It’s only up from here for Michigan Football

The offense was far too conservative and predictable

It was already going to take a gargantuan effort to beat Georgia, but Michigan’s offense did the defense no favors. Putting up three points through three quarters of play was definitely not going to get the job done in Miami.

For Michigan to beat Georgia, the Wolverines would’ve had to try to establish the running game first, obviously, but on passing plays, they would need to try to take some shots downfield and take advantage of Georgia’s weaker secondary.

Throughout the year, Michigan’s bread and butter on passing plays were picking up the easy yardage, taking what the defense gave it, and slowly and methodically driving the field for touchdowns.

It was not going to work in this game. Those swing passes and quick out routes that went for at least 5-6 yards+ against Big Ten competition weren’t going to work against a defense as fast and as aggressive as Georgia’s.

Georgia’s linebackers (especially Nakobe Dean) were flying all over the field all game long. If Michigan football was to move the ball on Georgia, they had to change up some of what they were doing and throw the ball beyond the sticks to move the chains. Too many times in the game we saw short passes from Cade go for minimal gains or no yardage at all.

The few times we did see Michigan throw the ball downfield, it worked. J.J. McCarthy found Erick All a few times down the seams, Cade completed a long pass to Roman Wilson, and McCarthy completed a long touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Getting more vertical and stretching Georgia’s secondary was going to be key in this game, but unfortunately, Michigan was too stubborn and thought that what worked prior would work every single time. No, eventually you have to adjust, and sort of the blame is on the playcalling.