Michigan football looks to bounce back after the loss to USC as they take on the 5-1 Washington Huskies. The Wolverines look to avenge their loss not only last week but last year when they fell to Washington 27 to 17.
Last year, Michigan football was in a tough spot in the season when they traveled to Washington, as this was Alex Orji's second start at quarterback, and at one point in the game, Michigan switched to Jack Tuttle because of his poor passing abilities. Michigan led in this game at one point but they let it slip away as they would take their second loss of the year.
The Wolverines come in already at their second loss of the season, so every game now for the rest of the season is very important if they want to keep their playoff hopes. They open as 6.5-point favorites as they are at home this week. Head Coach Sherrone Moore stated this week that "we've got to get back to work." So, after hearing this, knowing the team will come in motivated, what are the biggest factors that will help Michigan win this game?
Stopping Washington's Dynamic Backfield
The Huskies' backfield is led by Jonah Coleman, who has 518 yards on the ground this year, which is fifth in the Big Ten, and leads the Big Ten in rushing touchdowns with 11. While his yards per game won't blow you away, you cannot deny his ability to get in the end zone with 11 touchdowns only halfway through the season. It is obvious how important he is to the Washington offense, but there is another aspect to prepare for with this offense.
Demond Williams Jr, the quarterback for the Huskies, is having a great season as he has thrown for 1,628 yards, 10 touchdowns, and only one interception. While he is having a great season throwing the ball, that isn't even what makes him such a problem for this defense. He has 314 yards rushing this season, which is almost as if he is the second running back on this team.
With his ability to run and having a great running back in Jonah Coleman this backfield can keep a defense guessing all day. The Michigan defense has struggled this season as they are not stopping the run game as well as it have in the past, and the secondary is getting burned more than they have in years.
So how can Michigan stop this offense? The Wolverines need to control the line of scrimmage like they are used to doing. There is a lot of rotation on this defensive line, which can be good to give guys a break when needed, but when your best players are not playing in crucial moments and not getting snaps to get into rhythm, then it can be hard to control the line of scrimmage. This defense needs to play their best guys and dominate up front to make Washington pass so their great run game doesn't burn them.