 114 rushing yards and two touchdowns on his nine carries. One of his best came early in the game on a designed QB-keeper that he ran in from 20 yards out for a touchdown (as you can see in post below). Underwood’s speed made the entire defense take the wrong angle on him. His strength helped him finish for the score.
Underwood’s threat to run mixed in with the running back dominance (that we’ll get to shortly) opened things up for the entire offense to excel, on the ground and through the air.
Yes, Underwood did have the one interception, but outside of that play completed 67% of his passes, averaging nearly 10 yards per pass attempt on the day. Underwood’s 349 yards and three total scores through less than three quarters of action was more than enough to get Michigan offense back on track.
Michigan RBs reminiscent of the national championship team’s dominance
It was nice to see Bryce Underwood go off in the way that many Michigan fans imagined, but what might make the Wolverines’ newfound rhythm even more sustainable is their return to dominance with their running back tandem. Outside of a few explosive plays generated by Justice Haynes, the Michigan rushing attack had been inconsistent and disappointing prior to Week 3. It looked completely different on Saturday in the huge 63-3 win.
Justice Haynes was running angry (as you can see in post below) adding yards after contact galore. Jordan Marshall finally hit two explosive run plays after failing to eclipse even 5 yards on any single carry before Week 3 action. The mix of run plays called was far more creative, and the execution level was higher for both the offensive line and the running backs. The collective bounce back seriously has Michigan’s offense looking like their national championship team.
Justice Haynes ended up with 14 carries for 104 yards and rushing score on the ground. Second year running back Jordan Marshall finished the day with 10 carries for 52 yards and two scores himself (one of which you can see below).
The rushing day could have been even more unbelievable had it not been for two massive 40+ yard runs called back due to “holding”. Marshall had one early that certainly should have been a score, but got called back. Haynes’ even longer run got called back too, on an even more disappointing holding call.
The entire Michigan offense finally looked like it had a pulse. Bryce Underwood slicing and dicing through the air and on the ground. Explosive running backs with a solid mix of power and speed to finish. Yes, it was against Central Michigan, but Michigan looked like they were playing the CFB 26 video game on freshman mode. Everything was working.
If Michigan continues to unlock their receiving weapons on top of all the ground game success the Wolverines might just get this season back on track for the College Football Playoff.
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