Know Your Opponent: Michigan Wolverines

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Know Your Opponent: Michigan Wolverines - GopherHole.com

Before every game, I ask a reporter who covers the Gophers upcoming opponent to give us a view from the opponent’s perspective. I asked Charlie Pappalardo from The Michigan Daily six questions about the Michigan Wolverines. Minnesota heads to Ann Arbor for their first road game of the season for...

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Before every game, I ask a reporter who covers the Gophers upcoming opponent to give us a view from the opponent’s perspective.

I asked Charlie Pappalardo from The Michigan Daily six questions about the Michigan Wolverines.

Minnesota heads to Ann Arbor for their first road game of the season for the battle of the Little Brown Jug.

This will be the 106th meeting between the two programs.

Huge thanks to Charlie for giving us his thoughts!

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1. The Wolverines begin the 2024 season as the defending national champions. The Wolverines lost a team-record 13 NFL draft picks as well as coach Jim Harbaugh to the Los Angeles Chargers. Michigan enters this season with a new head coach in Sherrone Moore and three new coordinators. The offense lost ten starters, while the defense will see a few fresh faces. We know that Harbaugh didn’t leave the cupboards bare for Moore. So what were the expectations heading into the 2024 season in Ann Arbor? How would you grade this team four weeks into the season so far?

I think the standard assumption for Michigan football heading into this season was that there would be at least some significant level of regression, but the question was just how much there would be. Most people thought that the Wolverines would go 9-3 with losses to Texas, Oregon, and OSU, and through three weeks, I don’t think Michigan has done anything to change that assumption. I would give the Wolverines a solid B-. Their first three games were really rough, and frankly their fourth game was still ugly, but their running game was on. They’ve gone all-in on the run game this season with an ineffective passing offense, the question now becomes how far can that one-dimensional play take them.

2. Alex Orji made his first start at quarterback for the Wolverine last week against USC. He replaces season opener starter Davis Warren, who started the first three games for Michigan. How did Orgi do last week in his first start? What are his strengths and weaknesses as a playcaller?

Orji’s biggest strength as a play caller is that he keeps the ball safe, and adds a rushing threat. I think by starting Orji, Michigan has committed to a slower game pace. They aren’t going for 10-15 yard mid-range completions, they’re going for ground-and pound. And Orji is really good at facilitating that. Orji’s weaknesses are that he hasn’t can’t really facilitate a fast paced passing game. He’s pretty inaccurate, and that will sting Michigan at some point. There’s a reason Michigan was running the ball in crunch time last Saturday — it worked then, but when you have 40 seconds to score, it’s unclear what Orji can facilitate.

3. The Wolverines enter the game this Saturday averaging 204.8 yards per game on the ground, good enough for 31st in the nation. Donovan Edwards entered the season as a potential Heisman candidate, but right now, Kale Mullings leads the team in carries, yards, and touchdowns. No doubt Michigan has a two-headed monster in the backfield. How do the two backs compliment each other? Do you expect them to split the load in the run game against Minnesota?

Donovan Edwards came into the year the presumed No. 1 back, and it didn’t take long for that to flip. It’s not that Edwards hasn’t had success, in fact he’s looked better than he did for most of last year, but Mullings is just so, so strong. He can hit holes hard, he can run downhill lightning fast, and he doesn’t go down. At this point, it’s pretty apparent that Mullings is going to come out first Saturday and take the majority of the snaps, but both are capable of breaking off long runs.

4. Through four games, the Wolverines defense is giving 323 yards per game and allowing 20 points. Those numbers seem uncharacteristically high, but they also have played high-powered offenses in Texas and USC. What are your thoughts on the defense a third into the season so far? What are their strengths and weaknesses?

The defense is somewhat surprisingly imperfect given that there are probably three first round picks on that side of the ball. But what I will say is that it’s not an issue of the key starters struggling, but rather struggles with depth. For instance, against Arkansas State the first and second team allowed only three points, and the third stringers allowed the next 15. The only true issue the defense has had is allowing an uncharacteristic number of third down conversions. The strengths on the other hand is run defense, and of course, Will Johnson.

5. Could you give us a few impact players that Minnesota fans should know about heading into this Saturday?

The key players to watch out for on the offense are of course Donovan Edwards and Kalel Mullings, but the wild card is whether Colston Loveland plays. Loveland is not only Michigan’s best tight end, but quite frankly, its most effective receiver. On the defensive side of the ball, Will Johnson is lightning quick and capable of a pick-six in every game he plays. On the defensive line, Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant, who Jim Harbaugh frequently called “gifts from the football Gods,” are game wreckers plain and simple.

6. The oldest trophy game in FBS college football takes place this Saturday between Minnesota and Michigan. The Little Brown Jug. Which is one of my favorite trophies. No doubt this rivalry is the definition of one-sided. Michigan has a 73-23-2 edge in Little Brown Jug games. The Wolverines have won 26 of the last 28 games against Minnesota. Interestingly enough, the last three victories for Minnesota were in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines are nine-point favorites against Minnesota. What does Michigan need to do to retain the Little Brown Jug? What is your prediction for the game this Saturday?

Michigan will live and die by its run game. Orji and the receivers haven’t proved capable of an effective passing game, and so in absence of that, the Wolverines need Mullings and Edwards to show up. If they can power the offense to at least 20 points, I think Michigan should win this game behind a strong defense. My score prediction is 24-10 Michigan with the Wolverines’ defense coming up big with two forced turnovers and powering their offense.