Defense/ST Notes: Brad Hawkins' Strip, Jake Moody's Leg Lift U-M To Victory

The Michigan defense was struggling to stop junior quarterback Adrian Martinez and the Nebraska offense in the second half, but fifth-year senior safety Brad Hawkins delivered a blow in the form of a forced fumble and subsequent recovery that helped propel the Wolverines to a 32-29 victory.

While Martinez was attempting to pick up some extra yardage after passing the first-down marker with 1:45 to play in a tied game (29-29), Hawkins dislodged the ball, recovered it and returned it to the Nebraska 18-yard line.

"In practice all week, every single day, we practice punching at the ball, stripping the ball, taking the ball," Hawkins explained after the game. "At that moment, I just punched at the ball, stripped the ball, and it came free. Just practicing how you play, and it came through for us."

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Hawkins finished with five tackles, including one stop for loss.

The big play set up junior placekicker Jake Moody to knock home a 39-yard field goal, which put the Wolverines ahead, 32-29, before the defense got a stop to clinch the win for good.

Moody was clutch all night, splitting the uprights on four occasions, from 35, 21, 31 and 39 yards out in the loud road environment. He also made two extra-point tries. His four makes are the most he's had since his first ever college game, in 2018 against Indiana, when he hit six kicks.

"It’s been the confidence, the preparation," head coach Jim Harbaugh said of the keys to Moody's success. "[Redshirt junior punter and holder] Brad Robbins is a huge part of it. Not just because he’s the holder, but his just mental fortitude and positive daily infusion on our entire team, especially that snap-hold-kick battery, he’s as rock solid a leader as I’ve ever been around. He’s huge with that.

"Moody’s just a straight calm, cool, collected kind of guy. [Redshirt freshman long snapper] William Wagner, he’s the same way. All three of those guys are just kind of the ice water in the veins analogy."

Moody is an extension of the offense, and has the trust of his teammates to get the job done when called upon.

"Moody’s got all my confidence," redshirt sophomore running back Hassan Haskins said. "I trust him wherever the ball is, so he’s got 100 percent of my confidence."

"Everybody on the team calls him ‘My Boy Moody,’ and he gets it done and he’s clutch," redshirt freshman quarterback Cade McNamara said. "We believe in Moody, and he absolutely came up huge today for our team."

Michigan's defense was fantastic in the first half, allowing only 55 yards after the Huskers drove 78 yards on their first possession but were stopped on fourth down near the goal line and came away scoreless.

Before halftime, Nebraska gained just 2.3 yards per rush and 4.8 yards per play, totaling no points. Martinez, known for his legs, was held to five rushing yards, and he was 5-of-11 passing for 94 yards with one interception by sophomore safety Daxton Hill.

A different Husker offense and Wolverine defense showed up after the break, with Nebraska scoring 29 second-half points and having a chance to win near the end. Martinez completed 13 of 17 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns, and rushed four times for 35 yards and a score, in the final 30 minutes.

"I’m not sure," redshirt freshman defensive tackle Mazi Smith said after being asked what the difference between the first and second half was. "Every team goes in and makes halftime adjustments. I just play in that middle."

Nebraska scored on four of its first five drives of the second half.

Harbaugh chalked a lot of the Huskers' second-half success to their own solid play, and was all smiles after the game due to his defense's ability to get the fumble recovery and then stop Nebraska on its final drive.

"Making the plays when they had to — it’s been … I saw the same thing when we played Rutgers," Harbaugh said. "No flinch. That’s what I’m talking about. That kind of grit, determination, not be denied. Just staying after it until you make one more better, sensational, incredible play than they do.

"And [the Huskers] were making some big ones. That catch on the sideline, that was an incredible catch they made. They did some great things."

• Opponents have fumbled nine times against Michigan this season, with the Wolverines recovering five times.

• Nebraska not scoring in the first half marked the second time this season that Michigan has held an opponent scoreless in a half (first half in a 31-10 win over Washington was the first time).

• Hill's tip-drill interception is the fourth of his career and third for the Wolverines in 2021. Redshirt sophomore cornerback Gemon Green is the only other Michigan player to have a pick this year (his came against Northern Illinois Sept. 18).

• This game marked Michigan's 65th night game. The Wolverines are 38-27 in those contests.

• Entering the game, Michigan had forced 21 three-and-outs on 58 drives (36.2 percent), but the Wolverines forced only one three-and-out against Nebraska on 13 possessions.

• Redshirt junior linebacker Josh Ross led the Wolverines with eight tackles. He has now topped the team in stops during four games this season.

• Freshman linebacker Junior Colson had five tackles during the game to set a career high.

• Robbins punted four times, averaging 50.8 yards per boot with a long of 57 yards. He pinned the Huskers inside their own 20 yard line on three occasions and had three kicks of 50 yards or more.

• Second-year freshman A.J. Henning returned two punts for minus-8 yards, and fumbled a third-quarter punt but was able to recover.

• Second-year freshman Blake Corum returned three kicks for 57 yards with a long of just 20 yards.

• The Wolverines are 6-0 for the first time since 2016, when the team started 9-0.

• In Michigan's third trip to Lincoln, Neb., the Wolverines evened their record to 1-1-1 in road games against the Huskers. Overall, U-M is 6-4-1 all time against Nebraska in 11 meetings.

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