Former U-M players Doug Skene and Ryan Van Bergen gave their opinions on Michigan's 42-21 rout of Maryland this morning on TheWolverine.
Here are some of the highlights of what they said:
Doug Skene:
Offensive line play: “They gave up three tackles for loss, six pressures and only two hits on the quarterback, and no sacks. That’s an aggregate number of 11, which is the second lowest of the year, only to Western Michigan.
"The pass protection stuck out to me, and we’re seeing more and more clean pockets. The run blocking is improving too, and play action pass pro seems like it’s getting better and better. These guys talked about things being simplified, and they're only running about two different pass protections.”
Wide receivers: “It’s hard to practice coming back to the ball. They have to figure out how to make something happen once the play breaks down.
"[Junior quarterback Shea] Patterson has a way of making plays, and that was a lot of the advertising we heard about before he got here. He extended plays and it’s not by design, but it’s nice to have that option when you need it.”
Sophomore fullback Ben Mason: “He’s a 6-3, 250-pound jackhammer. He reminds me of Jared Bunch, a fullback I remember from back when I played. Mason is a pile driving blocker and ball carrier.
"If you’re a defensive player and you’re going up against him, you better have your helmet strapped on tight because it’s going to be a violent collision. Mason ran right through [Maryland fifth-year senior linebacker] Tre Watson on his way into the end zone.
"I asked my daughter if she could hear the violence on that play, and she was like, ‘uh, no.’”
Defense: “Michigan’s linebackers run like deer and tackle so well. [Freshman defensive end Aidan] Hutchinson came in late and I saw him dismissing experienced linemen.
"[Redshirt sophomore defensive tackle Michael] Dwumfour was making plays too before he went out with the injury. I am concerned about the interior with these injuries as we move into these next three weeks, but yesterday’s performances checks all the boxes.
"You can move ends inside if you have to. Hutchinson could slide in and be a 3-technique if he needs to. Greg Mattison is among the best in the business and I would expect to see some different faces on the interior."
Ryan Van Bergen:
Defense: “Their defensive presence and dominance early made it seem like Maryland was getting smothered. It was like the Little Giants playing the Cowboys. That’s what we’d been expecting to see from Michigan’s defense, and it's what we'll need as they head into this next stretch.”
Michigan's last few games: “[Northwestern head coach] Pat Fitzgerald always has his team playing well and above their potential by the middle of the season. Once he finds guys who can make plays, he puts them in position to be successful, and they’re kind of like the Cardiac Cats.
"I’m not surprised to see they’ve come on. Maryland is the same way — they have a fast defense and a dominant run game. There isn’t an opponent anymore who we can say is a cupcake or a layup for Michigan — that part of the season is over for everybody.”
Injuries: “It’s a concern, but if it's going to happen at a position, I’d prefer it to be the defensive line because they have so much depth there. It’s not the most complex position to learn if you have to switch someone from end to tackle.
"We’d like to have our run stoppers healthy again Wisconsin, and have [sophomore defensive tackle Aubrey] Solomon back. Wisconsin will run the ball with two tight ends and a fullback, and if you don’t stop it, you’re going to have a long day on defense. Making sure the front seven is as healthy as it can be is critical.”
Patterson: “I continue to be encouraged every single week, because he learns more about the system and is more comfortable. The timing on his throws has been great — his interception was a tipped ball.
"One of the hits on him coming in was his risks, but I feel like they've done a great job as a team of taking care of the football. Patterson's development has been fantastic, and he’ll likely be the reason Michigan will be around in some of these games. Guys who make plays at QB for U-M has been lacking lately.”
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