Michigan Football: 4 questions facing Wolverines against Illinois

Is this all the offense is?

Michigan football has played five games this season. Shea Patterson is healthy. As are Donovan Peoples-Jones, Zach Charbonnet and Jon Runyan Jr. Josh Gattis has moved from the press box to the sideline.

At the midway point of the season, the growing pains expected against Middle Tennessee and Army have faded further into the background. The Wolverines are dealing with fewer injuries than in September, and their offensive arsenal is nearing full capacity.

So why aren’t they better?

The things that could be excused one month ago are no longer as justifiable. Michigan’s 74th out of 130 teams in scoring offense, 93rd in yards per game, 66th in offensive S&P+ per ESPN. Last year’s unit, universally panned as stodgy and backwards, ranked 25th in the latter category.

Make no mistake, Iowa’s defense is legitimately stingy. But if the Wolverines were operating even close to their potential, they’d have scored more than 10 points. The deep shots to Peoples-Jones and Nico Collins, which have been overwhelmingly successful, were still mostly absent. Patterson’s passes — often his first reads, mind you — were often caught well behind the sticks. All the talent in the world means nothing if it isn’t put in a position to be effective.

The quick tempo and downfield strikes Gattis’ offense promised in August look like outliers right now. Michigan football should beat Illinois one way or another, but it won’t defeat Penn State, Notre Dame or Ohio State with a barely-there offensive identity that seems to be based mostly on potential. It might be too late to unlock it in time to salvage the Wolverines’ season.