Michigan Wolverine Football: Mission Accomplished — For the Week At Least

Sep 13, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Amara Darboh (82) dives score a touchdown in the first quarter against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Posted at 4:00pm — 9/17/2014

Michigan Wolverine Football: Mission Accomplished — For the Week At Least

The chill in the air was unusual for mid September. The back story was downright unreal.

Just seven days removed from an unprecedented 31-point shutout defeat at Notre Dame, the Michigan Wolverines rebounded with a relatively routine 34-10 victory over Miami University on Military Appreciation Day at Michigan Stadium. Points on the board and a win in the books made this mission a success, but they were not true indicators of what was a mediocre Wolverine football effort.

Sep 13, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Brady Hoke (C) stands on the sideline in the second quarter against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsAs Coach Hoke spoke from the podium about his team’s impressive performance and how proud he was of them after facing such adversity, what remained of the reported crowd of 102,000 wandered out of the Big House, most wondering why they weren’t feeling better about what they just saw.

What they saw was Team 135 taking shape. Unless something happens soon to change its course, this squad appears to be one who achieves by outscoring weaker opposition, overcoming self-created obstacles (turnovers, penalties, poor field position) and leveraging its unusually stout rushing defense to create more opportunities for the offense.

Sep 13, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines wide receiver Amara Darboh (82) rushes in the first half against the Miami (Oh) Redhawks at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsWe saw a bit of all three aspects at play Saturday. The Wolverines started out impressively, erasing its longest period of scoring futility in three decades with a 29- yard Matt Wile field goal and a 17-yard touchdown pass from Devin Gardner to Amara Darboh on the game’s first two series.

Then came the obstacles. Namely, a period of second quarter narcolepsy where Michigan turned the ball over three times over a four-play span, killing an opportunity to advance a shaky lead and giving Miami the chance to belly-crawl back into the game.

• Obstacle #1: facing third and long at the RedHawk 43, Gardner hit Darboh, who galloped all the way to the 21 yard line before Miami DB Tre Clifton knocked the football free.

• Obstacle #2: two plays into their next possession, Gardner threw a weak pass that was picked off by senior corner Quinten Rollins, leading to a 26-yard field goal.

• Obstacle #3: Miami coach Chuck Martin—who spent the past four years on Brian Kelly’s staff at Notre Dame—caught the Wolverines napping and pulled off a successful onside kick, a pop fly 30 yards downfield that Wyatt Shallman inexplicably fielded without calling a fair catch. He was drilled, the RedHawks recovered the ensuing fumble and tied the game four plays later.

Sep 13, 2014; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back Derrick Green (27) runs with the ball around Miami (Oh) Redhawks defensive back Heath Harding (24) in the fourth quarter at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines won 34-10. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsWere it not for Michigan’s most impressive drive of the day—a devilish 6-play, 66- yard masterpiece that regained both momentum and the lead—they may have given an overmatched Miami team the idea that this game was up for grabs. The offensive line came to life, carving out three cavernous holes through which Derrick Green exploded for 46 yards. They even escorted him into the end zone on his last carry.

Leading by just seven entering the third quarter, it was the defense’s turn to answer the bell. Three RedHawk drives led to three punts, with their rushing attack managing a measly 23 yards on 8 traumatic carries. The Wolverines, on the other hand, grew the lead with the help of a comeback kid. Cleared to play weeks ahead of schedule, tight end Jake Butt was boots on the ground, grabbing a 22-yard pass for his first stat of the year. Two plays later Butt took advantage of an Emmy-worthy play fake and broke away and alone along the right sideline, catching an easy lob and trotting into the south end zone for the score that broke Miami’s proverbial backs.

Oct 12, 2013; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Utes cheerleaders warm up prior to a game against the Stanford Cardinal at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Utah defeated Stanford 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY SportsA must-win game that they couldn’t possibly lose: mission accomplished. An opportunity to take out some pent-up frustration on a vulnerable MAC school after the South Bend humiliation: not so much. Fans alternated cheers and boos, while applauding the military veterans among their ranks. But few if any left with the tingling sensation that what happened the previous week was a mere aberration.

Instead, the feeling seemed to be that another uncertain season lay ahead. A season where the road has already proven treacherous, where, for the first time in nearly half a century, the Wolverines must travel to East Lansing and Columbus.

But one daunting challenge at a time, please. This week it’s a pretty darn legitimate Utah team who, with the past Saturday off, enjoyed an extra week of preparation for their return to the Big House. I’m ready for an act of aggression if you are.

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Written by GBMWolverine Writer — Chris Hill

Go Blue — Wear Maize!

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