By The Numbers: Comparing This Season’s U-M QB Stats So Far To Last Year’s
The struggles of U-M’s quarterbacks last year were a huge reason the team limped to a disappointing 8-5 season.
Injuries to Wilton Speight early in the campaign (Sept. 23) and then to Brandon Peters later on (Nov. 18) certainly hindered the position, but the two struggled mightily even when healthy (along with John O'Korn).
In all, the trio finished the season with just nine combined touchdown passes, to go along with 10 interceptions. The group also connected on only 53.5 percent of its throws, which ranked 11th in the Big Ten.
Junior quarterback Shea Patterson’s arrival at U-M has strengthened the play at the position so far in 2018.
He — along with redshirt freshman Dylan McCaffrey — have posted stellar numbers through the season’s first two games against Notre Dame and Western Michigan, and are ahead of where the Wolverine signal-callers were in 2017 at this juncture.
| Statistic | 2017 | 2018 |
|---|---|---|
|
Completion percentage |
53.0 |
68.5 |
|
Interceptions |
2 |
1 |
|
Passing yards per game |
219.5 |
196.0 |
|
Touchdowns |
3 |
4 |
|
Sacks taken |
6 |
5 |
|
Quarterback rating |
130.5 |
150.2 |
Maize and Blue quarterbacks in 2018 are statistically better than last year’s in every major category, with the exception of passing yards per game (219.5 in 2017, 196.0 in 2018).
The combination of Patterson and McCaffrey are noticeably improved in perhaps the most important statistic of all — completion percentage.
Speight and O'Korn connected on just 53.0 percent of their throws against Florida and Cincinnati, respectively, last year, while this season's duo has hit their targets 68.5 percent of the time (fourth best in the Big Ten and 26th best nationally).
The 2018 group has also thrown fewer interceptions (two last year to one this season), more touchdowns (four to three), has taken fewer sacks (five to six) and has a higher quarterback rating (150.2 to 130.5).
The level of competition each unit has faced also needs to be taken into account.
The 2017 Wolverines went up against a dreadful Bearcat pass defense Sept. 9 that finished 80th in the nation (236.1 yards allowed per game), and a Gator unit in week one that wound up a respectable 28th (195.4).
In 2018, however, the Maize and Blue have seen a Notre Dame pass defense that is expected to be one of football's best, led by a preseason Associated Press second-team All-American in junior cornerback Julian Love.
The Broncos’ defensive backfield is a bit harder to gauge — granted, they only let U-M throw for 143 yards, but 117 of those came in the first half, proving Michigan was moving the ball through the air at will. The Wolverines focused more on the ground in the second half of the blowout, throwing just seven times after intermission.
WMU’s secondary did a much better job in its first game against Syracuse, allowing Orange signal-callers to complete just 11 of 26 passes (42.3 percent).
As a whole, the Broncos' pass defense ranks a mediocre 47th nationally (184.5 yards allowed per game) so far in 2018.
Regardless, there’s no denying that Wolverine quarterbacks are posting better statistics through two games than last season’s unit did, and that they’re doing it against better competition.
By The Numbers: SMU at Michigan
3 U-M receivers who caught their first career touchdown pass last week against Western Michigan — sophomores Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones, and redshirt freshman Jacob McCurry. Prior to Collins’ scoring grab in the second quarter, no Wolverine receiver had hauled in a score since then-junior Grant Perry did so against Cincinnati on Sept. 9, 2017.
10 Catches by Peoples-Jones so far in 2018. He is already nearly halfway to his 2017 total, when he reeled in 22 in 13 games. The next-highest total on the squad is senior Grant Perry’s five grabs.
12-2 Record for Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh in the month of September during his time in Ann Arbor. The two defeats came at the hands of Utah in 2015 and Notre Dame this year.
24-5-1 All-time record for U-M against teams who currently reside in the American Athletic Conference — Cincinnati (1-0), Connecticut (2-0), Houston (3-0), Memphis (1-0), Navy (12-5-1), SMU (1-0), Tulane (3-0) and UCF (1-0). The Wolverines have never faced current AAC members East Carolina, South Florida, Temple or Tulsa.
27.5 Yards per catch for Collins, which is the second-best mark in the Big Ten (behind Ohio State fifth-year senior wideout Terry McLaurin's 34.4) and the sixth in the entire country.
49 Points scored by Michigan last weekend, which was its most since a 59-3 victory over Maryland on Nov. 5, 2016.
50.2 Yards per punt for redshirt sophomore Will Hart. Unfortunately, he doesn’t yet qualify in the national statistics (a player must have a minimum of 3.6 punts per game played), but would rank as the second best average in the nation if he did, behind Georgia State's Brandon Wright (55).
83 Degrees for a projected high on Saturday, with nothing but sunny skies. That will be a far cry from last weekend’s forecast against Western Michigan, which featured all clouds and temperatures in the 60s.
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