Michigan’s offense couldn’t have played much worse on Saturday against Michigan State, looking completely inept for the majority of the game.
However, one of the few bright spots was junior receiver Grant Perry, who hauled in five catches for 61 yards and was the Wolverines’ leading receiver.
Perry wasn’t about to place blame for the Maize and Blue’s offensive struggles though.
“Football is the most team game there is,” he explained. “Eleven people have to be doing 11 different things correctly at the same time, so it’s on all of us. We all have to operate smoothly for things to work.”
Even though fifth-year senior quarterback John O’Korn played his worst game in a Michigan uniform — three interceptions and no touchdowns — Perry said he has no doubt the veteran will be just fine.
“He’s bounced back his whole college career,” Perry confirmed. “He was a great player down in Houston, but some things happened there and he was forced to move on — he’s been waiting for his shot here the past few years. John has been battling his whole career — I like that because it gives him an edge.”
Another player that has battled adversity throughout his life is junior running back Karan Higdon. Perry didn’t get into the specifics of what Higdon has all been through, but did touch on his 65-yard performance against the Spartans.
“Karan was running hard,” Perry said. “He’s got a heck of a story, because he’s come from a lot — he’s running for his family and for his team. You can see that whenever he plays by how hard he runs.”
However, Higdon’s and Perry’s efforts weren’t quite enough to get a victory on Saturday night.
“I wanted that one badly,” Perry admitted. “I wanted to get that trophy and beat Michigan State, but it is what it is. We took one on the chin, but you have to move on with the 24-hour rule.”
The junior explained how he learned about “moving on” and other football lessons during his time at Michigan.
“I’m doing with the young players what [former receivers Amara] Darboh and Jehu [Chesson] did with me,” he reminisced. “These are all learning experiences, but I went through it too — I made a lot of mistakes as a freshman, but I learned from them. I attribute that to what I’m doing now — Jehu always told me to grow from my mistakes.
“One thing I really preach now is to have a short memory, regardless of whether it’s a great play or a bad one. I tell the young guys to have amnesia — forget about it — and move on to the next play. You can’t sit and think about what you did before.”
The Maize and Blue will need Perry’s veteran presence and leadership on Saturday when they head to Indiana.
The Hoosiers have given the Wolverines everything they can handle in recent years, and Perry expects much of the same this weekend.
“You have to go into every game expecting it to be a dogfight,” he said. “You should never overestimate or underestimate an opponent. We’ll have to be ready for whatever they bring.”
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