Will Michigan unleash Bryce Underwood?
This offense scored tied for the fewest points scored against USC with 13. Michigan State scored 31 for goodnes sakes. Part of that was the way USC shortened the game, but it still feels like the Wolverines are limiting themselves when it comes to their use of Bryce Underwood.
Underwood needs to play better and he will. All offseason, we pointed to the fact that there would be growing pains. We saw that on Saturday night. Bryce missed some throws and some reads. He's also an 18-year-old true freshman.
The most frustrating thing about Michigan's use of Bryce is how they haven't activated him in the run game. Over the past two games, he's only had six rushing attempts, not counting sacks.
That's not enough. We haven't seen the QB counter since the Central Michigan game. It feels like there could have been a draw or a designed run with Max Bredeson as the lead blocker.
The Wolverines also need to allow Underwood to throw more drop-back passes. Most of his pass attempts are RPOs, screens and play-action fakes, along with rollouts which are usually simple reads.
That's all well and good. It makes sense to have that stuff, but with Andrew Marsh, Donaven McCulley, and Marlin Klein, Michigan has weapons to drop-back pass on early downs. It has been doing it mostly on third and long, which doesn't do the offensive line or Bryce any favors.
Running the ball will be key. Justice Haynes is questionable, so at some point, you wonder if Michigan will realize it needs to run Bryce to win, at least against good teams, and Washington, which should be ranked, is a really good team.
Washington's quarterback has 65 non-sack rushing attempts. Bryce Underwood has 24. Imagine if Texas or Auburn had only run Vince Young or Cam Newton 24 times midway through the season.
It's crazy and if Michigan is going to have any chance of making the playoff, it needs to let Bryce be Bryce, which is what we have been saying all season, outside of the Central Michigan game.