Jim Harbaugh's Michigan Wolverines are favored by many to finally break through and win a Big Ten football title this year. Will the offense be that much better, and how will the defense respond to being on the field more?
We answer those questions and more from our subscribers in today's mailbag.
RELATED LINK: ESPN's FPI Projects Michigan Football To Win 10.5 Games
RELATED LINK: Jim Harbaugh On DE Mike Danna — 'He's Been Better Than Advertised So Far'
Will the offense score more points than the past renditions?And related, will the defense be more effective against higher ranked opponents this year?
We get that stats lie pretty often, but point totals on offense (while relevant) don’t tell the story about an offense. The 2016 team, for example, put up more than 40 points per game behind quarterback Wilton Speight, while last year’s averaged 35.15. Is it reasonable to expect more than that given this year’s strength of schedule?
Probably not.
The more intriguing question would be if the offense can move the ball against the better defenses on the schedule when it matters most. They didn’t last year against Ohio State (yes, 39 points, but many when the game was out of hand and seven were a gift), and part of that was because there was so little margin for error. That’s what happens when with a move-the-chains type of offense … a few drops (by, say, your big tight end) then become the difference between touchdowns and field goals.
