All of the Michigan Wolverines’ defensive football players who were asked about Army’s offense following the 24-21 win on Sept. 7 admitted facing the Black Knights’ triple-option attack was a nightmare, and that it would be refreshing to once go up against a ‘normal’ offense.
The Wisconsin Badgers certainly fit that bill, spearheaded by junior running back Jonathan Taylor and their powerful ground game, and an experienced group of veteran receivers made up of senior A.J. Taylor, redshirt juniors Quintez Cephus, Kendric Pryor, Jack Dunn and Adam Krumholz and junior Danny Davis.
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“It’s a relief and is exciting,” senior safety Josh Metellus exclaimed tonight when asked about getting away from Army’s triple-option offense and going up against the Badgers’ offensive attack.
“Being here for the last few years, we ran this pro-style offense with fullbacks and tight ends, and ran the ball downhill.
“These are my roots, because it was the first college offense I went against. It’s my last year and I get to face a good team who’s doing it with one of the best backs in the country in Jonathan Taylor.
“It’ll be good to compete against guys worthy of competing against. Taylor sees the hole and feels where everyone is coming from, and doesn’t tip toe through the gaps.
“He’ll go full speed and attack if he feels someone coming, and will attack you if you don’t attack him. That’s what makes him different from other backs.
“You stop him by getting all 11 guys to the ball, and getting as many hands on him as possible.”
A victory in Madison against an undefeated Badger squad would certainly qualify as a statement win, something the Maize and Blue have seldom done on the road over the last decade.
Senior quarterback Shea Patterson talked about making a statement, however, and Metellus echoed the signal caller’s sentiment tonight.
“It’s more for us,” he explained. “We haven’t played the best football we can play. Guys in the building have potential to be way up here, but we haven’t reached it yet.
“We want to come in on Sunday and say we’re playing our best football, hitting our stride and moving up. We want to make a real statement to ourselves rather than anybody else.
“Those first two games were wins on paper, but not wins for us. Everybody playing their best football, not many mistakes, everyone playing hard and doing their job is what we want our statement to be.”
The Las Vegas betting odds currently have Michigan as an underdog heading into Saturday’s contest, which has seldom been the case under head coach Jim Harbaugh.
Metellus made it clear, however, that he couldn’t care less whether or not his Wolverines are picked to win.
“It is what it is,” he laughed when told about the Vegas oddsmakers. “They don’t play football — we play football. When the whistle blows and we’re the underdogs, it’s still going to be me versus you and Wisconsin versus Michigan.”
So does the club feel like underdogs?
“No,” he said. “We feel like Michigan.”
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