Michigan Football: Offensive Review vs. Oregon State Beavers

Sep 12, 2015; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines running back De’Veon Smith (4) rushes for a touchdown in the second quarter against the Oregon State Beavers at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

After struggling in last week’s game in Utah, Michigan football’s offense had a nice bounceback in its Week 2 performance against Oregon State.

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There were still turnovers, but their impact was lessened. There were  much fewer stalled drives. The line got a nice push on the Beavers’ defense throughout the game. The running game was rolling. The receivers stepped up when they needed to convert. Michigan’s offense demolished the Beavers, especially in the second half.

All in all, it was exactly what fans wanted to see from a Jim Harbaugh offense: relatively conservative, run-heavy, smart football.

The Beavers have a much less formidable defense than the Utes had last week, and the Wolverines definitely benefited from the step down in competition. There were also quite a few mistakes that could have really hurt the team if they were playing a better team.

Even with a few caveats, fans should be happy with how the offense performed. After a disappointing performance in Week 1, we now have a picture of what this offense is supposed to look like when it’s running on all cylinders.

Next: Quarterback Play