Michigan’s wide receivers dominated Michigan State in Saturday’s 44-10 win, and not just by catching the ball. Sophomore Ronnie Bell caught 150 yards in passes and earned co-offensive player of the game honors with senior quarterback Shea Patterson, but just as impressive was his work on the perimeter.
Bell, juniors Nico Collins and Donovan Peoples-Jones and redshirt junior Tarik Black dominated on bubble screens and created space for their teammates when the ball wasn’t thrown their way, something that was tough for them a few months ago.
A big part of blocking is mentality, and they’ve come a long, long way.
“Yeah,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said, nodding in appreciation. “That’s been a really good thing for our team. I’d say probably four, five weeks ago it was just at a point early where it wasn’t that good, and that’s an area we’ve really gotten better at … really improved steadily, and it was at its best in this past game,” Harbaugh said.
It was at its worst at Wisconsin, where guys seemed to be sulking when the ball wasn’t thrown their way. There were some meetings with individuals on accountability, some tough love shown by the coaches and some soul searching, no doubt. The result showed Saturday, a game in which U-M’s receivers bullied the MSU defensive backs and created room on bubble screens, especially.
“That’s been a real focus for us,” Harbaugh said. “How do you get yards after contact? Break tackles or get guys blocked. If you don’t have the ball, to me you’re a blocker on a down or a play, and that was big this week.”
The line was solid in protection, too, and getting a healthy Sean McKeon back was also critical. Tight end blocking, to put it bluntly, wasn’t a strength after he went down, and he’s been easing his way back to full health since hurting his knee against Wisconsin.
The bye week came at a perfect time for him, and he played one of his best games as a blocker.
“Sean had a terrific game. He did a really good job blocking ends and linebackers,” Harbaugh said. “It was a big key in the pass protection and in the run game, and he also made a couple big catches, especially the long third down. He had a terrific game. It means a lot to have him back.”
NOTES
• Indiana is now 7-3 with two games to go, having played Penn State tough in Happy Valley before losing by seven this week.
“That’s a really good football team,” Harbaugh said. “They’ve done a great job with the program there, and with the ball club. Defensively, I think [Tom Allen] has built that team into being a winning team through the defense. It’s a physical front up front and very athletic in the secondary, at the linebacker position. “They’ve got a lot of god schemes and adjustments. They’re very good by formation … different calls to get to the same defense of structure, and I think he’s got a lot of enthusiasm. He’s really focused, you can tell, as a coach, and that rubs off on his football team.
“Offensively, they don’t beat themselves and they make big plays. It’s a good-looking team, too, from a physical and athletic standpoint, and the way they run. They’ve done a great job.”
Harbaugh wouldn’t bite when asked if he felt his team could beat anybody in the country right now.
“Indiana’s going to be tough to beat, but we’ll be tough to beat, too.,” he said.
• Black was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for flexing at nobody in particular after a big catch Saturday. Harbaugh submitted a request for an explanation to the Big Ten.
“We have a question in on it right now, but it’s a good question,” he said. “I think he just flexed one, and it should probably be spelled out. I watch a lot of football games on TV. I see a lot of gestures. I know (throat slash) is something you couldn’t do. But it would be a good thing to talk about.”
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