Michigan Football: 4 things on Wolverines bye week to-do list

Michigan football squeaked out a win versus Army Saturday, which showed the Wolverines have some things to clear up during the bye. Here’s a to-do list.

These next two weeks won’t be pretty in Ann Arbor for Michigan football.

Michigan football escaped Army, 24-21, in double overtime on Saturday at the Big House in a game that the Wolverines easily could have — and probably should have — lost. This, on the heels of a solid, but slightly unconvincing, opening victory over Middle Tennessee State, in the opener.

Sure, Michigan sits 2-0, and all its goals are still very much ahead of it. But after what we saw from the Wolverines yesterday, what confidence would any rational fan have that they can reach them?

Michigan lost the ball on the ground as many times in one afternoon as it did all last season. It committed nine penalties for 58 yards. Josh Gattis’ offense, which was supposed to take the Wolverines from the Stone Age into the future, averaged 4.5 yards per play and found the end zone just twice in regulation.

There are still glimmers of hope, just as you’d expect from a team of Michigan’s caliber. But those glimmers are inevitable when you talk about a team with as much talent as the Wolverines. Even when not firing on all cylinders, that should be enough to avoid sweating out a 49-yard game-winning field goal.

Michigan football has a bye next week, which will allow the Wolverines the chance to build on these flashes and correct their mistakes. Here’s how they can start: