Michigan football still has questions to answer
Michigan football is 8-2, but with two weeks and two huge games remaining, there is still much we don’t know about the Wolverines.
Michigan football is heading into its final two weeks of the season against Wisconsin (no. 5 in the AP poll) and Ohio State (no. 8), and as usual we’ve got more questions than answers.
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The Wolverines are 8-2 overall, and that’s looking good right now. But 8-4 is looking more and more likely as the final 2017 record, with a second-tier bowl game as a consolation prize.
Could Michigan steal one or both of the remaining two games? Yes, anything is possible, and meeting Ohio State at home this year is certainly an advantage. But it’s going to be an uphill battle, and the Wolverines still have some significant questions.
First, injuries
As my colleague Chris Peterson has already noted, the Wolverines are really nicked up heading into what are the two most important games of the season.
Karan Higdon, who seemed to emerge over the last couple of weeks as the most reliable of Michigan’s running backs, left the Maryland game early with an ankle injury and did not return. Jim Harbaugh characteristically offered little explanation.
Ty Isaac went out earlier in the season and hasn’t returned, so now we seem to be left with Chris Evans and Kareem Walker to handle most of the carries, with Henry Poggi handling short-yardage situations.
But running back injuries are hardly Michigan’s biggest concern.
The defense, which has been the most reliable part of our game, has been dinged up too. LaVert Hill, who had a concussion against Maryland, may be the top concern, but corner back David Long injured his knee and was noticeably limping during the game. Losing those two guys for the rest of the season would be a huge setback.
Rashan Gary left the Maryland game with an arm injury (and did not return), but should be ready to go again next week against Wisconsin. The question of course is whether he’ll be 100 percent. Mike McCray has the other concerning injury on defense. And except for Hill, we don’t have much information on any of them.
Second, the kicking game
What’s going on with Quinn Nordin? He hasn’t made a field goal in about a month, and he’s even missed a couple of point-after attempts. He missed a 31 yarder against Maryland that for him should have been like a two-inch putt.
It has to be a mental issue, unless his undisclosed injury is affecting his kicking more than we know. Harbaugh let Nordin have it after his miss on Saturday, and the two exchanged what appeared to be more than pleasantries on the sideline.
Whatever the truth in this situation, I’m thinking that a close game against either Wisconsin or Ohio State could be decided by a field goal, and we need our guy to be ready.
Third, wide receivers
Grant Perry has been injured of course, and Nico Collins seems to be out for the season, but the remaining wide receivers seem to have disappeared altogether from the offense. If there’s a passing situation, one of our tight ends has been the preferred target. We’re seeing a two tight-end formation more often than not.
So, what’s going on? Part of the answer has to be the revolving door at quarterback. With Brandon Peters, we’re down to our third-string option, and our play callers on the sidelines have been reluctant to ask very much of the young man.
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But these guys who play outside are play makers, and Michigan football is going to need them to get open occasionally, if the Wolverines going to steal one, if not both, of the remaining games.