Kirk Campbell says "hard to run ball" when down early

Not just because it was losing a regular season game for the first time since 2021 and a game at home for the first since 2020, it was how they lost that stuck out.

The run-first "smash" offense Michigan fans had been accustomed to was nowhere to be found. Jumbo formations, multiple tight ends in line, a commitment to running the ball, and play action pass.

Kirk Campbell appeared on Inside Michigan Football with Jon Jansen Tuesday and said the turnovers and Texas' lead dictated Michigan giving up on running the ball.

"The biggest thing was when we were able to have the opportunity to run the football on Saturday, we did a good job of sustaining blocks, being physical at the point of attack, and we were knocking them off the ball," Campbell told Jansen. "It was just how the game played out. We weren't able to stick with the run."

On Michigan's second drive of the game, Donovan Edwards carried the ball three times for 20 yards. Alex Orji was stuffed on a 3rd down run, and Michigan settled for a field goal. Kalel Mullings got his first carries of the game with 8:22 left in the 2nd quarter. After two carries for 8 yards, Davis Warren threw an interception.

Edwards finished the game with only eight carries against Texas, and Mullings was second on the team with six.

"You know, we still need to be a run-first team, we're not gonna change from that, but we need to make sure we protect the football, and when you don't protect the football, it's kind of hard to be a run-first play-action team. So, just making sure that we're sticking to our guns, you know, we'll be a downhill run team with compliments on the perimeter, and compliments in the play-action pass. That's not gonna change, we have the ability to do that, we just need to put it on display on Saturday."

Campbell has talked about the offense building off the run with play-action throughout the offseason. Davis Warren had only five play-action dropbacks against Texas. That was one more than Fresno State, where Warren had only four play-action dropbacks.

"We need to be, you know, more aggressive in the play-action game, but when you get down two or three scores early, it's hard to run the ball and then compliment with play-action, so just need to make sure we stick to the run game, that's our identity, and keep the sticks in our favor."

Michigan has a chance to get the offense back on track against Arkansas State. It's a big opportunity for the Wolverines who start Big Ten play next week with USC coming to Ann Arbor.

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